Hoffman's Corner Store holds sidewalk sale this week

Bob's Appliance in downtown Hoffman adds a neat 'vintage' section

A video clip is at the bottom

Farm items for sale

• For Sale: Solid seal skid steer tires, 20” rims, 50 hrs time. Off of Case loader. Call (320) 808-5723.

• For Sale: Alfalfa hay, medium squares, 151-219 R.F.V. Also wheat straw, delivery available. Call (320) 808-5723.

Fox News, NRO, Limbaugh run with "death book" smears

Following false accusations that Democrats' health care reform legislation would institute "death panels" for the elderly, H. James Towey claimed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the Obama administration revived a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) booklet on advanced planning directives that would "steer vulnerable individuals to conclude for themselves that life is not worth living," calling the booklet a "death book." As with the death panel smear, conservative media -- particularly Fox News -- have promoted Towey's false "death book" claim, ignoring facts that undermine Towey's rhetoric.

"Your Life, Your Choices" is not a "death book." The booklet emphasizes that "your wishes will direct future health care decisions" and presents preserving one's life "using any means possible" as an option to consider. An August 23 post by VoteVets.org blogger Richard Smith criticized Towey's assertion that "Your Life, Your Choices" presents "end-of-life choices in a way aimed at steering users toward predetermined conclusions," writing: "Really, if the document was really trying to get veterans to pull the plug on themselves, then first suggesting to them that their life should be prolonged at all costs is a pretty stupid way to do it."

Towey's organization is selling "Five Wishes" booklet on end-of-life issues. As Media Matters for America noted, the organization Towey founded, Aging with Dignity, sells "Five Wishes," a booklet that, like "Your Life, Your Choices," is designed to guide people in the creation of a living will. Huffington Post news editor Marcus Baram reported on August 22 that "Towey seems to have his own axe to grind" in criticizing "Your Life, Your Choices" in that Towey "has repeatedly tried to get the government to spend millions to purchase his 'Five Wishes' book," citing "VA sources."

More thoughts on Health Care

Workers are now paying $1,600 more in premiums annually for family coverage than they did in 1999. Since 1999, employment-based health insurance premiums have increased 120 percent, compared to cumulative inflation of 44 percent and cumulative wage growth of 29 percent during the same period.

A recent study by Harvard University researchers found the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. The study noted 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. In addition, the study found 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses.

Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem. All one needs do is to look at the bankrupt GM and Chrysler car manufacturers to see what the crushing cost of medical care is doing to businesses and individuals. GM alone was looking at spending more than $5 billion on health care.

Fixing the health care industry in our nation is in everyone’s interest. For the neo-cons who are interested in helping those who can help themselves, saving businesses money should be of interest to them.

For liberals who want to help those who can’t help themselves, getting these costs under control would raise everyone’s standard of living.

Mark your calendars - Prairie Lakes Coop Plot Day coming September 3rd

Click to enlarge.

Check out these awesome deals at your local Valu Ford dealer in Elbow Lake

(click to enlarge advertisement)

West Central Area Knights girls tennis team sweeps two opponents at Morris Area Triangular on Friday

The West Central Knights opened up their high school tennis season on Friday at the Morris triangular with a pair of wins over Morris and Parkers Prairie. The Knights defeated Morris Area 5-2 and went on to defeat Parkers Prairie 6-1.

"I’m very excited to open up the season this way," said veteran West Central Area head coach Sue Maier. "Our team was showing their strength today only losing 3 out of their 14 matches played."

The Knights are looking to improve on their 4-10 overall mark from 2008. They went 4-11 in 2007.

The Knights record stands at 2-0 for the season and they will travel to an 8-team meet in Staples-Motley next Wednesday, August 26.

Read more on the Knights' performance in the August 27th Hoffman Tribune.

Douglas County Fair in full swing

Three 4-H'ers from the Hoffman-Kensington area show off their prize-winning sheep.

2009 Douglas County Fair is in full swing - advertisement/info added below

(click to enlarge - this was page 8 of my August 13, 2009 Hoffman Tribune)

More details on Hoffman's Minnesota State Fair grant - **A website link you need to visit!

