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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991 April• -• 7 -- • 4 • • ••�• The next Community Out- reach Meeting will be Wed- nesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 8500 Hillside Trail. The meeting will be open to all residents south of 80th street, between Highway 61 and Jamaica. This will be the third outreach meeting, designed to give the Mayor and City Council a chance to meet "on location" with neighborhood residents to discuss commu- nity issues and concerns. Earlier meetings were held in Old Cottage Grove and at St. Luke's Lutheran Church. Residents west of Highway 61 and those between Jamaica and Keats will hold Community Outreach Meetings in July and October, respectively; more in- formation will be available in future issues of the Cottage Grove Reports. The Mayor, City Council, and City Administrator wish to express their appreciation to the Cottage Grove residents who attended the Community Outreach Meeting at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in late March. The meeting was extremely productive! POSTALPATRON Carrier Route Presort Bulk Rate U.S. Postage PAID PERMIT NO, 1 Cottage Grove, MN 55016 LOCALPOSTALPATRON ". City of City Council Cottage Bill Buth ..... .......................459 Grove City Hall: 7516 80th St. S. Open 8 -4:30, M- F ___ ...... 458 -2800 Police and Fire Emergency ....911 Police Non- Emergency ..458.2811 Building Inspections ...... 458-2804 Parks..... ...... ....... _ ..... __458­2808 Recreation .... .................. 458 -2801 Public Works ..................458.2808 Mayor Richard Pederson ..... ... .... 459.6397 City Council Bill Buth ..... .......................459 -5249 Jack Denzer ............. 459 -2553 Lyle Puppe ....................... 459 -9996 Jill Seacrist ... .... ... ..... ... ..... 459 -8832 City Administrator .... Kevin Frazell Arena Manager.......... Tim Johnson Building Official ... ....... ..Jim Beane Community Dev............ Gary Berg Finance ..................... Diane Archer Fire Chief.. ........... ,. Denis Erickson Parks, RecreationJohn Fredrickson Police Chief .............Dennis Cusick Public Works ............ Les Burshten Editor ......................... Margo Doten In this i s s u e Strawberry Festival ...2 Spring Cleanup ........3 Compost Site Opens Arbor Day Baby .......4 Home Business Permits Required ...............5 Reward .....................5 Part -time Firefighters 6 Historic Agriculture ... 7 Water Flushing ..........9 'We Are All People' 10 City Memo Board ..11 Tree Trimming ......... 11 Community Outreach Meeting .................. 12 See also special inserts: Summer Park Programs State bu # f .ee,p s by Kevin Frazell City Administrator PLEASE NOTE: The funding proposals under consideration by the Governor and State Legislature change frequently. This article was based on informa- tion available at the time we went to the printer. Please check your daily newspapers for updates on the budget situation. As most of us have heard, the State of Minnesota has a pro- jected $1.2 to 1.8 billion deficit for the 1991 -93 biennium. To meet a part of this budget shortfall, Governor Arne Carlson has proposed a drastic reduction in aids that come to city govern- ments. The reductions would come in two areas: Local Govern- ment Aid (LGA) which are monies paid directly to the city, and Home- stead and Agricultural Credit Aid (HACA), which is the money the city receives to help hold down taxes on home- stead properties. While the Gover- nor's budget is short on specifics at this point in time, it appears that LGA would be reduced state -wide by about 49 percent, and HACA eliminated altogether. City staff has estimated that the total loss to the City of Cottage Grove could run approximately $1.5 million, or about 25 percent of the General Fund budget. If the city were to attempt to pick up all of these lost aids on the local property tax, the city portion of your property tax bill could go up by more than 65 percent. The city -only taxes on an average Cottage Grove home- stead (value $89,500) would go from approxi- mately $264 to $438, a $174 per year increase. As an alternative to all or part of a tax increase, the city could choose to reduce spending. City services that might be reduced include: • Land Use Regula- tion • Emergency Prepar- edness (i.e., hazardous materials, siren alerting system) • Criminal Investigation • Animal Control • Dispatching Services Continued on Page 3 IN MEMORIAM CAR F. MEISSNE Cottage Grove City Administrator, 1961 -1989 Charter Member: Cottage Grove Lions, Cottage Grove Jaycees Cottage Grove Volunteer Fire Department Died March 25,1991 0 printed on recycled paper Community organizations meet with Chamber by Dick Pederson Mayor of Cottage Grove Special thanks to the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce for organizing a meeting with about 20 commu- nity organizations a few weeks ago. The commu- nity groups gave brief presentations on their organizations and activities, and we hope this will lead to more business /community partnerships in our area. Ann Jorgenson and Don Schmitz deserve a lot of credit for organiz- ing this meeting — it provided lots of good information on all the activities going on in this community, and could be the start of some very, very good coordi- nation of