Foster County Independent - The Official Newspaper for Foster County

“How is seeding going?” I asked the farmer. “Not bad” was his reply. “We’re about done with the fields where conditions are good. But now, all the remaining fields are wet.” Too much...

"Is this Ag Day?" a student asked as I passed down a hallway at the elementary school recently. I had a poster display slung over my shoulder and a tray of large plants in my hands. "Yes, we're here...

The National Weather Service got it right in January when they forecast a cold, wet spring in our region. Daily temperatures in Carrington averaged 13 degrees below normal in March and April, includin...

Are you interested in gardening, but don’t have a suitable site? Do you already have a garden, but need additional space for corn, squash, melons or some other crop? If you answered yes to either...

"There was a blizzard in early May 1950," recalled my friend Melvin Schramm. "Nothing had been done in the fields when I arrived home on May 23 to help with planting." The Schramm farm was located...

During a miserable stretch of weather several winters ago, I asked my friend Earl Hepworth if he thought spring would ever arrive. Ninety-three-year-old Earl looked at me and said, “Well, it always...

I enjoyed looking through my favorite seed catalogue last month, making a list of vegetable varieties that sounded promising. After comparing my list to NDSU’s publication “Vegetable Cultivars...

“We’ve nothing in Iowa that compares with your Research Extension Center (REC),” said my new acquaintance. “I was amazed by what I saw last summer.” This conversation took place several...

It seems that just yesterday we turned over our calendars and began the new year. Now Valentine’s Day is upon us, and our thoughts turn to cards, chocolate and of course, flowers. Last year, 22 perc...

More than a month has passed since bad weather forced many of us to adjust our plans to celebrate Christmas. The snow piles that surround us are a daily reminder of the challenging conditions that we...

My mother-in-law moved into assisted living about ten years ago. The move required significant downsizing. That’s never an easy task. So many memories are associated with certain pieces of furniture...

I asked friends at the Carrington Senior Citizen Center if they had ever experienced a four-day-long snowstorm like the one we had Dec. 13 – 16. “Yes,” one person answered, “but never this...

Last summer I worked with several Extension staff to offer a program called “Junior Beef Producer” to teenagers interested in the livestock industry. The day-long program provided young cattle...

“You gave this to me one Christmas,” said my mom, pointing toward a terra cotta flower pot wrapped in woven wicker. “Do you remember?” she asked. More than 40 years have passed, but yes, I...

The onlookers held their breath and watched as the marble spiraled toward the opening at the bottom of the funnel. It was the first step in a chain-reaction machine built by five Foster County...

Combines were moving through the fields of Foster County throughout October and into early November. Soybeans were harvested first, and then the attention turned to corn. Some farmers had to wait for...

Perhaps you saw the announcement that NDSU Extension will offer the Master Gardener Program again this winter. If the possibility of becoming a certified Master Gardener interests you, don’t wait...

This summer (June – August) was the 14th driest on record in Foster County, and the dry weather has continued into fall. The NDAWN stations near Carrington and McHenry received 0.6 and 0.7 inches...

Our trees and shrubs need some care as winter approaches. If conditions remain dry, then it’s recommended to thoroughly water evergreens before the ground freezes. By filling the needles with...

Highly productive. Disease resistant. Cold tolerant. This may sound like a description of a new corn variety, but it’s not. It’s actually a list of desirable traits that Jamestown resident Megan...

I was outside watering last week when a crowd of small, red insects scattered in all directions from the base of one plant. I quickly recognized the insects to be immature boxelder bugs. It is a sign...

Rainfall amounts varied significantly across Foster County during August. A series of weather systems brought as much as 1.5 inches of rain to parts of the county during the middle part of the month....

Drive by my house and you’re likely to say to yourself, “There’s a lawn that has some issues.” Dandelions, thistles and a host of other weed species have gained a large foothold in my yard....

“I liked how hands-on all the sessions were and how all the Extension staff were willing to work with us.” That was the comment of a participant in the Junior Beef Producers Workshop, recently...

“Our crops look really good.” That was the positive report of one Foster County producer at the end of July. “Our corn has tasseled,” the man continued. “I always say if that happens before...