Inspire(d) Summer 2019

Inspire(d) DRIFTLESS MAGAZINE

POSITIVE NEWS FROM THE DRIFTLESS REGION.

NO. 58 SUMMER 2019

free!

FIND THE

magic ER M M U S D E I R O A ST ES C N A D E L L I V D HIGHLAN FORAGING DRIFTLESS PEAKS e r o m + G N I P M GLA

Create

lifelong friends and . . .

• Learn critical thinking with award-winning professors • Engage with classmates from 43 states and 70 countries • Lead action and change through 90+ student organizations • Experience life-changing study abroad programs • Discover a lifelong network of 36,000 alumni

visit.luther.edu

406 West Water Street . Decorah, Iowa decorahhatchery.com . 563.382.4103

LutherAdmission

WORLD FAMOUS GEAR SMALL TOWN CHARM

TICKETS AVAILABLE IN ADVANCE ($25) ONLINE AT SEEDSAVERS.ORG/CONCERT, BY CALLING 563-382-5990, OR AT THE LILLIAN GOLDMAN VISITORS CENTER AND THE ONEOTA FOOD CO-OP; ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE GATE ($30).

FUNDS RAISED WILL GO TOWARDS OUR NONPROFIT MISSION

How can we help you accomplish your dreams?

High-Interest Checking Wealth Management Online Banking Mobile Deposit Trust Services plus, loans for all kinds of movers-n-shakers in NE IA, SE MN & beyond

Stop in or open an account online @ www.DecorahBank.com

Run a Strong Business

Retire

Go to College

Remodel Home Buy a Truck

Travel the World

Build Dream Home

Buy House Anywhere Build Wealth

Radishes, Hare and Tortoise Farm 20 miles to Rochester

Grape Tomatoes, Easy Yoke Farm 23 miles to Rochester

Ridgeland Harvest 38 miles to La Crosse

Deep Rooted 29 miles to La Crosse

your partner in

Cabbage, Featherstone Farm 50 miles to Rochester 35 miles to La Crosse

local food.

Downtown La Crosse, WI and Rochester, MN www.pfc.coop 7 days, 7 am–10 pm Open to the public • Free parking!

1930s Soda Fountain • Ice Cream, Chocolates, Nostalgic Candies, 14 Flavors of Fudge – All homemade, in-house daily

Small batch Fresh Fudge

You won’t find anything like this without a time machine.

207 Pearl St. Downtown La Crosse, WI • www.pearlicecream.com • 608-782-6655

OPEN SUN-THURS 9AM - 9 or 10PM OPEN FRI & SAT 9AM - 10 or 11PM

SUMMER 2019 contents

16

44

what we’re loving right now

08

highlandville dances - foot-notes!

16

infographic: find the magic

25

PEAK PEAKS!

29

Summer MUSIC

31

paper project: heart mobile

33

A storied summer - regional theatre

34

foraging in the driftless

44

glamping + more!

54

probit: juanita loven

66

...and more!

ON THE COVER:

54

The magical scene on the cover is at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Theatregoers make their way up this path to a large outdoor stage, where talented actors unfold scripts by Shakespeare, August Wilson, Oliver Goldsmith and more – all in a forest, under the stars. Read more about it – and other area summer story-telling – on page 34. / Cover photo by Kelsi Wermuth, courtesy American Players Theatre.

05

PLAN AHEAD!

Biz Booster Contest!

Are you starting a Winneshiek County business – or expanding your current business – to encourage job or business growth, increase tourism or marketing, or do some other totally awesome thing?!?

Request an application NOW for WCDI’s Biz Booster and Mini Ag-Grant Contests! YOU COULD WIN BIG $$!

There’s

$20,000

up for grabs!

Accepting applications starting Oct 1, 2019 Final deadline to apply is Dec 15, 2019

Contact Stephanie Fromm at director@winneshiekdevelopment.org for an application today!

Cardboard Robot won $2,800

Luna Valley Farm won $4,000

The Biz Booster is allowing us to create a whole new website with a library of engaging how-to videos. We provide people with ideas and supplies to make things, and getting this message out in a video format will help us immeasurably to grow and expand our offerings.

The December deadline for the Biz Booster grant helped us set and achieve the goal of developing a business plan for pizza nights.

That business plan and our application to Biz Booster launched us on the path of securing funding, running a successful Kickstarter campaign, lining up contractors and opening in September 2017! A year ago we never would've dreamed this was possible.

OTHER RECENT WINNERS: Impact Coffee Bar Big Driftless The Fireman’s Inn

Reed Backes Cabinetry Discover Happy Pilates Studio Highlandville Honey Off the Driftless Wellness & Adventure Co.

Eligible businesses must be located in Winneshiek County

River Root Farm Seed Savers Exchange Sunflower Child Development Center Northeast Iowa Architectual Salvage & Skräp Work

winneshiekdevelopment.org • 507 W Water, Decorah • 563-382-6061

Iowa's #1 Destination Garden Center Offering over 40,000 plants! www.kkgardens.com

50 mins north of Waterloo 30 mins south of Decorah Decorah

K&K Gardens

Waterloo

108 E. Wilbur St, Hawkeye, Iowa • 563.427.5373 • Open daily May - October

PIVO won $3,000 If it wasn’t for the WCDI Ag-Grant, we would not have established a pear orchard.

From the Editor

I

still get excited about summer.

The many years of childhood anticipation have instilled a sense of hope about this fleeting season, even as a – somewhat– adult 38-yearold.

I grew up in the country just outside of Frankville, Iowa (population 300ish).

We had 20 acres of woods that I would run around all season long – I remember hearing the trees creak and groan while exploring on windy days, Family selfie at Palisades Park lookout in or flattening a blanket on the ground Decorah. Read about six lookouts in the so I could sit and read by a stream. It region with amazing views on page 29! all felt pretty magical.

My goal with this Inspire(d) is to bring those vibes to your (and our) lives this summer!

You can start off at a Highlandville Dance with Foot-Notes, a Decorah-based band that has been playing Scandinavian tunes (and more) across the area for nearly 30 years, especially for Highlandville Dances. A true summer institution here in Northeast Iowa, it is virtually impossible to leave a Highlandville Dance with a frown on your face! Read the history of how it all got started in Kristine Jepsen’s story on page 16.

After that, you might want to sit for a bit! There are few things more magical than being transported to another time/place/moment through storytelling. Check out Sara Walters piece on page 34 to learn about some excellent opportunities to hear stories and see shows at world-class theatres and events in the Driftless this summer. P.S. That amazing cover image? It’s from American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and we are definitely putting it on our to-do list this summer!

Looking for a more in-depth adventure? How about glamping? We love how area entrepreneurs are thinking outside the box…er…walls to making some really fun and eclectic spots for folks to stay for the night (or longer!). Maggie Sonnek shares some options on page 54.

Still in the wilderness mood? Try foraging! I’ve pretty much only foraged for morel mushrooms, personally (and I bet I’m not the only one), so I especially loved Sara Friedl-Putnam’s interesting story about foraging in the region. You get to follow along on a walk with Elsa McCargar and Conor Murphy, who run the local business, The Wilder’s Way, plus hear about Decorah’s Peter Kraus’ approach to native plants and Driftless cuisine. Oh, and there’s a recipe for a Wild Salad! Fun! Now this is the place where I write about how you’ve gotta to make time to stop and find the magic this summer. That is the goal, for sure – but life is busy!

Remember, though: You’re making the story of your summer – and your life – right now. Today! Do your best to slow it down and enjoy it! You can find some tips for doing that in my infographic, “Find the Magic,” on page 25.

We’ve filled this Inspire(d) with fun and love and magic so hopefully you can fill your summer with the same.

Big thanks to all of our amazing readers and advertisers - now get out there!

Looking forward,

What’s it mean?

Inspire(d) Inspire(d) – pronounced in-spy-erd... you know: inspired – stands for both inspire and be inspired. The idea is that person one inspires person two. That person is now inspired. Then that person inspires person three (or person one again), who is now inspired. Then the cycle continues! That’s what those arrows around the (d) are about!

And our mission is, ultimately, to change the world… starting with our own community!

®

Who are we?

Co-founders:

Aryn Henning Nichols / editor & designer Benji Nichols / writer & advertising sales (& husband, distributor, logistics)

We couldn’t do it without: Kristine Jepsen / contributor Sara Friedl-Putnam / contributor Maggie Sonnek / contributor Sara Walters/ contributor Kassidy Renee Paige / photo contributor Inspire(d) Magazine is published quarterly

by Inspire(d) Media, LLC, 412 Oak Street, Decorah, Iowa, 52101. This issue is dated Summer 2019, issue 58 volume 12, Copyright 2019 by Inspire(d) Magazine.

support inspire(d) Although Inspire(d) is free on stands, you can have it sent to your door (or extended family!) for only $25/year.

Email aryn@iloveinspired.com for a membership or visit iloveinspired.com for more info.

Write inspire(d) Want to make a comment about something you read in the magazine?

Email aryn@iloveinspired.com.

Interested in advertising?

Contact Benji at benji@iloveinspired.com or call 563-379-6315.

Visit our website: iloveinspired.com

Aryn Henning Nichols

facebook.com/iloveinspired 07

What We’re

Loving

right now

A little list of what we think is awesome in the Drifltess Region this SUMMER...

Under Pressure – Lanesboro arts Printmaking

Energy Fair 2019 – 30th Anniversary!

The Energy Fair, in Custer, WI is celebrating 30 years of bringing people together to learn about sustainability and clean energy, connect with others, and take action toward a sustainable future!

This Summer Solstice destination event features 200+ Workshops, 200+ Exhibits, Farm & Garden Tours, an Artisan Market, Yoga, Live Music, food and fun all weekend long. If you’ve been considering

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRITTANY

We love printmaking, so it was a natural fit for us to sponsor Lanesboro Arts’ “Under Pressure,” a juried group exhibition by over 25 printmaking artists from across the region and beyond. The exhibit opens with an artist reception on Saturday, June 22, 2019 from 6-8 p.m. and runs through August 11, 2019.

Artist Keith Buswell describes this relationship between process and art by saying, “For me, the importance of printmaking is not in the reproducibility of the image, but the process it takes to convey the message.”

Artist Kelly Witte echoes these sentiments while describing her work: “I love the challenge

of carving fine details into a piece of linoleum, slowly inking up the block and pulling the first proof. That brief moment when the first proof is revealed is blissful and rewarding.”

The 27 artists juried for inclusion in “Under Pressure” are Phillip Brouillet, Mary Bruno, Keith Buswell, Julie Falker, Sarah Grimaldi, Christopher Hegland, Phyllis Joos, Ellie Kingsbury, Tonda Kinoko, Leah Klister, Emily Gray Koehler, Preston Lawing, Jes Lee, Angela McHugh, Kerri Mulcare, Reina Murphy, Aaron Musickant, Dirk Nelson, Nan Onkka, Karine Rupp-Stanko, Anne Scott Plummer, Kurt Seaberg, Carol Slad, Bianca Tschalkner, Nikki Vahle-Schneider, Lynne Valiquette, and Kelly Witte.

This exhibit is sponsored by Inspire(d) Magazine (that’s us!) and made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. For more information visit www.lanesboroarts.org, call 507-467-2446 or email gallery@lanesboroarts.org. Handicapped accessible and free to the public, the exhibition gallery is located at 103 Parkway Avenue North in Lanesboro.

Dance & Theatre

JEWEL THEATRE, CENTER FOR THE ARTS • DECORAH, IA

COMING THIS FALL!

CHICAGO – THE MUSICAL detaILS

BY KANDER, EBB, and FOSSE NOV 15, 16, 21, & 23 - at 7:30 PM

www.luther.edu/theatre

Check out the entire 2019-20 Luther Dance & Theatre season online... and mark your calendars!

08

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

a renewable project for your home, or want to learn more about what’s out there – this is THE PLACE to find ideas, talk to professionals, and learn more in the Midwest. The Energy Fair, organized by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, is June 21-23, 2019. Tickets and more information at TheEnergyFair.org

G AVA P I N AV I L A G AI L A P IN

B LEB LE

CAMCAM

A FARM TO BREWERY EVENT A FARM TO BREWERY EVENT

H0P H0P HARVEST HARVEST MUSIC MUSIC FEST FEST

SPEAKING OF FAIRs...

Here in the tri-state area there are tons of county fairs that offer-up great family entertainment at affordable prices. Here’s a list of some in our region. Did we miss one you love? Let us know!

NORTHEAST IOWA:

Winneshiek County Fair: July 9–13. Decorah, IA Allamakee County Fair: July 17–21. Waukon, IA Dubuque County Fair: July 23–28. Dubuque, IA Fayette County Fair: July 23–27. West Union, IA Clayton County Fair: July 31–August 4. Garnavillo, IA Delaware County Fair: July 8–14. Manchester, IA Howard County Fair: June 26–30. Cresco IA Iowa State Fair: August 8–18. Des Moines, IA

WESTERN WISCONSIN:

Trempealeau County Fair: July 18–21. Galesville, WI Grant County Fair: August 11–18. Lancaster, WI Crawford County Fair: August 22–25. Gays Mills, WI Vernon County Fair: September 11–15. Viroqua, WI La Crosse Interstate Fair: July 17–21. West Salem, WI Monroe County Fair: July 24–28. Tomah, WI Buffalo County Fair: August 1–4. Mondovi, WI

SPONSORED BY: SPONSORED BY:

Wisconsin State Fair: August 1–11. West Allis, WI

Southeast Minnesota:

Winona County Fair: July 10–14. St. Charles, MN Fillmore County Fair: July 15–21. Preston, MN Wabasha County Fair: July 17–20. Wabasha, MN Dodge County Fair: July 17–21. Kasson, MN Olmsted County Fair: July 22–28. Rochester, MN Houston County Fair: August 15–19. Caledonia, MN Minnesota State Fair: August 22–September 2. St. Paul, MN

SWEET 16 FARM SWEET 16ATFARM TICKETS AND MORE INFO SWEET16FARM.COM

| TICKETS AND MORE INFO AT SWEET16FARM.COM |

120 WASHINGTON ST DECORAH, IOWA

What We’re

Loving

right now

RESERVATIONS APPRECIATED

563-382-3067

Conference & Campout Celebrate seeds, food, and community, in the garden and at the table.

July 19 & 20

Seed Savers Exchange | Decorah, Iowa Register + Details: seedsavers.org/conference

FREE Event

SHARP ART

GALLERY 129 N. Main St. Elkader, Iowa

We offer classes, prints, notecards, art supplies, and host events. See current hours at sharpartiowa.com

BUILDING

HOMES

A little list of what we think is awesome in the Drifltess Region this SUMMER...

Ridge and Valley Tours How well do you know the region we live in? Not just your town, and not just your neighbors or your local businesses – but the ones just down the road, across the river, or in the next coulee over?

Marty and Teri Richards of Richland Center are “on a journey to tell our local story,” and that includes you! Ridge & Valley Tours has set out, with decades of local experience, to tell the stories of our region in the form of incredibly unique tours that include first-hand outrageous stories, farm family heritage, connections to local food sources, and appreciation of our incredible region’s ecology. Wisitors (get it?!) from far and wide will appreciate these tours, and locals just might be amazed by how much they can learn. With “East Coast” and “West Coast” tours made up mostly in Richland County, Wisconsin, each tour is about four hours in duration with 4-5 destinations, and finishes with a meal. Stops focus on education and engagement with partner farms and producers, and include lots of opportunities for tastings along the way at dairies, wineries, breweries, and more. Tours are scheduled online at www.ridgeandvalleytours.com, and use Code “INSPIRE(D)10” when you book to let them know that you heard about their fun tours from Inspire(d)!

