Steele, ND

   NDSU Extension, Birding Guide, Floramay Miller

It is now 250 cookbooks, 78 books by Dr. Kenneth Johnson, and countless birding drive booklets, later.  The March 29 and 30 Home and Garden Show, is past.  As is the wonderful aroma of brats being cooked by the Edgeley Meat Plant.

But

The 2008 Great Birding Experience is just beginning.  The World’s Largest Sandhill Crane Foundation is challenging everyone who reads this blog to go “birding” at least one time in 2008! They kicked off the promotion at the Jamestown Home and Garden show last week end by giving away some of their cookbooks, some of Dr. Johnson’s birding books and Steele Birding Drive booklets. 

Floramay Miller will be guiding a Birding Drive tour on Saturday, May 3rd, 2008.  The back-road safari will start on the north side of the Kidder County Courthouse, in Steele, at 7:30 am then take a meandering route around the Steele Birding Drives and be back at the Courthouse at 11:30 am.

Please dress in layers according to the weather.  Bring sun screen and bug repellent as needed.  Wear good walking shoes. And most important…plan on having fun!  If you need binoculars let Floramay know ahead of time.

You can register by calling 701-457-2632 and selecting the NDSU extension line.

A couple years ago when an article by Julie Zickfoose about birding in North Dakota was published in Bird Watcher’s Digest, Ann Hoffert, president of Birding Drives Dakota, would often make the comment “You just can’t buy advertising like that.”  I have to admit I was a little sceptical.  After all Julie’s husband owned the magazine so why wouldn’t he want to publish her great article? 

But when a friend recently dropped off a book in my office by Chris Santella entitled FIFTY PLACES TO GO BIRDING BEFORE YOU DIE.  I had to admidt Ann has been right all along.  Because right there in the middle of that easy to read, hard cover, leave-it-on-the-coffee table book…was Julie’s birding article. 

This incredible little book isn’t talking just about North America.  This is 50 places in the  world to go birding.  And Kidder County, North Dakota listed as one of the 50 places.  To be selected for this book is a huge honor that continues to validate our claim that we are, indeed, one of the top ten birding hot spots in the world.

Now some people rate birding up there with watching wet paint dry but this might be because they have never actually spent the day out in the field with an experienced birder.  From beating the bushes I can personally assure you that there is an intangible feeling  that overwhelms you as you watch the elusive Baird’s sparrow singing on stem grass in the middle of a prairie grassland. Or stand on the edge of a quiet lake and watch Black Terns dipping and diving for minnows. Or stand in a meadow and watch a Swainson Hawk sail in the clear blue sky above you.

Thanks to Floramay Miller you can check out birding for yourself.  Although she hasn’t officially set a date for her annual birding tour of the county it will be coming up sometime in May or April.  I’ll keep you posted.  

Over the last couple of years, thanks to Betty Smokov, I have helped plant hundreds of flowers at the World’s Largest Sandhill Crane site.  I now can tell a weed from a flower and get great delight in yanking them out of the ground. 

But I have never had the chance to plant a pinwheel.  However, on March 29th at 10:00 a.m. I plan to change that because Kidder County Social Worker, Jacey Hanson, will be planting a pinwheel garden during the 4-H SpringFest.

North Dakota has declared the month of April to be Child Abuse and Prevention month.  Jacey plans to gather enough volunteers to plant one pinwheel for each child in Kidder County in the Veterans Memorial Park.

As we drive by those colorful pinwheels let’s remember to call Jacey and find out what we can do help prevent crimes against children.  Her number is 475-2632.

Last week the ED met at the Pirate Cafe.  People who weren’t there not only missed some great Carmel rolls, fresh out of the oven, but also some frank discussion about where the county and our community is headed in the future.

President Paul Erdeldt’s agenda is a timely plan that we can use to grow from the inside out.  

This group is going places. 

Steele Area Economic Development 

A group wanting to maintain and grow business in Kidder County giving the citizens of Kidder County the goods and services they need for a healthy and prosperous life.

Goals:

Maintain and Grow Current Businesses:

• Businesses must change with society
• Business owners need assistance running their business in areas they may not be familiar:  accounting, small business loans, personnel, marketing, advertising
• Businesses need to cater to us and we need to support the businesses
• The business owner may be the only one knowing their goals – do we fully know the strengths and core duties at each business?
• Get resources in front of this group…SBA, SCORE, etc.

