Turek’s Auction Service, 303 Montgomery Ave. S.E. (Highway 21), Montgomery, has been “serving Minnesota since 1958.”(Minnesota Prairie Roots edited and copyrighted file photo February 2014)
AUCTIONS ARE PART of my rural DNA. As such, a photo I took ten years ago of an auction barn on the edge of Montgomery, Minnesota, inspired me to write a poem. I entered “Sunday Afternoon at the Auction Barn” in the 2014 The Talking Stick writing competition. It earned second place in poetry and publication in The Talking Stick 23, Symmetry, a literary journal published by the northern Minnesota-based Jackpine Writers’ Bloc. It also earned the praise of noted Minnesota poet and poetry judge Margaret Hasse. She’s authored six full-length collections of poetry.
First, my poem:
Sunday Afternoon at the Auction Barn
Shoulder brushes shoulder as bidders settle onto plank benches
in the tightness of the arched roof auction barn,
oil stains shadowing the cement beneath their soles,
where a farmer once greased wheel bearings on his Case tractor.
The auctioneer chants in a steady cadence
that mesmerizes, sways the faithful fellowship
to raise hands, nod heads, tip bidding cards
in reverent respect of an aged rural liturgy.
Red Wing crock, cane back rocker, a Jacob’s ladder quilt,
goods of yesteryear coveted by those who commune here,
sipping steaming black coffee from Styrofoam cups.
In her critique of my poem, Hasse wrote:
“I loved how you turned a humdrum occasion of bidding on antiques in an old barn into a closely observed and luminous occasion. The writer John Ciiardi once wrote that close and careful observation can “leak a ghost.” The surprise of your poem was the elevation of a commercial or material enterprise into a spiritual gathering—with a fellowship, liturgy, reverent respect, and people who commune. The ending—visual and concrete—was just right. The poet Franklin Brainerd wrote a poem something to the effect, “in a world of crystal goblets, I come with my paper cup.” There’s something both unpretentious and appealing about “sipping steaming black coffee from Styrofoam cups.”
Hasse’s comment reflects that she understands the spirit and spirituality of my poem. It was a joy to write. As I recall, the words flowed easily from my brain to keyboard to screen as I visualized bidders inside that auction barn, like congregants in a church. When poetry works like that, it’s magical and fulfilling and beyond beautiful.
Watching the auction from behind the auctioneer’s truck at the Rice County Steam & Gas Engines Consignment Auction on May 25 south of Dundas. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT AN AUCTION that evokes nostalgic curiosity, drawing people together to peruse second-hand merchandise, perhaps to bid, perhaps only to watch silently from the side. Even to mourn.
The auctioneer and clerk sell and record items sold. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Recently, I attended the spring auction at the Rice County Steam & Gas Engines showgrounds south of Dundas as an observer. I didn’t need any of the goods sold on consignment with all commissions donated to the nonprofit. But, still, I watched and wove among the items auctioned by Valek Auction Co. of Northfield.
Lining up for bidding numbers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
A familiar milk bucket, just like the one my dad used when milking his Holsteins. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I felt like I was back on the farm, filling a bushel basket with silage for the cows, scrubbing the milk bucket with a brush, mixing milk replacer in a galvanized pail, watching corn flow into an aged grain wagon…
A grain bin repurposed as a shelter/resting area at the Rice County Steam & Gas Engines showgrounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Rural auctions like this, for those of us who grew up on working farms or still live on them, are like steps back in time. Decades removed from farm life, I would feel out of place on a modern-day farm with all the technological advancements, the oversized equipment. That bushel basket, that milk bucket, that pail, that grain wagon…all are the stuff of yesteryear. Farming today is much less labor intensive, more efficient.
Items are auctioned off a hay rack. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
A vintage hay loader. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Merchandise lines the gravel road. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Still, we often hold onto the past, the memories of back-in-the-day, the “way it used to be.” Nostalgia runs strong at auctions. I saw that, felt it, overheard it as folks gathered around the auctioneer’s pick-up truck, leaned on the hay rack piled with auction goods, meandered among the merchandise lining both sides of a gravel road.