From Muriel Krusemark, HEDA coordinator:

Hoffman has become a finalist in the Comprhensive Community Improvements Awards. Our project is Breaking Down Barriers and Revitalizing Hoffman. It is sponsored by the Minnesota State Fair.

NOW the next part is up to you. In order for this community to win the $1,000.00 grant you need to go on your computer and go into www.reinventingminnesota.org and vote for Hoffman. Scroll down and be sure and hit submit. If you would also forward this to any of your friends and relatives, Hoffman would greatly appreciate it. Only one ballot per e-mail address.

Another take on the Dairy Crisis

Time to save our nation’s dairy farmers
By Elanor Starmer

Did you see that movie Flash of Genius? It follows the unlucky Robert Kearns, played by Greg Kinnear, as he spends his life (and his savings) perfecting the intermittent windshield wiper, only to have his idea snared and used without credit by the Ford Motor Company. He pursues lawsuits against Ford and other car companies out of principle, he says: It is simply not fair that all of his hard work enriches Detroit’s Big Three while leaving him and his family virtually penniless.

I’ve been thinking about that movie a lot lately as I’ve pondered what dairy farmers across the country are going through in this period of tragically low prices. Years of investment in land, equipment, and animals; years of hard labor; and what do you get for it? Nuthin’. Or, more precisely, you get about half of what you put into producing the milk you sell to dairy processors. The prices farmers receive right now are so low that they are rapidly exiting the market - or exiting life altogether (farmer-suicides are up this year, reports the LA Times). And just like in the movies, companies are profiting off their misery. Dean Foods, the nation’s largest fluid milk processor, reported record earnings in the first quarter of 2009; profits for Kraft’s cheese division rose 59% in the same period.

The movie ends with Kearns winning court battles against Ford and Chrysler, pocketing nearly $30 million for his hard work (most of which comes right back out again to cover attorneys’ fees for the other 26 lawsuits he pursued). Our nation’s dairy farmers have nothing so vindicating to look forward to. If things continue the way they’re going, reports Farm Aid’s Hilde Steffey, the U.S. risks losing upwards of 80% of its dairy farmers by year’s end, leaving us with just 12,000 dairy farms total. That’s 1 dairy for every 25,000 Americans.

The dairy crisis, and its solution, comes down to a question of fairness. Is it fair that large dairy companies are undercutting U.S. producers by importing cheap milk protein concentrates from other countries and using them instead of U.S.-produced milk? (And is it fair that the FDA does nothing to stop the practice, even though MPCs aren’t approved as a food ingredient?) Is it fair that the dairy industry is so consolidated that a few large companies can manipulate the price of milk to their own benefit, pocketing profits while dairy farmers are left holding the bag? Is it fair that farmers have shelled out more and more for feed and hay in the last few years, but the prices they receive for milk have fallen? Is it fair that consumers are still paying for milk what they were earlier this year, while farmers’ prices dropped 30% in January alone? Hell no!

There are a lot of things that need to be fixed here, but the most urgent task is to keep dairy farmers on the land while we figure out what to do about the rest. That’s where the government comes in. In 1937, when farmers were pouring milk out on the side of the road because of Depression-induced low prices, Congress passed a law that allows the Secretary of Agriculture to adjust the price of milk to reflect the price of feed and other economic conditions that impact their production costs. Well, if there ever was a time for the Secretary to roll out that authority, it’s now.

If Vilsack doesn’t do something, fast, Farm Aid predicts we could immediately lose up to 20,000 dairy farmers. Where does that leave us? With imported milk, empty farms, out-of-work farmers, and a whole lot of dairy cows with a future in fast-food hamburger. And that kind of milk does nobody good.

The Dairy Crisis is a man-made problem, the driving issue behind it = GREED

According to a study just released on the milk crisis, entitled “Dairy Crisis 2009: A Look Beyond Conventional Analysis,” a great deal of the blame is laid squarely on the big milk companies.

“Dairy markets are run by an oligarchy—a few elite players—with little or no government oversight,” the study said. “As such, the current financial situation provides an opportunistic moment for key players to unduly depress milk prices and reap both profits and market power.”

