Quilters’ Guild exhibit on display in Branson
A quilt exhibit created by members of the Northeast Iowa Quilters’ Guild is on the road again. The show, inspired by the 2022 Seed Savers Exchange catalog, appeared at the NEIQG Quilt Show in October of 2022 and travelled to a number of locations during 2023 — the Seed Savers Visitors Center in April, the Minnesota Quilters State Show in St. Cloud in June, and at the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show in Madison that September.
Photos submitted
A special exhibit of 22 of the quilts was selected to appear at the American Quilter’s Society QuiltWeek in Branson, Missouri. The show runs through March 15. The show is open to the public for a fee.
Local quilters who created quilts for the display are Marilyn Bassford, Margie DeBower, Mike Ellingsen, Cathy Evelsizer, Mary Glock, Jarret Johnson, Beth Landas, Carol Maki, Roxanne Schnitzler, Nancy Sojka, Karen Tjossem and Sweet Young from Decorah; Marty Berda from Elgin; Roberta Hass from McGregor; Elaine Kipp from Fort Atkinson; Arlene Klatt from Fayette; Peg Lerch from West Union; Connie Putnam from Monona; and Julie Rotach from Waukon.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Waukon this weekend
a.m. to noon with all proceeds toward Allamakee County Fair free entertainment events. The event is hosted by the Allamakee County Fair Board. After breakfast, all are welcome to join or watch the Irishthemed St. Patrick’s Day Parade beginning at 1 p.m. There is no fee to join. Music by The Toe Tappers will follow the parade from 2-6 p.m. at Uptown Grill.
Decorah Public Library and ArtHaus announce Coffee and
Creativity programs
Decorah Public Library and ArtHaus will be holding its next Coffee and Creativity program on March 18.
This series is designed to help build community while being creative. Participants may create simple craft projects while chatting over coffee from 10-
11:30 a.m. on the first and third
Tuesdays of the month in the mezzanine of the Decorah Public Library. The sessions will be led by ArtHaus instructors. Members of the public are welcome to come make something, regardless of previous experience or artistic ability.
On March 18, they will try their hand at paper marbling. The program is free, and all materials are provided. For more information, contact Zach Row-Heyveld at Decorah Public Library by emailing zrowheyveld@decorahlibrary.org or by calling 563-382-3717.
Tree pruning, grafting workshops to be held
Iowa State University Ex-
tension and Outreach is offering two fruit tree management workshops on fruit tree pruning and grafting.
A fruit tree pruning workshop will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19 at Dan and Mary Burkhart’s orchard, located at 28500 Granite Rd. in Ossian. Participants will hear from ISU Extension and Outreach Commercial Horticulture Specialist Patrick O’Malley as he explains both why and how to prune fruit trees.
O’Malley will also present during a fruit tree grafting
workshop on Tuesday, March 25 at Jim and Sue Updegraff’s home, located at 20315 Lincoln Rd. in West Union. Check in will start at 5 p.m. and the program will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Each participant will watch a grafting demonstration and then practice a whip and tongue graft with apple rootstocks, taking home two grafted trees. “We will also provide information on how to care for grafted trees in your landscape.”
O’Malley said. The grafting workshop’s $50 registration fee includes rootstocks, scions and equipment
needed to self-graft two apple trees to take home. Limited amounts of additional apple rootstock will be available for an additional cost. Space is limited and preregistration is required before March 18. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair if they would like to sit. To register, contact Deb Kahler at dkahler@iastate.edu or call 563-425-3331. For more information or questions about the workshops, contact O’Malley at omall@iastate.edu or call 319-337-2145.
Iowa DNR to conduct prescribed fires
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit plans to conduct prescribed burns this spring in the region. Locally, burns will occur throughout four of the counties managed by the DNR Upper Iowa Wildlife Unit. This will include burns in Winneshiek County’s Bluffton Fir Stand, Chimney Rocks, Cardinal Marsh, Coldwater Creek, Falcon Springs, Kendallville Complex, South Bear Creek, South Pine Creek and Upper Iowa River Seegmiller. Burns will also take place in Allamakee County’s Black Hawk
Point, Canoe Creek, Clear Creek, French Creek, Iverson Bottoms, Pine Creek and Waterloo Creek as well as Fayette County’s Shinbone Valley. Additional burns are expected in Howard County’s Crossman Prairie, Hayden Prairie and Turkey River wildlife areas. Most prescribed burns will take place between the months of April and May. Burns will be conducted on a day that meets the objectives and weather prescription defined in the burn plan. Prescribed burn units are typically burned every one to five years and vary in size from 1 to
Greens Sugar Bush is program topic at senior center
100 acres or more. Prescribed burns are used to improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities and reduce wildfire potential. DNR officials said ground nesting birds such as pheasants, mallards, bobolinks, dickcissels and many others will benefit from habitat improved with periodic prescribed fire.
