Hutchinson Magazine Winter 2015 by Sunflower Publishing

o t s n o s a e

e v Lo R

winte

r this y ear

This view, merry mugs, hot peppers, Santa Claus, snowy wreaths, winter wanderlust, creative campouts, the spirit of giving...

Winter 2015

Hutchinson Volume 08 / Issue 03

Magazine

dear readers Publisher John Montgomery Advertising Director Dave Gilchrist Marketing Solutions Manager Anita Stuckey For Advertising Rates and Information

(620) 694-5700 ext. 222 sales Executives

Tammy Colladay Kyle Flax Rachel Hixson Tony Mascorro Lacie Nash Kevin Rogg Tom Sullivan ad designers

DeRay Gamble Kim Hoskinson Jessica Price Patrick Sweeley Nate Weaver Photographers

Kristen Garlow Piper Deborah Walker illustrator

I drink hot coffee year-round and I make no exceptions. I’m well aware that people look forward to the heat of summer to break into icedcoffee season, but I’m not that person. I want my black drip coffee or Americano (with an extra shot of espresso) scalding every day of the year. That being said—for me—winter changes the ceremony of coffee consumption. It’s not just a means to keep awake and engaged. Many of us look to escape snowy, chilling weather by stopping in local cafes for our prized beverage. Maybe we spend hours sitting on the comfy couch chatting with our closest friends. Maybe we’re looking to curl up with a book. Whatever the reason, coffee got us there. And in this issue, we feature the owners of R&R Roasters, Ryan and Rebecca Shetler, the couple that fell in love over a cup of joe and then devoted their lives to bringing good (fair trade!) coffee to the masses. Look for their tips and tricks to up your brewing game, ensuring every sip is one to savor. For some, winter might be a time for artists to reach all-time productive highs, locking themselves in their studio spaces to spur creativity. Lately, Artlandia has become that haven for Hutchinson makers. We spoke to those who use the space to show artwork in the gallery, generate more work in the studio and host workshops to teach others how to channel their inner creativity. For outdoor lovers, winter doesn’t mean hibernation—especially at the Dillon Nature Center. Dedicated anglers of all ages. whether at the crack of dawn or immediately following work or school, will brave the cold, throw a line into a hole in the ice and wait for the rainbow trout to bite. And that’s not all winter has to offer. Look forward to Santa, Sweden and spicy food in this winter issue. Hope you enjoy!

— nadia, Editor Follow us on twitter @hutchinsonmag find us on facebook: facebook.com/HutchinsonMagazine

Hutchinson Magazine

Julie Black

Contributing Writers

Amy Bickel Amy Conkling Kathy Hanks Cecilia Harris Edie Ross Richard Shank

Production and Editorial Services for Hutchinson Magazine provided by:

Editor Nadia Imafidon Designer Jenni Leiste COPY EDITOR Leslie Andres GENERAL MANAGER Katy Ibsen Publishing Coordinator Jenni Leiste Director of Special Projects Bert Hull Editorial comments (866) 655-4262 Subscriptions

$25 (tax included) for a one-year subscription to Hutchinson Magazine. For subscription information, please contact:

The Hutchinson News Circulation Department Elizabeth Garwood 300 W. Second | Hutchinson KS 67501 (620) 694-5700 ext. 115 | (800) 766-5730 ext. 115 egarwood@hutchnews.com

Send your comments and suggestions to hutchinsonmagazine@sunflowerpub.com

Winter 2015

contents Features 38

Taking the world by wheels

Taste the Rainbow

Don’t let their outfits fool you. When the Central Kansas Roller Girls get on skates, they show no mercy in the rink and spare no amount of compassion for one another.

Local fishermen brave the cold to find trout bountiful at Dillon Nature Center.

departments Lifestyle

All You Need Is Coffee

Welcome to the Birdfeeder

The couple that started R&R Roasters found their love for each other in their love for a quality cup of coffee. From cooking from scratch to setting a table, specialneeds students at Hutchinson High School get firsthand experience in running a restaurant.

Profiles

In Every Issue: 2 dear readers

the end quote

best bets

Dr. Santa’s Workshop

Made for Makers

Josefina’s dream

hutch illustrated

From the Archives

Retired physician Jack Wortman makes his 15th annual holiday delivery of handmade toys to children in need. New gallery-workshop-studio hybrid Artlandia offers locals opportunity and space to build community. Fresh tortillas, spicy menudo and the Hernandez family bring a steady stream of customers to authentic Mexican restaurant Antojitos Mexicanos El Barbas. Not the Honking Tree Thanksgiving weekend and Hadley Methodist Church

Travel

Tis the Season, this year, In Sweden

Escape to another country during the holidays without even leaving Kansas.

Hutch Talks

58 Mike Livingston

Bronze sculptor and landscape painter

60 Stanley Murdock

Director of Christian Soup Ministry

Hutchinson Magazine

departments

8..................................... Lifestyle 18................................... Profiles 52.....................................travel 58............................hutch talks

Winter 2015

Lifestyle

Hutchinson Magazine

EE FF CO ed e n u

yo l l A

The couple that started R&R Roasters found their love for each other in their love for a quality cup of coffee. Story by Amy Conkling

Photography by Deborah Walker

An air popcorn popper and 25 pounds of green coffee beans was all it took for 27-year-old Ryan Shetler to kickstart a business. The coffee connoisseur turned his habit into a hobby four years ago and became a self-taught home roaster by placing a handful of beans into the air popper and experimenting to create the perfect roasted brown bean. Ryan and his wife, Becca, now share their love of coffee—along with their simplistic and sustainable lifestyle—with others by selling their premium-roasted coffee beans and handmade wares through their online business, R&R Roasters. All of their coffee beans are roasted in their home just west of Hutchinson. For the love of coffee … and love The Shetlers’ home is shared with two dogs, a flock of Rhode Island Red chickens, and an acre of land where they hope someday to welcome more animals and plant a garden. “My dad was a farmer, and I grew up with a love of animals and earth— that’s still a large part of who I am,” Becca says. R&R stands for Ryan and Rebecca, perfect for a couple united by coffee. The R&R logo comes from the stamp they used for their wedding invitations. The newlyweds, who celebrated their first anniversary in October, are expecting their first child this winter. They met online when Becca lived in Pennsylvania and Ryan lived in rural Reno County—the couple had several mutual friends. Becca stumbled upon Ryan’s blog, commented on it and an instant connection was formed. The two started messaging back and forth, realizing they had many shared interests in music, books, philosophy and, of course, coffee.

Ryan Shetler takes careful notes as he roasts each small batch of beans. R&R roasts each order once it is placed and ships your order within two days of roasting.

Winter 2015

Lifestyle

“I thought I knew a lot about coffee, and then I met Ryan,” Becca says. At The logo used on R&R the time, Ryan was about a year into packaging came from his coffee-roasting “experiments” and the stamp on Ryan and shared his findings with Becca in those Rebecca’s wedding early conversations of their budding invitations. relationship. Then, in March 2013, Becca came to Kansas to visit a friend, and Ryan asked her out on a date—“a long, wonderful talk in a coffee shop,” Ryan recalls. They spent several months dating longdistance until Becca moved to Kansas that December and worked as a parttime barista at a local coffee shop. The couple was engaged the following summer and married in October 2014. “Naturally, when we started dating, coffee was this ever-present staple that was just always around whether we were making coffee, drinking someone else’s coffee, or seeing how many coffee shops in any given town we could sample to see which one was the best,” Ryan says. “We just love coffee, and it’s even more fun to enjoy it together.”

Hutchinson Magazine

Java 101 Ryan now works full time at a furniture store in Pleasantview, but he spends his evening and weekend hours roasting coffee beans. Becca uses her graphic design talents to stage and photograph the products they sell as she maintains their lifestyle blog and online store. Her prior experience as a barista also helps as she writes posts about better home brewing. “Working in a coffee shop taught me the value of a quality drink and the community ties and deep friendships that coffee can foster,” she says. “Whether in a coffee shop or over a dining room table, I’ve become passionate about helping people enjoy coffee to its fullest.” Ryan roasts a little more than half a pound at a time and roasts up to five pounds a week and sells it to customers for $15–$16 per pound on average. He’s meticulous with each batch, taking the time to perfect each roast as he carefully weighs the beans,

quote “Coffee is like wine. When coffee is done well, there’s a broad spectrum to enjoy and taste it.” - Ryan Shetler

Savoring the Sip If Ryan Shetler has one mission when it comes to coffee, it’s to educate java drinkers on the potential of coffee. “Coffee is like wine. When coffee is done well, there’s a broad spectrum to enjoy and taste it.” To truly savor a cup, keep these tips in mind:

Grinding Becca Shetler says that a coffee’s aromatic qualities are lost within 30 seconds of grinding the beans. “Invest in a grinder, and do it right before you brew.”

