Inspire(d) Fall 2025

Inspire(d)

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GO? IDENTIFYING WHAT NO LONGER SERVES.

Inspire(d)

DRIFTLESS

IN POSITIVE NEWS

Aryn Henning Nichols / Editor-in-Chief + Designer

Sara Walters / writer

Steve Harris / writer

Laura Barlament / writer

Clara Wodny / writer

Olivia Lynn Schnur / mental health writer

Craig Thompson / conservation writer

Mary Thompson / conservation artist

Angie Herrmann / cover artist

Benji Nichols / Head of Logistics + Advertising Sales

What’s the name mean?

Mary Anderson / center spread photographer

Roxie Nichols / Future Focused submission

COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOUNDERS

Interested in becoming a contributor? Email work samples to Aryn at aryn@iloveinspired.com, and we’ll chat!

Inspire(d) Driftless Magazine is headquartered & created in Decorah, Iowa. We cover communities located in the NE IA, SE MN, and W WI area of the Driftless Region. Email aryn@iloveinspired.com to learn about Community Partnership opportunities in the future - we’ve got some fun ideas!

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find the gnome...

G-Gnome is hiding somewhere in this magazine! The first five people (no previous winners please) to send us his page location through our contact form at iloveinspired.com/contact-inspired gets a free Inspire(d) pen (Swiss-made! Lasts years!) in the mail! AN EXPERIMENT

Inspire(d) – pronounced in-spy-erd... you know: inspired – stands for inspire and be inspired. The idea is that person one inspires person two. That person is now inspired. Then that person inspires person three (or person one again), who is now inspired. Then the cycle continues! That’s what those arrows around the (d) are about! We’re here to remind folks that people are good! Our mission is, ultimately, to change the world… starting with our own community. We like to call it an experiment in positive news.

Inspire(d) Magazine is published quarterly by Inspire(d) Media, LLC, 412 Oak Street, Decorah, Iowa, 52101. This issue is dated Fall 2025, issue 82 volume 19, Copyright 2025 by Inspire(d) Magazine. We want Inspire(d) to be accessible for all, which is why it is free on stands across the Driftless! But you can support Inspire(d) through Membership! We’ll send the magazine in the mail, to you or a loved one, for $35/year. Visit the Membership page at iloveinspired.com for details, or send a check for $35 to Inspire(d) Magazine, 412 Oak St., Decorah, Iowa 52101. Thank you for your support, and for joining the positive news movement!

Support Inspire(d)

Want to make a comment about something you read in the magazine? Email aryn@iloveinspired.com. iloveinspired.com facebook.com/iloveinspired @iloveinspired

Happy 18th birthday to Inspire(d) Magazine! I love personifying our mag (it’s as demanding as a child), so: If Inspire(d) was a person, it could vote!

We’d vote for each other every time. There is so much going on in the world and it’s easy to believe that things are absolute crap out there, but in reality, people everywhere are doing kind, good, lovely things for each other, every day.

This last quarter, we got more nice notes from readers than ever before. Several emails just to say they were inspired by the magazine (woot, that’s the goal!!!) and at least two people took the time to sit down with pen and paper, write the sweetest notes, and mail them to us. One was a homemade card that brought me to tears and made me do a little happy dance at the same time.

Doing positive things matters. People notice. We need to keep it up, keep fighting the good fight. I even put together 18 Mini Pep Talks to look to when you’re just not feelin’ it. You’ve got this. We’ve got this together.

Cover artist Angie Herrmann’s work is perfect for reminding us to take note of the world around us. You’ll find beautiful things when you pay attention. Read about her work on page 16.

Community builders have been a big part of our content since we launched that section eight years ago, on our 10th birthday. This issue highlights Spring Grove’s Karen and Jim Gray, and La Crosse’s Amber Miller – both inspiring stories of people making a difference where they can.

We’re happy to have conservation writer Craig Thompson and artist Mary Thompson back this issue, teaching us about crickets and the other insect “tenors,” cicadas and katydids. Also returning is our daughter, Roxie, back for the Future Focused column! She hasn’t written for us in a year, and I was blown away by the growth in her writing. Man, isn’t that how it goes? Time keeps moving on, and what’s important becomes more obvious as we get older.

Which brings us to the fall issue’s theme: “What’s Best to Let Go? Identifying what no longer serves.” Check out my flow chart on page 37 to help guide you to some answers. Then, learn tips for letting go of habits, possessions, and relationships that no longer serve the life you want to live in Olivia Lynn Schnur’s mental health piece. Doing this helps make room for more of what you love and want in life.

I, personally, wanted to write more. So I took on an epic story about the Northeast Iowa-based regenerative ag project, Regenerating Soil and Community. It was inspiring and empowering to learn about the female landowners and farmers who have been participating, and how we here in Iowa can be farming role models, leading the way toward healthier soil, and thus a healthier planet and population.

What else? Decorah’s New Minowa Players celebrates 50 years this season, kicking it off in August with their Young People’s Production, Band Geeks. We went to see our neighbor in it and took a moment to appreciate the energy community theatre brings to a place. You can read about their history on page 56.

The Sum of Your Business features rural Lansing’s Bobbi Jo Berg from Recipes from French Creek (pg 60). Bobbi Jo creates recipes and (for local folks) freezer meals to help make our busy days feel just a little bit calmer.

Finally, friends from Ossian Care Center interviewed the lovely Pat Heying for the probituary. May we all aspire to spread kindness as she does to those around her. Here’s to letting go of things that hold us back and hanging on to those that lift us up. Thanks for reading Inspire(d) and supporing us these past 18 years!

Listen to the Spotify playlist that Aryn put together to bring the vibe of the issue to life!

It’s a region in the Midwest – Northeast Iowa, Southeast Minnesota, Southwest Wisconsin, and a wee bit of Northwest Illinois – that was skipped by the glaciers in the last ice age, leaving the area “lacking glacial drift” – i.e. Driftless. The gist of that is we get to enjoy bluffs, valleys, coulees, and other fun geographical features that don’t typically occur in other parts of our states (the Mississippi River contributes greatly to the geography as well). It’s a lovely place to live and visit, and we’re happy you’re here!

ANGIE HERRMANN

This fall’s beautiful cover was created by Decorah, Iowa, artist Angie Herrmann of Barefoot Studio. Read more about Angie & her work on page 18.

What We’re Loving right now

A LITTLE LIST OF WHAT WE THINK IS AWESOME IN THE DRIFTLESS REGION THIS FALL...

GOOSECHASE AT DECORAH FISH HATCHERY!

Get ready for family friendly adventures at the Decorah Fish Hatchery this fall! The Friends of the Decorah Fish Hatchery have introduced a new way to engage at the Hatchery with a web-based scavenger hunt, called a “Goosechase.” This digital scavenger hunt offers participants chances to complete a series of “missions” around the Hatchery, while learning more about the facility and surrounding natural areas.

The fall Goosechase will run from September 1 to November 1, 2025, and is fun for all ages, completing the missions at your own pace. Missions may include snapping photos, playing trivia, solving riddles, and more as participants traverse around the Hatchery.

For more information and to get started, visit the Goosechase bulletin board that has been established at the Decorah Trout Hatchery, located between the restrooms in the Pavilion. Questions? Contact: hatcherygoosechase@gmail.com or visit decorahfishhatchery.org.

RURAL HEALTH ROCKS!

WinnMed campus in Decorah has been undergoing major renovations with the “Transforming Tomorrow” project. As rural areas across the country face challenges to providing essential healthcare services, we are grateful that this local facility not only continues to exist but thrives. Transforming Tomorrow projects include a fully renovated birthing unit that features all Labor,

Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum (LDRP) suites and direct access from Obstetrics to Surgery for patients needing a C-section. An expanded surgery area includes larger rooms to accommodate new technology and an additional operating room to meet the growing demands. A two-story addition will house expanded primary and specialty clinics, allowing for additional growth, a better patient experience, and promotion of team-based care.

To celebrate the progress on these projects, a Grand Picnic & Clinic Open House will be held Wednesday, October 8 from 5-7 pm. Join for an evening of fun, food, and connection as WinnMed celebrates the community and showcases the clinic - all are welcome. Details at winnmed.org

RYUMONJI’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Of the many unique places you might find way-down at the end of an Iowa gravel road, a well-established Zen Buddhist Temple may not be your first guess! Ryumonji, however, celebrates 25 years of Buddhist tradition in Northeast Iowa this fall with a celebration October 10-12, 2025.

The training monastery, a Soto Zen Buddhist temple, is located on 40 acres of rolling Allamakee County countryside, and has been central to creating a vibrant community of lay and ordained members that extend over much of the country. Construction of the campus was in accordance with standards passed down from the time of Zen in China and reflect the spirit of “peaceful dwelling.” There are numerous practice opportunities for both lay and ordained people, and anyone interested in learning about the teachings of the Buddha.

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Sarah Zbornik

The name “Ryu-mon-ji” is comprised of three Japanese characters meaning “Dragon Gate Temple” – an ancient name that comes from a legend about fish that pass through huge waves to clear an ocean gate and become dragons, representing great strength and compassion. These waves represent how we handle the human challenge, the waves of everyday life.

Ryumonji founding teacher and abbot Rev. Shoken Winecoff is the disciple of the late Dainin Katagiri Roshi. Katagiri Roshi was the founder of the Minnesota Zen Meditation Center in Minneapolis. The Northeast Iowa Temple has grown exponentially in its 25 years, adding multiple buildings and outdoor areas, as well as facilities to foster a sustainable existence.

True Buddhism is beyond denominationalism – anyone is welcome. Ryumonji Zen Monastery does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs or activities. Public meditation sessions are offered every Sunday morning at 9 am and every Thursday evening at 7:30 pm. Orientation can be given before these sittings if you are new to Ryumonji. ryumonji.org

ART IN THE WILD!

Down on the Farm Iron Pour Call to Action!

For more than two decades, Kelly and Diane Ludeking have hosted the “Down on the Farm Iron Pour” – a beacon of molten creativity and connection, drawing artists, neighbors, and travelers to gather under the open Northeast Iowa skies. The event is taking 2025 off as the founders navigate the “tender handover” of the farm from Kelly’s father, Ron (who would have turned 90 this year, just like the barn), and begin the careful work of stewarding the space into its next life. They’re launching a Legacy Program in order to restore the barn and secure Down on the Farm Iron Pour for the next generation, ready to rise again as a safe, vibrant hub for rural art, community, and shared meals.

Phase One of this eight-phase restoration requires $30,000 to secure the structure. Funds that will go directly toward critical repairs to ensure safety and longevity of the barn as a three-season gathering place. Every gift, whether from near or far, helps breathe

new life into this landmark and into the tradition of gathering it holds.

Kelly will also be hosting “an epic open house” during Live on Winnebago, Saturday, September 20 in the former Big Driftless space on Winnebago Street in Decorah. It’ll be one part art show, one part aluminum pour, and a big part sharing about the Legacy Project. Stop by to hear more about helping bring the barn back to life as a safe, functional, and reverent space for creativity, connection, healing and fire. Learn more and join the legacy at DownOnTheFarmIronPour.com

Live on Winnebago

2025’s Live on Winnebago is September 20. Newly revived in 2024, it’s one-day, all inclusive, free-to-attend music and arts festival and celebration. Highlighting 20+ artists, six bands, bouncy houses, a juggler, foam blasters, puppies, food trucks, and more. You can find all the fun on Winnebago St. in Downtown Decorah. Follow Live on Winnebago on Facebook or Instagram for all the details and updates.

Mainspring Arty Block Party

Mainspring Arts Organization in Caledonia is throwing down with an “Arty Block Party” on September 20 from 4-8 pm. The event celebrates the new Mainspring Community

Mural by artist Jacqueline VanRavenhorst (and community) and will feature live music by Minneapolis Musician Humbird, all-levels yoga flow, art vendors, family friendly art activities, and a food truck and cash bar. Funded through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Mainspring Community Mural has been a community-led public art project. Artist Jacqueline VanRavenhorst gathered feedback from community members, incorporating it into the design of the mural. In August, she outlined the mural design on MDF boards, and invited community members to join her in painting the mural over the course of a week.

The goal was to create a more vibrant gateway to Caledonia’s Main Street, as the building anchors the east end of the downtown district. Mainspring currently has a smaller mural that acts as the building’s signage on street level, created by VanRavenhorst in 2022. Mainspring is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing arts and cultural experiences to the residents and visitors of southeast Minnesota. More information can be found at mainspringmn.org.