Questions may be directed to DNR Wildlife Biologist Troy Anderson at 563-546-7960.
Porter House to host lecture on local explorers
To mark the 100th anniversary of Bert and Grace Porter’s expedition to collect butterflies and moths in South America, David Faldet will lecture on two local explorers who inspired the Porters. The lecture will be given at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday March 13 at the Porter House Museum — 401 W. Broadway. The event is free and open to the public.
Bert Porter was a cousin to Sumner Matteson — a photographer, bicycle sales representative and traveling correspondent whose photographs chronicled the social life of indigenous peoples between 1888 and 1920 in the American West,
Mexico and Cuba. He also photographed workers up and down the Pacific Coast as well as everyday experiences in Decorah and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Matteson died while climbing a Mexican volcano, five years before Porter’s South American trip.
Porter’s second local inspiration was Edward Holway, a banker from the same social group as Porter’s grandparents. The year Porter was married, Holway retired from banking and moved to Minneapolis, where he became a professor of botany at the University of Minnesota. Holway was
well-known for his collecting expeditions and his skill as a mountaineer, and his early love of plants led to his becoming a world expert on rust fungi.
Holway’s mountaineering skills allowed him to collect plants and fungi in remote reaches of Canada, the U.S. and regions of both Central and South America. A peak in Canada is named after him. He died in 1923, two years before Porter’s trip.
Faldet has previously lectured on Porter’s local photography, notable women of early Decorah and spiritualism in the era of the Porters.
DNR to host meeting on Volga River timber harvests
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. March 20 in Room 101 of the Baker Hebron building on the campus of Upper Iowa University to discuss upcoming timber harvests in the Volga River State Recreation Area. Public parking is located just to the east of the Baker Hebron building, off of Union Street. Information on woodland management and associated impacts on the Volga River State Rec Area will be presented. Local DNR parks management, DNR wildlife representatives and the DNR district forester will be available to address comments, questions or concerns. Interested members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about forest resources, forestry techniques and wildlife habitat/recreational impacts. For more information, contact Maison Hubrig, Iowa DNR district forester, at 563608-0086 or email at Maison. Hubrig@dnr.iowa.gov
Pictured are Sumner Matteson, Edward Holway and Bert Porter. (Photo submitted)
Ole Winter
(Retired Lutheran Pastor Ole Winter reminisces on his
It’s all because of March
Why are Iowans so “nice”?
The people who populate the state that abuts us to the north are said to be “Minnesota Nice.” Great! Wonderful! Nut I am convinced Iowans are as nice. Maybe nicer! And I think I know the reason for this “nicenest.” It is all because of the month of March!
March is the meanest and most cruel of all months of the year. Usually, what snow is left is not just white, but black, brown, or gray. It’s ugly! March holds out to us the beginning of spring… but then the robins, dumb enough to come north early, get snow on their tails. There’s a March blizzard!
Just a few days ago one of my friends said, “It will soon be boys and girls state basketball tournament time… and we’ll probably have a blizzard.” Years ago, my wife and I attended one of those games and were driving back to Forest City on I35. As we drove past the city of Ankeny, suddenly the whole town was dark. We found out later that a mini-tornado passed nearby and tore down power lines. I think I recall Garrison Kiellor of “Prairie Home Companion”
saying, “March is for people who don’t drink so they will know what it’s like to have a hangover!”
And then there is the “Church Year.” Lent usually covers much of March. It is a time of discipline to be “sorry for our sins.” And it has been said that for Lutherans (like me) “it’s always Lent!” Well, March makes us sorry for ourselves.
Many of you reading this will recall that years ago the first March was “moving day” for farmers who were to rent another farm. They needed to be there to settle in and then seed the oats to feed those horses. I wonder, how many of those farmers moved amidst a late winter storm.
