Lake and Company - Minnesota Issue 22

ISSUE 22

MINNESOTA

Trailblazers

PRINT + ONLINE

CELEBRATE THE UNKNOWN, AND THOSE BOLD ENOUGH TO EXPLORE IT

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Enjoy an elevated experience at Spirit Mountain, home to the region's only alpine coaster, zip ride, scenic chairlift, Jumping Pillow and putt-putt golf, as well as some of the Midwest's best gravity-biking mountain trails.

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32 20 BLAZING TRAILS

Outdoor Recreation Mecca

First Woman Hiker to Complete Ice Age Trail

Maria Hileman

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As new trails get paved, and the landscape of tourism and exploration constantly evolve, we want to hear from you, our Lake and Company community, on the type of content you’re craving and how we can continue to inspire. There is purpose and passion behind every page in our independent publication, and we would greatly appreciate you taking a couple of minutes to fill out this short 10-question survey.

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However you define adventure, it’s out there for the taking. Issue 22 encourages you to leave the roads and take the trails.

Get inspired by the first woman and person of color to hike the entire Ice Age Trail. Discover the sport of highlining and a group of thrill seekers making it now accessible in the Midwest. Try out your riding skills along the Iron Range, where iron mines have been transformed into outdoor gems. And find clarity at Minnesota’s up-and-coming ecoconscious dome destination.

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Trailblazers come in a variety of forms.

They are explorers who are creating new tracks throughout the wild. They are innovative leaders. Idea makers. Pioneers in their fields who aren’t afraid to take risks. All blazing trails for people to follow, inspiring the masses and encouraging others along the way. This bold collective is helping shape our communities and the outdoor space. We celebrate them in this issue and commend them on fearlessly navigating the unknown.

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BETTER THAN MOST AWARDS Cast Your Votes

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HIGHLINING ON THE HORIZON Bringing the Sport to the Midwest

58 WOMEN TRAILBLAZERS

Female Leaders Share Their Knowledge

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FINDING CLARITY Eco-conscious Domes and Food Forest

Follow us @thelakeandcompany

28 RIDE THE RANGE Iron Mines Turned Into Outdoor Gems

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FASHION DISASTERS Blowing Fashion Out of the Water

For the People From the People Want to see your favorite hot spot or most- traveled trail featured?

Send us your photos, stories and ideas to: hello@thelakeandcompany.com

24 WORLD CHAMP CALEB TRUAX

Face to Face with a World-champion Boxer

36 ENDLESS CYCLE

Biking Every Day for LAKE AND COMPANY Three Years

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PUBLISHER + OWNER

You live your story, we tell it. be.Media is a full-service strategic marketing and production company.

SERVICES Brand Identity Graphic Design Video + Animation Website Design Strategy Social Media Photography Publishing SEO/SEM

Megan Kellin

VP OF RETAIL + CO-FOUNDER

Kelly Kabotoff

EDITOR + DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS

Maria Hileman

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR COPY EDITOR + PROOFREADER COVER IMAGE STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PROJECT MANAGER CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORIAL + BUSINESS OFFICE ADVERTISE STOCKIST SUBSCRIPTIONS

Meg Heaton Jon Kreye Anne Kelley Conklin Micah Carroll @micah.carroll Jon Kreye Jennifer Gorman Jill Kaufenberg, Explore Minnesota, Brandon Rieck, Micah Carroll, Emily Ford, Caleb Truax, Elissa Hansen, Leann Littlewolf, Jennifer Ford Reedy, Deb Deluca, Christina Woods, Seraphia Aguallo, Tamara Lowney, Lyla Brown, Jacquelyn Jenson, Ruth Pszwaro, Patti Paulson, Adam Malmanger, Kitty Lindner, Bill Lindner, Claire Peterlin, Alyza James, Joe Henry, Cheryl Fosdick, Alex Eder 10 NW 3rd St., Grand Rapids, MN 55744 For a media kit, email: hello@thelakeandcompany.com To sell in your retail store, email hello@thelakeandcompany.com thelakeandcompany.com (subscribe) hello@thelakeandcompany.com

FIND US EVERYWHERE

+ select grocers, convenience stores, and independent retailers 4 and 5 star hotels + resorts

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PrintReleaf guarantees every sheet of paper a customer consumes will be reforested. Lake and Company has reforested 9,285,913 sheets of copy paper.

©2022 Lake and Company. All rights reserved. No portion may be duplicated, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the publisher. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publicatio; however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of information or omissions from the material provided. Lake and Company cannot be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services rendered by the advertisers published in the magazine.

INSPIRED BY THE STORIES OF PEOPLE DOING EXCEPTIONAL THINGS

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CELEBRATING THE UNKNOWN …and those bold enough to explore it.

Sometimes you have to blaze trails to find your next adventure.

You have to take risks. Move with confidence. Act with courage.

Explore the unknown. Pave your own path. Be bold.

At Lake and Company it’s always been about the stories. And we’ve always enjoyed the mystery of where the stories - and the adventures - can take us. The path isn’t always straight. It has ups and downs, sharp turns, rocky obstacles. Sometimes you can’t even see what’s coming next. But it’s always worth the climb. And it always makes for a good story. Because in the end…we are all trailblazers in our own way.

As a team, we work hard to keep our fingers on the pulse of the industry. We search for bold brands that inspire us — and the adventure seekers in our community — with their innovative solutions, sustainable practices, and socially conscious missions.

We strive to dig deep to find the why behind these brands and to bring their products and stories into our stores and onto the pages of our magazines. We hope it will inspire you.

We are a community. We are a movement. We are Lake and Company. Join us! Stop into one of our storefronts, subscribe to our magazine, or, better yet, share your story with us.

We can’t wait to meet you.

Megan Kellin Owner + Founder

Kelly Kabotoff Co-founder + VP of Retail

IN GOOD COMPANY

"WE DO FUN WELL!" At Lake and Company we’re always doing our best to live our brand every day. A big part of that is the people we surround ourselves with...the company we keep. Welltraveled risk takers. Adventure Seekers. Out-of-the-box thinkers. Innovators. Entrepreneurs. People who make the most of every moment. And, man, do we have fun while we do it! Here are some highlights from our recent adventures where we once again found ourselves in good company.