efforts. Beach Bash I was really happy that we raised more than $2,000 for the South Communities Counsel- ing Service at the "Beach Bash" last month (see pictures on Page 4). Thanks to the Miss Cottage Grove Scholar- ship Pageant Commit- tee, VFW Post 8752, and the Cottage Grove Lions Club for their major contributions to this fundraiser. River Oaks Golf Course We're all delighted to welcome Bruce Ander- son, the new Golf Course Manager and Pro at River Oaks Municipal Golf Course (see Golf insert). We're looking forward to an exciting Grand Opening at the golf course, and years of great golf here in Cottage Grove. I'm excited about River Tonnage figures and participation rates reported for the first quarter of the Cottage Grove curbside recy- cling program indicate that a good majority of residents are environ- mentally /energy con- scious and that they are utilizing the curbside recycling program. "The combination of everyone's efforts does make a difference, and will continue to do so in our future." said Com- munity Development Associate John Bur- bank. Extra bins for recy- cling can be purchased for $5 at the Public Works Garage, 8635 W. Pt. Douglas Rd. Questions or problems regarding recycling pickup should be directed to your individ- ual trash /recycling hauler. Questions on the recycling program in general can be an- swered at 458 -2828. Oaks — it will be a real added attraction for the City of Cottage Grove. Park Grove Estates I was pleased to be invited to the ground- breaking for Park Grove Estates, a new develop- ment of owner- occupied townhomes at 76th and Hinton. We welcome them, and feel they're going to have a nice facility. This will be an excellent addition to Cottage Grove housing. Boy Scouts We had a delegation of Cottage Grove Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and representatives from the state Scouting office at a recent City Council meeting where we honored Scouting's 81 st birthday. Their presentation was very informative, and demon- strated what a great Scouting program we have going in Cottage Grove. A lot of credit goes to the Scouts, their parents, and their leadership. Supporting our troops When the Military Police unit 257 left Cottage Grove to go to the Persian Gulf last fall, we had a going -away ceremony and promised a great welcome -home party when they got back. We don't have an exact date for their return yet (it may be mid -May), but many, many organizations want to give them a big welcome back. Veterans organizations in Cottage Grove and St. Paul Park, SOCM, Cottage Grove Women of Today, and many other organi- zations have expressed an interest in participat- ing in this welcome. We'd like to ask the community to surface some ideas on how we can show our welcome and thank the troops for a job well done. A meet- ing may be set up in a few weeks to begin planning. Please call Linda at the Cottage Grove Armory if you want to help with the planning. Plan to attend the Cottage Grove Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 11 Parade 1 p.m. (Call Bud Schmidt, 459 -5904, if you'd like to participate.) Family Events 2 p.m., VFW Red Barn (Call Sue Kainz, 459 -8442, for information.) Little Miss Cottage Grove (Formerly Little Miss Strawberry Festival. Entry deadline May 15; call Sue Bargsten, 459 -7907, for details.) Watch the next issue of Cottage Grove Reports for a complete schedule of events. 11 City Memo Board City Memo Board Building Permits Spring brings on many new projects around the house. Certain items must be secured before you can obtain your permits for these projects. The city staff encourages you to contact the Building Inspection Division to get the assistance you might need. A reminder: should your work involve any excavation work you must contact Gopher State One Call at 454- 0002 for locations of buried utilities. Year - Round Water Ban Cottage Grove water customers are reminded that there is a year -round restriction on lawn and garden sprinkling. The city ordinance limits sprin- kling to even - numbered City Memo Board days for properties with even - numbered ad- dresses, and odd - numbered days for properties with odd - numbered addresses. Street Light Wires Before installing a new mailbox, sign, or anything in the ground that could sever or damage street light wires, please call the Public Works Depart- ment, 458 -2808. Underground wires are located on the same side of the street where street lights are placed. Household Hazardous Waste Washington County may soon have a permanent site available for the disposal of household hazardous waste. For more infor- mation, call 430 -6650. Prune trees carefully for healthy growth, long life by John Klinkhammer City Forester Trees can be both friend and foe. As friends, they moderate both winter winds and summer heat, clean our air, add beauty to our landscape, provide food, reduce road noise, and may be our most cost - efficient weapon against global warming. As foe, they may break apart in windstorms, causing personal injury or damage to cars and homes. It is important to maintain our trees so they remain our friends and not become sick or weak and become our foes. Planting the right tree on the right site helps get things started. Keeping the young tree well watered and fed will be of considerable value. Proper trimming of the tree throughout its