Get Active this Summer!

Sustainable Beautiful Efficient David J. Wadsworth • 563.419.0390 • wadsworthconstruction.com 10

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

Need a little inspiration to get outside this summer? Check out one of these great events in the region: Mark your calendars for Driftless Super Slough, a Mississippi River Kayak excursion from New Albin to Lansing. 2019 dates are June 29, July 27, and August 24. Find info and a registration form at www.facebook.com/mainstreetlansing/

JTUPYS.com

Experience Allamakee County in Northeast Iowa like never before! Start training (and sign up) for the Driftless Half Marathon, Relay, and 5K – October 12, 2019. www.thedriftlesshalfmarathon.com Join in on a FWD – Fearless Women of Dirt – mountain bike ride in Decorah!

They will be the first Sunday (5 pm) and first Wednesday (6:30 pm) of each month.

Fearless Women of Dirt was established in 2015 in Decorah as a network of women who want to help encourage and inspire other women to find their mountain #bikelife. We love that! There are now chapters in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. FWD is open to anyone of any ride experience level. www.fearlesswomenofdirt.com

Harpers FERRY Splash Pad Did you hear, Harpers Ferry, Iowa is even cooler in the summer now?!? There’s a splash pad! It’s a pretty neat story how this small Iowa river town of less than 350 people came together to fundraise and build a splash pad. Situated in the town park near the library and community center, there’s a new Gazebo on site, as well as new bathrooms and a changing area. The project was truly a community effort, and funded from many sources including The Harpers Ferry Splash Pad Committee, bake sales and softball diamond concessions, private donations, the Harpers Ferry Boosters, major grants and awards, and contractors willing to chip in. The Splash Pad is now open for the warm months during daylight hours, and is activated by pushing a button that operates the features for five minutes at a time.

Children of most sizes and ages will find the various features fun and accessible. What a fantastic way for the Community of Harpers Ferry to make a big splash for the summer!

UPCOMING EVENTS Sympli the best Fall Trunk Show JULY 11-13 Ridiculous Days JULY 20th Doors open at 7am on Saturday

Driftless Food Guide 2019!

We are excited to bring the second year of the Drifltess Food Guide to life here at Inspire(d) HQ! That includes a beautiful new website with links, stories, listings, and more. The print guide is a best-of-the-best listing of our regions farmers, producers, purveyors, and beverage producers, laid out in a beautiful format that is fun for visitors and locals alike. This year features brunch!

Pick a Guide up wherever you usually find Inspire(d), or check out online at www.driftlessfood.com – and if you missed out on getting your business / farm / etc into the 2019 Driftless Food Guide, drop us a line at benji@iloveinspired.com and we’ll keep you in the know for early 2020. Hooray for local food!

211 W. WATER ST. | DECORAH M.T.W. FR. SAT 9-5 THURS 9-7 563-382-8940

iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

11

Looking for more details about events on the calendars?

Check out these great summer activities! In chronological order, each event’s number coincides with its number on the calendar!

1. June 1: The Hanson Family Show @ DPL! Kick off summer at the Library with a high-energy family show featuring storytelling, juggling, and unicycling. Juggling lessons and supercool skill toys! 11am, www.decorah.lib.ia.us 2. June 1 - Fossil Hunting in Fillmore County!

Collect fossils older than dinosaurs! Located at Whispering Winds, Spring Valley. Sponsored by Eagle Bluff. Register under “Events” at eaglebluffmn.org.

3. June 2: Register now to Run Iowa’s Most Scenic Half Marathon in Lansing, IA. Takes place on Great River Road National Scenic Byway, October 12, 2019.

Relay and 5k options. thedriftlesshalfmarathon.com

10. June 18: Absolute Science @ DPL! Explore the world of science through amazingly fun demonstrations and awesome experiments!

This is a Decorah Library program for the whole family. 1pm www.decorah.lib.ia.us 11. June 21–22: 60-Mile Garage Sale – Multi Community Garage Sales in Preston, Harmony, Fountain, Lanesboro, Peterson, Whalan, Rushford, Rushford Village & Houston. More Info at rootrivertrail.org

25W/ $25B

4. June 7: Come enjoy Guttenberg’s River of Music (ROM), EVERY Friday evening, 6-8 pm, Ingleside Park Bandstand, along the Mississippi River. www.guttenbergiowa.net 5. June 12: Ocean Odyssey: Sharks! Learn about these astonishing creatures and get your hands wet! The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium is bringing its traveling touch tank to the Decorah library. 11 am & 1 pm. PreReg @ www.decorah.lib.ia.us 6. June 15-16: Becoming an Outdoors Family Weekend at Eagle Bluff! A weekend camp of memories exploring the outdoors and learning hands-on skills. Register at eaglebluffmn.org 7. June 15: Oneota Co-op Grand Re-opening Celebration! 11:00am to 6:00pm. Food. Fun. Music. Demos. Kids activities 11-2. Giveaways.

And check out our remodeled store! www.oneotacoop.com

12. June 22: The Dead Horses are returning to Luna Valley Farm for an evening of music under the summer solstice moon. Info/Tickets: www.lunavalleyfarm.com/events 13. June 29 - Group bike ride at 10am in Lanesboro with musician & outdoor advocate Ben Weaver, followed by a screening of his new documentary adventure film at 7pm. LanesboroArts.org

14: July 4: Come join in the Pulpit to Pulpit 5K & 1 Mile 4th of July run! 8:30am 5K & 1 mile start from Pulpit Rock Park in Decorah, festivities and refreshments at the brewery after! Pre-reg @ runsignup.com 15. July 4: Harmony’s 4th of July Celebration – Join us for a full day of fun – Jim Busta Band featuring Mollie B., Games, Food, Grand Parade @ 3pm, and FIREWORKS! More info at www.exploreharmony.com 16. July 5-6: Luna Valley Farm is open Fourth of July weekend!

Wood fired pizza, drinks, and community - Friday and Saturday night from 4-8pm. www.lunavalleyfarm.com 17. July 8: Wilderman’s Treetop Tales with Chad Elliott @ DPL! Think Shel Silverstein with more color and a song album! Iowa singer, songwriter, artist, and author performs for the entire family. 1:30 pm - www.decorah.lib.ia.us

8. June 15: Art in the Park festival in Lanesboro! 90+ artist booths, live music, craft beer, food vendors & art activities! Saturday, June 15, 10am - 5 pm. LanesboroArts.org

18. July 13: Pulpit Rock Bend & Brew! Come enjoy a Reefuel smoothie, an hour of yoga, and a delicious Pulpit Rock Beer when you’re done. 10:45am-12pm, Sign up at PRB or online https://squareup.com/store/pulpitrockbrewing

9. June 16: Father’s Day Pizza! Celebrate the fathers in your life with wood fired pizza at Luna Valley Farm. (P.S. we also serve wine, beer and cider!) Open 11:30am-2pm, www.lunavalleyfarm.com

19. July 13: Come to Viroqua for the Driftless Music Festival! Eclectic mix of music under the trees of Eckhart Park in Viroqua. 1pm-10pm FREE admission - driftlessmusicfestival.com

FEARLESS

WOMEN of DIRT

Midwest Mountain Bike Group

fearlesswomenofdirt.com Chapters in IA, MN, & WI. Open to all, experienced & new!

JOIN A RIDE! 12

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

May-October

Saturdays 8-11am Wednesdays 3-6pm

Below the Oneota Co-op Parking Lot

Shop Local . Eat Fresh.

Produce - Meat - Baked Goods - More

fun stuff to do

2

16

Tuesday

4

1

Hanson Family Show, Decorah Library, 11AM

Wednesday

5

Thursday

6

Friday

7

Saturday

8

11

5

12

Absolute Science!

Decorah Library, 1pm

10

25

18

*

8 Art In The Park, Lanesboro

7 15 Oneota Coop Grand Reopening!

14 *

Buck Hollow Band, Waukon Music in the Park, 7pm

26

Viroqua19 Night Market, Eckhart Park, 6-9pm

27

20

*

28

JUNE 28: • Pop-UP Art Shop Opens, ArtHaus, Decorah 1-5pm • Mike McAbee, Courtyard & Cellar, Decorah, 7pm • Pigtown Fling, Trempealeau Hotel, 8pm

29

JUNE 29: • MN Marine Art Museum Family Fest!

• J. Jeffrey Messerole, Pulpit Rock, Decorah, 5pm • The Guilty Kilts, McCaffrey’s, Decorah

Ben Weaver Bike Ride, Film, Concert, Lanesboro Arts

13

Side 21 12 22 History of Project, ROM Dead Horses Marine Guttenberg Concert, Luna Navigation, Valley Farm June 22: Root MMAM, River Jam, Foot-Notes Winona, 6pm McCaffrey’s Dance, June 21–22: 60-Mile Garage Sale, Highlandville, 11 Root River Trail Towns, SE Minn IA 8-11pm

Unionland Annual Block Party, West Union, 4-7pm

6

June 15-16: Becoming an Outdoor Family, Eagle Bluff, Lanesboro

13 *

Rhythm by the River w/ Lonely Knees, Preston, 6-8pm

Decorah June 14-23: Municipal Band, Lawn Dr. Evil and the Basket Chair Night, Decorah, 7pm of Kittens La JUNE 22: Crosse Comm.

• Stringwood Young Artists, Chatfield CFA Theatre • Lazy River Beer & Wine Fest, McGregor, IA 12-4pm • GGOOLLDD, Cavalier Theater, La Crosse • Breakfast on the Farm, IA Dairy Center, Calmar 8:30am-12

24

June 16: Magpie Revival, Trempealeau Hotel, 2-5pm

17

June 12-16: Steamboat Days, Winona

“Fire Farm Ocean Odyssey: Illuminated June 12: Beth Sharks!

Lee & The Decorah Library Sculptures” Breakups, through June Artaria String 28, ArtHaus, Trempealeau Quartet, Hotel, 7-10pm Decorah Chatfield, CFA

10

4 Taste of the Fest(ev)al, Coulee Region, Guttenberg’s Electric Vehicle River of Celebrations, Fest, Winn. Co. Music, every La Crosse Fairgrounds Friday, 6-8pm, JUNE 15: Ingleside Park Mark Cameron • Haugaard & Järvelä Fiddle Concert, Vesterheim,7:30pm Band, • Dani Lin, Psychic Medium, Cresco Opera House June 14-16: Lawler Irish Fest McCaffrey’s • Charles Walker Band, McCaffrey’s, Decorah

3

JUNE 14: • Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, ArtHaus, 7:30pm • German Band, ROM, Guttenberg, 6-8pm • Over the Back Fence, St. Mane, 7:30 pm

Monday

“Holmes and Watson” through July 6, Commonweal Theatre, Lanesboro

Blondie Blue, Trempealeau Hotel, 2-5pm

30

David Schipper & David Nash, Trempealeau Hotel, 2-5pm

23

Lake St. Dive, Big Grove Brewery, IA City

Father’s Day Pizza, Luna Valley, 11:30am-2pm

9

Chase 9 Trempealeau Event – Cycle, Hide, and Seek!, 9am, Elmaro Vineyard

Register now to run the Driftless Half Marathon on October 12, 2019!

3

Sunday

June

1

JUNE 7: Fossil Hunting • Reina del Cid, Chatfield CFA 2 in Fillmore • Har Mar Superstar, Cavalier, La Crosse County MN, • Rhubarb Sisters, St. Mane, Lanesboro Eagle Bluff

Tattoo: Identity Through Ink – Opens June 1, Vesterheim, Decorah

8

23

22

Songs of Hope, Chatfield CFA

15

28 Cars & Coffee, Kickapoo Coffee Café, Viroqua, 8-11am

29

David Casas Magic, Mike Love Decorah w/ Stanton Library West, Riverside Concerts, Rochester, 7pm

21 Shufflin’ Duprees, The OP, Lansing

2

16

The Iguanas, CSPS, Cedar Rapids

9

Summer PopUp Art Shop, Daily June 28 through Aug 3, ArtHaus, Decorah

Tuesday

3

July 11-13: Country Boom, La Crosse

10

July 4: Firecracker 4 Mile, La Crosse

Michael McElrath, Waukon Music in the Park, 7pm

Wednesday

Viroqua Night Market, Eckhart Park, 6-9pm

Weird Al, McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids

30

19

*

19

20

Driftless Music Festival, Viroqua

Society of Broken Souls, Pulpit Rock Brewing, 7pm

26

27

July 27- 28: AAUW Art Fair on the Green, UW La Crosse July 25-27: Nordic Fest, Decorah

25

Boeing Boeing, through August 31, Commonweal Theatre, Lanesboro

July 25 - Aug 4: Great River Shakespeare Festival, Winona

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24

18

13 Pulpit Rock Bend & Brew, 10:45am

18

Marquette, IA Fireworks – Dusk!

Eggen & 6 Hippen, Courtyard & Cellar

Saturday

Decorah’s July 18-21: 9 to Backwater, 22 Ridiculous 5 The Musical, ROM Day Sales!

Cresco Opera Guttenberg, Under Paris House 6-8pm Skies, Courtyard & Cellar, 8pm July 19-20: La Crosse 21 Yukon, Storytelling Festival McCaffrey’s

23 JULY 13: • 2nd Saturday @ MN Marine Art Museum, Winona, 10am-5pm • Winona Dixieland Jazz Festival • Over the Back Fence Radio Show w/ Jillian Rae, St. Mane, Lanesboro, 7:30pm • Ryne Doughty, McCaffrey’s, Decorah • North Liberty Blues & BBQ – free!

July 17-21: Allamakee County Fair, Waukon

July 19-20: Seed Savers Conference & Campout, Decorah

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Uncle Sam’s Band, ROM Guttenberg, 6-8pm

July 13-14: Three Rivers Roleo Log Rolling, La Crosse

Rhythm by the River w/ Wayward, Preston, MN Trailhead, 6-8pm

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15 Harmony, MN July 4th Celebration!

Friday

4 14 16 5 Pulpit to Pulpit July 5-6: Luna Run/Walk Race Valley Pizza & Party Farm, 4-8pm

Thursday

JULY 6: • Pete’s Hamburger’s 110th Anv. 5K Race! Prairie du Chien • Michael McElrath, McCaffrey’s, Decorah • Them Coulee Boys w/ Driftless Sisters, Trempealeau Hotel, 6:30pm

“Under Pressure” Juried Printmaking Show, through August 11, Lanesboro Arts. Sponsored by Inspire(d)!