A 1950s vintage stroller, exactly like the one used for me and my five siblings. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Many of the auction items were vintage, likely pulled from the back corners of a dark machine shed or abandoned barn or from weeds along the edge of a grove. The rusted metal baby stroller could have been the one I rode in, the pitchfork the one I used to bed straw, the hand-reel lawnmower my grandma’s.
A vintage grain drill. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Planting dates written inside the lid of the grain drill. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
This particular auction held so much relatable history. I doubt I was alone in feeling that way. While looking at a vintage grain drill, an implement used to plant small grains, I discovered historic documentation. There, on the underside of a metal lid, a farmer recorded the dates he planted oats, barley and wheat, beginning in 1951 until 1969 with a few years missing. Planting and finishing dates are important to farmers as they put seed in the ground, anticipate harvest. I thought of this farmer who 73 years ago wrote that first entry on his grain drill, holding the hope of harvest within him.
Inspecting before bidding starts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
There’s a certain reverence and respect in rural auctions. An honoring of farmers and farm life and the responsibilities that come with tending the land. This isn’t just stuff being sold to the highest bidder, but rather something of value, of importance, that once belonged to another. I remember standing at my father-in-law’s farm auction decades ago and feeling a certain sadness in the sale of items gathered from shed, house, barn and elsewhere.
Lil Fox Wagon, one of several on-site food and beverage vendors. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Farm auctions represent the final verse in a hymn, the congregation gathered, the auctioneer chanting the liturgy. Comfort and community and closure come. At the hay rack. Among the rows of numbered auction items. At the lunch wagon. All until the last item is sold.
Resting during the morning auction. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Hallelujah. And amen.
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NOTE: Check back tomorrow to read my prize-winning poem, “Sunday Afternoon at the Auction Barn,” published in 2014 in a Minnesota literary anthology.
A welcoming sign photographed earlier this year in the children’s section of Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2024)
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Not in the sense of personal power, but in understanding. And I am always about growing my knowledge and understanding, especially within my community.
Faribault, like many neighboring communities, is culturally-diverse, home to immigrants, refugees and those who have received American citizenship. Somalis. Hispanics. Latinos. And others from countries that fit anything but the mostly White European backgrounds of rural Minnesotans. We are a state evolving in diversity, and I embrace that.
Hudda Ibrahim’s book offers an in-depth look at Somalis living in Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Recently I met a central Minnesota author who was in town as part of an event celebrating Somali culture at the Paradise Center for the Arts. Hudda Ibrahim of St. Cloud, which has a sizable Somali population, was selling her books, including From Somalia to Snow—How Central Minnesota Became Home to Somalis. Although I didn’t purchase her book then, I eventually checked it out through my regional library system. That and her nonfiction children’s picture book, What Color Is My Hijab?
Hudda Ibrahim’s children’s book inspires girls to be whatever they want to bevia Ibrahim’s empowering words and Meenal Patel’s vivid art. (Book cover sourced online)
After reading those two books, I have better insights into the backgrounds, stories, culture and challenges of my new neighbors. Ibrahim writes with authenticity. She was born and raised in Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya), came to the U.S. in 2006, teaches diversity and social justice in St. Cloud, and works closely with Somalis there. From Somalia to Snow includes interviews with Somalis in Ibrahim’s community along with her observations, insights and recommendations.
I quickly discovered that I had much to learn, even when it comes to understanding the basics. A person of Somali ethnicity is not a “Somalian,” as I’d incorrectly said, but rather a “Somali.” I appreciate that about Ibrahim’s writing. She doesn’t presume her readers know, making her book a really good source of basic, yet detailed and thorough, information.