life, however, is of utmost importance to keeping the tree struc- turally strong. Proper trimming or pruning requires a knowledge of why we prune. Pruning should be done for both form and strength. When pruning for strength, branch angle is critical. Branch angles less than 45 -50 degrees will be weak and can split the tree as the branches become larger. Rubbing branches can open the tree to disease and insect attack. One of the branches needs to be removed to allow the other to heal. Rapidly growing sucker branches and water sprouts use more energy than they contribute to the tree. They are usually weakly attached to the tree and grow across the natural grain of the tree. They are best removed as soon as possible. When pruning for form, it is important to avoid double leaders. Double leaders are branches that are competing for the topmost position in the tree and are usually connected at a weak crotch. Removal of branches that cross the tree against the grain (crossing branches) and branches that grow parallel to other branches can be done without changing the overall appearance of the tree. The removal of these branches merely aids in thinning the crown, making it less likely to be damaged by wind storms. Pruning can be done on a yearly basis, if possible, and should not be put off more than five years. If trimming is not kept up, too much needs to be done at one time. It is best not to remove more than 25 percent of the crown at any one time. Removing more than a quarter of the crown increases the chance of sucker branches and can weaken the tree, making it more susceptible to pathogens. Pruning during spring and fall while the tree is under seasonal stresses already should be avoided if possible. Trimming during the summer is acceptable, but dormant season pruning allows a better view of the structure of the tree. By paying attention to the structure of our trees, we can keep them healthy elements of our landscape. We can enjoy their benefits far longer when we help keep them strong. IE •. ��•-0 NOTE: This song was written and performed by Mr. Larry Beck's sixth grade class at Armstrong School after a class discussion about supporting the troops in the Middle East. It was produced with the help of music teachers Norma May and Wendy Langer of Armstrong School, and composer Jim Baldrica of Woodbury Middle School. With financial support from VFW Post 8752 and local businesses, the song was taped at Minnesota Public Radio studios. 'WE ARE ALL PEOPLE' has been played on several area radio and TV stations, and tapes are being sent to troops in Saudi Arabia. Copies are available for $2.00 at Armstrong School, with part of that money going to send tapes to the Middle East. SPOKEN: When the thunder and lightning are out The clouds know what it's all about The clouds are always there To show the storm they really care. VERSE 1: You are the thunder and lightning of war, And we are the clouds in the sky. We're doing what's right trying to help in this fight - Please believe we all support you with pride! We can't go far knowing you're out there, And though it may seem we really don't care, Back here at home we're fighting it strong and aware VERSE 2: We dream about peace in the Middle East Over the land and shores. We've dreamed about peace in the Middle East Forever and ever more. But war isn't fun when someone's farther away, And we wish you were here. But we're doing Ok. In thunder and lightning We're clouds that are finding our way. p eopl e. We are all . • iil!� • - •. • f.'. •. • •fir- • fig But it's better to , . what's right. And we hope .• lo But we're fi ghting . • strong BRIDGE: And we're thinking of you; people are sad. They're missing you, And wishing you were here. We know what you've faced, but now it's too late. There's no time to waste shedding tears. But through the storm of the desert weather, Someday we'll be together. Someday you'll be back on American ground, And you'll be with us safe and sound. CHORUS We are all people. We are all one. We've got to make the day for peace and harmony come. We are all people. We are all one. We've got to make the day for peace and harmony come. An d we don't to fi ght, But it's better to .. what's right. • .. ©1991 The Cottage Grove compost site will open April 6, 1991. Please use the site only during the hours listed below: Monday, Wednesday ...............1:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sunday ......9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The site will be closed on Memorial Day and Labor Day. Please remember: all bags must be emptied and taken back home. Due to state budget cuts, it may be neces- sary to charge a fee for bringing in leaves and grass clippings, and for dumping brush. Watch for further details regarding the compost site in the next edition of Cottage Grove Reports, or at the site itself. May 1 through 5 will be the dates for the annual Spring Cleanup for Cottage Grove residents. Hours will be: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (May 1 -3) ............................7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (May 4- 5) . ................ .. ......... 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drop -off site will be the city's Public Works Garage, 8635 W. Pt. Douglas Rd. The following items will be accepted: furniture ............................ no charge appliances ........................ no charge car batteries ..................... no charge used oil ............................ no charge car tires .. .............................$1 each car tires with rims ................ $2 each truck tires ........................ $7.50 each tractor tires ........................$35 each Yard waste may be brought to the compost site at 95th Street South and Glendenning Road. Please direct questions to Public Works, 458- 2808. Continued from Page 1 • Random Police Patrol • Criminal Prosecutions • General Fire Services • Snow Removal • Parks Maintenance • Ice Arena Further services that could be reduced, or potentially even elimi- nated, include: • Cottage Grove Reports -this newsletter! • Support for Commu- nity Celebrations, including Strawberry Festival and 4th of July Fireworks • Subsidy to S. Com- munities Cslg. Service • Subsidy to S. Wash. County Senior Program • Code Enforcement (i.e., zoning, trash, weeds) • Economic Develop- ment to foster retail, commercial, and industrial growth • Historic Preservation • Law Enforcement "courtesy" services • Police Officer Interac- tion with School Students (D. A. R. E. program) • Police Emergency Response Team • Proactive Community Crime Prevention Program • Tree Trimming • Spring Cleanup • Composting Facility • Organized Summer Playground Activities • Subsidized Youth Recreation Programs • Contribution to Cottage Grove Athletic Association • Lighted Hockey Rinks/ Warming Houses • Athletic Field Prep. • Municipal Swim Pool During its Neighbor- hood OutreachMeet- ings, the Mayor and City Council will be asking for citizen input on property tax increases and /or service level cut- backs. All citizens will also have the opportunity to attend the city's Truth - in- Taxation hearings before adoption of the 1992 budget. The Governor's budget proposal contains many other changes to the property tax system that could cause total tax bills on low- and mid - value homes to go up dramatically. However, the Governor has also mmnosad a sinnificant a increase in the "circuit breaker" program to help shelter low- and moderate - income households from some of the increase. If you share our concern as to the impact that State Aid cutbacks would have on the future of your city, please contact the following to express your opinion: Governor Arne Carlson (296 - 3391); Senator Len Price (297 - 8060); Representative Pat Ream 199R- 31351 . •.• • -• • Arbor Day baby to have tree We're looking for an Arbor Day Baby! Again this year, the Cottage Grove Parks Maintenance Depart- ment will plant a tree in a city park in honor of the city baby born on or closest to Arbor Day, April 26. If your baby is due around that time, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 458 -2808. VZOTMEWO 11 IF, — To protect the quality of the city's water supply, water mains will again be flushed this spring. Water mains east of Highway 61 will be flushed from April 22 to May 31; those west of Highway 61 will be flushed between May 20 and June 7. To flush the water mains, city employees open fire hydrants. The sudden rush of water removes mineral deposits that have accumulated during the winter months. This will suspend the pipe deposits to the top of the water, often causing some discoloration. The water is safe to drink, but it could stain clothing, so check for signs of discoloration before using the water to wash clothes. City residents should also flush out the taps in their homes, as iron deposits tend to build up in the lines. When weather permits and your area has been flushed, open outside bibs and run all the cold water taps in your home at full capacity. The water will start out clear, then become discolored. Leave the water on until it looks clear again, usually 10 minutes to half an hour. If emergency situations occur (such as loss of service, broken pipes, etc.), please contact the Public Works Depart- ment at 458 -2808. Flushing Schedule: April 22 -May 31: East of Hwy. 61 May 20 -June 7: West of 61 • One of the most valuable natural re- sources we have is water. We couldn't live without it — yet we know that in parts of the country and the world water tables are getting dangerously low. What can an individual or a single family do to help? Try these five simple suggestions, and you'll be water -wise rather than wasteful. • Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it, and you save almost 6,000 gallons a year. Put a bit of food coloring in each toilet tank. Without flushing; watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It's not unusual to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks. And that's more than 30,000 gallons a year! Don't shower too long or fill the tub too full. Five minutes for showering and about five inches of water in the tub is plenty. Use automatic dish and clothes washing machines with full loads only. Even when the machines feature short cycles, you're being more efficient with your water if you use it only for full loads. • Most importantly, water your lawn and garden with good sense. Do it early or late, not in midday heat. Avoid windy days. See that water goes where it should, not on sidewalks or driveways. Stick a spade in the ground now and then to see that water is getting down deep. A good soaking encourages good root systems. But remember this: a single lawn sprinkler spraying five gallons per minute uses 50 percent more water in just one hour than a combination of ten toilet flushes, two five - minute showers, two dish- washer loads, and a full load of clothes. So be sensible. Check with local lawn /garden experts for best results, and check local watering regulations. These five sugges- tions are the basic ele- ments of a sound, rea- sonable, and effective water conservation program for you, your family, your friends, everyone. Don't let water go to waste. Do your part to use water wisely. 