Utah Stories May 2021 Issue by Utah_Stories

Can Can Tiny Tiny Houses Homes Solve Solve Our Our Housing Housing Shortage? Crisis? MAY 2021

URBAN HOMESTEADING THE MAN WHO QUIT MONEY

FARM-TO-TABLE DINING

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RETURNS MAY 21

MAY 2021

UTAH STORIES MAGAZINE

6 Utah Stories Contributors 12 Issue Intro 14 Grow Food, Not Lawns Foodscaped yards can feed families

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 11

22 Growing A Pot Garden...Oops! Growing A Garden In Pots Anyone can grow a garden

28 Salt City Cycle Cab Pedicabs lose battle with COVID

16 Chemical Reaction It’s not easy being Green

18 Merit Medical Urban Garden

32 Tiny Homes Solution Big Problem, tiny solution

Combining crops and commerce

20 East African Goat Project of Utah Goat raising helps maintain cultural traditions

SPOTLIGHT

38 Homesteading & Backyard Gardening Backyard microfarms

56 Mystic Hot Springs Monroe spa offers quirky amenities

58 Uranium Roads Radioactive recreation in Moab

24 Moab The Man Who Quit Money

38 Ogden

48 Garden

Shroom Boom

Down on the [Urban} Farm

46 Sugarhouse What’s Cooking with Closed Sugar House Sizzler

52 Food The Freshness Factor

LOCAL & AWESOME? Utah Stories invites excellent local businesses to inquire about our advertising rates and determine if our readership is a good fit. For more information please contact Richard at 801-856-3595 or visit utahstories.com/advertising

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Golda Hukic-Markosian

PHOTOGRAPHERS

David E. Jensen

Richard Markosian

COPY EDITORS

Nicole Anderson

Richard Markosian

PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT

David Jensen

Claire McArthur

Amiee Maxwell

Connie Lewis

Al Sacharov

Murice D. Miller

Claire McArthur

SALES & ACCOUNTS

Matthew Sargent

Alonzo Riley

Dan Potts

Golda Hukic-Markosian

GRAPHIC DESIGN

WRITERS

Ted Scheffler

Penny Bohn

Nicole Anderson

Christopher Widmer

DIGITAL PUBLISHER & MARKETING & EVENTS

Anna Lythgoe

Deann Armes

Fletcher Marchant

Anastasia Hufham

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BEHIND THE STORIES David E. Jensen Dave started writing in high school where he gained a love of language, communication and photography. As a published freelance writer and photographer for the past 35 years, his work has appeared in several local and regional publications on a variety of subjects. As the owner of Wasatch Snake Removal, Dave writes extensively about snakes in an attempt to educate the public about the vital role snakes play in healthy ecosystems, and the important relationship between snakes and humans. In 2014, he sent a manuscript to Utah Stories (The Joy of Snakes: The Truth About Snakes in Utah), which they published. Shortly thereafter, he joined the editorial staff and eventually became a copy editor and a regular contributing writer. He appreciates the diversity of the stories and the talented people who write them, and he credits Utah Stories with sharpening his skills as an editor.

Amiee Maxwell Amiee is a freelance writer who splits her time between Salt Lake City and Capitol Reef Country, where she is building a home with the help of her dad. She is currently living in a tent on the edge of a mesa where wind gusts typically exceed 40 mph. It is not uncommon for her to wake up with small sand dunes on her pillow. Aimee reports on local government for the Wayne and Garfield County Insider, a weekly community newspaper covering 20 rural communities, and writes about food, travel, and adventure sports for several regional publications. When she’s not writing, she’s out trail running with her hard-working Australian Shepherd, devouring obscure history books, or trying to grow vegetables in harsh places. Although she’s originally from Wisconsin, she’s found a home in Utah and is currently pouring her love of the place into a book about the Great Salt Lake.

Nicole Anderson Nicole Anderson is a Utah native, communication professional, and freelance writer. When she isn’t teaching or writing she is likely to be found traveling, exploring new places, or sailing. Her essays and writing collection have appeared in Airboating Magazine, Breathing Stories, Gateway Magazine, and Utah Life Magazine, among others. She loves to build, create, and see old things made new again. Her favorite Utah hangouts are generally off-thebeaten-path Red Rock Country and the Great Salt Lake, where she gained a passion for airboating and sailing. She enjoys being out on the water as much as possible, as well as camping, hiking, and traveling the world. Anderson resides in the Salt Lake valley with her husband, Mike, and her border collie, Luke.

6 | utahstories.com

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Salt Lake County Republican Party Chair Scott Miller stepped down to increasing pressure from the media about the mishandling of sexual harassment allegations. We conduct a deep-dive into Dave Robinson, the man who allegedly harassed women in Salt Lake County’s government offices for three years. How, and why he has had this position of “unofficial spokesperson for the Republican Party” for the past three years, and why Scott Miller put up with his antics.

Murder among the Mormons is the new Netflix film Directed by Jared Hess. The documentary film depicts the life of Mark Hofman. The film does not spend much time on how Hofman began producing successful forgeries of coins as young as fourteen.

AD TK Burgess Owens is an anomaly in Congress. Not only does he serve from one of the most white states in America, but he is a staunch Republican. Out of the 57 black congressional members, just two are Republicans. But this fact has not made Owens shy to speak his mind.

Paul 2 days ago

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Media will attack anyone speaking truth. This becomes especially clear when a black politician DOES NOT lie, saying for instance, “oppression by outsiders does not even make the top ten of what are the real problems we Black people face.”

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Urban Homesteading By Richard Markosian

Divest from Wall Street, Invest in local food. B ig tech is censoring us, tracking

California’s “mass exodus”. Expect higher

us, selling our personal data to

housing costs as more transplants move

corporations to advertise to us more

here. Exaserbating the problem further is

efficiently. We buy everything on Amazon,

inflation and a 300% increase in lumber

book our hotels on Expedia and rooms

prices. Massive inflation is already here.

on AirB&b, get around on Uber and get

The Fed is painting a rosy picture that

all our news from YouTube and Facebook.

somehow it’s not happening but nobody is

We make Silicon Valley executives and

buying it.

Wall Street investors insanely rich,

The government increased our entire

while our local small businesses and our

money supply by 40% in just 14 months.

communities deteriorate. “Expect another

All of this “free money” and $4 trillion in

round of PPP!” they inform us.

stimulus spending doesn’t happen without

The middle class, the working class, and all non-tech workers watch their spending power decline: food, gasoline

a major currency devaluation.

So what do you do?

and especially housing costs are going crazy. The impact is the middle class is

It’s time we all fight back by embracing

shrinking while the homeless population

the “urban homestead movement”. Pay off

and subsistence class is increasing

your house or buy a mini-house and grow

Utah’s Housing Crisis is exacerbated by

12 | utahstories.com

your own food. Learn to grow, harvest,

Bangerter Farms, Bountiful, Utah settling back into our local communities, from rebuilding our local food supply to supporting local farmers and local food, we need local self reliance and a strong local economy now more than ever. Covid mandated closures and restrictions have obliterated our locallyowned businesses. In the process our civil discourse, civil liberties and individual share and put-up and preserve extra. It’s time we return to the land. The land provides. We have forgotten this. We don’t need to dump petroleum-based products into the land, nor use giant tractors, nor trust factory-farms and Big-Ag if we return to the basics. “Defund the police!” They cry. Yeah, brilliant (insert sarcastic tone). How about instead we divest from Wall Street and big tech? Bring the power back to the people and communities? Why not invest in our

PHOTO BY BROOKE LARK/UNSPLASH

local economies? Those are not only sound ideas, but the only ideas that could still preserve our freedom, liberty, privacy and sanity. Urban Homesteading is not “tuning in and dropping out” but it’s “tuning out and settling in” — tune out of the clamor, fear and hysteria found on social media and in the main-stream media and settle into your backyard garden, community gardens, container gardens, local farmer’s market or farm-to-table restaurants. Divest from Wall Street chains and support local food. Whatever means we can use to return to

rights have eroded like never before. Our sense of identity gained from our local communities is eroding as local retail and restaurants go out of business. Media fear mongering and indoctrination in Universities is transforming young, otherwise intelligent people into tribalists who chant slogans, repeat talking points, seek to cancel in the name of “wokeness” rather than understand history and facts. In the process, we are tearing ourselves apart along political lines. The government and corporations both want us to rely them, but this runs contrary to our western ideals. We are being used as pawns that enthrone them and enshrine their power. Do you feel safe being a pawn? There is a real world, a world where we can grow our own, enjoy the bounty of the earth, the sun made possible by a little sweat from the human brow, and it’s a far superior world than the world they are trying to sell us. Tune out and settle in and support local farmers markets and our local economy.

utahstories.com | 13

The garden also serves as a place to educate children on where their food comes from and learn to love all types of vegetables, says John.

Grow Food, Not Lawns Ogden Group Foodscapes Yards Into Edible Gardens By Claire McArthur

with the goal of helping other Ogden

nuts on the quarter-acre lot their house sits

homeowners transform their lawns and

on in Ogden — enough so that their family

other underutilized spaces into abundant

of four only had to buy one bag of carrots

edible gardens. But the journey for the

the entire season.

Trimbles began back at a small community

ast year, John and Holly Trimble grew 1,200 pounds of fruits, vegetables, and

With more than 30 fruit and nut trees,

Foodscaping Utah formed in 2018

plot at an apartment complex where

garden beds and space-saving techniques

John, who’d never enjoyed the taste of

like arbors heaped with squash and other

fresh vegetables, and Holly grew their

climbing plants, the Trimble’s front and

very first garden. After that first taste of

back yards are a shining example of

a homegrown tomato, they never looked

the “foodscaping” movement they are

back.

working to spread through their nonprofit organization.