Northeast Iowa

Studio Art

Tour

Join in the art filled adventure that is the NE Iowa Studio Artists Tour October 10-12! Traverse the beautiful scenery of Northeast Iowa and the artists’ studios tucked away amongst it through this (free!) three-day event, with the opportunity to glimpse into the working studios of some of our region’s most beloved artists and their working spaces. The Studio Tour features 32 stops, with more than 40 award-winning artists

What We’re Loving right now

A LITTLE LIST OF WHAT WE THINK IS AWESOME IN THE DRIFTLESS REGION THIS FALL...

displaying and selling pottery, paintings, woodcuts, baskets, jewelry, woodworking, sculpture, collage, fiber arts, and more. Artists nestled among the wooded hills and winding rivers will be open daily from 10-5, with tour participants setting their own pace while driving from studio to studio across the region.

Bonus: You can read about tour (and Fall Inspire(d) cover) artist Angie Herrmann on page 16! Full details and maps are available at iowaarttour.com.

‘Hand of Huldra’

Join Lanesboro Arts in celebrating the exhibit, “Hand of the Huldra: The Silver Filigree Jewelry of Liz Bucheit,” through October 19, featuring contemporary silver filigree jewelry that evokes the spirit of the Norwegian “Huldra,” mystical beings who have a mischievous tendency to whisk people away under the mountains.

Liz Bucheit was born in Decorah, Iowa, where she grew up visiting the silver collection room at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, which houses cases of traditional bridal crowns, belts, and Sølje brooches.

“I was haunted by fairy tales of the mountain king stealing the bride on her wedding day. The silver jewelry she wore was supposed to protect her and only the most beautifully crafted pieces would ensure her safe delivery to the church.”

After completing her master’s degree in metalworking and jewelry at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Liz took several trips to Raulandsakademiat Folk School in Telemark, Norway, to study and construct the traditional styles of silver (sølje) jewelry worn with the regional folk dress (bunad).

This exhibition takes Liz’s love of traditional Norwegian folktales and handcraft and melds it with contemporary concepts of jewelry making. Mixed with the imagery and the stories of the Huldra, Liz’s work is sure to inspire a feeling of being lost in the mystical woodlands of Norway.

Visit Lanesboro Arts at 103 Parkway Ave N. in Lanesboro, Minnesota, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm to check out this exhibit (and others). Lanesboro Arts provides year-round arts programming and serves as a regional catalyst for artistic excellence and educational development, by providing diverse art experiences for people of all ages. lanesboroarts.org.

NICHOLAS C. ROWLEY COURTNEY ROWLEY DOMINIC PECHOTA

SANDBAR STORYTELLING FESTIVAL

Winona’s Sandbar Storytelling Festival, October 7-11, provides exciting performances and compelling chronicles amidst the breathtaking beauty of Southeast Minnesota. Celebrate and preserve the power and pleasure of cultural traditions and human experiences at this five-day festival. Festivities include food, workshops, concerts, and – of course –storytelling at Saint Mary’s University. Multiple other events are also planned for Winona schools, universities, and other venues throughout Winona.

Multiple day passes are available, with student discounts as well. Check it all out: sandbarstorytellingfestival.org

LET’S GET WITCHY!

Fall brings a change in the air – the rustling of leaves, and the chance for a few fun frights! If you happen to feel a little “witchy” this fall, get ready: You have multiple chances to celebrate the season.

Elkader Witches Night - October 9

Calling all witches & warlocks for Elkader’s Witches Night Out! From 4-8pm the streets will come alive with treats, bargains, and a few tricks! Check out favorites such as the Lollipop Cauldron and Give a Hoot game and cap the evening off with the Driftless Magnolias to Deb’s Brewtopia. Boo!

Decorah Witches Night Out – October 16

Join the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce for the 4th annual Witches Night Out with a theme of “Classic Witch” – Brooms, potions, hats, bats, and black cats. Halloween special events, promotions, unique concoctions, fun pop-ups, and swag bags will all be part of the fun! Gather up your coven and make your plans. Swag bags will be available by advance order from the Decorah Area Chamber of Commercekeep an eye out for registration details for all the goodies (and baddies!). decorahareachamber. com/event/witches-night-out

P.S. Mark your calendars for more Downtown Decorah Fun: November 14-16: Holiday Open House November 21-23: Peppermint Walk Weekend Nov 28-Dec 24: Countdown to Christmas

Waukon Wine With the Witches – October 23

Kick off a spooky good time in downtown Waukon for giveaways, dining specials, refreshments, and more. And don’t miss the “Pumpkin Patch,” hosted by the Waukon Chamber of Commerce at the Waukon Economic Development building at 101 West Main Street. Attendees can select a pumpkin for their chance at a trick or a treat!

infrared heating!

$31,000+ in donations given back through Karma Yoga Project

Scan for classes Walk-ins welcome!

Half off your first 2 weeks!

Variety of yoga + strength classes 7 days per week

Decorah, IA (studio on 3rd floor of Impact Coffee) • www.driftlessyoga.org

IOWA

What We’re Loving right now

A LITTLE LIST OF WHAT WE THINK IS AWESOME IN THE DRIFTLESS REGION THIS FALL...

DECORAH PRIDE

Decorah Pride Festival is held each fall (rather than during June, National Pride Month) so that Luther students can have the opportunity to participate. This year’s events are scheduled for October 6-11.

Festivities range from Pride Trivia to a Happy Hour to Pride Yoga and more. Friday evening is highlighted by a special show: queerPOPERA’s Queer

Homecoming – a vibrant night of “reimagined operatic performance, heartfelt storytelling, and unapologetic queer joy” at the historic Steyer Opera House in the Hotel Winneshiek, Downtown Decorah.

The queerPOPERA evening features pride-themed florals by Oak and Olive and a delicious dinner from Blazing Star, both local, queerowned businesses. Following the queerPOPERA concert, there will be live music by Driftless Jazz and a Homecoming Dance! Dress is “fairly formal, fabulous, and fully you.” This event is directed by Paige Cameron (Assistant Director at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Directing Fellow at Opera Saratoga). Founded by Jaime Webb, queerPOPERA exists to showcase the diverse narratives of the LGBTQ+ community through the emotive power of opera.

Finally, Decorah Pride celebrations culminate on Saturday with the Decorah Pride Parade at 1 pm on Water Street, followed by a Party in the Park, and then the popular Drag Show and Dance Party later in the evening. Learn more about the festivities at decorahpride.org.

CROONERS, UKES, AND SOPRANOS!

The Luther College Center Stage Series returns for the 2025-26 Season bringing world class performances to Decorah.

September 11: Crossings Concert: Musical Migrations, 7:30 pm

A special night exploring Norwegian American composers with Pianist-composer Steven Luksan and soprano Laura Loge.

October 28: Jaerv + The OK Factor, 7:30 pm

Through folk-inspired songs that are fresh, playful, intricate and joyous, the Minneapolis-based string duo The OK Factor and Swedish quintet Jaerv will have audiences tapping their feet and smiling in their seats.

November 9: Lorelei Ensemble, 1 pm

The Grammy-nominated Lorelei Ensemble delivers bold and

Serenity Ridge Farm

inventive programs that champion the extraordinary range of the human voice. At turns eerie and hypnotic, razor-sharp and precise, resonant and dissonant, this riveting performance features a cinematic backdrop and a cautionary tale in the era of climate change.

February 13, 2026: Catalyst Quartet, 7:30 pm

Hailed by “The New York Times” as “invariably energetic and finely burnished,” the Grammy-winning Catalyst Quartet is known for its unequaled unity and execution, while equally committed to celebrating composers of color whose works have been overlooked by the traditional canon.

February 28, 2026: Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents Great American Crooners, 7:30 pm

Get ready for a stylish evening of timeless tunes and world-class talent. Relive classics like “Moon River,” “I Only Have Eyes for You” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” alongside incredible true stories about the superstar velvety voices who made them famous.

April 17, 2026: Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, 7:30 pm

Enjoy a musical whirlwind through genres that’s funny, thoughtprovoking and played entirely on ukuleles. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is always surprising, so come without expectations — except the expectation to laugh.

Each performance also offers the opportunity to enjoy the Center Stage Dining Series held in the lovely Peace Dining Room. Tickets for all events can be found at: tickets.luther.edu

RED OAK OUTDOOR SCHOOL

Our daughter, Roxie, wrapped up a couple of amazing programs from Red Oak Outdoor School this summer, and we were struck by just how lucky we are to be raising our kid in the era of Red Oak! Ida Rotto’s wonderful outdoor programs connect kids with themselves and nature, and every single one that Roxie has participated in has been beautiful, enriching, and fun. Red Oak Outdoor School launched a new website just in time for the start of their year-round (many begin mid-September) and other seasonal offerings. Check it all out at redoakoutdoorschool.com. Want to learn even more? You can read a great story about Ida and Red Oak Outdoor School from the Summer 2024 Inspire(d) Mag at iloveinspired.com.

Jaerv + The OK Factor

THE ART OF THE EVERYDAY

The entrance to Ice Cave in Decorah. / Artwork by Angie Herrmann.

BY LAURA BARLAMENT

Decorah artist Angie Herrmann has embedded painting into everyday life. Perhaps it’s this real-life aspect of her work that makes it strike such a chord with many in the region. First of all, there’s where she paints: Preferably outside on her home’s front porch, overlooking the Minowa Heights neighborhood. “I love to be outside as much as possible,” Angie says. “The light is good, and the sounds are peaceful.”

In inclement weather, you’ll find her working on one of several paintings-inprogress near the large windows in her open kitchen – a fitting location for a person who has had a 30+ year career in kitchen design. Plus, she can add a few brush strokes while supper is simmering on the stove.

“The inspiration is everyday life, and our area is such an inspiration,” Angie says.

This is obvious in the subjects of Angie’s painting: the Decorah water tower. The “Thor” sculpture at the high school athletic complex. Dogs, cats, birds – animals of all kinds. Hay bales in a field. The Upper Iowa River winding past fields, bluffs, and bridges.

Becoming a Painter

Angie grew up in Marion, Iowa. She studied interior design at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo and then moved to Decorah to work for Brown Builders, which is no longer in business, but had a showroom downtown at the time. She calls the late Willie Brown, who recruited her and became her mentor, her “Decorah dad.” This launched her into a decadeslong career as a kitchen designer and project manager.

While Angie initially missed living in a bigger city, she grew to quickly love the Decorah community. And it was an ideal place for her and her husband, Scott Herrmann, a career law enforcement officer, to raise their two daughters, who graduated from high school in 2015 and 2019.

Fast forward to 2020 and the COVID pandemic. While Angie and Scott had been empty nesters, with one daughter in college and the other teaching, circumstances brought the girls home for a time. They enjoyed hiking and exploring many area parks, where they encountered Decorah Rocks, rocks painted and hidden for anyone to find and post about in a Facebook Group. Angie decided to give rock painting a try.

“Rocks were less intimidating for a beginning painter,” she says, compared to starting with a blank canvas. “And the rocks I was painting always kept getting bigger!”

Her charming paintings quickly gained popularity as she posted pictures online. She decided to launch a Facebook page as Barefoot Studio, named after her favorite wine and because she likes to paint outside, barefoot. Requests and commissions started coming in, the most frequent of which were pet portraits, now one of her mainstays. Eventually, Angie began to paint local landmarks like Dunning’s Spring and Pulpit Rock, constantly working on her technique and growing her abilities.

Angie prefers to paint outside on her porch. / Photo courtesy Angie Herrmann

Pet portraits are popular no matter the canvas. / Artwork by Angie Herrmann

These beloved local scenery paintings really connected with folks.

“It’s so interesting to hear everyone’s story of what these places mean to them,” Angie says. “They fished by Lundy Bridge with their dad growing up, or they got married at Siewers Spring or Boulder Roll or the butterfly garden, or Van Peenen was their favorite place to hike or walk their dogs.”

Angie also loves to paint wildlife, especially birds and owls. “Weather the Storm,” featuring an owl on a bare branch amidst a snowy landscape, was painted as a gift for her future son-in-law. Her latest owl painting, “Among the Evergreens,” delicately layers green for a more springy effect.

Angie donates proceeds from her work to local nonprofits such as the Humane Society of Northeast Iowa and Decorah’s ArtHaus. Her big goal is to one day establish a college scholarship.

Growing in Technique and Subject

Angie started off with tools she found most comfortable. “I started painting with acrylics – that’s why I often call it my ‘first language.’ If I don’t like it, I can paint over it easily. And I often do,” she says. She also chose to paint on a smooth surface that was part of her everyday life: medium density fiber (MDF) board, a building material that’s part of her kitchen design practice. She is self-taught, picking up techniques by watching YouTube videos, always willing to experiment and learn as she goes.

That said, when Angie was at Hawkeye Community College, pre-computer renderings, she created her interior design projects with watercolors. And in more recent paintings, Angie has started exploring watercolors again, enjoying the somewhat unpredictable play of water and color on paper.

