Farmhouse / Volume 7 by Four Birds Media

farmhouse vol. 7

the true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies. - laura ingalls wilder

photo by eXplore Lawrence

farmhouse vol. 7 inkello letterpress / kansas union horse distilling co. / kansas city block 16 / omaha exploring iowa / ames queen city bakery / sioux falls

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all content by four birds media *except where noted

coming soon: www.thefarmhousemagazine.com (785) 766-5669 / info@fourbirdsmedia.com lawrence / kansas / america instagram.com/farmhousemagazine facebook.com/farmhousemagazine photo of block 16 by kathleen hammack

thank you for reading.

inkello letterpress lawrence / kansas story & photos by derek helms

christine schneider’s studio space, home of inkello letterpress, is bright, airy and filled with the smell of fresh ink. On a rainy spring morning, Christine is silent. She stands in front of “Blue,” her 850-pound J.M. Jones Lightning Jobber (circa 1897) foot treadle letterpress. As instrumental, electronic dance music loops in the background, Christine diligently depresses the pedal on Blue. The immense, elaborate flywheel on Blue slowly begins to spin a roller covered with pink ink and color glides across a card. One at a time, she pulls an inked 5”x7” card from the press, examines it, sets it carefully on the drying rack and replaces it with a blank card. She does not speak or show emotion. After pressing a dozen cards, she looks up to survey the set of drying cards with a confident, soft smile. “Yep, I like these,” she says calmly before placing another blank card on Blue and continues to work. Christine has been professionally printing for 10 years. However, she’s been working with paper and ink nearly her entire life. As a fourth-generation letterpress printer, she says the process of putting ink to paper is in her blood. “My grandfather owned and ran a press shop for decades in Denver,” she says with a soft voice. “I remember spending a lot of time in his shop. He always let me use the paper scraps from past jobs. Eventually he let me use some inks and started teaching me how to work a press. I’m sure that is where the inspiration was born.” Christine’s work with Inkello is smart and clean. She concentrates on how she can get the biggest punch with the least material. Though she is hesitant to label her work as minimal, it’s clear she is drawn to pieces that emphasize restraint. Her work is a statement of an artist who knows what she likes and is confident others will as well. “I don’t really have a set process,” she explains. “Sometimes I’ll start with a distinct idea and know exactly what I want the end result to be. But, a lot of the time, I’ll start a project and by the time I finish it looks absolutely nothing like what I intended.” That process can be both thrilling and maddening. Christine explains that the opportunity to create whatever she wants can be daunting. Often, it’s the limits that cre-

ate the inspiration. “I like that. I like having an organic approach to creating a piece, but I thrive on boundaries. When I’m working on a commissioned project and there are restrictions, that seems to help me focus my energies and stay on course. If I don’t have limits or some challenges, I tend to be a little indecisive. So on most occasions, I welcome restrictions.” Christine’s ability to embrace restrictions has helped her build a steady string of commissioned business. She is well known for creating beautiful business cards, stationery, greeting cards and wedding invitations. Those projects are almost always welcomed. “I don’t take that for granted,” Christine says. “It’s a big deal to work on someone’s wedding invitation or personal stationery. I love that opportunity to help set the stage for a couple’s day or maybe a mother’s note to her kids. I think it’s more satisfying to hear from a couple who loves their invites or stationery than to sell a bunch of greeting cards I’ve made.” With her keen eye for clean design and sophisticated style, Christine has created an extensive portfolio of popular products. Her matchbook calendars sell out annually. The simple “Lawrence Loves” design is omnipresent on pint glasses, onesies and cards in Lawrence, Kansas. The Inkello website has pages and pages of original products ranging from the adorable Peanut Butter and Jelly notebooks to delicate personalized bookplates. She does not work to satisfy demand on products. If a product sells out, she may print more, but she may not. Christine speaks softly and downplays her impressive productivity (in addition to her letterpress work, she is an accomplished illustrator and author of multiple children’s books). “I’m lucky to be in a position where I can create what I want,” Christine says. “I love being able to have an idea and then see the creation through. I guess having other people appreciate my work is gratifying, but I’ve never really created a print or a product because I thought a whole bunch of people would want to buy it. I think people appreciate that authenticity.” FH