Maybe God is saying to us, “Sorry my people… but to really appreciate the glorious springtime of April and May (Easter)… you must first endure (Lent) March.”
Any people who live through this 31-day month have either learned to be nice to each other or go “nuts!” The Japanese are known to be very courteous people. When they live as close to one another as they do… they have learned to be nice.
For the people of Iowa, it’s all because of the month of March.
Well… at least that’s my one of my reasons for “Iowa Nice.”
So, if you choose any special discipline for the season of Lent, how about making this the time to be really “nice” to everyone.
Happy Feet: Public Health clinic helps keep county residents on their toes
County toenail clipping service growing with aging area population
Winneshiek County residents are aging, and as a result, the number of clients using the Happy Feet Clinic — Winneshiek County Public Health’s foot-health service — has grown exponentially since 2023. Officials there say the steady growth in numbers demonstrates an increasing need and appreciation for the more-than-30-year-old clinic.
“Some people could argue that it’s not a required service, but it is a needed service in the community,” said Winneshiek County Public Health Administrator Krista Vanden Brink.
“The fact that we’re booked out two months really says something about the service we provide and how much it’s needed and appreciated.”
The foot-health clinic, which focuses on clipping toenails, originally began in 1994 through a collaboration with then-Public Health Administrator Marlene Fenstermann and Dr. Craig Sullivan, a podiatrist at Gundersen Clinic’s Decorah location.
“People needed their toenails clipped, but insurance wouldn’t pay for it,” said Lois Frana, who has been with public health since 1985. “Insurance will only cover the service at a doctor’s office if the patient is diabetic or if they have another foot condition, and that’s only
Ham & Meatball Dinner
a certain number of times per year.”
Happy Feet doesn’t provide the same service as a doctor — nor does it provide pedicures, Frana said, but for $30, clients can soak their feet and have their toenails clipped and filed before receiving a “minifoot-massage” over the course of one 45-minute session. And, the clinic isn’t just about toenails, either.
Vanden Brink said public health’s nurses also assess a client’s overall foot health by checking under the toenails, looking for in-grown nails, swelling and ulcers.
“People like the attention,” Vanden Brink said. “They like the foot soak, they like how we trim their nails, but they also really like the mini-foot-massage afterwards. Our nurses do really well with that foot massage, so you feel really relaxed before you leave. It’s the whole package, and people appreciate that. Some people think they’re being pampered, but we’re really just providing a health service for them.”
from a bad back or a new joint that’s been put in — so they just don’t have that flexibility. There are also individuals with visual impairments, and if they try to cut their toenail, they’re going to cut a chunk of their skin off, which opens it up to bleeding and possible infection.”
Vanden Brink said seniors
Between July of 2023 and July of 2024, Happy Feet provided a total of 465 individual in-office foot-care sessions, generating almost $14,000 in revenue for Public Health. And those numbers are still increasing.
“We’ve talked about possibly increasing how much we charge,” said Frana, “but some of the people who come in are very, very poor, and they save so they can come in every two months, because they can’t afford coming more often.”
And Vanden
The service is available to anyone of any age and any level of ability, Vanden Brink said, although those who typically use the service often have limited mobility, vision impairments or they’re just not as flexible as they once were.
“There are always a number of individuals who cannot get their toes to their nose,” she said. “Maybe they have some limited mobility issues — like
and other insurance no longer pays for the service.
“Medicare has changed the rules about who can go to podiatry for their toenails and have it covered by insurance,” Vanden Brink said. “If you are diabetic and if you have a known foot problem, you can go to a podiatrist to have your toenails cut and have it paid for by Medicare — which means most of us can’t go doctor to have our toenails cut.”
Brink indicated she and her staff wouldn’t want to see a decrease in the number of people they assist in staying healthy.
“I love my work,” said Mary Raatz, one of the Happy Feet nurses. “I’m helping people with a part of life they’re not able to take care of themselves. It makes them feel good again, and that makes me feel good.” For information, or to schedule an appointment, visit winneshiekhealth.org/happy-feet-clinics or call 563-3824662.
Decorah Human Rights Commission, Decorah Public Library to host panel discussion on immigration impacts.
