To organize a fiddler's contest of all ages at the 2012 fair. Contest will also include musical entertainment, two hours before the contest, by a bluegrass band.
The Floodwood Four Rivers Legacy Encampment Park will make its debut at the 2012 Southwest St Louis County Fair. Located on the banks of the Floodwood River, the encampment will consist of several live, interactive demonstrations and displays depicting early trades and activities that took place on the area rivers. Fair visitors will enjoy activities such as birch bark canoe building demonstrations, fur trading reenactments, Native American homestead displays, and early logging equipment displays and demonstrations.
To construct an exhibit building adjacent to the fire tower now located on the Beltrami County Fairgrounds. The new building will replicate an authentic 1950s ranger station and will house an exhibit of Minnesota forest fire service activity, Ojibwa cultural history, a display of Paul Bunyan legends and artifacts, and space for historical, cultural and environmental education.
This program funded grants to local units of government and other entities to supplement, not supplant existing budgets. Two categories of grants made available: 1) focus on response to invasive forest pest incidents, 2) focus on planning and preparedness for the arrival of invasive forest pests. The program will also update the state's invasive and exotic tree pest plans.
Forever Green Initiative develops perennial and cover cropping systems specific to Minnesota that are necessary to protect and restore the state's surface and groundwater resources while increasing efficiency, profitability, and productivity of Minnesota farmers.
The Forever Green Initiative will fund up to eight research projects focused on developing perennial and winter-annual crops that protect soil, water, and other natural resources.
To increase access to arts and cultural heritage programming at the Mahnomen County Fair by creating a performance space for ACH events. Funds would be used for stage construction, lighting and sound.
To enhance the Creative Arts building on the fairgrounds in order to improve the arts experience for fairgoers. The Freeborn County Fair will replace archaic lighting, add glass display cabinets, add a new display area of pre-school art, and provide musical performances.
To provide arts and heritage programming by local artists. Programming will include story-telling, ethnic music, demonstrations of period culture, lathe turning, spoon carving, and spinning.
To restore the Freeman Doud Cabin and Sunnyside School, located on the Beltrami County fairgrounds. During the fair, visitors will be able to able to observe the log cabin restoration and chinking process. Display boards will depict the history of the cabin, show where it was built on Lake Bemidji, and acquaint people with the importance of preserving this history.
This is a project to to proactively address future threats to safe drinking water. This project will incorporate findings and recommendations from the Future of Drinking Water report to assess, prioritize, and manage drinking water risks. Through this project, a voluntary statewide plan for protecting drinking water will be developed. Additional outcomes from this project include public health policies and an action plan.
To enhance and expand the fair’s educational exhibits and cultural performances. The history of Goodhue County, the state, and the nation, was shared through demonstrations and displays provided by the Historical Society, Prairie Island Indian Community and individual artists that specialize in early American crafts. History of music and different styles of music were provided by various musical artists. The art of dance was highlighted with workshops given by a local dance studio.
To improve the arts display area at the Goodhue County Fair. Funds will be used to upgrade display cases and shelves, improve lighting by replacing and repairing windows, and making the building handicap accessible.
Michael Sadowsky - University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water and Climate, sadowsky@umn.edu (612) 624-2706
2008 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$192,804
The objectives of this study were to examine ditch sediment and water samples for the presence and numbers of E.coli and to determine what proportion of the E.coli were stable member of the microbial community (i.e. indigenous to the sites) and what proportion were likely transient or only present because of run-off. Researchers used sophisticated DNA technology to determine the potential sources of E.coli present in the ditch sediment and water samples.
To offer aspects of Minnesota’s heritage that fairgoers normally would not be able to enjoy. The Hennepin County Fair offered performances and demonstrations in storytelling, clogging, old time string music, blacksmith, potter, dog sled, textile creation, knitting, weaving and wood carving. The storyteller, Bob Gasch, told and acted out stories about Minnesota’s settlement period including Johnny Appleseed, and more and the cloggers demonstrated a historical style of dance from the early settlement of Minnesota.
To offer several demonstrations throughout the fair to educate fairgoers on key parts of Minnesota’s history and how these aspects contributed to the economic and agricultural status of the state. Programming will include a lumberjack show and the Iron Will dog sled exhibit.
