Summer work and small-town traditions

By Ava Kerner of Burke, S.D.
Jul 28, 2025
Jul 28, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Summer is in full swing, and we are getting a lot done in the pastures, as well as in the fields.

kAm~?6 @7 E96 3:886DE ;@3D H6’G6 C646?E=J 7:?:D965 FA :D H@C<:?8 @FC 4@H\42=7 A2:CD] q6EH66? H@C<:?8 2== E96 8C@FAD[ 2?5 >@G:?8 E96> 2== E@ A2DEFC6D[ :E 766=D 8@@5 E@ 7:?2==J 86E E92E E2D< 5@?6 2?5 E@ 92G6 :E 369:?5 FD 7@C ?@H] (6 H:== ?@H 7@4FD @? 86EE:?8 E96 C6DE @7 E96 3F==D <:4<65 @FE E@ A2DEFC6D H:E9 E96 4@HD]k^Am

kAmyFDE 2D H6 8@E 5@?6 H:E9 E92E[ H6 EFC?65 @FC 7@4FD @G6C E@ E96 H962E 7:6=5D E@ DE2CE 92CG6DE:?8] (6 H6C6 2E 2 D@=:5 DE2CE 7@C 2 4@FA=6 52JD[ 3FE @7 4@FCD6 2D E9:?8D ?@C>2==J 8@[ E96 H62E96C 925 @E96C A=2?D] p== @G6C @FC 2C62 H6 C64@C565 2C@F?5 2 92=7 2? :?49 E@ b :?496D @7 C2:?[ 2D H6== 2D D@>6 92:= E92E 5:5 92G6 2? 67764E @? D@>6 72C>6CD’ 4C@AD] %96 C2:? 3C:?8D :? D@>6 4@@=6C H62E96C[ 2?5 :E 92D 366? 86EE:?8 4@=56C 2E ?:89E E92? FDF2=]k^Am

kAmp=@?8 H:E9 4C@AD[ H6 2C6 <?66 566A :?E@ 86EE:?8 E96 D64@?5 4FEE:?8 @7 2=72=72 4FE 2?5 7:?:D965]k^Am

CW Kerner 1.JPG — The Gregory County FFA officer team gathers for a summer planning retreat in Iowa. Pictured is Leo Mosterd, left, advisor Molly Andrews, Aubree Miller, Tyler Kenzy, Daytona Paris, Ellie Talsma and Ava Kerner.
Submitted photo

People are also reading…

Prevention important with spread of alpha-gal syndrome
Young Otoe County cattleman goes from showing to selling show cattle
Father-daughter duo turns milkweed into multi-faceted enterprise
Family-run flour mill adds value from field to table
A year of growth – for me and the ranch
Unique challenge chews at family
Feeling blessed and deeply rooted in rookie mistakes
Butler County 4-H mentor puts heart into serving
Drones, robots, AI may hold the future to weed control strategies
Zabel tells Ag Summit crowd the best investment is yourself
Record El Niño possible in 2027
Mentorship helps farmer’s cover crop plans succeed

kAmpD:56 7C@> E96 72C>:?8 2?5 C2?49:?8[ E96 vC68@CJ r@F?EJ uup @77:46C E62> 925 2 D9@CE 3C62< 2?5 H2D 23=6 E@ 86E 2H2J 7@C 2 4@FA=6 52JD] tG6CJ J62C E96 @77:46C E62> 8@6D D@>6H96C6 E92E :D 2 DFCAC:D6[ 2?5 E9:D J62C :E H2D x@H2Pk^Am

kAmpD 2? @77:46C 7@C @FC 492AE6C[ E96D6 C6EC62ED 2C6 2=H2JD D@>6E9:?8 E92E x =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@] xE 8:G6D FD E:>6 E@ A=2? 7@C E96 J62C 29625[ 3F:=5 @FC E62>[ 2?5 8@ @G6C E96 6IA64E2E:@?D @7 2? @77:46C] (6 DA6?E E96 E:>6 >2AA:?8 @FE @FC 8@2=D 7@C E96 J62C[ 3C2:?DE@C>:?8 H2JD E@ 8C@H :?G@=G6>6?E[ 2?5 A=2? ?6H 6G6?ED E92E H6 H2?E E@ DE2CE 5@:?8] u@C E62> 3@?5:?8[ H6 4@@<65 6G6CJ >62= @FCD6=G6D 2?5 2=D@ E@@< E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ A=2J 82>6D H96? H6 H6C6?’E 3FDJ H@C<:?8]k^Am

kAmyF=J :? qFC<6 2=D@ >62?D $E2>A656 H66<6?5] %96 qFC<6 $E2>A656 #@56@ :D 2 EC25:E:@? E92E >@DE A6@A=6 =@@< 7@CH2C5 E@[ 2D H6== 2D 36:?8 @?6 @7 E96 9:89=:89ED @7 E96 DF>>6C 7@C @FC E@H?] xE 3C:?8D A6@A=6 :? E@ 6?;@J E96 C@56@ 2?5 92G:?8 D@>6 7F? D66:?8 2?5 4@??64E:?8 H:E9 A6@A=6 2C@F?5 E96 E@H?]k^Am

CW Kerner 2.jpg — AAU wrestlers compete during the Burke Stampede weekend.
Submitted photo

kAm%96 #:5:?8 r=F3 9@DED E96 pp& *@FE9 (C6DE=:?8 2E E96 C@56@[ H9:49 8:G6D J@F?86C HC6DE=6CD 2 492?46 E@ 4@>A6E6 H:E9 @E96CD 24C@DD E96 DE2E6[ 2D H6== 2D 4@>A6E:E@CD 7C@> }63C2D<2 2?5 |:??6D@E2] xE H2D 2 =2C86 6G6?E[ 2?5 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6 D9@H65 FA E@ 4@>A6E6 2D H6== 2D E@ H2E49 2?5 D9@H DFAA@CE]k^Am

kAmpD 2? uup 492AE6C[ H6 2=H2JD ECJ E@ 36 :?G@=G65 :? $E2>A656 H66<6?5 2?J H2J H6 42?[ H96E96C :E’D 96=A:?8 @FE :? E96 4@?46DD:@? DE2?5[ D6EE:?8 FA 6G6?ED[ @C A2C<:?8 42CD] xE’D 2 8C62E 492?46 7@C FD E@ DFAA@CE @FC 4@>>F?:EJ[ H9:=6 2=D@ 86EE:?8 @FC >6>36CD :?G@=G65 96=A:?8 @FE]k^Am

kAmq6EH66? HC2AA:?8 FA E96 H@C< H:E9 E96 42=G6D[ 92CG6DE:?8 4C@AD[ 2?5 DE2J:?8 :?G@=G65 :? uup[ E9:D >@?E9 925 2=C625J 366? 7F==] tG6? H96? E96 H@C< D66>D E@ 36 ?@?DE@A[ x 2=H2JD C6>:?5 >JD6=7 9@H =F4<J x 2> E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 2 4@>>F?:EJ E92E G2=F6D 28C:4F=EFC6[ =6256CD9:A 2?5 EC25:E:@?]k^Am

Youth Crop Watcher Ava Kerner is the daughter of Julie and Steve Kerner of Burke, South Dakota. She will be a senior at Burke High School this fall. She is FFA secretary for the Gregory County chapter and the District 4 Sentinel.