The Decorah Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Decorah Public Library, will be hosting an educational panel discussion focused on immigration and individual rights. The discussion will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. March 18 at the Pulpit Rock Brewing Company’s event room. Organizers aim to inform and empower the community by addressing key issues surrounding immigration, including changing regulations, legislation and the resulting
Panelists Marty Steele, Ruth Palmer, Kathi Mitchell and Margaret Betteridge have spent years working alongside immigrants in northeast Iowa, advocating for justice, equality and opportunities for all. Their collective work spans local organizations and programs, such as the Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center’s Immigration Action Network, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Path to Citizenship, Catholic Charities and many more.
The panel will explore topics, such as the identity and origins of immigrants in northeast Iowa, the pathways to citizenship, legal documentation and the DACA program. The panel will cover the history of immigration in the United States and provide valuable information about individual rights. Attendees will also be able to ask questions they may have. For more information, contact Decorah Public Library at 563-382-3717 or visit decorahlibrary.org.
St. Aloysius Chicken Dinner March 16
The St. Aloysius Parish of Calmar is hosting a dine-in or drive-thru chicken dinner Sunday, March 16 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fried chicken by local favorite Mike Reicks will be served along with U2 twicebaked potatoes, corn, a dinner roll and homemade bar.
The St. Aloysius Church is located at 304 Maryville St., Calmar.
CLASSIFIEDS driftless
LAWN CARE APPLICATOR
HELP WANTED
VETERAN SPECIALIST
Join our team!
Work within WinnMed Hospice to develop and coordinate a Veteran program in line with NHPCO’s “We Honor Veterans” initiative. Responsibilities: Coordinating volunteers, recognizing Veterans, serving as a liaison for Veteran services, assisting Veteran patients and families during end-of-life processes and marketing services to local communities. PRN position.
The Decorah Public Library is accepting applications for a parttime, approximately 32 hours a week, Circulation Assistant position. The ideal candidate will be an empathetic, detail-oriented, proactive individual who can provide exceptional hospitality and customer service to library users.
Qualifications:
and motor vehicle records check. For more information and a complete job description see www.decorahia.org or call 563-382-3717. Send application, resume, cover letter, and a minimum of three professional, work-related references to: Tricia Gunderson, Circulation Manager, Decorah Public Library, 202 Winnebago St., Decorah IA 52101 or tgunderson@decorahlibrary.org. Applications accepted until 5:00 p.m. March 19, 2025. Desired start date April 7, 2025. Starting wage $17.43/hr.
Celebrate pi and pie this Friday
because the symbol is pronounced with the long “i” (as in eye), it is a homonym to pie, which is a dessert enjoyed in many households. Pie frequently is served on Pi Day, celebrated on March 14
manage billing and record-keeping. For a full job description, go to decorahucc.org/jobs.
To apply, submit a cover letter and resume to hiring@decorahucc.org
(3/14). Individuals who want a new pie to add to their recipe collections, which can be enjoyed on Pi Day, need look no further than this recipe for “Deep-Dish Peanut Butter Pie” from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes.
Deep-Dish Peanut Butter Pie
1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanil-
ISU Extension and Outreach in Allamakee County Iowa has an exciting opening for a
Part-time Assistant Bookkeeper POSITION SUMMARY: 8-10 hours of work during open office hours with flexible scheduling. This position provides assistance to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) in Allamakee County and to the Allamakee County Extension Council for providing monthly reports to county and state staff, accounting transactions, and general bookkeeping duties. The position requires knowledge and adherence to the structure, policies, and guidelines of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Allamakee County 4-H.
For a full job description visit www.extension.iastate.edu/allamakee/
To apply, submit cover letter, resume, completed application, and three references to: ISUEO-Allamakee County Extension Office, 218 7th Ave. SE #102, Waukon, IA 52172 or email materials to bparendt@iastate.edu. Deadline is April 4, 2025. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
AUCTION CALENDAR
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
- Guns & Sporting Good Auction at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com Waukon, Ia 563-568-2464.
TUESDAY, MARCH 25
- Sweeney Machinery Consignment Auction at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon. Call to consign Sweeney Auction Service. www. sweeneyauctionservice.com Waukon, Ia 563-568-2464.
SATURDAY, MARCH 29
- 10 a.m. McMillan Bros Farm Machinery Auction, 6113 Golden Road, Elgin at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com Waukon, Ia 563-568-2464.