14 | utahstories.com

After moving to Ogden and purchasing a home, John became a Master Gardener

through the USU Extension program.

and you see this place transform from

The Trimbles spent the next eight years

mostly grass or weeds to vegetable beds

overhauling their outdoor spaces with

and fruit trees. We mulch the area and

a diverse array of edible plants and

plant some perennials to make it look nice,”

pollinators — and now they help others do

says John. “It becomes something that

the same.

neighbors stop to look at and admire.”

Foodscaping puts growing food on a

Recipients of the volunteer-run

property front and center. Residents who

foodscaping service are asked to donate 10

live in or near Ogden can apply to have

percent of their produce to Foodscaping

their own yards foodscaped with the help

Utah for farmers market fundraisers

of volunteers from Foodscaping Utah

and food bank donations, as well as pay

through the nonprofit’s website. They

it forward by volunteering at future

typically accept about six applicants a year.

foodscaping transformations.

“We try to determine who would

“Foodscaping, in our minds, is a

keep their

verb,” says

foodscape

Holly. “It’s

going and

transforming

who really

a space into

needs the

something

help to do it,”

that’s

says Holly.

productive

“First, John

and an

or one of the

ecosystem

other Master

for beneficial

Gardeners

insects and

goes over to

a teaching

their house

opportunity

to do a

for your kids.”

consultation,

For those

draw up the

outside the

plan, and tell

Ogden area

them what to buy. Then we have volunteers

John and Holly Trimble have spent the last eight years turning their back and front yards into a thriving edible garden to feed their family, and now they help other Ogden residents do the same.

come out on

PHOTOS BY FOODSCAPING UTAH

To make the most of the space, they

inspiration for their own

yards into foodscapes, the Trimbles regularly post content and videos on

train fruit trees’ branches to grow along a

their Facebook,

trellis or wall — a technique called espalier

Instagram, and

— or prune for size control to allow for

YouTube channel.

the trees to flourish on modest-sized lots.

Find more

Trellises, arbors, and pergolas add interest

information

to the landscaping while providing the

at www.

real estate for grapes, peas, cucumbers, or

foodscapingutah.

pumpkins to grow.

org

“It’s two hours on a Saturday morning

for help or

transforming

a Saturday to build out the space and plant.”

looking

Foodscaping Utah

utahstories.com | 15

Green Acres Threaten Great Salt Lake By David E. Jensen

Ralph Waldo Emerson wisely observed, “What is a weed but a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered?

nce nce upon upon aa time, time, every every

and and sinker, sinker, while while chemical chemical conglomerates conglomerates

American American wanted wanted the the

banked banked billions billions in in profits. profits.

same same thing: thing: aa house house in in the the suburbs suburbs with with

Today, Today, chemical chemical lawn lawn and and pest pest control control

aa lush, lush, green green lawn lawn surrounded surrounded by by aa white white

businesses businesses are are thriving, thriving, and and the the nostril nostril

picket picket fence. fence. It It was was the the American American dream. dream.

clenching clenching stench stench of of their their products products

For For many, many, it it still still is. is. But But are are all all those those green green

permeates permeates the the spring spring and and summer summer air air in in

lawns lawns really really necessary necessary nowadays, nowadays, with with their their

most most of of our our neighborhoods. neighborhoods.

excessive excessive water water consumption consumption and and chemical chemical runoff, runoff, and and what what are are the the alternatives? alternatives? After After WWII, WWII, chemical chemical companies companies were were

II asked asked the the guy guy from from aa prominent prominent local local green green lawn lawn and and pest pest control control company company who who was was spraying spraying my my neighbor’s neighbor’s lawn lawn

scrambling scrambling to to find find new new customers customers in in aa postpost-

whether whether his his product product was was safe safe for for kids kids and and

war war economy. economy. Now Now that that the the government government

pets, pets, and and he he assured assured me me that that it it was. was. But But

no no longer longer needed needed defoliation defoliation agents agents like like

when when II asked asked him him why why he he was was required required

napalm, napalm, or or nerve nerve gas gas and and other other substances substances

to to put put yellow yellow flags flags on on the the grass grass warning warning

of of chemical chemical warfare, warfare, these these companies companies

homeowners homeowners to to keep keep kids kids and and pets pets off off the the

focused focused their their marketing marketing on on suburban suburban

lawn lawn for for 24 24 to to 48 48 hours, hours, suddenly suddenly he he didn’t didn’t

consumers consumers instead, instead, targeting targeting them them with with aa

want want to to talk talk anymore. anymore. What What was was he he hiding, hiding,

chemical chemical revolution. revolution.

II wondered? wondered? And And why why was was he he wearing wearing what what

Cleaners, Cleaners, sanitizers, sanitizers, disinfectants, disinfectants, bug bug sprays, sprays, repellants, repellants, herbicides, herbicides, pesticides, pesticides,

was was essentially essentially aa Hazmat Hazmat suit? suit? The The chemical chemical potions potions that that turn turn our our nonnon-

fertilizers, fertilizers, sun sun screen, screen, pharmaceuticals pharmaceuticals

native native ornamental ornamental grass grass aa brilliant brilliant green green

(both (both good good and and bad), bad), and and aa thousand thousand other other

include include various various combinations combinations of of nitrates, nitrates,

chemical chemical products, products, including including DDT, DDT, ushered ushered

phosphorus, phosphorus, potassium, potassium, ammonia, ammonia, urea urea

in in aa new new standard standard of of living. living. “Better “Better living living

and and formaldehyde. formaldehyde. With With the the exception exception

through through chemistry” chemistry” was was the the sales sales pitch pitch — —

of of formaldehyde, formaldehyde, these these are are naturally naturally

and and Americans Americans bought bought into into it it hook, hook, line line

occurring occurring compounds compounds that that plants plants require require

16 | utahstories.com

for good health. Urea, for instance, is an organic

bees and other beneficial insects. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council,

compound found in the urine of mammals,

“The science is in, and it leaves no room

but commercially, it is manufactured from

for doubt or delay. The world’s most widely

liquid ammonia and liquid carbon dioxide,

used class of insecticides — called “neonics”

and is one of the most concentrated

— is a key factor in [the] devastating die-

nitrogenous fertilizers. It’s not a bad thing

off of bee colonies,” and can be 5,000 to

until all that nutrient pollution runs off

10,000 times more toxic than DDT.

into our gutters and storm drains, making

Some of these compounds are known

its way to our rivers and lakes, where it

endocrine disruptors and carcinogenic

robs water of its oxygen content and causes

agents that have killed family pets and

algal blooms that kill fish and other aquatic

made children sick. They have no place

creatures and plants.

in a natural setting or on the foods we eat,

Utah is the second driest state in the country after Nevada, so why do so many homeowners obsess over grass that

so why would you want them in your yard where your kids and pets play? Excess fertilizers, chemical herbicides

doesn’t even belong in a desert? Kentucky

and pesticides from our yards and

bluegrass and other strains of ornamental

neighborhoods wash into storm drains

grasses would never survive here on their

where they trickle downstream to

own, and yet we insist on wasting our most

our parks, ponds, rivers, and aquifers,

precious desert resource — water — on a

eventually finding their way into the

plant we can’t eat, and which most people

Great Salt Lake and its marshes, where

seldom walk on except to mow it.

they threaten the health of entire wetland

Xeriscaping is landscaping that reduces

ecosystems, migratory birds, and all the

the need for water by substituting drought-

other wetland creatures that live and visit

tolerant and native plants for thirsty,

there— including us.

ornamental grass, and uses rocks and

The Great Salt Lake, which provides

other natural materials in an aesthetically

Utah with billions of dollars in economic

pleasing way. This prevents the overuse of

benefits, is at risk of drying up in the

water in Utah’s desert climate and makes

foreseeable future. On August 29, 2020,

the use of fertilizers virtually unnecessary.

The Salt Lake Tribune, in an editorial

Planting a vegetable garden makes even

entitled No Lake City, had this to say:

more sense.

“Over the long term, the damage that

We need to stop killing weeds for the

could be done, not just to the lake and its

sake of the creatures that need them for

immediate environs, but to the whole of

survival. Granted, some noxious weeds

the Wasatch Front and beyond, would be

such as foxtail can cause real problems if

the choking dust clouds that would rise

dogs eat or inhale them. But others, like

from a dry lakebed. Dust that would carry

milkweed, are an essential food source

with it decades of natural and man-made

for Monarch butterflies, which you hardly

chemicals which have run into the lake and

ever see in Salt Lake anymore. Natural

settled to the bottom over the decades and

fertilizers are one thing, but pesticides

centuries.”

and herbicides are actual poisons with

The American dream has become a

long-lasting detrimental effects in the

chemical nightmare. Is an unnaturally

environment.

green, bug-free, weed-free lawn really

Acute exposure to neonicotinoid

worth the destructive side effects? After

pesticides such as Roundup may be

all, we can’t live without bees and other

responsible for colony collapse disorder in

pollinators.

utahstories.com | 17

Employees tend to their adopted beds in the Merit Medical Employee Gardens.

Merit Medical Urban Garden Crops and Company Culture Flourish as Good Medicine By Claire McArthur

employee garden program on one-acre

looked out his office window and watched

of previously unused land, creating

as throngs of employees from the medical

80 100-square-foot garden beds for

device company’s South Jordan campus

employees to adopt. Over the last five

walked across the street to a 3-acre farm

years, the garden has grown to include a

to pick tomatoes and peppers thanks to an

small orchard, a commercial greenhouse,

invitation from a local farmer. He saw the

a U-Pick garden, and enough fruits and

enthusiasm from his employees and an

vegetables to supplement the produce

idea formed.

at Merit’s two on-site cafeterias (where

ix years ago, Merit Medical Systems founder and CEO, Fred Lampropoulos,

18 | utahstories.com

In 2016, Merit Medical launched its

a dietician even helps guide the meal planning).