‘Among the Evergreens’ / Artwork by Angie Herrmann

“It’s a learning experience, and everyone needs to continue learning,” she explains. Plus, watercolors are more compact –perfect for adventures away from Iowa. “When we travel each winter to Gulf Shores beach in Alabama, watercolors are easy to take along and work on studies with a very different setting,” Angie says.

She’s also expanding her subject matter beyond landscapes and animals. “My latest inspiration is people doing the things they love,” she says.

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Lundy Bridge outside of Decorah. / Artwork by Angie Herrmann

Going above & beyond behavior to

DECORAH IOWA

She has really enjoyed portraying people – something that seemed intimidating in the past – generally painting portraits from photos. A photo of her daughter’s niece was painted into a piece that won third place in the Iowa Artists state competition. A shot of a barrel racer at the Decorah Fire Department’s Bull Bash became a painting that gracefully captures the energy and focus of the moment the rider and horse round a bright blue barrel. And most recently, Angie finished a piece featuring Decorah’s Nordic Dancers, a challenging painting full of movement.

Folks can see Angie and her work in person this fall at the Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour, an annual self-guided tour that gives everyone the chance to meet artists and watch them create in their own spaces. 2025 will be Angie’s second year on the tour. Her stop will feature painting demos and a transformed lower-level gallery full of paintings for sale as well as several types of prints, magnets, and notebooks.

What keeps her motivated to pursue a painting practice in addition to her full-time work? For her, it’s all about the fun of it. “I like to keep busy, and I don’t like to watch TV,” she explains. “I don’t look at the world like everyone else. I look at how the light is hitting things, taking pictures, always looking for inspiration.”

Once she’s found her inspiration, she takes delight in capturing sunflowers, birch trees, and chickadees, sun shining through petals,

Angie’s artwork features a variety of subjects. / All artwork by Angie Herrmann

Angie’s lower-level gallery will be open during the Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour.

shadows cast on the ground, the exact geometry and color of an aging iron bridge, reflections of autumn leaves on the river.

“That’s where I’m at, always learning something new. It might be risky, it might be scary, but I just do it. People often ask me if I have a favorite painting. My answer is: I haven’t painted it yet.”

Laura Barlament lives in Decorah, Iowa, where she works at Luther College.

NORTHEAST IOWA ARTISTS’ STUDIO TOUR 2025

Mark your calendars for the 28th Annual Northeast Iowa Artists’ Studio Tour, October 10, 11, and 12. Workspaces are open from 10 am to 5 pm each day. Five new artists will join the tour this year, opening their spaces along with long-time exhibitors for 36 artists in total. This free tour offers behind-the-scenes studio views at 29 locations all within 40 miles of Decorah, Iowa. Set your own pace as you drive yourself around the Driftless to check out and purchase awesome local pottery, paintings, woodcuts, baskets, jewelry, woodworking, sculpture, collage, fiber arts, and more. Find a tour map online at iowaarttour.com.

BY STEVE HARRIS

Scattered across the beautiful, rural farmlands of bluff country are lots of barns. Rustic barns, pole barns, even a few round barns, all used for many things. A highlight of Spring Grove, Minnesota’s Uffda Fest, the town’s annual October celebration of autumn, is a barn dance held in, of course, a barn. But not just any old barn. We’re talking “Ye Olde Gray Barn,” located on the property of long-time residents and barn namesakes Jim and Karen Gray. The Grays are community-builders par excellence, with the Uffda Fest barn dance being just one project they’ve been involved in over many years.

The husband-and-wife team have lots in common. Both grew up on family farms near Riceville in northern Iowa. After meeting in high school (“we went to her junior prom,” Jim, now 84, remembers fondly) and later getting married, both graduated from Iowa State, and soon moved to Minnesota. Both love smalltown life and making a positive difference in the place they call home. Married for 63 years, people know and love the Grays as the inseparable couple they are.

They’re also different. Dr. Jim became a veterinarian whose James Herriott-like career of doctoring animals and enjoying deep friendship with farm families spanned 50 years to the day. Karen’s double-major in Speech-Theater and English led to her teaching school, then becoming a stay-at-home mom, supporting her husband’s practice, and actively promoting the arts.

David Finholt

Karen and Jim Gray

The Grays merge their differing interests and skills (fueled by their shared generosity) in unique, even remarkable ways. That brings us back to their barn. “I came home from work and found Karen in a group of women talking about local theater,” Jim recalls. “They had ideas and enthusiasm; what they didn’t have was a theater. I jokingly suggested, ‘why don’t you do it in our barn?’ Minutes later we were all out there seeing if that could work. Turns out it did!”

The Gray’s barn, Karen’s background in theater, Jim’s carpenter skills, and dedicated volunteers combined to create “Ye Olde Gray Barn,” a beloved venue for summer plays in Spring Grove for the past 46 years. Their first production, Annie Get Your Gun was on a small, indoor stage with balcony seating. The following year, Jim and other volunteers expanded the stage and borrowed bleachers from the local football field for outdoor seating. Shows like Oklahoma (1983), Annie (1989), Cabaret (1998), Little Shop of Horrors (2015), and 2025’s Something Rotten have consistently delivered what’s been described as “Broadway energy in a barn!” Karen has been a producer for several shows; Dr. Jim is general groundskeeper and occasional actor. “I sang in the Music Man barbershop quartet,” he says, “but my easiest role was playing the dead guy in ‘Lucky Stiff!’”

Karen and Jim bought the Myrah property & barn in 1976. They dubbed it Ye Olde Gray Barn when it became the location for community theatre shortly after that. / Photo courtesy the Grays

Local theater is only one of many community-building efforts the Grays have initiated. Another group discussion – “I end up in a lot of those!” Karen says with a laugh – and Jim’s tool-belt and carpentry know-how helped lead to the 2007 opening of the Bluff Country Artist Gallery, showcasing the work of nearly 70 local artists and offering special exhibits and classes for all ages.

The Gray’s visionary support was also integral to the creation of the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center. The Center promotes Spring Grove’s history as Minnesota’s first Norwegian settlement through genealogical research, the collection of oral histories, a language and culture camp each summer, and other special programs. Both Grays currently serve on the Giants board.

Jim and Karen also founded “Spring Grove Area – Past, Present and Future,” a non-profit with a mission to stimulate local business growth and tourism.

Continued on next page

Peonies

Peony Farm

Photo Shoots Workshops Farm Tours

They worked with internationally honored sculptor Craig Bergsgaard (Spring Grove High, Class of ‘70) to create two life-size bronze statues of beloved Norwegian cartoon characters Ola and Per that now stand in Viking Memorial Park in the center of town. Drawn in the early 1900s by Spring Grove native Peter J. Rosendahl, those statues attract lots of attention. “One day I saw a man taking pictures of Ola and Per,” says Karen. “I asked if he’d like a photo with him in it and he lit up! He grew up reading those comics and was so excited to visit Spring Grove. A wonderful moment of serendipity.”

The Gray’s influence extends beyond Spring Grove, as well. Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich appointed Karen to the Minnesota State Arts Board where she served three years as chair. Later she helped organize “Minnesota Historic Bluff Country,” a coalition of 22 Southeast Minnesota communities to encourage tourism. And Jim is a member of the famed Luren Singing Society of Decorah. “When I joined 35 years ago, I was the only singer from Spring Grove. Now there are 14 of us with Spring Grove roots, the second largest group outside Decorah from any one area.”

The Grays have done so much for so long. Are they thinking of slowing down? Hardly. They’re helping produce and promote “Dear Land…Norwegian Ridge at a Crossroads,” a Giants of the Earth movie set to premiere at the Spring Grove Cinema on November 1, 2025. They’re also exploring a major commemorative project with sculptor Bergsgaard called “Honoring Farm Families.” Stay tuned!

Learning about Jim and Karen Gray’s extraordinary commitment to their hometown makes you wonder: Why do they do all this? What motivates their community-building? You ask, hoping for a deep, philosophical explanation. The answer you get is simple. “We came here with nothing,” says Jim.

“Everything we have we owe to this community. We want to give back. It’s just who we are.”

Steve Harris, a freelance writer who lives in Lanesboro, Minnesota, can be reached at sharris1962@msn.com.

About Community Builders

A community is defined as a unified body of individuals. You can build community in a neighborhood, city, region, state, nation… world, at any level. But it doesn’t have to be big to have a big impact. Building community is one of the most important things we can do in this life. Connecting with others helps us connect with our humanity, and realize we’re all in this together. Read more Community Builder stories at iloveinspired.com, and send us a note if you know someone we should feature here in the future!

Giants of the Earth Heritage Center in Spring Grove, MN

BY SARA WALTERS

DCOMMUNITY BUILDERS

La Crosse, WI Amber Miller

ifferent stages of life, like the seasons, require transformation. Just as trees shed their leaves, sometimes we must shed our identities to make space for new growth.

Amber Miller, founder of Angel’s House of Healing in La Crosse, Wisconsin, knows that support for women going through this transformation after addiction and trauma is a critical – and scarce – resource.

Amber experienced this struggle firsthand. Her mother, Angel, passed away after years of suffering from alcoholism and unhealed trauma. Amber faced the same battles herself, but she found sobriety after 11 long years.

Over those years, Amber gathered valuable insight into the world of recovery and saw ways it could improve. She found that most traditional recovery options – like rehab – focus on sobriety but don’t look at the underlying causes of addiction.

“What frustrates me the most is how outdated and ineffective so many of the current recovery systems are,” Amber says. “Women are stuck in a cycle that only perpetuates the problems instead of offering real solutions. It’s disheartening to see how few options there are for women who truly want to change.”

Named for Amber’s late mother, Angel’s House of Healing is a sober transitional living facility and recovery center for women ages 18-55. And it is definitely filling a need in La Crosse. There were previously two sober living homes for women in the area, but both closed due to lack of funding. Without a transitional housing option after rehab, it’s easy to fall back into the same patterns and succumb to old habits, Amber says. “The reality is most women in our community leave treatment and go right back to the same environment they came from – an environment that often contributed to their struggles in the first place.”

Through community support in a compassionate, growthoriented environment, Angel’s House is set up to build a new narrative for women trying to heal. “I want Angel’s House of Healing to meet women where they are and provide the tools they need to transform their lives,” Amber says. “It breaks my heart to see so many women – and people in general – believing they can’t change.”

The house itself, a warm, welcoming two-story home in La Crosse, is furnished with quiet, peaceful spaces for residents and on-site amenities like laundry, utilities, Wi-Fi, video surveillance, and of course, recovery programming and resources. While lengthof-stay will depend on the individual, Amber estimates many will

Amber’s late mother, Angel.

Amber Miller at Angel’s House of Healing. / Photos courtesy Amber Miller

reside at Angel’s House for six to 12 months. Programming has been developed based on what Amber has learned while working with life coaches, participating in retreats, and diving into personal development with books, seminars, and videos. The approach is a holistic one, focused on mind, body, and spirit through counseling and mentorship.

“I’ve worn many hats throughout my life. From babysitting and bartending to being an X-ray tech, a life coach, and a real estate investor, I’ve tried it all. Each experience taught me something unique,” she says. “My journey has been about trusting myself and taking leaps into the unknown. My life experience has been my greatest education.”

She hopes Angel’s House of Healing, which welcomed its first guests in June 2025, will create an environment women need to realize their potential. “I believe these women are the ones who will lead the next phase of humanity,” Amber says. “They’ve already proven their strength, and they just need the right environment to help them step fully into their power.”

Angel’s House is committed to drug and alcohol-free living and to supporting women who are building new lives for themselves. They welcome women in recovery, on probation, transitioning out of treatment, or leaving unstable living situations. “Angel’s House is a safe, empowering space where women can begin their journey to self-discovery. We support them in shedding old identities, developing new, healthy ones, and learning to live life authentically. This is a place where women are celebrated for every step they take,” Amber says. “It’s more than just a sober living home – it’s a community designed for personal transformation and healing. We help them practice boundaries, regulate their nervous systems, and thrive in an environment that nurtures their growth.”

At Angel’s House, Amber wears many hats once again. She manages the house, handles behind-the-scenes details, meets with the community, and gives tours. “My absolute favorite part is connecting with the women, both individually and as a group. That’s where the real magic happens,” she says.

While there is currently no staff, Amber does have an amazing group of volunteers, dubbed “Angels on Earth,” who help with administrative work, organizing events, creating resources for the women, and more. Some also bring their own practices into the house, offering workshops on breathwork, meditation, art, or

other therapeutic activities, says Amber. “And many are involved in simply being there for the women –whether that’s through mentorship, support, or sharing their own personal stories of healing.”

Support from the larger community has also been pivotal in the opening of Angel’s House. Local businesses, non-profits, medical facilities, and area leaders have all helped establish Angel’s House as an integral part of the La Crosse community. “Healing doesn’t happen in isolation,” Amber says. “It takes a community to heal, and that’s what we’re building here.”