What the big companies are doing is limiting milk production in America and then turning to foreign companies for milk products like butter, cheese, proteins and casein, which is another dairy-derived protein.

“Butter and other milk fat imports increased by 60 percent in December 2008, compared with December 2007,” the study said. “Cheese imports for December 2008 increased 15 percent over December 2007.”

The upshot is that the nation’s milk and milk products will come from foreign countries almost totally, without any government oversight, while the American dairy farmer fades into the sunset.

Nice, huh?

Some thought-provoking numbers

Today 76% of U.S. citizens (173 million+) identify themselves as Christians, but we also have 24% who hold other beliefs. That's about 43 million people who need the freedom of religion promised by our Constitution--- and the separation of church and state preferred by our founding fathers. Current world estimates place Christianity at about 33% of the total population. A few of the other religions in the remaining 67% are Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Shintoism, & Native American Religions. I find it unreasonable to believe that 1/4 of U.S. citizens and 2/3 of the world population are all "evil." Jesus' teachings included love, forgiveness, brotherhood, and justice. He said, "In my Father's house there are many mansions."

Fact: God will be the judge, not you, or I.

A video clip from Friday night in Hoffman

More will be posted on Friday.

Hoffman Commerce and Ag meeting held today

One note to brag about for Hoffman - The first 100 T-shirts with the "Hooked on Hoffman" logo on them have been sold, according to HEDA director Muriel Krusemark.

The city was also awarded a Minnesota State Fair grant in the "Re-inventing Minnesota State Pride" program, worth $250. More on that will follow.

Donnelly Threshing Bee grounds "work night" coming up on August 25th at 6:30pm

There will be a work night at the threshing bee grounds in Donnelly on Aug 25th at 6:30 pm in preparation for the Donnelly Threshing Bee on Aug 29 and 30th. A second work night will be held on Sept. 1 st at 6:30 pm to take down the fences and put things away. Everyone welcome to come help. For info call 320-795-2437 or 320-246-3337 or e-mail donnellythreshingbee@runestone.net.

Pork Groups Urge USDA to Aid Growers with Sow Buy-Out Program

Ames, Iowa (RuralWire, August 19, 2009)— Three pork producer marketing groups are underscoring the depth of the pork industry crisis, and requesting a sow buy-out program to invigorate the U.S. pork industry.

Producers Livestock Marketing Association, National Farmers Organization and Allied Producers Cooperative, who represent producers across the country, are asking USDA to evaluate the pork market impact of a $200 million federally-funded sow buy-out program to reduce pork supplies. Pork producers lose more than $30 per animal today, and are projected to lose nearly $54 per head this fall.

The marketers also support:
NPPC’s Aug. 17 request to assist America’s pork producers, including 3 separate $50 million pork purchases, and usage of $100 million of H1N1 program funds
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack's tack in telling Farm Service Agency lenders that they need to help pork producers work through their financial difficulties
U.S. Trade Representative efforts to reopen China's market to U.S. pork

“U.S. pork producers have been increasing production in recent years as they responded to growing export demand, said Producers Livestock President Rick Keith. “But this year they've been financially clobbered when H1N1, wrongly labeled swine flu, appeared in Mexico and fear of North American pork hammered those exports…no one can get the flu eating pork,” Keith said.

Since July 16, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) August hog futures contract has lost about $17 or 35 percent. June pork exports were down nearly 34 percent from year-ago levels. Producers have lost money the past 22 months, and the industry has racked up losses of $4.5 billion over the period.

Some ag economists estimate a U.S. sow number reduction of between 10 and 12 percent is required for the industry to return to profitability, and they calculate it will require a reduction of at least 400,000 sows to make any significant improvement at all.

The sow buy-out plan targets about 500,000 sows—by using government funds at $400 per animal for a total of $200 million. Producers would provide cash receipts verifying that those sows had been sold for slaughter, and sign a document testifying to their sow herd count—and promise not to add sows back for a minimum of three years. Random checks by FSA or Ag Extension to verify participating producers are honoring their commitment would be required.

