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Gathered at the grain bins
Larsons breathe new life into old farm equipment
ALEXANDRIA — Grain bins have many purposes. Once they are retired from the farm, they can be used as scrap metal or restored. Near Alexandria, 10 grain bins have been creatively recycled as guest accommodations.
Anne Larson, her husband, Dave, and their son, Andrew, and daughter-in-law, Tessa, own and operate Gathered Oaks, a wedding and event venue. The space is situated on an old farm site north of Alexandria.
“My husband and I were really focused on the idea of people gathering and creating spaces for that,” Larson said.
The family updated the barn on the property and officially opened Gathered Oaks in 2017, and from there, further restoration of the property continued.
Film-worthy farm
Hillside Firs begins selling their homegrown Christmas trees
PLAINVIEW — What was inspired by movies has become a reality for Steve and Amy Hinrichs. After years of planting, care and maintenance — and not running over too many saplings with a lawn mower by accident — they are ready to sell Christmas trees from their Plainview farm, Hillside Firs.
“It’s a leap of faith,” Steve said. “You plant (Christmas trees) in 2017, and … they start growing a little more and a little more. It has ups and downs, and you hope that, eight years later, it’ll turn out. It’s a great feeling to get to this point.”
The Hinrichs family have owned their farm since 2010. They used to live in town but wanted to move into the country. The Hinrichs knew people who wanted to move from the country and into town, so they swapped properties.
