inBemidji Summer 2021

Summer 2021

8

SUMMER READS

A LOOK AT OUR LOCAL

FARMERS MARKETS LAKE BEMIDJI’S WATERFRONT EE

withe CALANDER OF EVENTS th

THE CHANGING FACE OF

FR

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Can an education in Minnesota’s north woods transform you?

Find out.

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A BEMIDJI PIONEER PUBLICATION

802 Paul Bunyan Dr. SE, Suite 19 Bemidji, MN 56601 218-333-9200

STAFF Editor Jillian Gandsey Creative Director Mollie Burlingame Advertising Lindsay Nygren Business Larisa Severson

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Advertising Director Todd Keute Editor Annalise Braught Controller Tammie Brooks

TO ADVERTISE 218-333-9200 James Hanson jhanson@bemidjipioneer.com

Questions and Feedback Email inBemidji at inmagazine@bemidjipioneer.com Volume 8, Issue 3

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All rights reserved. Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained.

ON THE COVER The Bald Eagle Water Ski group performs in 2019 in the Bemidji Jaycees Water Carnival. Photo by Annalise Braught.

inBemidji’s mission is to be Bemidji’s and the surrounding area’s local

lifestyle magazine. We strive to enhance the quality of life for the people of the Bemidji area by informing them about all of the amazing people who live in our community. Our concentration is on everything local: fashion, food, health, and most importantly, unique individuals and stories.

We strive to maintain a high level of integrity as an inspiring, local media presence for our readers and provide advertisers with a high-quality, effective marketing medium.

Bemidji online!

Bemidji near the bottom of the page.

Read the award-winning in Visit bemidjipioneer.com, then click on in

instagram.com/inbemidjimag 4 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

facebook.com/inMagBemidji

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inside Summer 2021

23

Features 10 Homegrown and Handmade

The Nennichs of Ter-Lee Gardens and the Whitings of Dirty Goat Farm return for another year at Bemidji’s farmers markets.

16

Summer events calendar

18

Lake Bemidji’s changing waterfront

23

After a hiatus in 2020, the summer events calendar is back for 2021 with plenty to keep you busy this season.

As Bemidji turns 125, have a look back at how the waterfront near Paul Bunyan Park has changed over the decades.

Q&A with Nature’s Edge

Hear from the owners on the creation and growth of Nature’s Edge Garden Center in Bemidji.

06 In this issue 06 09 26 30

DIY: Pressed flower resin coasters Bookmarked Larisa Cooks: Favorite recipes

Spot the difference

18

DIY pressed flower resin coasters Bemidji staff writer

by Hannah LaVigne in & photos by Jillian

Gandsey

As summer descends upon us in Bemidji, the wildflowers pop up and our gardens begin to bloom, we have just the craft for the season. These pressed flower resin coasters are so bright and beautiful — they’d make incredible personalized gifts or be a gorgeous addition to your coffee table. Get the family involved and find some flowers together or even some greens, like fern leaves or clovers and press them in a heavy book to start. We hope you enjoy this fun summer craft!

6 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

what you need 4 Resin or resin kit 4 Measuring cups (ones that won’t be used again for cooking) 4 Mixing stick 4 Lighter or torch 4 Pressed flowers 4 Silicone molds of any shape you desire

directions...

First

Start by mixing equal amounts of mixture A and mixture B (from a resin kit) into a measuring cup. For my silicone mold, I did 12.5 milliliters of each mixture. Make sure that A and B are fully mixed together.

Second

Pour the mixture into the silicone mold to the halfway point and use a lighter or torch on top of the resin to get bubbles out, if desired.

Third

Place your pressed flowers or greens in the resin mixture into the desired design and let it sit for about 20 to 40 minutes.

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in Bemidji | 7

Fourth

Repeat the same equal measurements of mixture A and B again as the first step. Pour over the first layer of flowers. Make sure the top layer is spread evenly over the second layer. Use a lighter or torch to get bubbles out.

Fifth

Place molds in a secure place that will not be bothered for the next two days. After two days, peel the molds out and enjoy your new coasters.

Tip

Make sure the first pour of resin is only to the halfway point of the mold.

Otherwise the top pour won’t fully cover the flowers.