I often see Somali men visiting in downtown Faribault, where many live. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2024)
I especially appreciated her chapter titled “Integration and Assimilation” because I’ve heard the comments from locals about how Somalis need to do this and that because they’re living in America now. Ibrahim states that Somalis prefer to “integrate,” not “assimilate.” That makes sense to me, that our new neighbors want to retain their cultural identity while also adapting to their new home. I think back to my own maternal ancestors who settled together near New Ulm in southern Minnesota and clung to their German identity, speaking in German, following customs and traditions from the Old Country. The same can be said for Scandinavians, who still eat lefse and lutefisk. Cultural identity is important to all of us.
So is family. Like my German ancestors settled together, so do those who come from Africa. They want to be near people who get them, understand them, share a language and faith and customs and culture. Jobs and family (clans) brought Somalis to St. Cloud, Ibrahim writes. Many work in meat-packing plants, just like in my community.
This sign for Somali food was posted at a past International Festival in Faribault. I especially like sambusa, a spicy, meat-filled triangular pastry. It was served at the recent Somali-focused event I attended. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Others have pursued higher education and entrepreneurship, opening businesses which serve primarily their community. I need only walk Faribault’s downtown business district to see numerous Somali-owned shops and restaurants. I love the color and culture they bring. And I love Somali tea, which I tried at that event where I met Ibrahim. It’s tea mixed with milk and spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom… The scent is heavenly, the taste divine. And I can buy it locally.
Faribault is a culturally-diverse city, as seen in this image taken during a car show in downtown Faribault in 2015. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2015)
Ibrahim’s book is packed with insights: Somalis value oral communication over written. They are good oral poets. Restaurants often do not have printed menus, primarily because they serve Somalis. Muslims memorize the Quran (with 6,666 verses), a process that can take years. Socializing and community are important. Barriers remain in healthcare. There’s just a whole lot to learn via reading From Somalia to Snow. It starts with an overview of Somali history and then takes readers into the lives, cultures and challenges of Somalis living in Minnesota today. Thanks to Ibrahim’s writing, I now have a better understanding of my new neighbors. And for that I am grateful.
Honoring words on the Northfield Area Veterans Memorial. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2023)
THE WOOD-GRAIN cardboard shoebox, tattered around the edges, sits on a closet shelf in an upstairs spare bedroom. This box once held size 8D loafers from Pedwin Shoes for Men. Those are long gone, replaced by black-and-white photos, postcards, a military belt, documents and more.
This May 1953 photo, taken by my dad, shows his friend, Ray Scheibe, left, and other soldiers in Korea. (Photo credit: Elvern Kletscher)
A lime green note atop the lid identifies the contents as “Important stuff,” underlined twice, belonging to my dad, Elvern Kletscher. The papers and photos inside are the stuff of war, the Korean War. Dad served as a U.S. Army infantryman on the frontlines, earning the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in battle.
A July 31, 1953, memorial service bulletin from Sucham-dong, Korea.(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo)
But this story is not about my father, who survived combat and returned home to southwestern Minnesota, albeit permanently scarred by the trauma of war. This is about 28 men from the 2nd Battalion, 65th Infantry Regiment, who died in Korea. Their names are typed inside a July 31, 1953, memorial service bulletin my dad carried home from war. The folder is creased in quarters, worn, letters fading. I’ve opened it many times. I imagine my Dad did, too, as he read the names listed in alphabetical order from A to Z. Turrell Anderson to Vernie Zurn. Near the end of that list, the name of his buddy, 22-year-old Raymond W. Scheibe.
A story about Cpl. Ray W. Scheibe, published in the July 23, 1953, issue of The Wolbach Messenger.
On June 2, 1953, the day before Ray was to leave Korea and return to his wife, Marilyn, and 3-month-old daughter, Terri Rae, in Wollbach, Nebraska, he died. Blown apart by a mortar shell, his horrific death witnessed by my father. I don’t think Dad ever fully recovered from the trauma of losing his friend. Who would?