Storage Despite popular wisdom, it’s not a good idea to store coffee beans in the freezer. “Coffee beans are very porous and take on a lot of flavors from surrounding foods,” Ryan says. “The dampness that the freezer leaves also hurts the bean quality.” Instead, store the beans in a dark place—such as a pantry—with limited sunlight and heat exposure.

Slippery beans Avoid using slick or wet-looking beans. “They’re probably burnt,” Ryan says.

A science to brewing The Shetlers prefer the pour-over method using a Chemex, which at first (and possibly second and third) look appears to be the setup of a laboratory science experiment. Think large beaker, coffee filter and grounds. “It’s the best way to brew coffee, with the most complexity—and it’s a fun way to prepare it,” Becca says.

Winter 2015

Lifestyle

triple-checks the roasting temperature, and carefully times the process. Treating each batch much like a scientific experiment, he takes detailed notes so he has a history of how different beans behave relative to others. “I don’t have to go by simply a hunch or gut feeling,” Ryan says. The young couple wants to use their roasting business to educate coffee drinkers—novice and veteran alike. “It’s important to know where your coffee is grown,” Ryan says, adding that their supplier, who is out of California, is fair-trade certified and frequently flies around the world to visit the actual farms that produce their beans. “Because he has a good relationship with the farmers he buys from, he pays them more than he’d be obligated to if he knows the quality of the beans warrants a higher price,” Ryan says. “In a world where coffee and chocolate are the products most plagued by human rights violations and child labor, we love knowing that the coffee we drink and sell is helping farmers make a good wage.” Simple plan for the simple life They have visions of turning R&R Roasters into a full-time endeavor. “If that happens,” Becca says, “we want to open a storefront, a place where people can buy and brew our coffee and relax. We’re very back-to-basics and minimalistic in our approach to coffee, preferring slow-brewing methods and no frills to distract from the beauty of coffee that’s been carefully produced from cup to cup.” But for now, they’re quite content roasting beans, creating, and sharing their lifestyle with others—all from the comforts of their home. “At this point it’s a low-risk venture,” Ryan says. “One that we enjoy and love doing together.”

Soon the R&R business will be an operation by three. The Shetlers are expecting their first child this winter.

Hutchinson Magazine

More Than Just Coffee The Shetlers’ work goes beyond the bean. Customers who visit their blog are pleasantly surprised to find other treasures that include … Cotton napkins: Becca Shetler combines her loves of sewing and sustainability into creating beautiful napkins that can be used over and over again, in keeping with the couple’s mission to live beautifully and responsibly. Beard oil: A must-have for any man with a ’stashe or beard, the beard oil Becca whipped up became necessary when Ryan grew out a large, often untamable beard. They now sell the beard oil in a 2-ounce dropper bottle—and a little goes a long way, keeping with Ryan’s adage of “long live beards.” Music: Ryan belongs to the folk band Saints Alive, along with his brother and two friends. An album of their original music from 2013—featuring Becca’s cover art—can be ordered online. For more information: randrroasters.squarespace.com

Winter 2015

Lifestyle

Welcome to the

Birdfeeder Story by Amy Conkling

Photography by Deborah Walker

From cooking from scratch to setting a table, special-needs students at Hutchinson High School get first-hand experience in running a restaurant

birdfeeder

Chanel Barrett and her daughter Ellie enjoy a family night of bowling at The Alley, along with husband Craig and son Ethan (pictured right).

Hutchinson Magazine

Practice makes perfect for Levi Cain. The 15-year-old sophomore at Hutchinson High School wants to make sure customers receive the best service possible when stepping into Room A-200 over the lunch hour—because it all starts with him. “Hello, welcome to the Birdfeeder!” he says, repeating in a variety of vocal tones as he rehearses for his job as host at the Birdfeeder restaurant nestled in the high school’s second floor. The Birdfeeder is a 30-year-old vocational food science program that allows 22 special-needs students at Hutch High to participate in the hands-on experience of running their own bakery/deli restaurant. Two times each trimester, the students convert their classroom into a restaurant during the lunch hour, where guests— around 40 faculty and students’ family members—are able to purchase and enjoy a homemade meal. Special education instructor Diana Wilson, who has been the Birdfeeder instructor since 2010 and a teacher at Hutch High since 2003, passionately enforces a motto taken from the Ritz Carlton: “We’re ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” Her students live that motto out each day they spend in the classroom and rise to the occasion once the restaurant opens. “Seeing these students take on that role is a great joy to experience,” Wilson says.

Practice, Practice, Practice Before plates of homemade beef or chicken lasagna, enchiladas or baked ham are served, though, comes practice. And no one knows this better than Wilson. Wilson and two paraeducators prepare their students for the restaurant, rehearsing and going through each element in the restaurant industry—service, food, and all. A week prior to the restaurant’s October opening, the classroom was a flutter with activity. Six of the students in Wilson’s second-hour class were on the kitchen side with both paraeducators nearby to help as they poured, measured and combined ingredients for their popular Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies recipe. Roy Handy goes line-by-line through the recipe card. The 17-yearold senior meticulously reads each item, making sure he doesn’t miss an ingredient while he confirms the measurements with his baking assistant, Tina Self, a classroom paraprofessional. “I like following the recipe,” Roy says, leveling out the flour with a knife, but when it comes to baking, “I love the smell. And tasting them.” “It is amazing to see how their confidence builds and they have a sense of pride knowing they learned how to make an item they never knew they could do,” Wilson says.

Support the Birdfeeder Community groups and businesses are welcome to place orders for their offices and/or various events. For more information, contact Diana Wilson at wilsond@usd308.com.

Winter 2015

Lifestyle

Each student assumes a role—host, server or chef—turning Room A-200 into a full-service restaurant during the lunch hour.

The other half of the class transforms their classroom into a restaurant, practicing hosting, waitressing and serving skills with one another. “Now remember what the host does, Levi,” Wilson says, guiding him toward the pile of napkinrolled utensils and menus. She has Levi pick up one of each item before he walks to the door and gives Wilson a thumbs up while loudly proclaiming, “Welcome to the Birdfeeder! Where would you like to sit?” Wilson swiftly moves across the room to the dining room tables, where Kaylee Johnson, a 16-year-old sophomore, and Brooke Belote, a 17-year-old senior, practice serving one another. “Now remember, you don’t want to elbow the customer,” Wilson says. “Put your elbows in, put your hands under the plate, and don’t reach over the customers. Remember their personal space.” Brooke carefully watches Wilson while she gives directions and then gets to work waiting for just the right time to clean up Kaylee’s plates. “Are you done with your plates, ma’am?” says Brooke, to which Kaylee nods her head. “I’ll be right back with your ticket.” Beyond the Birdfeeder When they’re not operating the restaurant, students are baking and selling treats daily to help pay for the supplies and ingredients they use in class. They bake items to fulfill both faculty and community orders, while a few times each week they expand their services to provide lunch specials to teachers in the building. Sondra Borth, director of the Reno County Communities that Care coalition, places orders with the Birdfeeder once a month. The Birdfeeder also does all of the baking for the CTC special events hosted throughout the semester, including making the gingerbread cookies for their popular Java Walk fundraiser event held each December in Downtown Hutchinson.

Hutchinson Magazine

“We also have them bake the items we take to schools as a thank-you to our volunteers, teachers and school staff that we work with,” Borth says. Borth’s group says they love the Birdfeeder’s cookies and cakes, but the homemade gingerbread cookies with royal icing hold a special place in their hearts. “So many kids in our community are happy to decorate and eat the gingerbread cookies that the Birdfeeder students make,” Borth says. “It’s a wonderful experience working with Birdfeeder because the skills the youth learn in the class help them as they’re working in our community.” The skills students learn, however, don’t come without some challenging lessons along the way. This might be learning from an experience when the product doesn’t turn out as planned or managing time adequately when fulfilling holiday orders during the busy Christmas season. It’s all worth it, Wilson says, to see the students overcome these challenges and blossom academically, behaviorally, socially and vocationally.