photo: joshua holland photography

union horse distilling co. kansas city story & photos by derek helms

few things can bring a family together more than a good drink. union horse distilling company is counting on that. Family is at the center of everything for the Kansas City company. In fact, family is the business. Siblings Eric, Damian, Patrick and Mary Garcia are partners in Union Horse Distilling Company, an award-winning small-batch distillery. Though none of the siblings ever planned on running a distilling company together, none are surprised it happened. “I think, now that we are all here, working together, it seems like it was supposed to be like this,” says Damian, who works as the company’s director of sales and marketing. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are thrilled to be in this position. We are proud of what we have done and are very excited for the future.” Damian handles the sales. Eric is the general manager. Patrick is the master distiller, and Mary manages events at the distillery’s beautiful headquarters. Founded in 2010, Union Horse is a grain-to-bottle craft distillery – from milling locally sourced grains to barreling and bottling, the entire process is in house. “We do everything right here,” Eric says proudly. “We are from Kansas City. We’re proud to be from Kansas City and we are proud to create our spirits in Kansas City.” The group currently offers Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey, Long Shot White Whiskey and Rider Vodka. All the spirits are completely original creations from Union Horse. “I try to keep the process as simple as possible,” Patrick says. “I think there is an authenticity in our products that people appreciate. We’re not trying to be cute or set trends. We are trying to distill the best bourbon, whiskey and vodka we can. When we focus on that goal, we think everything else will fall into place.” Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey is a small-batch, 100 percent rye whiskey handcrafted in Union Horse’s copper still they lovingly named Chester Copperpot. The whiskey is aged in in signature oak barrels, which helps creates notes of caramel, ginger and hints of cinnamon spice. Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an artisanal whiskey, distilled from a sour mash and aged in the same signature oak barrels. Since its inception, Union Horse has produced bourbon with an 80 percent corn and 20 percent rye grain

combination, while the rye whiskey is made with all rye. Producing bourbon, whiskey and vodka is, obviously, a time-sensitive process. The waiting can be maddening, but patience is a family virtue. “We knew when we started there would be a good deal of waiting,” Damian says. “I don’t think that has bothered any of us too much. Maybe we got that from our parents.” Sales of the spirits have been solid. Bottles are currently available in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and the group plans to expand distribution soon. While the business is built around distilling spirits, a good portion of income has come from using the building as an event space. As events manager, Mary may be the busiest of the bunch. “I was still in college when my brothers had this idea,” Mary says. “I wasn’t about to turn down their idea, but I had no clue how to distill bourbon. When they mentioned having a great space, I knew I could help.” Union Horse’s building hosts wedding receptions and rehearsal dinners almost every weekend. They also offer informational and educational tours of the distilling factory. Their building is equal parts spacious and cozy and features a full-sized kitchen and bar. Enormous floorto-ceiling windows allow party guests to dance while Chester Copperpot looks on. “It’s not hard to sell this space,” Mary says with a smile. “By the time someone comes in to see what we can offer, they already know they’re coming to a distillery. But I think when they see how much work we put into making this space special, they understand we will work just as hard to make their event a success.” The four siblings all admit that, while working with each other is a great experience, it doesn’t come without some drama. But, Eric says, any struggle is a small price to pay. “Having all four of us here, working together toward the same goals, is really special,” he says emphatically. “We appreciate success, because what we’ve accomplished, we did as a family.” FH

block 16 omaha / nebraska story & photos by kathleen hammack

the philosophy at omaha’s block 16 is simple: create fresh, local food with a creative twist. Owners Jessica and Paul Urban are passionate about creating food “that we want to eat” and serving it to the masses who frequent their Omaha restaurant. Their menu is a testament to the food they love and includes burgers, sandwiches and fried chicken in addition to vegetarian and vegan options. The dishes are gourmet but approachable, and combine comfort food with imaginative ingredients. Jessica and Paul met while attending the Metropolitan Community College’s Culinary Arts program in Omaha. Both share a deep connection with food that began in their childhoods. Each recalls memories of meals created by grandmothers and great aunts during family gatherings; these memories continue to fuel their passion for cooking. “Our families were our original culinary inspiration, and everything we serve honors them and their memories,” Jessica says. “Canadian family who hosted family gatherings filled with laughter, joy, food and spirits. An Italian-Canadian great-aunt who served up food that evoked warm emotions as well as satisfied appetites. A Belgian-American grandma from South Omaha who dished out delicious kneeples, head cheese and plum dumplings. We owe our success in large part to their support. When we’re in the kitchen, we’re always cooking for them.” The couple isn’t shy about creating new dishes. Since opening, the crew has created nearly 1,500 unique specials – rarely repeating. Alton Brown of the Food Network declared their Croque Garcon Burger (a burger with ham, a sunny-side-up egg and truffle mayo) as one of his top-five burgers. It’s this magic mix of what they describe as “high and low food concepts” that creates much of the charm for the downtown eatery. Jessica and Paul agree that, though they’ve liked all of the specials, the Poutine Burrito (shaved steak, Block 16 gravy, tater tots, cheese curds and malt vinegar rolled up in a grilled burrito) has been the most memorable. “Basically, we’d done every version of burritos and poutines. This was Paul’s idea and he was really excited,” Jessica explains. She quickly adds that she was not so thrilled with the