Want us at your event? We'd love to join the party!

Email us at hello@thelakeandcompany.com

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MAP KEY STATE Parks & Rec Areas

National Parks

Garden Island State Rec Area Zippel Bay

Lake Bronson

Hayes Lake

Old Mill

Franz Jevne

Voyageurs National Park

Big Bog State Rec Area

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine

Red River State Rec Area

La Salle Lake State Rec Area Schoolcraft

Itasca

Iron Range OHV State Rec Area

Split Rock Lighthouse

Tettegouche Gooseberry Falls

Buffalo River Savanna Portage

Cuyuna Country State Rec Area Maplewood

Banning

Mille Lacs Kathio

Lake Carlos

Father Hennepin

Charles A. Lindbergh

St. Croix St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Wild River

Glacial Lakes Big Stone Monson Lake Lake

Jay Cooke

Moose Lake

Crow Wing

Glendalough

Interstate Sibley Lake Maria

William O'Brien Fort Greenleaf Snelling Lake State Afton Rec Area Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Minnesota Valley

Lac Qui Parle Upper Sioux Agency Camden Pipestone National Monument

Fort Ridgley Lake Shetek

State Rec Area Flandrau

Minneopa

Sakatah Lake

Nerstrand Big Woods

Frontenac Carley

Rice Lake Whitewater

Split Rock Creek Blue Mounds

Kilen Woods

Myre-Big Island

Forestville/ Mystery Cave

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LAKE AND COMPANY LAKE TIME MAGAZINE

ISSUE 15

John A. Latsch Great River Bluffs

Beaver Creek Valley

Lake Louise

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Grand Portage

Mccarthy Cascade River Judge C.R. Beach Bear Head Lake Magney Scenic George Crosby Temperance River Hill Annex Mine Manitou

Lake Bemidji NORTH COUNTRY NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL

Grand Portage National Monument

67+9=76 state parks

200,000 acres hundreds of miles of hiking trails

6 national parks

2 national forests

STATE PARKS

Interstate State Park

Grand Portage State Park

Lac Qui Parle State Park

Wild River State Park

Schoolcraft State Park

Beaver Creek Valley State Park

William O'Brien State Park

Hill Annex Mine State Park

Big Stone Lake State Park

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Lake Louise State Park

Lake Carlos State Park

Temperance River State Park

Blue Mounds State Park

Maplewood State Park

Iron Range OHV State Recreation Area

Lake Shetek State Park

Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

Tettegouche State Park

Camden State Park

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park

Jay Cooke State Park

Carley State Park

Crow Wing State Park

Judge C.R. Magney State Park

Minneopa State Park

Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area

Flandrau State Park

Father Hennepin State Park

La Salle Lake State Recreation Area

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Monson Lake State Park

Lake Bemidji State Park

Myre - Big Island State Park

Glacial Lakes State Park

Lake Bronson State Park

Fort Ridgely State Park

Glendalough State Park

Big Bog State Recreation Area

Frontenac State Park

Savanna Portage State Park

Buffalo River State Park

Rice Lake State Park

Sibley State Park

Old Mill State Park

Sakatah Lake State Park

Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area

Red River State Recreation Area

Great River Bluffs State Park

Garden Island State Recreation Area

Split Rock Creek State Park

Banning State Park

Hayes Lake State Park

Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Bear Head Lake State Park

Itasca State Park

Whitewater State Park

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

Zippel Bay State Park

John A. Latsch State Park

Cascade River State Park

Kilen Woods State Park

McCarthy Beach State Park

NATIONAL PARKS

Moose Lake State Park

Grand Portage National Monument

Afton State Park

Franz Jevne State Park

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

Lake Maria State Park

George H. Crosby Manitou State Park

North Country National Scenic Trail

Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area

St. Croix State Park

Pipestone National Monument

Fort Snelling State Park

Gooseberry Falls State Park

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Scenic State Park

Voyageurs National Park

LAKE TIME MAGAZINE

ISSUE 15

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states park l a n o nati rks pa l a n o nati ests for

67: MINNESOTA’S STATE PARKS The great heritage of Minnesota’s state park system begins at the source of America’s greatest river. Itasca State Park, home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River, was established in 1891, launching what is now the second-oldest state park system in the nation.

The system has continued to grow, and Itasca remains one of the most beloved of the state’s 67 state parks (76 if you count state recreation areas).

The parks cover more than 200,000 acres spanning every corner of the state, welcoming visitors to explore the full diversity of Minnesota’s natural environment. Most are on lakes or rivers with opportunities for boating, canoeing, fishing, and swimming, with hundreds of miles of hiking trails through forests, bogs, grasslands, and along riverbanks and lakeshores.

THE BIG 6: MINNESOTA'S SPECTACULAR NATIONAL PARK SITES Six diverse and unique national park sites can be found in Minnesota, preserving and highlighting some of our most distinctive natural, historical, and cultural resources.

Read on to find out more about each region’s national parks.

MINNESOTA’S NATIONAL FORESTS In addition to the National Park Service sites, Minnesota is home to two large national forests, with hundreds of places to camp, boat, fish, and hike, managed by the National Forest Service for purposes of recreation as well as timber resources.

Superior National Forest, in the northeast corner of the state, covers just under 4 million acres. More than a quarter of the forest is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a world-renowned destination for wilderness canoeing, almost all of which is paddle only with no motors allowed. The Boundary Waters has more than 2,000 remote campsites accessible via 1,500 miles of canoe routes, with overland portages between lakes, along the Minnesota-Canada border.

Outside of the Boundary Waters, the forest has more than 1,000 car-accessible campsites within developed campgrounds, as well as rustic and dispersed camping with minimal or no facilities.

