The AgBMP Loan Program provides needed funding for local implementation of clean water practices at an extremely low cost, is unique in its structure, and is not duplicated by any other source of funding. The AgBMP loan program provides 3% loans through local lenders to farmers, rural landowners, and agriculture supply businesses. Funds are used for proven practices that prevent non-point source water pollution or solve existing water quality problems.
To provide comedy ventriloquism and variety marionette shows and provide accompanying workshops on the construction and use of sock puppets. Puppets are a powerful way of bringing story to life and appeal to adults and children alike. The show will stimulate imagination and allow children to learn through play.
To provide an additional stage for area artists and educators to showcase their talents and knowledge. Arts in the Northland will encompass a diverse group of artists and educators to offer educational and hands on experiences for fairgoers. Historical, traditional, and modern forms of art are all to be a part of the Arts in the Northland.
To enhance access to arts and cultural heritage events at the Crow Wing County Fair. A camera, projector, and big screen will allow visitors to better see demonstrations in the "Curling Building." Funds will also be used to add electrical outlets to run equipment.
To provide a variety of arts and cultural heritage programming opportunities at the Mille Lacs County Fair. A local resident family with success participating in State and National fiddle contests, will assist with the planning and implementation of a fiddle contest and a workshop. A Native American Showcase will allow the Mille Lacs County Fair to broaden its cultural offerings by including an under-represented segment of the county's population in its activities. The showcase will feature Native American dance, song, and drumming.
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive insect that has been decimating ash trees throughout the Great Lake states and is currently advancing into Minnesota where it threatens the nearly 1 billion ash trees that occur throughout the state - the second most in any state. Loss of these trees would devastate ecosystems throughout Minnesota and have major economic impacts for the forest products industry as well as through the costs associated with treatment, removal, and replacement of lost trees.
Brown marmorated stink bug is a terrestrial invasive species in Minnesota that was first discovered in 2010 and has been expanding its range since. It is a generalist plant pest that attacks more than 300 species of plants in natural, agricultural, and horticultural settings and is known for its unpleasant odor, large numbers, and propensity for home invasion. Proactive management approaches are available and in development that can be used to slow and potentially control brown marmorated stink bug populations.
The goals of the program are to evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural conservation practices, identify underlying processes that affect water quality, and develop technologies to target critical areas of the landscape. Funded projects provide current and accurate scientific data on the environmental impacts of agricultural practices and help to develop or revise agricultural practices that reduce environmental impacts while maintaining farm profitability.
We have an old farm house that the Anoka County Historical society uses during the fair to demonstrate what it was like to live in the early 1900's. It is in need of some restoration. The first thing we are going to do is rebuild the entire front porch. That includes floor, railing, painting and possibly needing structural support underneath.
We are holding a blacksmithing demonstration where the blacksmiths will display as well as show how metal is forged and made into useful artistic tools and show when this art started. We are having an onsite pottery artist come and demonstrate how pottery is made and what is involved. We will have a local balloon artist come and show her many talents of balloon art as well as a face painter and a henna tattoo artist (which has been around for centuries). Live music from local Minnesota musicians will also be involved in the fun.
The St. Louis County Fair will be presenting several different programs that will reflect various art forms. These programs will be comprised of different entertainers including a couple bands playing musch that is multi-generational and multicultural (Finnish). We will also be presenting forging demonstrations.
The Educational Heritage Magic Show by Magician Tom Anderson - With period costumes from the 1800's, he will be using magic that would have taken place in the 1800's. Tom is also a balloon artist and will be offering a balloon twisting class. ?Musical performers will also perform at the fair.
Our Legacy project consists of hiring Monroe Wright III to perform two shows on Friday of fair. He will bring several musicians to accompany him during the scheduled shows. He specializes in the music of the Mills Brothers.
We have a home-grown Minnesota band for two nights: Todd Eckart and the Centerville Allstars. We are also adding to our history of the fairgrounds display.
We are excited to have the same pottery lady come back this coming year. She will be teaching a class where people can make their pottery, then she will kiln dry the pieces and bring it to the fair so people can learn how this process is done. We will have a local lazer engraver come to show how jewelry and leatherwork is done with a machine. The balloon artist is coming back along with a face painter and henna tattoo artists. We also intend to have a local sled dog musher visit with his dogs to teach fairgoers how important sled dogs were in the early days.
The legacy portion of this grant will go toward a magician/entertainer who will initially stroll the grounds interacting with fairgoers (mostly youth) demonstrating balloon animals and then having a sit-down magic show twice a day. We will be have fiber weaving/crafting demonstrations throughout the fair week. These demonstrations will be done by 2 people showing from start to finish how fibers (sheep, dog, etc.) are spun into yarns and then woven into other products. We will also be enlisting one of our locals in demonstrating the art of forging.
RJ Kern's photography shows feature storytelling and agricultural photography and will be coming to our fair this summer. RJ does different shows: Being a National Geographic agricultural photographer; Being a Commemorative Artist for the Minnesota State Fair; The Unchosen Ones: Advice for 4-H Competitors and Life Skills Learned in 4-H; iPhoneography Tips for Your Award-Winning Photography; History of Agricultural Photography 101;
Historical Photography Demonstrations.
To restore the old Carbine House on the fairgrounds. The Crow Wing County Fair will rehabilitate an historic house on the fairgrounds that was originally an old trading post and was later occupied by Duncan and Ella Carbine. They will work with the Historical Society to ensure that the restoration is done in a historically accurate manner.
To showcase a diverse group of regional artists and educators who will offer educational and hands-on experiences for fairgoers on the Arts on the Northland Stage.
To bring a variety of cultural entertainment to the Waseca County Free Fair, including yodeling, Bluegrass, Irish, Alpine, Czechoslovakian, gospel and Americana music, a vaudeville show, and genealogical information from the Minnesota Historical Society.
New invasive plant species continue to emerge in Minnesota and will pose ongoing threats to Minnesota’s economy, ecology, and environment if able to spread across the state. It is cheapest, easiest, and least harmful to find and control small populations of invasive plants before they become widespread.
To improve the exhibit space for arts, cultural heritage, MN history displays at the St Louis County Fair by improving lighting and purchasing new display easels.
To highlight local talent by enhancing the fine arts display area with finished display cabinets. Additionally, funds will be used to bring live bluegrass music to the fair.
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.
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.
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.
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 offer new arts and cultural heritage programming at the St. Louis County Fair. Programming will include performances by Irish Dancers, a Native American pow-wow, children's theater, vaudeville, and music featuring a barbershop quartet, gospel, and Americana songs.
