Hay business delivers quality feed for campus livestock
The University of Minnesota has specific needs for livestock hay feed on the St. Paul campus. LeRoy Ose of Thief River Falls has met those needs since 1996.
“We need high-quality alfalfa hay for the lactating cows, and a different hay for the dry cows and sheep,” said Anthony Seykora, professor of animal science. “Research trials require varying fiber or protein content. LeRoy always finds what we need.”
Ose, a member of the Red Lake Watershed Board and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, took interest in Extension’s agrivoltaics field day in Morris, and in the Midwest Climate Resilience conference hosted in Duluth. “I can’t help but learn something, I figure,” Ose said.
Joel Larson, an Extension water resources program leader and Board of Water and Soil Resources member, said: “In addition to bringing hay to campus, LeRoy provides a valuable perspective on the unique challenges of water management in northwestern Minnesota.”
Highlights
- RSDP impact: With support from a CERTs Seed Grant, energy efficiency upgrades to the Thief River Falls SuperShelf food shelf will include LED lighting, HVAC upgrades and additional insulation. The project will also offer education opportunities on “going green” for visitors.
- 4-H’ers Mason Hunt and Mickaela Renwick earned Community Impact recognition at the Minnesota State Fair for their project on how to be good citizens through volunteering.
- The ever-popular 4-H dog project in Pennington County addresses obedience, showmanship, agility and rally skills.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: The Rubischko family (2026)
- Master Gardener volunteers in Pennington County hold workshops for the community each winter to give the gardening public “a glimpse of spring.”
- SuperShelf: Thief River Falls Area Food Shelf
Pennington County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Pennington County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.