Chippewa National Forest, in north central Minnesota east of Bemidji, covers more than 666,000 acres, with more than 1,300 lakes and 923 miles of rivers and streams. There are 21 developed campgrounds, some rustic and others with running water and other modern amenities. Additionally, there are several hundred simply maintained backcountry sites as well as dispersed camping outside of established campsites.

xplore Minnesota

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By BRANDON RIECK

Photography by MICAH CARROLL

BRINGING HIGHLINING TO THE MIDWEST

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What exactly is a highline? A slackline (a 1-inch piece of nylon or polyester webbing) that is suspended across a gap, with the goal being to walk one end to the other. A main tensioned line is walked, with a second loose line as backup (redundancy is everything in highlining). The main difference between highlining and tightrope walking is the stretchy webbing, which creates a far more dynamic line to cross, as well as the absence of a balance pole. Now that we know a bit about what the sport is, let’s get to how in the world we ended up doing it in places like Michigan and Minnesota.

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was introduced to slacklining in 2014 when I first moved to Marquette, Michigan, to attend Northern Michigan University. I found a few others at NMU who enjoyed slacklining, and we would meet up to share our passion for the slack life.

Through a connection with another slackline devotee, we were invited to Moab, Utah, in 2016 to attend a Thanksgiving highline festival known as GGBY (if you want to know what that stands for, you’ll have to watch my GGBY highline film!). Slacklining regularly for the past summer, I felt confident in my ability to walk a highline. As soon as I scooted off the cliff, the ground falling out 400 feet below me, I was completely out of my element and had no chance at standing up. Humbled by the experience, I was determined to stand and cross my next highline.

LEARN MORE AT @WANDERLUSTIMAGERY906 AND WANDERLUSTIMAGERY.COM

I spent the next couple of years honing my skills on park lines in Michigan and traveled to Moab each fall to test myself. By my fourth year at GGBY in 2019, my progress in highlining had been quite slow because I was only able to practice a few times, one week out of the year, and I had to drive cross-country to do it. Though our original slack crew split ways, I continued rigging my Michigan

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unlike anythingfore I’ve found be AND WHAT KEEPS DRAWING ME BACK TO THE SPORT. lines higher on the trees to get that rush I found from highlining in Utah — a hyper-focus of calming my nerves and being in full flow with my mind, body and slackline. This sensation is unlike anything I’ve found before and what keeps drawing me back to the sport.

Back in Michigan, I found myself among a new crowd of slackliners: Micah Carroll, Joehl Pizzo and Will Otte. We started a weekly slackline meetup on campus, inviting anyone within the community to give it a try. This was a perfect way to reach others with our similar passion, and it’s how we met Adrian Wojcik, who had driven by the meetup a couple of times before finally deciding to stop. With Adrian’s and my prior experience highlining, we introduced it to our crew, who showed interest in it. The only problem was that it was the middle of summer, and GGBY was months out. Surely there could be another way we could highline sooner?

As we kept our heads on a swivel for any local gaps with enough height, it soon became impossible to go for a drive or hike without constantly contemplating whether a spot would work or not.

Rigging our very first local highline with the rushing waterfall behind us was an experience that burned deep into my soul. I vividly remember thinking how amazing it was that we were able to do this in our backyard, a 45-minute drive from Marquette, compared to my 24hour road trip to Utah. Giving my crew the experience of highlining for their first time in Michigan was truly special.

It was also much easier on the nerves, being only 25 feet up over the water, compared to the intimidating 400-foot canyons of Moab.

Very shortly after our first rig, we discussed the crown gem of highline spots in Michigan: Pictured Rocks. With up to 200-foot sandstone cliffs dropping off at Lake Superior with nothing to

see but an endless blue horizon, we couldn’t get out there soon enough! We were unsure of the regulations but knew ice climbing was allowed in the winter, anchoring off trees. After researching online, we found nothing about slacklining being an issue. Arriving at the lakeshore after a 1.5-hour hike with loads of gear, our breath was taken away by the vibrance of the early-morning water. We proceeded to rig two lines this time, side by side. Unfortunately, our day was cut short based on a misunderstanding with the park rangers, who had never seen this done on the lakeshore before.

Thus began our search for and establishment of more lines along the beautiful Pictured Rocks shoreline.

As we passed into the new year, we learned the park had implemented slackline regulations taken directly from Yosemite’s rule book. This, unfortunately, eliminated our access to highlining over water in the park, but we learned their intention was not to cut off slacklining entirely. They encouraged us to do it elsewhere in the park, but being over the lakeshore presented certain issues. We are still currently working with the park to regain our access and adapt the rules to something more suitable for our National Lakeshore. This opened up more time to discover other notable Midwestern areas for highlining, such as Palisade Head and Devil’s Lake State Park.

It’s been an amazing opportunity to connect with Minnesota and Wisconsin slackline crews, traveling to see what they’ve established in their own areas.

The slackline community includes truly some of the most unique and welcoming people I’ve had the privilege to meet. While we yearn for those pristine highline views along Pictured Rocks, we continue our pursuit of the slack life wherever we can find it.

We hope to preserve these incredible places for all future generations and foster a community that will be able to experience these highlines long after we’re gone.

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Trail BLAZER

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innesota native Emily Ford and her sled dog companion, Diggins, are true advocates for the outdoors and are uniting people across racial and cultural lines through their many athletic achievements. In December 2020, Ford and Diggins embarked on a life-changing expedition that made Ford the first woman and person of color ever documented to complete a winter thru-hike of the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail. This National Scenic Trail passes through 30 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, and the western end of the trail finishes at Interstate State Park along the St. Croix River.

Ford’s inspiring message throughout her journey was that the outdoors is for everyone and that she hopes others can overcome their fears and enjoy the power of nature.

A 30-minute documentary about Ford’s hike, Breaking Trail, debuted at Banff Mountain Film Festival, and you can follow along on all of her adventures via her Instagram account @emilyontrail.

Ford shared some lessons she learned while traversing the Ice Age Trail in just 69 days. We hope her story continues to inspire people to explore and feel safe while doing so.