Corporate gardens offer employees (not to mention employers) numerous benefits:

“As we evolved, I started thinking about

They’re mood-boosting, stress-busting, and

how we can make the program accessible

connect people with their food and healthy

for everybody,” says Laura Flower, master

eating.

gardener and Merit employee garden

In 2020, despite the pandemic and

project coordinator. “Not all employees

remote working, the Merit Employee

with their workload or life priorities have

Garden distributed 3,000 pounds of

time to commit to a garden box. If people

produce to nearly 150 U-Pick participants,

want to come out once a week and help us

grew roughly 9,000 plants (4,000 of which

out with some basic tasks, then we can give

were purchased by employees), donated

them produce. Most people walk away with

300 pounds of produce to senior centers,

10 pounds of produce.”

and generated $12,000 for the Candy Cane

The gardens are just as diverse as they

Program. Around 160 employees tended

are prolific,

their own

producing

beds in the

everything

community

from corn,

garden.

spaghetti

The cut-

squash, and

flower garden

anaheim

doubled

peppers, to

the number

goji berries,

of floral

peaches, and

arrangements

watermelon.

ordered by

Inedible

employees

produce is

for friends,

donated to

family, and

the farm

colleagues

animals at

amid the

Roots Charter

pandemic as

School, an alternative high school in Salt Lake

well. “I think

The Merit Garden also offers employees access to cooking classes and workshops throughout the year.

that giving people an

City, while

opportunity

PHOTOS BY MERIT MEDICAL

green waste

to step

is taken to the Trans-Jordan landfill for

away from their work and to engage in a

composting.

different activity that is earth-based, tactile,

All of the plants for the garden are

and aesthetic does a lot to mitigate stress

started from seeds in the greenhouse. Merit

and give people a bit of mental break,”

holds annual plant sales with funds going

says Flower. “Learning and sharing the

to the Candy Cane Program, which aids

excitement around growing things —

employees who may need financial help

whether people are vegetable gardening

during the holidays. There are monthly

for the first time or growing flowers — the

newsletters and workshops available to

education is something that keeps our

employees on topics such as fruit tree

brains excited and interested in ways that

pruning and canning preserves.

are new and novel.”

utahstories.com | 19

GOAT

Connections Group Connects Refugee Kids with Kids

The Goat Project Offers Refugee YouthaaConnection Connectionto Refuge Youth to Family’s Cultural Traditions Family’s Cultural Traditions

communities of Salt Lake City recognized a need for culturally appropriate halal goat meat and partnered with the International Rescue Committee, a nonprofit that provides assistance to refugees, to start

“

their own ranch.

Coordinator for the East African Goat

families in their community, but brings a

It was really difficult to teach the kids how to handle a goat over Zoom,”

says Katherine Wright, Goat Project Project of Utah. Like many youth activities in 2020, the Goat Project had to go remote and Wright can’t wait to get back in person with the refugee youth this spring. Teaching kids the basics of goat husbandry using dogs over a computer screen is nowhere near as fun and informative as working with real goats at their ranch just 15 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City. Nearly a decade ago, leaders from three East African refugee communities, the Somali Bajuni, the Somali Bantu, and the Burundi

20 | utahstories.com

The Goat Project not only provides a sustainable local source of food for the part of their heritage to Salt Lake City. It provides an opportunity for youth to learn about cultural practices related to goat husbandry. Once the project’s original herd grew large enough to sustain food needs, they were able to start doing more fun things with the goats, including starting a 4-H program for refugee youth. Each spring, middle-school and highschool-aged youth in the Goat Club pick out a baby goat and raise the animal throughout the summer. They learn how to halter-break a goat, how to walk their

goat on lead, and how to properly show

Oftentimes their parents, grandparents, or

their goat at livestock events. In the fall,

other family members have a long history

the youth show their goats at the Salt Lake

of raising goats and this allows them to

County Fair and then auction off their goat

connect with a part of their family’s shared

at the fair.

heritage. Wright says it’s wonderful to see

In addition to learning the basics of

relatives of the Goat Project participants

caring for goats, the program, which is

coming to the ranch to compare notes

hosted through the Utah State University

on different approaches for raising

extension office’s 4-H New American

goats. “It allows for a really interesting

Program, also offers a financial literacy

intergenerational conversation and transfer

component. The program teaches money

of knowledge around a very specific topic,”

management skills such as how to make

says Wright.

a budget and how to open a checking

Wright says one of the best ways to

account. “We hope that once they get the

support the program is to connect with

check for the goat,they’ll use the money

them on social media and share the

wisely or at least have some concept of

project’s story with others. For those

what that money means and what they can

wanting to further support the Goat

do with it,” Wright says

Project, you can view the goat’s current

Many of the youth in the program

needs at the project’s Amazon Wish List,

were born in the United States or came to

support the project directly, and even

this country when they were very young.

volunteer at the farm.

Amazon

Facebook

utahstories.com | 21

Gardening in Pots Containers to the Rescue!

—By Dan Potts

everything from plastic pots to old racing tires — anything that can hold a soil mix. For a growing mix, I recommend using mostly real soil mixed with some perlite to help drainage, and compost to add more organic matter for improved fertility. Watering seems to be one of the biggest challenges for most. Many people simply over-water their plants, thereby stressing them. I recommend letting the plants tell you when to water by waiting for their leaves to droop. To avoid spoiling them,

fter gardening virtually all of my life, and later teaching gardening

that usually means only watering once about every day or two. I prefer to water in the evening to allow plants to recover overnight. Another technique to growing in smaller

classes through West High School’s

spaces is to grow vertically. Use a trellis

Community Education Program, I have

to support plants such as tomatoes. Allow

concluded that almost anyone can grow a

cucumbers to climb a wall, or even use

garden.

handrails as opportunities to train them to

The only real requirement is about six hours of direct sunlight for any location.

increase productivity. Growing in suspended pots allows

It could be a small corner of your yard, a

increased exposure to sunlight for plants

patio, or even an outside deck on the east

such as strawberries that naturally do better

side of a high-rise apartment complex. You

hanging down.

could even grow a 25-pound watermelon

This year I plan to grow melons in black

eight stories up on a south-facing

polyethylene pots and tomatoes in car

apartment deck simply by training the

tires filled with a mix and resting on top of

vines to grow where you want them.

soil in the garden. I also plan on growing

Many renters either do not have access

snack peppers in a large ceramic pot on the

to garden space or the owner will not allow

patio for more convenient snacking. We

them to garden in the yard. However,

are already eating lettuce and arugula in

almost all renters are allowed to grow

our salads that I started weeks ago in pots

potted plants, and folks can usually find

that were easily carried inside when outside

places to put containers on a back patio

temperatures dropped too low.

or even in soil-less front yards. Thus, the

I’m certainly not talking about farming

trick is to grow more things in containers,

with polluting rototillers or using fancy

regardless of whether one has access to a

irrigation systems. Having occasional fresh

garden area on the ground.

veggies or even pet plants to talk to every

There are almost limitless choices for containers. Over the years I have used

22 utahstories.com 22 || utahstories.com

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MOAB

The Man Who Quit Money By Anastasia Hufham

itch-hiking through Pennsylvania in

few belongings

2000, Daniel “Suelo” Shellabarger

scattered around

had $30 left in his pocket,which he left

him in the mud,

in a phone booth. That decisive day over

he felt total

two decades ago led to 15 years of living

despair. Moments

without money for the former Moab, Utah

later, Suelo looked

local, who returned to monetary society in

ahead towards the trail

2015 to care for his parents. He now lives in

and saw a strap jutting

Colorado with his mother, pepper-haired

out of the mud, which drew an

and grizzled as if he were still living off the

abandoned backpack out of the

land.

muck. Suelo looks back on those years

Moab during the 1990s before he gave up

with fondness and appreciation,

money. Sheltering in and out of caves, he

though he still grapples with

foraged for wild edibles throughout the

the culture shock of living with

desert and learned what plants were safe

money. “It was a complete and

to forage and consume in different parts

total change. I was always able

of the continent. Hitch-hiking became his

to go anywhere I wanted and

preferred method of transportation.

live outdoors, and now I can’t do

In conquering his pride and allowing

that,” he said. But by releasing

himself to be helped, whether that was

his identity as “The Man Who

accepting a ride or a meal, Suelo realized

Quit Money,” Suelo is learning

the truth underlying his interactions with

to be appreciative of the current

others: “By receiving things, I’m giving a

moment.

service, and by giving things I’m receiving

“I was becoming attached to

a service also. We’re in a culture where we

being non-attached — attached to

think that everybody has to be the giver.

moneylessness,” Suelo reflected.

If you’re the receiver, you’re freeloading

“That was becoming my identity.”

or you’re a charity case,” Suelo continued.

That identity quickly gained

“That’s condescension, which doesn’t allow

publicity worldwide, as profiles

for equal reciprocation.”

of Suelo were published in The

There were times during those 15 years

Huffington Post, The Denver Post,

without currency that Suelo questioned, or

The Guardian, and more. He gave

even regretted, his moneyless lifestyle. One

a TED Talk in Grand Junction in

afternoon in Alaska, sudden rain caused his

2018, which has amassed 13,000

frayed backpack to disintegrate. With his

views on YouTube. Penguin asked

24 | utahstories.com

PHOTOS BY MURICE D. MILLER

Suelo made a home for himself near

$ utahstories.com | 25

It was a complete and total change. I was always able to go anywhere I wanted and live outdoors.”

him to write an autobiography, but Suelo

authenticity. “I don’t really know anything

said he would only agree if the book was

— nobody really does — except just being

free. The publisher then approached Mark

ourselves, which sounds almost trite,” he

Sundeen, who wrote Suelo’s biography

laughed. “If in all of my interactions, I

entitled The Man Who Quit Money,

can just do things for the sake of doing

though Suelo refused royalties and

them rather than for the sake of getting

requested that some copies be given away.

something — without ulterior motive —

“Commerce is destroying our world. I don’t want to participate in that; I don’t

then things pan out.” From those itching to leave their

want to have to put myself aside to make

remaining savings in a phone booth to

money,” he explained. “Why can’t I just do

the majority who are not ready to give

things simply because I want to do them —

up money just yet, everyone can strive

just from my heart? Why do I have to do

towards a more honest existence. “We can

everything only to gain a salary or reward?”

all re-wild ourselves,” as Suelo would say.

