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Over two years ago, a private land owner and representatives from the LARA board playfully discussed building a field for the traveling baseball team in the middle of a corn field.

There are a limited amount of fields available in the area for the traveling teams to play, so the private-private partnership would be a good solution for available fields. Jim Gillach and Brad Doble from the LARA board, along with other volunteers Ron Kimlinger, Jamie Shapps and Rob Mohr, volunteered time to plan the field layout -- with recommendations from Chisago Lakes high school coach Pat Collins -- level the field, put in the infield and seed the entire field. After two years of grooming the field, it is finally ready for play.

The Chisago Lakes U12AAA team will call Shafer Yards home for this season. The grass infield and base paths make it a modern gem with "Field of Dreams" characteristics.

The field opened to its first game on Tuesday, May 5.

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