(Photo credit: Sonny Nealon, Ray’s best friend in high school)
Today I honor Ray and all the other military men and women who have died in service to country. They made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind grieving families and friends. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” That biblical quote from John 15:13 is typed below the names of the 28 men honored at that July 1953 memorial service in Suchan-dong, Korea. That had to be an overwhelmingly emotional event for the surviving soldiers.
The third page of the memorial service bulletin my soldier dad carried home from Korea.(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo)
Seventy-one years after that memorial service, I feel emotional reading the 28 names, recognizing the immense loss, the grief, the trauma. That my dad kept this folder speaks to his grief, compassion and connection to those who fought in Korea. I honor him and those men by keeping this folder and all the other “important stuff” Dad carried back home to Minnesota.
His documents, photos and more are not mere “stuff.” Rather they represent individuals who died in war, who should always be remembered and honored, especially today, Memorial Day.
NOTE: In 2005, with the help of my brother-in-law Neil, who served in the military, I tracked down Ray Scheibe’s daughter, Terri, in southwestern Iowa. We’ve kept in touch all these years, but have yet to meet. Finding Terri brought my dad’s story full circle, bringing me peace. I shared with Terri how much her father meant to mine. To read my story about finding Terri, click here.
Audrey Kletscher Helbling and Mickey Nelson inside The Junk Monkey. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling, September 2023)
SOMETIMES IN LIFE we meet a person only once. But they make such an impression upon us that we always remember them.
Milton “Mickey” Nelson of Clarks Grove was that person to me. I met Mickey in September 2023 while shopping at a vintage, collectibles and treasures shop in Faribault. After overhearing a conversation between him and shop owner Theresa, I initiated a conversation with Mickey and his daughter Michelle.
Eight months later, on May 14, 2024, this amazing man died, about a month short of his 104th birthday.
Mickey was a remarkable man, not only because of his longevity, but because of his generosity. At age 99, he decided to walk 100 miles by his 100th birthday. That in itself is an accomplishment for a centenarian. But Mickey took his goal the extra mile by raising $115,000 for Salvation Army food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic via his daily half to mile-long walks in Clarks Grove. He remembered the bread lines of the Great Depression.
That’s the thing about Mickey, a World War II veteran. He cared. I felt that immediately upon meeting him. His smile stretched wide, to the corners of his eyes. He was sharp and engaged and the type of person anyone would be happy to meet, to call “friend.”
In that brief interaction with Mickey, I felt such a connection, as if I’d known this delightful man for years. Michelle confirmed that her dad, too, “valued those (unexpected/everyday) connections.” He had a way about him that made me feel cherished, even though we’d just met.
Today his loved ones and friends are left to cherish his memory, as are those who heard or read his story, shared locally and nationally, perhaps even internationally. I doubt Mickey ever expected that his plan to walk 100 miles by his 100th birthday to raise money for one of his favorite charities would captivate such media attention. But it did, inspiring many.
Mickey’s funeral service is planned for June 27 at First Baptist Church in Clarks Grove, on what would have been his 104th birthday. I think he would have liked that and I hope birthday cake is served. Up until nearly the end, this man of a strong and unwavering faith remained mentally sharp, his daughter Michelle shared. I’m not surprised. Michelle and I kept in touch after our chance meeting at The Junk Monkey eight months ago. I knew her dad had begun failing in late December and soon thereafter entered hospice.
Even through the emotional challenges that come with watching a parent moving toward death, Michelle remained grateful for the remaining time she had with her much-loved father. The bond between father and daughter was strong, loving, caring. That, too, is something to be cherished.
Mickey was remarkable. I feel blessed to have met this man of generous spirit, of kind heart, of compassion and care and love unending. I feel grateful for my time with him. Even if brief, Mickey made such an impression upon me that I will always, always remember him.
(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
THRONGS OF CAR ENTHUSIASTS converged in historic downtown Faribault last Friday evening for the first of four Car Cruise Nights of the season. All over southern Minnesota, car shows are resuming along Main Streets, in parking lots and grassy spaces as the weather warms and people want to be outdoors.
