Luann Dart

A glistening gem amidst the prairie, Lake Tschida is a treasure trove of outdoor recreation and family fun for those visiting the area. Chase the wind atop a boat on the water. Or share the delight of a gooey, smoky s’more at a campfire.

Nestled among the rolling hills of southcentral North Dakota, Heart Butte Reservoir, known as Lake Tschida, summons visitors with wide-open waters for jet skis or boats and cozy campsites for family gatherings.

The 3,400 water acres are surrounded by 7,575 acres of public land where recreational opportunities abound.

Another dream streaming from the imaginative mind of sculptor Gary Greff, “Sir Albert” now majestically guards the castle, fending off a fierce fire-breathing dragon.

The 41-foot-tall knight, clad in shining armor made of tin, towers over the grounds of the Enchanted Castle in Regent. Nearby is the knight’s nemesis, a green dragon measuring 42 feet tall and 100 feet from nose to tail and clad in chainlink fence to replicate scales.

Diamonds may be formed under intense pressure, but we are flesh and blood, and sometimes pressure can crush us.
Stress. It can result from the day-to-day rush to get out the door in the morning. Deadlines. Workplace pressures. The weather’s impact on crops. Spring calving. Financial worries. Even mindless scrolling through the phone, getting agitated about information we don’t agree with or negative posts.

Daily living can be stressful, but recognizing stress and taking steps to simply breathe can sometimes reduce the long-term effects of stress.

Eamon Alido lifts the canola plants from a tray, enthusiastically explaining hydroponics as a technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil.

In the music room, Mikaela Fattorini ripples her fingers over the piano keys, then settles into singing “Let It Be” to the heavens.

While Alido and Fattorini ventured from a world away to teach in the rural community of Mott, science and music know no boundaries.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran with a worldly palate, Jayson Parsons put a pinch of this and a pinch of that into a seasoning jar for an outdoor survival trip, and discovered the recipe for a new business.

Originally from Arizona, Parsons and his family had moved to Hebron, where he and one of his sons explored the outdoors in survivor style.

A free concert and an Ag Education Center are two new additions to the 43rd annual Big Iron Farm Show presented by the Cass County Farm Bureau.

The annual celebration of agriculture includes informational exhibit booths, innovative field demonstrations and opportunities to see the latest in agriculture unveiled. And admission and parking are free!

With a pervasive teacher shortage affecting North Dakota statewide, communities, schools and education professionals are carving out innovative solutions to ensure all students have access to high-quality teachers. North Dakota has developed a “grow your own” model to recruit and retain teachers, with a package of initiatives supported by the N.D. Department of Public Instruction (DPI).

A common theme among these programs is of communities looking to solve problems by looking inward.
 

With a mission to be an immersive entertainment hub in Fargo, Drekker Brewing Company taps into its Viking roots, determined to “create experiences and destroy expectations.”

Drekker Brewing Company opened in Fargo in October 2014, with the four founders sharing a passion for craft beer and placemaking.

This is not prairie golf. That becomes obvious with the first hole of Watford City’s Fox Hills Golf Course, which hugs the rugged western North Dakota landscape like a well-worn golf glove.

The par 72 course, with 6,980 yards from the back tees, recently expanded to an 18-hole municipal course and is served by McKenzie Electric Cooperative.

Expect to use every club in your bag on this course, which dates back to 1930.

As the only craft brewery in Devils Lake, the Black Paws Brewing Co. pays homage to the massive, mellow Newfoundland dog. The brewery’s entrance is guarded by a statue of owner Jeb Oehlke’s Newfoundland dog, Riggley, who inspired the brewery’s name and logo.

Black Paws pays tribute to all the Newfoundland dogs the Oehlke family has owned since the early 1990s, when the family acquired their first Newfoundland to use for search-and-rescue missions.