“It’s amazing to see how their sense of confidence builds and they have a sense of pride knowing they learned how to make an item they never knew they could do.” —Diana Wilson, special education instructor

“Restaurants are a lot of hard work for everyone,” Wilson says. “We plan, shop, make the food from scratch, and practice our various jobs. And then the day the restaurant opens, seeing all of the students’ excitement as they greet and serve customers is a lot of fun and very rewarding.” Several students leave the class and go out and apply for jobs in the community, as they have learned soft skills—promptness, staying on task, showing initiative, having a positive attitude, following directions, teamwork—they need to obtain real-world work. “One of our former students is a host at a restaurant in Hutchinson,” Wilson says proudly. “Skills he learned in Birdfeeder transferred with him when he applied for that job. He actually applied for the dishwasher job, but was offered the host job instead.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Legend has it that the Birdfeeder restaurant name came from a student vote when the program launched 30 years ago, in 1985. The Birdfeeder plays off of Hutchinson High School’s mascot, the Salthawk.

Winter 2015

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Hutchinson Magazine

Dr. Santa’s W o r k s h o p

Retired physician Jack Wortman makes his 15th annual holiday delivery of handmade toys to children in need Story by Richard Shank

Photography by Kristen Garlow Piper

Dr. Jack Wortman is best remembered by his legion of former patients as a kind and compassionate internal medicine doctor. But few may be aware that he is also a master carpenter. After treating his last patient on December 31, 1995, Wortman exited the Hutchinson Clinic to become a community volunteer and master gardener. A year into his retirement, Wortman’s daughter Susan Wortman Keenan, who lives in Denver, asked her father to build a few toys for children at local clinics. Keenan had been working for Clinica Family Health Services, a not-for-profit organization that provides high quality, affordable health care to low-income, uninsured, homeless and other disadvantaged people—many of whom are women with young children. Keenan saw firsthand the effects of poverty, citing one example of an entire family living in their car. “I knew that some of our patients wouldn’t have anything to put under the tree for their children if they even had a tree,” Keenan says. “I knew from childhood that my father was good with his hands and after discussing the idea with him, he agreed to give it a try.”

A North Pole operation For the first year, Wortman built 24 toys, which were loaded into the family vehicle for the trip to Denver. “When we handed out the toys, both the families and the Clinica staff were literally brought to tears,” Keenan says. Soon Wortman found himself in an expansionary mode. His shop on the north side of his garage became noticeably busier as he added doll beds to his list of toys. Wortman’s wife of 56 years, Donna, joined him on the production line to sew pillows and mattresses for the doll beds. As the years progressed, Wortman added new items to his list of manufactured toys, including tabletop dollhouses, farms, and lots of ducks. Donna provides the finishing touches on the ducks by painting faces on each one. One year, Donna transformed a farm scene into a puzzle. Later, volunteers at the Delos V. Smith Senior Citizens Center in downtown Hutchinson joined the effort by knitting blankets for each unit. It is not uncommon for Wortman to purchase 100 cans of spray paint, along with a few thousand wheels, axles and more tubes of glue that one can count. Then, during the

Like father, like son Jack Wortman credits his father for teaching him carpentry while growing up in Chanute in southeast Kansas. Once his father converted several walnut trees into a drop-leaf table and eight chairs, with plenty of material left over for several other woodworking projects.

Winter 2015

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Leaving his medical mark During his medical career in Hutchinson, Jack Wortman led the healthcare community to establish services that remain to this day. During the 1960s, Wortman and Dr. Jerry Spitzer lead an effort to establish what is now Horizons Mental Health Center, which serves 5,000 patients annually in a five-county area, including Hutchinson. Then, in 1981, Wortman was at the forefront of helping establish Emergency Medical Service (EMS) for Reno County, which is a 34-yearold success story under the umbrella of Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.

year, he is a regular at the local lumber yard, in addition to finding supplies in unconventional places. After replacing his deck, he recycled the old lumber into toy parts. And, when a friend completed a home-improvement project, Wortman took possession of surplus lumber. Toy-making at the Wortman home is now a year-round, fulltime job. As October fades into November, the Wortmans can be seen loading a trailer with as many as 60 boxes of toys for delivery to the Denver area. When they return, it is already time to prepare for next year’s allotment. Over the following 11 months, Wortman is hard at work on most weekdays, clocking six or more hours each day.

Hutchinson Magazine

From physician to philanthropist Donna seemed reflective in discussing the man who first served Hutchinson as a respected physician for, as he says, “six months shy of 30 years.” “This effort is a part of his happiness,” Donna says. “It fits what Jack has always been, a caring person especially for those who have little. When he was a practicing physician, he made house calls for people in need, which is fitting for the way he grew up.” Keenan remembers her father delivering fruit baskets to low-income patients during the holiday season during her childhood. She describes her father as an unassuming and genuinely good man. Wortman modestly describes his philanthropic workshop as something he needs to do when he is not going to committee meetings, which he frequently does as a director on three boards and while remaining

active in two medical societies. “I find that I need to be busy doing something and am not happy unless I am,” Wortman says. “It gives me a useful purpose.” This year, Wortman spent more than $1,700 (not including $200 to transport the toys) on the project and crafted 750 toys. Six hundred children in the Denver area are benefactors of the Wortman family’s benevolence this year. Wortman reached 5,000 toys in 2015, a result of a 15-year-effort, growing every year.. He will start 2016 with 150 toys in stock. Once his daughter completes her delivery to the Clinica offices, the Wortman mailbox is overflowing with thank-you notes in many different languages, but they aren’t all addressed to “Jack Wortman.” “Starting either the second or third year that Dad made toys for us, I started noticing patients addressing Dad’s thank-you notes to ‘Dr. Santa,’” Keenan says. “It wouldn’t be Christmas at Clinica without him.”

This year, Jack Wortmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 15-yearlong operation hit a milestone as Wortman made his 5,000th toy. His wife, Donna assists on the production line by sewing pillows and mattresses for doll beds.

Winter 2015

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MADE FOR

MAKERS

New gallery-workshop-studio hybrid Artlandia offers locals opportunity and space to build community Story by Edie Ross

Hutchinson Magazine

Photographs courtesy Kalene Nisly and Kayann Ausherman

Artlandia has the capacity to house multi-artist exhibitions like October’s “Day of the Dead” Third Thursday event.

quote

“Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.” —Albert Einstein

Photos by Kalene Nisly

Einstein’s popular quote fits the bill at Hutchinson’s 9 Avenue B, the new home of Artlandia. Best defined as a “creative-use” space, Artlandia houses an art gallery with a reception area flanked by artists’ studios and offices for creative businesses. “I’ve always thought of this building as a type of makerspace,” says Jennifer Randall, who owns the building and has renovated the first floor to house Artlandia. “I want it to be a sort of creative area where people can meet, have workshops, have their studios—a place that encourages creativity in business, art and the community.” Providing the next step At the center of Artlandia is an art gallery hosting rotating exhibits by local and national artists. Exhibits range from traditional single-artist displays to multi-artist projects like “Day of the Dead,” which debuted at October’s Third Thursday event. But in keeping with its multi-purpose mission, Artlandia also provides exhibiting artists the opportunity for a deeper relationship with those who admire their art.

Local artist Kayann Ausherman will exhibit her mixed-media art this February, and during that month, Ausherman will lead interactive workshops on her art form. “I’ve had my art in several places in Hutchinson— Metropolitan Coffee and Bluebird Books— and they are all wonderful, and you see a real growing interest in art in the community,” Ausherman says. “But to be able to combine that exhibit with a place where the public can have some hands-on experience is kind of the next step.” In Ausherman’s pieces, she dissolves ink on magazine pages using Citra Solv—a brand of concentrated and environmentally friendly cleaner—to create uniquely patterned paper for collage work. However, she says her workshops focus on making art accessible to everyone and helping people find their creative sides. Providing an interactive element adds a special liveliness to Artlandia, drawing people in day and night, Randall says. “With a gallery, a few people might come in and look around on a given day, or during an event, but it is not necessarily a hub of activity every day.”