Loved this restored tow truck. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Emblems are art in my eyes, including this one for a Mustang. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
There’s art everywhere on a vehicle. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
In Faribault, the crowd was the largest I’ve seen for the event, which has become a draw for anyone interested in antique, collectible, vintage and sports vehicles. Not just cars. Trucks, too. Vehicles stretched an impressive six blocks along Central Avenue.
Friendship, sweet friendship. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
But Car Cruise Night is about more than just vehicles. It’s also about community. The show brings all ages, from preschoolers to teens to seniors, into the downtown. I saw a lot of people I knew and chatted for awhile with each of them, catching up on lives. Eventually I got to looking at the cars and trucks, only to be distracted again by a familiar face. But that’s OK. I value connecting with others.
This truck handle connected three cultures in conversation. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
One interaction stands out for me. As I admired ornate gold-plated handles on a shiny white pick-up truck, a young Somali man (also appreciating the art) asked about the cost. I had no idea. Then the owner, who was Hispanic, stepped up and shared and the three of us talked. Different cultures connecting over gold-plated handles and emblems. Smiling. Engaging. It was a beautiful moment.
Visiting on a street corner during the car show.Many Somali immigrants and refugees live in downtown Faribault and elsewhere in our community. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I noticed my new friend holding a lidded cup with a tea bag label draping over the edge. “Is that Somali tea?” I asked. “I love Somali tea.” He confirmed it was and directed me to a shop where I could purchase the tea, which is tea combined with milk and spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom… I had the tea at a Somali event several weeks ago and love not only the taste, but also the scent. I didn’t buy tea at the car show, because I was shooting photos. A camera and liquids don’t mix. But at least now I know where I can source this delicious beverage in my community.
Old aside new. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Wooden spokes on a 1930s Buick. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
This sprint car drew lots of interest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Plenty of people were enjoying food and drinks purchased from food trucks and sidewalk vendors along Central Avenue. Restaurants were also open.
This Ford convertible seemed to stretch into forever. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Music, albeit much louder than I can tolerate, added to the vibe of Car Cruise Night. Bands are a new feature.
Historic buildings backdrop the car show. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
The entire event brought people together on a picture perfect May evening. I’ve lived here for 42 years and continue to appreciate Faribault’s downtown historic district of aged brick and limestone buildings, an ideal backdrop for a car show. It’s a lovely setting in which to view vehicles, to converse, to connect, to build community.
(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
FYI: Upcoming Faribault Car Cruise Nights are set for 6 pm – 9 pm on Fridays, June 21, July 19 and August 16.
POETRY. Say that singular word and most people likely stop listening. But listening is precisely what you should do when you hear “poetry.”
An original poem and photo by Mar Valdecantos, director of Rice County Neighbors United. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo April 2024)
Poems are meant to be read aloud, to be heard. I didn’t always understand that. But when I started attending and participating in poetry readings many years ago, I realized that poems, like music, need to be vocalized to fully experience them.
Rolled up poems were boxed (not bagged) and placed at local businesses. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo April 2024)
Thursday evening, May 23, I will be among poets and poetry lovers participating in a community poetry reading at Mercado Local, 108 Fifth St. E., Northfield, to celebrate “Poetry in a Bag!” Through this project of Rice County Neighbors United, original and favorite poems were collected, printed, then distributed to area businesses during National Poetry Month in April and into May. Customers were welcome to take a rolled up poem printed in both English and Spanish.
Mercado Local, located just off Division Street in Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo April 2024)
So this bilingual project is as much cultural as culture. That’s part of the mission of RCNU—to connect cultures, to increase visibility of immigrants and refugees in the community, to empower them. Mercado Local serves as a home base for the advocacy organization with its store, art center and community room.