1 pinch salt 10 to 12 Biscoff® cookies, graham crackers, or crunch peanut butter cookies
4 tablespoons butter, melted 1 1⁄2 cups heavy whipping cream 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Whip the pudding mix with the cream and milk in a large mixing bowl, then add the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt. Continue mixing until it’s light and thick, roughly 2 to 3 minutes. Crush the cookies in a bowl or Ziploc® bag and mix with the melted butter.
Press into the pie dish, then spoon the filling into the dish.
or by
“Sculpted Strides,” an exhibition of cast metal and assemblage works by artist Woody Stauffer, will open as an exhibit on March 7 at ArtHaus in Decorah. An opening reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. that day in the Doyle G Heyveld Gallery. The collection will be on display through March 29.
In “Sculpted Strides,” Stauffer brings together ancient, fossilized forms and sci-fi-inspired digital aesthetics. Organizers said the work blends earthy, expressive forms with experimental mold-making techniques, which contrast against the precision of 3D printing and digital sculpting.
“My work is about reconciling grit and grace,” Stauffer said. “I aim to create pieces that feel at home in restful gardens, vibrant art centers and everyday spaces—where contrasts in form and material spark thought and revelation.”
A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Stauffer graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2014 and spent several years traveling the Midwest, refining his craft under the mentorship of notable artists like Tamsie Ringer, James Brenner and Kelly Ludeking. In 2017, Stauffer moved to Hays, Kansas, where he pursued and completed an MFA in sculpture in 2020. During that time, he began incorporating digital elements into his practice, evolving his work to reflect both the organic and the futuristic.
Today, Stauffer runs his own sculpture and design business, WSSG Designs, and continues to explore the possibilities of blending ancient and modern forms. Stauffer will be teaching a cast aluminum bowl class at ArtHaus on March 29. Registration is limited. For more information, visit arthausdecorah. org.
raffles and more.
Participating locations include St. Pat’s Thrift Store of Waukon, Depot Outlet of Decorah, The Getup of Decorah, Reclaimed Thrift of Fredericksburg, Brynn’s Bargains of West Union, FCFS Thrift Store of Fayette, Country Store of Cresco, Twice as Nice in Caledonia, Minnesota, and Bee Balm Boutique of Harmony, Minnesota. Check each location for specials and hours.
Area schools among IALF grant recipients
The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation recently awarded nearly 120 grants to schools across Iowa in an effort to bolster the integration of agriculture into classroom instruction and after-school programs with an academic focus. The Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Supplement Grants are designed to help teachers initiate new projects and/or expand upon existing programs which promote agriculture literacy for students. Grants can be used to fund innovative lessons, activities, classroom resources, guest speakers, outreach programs, field trips and other projects. Teachers received up to $200 to fund their projects. The grants are made possible through organizations and individuals, including the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.
Among the award recipients were: Erika Bruess - Carrie Lee Elementary, Decorah Kirsten Burrett - Carrie Lee Elementary, Decorah Jennifer DeLaRosa - Carrie Lee Elementary School, Decorah Annika Krieg - Carrie Lee Elementary School, Decorah Jackie Panos - Carrie Lee Elementary, Decorah Christina Carlton - Turkey Valley Schools, Jackson Junction
Josie Guerin - Little Bulldog Childcare Center, Monona
Amy Kruse - Little Bulldog Childcare Center, Monona
Angela Pape - MFLMarMac Schools, Monona
Sarah Wille - MFL MarMac High School, Monona
Some of the innovative projects launching this spring include farm robotics, culinary and nutrition programs, crop and animal lifecycles, tree propagation, pollinators, ecosystems, renewable energy, aquaponics, farm-to-fork projects, dairy field trips, egg hatching and agricultural history tours.
Kelly Foss, IALF executive director, highlighted the quality and variety of awarded projects, noting a strong emphasis on integrating agriculture into subjects like science, social studies, math, language arts and nutrition as well as career and technical education curriculum.
“Through this ag literacy initiative teachers are empowered, and challenged, to create experiences that will reinforce core curriculum learning and inspire their students, who are the next generation of agriculture advocates and innovators, to recognize the importance of agriculture and visualize their role in it,” Foss said.
