Minnesota

We finished harvesting wheat on Friday afternoon just in time to pack up and head northwest to Nicollet and Sibley Counties in South central Minnesota.  We had a blessed weekend of fellowship with the Steiners and with the Winthrop congregation.  We enjoyed the Steiners' family, hospitality, and home.  It was the first time I have been back to the Winthrop church since I was in the church single group (about 30 years ago).  It was good to meet some old friends and make new ones.  I never met so many Messners or Schmidts before and I will have a hard time keeping them all straight.

They had a hail storm earlier in the week, so the crops in that area were pretty beat up, and the soybeans were being replanted.  But they have had much more rain than we have, so other than the wet spots, the crops looked good.

On Saturday we were given a tour of the area.  Unfortunately, the cow museum in Bernadotte was closed.
We spent time in New Ulm, a beautiful, very "German" town in the oak shaded Minnesota River valley.  At the request of Benji, we went mini-golfing at a  unique educational/agricultural/environmental themed nine hole course.  It was a little above my skill level, but still a lot of fun!  At one hole, you had to hit the ball into a large pig's mouth, and then it rolls out of . . . . well, we'll leave that to the imagination!
We drove through the Historic August Schell Brewery and Gardens, which is the nation's 2nd oldest family owned brewery.  We met Herman the German who stands on his monument in Herman Heights Park.  And we drove past the Glockenspiel in the distinctive downtown.

Herman the German on his monument.

Herman looking over the town of New Ulm and the Minnesota River valley.

And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
Joshua 9:9