A sampling of the merchandise inside the Mercado Local store. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo April 2024)
The store will be open during Thursday’s 6:30-7:30 pm gathering in the community space. I’ll be there reading the six original, previously-published poems I submitted for “Poetry in a Bag!” Likewise Northfield poets will read their poems. It’s certain to be a connective experience.
For sale in the store at Mercado Local. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo April 2024)
The free public event also features Hispanic foods and desserts, a sure way to bring people together. Already “Poetry in a Bag!” has done that personally, connecting me with Northfield poets previously unknown to me. I expect to make more new friends on Thursday when I read poetry, listen to poetry, sample Hispanic foods and immerse myself in a culture different than mine.
Plenty of offerings inside the Mercado Local store. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo April 2024)
Two cultures connecting via words and food. Now that’s poetry to my ears, food for my soul.
Vendors ringed the Rice County Historical Society museum during a recent flea market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
THEY’RE RATHER LIKE a treasure hunt. Flea markets and garage sales. And even though I don’t really need anymore “stuff” at this point in my life, I still enjoy perusing the goods at these local markets. Occasionally I find something—recently an over-sized world map for the grandson, two holiday cookie cutters and faith-themed art.
Flea markets often yield a bounty of belt buckles. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Second-hand sales seem to be growing in popularity, perhaps because of the challenging economy and/or because of a renewed focus on reusing, recycling, repurposing and upcycling. As one vendor at the May 18 Rice County Historical Society Spring Flea Market told me, “I’m just trying to keep stuff out of the landfill.” That’s my kind of thinking.
Original and replica signs are another popular flea market offering. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Shop an event like the RCHS Flea Market, and you’ll find an array of merchandise hearkening from yesteryear, but also more current. A couple picked up a vintage side table for $5 with plans to repaint the sturdy wooden piece. Another found three new air filters for his van for $3. A woman snapped up a decorative wicker baby buggy. A guy grabbed a weed trimmer to replace his malfunctioning one.
Artisans also vended, selling their handcrafted creations like these wooden American flags. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Whatever shoppers were seeking on the grounds of the local historical society, they may have found it among the 65 vendors who sold not only second-hand, but also handcrafted creations. An eclectic mix of merchandise certainly defined the offerings.
Lawn tractors crafted by Duane Duffney from vintage sewing machines and other recycled parts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Duane Duffney of Montgomery earned my star this year for the most unusual merch. I challenge myself to find oddities. And his handcrafted mini lawn tractors, made from vintage sewing machines and assorted used parts, caught my eyes. Massey Harris, John Deere, Oliver, Allis Chalmers, Ford, Farmall—pick your brand from Duffney’s tractor collection. He’s also started building mini decorative motorcycles.
Prepared to purchase or purchased. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
As I wandered among the flea market tables, I noticed some serious shoppers. A woman pulling a red wagon, either purchased or for purchases. A friend pulling a small carry-on suitcase. They came prepared to tote home plenty of goods.
I collect vintage drinking glasses, but passed on these beauties. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
A gas pump sign from back in the day. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I have a small collection of vintage cameras, but opted not to buy more. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Me? I looked and photographed. I’m drawn to vintage drinking glasses and signs. A collection of vintage cameras also drew my interest, momentarily tempting me.
A stash of polka albums. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
A display of polka albums caused me to pause. Minnesota style polkas by Gil Steil, including “Mountain Excursions Polka,” a title that seems decidedly non-Minnesotan to me. But at $1 per album, the price was right for polka appreciators.
There were plenty of toys for kids. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I spotted this glow bunny aside a vendor’s trailer. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Jars of marbles appear to me like works of art. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Toys, home décor, puzzles, clothing, tools, furniture, glassware…so much variety. Flea markets are like an outdoor emporium, a general store. Even a bit like an open air museum and an arts and crafts fair.
Shopping and mingling at the RCHS Flea Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
They’re also about community and connecting. I stopped often to chat with people I haven’t seen in awhile, and some I’ve seen recently. Conversation is good for the spirit and the soul. I value this aspect of flea markets. Conversation flows easily in a setting that feels casual, relaxed, inviting.