July 9-13: Winneshiek County Fair, Decorah

Wilderman’s Treetop Tales, Decorah Library, 1:30pm

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20 Viroqua Fly-In Digital Breakfast, 7:30am-12pm Planetarium, Decorah Library

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National Norwegian Folk Art Exhibition, through July 27, Vesterheim, Decorah

MN Beethoven Festival runs through July 21, Winona, MN

Monday

July

Sunday

fun stuff to do

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JR Brink Band, The OP, Lansing

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Rhythm by Viroqua Night Market, the River w/ Eckhart Park, RavensFire, 6-9pm Preston, MN Trailhead, 6-8pm

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Guttenberg’s River of Music, every Friday, 6-8pm, Ingleside Park

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Over the Back Fence, St. Mane, Lanesboro, 7:30pm

Todd Snider, Englert, Iowa City

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Aug 16-18: Seed Savers Exchange Annual Seed School

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AUG 31: • Charles Walker Band, McCaffrey’s, Decorah • Brothers Osborne, McGrath Amphitheatre, Cedar Rapids

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Sept 7-8: Land Management Workshop, Eagle Bluff

32 Aug 30-31: Labor Day Weekend at Luna Valley Farm, Decorah!

30

Rocktide, McCaffrey’s, Decorah

30 24 Hop Harvest Festival!

Sweet 16 Farm, Rural Houston, MN

Aug 17-18: Art in the Park, Elkader

Brothers, McCaffrey’s, Decorah

17 Rutabaga

2nd Saturday @ MN Marine Art Museum, Winona, 10am-5pm

33 Coming Up: Sept 21 – SidieFest Community Trail Building Day, Viroqua!

AUG 30: • Tonic Sol-Fa, Cresco Opera House • Squirrel Tail, Courtyard & Cellar, Decorah, 7pm

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Pulpit Rock Bend & Brew, 10:45am

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Patsy & Plum St. Band, McCaffrey’s

Saturday

27 3 Aug 3-4: Aug 2-3: Becoming an Iowa’s Annual Outdoor Family, Tax Free Eagle Bluff, Weekend Lanesboro 26

Friday

AUG 3: • Kayak Demo Day w/ Crawdad Outfitters, Lake Meyer, Calmar • Seed Saver’s Benefit Concert, Decorah

“Seth Casteel: Tom Carpenter, Underwater Waukon Music Dogs” opens in the Park, 7pm AUG 24: Aug 23, MN • Crawford County Fair 5k, Prairie du Chien Aug 23-25: Marine Art • Independence, IA BrewBQ Festival Great River Museum, • ‘First Daughter and the Black Snake’ showing, Folk Festival, Winona Winona County History Center, 1:30pm La Crosse

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WI State Gravel Bike Championship – of the World!

Viroqua

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Cars & Coffee, Kickapoo Coffee Café, Viroqua, 8-11am

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American Players Theater 2019 Season runs June 8-Oct 9, Spring Green, WI

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LB & the HiVolts, The OP, Lansing

Fossil Hunting in Fillmore County, Eagle Bluff

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25 2nd Annual Buffalo Bill Days Sip & Savor Fundraiser, Lanesboro

Thursday

Aug 8-18: Iowa State Fair!

Guttenberg German Band, Waukon Music in the Park, 7pm

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24 Aug 1-4: Buffalo Bill Days Lanesboro

Wednesday

AUG 2: • Luther Summer Preview Day • Rocktide, ROM Guttenberg, 6-8pm • Gentleman’s Anti-Temperance League, Courtyard & Cellar 7pm

Eric Carranza, Musician in Residence, Lanesboro Arts, August 5 - September 2

Tuesday

AUG 10: • Western Days Art Fair, Chatfield, MN • Goldie Kids’ Club, Vesterheim, 10am • The Stevens, Haiku Generator, Courtyard & Cellar, 7pm • Flashback, McCaffrey’s, Decorah

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Summer PopUp Art Shop, Daily June 28 through Aug 3, ArtHaus, Decorah

Monday

August

Sunday

fun stuff to do

25W/ $25B

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Tuesday

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Wednesday

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Thursday

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1

Inspire(d) World’s Greatest Party

Friday

Date (not included in word count): Worlds Greatest Party! 7-10 pm.

Inspire(d) invites you to the greatest party ever! We’ll have amazing amounts of fun! See you there! www.website.com

Monday

Saturday

Questions? Email benji@iloveinspired.com

(Direct link: iloveinspired.com/25-words-25-bucks/)

See - we told you about our amazing fictional party in less than 25 words! On the visual calendar (like the one at left), your event will be listed along with a number that corresponds. People can just scan on over to the following pages to get the details!

Sunday

Simple! We get an email with all your details exactly as you’d like to see them in the listing, and then we add it to the calendar!

It works like this: 1. Go to iloveinspired.com and click on the 25W/$25B sidebar box 2. Enter your information in our online form 3. Click through to PayPal to complete the transaction

Thus we’ve implemented a simple, expandable list of events for the pages following our regular calendars. Those who are planning “fun stuff to do” get a guaranteed spot on the calendar and in that event listing by purchasing “25 Words/$25 Bucks.”

We know it’s a tough racket to put on live music, activities, and special events, so we want to give you a chance to get the word out without breaking the bank.

Calendar time is always an exciting time at Inspire(d) Headquarters. “Just how much can we fit on there this month?!?” In recent years, what we had chosen for these lovely pages had been entirely editorial and subjective. We figured, hey, you like our magazine, so you’ll probably like the fun stuff to do that we pick out from around our region. But we’re running out of space and want you, our lovely readers, friends, and fellow event planners, to be able to tell us a little more about your fun.

25 Words/$25 Bucks

7

Looking for more details about events on the calendars?

Check out these great summer activities! In chronological order, each event’s number coincides with its number on the calendar!

20. July 15: Digital Planetarium @ DPL! Bring the family to lie down under the stars and learn all about the constellations in the night sky with Lilly Jensen from Winneshiek County Conservation. 1:30 pm – 4 pm (5 seatings) www.decorah.lib.ia.us 21. July 19-20: La Crosse Storytelling Festival. New digs; new date.

Join us for the STORIES at the Pump House. www.lacrossestoryfest.com 22. July 20: Decorah’s Ridiculous Day! Enjoy downtown sidewalk sales! Many of your favorite retailers will be offering ridiculous savings on clothing, gifts, accessories, and more. www.decorahareachamber.com

25W/ $25B

23. July 22: David Casas Magic @ DPL! Prepare to be amazed by mind-blowing magic, hilarious family-friendly comedy, and plenty of audience interaction! 1:30 pm. www.decorah.lib.ia.us

24. August 1-4: Lanesboro Buffalo Bill Days. Entertainment for the whole family. Food, Beverages, Live Music, Parade, Fireworks, Sporting Tournaments, Free Kids Games & MORE! www.lanesboro-mn.gov • FB-BuffaloBillDays

31. August 25: Wisconsin State Gravel Bike Championship of The World!!! Come grind Vernon County Wisconsin’s finest gravels with a pack of like minded racers. Race HQ in Viroqua - info: www.bluedogcycles.com

HANDCRAFTED IN DECORAH, IOWA

32. August 30-31: Labor Day weekend at Luna Valley Farm!

We’re open both Friday and Saturday night from 4-8pm for wood fired pizza, drinks and community. www.lunavalleyfarm.com COMING UP! 33. September 21: Get your boots dirty at SidieFest Community Trail Building Day! Vernon Trails’ trail crew will guide crews on various singletrack projects throughout Sidie Hollow near Viroqua.

Fun. Community. Dirt. Trails.

Revelry. Info: www.bluedogcycles.com

207 College Drive, Decorah 563-380-3610 pulpitrockbrewing.net Open 7 Days A Week

OPEN MAY - OCTOBER. FRIDAYS 4-8 PM

25. August 1: 2nd annual Buffalo Bill Days Sip & Savor Fundraiser. $25.00 15 vendors sampling wine, craft beer and spirits. Food, Door prizes, live music & more.

26. August 2-3: Iowa’s annual Tax Free Weekend! Shop for apparel Friday and Saturday without the sales tax. Apparel priced under $100 is tax exempt for two days! www.decorahareachamber.com 27. August 3-4: Becoming an Outdoors Family Weekend at Eagle Bluff! A weekend camp of memories exploring the outdoors and learning hands-on skills. June 15-16. Register at eaglebluffmn.org

WOOD FIRED PIZZA. GLAMPING. SMALL BATCH BEEF, PORK, & LAMB.

3012 Middle Sattre Rd, Decorah, IA . lunavalleyfarm.com

28. August 10: Pulpit Rock Bend & Brew! Come enjoy a Reefuel smoothie, an hour of yoga, and a delicious Pulpit Rock Beer when you’re done. 10:45am-12pm, Sign up at PRB or online https://squareup.com/store/pulpitrockbrewing 29. August 11: Fossil Hunting in Fillmore County! Collect fossils older than dinosaurs! Located at Whispering Winds, Spring Valley.

Sponsored by Eagle Bluff. Register under “Events” at eaglebluffmn.org.

30. August 24: Hop Harvest Festival, Sweet 16 Farm, rural Houston, MN Music and family fun from 3-10pm, camping available on site. sweet16farm.com/hop-harvest/ iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

15

Steps Back in Time Foot-Notes Scandinavian Music Keeps Dancers Turning at Highlandville Schoolhouse

BY KRISTINE JEPSEN

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A

s the summer sun dips behind the bluffs in Northeast Iowa, cars nudge along the shaley white gravel to Highlandville, a quiet hamlet on South Bear Creek, one of Iowa’s most pristine trout fisheries. Drivers who haven’t been here before take the turns cautiously – cell reception and GPS mapping having dropped off miles ago – drifting slowly by the historic hospital building-turned-B&B, past the landmark Highland General Store and Campground, ‘til you can see your destination – Highlandville Schoolhouse – just across the creek, its porch light shining like a beacon.

If your car windows are down as you drive in, you’ll hear the draw immediately: A fiddle, mandolin, guitar and upright bass – the acclaimed Decorah band Foot-Notes – are tuning up, and laughter and conversation

Highlandville in 1991 / Photo courtesy Beth Hoven Rotto

spill through the open schoolhouse windows, where an eager crowd of all ages lines an open dance floor. Then, with a long draw across the fiddle strings, the first dance tune unfurls, in perfect time with the steps of partnered bodies. Another Highlandville dance is in motion.

It’s fun, yes, and welcoming – partners glad-hand away from each other as dance steps pick up. But deeper is the feeling that these celebrated events create a live connection between this Scandinavian community’s heritage and its future, as the music is passed down, measure-by-measure, artist-to-artist.

According to Foot-Notes founding fiddler, Beth Hoven Rotto, Highlandville School dances started around 1974 – before Foot-Notes time – when fiddlers Bill Sherburne and Johannes Sollien (and their bands) crossed paths with artists Dean and Geri Schwarz, who ran a pottery school in Highlandville, and Luis Torres, a local history professor at Luther College in Decorah. Acclaimed poet Joseph Langland, originally from the area, and his brother Walter (and Maurice) Langland of rural Highlandville also had a hand in rallying the community to share traditional waltzes, polkas, two-steps, and schottisches. The schottische, which can baffle the first-timer, is a partner dance akin to Continued on next page

17

DO YOU MISS PLAYING?

Join us!

The OVCO is located in Decorah, Iowa & serves the residents of the tri-state area.

We have openings! No audition necessary.

Section Violin Section Cello Principal Bass

Section Bass Percussion www.ovcorchestra.org

Our Mission: To present live classical music to the residents of the Oneota Valley, to promote music education, and to provide the opportunity for amateur and professional musicians to continue a lifelong study and performance of classical music.

Mark your calendars for

fun!

JUNE 15: Dani Lin – Psychic Medium JULY 18-21: CCT Productions present 9 to 5 The Musical AUG 30: Tonic Solfa SEPT 21: Joseph Hall – Elvis: Rock N’ Remember OCT 12: The Whitesidewalls OCT 24: A Neil Diamond Tribute

Showing movies nightly at 7 pm and a Sunday matinee at 2 pm

Rent the Opera House for large events or Champlin Hall for reunions, showers & more.

Visit crescotheatreoperahouse.com or call 563-547-1066 for details

18

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

Photos clockwise from top left: 1. Foot-Notes – Beth Hoven Rotto, Jon Rotto, Bill Musser, and John Goodin. 2. A Highlandville Dance in 1990, with Bill Sherburne on fiddle. 3. Beth and Jon’s daughter, Ingrid, sleeps in Bill Musser’s bass case during a dance. 4. A Highlandville Dance.

5. An illustration of a Highlandville Dance by Decorah artist Carl Homstad. (Photos courtesy Beth Hoven Rotto’s awesome scrapbook)

American square-dancing, but with few called figures and more trading places – sometimes partners – as the whole dance turns counterclockwise around the room. Left and right steps, turning steps, and hop steps are its trademarks.

It was about mid-century, says Foot-Notes bass player and Spring Grove, Minnesota, native Bill Musser, that the, uh, reserved Norwegian Lutherans loosened up a bit about the ‘impropriety’ of partner dancing, and the Highlandville Dances became an intergenerational draw. Older dancers, including locals Arnold Munkel and Lester and Genevieve Bentley, taught younger ones, with a palpable urgency to ensure that new enthusiasts understand the freedom and festivity of folk dancing. Born into a very musical farm family, Bill attended the early events. “I remember dancing past midnight sometimes,” he explains. “Just couldn’t get enough of it!”

Foot-Notes rhythm guitar player Jon Rotto (married to Beth, above) agrees that the opportunity felt extraordinary from the very beginning. “When I first discovered the dances in Highlandville, it was a huge relief over the ‘sock hop’ stress of having to make up your own moves to the rock music of high school and college,” he says of his days drifting the back roads to the schoolhouse as a student at Luther College. “The simple set of moves for each type of dance is predetermined, yet your creativity can take you beyond the basic dance, once you’re familiar.”

Highlandville School itself, built in 1911 and in service until 1964, commands a kind of reverence, Jon continues. “It’s not unlike a

Decorah, Iowa

JULY 25-27 3 FUN DAYS of arts, entertainment, events, activities & food!

www.nordicfest.com

Like Nordic Fest on Facebook

church, with its high ceilings and pendant lights – a vestige of an earlier time, with its outhouses and lack of indoor plumbing. Soon a sense of adventure starts lifting you along.”

Writing from his current home in Lørenskog, Norway, Jim Skurdall, Foot-Notes’ original mandolin player, says he never got over the lucky happenstance that seemed to crop up around traditional folk music – and the people playing it – in this corner of the Driftless.

As a stranger road-tripping through Decorah in 1990, he – and a mandolin rented from Kephart’s Music – were invited off the cuff

by Jon’s sister-in-law, Liz Rog, to what would be the first ever FootNotes tune-tooling session.

Continued on next page

iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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“After a potluck dinner, we struck up some music and exchanged a few tunes, but we didn’t know yet it was the start of something,” says Jim. The music itself convinced him to cancel his trek to the East Coast and stay – for what would be decades. Like the other members, he went on to pen tunes for the group and became beloved for his singing of old tunes in their native Norwegian. “I always enjoyed watching folks coming into the schoolhouse for the first time, usually with big grins on their faces, looks of amazement.

The atmosphere says: ‘You’re new at this? So are we! Jump in!”

But – none of it happens without the live dance band, the music a bright torch passed on by Bill Sherburne and other old-timers.

The person carrying that flame is fiddler Beth Rotto. In the 1980s, Beth was a violinist at Luther College and folk dance enthusiast. She sought out Sherburne directly when she heard murmurings of his retirement and asked to apprentice with him as part of an Iowa Arts Council grant.

