Brownsdale Study Club

The Brownsdale Study Club met on Nov. 16, 2016 at the home of Rena Perrigo.

Joyce Juhnke called the meeting to order with members reading the collect. November minutes and treasurer’s reports were read and approved. Ten members answered roll call by sharing school days trips of long ago like better safe than sorry; trust yourself, you know more than you think and dare to care.

There was no old business. For new business, the club approved of a holiday donation to the Salvation Army for $50.

Joyce Juhnke, Fern Haschke and LaVonne Skov will help to make contact for inviting a new member to place Mildred  Johnson. A motion was made to adjourn the meeting by Sarah Hatten and Hazel Schlichting.

Hostess for the December meeting will be Hazel.

Fern gave the outside reading on the decline of Minnesota moose.

Glenn DelGuidice, a research scientist and a leader with moose and deer projects with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was trying to determine the causes of decline within the moose population. In the 1970s, 80s and 90s, there were between 8,000 and 10,000 moose in northwestern Minnesota and more than 4,000 in northwestern Minnesota. But in the 1980s they decreased to less than 100 up to 2007.

By 2015, the population had plummeted to an estimate of 3,450. The research team found a combination of causes for the decline, namely heavy infestations of liver flukes, brain worm and other parasites affecting different moose. They also found low survival and high mortality rates for the adults and yearlings; low pregnancy rates and under-nutrition. With the use of helicopters and GPS collars, the team began to study calf production survival, causes of mortality along with urine analysis. Th team could take organ and tissue samples quickly back to the vet schools. They also found evidence of decline and rising summer temperatures.

If a moose is heat stressed they seek out shade and do not eat so they become malnourished. Moose do well in cold winters, but poorly in warm winters. They become stressed if temperatures rise above 23 degrees and need to seek cover to cool off. Their dark coats absorb the heat.

Research suggested that moose need more and better habitat with forest edges near ponds. Forests may be the one tool that will help the moose survive.

Ida Foster’s main topic was Renova, a disappearing town.

Along the countryside, on Mower County Road No. 2, between Dexter and Brownsdale, a little town named Renova was founded in 1887. There were 37 residents, a general store, a livery stable, a lumberyard and two elevators. The Great Western Railroad also rolled through town.

The general store was a gathering place for local people, farmers and neighbors.

Herman and Lottie Stern, known as good people, were the storekeepers. They sold all the groceries, household items and supplies including kerosene, coal, hardware and gasoline. The children in town could walk or ride their bikes to get candy, pop, ice cream and other treats there.

During World War II, famers remembered the trains going by Renova with 100 rail cars, each loaded with tanks. Most people remember counting the rail cars as they went by. However, after the war, changes came and some railroads left small towns. Renova was one of them and began to fade away and fall apart. At that time, Herman Stern died in 1953. However, Lottie continued to operate the general store until 1972. Both were buried at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery. The little town just couldn’t make it.

Dick Sargent of Rochester, now owns the property. He once lived near the store. He doesn’t know why the town was called Renova. Now, the store has fallen down and the roof of the house has collapsed. Today, the old counter from the Renova store, along with the kiosk, gives some history of the town and is on display at the Mower County Historical Society. Dick Sargent says he’ll probably leave it as it is and let it go, “A disappearing old town.”

Rena served a delicious pumpkin dessert.

Duplicate Bridge

Tuesday, Nov. 23, four tables played at the Mower County Senior Center. First place, Dave Ring and Orrin Roisen; second place, Vandy Newman and Ron Peters; third place Romelle Enderson and Bonnie Fritz; fourth place, Eunice Michaelis and Warren Behrends.