idea. The day it debuted, however, they sold more than 600 of them and the dish has made appearances on various food blogs. She says their method of creating the specials is a give-and-take process, with each of them letting the other try out new and sometimes strange ideas and in the end “just going with it because I know we’ll get to try one of my ideas next time.” The dishes at Block 16 are based on local Nebraska ingredients. Jessica and Paul consciously select ingredients from local farmers and dairies including cheeses from Branched Oak and chicken from Plum Creek Farm. Bread is often sourced from Culprit Cafe and Bakery, which is just down the block. Some of their produce is even sourced from Paul’s great-grandmother’s garden plot in South Omaha. “The garden was a family gathering place where we helped pick radishes and bury leeks , and listened to our grandmother’s stories,” Paul says. The family still gathers there now, and carries on the tradition of letting the next generation help in the garden.” Recently, Block 16 expanded into the adjacent building. This new, bright, open area will help seat customer overflow on busy days and serve as additional space for private parties, plated dinners and pop-ups. It’s accented with reclaimed wood and has one large table to create a more communal dining experience. The space’s main wall will soon be filled with a commissioned piece from a local artist. Jessica and Paul have been big supporters of allowing other local chefs to utilize their restaurant for their own pop-up restaurant concepts. “We know how hard it is to get started and we really wanted the opportunity to support local chefs and give them a chance to get their names out there,” Paul says. It is clear that Jessica and Paul love what they do, are proud of their food and delighted with the team they have assembled at Block 16. They laugh often and are humbled by the overwhelming response to their food. “Yes, it’s nice,” Paul says with a big smile. “But we know it’s important that we never take ourselves too seriously.” FH

An interactive learning center exploring the science & history of the Flint Hills

315 S. 3rd Street Manhattan, KS 66502 / 785.587.2726 / flinthillsdiscovery.org

exploring iowa ames / iowa photos by ian jamieson / story by derek helms

it’s an iconic scene in american film... john kinsella: “is this heaven?” ray kinsella: “it’s — it’s iowa.” The idea of Exploring Iowa is simple: get some people together to seek out interesting places in the state, take beautiful pictures and share those pictures with the world. That’s exactly how Ian Jamieson wants it to stay. “There’s no real strategic mission or ulterior motive,” Ian says. “We just want to share the beauty of Iowa and let people know that there are so many great adventures right here, just outside the door. We want to show people that Iowa is about way more than just cornfields and politics every four years.” Ian moved to Ames to study at Iowa State University. Prior to his move, his mental construct of Iowa was family farms and cornfields. “Well, I was kind of right,” he says with a big laugh. “But it didn’t take long to learn that there’s so much more. There are so many beautiful places in Iowa. I’m still surprised with some of the places we find.” Ian is an accomplished photographer who likes to wander. He rarely leaves home without his camera and began posting his shots on Instagram. It didn’t take long for other ISU students to notice. Soon Dylan Thomas and Jon Kreye had all contacted Ian and the four met to plan some communal photo shoots in the fall of 2014. Since those first meetings, these three guys have worked to bring a community of people together in Iowa that appreciate these interests. Over the past year and a half, they have reached out and made connections with many others in the state. “It’s been really neat to see this small community of

