Homestead Mills
Much more than a store
COOK - Enter the door of the gray, sprawling warehouse building on the outskirts of Cook, Minnesota, and you’ve taken a step back in time. A dozen fuzzy black mallard ducklings greet you from inside a makeshift pen on the porch outside. Just inside the door is a tall, wood counter, with old-fashioned candies and miniature flour-sack bags piled around the front and colorfully-labeled: “quick rolled oats, rye flour, buckwheat flour.” A chalk board hanging behind the counter is scrawled with numbers. On closer inspection, you see they are prices of commodities - corn, oats, wheat and other ingredients for feeds and foods. On your left, a smaller chalk board lists inventory: dog & cat food, bird seed, salts. Full Story
Cook business filled with history
It doesn’t take too long for a customer at Homestead Mills to realize the place has a lot of history. The grainery/ seed mill owned by Keith and Carol Aho was once a cooperative for farmers in the Cook area. It now combines its agricultural past with an eclectic selection of merchandise hand-picked by its owners. The structure was built in the 1930’s during the Depression years, according to Keith Aho. The Arrowhead Seed Growers Cooperative was formed about 1939 by local farmers in an attempt to cut costs of grain and farm supplies. A wooden warehouse-type structure for storing supplies and grain was built next to the railroad tracks for ease of shipping. A manager was hired to run the operation. Full Story
Happy Father’s Day!
FATHER'S DAY CENTENNIAL JUNE 20, 2010
You may think that Father's Day is a modern invention, but the truth is that a Babylonian youth named Elmesu carved the first known Father's Day card in clay nearly 4,000 years ago. His special message wished his father good health and a long life. Fortunately, modern cards are a bit easier to fit in the mail box! Full Story
Don’t step back
As we pulled up in the little 1966, 20-passenger bus we watched as members of a gang came streaming out of the auditorium that we were about to minister in. The fact that this was their turf quickly became an unspoken reality as a fight broke out. Knives were drawn. Their boots also became their weapons. Now it was our turn. Full Story
HOPE: Pe: Have Only Positive Expectations
For Hometown FOCUS (Finding Our Community’s Unending Spirit)
In today’s economy, it is no wonder that people are walking around with confusion and lack of HOPE. People are seeing their businesses fail, jobs are lost, and marriages are failing. Sounds depressing. And it can be, if we let it. Full Story
Photos
The casting contest was a hit with anglers during last week's Rotary Fishing Contest in Virginia. Photo by Niki Voll.
It was a great family outing during the Virginia Rotary Kid’s Fishing Contest last week. Full Story
A Walk in the Woods:
Favorite memories of Dad
Even though I have been fishing since I was old enough to hold a pole, and hunting birds since I got my firearm safety certificate when I was 13, I didn’t start deer hunting with my dad and three older brothers until I was 25 years old. Full Story
Fathers’ Day 2010
It has been my observation that every man seems to have a different idea of what “manhood” is. And each man’s idea of manhood is usually based on what he, as an individual, does best. For example, the man who is a good mechanic will project the image that good mechanics are the most manly of men. The carpenter might think that building a house is the manliest thing a man can do. The electrician exhibits his pride in manhood by designing and wiring complicated circuits. He believes any man who can’t even wire in a threeway switch is a wimp. Full Story
Iron Range Summer & Fall Festivities
2010 CalenDar of Events
Northern Lights Music Festival • July 1-17
An intensive classical music performance program for pianists and string players, presented by an internationally renowned faculty. Gifted musicians, ages six through collegiate perform before appreciative audiences in Aurora, with guest appearances in Hoyt Lakes, Gilbert, Duluth, Virginia, Ely and Minneapolis. Full Story
Hometown Calendar
Saturday, June 19 Land of the Loon
Festival in Virginia
(Through Sun., June 20) Sat.: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sun.: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. www.landoftheloonfestival.com All Horse Expo
(Through Sun., June 20) St. Louis County Fairgrounds, Chisholm (218)263-4256 Sunday, June 20 Father’s Day! Full Story
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Sat, 05/26/2012 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm
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Sun, 06/03/2012 - 1:00pm - 5:00pm
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Wed, 06/06/2012 - 7:01pm
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