“My heart sank, though, when I arrived at Bill’s door, and he looked less than enthused to see me,” she explains. “But everything changed when I brought Jon in on guitar, and suddenly, we had a band. Bill started preparing for our visits, often presenting tunes he claimed he hadn’t thought of in years. I attempted to copy everything about how he played – not just the music, but his bowing and sometimes even the set of his jaw. After our apprenticeship ended, I continued to play beside him for the rest of his life.”

Beth is Norwegian-modest about the music transcription she performs – a process she has mastered to Foot-Notes benefit, developing a shorthand for taking down tunes she hears on recordings, from other musicians, and at festivals. She’ll jot down chord progressions, writing the letters above or below the last to

indicate which way the melody is moving on the scale. Then, as the tune repeats itself, she’ll sketch in how the measures break and other phrasing tips to jog her memory when she goes to reproduce it on her fiddle. “Usually by the third pass through – dance tunes tend to cycle in threes – I’ve got it,” she explains.

This skill is the key – it’s how folk music gets etched into recorded history and rejuvenated as new players take it up. All the Foot-Notes members are attuned to it, listening for pieces they haven’t heard before. “In the early days, Beth would call and leave messages on my home voicemail with a melody to a new tune,” Jim Skurdall says. “I would work up harmony lines and leave a message back. Then when we all got together to play, we had a new tune well underway.”

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To date, Foot-Notes has more than 120 pieces on “active” recall, including polkas, waltzes, two-steps, schottisches, authentically Norwegian melodies, such as, “Orevalsen” and “Klemmet Ole,” and a group of songs they lovingly refer to as “miscellaneous.”

Among them is the “Butterfly,” a tune that picks up in pace and intensity until dancers are fairly flying around the room. At one

Foot-Notes at a 2019 Decorah graduation party / Photo by Kristine Jepsen

1994 performance in the newly restored barn at Luther College, a dancer came down so hard he put his leg through the floor (unhurt, though!). “We refer to that dance as the time Foot-Notes brought down whole barns,” Jon jokes, though most performances – for private parties, weddings, anniversaries and other celebrations – don’t usually get so rowdy.

In 2015, commemorating 25 years together, Foot-Notes hosted the World’s Largest Schottische, with 1,881 registered dancers during Decorah’s annual Nordic Fest. See the video and purchase the World’s Largest Schottische dance tune at www.footnotes. dance/. The band has produced four full-length records so far, one of which, My Father Was a Fiddler, includes a companion tunebook. FootNotes also contributed to the 1996 Festival of American Folklife CD, Iowa State Fare: Music from the Heartland, a project of Smithsonian Folkways.

But the best introduction, if you’re so lucky, is to hear Foot-Notes in their native habitat – at a Highlandville Dance. As the night winds down and dancers begin to gather their discarded shoes and sweaters, or perhaps, to collect sleepy small children from the nests they’ve made in coats in the corner, you’ll hear one signature tune without fail: Highlandville Waltz. Penned by then-college-students, Greg Huang-Dale and Continued on next page

Planning an event this year?

Business Groups • Private Parties • Weddings • & More

Book one of our venues, and let us take care of the rest!

Historic Hotel • Event Venues • Restaurant | hotelwinn.com • 104 E. Water St. Decorah, IA • 1.800.998.4164

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ACUPUNCTURE QIGONG HERBAL MEDICINE Erik Sessions, this lilting dance signals the close of a sweet summer respite. It’s not the end, per se, but a gentle send-off, as for old friends. “Until next time,” it suggests, when no further words come.

“I can’t express it very well, but the value of community dancing is undeniable,” says current mandolin player John Goodin, who is beloved by his fellow band members for his ability to sub in and improvise on virtually every instrument between them. “Every single time, I come home a happier, healthier, and better person, thankful that I could be a small part of that special experience,” he says.

“It is always a Good Thing.”

acupuncturecenterdecorah.com 563.382.9309 309 W. Broadway Decorah, Iowa

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Kristine Jepsen is born-bred a Band Geek and considers the Highlandville dances, local contra dances, and other active musical treasures to be the most valuable assets of the Driftless community.

When not barefoot on a wooden dance floor, she’s writing for literary journals and small businesses, with a deepening interest in life stories, end-of-life poetry, and other creative work as part of palliative care. More at kristinejepsen.com.

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

Upcoming Dances June 22:

Highlandville School Dance, 8-11pm Directions: Map/GPS “Highlandville General Store” at 3497 Highlandville Rd, Decorah, Iowa Wear layers (dances get warm!) and shoes you can turn/spin in (or take off, if it suits you!)

July 27:

Nordic Fest Street Dance, 8:30-10:30pm Courthouse Square, Main Street, Decorah, Iowa More at www.nordicfest.com.

July 28:

Nordic Fest Street Dance, 7-10pm Canopy 2 - Intersection of Water and Washington streets, Decorah, Iowa More at www.nordicfest.com

250 artists.

7 days a week.

1 gallery.

A 2010 Highlandville Dance / Photo by Ellen MacDonald

To keep time with Foot-Notes performances, join the public group on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/groups/footnotesfans/ Or find them online: www.footnotes.dance

The New Ole Hendricks Orchestra Fiddler Beth Hoven Rotto is also in another band, The New Ole Hendricks Orchestra. Watch for their CD release concert in Decorah later this summer.

The recording features tunes rediscovered in a most amazing tale stretching across continents and generations painstakingly researched and reimagined by a surprising assemblage of far-flung performers.

Master fiddler Ole Hendricks (born 1851 in Norway – died 1935 in Minnesota) left a dancehall full of rare tunes in his 97-page, handwritten tunebook, which has miraculously survived and is now revived by Norwegian fiddler Vidar Skrede, local musician Beth Hoven Rotto, and seasoned performers Amy Shaw, Chris Bashor, David Tousley, and special guest, Bob Douglas.

CDs for both The New Ole Hendricks Orchestra and Foot-Notes are available at Vesterheim Museum Store and Oneota Community Coop in Decorah or by contacting bethrotto@gmail.com.

Great Gifts Readings & Signings

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www.dragonflybooks.com iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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TATTOO Identity Through Ink JUNE 1, 2019 - APRIL 26, 2020 JUNE 1—OPENING EVENT

with exclusive Valkyrie Strike IPA from Toppling Goliath Brewery and live tattooing in the gallery Community Open House: July 18—Free admission

Live Tattooing in the Gallery during Nordic Fest:

July 25—Pre-scheduled with Brock Swenson July 26 and 27—Walk-in tattoos with Erica Bessler

Fall Lecture Series:

Including Lars Krutak, Guest Curator Dates to be announced

Check vesterheim.org for event details.

In the Museum Store: Temporary Tattoos inspired by objects in the collection

Bombers of Toppling Goliath Valkyrie Strike IPA

Sponsored by Nick and Courtney Rowley

with community partners Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. and Brock’s Valhalla Tattoo

FINd THE

magic INTRO & INFOGRAPHIC

BY ARYN HENNING NICHOLS

R

emember that first-day-of-summer feeling when you were a kid? It was like you had all the time in the world, and every day was a new chance for adventure and magic.

Our daughter, Roxie, was just a little tiny baby, I swear!

But somehow, she is turning seven years old this summer. I know, that’s still pretty young, but even from this vantage point in our parenting lives, we can see that the years are going to keep slipping by, each one quicker than the last.

So I’m looking at this summer as a great time to try to slow that down a bit. Find the magic. Make the most out of the

grocery bulk produce deli cheese meat bakery wine/beer supplements body care

long, sunny days and star-filled nights. And even if you don’t have kids, it’s good to have a reminder to embrace this fleeting season. Honestly, it’s good to have a reminder to embrace every single day!

Want some inspiration on how to do that? We’ve put together a few ideas to help jump-start the fun, remind you of what’s important, and find the magic.

There are only so many summers in our lives, friends! We hope this one is a great one for you all.

Live it up! XO - Aryn

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iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

25

Catch (and release) fireflies!

What’s that one look like?

A sloth? A unicorn?

There’s no wrong answer here!

Go cloud-gazing

Is it a beautiful day? Can you change your plans to enjoy it? Do it, do it, do it!

Seize the day!

Carpe Diem

Another option: Head to Starlite 14, a drive-in movie theater in Richland Center, WI

Watch an outdoor movie!

Chalk your sidewalks!

It brightens the vibe immediately!

There are plenty of inexpensive ways to project movies onto a wall or screen these days. Make some popcorn, spread out blankets, and settle in!

Summer

MAGIC this

Find the

Read a book in a hammock!

Hit up all the hot spots folks travel for miles to see, grab lunch (or take it to go for a picnic), and find renewed appreciation for this magical place.

Check out your town like a tourist

Design by Aryn Henning Nichols / Inspire(d) Media

• Build a fort!

• Make a project (check out Inspire(d)s many paper projects) • Go to a local museum

Rainy day?

Dunning’s Spring • Malanaphy Springs • Siewers Spring – Decorah, IA Stephen Falls, Governor Dodge State Park – Dodgeville, WI Niagara Cave – there’s a waterfall inside! – Harmony, MN

Do go chasing waterfalls

String some twinkly lights up out there!

Even better yet, invite friends to join you!

Eat outside

Go to the pool (Try checking out Spring Grove’s aquatic center!)

Set up a sprinkler in your yard Jump in a lake, wade in a stream, canoe down a river!

Ready, set, get wet!

Go take a hike!

Roll down the windows & turn up the music!

We are your full-service landscape solution.

DESIGN • INSTALL CULTIVATE

Jeff Scott . 563-379-1101 driftlessgardendesign.com After your massage... take a breath.

b

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Only 30 minutes away from Decorah, this full service community offers a variety of great dining options, unique antique, furniture & gift shops, & exciting recreational opportunities. Explore Niagara Cave, tour the Amish countryside, & pedal your way through 60 miles of paved bike trail! Harmony also offers a wide array of businesses ready to meet your every need.

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Chef/Owner Matt Brown 121 Main Avenue N 507.886.1234

Amish Tours of Harmony Experience a lifestyle...

Enjoy an exciting tour of Harmony’s Amish community with one of our knowledgeable guides!

Mini Bus Tours . Car Tours . Group Bus Tours . Spring thru Fall Call 507-886-2303 or 800-752-6474 . www.amish-tours.com

HARMONY

Golf Club

Open to the public daily Tuesday Ladies Day Thursday Mens Day

Carts Available

Your one-stop hometown hardware store • 507-886-2323 Mon - Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4 We deliver anywhere!

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Niagara Cave & Mini Golf Nationally recognized as one of the Top Ten Caves in the United States

On our 1-hour guided tour…

Banquet facilities available for meetings or special events

535 4th St. NE • 507-866-5622 • harmonygolfclub.com From Hwy 52 N, turn east on 4th St. (Kwik Trip Corner), go 3 blocks

Also enjoy…

RE/MAX

• Miniature Golf • Concessions • Gemstone Mining • Picnic Grounds • Unique Gifts

25 W. Center St., Harmony, MN Office: 507-886-4221 • Cell: 507-458-6110 Roxanne Johnson Broker, Owner ABR, CRS, GRI

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Peak

6 Lookouts You Don’t Want to Miss!

summer!

BY BENJI NICHOLS

D

o you love a good view? Hoping for the perfect photo opportunity to memorialize your summer in the Driftless? Want to get an epic vantage point for sunset or sunrise? Check out this list of six area lookouts that’ll give you some of the best views around. Have we piqued your interest?

(Haha!) Get to one of these peaks and take it alllll in!

Happy adventuring!

Sugar Loaf – Winona, Minnesota

Sugar Loaf bluff sits high above Winona, Minnesota, its rock spear acting as a beacon, as it has for many years. The well-known rock pinnacle was formed from limestone mining in the late 1800s, although the bluff itself has been a river landmark for centuries.

Continued >

Preston Get Hooked.

June 13 – The Lonely Knees

Bring your lawn chairs to Preston Trailhead Park Thursdays, 6-8 pm - June 13, July 11, & August 15, for a new music series! Food for sale on site!

July 11 – Wayward

August 15 – The RavensFire Band

Plan your visit today – gethookedonpreston.com | 507.765.2100 iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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It features an easy drive to an overlook that offers an expansive view of the river, surrounding bluffs, and the city of Winona. The Sugar Loaf area has also come to serve another purpose as well: rock climbing! Winona is quickly becoming known for their outdoor recreation efforts, including climbing instruction and groups.

Mound Bluff TRIP – Trempealeau, WISCONSIN

Did you know that around 1,000 years ago, just above Trempealeau, Wisconsin on the mighty Mississippi River, there was an incredibly sophisticated settlement of native “Mississippians”? The Little Bluff Mounds Interpretive Trail showcases the history of the bluff-top settlement, where three temple mounds still stand. With one of the most spiritual views of the Mississippi River in our region, it is no wonder that Native Americans found this place special. Make your TRIP (Trempealeau Interpretive Path) a trifecta, by visiting the Shirley M Wright Library for more information about the Native culture, as well as Perrot State Park with more 500-foot bluff views! www.tremptrip.com

Mount Hosmer – Lansing, Iowa

If we had to pick our favorite “historical story to name a bluff” in the Driftless, Mount Hosmer would most likely win! So goes the tale of the 1,040-foot bluff with a panoramic view of the Mississippi Valley above Lansing, Iowa: Back in the steamboat days, boats often stopped at Lansing for a spell while on the way up or down the river. Upon one of these stops in the 1850s, passengers decided to have a foot race up the nearest bluff. It was one Ms. Harriet Goodhue Hosmer, a well-known sculptor originally from Massachusetts, who won the race to the summit, and thus had it named after her. Well, that’s the tale that’s told anyway, and we think it’s a pretty fine story. Drive or run (or walk) your way to the halfway look out, or all the way to the top for great views, a beautiful Veterans Memorial, as well as picnicking and more. Blow a kiss over Lansing while you’re up there – it’s such a lovely little river town.

Pikes Peak – McGregor, Iowa

Just outside of McGregor, Iowa is Pikes Peak State Park. A stunning view of the upper Mississippi River Valley showcases the confluence

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of the Wisconsin River from over 500 feet above. With its showcase, double-deck viewing area, and beautiful park and picnicking area, Pikes Peak should be a once-a-summer (at least!) visit for anyone in our region. If your hiking shoes are aching to get in the dirt, Pikes Peak is a perfect place to get out! Eleven and a half miles of trails take guests through wooded bluffs and valleys, past walls of Decorah limestone, fossil and even Bridal Veil Falls – or Point Ann, overlooking the quaint town of McGregor.

Magelssen Bluff Park – Rushford, Minnesota

Tucked away on Highway 43 in Southern Minnesota is the beautiful small town of Rushford, at the convergence of Rush Creek and the Root River. Magelssen Park has three scenic overlooks, with an open panorama of the area for several miles.

Drive or hike on beautiful trails to several picnic areas, and the Rushford Burr Oak tree –estimated to be nearly 200 years old and one of the largest in Minnesota! As far as we’re concerned, this is one of the region’s most tucked-away, yet accessible parks – perfect for a day of hiking, views, and a picnic – and close enough to town for an ice cream cone, lefse, or an iced coffee afterwards.

Palisades Park – Decorah, Iowa

On the east end of scenic downtown Decorah lies the 105-acre Palisades Park.