8 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

BOOKMARKED Who doesn’t love a good summer read? We’ve gone through all the summer book roundups and narrowed it down to a few that consistently made the list. Soak up those rays of sunshine with a good book in hand this summer and don’t forget your SPF. Happy reading!

To Sir, with Love

By Lauren Layne

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

By Marianne Cronin

This Close to Okay

By Leesa Cross-Smith

What Comes After

By Joanne Tompkins

It Had to Be You

By Georgia Clark People We Meet on Vacation

By Emily Henry

Malibu Rising

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

A Special Place for Women

By Laura Hankin

Summer 2021

in Bemidji | 9

Homegrown & Homemade Bemidji’s farmers markets offer fresh and healthy options

by Bria Barton in

Bemidji staff writer & photos by Annalise Braught

Take a bite out of a juicy plump strawberry recently picked off the stem. Chances are, it tastes way more delicious than the ones you can get at the grocery store. And that freshly baked homemade bread — perhaps with a smattering of jam made from those berries — is a chef ’s kiss above the factory-made prepackaged stuff.

In certain parts of Europe, locals regard food quality over quantity and utilize what’s in season. Oftentimes, it’s customary to shop at nearby open-air markets, picking up just enough for a day’s worth of meals, with the intent of coming back the following day for the next batch of fresh ingredients.

While Bemidji may not have the growing seasons or conditions of countries like France and Italy to make this conducive year-round, it does have a small group of people who

10 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

share similar farm-to-table sentiments and live by the age-old belief that homemade, or homegrown, is always better.

Around summertime, these folks come together to begin sharing their season’s bounty with the community, putting their passion for local produce and goods on display for purchase in our town’s two farmers markets: the Bemidji Area Farmers Market and Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market.

Over the years, various vendors have come and gone from these markets, but two long standing families, the Nennichs of Ter-Lee Gardens and the Whitings of Dirty Goat Farm, return with the warm weather to surprise patrons’ palates with just how tasty — and healthy — those homegrown strawberries and homemade breads can be.

Ter-Lee Gardens

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For Loralee Nennich and her husband Terry, the approaching 2021 summer season marks the 24th year they have sold their produce at the local farmers market.

Known around the area for their trademark succulent strawberries, the Nennichs created Ter-Lee Gardens in Bagley from a rundown dairy farm in 1989, aiming to create high quality local produce for customers at a fair price.

Fortunately, they had knowledge on their side, as Terry worked for the University of Minnesota as a professor focusing on fruit and vegetable production. He worked there for 31 years, retiring in 2015.

“We just built off his knowledge and thought it would be a good thing to do because people need fresh fruits and vegetables to stay healthy,” Loralee said.

In the late 1990s, they joined the Bemidji Area Farmers Market, which was then known as the North Country Farmers Market until it splintered into two separate entities.

At the time, the Nennichs’ three children were leaving the nest — meaning less help on the farm — and Loralee said the farmers market was a convenient and less taxing way for her and Terry to sell their produce.

In the beginning, they sold squash, pumpkins, potatoes and a few other vegetables at the market; but in 2000, they began growing and offering a more profound variety.

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Overtime, this led farmers market customers to recognize Ter-Lee Gardens’ characteristic red and white tented trailer as a symbol of a “convenient source for many of the freshest and highest quality vegetables available in the area,” the Ter-Lee Gardens website noted.

“After 24 years, I’ve built up a fairly good clientele,” Loralee said. “People have definitely gotten more into farmers markets for the fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Along with selling at the Bagley Area Farmers Market, the Nennichs organize and oversee the Bemidji Area Farmers Market.

Loralee said her success at the market comes down to two things: quality products and consistency.

“A lot of people want to try to sell at the market, and then, of course, they hope to make a killing on the first day,” she said.

“But that’s not the way farmers markets work. When I started out, I didn’t sell much 24 years ago.

“A farmers market is run by word of mouth. If you’ve got something good, people are going to come back for that. If they don’t know when you’re going to be there, you’re not going to get anywhere. I’m there rain or shine unless it freezes or snows. You have to have the perseverance to keep going. You have to make a commitment.”

