Pride of Main Street Dairy Closes; Photos from the Parade

Sunday, August 9, 2015. Last month I talked about the Ding Dong Cafe's owner getting ready to retire. The Ding Dong will, I'm confident, still be around when a new owner's found.

Pride of Main Street Dairy, not so much. This week's Sauk Centre Herald top story, after Jeff Otte's deep fried cheese curds and other Stearns County Fair fare, was "Pride of Main Street Dairy closed indefinitely."


The headline says it all: "Pride of Main Street Dairy closed...." (August 6, 2015)

Sounds like Lifeway Foods, an Illinois-based company, is moving the production processes Main Street Dairy handled to Wisconsin or Illinois. That's put 11 of the 13 folks who worked at Main Street Dairy: out of work.

Someone's working in the office, and another doing building maintenance; the building's up for sale, and the small retail dairy store that was in the building is gone. I remember seeing Pride of Main Street Dairy's skim, 1%, 2%, whole and chocolate milk; and a few ice cream flavors; in Coborn's.

It was nice having locally-made dairy products, and looking for work is anything but fun: my experience, anyway. But I understand that change happens.

On a happier note, I don't think I shared these photos from the Sinclair Lewis Day parade, week before last.


Someone noted that kids scooting out to pick up goodies thrown from Sinclair Lewis Days Parade units reminded him of chickens going after corn. (July 18, 2015)


Sauk Centre's fire/emergency response department: new equipment - - - (July 18, 2015)


- - - and anything-but-new equipment. (July 18, 2015)

I've probably got photos from the Stearns County Fair, too: but those will wait until next week. Or the week after that, or whenever. That depends partly on whether I get any nifty pictures.

More Photos from Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, 2015

Sunday, July 26, 2015. Stearns County Fair starts next week, and I've still got photos from last week's Sinclair Lewis Days parade to show.


Some folks get quite imaginative: like this furry unit. (July 18, 2015)


A tip of the hat to the River City Rhythm, for a particularly lively performance. They did a very good job. (July 18, 2015)


Here's the head of the parade, coming back past the corner of Ash and South 9th. (July 18, 2015)


And one of my favorite parts of the parade: the Coborn's grocery cart. Make that grocery carts this year. (July 18, 2015)

Next week, I'll have photos from the Fair. That's the idea, at least.

Mostly the Sinclair Lewis Days Parade

Sunday, July 19, 2015. It's been an interesting few weeks for the family. Among other things, my son-in-law and son have been designing and programming an industrial robot for Spiral Light Candle. That brought me and the other Sauk Centre Gills to North Dakota earlier this week. It's not quite 'life in Sauk Centre,' but — I'm a proud in-law/parent.


Spiral Light Candle factory, after hours. (July 13, 2015)

Meanwhile, back in Sauk Centre, the downtown mural on Sinclair Lewis Avenue is getting closer to completion.


Work in progress: the mural on Sinclair Lewis Avenue, at the corner of Sinclair and Main. (July 15, 2015)


Road work near the Interstate. (July 15, 2015)

It's an old joke. Minnesota's four seasons: fall, winter, spring, and road work. There's something to it.

Sinclair Lewis Days is over now. The parade route went by our house twice: which took a bit of coordination, letting an  outbound unit through the intersection while a returning one waited for its turn. It worked out fine, though.


Sinclair Lewis Days parade begins. (July 18, 2015)


Someone observed that the kids running out before another unit came, to pick up candy, reminded him of chickens going after seed. I see his point: and they were having fun. (July 18, 2015)


Sauk Centre fire/emergency department has at least one new(ish) vehicle - - - (July 18, 2015)


- - - and one that's very vintage. (July 18, 2015)

I've got more photos from the parade: but will spread them out over the next few weeks: along with pictures from the county fair. That's the plan, anyway.

Sinclair Lewis Days Parade is Done; Next Comes the Stears County Fair

Sunday, July 27, 2014. It got into the mid-70s today, rained a bit, punctuated with sunshine. Or maybe it was sunny punctuated by rain. Either way, it's been a pleasant day: not exactly typical for July, but this is Minnesota. Our climate has personality.

Stearns County Fair is coming up, starting Wednesday. The Knights of Columbus Bingo booth will start up sooner than we have in past years. I'm not sure why: apparently the Fair board told us that we would, and we're complying.

I've got quite a few photos of the Sinclair Lewis Days parade left. It's one of my favorite annual events here.


Sinclair Lewis Days parade: Some units fit on a small flatbed trailer.... July 19, 2014.


... others don't July 19, 2014.


Flowers in someone's front yard, and a small park. July 25, 2014.


Friday was more July-like. That sign is new since I moved to Sauk Centre: but it's not exactly new. July 25, 2014.

Thanks to the new schedule, I've got a different shift at the K. of C. Bingo booth. Since I'm retired, that's not a problem: can't say that I miss being locked into a nine-to-five routine.

Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, 2014

Sunday, July 20, 2014. It's been a unusual week here. My son had surgery done: which went well. At the moment, the living room is doubling as a bedroom.

