Richardton rancher Bill Butterfield brings the smoke in everything he does. His most recent venture is a line of North Dakota made seasonings. Read more about Butterfield and his business, Wild Willy’s Seasonings, here.
North Dakota Living
At 104 years old, Ruth Iversen still lives independently on her Sidney, Mont., farm, where she mows her yard, tends a garden, reads voraciously, sews, quilts, cooks and bakes. The Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Cooperative member maintains an old box of tried-and-true recipes, many of which were clipped from magazines years ago, including the whole-wheat buns she always has in her freezer, from a 1960 issue of Farm Journal.
Voted best restaurant in the Jamestown area last year, Hondo’s Hideaway is living up to its accolades. From playful, punchy, pretty drinks to familiar, flavorful food served with waterfront views, there’s a lot to love about Hondo’s Hideaway on the Jamestown Reservoir – including the pair who runs it. Read more about it here.
Electric cooperative leaders joined President Donald Trump at the White House April 8, as he announced several executive actions aimed at protecting coal-fired power plants and the reliability of the nation’s electric grid. North Dakota’s Basin Electric Power Cooperative CEO and General Manager Todd Brickhouse, Bismarck, and Minnkota Power Cooperative President and CEO Mac McLennan, Grand Forks, were among those in attendance.
Eating like our grandparents and great-grandparents may be a key to better health. Before the rise of processed foods, people ate diets rich in fiber, fermented foods and seasonally fresh produce, which helped ensure a well-balanced gut, says Shylah Schauer, a North Dakota naturopathic doctor who specializes in the gut-brain-microbiome axis. Why does the microbiome matter? Click here to learn more.
North Dakota electric cooperative leaders have been monitoring bills, testifying on proposed legislation and engaging with policymakers during the 2025 legislative session.
“We’ve had many co-op folks from across the state in Bismarck already this session. They’ve provided expert testimony on large electric load siting and wildfire mitigation and have truly starred in their efforts to advocate on behalf of North Dakota’s electric cooperatives,” says Zac Smith, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) communications and government relations director.
The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives presented six awards during its annual meeting Feb. 11, recognizing individuals for their generous contributions to the state’s electric cooperatives and communities they serve. Honorees included:
• Bob Grant – Cooperative Leadership, Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
• Lauren Klewin – Cooperative Leadership, Slope Electric Cooperative
• Erin Oban – Helping Hand, former USDA Rural Development state director and state senator
Goldenwest Electric Cooperative member Syndi Musland Miske loves horses (read more here), especially when she’s riding in the Badlands with family. What makes it even better? When her mom, Darlene Musland, is cooking for a camp full of hungry horse riders!
Darlene, a retired schoolteacher who serves on Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up board of directors, is known for her cooking. She’s taught folks the art of Dutch oven cooking and cooking over fire – with a side of history, of course.
Head Cook Barbie Martin’s scratch-made recipes aren’t the only “favorites” in the Anamoose-Drake Elementary School lunchroom. The cafeteria staff is, too. Martin’s presence and the culture she has set up in the lunchroom is important for the entire school, says Superintendent Steve Heim. Read more here.