Beyond capitalistic theory and the fate of a consumerist society, Suelo has found that the only guarantee for a fulfilled life is

26 | utahstories.com

And perhaps enjoy a more authentic life as a result.

Salt City Cycle PediCab Legacy Pedicab Pedalers Promoted Personal Propulsion By Christopher Widmer

City Cycle Cab, LLC turned its last pedal. The effects of COVID-19 destroyed income streams

alt City Cycle Cab, LLC was a tribe of entrepreneurs, freelancers, and

contractors that lived up to their name.

and paralyzed fleet operations. Salt Lake was

After a trip in a Salt City Cycle Cab, anyone

a fantastic starting point for the Cycle Cab

will have salt lingering on their brow and

company, and despite the closure of the largest

butterflies flying circles around them.

pedicab company in the city, there are still

People like Louis Gasper, James Kurocik,

several responsible, dedicated and resilient

and Brian Gomez make city loitering feel a

pedicab owners who remain in the city ready to

lot less lame.

serve. Best of luck to all the pedicab operators

Graduating from horse-drawn carriages

who continue to serve the downtown (Salt Lake

that once line downtown Salt Lake,

City) community. Wishing success for all taking

pedicabs emerged as a more humane and

up the challenge to save the world one pedal

controlled way of getting city dwellers from

stroke at a time.”

here to there. The customized Pedal-Bikes —Louis Gasper,

Founder of Salt City Cycle Cab, LLC

28 | utahstories.com

(aka Rickshaws) that SCCC mechanics produced, came equipped with a glittering

PHOTOS BY ALONZO RILEY

“After 7 years of serving Salt Lake City, Salt

exterior, a glowing interior, a booming

me out of business because they called

sound system, and a gritty 7-speed tricycle

my riders employees, which I still hotly

frame. With all of this, a pretty pedicab

dispute.”

pilot was sure to leave trails of lambency

The Utah Tax Commission imposed

behind any brave band of people willing to

fines costing $6,700 for a rider not having

take a trip.

a Worker’s Compensation Waiver. This

Salt City Cycle Cab, LLC (SCCC),

is a document stating that the contractor

founded in 2013 by Louis Gasper and Scott

is waiving their rights to Worker’s

McFarlene, has always faced an uphill

Compensation from the company.

battle. When asked about the history of the charged business, Louis Gasper spoke: “Started out in my living room. Two

During the early stages of the company, Gasper ventured to Park City to gain contacts. Despite being ruffians at heart, Gasper and James Kurocik took the cabs up

cabs in the backyard. Partnered with

to PC business formal attire. The contacts

Lithium Storage Inc., The Green Pig Pub,

that he met with wanted to sample the

The Sun Trapp, Atlantic Café & Market,

pedicabs, and asked Gasper and Kurocik to

Twist Bar & Bistro, Tin Angel Restaurant

give them a jovial joy ride up the Park City

at Eccles Theatre, Visit Salt Lake, The Utah

stretch. Louis agreed.

Apartment Association (UAA), Outdoor

“So, a little 110-pound lady and her

Retailer (OR), Denver Pedal Hoppers, Trails

140-pound date hopped in the back of my

Gentlemen’s Club, Button Down Nightclub,

cab,” laughed Kurocik, “and the two BIG

VISA, City Byrd Cafe. They all advertised

contacts hopped in Gasper’s cab, pushing

with us on real grass roots contracts that

his pulling weight past 400 pounds.”

were all fulfilled. We jammed a lot; played a lot of music.” Not many originations made it easy for

The two of them cycled up the hill, but while Kurocik was silently swimming upstream, Gasper was leaving his own

this grassroots transportation company

stream of sweat and spit behind. When

to survive. SCCC was ousted from their

the ride was over, the pleased passengers

original shop by the Redevelopment

hopped out and decided to give Gasper

Agency (RDA). “Had bad relations with the

a hard handshake. He shook their hand

Utah Apartment Association (UAA),” Gasper

stoically with puffed cheeks and a wide

stated.

smile like a true soldier. “As soon as they

The company eventually moved into a

were gone, Gasper bent behind his truck

shop behind Roxy’s Beauty Salon. Roxy’s

and poured the contents of his lunch that

provided great storage, power, and love

week on the ground,” Kurocik reminisced.

to the cab company. Rumor has it the late

SCCC cabs never rode Park City again.

night salon next door may have danced to

“Park City can’t work unless they let us

the Pedicabbers’ “jamming”.

have 5k watt motors, something I’d have to

Even Roxy’s garage became unaffordable

charge $50 a ride uphill to rationalize the

after COVID-19 regulations restricted

battery and material investment,” Louis

businesses and events, giving Gasper a few

explained.

reasons to pull the plug: “Over time the tax rates in Utah have

SCCC riders were diverse and each had their own unique riding and lifestyle. Some

only gone up. In Las Vegas I have a

were welders, others were photographers,

property with a glass front and I can store

servers, massage therapists, engineers,

up to 20 bikes. The cost in Las Vegas is less

musicians, technicians, yogis, typists,

than $1,700/mo. Half of SLC shop space.

artists, adventurers, bikers, students,

The Utah Labor Commission almost put

mechanics, and some were just kids. Age,

utahstories.com | 29

background, profession, and lifestyles did

special company with Salt City Cycle Cab.

not matter to this group of friends. All that

They are a healthy design for the future of

did was getting out there, giving people a

downtown Salt Lake City transportation.

good time, and making them some money.

The cabs were efficient at moving large

The hoard of hilarious hounds hunted

groups of people around the University

and gathered all of the hottest, haughtiest,

of Utah and downtown Salt Lake City

and naughtiest people around town.

without any pollution. The friendships

Big ballers would sometimes pay $100

and relationships that the rides fostered

for a trip up the block just to gaze upon

were powerful. Music coming from the

the pearly whites that shine through the

cabs animated passengers as well as the Salt

luscious lips and baggy beard of SCCC

Lake City nightlife.

rider, community welder, full-time beer

Bryan Gamez, a Pedicab business owner

lord, and part- time Santa Claus, James

and former contractor, mechanic, and close

Kurocik.

friend to SCCC said, “As one of the last few

A flock of famished riders was always

remaining pedicab business owners(during

gulling outside of Jazz games. “Jazz arena

the pandemic), I feel eternally grateful for

has my everlasting thanks. They are there

the continual support and our community

for us every year. They always improved

that keeps on giving. Soon the door of

the property and they let us ride on the

opportunity will open again and we will

grounds. Same goes for Visit Salt Lake.”

rise like phoenixes from the ashes.”

There are also told and untold stories

As life returns to normal and people are

of heroic pedicabbers delivering the lost

allowed to gather once again, the pedicab

dame or drunk to their desired destination

scene could return. If you love pedicabs

in the middle of a cold night for little or

and want to help think about all of the

no cost. Virtue was more important to

systems that forced this

SCCC than a passenger’s societal value.

company out of the Salt

To sum it up this group of gallant goonies

Lake City market, there

and chivalrous shills gave ten-times their

is a lot we can all do

weight in spiritual wealth to our Salty City.

to make pedicabbing

COVID-19 regulations, Utah tax rates,

possible.

and Utah rental cost, have forced SCCC to disband. The Salt Lake Valley lost a

30 | utahstories.com

Salt City Cycle Cab

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Tiny Houses May Be The Solution To A Big Problem In SLC Mayor touts tiny home project By David E. Jensen

Tiny homes to the rescue!

alt Lake City, like most metropolitan areas, has an affordable housing crisis

32 | utahstories.com

along with a growing homeless crisis, and tiny houses may be the solution. Mayor Erin Mendenhall has plans to “make measurable progress on a tiny home pilot project by facilitating at least six work

The Brown Bear Tiny House made by Alpine Tiny Homes

sessions with community partners and

conventional homeowners pay between

using the findings to chart a path forward

one-third and one-half of their income to

to have tiny homes in place by winter

a mortgage company, and three fourths

2021-22.”

of Americans are mired in debt, making

village of 400 tiny houses that could accommodate the chronically homeless, although it’s not clear who would build the tiny homes, what they would cost, whether

the dream of home ownership nearly impossible. Allowing tiny homes in suburban areas could change that. Elsewhere across the country, shipping

they would be permanent or mobile, or

crate dwellings are being utilized as an

whether they would be sold, rented, or

affordable solution to the current homeless

made available based on need.

crisis, and many jurisdictions are beginning

Due to Utah’s record growth since 2010,

to see the effectiveness of tiny homes as

Salt Lake’s housing market is grossly out of

a way to curb homelessness and urban

balance. In March of this year, the price of

sprawl.

a single-family home in Salt Lake County was up 31.1 percent over last year, with an average price of $405,000, and rents have increased 78% over the past five years, more than doubling median income in the same period. Tiny homes offer simplified home ownership without shackling owners to a 30-year mortgage and the maintenance and expense of a traditional home. Most