Winter 2015

Hutchinson Magazine

Artwork by Kayann Ausherman

February: Mixed-media art of Kayann Ausherman Ausherman is still in the process of solidifying the concept of this exhibition, but she is considering giving it an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anticipating Springâ&#x20AC;? theme, bringing out her favorite subjects of nature, women, birds and trees in the work.

save the date

January: Remembruary Highlighting art, music and community events that took place in Hutchinson during 2015

Working better together Graphic designer and marketing specialist Jason Yoder, CEO of Jason Yoder Designed, rents office space at Artlandia. He says being part of Artlandia gives his clients the artistic atmosphere he couldn’t offer in a traditional office space. “I’m in a very special industry where I don’t have to have an office,” he says. “But for my clients, I want to be in an environment that is part of the overall experience of working with my company, and Artlandia helps with that.” More importantly, Yoder adds, Artlandia provides him with something he’d never get working alone: the contagion of creativity. “It feeds my own work, being around people who paint and draw and offer other creative outlets,” he says. “Creative people work better together, even if they are working on separate projects.” Kalene Nisly, owner of Blue Muse Photography, takes advantage of the naturally lit studio in Artlandia for occasional portrait shoots. She can rent studio space on days she needs it, but she is not strapped with the responsibility and stress of perpetual monthly payments to rent a traditional studio space. Ultimately, this adds to her success and fulfillment as a photographer without burdening her finances. “When I first moved to Hutchinson in 2007 and started my business, I rented space downtown and had some killer overhead,” Nisly says. “It was so much work to just break even that I was just over it. I put down my camera and said I’d never shoot again.” But after the birth of her first child, Nisly found herself with a camera in her hands again. “I fell back in love with it, and this past year I’ve been shooting full time again,” she says. “Now I love every part of it because I don’t have that pressure of paying overhead, and Artlandia is a part of that.” Community space While Artlandia supports arts culture in Hutchinson, it is not limited to artists. Rather, it should be thought of as a community space that can be used to host workshops, receptions, meetings or events, Randall says. To that end, Randall became aware of a separate project of Nisly’s called Sewing Hope, an effort to make infant carriers for Syrian refugees who are fleeing with young families to safer countries. “Randall got in contact with me and said, ‘Hey, how can Artlandia help? Can we do an event here?’” Nisly recalls. “I thought it was a great neutral space for an event where we could put the carriers together. We had live music and this motley crowd of people. It was fantastic.” Seeing first-hand how Artlandia has responded to a variety of her needs has made Nisly a believer in Randall’s vision for the place. “It already feels like I’m on their team,” she says. “It has definitely made me keep closer tabs on what is going on downtown and be more involved in it.”

Winter 2015

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Jos

s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; a efin

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th e an d m o f o d ea e nu cy m teady str aurant i p s , re s t i ll a s r i n g a s tort b can i h x y l s e i as e Fr z fam thentic M s El Barb e d n o a u Hern ers to a Mexican m s o o t jit s cus Hank r Anto alke a t hy hW by K b o ra Sto r y y De b y h p o g ra Phot

For the past 11 years, Josefina Hernandez has made every flour and corn tortilla from scratch as head cook at her familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s restaurant.

Hutchinson Magazine

Long before customers walked through the door on a Saturday morning, Josefina Hernandez had the huge stockpot simmering with menudo. This soup is the weekly special at Antojitos Mexicanos El Barbas and the breakfast of champions, according to the owners. The recipe calls for blending the lining of a cow’s stomach (tripe) with hominy simmered with red peppers. It would be easy to miss the tiny red and white restaurant at 601 East 4th on Hutchinson’s busy East Fourth Avenue. But, those with a craving for a steamy bowl of menudo and other traditional Mexican dishes make a point of stopping by on Saturday mornings. Every time Irma and Efrain Arroyo, of Derby, are in town visiting relatives they eat at the restaurant. “We come here first,” says Irma, the first generation of her Mexican family to be born in the U.S. “Menudo is a well-known breakfast for Hispanics. It reminds us of our childhood.”

“She was the one to help her mom with everything in the house. Since she was little, she loved to cook.” –Erika Hernandez, on her mother, Josefina

On occasion when Irma craves the dish she’ll prepare a pot at home, but it’s not the same. “This menudo is a treat,” she says of Josefina’s recipe, squeezing more lime juice into the bowl. “All the ingredients are fresh. And their service can’t be beat.” Irma recommends getting to the restaurant early in the morning if you want to make sure you get a serving. Even though Josefina prepares about 50 gallons every weekend, sometimes they run out of the soup. But there is more to Antojitos’ menu than menudo. In Spanish, “Antojitos” means “a little of everything,” explains Erika Hernandez, one of Josefina’s daughters who helps in the small restaurant. “El Barbas” means “beard.” One look at Josefina’s husband, Ismael Hernandez, with his bushy beard and it’s easy to figure out where that part of the restaurant’s name came from.

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As the orders come in, Ismael Hernandez grills pork for carnitas at the back of the restaurant.

Hutchinson Magazine

The Feast On the feast day, Josefina Hernandez leads the Our Father and Hail Mary prayers outside the family restaurant as a crowd gathers to pray with her. Then the Matachine dancers from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church attend in their traditional ceremonial dress and dance for her. “We pray, and she feeds everyone for free,” says Erika Hernandez. There can be as many as 100 people, and Josefina feeds them all. She serves a pork and red sauce dinner. This year the event will be outside the restaurant at 3 p.m. on December 12.

On this Saturday customers fill the small restaurant. Humberto Ochoa stops by for his weekend tamales to go and says that food doesn’t get much fresher than at Antojitos, where customers can watch Josefina move about in the open kitchen whipping up each item ordered. Josefina wipes her brow with a towel as she tends to a pot of boiling cabbage before adding it to a chicken soup, along with carrots, celery, garlic and cilantro. Then she quickly turns, grabs a ball of dough the size of her palm and then clap, clap, claps her hands to flatten it. She slaps it on the workspace, picks up a small wooden dowel and rolls the dough until it’s a paper-thin tortilla. She turns again to slap this disc on the grill, moving swiftly and expertly onto the next tortilla. One after the other, over and over, she repeats this process—the same as it has been for the past 11 years, 12 hours a day. Until recently, they were open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. “It was too much,” says Erika, so now they close after 2 p.m. on Sundays. The tortillas—both corn and flour—are all made fresh. When asked how many tortillas she makes in a day, Josefina does some calculating in her head. Then she tells her daughter, in Spanish, “maybe five dozen.”  Quickly she turns back to work, slapping another round circle on the grill. After a few minutes she lifts it up and smiles as she displays a flour tortilla that resembles a full moon, ready to be filled with beef or pork, beans and cheese for a burrito. Josefina repeats the procedure for the next order, perhaps a gordita this time stuffed with shredded meat, which Ismael cooks on a grill outside behind the back door of the restaurant.

Winter 2015

profile

Mexican Coca-Cola At Antojitos Mexicanos El Barbas, the refrigerator is stocked with glass bottles of Mexican CocaCola. When asked if the “refresco” is a popular drink, without saying much at all, Josefina Hernandez points to the door and motions that people come in saying they “Like, like, like,” she says nodding her head and smiling. Also known as “MexiCoke,” the product is imported from Mexico. It’s sweetened by pure cane sugar, rather than the corn syrup, which is found in American CocaCola.

Hutchinson Magazine

Don’t underestimate this little restaurant on East Fourth Avenue. With each dish made-to-order, Hutchinson residents (and beyond) agree it’s worth a stop.

It’s not just those of Mexican descent who come through the door. Hutchinson resident Curtis Smith, who travels frequently to Mexico, says Antojitos provides the authentic menu that he enjoys on his trips. “It’s similar to the small kitchens one can find in any decent-sized community market,” Smith says. “It looks like everything is out in the open where one can see the food preparation and realize they try hard to get one’s order out as quickly as possible.”

