Notes from the Granite Area Arts Council: This One’s Mostly About Food…

I’ve lived here for around four years, and throughout, I have been consistently impressed with the A game Granite Falls brings to its potlucks. “An open invitation to bring a mysterious dish?” people say. “Say no more. Off I go to make homemade buffalo dumplings.” Back in the Cities, on the other hand, I know at least one friend who showed up to a Friendsgiving dinner with a bag of raw sweet potatoes.

YME School Board holds first meeting of 2025

At Monday evening’s meeting of the Yellow Medicine East Board of Education, newly elected and re-elected board members took the oath of office. Re-elected Board members are Amanda Lecy, Matthew Zempel, and Sonja Pederson. Newly elected is Abbey Richter.

Farm Transition and Estate Planning Workshop planned

Are you starting to think about planning for a management transition of your farm? Or maybe you are working with a next generation or new operator on farm succession already. Need a path forward to help you think about the options? University of Minnesota Extension will provide full-day workshops and two-day multi-generational retreats across Minnesota on farm transition and estate planning.

Jan. 20 is the first 2025 Free Park Day at Minnesota state parks, recreation areas

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is waiving vehicle permit fees at all 73 state parks and recreation areas on Monday, Jan. 20. This Free Park Day is one of four days each year on which the DNR waives the requirement for a vehicle permit at state parks and recreation areas. There is one fee-free day for each season of the year, giving Minnesotans an opportunity to experience state parks and recreation areas at different times of the year.

USDA is providing a total of $14.4 million in grants and technical assistance through two separately funded projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing a total of $14.4 million in grants and technical assistance through two separately funded projects to support urban agriculture and innovative production. USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) is making available $2.5 million for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP) grants, building on $53.7 million invested in UAIP grant projects by OUAIP since 2020. In addition, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which oversees OUAIP, is providing $11.9 million in funding through an interagency agreement with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to promote the hiring of Urban Agriculture Conservation Extension Educators through the Cooperative Extension programs at Land-grant Universities.

From the Editor’s Desk

As the time draws near the end for my eldest child’s deployment with the Army to the Middle East, we now look forward to a new adventure as he plans for his next move to a new duty station.

Local grants now available through opioid settlement funds

The Communities Response to Opioid Program (CROP) is excited to announce the availability of local grant funding to support efforts addressing opioid use and its impacts in Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine counties. The first round of funding is now open, with a grant application deadline of February 28, 2025.

Minnesota West Fall 2025 scholarship applications now open

Minnesota West Community & Technical College recently announced that the application period for its Fall 2025 scholarships opened on January 7, 2025. Minnesota West and additional scholarships support students pursuing higher education and workforce training by offering financial assistance to reduce tuition costs and foster academic success. The awards are designed to help students at various stages of their educational and career paths, both new and returning.