Can I build my own tiny home? The tiny house craze swept the country around 2008 during the slumping housing market. TV shows like Tiny House Nation piqued viewers’ curiosity and made tiny houses an appealing alternative to suburban blight, excessive consumption, and the accelerating depletion of natural

utahstories.com | 33

PHOTO FROM TINY HOUSE TOWN

The Mayor envisions a peer-based

Tiny Home in Spanish Fork made by Sledhaus

resources. But are tiny houses a passing fad or the solution to a growing problem? Considering the skyrocketing price of

more time spent on upkeep.” You can design and build your own tiny house, build one from a kit, use a

homes these days, people want tiny houses

trailer chassis, transform an old shipping

more than ever because they’re affordable.

container, or buy one pre-built, and you

But what is the definition of a tiny house,

can do it for a fraction of the cost of a

and how tiny is too tiny?

conventional home. You can even buy a

The average American home has 2,600

tiny home on Amazon.

square feet of living space, whereas most square feet. Many of them are on wheels while others are set on a permanent foundation. The real estate boom is widening the gap between rich and poor and shrinking the middle class. Tiny homes could increase density on traditional lots from one family to four or five, and decrease overall mortgage costs by more than four-fold. Ryan Mitchell, author of The Tiny Life says, “A tiny home is easier to maintain because the average tiny home size is significantly smaller. Imagine the time you’ll save keeping up with the average tiny home square footage ( just 186 square feet). The average “regular-sized” home in the U.S. is over 11 times larger! That’s much

34 | utahstories.com

Where can I build it? You’ll need a place to build or park your tiny home, and that can be a problem in most cities, where zoning laws prohibit tiny houses. According to the city’s website, “Salt Lake City does not have special regulations regarding tiny homes. Construction of homes of any size are required to meet the rules and regulations of the zoning district in which they are located. Salt Lake City does not allow homes without a permanent foundation … Any movable structure with wheels is considered a recreational vehicle. The City does not allow recreational vehicles to be used as living space.”

PHOTO FROM SLEDHAUS

tiny houses have between 100 and 400

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In most places, zoning laws prohibit

for more units on the same parcel,

tiny homes except as Accessory Dwelling

including tiny homes at 400 square feet or

Units or ADUs. Currently, Salt Lake City

less. Those homes could be built on 1,500

ordinances allow homes under 400 square

square feet instead of 5,000, under the new

feet to be placed on a residential lot with an

rules.”

existing full-size home, as long as the tiny

Furthermore, “The ordinance tweaks

home is on a foundation and meets basic

would also introduce a lot width maximum

sanitation requirements.

in hopes of preventing land owners

The Salt Lake Tribune says, “[Salt Lake

from amassing several lots for larger

City’s] new approach would halve square

developments of more than three units.

footages per dwelling in many cases,

The proposal also gives owners a density

reduce minimum lot width requirements

advantage for homes already built on the

and make other tweaks aimed at allowing

parcels, to discourage their demolition.” Doug Larson of Riverton, Utah, is an authority on tiny homes and mini-cabins. Larson is the author of Home Sweet Tiny House (available on Amazon and Kindle). Using Larson’s plans, you can build your own tiny house, backyard art studio, cabin for around $4,000 by starting with a pre-built garden shed from Home Depot or Lowe’s, although most fully-equipped tiny homes that meet code and zoning requirements will fall in the $50,000 to $60,000 range. “Before you install it,” Larson says, “you will definitely want to find out what your city and neighborhood will allow.”

36 | utahstories.com

PHOTO FROM TINY LIVING

writer’s retreat, she shed, man cave or mini

Monique Higginson (801) 205-8235 www.THINKSALTLAKECITY.com

OGDEN

40 Acres Not Necessary Utahns are Homesteading in Urban Backyards By Nicole Anderson

tahns are known for their food storage

lifetime, others simply continued on,

and preparedness methods, and have

knowing that no matter what happened,

been encouraged for years to acquire food

they would be fine. In April of 2020, a poll

storage and a 72-hour kit in case of an

posted at “@UtahPolicy, indicated 37% of

earthquake or other emergency. For those

households feel they are very prepared,

who did, that storage came in handy during

and 56% feel somewhat prepared” to

last year’s woes.

withstand the coronavirus pandemic.”

While many of us had a difficult

With the closure of businesses, mask

time believing that we were, in fact,

mandates, and quarantine orders, 2020

experiencing a pandemic during our

felt like the apocalypse. Thousands of

38 | utahstories.com

people were laid off from work creating

you can donate it to a local food bank to

a huge need for basic necessities such as

help combat hunger in your community.

food. While many of us had a difficult time

If you spend some time hanging out

believing that we were in fact experiencing

at your local Intermountain Farmers

a pandemic during our lifetime, others

Association (IFA), you will undoubtedly run

simply continued on, knowing that no

into folks putting their gardening skills to

matter what happened, they would be fine.

work. The store is buzzing with activity and

With that in mind, many folks did what

this is just one location where folks come

others were already doing — they took to

to learn new skills and bond over turnips,

homesteading and backyard gardening to

carrots, and potatoes.

combat the shortage of certain products,

Baby chicks are undeniably cute, but

or to simply avoid the store entirely.

remember that they are flocking birds, so

Homesteading doesn’t have the same

you can’t get just one. They begin to lay

connotation it did during the era of the

eggs after about five to six months and

pioneers when folks literally put a stake in

will likely produce far more than your

the ground to claim their land.

family can eat. They are a great learning

In today’s world, homesteading means having chickens, growing a garden,

experience and fun to have. Ron Miller from Bluffdale, a California

beekeeping, or possibly raising goats or

transplant as of last year, is adapting to his

pigs. Not only does homesteading put

new lifestyle on his two-acre lot where he

dinner on the table, it also offers a way to

is now tilling the dirt and getting his hands

make some extra cash by selling produce,

dirty planting crops.

eggs, and honey. And, if you can’t sell it all,

When asked about his harvest last year,

utahstories.com | 39

he grabbed his camera and quickly said,

garden with lavender, Russian sage and

“let me show you.” He flipped through the

penstemon flowers? If that’s you, throw

photos of brightly colored bell peppers,

in some herbs, fruits, and vegetables such

tomatoes, and a new salsa blend of hot

as mint, pumpkin, and raspberry bushes

peppers, showing them to several folks who

to help nourish bees in their natural

were waiting in line. He excitedly discussed

environment. If you are into beekeeping,

the special colored corn he is going to grow

you must be registered with the Utah

for the kids. He explained that his son set

Department of Agriculture and make sure

up a card table in their front yard and sold

to follow the rules such as “the bees must

almost $100 worth of produce every night.

have easy access to water on the owner’s

Another gentleman, John Zhang, chimed

property.”

in and mentioned that it was a great way for

Hives must be placed so that general

kids to learn the value of hard work. People

flight patterns avoid contact with humans

grow a garden for all types of reasons, but

and domestic animals, and hives must

one of the main reasons lately is to be self-

be maintained according to the Utah Bee

efficient and not depend on other sources

Inspection Act. You can learn more at SLC.

for food.

gov about beekeeping in Salt Lake City and

If you are new to these activities, you can sign up for classes at most CAL Ranch,

surrounding areas. There is much to learn about backyard

Tractor Supply, or IFA stores; not to

gardening and homesteading. It’s good for

mention the USU Extension Service offers

your health, both mind and body, to get a

a Master Gardener Course where you learn

little dirt on your hands. I encourage you

basic botany, weed science, entomology,

to explore gardening even if you only plant

and landscape design. Just knowing what

an herb collection on your kitchen counter.

companion plants you can grow with

I am sure it will bring a smile to your face

tomatoes or that sunflowers are toxic

when they grow, and we could all use more

to other plants is a blessing to any new

smiles these days.

gardener. Perhaps you’d rather plant a bee friendly

40 | utahstories.com

on Historic 25th Street in Ogden Saturdays from May 22 to September 11, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Supporting local is always in season! This summer, Farmers Market Ogden features more than 70 fresh produce and grocery category vendors offering support to local agriculture and access to locally-sourced foods.

Farmers Market Ogden is an authorized SNAP/EBT, DUFB and Produce RX retailer. Visit our info booth at the intersection of Historic 25th Street and Grant Ave. to start using your SNAP benefits! SNAP benefits can be used to purchase any SNAP-eligible foods. @FarmersMarketOgden | #BuyFreshBuyLocal

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OGDEN

Adam Wong, owner of Intermountain Gourmet Mushrooms, grows a variety of unique fungi from his facility in Ogden

The chestnut mushroom is known for its nutty flavor

Shroom Boom Ogden Mushroom Farm Brings Colorful Fungi to Utah By Claire McArthur

or a long time, the mushroom

Mushrooms nearly seven years ago after

selection at most grocery stores was

learning the ins and outs of growing

unimpressive: white or brown, button or

mushrooms from friends who were

cremini. Maybe a few portobellos thrown

running a now-defunct mushroom farm in

in for good measure. But in recent years,

Salt Lake City. “It’s the challenge of it,” Wong says of

textures and flavors — are having their

his draw to growing mushrooms. “There

moment in the sun.

are a lot of variables to get the mushroom

While there are more than 10,000

to perform its best throughout all the

known types of mushrooms (and

stages. It’s a trial and error process. When

mycologists suspect this is only a

you think you have it dialed in, something

fraction of what’s out there), there are

completely off-rails you.”

around 300 that are considered edible

While it may be called “farming”

and about 30 that are domesticated. In

mushrooms, the process is a far cry from

Ogden mushroom farmer Adam Wong

throwing seeds in the soil. It all starts with

is producing a whole range of colorful

spores — the mushroom’s microscopic

shrooms in his highly controlled indoor

reproductive unit — cultivated on petri

facility for restaurants, grocery stores, and

dishes in Intermountain Gourmet’s lab.

farmers markets.