Josef i na does not speak any English, but her daughter acts as her interpreter, explaining she grew up in the mountains of Zacatecas, Mexico. “She was the first born in a family of 13 children,” Erika says. “She was the one to help her mom with everything in the house. Since she was little she has loved to cook.” After Josefina married Ismael and they had a family, they decided to emigrate to the U.S. with the dream of opening a restaurant. They liked Hutchinson and at first just rented the small red and

white building to jumpstart their business. Now they are the proud owners. “It was hard to leave everything there and come,” Erika interprets for her mother. The family has been in business since 2004, and it remains a family affair. Ismael manages the business but also holds down another job working in maintenance. It’s his wife and two daughters, Erika and Rosalina, who are in the restaurant full time. Erika says, “This is my mom’s dream.”

Winter 2015

Hutch Illustrated

Hutchinson Magazine

Not the Honking Tree By Melissa Stanton

Long-distance commuters need landmarks to break their daily journeys through the flatlands between Hutchinson and Wichita. I found mine fast: a mighty cottonwood stretching its gnarled boughs toward the heavens. It stood proud and impressive along K-96, bidding me welcome as I passed. It told me I was one-third of the way to work in the mornings and two-thirds of the way home each afternoon.

Then one day my English class studied a poem by Mary Oliver. She describes the transformative experience of watching a swan and directly addresses her readers: “And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for? / And have you changed your life?” I told my students how I try to soak in images of the vast, colorful fields that my car slices through on its drive. I notice the leafless hedgerows like lace borders around the fields,

golden and russet brown now in the deepening fall. I notice the rows upon rows of gathered round bales, the strings of migrating birds that stretch for miles, the hawks sitting wary on signposts along the road. And then I told them of my special tree.

“That’s the Honking Tree,” they told me. The Honking Tree is famous. Sports teams honk for luck while passing it. Lovers paint proposals for their brides-to-be on its massive trunk. The Wichita Eagle even wrote a story about the Honking Tree.

That afternoon I drove past my tree, but it didn’t look the same. Sure, it greeted me, but it greeted everyone. I never heard anyone honk, but now I knew they did. That lovely, massive cottonwood is not my tree. It is everyone’s. So I chose a new tree. It, too, is a cottonwood. It’s old and very tall, but not as elegant or well-shaped. In fact, two mighty boughs have been lost, giving it a stunted, misshapen appearance. Now that I have trained myself to look for it, I see it easily, stark against the cloudless sky, mysterious and beautiful. Like the Honking Tree, it stands almost alone, although a little off the highway on a back road. But I won’t reveal which road, for this one really is my tree.

About the writer:

Melissa Stanton has an MFA in fiction writing. She teaches English Composition at Hutchinson Community College.

Editor’s note:

Julie Black is our guest illustrator in this edition of Hutch Illustrated. Black was featured as a watercolor painter in “Hutch Talks” in the winter 2014 issue of the magazine.

Winter 2015

profile

Hutchinson Magazine

from the

Archives Text by Ashley Maready Images courtesy Reno County Historical Society and Reno County Museum

(Left) This cheerful photograph was taken November 28, 1937. It must have been a lovely Thanksgiving weekend for Bert Totten, Hattie Schall and children Porter Herbert and Tricia Jane, who were likely Bertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandchildren. Everyone is dressed in their Sunday best for a chilly, late-autumn day. Tricia, in particular, is resplendent in a wool coat and plaid scarf with a matching tam-style hat; this type of hat initially became popular during the 1920s. Perhaps she received this ensemble as a birthday gift; her 10th birthday was two weeks before this photo was taken. (Above) The year of this photograph is unknown, but it shows the now-defunct Hadley Methodist Church of Hutchinson. A small family looks out on the wintry day from beneath snowcovered trees on the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grounds. Hadley Methodist was the original home of the Hadley Daycare, which was founded in 1969 and operated out of the church before moving 11 years later. The church itself disbanded during the 1970s, and the building that now stands abandoned and overtaken by nature at the corner of Avenue F and Elm streets is a different one from the striking building pictured here.

Winter 2015

Hutchinson Magazine

features

38................taking the world by wheels 44................................ taste the rainbow

Winter 2015

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Hutchinson Magazine

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roller derby

The Central Kansas Roller Girls donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let a few bumps or bruises get in the way of their love for roller derby. Coming together twice a week to practice, the women of all ages strap on their skates and get ready to roll.

Hutchinson Magazine

At the time, Jennifer Little was soul searching. She had recently left a bad relationship, quit smoking and adopted a healthier lifestyle after losing 40 pounds. A selfdescribed introvert, she was the quiet one who stood in the corner and didn’t have a lot of friends. Little needed something to pull her out of her shell.

signed up for the local league’s introductory classes anyway. During her first few attempts on skates, she didn’t let go of the wall. But over time, her confidence blossomed. More than anything, she says, it is the sisterhood of women who have welcomed her with open arms that has helped her change her demeanor and kept her on skates.

“People will look at me and say ‘oh, you are a really aggressive female.’ No—it’s not that I’m really aggressive. It’s the physicality of it. It is the group itself. We all support each other.” —Autumn McPike

“I needed to quit letting the fear of something unknown that others thought of as crazy stop me from trying something that I wanted to try,” Little says. “I said to myself ‘no more.’ I am going out there and doing this no matter if other people like it or not.” In the past year, it is evident something has changed in the 40-year-old Hutchinson woman. On this fall morning, she laces up a pair of roller skates and becomes the tough “Raven Ruby,” a roller girl not bashful when she jostles a few competitors, picking up bruises along the way. “Roller derby has saved my soul,” she says. Little is among the growing number of roller derby divas in the area. She found the sport in the past year as she began to change her lifestyle. Her gym instructor told her how much she loved the game. Little admitted she hadn’t been on skates since the age of 14 or 15, but she

She has found a place where she can be herself. “I love it,” Little says after a morning of scrimmaging at Skateland skating rink in Hutchinson. “It was intimidating at first, but this is my outlet to let me be outgoing and part of a team.”

Rolling across K ans as

Don’t let the fishnet leggings, crazy socks and makeup fool you. When these woman strap on their skates and kneepads, they become a tight-knit, serious group of skaters ready to take on the day’s competition. They call themselves the Central Kansas Roller Girls— donning nicknames like “Sweet Assassin,” “Naughty Chaos,” “Rat Cat,” “Sugar Slam” and “Mosh Potato.” Some are professionals; some are mothers, wives and even grandmothers. Some never played sports in high school. But they are all enthralled with

derby, which allows grown women to whip around a roller rink while blocking others from getting ahead of them. Casey Shinliver, of Great Bend, started the group a few years ago after watching derby in Wichita. She wanted to be part of a team, but Wichita was too far to drive so she started a derby group closer to home. Today, the Hutchinson-based team has 12 veteran skaters and five newbies, including Little. They practice a couple days a week at the Hutchinson roller rink. Roller derby is sort of a mixture of racing, hockey and football—but on wheels. There is plenty of contact through blocking and bumping with your hips and body, but throwing elbows and blocking too high or too low—among other rule infractions—will put you in the penalty box. There are five team members on the track at one time. A skater, called the jammer tries to lap as many of the opposing team’s skaters as possible getting a point for each one she passes. Meanwhile, four teammates known as blockers help clear a path, as well as try to keep the other team’s jammer from passing them. If it sounds easy, it is not. “I cracked my tailbone right at first, but it wasn’t that bad,” laughs Autumn McPike, a Hutchinson resident who goes by the name “Psych McPike” when on skates. “You get over the fear.” She admits she could barely stand on a pair of skates when she first began practicing roller derby two years ago. “I was a giraffe on wheels on ice.” There’s nothing clumsy about this woman now. For the scrimmage on this day, she sports a Batman tank top with black fitted shorts, a bandana in her short hair and bright pink knee socks dotted with skulls. “I love derby,” she says. “It is basically a woman’s community. It’s about encouragement, trying something new, athleticism, all kinds of things. We bring our

Winter 2015

Want to play?

Casey Shinliver, who formed the Central Kansas Roller Girls team a few years ago, says they are searching for more team members. New members go through a 12-week training course and have to meet certain requirementsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including skating roller derby 27 laps in five minutesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;before they can compete in a bout. Newbie training is open to both men and women, although competition in bouts in this league is limited to women. For more information on the team and roller derby, email centralkansasrollergirls@gmail. com. The regular league ends in October. Practices will resume this winter with play starting up again in May.

