What's Chanhappenin' — May 11, 2026

Hey Chanhassen! If you live in Fox Hollow or Vasserman Ridge, mark May 18 on your calendar — your street is about to look very different for a while. The SOS Committee is ready to show their full hand on St. Hubert, and they want a high school student at the table. Plus: a garden center on Great Plains Boulevard with a story that starts with a 13-year-old stuffing mailboxes, and a trivia question about a woman most Chanhasseners have never heard of — even though her name is everywhere. Here's what's chanhappenin'.

In 1855, the very first school in all of Carver County opened in Chanhassen — not in a schoolhouse, but in the home of an early settler. That settler's family name still appears on one of the most iconic golf courses in the entire Twin Cities region today. Who was she?

Scroll down for the answer

Old St. Hubert Church — The Full Picture

The Save Old St. Hubert (SOS) Committee has been working quietly and methodically behind the scenes — and last week they shared a detailed update on where things stand and where they're headed.

The committee was formed with a clear mission: encourage an impartial, community-wide conversation about the last remaining historical site in Chanhassen. Their approach from the start has been straightforward — either validate the church's decision through their own due diligence, or take the building off their hands and spare it from demolition.

A few things worth knowing about who's at the table: the committee brings over 120 years of combined experience in commercial finance, construction, and real estate development, and is made up of community leaders with deep roots in public service.

Here's where the numbers stand:

A conversation with community leaders is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12. The committee is also looking for a Chanhassen or Chaska High School junior or senior — ideally someone in student government or with aspirations to serve in a governing role — to participate in the conversation. Interested students can email [email protected] with a note about their interest.

As the committee put it: of all the things needed to move this forward — community conversations, funding sources, and time — "more time is by far the most important, and it costs nothing. Especially when weighed against its previous 139-year existence."

Want to help keep that clock from running out? Three ways to support:

When Chris Hagen was 13, he rode his lawnmower down the street stuffing mailboxes with flyers, looking for anyone who'd pay him to cut their grass. By 17, that lawn mowing had grown into a landscaping business — and he was spending enough time at Halla Nursery that he'd look around and think, "It'd be so cool if I could have this someday."

Someday took a while. But it came.

The Mustard Seed started as something else entirely — a God-prompted idea that took root in Mark and Kay Halla's backyard and basement before expanding in 2006 onto 27 acres of farmland off Highway 212 in Dahlgren Township. In 2012, Mark had the chance to buy Halla Nursery from his own father — the same nursery where he'd once pulled weeds as a kid — and moved Mustard Seed operations to Great Plains Boulevard. Seven successful years later, Mark felt called in a new direction. He and Kay made the hard decision to sell.

The broker had a list of 200 potential buyers. Chris Hagen wasn't on it. Then Mark drove past Brookside Garden Center — Chris's place, just down the hill — and felt like he needed to be.

"It's a hand-in-glove good fit," Mark said.

Chris graduated from Bethel University, married his high school sweetheart Molly, grew Hagen Lawn & Landscape into a respected operation — including a barge he designed himself after a 2017 lakeside job only accessible by water — and in November 2019, added The Mustard Seed to the family. "I'm like a kid in a candy store," he says. "I've got a lot of vision for this place. I want to make it a destination. The more challenging the job, the more fun it is."

Today The Mustard Seed is a full-service garden center and landscaping operation — handling everything from design and installation to long-term maintenance. Walk the grounds and you'll find flowers, trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, aquatic plants, koi, houseplants, tropical plants, unique gifts, and locally made artisan creations. Kids can visit the chickens and outdoor play area. And if you've got a bigger project in mind — a patio, retaining wall, water garden, or full landscape redesign — their team can handle that too, right down to delivery and installation.

The name comes from Scripture — the parable of the mustard seed, a tiny thing that grows into something remarkable. Mark built the business on that foundation. Chris intends to keep it there. "I want to build onto the Godly values that Mark established," Chris says. "The Mustard Seed mission and vision will continue."

The Mustard Seed Garden Center · 10000 Great Plains Blvd, Chanhassen · (952) 445-6555 · Sun–Fri 9:00AM–8:00PM · Sat 8:00AM–6:00PM · themustardseedinc.com

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Happenin’ Soon

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1853 — The first Protestant church in Chanhassen Township was formed on July 17, 1853, under the direction of Rev. Charles Galpin. Tradition says the first services were held on the Henry Lyman farm. The church eventually moved to Excelsior, where it became the Excelsior Congregational Church. Today, Galpin Boulevard bears his name.

Source: Chanhassen Historical Society

Susan Hazeltine. She opened Carver County's first school in her own home near the lake that still bears her name. And yes — that's the same lake that Hazeltine National Golf Club sits on today, one of the most prestigious golf courses in the country and host to multiple U.S. Opens and Ryder Cups. The club took its name from the lake, not the family directly — but it all traces back to Susan.