As the spores germinate, Wong breaks

Wong started Intermountain Gourmet

42 | utahstories.com

them up and adds them to bags of moist

PHOTOS BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

mushrooms — and their diverse shapes,

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sterilized grain which the mycelium — the vegetative part of a fungus made up of a

ubiquitous white button. “Anything you can do with a button

network of fine white filaments — begins to

mushroom, you can do with an oyster, and

consume.

it has a little more flavor and packs a better

Next, Wong takes the colonized grain

health punch as well,” says Wong. “My other

and adds it to sterilized bags of sawdust

favorite, shiitake, goes well with Asian food

and other nutritional amendments and

and pastas. They are really meaty with an

puts them in the temperature-controlled

umami flavor.”

fruiting room where they are misted four

Wong also makes a limited supply of

to six times an hour. Depending on the

tinctures using reishi, which has been

mushroom, it can take anywhere from

shown to have a number of health benefits.

three to 16 weeks for the mushrooms to fruit. Currently, Intermountain Gourmet produces anywhere from 700 - 1,000 pounds of mushrooms every week,

Restaurants from Park City to Provo use Intermountain Gourmet in creative ways. This year shoppers can now purchase Wong’s mushrooms in Harmons. “Mushrooms are easy but difficult at the

including oyster, shiitake, pioppino, lion’s

same time to grow. They grow outdoors in

mane, king trumpet, chestnut, woodyear,

nature in unsterile conditions, but when

maitake, beech, and reishi.

you try to control that and get the most

“During the summer months when the

efficiency then there’s a lot that can go

farmers markets are going, we grow the

wrong,” explains Wong. “But we plan to

whole rainbow spectrum of oysters: pink

keep expanding. There’s a few new kinds

oysters, blue oysters, brown oysters, yellow

of mushrooms we’re trying to dial in on a

oysters,” adds Wong.

larger scale, so we’ll continue refining the

The oyster is a good ‘starter mushroom’ for those who are only familiar with the

44 | utahstories.com

process until it’s ready.”

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SUGAR HOUSE

What’s Cooking with Closed Sugar House Sizzler Restaurant Site For Sale at 5.5 Million Dollars By Amiee Maxwell

hen the Sizzler on the corner of

bankruptcy in September 2020, citing the

2100 South and 1300 East in Sugar

effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. Many

House shut its doors for good last fall, my

restaurant chains have suffered throughout

husband was oddly devastated. Although

the COVID-19 pandemic, but Sizzler

he hadn’t dined there in 29 years, he felt

has been in a general decline in recent

comfort in the stability it represented.

years according to data from Restaurant

“It has been there my whole life,” he laments. It was one of the few remaining monuments of the Sugar House he knew

Business, and this wasn’t Sizzler’s first bankruptcy filing. The question of what will take Sizzler’s

as a kid, and the lot it sits on is now for sale

place in Sugar House is bringing out strong

for a whopping 5.5 million bucks.

emotions in the community. It’s the only

One of America’s first casual steakhouse chains, Sizzler filed for Chapter 11

46 | utahstories.com

privately-owned site in Sugar House Park, and with the multi-million dollar price

tag, there are few options that could prove profitable for potential investors. According to Judi Short, chair of the

Short. No real proposals have come through at this time, and although it seems like

Sugar House Community Council Land

an apartment may be the only option to

Use & Zoning Committee, the parcel would

justify the high price, constructing one on

have to be rezoned to allow for something

that corner will not be without difficulty.

that would make money for the property

The 0.82-acre site is very small, and

owner. So, one of the few things that could

access would be a challenge given the busy

provide a worthwhile profit would be an

2100 South and 1300 East intersection.

apartment complex, and Short says she’s

All parking would have to be onsite,

heard that it would need to be at least ten

considering parking is not allowed on

stories tall to provide a good return on

either street or in the park overnight. An

investment.

apartment would most likely need more

Respondents to a community survey

acreage, but as it is, the Sugar House Park

overwhelmingly opposed another

Authority is not able to sell any land to

apartment in Sugar House, especially one

the Sizzler parcel because under their

so tall on the corner of a park. Less than

agreements, any use of their land has to be

a dozen of the more than 300 comments

for open space.

received wanted to see the lot rezoned

A new developer has approached the city

for apartments, and a majority of the

about a possible land swap, but the details

comments favored incorporating the

of this are unknown at the present time.

lot into the park. Suggestions included

Short apologized for the non-answer when

expanding the entrance to the park, adding

I asked her about the fate of the lot, but

green space, or opening a new restaurant

there just aren’t any answers at this time.

or coffee shop—something park visitors could use. Short approached the city about

My husband says it would have been easier if the lot just stayed a Sizzler. “That was the Sizzler’s home. Nobody ever

acquiring the lot but does not know if they

thought or questioned its existence even

are looking into it. Considering the 5.5

though it is the one business in the park,”

million dollar price tag, it’s unlikely the city

he says. According to him, the lot can only

is seriously interested. “The city doesn’t

become part of the park or it must go back

have a pot of gold sitting around,” says

to being a Sizzler.

utahstories.com | 47

GARDEN

Down On The [Urban] Farm A Visit With Frog Bench Farms By Ted Scheffler

ou could drive right past it a dozen

I recently chatted with Joe and Paula

times and not even know it’s there. But

about urban farming, amateur gardening,

tucked away on a quiet, residential street in

supplying restaurants with boutique

a neighborhood near Foothill Boulevard is

produce, and where the name “Frog Bench”

an urban farm that supplies produce, cut

came from.

flowers, microgreens, and more to many of our area’s finest restaurants. It’s called Frog Bench Farms. Nearly 10-years-old now, Frog Bench Farms was created in 2012 by Paula and

TS: As former winery owners, are there a lot of similarities to growing wine grapes and growing produce on a farm or is it apples to oranges, so to speak?

Joe Sargetakis. Prior to that, the couple had

Paula: I would say it’s apples to oranges

been co-owners of a Napa Valley winery.

in the sense that if you plant a fruit tree or vine, they just stay there and do their

48 | utahstories.com

thing year after year. Whereas the majority

me that we needed that in our society and

of what we grow is not perennial. So

in our community. So we started looking

you’re always maintaining; you’re always

for a spot for an urban farm and we wanted

harvesting, and then rotating into your

it to be next to a school so that the kids

next crop — there’s constant change.

could see where their food comes from.

Joe: Grapevines don’t require as much

TS: What sort of challenges has the pandemic

attention. You’re working a couple of

presented to you during the past year or so?

hours every couple of weeks for the most part on the vines. I would say gardening is much more labor intensive and attention intensive.

Paula: Well, business-wise we lost 100 percent of our business in 24 hours, so that sucked. [Laughing] But with restaurants closed we did a pivot and started selling to

TS: When most people think of farming, they

the public and they have been amazingly

think of rural locations. How or why did you

supportive. We’ve been really blessed how

choose to put your farm in the middle of an

well things have gone for us.

urban neighborhood?

Joe: We said to our staff, ‘We will keep you

Paula: I remember us talking at my

employed; we will figure out a way.’ So

great grandmother’s house on 7th East

we got some PPP funds and were able to

about how years ago neighbors would all

access some County funds and were able

share produce. Some people could grow

to pay our bills and keep our staff working

tomatoes; others would grow cucumbers,

and now, finally, we’re starting to see some

and they would share them. But today most

movement again on the restaurant side. It’s

people in Utah can’t walk to a grocery store

been great though — our quasi-CSA Public

that sells fresh local produce. So it struck

Pick Up Program — because people are so

utahstories.com | 49

appreciative to be able to have really fresh,

and whatever you’re growing will be much

local produce. They can sign up to get a

happier and healthier. And then my second

text once a week from us telling them what

recommendation is just because someone

we have available and if they want anything

says you can’t grow something, doesn’t

they just text us back. It’s really been

mean you can’t. If you want to grow it,

wonderful, and once COVID is just a bad

give it a try. Pick one thing that you like to

memory, we’ll still do it; it’s fun to get out

eat and grow it in your yard and taste the

of the garden and meet retail customers.

difference from a store bought vegetable or

TS: I know this is a Sophie’s Choice type of question. But, do you have a favorite restaurant

fruit. And get kids involved in growing and eating fresh foods.

dish or two that utilizes Frog Bench Farms

Joe: And don’t believe that you can’t grow

ingredients?

all winter long in Utah. We grow lettuce,

Joe: A couple of my favorites are at SLC Eatery. They take our Tokyo turnips and frost them with chunky peanut butter and miso sauce and we love it so much that now we emulate it at home. And then they do grilled calamari with popped rice that they use a number of our microgreens with, and that is an awesome dish. Paula: Microgreens are really underrated.

spinach, turnips and such in January and February. We supply chefs with their favorite produce, microgreens and so on but basically, we grow what we like to eat. When we started the Farm we didn’t have any clients so we didn’t know what to grow. So we grew what we wanted to eat. TS: So now, the really big question: Where does the name Frog Bench Farms come from.