The first few months of operation have been successful, supporting Amber’s big dreams for the facility. She hopes that someday Angel’s House will expand beyond La Crosse. Additionally, she has an idea for an alumni network that will offer additional support after women leave the house. “Ultimately, I want it to be the gold standard in sober living and transformation.”

As she continues her journey, Amber focuses on providing an

environment and resources that many women – like her mom – were not afforded. She doesn’t want the women she serves to just survive. She wants them to thrive by giving them space to “grow, heal, and find their purpose” inside the welcoming walls of Angel’s House.

Sara Walters is a writer based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She has been a contributor to Inspire(d) since 2018.

Interested in living at Angel’s House of Healing? Visit angelshouseofhealing.com to learn about the facility and to apply.

Interested in getting involved? Reach out to info@angelshouseofhealing.com to join the movement.

Angel’s House of Healing welcomed its first guests in June 2025. / Photo courtesy Amber Miller

Never underestimate your capabilities.

Something beautiful is just around the corner. Be gentle with yourself.

You are strong, talented, and smart. You are unstoppable.

The universe works for you, not against you. Keep moving forward.

Every day is a new opportunity to be the person you want to be.

MINI PEP TALKS

to encourage you to keep fighting the good fight.

What makes your heart happy and at ease? Make room for that. Your contributions to the world are

You deserve time for yourself.

Other people’s opinions do not affect your life.

Surround yourself with people who make you feel full of life.

Never make yourself small for another person. Be you. You’re not for everyone, and that’s okay.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Lean into your strengths and try to accept your weaknesses.

All you can do is all you can do. Don’t let unrealistic expectations get you down.

Confetti

The very first Inspire(d) Magazine rolled off the presses on October 4, 2007, so we celebrate our birthday every fall! Want to celebrate with us? Make a few of these Confetti Poppers at home, and pop off some shredded paper in a mess of the best kind!

Happy 18th birthday, Inspire(d)!

Paper Project!

step-by-step instructions at ILOVEINSPIRED.COM

LISTENING TO THE NEXT GENERATION

THOUGHTS ON LIFE CHOICES

BY ROXIE NICHOLS, 13 YEARS OLD

The ability to make my own choices is honestly something I’ve never lived without. I mean, of course as a younger kid there were decisions that my parents or other adults made for me, but to be able to live the lucky, choicefilled life that I have become accustomed to is something I’m really grateful for. However, I associate choices with decisions, and oftentimes, deciding is super hard. Throughout your whole life, you have to make completely different decisions about different situations with different levels of importance.

For example, I remember one time, when I was maybe seven years old, my grandma took me along to Walmart. Being the American Girl Doll obsessed kid that I was, I went straight to the doll aisle and spent a good amount of time perusing the shelves, eventually finding these two mini, Walmart baskets, each filled with a different type of (fake) food. Of course, I did that completely torn, trying-to-decide-how-I-can-live-withonly-one-or-another face that all children do, but after a while, I figured out I actually had to decide on just one. I remember this story because I spent so long debating which one was the better option (sorry grandma), but eventually, I decided, and we got my mini basket of food and left. It was put to good use, by the way (thanks grandma). The point of all this is to show how what seems like a simple decision can feel really hard in the moment.

This or... that?

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to make more and more decisions about all sorts of things. Some recent ones are what activities I want to do for school, what I want to request for my birthday, and how can I get rid of some of my clothes and junk I’ve collected over the years? In the coming years, I’ll have to decide my choice of career, even begin to set up my life and figure out who I’m going to be, and the people I want to be there with me.

There also are certain things I will choose to prioritize this school year. Sports is a big one, as we start school sports in seventh grade and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to participate in them. I’m doing cross-country this fall, basketball in the winter, and track in the spring. So, I’ll be busy, but I’m going to do my best. I’m also going to prioritize my relationships with my friends and family. This is really important to me, as some of my friends and I are doing different activities and have different school schedules, so we can’t hang out as much as we can during the summer. Friends are super important as you go through school and just in general and I am so lucky to have them, and grateful to have been able to make more friends throughout my life. My parents are also (along with being my family) some of my best friends and I’m so fortunate to have that kind of relationship with them. In order to prioritize these things, I’ll need to really just let go of thoughts or people that don’t benefit me or that hold me back and move on.

Rounding out that list of rules or goals is the often said “last but not least” final priority: to have fun. Not just this year, but whenever I can. There’s almost always a bright side that you can find, always a way to move on, to forgive and forget. I think I got this way of thinking from my mom and I’m glad I did. It’s not really something you inherit, but being able to be positive is the key to having fun. So, the next hard decision I’ll face, or problem I have, I’ll find a bright side, a solution, and move on to the next fun chapter.

Roxie Nichols, daughter of Inspire(d)’s Aryn Henning Nichols & Benji Nichols, is a seventh grader at Decorah Middle School.

We created Future Focused, a new Inspire(d) column written by pre-teens and teens, to help give the next generation an opportunity to share their voices. This issue, we have a lovely piece by our daughter, Roxie, all about making choices (and how difficult that can sometimes be). Agreed! You can read all the Future Focused pieces published so far at iloveinspired.com/category/future-focused. Here’s to Listening to the Next Generation! – Aryn

THREE TINY TENORS

BY CRAIG THOMPSON • ARTWORK BY MARY THOMPSON

As summer days slip away and goldenrod buds swell, birdsong is replaced by a sixlegged symphony. The three tenors of the Driftless Area – cicadas, crickets, and katydids – take center stage, filling balmy air with an operetta of buzzes, clicks, and chirps heralding the approach of fall.

Cicadas are the loudest of the diminutive songsters. They resemble enormous flies with square heads and long, clear wings. Using special abdominal organs called tymbals, male cicadas buzz intensely from the treetops to attract females. An aggregation of toned and tuned males can crank out a collective buzz exceeding 100 decibels, comparable to a rock concert (move over Bruce Springsteen).

Similar to birds, each type of cicada has a signature buzz. The Driftless Region has nine cicada species. The dog-day cicada, also known as the heat bug, because it emerges mid-summer, is the most common. It sounds like a buzz saw. Periodical cicadas are bona fide celebrities, famous for synchronized mass emergences and a deafening din, the culmination of 17 years underground as nymphs feeding on tree root sap. Their first breath of fresh air after more than a decade of dining in dirt may help explain their acoustic exuberance. Cicadas live brief but spectacular lives, with most surviving for only four to six weeks. By late summer, the cicada chorus falls silent.

Katydids resemble a cricket-grasshopper mash-up. They are distinguished from both by antennae longer than their bodies. The 20 species of Driftless katydids are avowed vegetarians, opportunistically munching leaves, stems, and flowers. Their size (one to four inches long) and soft bodies make them a favorite prey for birds. Their leafy green color helps to conceal them, as do nocturnal performances.

Male katydids tune up as the moon rises, rubbing their wings together – a behavior called stridulation – to create their eponymous sound: “katydid, katy didn’t, katydid, katy didn’t.” Despite their apparent indecision, the song is an effective attractant for female katydids keen on finding a mate. Late summer is peak Katydid season, although a few intrepid individuals manage to endure until fall.

Crickets are the last, but not least, of the miniscule musicians. They’re the toughest of the lot, chirping well into fall, long after the seasonal curtain drops on cicadas and most katydids.

Cricket

and producers.

More than 900 species of crickets live worldwide, with 100 species found in the United States. In the Driftless, the most common is the field cricket, a sturdy little bug with a rather pedestrian exterior. Contrary to the dapper image portrayed by Disney’s Jiminy Cricket, complete with a blue top hat and umbrella, the field cricket is clad in monochromatic black. The lack of “spiffy” helps conceal these ground dwellers from a host of would-be predators. Unlike cicadas and katydids, most crickets are omnivores, noshing all manner of vegetation and even the occasional aphid or small spider. Like katydids, the field cricket’s signature chirp is the product of stridulation by males looking for love. They begin their solo performances in July and continue into October, until ultimately thwarted by frost. Because crickets are ectothermic (cold-blooded), every aspect of their lives, including chirping, is regulated by temperature. As it gets colder in the fall, the crickets’ chirping becomes slower and slower. Amos Dolbear, a 19th century American physicist and very bright guy, realized the Fahrenheit temperature can be estimated by counting the number of cricket chirps within 15 seconds and adding 40. Clever.

This fall, long after the cicadas and katydids have signed off the airwaves, step into the cool autumn air to enjoy the crickets’ waning serenade. And don’t forget to estimate the temperature.

Mary and Craig Thompson live in wooded bluffs north of La Crosse. They now rely on crickets to tell them when to don their hoodies.

Katydid

Cicada

Why did the tree giggle in the fall? It heard acorn-y joke!

PHOTO BY MARY ANDERSON

“The boardwalk at Pikes Peak State Park is usually heavily traveled. On this particular October morning, rain and fog can be credited for providing this tranquil scene. One feels less hurried and can linger when in a beautiful space like this on their own. I took my time and enjoyed this scene from various angles before moving on,” Mary says. See more of Mary’s work at photogwillie.com.

Ilove the idea of removing things from my plate.

(Metaphorically, of course. Please leave my chocolate and cheese alone…).

Sure, we can always try to juggle more, modify our schedules, use our time more efficiently…but the best way to free up mental or physical space is to literally let something go.

Life changes, we change, and what works best for us changes as well.

What does the life you want to live look like? Fall is filled with freshly populated, back-to-school schedules. Is it all important? Do all those calendar items need attending? How about the stuff around your house? As the weather starts to get cooler, you’ll be cozying up inside more and more. Surround yourself with things you truly want to share space with.

WHAT IS BEST TO LET GO?

A flowch ar t

Identifying what no longer serves.

INTRO

& INFOGRAPHIC BY ARYN HENNING NICHOLS

Next, take the leap and release what you no longer need, even if you needed it once upon a time. People, possessions, thoughts, emotions, dreams – let go of anything that no longer serves that life you dreamt up. Chisel away at anything that no longer needs your attention.

Making space allows room for things you really love to flow into the openings. If you’ve ever experienced the somehow physical lightening of your shoulders after you declutter your space, you know what I mean. Letting go is freedom.

Fall is the perfect time for this. The leaves are letting go (after showing off their best colors, I might add), and the world around us is signaling it’s time for change.

I have a friend who once told me, “You can only do three things well.” That’s stuck with me in the decade since – this idea that you can only really succeed at three roles at a time in your life. You certainly might have more than that going at the moment, which, by this logic, means you’re not doing any of them to the best of your ability. That’s okay. That’s life sometimes. It doesn’t mean you’re failing, just that you could probably do and feel better with less on your plate.

I will be the first to say, “Easier said than done!!!” It’s so hard to tell people no, so hard to let go of something you might just need in the future, so hard to stop doing something that’s filled your days so effectively in the past. So, let’s all try it together this fall, just gently exploring the concept of what really matters and what’s important to us. Having trouble deciding? Check out my “What’s Best to Let Go?” flow chart on the next page to help lead you to an answer. You’ve got this.

XOXO, Aryn

NO

Is it a tangible thing? Is it an intangible thing?

(i.e. a physical thing you can hold)

WHAT IS BEST TO LET GO?

Taking something off your plate makes room for more of what you love.

(i.e. an emotion/ relationship/habit/goal)

No guilt. No worry. No regret. These emotions rarely serve anyone. Is it important? Is it within your control? Does it make your life better or easier?

A flowchart

By Aryn Henning Nichols

Time and energy are limited resources, and you deserve the opportunity to decide how you spend yours. Be radically honest about this. No is a complete sentence. Does it help sustain your lifestyle?

Does it take a lot of time or energy?

SEASONS OF LETTING GO HOW TO TRUST in

Mental health counselor

Olivia Lynn Schnur guides us through practices of letting go.

BY OLIVIA LYNN SCHNUR, MA, LMHC, LPC, CYT-200

Fall invites us to slow down and witness the beauty of letting go. The perennial wildflowers droop their heads in slumber for the season. The prairies transform from fertile shocks of green to drying shades of brown. The leaves of deciduous trees go out in a cascade of yellow, orange, and red.

The autumnal equinox is a rare moment of balance that only happens twice per year – a day of equal light and dark. This can mark a time for us to rebalance our own lives as well. Earlier in the year, the spring equinox signaled brighter and warmer days, when our energy and commitments ramped up. Spring and summer encouraged us to plant and nourish seeds.

Now, as the days grow colder and darker, our energy begins to downshift. This offers an opportunity to take stock of everything we’ve grown and nurtured during the year, conserving what we wish to keep and letting go of the rest. Because, while at the end of autumn the world may look dead and dark, we know that nature is cyclical. Life and light will always return.