0 1989, American Wafer Works Association The Hokey -Pokey (Hawaiian style) loosened up the crowd at the Mayor's "Beach Bash" on a cold February night. The event raised money for the South Communities Counseling Service. Below, event co -chairs Ron and Sue Bargsten. Continued from Page 7 tated a new kind of barn, one with stalls for animals on the ground floor and a loft for hay on the second floor. These two -story general purpose barns quickly replaced most of the older single - floor, three - bay grain barns. Silos, at first constructed of wooden planks but later built from tile block or concrete, made their appearance around 1880. The years between 1890 and 1920 were the "golden age" of farming in Cottage Grove. Worldwide demand for Midwestern agricultural products, improved farm technology, and an efficient railway trans- port system caused farm commodity prices to shoot up, and local farmers made more money than ever before. This prosperity is reflected in the large number of fine houses constructed on Cottage Grove farms, including several architectural landmarks designed in the Victorian and Colonial styles. Some grand barns were also built during this period, several of which are still standing. Agricultural expan- sion ended after the First World War, al- though many local farmers continued to prosper. Because of a general labor shortage, they were encouraged to buy more machinery and plant more acres. Improved farm to market roads and trucks made railroads obsolescent and signaled the decline of local elevators and creameries. Rural villages were also affected; Langdon, once a flourishing railway town, has practically passed out of existence, while Old Cottage Grove has lost most of its farm trade center functions. Although two - thirds of Cottage Grove is zoned rural, these farmlands have been attractive to developers since the 1950s, and the loss of the rural land- scape has become a major problem for historic preservationists. A combination of factors encourages the destruc- tion of historic farm- steads. Agricultural land is, of course, popular with developers, while old farmhouses and outbuildings usually are not. Chapter 13A of the Cottage Grove City Code requires the city to address the problem of protecting our agricul- tural heritage. Surveys of farm houses, barns, and landscape features have been part of the city's ongoing Cultural Resources Survey project since 1981. The Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation also provides citizen input from a heritage conser- vation perspective on all rezonings, subdivision plats, and other land use issues brought before the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The history of Cottage Grove is the story of a rapidly chang- ing, ever - growing community. Agriculture has been changing continuously since the first seeds were planted more than 140 years ago. This change will continue and the preservation, protection, and use of houses, buildings, structures, and landscapes impor- tant in our community's agricultural history will be the critical challenges to the city's historic preservation program in the 1990s. •� �s _• • • - • ••, s Cottage Grove is divided into various zoning districts, includ- ing agricultural, residen- tial, commercial, indus- trial, and parkland areas. For the most part, these districts are kept separate from one another to prevent the negative effects of one district from infringing on another district. There are some instances, however, where different types of land uses may be combined with minimal negative effects. An example of this is the home occupation. Because there is a concern that allowing any type of commercial business into a residen- tial neighborhood may have an adverse impact on the neighborhood, the city's zoning ordi- nance regulates home occupations. In order to operate any type of business out of your home, the ordinance requires that you first obtain a home The Goodwill Attended Donation Center needs contribu- tions of usable clothing, small appliances, games and toys, books, rec- ords, and other house- hold items. The Center, located in the Cub Foods parking lot, also accepts aluminum cans, clean glass, bundled newspa- per, plastic bottles, corrugate (small bundles), and office paper for recycling. Donors benefit from being able to clean out their closets, obtain tax deductions, and contrib- ute to recycling efforts. Goodwill no longer repairs donated items, so asks donors to "give us what you would pass along to a friend." Proceeds from sales of donated items support not - for - profit job training and placement programs for disabled and disadvantaged people. The ordinance also contains a list of permit- ted and prohibited home occupations. Offices, crafts, beauty shops, and music and dance instruction are typical