Sunny Saturday in the Valley

When you farm, you never lack for something to do. Some days, our chore list seems as long as the prairie horizon; this is especially true as we prepare to face the harshest of times -- the approaching Minnesota winter.

But when the October sun decides to make a rare weekend appearance, and it brings with it what could be the last seventy-degree day of the year, the temptation to tour our scenic countryside proved greater than the need to store lawn furniture, mow lawn, or split wood. If you missed your chance to enjoy a sunny Saturday excursion, come along with me as I retrace the day we played "hookey" from the farm.

The heavy rains of September and October have pushed water up and over the banks of our area rivers. This is the Le Sueur River, which spills into the Blue Earth River just beyond the Red Jacket Bridge. The valleys where these two waterways converge and then spill into the Minnesota River, offer spectacular views when the trees are showing good color.

The Le Sueur River
Red Jacket Bridge over the Le Sueur River

After stopping to enjoy the fast moving river currents, we moved on to Minneopa Falls, just south of downtown Mankato. Minneopa is a Native American word that means “water that falls twice.” A walkway extends between the upper falls and the lower falls, which drops thirty-nine feet.

The upper and lower Minneopa Falls

Not far from the falls, we picked up scenic highway 68, headed west toward New Ulm. Before reaching the town of Cambria, we turned off the highway in order to visit Morgan Creek Vineyard, one of only a dozen wineries in Minnesota. In the tasting room, three dollars allowed us to sample ten Morgan Creek varieties. When we finished sampling, we purchased two bottles, a semi-sweet La Crescent variety called Zeitgeist, and a dry red called Saint John’s Reserve. After wandering the grounds, we decided a bit of food might be a good idea before climbing behind the wheel. We each ordered a six-inch pizza from the brick-oven on the veranda.

Morgan Creek Vineyards, South of New Ulm, Minnesota

New Ulm offered us another scenic respite – the August Schell Brewery, the state’s oldest brewery perched on the banks of the Cottonwood River. Unlike the Winery, the Brewery was crowded and the tours booked for hours. There was a wedding taking place at the Schell Mansion and Gardens, below. We weren't sure if the peafowl wandering up the path were invited guests, or if they were crashing the festivities.

We wandered briefly then headed into town, looking for an authentic German meal. We found one at the Kaiserhoff. A Schell's Oktoberfest, on tap, went perfectly with the sausage, sauerkraut, pumpernickel bread and German potato salad.