Hutchinson Magazine

kids. They run around and play together when we are skating.” McPike is quick to dispel the stereotypes. “People will look at me and say ‘oh, you are a really aggressive female.’ No—it’s not that I’m really aggressive. It’s the physicality of it. It is the group itself. We all support each other. We will cheer for each other and we are here to skate and have fun.”

A love of the game

The Central Kansas team fields players of all ages. Many are in their 20s and 30s. Bonny Patrick, of Wichita, is 54 years old. Patrick is a swift moving ja m mer who loves the camaraderie, game and exercise. “It can be brutal,” Patrick says, then pointed to all the red spots on team member Sarah McLaughlin’s face. “See all those numbers on her where they hit her?”

It hurts sometimes, says Shinliver who competes as “Hippee Shinkiker.” Yet, they fight past the sore ankles and bruised shins. “We do it because we love it. It’s not always easy and sometimes it is not always fun. But we love it.” That’s why Little presses on. By day, she runs registers at Walmart. At night, she is mingling with her roller derby sisters. She just completed her derby newbie training courses and only has one final requirement left—to skate 27 laps in five minutes. Then, she can move past scrimmages and play in an official, competitive bout. A concussion during practice in October has put her training on hold—but only temporarily, she says. “I’m determined,” Little says. “I’m not going to let this stop me from continuing. For one thing, I love it way too much.”

Winter 2015

T a s t e

t h e

Rainbow Local fishermen brave the cold to find trout bountiful at Dillon Nature Center Story by Amy Bickel

Hutchinson Magazine

Photography by Deborah Walker

Winter 2015

“I would say out of anything I do throughout the year, the people waiting for the trout stockings are the most vocal and passionate.” —Jeff Koch, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

Trout fishing in Kansas might be underappreciated. The Sunflower State, after all, is known for its flat, open prairie, its acres of wheat fields, along with conventional sport fishing from enormous reservoirs, county and city lakes or small farm ponds—a pastime that typically occurs from a bank or boat in spring and summer. Without the crystal-clear mountain streams in Colorado or the lengthy wilderness rivers in Minnesota, Kansas is not considered by most a destination for anglers. Hoping to catch his limit and with fishing pole in hand, John Murphy treks down the path toward the Dillon Nature Center’s pond. It’s late morning in mid-January, and the sun is finally peeking out of the clouds after days of subzero temperatures. While it’s warm enough for Murphy to sport only a sweatshirt and long pants, ice still covers the nature center’s pond, causing him to scrape open a hole that a previous angler left him. He flings his line into the hole and waits only a short while—it doesn’t take him long to find success. Trout love the chilly waters, and the fish were hungry. Within 30 minutes, three trout are flopping beside him on the ice, and he’ll clean them to take home for supper. “I love it,” says Murphy, who always keeps fishing equipment in his vehicle in case he wants to fish after working a shift at Superior Boiler Works. “Sometimes it is tough to get other Kansas fish to bite in cold weather. Trout is a nice alternative.” Head into the cold Even though Kansas summers are too hot to sustain this species of fish all year long, for six months of the year, anglers can fish for trout without having to leave the state. There are plenty of wintertime trout-fishing opportunities, thanks to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism program. From November 1 through April 15, the department stocks rainbow trout in selected waters across the state, says Jeff Koch, a fisheries biologist with the agency. Dillon Nature Center’s pond is one of them. Twice a month, in fact, Richard Porter drives his truck filled with trout from Crystal Springs fish hatchery in Ava, Missouri, to several waters in the eastern region of Kansas. On this frigid morning, he stands on the frozen Dillon Nature Center pond watching more than 600 trout pour into the cold water. For the past five years, he has hauled fish to bodies of water across the plains, Porter says. He brings several thousand trout to Kansas, which he disperses between El Dorado State Park’s river area, ponds in Wichita and the Dillon Nature Center. Moreover, he says, those 4,000-plus pounds of trout are typically fished out by the time he comes back again with another load. On this morning, he steps out onto 5-inch-thick ice near a hole Koch broke for him earlier in the day. Porter drops a white plastic tube from the truck. Soon, trout began

Winter 2015

pouring from the truck’s tank into the pond. “Trout are an adaptable fish,” Porter says as he coaxed them under the ice to deeper waters. “They are also finicky.” Trout are a cold-water fish, meaning they are active in the colder temperatures, says Koch. Trout don’t survive well in waters over 65 degrees. Dillon Nature Center is popular with locals wanting to fish for trout, says Mary Clark, the center’s director. “We have regulars,” she says, noting some are waiting for the center’s gates to open at 8 a.m. on weekdays so they can go fishing. Even on arctic days the dedicated will make it out to drop a hook. Fishing on the ice, however, is not permitted, she says. Clark also says the north end of the nature center’s lake is spring-fed and doesn’t always freeze over, making it a good place to winter fish, as well. It’s big enough for several anglers to find a spot to fish, including Pretty Prairie resident Jimmy Miller, who ventured out on this day for his premiere trout-fishing outing.

“Sometimes it is tough to get other Kansas fish to bite in cold weather. Trout is a nice alternative.” -John Murphy

“I’ve never fished for trout,” he says as he baited his hook with a salmon egg. “Everybody was talking about trout fishing here, and they say trout is good eating, so I decided to try it out.” If you build it … The program is one of the more popular ones the department offers, Koch says, and brings many winter anglers to the shoreline. “I would say out of anything I do throughout the year, the people waiting for the trout stockings are the most vocal and passionate,” he says. Hutchinson resident Chuck Blake is among the ardent anglers, but he admits fishing for trout in Kansas is nothing like his years in Minnesota fly-fishing tributaries of Lake Superior. A handful of times each winter he takes his son, Joe, an eighth-grader, to Dillon Nature Center, giving him an opportunity to angle for trout just like he did years ago. “The best time is whenever you can,” Blake says. “I know toward the end of the season, I’ve gotten off work at 5 and buzzed straight out there. You have 45 minutes to an hour of daylight left to try to catch them.” Blake enjoys preparing smoked rainbow trout, but adds that he fries the fish, too, for his mother-in-law. “I’ve never been much for catfish,” he says of one of Kansas’ main sport fish. “This is just a great program wildlife, giving people the opportunity.” The program exposes Kansans to trout fishing, Blake says. Moreover, he’s glad there is a place to fish like Dillon Nature Center. Otherwise, he says, he’d have to look for trout in the grocery store. “It keeps you in touch with the taste of rainbow.”

Hutchinson Magazine

FEATURE?

Hutchinson Magazine

Trout in

Kansas trout fishing gives anglers an opportunity to fish before the spring walleye spawn. The opportunity to trout-fish is plentiful across Kansas; Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism stocks 32 waters across the state with trout. Some areas, including Kanopolis Reservoir’s seep stream, offer dedicated fly fishermen opportunities to cast for trout, says fisheries biologist Jeff Koch. One area of the stream is reserved just for those fishing with fly rods. “It is more of a natural setting—as natural as it can be below a giant man-made dam,” he says, noting the area has diverse habitat. Meanwhile, those fishing Dillon Nature Center and other small, trout-stocked ponds typically find success with flashy spinners and neon power baits that can be molded into balls on small hooks. Others use salmon eggs, prepared dough balls and even marshmallows. Before you go • A $12.50 trout permit is required for all anglers fishing for trout. • Anglers can catch five trout a day (creel limit). The possession limit is 15 trout. • Youth, ages 15 and under, do not have to have a trout permit, but the daily creel limit is two trout. If they have a permit, the creel limit is five trout. • All residents, 16 to 74 years old, also must have a valid fishing license. • After April 15, there still may be some trout in the ponds and lakes around the state. Anglers can trout-fish these waters without a trout permit, but the limit of five trout a day and 15 in possession is still active. This does not include the waters that are stocked all year.

