OUTDOOR Adventures

By Brian G. Schommer

It is that time of the year again and the Hastings Firefighters will soon be hosting another Booya (September 10th for those wondering). I would divulge more into the event, elaborate on the ageold question, is booya spelled booya or should it be bouja, booyah, or even boulyaw and even try to answer the question “is it a soup or is it a stew” today’s column was about the annual event. It’s not. I just thought it would be nice to give such a worthy cause a little plug and IF you have not put it on your calendar, consider supporting this worthy cause and you can decide for yourself if it is a soup or stew. However, if you do a little research on the recipes out there for booya (I am sticking with this spelling), it becomes quite clear that a lot of work goes into the making of the culinary concoction AND there is a little bit of this and a little bit of that put in one pot to make the feast happen. THAT is what Outdoor Adventures is today… a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Thus, an Outdoor Adventures Booya.

Friday Night Lights (aka High School Football) has already had a few games happen across the river in Wisconsin and TONIGHT, (Thursday, September 1, 2022) is the HOME OPENER for the Hastings Raiders at Todd Field at McNamara Stadium (or is it vice versa). Call the venue what you want, it is one of the sweetest and most classic high school football venues in the State of Minnesota and not only will our Raiders be starting their 2022 season, but Little RAIDERS Football and the KICKOFF for the local United Way of Hastings fundraising campaign will also be part of the evening. If you have nothing on the schedule, get on down to the field and celebrate our community. Have you heard the buzz coming from the west end of Hastings recently? The building that once looked like a Target store (because it was a Target store) has undergone quite the transformation and now has become a place that I know for fact I will be spending some time (and undoubtedly a lot of money). I also know, with the amount of outdoors types, especially the hunting and fishing aficionados that are in an abundance in our area, having a BRAND SPANKIN’ NEW FLEET FARM in our midst is exciting. Rumor has it that this location boasts the largest hunting and fishing section of all their stores. If you have driven by, you have seen the plethora of options for deer blinds, utility trailers and more. With hunting season right around the corner, this deer, duck, turkey, upland bird, and small game hunter is just a little stoked. As Phil Collins sang, “I can feel it coming in the air tonight…” and while I know he was not singing about hunting, there is just a little more energy in the air for those of us who enjoy the outdoors while hunting and fishing…. Do you feel it?

With football and hunting season being within striking distance of official openers, that means that a few of the standard summertime outdoor adventures will be coming to an end. Many of my camping friends, and by camping, I mean the ones who have graduated from popping up a tent and catching zzz’s in their sleeping bag to pulling a 20+ foot camper complete with all the amenities of home behind their ½ or ¾ ton trucks (some DUALLY trucks, even) are starting to become depressed with the thought of having to button things up for the season. The diehards, of course, have not even started to think about it as they will CAMP TIL THE END which means Halloween or later, as Mother Nature will allow. Some push it through deer season because they simply cannot bring themselves to put their “baby” (I have one friend who literally calls his camper, his baby, much to the chagrin of his wife) into storage. They all need to take a page out of my good friend Craig Beissel’s playbook. When it is time to put the camper away, no worries, because that means it is time to pull the snowmobiles OUT!!! Last week, I wrote about a season for every purpose… and that is what this time of the year is. The Great Outdoors affords all of us numerous opportunities to get out and ENJOY LIFE as WE feel it is most fulfilling for our own mental wellbeing. Getting out and doing things is vital to maintaining a happy balance in life. Take the time to do what makes YOU happy. If celebrating community at the local football field is what turns your crank… turn it with pride. If getting out with others to hunt, fish, camp or even snowmobile (although that one can wait a little while)… DO IT. If taking a walk along the riverfront, on the maintained paths that are prevalent in our communities, or jumping on the bike and going for a ride is your thing… DO IT. Just like Booya, a little bit of this and a little bit of that all in a single pot makes the feast happen. Now Get Out and Enjoy the Great Outdoors.