South metro town briefs

Take a closer look at Scott County farms The 12th annual drive-it-yourself City to Country Tour, meant to introduce Scott County's farm families to their more urban counterparts, takes place Sept. 25.

A $10 per car fee allows you to wander the properties of three farms anytime from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year's farms are all fairly close, north and west of New Prague. They include:

• Barten Pumpkin Farm, 5716 280th St. W., seven acres of pumpkins, gourds, squash, broom corn and other plants, producing 10,000 pumpkins in a season. Free pumpkin and beekeeping demonstrations.

• Prairie Haven Sheep Farm, 6525 270th Street W., specializing in Polypay sheep, with demonstrations involving horses, poultry and alpacas in addition to sheep shearing, wool spinning and knitting. Cooked lamb to sample and frozen lamb products to buy.

• Glisczinski Dairy, 1385 245th Street W., 140 Holstein cows, each producing more than 8 gallons of milk a day. Milking at noon and 3 p.m. The 350-acre farm grows corn, alfalfa and grass hay, oats and soybeans. Free milkshakes.

For more information, call Scott County Extension at 952-492-5410.

The voices of our vets An oral history project aimed at gathering the memories of the fast-vanishing World War II generation before it's too late will be on show to the public beginning Sept. 23.

This opening features a 7 p.m. presentation by author, former CNN journalist and Minnesota history specialist Dave Kenney, followed by questions and a book signing. Kenney, twice winner of the Minnesota Book Award -- in 2004 and 2010 -- is at work on a two-volume history of Gustavus Adolphus College.

Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students, and is free to society members. The society is located at 235 Fuller St. S., Shakopee. To learn more, call 952-445-0378, e-mail info@scott countyhistory.org or visit www .scottcountyhistory.org.

How to tend your woodlands The last of the Minnesota Zoo's free series of "back yard lectures" this month is aimed at owners of woodlands.

The session will cover topics ranging from ground cover and protecting plants from deer to saving native plant species and the proper way to remove buckthorn -- and the importance of getting rid of it.

The Sept. 16 lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. and features horticultural supervisor Kim Thomas and natural resource specialist Janet Van Sloun Larson. To register online, go to mnzoo.org/events/lectureseries.asp .

The sessions cost $13 apiece or $30 for all three. They will be held at City Hall from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Topics include Wednesday's "Improve your focus and attention skills," next Wednesday's "Fall brain-body tune-up," and finally, on Nov. 17, "Create a stress-free holiday season."