When it comes to surveying, you could say Widseth has a real stake in the game. Each construction season, the Alexandria office orders bundles of wooden survey stakes—50 stakes per bundle, about 120-150 bundles per season. Add it up, and the Alex team pounds more than 6,000 stakes into the ground annually. Now that’s raising the stakes!
Where do all these trusty markers come from? A small Amish craft shop in Long Prairie, Minnesota. For about 10 years, Widseth has relied on their craftsmanship to keep our projects on solid ground. The only hitch? Working with the Amish comes with high-stakes logistics. With no phones or technology, and no sales on Amish holidays, everything is handled the old-fashioned way, in person.
That’s where Juergen Brunkhorst, land surveyor (Alex), steps in. Living in Long Prairie, Juergen coordinates the orders and schedules the pickups, and when needed, transports a few bundles on his way to work. You could say he’s our key stakeholder in the process!
The Brainerd office also sources stakes from the same Amish shop. Since stakes can’t be reused (they’re written on in the field), this system ensures both offices are always well-supplied.
So, the next time you see white Widseth trucks on the side of the road and surveyors setting their marks, remember behind every line and measurement is a carefully placed wooden stake, and a team working together to keep everything on solid ground. Because in surveying… there’s always a lot at stake.