Letting go is an act of trust that we embrace every time nature goes dark or dormant. We trust that the sun will rise again, the moon will become illuminated once more, and fall will give way to winter, spring, and summer, over and over again.

Why then, do we struggle so immensely to let go of other things in life? Many of us hold onto belongings, jobs, relationships, expectations, dreams, and goals long past their expiration date.

Often, this is because we fear uncertainty. We worry nothing will replace the thing we’ve released; but generally, the opposite is true. Letting go of what is no longer serving us creates space for what we want more of in the future.

SET PRIORITIES & RECLAIM ENERGY

We only have a limited amount of time and energy in life, so setting clear priorities is important. If we don’t, the world will do it for us, often leading to feelings of anger and resentment. Consciously choosing what matters most helps build a meaningful and fulfilling life.

To do this, it can be helpful to take stock of all the sources that require energy in our lives. We can also consider what we receive in exchange for our energy output, like a paycheck from work, a healthier body after exercise, or warmth, love, and compassion following time spent with loved ones or helping in a community.

Once we’ve set our top priorities, we must start saying no to anything that does not align. This is not a selfish act. It is a radical commitment to the roles, responsibilities, and people we value most.

Our energy is our lifeforce. Ideally, we want to give our lifeforce to people and causes that feel meaningful to us. This allows for an equal exchange of energy that leaves us feeling balanced and fulfilled. Conversely, energy leaks can happen when we give much

more than we get. We can identify energy leaks by noting anything or anyone who leave us feeling consistently used, drained, unappreciated, or resentful.

Sometimes, letting go can feel especially difficult if we’ve committed a lot of energy already. We get stuck pursuing a dead-end goal because of what psychologists and economists call the “sunk cost fallacy.” This is the tendency to stay in a circumstance that continues to drain or hurt us because we have invested (or lost) too much. The sunk cost fallacy can apply to relational, financial, career, and personal goals.

But remember: No matter how much time or energy we have already invested, staying in a situation that makes us miserable rarely produces positive results. In this situation, bravery is required to face the facts. We may need to accept our losses; however great they may be. We need to know when it is time to let go.

RELEASE OLD EMOTIONS

Before we can let go, we must sit with what is not working. Many emotions do not fade with time, and when we pause to reflect, in a space free from input and distractions, unprocessed emotions can rise to the surface. The more we try to avoid these emotions, the louder they become. Ignore them long enough and they can manifest in the form of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. This is why we need to give our emotions the time and attention they deserve, but it can be deeply uncomfortable at first. We might even feel like we cannot survive the onslaught of our feelings. In that case, it is best to work with a professional therapist who is trained to help unpack layers of unprocessed feelings.

Over time, sitting with our own thoughts and emotions can become a gift. This is how we learn to trust our emotions as sources of information. We discover more about who we are, what we desire, and what we need to release. While our emotions are not always based in fact, we can think of them as guides, letting us know where we need to place our attention.

Once we’ve considered whether our circumstances can be mended or rearranged to fit our ever-changing lives, we can carefully take steps toward a necessary change. If it’s time to let something go, it will feel much easier if we know we are making the right choice.

PRACTICE FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is one practice that can help us begin to let go of pent-up emotions like resentment, blame, anger, and pain. Forgiveness does not mean we owe anything to anyone or that we need to accept someone back into our lives or absolve them of responsibility. Forgiveness simply means letting go of whatever keeps us chained to a moment in time. Ultimately, it is for our own benefit. It frees us to live in the present and chart out a different path for the future. Self-forgiveness can also provide a path forward. It does not mean we wish to relive a moment or would make the same choices we did in the past. It only means that we choose to offer ourselves grace now.

We can practice self-forgiveness by infusing memories with compassion, understanding, and acceptance. Self-forgiveness can be a powerful process that frees us to see ourselves and a situation in a new, healing light.

Continued on next page

NO W OPEN !

ACCEPT THE PRESENT

Mindfulness is the practice of accepting the present moment as it is, without judgement. As much as possible, we should aim to live in the present and accept it for what it is.

Developing a daily mindfulness practice can be of great benefit as we practice letting go. Observing our present circumstances can show us where our time and energy are going. Then, we can weigh that reality against our ideal priorities and goals.

Mindfulness also helps us recognize and name our emotions, without judgement. It creates the space necessary to digest and process our feelings.

When we mindfully accept the present moment, everything becomes clear. Each moment, we can practice letting go of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that do not serve us. Over time, that practice will lead us toward a life that aligns with our values and priorities.

The worksheet following this article contains an exercise to help you mindfully sit with and start to release pent-up emotions.

LET GO AND LIVE

We all deserve a life of our own choosing. If that feels completely out of reach, a mental health professional can help you get clear on what that looks like or what steps you need to take to get there.

Ultimately, letting go is not a practice of missing out. It is a practice of creating space for the life we desire. Letting go is an act of trust. We can accept the present moment as it is, while believing in our own potential. We can learn to let go of what no longer serves us, because we have faith that greater things are around the corner.

To learn more, or to book a yoga session, visit oliviaschnur.com.

SELF-REFLECTION FOR LETTING GO

Practice this exercise in mindfully letting go. Find a time and space, free from input and distractions, to mindfully consider your emotions, energy output, and life circumstances. Journal or ask yourself these questions during this quiet self-reflection.

What emotions are coming to the surface right now? (Practice mindfulness by noting your emotions non-judgmentally.)

Are my emotions pulling me toward or away from anything?

Has anything run its course in my life that I am struggling to let go of?

Is there anything in my life that takes more effort to hold onto than it would to release?

Are there things in my life I’m putting energy toward that make me feel drained, unappreciated, or resentful?

Mindful Self-Reflection for Emotional Release:

Take a moment of quiet, deep breathing after you’ve reflected on these questions. Allow yourself time to sit with your thoughts and feelings, non-judgmentally. You can imagine yourself releasing old emotions with every breath out. As you breathe in, welcome new possibilities and actions you can take to let go of what no longer serves the life you want to live.

SAVING OUR

“One of my favorite parts about working on the Regenerating Soil and Community (RSC) project was exploring local farms and hearing about the deep connections landowners have with their land,” says Sophia Chadima, a Luther student who has worked on the RSC project for both cohort one and two (pictured at right).

“Working in a lab, processing soil samples, was much more meaningful when our team had been involved in the entire process from the start.”

/ Photo courtesy RSC

SOIL

Women landowners who have participated in the innovative regenerative agriculture project, Regenerating Soil and Community, are learning that knowledge equals strength, and they’ve got both in spades.

BY ARYN HENNING NICHOLS

It’s not uncommon to see Dr. Jodi Enos-Berlage, a biology professor and researcher at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, lugging a decent-sized clump of dirt around the lab.

But no, it’s not dirt – that’s too small a word. This is Soil. A teaspoon, if it’s healthy, holds a huge community – billions – of bacteria, protozoans, fungi, nematodes, insects, and more.

“The life below makes the life above possible,” Jodi says. “Soil is the literal foundation of life. Over half of life on earth lives in the soil.”

Not only that, soil produces 95 percent of food and is one of the most costeffective ways to sequester carbon. It absorbs, stores, and filters our water. Its microbes recycle nutrients to enable new life for the world above, and those microbes are also the source of the vast majority of antibiotics.

From Watersheds to Soil Health

In 2009, as Luther’s microbiologist, Jodi was asked by Iowa State Extension to lead a water monitoring project for Northeast Iowa’s Dry Run Creek Watershed, which had high levels of bacteria. While environmental monitoring wasn’t Jodi’s primary area of expertise, she was drawn to the project. She grew up on a beef farm in small-town Illinois, giving her a foundational understanding of the connections between water quality and agricultural activity, and she and her husband own a farm in the Dry Run Creek Watershed. She also knew the project would offer great student research opportunities and expand her own repertoire in a way that connects to the community.

So, between 2010 and 2015, Jodi and a student team monitored 10-14 different sites under rain and non-rain conditions. Results were reported to the Dry Run Creek Watershed Improvement Association and published in the journal, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, and the 20,000-acre watershed became one of the most monitored streams in Iowa.

“Saying yes to this project basically changed my whole career trajectory… and laid the groundwork for the future projects on soil,” she says.

After 15 years of study, it was clear to Jodi that poor water quality and flooding are symptoms of degraded soil. Healthy soil acts like a sponge; degraded soil sheds water, leading to flooding and poor water quality. And while the Midwest holds some of the richest soil in the world, research conducted at UMass Amherst by Iowa native and geoscientist Dr. Isaac Larsen indicates that we’re losing it 10 to 1000 times faster than it’s formed. A big part of this is because most Iowa fields are empty during the non-growing season, with no plants or living roots to protect the soil and feed its microbes. Without those roots, soil microbes are starving. Plus, any kind of tillage acts like an underground tornado, further destroying microbial communities and making soil more vulnerable to erosion.

“One-third of the corn belt has already lost its topsoil completely. Some soils are nearly dead,” Jodi says. “But this problem is fixable. And we know how.”

The solution is to mimic nature as closely as we can. By minimizing soil disturbance (no-till), keeping living roots in the ground year-round (cover crops/perennials), keeping soil covered (plants/residue), increasing diversity (rotations/cover crops), and integrating livestock (if possible) – farmers and landowners can turn this around, literally regenerating topsoil.

But the first step is getting all hands on deck. It was during her watershed work that Jodi realized outreach materials weren’t reaching women landowners and farmers, including herself. As the only woman at the table, she asked why. The reason? They didn’t know their names. “Women weren’t listed in the plat map books,” Jodi says. “I called the plat map CEO and he said they just list whoever is written first on the deed, which is hardly ever the woman. So I knocked on every door in the watershed to learn their names.”

Jodi then dug into the research, learning that women own nearly half the land in Iowa – 47 percent – and the majority of the rented farmland. “Studies show women tend to care deeply about conservation, collaboration, and community,” Jodi says, “Yet we feel less knowledgeable about regenerative practices, resources, and networks.”

This felt like a significant and powerful untapped resource and one Jodi could help foster.

“As a farmer, educator, scientist, artist, and mother, I live at an ‘intersection’ of many different communities,” Jodi says. “This means I can help bridge gaps. We will not solve the soil health crisis in Iowa without all the different communities at the table. We need women there – and it is our responsibility to do our part.”

In 2018, Jodi scrapped the entire microbiology laboratory experience she’d developed over her first 18 years at Luther. She converted her lab into a semester-long research project focused on crowd-sourcing antibiotic discovery from Northeast Iowa soil microbes, as part of the Tiny Earth consortium. Based out of UW-Madison, Tiny Earth aims to engage scientific research that addresses diminishing antibiotics, the rapid decline in soil health, and the need for more scientists in the workforce. Jodi knew the Tiny Earth founder, Jo Handelsman, from Jodi’s Ph.D work at UW, and was greatly inspired by both the Tiny Earth mission and Jo’s book about the catastrophic loss of topsoil, A World Without Soil.

Empowering the Unseen

our collective future on the planet,” Jodi says. “As someone who’s driven by positive impact, how could I not pursue this?”

She wanted to take this research and apply it in the larger community. The final piece of the puzzle was funding.

“I wrote and submitted a small soilfocused grant within 48 hrs after my TedX talk,” she says. After asking local soil health professionals for feedback, she found out about a much larger grant opportunity, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) subaward to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“We assembled a dream team of sorts,” Jodi says, citing partners from Luther College, the Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), and Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D). Core project leads included Sophia Campbell, who then was with Winneshiek County SWCD and a key connector to landowners, and Ross Evelsizer from Northeast Iowa RC&D, who was a valuable partner for both his grant-writing know-how and his talents for communicating with broad audiences.

The land itself was an unwitting partner as well. The Driftless Region’s highly erodible ground and karst topography makes it vulnerable, with data showing that soil and water deterioration is occurring here at a faster-thanaverage rate. In fact, many area farmers are already working on solutions.

In 2023, after five years of soil work in the lab, Jodi felt called to create The Power of the Unseen, a TEDx talk focusing on unseen soil microbes and landowners and their collective power to regenerate soil. It lit a fire.

“When soil life gets better, lots of other good things happen automatically. Water quality goes up, flooding goes down, carbon gets pulled from the air and goes into the ground. The soil fertility increases, and we can grow more food using less inputs, making this a win-win-win for farmers, eaters, and water drinkers…and frankly,

“We’re not starting this regenerative agriculture revolution. It’s already happening in the Driftless Region. We know this because we’ve been on and learned from their farms,” Jodi says. “We’re trying to do our part to catalyze and accelerate the work, helping the movement spread faster. I firmly believe we can be a model for the state. As I wrote in the grant, ‘Lead we must.’”