As they’ve gotten older, however, the Nennichs have cut back on their days and hours at the farmers market.

“We used to go Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, but now we’re down to Tuesday and Thursday,” Loralee said. “It’s sad to say, and people keep asking what we’re going to do when we quit, but the end is in sight. We won’t be doing this forever.”

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Nevertheless, going into the summer, Loralee said she wishes for more people to understand how inclusive the Bemidji Area Farmers Market can be. Not only are WIC vouchers accepted, Market Bucks, which match SNAP-EBT spending dollar-fordollar (up to $10), can be used.

While she recognizes that not enough people take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables for taste or nutrition, Loralee still hopes the younger generation will work toward embracing fresh local produce and ingredients while moving away from readymade and prepackaged foods.

“I’ve noticed the kids of the people I met 24 years ago are now coming to the farmers market,” she said. “People always ask, ‘Why do you do it?’ and I say ‘It’s just fun meeting all the people.’”

Dirty Goat Farm

Since 2013, military veterans Keith and Rebecca Whiting have taken up shop at Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market, where they sell an assortment of fresh baked breads and treats, homemade soaps, herbal salves and balms and various other goods produced on their family farm.

“I really enjoy the farmers market and the local atmosphere. The produce tastes better, the vegetables taste better. I really like having the availability of things that are unique to this area,” Rebecca said. “We wanted to be involved in being a producer and not just a consumer.”

Dirty Goat Farm was founded when Keith finished an eight-year stint in the Army and moved his large family to a rural plot of land in his hometown of Bemidji. Rebecca said the farm started as a means for her and her husband to provide for their growing family, which now consists of 13 people.

“We do a little bit of everything. The farm mostly started because we wanted the independence to be able to provide for ourselves instead of having to rely on a grocery store for everything,” she said.

“Up here, you have your challenges because of the climate. But if you can think outside the box, you can still do well working around our winters.

“I wanted to — for our kids’ sake — really try to instill that intrinsic work ethic and help them to learn skills for their future, so they can provide for themselves and their families some day if they chose to do that.”

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Farmers Market schedules around the area

► The Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m every Saturday until the end of October. It is located in the Union Square parking lot (Second St. and Beltrami Ave.) in downtown Bemidji near the waterfront. ► The Bemidji Area Farmers Market is projected to open around the Fourth of July holiday. It will be open from July to October on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m. It is located in downtown Bemidji at the St. Michel Furniture parking lot, 200 Paul Bunyan Drive South. ► The Bagley Area Farmers Market will be open starting July 9, and open each Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. through Sept. 24. It is located at Great Northern Railroad Drive SW, Bagley. ► The Walker Community Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays, from June 3 to September 16.

It is located at Green Scene Market, 617 Michigan Ave. W, Walker. ► The Park Rapids Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting Memorial Day weekend through September.

It is located at 910 First Street East, Park Rapids. ► The Blackduck Area Farmers Market is projected to open in July. It is held each Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. It is located at Wayside Rest Park, Blackduck.

Prior to working at Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market, the Whitings had experience selling their products at a farmers market in Columbia, S.C., near where Keith was stationed at Fort Jackson Army base.

Now, however, Rebecca helps organize Bemidji’s Natural Choice Farmers Market and sells a lot of her baking — yeast breads, artisan breads, sourdough breads, pastas and pies — there. She also takes to market soaps and skincare items, which she crafts from oils that have been infused with herbs.

“You get the herbal benefit from them, too,” she said. “It’s how we manage our own family: with knowledge of herbs and how to use them.”

Over the years, the Whitings have built up their farm to include both dairy cows and goats, which they milk themselves. They’re currently working towards creating a commercial micro dairy to produce and sell milk and cheese.

Rebecca said it could be up and running in a few years if all goes well, resulting in the farmers market having a local dairy distributor in its ranks.

“Bemidji is a food desert,” Rebecca said. “There is nobody that does milk and dairy. So we’re trying to work towards filling in that gap.”

Like Loralee, Rebecca stresses the importance of fresh local produce and homemade goods to benefit one’s health. Moreover, she encourages folks to support the hardworking vendors at their local farmers market.