This weekend Rice County Steam & Gas Engines hosts its Spring Flea Market and Swap Meet from 8 am – 5 pm Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, at its showgrounds just south of Dundas along Minnesota State Highway 3. It’s another opportunity to connect with folks while supporting a non-profit focused on the region’s agrarian roots. There’s also a consignment auction at 9 am Saturday and a tractor pull at 9 am Sunday. Admission is free as are rides on a miniature train.
An historic church and schoolhouse provide a backdrop for vendors at the RCHS Flea Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
I love this time of year when Minnesotans are emerging from their homes, when organizations are hosting community events, when people are coming together in the greening outdoors. It’s a fine time for a treasure hunt, whether the treasure is in merchandise or in conversation.
LOONS, LEATHER, LITERARY ART…, oh, the work of creatives who set up shop Saturday at Faribault’s annual Straight River Art Festival. It’s an event that always impresses upon me the incredible talent of those who create with their minds, their hands, even their voices.
A hand-tooled sunflower mandala circle crossbody purse crafted by Susan McCabe of Lake Agassiz Leathers LLC. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Mankato author Jason Lee Willis brought a selection of his Minnesota-themed historical fiction books. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Los Tequileros played a mix of music during the art festival. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
One photographed loons. Another crafted goods from leather. And an author represented the literary arts in his books of historical fiction. Several bands played, bringing in the performing arts.
Vendor tents ringed and filled the park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
This fest, held in Heritage Park against a scenic backdrop of trees and limestone bluffs aside the Straight River near downtown, is a lovely setting for meandering among vendor tents, viewing art, chatting with artists and enjoying the Minnesota outdoors.
Bea Duncan Memorial Fountain centers Heritage Park, site of the art festival. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
A fountain sculpture depicting town founder Alexander Faribault trading with a Dakota man centers the park, adding an historic, artsy element.
An acrylic painting by Peggy Paulson of Prairie Creek Art, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Original textile design art done with a serti-batiktechnique by Suz Klumb of Brigg Evans Design. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Like most arts festivals, this one featured a variety of art, this year from 30-plus creatives. I saw pottery, fabric and textile, batik, acrylic paintings, photography, stained glass, jewelry, fiber soft sculptures, handcrafted glass botanicals and more. Much more.
Vivid colors. Textures. Earthen hues. Stitching and sculpting. And shaping. An assortment of art appealing to assorted interests. It was all there.
Mural painting at the Straight River Art Festival. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
There were activities for kids also, which I always appreciate since it’s important to engage families. The Paradise Center for the Arts offered hands-on art. Books on Central, a used bookshop in downtown Faribault run by Rice County Area United Way, handed out free picture books to little ones. And on a section of blocked off street, visual artist Stephen McKenzie laid out a mural for the community to paint. It’s on display now inside the Bachrach building along Central Avenue.
The center of the mural. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
The mural is bold and vibrant, engaging and beautiful, reflecting nature. It reflects, too, a sense of togetherness, that we are all one on this earth, under one sun, all colors of the rainbow, surrounded by beauty.
Kids and adults work side-by-side to paint the community mural. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Watching adults and youth working side by side, painting bold hues onto the mural design, I felt joy. Individuals worked as a cohesive team to create art. There’s something to be said for that in this time of much divisiveness.
Paint inside a trailer used in painting the mural. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2024)
Art brought folks together on Saturday to show and sell their art. But, more than that, the Straight River Art Festival builds community, energizes and connects creatives. There’s a certain vibe to an event like this that feels good, really good. But then again, I love art. And I deeply appreciate those who share it with us.
An abandoned farmhouse near my hometown of Vesta. The house no longer stands, but represents to me the financial hardships of growing up in southwestern Minnesota during the 1960s and 1970s. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
THE RESIDUALS OF GROWING UP in poverty remain today in my life. I am careful with my money. I don’t spend much beyond paying bills and for necessities. I seldom buy anything new for myself. Dining out, which I rarely do, always leaves me feeling guilty, thinking about how many groceries I could have bought with that money (although not that many anymore).