“The industry is grappling with downsizing supply right now, and some consideration toward government assistance in reducing the sow herd is warranted,” said National Farmers President Paul Olson.

“Pork producers have been simply devastated by higher input costs, and are losing equity at alarming rates,” said John Kramer, an Allied Producers Cooperative board member. “In the final analysis, we need to reduce U.S. herd numbers by 10 percent.”

The three groups emphasize consideration toward government assistance in reducing the sow herd should be seriously contemplated. “If the federal government can bail out companies that have been badly managed, why can't it assist an industry that is well run, but got unfairly hurt by circumstances outside of its control,” asked Olson.

“There are pork producers going out of business today who did nothing to bring this on themselves.”

When Protesters Bring Guns to Health-Care Town Halls (I call them third-rate bullies)

By MARK THOMPSON / WASHINGTON Mark Thompson / Washington – Wed Aug 19, 9:30 am ET
The fact that protesters at President Obama's political events have begun showing up bearing arms may be disquieting, but it's perfectly legal - and the Secret Service, charged with protecting the President, insists that it is not unduly alarmed by the development. That's because while the Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right to carry guns, federal law also gives the Secret Service the right to keep gun-toting folks away from the President. (See pictures of gun culture in the U.S.)

"These individuals were not ticketed for the events and were not waiting to go inside," says Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan. "They weren't in positions outside the events that we considered a threat to the event in any way." The Secret Service generally has three layers of protection around the President: an inner circle of agents just steps away; a secure building or arena in which the President is appearing with restricted admission, metal detectors and bomb-sniffing dogs; and finally an outer perimeter with checkpoints. (See the top 10 Secret Service code names.)

But former Secret Service agent Joseph Petro thinks his former employer may be trying to put the best face on a bad situation. "The Secret Service is very concerned about this," says Petro, who spent 23 years as an agent, including four guarding President Reagan and his family. "It's hard enough to protect the President, and this is not helpful." He pauses. "We are not a Third World country." (Read "A Brief History of the Secret Service.")

While protesters in certain states may have the right to carry weapons to spots near presidential visits - and the Secret Service may blanket the President with protection - Petro says the guns' presence changes the atmosphere surrounding such events. "They're intimidating people like it's a western saloon," he says. And the weapons could turn a verbal clash between demonstrators into a shootout. "In a heated atmosphere," Petro argues, "it's a recipe for disaster." Most critical, according to Petro, author of Standing Next to History: An Agent's Life Inside the Secret Service, is the message the guns send. "These guys aren't going to shoot the President," he says of the protesters. "But it's putting the idea in some nut's head that maybe he can get a gun and try to shoot him."

On Aug. 17, about a dozen people carried guns a block away from the Phoenix convention center where President Obama was speaking, including one man with an AR-15 assault rifle slung over his shoulder. The neatly dressed man carrying the AR-15 - who also had a holstered pistol on his hip - identified himself to a reporter from the Arizona Republic only as Chris as he argued with supporters of Obama's health-reform efforts. Asked why he had brought the guns to the gathering, he answered, "Because I can do it. In Arizona, I still have some freedoms left."

On Aug. 11, police arrested Richard Terry Young for having a loaded, unlicensed gun in his car near the Portsmouth, N.H., school where Obama spoke hours later about health care. A second man outside that event displayed a gun holstered to his leg. "I wanted people to remember the rights that we have and how quickly we're losing them in this country," William Kostric later told MSNBC. "It doesn't take a genius to see we're traveling down a road at breakneck speed that's towards tyranny." Kostric, who used to live in Arizona, said he voted for Ron Paul in the last election. He carried a sign saying "It Is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty," a reference to Thomas Jefferson's quote that "the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh famously wore a T-shirt bearing the Jefferson quote. Kostric said he took the gun to the event to protect himself and to assert his Second Amendment right. "If you don't exercise your rights," he said, "you will lose them."