People think they’re just a pretty little

Paula: [Laughing] Well, for some reason

garnish, but many of them have very deep

my entire life I’ve

flavors, add quite a bit to a meal, and are

loved frogs. I don’t

nutritious as all get out.

know why. And,

TS: You guys are pros. But what advice or tips do you have for amateur or beginner gardeners to share?

we’re located up on a bench. And it’s a farm. [More laughter]

Paula: The first thing to do it to get your soil as healthy and nurtured as it can be, because it will save you time in the end,

50 | utahstories.com

Frog Bench Farms

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FOOD FOOD

Oquirrh Restaurant

The TheFreshness Freshness Factor Factor

Garden-Fresh Local Flavor at Utah Restaurants Garden-Fresh Local Flavor at Utah Restaurants

By Ted Scheffler By Ted Scheffler

lthough the term “farm to table” might with caper-date puree and sesame garlic the term “farm table” might crunch. with caper-date puree and sesame belthough a tad overworked these to days, there In addition, customers can garlic

a tad of overworked crunch. In addition, can really isbe a bevy discerningthese localdays, chefsthere delight in SLC Eatery’scustomers Frog Bench Farms really is a bevy of discerning localvalue chefs delight in SLC Eatery’s Bench and restaurateurs who place a high Greens: a sensational saladFrog made with Farms a restaurateurs a hightovalue Greens: a sensational salad made with a onand freshness and do who theirplace damndest blend of fresh local greens, cucumber, on freshness do their damndest to blend of freshfeta, local greens, cucumber, source produce and locally whenever possible. beets, whipped falafel croutons and source produce locally whenever beets, whipped feta, falafel croutons, and That means that you really can get apossible. zippy pepperoncini vinaigrette. Who says That meansmeal that you can get a zippy fresh pepperoncini vinaigrette. Who says fresh, healthy withreally a smallish carbon healthy, eating has to be boring? fresh, healthy meal with a smallish carbon footprint in many of our best Utah eateries. footprint in many of our best Utah eateries. Here are a few tasty examples. Here are a few tasty examples.

SLC Eatery SLC At SLCEatery Eatery, chef/owners Paul At SLC Eatery, chef/owners Paul Chamberlain and Logen Crew turn to Chamberlain Logen turn to local Frog Benchand Farms for Crew their Tokyo local cart Frogmenu Benchitem, Farms for their Tokyo Turnip which comes Turnip cart menu item, which comes

52 | utahstories.com 52 | utahstories.com

healthy, fresh eating has to be boring?

Manoli’s Manoli’s Manoli Katsanevas — the talented, Manoliand Katsanevas theoftalented, hospitable, creative — chef his hospitable, and creative chef ofprides his namesake restaurant, Manoli’s — namesake restaurant, Manoli’s — prides himself on incorporating the freshest, himself on incorporating the freshest, local ingredients into his Mediterraneanlocal ingredients into his Mediterranean-

inspired cuisine from producers such inspired cuisine from as New Roots Farm. Soproducers the star ofsuch his

kimchi, sweet pepper jam, garlic puree, kimchi,&sweet pepper garlic puree, potato parsnip hash,jam, roasted cauliflower,

as New Rootsvegetarian Farm. So the star of his revithosalata mezze dish, revithosalata vegetarian mezze dish, for example, is sauteed locally-foraged

potato parsnip hash, roasted cauliflower, charred&leek vinaigrette, raspberry coulis, charred leek vinaigrette, raspberry coulis, and many more probably came from no

for example,with is sauteed locally-foraged mushrooms homemade hummus, mushrooms with and homemade hummus, pine nut dukkah, roti. And the gluten-

and many came from no more than more a few probably miles away. Now that’s more and thanlocal. a few miles away. Now that’s fresh

pine nut dukkah roti.fresh And the glutenfree roka salad is and superb: local free roka salad is superb: fresh local arugula combined with seasonal fruit,

fresh and local.

arugula combined withtoasted seasonal fruit, house-made mizithra, almonds house-made mizithra, toasted almonds ,and white balsamic vinaigrette. Of course, and white balsamic Of course, being Greek, Manolivinaigrette. knows a thing or two being Greek, Manoli knows a thing two about lamb. So, he sources his lambor from about lamb. So, he sources his lamb from local Morgan Valley Lamb. You do not want local Morgan Valley Lamb. You do special not want to miss his next “lamb on the spit” to missevent his next “lamb on the spit” special dining at the restaurant. It’s manna dining event at the restaurant. It’s manna for lamb lovers. for lamb lovers.

Afterword Afterword At Heber’s Afterword restaurant, At Heber’s Afterword partners Maggie Alvarezrestaurant, and Matt Harris partners Maggie and Matt incorporate freshAlvarez ingredients fromHarris their incorporate ingredients from their own farm infresh Midway into many of the

Provisions Provisions Tyler Stokes — chef/owner of Provisions Tyler Stokes —been chef/owner of Provisions restaurant — has using fresh, local restaurant has been using local foods in his—cooking since thefresh, day he foods inhis hiseast cooking since the dayBench he opened side eatery. Frog openedsupplies his east items side eatery. Frog Bench Farms like braising greens, Farms supplies like braising greens, arugula, spinachitems and such to Provisions arugula, spinach suchfreshness to Provisions so you can count and on uber from so you can count on uber freshness from something like the Wedgeless Wedge something like the Wedgeless Wedgepear, Salad with baby gems, radish, Asian Salad withseeds, baby gems, radish, bacon Asian pear, sunflower and smoked ranch sunflower seedsStokes’ and smoked bacon dressing. Even Shaking Beefranch dish dressing. Even Stokes’ Shaking Beef dish utilizes local watercress, scallions, and red utilizes to local scallions and red onions firewatercress, up the deliciousness factor. onions to fire up the deliciousness factor.

own farm in Midway intothere. manySo ofyou the delectable dishes served delectable dishes served there. So you can bet that items sprinkled across the

Oquirrh Oquirrh Oquirrh restaurant is about nothing if

can bet thatmenu itemslike sprinkled across the Afterword local mushrooms, Afterword menu likesquash, local mushrooms, sauteed kale, winter house-made

restaurant is about nothing if notOquirrh locally sourced, scrumptious American not locally sourced, scrumptious American fare. So when you order the Oquirrh

sauteed kale, winter squash, house-made

fare. So when you order the Oquirrh

Hell’s Backbone Grill

utahstories.com | 53 utahstories.com | 53

Caffe Molise Salad — whole leaf lettuce, buckwheat,

knowing that they are laced with fresh

garden sprouts, and toasted sunflower

Hell’s Backbone Farm ingredients such as

seed vinaigrette — you know you’re eating

roots & bulbs, greens, cucumbers, heirloom

local. And all those microgreens you see

fruits, squash, potatoes, herbs, and even

deliciously garnishing many of the dishes

eggs from their flock. It just doesn’t get

at Oquirrh? Yep, they’re all from a farm

much more local than that.

less than a mile as the crow flies from the restaurant.

Royal Street Cafe Cafe

Caffe Molise

place to find high-quality, locally-sourced

The freshness factor is flying high at

You might not think of a ski resort as a ingredients and in-house, made-from-

Caffe Molise, where chef/owner Fred

scratch fresh menu items. But that’s exactly

Moesinger uses fresh wild mushrooms

what you’ll find at a Deer Valley Resort

and caramelized onions on polenta with

restaurant like Royal Street Cafe. There is

fresh-made tomato sauce and gorgonzola

freshness and “local” written all over the

in his Polenta con Funghi antipasti dish.

menu, with items ranging from Kamas’

And what could be more fresh than the

Gold Creek Farms cheddar in the Wagyu

Spinaci at Caffe Molise: fresh spinach with

Brisket Sandwich and the McHenry’s

wild mushrooms, roma tomatoes, fresh

Cheeseburger, to house-made mustard

mozzarella cheese, red onion, pine nuts

pickles, whiskey BBQ sauce made with

and balsamic vinaigrette.

Park City’s High West Campfire Whiskey,

Hell’s Backbone Grill Grill At Hell’s Backbone Grill in Boulder, chef/owners Jen Castle and Blake Spalding

homemade smoked habanero aioli, and fresh pasta from Funaro’s Perfect Pasta in West Valley City. And, everything about the Freshly Baked

emphasize regional cuisine using a vast

Jumbo Soft Pretzel at Royal Street Cafe

amount of locally-produced ingredients,

is fresh and homemade, from the house-

including many from their own farm,

baked pretzel itself, to the homemade

which is an organic, no-harm farm.

queso sauce and made-in-house

Whether you’re enjoying the Bowl of Three

horseradish whole grain mustard. Oh, and

Sister Posole, French Onion Soup, or Goat

the beautiful mountain scenery backdrop?

Cheese Fondue, you can be confident

That’s on the house.

54 | utahstories.com

Newly Remodeled

Two

Delicious Experiences

One

Outstanding Space 110 W Broadway Salt Lake City

For reservations 801.890.6612

Mon - Sat 5-10pm closed Sunday

Mystic Hot Springs Soak Your Bones While Soaking Up the Scenery By Nicole Anderson

life in the late 90s.

Mike Ginsburg, a hippie with a lot of soul,

found here. It’s just one of those places that

found himself in the small rural town of

feels right,” said Ginsburg.

raveling home in an old school bus from the last Grateful Dead concert,

Monroe when his bus broke down on the

“There is a certain kind of magic to be

Originally homesteaded by the Cooper

side of the road. From there—which is

family in 1886, the land has undergone

darn close to the middle of nowhere—fate

myriad changes over the last hundred

took over, as it usually does, and Mike was

years. When Ginsburg first bought the

exactly where he was meant to be.

property, there was only one cabin, the

Within a week of being stranded in

Grow Cabin, but he wanted and needed

Monroe, Mike purchased a decrepit old

more space to rent to visitors and guests.

hot spring resort and created something

He began acquiring old homesteads and

mystical—hence the name, Mystic Hot

shacks throughout the valley as well as an

Springs—and brought the resort back to

eclectic collection of vintage buses.