To host a variety of arts and cultural heritage activities at the Hennepin County Fair, and enhance the display area for fine arts exhibits. The fair will host a bluegrass band, a MN original singer/songwriter, a storyteller, and a variety of arts demonstrations.
To increase access to arts and cultural heritage programming at the Stearns County Fair by building a permanent stage for demonstrations, performances, and workshops.
To enhance and extend the life of the 15 structures which currently make up the Jackson County Historical Fair Village by replacing damaged windows, leaking roof, and rotting siding. Structural improvements on buildings will allow fair visitors additional access to new displays and artifacts that were not displayed previously, due to fear of damage by wind, rain, and rodents.
To create a Historic Structures Report (HSR), a specialized study that provides documentary information about a historic property's significance, history of use, and current condition. It will be an early step in preservation planning, that considers goals for a structure's use, significant features, and outlines a recommended course of treatment and scope of work for repair and restoration.
To provide exhibits, re-enactments, education displays, workshops and presentations of "Wabasha County in Days By-Gone." Funds will also be used to purchase a sound system to enhance workshops and presentations, enhance the quilt and wall displays in the Open Class Exhibit Building, and bring a youth theater group to perform at the fair.
The project will develop and install an educational exhibit on the history and significance of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in Olmsted County and throughout MN. As the regional headquarters of both of these depression-era economic programs, the Olmsted County Fairgrounds was integral to their local activities and played a role in the development of agricultural and civic infrastructure that continued to serve southeastern MN for decades.
To offer a series of free, historical presentations at the Murray County Fair. Topics covered will include: the Sweetman Colony of Murray County; the role of women during the early settlement of Murray County; the Dakota Conflict of 1862; and a presentation on the history of the Murray County Fair. Based on the research presented on the history of the fair, a book will be published.
To present the history of agriculture in Wright County through exhibits of equipment from the past to present, video presentations, and a demonstration of food preparation in the 19th century.
To create and promote a fun, historical walking tour of the fairgrounds. Visitors will be given a map of the grounds, with sign locations noted. Maps and signs will be written in English and Spanish. In addition to finding the signs and reading about history, visitors can call a phone number listed on the map, enter a location number, and learn more about that particular location.
To provide heritage music and arts programming for school age children at the fair. The Houston County Fair enhanced their sound system and introduced a Polka band. The objective of this project is to enhance the arts with the involvement of the youth and preserve the history of the fair.
To increase and enhance arts and cultural heritage programming at the Houston County Fair. Funds will be used to upgrade an existing stage, install a display case to exhibit artistic and creative works of people with disabilities, and host the Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble. The Ensemble will educate children and families about Scandinavian music and dances.
To engage the residents of Hubbard County in the arts and encourage them to exhibit their work in the Open Class Building. Funds will additionally be used to restore the one room school house.
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that has been decimating ash trees throughout the Great Lakes states. It was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009 and is now found in four counties (Hennepin, Houston, Ramsey, and Winona). EAB poses a particularly serious threat to Minnesota because it is home to nearly 1 billion ash trees that occur throughout the state - the second most of any state.
To enhance access to arts and cultural activities by showcasing a variety of performers, artisans and educators, never before hosted by the fair. Programming will include children's puppetry, German musical performances and dancing, Spanish, French and German singing, folk singing and fiddle music, presentations on the MN River preservation and history.
To improve display areas that feature quilts, historic and artistic photographs, American Indian fine art, indigenous floral arrangements, locally grown herbs, and other handiwork indicative of Becker county by purchasing display cases and improving lighting. Additionally, to feature American Indian performers and a Norwegian performing pair to share their talents under the free tent during the fair.
To expand the awareness of the arts and history of music in America. The fair will host a jug band, polka band, folk singer and yodeler. To enhance the performances, a sound system and portable bleachers will be purchased.
Funding supports an Irrigation Specialist to develop guidance and provide education on irrigation and nitrogenbest management practices (BMPs). In this position, Dr. Vasu Sharma provides direct support to irrigators onissues of irrigation scheduling and soil water monitoring. She is collaborating on the development of new irrigationscheduling tools that help irrigators manage water and nitrogen resources more precisely. These tools help reducenitrogen leaching losses in irrigated cropping systems.
To increase interest in and access to programming on the performance arts stage by purchasing a sun shade for audiences. The shade will provide relief from the scorching summer sun so that participants and spectators can enjoy the historical and cultural programming.