Both Arizona and New Hampshire are "open-carry" states in which it is legal to carry visible weapons in public. But every gun-bearing protester requires the attention of the Secret Service and the local and state police who reinforce their efforts. "If the local police are drawn away to deal with these fools, then there's a vacuum somewhere," Petro says. "Perhaps one of those cops was supposed to be in a critical place where he or she could have stopped someone from doing something to the President. That's a real problem."

Both Donovan and Petro can never recall a precedent for the recent trend of protesters carrying weapons to presidential events. But it doesn't appear to be the result of any organized effort. The National Rifle Association, whose website encourages its members to attend and speak up at congressional town-hall meetings, didn't respond to a request for comment on protesters brandishing guns. But Paul Helmke, who heads the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, says such an act "endangers all in attendance" and that even if their action is legal, "common sense" should dictate that gun owners keep their weapons away from such gatherings. "Loaded weapons at political forums endanger all involved, distract law enforcement and end up stifling debate," he says. "Presidential protesters need to leave their firearms at home - no exceptions."

But people intent on defending their Second Amendment rights are unlikely to heed that particular piece of common sense, Petro concedes. In response, he believes the Secret Service should expand the outer perimeter around the President to keep protesters perhaps 500 yards - more than a quarter-mile - away from him (current perimeter guidelines are secret and vary by event). Extending the perimeter, he suggests, makes more sense than handcuffing those with guns. "If the Secret Service started arresting these people," he says, "they'd have battles on their hands."

Editor's Note:
These wing-nuts bringing guns to protests really give the Republican party a bad name. Apparently, there is no end to their madness.

Here is the link to the story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/08599191735600;_ylt=AhOxnMXk_ZbyL7L7YnwB7UFH2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTM1dGQ5NmJ2BGFzc2V0A3RpbWUvMjAwOTA4MTkvMDg1OTkxOTE3MzU2MDAEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM2BHBvcwM2BHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcmllcwRzbGsDd2hlbnByb3Rlc3Rl

You're a good man, Charlie Brown - this weekend at Roosevelt Hall in Barrett

You’re a good man, Charlie Brown

Spend a day in the life of Charlie Brown at historical Roosevelt Hall in Barrett on August 20-23.

Charlie Brown is played by John Olhoft. Meet his friends, Lucy, played by Jenny Thompson; Sally, played by Shelby Dreier; Schroeder, played by Benjamin Junker; Linus, played by Andy Thompson, and Snoopy, played by Megan Amundson.

Other friends of Charlie’s are, Alayna McLaughlin, Krystyna Best, Erin Rudell, Libby Poyzer, Lexi Poyzer, Ashley Brunner, Mary Olhoft, Elizabeth Junker, Maryann Thompson, Rose Borash, and Alayna Aanerud.

Peppermint Patty, alias Kelly Haberer, will be handing out mints to all kids who come for general admission.

And by the way, who is that little red-headed girl?

More video clips from Friday night in Hoffman - Corn on the cob eating contest between innings of the City vs. Country softball game

More content will be added on Thursday.

Thoughts on Health Care

We don't need government-run "death panels"!

Private insurance companies already do a great job of deciding who gets life-saving procedures and who doesn't. Keep the government out of it! The only problem is the 47 million people who have no access to insurance company "death panels". What about all these people? I've got my insurance - everyone else should just work harder to get their own insurance. It's not my fault if they have pre-existing conditions or not enough money to afford the insurance premiums. In a "free" country, insurance companies should have the right to make billions of dollars in profits and arbitrarily deny coverage and claims...Right?

Take a Kid to Dinner and a Show with Prairie Wind Player's "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"

Prairie Wind Players is making a special offer, for dinner theatre for the play, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”, where one child 12 years and younger can have dinner for the low general admission price of $5 and eat on an accompanying adult regular dinner theatre ticket for $30. Any kid 13 years old and up to 12th grade can have dinner theatre for $12.

The menu for adults is Schroder’s Lettuce Salad, Sally’s Chicken Cordon Bleu, Charlie Brown’s Mother’s Mashed Potatoes, Beethoven’s Glazed Carrots. For kids there’s Linus’s Chicken Nuggets and Charlie Brown’s Mother’s Mashed Potatoes.

For dessert, ice cream is served, and applesauce with a Peppermint Patty.

