“In January, we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.  Dr. King said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”  As farmers and ranchers, that answer is easy – we’re feeding people!  U.S. family farms and ranches produce 86% of our ag products.  Farm programs cost each American just pennies per meal and account for less than one half of 1% of the total U.S. budget – yet are critical to making sure we keep producers on the land growing a safe, affordable and secure food supply.  One U.S. farm feeds 166 people annually in the U.S. and abroad – imagine – less than 2% of our population does this amazing work!  I know as a producer, I take for granted how important our work is.  I certainly don’t hear it being discussed around the kitchen table or in the shop as everyone is preparing for the day’s work.  I smile as I think of Greg telling our son, “Be sure to check the heifer pen – we don’t want to lose someone’s beef supply for next year!”…” – Marcy Svenningsen

Just watched this documentary with Grandpa. Wow! Interesting!
The Winter of 1936–(Mandan News)Mandan’s second blizzard in little over a week has halted efforts to repair the broken water and service mains of the city. The subzero temperatures forced plumbers and the city workers to abandon efforts to uncover half a dozen breaks throughout Mandan. Sixth Avenue N.W. has begun to look like a frozen river as the water continues to bubble out from several leaks. The freezing water has coated the entire street in a sheet of ice, making driving there extremely dangerous.John Kraft, city milk route carrier for the Red Trail Dairy west of town, shoveled snow for three hours during the morning to cover the 3 miles between the farm and Mandan. Drifts also piled up by whipping winds marooned the courthouse on the hill from the rest of the city. However, most county employees were determined to be at work and spent hours digging out their cars from deep snow before reaching their offices.One good thing resulted from the paralyzing cold and snow in the city. The railroad rehired hundreds of unemployed railmen, with instructions to keep the tracks clear of snow from Mandan to the coal fields. Due to the growing shortages of coal needed to heat offices and homes, twice as many trains with half loaded cars traveled to and from the coal fields each day. Stockpiles in the city were at their lowest levels by the end of February, and even one delay of any of those trains could have meant disaster to the Mandan residents who received coal on a rationed basis.In North Dakota, 42 consecutive days of subzero temperatures ended on Feb. 21. The coldest temperature in the state during this time was 60 below registered at Parshall.(Two horses were needed to turn the Hamilton around in Pembina, N.D., in the winter of 1936. Capt. Kimm was unable to turn the airplane on its skis in the heavy winds. Charlie Beauvette, the station manager, hitched up the two horses and towed the aircraft back to the ramp. Capt. Kimm took the picture with his Brownie box camera.)

Grandpa was experiencing cabin fever so he came and drew pictures for the girls.