This is a thinking pattern ingrained in me by a mother who was a child of the Great Depression. I suspect she picked up on thriftiness from her mother. My mom stretched and budgeted and managed to raise six children on a Minnesota farm with income generated from crops and dairy cows and with food from the land. We wore mostly hand-me-downs and clothing stitched from feed sacks. There were no birthday gifts from our parents, no family meals out, no a whole lot of everything. But we had love. Lots of it.
I share this because it explains why I am the way I am. Content with what I have. And appreciative of second-hand. I don’t need new. Currently, recycling, upcycling, repurposing, keeping stuff out of landfills is trendy. I’ve never been labeled as trendy. But apparently I am now.
That brings me to a number of events this weekend in my area which fit my budget and environmentally-friendly way of living: book sales, plant sales and flea market/garage sales.
You can still find Little Golden books in stores today, like these at JT Varieties & Toys in Plainview. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo June 2022)
First up, books. I love to read, always have. Mom read Little Golden Book storybooks to me. And she let me select a book from school book orders. That’s how important reading was to her. Without a library in my hometown, this gave me access to books.
Some of the books I’ve purchased at past book sales. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Today I live blocks from a public library and bring home stacks of books. I’ve also carried bags of books home from used book sales. This weekend Faribault’s American Association of University Women hosts its annual used book sale, its final one after 54 years. Hours are 10 am-7 pm Friday and Saturday and from noon – 5 pm Sunday.
Puzzles borrowed and bought new and used. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
In neighboring Waterville, Friends of the Library are hosting a used book sale from 8 am – 4 pm Saturday in Langerud’s Garage, 503 Marian Street. There’s no set charge for books, just a freewill offering. Oh, and they’re also selling puzzles, sure to be popular with puzzle enthusiasts.
And for those who love garage sales, like me, Waterville is also hosting city-wide garage sales on Saturday. There are garage sales, too, at Christ Lutheran Church in Faribault (Friday and Saturday) and at Nerstrand United Methodist Church (Saturday). Just check the classifieds in your local paper and you’re sure to find garage sales in your community.
A scene from a 2022 RCHS Flea Market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo September 2022)
One other fun event is the Spring Flea Market from 8 am – 2 pm Saturday at the Rice County Historical Society in Faribault. I always enjoy poking through the merchandise and talking with people I haven’t seen in awhile.
Plants for sale at the Owatonna Farmers’ Market in 2014. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Finally, gardeners looking for plants and free advice can get both at two separate plant sales on Saturday in Faribault. GROWS Garden Club is selling plants from 8 am – noon on the southeast corneer of Central Park. And from 9 am – 2 pm, Rice County Master Gardeners are selling plants in the 4-H building at the Rice County Fairgrounds.
A scene at a previous Car Cruise Night in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2022)
Two more things: Friday evening is Car Cruise Night from 6 pm – 9 pm along Central Avenue in historic downtown Faribault. It’s free as is entrance to the Straight River Art Festival from 9 am – 6 pm Saturday at Heritage Park in Faribault. The event features art, music and food.
Norwegian treats at a past Trondhjem celebration. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
And then two more things: Historic Trondhjem Church, rural Lonsdale, is hosting a Syttende Mai Celebration beginning at 1 pm Sunday. The event features music and stories by Steven K. Anderson of the Brainerd Lakes area, Norwegian songs sing-a-long and a reception with Norwegian goodies afterwards. Over in Owatonna at the Village of Yesteryear and Steele County History Center, the Sons of Norway will also celebrate Syttende Mail from 1 pm – 4pm with music, crafts, a medallion hunt and more.
So much to do…at no or minimal cost. My mom and grandma would have appreciated all of these budget-conscious opportunities. Just as I do.
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
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