LESSONS FROM the FIRST WOMAN HIKER AND PERSON OF COLOR TO COMPLETE THE ICE AGE TRAIL IN WINTER

0 0 2 , 1 miles WALK Have a plan and be prepared to throw it all out.

Take a buddy. Diggins was a borrowed sled dog who ended up being the perfect dog for me. She’s an Alaskan husky, and we developed a fantastic relationship on this journey.

2 1 Start with the big idea/goal that you can’t get out of your head and find people in your circle that support that idea.

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5 Lean on people (or dog). I learned that a little kindness goes a long way. People left signs of encouragement and treats for me and Diggins that helped us continue to press on. We couldn’t have done this without the kindness of people along the way.

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Keep leaning in to community.

Build community; it only takes two. Diggins and I became a pack, and the community showed us so much support.

7 It is difficult, but it’s not impossible. I learned this from a fourth-grader who left me a sign on the trail.

“Push yourself … ’cause no one is going to do it for you.” Even when the snow was super deep, I would learn that it was worth it. There are these quiet spaces that you can only see if it’s in the middle of winter and you’re on foot. The snow makes you slow down; it changes things.

Remember your impact. Why do this in the first place? You never know who is paying attention to what you are doing, especially little kids. There are a lot of people of color who are afraid of the outdoors for an onslaught of reasons. I think one of the main reasons is because they think people of color aren’t supposed to like the outdoors, and of course that stems from the history of black people fearing the outdoors especially at night. It’s helpful when there’s someone like you doing the things you may be interested in doing. You’ll never know if you like the outdoors unless you try it. I hope to be that inspiration, especially to kids.

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in her shoes Brace for roadblocks. You have all these plans when embarking on a journey, but especially in the winter months you’ll be faced with barriers. There were parts of the trail that were gated off, possibly closed for years. And the cold can definitely be a challenge. I was faced with -23 degrees and wind chills between -40 and -50 for a good couple of weeks. Injuries can also happen and add a level of frustration that you have to tough through.

Emotions are real. All people are real people.

I had to learn really quickly that you are your own hero, but you are also your own worst enemy all at the same time. At the end of the trip, I had to say goodbye to Diggins, and I realized all these emotions that built up over the trip came to a huge breaking point at the end.

Saying goodbye to her was still one of the hardest things I had to do. Luckily, she lives with me now, but it still weighs heavy in my heart.

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You have to rest.

Don’t be a hero. I ended up taking three zero-travel days but should have taken more.

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follow along on Ford's Adventures

ON INSTAGRAM LAKE AND COMPANY

@emilyontrail 21

Drew Mason, @drewmason

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Trail Tails

drewmasonvideo.com

As a team of animal lovers, we understand the importance of getting out in nature with your fur babies.

HOWLER BROTHERS

Llama Mama Reversible Vest $ 45 Lucy & Co. had the on-the-go dog in mind when they designed these warm and fuzzy vests. Zip closures and a leash clasp opening on the back side of the vest make getting out the door easy. Plus, they are reversible, so you can go from fuzzy to fun in a flash.

UNITED BY BLUE

Woven Dog Leash $28

Because four-legged friends deserve sustainable accessories too. This leash is made from durable recycled nylon and aluminum hardware to last you and your pal years of adventures together.

Added bonus, for every product sold, United by Blue removes a gallon of trash from waterways.

Pet Products

UNITED BY BLUE

Collapsible Double Dog Bowl $24

This double-sided dog bowl collapses and zips up for optimum portability and has a handy back loop for hands-free attachment.

It holds 3 cups of pet food to keep your pup fueled for more fun on the go. And you know you’re being sustainable to boot.

FINLEY'S BARKERY

Peanut Butter & Pumpkin Biscuits $8.99

For fur babies and the humans that adore them, Finley’s is the feel-good, do-good dog treat brand elevating people and pets by dedicating 50% of net profits to support people with disabilities through their employment and giving initiatives. That’s the package deal right there.

P.L.A.Y. PET LIFESTYLE AND YOU

Camp Corbin Cozy Campfire $ 12.90

Inspired by their beloved office dog and head product tester Corbin’s love of the great outdoors, this collection comprises all of his favorite camping essentials, including a cozy fire at the end of the day.

Take the trail less travelled.

Take the trail less traveled.

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t’s not every day you get the opportunity to sit down with a worldchampion boxer. Any anxiousness I may have been feeling coming into this interview quickly fizzled when I met Osseo, Minnesota, native Caleb Truax. He greeted me with a huge smile and offered me an 8 Count IPA — the beer he created in partnership with Big Lake, Minnesota’s Lupulin Brewing.

raised by a single mother who had to shuttle her three kids from place to place. Sports were Truax’s escape from a life constantly on the move.

It offered him an arena to compete in and a place to make friends.

I was shocked to learn that Truax never wanted to become a professional boxer. He basically wanted to be able to pay off his student loans and create a You’d never know from his humbleness and calming comfortable life for his family (he shares his days THE TIME A energy that Truax has made a career of pummeling with his lovely girlfriend, Michelle, and their two BOXER HAS TO boxers in the ring. And quite an impressive career adorable children, Gia and Camden). He told me the at that. Truax shocked the world when he defeated average professional boxer starts fighting around PROVE THEY ARE James DeGale in London for the International age 6. Truax was 20 when he started boxing. Fighters READY TO RUMBLE Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight also typically compete in around 300 amateur fights AGAIN AFTER BEING title. He entered that 2017 fight as the underdog before turning pro, and he did only 35. This all ties KNOCKED DOWN. but quickly rose to stardom in the boxing world. together in his personal mantra: “Cut no corners.”

Truax started late in his career, so he didn’t have For Caleb, the 8 count represents the determination it the luxury to cut corners. He had to commit to takes to stand up in the face of adversity, which is something he knows putting in the work and to outthink his opponents. He had to a thing or two about. Truax came from humble beginnings. He was take the hard route in order to be successful so late in the game.

