News
Crow Wing SWCD to host soil health events in Brainerd and Pequot Lakes
3+ hour, 46+ min ago (282+ words) BRAINERD " The Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District will host free Soil Health 101: Farm and Field Days soil health events Tuesday, June 23, near Brainerd, and Wednesday, Aug. 26, near Pequot Lakes. These events will inform farmers and land managers of…...
The Last Windrow: Recalling those farm years of dust and drought
2+ week, 4+ day ago (700+ words) "Plant in the dust and your bins will bust!" An old axiom from my Iowa farm history. That statement does not always prove true. The skies in the northern plains took on an odd brown color last week. I remembered…...
Inside the Outdoors: Nature can deliver day-brightening therapy
3+ week, 1+ day ago (392+ words) The routine begins with brewing a pot of coffee, filling a mug and stepping out on the deck into the morning chill. I open the Merlin bird app on my smartphone, and both I and the phone app begin listening....
Living for the Long Haul in Rural MN: Does the extinction of the passenger pigeon matter?
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (492+ words) PINE RIVER " Once the most abundant bird species in North America, a flock of migrating passenger pigeons could block out the sun for hours. In just a few decades, their numbers were decimated and they were driven to extinction in…...
Living for the Long Haul in Rural MN: The sixth great extinction event
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (808+ words) PINE RIVER " In a previous column, we discussed how the extinction of one species of bird, the passenger pigeon, upset the balance of nature and resulted in a marked increase in tick-borne human diseases. Here, we discuss more broadly how…...
Living for the Long Haul in Rural MN: The web of life
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (603+ words) PINE RIVER " Western thought envisions a sharp distinction between human and nonhuman life. Our understanding of nature is strongly influenced by Christian doctrine that sees humans as created by God to be masters of nature. As masters, we can shape…...
Conservation Officer Reports: Spring turkey season draws hunters to field and woods
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (1042+ words) CO Tom Hutchins (Crookston) reports attending a meeting with ND and SD Game Wardens. Time was further spent working on TIP complaints. Turkey hunters and anglers were also checked. CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #1) spent his time patrolling roads and trails…...
Crow Wing SWCD releases 2025 conservation report
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (276+ words) BRAINERD " The Crow Wing Soil and Water Conservation District released its 2025 annual report, highlighting conservation work completed across the county during the past year. The report is available at cwswcd. org. In 2025, the SWCD received $3. 82 million in funding and completed…...
Crow Wing Energized 'Step Into Spring' challenge starts May 4
2+ mon, 3+ day ago (199+ words) Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "Pineandlakes Echo Journal." Often, the "Pineandlakes Echo Journal" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure,…...
Ask the Master Naturalist: More than one reason why the turtle is crossing the road
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (190+ words) Question: Every spring I see turtles crossing roads. What species of turtles do we have around the Brainerd lakes Area? Question: What should I do if I see a turtle crossing a road? Answer: Roads are the biggest killers of…...