Winter 2015

travel

Tis the Season, this year, In Sweden

Escape to another country during the holidays without even leaving Kansas Story by Cecilia Harris

Hutchinson Magazine

Photography by Jim Richardson

Brightly painted, holly-adorned wooden Dala horses prancing on porches welcome you to Lindsborg, where the smell of fresh-baked pepparkakor (a Swedish ginger cookie) wafts from local restaurants lining the gaily festooned, redbrick Main Street. You don’t have to be Scandinavian to enjoy this community, dubbed “Little Sweden, U.S.A.” and located less than 45 miles northeast of Hutchinson, says Holly Lofton, director of the Lindsborg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Lindsborg offers a one-of-a-kind experience,” Lofton says, referring to the costumes, folk dancing, music and food found at special events. “Even other Scandinavian communities don’t celebrate like we do. We’re very unique. The people here want to keep their Swedish heritage alive and celebrate those traditions. It’s magical. It makes for a memorable family trip.” Festivities fill the calendar throughout the holiday season, providing plenty of opportunities to explore Lindsborg’s culture. Consider visiting the second Saturday in December to experience the community’s annual Lucia Day celebration, a beloved Christmas tradition. We’ve got your schedule covered.

Heritage Square adorned with a snowcovered wreath for the happy holidays.

Winter 2015

December 12, 2015 Swedish Start/9 a.m. Sample knäckebröd (rye flatbread), pickled herring, porridge, skorpor (toast) and other specialties found on the breakfast buffet served from 7–11 a.m. at the Swedish Country Inn. Spend the night at this inn filled with pine furniture and colorful quilts. swedishcountryinn.com

Coffee Break/10 a.m. Sip a cup of Swedish Mellanrost coffee, crafted by the local Blacksmith Coffee Roastery, inside the Courtyard Gallery and Bakery. Munch on kringlor (pastry), almond rusk and other treats before browsing the fine art for sale here. courtyardgallery.com blacksmithcoffee.com

Lucia Day/10:30 a.m. Join the community in honoring Saint Lucia, a Christian martyr. “It’s one of those times of the year when you can hear live music and see the Swedish costumes and folk dancing,” Lofton says. The afternoon’s activities include a special ceremony during which a young Lindsborg woman is crowned as Lucia, the bearer of light. Dressed in a white gown with a red sash and wearing a golden, candle-lit wreath on her head, Lucia then goes amongst the crowd serving ginger cookies and coffee. lindsborgcity.org

Sandzén Holiday Gift Show/11:30 a.m. Shop at the Birgér Sandzen Memorial Gallery’s annual Holiday Gift Show featuring handmade cards, blown glass, woodcarvings, paintings and more created by nearly 40 select regional artists. “Our intent is to have more affordable art for sale, generally under $150 for each piece,” says Ron Michael, gallery director. sandzen.org

Lunchtime/12:30 p.m. Order a Kottbullesmorgäs (meatball) or Kalkonsmorgäs (turkey) sandwich at the Old Grind and a cup of the popular Farmors blend crafted by the local Blacksmith Coffee Roastery. Alternatively, stop at White Peacock for lunch to order the sweet Swedish pancakes or a rich grilled Swedish Reuben. Facebook.com/theoldgrind thewhitepeacockcoffee.com

Hutchinson Magazine

Lindsborg Folkdanslag performs a Swedish dance on Main Street during Lucia festivities. Find bell choir performances out and about, this one from Salemsborg Lutheran Church. Enjoy free horse and wagon rides on Main Street while checking off holiday lists at downtown shops.

Winter 2015

travel

No time to travel during the holidays? Lindsborg celebrates its heritage with festivals throughout the year: Våffeldagen: Translated as “Waffle Day,” this March event marks the beginning of Spring with waffle treats served at most local restaurants. Messiah Festival of the Arts: This celebration from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday will feature the 135th presentation of Handel’s Messiah, as well as other music events and art exhibitions. Millfest: The 1898 Smoky Valley Roller Mills operates only once a year during this event the first full weekend in May. Also experience a one-room schoolhouse and weaving, basketry and woodcarving demonstrations. Midsummer’s Festival: This national Swedish holiday on the third Saturday in June marks the beginning of summer and includes food, music, dancing, and the raising of the Midsommarstång (Midsummer Pole). Svensk Hyllningsfest: This biennial event in October of odd-numbered years honors the Swedish immigrants who settled in the area in 1869. It features art, crafts, food, music, folk dancing and entertainment.

Hutchinson Magazine

Toy Story/1 p.m. View the whimsical, colorful and elaborately carved toys at the Red Barn Gallery. The artist Lester Raymer (1907-1991) office created these toys in his studio and gave them to his wife every Christmas for 30 years. Then stock up on Scandinavian toys, gifts you can’t find just anywhere, such as Viking helmets, Swedish dolls, wooden train sets and more at Trollslända Toy Store. lesterraymer.org trollslandatoystore.com

Step Back in Time/5:30 p.m. Listen to the sounds of dulcimers, harps, flutes and choirs during the Old-Fashioned Christmas at the Old Mill Museum. “The acoustics are just amazing in the 1904 World’s Fair Swedish Pavilion,” says Director Lorna Nelson. The grounds are lit by kerosene lanterns, reflecting life on the prairie in the 1880s. Hear the story of Christmas as told by a shepherd in the stable. Watch a one-act play inside the depot. Send the kids to make crafts in the oneroom schoolhouse. Who knows? They just might see Santa.

Shopping Spree/2 p.m. Grab your holiday gift list and head to unique shops, galleries and artists’ studios in the downtown area. Pick up a personalized Swedish Dala horse at Hemslöjd. Find handcrafted items and traditional souvenirs here at Anderson Butik. Purchase a piece of IBISwoman jewelry featuring antique and vintage beads, old Swedish steamship tokens or antique Swedish copper coins at Small World Gallery. Or select a decorative cutting board from Chestnut Studios, hand-painted by Rita Sharpe and Robert Walker in kurbits folk-art style.

A Taste of Sweden/7 p.m. Get ready to feast at The Swedish Crown, a local icon. “Many people visiting Lindsborg over the holidays want to enjoy Swedish meatballs, potato sausage, dill potatoes and Ostkaka (custard) with lingonberries,” says co-owner Shana Everhart. Or head to Ol Stuga and order a Swedish Delicacy Tray of pickled herring, knäckebröd and bondost cheese, and indulge in Akvavit, a liquor produced in Scandinavia. After all, Ol Stuga translates to “beer cottage.” Skal! (Cheers!)

hemslöjd.com andersonbutik.com ibiswoman.com chestnutstudioslbk.com

oldmillmuseum.org

theswedishcrown.com facebook.com/olstuga

Winter 2015

hutch talks

Mike

Livingston B r o n z e s c u l p t o r a n d L a n d s c a p e pa i n t e r

Hutchinson Magazine

In 1968, a few weeks after Mike Livingston became a junior high art teacher in Wichita, he was drafted into the Army. “The war in Vietnam was going strong at that time, and a few weeks after I began teaching, I was drafted with just a four-day notice,” Livingston recalls. Holding a bachelor’s degree in art from Emporia State, Livingston had creative endeavors on the brain even while far away from home fighting for his country. Livingston applied to graduate school at Fort Hays before his return so he could take his fascination with casting bronze to the next level. “I knew their art department had a newly built bronze foundry,” he says. “I had cast small works while at Emporia, but now would have the opportunity to work larger at Hays.”

Tell me about your life in Hutchinson. My wife, Peggy and I came to Hutchinson with the idea of building a bronze-casting studio. Even though Hutchinson was not necessarily our intended destination, circumstances brought us here 43 years ago, and we feel very fortunate to have settled here. What do you like about the process of casting bronze? I like working in bronze because of its permanence and the relative ease of grinding and welding, compared to ferrous metals. Bronze is an alloy—with copper being the major component—and that lends itself to easily manipulating the color with various chemicals.

For Talk20 you gave a presentation on creating a creative workspace. If you could snap your fingers and have any workspace where would it be? I don’t believe there is any perfect place. You settle somewhere and then build your life with the people and resources at hand. That’s what Peggy and I have done, and we love our life in Hutchinson.

How did you get inspired to create “ethnic primitive” work? What attracts you to this style? My personal philosophy has always been to show the evidence of the hand in my work. I suppose I was always drawn to ethnic primitive images because they are the definition of “made by hand.”

What is your favorite piece of art (by another artist)? I can’t say that I have a specific favorite, but many 20th-century contemporary sculptors have influenced me. African art was a big factor in determining the direction that painting and sculpture took early last century. African art—like children’s art—was and is so powerful because of its pure honesty in approach to color and image.