8 COUNT

FACE TO FACE

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Truax was in college when he began boxing. He and his buddy decided to enter a Toughman Contest at CR’s Sports Bar in Coon Rapids. For $30, anyone could get in the ring and fight. His buddy got knocked out in the first round. Truax also faced defeat that night, but he left with a sense of excitement nonetheless.

Luckily, Truax’s current and only coach, Tom Halstead, was there that night and encouraged him to train at Lyke’s Boxing Gym.

before ice fishing trips with his friends and eventually got to know the brewers and employees. Just like Truax, the guys at Lupulin don’t cut corners. They like to do things the hard way … the right way. No shortcuts. The friendship propelled Lupulin to sponsor Truax in his fights. He started hosting his after-fight parties at the brewery. So the logical next step was a beer collaboration, and the 8 Count IPA was born. And after tasting it, I’d agree it’s a knockout.

A determined Truax took a bus from the University of Minnesota every day to Anoka, 1.5 hours each way, to train after class. His Lyke’s family gave him the training and support to help him become an amateur fighter. He then transitioned into professional fighting (he met Michelle during his eighth pro fight) and became a True Cinderella Man after his mesmerizing defeat of DeGale.

It was an honor to meet Truax, a world champion and overall stand-up guy. We at Lake and Company are all rooting for him and wish him continued success. Be sure to stop by Hotel Rapids to grab a pint of 8 Count IPA. You never know, you might even run into The Champ while you’re there.

So why beer? Truax had to hold down a job at the start of his career to keep things afloat. He got a job at MGM liquor store as a craft beer buyer and fell in love with the craft beer industry. His partnership with Lupulin Brewing started simply enough. He’d stop by for a beer

FOLLOW CALEB #TEAMTRUAX TWITTER INSTAGRAM @GoldenCalebT

@goldencalebt

WITH THE CHAMP CALEB TRUAX

By MARIA HILEMAN Photo by JESSE KELLEY

FORMER IBF SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION

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KIDS

Teaching a Lifelong Skill

By MEGAN KELLIN

If your kids are like mine, they love the idea of creating a fire, cooking over a fire and even extinguishing a fire. Learning how to build a fire is a rite of passage for Minnesota kids and can be a fun journey. Kids learn so much as they practice following directions, caring for the environment around them, and maybe even becoming the life of the party. Furthermore, they begin to feel responsibility for and ownership of their time outside. When children have a buy-in, a role, they really want to be in that place often. So let’s get started.

SAFETY TIPS

If you recently learned how to build fires, then you will remember the safety rules, the steps involved, etc.

If it’s been a while, here’s a quick refresher of some important rules to establish when teaching kids how to build a fire and about fire safety:

Location Fire ban Check the wind Clear the area

Only build a fire in an area that you know allows it.

Make sure there are no fire bans.

Windy days are not fire-friendly days.

Make sure there’s nothing in the area where you’ll be making the fire. This is such a good project for littles; they can even begin this in their toddler years.

Wood only

Remind kids that the only thing that goes into a fire is wood. No fresh weeds or vines. No food. No plastic.

Water supply

Have a working water hose or a vessel filled with water near your fire ring.

LET'S BUILD A FIRE

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First, lay large logs on the bottom for a longlasting base.

Pile your twigs on top of the logs.

Stack your smaller, longer logs around the base, forming a teepee.

Crumple individual pieces of newspaper and stuff them around the circle in the twigs. I use five wads.

Light each wad of paper with a lit newspaper and watch it go!

Three minutes later, the wads of newspaper start the twigs, which catch the small logs, which burn the large logs!

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LAKE AND COMPANY

where you can let your guard down SLUG GOES HERE

Caleb Truax IBF Super Middleweight serving up his 8 Count IPA

HOTEL BAR + BISTRO SAUNA GYM 2 PATIOS EVENT YURT

218-326-3458 | hotelrapids.com | Grand Rapids, MN

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LAKE AND COMPANY

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GIANTS RIDGE

REDHEAD

Relax on a chairlift ride up to eight purpose-built gravity trails carved from picturesque alpine forest terrain and 9.2 miles of cross-country trails tucked away in the Superior National Forest.

Experience 25 miles of trails on a landscape cratered with deep blue lakes and featuring expansive overlooks, towering cliff faces, rugged bedrock and rich iron-stained dirt.

CUYUNA

TIOGA

Explore 55 miles of single-track trails with unmatched scenery. This IMBA Silver Ride Center offers trails for all skill levels — from beginner to expert, easy to technical, surrounded by 600 acres of reforested mine lakes.

Twist through more than 30 miles of rock-studded landscape, from familyfriendly loops to heart-pumping double-blacks. There are jump lines, skills tracks, tech trails and miles of cross-country trails expertly maintained and ready to explore.

By MARIA HILEMAN

A

new trail has been blazed in the form of 112 miles of high-caliber riding. The mining history of the Iron Range left behind terrain perfect for mountain biking. The deep mine pits filled with crystal-clear water and the red dirt carved into a world-class trail system offer an elevated experience like nowhere else.

Ride the Range is a partnership between four northern Minnesota mountain biking destinations: Giants Ridge, Redhead, Tioga and Cuyuna. These destinations offer the best mountain biking the Upper Midwest has to offer. Each place offers something unique to riders of all ages and skill levels.

RIDETHERANGE.COM

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LAKE AND COMPANY

t i e h t a e Br all in...

Lake County, Minnesota, sits along the Lake Superior North Shore and extends north to the Canadian Border, near Ely, MN, and the BWCAW. Boasting four gorgeous state parks with miles of scenic hiking and biking trails, you’ll find breathtaking views of the Lake Superior shoreline, unique beaches, excellent resorts, hotels, campgrounds, and endless outdoor adventures! We welcome you to Lake County.

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grand rapids, Minnesota

Grand Rapids Is the Outdoor

eation Mecca RofecrNorthern Minnesota

Over 2,000 miles of trails and over 1,400 lakes to make memories on!

Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is a hidden gem. Located in northeastern Minnesota, this small town boosts charm and is surrounded by woods and water. Grand Rapids is where the nature of the community reflects and complements the splendor and strength of the outdoors. It is a place where you can find your ideal balance. Whether you are looking for a place to ride or boat, there is a trail, lake or river for enjoying your favorite outdoor recreation or sport.

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LAKE AND COMPANY

Legion Trail LEVEL This mainly hand-cut trail is fun, flowy and twisty in a northwoods forest just outside of downtown Grand Rapids, and it’s within pedaling distance of classic-style cabins and a seasonal RV campground, Loon’s Landing Resort (which offers classic-style cabins) and Jessie View Resort (and a campground). This northern lake is the perfect place to seek solitude and relaxation.

Land ils Tra Grand Rapids is fortunate to have the Chippewa National Forest, George Washington State Forest, Scenic State Park, Avenue of Pines Scenic Byway, Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway and UPM Blandin Forests that make up over 1 million acres of public-accessible land for hiking, biking, hunting, ATV riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Below and at right are several world-class trail systems for you to explore.

Suomi Hills LEVEL Unpaved and remote, these 19 miles of groomed trails offer hiking, mountain biking and crosscountry skiing. The rolling topography offers intermediate and advanced mountain bike and cross-country ski trails. Located 23 miles north of Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Tioga Recreation Area LEVEL

to

Over 20 miles of professional, machinebuilt cross-country, downhill flow and expert trails with options for the whole family. These 500 wooded acres are the newest premier outdoor recreation area providing mountain biking, hiking, snowshoeing, paddling and fishing opportunities.

Rentals Don’t have outdoor recreation equipment or don’t want the hassle of traveling with it?

Several places let you borrow a bike or rent outdoor recreation equipment so you can enjoy Grand Rapids’ outdoor trails.

FREE Bicycles Get Fit Itasca offers a bike borrowing program that requires just registering and leaving your photo ID. Borrow at these locations: GRAND RAPIDS CITY HALL 420 N Pokegama Ave Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-326-7600 ITASCA YMCA 400 River Rd Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-327-1161 GRAND RAPIDS AREA LIBRARY 140 NE 2nd St Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-326-7640

Ardent Bicycles Sells, services and rents mountain bikes, fat-tire bikes, snowshoes, crosscountry skis, skate skis, helmets, bike parts and equipment, outdoor gear, and more.

PETER GUSTAFSON 951 NW 4th St Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-999-5470  ardentbicycles.com

Grand Rapids Marine Sells, services and rents fishing boats and pontoons.

2810 Elida Dr Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-326-0351  grandrapidsmarine.com

R&R Rental

Paddle Hoppers Sells, services and rents kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards, paddles, life jackets and other paddle equipment.

HOLLI BUSCHING 17 Co Rd 63 Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-326-5853  paddlehoppers.com

Recreation rentals: kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, canoes, wakeboards, water tubes, Jet Skis, pontoons and fishing boats.

20760 US-169 Grand Rapids, MN 55744  218-999-7368  rrrental.com

Trail Events Rapids Riders ATV Club Spring Ride May 21, 2022 Paddle and a Pint on the Mississippi River June 18, 2022 Tioga Trail Fest August 13, 2022 Tioga Thrillseekers August 14, 2022 Great River Energy Mesabi Tour August 20, 2022

visit grandrapids.com

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By ADAM MALMANGER

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Photography by ADAM MALMANGER

Meet the man who has biked every day for three years straight

I

have always biked. I even still have my first trike, rusted out and sitting in front of my house as decor. And I remember the day my dad drove up the lane with my first 20-inch Huffy. Around 2010, I was living in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and would bike “around town,” which meant following the Mississippi River to Sauk Rapids, Sartell, St. Joseph and Waite Park. In 2012, I test-rode and purchased my first bike-shop bike, and a few years later acquired my first road bike. In 2016, I was able to relocate to the North Shore. That winter I purchased a fat-tire bike and decided I had enough bikes for all the seasons. For the longest time, I wanted to bike 2,000 miles in a year, but I never did it. That’s only because I never went for it, pushed for it, or did the math or planned for it.

On March 31, 2019, I joined a riding group with my local bike shop, Spokengear, which introduced me to something big: 30 Days of Biking. It’s a challenge to ride every day in the month of April, any distance, as long as you get to pedaling. And it involves sharing your experience online, which brings us all together without actually being together, and allows us to be a part of something. The premise is that once you’re going, you will crave more, and you’ll prove you can get through it all, being that April in Minnesota is a blend of all conditions and weather. The 30 Days of Biking challenge, started by Patrick Stephenson, has been around for over 10 years and is now a worldwide phenomenon.

Maybe we don’t know what we are capable of until we push. It’s a numbers game and a mind game. I have heard it takes 21 days to form a habit. Once my first 30 days was complete, I saw no reason to stop. It was addictive and a way to bring me to the Big Lake that I would hate to take for granted. I live in a beautiful area; people come from all over the world to experience what I can experience just down the street. I take photos along the way to showcase the beauty of biking and the North Shore. If I don’t experience the Lake, then what was the point of relocating to such a beautiful area?

Once I was riding every day, attaining the goals became easier. I finished out the year 2019 at over 2,700 miles, with no signs of stopping because we were only three months

away from a one-year anniversary before April started again. It’s a never-ending “cycle.” My goal for 2020 was to ride every day that year, and I was looking to hit 4,000 miles. My 2021 goal was to ride again every day and hit 5,000 miles. I don’t really know if I have a solid number planned for 2022, and I’m already behind last year’s start.

Many people think of biking as exercise. I don’t think I have ever thought of it that way. Biking is so much more than exercise — it is a sense of freedom, accomplishment, joy, suffering, adventure, therapy, self-care, escape and experience. I do not think it can be defined by one word.

Chasing the rising and setting sun seems to be a motivational piece to my daily rides. I always feel like my best days are when I can wake up and get on the bike and 10 minutes later be rushing to the Biking is so lake to experience a colorful much more than cloud cover worthy of a wall exercise — it is a sense of freedom, painting. I can easily lose that accomplishment, motivation when my mind is joy, suffering, telling me I’m too tired, but I adventure, therapy, self-care, escape never regret not listening and and experience. just going for it. In fact, the only regret I have is when I hit the snooze button.

