DECADES REMOVED from southwestern Minnesota, Twin Cities writer Elizabeth Johanneck and I remain rooted to the prairie—the land and people and smalls towns which shaped us. We both grew up on Redwood County farms, were Wabasso High School classmates and today hold a deep respect and fondness for the place we once called home.
Beth, as she’s known to me, recently published a book, If You Can’t Make it to Heaven, at Least Get to Seaforth—The Monica Stories and Then Some. This book features short stories and snippet observations in Beth’s humorous storytelling style, plus paintings and photos. These could be my stories, my memories, just with different characters and settings. Any prairie farm kid likely will feel the same.
ABOUT SEAFORTH & MONICA
But where is Seaforth? And who is Monica? Seaforth, population 77, is a farming community located along County Road 7, south of Minnesota State Highway 19 in central Redwood County. It’s near my hometown of Vesta, seven miles to the northwest. Monica Fischer is Beth’s friend, former co-worker and a character. A baby shoe in a pot of egg coffee and pantyhose found clinging inside a pant leg during Catholic Mass are among the many entertaining Monica stories that left me laughing aloud. By the time I’d finished reading this section of the book, I felt like I knew Monica well. Everyone should have a friend like her.
GROWING UP ON THE MINNESOTA PRAIRIE IN THE 1960s
And everyone should be so fortunate to have experienced rural Minnesota life in the 1960s, as Beth and I did. It is Part 2, “Random Nonsense of a MN Country Mouse,” that I find most similar to my childhood. Both farmers’ daughters with many siblings, Beth and I share the commonalities of being raised on the land among aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and immediate family who loved us deeply.
As in “The Monica Stories,” Beth writes about her personal experiences in a casual conversational style. It’s as if she and I are chatting over cups of coffee, and Beth does like her coffee. I connect with her stories about “the grove,” jars of pocket gopher feet in the freezer, grab bags, bloodsuckers, The Weekly Reader, hearing corn grow and more.
Her humor-infused short stories stretch into adulthood, into becoming a parent and grandparent. These are not earth-shattering remembrances, but rather observations about everyday life and events that could be mine, could be yours, but are definitively Beth’s.
NIBBLES OF COUNTRY INSIGHTS
In a section titled “Country Mouse Nibbles,” Beth shares her thoughts on topics in a sentence or two, the first being “When You Are Raised Close to the Land.” I fully understand—the smell after autumn harvest, looking to the west for approaching storms, filled fruit jars crowding root cellar shelves… And “Holding onto Memories”—Distant cheers from a local ball game are souvenirs worth saving for winter. Truly poetic words.
FEATURING THE ART OF “MINNESOTA’S GRANDPA MOSES”
There is much to be cherished in this book beyond pages and pages of rural memories and insights. Beth also intersperses photos, most from Seaforth. But it is Part 3, “Paintings by Arnold Kramer, Minnesota’s ‘Grandpa Moses,’” which is an historic agrarian art treasure. Following his retirement, Seaforth farmer Arnold Kramer took up painting, visually documenting early to mid-1900s rural life and scenes. He became well-known for his folk art style paintings done in primary colors. Beth’s book holds the only printed collection of paintings by her grandfather. The self-taught artist created more than 400 works of art and was dubbed “Minnesota’s Grandpa Moses” by the University of Minnesota at the peak of his creativity in the 1960s.
BOOK SIGNING SATURDAY IN SEAFORTH
Like her grandfather before her, Beth is also a visual artist. She illustrated a just-published children’s picture book by her lifelong friend, Cindy Bernardy Lavin, our WHS classmate. Both writers, along with Monica Pistulka Fisher, are doing a book signing from noon to 3 pm this Saturday, July 29, at the C4th Bar during Seaforth’s Hometown Days celebration.
Beth’s book is also available for purchase at Chapter Two Bookstore in Redwood Falls and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Both her book and Cindy’s achieved bestseller status on Amazon following their release.
