‘Food service’ takes on whole new meaning

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Created: 13 April 2020

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Workers coordinate efforts to prepare, deliver hundreds of meals

MEALS ON WHEELS — In Geneva, bus drivers Randy Schott (left) and Larry Crabtree (right) deliver meals.

Around the NRHEG communities, the words “food service” are taking on a whole new set of meanings.

“We started out with about 20 meals,” remembers Virginia Raimann, food service lead at the New Richland site. “And now we’re up to over 150.” In fact, one day this past week, the cooks from the two sites prepared and packaged nearly 500 meals for delivery to families in the four communities.

According to Governor Walz’s March 15 proclamation, schools in the state must continue three services: education must continue, childcare must be provided for the families of healthcare and emergency workers, and meals must be made available for students aged 18 and under. There is no cost for the food service, and it is not dependent on income or other social elements.

“It’s a matter of filling a need for families,” observes Elementary Principal Doug Anderson. “In some cases, parents are gone a big part of the day and don’t have much time to prepare meals. Unfortunately, some are experiencing financial hardship because of the ‘shelter in place’ order. The good news is, we don’t need any explanations. The governor’s orders are ‘feed them,’ and we’re doing just that.”

Making the most of it

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Created: 05 April 2020

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Students find ways to fill free time

STAYING BUSY — Dillon Kohnert, above, has used some his free time to put in extra hours at his job at Morgan's Meat Market. (Submitted photo)

Gavin Anderson admits the announcement took him completely by surprise. “We had classes on Friday, and on Monday we didn’t,” he says. “I had no idea it was going to happen.” One way Anderson has been using the sudden available time has been to put in a few extra hours at his long-standing part-time job as a stocking clerk at Lerberg’s Foods in Ellendale.

“The store has been a lot busier than usual,” he comments, noting that eggs, toilet paper, noodles, paper towels and facial tissues have been hard to keep on the shelves. “People are worried about what’s going to happen, and they want to be sure they’ll have what they need.” Despite the worries and tension, though, Anderson says he has seen some acts of kindness, including times when shoppers handed items from their carts to others.

He also observes that people are acknowledging how important grocery stores—and the people who work in them—can be. “It’s easy to overlook everything we do to keep people’s everyday lives running smoothly,” he says. “But now people are recognizing it, and they’re saying ‘Thank you’ for what we do.”

NRHEG Senior Dillon Kohnert has noticed some similar circumstances. There seem to be more customers than usual at Morgan’s Meat Market, and they seem grateful to be able to find quality products.

Still open

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Created: 28 March 2020

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Grocery stores, others remain busy as ever

AT THE READY — Mitch Heimer of Wagner Foods, above, says business has been brisk lately, as does Dean Morgan of Morgan’s Meat Market. (Star Eagle photo by Jim Lutgens)

By JIM LUTGENS
Publisher

Many businesses in Minnesota — and nationwide — have been forced to alter operations or close completely in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

For some, though, it’s gotten busier; much busier.

Mitch Heimer, owner of Wagner Foods in New Richland, said it would be a safe bet to say his store has set a weekly record for sales.

“It has been busy,” said Heimer. “That’s maybe putting it a little lightly.”

Ross Sletten, owner of Lerberg Foods in Ellendale, tried to talk on the telephone Saturday, but was too busy with customers.

Heimer, talking while he worked, said he’s especially grateful for his employees.

“We’re not requiring anyone to be here right now,” he said. “They’re here because they choose to be here. Everyone is working real hard to keep the shelves filled, keep everything clean, and get people in and out as quickly as possible.”

It’s syruping time!

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Created: 19 March 2020

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Tenneson family takes folks through the process

WHAT’S IN THERE? — Jamie Tenneson lifts the lid on a maple syrup bucket, so children can sample the fresh sap as it drips from the tree at The Evergreens on Sat., March 7. (Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud)

By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Staff Writer

What major event happens between Valentine's Day and Easter? No, not Washington's birthday. Nor Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, nor even St. Patrick's Day. The event is syruping time!

The Tenneson family of The Evergreens Christmas tree farm took advantage of the cool nights and warming days to host Backyard Maple Syruping, a family friendly event, held on Saturday, March 7, showing visitors how to tap their own maple trees, and boil the sap down to make maple syrup.

The event began in an outbuilding at The Evergreens. Visitors, many of whom were children, sat on rows of benches and chairs as Jamie Tenneson explained the structure of a tree, and why sap runs in maple trees in late winter/early spring.

Tennyson said, “I drive through town and see people's houses with big maple trees in the front of their yards, and they could be getting the sap every spring, and boiling it down to make really yummy maple syrup. It's pretty easy to do, but a lot of people just don't know how to do it.

“Plants and trees are unique,” Tenneson explained, “because they can just stand out in the sun. When they're hungry, they use the sunshine to make food in their leaves, and it makes sugar. In Minnesota, where it gets cold in the winter, and the trees lose their leaves, they send that sap down to the roots, and it stays down there all winter long.” When it's still below freezing at night, but the days begin to warm in the spring, trees send their sap upward from the roots.