Photographing the North Shore and bicycling go together so well. Biking transports me to places I can’t walk or drive to.

It’s a different point of view.

Some of my best experiences have been out on the breakwall under the gorgeous clouds and surrounded by the largest lake. It’s hard to describe how beautiful it is.

The pictures and videos I capture only do so much justice.

I advise everyone to do something you love every day. Honestly, you only have today; it is really the only day you exist. Tomorrow never comes and yesterday is in the past. Spending just an hour a day for yourself is only 4% of your day. It’s a numbers game: how do we spend it?

We need to make our lives a priority.

I’m not really doing anything special. It’s just a bike ride. I’m just doing it, going for it, proving to myself that I can accomplish what I set out LAKE AND COMPANY

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SLUG GOES HERE

To sum it up, biking is just a selfpowered, cathartic adventure that tantalizes my mind, body and soul. I am just trying to document that adventure.

Some days are harder than others, emotionally, physically, whether in sickness or in health. I don’t want a bad day or bad weather to be what brings my streak to a screeching halt, so I pedal on. Also, a bike ride can be the cure for a bad day.

A few hurdles that come to mind occurred at the end of 2020. It was a few days before the new year and I had made it down to the lake and dismounted to take some photos. When I jumped back on with too much torque, I broke my chain. I had to walk my bike home. But I got it to the local bike shop before work, where it was fixed up by sunset the next day. Then there was the time when I fell off the breakwall into the big lake. I started the long walk home — till I ran into a friend who drove me the rest of the way and then later fished my bike out of the lake. I guess I’ve mentioned mind games a lot; they can be a hurdle.

Like everyone, I have days when I’m exhausted or have other reasons to not do something, but I’ve found my experiences are what get me over these hurdles. When in doubt, I pedal it out.

to do, and sharing it along the way to showcase the beauty these experiences bring me. And if others can find enjoyment in what I do, that is fantastic. Not everyone has this opportunity, so I am truly blessed to do what I do. Plus, there are others out there with longer streaks, and others who put on way more miles. I’m just on my path, my journey, my experience, my adventure, my escape, my ride.

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To sum it up, biking is just a self-powered, cathartic adventure that tantalizes my mind, body and soul. I am just trying to document that adventure. Biking seems to be leading me closer to something mile by mile. I am not sure what that is or how many more miles I have got to pedal, but I would like to find out someday, and that is my adventure.

Follow along @escapewme

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™

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Take your love of the lake to the next level with Series 2.2.

See the range at fliteboard.com

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARDS

AUSTRALIA DESIGN

INNO VATION OF THE YEAR

e n i l e d a nd MIsla At

artbar

coffee | wine | beer | small plates

gallery

paintings | jewelry | pottery | cards

B_E LL

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madeline island | lake superior

bellstgallery.com

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SPRING

ON THE RAINY RIVER

T

here is a spring tradition for some anglers that goes back generations. As the warm and welcomed spring sun begins to melt the ice and snow, the Rainy River just east of Baudette, Minnesota, begins to show pockets of open water.

That begins showing its beautiful hues slowly while making its way to the west and north, and eventually ending up in Lake of the Woods. As the ice gives way, thousands of walleyes are making their way to their spawning grounds. In addition, the river is home to a strong population of huge lake sturgeon that have connections to the dinosaur ages and will labor even the strongest angler’s arms with their sheer strength. It is spring, fishing season is opening and this is tradition.

Depending upon the spring, open water often appears the third week of March, but every year is different. The local tourism bureau and resorts provide daily updates on the progress of the open water, fishing reports and any other pertinent info.

For anglers who haven’t hit the water since the fall, this is very important information.

By JOE HENRY

While fishing for walleyes is closed in most of the state, this area, being border water with Canada, is open for walleye fishing through April 14. This allows for some unique opportunities to catch not only the walleye of a lifetime but also to encounter big numbers of fish that are concentrated in the river.

The first anglers to appear are the brave souls who elect to bring up smaller boats that can be pushed across the shore ice and carefully slid into the icy waters. These are the pioneers of the walleye run, and obviously “safety first” has to be the mantra here. Most anglers wait for the accesses to be ice free so they can land their boat more traditionally. The county is good about using backhoes to help speed up the natural process of the access ice moving out and also creating a safer environment for those who like to get their boat in the water regardless.

For walleyes, tackle during this time is simple. A good jigging rod, a handful of jigs, and either minnows or bright plastics will do the trick. Many anglers will vertically jig over the side of the boat,

working the bottom foot of the water column. Anchor up and work a section of water. Oftentimes, groups of walleyes are on the move and will come to you.

Lake sturgeon have made a strong resurgence in the Rainy River and on Lake of the Woods, and now are very strong in numbers and size of fish. This strong surge is believed to be attributed to no commercial netting for many years and the incorporation of the Clean Water Act. At one point, paper mills upstream were adding “stuff” to the waters of the Rainy River that weren’t conducive to the reproduction of sturgeon. That has all changed for the better, and the sturgeon have reacted nicely.

These prehistoric fish are a blast to catch. Fish can get to over 100 pounds and fight hard, often showing off their acrobatics by leaping out of the water. In many cases, it’s almost like catching an ocean fish right here in Minnesota.

Anglers will anchor up in or on the sides of a hole in the river.

The tackle used is heavier than your normal walleye gear: 60–100-pound test, big reels and a stiff rod is the norm for these giants. On the business end of this setup, anglers will use a 3–4-ounce no-roll sinker combined with a sturgeon rig, which is an 18-inch snell made of 60-pound test with a big circle hook. Load the circle hook with a few nightcrawlers or a combo of crawlers and frozen shiners and fish the bottom much like fishing for carp or catfish. It isn’t rocket science and angler success is high.

If you want to make things simple, use one of the resort’s guides.