With a one-way driving loop, and several miles of single track hiking and biking, the top of the bluff provides a fantastic view of Decorah and the Upper Iowa River Valley. Firepits and grills are set amongst thoughtfully located picnic tables to take advantage of the great views, while also enjoying the shade of the bluff-top trees. Worth noting, the road to Palisades is only open seasonally (Spring-Fall), but is also groomed for cross-country skiing as natural snowfall allows in the winter.

Palisades Park is near Ice Cave Park, as well as the 120-acre Barbara Barnhart Van Peenen Memorial Park, which offers many more miles of single track hiking and mountain biking trails.

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Get some music in your life this summer!

Summertime in the Midwest means a lot of things, but special outdoor music events hit the top of our list each year! There are lots of great shows happening all season, but we picked out a handful that we’d definitely suggest adding to your calendar:

Gray Area – August 9, rural Iowa City – Don’t miss your chance to hang out at the Flat Black Studio farm with William Elliott Whitmore, Appleseed Cast, American Cream, Catfish Keith, and more. Camping available and encouraged. www.flatblackstudios.com/grey-area

Dead Horses, Summer Solstice Show at Luna Valley, June 22, Decorah – Join Dead Horses as they bring their full-band sound for a phenomenal outdoor show in a very special rural Northeast Iowa setting: Luna Valley Farm. Gates opens at 5 pm for Wood Fired Pizza & drinks, Dead Horses play at 7:30 pm. www.lunavalleyfarm.com

People Fest - August 8-10, Driftless Music Gardens near Yuba, Wisconsin – Join Todd Snider, Blackfoot Gypsies, People Brothers Band, Natty Nation, Pine Travelers, and many more at this special little corner of the world. Camping, community, and summer revelry at it’s finest. www.driftlessmusicgardens. com/people-fest Hop Harvest Music Fest August 24, Sweet 16 Farm near Houston, Minnesota – Head to this sweet (pun intended) farm for a family-friendly party! Check out Them Coulee Boys, The Lowest Pair, Driftless Sisters, My Grandma’s Cardigan, and Jaybone Bell. There will be vendors, craft beer, kids activities, and wood fired pizza too. Find more info and buy tickets at sweet16farm.com.

The Driftless Music Festival, July 13, Viroqua, Wisconsin – FREE! Join in this fantastic community festival as Eckhart Park becomes home to The Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Honky-Tonk Jump, Orquestra MAS, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, and the Dead Horses’ Sarah Vos and Daniel Wolff at Luna Valley Farm in 2018 Brotherhood Singers. Music starts at 1pm and goes until evening, with snacks, food, Boats &…… Bluegrass! Winona, September 26-29 – Ok, so and beverages on the grounds. This is a free, very family friendly technically Boats & Bluegrass isn’t until September, but we can’t event! www.driftlessmusicfestival.com help but plug this amazing local roots festival alongside the Mississippi river in Winona. 2019 is a Who’s Who of Midwest roots Seed Saver’s Benefit Concert, August 3, rural Decorah – Seed music, including Charlie Parr, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Shook Savers Exchange is bringing back the ever-popular Benefit Concert Twins, Pert Near Sandstone, Dead Horses, Them Coulee Boys, this summer, featuring Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles, Lowest Pair, Barbaro, Stanton West – all MC’d by regional poet and Lissie, Dave Huckfelt of The Pines, Pieta Brown, Michael Rosetto, new-time roustabout, Pete Engen. Camping, music, boats & canoes, and special guest Mr. Greg Brown. Gates open at 5 pm, show at 7 food, and tasty beverages on site. What are you waiting for? Get pm, and camping is available on-site. This is guaranteed to be one your tickets and make plans to be there! of the most amazing nights of the summer – see you there! www. www.boatsandbluegrass.com seedsavers.org

restaurant • 24 taps • three bars gift shop • brewery tours iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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Wonderful, Historical

WINNESHIEK COUNTY

LAURA INGALLS WILDER PARK & MUSEUM Open May 1 to mid-October

3603 236th Ave. Burr Oak, Iowa 563-735-5916. lauraingallswilder.us

In 1876, after suffering through two years of grasshopper plagues, the Ingalls family left Walnut Grove, MN, and traveled to Burr Oak, IA, to help manage the Masters Hotel. Laura was nine years old. The Masters Hotel, registered on the National Register of Historical Places, is the only childhood home of Laura Ingalls Wilder that remains on its original site. Burr Oak is often referred to as “The Missing Link” in the Little House book series.

BILY CLOCKS MUSEUM Open May-October

323 S Main St. Spillville, Iowa 563-562-3569. www.bilyclocks.org

From 1913 to 1958, brothers Frank and Joseph Bily (bee-lee) hand-carved nine clocks depicting history, art, religion, and culture. Hundreds of expertly carved figures cover the large – some over nine feet tall – works of art. The Museum houses the entire collection. The second floor is dedicated to the famous Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, who lived there with his family the summer of 1893.

PORTER HOUSE MUSEUM 401 W Broadway St. Decorah, Iowa 563-382-8465. www.porterhousemuseum.org

Open Daily June 1-Aug 31 Open Weekends May, Sept. - Oct.

The Porter House Museum is located in the former Decorah home of Adelbert Field Porter (1879 – 1968) and Grace Young Porter (1880 – 1964). “Bert” was a naturalist, collector, and photographer who traveled throughout the world in pursuit of butterflies, rocks, and other curiosities. Museum visitors experience the historic travels, art, and collections against the backdrop of Victorian elegance that was their home and heritage.

VESTERHEIM MUSEUM 520 W. Water St. Decorah, Iowa 563-382-9681. vesterheim.org

Open Daily

Vesterheim National Norwegian-American Museum and Heritage Center showcases more than 33,000 artifacts, 12 historic buildings, a Folk Art School, and lots more on its block-wide campus. Inside, there’s a ship and full-sized rooms (and ship bunks) where you can experience what life might have been like in Norway and for a Norwegian immigrant.

Discover more at VisitDecorah.com Visit one of our museums! Request a visitors guide today! 563-202-7160 • info@visitdecorah.com

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iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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A STORIED

BY SARA WALTERS

Everybody loves a good story – from tall tales to fairy tales to ghost stories around the campfire to a stage full of actors, performing the scripts of Shakespeare (and others!).

Stories transport us, remind us of our history – our joy and our sorrow – and bring us together for a fleeting bit of magic. Add to your summer story by checking out one – or all – of these fun theatres and story-telling events across the Driftless this year.

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summer

American Players Theatre – Spring Green, Wisconsin

T

he scene is set: You’ve got great friends, snacks, and a sense of anticipation along as you head off to the beautiful American Players Theatre (APT) in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

Get there early to enjoy your pre-show picnic and the ambiance of the outdoor amphitheater, with sounds of whippoorwills and cicada floating through the air.

And then, find your spot – the show is about to begin.

“Nature definitely plays an active role in our outdoor theater,” says Jess Amend, APT’s Marketing Content Manager, explaining the charm of the Hill Theatre, where the outdoor APT plays are staged.

“Most of the performances start around dusk, so you get to watch the world transform as the play goes on. It’s really a full sensory experience – the breeze blows, and the stars and moon come out, and they’re the same stars and moon that Shakespeare’s plays have always been performed under.”

Continued on next page

Heartbreak House, 2018. Photo by Liz Lauren. / Courtesy American Players Theatre

iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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American Players Theatre – Spring Green, Wisconsin With a backdrop like this, it’s no wonder playgoers love APT. Not only it is a great excuse for a relaxing night out, but the elements of nature – like the occasional pigeon landing on stage – also ensure each experience will be unique. “It all adds dimension to the plays we produce here, and it’s a pretty spectacular way to spend an evening.”

Photo by Kelsi Wermuth / Courtesy APT

The storytelling in this setting is what truly makes the Theatre a must-see Driftless destination. “APT’s mission includes digging into really dense, poetic language. And that can be hard – for the actors and the audience – if you don’t do it right,” Jess says. This is why APT has a dedicated voice and text department – one of the strongest in the country – that helps bring stories to life in ways many have never

School-Year Programs: Children’s House – 3-6 years old E1 (lower elementary) – 6-9 years old + Summer Camps!

June-August

NORTHEAST IOWA neim.us 36

Montessori

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

The joy of discovery!

418 W. Water Street. Decorah, Iowa 52101. 563-382-6491

Sunday, June 16

Lake Street dive

Live at Big Grove Brewery - Iowa City with nicole atkins saturday, June 22

Tristen

Live at the Downtown Block Party - FREE with diplomats of solid sound, The Mystery Lights, & elly h.

Saturday, july 13

shemekia copeland

Live at North Liberty Blues & BBQ - FREE with southern culture on the skids, Gloria Hardiman, Joe & Vicki Price, and more!

aCTING oUT!

Black Violin impossible tour

fRIDAY, aUGUST 9

tODD sNIDER

Wednesday, October 16

An Evening with

tHURSDAY, sEPTEMBER 5

An Evening with

jUSTIN fURSTENFELD (of Blue October) Friday, September 6

Kathleen madigan HOT DOGS AND ANGELS TOUR SOCCER MOMMY Live at The Mill

saturday, september 21

Sunday, September 22

SUMMER YOUTH ACTING CAMP

wEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

there is no other tour

elizabeth moen

mONDAY, AUGUST 5

Photo by Mike McDermott / Courtesy APT

Wednesday, october 30

Rhiannon Giddens with Francesco turrisi

Branford Marsalis Wednesday, October 23

Marc Broussard Thursday, October 24

bianca del rio

presented by aeg

thursday, november 14

the cinematic orchestra

221. E. Washington St. Iowa City | Englert.org | (319) 688-2653

Photo by Kelsi Wermuth / Courtesy APT

seen before. “We often have audience members tell us that they never understood Shakespeare until they saw it at APT,” says Jess.

That, in combination with the chemistry and ease on stage of the actors, makes once-complicated, hard-to-interpret stories feel more digestible, Jess says. “People tell us these actors feel like family, and that’s a powerful thing, and a powerful element to add to any story.”

In addition to the newly renovated 1089-seat outdoor amphitheater, Hill Theatre, there’s the 201-seat indoor Touchstone Theatre. Mark your calendars to the APT 40th Anniversary party on July 21 featuring a first-ever arts installation.

American Players Theatre’s 2019 season’s plays (both indoor and out) are: Twelfth Night and Macbeth, both by William Shakespeare She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith August Wilson’s Fences by August Wilson The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson The Man of Destiny by George Bernard Shaw (indoors) A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur by Tennesee Williams (indoors) A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen (indoors) A Doll’s House, Part 2, by Lucas Hnath (indoors) See more info and buy tickets at americanplayers.org iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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The Great River Shakespeare Festival – Winona, Minnesota

Photos by Dan Norman / Courtesy GRSF

A

t the Great River Shakespeare Festival (GRSF) in Winona, Minnesota, they spend a lot of time investigating what is at the core of the story and the characters – translating the works of Shakespeare in new and exciting ways is both challenging

and rewarding. “Things like jealousy, love, and ambition are timeless, and there are always new ways to examine how those things affect us,” says Eileen Moeller, GRSF Marketing and Sales Director.

“Keeping productions relevant is very important to our company.”

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Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

This year’s production of Macbeth is a great example of how GRSF stays true to the core story and script, but also dips its toe into something new. Their website even suggests you should bring along a “Game of Thrones fan looking to take their fandom to another level” to enjoy the show. “Macbeth is a popular play because it’s dark and broody, but it also deals with ambition and power,” says Eileen. “It’s one that offers a lot to a lot of different people – famous lines for Shakespeare geeks and lots of swords and (fake) blood for those who like action.”

The stories, the costumes, and the set design are all top-notch at GRSF, but, like APT, it’s the atmosphere of community that keeps both audience and company coming back year after year. They’re expecting about 11,000 attendees for this year’s event. “If you’re not from town, you feel like you belong, and if you live in Winona, it’s like seeing old friends,” Eileen says. “For those of us in the company, it’s a combination of a family reunion and summer camp.”

“It’s a community,” she adds. “We want to tell stories together and discuss with our friends and neighbors what they mean for us, in this moment.”

This year’s Great River Shakespeare Festival – it’s 16th Season! – includes these plays: Cymbeline Macbeth No Child…

The Servant of Two Masters White Rabbit Red Rabbit Love’s Labors Lost (Apprentice/Intern Production) Mark your calendars for the Season 16 Opening Night Party after Macbeth on Saturday, June 29. Plus, new this year are two off-site performances at Forager Brewery in Rochester (July 11) and Pearl Street Brewery in La Crosse (July 14). Learn more and buy tickets at grsf.org.

Noteworthy: There are many opportunities for kids to get involved in GRSF through classes, like Shakespeare for: Young Actors; Young Designers; Young Filmmakers and more. Find details at grsf.org.

Chatfield Center for the arts

& the historic Potter Auditorium

Where All Ages Sing & Play

where culture, history, and community meet in the Southeast Minnesota’s Chosen Valley

Featuring a 650-seat auditorium plus a 100-person capacity convertible listening room in the heart of Chatfield, MN, Chatfield Center for the Arts is the place to experience original award-winning musicians or reconnect with the sounds of your favorites.

Bring the family for a free community concert or an afternoon of art making. Take in art exhibits in the 1916 Gallery. Rent space to host Where Big City Talent Performs a company party or family celebration.

Where the Music is Intimate

UP Next

June 7 | Backstage with Reina del Cid June 12 | Artaria String Quartet June 22| Stringwood Young Artists July 15 | Songs of Hope Where Creativity is Nurtured August 10 | Western Days Art Fair

405 Main St S | 507.884.7676

chatfieldarts.org

iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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Commonweal Theatre – Lanesboro, Minnesota

Est. 1961

People you can trust.

Quality you can depend on.

Colleen Barrett (left) and Fernanda Badeo in the 2018 production of The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl. Photo by Peterson Creative Photography & Design / Courtesy Commonweal Theatre Photo by Katrina Myrah / Courtesy Commonweal Theatre

Monday: 9am - 8pm Tues - Fri: 9am - 5pm Saturday: 9am - 3pm 3 goldsmiths 2 graduate gemologists 1 watchmaker 3 diamond setters

31 West Main Street Waukon, Iowa 800.932-7028 • 563.568-3661

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L

anesboro, Minnesota, is a charming little town that packs a punch, with outstanding recreational activities, exquisite art experiences, and beautiful Victorian houses. And one of the big pieces at the heart of Lanesboro is the Commonweal Theatre, an intimate theater with 30 years of experience under its belt.

Executive Director Hal Cropp works hard alongside staff and crew to ensure that playgoers have the same, enjoyable experience at their shows that they do in the surrounding community. The ensemble of folks at the Theatre rotate between different jobs – in addition to being actors on stage, they may also be ticket sellers one day, ticket takers the next, or work selling concessions another. This allows theatre-goers to interact with the company on a more personal, face-to-face level. “It works with both the intimacy of the theater itself and the unique style of the public spaces – all of which are a permanent art display,” Hal says. “And deepens the audience feeling that we are ‘their’ theater.” Passionate storytelling is at the core of the Commonweal company, and this is what brings attendees back for more.

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Brandt Roberts (left), resident ensemble member, and a theatre patron / Courtesy Commonweal Theatre

Production selections start with “passion pieces” presented by members of the ensemble. “This generally yields a list of 40 or 50 titles, which then get sorted through for a number of variables: cast size, technical requirements, as well as how it fits against the other titles being offered,” Hal explains. “We are deeply cognizant of our mission to enrich the common good.” Even after 30 years, each production is a new experience at the Commonweal. The company is dedicated to the philosophy of making each person feel like the theatre is their home, and ultimately, feel connected to each story.