“The sooner that you can get that fresh produce, it’s more densely packed with nutrients and vitamins. It’s also going to taste better because it spends less time traveling to get to you,” she said. “At our farmers market, people can pick produce on a Friday night, bring it to the market and then you can buy it Saturday morning.

And that’s without having your own personal garden — so that’s about as fresh as it can get.”

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Seven Reasons to Shop Minnesota farmers markets, at according to the University of Minnesota Extension:

1. Freshly picked fruits and vegetables taste better. When you shop at a farmers market, you know that the produce is fresh and at peak flavor because it was recently picked from a nearby farm or community garden. Unlike some grocery store produce, farmers market produce wasn’t transported from thousands of miles away.

2. You can buy straight from the source. Farmers are experts on their own products. When you shop at a farmers market, you get information on how your food was grown straight from the source. Growers also can tell you the best ways to prepare different foods and give you their favorite recipes.

3. Farmers markets offer opportunities to try something new and different. Farmers markets feature a vast selection of different varieties of produce that are often not available at conventional grocery stores.

4. You can get the kids involved. Farmers markets provide great environments for kids to learn and explore. The less-structured, open-air atmospheres of farmers markets offer more freedom and opportunities for children (and adults) to ask questions and try something new.

5. Farmers markets are good places to interact with your neighbors. The Farmers Market Coalition found that people who shop at farmers markets have 15 to 20 social interactions per visit compared with one to two social interactions at a grocery store.

Many markets also feature activities such as kids’ crafts, live music, cooking demos and food sampling.

6. You can use your credit, debit, or EBT card. Many Minnesota farmers markets now accept all forms of “plastic payment.”

What’s more, you are eligible to receive a $10 match in Market Bucks at participating farmers markets if you use your EBT card — every time you visit the market.

7. Farmers markets provide public value. When you shop at a farmers market, you help stimulate local economies; preserve farm or urban growing land and associated livelihoods; increase access to fresh, nutritious food; and support healthy communities.

Richard Phelps 218-766-5263

rphelps@century21dickinson.com Facebook @DickPhelpsRealtor

Summer 2021

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JUNE

Sites ‘N Bites June 13 Nevis

16 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

Bike Bemidji Loop the Lake Festival June 17-22 Bemidji Moondance Jammin Country Fest June 17-19 Walker

Leech Lake Days Traditional Powwow June 25-27 Cass Lake Paul Bunyan Days June 25-27 Akeley Bemidji Jaycees Water Carnival June 30 through July 5 Bemidji

Fourth of July events July 4

AUGUST

JULY

Bemidji, Debs, Hackensack, Park Rapids, Walker, Laporte

Pig Races July 11 Nevis Sweetheart Days July 9-17 Hackensack

Hubbard County Fair July 14-18 Park Rapids

Muskie Days Festival July 23-24 Nevis

Moondance Jam July 22-24 Walker

Blueberry Festival July 23-25 Lake George

Mii Gwitch Mahnomen Days Traditional Powwow July 16-18 Ball Club

Blackduck Woodcarvers Festival July 31 Blackduck

Deer River Wild Rice Festival July 9-11 Deer River

Art in the Park July 17-18 Bemidji

Taste of Dorset Aug. 1 Dorset

Lake Itasca Family Music Festival Aug. 6-8 Shevlin

Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival Aug. 4-7 Bemidji Clearwater County Fair Aug. 4-8 Bagley Walker Bay Days Aug. 7 Walker

Backwoods Bash Aug. 14 Blackduck

Beltrami County Fair Aug. 11-15 Bemidji

Forestedge Winery Art Fair Aug. 21-22 Laporte

Legends and Logging Days Aug. 14 Park Rapids

Cha Cha Bah Ning Traditional Powwow Aug. 27-29 Inger

Summer 2021

in Bemidji | 17

of The changing face

Lake Bemidji’s

waterfront

by Sue Bruns special to in

Bemidji photos courtesy of the Beltrami County Historical Society

From Shaynowishkung’s home on the south shore of Lake Bemidji and the Carson brothers’ trading post in the 1880s to today’s 125-year-old city, home to over 15,000 people, it’s impossible to talk about Bemidji without talking about the lake on which the city has grown.