examples of permitted home occupations, although they still must meet the performance standards of the ordi- nance. Prohibited home occupations include repair shops, restau- rants, and retail shop- ping stores. If you would like further information or an application for a home occupation permit, call Jane Hannestad in the Cottage Grove Planning Department at 458- 2825. occupation permit. In order to obtain such a permit, you must complete an application form and pay the $35 application fee. Staff will then evaluate the application to see if it conforms with all of the performance standards of the ordinance. The performance standards are the means by which home occupations are controlled; if the pro- posed occupation meets all of the performance standards, the home occupation permit can be issued. The perform- ance standards address such things as the number of employees, hours of operation, signage, and traffic. "The safety of our community is our major concern," says Roger Hanson, who helps train Cottage Grove part-time firefighters. Hanson leads Thursday night training sessions which include classroom work and hands -on experience to train the city's firefighters. The photos on this page show a few of the training activities at a typical Thursday night session. Firefighters have three prime objectives at a fire, Hanson said: the safety and rescue of people; suppression of the fire; and property conservation. The Public Safety Department is now looking for daytime firefighters. These are paid positions which offer benefits and pensions. If you are interested in learning more about a career in firefighting, please call Deputy Chief David Dally at 458 -2809. 7 by Robert C. Vogel City Historic Preserva- tion Officer Southern Washing- ton County was the setting for the early growth of one of Minne- sota's prime industries: agriculture. Indeed, Cottage Grove can justly proclaim itself the "birthplace" of modern commercial farming in the state, for it was here in 1892, on a piece of upland prairie a little north of Old Cottage Grove village, that James Sullivan Norris grew the first crop of wheat north of Prairie du Chien. The pioneer agricul- turalists were mostly subsistence farmers, planting corn and potatoes for home consumption and growing a few acres of spring wheat as a cash crop. Livestock raising was also important: there were already more than 600 head of cattle roaming Cottage Grove's unfenced "open range' when Minnesota became a state in 1858. Markets were somewhat irregular, and in the 1850s Cottage Grove farmers often bartered their surplus grain to the lumber camps on the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers, exchanging flour, potatoes, and beef for lumber, which they used to build their homes, outbuildings, ancifences. From the 1860s until the 1880s, wheat was the king of Minnesota agriculture, and first generation Yankee immigrants made fortunes shipping rivers of spring wheat to the mills at Hastings, St. Anthony, and Minneapo- lis. In Cottage Grove, wheat was nearly the exclusive object of agricultural production: in 1862, the local Congregationalist minister wrote to his sister back East that farmers "work in wheat all day when it does not rain, lounge around talking about wheat when it is wet, dream about wheat at night, and I fear go to meeting (i.e., church) on Sabbath Day to think about wheat." King Wheat was made possible by a series of technological innovations, mostly in the area of farm mecha- nization. Early farm implements were mostly homemade, except for plows. James Norris used a plow with a cast iron plowshare to break the prairie topsoil, but by 1860 he and his neigh- bors were using John Deere's revolutionary breaking plow with its rolled steel plowshare capable of turning a two - foot -wide furrow in the toughest prairie sod. Grain was cut with cradles and threshed by the hooves of oxen or horses before the introduction of mechani- cal reapers, mowers, and threshers after the Civil War. The earliest farm machinery was horsepowered, but by the 1870s steam propulsion was begin- ning to overtake animal power. Farm mechani- zation turned the farmer from a clumsy and backward miner of the land's fertility into an efficient agri- business- man. Dairy farming was transplanted vigorously to Cottage Grove in the 1870s and became dominant within a generation. The Lang - don Butter and Cheese Factory, winner of the first premium for butter awarded by the Minne- sota Dairymen's Asso- ciation, was founded in 1876 and developed a large creamery near what is now Precision Tune on Pt. Douglas Road. Milk was col- lected twice daily; after about 1900, raw milk from Cottage Grove farms was transported to processing plants in St. Paul. Although considerably reduced in numbers, Cottage Grove dairy farmers continue this tradition. The changeover from cash grain farming to what is called "mixed farming" literally changed the face of the township. Mixed farming led to the reorganization of most of the large cash grain farms into smaller units, each with its distinctive Corn Belt ensemble of farmhouse and outbuildings, barns, and machinery sheds. Perhaps the most obvious aspect of this landscape change was the barn. On dairy farms, both cows and their winter feed had to be brought under shelter during the winter months, which necessi- Continued on Page 8