The Meeker County Museum staff has a number of events coming up during the month of August. They will have a booth this weekend at the Meeker County Fair.
Museum Executive Director Danelle Erickson says they will be set up in Commercial Building #3. She says they’ll have some artifacts and visitors to the booth can try to guess what they are.
Erickson says there will be a Civil War Roundtable meeting on August 8th at the G.A.R. Hall at 308 North Marshall Avenue at 1:30 p.m. and Shannon Smith – a professor at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict – will be speaking. She says they will have a Civil War Spy Mystery at the Museum from August 14th through the 24th which is a free event with puzzles, word games and clues to help you learn about history in a fun way.
Erickson says the Antique Car Run will be making a stop on August 10th in the 9 a.m. hour between Central Park and the Museum so they always look forward to that day. She says the Meeker County Museum and G.A.R. Hall is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10-to-4 and Saturdays from noon-to-4 and you can get more information at meekercomuseum.org.
The Soil & Water Conservation Districts of Meeker and Kandiyohi Counties, along with University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition are planning a soil health field day on Tuesday, August 13th, from 4:30-to-7 p.m. It will be held at the Jay Hedtke farm – north of Grove City – at 53825 County State Aid Highway 16.
Visitors can see how Jay incorporates no-till, interseeding of cover crops, and incorporation of livestock and small grains into his crop production operation. You will be able to look at how different tillage implements impact soil disturbance and seedbed preparation. A comparison of infiltration rate and soil erosion using a rainfall simulator will also show differences between Jay’s soil health production system with a conventional system. Over time, reduced tillage and use of cover crops increases organic matter and improves soil aggregation and structure.
Evidence has shown that every 1% increase in soil organic matter in a silt loam soil results in an increase of .4 inches of water holding capacity, meaning corn could go another 2 days before needing a rain event in a system with increased soil organic matter. Reducing soil erosion also keeps valuable topsoil and nutrients in our fields.
The free field day will focus on how to incorporate soil health practices with a practical agronomic lens and will feature local farmer expertise, U of M educators, SWCD and Minnesota Soil Health Coalition staff. The event includes a complimentary dinner. Reservations are requested. Go to z.umn.edu/SoilHealthFieldDay or call Ann Steinhaus at 612-394-5229.
The Songs of Summer Festival is coming up on August 16th at Memorial Park in Litchfield with gates opening at 4 p.m. Michael Shynes will begin performing at 5 p.m., followed by the Fabulous Armadillos.
Amanda Nelson says there will be a fenced-in area for the event which will include the Splash Pad and the playground and Litchfield Rotary Club members will be at the gates accepting freewill donations. She says three youth-oriented groups will be benefitting from this year’s event – LAMP/Kinship, 4H Horse Club, and St. Philip’s Catholic School.
Nelson says there will be several vendors including Gypsy Bowls, Herradura’s, Wrestling Club, Boy Scouts, Knights of Columbus, Rescue Squad, LAMP and the American Legion. She says you should bring your ID, a lawn chair, and some cash; and t-shirts and can koozies will be available to purchase at the event that evening.
Sarah Jones says she still has some raffle tickets available and there are more at Mid-Country Bank in Litchfield. She says the Songs of Summer Festival is a family-friendly event.
Jones says you can find more information at songsofsummerfestival.com or look for the Songs of Summer Festival Facebook page.