Not all of us get the perspective of a B-52 flying over the ever changing North Dakota landscape. My conversation with a B-52 co-pilot who is spending his first summer at Minot Air Force Base turned to a question; “What are those fields of vibrant yellow that are popping up all over?” My answer? Well, it could be one of 2 crops grown in this area, I explain.
Earlier in the growing season there is yellow sweet clover, which is an annual plant that is grown by some farmers as a forage crop. It is cut and baled. But more likely what you are seeing is canola, which will flower first and then produce seed pods that are harvested in August. The seeds are then crushed at local plants to produce Canola oil. Canola oil is one of the best oils for heart health. Canola oil has less saturated fat than any other oil commonly used in the U.S. Cutting down on saturated fats helps cut your cholesterol levels.
While sweet clover is a favorite for local apiaries who position their bee hives near a clover field, so is canola. The only disadvantage in canola is that it flowers for a relatively short time. Beekeeping in North Dakota is a topic for another day. For now, we will once again encourage folks to take a Sunday drive and witness the beauty of the yellow fields of canola, from ground level. I said color it-amazing- because each field of canola is different. The yellow canola flowers seem to accentuate the rolling topography of North Dakota fields. In most fields, especially this year, there will be a slough area, and in that slough area will normally be a family of waterfowl, ducks, or geese, just out of the hatch. Take a set of binoculars to watch the broods of newly hatched babies as they learn to swim by following their mother across the open water.
And then there were…
In one of slough that we have been observing on our way to our sailboat on Lake Sakakawea, there is another color, sort of. Along the shoreline we have been watching a pair of pelicans. Sure enough, last week, there were 6 little pelicans following mom on the open water. Pelicans are a migratory bird, but they usually return to the same area every year. Hopefully the family of pelicans will return next spring.
The Tapestry
Let’s see…yellow canola, blue water (until summer heat and the algae bloom) white pelicans with orange beaks, it truly is a tapestry. And we haven’t even talked about the soon to flower flax fields. A flax field is an expanse of intense blue flowers. Make it a point to make a few trips to view the summer colors of North Dakota. Last year there were several areas where the flax fields and canola fields were side by side. I can almost imagine what it looked like from the cockpit of a B-52.
Little Chicago Funk
Some friends of mine have formed a band, “Little Chicago Funk”, and they are appearing at concerts in the Minot area this summer. 3 family members, Tyler Schwan and his parents Pat and Collette Schwan, are the heart of the band. They play a variety of music, but Tyler worked on a cruise ship for a time before he settled down in his hometown of Minot, so he brings some of the Chicago style of music to the stage. Look for Little Chicago Funk on stage at the Great Tomato Festival, and in Downtown Minot at the Thursday evening Arts Performance in August. In talking to Pat Schwan, he said that the family is truly having fun playing together, with the other 4 musicians on stage, and entertaining their audiences. I have known the family for many years. What a great way to have fun as a family! Little Chicago Funk.
Best Kept Secrets
I am going to put out a shout out for a trip to Lake Audubon as a best kept secret. I have often talked about the Audubon Wildlife Refuge and Prairie Nature Trail, but just a trip around the lake and taking time to visit the public use areas to see the many birds and plants along the lake shore. There is a lot of information about the area on the Audubon Refuge web site, https://www.fws.gov/refuge/audubon.
Today’s Chuckle
A big hello to my friend Curt Latendresse who says he reads the Northern Sentry every week. We will see…
This chuckle is for Curt.
You have to be understanding of boys when they’re going through that awkward age …15 to 65.
