After a busy week of tests and projects, I finally headed out of Brookings to start SDSU’s Spring Break. While I’m not headed to Cancun like a lot of my classmates, I have a week of fun things planned to do, both work and play. While I was on my way home yesterday, I stopped at Schlagel Farms to work on a story about their century old farm. Here is owner of the homestead, Mona Schlagel, at the original site near Raymond, S.D.
Established in 1899, the 160 acres of this plot was established during the Homestead Act. The Homestead Act allowed for a pioneer to own the land they settled on after five years if they built a house on it, plowed the land, dug up a well and actually lived there. The Schlagel family traveled from Illinois to South Dakota to pursue a new life, and in 1906, the homestead was finally theirs. Since then, this plot of land has continued to stay in the Schlagel family. In 2008, they were recognized at the South Dakota State Fair for their century farm.
Today, I thought I would share a little piece of Dakota history with you. To understand who we are, we have to understand where we come from. South Dakota has a rich history of pioneer settlements, Indian wars, weather challenges and tales of the Wild West. Later this week, I will be experiencing this rich history with my Spring Break trip to the Black Hills. I will share my photos from my journey as the week progresses. Have a great weekend!
Who would have thought that an aviation museum would be a good venue for a party? But the 
One of the very cool things was a great place for kids to play while the adults mingled. They even got their own special menu of pizza and chicken nuggets! 
The president and COO of 
The world faces some serious challenges… as pointed out in a Farm Foundation report released last December (see 
He says he’s grown old with the Dixie Deer Classic. But Bruce Blackwell, General Manager, doesn’t look old to me. I caught up with him relaxing on a golf cart this afternoon. I made him get up for a picture though. He says the show started in 1981. He says the easiest way to describe the show is, “a great big convention for hunters and outdoorsmen.” The exhibits haven’t changed but there are more of them that include outfitters, equipment and art.
The 
Our friends at 
Here’s another case of the shooter getting shot. And I don’t mean Deer or Deere.
I don’t know is he’s really called the Deer Measurer but he is one and he says, “Have tape measure, Will travel.” He’s Dave Boland and he’s an official measurer for Pope & Young, Boone & Crockett, Long Hunter Society and the North American Shed Hunters Club. He explained the process for coming up with the measurement to score deer racks. I’ve got a bunch of racks but I’ve never had mine measured or mounted. I’m still waiting to get one that’s worth it.
I didn’t know that media room services were already changing. Apparently at 
I’m on location in a deer hunters paradise. Well, I’m not in the woods looking at a big buck but I am at the Dixie Deer Classic. This is a big show at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. John Deere has their