Sinclair Lewis Days was this weekend: including the Saturday evening parade.

I've been watching NASA's replay of video from the July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landing. They're running it online, at www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/.

I used my webcam to get pictures of the parade this year: except for the one taken from across the street, of course.


Folks getting ready for the parade. July 19, 2014.


About 15 minutes before the parade started. July 19, 2014.


Sinclair Lewis Days parade begins. July 19, 2014.


Quite a few watercraft: including this one, on a trailer behind one of Sauk Centre's rescue trucks. July 19, 2014.


Farm machinery, too. July 19, 2014.

I'll probably share more photos from the parade next week. Right now, I want to get back to reliving the first Moon landing.

More Photos from the Sinclair Lewis Days Parade

Sunday, July 28, 2013. I got one photo this week, from the webcam.


One of Sauk Centre's street sweepers, making the rounds. July 25, 2013.

Some midway rides, still folded for transport, arrived this week and are waiting at the Stearns County fairgrounds. The fair starts in a few days. That'll give me some good picture-taking opportunities.
Meanwhile, here's more from Sinclair Lewis Days.


Pink Flamingos: big ones; inflated; two of them. July 20, 2013.


Catching up. I saw quite a few red-and-white caps. This year's parade theme was "Christmas in July." July 20, 2013.


That's the Knights of Columbus float, behind the black truck. July 20, 2013.


I don't remember who these fellows were: but they played a lively rhythm. July 20, 2013.


A flyover: probably not part of the parade. July 20, 2013.


This is one of my favorite floats: the Coborn's grocery cart. July 20, 2013.

I've got a few more photos from the parade, but haven't decided whether to post them later: or go straight to pictures from the Stearns County fair.

A "Million Dollar Rain," Sinclair Lewis Days, and Changes on Main

Sunday, July 14, 2013. Sinclair Lewis Days started today. It's a week-long set of civic events, including a kiddie and pet parade, and Crazy Days downtown: that's when retail stores set up tables on the sidewalk by their storefront, and hope for sunny skies.

Someone called today's weather a "million dollar rain." We had drizzle or light rain most of the day: not good for picnics or outdoor shopping, but great for getting moisture into the soil.

I noticed some changes along Main Street, between the Lake Wobegon Trail bridge and the Interstate.


Hillcrest Motel on South Main. It really is on the crest of a hill. The slope is on the side away from Main. July 12, 2013.


A little north of Hillcrest Motel, on the other side of Main, a new(ish) building has occupants. July 12, 2013.

That building across the street from the Hillcrest Motel, the two-story one with tannish-brownish-gray siding, was under construction for a long time. Last September I'd guessed that it would be an apartment building.


The new building on South Main may be ready by winter: or, not. My guess is that it'll be apartments. or something else. September 8, 2012.

I still think it looks like a multiple-unit housing facility, but it's being used as a professional/office building.


At least two outfits, an insurance office, and "Dentistry for Children," have moved in. July 12, 2013.

Folks coming to town for Sinclair Lewis Days shouldn't have much trouble seeing where the pedestrian crossings are. We've got new paving and paint on some of the major near-downtown streets.


Friday afternoon near downtown Sauk Centre. That's St. Paul's church in the background. July 12, 2011.

I want to check out the parade route for Sinclair Lewis Days. It went by my house for several years: which made getting pictures very easy.

Slightly-related post:

• "Construction and a New(ish) Name on Main Street"
  (September 30, 2012)

Drought, History, and a County Fair Next Week

Sunday, July 22, 2012. As we say in Minnesota, 'it could be worse.' My yard is tan, with patches of green highlighting the weeds: not exactly a 'house beautiful' scene, but the lawn will recover.


It's been a dry summer: but at least the weeds are green. July 19, 2012.

I haven't heard how crops are coming along in this part of central Minnesota: but my guess is that we're better off than folks down in southern Illinois, Nebraska, and other places with "extreme" to "exceptional" drought. I made 'thumbnail' copies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's U.S. Drought Monitor's last two maps:


(from U.S. Drought Monitor, used w/o permission)
Drought conditions, July 10, 2012.


(from U.S. Drought Monitor, used w/o permission)
Drought conditions, July 17, 2012.

The good news is that it's been worse: in the 1930s, and again in the 1950s. We learned from the Dust Bowl, and farmers should be doing a much better job of soil management these days.

The bad news is that we'll probably be spending more for food, later this year. Still - 'it could be worse.' Pricier steaks and a tighter household budget is a whole lot better than a famine. This article compared this year's drought to some of what happened in 'the good old days:'

"Historic drought to bring higher food prices, experts say"
FoxNews.com (July 17, 2012)

"The historic drought baking the nation's breadbasket is about to hit American consumers where it hurts most -- the supermarket checkout.

" 'Prices are going to go up, Justin Gardner, assistant professor of agribusiness at Middle Tennessee State University, told the Christian Science Monitor. 'The only question is when.'