“The satisfaction we derive from having people connect on so many levels is spiritually fulfilling, and therefore fun,” Hal says. “Passionate storytelling, executed on a highly professional level, touches everyone.”

Commonweal’s 2019 Season runs from April-December.

Upcoming shows include: Holmes and Watson by Jeffrey Hatcher (April 5-July 6) Boeing Boeing by Marc Camoletti (May 10-Aug 31) Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice (July 12-Oct 26) On the Verge by Eric Overmyer (Sept 6-Nov10) Sanders Family Christmas by Connie Ray (Nov 15-Dec 22) Find details and buy tickets at commonwealtheatre.org

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Looking for more storytelling fun?

La Crosse Storytelling Festival

L

CROSS TRAINING DAY?

RAINY DAY?

ove a good scary story? Then the La Crosse Storytelling Festival in La Crosse, Wisconsin, is for you!

This two-day event kicks off on a Friday night with a gentle first act, perfect for youngsters or the faint-of-heart. Then, the fear gets for real after intermission.

“Humans have listened to scary tales for centuries as both cautionary tales and fun experiences. We hope to address the fun, but scary, experience,” says Professional Storyteller, Terry Visger. The festival ups the fun by serving witches brew with costume-clad emcees – appealing to young and old. “This has been a very popular event for children of all ages but, in the last two years, we have actually had more adults than children in attendance,” Terry says.

Day two brings tales of a tamer variety. Musicians, jugglers, and storytellers unite to provide an exciting family-friendly experience.

“Storytelling is magical for children. It engages all of their brain and physical being. We choose musicians who know how to interact with children by making them part of the performance,” Terry says.

For adults, the talent and variety of internationally-known storytellers can’t be beat. “We strive for variety in style, content, and type of story. We believe our audiences should experience the best-of-the-best and that is why we bring tellers from many areas and backgrounds to La Crosse,” she says.

After 16 years of hosting this fun-filled weekend under tents, this year’s festival will leave the mosquitoes and unpredictable weather behind for a new location: The Pump House Regional Arts Center. “We will have great food and drink, a silent auction, and bookstore,” Terry says. “And, more importantly, wonderful entertainment for the weekend.”

Mark Your Calendars: La Crosse Storytelling Festival - July 19-20.

Learn more at lacrossestoryfest.com.

History Alive – Lanesboro, Minnesota Join the Reefuel community this summer!

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Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

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oving that Lanesboro, Minnesota vibe? Mark your calendars for History Alive Lanesboro, “Popup Plays: Founding Lanesboro 1869,” coming this fall, September 21, 22, 28, and 29 at 1 and 3 pm each day.

History Alive presents stories of Lanesboro… in the streets of Lanesboro.

The one and a half-hour walking tours take you to different play locations around town. Tours begin at Sons of Norway, 200 Parkway Avenue South, Lanesboro. Tickets are for sale at the door.

2019’s traveling plays celebrate Lanesboro’s 150th anniversary. Meet some of the town’s first residents, railroad builders, stonemasons, fresh off-the-boat Irish and Norwegians, Chief Winneshiek, area abolitionists, even snake oil salesmen through this storytelling event!

See facebook.com/historyalivelanesboro/ for details.

Sara Walters is a freelance writer – and avid teller of stories – from La Crescent, Minnesota.

Outside & Inside seating! Great Venue for your next event!

Summer hours: Fridays 4-9pm, Sat. 10-5 & Sun 1-5

Empty Nest Winery Serving Wine, Fresh Sangria, 10 Craft Beers on Tap & House Ciders

Upcoming Events June 28: Release Summer Splash wine at 4 pm July 19: Release White Lace wine at 4 pm July 27: Murder Mystery Dinner Theater!

Tickets at eventbite.com August 2: Release Truffle, Lip Smackin' & Whitetail Chase wines

Hot Food Buffet May through October – Friday nights 5-8 pm & Saturdays 11-2 pm.

Menu at emptynestwinery.com or Facebook

Aug 30-Sept 2: Labor Day Weekend!

Friday 4-9 pm; Sat/Sun/Mon 11-5. Hot food buffet all weekend, live music on patio Sun @ 1pm. Release fall wines & Sticky Buns wine

Save the Dates!

October 4: Release Naked Iced Apple & Little Black Dress wines October 11-13: 6th Annual Wining with the Arts November 30: Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Tickets at eventbite.com December 31: Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Tickets at eventbite.com

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Photo by Sara Friedl-Putnam

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The Call of the Wild Three nature enthusiasts – couple Elsa McCargar and Conor Murphy, and their friend, Peter Kraus – are on a mission to connect people to nature by cultivating the skill of foraging wild edibles in the Driftless Area.

BY SARA FRIEDL-PUTNAM

In the top photo – “A conglomeration of wild edibles, cultivated herbs and medicinal plants we use for our business - not all plainly wild edibles,” Elsa says – you’ll find: Crabapple and locust blossoms, calendula flowers, wild plums, Amadou and Turkey Tail mushrooms, hawthorn berries, linden blossoms and bergamot flowers.

Far left: Wintercress starting to flower.

Left: Dryad saddle mushroom. / All photos courtesy The Wilders Way unless noted.

A

hhh….dandelions. There are those who love them, and those who loathe them.

Decorah couple Elsa McCargar and Conor Murphy and their fellow nature-lover Peter Kraus? Well, they just eat them – often mixed in to salads that comprise a range of other edible wild greens, from cutleaf coneflower and chickweed, to nettles and wintercress.

In fact, the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), while bitter to taste, is among the most nutritious of herbs, boasting a long history of culinary and medicinal uses. “We like to include a few dandelion greens in every salad mix,” says Elsa.

“They’re rich in iron, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K.” Elsa, Conor, and Peter are all on a mission to educate others about the merits of dandelions and myriad other wild edibles found across in the Driftless.

Last August, Peter fused his interests in foraging and cooking when he served a week-long residency at Crystal Creek Canyon in Houston, Minnesota, during which he explored the Driftless through the lens of food. (See sidebar on page xx.) Elsa and Conor, meanwhile, recently expanded their small business, The Wilders Way – which Conor describes as “an eco-educational endeavor and purveyor of locally grown and wildcrafted teas, raw honey, homegrown mushrooms, and foraged goods from the wild woods and fields of northeast Iowa” – to include educational programs for those interested in learning more about the merits of wild edibles.

In the wilderness-immersion programs, they share best practices for foraging, and teach participants how to identify and use common edible plants and mushrooms. “Humans have an innate curiosity and fascination with the natural world,” says Conor of their inspiration for this latest business offering. “While the pace and complexity of our lives sometimes obscure this curiosity, I think it’s something that we never lose, and we are hoping to help ignite (or reignite) this spark with our walks and classes.”

It’s something the couple will keep nurturing in their almost two-year-old, outdoor-loving son, Jack, as well. “The natural world is thrilling and aweinspiring to him, and seeing this, we, his parents, are fed and sustained in our own curiosity and appreciation,” Conor says. “It is our great hope that our son and his generation have the opportunity to revel in a bright-blue sky, to encounter a billion beings in a single acre of woods, to romp and play in the cool, clean waters of a nameless creek.”

We caught up with Elsa and Conor during some rare downtime to ask them a few questions about the “do’s and don’ts” of foraging for wild edibles, the rewards, and the inspiration behind it all.

What draws each of you to nature and the outdoor world?

When did you each first become interested in wild edibles?

Elsa: I started learning about wild edibles as a kid – even then, we ate nettles in quiches and fiddlehead ferns and morels in our omelettes. But it was only in the last five years or so that I purposefully delved into learning the local plants and realized how vast the world of wild edibles truly is.

Continued on next page Top: Elsa and Conor / Photo by Sara Friedl-Putnam. Bottom: Peter Kraus / Photo by Tyler Anderson iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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Photo by Sara Friedl-Putnam Left: A close-up of some stinging nettles. Middle: Conor holds up a clump of edible daylily tubers. Right: A large clump of oyster mushrooms.

While living in Washington state, I participated in an apprenticeship program with Cedar Mountain Herb School, where I studied wild medicinal and edible plants of that region. When I moved back to Decorah in 2015, I was excited to view my home through a new lens. I realized that many of the same plants and mushrooms I had encountered in the Northwest were abundant here, too.

Conor: As a young man I had a difficult time relating to the culture around me and could find no place in which I fit. I spent years hitchhiking the country and traveling rough. Living this way brought me into close, intimate contact with nature and with wild spaces and places. Something in those wild woods and mountains spoke to me as I had never been spoken to before…and it was nature that saved

my life. I began spending months at a time alone in wilderness, and foraging for food became a natural thing to do. … Later in life, I began working as a direct outreach worker with homeless youth, and that’s when I realized there was a whole generation of young people going through something like what I went through. Contact with nature gives us a sort of dignity that, for some, is hard to find elsewhere.

What intrigues you about the wild edibles of the Driftless?

Conor: There’s just such abundance and diversity. Sam Thayer, a wild foods expert, has said that the Driftless is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world in terms of edible plants and fungi.

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Many of the great forest communities of North America meet and intersect in the Driftless. There’s prairie habitat as well as rich riparian zones created by running rivers, creeks, and streams. Most notable of these is the mighty Mississippi, which in our region spills into a vast territory of backwaters and wetlands. In terms of wild edibles, these backwaters are almost incomparable in their abundance. In my opinion, there is no better place in the world to spend a day wandering and exploring than our own home, the Driftless Region.

What inspired you to launch your new learning program and how do you see it complementing the other aspects of The Wilders Way? Elsa: The Wilders Way started with selling herbal teas, spices, and herbal-infused honey at the Decorah Farmers Market. Conor and I wanted to connect our love of the woods with a lifeway and livelihood. Making tea, especially with local wild plants, was a way for us to talk with our neighbors about the landscape we love and share the unique flavors of this place. In our first year, we also started offering a small wild-edibles CSA, wherein members could sign up for a weekly share of foraged edibles found here in the Driftless. We got great feedback from CSA members, who loved reading our weekly reports with recipes, lore, and background about the various plants. We provided an entry point for people, who were buoyed in their own curiosity and enthusiasm for getting into the woods. All along, that was our hope – to stir others’ curiosity and affection for this place – and creating this learning program was a really natural progression for us and is grounded in our larger aspirations for building a better world.

When you lead foraging walks, what are you hoping participants take from the experience? What do you, as leaders and facilitators, take from the experience?

Conor: I think humans have an innate curiosity and fascination with the natural world. It is hugely inspiring and fulfilling to see this curiosity come suddenly to life. I think nature has a way of luring us out of ourselves. Sometimes, as facilitators, our task seems as simple as getting people out and into the woods and fields, the valleys and rivers, so that nature can have a word or two with them.

What wild edibles might folks find in the Driftless Area?

Elsa: Where to begin? There’s just so much to find here. We like to arrange our foraging walks by the progression of the season – roots are sweet and wonderful in the cool weather of the spring: parsnip, burdock, dandelion, chicory, and thistle. Tree barks are an early spring harvest too – and if you are getting into the medicinals, birch and black cherry come to mind. In late March through May, leafy greens pop up – nettles, chickweed, cutleaf coneflower, Virginia waterleaf, trout lily, violets, and dandelion greens. Fiddleheads and wild leeks are springtime treats and pair wonderfully with the early mushrooms: morels, dryads, and oysters. As the hotter weather rolls around, the plants send their energy upwards, and leafy greens get more bitter. The flowers and fruits come next: locust blossoms, linden flowers, blackcaps, gooseberries, blackberries, mulberries, and service berries. Several mushrooms can be found fruiting through the summer, including oysters and chicken of the woods.

And on and on into the fall...roots get sweeter again with the cool weather; fall mushrooms pop up; and nuts like black walnuts and hickories ripen for the picking.

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Top: Cutleaf coneflower leaves / Photo by Sara Friedl-Putnam.

Bottom: A beautiful clump of Chicken of the Woods mushrooms.

Can you share your three top guidelines when it comes to harvesting wild edibles both sustainably/ethically and safely?

Conor: First, know the rare and at-risk plants in our area, and don’t harvest them. (United Plant Savers has a great list on their website, unitedplantsavers.org.) Second, if you aren’t 100-percent confident in your identification and that the plant or mushroom is edible, don’t eat it. Finally, build a relationship with nature. Take time to get to know the plants you are harvesting and what they need to thrive. Know their life cycles, how they reproduce, and how long it takes for them to regenerate. Even with abundant species, don’t harvest an entire patch. Leave a good portion of the population intact, so that they can continue to reproduce and provide other species with food and habitat. Try not to take more than you will need or use.

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Learn more: Elsa and Conor with The Wilders Way will lead a six-week wildedibles session, “Tending the Wild,” this fall; it will run on Sundays from August 25 through September 29 from 9 am-1 pm. Conor will also offer an awareness-based session focused on meditation, deep listening, supported solitude, and stillness in nature on Saturdays from 2-5 pm September 14 through October 5. To learn more, visit their Facebook page, or email the.wilders.way@gmail.com.

Peter Kraus photos by Tyler Anderson, courtesy of the Crystal Creek Citizen-Artist Residency

Peter Kraus explores the art of place-based cuisine

P

eter Kraus traces his deep-seated love for the food of the Driftless to a youth spent exploring the environs of his family’s small farm outside of Decorah, Iowa, where he worked with his mother, Barb (Beard) Kraus of Canoe Creek Produce, to grow food and flowers for the Decorah Farmers Market and the Oneota Community Food Co-op.

Continued on next page

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Peter led a foraging walk in Southeast Minnesota as part of his Crystal Creek Canyon Artist Residency in 2018 / Photos by Tyler Anderson

“I can remember combing the woods and pastures with my parents as a young kid, hunting for wild ramps and morel mushrooms,” Peter says. “My mom knows her plants – what’s edible and what’s not – and I benefited immensely from that.”

By high school, he was venturing solo into those same woods and pastures, equipped with knowledge gleaned from not only his mother but also printed field guides on the topic of edible wild greens like dandelions, violets, and nettles. “It would be easy to give up on wild foods too early as a lot of them are an acquired taste,” he says. “But wild foods also often have a lot more nutrition and flavor.”

While studying biology at Luther College in Decorah, where he enrolled in 2008, Peter traveled to the Holden Village Lutheran retreat center in Washington state, an experience that was lifechanging in more ways than one. There he met his now-wife, Rachael Button, a writer and place-based educator. He also began to discover the joys of preparing meals for others when he chose to work in the center’s kitchen. “While I always enjoyed eating, I did not know how to cook until then,” Peter says. (He followed that experience with a stint in the Bath-Brunswick area of Maine, where he further honed his cooking skills working in a local co-op and restaurant.)

But, despite his travels to both coasts, Peter has always viewed the Driftless – with its “valleys and woods and many small farms that provide food diversity” – as unique. And last August, he fused his interests in foraging and cooking when he served a week-long residency at Crystal Creek Canyon in Houston, Minnesota (see sidebar for details). There he explored the Driftless through the lens of food – connecting with local farmers, foragers, chefs, and artists – and probed one central question: Does the Driftless area have a distinctive identity to its cuisine? “I am still figuring that out,” Peter says matter-of-factly. “It takes a lot of time to research and collect stories because we all have different ideas of what that identity is, or might be.”