Julie Kramer, author of bestseller Stalking Susan, praises Beth’s book in her back cover endorsement, calling it “a delightful collection from a farm girl who grew up near the Minnesota home of Laura Ingalls Wilder.” I agree. Fully.
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Disclaimer: I edited Beth’s book and advised her on the manuscript. She also included my poem, “Her Treasure,” as a companion piece in the “Country Mouse Nibbles” section. For many years, Beth hosted a blog, Minnesota Country Mouse.
© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
this sounds like a a wonderful read, full of life, and told by one who was there and appreciated it all. this must be so fun for you, as someone with such a similar background and it is a win-win for both of you to have you involved in this lovely book that beth created.
I loved working on this project with Beth. She’s a talented storyteller, who truly captured what it was like to grow up on a farm in sw Minnesota in the 1960s.
What a great book to have been able to a part of—- it sounds wonderful.
Beth’s stories drew me in, right back to my childhood, to the farm. It is a fun read. I truly enjoyed editing the manuscript.
What a wonderful review! You clearly covered all the main points of the book and your connections to the heart of the book. Even if the reader is not from the prairies one can appreciate the author’s writing and her love of the land. Great job Audrey.
Thank you, Sue. I was honored and excited to be involved with Beth’s book, which accurately reflects life on a sw Minnesota farm in the 1960s.
This book sounds delightful; I love the cover. So much talent emerging from your home area of SW Minnesota.
Bernadette, you would LOVE Beth’s book. I encourage you to purchase a copy. You will definitely relate to the stories therein.
Your stories bring back so many wonderful memories of growing up on farms in southwestern Minnesota, first west of Marshall, and later at Wabasso. I love that you mentioned Arnold Kramer. I recently looked him up on the internet and found many of his delightful paintings shown on-line. Also love your mention of Seaforth—my mother was a Rohlik who grew up there.
You need to buy Beth’s book! You will love it. The stories and images of Seaforth and of Arnold Kramer’s paintings.
My sister Linda said she would love to read (buy?) Beth’s book. I might have to read her book—if she will let me. I still have her copy of a Laura Ingalls Wilder book that I borrowed several years ago!
You all need to read this book because you will relate to what Beth’s written. I sure did. Be sure to share the book with Sharon, too.
Oh, yeah! It’s still a thing: “jars of pocket gopher feet in the freezer!” As the township official who verified and approved trappers’ requests for bounty payments, my late father always appreciated those who took measures to preserve the varmints’ feet, whether by packing them in salt, or freezing them. The practice continues.
It’s always fun to read comments like yours today, from someone who knows exactly what Beth wrote about in her book and I shared in this post. I don’t think I would like to be the township official counting gopher feet. You would love Beth’s book.
Looks like I need to get my hands on that book by your friend Beth!
Yes, you do, dear Gretchen! 🙂
It sounds like a fun and interesting book.
It is that, especially for those of us who grew up in rural Minnesota.
Best Wishes, Beth, with your book signing!
Beth’s book signing in Seaforth was a great success. She ran out of books. But the bar is restocking.
I almost considered going to Seaforth for the book signing, although even for me living in southwest Minnesota, it’s still a bit of a jaunt. I’ve seen the road sign but have not been to Seaforth. It sounds like a wonderful book. Plus, it’s nice to consider your work with Beth to make it happen. Funny thing is, I still experience “the grove,” the smell of growing corn (it’s really growing right now in the heat and humidity), and looking to the west for upcoming storms. I even have filled fruit jars although they are just in the basement, not a root cellar. Of course, many things have changed so it’s good to have books like Beth’s that capture the time period.
Colleen, you absolutely must buy Beth’s book. You would love it since you can relate to what she writes, past and present.
Beth’s book signing was so successful that she ran out of books. But the C4th Bar is reordering and the book is available online and at the bookstore in Redwood Falls.