If you think you don’t have anything to do this weekend, think again! Prairie Harvest Fest is back for its fourth year, and with it comes a plethora of activities, with something for everyone to enjoy.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, the Grand Parade will roll down Atlantic Avenue, and at the helm will be Grand Marshals Jim and Peg Greenwaldt.

Jim and Peg are both longtime teachers in the Morris Area School District. At the end of the 2024-2025 school year, Jim wrapped up a 38-year teaching career, 33 of which he spent at Morris Area Schools teaching social studies. 

Peg is now in her 27th year of teaching. She began her career at the Cyrus School and came to Morris when the districts combined over 10 years ago. She is currently teaching third grade at Morris Area Elementary.

Though they’ve now been in Morris for many years, their story began in Deer Creek, and they began dating at the end of Jim’s senior year of high school. 

From there, Peg and Jim went to Fergus Falls and Bemidji for school, and eventually came to Morris so Peg could finish earning her education degree.

Throughout his entire career, Jim has always coached three sports during the year. Coaching football, volleyball, basketball and baseball, there was never a slow season in the Greenwaldt household.

The Greenwaldts have three children, who were always active in school, sports and activities. Between teaching, taking care of the kids and home, and making sure everyone got where they needed to go daily, Peg was always on the go. 

After so many years of teaching, both Jim and Peg have taught many kids, and now, onto the second generation of students. “It’s a little bit different when all of a sudden you’re teaching, and then, you know, they get married and they have kids, and then you’re teaching their children,” Jim said.

Peg and Jim’s son, Derek, lives in Grand Forks with his wife, Tina.

Their daughter, Kelsey, lives in the cities area with her husband, Tyler, and their three sons.

Their daughter, Britney, lives in Morris with her husband, Jared, and their two children. Britney also teaches at Morris Area Schools, where she has gotten to work with both of her parents.

Though they have always been active with school and school-related activities, the Greenwaldts have led busy lives in other aspects, as well.

The couple attends Zion Lutheran Church, where Jim is currently chairman of the congregation and has served on many boards, and Peg has helped with fellowship. 

In the summertime, the Greenwaldts enjoy camping. Each year, they camp for two weeks at Cross Lake. 

The couple has also been to almost every state and most national parks. Jim said that in their travels, they’ve been able to see much of the United States, and feels that it has made him grateful for the Morris community and all of the amenities it has.  

“You get to know a lot of people over the course of 33 years here in Morris,” Jim said. “It takes me a while if I’m up at Willie’s, because I see a lot of people.” 

Being selected to be the Prairie Harvest Fest Parade Grand Marshals is an honor and a privilege, Jim and Peg said. 

The Morris community is a great one, and that’s been exemplified over and over, the Greenwaldts said.

The community has the University, and there are a lot of educational opportunities in the community. “We’ve got a tremendous school system that I think is top quality, with dedicated teachers, paras [paraprofessionals], bus drivers, cooks, and custodians,” Jim said. “I mean, there’s a lot of really good people up there that really try to do their best, and they’re part of the community.”

Throughout the community, there are many businesses, churches, and organizations that Jim and Peg said they feel provide a good base. 

Neighbors helping neighbors and supporting each other are common sights, they both said. 

There’s also a hospital, ambulance, and fire department that are there for emergencies, which is not always the case in small communities, Jim added, along with a lot of parks, walking and biking trails, baseball facilities, and the Regional Fitness Center. 

Peg and Jim said they plan to stick around. Although, Peg added that once she retires they will maybe spend one cold winter month in a warmer state each year. “We could miss a cold month!” she said.