Ever since the dawn of the city, Lake Bemidji, and especially the lakefront — home to the city’s iconic Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues, has been the focal point. A gathering place, a photo op, a site for celebrations and events, and the first place many visitors to Bemidji stop, the lakefront’s changing face in many ways represents the evolution of the city itself.

18 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

Bemidji’s first main street, Third Street, led to the lake.

Before 1900, early settlers had already built docks to get people into and onto the lake for fishing, swimming and boating.

Since then, the waterfront has been home to an everchanging conglomeration of docks, launches, and boathouses, Bemidji’s first brick armory, the Fireplace of States and the Bunyan House, two gargantuan statues, and the site for everything from canoe races and fishing contests to big boat tours, amusement park rides, water carnivals, summer concerts, seaplane rides, family movies, dragon boat races and an allinclusive playground.

Bemidji Belle

Early dock off Third Street 1898.

Big boats on the lake Big boats appeared on the lake in 1898, built and manned by the Viking Boat Works, owned by Andrew O. Aubolee and A. O. Kroken. The Ida, a 200-passenger boat built by Carl Carlson, a local blacksmith, steamed across the lake to Lavinia or Birchmont. Captain W. B. MacLachlan’s North Star, another steam-driven boat, took passengers to various resorts around the lake. Other early boats included Andy Lee’s Thor and I.C. Curtis’s Eagle.

Boat houses sprang up on the lake, offering storage and rentals. By 1901, rowboats were available to rent for just 25 cents per hour — complete with fishing gear — tackle and bait. In 1909 Viking Boat Works opened a huge boat house where summer visitors could dock and store their boats in summer and winter.

In 1912, MacLachlan offered a 22-mile cruise on the City of Bemidji, taking guests across the lake, through the outlet and onto the Mississippi, all the way to Warfield’s Power Dam, for just 50 cents.

Big boats remained popular on the lake through the 1960s. Don Holmes launched a 28-passenger tour boat, the Dixie Belle, in 1952. It was available for meetings and even church services. When the Minnesota Vikings held their summer camps in Bemidji in the early 1960s, the Vikes were frequent patrons of the Dixie Belle. It served locals and tourists alike until 1973.

City of Bemidji

Early dock off Third Street, showing boat houses already on the lake. By 1898 there were already big boats to take people to various stops around the lake – Lavinia, Birchmont and more.

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in Bemidji | 19

Over the Lakefront — Seaplanes In the 1940s, Ralph Moberg had a seaplane base on Lake Bemidji where Cameron Park is now. Moberg offered seaplane rides from the waterfront until 1974. Wes Kleeb also offered Air Taxi rides from 1942-1968 from the lakefront.

Kleeb’s Air Taxi and Moberg’s Seaplanes provided bird’s eye views of Lake Bemidji for locals and tourists alike.

20 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

Dragon boat races

Mis sissippi Music at the

Water front

Lakefront, docks, amusements and big statues With activities ranging from bathtub and canoe races to big boat tours and seaplane rides, the waterfront has evolved over the past 125-plus years. Paul and Babe appeared in 1937. Huge crowds have gathered here for Fourth of July Water Carnivals with ski shows, speedboat races and carnival rides.

For a while a bandshell perched at the far end of the dock but was relocated on shore. A bandshell in Library Park provided a place for concerts for many years. More recently, the biggest events on the lakefront have been the annual dragon boat races (est. 2006), fishing tournaments, summer weekly concerts and family outdoor movies.

The last amusement park rides disappeared in 2006.

The Tourist Information Center now houses the Fireplace of States, and an all-inclusive playground welcomes people of all ages and abilities.

Beltrami Electric Night at the Fair!

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Q&A with

by in

Bemidji staff | photos courtesy of Amelia Jo Photo

NATURE’S EDGE Connect with OUR history!

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• Public Archives • Interpretive Exhibits • Collections • Educational Programs Hours: Wed-Sat 12-4

130 Minnesota Ave SW, Bemidji (218) 444-3376 • beltramihistory.org

N

ature’s Edge Garden Center was founded in 2007 by Tyler Olson and Chad Museus. The two landscaped for a few years prior to opening the garden center.

It started out as two small, reconditioned hoop greenhouses and a small storefront.