"Everything from breakfast cereal to roast beef will cost more as a result of the worst drought in 24 years, which has already prompted authorities to declare more than 1,000 counties in 26 states -- nearly two-thirds of land in the lower 48 states, stretching from Nevada to South Carolina -- natural disaster areas.

"Only in the 1930s and the 1950s has a drought covered more land, according to federal figures released Monday. So far, officials say there's little risk of a Dust Bowl-type catastrophe, but crop losses could mount if rain doesn't come soon -- and that means across-the-board higher food prices...."

That drought map probably doesn't tell the whole story. I was near Hillsboro, North Dakota, this weekend: an area that the U.S. Drought Monitor shows as having 'severe' drought conditions. Harvest was under way: come to think of it, this seems rather early for that sort of thing. Besides, I don't know what the yield per acre is.


Harvest in the Red River Valley of the North. July 20, 2012.

The Stearns County Fair starts this week. Folks were starting to set up the midway when I got home this afternoon.


Getting ready for the Stearns County Fair. July 22, 2012.

I missed Sinclair Lewis Days: that was July 15 through today. It's been a mildly hectic week: at least it felt that way.


Sunset. July 22, 2012.

I plan to get a good night's sleep, start Monday morning refreshed and - good grief. I've got medical stuff to do in St. Cloud tomorrow. Oh, well: there's only a 20 percent chance of rain, and I gather that we could use the moisture.

Sinclair Lewis Days Photos (Finally), and Philadelphia

Friday, July 29, 2011. I generally add something to the Sauk Centre Journal on Sunday. That's not going to happen this week, since I plan to be on my way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Sunday. The plan is for me to help my son-in-law and #2 daughter at a trade show there. ("Trade Show in Pennsylvania, Ecclesiastes, Software, and Schedules," A Catholic Citizen in America (July 26, 2011))

If all goes well, I'll be back somewhere in the second week of August. So there won't be anything new here next weekend, either. After that: I hope to be back to a more normal schedule. Also getting some rest, but that shouldn't affect the S. C. Journal.

There's something I wanted to get done tonight - what was it? Photos. Right.


Folks get ready for the parade, often starting Friday morning. July 15, 2011.


Sinclair Lewis Days Parade went along its old route, past my house, this year: Minnesota's government shutdown made closing Highway 71/Main Street impossible. July 15, 2011.


Coborn's grocerymobile, or whatever it's called, is one of my favorite parts of the parade. July 15, 2011.


Sauk Centre's fireworks are for Sinclair Lewis Days. I've yet to see the show from lakeside. Still, the corner of South 9th and Ash gives a pretty good view. July 15, 2011.


More fireworks, obviously. July 15, 2011.


Sinclair Lewis Days, downtown. I hope the weather is better next year. No storm would be nice. July 16, 2011.

That's it for now. I've got a bit of preparation - and a good night's sleep - yet to do. See you August 14, or thereabouts, I trust.

Sinclair Lewis Days Parade, and Storm Photos

Sunday, July 17, 2011. Another storm is coming as I'm writing this, about 10:40 p.m. - but the Sinclair Lewis Days parade did not get rained out. There was even a (comparatively) refreshing breeze now and then. Since the Minnesota government shutdown made it impossible to close Highway 71, the parade went along it's old route, more or less - right past my house.

That made it possible for me to get much of it recorded on YouTube, via my webcam. (Small Town America: Minnesota) The videos are at Apathetic Lemming of the North on YouTube. Or, rather, all but one is. I'm hoping that it's caught in a buffer, somewhere, and will eventually show up.

About last Sunday's storm. My house was without power for about 21 hours - with telephone, television, and Internet connections coming back a few hours after that. The Sauk Centre Herald has done a good job of covering the storm, and the cleanup. I'll be back, with more photos, as I get them ready.

Somehow, between the storm and the heat, I've been a little off my game this week.


Green clouds, part of a tree in the street, and lots of wind. July 10, 2011.


Candles, and a battery-powered radio. That was about it for amenities Sunday night and Monday. July 10, 2011.


Nobody hurt. Not one, that I've heard of. Remarkable, under the circumstances. July 11, 2011.


These trees were on South 9th, near Ash. July 11, 2011.


Cherry-pickers - lots of activity around town. July 11, 2011.


I don't know if a city crew got that tree trimmed, or if it was someone in the neighborhood. From what I've heard, it wasn't State of Minnesota employees who dragged debris off Highway 71/Main. July 11, 2011.


South Main - folks had been cutting downed trees into manageable chunks. July 11, 2011.


Same thing, another angle. July 11, 2011.


South Main - this light pole had been snapped off. July 11, 2011.


Yes: That's a house, under the tree. July 11, 2011.


Curb damage. July 11, 2011.


Nobody hurt - remarkable. There'd been more to that tree, before I got there with a camera. July 11, 2011.


Quite a few folks were working with front-end loaders. July 11, 2011.


More of the same. July 11, 2011.


That truck had been taller, Sunday afternoon. July 11, 2011.


Repair crew's truck. July 11, 2011.


And news media. July 11, 2011.

I've got more - including quite a few photos of pickups hauling greenery. But this is enough for tonight.