If you were going to create a piece to represent Hutchinson, it would be … I am not sure that is possible. Art is so subjective, and that is why public art is usually surrounded by controversy. If it were possible to create a work that was liked by everyone, it would probably also not be well liked by anyone.

How does environment inspire your work? When I speak of environment as being important to creating my work, I am talking about my immediate surroundings. Life in the country has always made for a perfect situation for me because I like the solitude and the absence of distractions.

What is your favorite thing to do in Hutchinson with Peggy? Now that the new Alley has opened, we have been bowling with friends frequently, and I have found that that I am the secondbest bowler in our house. I spend more time painting landscapes these days than working in bronze, so now one of my favorite days is when my dog Max and I drive in the country to spend the day looking for something to paint. We usually go to Ellsworth County—I like its rolling hills and it is a fairly short drive—plus it is an area that I know well. Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker

Winter 2015

hutch talks

Stanley Murdock

Di r e c t o r o f C h r i s t i a n S o u p Mi n i s t ry

Hutchinson Magazine

When Stanley Murdock took over the operation of the soup kitchen, it was supposed to be a temporary role. The director at the time had just quit, and Murdock was asked to step in because she had filled in as director on a day-today basis before when someone was out sick. “They asked if I could work a couple weeks until they found someone, and that was almost 23 years in November,” Murdock says. “They never found anyone to take my place and I’m glad about that. I have enjoyed every day that I have been here.”

Tell us about your life in Hutchinson. I was born and raised here. I have lived here all my life. I raised six kids here; I have five brothers and sisters—a couple of them have passed away now—but we were all raised here. It’s my home. I’ve enjoyed living here, and I’ve never really thought about straying. I have lived in other places but I always came back to Hutch. What do you love about Hutchinson? The people the most. It’s a nice, quiet little town. Hutchinson has been good to me. I can’t say I haven’t lived a good life here. What is most rewarding about the job? Being able to help people who can’t help themselves, body and soul. We have people who come here that can’t read or write, and I do their paperwork for them. They trust me enough to do that for them. To be involved in their lives the way that I am, it just seems like I have a great big family. I’ve met so many friends as far as volunteers, plus the clients that are here and involved with the soup kitchen. Over the years I’ve met millions of people I think, and they’ve all been good to me. What does the kitchen offer? We offer a meal 4 days a week. We are not handicap accessible, so we deliver meals to 47 people because they are unable to come to the kitchen. We go to them; they don’t have to come to us. And those meals are delivered free by the churches and organizations. We offer a clothing bank where you can shop and get whatever you want. People take big garbage bags of stuff to take home with them. Anything else? We offer a food bank when they can’t access Reno County Food Bank. Some people can’t go there because they don’t have social security cards or leases for an address. Our food bank is stocked by different individuals, and those people expect us to give the food to the people, so that’s what we do with no questions asked. We also have church services, Bible classes and prayer meetings. We try to supply their needs. That’s our mission statement: to feed the hungry in Hutchinson, body and soul. Tell us about the need for the kitchen. We served 3,500 people in the soup kitchen in September. That’s an average of about 186 a day in the 17 days we were open.

How do the holidays change the need of the soup kitchen? Those are the busiest times, but we get the most contributions during those times too. We have a big Thanksgiving meal where we serve 500–600 people, and then we have a Christmas party that we serve probably 250–300. The people of Hutchinson are very generous all year long, but they’re more generous in the holidays. Everyone’s in a giving mood.

Tell us about the Thanksgiving dinner. The Thanksgiving dinner is a community-wide event that started with me cooking four turkeys in my oven to 30 turkeys now. And I think this is our 27th annual dinner. It’s fun, and it’s gotten bigger and bigger every year. We have so much fun here. All month long we get everything ready, and the day of, we have 50 people here bringing in food and serving the people. And some of them have come every single year.

Why should people donate? We need to take care of the poor, no judgment. I express that to everyone who comes and wants to work. It’s not about you or your feelings or what you think you see because sometimes what you think you see is not what you’re really seeing. If you want to do the right thing, help someone else and go on about your business. What is your favorite meal to cook at home? Thanksgiving. Everybody brings their favorite dish and we put it all together and have a good time. My house is overflowing with folks. We’re all there together, crunched in there together, hugging and loving. Just sharing with each other and being with each other. We’re a very loving family and we love to be together. Interview conducted by Nadia Imafidon Photography by Deborah Walker

Winter 2015

the

end quote

two special guest contributions by: Julie Black, watercolor artist Kalene Nisly, photographer

“If it were possible to create a work that was liked by everyone,

it would probably also not be well liked by anyone.” —Mike Livingston, artist

5,000 “It feeds my own work, being around people who paint and draw and offer other creative outlets.” —Jason Yoder

numbers of stories submitted

Learn Swedish! Skal! = Cheers Kringlor = pastry Skorpor = toast Pepparkakor = ginger cookie

at Antojitos Mexicanos El Barbas

—Stanley Murdock

of menudo soup

made every weekend

Hutchinson Magazine

— Ryan Shetler

number of toys Dr. Jack Wortman has built for children over the past 15 holiday seasons

“It’s my home. I’ve enjoyed living here and I’ve never really thought about straying. I have lived in other places but I always came back to Hutch.”

number of gallons

“Coffee is like wine. When coffee is done well, there’s a broad spectrum to enjoy and taste it.”

“I was a gir affe on wheels on ice.” —Autumn McPike, Central Kansas Roller Girls

42 miles from Hutchinson to Lindsborg

Winter 2015

best bets

Evening Aglow For a much-loved community tradition, head to Stutzmans Greenhouse where you’ll find the interior of the greenhouse blanketed with lights and holiday décor. Bring everyone from the kids to the grandparents and enjoy a holiday sing-along among the twinkling lights. Begins at 5 p.m. www.stutzmans.com

december

Hyde Park Luminaries Hutchinson’s Hyde Park (Main to Monroe, 18th to 23rd) will be aglow as 17,000 Christmas luminaries line the streets and sidewalks of the neighborhood. The festivities also include hayrack rides, carolers and Santa. Begins at 6 p.m.

Hutch Rec’s Downtown Christmas Arts & Crafts Boutique

Support local artists and craftsmen as you shop their wares just in time for the Christmas season. You can find a little bit of everything at this in-person Etsy store, including glass items, jewelry, purses and wallets, paintings, canvas artwork, jellies and jams, candles and scents. Begins at 9 a.m. www.hutchrec.com

december

11, 12, 13 Prairie Nutcracker Enjoy a uniquely Kansas adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s traditional Nutcracker for the whole family at Hutchinson’s Historic Fox Theatre. Prairie Nutcracker is the perfect heart-warming American celebration for the heartland’s holiday season. Begins at 7:30, Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. on Sunday. www.prairienutcracker.com

december 22

december

Bluestem Bibliophiles Book Club This month’s discussion will be on A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, which details his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with a friend. Bluestem Bibliophiles is an environmental book club that meets monthly to discuss a range of environmental, food, gardening and other current issues. www.bluebirdbookstore.com

January

Second Saturday

Celebrate Quivira’s wildlife and western heritage with a variety of displays and demos that involve animals, live music, crafts and science exploration. www.downtownhutch.com

All dates and times are subject to change

January 21

december 4

fall 2015

Third Thursday Every third Thursday of the month, Downtown Hutchinson stores and galleries come alive with art, music and community, and attendees get to know the fine- and performing-arts communities of Hutchinson. Centered around B and Main and branching out in all directions, the event is free and open to all. Guest artists come in from all over the country and art exhibits rotate monthly. www.thirdthursdayhutch.com

February

Banjoists Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn Banjoists Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn showcase their mastery of the deceptively intricate art of the duet. Their performances embrace a diversity almost unthinkable coming from just two banjos and one voice. Begins at 7:30 p.m. www.hutchinsonfox.com

February 28 Liverwurst & Fried Mush Dinner Enjoy an authentic Mennonite meal of homemade liverwurst, mush, sausage and the trimmings, and help support the Mennonite Friendship Communities. Located at Journey Mennonite Church at Yoder, 3605 E. Longview Road. Begins at 5 p.m. (620) 663-7175