Since then, the storefront has expanded and the garden center now has over 20,000 square feet of covered growing space and five acres of growing space for trees, shrubs and perennials.

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Summer 2021

in Bemidji | 23

What made you decide to get into the garden center business 15 years ago?

Tyler began working for Wilson’s Greenhouse in Hallock, Minn., while in college after being referred by the owner’s daughter, who he trained horses with. It was originally a, “Can you help us out for a few weeks during our busy season?” That few weeks, some 20 years later, led to the eventual creation and evolution of Nature’s Edge.

What have been some of the biggest changes over the past 15 years?

Every year, we have expanded and grown. Initially, we didn’t have full-time employees or any automation. We started out with a few annuals and some perennials to more trees, more shrubs and later on mulch and soils.

We now use automation in our ventilation and watering systems and employ several people, including a store manager, a landscape manager and several leaders in various parts of the store, nursery and landscape divisions.

What makes you get up in the morning and come to work?

Coffee. And plants don’t water themselves. Mornings are the best time to water plants, organize plans for the day and be thankful for all that we have. It’s very peaceful in the greenhouses in the morning and it’s a great time to stop and appreciate the flowers.

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“Mornings are the best time to water plants, organize plans for the day and be thankful for all that we have.”- Tyler Do you have a favorite flower or plant? And why?

Purple Fanflower is a favorite annual plant. It’s very durable and forgiving and constantly blooms. False Indigo is my favorite perennial because it’s also very durable and has beautiful spring blooms. Little Lime Hydrangea is my favorite shrub — it is compact and has lots of lime colored blooms that fade to pink in the fall. Snowdance Lilacs are my favorite trees — they bloom a little later than spring flowering trees and have a wonderful fragrance.

What does the future look like in the garden center business?

We think that the future looks good. People like to shop local and work with those they know and trust. We strive to be innovative and unique and offer quality plants and services.

We are seeing a lot of younger people becoming gardeners and look forward to working with them for many years.

Land of 10,000

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in Bemidji | 25

Larisa’s

family favorites

photos by Jillian

26 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

Gandsey in Bemidji

For this edition of inBemidji, I’ve whipped up some of our family’s favorites. Sausage, peppers and onions served on a hoagie roll with a little cheese on top is a staple in our home along with this Mexican lasagna and our apple dump cake. We’ve adjusted the original Mexican lasagna recipe just a bit as it called for roasted corn in the mix as well but we weren’t huge fans so we slowly altered it into our own. The apple dump cake makes for a delicious dessert or brunch recipe for the weekend. All of these take minimal time to put together, especially the lasagna, which takes just 15 minutes in the oven. Enjoy!

Sausage, Peppers and Onions Ingredients:

1 package of Italian sausage links (sweet, hot or mild) 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 bell peppers of another color (yellow, orange or red), sliced into strips 2-3 inches long 1 tablespoon garlic 1 large sweet or yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons 1 24-ounce jar of spaghetti sauce (more if you like it saucy) 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Mozzarella cheese Salt to taste

Directions:

Brown the sausages. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly. If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not a sear. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove from the pan and set aside.

Sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic. Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often. Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some blackening from a good sear on the onions and peppers, add the garlic, and cook for one more minute.

Simmer all the ingredients. Add the spaghetti sauce, oregano and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir well to combine. Add the sausages back to the pan and bring to a simmer. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft and the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Load it up on a hoagie roll and top with mozzarella cheese.

A Great Place for a Great Burger!

Hand Patty Burgers Served on Fresh Bakery Buns

Homemade Chili & Soups Daily of Home ’s r e e B dog Black Q B B Sauce

Serving the Bemidji area for 50 years!

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OPEN 11AM MON-SAT | 142 ANNE STREET NW, BEMIDJI, MN • 218-444-SLIM

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in Bemidji | 27

Mexican Lasagna Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil 2-3 chicken breasts, diced 1 package taco seasoning 1/2 red onion, chopped (optional) 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained 1 24-ounce jar of salsa 8-10 (8-inch) flour tortillas 3 cups cheddar jack cheese, shredded 2 scallions, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Brown the chicken and red onion for about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

Add the taco seasoning packet, entire jar of salsa and black beans to chicken and onion mixture and heat through about 2 to 3 minutes. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer in the baking dish.