56 | utahstories.com

Over time, he created a Pioneer village

at which point the water continues onto

that now has fifteen cabins at different

the animal pens, more garden areas and

stages of restoration along with a small fleet

eventually flows back into the natural

of repurposed buses for accommodating

landscape.

overnight guests. Mike finds joy in the art of making old things new again. As you soak in one of the five old cast

But, amazing as it is, Mystic isn’t for everyone. Reading through the travel reviews, some folks think it’s dirty and

iron clawfoot tubs that have become part of

dingy, while others think the area is the

the permanent landscape, you remember

best thing since apple pie. The dinge is

that water is life. Hot water abundantly

naturally formed by the minerals in the

flows at 200 gallons per minute, initially

water that are said to have great healing

surging forth at a scalding 168 degrees. It

powers.

slowly encroaches on the tubs due to the

If you carry that five-star hotel,

ever-growing calcium carbonate travertine

concierge-type vibe in your heart, you may

mounds it deposits.

not like it here, but if the Cooper family

Ginsburg incorporates the cascading

motto of “mirth and merriment” still rings

water into the design at Mystic. It is used

true for you, and if you find that hippie

not only for soaking but for watering

blood flowing through your veins that seeks

the vegetable garden planted in the old

an off-the-beaten-path, somewhat rugged,

swimming pool. It also heats the buildings,

outdoor soaking experience, then Mystic is

eventually trickling its way toward the

the place for you.

duck pond, where a few tropical fish swim,

utahstories.com | 57

Moab’s Uranium Roads Old Roads lead to New Adventures By David E. Jensen

as possible in a short amount of time.

seekers from around the world. With

geologist from Texas, capitalized on the

Canyonlands and Arches National Parks

opportunity to exploit the country’s

and Dead Horse Point State Park just

atomic gold rush with Moab’s high-grade

a stone’s throw from town, Moab has

ore. Using oil technology, Steen struck it

blossomed over the last 40 years into an

rich with his “Mi Vida’’ mine claim just

outdoor-lovers Mecca. But it wasn’t always

southeast of Moab in Lisbon Valley. Others

so.

followed Steen’s lead, and Moab soon

natural beauty, attracting recreation

Charles Steen, an unemployed oil

Back in the 1940s and ‘50s, the onset of

became the “The Uranium Capital of the

the Cold War instilled fears of a communist

World.” By the late 1950s, Utah’s uranium

invasion and ushered in the atomic

boom was turning prospectors into

age. Uranium, once a waste product of

millionaires virtually overnight.

vanadium mining, became an essential

Cold war fears gradually subsided, and

element in the U.S. arms race, and Moab

by 1962 the boom went bust. But more

had uranium. Lots of it. In fact, the entire

than 800 abandoned uranium mines still

Colorado Plateau region was infused with

punctuate southern Utah like holes in Swiss

this radioactive element in its raw form.

cheese. Some of them are big enough to

All that was needed was a way to extract it.

drive a semi-truck through, and the roads

The Cold War prompted a frenetic rush to

that accessed them continue to provide

produce as much weapons-grade uranium

an arterial network of trails into areas

58 | utahstories.com

PHOTO BY BRYCE BRADFORD/FLICKR

oab, Utah, is surrounded by stunning

that were previously inaccessible in this

to the world’s most famous mountain

inhospitable terrain. And some just dead-

biking trail — the renowned Slickrock Bike

end at the edge of steep cliffs.

Trail. Although it was never a mining trail, this 10.5-mile loop trail on petrified sand

see regular use by off-road enthusiasts,

dunes is famous for its challenging and

mountain bikers, and hikers, who use them

sometimes unforgiving technical terrain,

to access some of the most beautiful desert

its breathtaking vistas of the surrounding

scenery to be found anywhere.

red rock fins and mesas, and the often

White Rim Trail

snow-capped La Sal Mountains to the east. Comprised of 190-million-year-old

Utah’s most famous Jeep and mountain

Navajo Sandstone that provides almost

bike route is the renowned White Rim Trail

unlimited, gritty traction for bike tires, this

in Canyonlands National Park. At 103 miles

is extreme mountain biking at its finest.

in length, it is the area’s longest and most

While Slickrock offers cycling fun for all

famous former mining road. Now a magnet

abilities, the bulk of it is for hardcore riders

for die-hard cyclists, White Rim was carved

only. Located just a short jaunt from town,

as an access road for multiple mining

at the top of a steep and winding road, the

claims during the uranium era, but it was

trail is open year-round and is worth every

abandoned when ore was found in more

penny of the $5 entry fee. Picnic tables

accessible locations.

and toilets are provided at the Sand Flats

Slickrock Trail

trailhead.

As one of North America’s most revered

Porcupine Rim

mountain biking meccas, Moab is home

Also accessible from Sand Flats is

60 | utahstories.com

PHOTOS BY TRAILSOURCE/FLICKR

Today, many of these roads and trails

Porcupine Rim trailhead. Riders can

easy to difficult, depending on your level of

navigate the 14 miles back to the highway,

mountain biking chutzpah. There are even

crank out the 20-mile route back to town,

trails for the kids.

or sweat the entire 30-mile loop with its

Whether you hike, bike ,or Jeep on

3,000-foot elevation gain. In the words

Moab’s backcountry trails and roads,

of one rider, “What more is there to love

remember to always pack out what you

[than] fun techie sections next to a massive

pack in, respect nature and historical

cliff? World class!”

artifacts, and leave no trace that you were

And so many more … Other trails with curious and eclectic– sounding names include Amasa Back,

there. This will help ensure that the people behind you will enjoy their backcountry adventure as much as you enjoyed yours. Grab a good map at your favorite Moab

Behind the Rocks, Monitor and Merrimack,

bike shop, and check out the Discover

Bar M Trail, Falcon Flow, Jug Handle Loop,

Moab website for difficulty ratings,

Poison Spider Mesa, Bartlett Wash, The

bike rentals, shuttle services and more:

Whole Enchilada, and the Kokopelli Trail,

https://www.

which connects Moab to Loma, Colorado

discovermoab.com/

(about 150 miles). Not all of them were

mountainbiking/

mining roads, but they all lead to amazing desert adventures. Areas like Hurrah Pass Gemini Bridges

And don’t forget to take lots of water!

Road, Klondike Bluff, KlonZo, Horse Thief, Navajo Rocks, Sand Flats, and the La Sal Loop offer dozens of spur trails rated from

Discover Moab

utahstories.com | 61

tural 100% Na afted Hand-Cr redients Local Ing

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KEYS ON MAIN

Live dueling piano bar in the heart of downtown. 242 S Main

LEGENDS SPORTS GRILL

Perfect spot to watch the Jazz and enjoy a burger and a brew. 677 S 200 W

LUCKY 13

Excellent food and a friendly atmosphere. 135 W 1300 S

PIPER DOWN

All your favorite Beers and Brews

SLC’s Most Amazing Rooftop Patio. 1492 S State St, SLC

POPLAR STREET PUB

Good food, great selection of local beers. 242 S 200 W

PROPER BREWING CO. Craft beer and a full bar. Food available next door at Proper Burger Co. 857 S Main St., SLC

RED ROCK BREWING CO.

Utah’s most awarded brew pub: taste why. 254 S 200 W + 1640 W Redstone Center Dr, Park City

SQUATTER’S

Where great dining and beer was born in Salt Lake City. 147 W Broadway (300 S)

THE BAYOU

A must see ‘Beervana’, 100s of beers. 645 S State St., SLC

THE ROYAL

Nigt club w/ full bar and great grub, live music on the big stage. 4760 S 900 E, Murray

TWIST

206 S. West Temple 801.890.5155

Open Every Day, 5 PM - 10 PM

fatjacksut.com

Renovated 19-century boiler room with a patio for clever small plates, pub classics & craft beer. 32 S Exchange Pl, SLC

UINTA BREWERY

A small pub attached to Utah’s biggest brewery. 1722 Fremont Dr. (2375 W)

WASATCH BREW PUB

Superb food and beer. 2110 Highland Dr, SLC + 250 Main Street Park City

WHISKEY STREET High West and a great vibe classic feel. 323 South Main St.

Celebrating America’s Craft Breweries with over 300 Brands 128 South Main Street • Salt Lake City Open every day from Noon to 1 am SLC VISITOR CENTER

CAFE MOLISE

MAIN STREET

SALT PALACE CONVENTION CENTER

O’SHUCKS BAR & GRILL

BEERHIVE PUB MICHELANGELO’S

MURPHY’S RAY’S BARBER SHOP

BLUE IGUANA

SEIGFRIEDS DELI

TOASTERS

OLIVE BISTRO

GINZA SUSHI POPULAR ST. PUB

EVA’S BAKERY RED HOT LAMB’S GRILL BURBON HOUSE

GALIVAN PLACE ICE SKATING

HOTEL MONACO

THE OFFICE

PIERPOINT AVE. LUMPY’S

SETTEBELLO PIZZERIA

KEYS ON MAIN

SKY BAR

ZEST

COFFEE GARDEN OFF BROADWAY THEATER

TRAX

REDROCK PUB

GALIVAN AVENUE

ALAMEXO BEANS & BREWS

JUDGE CAFE

SQUATTERS

SICILIA PIZZA & KITCHEN

VALTER’S OSTERIA

PADELI’S

JUNIORS

RICH’S

CHEERS TO YOU EVA

TAKASHI

MARKET STREET

WHISKEY STREET BODEGA J-DAWGS MAXWELL’S GREEN PIG

PIE HOLE TWIST HIMALAYAN KITCHEN SHAKRA LOUNGE

STATE STREET

WEST TEMPLE

200 WEST

300 WEST

GRACIES

NEW YORKER

THE MELTING POT

MARKET ST GRILL

“Beautiful, unique pieces written by a 16-year old. A rare talent.” - Dr. Mio Cowden

Director, Spiritoso International Piano Academy SLC, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Japan, Taiwan Former University of Utah Piano Instructor

Listen at:

Utah Stories May 2021 Issue

Articles inside

Mystic Hot Springs

Homesteading & Backyard Gardening

Merit Medical Urban Garden

Growing A Pot Garden...Oops! Growing A Garden In Pots

Chemical Reaction

Tiny Homes Solution

Salt City Cycle Cab

Issue Intro

Grow Food, Not Lawns