Dinner theatre is Friday, August 21 and Saturday August 22 at the historical Roosevelt Hall in Barrett.

Doors open at 6:00pm and serving begins at 6:30pm. For reservations, call Tammy at (218) 731-0212.

PWP expects to sell out, so get your reservations today!

Farmers Market held this week Wednesday in Hoffman

A note from Hoffman HEDA Director Muriel Krusemark:

Just another reminder of the Farmer's Market this week. The Hoffman Volunteer Fire Department will be serving Burgers and their famous fries. The cost is only $5! There are several new vendors this week so come and enjoy. A special Thank You to all the people who helped with last weekend. We really appreciate all you do.

More scenes from over the weekend of Hoffman's Harvest Festival

Thank you to Phil Corrigan for getting me these photos.

Correction for the Sunday event at 11am during the Harvest Festival - Pork Chop feed / Pie and Ice Cream Social

Correct information, which is at odds with the ad on Page 2 of this week's Hoffman Tribune= the Hoffman Lions is sponsoring the Pork Chop Feed at the community center on Sunday from 11am to 1pm, with a cost of $8. At the same time and location, the Hoffman Volunteer Ambulance Service is having a Pie and Ice Cream social, with a cost of $3.50. Both are very worthy fundraisers for those groups.

Bob's Appliance in downtown Hoffman having Sale on Saturday during the Harvest Festival

Local author and publisher Jim Olsen is having book signings at the Main Street Galleria through the weekend as well.

61st Annual Hoffman Harvest Festival is underway - a full 3 days of fun kicks off Friday night (video clips added below)

Video clips and photos added on Friday night...more will be posted on Monday morning from action on Saturday and Sunday! It'll be a fun weekend in Hoffman, no doubt about it.

Isn't it beautiful? Main Street of Hoffman is returned! (Video and photos posted)

A video clip

Hoffman's Hardware Hank has Grand Opening this weekend - Beyer's Auto hosts Classic Car Show on Friday from 1 to 5pm

Blacktop is completed on Main Street in Hoffman - just in time for Harvest Festival!

A video clip is below, right above the Harvest Festival poster




Click to enlarge the Harvest Festival poster.

Senator Al Franken hosts Dairy Forum in St.Cloud tonight - video clip posted below

More from the forum will be posted on Thursday morning.

Hoffman's Main Street being prepared for the new layer of pavement

A video clip at the top



















































Hoffman's Hardware Hank Grand Opening is this weekend!

Hoffman’s History Hut features “Readin’ Ritin’ Remembering - the History of the Rural Schools” display during the Harvest Festival

Senator Al Franken holding Dairy Forum in St.Cloud on Wednesday

Franken Holding Dairy Forum

MFU President Doug Peterson will be in St. Cloud tomorrow to attend a dairy policy forum hosted by U.S. Sen. Al Franken, D-MN. The forum set for 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Stearns History Museum, 235-33rd Ave. S., St. Cloud. The public is welcome, although space and seating maybe limited.

Hoffman invites your family to Harvest Festival this weekend

The 61st annual Hoffman Harvest Festival kicks off this Thursday in Hoffman with a full slate of activities beginning in earnest.

That day, the first off a big three-day Grand Opening kicks off at Hoffman's new Hardware Hank store, adjacent to Beyer's Auto. On Friday the signature part of the event, a Classic Car Show, runs from 1 to 5pm at the Hardware Hank parking lot.

Also at 1pm Friday, a three-day History Hut exhibit is available for viewing at the museum in downtown Hoffman, courtesy of Ruth Johnson. It will feature the "history of the country schools." This also runs from 8am-8pm on Saturday and 9am-3pm on Sunday.

From 5:30 to 7:30pm Friday night, supper is served by Prairie Lakes Coop near the new softball field. That same time, a basketball shootout will be held in the Hoffman Square parking lot, with concessions available at the ballfield.

From 6 to 8pm, local author and publisher Jim Olsen will host a book signing at the Main Street Galleria. This also takes place 10am to 2pm on Saturday and 11am to 1pm on Sunday.