Build lasagna in layers of tortillas, chicken mixture, cheese and repeat. Top the last layer of tortillas with cheese and bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

Bemidji’s Finest Old-Fashioned Meat Market Meat Bundles ♦ Award Winning Smoked Meats ♦ Sausage Making 207 America Ave NW | 218-751-5011 www.downtownmeats.com 28 | in Bemidji Summer 2021

Apple Dump Cake Ingredients:

2 16-ounce cans apple pie filling 1 box vanilla or yellow cake mix 2 sticks butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Empty both cans of apple pie filling into a 9x13 baking dish. Add vanilla and cinnamon and mix to combine. Cover the apple pie mixture with the dry cake mix (do not make the cake mix into a batter.)

Cut the butter into pieces and place on top of dry cake mix. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar and bake for 45 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or cold with whipped cream. Enjoy!

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1700 Paul Bunyan Dr NW

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in Bemidji | 29

30 | in Bemidji Summer 2021 ANSWERS: 1) yellow ball in water missing, 2) number 4 missing on sign in boat, 3) fins on dragon boat number 4 now turquoise, 4) light blue spots missing on dragon boat number 3, 5) guy in blue shirt on the hill missing, 6) dragon boat number 4 has extra beard, 7) word Bemidji added to boat number 3, 8) missing black straps on lifejacket of 5th guy in boat number 4.

After a hiatus due to the pandemic in 2020, the Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival will be back in 2021.

The event is set for Aug. 4 through 7. Can you find 8 differences between these two pictures?

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The North Shore Grille

• Open to the public • A local favorite for lunch and dinner • Incredible views of the golf course and Lake Bemidji • Available for Weddings, Banquets, and Parties

Call to make a reservation: 218-751-4535 | Open seven days a week

McConkey-Greene Law Office

Helping You Create a Bridge to Your Future

Family Law MediationEmelie Rivera

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Bemidji Town & Country Club

• Open to the public • One of the top courses in Northern Minnesota • Site of the annual Birchmont Golf Tournament • Memberships available

Call to book tee times: 218-751-9215 | Open seven days a week

Rebecca McConkey-Greene RULE 114 QUALIFIED NEUTRALS FAMILY ROSTER

(218) 481-7797

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Beer • Wine • Liquor • Ice Voted Bemidji’s Best Liquor Store 3324 Bemidji Ave. N.

218-751-3312 Here to meet your summer fun food needs!

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302 Irvine Avenue NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 • 218-751-2009 • harmonyfoods.coop

Bemidji’s Downtown Full-Service Grocery Store & Deli

Familyd Owne Since 1984!

Our Everyday Low Prices Would Be Specials At Most Other Places

Open Mon-Sat 9am-10pm Sun 11am-6pm Summer 2021

in Bemidji | 31

BELTRAMI COUNTY RECYCLING GUIDE Paper

Plastic*

• Empty Water, soda and juice bottles • Milk bottles • Ketchup and condiment bottles • Dishwashing and detergent bottles • Shampoo, soap, and lotion bottles • Yogurt, pudding and fruit cups • Margarine, cottage cheese and other containers • Produce, deli and take out containers

• Mail, office and school paper • Magazines and catalogs • Newspaper and inserts • Phonebooks

Boxes

• Cardboard • Cereal and cracker boxes • Shoe boxes, gift boxes, electronics boxes

Packaging*

• Clear, rigid packaging from toys and electronics

Glass

• Food and beverage bottle and jars

*Look for this symbol on your plastic item. Only 1 & 2 can be recycling in Beltrami County Lids can stay on. EMPTY bottles with necks and without necks are accepted.

Metal

• Food and beverage cans

Not Accepted

Cartons, plastic bags, film and wrap, plastic foam; Styrofoam™, food waste, paper cups and plates, glass dishes, drinking glasses, window glass and ceramics, trash, containers that held hazardous products; oil, antifreeze

Beltrami County Solid Waste • 218-333-8187 • www.co.beltrami.mn.us Click on: Solid Waste tab

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