The team wrote two interlinked proposals in less than six weeks, and were quickly awarded a four-year grant, which they collectively titled Regenerating Soil and Community, with funds totaling $471,450 from the Iowa DNR/EPA. In addition to Jodi, Sophia, and Ross, the team includes Luther faculty Gwen Strand (Biology), Dr. Laura Peterson (Environmental Studies), Dr. Rachel Brummel (Environmental Studies), and Jane Hawley (Dance).

“Water is the elixir of life, and it comes from the soil,” says Dr. Jodi Enos-Berlage. / Photo courtesy RSC

The mission of the Regenerating Soil and Community (RSC) project is to grow knowledge, networks, and strengths in order to address barriers landowners and farmers experience as they work toward improving soil health on their land.

Eligible participants – women, beginning farmers, those with limited resources, veterans, and socially disadvantaged – must live within 25 miles of Decorah (an area encompassing portions of six counties and five active watershed projects), commit to one season of project involvement (12-18 total hours), provide land use history and access for soil testing, participate in confidential pre/post interview conversations, and engage in at least two project networking/learning events.

So far, with one cohort completed and a second in-progress, participants have all been women. The fact that women landowners and farmers have expressed the strongest interest makes sense to the team, given the percentage of Iowa land owned by women.

Fresh Recruits

Sophia Campbell shifted from working with the SWCD to becoming the Trout Run Siewers Spring Watershed Project Coordinator at the Iowa DNR in early 2025. Project Coordinators like Sophia are the boots on the ground professionals who work in specific watersheds.

Sophia also shares information about programs that incentivize regenerative practices like cover crops, no-till, and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which encourages landowners to convert environmentally sensitive acreage into perennials in exchange for annual rental payments and cost-share assistance, or Timber Reserve, which offers property owners tax exemptions for eligible timber land to promote sustainable forestry practices, protect watersheds, and enhance wildlife habitats. Many landowners in the area already know Sophia through this work, so she was a key connector and recruiter for RSC’s cohort one and two.

“That gives our cohort members a local person to go to as a resource. Someone they can build a lasting relationship with who cares about their farm’s success and legacy,” Sophia says. “Project Coordinators and other conservation professionals often share this fondness or appreciation for the land, wildlife, plants, water…and we grow these memories with the farming community when we work on conservation projects together.”

Bil Lepp • Elizabeth Ellis • Don White • Dovie Thomason

Josh Goforth • Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. • Katie Knutson

The RSC team from Luther includes faculty & a roster of students (that rotates each cohort). Back: Gwen Strand (Biology), Lawson Morris (junior), Kylie Bakke (senior), Jack Bode (junior), Laura Peterson (Environmental Studies). Front: Jodi Enos-Berlage (Biology), Rachel Brummel (Environmental Studies), Sophia Chadima (senior) / Photo by Aryn Henning Nichols

Cohort Camaraderie

The five women from cohort one gather around a table, sipping coffee and nibbling muffins, chatting as though they’ve known each other for decades. The collective power at the table is downplayed, humbled by a Midwestern upbringing and a system unused to women making the decisions.

But these women are in charge of acres and acres of Iowa land – an incredibly valuable and vital commodity – and through the Regenerating Soil and Community project, they’re learning that knowledge equals strength, and they’ve got both in spades.

Mary Crawford & daughter Stacy Davi

“They said, ‘free soil testing.’ So, I’m like, sure,” Stacy Davi says with a laugh. In cohort one with her mother, Mary Crawford, Stacy, along with her mom and her brother, Chris Crawford, manage their family’s 180-acre heritage farm in Frankville.

The three formed a farm LLC after Mary’s husband – Stacy and Chris’s dad – Darrel, passed away in 2018. “I wasn’t really involved before that, so we had to scramble to make a plan,” Mary says. “But now, with what I’m learning about the ways to preserve your soil, I want to be more involved so we can have good soil to pass on to the next generation. I feel so thankful now it’s the three of us, equally sharing the decisions.”

Darrel was involved with County Soil & Conservation and was using conservation practices on their land until the Farm Crisis of the 1980s. This major economic crisis devastated agricultural communities and rural main streets throughout the Midwest and across the nation.

“I was a teacher and Darrel was farming, and when the crisis hit, we had to sell a lot of our land. We were farming close to 1,000

acres through ownership and renting,” Mary says. “Rather than declare bankruptcy and lose the original farm, we sold some land and all our machinery so we could pay off the federal land bank. But then we couldn’t even farm.”

So, Darrel and Mary both worked jobs off the farm. After selling more than half their acreage, they managed to keep the 180 acres that they would rent out from the 80s through today.

Farm rentals are the norm these days. According to the 2023 Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure survey, 58 percent of farmland is leased, with the majority being cash rental arrangements – a topic the women discuss with frequency, along with other hurdles and opportunities they experience as landowners.

“Being part of this cohort was really empowering,” Stacy says. “Hearing what other landowners are doing and then just sharing our stories…it’s great not feeling like you’re in this silo alone.”

Denise Buddenberg

Denise Buddenberg and her then husband bought 80 acres and a dairy barn near Waukon in 1984, right about when the Farm Crisis was peaking.

“We didn’t really have much then, so that’s how we survived it,” she says. “A lot of classmates of mine that had bought a lot of land and a lot of green machinery… they went under, and then we just lost a whole generation of farmers.”

In 1992, they bought “the Klinkenberg farm,” adding a little over 200 acres, and in 2001 they expanded the dairy to a huge freestall barn. “Because that’s what all the ag people tell you: You got to get bigger, or get out. So we got bigger,” Denise says. And then, in 2001, she had a stroke. “And then I had open heart surgery. And then two eye surgeries,” she says. “Mary helped me get through all that mess.”

FISH BIKE EAT SHOP

EXPLORE GOLF HIKE STAY

“She’s a tough girl,” Mary says with a soft smile at Denise, her long-time friend.

Recovery took a while, but, like most farmers you’ll ever meet, Denise kept giving it her all. Life events continued, with a divorce in 2010, a splitting of assets, and her parents passing away in 2021. Denise inherited 240 acres, with 180 in timber reserve, some in CRP, and some rented as cropland. She’s the sole owner of upwards of 500 acres.

“Yeah, I was pretty lucky,” she says. “But on the flip side, I really worked hard for a long time to get there.”

Nancy Bolson

“I’ve got a bumper sticker I need to get on my car,” Nancy Bolson says with a short laugh. “It says, ‘Don’t treat your soil like dirt.’” Nancy and her two sisters inherited their 126-acre farm near Ossian from their parents in 2006. They have land in timber reserve, prairie, and rented cropland.

“It’s a shared responsibility with my sisters,” Nancy says, although she and her husband handle a fair amount of the day-to-day management. “I work with the renter and the prairie and kind of try to keep my finger on the pulse of the farm operation.”

There have been some regenerative practices in progress on her family’s land for years, and renters know it’s desirable for its high-quality soil. Nancy and her husband also rent out land on an additional 173-acre farm near Burr Oak. She believes farmers are looking for land of any sort, and many would be willing to try regenerative-style farming to get access to more acres. “I mean, people want land,” Nancy says. “I know there are other people out there that will do cover crops and no-till. I get cold calls of people wanting to rent our farmland. To rent it out from under our renter.”

Sheri Borcherding

Sheri Borcherding and her husband bought their 240-acre farm north of Decorah, whimsically named Camber Castle Farm, in 1964.

“And just as a point of interest, we paid like $315 an acre. At the time, land was selling for around $200 or maybe even $150 around us. So, I’m sure the people thought, ‘Boy, those people really got screwed over when they paid that much for it,’” she says. “The 120 behind me last fall sold for $14,785 an acre. So, you can see what land has done. I mean, it just blows me away when I think about it.”

Sheri and her husband farmed the land until they decided to rent in 1990.

“We did everything wrong,” she says in regard to regenerative ag practices. “We plowed, we disced, we dragged, we planted.”

The women are quick to defend each other. “Because that’s the way it was! In order to be a good farmer, that’s what you did,” everyone chimes in.

Cohort One of the Regenerating Soil and Community project, left to right: Sheri Borcherding, Denise Buddenberg, Mary Crawford, Stacy Davi, and Nancy Bolson. / Photo by Aryn Henning Nichols

Sheri’s husband passed away in 2018, making her the property’s sole owner. She lives in the farmhouse, and her long-time renter maintains the farm – 17 acres of woods, the rest in cropland. He has done many things to help conserve the soil, Sheri says, like putting in grass waterways and practicing low tillage.

All the women agree that talking with renters about converting land over into conservation practices is complicated. Sheri thinks of her renter like family and doesn’t want to push things too far, but she also feels strongly about soil health. “We have to save something for the generation coming up,” she says.

The camaraderie amongst the women in cohort one has been a bright star in an already shining sky. “I didn’t expect quite so much fellowship among our cohort members and willingness to share knowledge and perspectives,” Sophia says. “I am genuinely brought to tears sometimes over how great this community of people has been to work with.”

The Experiment in Progress

Cohort one plowed the path for the remainder of the Regenerating Soil and Community project. Denise even hosted a party on her farm to welcome the second cohort in June of 2025. From there, the process began again.

Early summer, an RSC team – generally one Luther student, two faculty members, and one project partner – will meet with the landowner at their kitchen table to learn their farm story, challenges, and goals. Being the Midwest, baked goods are often present.

A week later, eight RSC members will spend a full day pulling 200 six-inch soil cores and taking around 20 water samples from different sites across the property. They immediately start processing samples in laboratories at Luther and also partner with Cornell University Soil Health Lab in Ithaca, New York. All results are shared confidentially with the landowner.

While soil and water testing is in progress, each cohort member takes

by Gallup,

There are often multiple tests in-progress in the RSC lab at Luther College. / Photo by Aryn Henning Nichols

OPENING CONCERT

Sunday, September 28, 3 pm

Decorah High School Auditorium

Hungarian March from The Damnation of Faust ....Hector Berlioz

Piano Concerto No. 4 in C Minor....Camille Saint-Saëns with David Severtson, piano soloist

Symphony No. 3 in Eb major Rhenish ....Robert Schumann (IA Arts logo)

which identifies an individual’s top five strengths. Jodi, a certified CliftonStrengths coach, then guides each cohort member through their results, helping them understand the strengths behind their patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

“I thought, ‘This is a little freaky. Do I really want to know this?’” Nancy says, remembering her first reaction to the assessment. “But when we looked at the answers, I started to get it.”

“It really helps that Jodi coaches you after you get your results,” Mary says. “That you should be proud of your strengths.” Then, they learn to apply those strengths in their personal and professional lives, as landowners and beyond.

RSC students and faculty take the assessment as well, immersing themselves in the process. Each faculty member helps guide students as they learn from, form relationships with, and do research for their rural neighbors, as well as play a central role in public engagement and outreach.

“It has been an absolute gift to

invited onto peoples’ farms and around their kitchen tables to hear the stories and values that connect them to their land,” says Luther faculty member Rachel Brummel, pictured at right. / Photo courtesy RSC

change, even if it means straying from their ways 1. Collecting samples / Photo RSC 2. Water tests / Photo AHN

Become a Member of inspire(d)!

“The students have been fantastic…deeply curious, hardworking, with outstanding teamwork abilities. They know this work matters and can positively impact our community to address very real needs,” Jodi says. “We’re all learning as much as the cohort members – this level of immersion experience can be life-changing for students and faculty alike.”

After soil and water testing is well underway, cohort members are welcomed for “An Evening at Luther Laboratories.” Labs are decorated with streamers amidst the beakers, equipment, and tech, and snacks and drinks kick off the fun night. Then landowners don lab coats and rotate through seven different student-led stations to experience the testing that was conducted on their soil and water samples.

And finally, at the completion of the cohort year, each landowner gets a professional, high-quality report detailing their farm visit, coordinates of all their soil and water sampling sites, farm visit photos, highlights of their strengths and interviews, and all of the field and water sample data results and analysis.

As far as the RSC team is aware, there’s not a soil/water project like this happening anywhere else. And while the entire project has been and still is an experiment, Jodi says outcomes have surpassed nearly every expectation. “This Margaret Mead quote feels like it sums up what we’re doing: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’”

“That’s been a big part of the success of this project,” Jodi continues. “There is no person on this team who is not highly committed.”

The first summer was like a startup, building infrastructure and delivering results in eight weeks. The second summer was like a 2.0 version, applying what they learned to improve the process.

“Every day, we’re adapting and experimenting with what works better,” Jodi says. “Without question, we have grown knowledge, networks, and strengths in cohort members and ourselves. It’s exciting and powerfully motivating. Change is possible.”