At 7pm, the City vs. Country softball game will be held at the softball field, with a special dedication of the field by the Minnesota
Twins taking place.

City-wide garage sales begin at 8am on Saturday, as well as a Lion Hunt by the Lions Club, with check-in at the Community Center, along with a Medallion Hunt. Maps and lists of the garage sale can be found at Anderson's Dew Drop Inn.

The co-ed family softball tournament begins at 8am at the softball diamond. To register a team, call Troy Andreasen at 320-986-2227.

A golf tournament at Red Rock Golf Course begins at 8:30am. At the same time, a 5K Walk/Run begins at the Bullfrogs parking lot.

A tractorcade starting at Dale Fagre's, rural Barrett, begins at 9am. They will arrive in Hoffman by Noon at North Star Manor to Good Samaritan Society, then back to Main Street. Breakfast is served to participants by Hoffman Insurance Company, with lunch served by Hoffman Coop Grain Association.

From 9am to Noon a petting zoo will be held at Nordic Vet Clinic. From 9am to 1pm, the Hoffman-Kensington Cub Scout Troop #475 will hold a concession stand at the athletic fields.

A "Fun in the Sun" event will take place at Elk Lake Beach from 1 to 2pm.

From 2 to 4pm, the Basketball Shootout continues. At the same time, an Antique Tractor Show is held at Hoffman Good Samaritan Society, serving ice cream sundaes. Also held then is a farmer's market, at the city park.
Hog Wrestling will draw quite a crowd at 4pm, held at the city park, for ages 4-6, 7-10, 11-14, and 15 and above.

The annual meeting of the Alumni Association takes place from 4 to 7pm at the Community Center.

The street dance begins at 9pm, with Tony Winter doing the DJ honors. In all likelihood it will be held on the new Main Street!
At 10am an outdoor worship service will be held in the city park, hosted by Messiah Lutheran Church.

From 11am to 1pm, a pork chop dinner and pie and ice cream social takes place at the Community Center, hosted by the Lions Club and Hoffman Volunteer Ambulance Service.

The Harvest Festival Parade will be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, with Ed and Lois Persons serving as Grand Marshals.
The basketball shootout championship will be held at 3:30pm at the city park.

From 3 to 5pm the city park also holds: Entertainment by Sonny Bartells in the band stand and free root beer floats. In case of rain the performance will be held in the Community Center.

See you all in Hoffman this weekend! Visit the Hoffman Tribune's editor's blog for more updates leading up to the weekend: hoffmanmn.blogspot.com

Video clip and photos from the Pope County Fair's Rodeo on Friday night

A video clip

61st Annual Hoffman Harvest Festival schedule posted again (click to enlarge)

Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson Statement on EPA Peer Review for Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) Released Today

WASHINGTON, DC. - Today, Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson (MN) issued the following statement in reaction to the Environmental Protection Agency's release of a peer review of the lifecycle analysis issues included in the RFS2 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

"The EPA peer review panel reaffirmed many of the concerns I have about the EPA's proposed rule and rulemaking process for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2). The panel expressed concern about using these incomplete and unreliable models to measure indirect land use changes and indicated that they didn't have enough time to review this convoluted and complicated proposal.

I am also concerned that there is no evidence that the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any other Federal agencies with expertise on these issues were included in the peer review process.

This is exactly why the House of Representatives voted in the climate change bill to limit EPA's ability to implement international indirect land use provisions in the RFS2."

2009 Pope County Fair in Glenwood is in full swing

Austin Pooch (below) of rural Farwell was one of two youth that I identified from the Hoffman Tribune coverage area who had animals at the 4-H buildings.





























Pope County Dairy farmers sponsored a $2 pork sandwich feed on Thursday night, an event that was well attended.














First State Bank of Kensington is one of numerous businesses who help sponsor the Pope County 4-H program, listed in the photo below.

The sidewalks are back in Hoffman! By the end of Thursday they'll all be laid down on Main Street

"The Great Pretenders" perform on the main stage at FarmFest throughout the 3-day event

More scenes from FarmFest - DFL governor candidates attend fundraiser near Vesta, MN