This past January, Peter and Rachael returned to Washington to spend six months running a science education program in Olympic National Park through the NatureBridge organization. “We teach school groups all about the importance and usage of indigenous

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plants and trees and wildlife,” he says. In June, the couple headed back to Decorah, where Peter continues to help his mother on the family farm and advance his dream of cultivating a Driftless cuisine, inspired by other young locals doing “bold and cool things.”

“My ultimate goal is to develop dishes that prioritize seasonal, local ingredients,” says Peter. “I believe food is a powerful way to celebrate place, identity, and community, and I want to provide a better understanding of what a local and seasonal Driftless cuisine looks like, smells like, and tastes like.”

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Sara Friedl-Putnam wants to thank Elsa McCargar, Conor Murphy, and Peter Kraus for introducing her to the world of wild edibles and sharing their vast knowledge of how (and what!) to forage in the Driftless.

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Foraged salad mix / Photo by Sara Friedl-Putnam

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How to harvest and make your own wild salad mix

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Elsa McCargar and Conor Murphy credit Dina Falconi – author of Foraging and Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Foods Cookbook – for providing the following guidelines on how to harvest and make a delicious and nutritious wild salad.

Tips for harvesting: Harvest plant parts when they are vibrant and perky – young, tender, and succulent (or harvest new, tender growth from mature plants).

If possible, harvest in the morning. If your only option is harvesting in the heat of the day, eat your salad immediately after the harvest, or crisp the leaves with cold water.

Tips for making a wild salad: “We like to use Dina’s ‘five flavor’ method for gathering wild salads,” says Elsa.“Her method arranges wild greens and herbs into categories that will help you choose the most fun, interesting, and flavorful blend.”

Mild-flavored plants make up a third to a half of the salad. These plants include amaranth (seedling and small, tender new leaf), chickweed, cutleaf coneflower, daylily shoots, lamb’s quarters, purslane, red clover, sweet cicely or anise roots, and violet leaves.

Use sour-flavored plants moderately in salads, for no more than one-sixth to one-third of the salad. Options include broad leaf dock, wood sorrel, garden sorrel, yellow dock, and young spruce tips.

Add spicy or pungent plants in moderate amounts, so they make up one-sixth to one-third of the salad. Examples of these plants include wintercress, Egyptian onion, ramps, and garlic mustard.

Use bitter-flavored plants sparingly in salads, no more than about one-eighth of the total ingredients. Options include chicory green, dandelions, garlic mustard, gill-over-the-ground, and wild lettuce.

Aromatic plants are highly flavorful as well as fragrant. Use them as accents in salads, adding a small palmful for every six handfuls of other-flavored plants. Aromatic plants work best minced before adding to a salad; they can strongly dominate a salad and must be used with care. Options include anise hyssop, bee balm, Egyptian onion, lemon balm, apple mint, peppermint, spearmint, mountain mint, and field garlic.

Other ingredients to ponder: Let creativity be your guide – consider adding fresh-grated roots (first-year burdock and thistle root), berries (gooseberries, wild blackcaps, mulberries, red and black currants, and elderberries), edible flowers (violet flowers, sweet cicely flowers, wild bergamot, daylily flower, and black locust blossoms), nuts (black walnut and hickory), and tree leaves (young birch and basswood leaves).

Remember Elsa and Conor’s advice: 1. Know the rare and at-risk plants in our area, and don’t harvest them. (Find info at unitedplantsavers.org) 2. If you aren’t 100-percent confident in your identification and that the plant or mushroom is edible, don’t eat it.

3. Build a relationship with nature. Take time to get to know the plants you are harvesting and what they need to thrive.

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Glamping

Eclectic Escapes in the Driftless

+ more

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Bending River Cove photo at left and this photo by Kassidy Renee Paige / kassidyreneepaige.com

BY MAGGIE SONNEK

E

ver wanted to spend the night in a silo? Get closer to nature, but not so close that you’re actually sleeping on the ground? Or maybe you’d like to see what tiny homes are all about?

These days, there are more options than ever for overnight stays in the Driftless – from amazing hotels to B&Bs to glampingesque experiences (like the aforementioned silo). We caught up with three Driftless locals who have worked hard to reclaim materials, buildings, and properties, bringing new life to forgotten pieces of history, and, ultimately, creating fun and innovative spaces for guests to lay their heads for the night (or longer!).

The Driftless Region is a unique mix of landscapes and ecosystems, artists and farmers, cheese shops and pizza farms all living and existing in harmony – so get out there and explore all there is to offer! The adventure lies in the journey, AND the destination.

Not your average roadhouse At The Chocolate Escape overlooking the Mississippi River in Wabasha, a group of third graders sit outside, licking their dripping chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones. They hoot and holler when

an eagle flies overhead. At another table, a couple enjoys a cup of coffee. And, across the street at the local pub, a group of bikers clad in leather jackets, black boots, and sunglasses drink a cold brew. Time seems to stand still as three unlikely troops congregate contently on Main Street. Such is the vibe in towns along the Mississippi River.

As you head north out of town onto Highway 61, the sweeping green valleys and rolling bluffs overlook the wild yet graceful river. And there, perched on the side of the highway, sits a handful of tiny homes, campers, and cabins. Welcome to Bending River Cove, a resort with a cottage and five tiny homes, founded in 2017 by co-owners Mike Burke and Denay Kelly.

Mike is a treasure hunter in overalls. He – along with four friends – manage Barndoogle Productions. They travel through small towns across Southern Minnesota “barndoogling” – their word for finding treasures and history in old barns and buildings.

“All barns have a story,” he says. “And each one is unique. We believe it’s important to save and preserve not only the boards, but the stories too.”

When Mike was approached about crafting structures for a tiny home resort between Lake City and Wabasha using his reclaimed treasures, he jumped at the chance. It took Mike and business iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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partner Denay Kelly two years to gather materials and build the tiny homes. But now, Bending River Cove is open for business, sitting just above Lake Pepin on the Minnesota side of the Mississippi.

The handcrafted tiny homes – between 200-400 square feet each – contain a kitchenette, a bathroom, a bedroom outfitted with luxury linens, and a fire pit outside.

“I use as many reclaimed boards and wood as I can,” Mike says.

“With those materials, I find I can create intimate and cozy spaces.”

Mike uses the term inglenook – a 17th century Scottish word that means chimney corner – to describe the feeling they’re going for at Bending River Cove. Before central heating, the fireplace was used for cooking, and the inglenook – or enclosing alcove – became a natural place for people to gather and stay warm. Looking at the river below while nestled on a comfy couch, with a mug of coffee in one hand and a book in the other, you catch a glimmer of that contentment.

“This area is near and dear to my heart,” Denay adds. “As a child, one of my favorite things to do was camp. Through these tiny homes, we’re trying to recreate that same experience.”

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Each tiny home is nestled between the bluffs of Southeast Minnesota and the breathtaking Lake Pepin. Nightly stays range between $75-175.

• The Birch Studio. Sleeps 2. Includes twin daybed and trundle • Fat Bottom Girls. Sleeps 2. 1950s camper-turned-glamper • Homegrown Honey. Sleeps 6 Includes loft and lake-facing outdoor patio • Bohemian Rhapsody. Sleeps 4 Includes private bedroom and fire pit • No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem. Sleeps 4 Includes outdoor hot tub with lake views • River Queen. Sleeps 6 Includes two separate bedrooms and outdoor deck space For more information, visit brctinyhomes.com or search Bending River Cove on airbnbn.com.

Photos courtesy Luna Valley Farm

From pizza farm to glamping Maren and Tom Beard have been busy. In 2013, they bought their 133-acre farm just outside of Decorah, now known as the beloved Luna Valley Farm. They hosted their wedding ceremony there in the valley, two years later. In 2017, they harnessed Tom’s skills as a farmer and chef and Maren’s passion for sustainable food systems and procurement (she’s an excellent chef, as well) and kicked off their pizza farm. Then, last year, the couple decided to introduce glamping. What’s that, you say? Glamping, AKA glamorous camping, is a way to experience nature with the added bonus of real beds and other plush offerings.

At Luna Valley, the glamping happens in two 12 x 14’ canvas wall tents, which were once used at a Camp Tahigwa, a former Girl Scout camp located north of Decorah. For years Camp Tahigwa hosted groups of girls for week-long camps in the summer, some of which were in wall tents in the woods, overlooking the local trout stream.

When the camp got sold a few years ago, Maren and Tom purchased a few of the tents with the dream of someday pitching them on

their farm to welcome guests for a farm stay. “We have a passion for breathing new life into remnants of the past and doing what we can to repurpose things of deep history and profound beauty,” Maren writes on their Airbnb listing. “A local Amish tarp repair shop helped us fix up the tents and they have found a new life on our farm, where we hope they will be enjoyed for many years to come.”

The tents are situated in a beautiful oak savanna and feature kingsized beds, whimsical lanterns, rough-sawn hardwood floors, and spaces to read, write, and relax. Set up on a platform that extends into a deck, each tent offers a stunning view of the farm.

“This is a chance for people to unplug, connect with the land, and spend time on a working farm,” Maren says. In addition to pizza and glamping, Luna Valley grows organic crops, and graze sheep and cattle on pasture. “There’s something magical about waking up in the woods in a comfortable bed. It’s so quiet and peaceful.”

In the morning, down at the barn – a three to four-minute walk from the tents – glampers will find local coffee waiting for them, plus

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lovely bathrooms and a luxurious shower (with room for two). You can even add on glamping extras – mason jar mimosas, anyone? The barn also houses Maren and Tom’s commercial kitchen and pizza oven. Bonus for glampers: On Friday nights, you can take your Luna Valley wood-fired pizza up to your own private patio.

Tents are available on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the summer. $150/night, 2 night minimum Pizza nights: Fridays, 4-8 pm • April – October For more information, visit lunavalleyfarm.com

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Photos courtesy Silo on the Ridge & CR Train Caboose

Reconstructing history Five miles north of Decorah, you’ll find a barn silo and a 1973 train caboose, both lovingly restored by Jim Dotzenrod, a Decorah native who proudly welcomes visitors to his land – and the region.

“We are super laid back and friendly up here on The Ridge!” Jim writes in his Airbnb profile. “I grew up in this area and know lots of folks, so no matter your interests, I’d be happy to help you find what you’re looking for during your stay with us.”

Jim says lots of his renters come from the Twin Cities looking for something different.

“They don’t want to stay in town. They’d rather enjoy an experience,” he says. “And out here, they can pet the horses in the pasture, pick raspberries and apples, and watch the sunset.”

The silo came first. Jim – with the help of his brother – restored 58

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

the structure, adding a roof and building bunk beds and a bathroom on the second level.

They even incorporated a grapevine that was originally wrapped around the outside of the silo – the horses had chewed it off, so it was fair game. It now acts as the handrail leading upstairs to the sleeping area. A sofa and kitchen space fill the main level, and a large deck wraps around the entire structure.

After seeing the silo book up frequently, Jim decided it was time for another reno project.

That’s when he found the CR Station train caboose — one of the last of its kind, according to Jim — sitting on a set of railroad tracks at a local recycling center. Although a carpenter by trade, Jim wasn’t set up for the ironwork inside. But, with the right tools and help from his daughter, the two of them went for it, gutting the train car – repurposing the original conductor chairs and handrails in the front

room, and fitting a queen bed and bunkbeds in the loft. The main level holds the kitchen and bathroom. With help from a crane and semi, the 52,000-pound train car now sits 200 feet away from the silo.

Prices range from $75-$121/night. For more information, visit airbnb.com and search Silo on the Ridge and CR Station Train Caboose.

When Maggie Sonnek isn’t spending the night at unique and cozy destination properties like these, she can be found sipping an iced coffee with her husband, watching their three kids play with Max the puppy.

SPORTS BAR & GRILL

Burgers. Sandwiches. Salads. Appetizers Great Wings. Weekend Bloody Mary Bar

LOCAL INGREDIENTS • 22 BEERS ON TAP!

EVENT VENUES

2 amazing spaces. Small or large events.

Delicious in-house catering.

206 W. Water St. Decorah 563-382-5970 • tbocks.com Open 11am-12am daily.

Kitchen open 11am-10pm.

<

b uy great CLOTHING MATERNITY WEAR GEAR & MORE

>

CR Train Caboose

sel l great 102 W WATER ST DECORAH, IOWA

Buy & sell in-store & online. Details at getupdecorah.com Directly above - the Silo on the Ridge & that grapevine handrail. At right - the lovely deck on the CR Train Caboose. iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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Looking for more out-of-the-norm spots to spend the night? Add these to your list:

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www.kerndtbrothers.com

day! o T l l a C 800.577.5272

What can your HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT buy?

Say hello to our

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Little House on the Farm & The Guest Barn – Postville, Iowa The Little House on the Farm – a 750 square-foot cabin located outside of Decorah – was built in 2009 on the foundation of an old barn that was once located on owners Donna and Dave Dull’s farm. The cabin has the look and feel of an authentic pioneer cabin, but with modern touches. The Guest Barn was built in 2012 with materials salvaged from a nearby barn and corncrib. The pieces were used to build a smaller 700 square-foot “new” barn. The space is cozy, but open, with exposed original barn beams and high ceilings for an authentic, yet modern farm stay. www.littlehouseonthefarm.com

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

Elkader Jail House Inn – Elkader, Iowa Hosts Julie Carlisle-Kane and Dr. Tim Kane have transformed the old Clayton County Jail – located in Elkader Iowa, and originally built in 1870 – into three spacious suites. Nothing like a jail cell, these suites are beautifully renovated and outfitted with luxurious beds and baths, while still retaining the historic character of the stately old limestone building.

Guest can hang out in the “cell block” – a public space that was once actually the cell block of the jail. These days you can play a game of shuffle board, watch TV, or just relax there! www.elkaderjailhouseinn.com Trout River Log Cabin – Decorah, Iowa The Trout River Log Cabin was built in the mid 19th century as a Norwegian-Lutheran parochial school, then taken apart in 1898, moved across a field, and rebuilt as Norwegian immigrant Peter Losen’s home. Then, Decorah residents Paul Cutting and partner, Nathan Thompson, come into possession of the cabin. They stripped it to the logs, numbered everything, and once again moved it – to its new location on the Cutting family farm seven miles from downtown Decorah, perched on a bluff overlooking Trout River valley. It took three years to piece the house back together, and the results are stunning. The cabin is small, simple, and beautiful, with everything you need to make your stay comfortable and relaxing. www.troutriverlogcabin.com Historic Tobacco Warehouse – Viroqua, Wisconsin The Northern Wisconsin Co-op Tobacco Pool warehouse – listed on the local, state, and national registries of historic places– is one of the most unique and recognizable buildings in Viroqua.

The owners, Valorie Schaefer and Richard Bock, bought it in 2008, and have been slowly renovating it to include their family home, several offices, a photo studio, and now a private guest suite that folks can rent through Airbnb. And that only fills about half of the 24,000 square-foot building! To book, search “Guest Suite in Historic Warehouse” on Airbnb.