To date, all members of cohort one have had meaningful conversations with family and/or tenants about increasing regenerative agriculture practices on their farms, and many have initiated steps to further their land transition planning. One cohort member has joined Climate Land Leaders and initiated a program with the Savanna Institute for agroforestry. At least two have signed

Photo 2: “I learned so much about agriculture, soil, and water,” says Luther student Jack Bode, second photo from left. Kylie Bakke, pictured at right in photo 3, says, “Working with the soils team reassured me that people want to make a positive

of comfort. They showed me that sometimes you need to do scary and uncomfortable things in order to help the people, things, and places you love.” Lawson Morris, photo 4, says, “I’ve learned many different lab tests – like the slake test – plus the importance of why we do what we do.”

up for cover crops, and a third has discussed integrating perennial strips with her tenant, who is developing plans. And, finally, a fourth member requires no-till and cover crops in her lease and is sharing this model with others.

What does it cost NOT to do it?

“The easiest way to explain regenerative ag is to just grow more things,” Northeast Iowa RC&D’s Ross Evelsizer says. “That’s all we’re asking people to do. Grow more types of crops, grow more things throughout the growing season, for longer. Don’t disturb the ground, chemically or physically, and grow more things.”

The Regenerating Soil and Community project felt completely in line with Ross’s goals with RC&D, where he’s worked since 2013.

“The first cohort was the dream scenario. It came together better than we could have scripted it,” Ross says. “We had five women that were all at different places with their understanding of regenerative ag. We tried to elevate their understanding of land practices and conservation and their rights as landowners to the same or similar level. And then from there, they can make decisions about what they want to do next. Most that participated last year were very interested in conservation and doing more regenerative ag stuff after learning about how it all works. That’s a win for us.”

3. Organism count / Photo AHN

4. Slake test / Photo AHN

RC&D’s Ross Evelsizer, at right, along with some RSC Luther faculty, working with women from cohort one. / Photo courtesy RSC

RESONANT HEART

Generally, you have to commit some years to it to see a cost benefit to regenerative ag, and that can be scary, Ross says. But it’s best to think of it as a long-term investment, especially with the average value of land being almost $11,500 per acre. And then, you’ve got to think about how you’re taking care of that investment.

“We’re on the verge of the largest land transition in history since the Louisiana purchase,” he continues. “The boomers are aging out, and they are the largest singular generation of landowners in the U.S.”

According to the Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure survey, two-thirds of Iowa farmland is owned by people 65 years or older, and 37 percent of farmland is owned by people aged 75 or older. “Eventually, land with high quality soil will be worth much more than land that has been abused for years.” Ross asks. “What will it cost you to NOT do regenerative ag?”

But it’s not too late, even for these folks.

“We’ve always heard it takes like 100 years – or a lot more – to build an inch of topsoil. But what we’re seeing with people who have switched to full-on regenerative ag is an explosion of biology in the soil,” Ross says. “They’re bringing the soil back to life. It’s not dead anymore. Not just not dead, but really healthy… really good soil within three to five years. Just by growing more things. That’s all we’re asking. Don’t till more, grow more.”

Ross sees the Regenerating Soil and Community cohorts as another incredibly important thing to grow.

“We added five cohort members this year. Joining the others, we have ten. And they all have friends. And then they can act like mentors, helping them gain a little more confidence,” Ross says. “And then pretty soon, you’re putting these powerful women out in the landowner community… yeah, it’s gonna be an uprising.”

Aryn Henning Nichols loves projects that involve lots of different cross sections of people coming together. And geeking out in science labs! She is inspired by the powerful female landowners and the leaders behind RSC.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RSC PROJECT

Keep an eye out for RSC community outreach efforts, like local film showings, the Dreaming of Fields event each summer at Pulpit Rock Brewing, Impact Coffee Trivia Night, and more. Here are a couple fall events:

The Ground We Share: Conversations on Soil, Food, and Health

September 8-9, 2025, Decorah, Iowa

• September 8, Pulpit Rock Brewing, 7 pm

Join Anne Biklé, co-author, What Your Food Ate: How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health, and NEIA RC&D’s Ross Evelsizer, for a conversation and Q&A session followed by a book signing, hosted by Dragonfly Books and Oneota Valley Literary Foundation.

• September 9, Luther Center for Faith and Life, 6:30-9:30 pm

Join the Regenerating Soil and Community team and other community organizations in an evening dedicated to soil and human health.

6:30-7:30 pm: Interactive exhibits, food samples, and more.

7:30 pm: Presentation by Anne Biklé: Linking Soil Health to Human Health

8:30 pm: Soil, Food, and Health Conversation and Q&A with an awardwinning panel of local/regional soil and human health care providers

Learn more at luther.edu/events

The Present, Past, and Future of Soil Erosion in the Midwestern United States. October 30, Valders 206, 7-8pm

Hear Dr. Isaac Larsen, an Iowa native, Carleton College graduate, and college classmate/colleague of Dr. Laura Peterson, speak about his research at UMass Amherst as a geoscientist. His research group is investigating the erosion of topsoil in America’s heartland and its potential consequences (frequently referenced in Jodi’s work) for the country’s food

The RSC team also developed a Regenerating Soil and Community Travel Bingo game, with squares for things that can be observed while driving the Iowa countryside, like cover crops, livestock, grassed waterway, etc.

Learn more about RSC & download a bingo card at: winneshiekswcd.org/regenerating-soil-communities-initiative

Videos relating to the Regenerating Soil and Community Project

• Watch Dr. Jodi Enos-Berlage’s The Power of the Unseen TEDx talk: shorturl.at/fx5Ft

• Watch a recording of Soul of Soil: shorturl.at/EaSvE Soul of Soil was a 2024 collaborative dance project between Jodi EnosBerlage and Jane Hawley, Luther College professor of dance, that merged science and the arts. “It was one of the highest-impact things I’ve ever done in my 25 years at Luther,” Jodi says. This production is essentially the sequel to the highly acclaimed 2015 science/dance production, Body of Water. Soul of Soil was performed before sold out audiences each night, even bringing some members to tears.

While we’re talking conservation, add this to your calendar: Reading, Q&A, and book signing with the editor of We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy by Paul W. Johnson and edited by Curt Meine. Tuesday Oct 7, 7 pm (location TBD –watch dragonflybooks.com/events). Hosted by Dragonfly Books and Oneota Literary Foundation. In the story of Iowa’s Soil and Water through the late 1900s and turn of the century, Paul W. Johnson was a hugely important figure, advocating tirelessly for conservation and public policy that supports it. Paul spent his early years in Illinois, did Peace Corps missions in Ghana, W. Africa, pursued further education in Michigan and Washington, and had several world-broadening adventures in Honduras and Costa Rica. Then, in 1974, Paul and his wife, Pat, moved their young family to a Northeast Iowa Dairy Farm. He would go on to serve three terms in the Iowa House of Representatives, helping secure such groundbreaking bills as the Iowa REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) Program, the Groundwater Protection Act, and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Ag at ISU. In 1993, Paul was appointed Chief of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS, later known as the NRCS) by President Bill Clinton, and would become the head of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources under Governor Tom Vilsack in the 2000s. During all this time, Paul and Pat continued to run Oneota Slopes Tree Farm and also managed sheep and dairy herds.

In Paul’s later years, family friend Ellen MacDonald recorded hours of interviews with him that became The Life of Paul W. Johnson, in His Own Words: An Oral History.

Ice Cube Press has now released a new book We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy by Paul W. Johnson and edited by Curt Meine. Curt Meine is a conservation biologist, environmental historian, and writer based in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Meine has authored and edited several books, including the award-winning biography Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work and The Driftless Reader.

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Soul of Soil / Photo courtesy RSC

NEW MINOWA PLAYERS’ 50TH SEASON!

BY CLARA WODNY

Decorah’s community theatre group, New Minowa Players, have been welcoming people into its unique and vibrant family for the last 50 years. Since the troupe’s inception in 1975, through ups and downs, changes and challenges, the organization’s driving force has remained the same: an undying love for live theatre and commitment to community.

“This is a place where you don’t have to question whether or not you’ll be accepted,” says Gabe Twedt, the New Minowa Players Board President. “Having a safe, welcoming space is a huge asset to the community. . .this is an organization that wants to hold you up and support you.”

In turn, the community holds the New Minowa Players (NMP) up, ensuring the group is able to continue producing shows and providing Decorah with a vibrant performing arts tradition. Each of the organization’s six yearly shows are put on entirely by volunteers committed to making performing arts accessible for all. The group tends to draw members in from varied backgrounds – even those with no previous theatre experience.

For Sheryl Scheffert, one of NMP’s longest-standing active members, it started with a phone call from a friend looking for a pianist to accompany a show. That was in 1986, and Sheryl has been an integral part of the group ever since. She can be found directing, adapting shows for the Children’s Production, or filling in other positions as needed.

“I had never participated in theatre before that call,” Sheryl says. “The fact that I’m so involved all these years later is a real testament to the organization.”

It’s also common for former members and participants to return to the NMP fold after taking a break, reintegrating seamlessly, regardless of how long they were away. NMP’s vice president of the board, Sarah Brandt, first joined as a sophomore in high school. She pursued a theatre degree at Luther College, then moved to Minneapolis after graduation. When she found herself back in the Driftless, she didn’t hesitate to rejoin NMP.

“It always feels like coming home, no matter how long you’ve been gone,” says Sarah.

NMP volunteers and supporters contribute in many ways, from acting, to holding a backstage role such as stage-managing or helping with sets to simply enjoying a show. The themes and content of each production vary considerably, providing the audience opportunities to engage with difficult topics, travel to far-away worlds, or enjoy an evening full of laughter and old-fashioned fun.

“Every show is a capsule of community,” says Sheryl. “All different backgrounds and interests overlap, and each show sees the forming of a new cohesive group.”

These ambitious programs are a testament to how far the organization has come. When founders Bette Greedy, Donalee Burns, and Helen Schmidt – now affectionately known as the “founding mothers” – staged their first show in 1975, it was a true passion project, built from the ground up. At the time, the group did not have a regular season, simply focusing on one show at a time whenever they could scrape together enough support and volunteers.

“A six-show season is incredible and rare for a fully volunteer community theatre,” says Sarah.

Each August, the season opens with the Young People’s Production, designed to be put on entirely by youth ranging from middle-school to college-aged, including all directorial, tech, and backstage roles. Next is the Children’s Production, featuring a cast of budding actors up to 8th grade, with performances near the end of October.

While many theatres build their season program internally before putting out the call for directors, actors, and other participants, NMP does it differently by asking creatives to submit ideas for shows that excite them, allowing the group to take chances and risks

Sheryl Scheffert, left, with a crew on an New Minowa Players parade float in years past. / Photo courtesy NMP

they might not have taken otherwise. November’s Creative Venture production is a great example of this, reserved for shows that might be seen as experimental or outside-the-box. This year’s slot is filled by a oneperson show, something NMP has never done before.

In January, NMP puts on a larger, family-friendly production which typically spans at least two weekends, offering somewhere between 4-7 performances; the Spring Show occurs in March or April; and the season culminates with the Summer Show at the end of June.

While most productions are now performed in NMP’s own theatre space in Decorah, for many of its formative years the organization bounced around various venues, like restaurants and outdoor theatres, in Decorah and surrounding communities.

The company’s current building, purchased in 1981, originally served as storage, a workshop, and occasional rehearsal space. In 2006, they decided to turn it into a permanent performance space, the construction of which was a true community effort, with seats coming from the Waukon High School and many, many volunteer hours spent refurbishing spaces and equipment.

The result is a perfectly cozy, roughly 60-seat auditorium that is home to a majority of NMP performances. Periodically, shows will still occur at other locations to accommodate larger audiences, like the popular Summer Show that’s typically at the Decorah High School auditorium.

“That part of the season [leading up to the Summer Show] feels like the greatest manifestation of all the principles this organization was built on,” says Sarah. “It’s when you can tangibly feel the whole community rally around the theatre and everyone wants to be involved.”

Sheryl fondly reminisces about the group putting on Les Misérables a few years ago, recalling the way the whole town truly came alive with anticipation then, as well.

“Members of the community would literally approach me in the street, offering to help with the production,” she says. “There was a huge buzz. . . it was so cool to see the impact really reach beyond the theatre walls.”

Auny Pole Photography

Painting sets. / Photos courtesy NMP

Practicing music in the NMP theatre.

2016 production of Heidi

The lineup of NMP’s 50th anniversary season is both an homage to the group’s history, as well as a manifestation of the change and exploration still yet to come.

“We have a mix of old and new shows coming up, allowing us to reflect on our historic performances while also exploring some exciting avenues and directions that we haven’t had a chance to before,” says Gabe.

If you’re looking to experience the magic of live theatre, don’t hesitate to consider auditioning or volunteering behind the scenes. Even if you don’t have experience or know anyone already involved with the group, don’t worry – you’ll be fully welcomed into the New Minowa Players family.