people grow,” Ian says. “That’s always been the real goal: bring people together and create community.” In 2015 the group launched a website for Exploring Iowa: www.exploringia.com. The site is clean, simple and beautiful. The group has three guiding principles: • Share some of the most unique and beautiful locations in Iowa • Spread awareness of the beauty that is in Iowa and nurture a greater appreciation of the state • Grow a community of explorers in Iowa On their site, they highlight adventures across the state. They tell you where to go, what time of day is best, what to pack, what to do and what to watch for. They also provide a downloadable map. Of course, they feature stunning photos from each location. From solitary trees to frozen ponds and rolling hills, the site makes the cornfields of Iowa look like an adventurer’s paradise. “I love Instagram,” Ian says. “But it just started to seem like everything about exploring or featuring an adventure was in the Pacific Northwest. That’s not bad. I mean, that area of the country is beautiful, but so is the Midwest. There are so many beautiful places to share.” Though the group has built a great base of Iowa adventures, they want more. Specifically, they want the site to become an interactive database of trips and locations. “We want to build a community,” Ian says. “We are very proud of what we’ve started and what we’ve accomplished, but we want to public to know that this is theirs. We want this community to grow exponentially and become a great place to start when you are looking for an adventure in Iowa.” FH

queen city bakery sioux falls / south dakota photos by kimberlynn floren / story by derek helms

But for the rustling in the kitchen, all is quiet in the early morning hours at Queen City Bakery, in downtown Sioux Falls. The sun peeks over the horizon and begins to stream through the windows and across the worn wood floors of the restaurant. The smell of quiche, cookies and scones fills the industrial space. Occasionally someone comes from the kitchen with a plate of fresh muffins, pies or turnovers and carefully places them in display cases and glass jars. In a few minutes, when the doors open, another day at perhaps the most unlikely local bakery, will commence. “If you would have told me when I was in high school that I would end up living back in Sioux Falls and own a bakery, I probably would have rolled my eyes and ignored you,” Mitch Jackson says. “But, here we are and we could not be happier with our bakery, being able to serve our customers and living in Sioux Falls.” It’s a story that you hear all the time: After years of international travel and successful careers in New York City, two native South Dakota kids (he from Sioux Falls, she from Rapid City) return to their roots and open a thriving, posh bakery in an old building. Okay, maybe not. Mitch and his wife, Kristine Moberg, met in the south of France while each was teaching English. Their shared Dakota background was an instant talking point. The couple fell for each other fast and were soon living together. When the teaching ended, Mitch moved back to Sioux Falls to help with the family business, and Kristine soon followed. “Kristine had never lived in Sioux Falls and it was really tough on her,” Mitch explains. “We weren’t here for long before we bought a couple of one-way tickets to New York. We moved without jobs or a place to live, but we knew we had the hustle it would take to survive.” Soon he was working as a business manager in New York’s financial district managing $20 million of quarterly spending. She worked as a baker at a popular bakery. Life was moving along well. Then Oprah happened. “Kristine had started baking a sweet and salty cake and, somehow, Oprah Winfrey found out about it,” Mitch explains. “When she listed it as one of her ‘Favorite Things,’ orders exploded.”

That led to multiple appearances for Kristine on the Martha Stewart show and the TODAY Show and baking personalized birthday cakes for folks like Sarah Jessica Parker and Heidi Klum. Kristine had found her passion in the kitchen and Mitch was ready to manage an entire business. That’s when it clicked. Suddenly they were done working for others and ready to go out on their own. The couple considered Minneapolis and Rapid City as places to open their own shop, but decided on Sioux Falls. “We wanted to fill a niche with our bakery and Sioux Falls had a lot of opportunity,” Mitch explains. “The city is growing quickly and is embracing new ideas. Plus, we wanted to be closer to family.” Queen City Bakery opened in 2008. The dynamic between Mitch and Kristine is effective. He is great with numbers and people, so he handles the books and the front of house. She, the baking genius, is more reserved and prefers to work her magic in the kitchen. In the eight years it’s been open, the shop has established itself as the premier place in the Sioux Falls area for baked goods. Mitch says Kristine was adamant before they ever opened the bakery that they would absolutely not sacrifice quality for quantity. “We knew we weren’t going to skimp on any ingredients,” he says emphatically. “We also knew it might be more difficult to get the ingredients we wanted because I don’t think any other bakeries were using them. Part of our plan was to advance the palate and expectations of our city. Initially some people complained about the cost of a scone or a brownie, but we’d explain our process and they’d taste the food. That is usually explanation enough.” The success of their bakery and the popularity of their products has opened the door to many wholesale opportunities. “We’ve been surprised by how many different restaurants have asked about buying our quiche or muffins or whatever,” Mitch says. “But that’s not something we’ve ever considered. We bake fresh in our shop. It’s one way we protect the passion and heart we put into our craft.” FH

ÂŠ 2016 / four birds media