Trempealeau Hotel – Trempealeau, Wisconsin Directly above the Trempealeau Hotel bar and restaurant are eight historic sleeping rooms. Take a step back in time – there’s no TV or air conditioning, but each quaint room has a comfy bed, dresser, chair, and window. Two restrooms with showers are shared with the other lodgers. There is live music most Thursdays and Saturdays and many days in between, so if you need a quieter experience, you may want to book one of the other Trempealeau Hotel lodging options (suites available!) or choose a night without music. Book ahead of time for Reggae Fest, Cajun Fest, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Catfish Days, Labor Day and all weekends in October. www.trempealeauhotel.com

COORS LIGHT GRANDSTAND CONCERT SERIES • KUM & GO STAGE

IOWA STATE FAIR

GRANDSTAND LINEUP THURSDAY, AUGUST 8

for KING & COUNTRY

MONDAY, AUGUST 12

with special guest ZACH WILLIAMS 8 P.M. | $45 | 40 | 35

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13

Luke Bryan ‘What Makes You Country’

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9

with special guest CARLY PEARCE 8 P.M. | $47 | 37 | 27

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

Chainsmokers 8 P.M. | $80 | 75 | 70

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10

Slipknot

(Limited Tickets Available) 8 P.M.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11

Zac Brown Band: The Owl Tour 8 P.M. | $85 | 75 | 70

toby keith

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16

8 P.M. | $60 | 55 | 45 | 20

Dan + Shay

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15

Foreigner

with special guest NIGHT RANGER 8 P.M. | $42 | 32 | 27

IOWASTATEFAIR.ORG • 800.514.3849

Pentatonix: The World Tour with special guest RACHEL PLATTEN 8 P.M. | $50 | 40 | 35

8 P.M. | $45 | 37 | 32

ON SALE NOW

with special guest JON LANGSTON 8 P.M. | $80 | 75 | 70

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18

Hootie & the Blowfish ‘Group Therapy Tour’

with special guest BARENAKED LADIES 8 P.M. | $75 | 65 | 55

Tickets for all concerts are on sale at iowastatefair.org or by phone at 800.514.3849. Convenience charges apply and Fair admission tickets are not included. Please visit iowastatefair.org to see concert maps for reserved seating and pit area. The Iowa State Fair Ticket Office will open July 8, 2019, for walk-up orders only (while supplies last).

A THRIFT STORE FOR EVERYONE!

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MON-FRI 9-6 • SAT 9-3 563-382-2700 • 510 MONTGOMERY ST, DECORAH, IA www.depotoutlet.org or find us on Facebook

24/7 Access for your workout

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915 Short St. Decorah 563-382-2323 decorah@anytimefitness.com

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Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

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INTRO BY INSPIRE(D) PHOTOS COURTESY IOWA ROTOCAST PLASTICS

N

ortheast Iowa is known for many things, particularly in agriculture and more recently the beverage worlds, but how a local company came to be one of the top rotational plastics manufacturers is a true story of entrepreneurship and tenacity.

But…what exactly ARE rotational plastics? Though many people might know the local company name of IRP – Iowa Rotocast Plastics – many less know what rotationally molded plastics are, or how a cottage startup in keg-coolers came to be one of the country’s lead producers in portable serving carts, kiosk systems, beverage merchandising, and heavy duty coolers.

To answer the first question: Rotationally molded plastics are hollow plastic components and products (like coolers) that are created by heating a polymer (melted plastic) within a hollow, rotating mold. As the product material coats the walls of the mold, the rotation ensures that the wall thickness is even throughout.

Once cooled, the walls pull away from the mold, allowing for easy removal. The process is an extremely effective means of producing large, empty plastic components, since rotomolded parts are seamless and high-strength.

To answer the second question – how did IRP rise to the top of this industy – we’ll start at the beginning: Iowa Rotocast Plastics (IRP)

Purl Up & Knit for a Spell

FLOYD MOUNT IOWA ROTOCAST PLASTICS

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Mon– Wed : 10 am – 5 pm Fri -Sat: 10 am – 5 pm Thurs: 10 am – 8 pm Sun: 12 – 4 pm

563-517-1059 • store@blueheronknittery.com

blueheronknittery.com

DECORAH, IOWA

ajpetersburg.com

563-382-3627

Super Coolers were how Iowa Rotocast Plastics got its start back in the 80s.

was founded in 1983 by Floyd and Suzie Mount of Waukon, primarily as a “keg cooler” manufacturer under the brand name of “Super Cooler”. Many locals still recognize the barrel shaped, insulatedwall product that IRP became famous for at various functions and establishments across the region.

IRP originally set up production in a building constructed on their home property, and quickly outgrew their space. In 1986, Super Cooler changed its name to Iowa Rotocast Plastics, and in 1987 production was moved to a larger facility in Decorah. As the company grew, so did product ideas, and they became one of the larger rotational molding manufacturers in North America. Their focus has been on premier merchandising equipment, wire racks, electric refrigeration, and fabricated portables for food and beverage concessionaires – including over 200 professional and collegiate sports venues.

To top it off, their high quality displays and products have been fully fabricated and assembled here in the US (and Northeast Iowa at that!) since inception.

IRP has been providing products to the world’s largest beverage brands for decades, including Anheuser Busch InBev, MillerCoors, PepsiCo, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, Constellation Brands, Nestlé Waters, and many more.

The impact of this local manufacturer – with world ties – has proven to be a very valuable part of the region’s community, with Continued on next page

EVERYTHING FROM JEANS TO SUITS! Extended hours!

130 W. Water St. Decorah, Iowa 563.382.5761

M, T, W, F 9-6 Thursday 9-8 Saturday 9-5 Sunday 12-4

www.amundsonsclothing.com

WOODEN WINDOW

restoration & weatherization

Residential & light commercial construction David J. Wadsworth • 563.419.0390 • wadsworthconstruction.com iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

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FM 100.5 listeners are a lot of different things...

Republicans . Democrats . Libertarians . Non Voters

Stock Car Racers Retirees Tree Huggers Dog Lovers . Cat Lovers Bacon Obsessors . Vegans

MUSIC LOVERS

. Students

Folders . Crumplers

There’s one thing they all agree on: FM 100.5 is THEIR station.

For people who love music, sports, news, emergency weather information.........

kdecradio.com www.davekelly.com DECORAH, IOWA 563-382-8406 Floyd Mount on a recent day at IRP / All photos courtesy IRP

Mike Kelly Broker. 34 yrs

Marcia Madrigral Broker-Assoc. 27 yrs

Janice Numedahl Broker-Assoc. 18 yrs

Ron Juve Agent. 45 yrs

Jayme Folkedahl Agent. 7 yrs

Gina Smith Office Asst. 18 yrs

Teamwork from the team that works best!

Home Health Nursing Personal Cares Public Health Services

Smith Building 305 Montgomery St.; Ste. #3 Decorah, IA 52101

Committed to you.

www.winneshiekhealth.org | 563-382-4662

QUICK & EASY OIL CHANGES! AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR OF ALL KINDS

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563-382-4010 • 563-380-5851 64

Summer 2019 / iloveinspired.com

three relocations and numerous expansions in their 35+ years of business. Their current manufacturing plant, based in Decorah, is now over 200,000 square feet, with production running 24 hours a day, five days a week. By keeping all elements of design and production in-house, projects ship straight from the facility to customers and venues across the country. IRP handles every aspect of fabrication for their products, including prepping for shipping, and even offering IRP technicians to facilitate setup and installation on larger projects. They are truly a fully integrated company from the inception of a product idea, to its final preparation for use. As their company motto states “If you dream it, IRP can build it.”

The Basics: Name: Floyd & Suzie Mount Business: Iowa Rotocast Plastics Years in Business: 36 1. Tell us about the “leap” moment. When/how did you decide to jump in and become your own boss?

It was 1983. I had invested in a product that was not getting to market as planned, so we bought out the other investors and had to go it on our own. No big plan, just necessity.

2. What’s the best thing about being your own boss?

The freedom to plan your own day and get things going.

3. How about the worst?

There is always a snag or two in your planning, so you have to make changes as you go.

4. Was there ever a hurdle where you just thought, “I can’t do this?” How did you overcome it?

Not really. When you are all-in on your idea, you have to react to things that aren’t planned and keep going.

5. Any mentors/role models you look to/have looked to?

My father and mother believed that hard work and treating people fairly was a way of life. I just tried to follow that example.

For help with the emotional challenges of aging.

Call 563-547-6650

Serving Cresco and Surrounding Communities • www.rhshc.com Floyd Mount & Rusty Hagensick (one of Super Cooler’s first employees) standing in front of the prototype rotomolding oven they welded & built themselves to manufacture the original Super Cooler “keg cooler”.

EXPANDING OUR DOWNTOWN LOCATION TO BETTER SERVE YOU

321 W Water St. Decorah, IA • 563-387-0191 • www.vikingstatebank.com

R.M. Granet & Company North Iowa’s Internat iona l Gift & A ntique S tore

Featuring... fine art, estate jewelry, porcelain, crystal, silver, antiques and home furnishings

1110 North Grand Avenue Charles City, IA 50616 Phone Number 641-220-5100

6. What’s the one thing you wish you had known before you started?

I didn’t know how hard it would be, but in hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t know. Sometimes if you know how hard it would be, you wouldn’t start.

7. How do you manage your life/work balance?

My wife and I have always taken time to enjoy our family even though it is hard sometimes. You just have to know when work is second.

8. What has kept you inspired? Any quotes from over the years?

Constantly developing new products is exciting. I love that end of the business.

Also: Treat people fairly and most of life’s problems will resolve themselves.

Artistry in Cabinetry since 1983

Kitchens Home offices Bars Entertainment centers Fireplace mantles Cabinets & shelving Remodeling Finished carpentry

Visit my new website!

paulbauhs.com 563-382-4750

iloveinspired.com \ Summer 2019

65

PROBITUARY – A NOTICE OF LIFE!

Juanita Loven

Interviewed by Inspire(d) Media’s Benji Nichols

Juanita Loven grew up on a small family dairy farm near Melrose, Wisconsin. But it was a chance invitation to Decorah to see the Luther College campus with a friend that would forever change her direction in life. Juanita went on to attend Luther in 1952, where she quickly met her husband-to-be, Russell. After a year of college, she headed east to Milwaukee to take on a secretarial job with Miller Brewing Co., and Russell was off to serve in the US Army. The couple was married in 1954 in Black River Falls (during deer hunting season, no less!), and moved back to Decorah to live in married student housing so Russell could finish his degree. Juanita went on to be a full-time mother for 13 years, before she returned to administrative work at a hospital, and in Luther College’s Nursing Department, all while continuing to study one class at time. Not giving up her vision for a college degree, she graduated from Luther College in 1986. Their lives, and Russell’s 44-year career in public education, took them to many locations – Grand Meadow, Minnesota; Postville, Iowa; Stoughton and Watertown, Wisconsin; Spillville, Iowa; and eventually to Guttenberg, Iowa, where the couple now resides in their retirement. Not being one to slow down, Juanita has started three businesses after the age of 51 – the third, Juanita’s Folly, just opened in February 2019, on her 84th birthday. She is also a founding member of the Guttenberg Umbrella Arts organization, working to help bring fun and meaningful events to Guttenberg and Clayton County. Her generous spirit and habit of “saying yes” shine through any conversation she has.

What is the best advice anyone gave you?

“Seize the Moment,” – sister Betty. Also: Bloom Where Planted. And say “Yes.” What did you want to be when you grew up? In those days there was limited exposure to options. I was a farm girl, my father had an 8th grade education, and my mother did go through high school. There were no “guidance” counselors in school, but my secretarial course of study gave me a great start.

What did you do? After my secretarial course, I worked at Camp (Fort) McCoy, in Sparta right out of HS, and before I went to Luther College. After being a stay at home mother for 13 years, I worked again as a secretary in industry, at a hospital, and in Luther College’s Nursing Department. In 1985 I took a leave of absence to finish my (Communications / Marketing) degree at Luther in 1986, at age 51. Almost immediately after, I was asked to consider starting a business in a historic building in Spillville. I said “Yes,” and The Old World Inn was opened on April 1, 1987, as a Czech restaurant with lodging upstairs. I ran it for three years. The next two owners continued with the Czech theme. My specialty was roast pork, sauerkraut, and dumplings with Czech beer, kolaches, poppyseed cake, etc! When we moved to Guttenberg in 1995, it wasn’t long until a realtor told me about a building for sale on River Park Drive. I said “yes” and opened a book store: Books, Etc., which I ran until 2007. In December of 2013 I had the calling to start an Arts Council type of organization, and with the help of my Library Book Club, launched Umbrella Arts in January 2014. (Umbrella Arts is in its sixth year of sponsoring Free Friday eve. concerts in Riverside park, June through August!) Last fall the phone rang and a realtor told us the buyer of a lovely building was in a selling mood – make an offer. We threw out a number and he accepted. For some time I had been thinking about the need to downsize, as did many friends; and Guttenberg needed more businesses in our historic business district…Juanita’s Folly became a reality which opened on my 84th birthday (February 2nd).

Try to describe yourself in one sentence. I am a creative, motivated, person who needs to spend time in a productive manner; missed relaxing class.

If you could eat anything every day, what would it be?

I look forward to my plain yogurt, granola, fruit and ”bold” cup of coffee every morning.

Do you know someone you’d love to interview for this page? Let us know! aryn@iloveinspired.com

One thing you could not live without? Air and dark chocolate covered almonds Looking back, what’s been the best part (so far)? I would have to say that enrolling at Luther College in the fall of 1952 was the significant happening in my life. Russell and I will be celebrating 65 years in November –which resulted in a great family.

I would like to emphasize that a supportive spouse was a requirement for me to accomplish three business adventures after age 51. Our closest child lives in Decorah, and the rest are 1000 miles in three different directions; 11 grandchildren are similarly scattered as well as our 15 great-grandchildren. We are fortunate to be in “good health”; Good health includes two hip replacements, a plate and screws in my left arm and a colossal plate and 14 screws in my right femur! Life is good.

Post-hospital rehabilitation following surgery, illness or injury.

• Large, private, fully furnished rooms • Private bathrooms/walk-in showers • Therapy and 24/7 assistance • Cable TV & wireless internet • Medicare Certified 5-Star facility • Restful rehab to return home Decorah, Iowa 563-382-3603 • info@aasehaugen.com www.aasehaugen.com

Valley Suites Rehabilitation

Thinking of Lasik?

We can’t envision a better time than now! Through 2019, we’re offering a $1000 discount – call us to learn more!

9:30-5:30 MON 7:30-7:00 TUES & THURS 7:30-5:30 WED & FRI 8:00-12:00 SATURDAY 305 East Water St. Decorah, Iowa • 563-382-4279

decoraheye.com • eyecatcherframes.com

John Vogel, D.O., joins Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah Clinic Dr. Vogel provides full-spectrum primary care to patients of all ages.

His special interests include: diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, lifestyle medicine and obstetrics. Dr. Vogel will join WMC Decorah Clinic in August.

Your most trusted partner for health care.

To make an appointment with Dr. Vogel,

call 563-382-2911

200 W Water St Decorah, Iowa 563.382.5742

Follow us online: SparrowsDecorah.com

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Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death Cases Against Insured Defendants

REQUEST A CONSULTATION – Trial Lawyers for Justice – TL4J.com • 886-854-5529 • 421 W. Water St, 3rd Floor, Decorah, IA