Clara Wodny is a recent graduate of Luther College, where she earned degrees in English and Visual Communications. A freelance journalist and illustrator, she regularly contributes to publications such as Iowa Natural Heritage, Visual Art Journal, and, of course, Inspire(d) Magazine. She is currently doing a pottery apprenticeship while she figures out what to do next!

UPCOMING 2025-26 NEW MINOWA PLAYERS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SHOWS:

October 23-26: Children’s ShowWinnie the Pooh

October 31 & November 1: Halloween Haunted House at NMP

November 6-9: Creative Venture - An Iliad

January 22-25, 30 & 31, 2026: Winter Show - You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

March 7, 2026: 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala at Peace Dining Room, Luther College

April 9-12, 2026: Spring ShowYou Can’t Take It with You

June 25-28, 2026: Summer Musical - Into the Woods Nordic Fest 2026: One-Act Showcase newminowaplayers.org

2024 production of Descendants. / Photo courtesy NMP

SUM BUSINESS

INSPIRING ENTREPRENEURS IN THE DRIFTLESS OF YOUR

BOBBI JO BERG of

When you’re prioritizing things in your life, cooking homemade meals is often one of the first tasks to get demoted.

Enter Bobbi Jo Berg. She’s “a Midwest, farm-raised, and cornfed mom of three” who loves making hearty, healthy (and sometimes not-so-healthy) homemade meals. On her website, Recipes from French Creek, she curates simple recipes for others to follow, sells her family’s farm-raised beef, and – lucky for locals – sells freezer meals that make dinnertime easy.

Bobbi Jo grew up on a dairy farm near Lansing, Iowa, and went to school in Waukon, where she has lived nearly her whole life – with the exception of going to college in South Dakota to study Agriculture Leadership and Dairy Production. Bobbi Jo met her nowhusband, Kollin Berg, after college, and got married in 2018. She and Kollin (also from Northeast Iowa) now have three kids: Hank (5), Hope (3), and Huey (1). The family lives on Bobbi Jo’s childhood farm, where they stay busy farming beef cattle and crops with her parents, as well as tending to Bobbi Jo’s small chicken flock.

A few years ago, Bobbi Jo felt like she wanted to try something new in her life. She wanted to find work that would allow her flexibility to spend more time with her family. So, Bobbi Jo transformed her passion for cooking family-friendly meals into a business that helps others enjoy the same. Recipes from French Creek, named after a beautiful trout stream that flows through their farm, launched in 2022.

INTRODUCTION BY ARYN HENNING NICHOLS

Bobbi Jo Berg with Recipes from French Creek freezer meals. / All photos courtesy Recipes from French Creek

Like many entrepreneurs, Bobbi Jo has a hand in all aspects of the business. She invested in a nice camera right away so she could take quality photos for her blog and to market the freezer meals on her website, which she created herself with the help of YouTube tutorials. She does all the recipe creation and, typically on the third week of each month, Bobbi Jo handles the local deliveries to Waukon, Decorah, Lansing, and New Albin.

But she also has support from her family: her mom helps with some of the cooking, her husband handles the farm side of things, and the kids pitch in on day-to-day farm chores.

In addition to freezer meals, Bobbi Jo has offered cooking classes in recent years. “They are a hit! They usually sell out,” Bobbi Jo says. “This is one thing that I have had to take a step back from this last year with our growing family.” She does plan to do one Freezer Meal Prep class this fall – likely early November – where attendees learn some easy “dump and go” meals that can be frozen now to be enjoyed later. At these events, there is often a food and nutrition specialist from Iowa State Extension there to chat with the group and provide meal planning tips.

Bobbi Jo also hopes to do a “Mom and Me” cooking class this fall, where they start with a kiddy cocktail bar with snacks, then prep a meal – like meatballs or homemade pizza – to take home for the rest of the family. There is usually a fun activity related to whatever they’re making as well.

People wanting to learn more can head on over to recipesfromfrenchcreek.com to read Bobbi Jo’s food blog – she gets thousands of visitors each month from around the world (the ground beef and egg noodle recipe – originally from Kollin’s family – is the most popular one on the blog) – and local folks can order French Creek Beef or freezer meals to try at home. Bobbi Jo says breakfast burritos or protein energy balls are always a best seller. Read on to learn more about Bobbi Jo’s entrepreneur journey!

Recipes from French Creek Meal Prep Classes are a popular offering.

The Basics:

Name: Bobbi Jo Berg

Age: 32

Business: Recipes from French Creek LLC

Year Business Established: 2022

Business address: Rural Lansing, Iowa

Website: www.recipesfromfrenchcreek.com

Tell us about the “leap” moment. When/how did you decide to jump in and become your own boss?

I always knew I wanted to own my own business, but I struggled for years to determine what that would be. When I started, I was in a totally different career path – in agriculture banking. While I enjoyed the financial side of things, I was not satisfied and had such a strong passion to start a new business. Plus, I had young children and wanted more flexibility for my family.

I’m not the kind of person that really “takes leaps” or wants to draw attention to myself, but I had such a strong desire to do something new that I finally took the leap and started a food blog – I have always liked cooking simple, family-friendly foods. The thought of starting something like this and sharing with friends and family totally terrified me. After I was over that fear of sharing recipes, I started getting requests to take food orders. I began researching what that would look like, got the licensing needed, and the rest fell into place.

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

The best part is the flexibility it brings. While it is a lot of work, I get to decide how I get it done and when. It is so rewarding to work for something you’re truly passionate about, too – that makes everything worth it.

French Toast casserole is a perfect comfort food. Below, lasagna cups. / Photos courtesy Recipes from French Creek

How about the worst?

I think the worst part is probably that the weight of everything falls on me as the business owner. For example, with three young kids, in the winter, it always seems someone is sick! When I was working in an office, I would take the time off needed and know someone would help while we recovered. As my own business owner, even with a small support group, the weight falls on me. I get it done, but it can be a struggle sometimes!

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

About a year into starting freezer meals, we were expecting our third child. While I was so excited to have another, I wondered –how can I still own this business and be an attentive mother, get enough sleep, and provide the quality meals to my customers/run a business in general? There were so many times I thought, “I literally cannot do this. This won’t work.” Guess what though? It did work. We adapted, I took steps back from some goals in order to raise my family (that was the main goal in the first place!), and things have gotten easier.

I think in general, as mothers, we all think sometimes “we can’t do this” – and somehow, we still manage to do it – moms are rockstars. I love that part of my job is supporting mothers and parents with hearty meals and recipe ideas!

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

The first that comes to mind is Mary Heffernan with Five Marys Farms out of California. They have such an awesome farm and excellent small business program where I have taken some online entrepreneurship courses. I would love to transform my business into something similar to what they have built – very inspiring! I also have grown friendships with other farmer/food entrepreneurs throughout the Midwest. I love having someone in a similar business to roll ideas off of, share freezer meal recipes that our customers love, and so forth. Being a small business owner can be lonely sometimes and this helps!

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

I wish I would have known that this business would work. It would have alleviated stress for me at the time!

Christian Books & Gifts • Bibles • First Communion Gifts • Cards

How do you manage your life/work balance?

Work/Life balance is something I’m learning to manage. Since so much of my business is done online and operated out of my home, it can be very difficult to “turn off” and disconnect from work. It’s also a part of our everyday lives. I am making blog content based on food that my family ate for dinner that week, recipe testing freezer meals I make for the family, and farm chores are a family chore too.

But being my own boss, I get to set my own schedule – and I usually don’t offer quite as many freezer meals in the summer months when my kids are home from school. I strive to have slow mornings with my kids and then the afternoons are set for work.

Basically, a lot of the business is intertwined into our entire life. Which I love about it, most days!

What keeps you inspired? Any quotes that keep you going?

Listening to different podcasts and watching other businesses

Empty Nest

thrive in the farming and food industry keeps me inspired. And in the mornings, I do an online live zoom group workout. My instructor always has a “quote of the day” and it has given me the inspiration and attitude to get through tough days! Most of her workouts are a good reminder that, when you think your life is tough, stop feeling sorry for yourself – there are people out there with less doing more! Always a good reminder.

You started this business to help busy folks juggling many things, right? Who helps you juggle all the things?!

I owe a huge shout out to my mom! We are blessed to live about one mile away from my parents and when I decided to start this business full-time, my mom retired. She will help me make food, watch my kids, or just be a listening ear. Both of my parents have been very supportive.

Through Aug: Sat 10-5. Sun 1-5. Fri 4-9 pm Sept-Dec: Sat 10-5. Sun 1-5.

ing Events

Sept 6: Release Sticky Buns limited edition

Sept 20: Annual Oktoberfest TAP Takeover

Sample 6 different Oktoberfest beers

Sept 27: Sportsmans ATV Ride

Sept 28: Trivia 2-4pm, free to join

Oct 4: Release Limited edition Radiant Strength

Proceeds donated locally.

Oct 28: Trivia 2-4pm, free to join

Nov 1: Final release of Limited edition wines for holidays

Nov 16: Make your own holiday "Porch Pot" 1-4pm

Nov 26: Annual Holiday Sip 'n Shop, 14 vendors, 5-8pm

Nov 30: Trivia 2-4pm, free to join

December open regular hours

Dec 20: Annual Wine Basket sale

Dec 24: Open 10am-2pm only

Dec 28: Last Trivia 2-4pm, free to join

Dec 31: New Year's Eve Mystery Dinner Theater Advance tickets only. Watch Facebook.

Closed January 1 through February 12

Folks can also purchase French Creek beef at recipesfromfrenchcreek.com

/ Photo courtesy Recipes from French Creek

INGREDIENTS

8 large eggs

1/2 cup half and half or milk

1/2 lb browned ground pork sausage (could sub 6 slices cooked & crumbled bacon)

3/4-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Optional: 1 cup additional veggies of choice (cooked mushrooms, diced peppers, etc.)

16 oz bag tater tots (may not use entire bag- 24-36 tots)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin.

Add 2-3 tater tots to the bottom of each muffin tin. Next add ground sausage (or crumbled bacon), optional veggies, and top with shredded cheese.

In a medium-sized bowl crack the eggs and whisk together with milk. Add seasonings to the mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin tins until filled.

Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes; until the eggs pull away from the side of the muffin tins and are set in the middle.

Enjoy!

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS

Let cool and flash freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. Can wrap individually with plastic wrap to help prevent freezer burn, too. Warm in the microwave for 45 seconds approximately. Freeze for up to 3 months.

RECIPE BY BOBBI JO BERG / RECIPES FROM FRENCH CREEK

Pat Heying, 88 years old, was born and raised in the Ossian area. She married Paul Heying at Ossian Desales Church in 1955. Local farm ladies cooked the bridal meal and Rose Heying (Paul’s Mother) was in charge. The festivities started at 8 am with pictures, a bridal party breakfast, wedding at 10 am, and the meal served after. They had a dance with Johnny & the Tune Crackers at the Desales School gymnasium. Pat and Paul lived in Ossian their whole lives and raised a large family. The last few years she spent taking care of and visiting Alan at the Ossian Senior Hospice. She is now a resident at the Ossian Care Center and enjoys visiting with the staff and other residents, as well as family and friends

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

A friend visiting my parents told me the that “these years would be the best years of my life” when I was complaining about school, homework, lessons, & I was just tired of it.

What is the worst advice you have ever been given?

When doctors in Iowa City told me I should give up my baby, Alan, who was born with Downs Syndrome, or put him in a home right away. Paul and I raised Alan, and he was the most loving son and brother ever – he watched out for his siblings, and they watched over him. He lived to be 65 years old and was only here at the hospice for a short time.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to be an airline stewardess, at that time it would have been a financial hardship on my parents, so I got a job. At 18, I worked as a bookkeeper and answered the CB radio for the REA - known now as Allamakee Clayton Electric Corporation. I had to give up that job in 1955 when I was going to marry Paul. You could not be employed there if you were married.

What was your profession?

I worked as a CNA for eight years at the Care Center & for Frana Beer Distributing for 20 years as a bookkeeper. And raised seven children.

If you were stranded on a desert island what are 3 things you would want with you?

Water, fruit, and bread.

Try to describe yourself in one word: Faithful

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

If you could eat anything every day for the rest of your life - what would it be? Assorted fruit

Name one thing you could never live without: My family

What is an unusual compliment you received but really appreciated?

There was a new resident here and not many talked with her, so I made a point of visiting every day. One day, a couple weeks later, her family came in and was looking for Pat Heying. I introduced myself and they told me how appreciative they were that I took the time to visit with their mother. It really made my day. A little effort goes a long way.

What simple pleasures of life do you enjoy?

I used to enjoy dancing, gardening, and raising my children. Now I enjoy visiting with my family, friends, and other visitors. I attend rosary daily and mass, and my sister visits weekly for lunch. What is your best advice? Be