Available Goods and Services:

• City spoke loud and clear about the clinic
• Horizons opened our eyes, but did we ask all the right questions to everyone
• We are an aging community…but we also are a thriving community

Truths:

Work Force, Real Estate (residential and commercial), Attitude, Resources, any other business aspect…KC does not mean Steele.  The communities have shrunk alone…now it’s time to come together and grow.

We have challenges.  It’s too easy to run to Bismarck, it is also difficult to explain driving to Bismarck ALSO costs…time, gas, etc.

Questions:

What is the role of this group?

Does the current role need to change?

Who should be a member of this group?

What is expected out of each member?

What is the difference between ED and Betterment?

My preference:

I would like this group to get more aggressive.  Have monthly meetings with specific measurable goals, and celebrate the victories.  I believe we can host potential KC businesses at least quarterly, and try to grow by 1 non-competing business each year.  I believe we need the assistance of the Commissioners, City Councils, Sales Tax Committee, Current Businessmen (including farmers and ranchers), and Co-ops.  This means this group becomes a lot more active.  We will all be expected to ‘host’ a potential business, do some homework, and always keep the primary goals of this group at the forefront of any decision. 

If we are all in agreement, your 1^st assignment would be to invite 1 person to our next meeting March 5^th at 8am at the Pirate. 

On Saturday,May 24th, We will again do our Veterans Day Program. Like last year,we will be having food and beverages at no charge..We again will have honored speakers with Veteran displays. Last year was such a cold day, we moved it into the community building. It was such a success, we will move the food serving into the community building again,and if the weather is bad, we will move the speaking program inside also.                   I have been working on framing pictures and stories of Veterans this winter, and would like to add more pictures and stories of our local Veterans.If anyone has any, please get them to me. I will also be out in the community soon, collecting funds to help pay for this years Memorial Day Program. Also if anyone has any good ideas on how to improve over last years,please give me a call. I will also need volunteers to help that day too.        I look forward to this years  program, especially on these below zero days….only 94 days to go….A.G. Thomas..Veteran Service Officer, Kidder  County ND.

Just about this time every year I notice we all come down with the fever.  First one or two people catch it in the fall but by now we have all been infected.  The epidemic causes us to do unusual things.  We shout. We sing. We jump up and down on the bleachers and hug each other enthusiatically.  Some of us go as far as painting our faces maroon and gold. 

Undoubtedly, Cass B Basketball Fever is the greatest.  If you’ve ever lived in a rural community you know what I mean.

This week the Lady Pirates will storm the District 3 Basketball Tournaments held in Ashley North Dakota.  Last night they beat Wing and tonight they face off against Strasburg.

Good Luck Ladies.  You are all great examples of champions on and off the court!

Since last November our community has been changing in a quite, subtle way.  The effort has been like a little stream at the top of a high mountain that starts with a tiny trickle and then gains more and more momentum as it flows down the mountain side.

Steele is one of 24 state wide communities participating the Horizons program http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/horizons/ program sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation.   The goal of our community involvement is three fold: poverty reduction, training new leaders, and creating a thriving community.

During the first phase of our project study circles met and exchanged  dialogue on poverty in our community.Then we brainstormed about what  we can realistically do to help eliminate it.  Phase two was an intense course on the nuts and bolts of community leadership.  Phase three is in the works and it is by far the most exciting one.

Last night  7 people spent the evening in the city coordinator office learning the art of community blogging.  Under the guidance of NDSU’s, Mike Miller, we learned the “how to” and the “what to do” of blogging.  I have to admit I was thrilled. 

When the idea of a community blog  was first presented to me I realized what a valuable tool we have been handed.  What  a great opportunity to paint a portrait of who we are!  I also realized that by myself this would be an impossible task.  So I looked around the community and asked myself “Who are we?” and “what is the story do we have to tell?”  The rest was easy.  I sent out a few quick letters, made few phone calls and boom.

The result is what I am calling “The Mighty Steele Bloggers”.  I hesitate to give you their names because I think they will do such a great job introducing themselves in the coming weeks.  I will say that each one these bloggers will share some wonderful insights into our community. 

Come back often and read the blog. Share your own points of view.  Ask us questions.  Be patient…it might take us a little time to get rolling full steam.

Don’t you just love learning new stuff?!?

This blog is a result of a training session Linda Sherman and I took in Hazelton last week.
Thanks to the Horizons program Steele now has a community blog site… so get ready to join us in the fun.

I will try to post interesting community items and I look forward to your input. I hope this will open new “vistas” for all of us who live and work here.

Share your thoughts on what works and what could work better in the community. Nine enthusiastic community members are going to be sharing thoughts from members around the community. This will show Steele’s activities in live perspective of small town living, commitment and friendliness.