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Hometown charm

Dec 9, 2023
Dec 9, 2023

Prairie fen — Visitors explore a marshy fen on the Blue Bell Ranch near Clear Lake, S.D. The Bev and Herb Hamann family hosted a tour of their ranch Aug. 1, as they were awarded the Leopold Conservation Award.

Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

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Janelle Atyeo

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Janelle Atyeo

There’s no place like home for the holidays. I remember the feeling of coming home from college to my frigid yet familiar small town. When school is 1,200 miles away, trips home are rare and extra special. There was the relief of having a break from textbooks and tests. There was the comfort of returning to the cozy house I grew up in, and the joy of partaking in my mom’s Christmas baking and all of the holiday traditions.

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Welcome to our town: Revitalizing rural America

“The data is real clear. Homes in small towns are filled.” A survey of rural youth show that kids can see themselves living in a small town in the future.

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Welcome to our town: Revitalizing rural America

“The data is real clear. Homes in small towns are filled.” A survey of rural youth show that kids can see themselves living in a small town in the future.

Janelle Atyeo is a small town South Dakota girl enjoying her work as regional editor of the Midwest Messenger and Tri-State Neighbor while raising kids and no-till vegetables in central Sioux Falls. Reach her at janelle.atyeo@lee.net.