Wake up on a nice spring morning, have a good breakfast and at 8 a.m. step aboard. Everything is taken care of for you. The guide provides the rods, reels, tackle and bait, and they know where the fish are. This is a great option for many. The only thing you need to think about is what to wear and what would you like for lunch.

Easy and simple.

The walleye season on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River is open through April 14th and opens again in mid-May for the Minnesota Fishing Opener. Lake sturgeon have either a “catch and release” or “keep” season through May 15 and then again on July 1. If you decide to become part of the tradition, a Minnesota

fishing license is required and, of course, you’ll want to know the regulations. Oh yeah, one more thing: bring a camera!

As far as lodging, there are a lot of choices. The Lake of the Woods resorts and hotels around Baudette and on the river are a natural choice. To make it easy, there is an entire list of lodging at the Lake of the Woods Tourism website, LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.

The small businesses in the area have most everything you need.

Bait shops carry the hot jigs, plastics, sturgeon rigs and live bait.

Hardware stores, restaurants, coffee shops and souvenir retailers are buzzing this time of year. Things are hopping in the north country and people are excited.

Spring walleye and sturgeon fishing is tradition and an exciting time in these parts. Almost a rite of passage to the warmer months ahead, it marks the official start of open-water fishing that many anglers have been looking forward to. It seems only appropriate that the kickoff to the open water season involves some of the largest walleyes in the land sharing the water with the prehistoric sturgeon. It is spring in Minnesota, this is tradition, and if you like fishing, it’s game on!

Bringing Coworking to Main Street

By JILL KAUFENBERG

W

hen Lift Bridge Cowork was conceived, it was meant to attract entrepreneurs to downtown Stillwater. I had a belief that the brightest founders, software engineers, architects and marketers in our community actually desired to live and work here.

Downtown Stillwater offered a fantastic food and shopping scene but very little in the way of small, affordable office space. This is an issue in countless small towns.

With a gut feeling, I created Lift Bridge Cowork as an experiment. If I could offer an affordable monthly membership in a beautiful historic office space, right on Main Street, would people come? Three years later, the answer is a resounding yes.

Both of our downtown Stillwater Lift Bridge Cowork buildings have become hives of activity and have grown to be unique communities unto themselves. With the ability to come and go as they please and to grab any available desk at any time, members are sometimes greeted by five other coworkers and sometimes 25 or more! The daily fluctuation keeps the environment fresh and stimulating.

No two days are the same.

44

Many of our members are founders and business owners.

That can be a very lonely job but made much less so when you are surrounded by others going through the same tribulations. I was optimistic that bonds would form between members, but even my high expectations have been exceeded. So many of our members are experiencing great success and rapid growth with their businesses, and it is so heartening to see them cheer each other on. It is a special place, filled with very special people.

With the experimental years behind us, and the Cowork thriving, I feel more convinced than ever that small, historic towns should make a conscious effort to bring flexible work space to Main Street. The local stores and restaurants benefit from a more robust breakfast-andlunch crowd, and the hotels enjoy guests coming into town to meet with members. Those members introduce thousands of new people to our downtown each year when they host customers, partners, colleagues and friends in the space. It all adds up to a vibrant downtown that no longer waits for the dinner rush to come alive. I’m inspired by our members and lucky to know them!

Apparel for All Seasons

GRAND RAPIDS, M N INTERNAT IONAL FAL LS, MN DULUTH, MN ST EAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO

retail

Gear to Explore

ST IL LWATER , MN

W H ER E P UBLI SHI NG M E E TS

Outdooorries Access

We are a socially conscious magazine and shop, carefully curated with a give-back message that supports adventure, innovation, conservation and community built around lake culture.

THELAKEANDCOMPANY.COM

cotopaxi.com

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A Venue for Every Event The Water Street Inn is a distinctive 61-room historic inn located on the St. Croix River in downtown Stillwater. It's home to Papa’s Rooftop and Charlie’s Irish pub, the St. Croix Ballroom and conference facilities, each graciously blending the ambiance of an era gone by with the comforts of modern amenities.

Contact us to host your wedding, corporate or special events!

Julie K. Rademacher

Alexander D. Eder

SALES & EVENTS DIRECTOR

GENERAL MANAGER

612-230-0647

waterstreetinn.us

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W&P

Cocktail Canteen

FRESH

Tracks

Because sometimes I just want to take my craft cocktails on the road!

The Cocktail Canteen contains all the tools one needs to make great drinks anywhere. The kit includes a combination peeler and zester, a collapsible jigger/shot glass, a telescoping bar spoon, a mini funnel and a TSA-compliant dropper bottle — all packed into an insulated cocktail shaker. Cheers! $40

GOAL ZERO

Flip 36 Power Bank Because I mix work and play as often as I can, you will often find me in the red with my phone and computer. Goal Zero solves this problem and helps keep me blazing trails day and night. This power bank works in tandem with their portable solar panels, and keeps me charged up when I need it most. $49.99

By KELLY KABOTOFF

In a sea of “been there, done that” outdoor gear, finding the next new brand or product that is creating waves in the industry is something that truly makes me smile. These brands are blazing their own trails through innovation and creative solutions and producing goods that provide thoughtful solutions that are not only unique and innovative, but functional and fashionable as well. From new materials to fresh designs, these brands are exploring new territory. So next time you adventure, big or small, take a minute to go off the beaten path and see where fresh tracks, and fresh gear, can take you.

Tag us on YOUR adventures @thelakeandcompany Have a product you think I should check out?

Email me at kelly@thelakeandco.com

MATADOR

Freerain22 Waterproof Packable Backpack Matador has always been a leader in packable adventure gear, and the launch of their Advanced Series products made them stand out even more. This packable backpack has a fully waterproof main compartment, perfect for water activities, as well as alpine-ready features including oversized water bottle pockets, gear loops and shock cord captures for technical tools. $99.99

SLUG GOES HERE

SHWOOD

Monroe ACTV Sunglasses When style meets performance, I’m all in. These glasses feature a no-slip, no-fog, no-bounce design, which allows for unobtrusive sun protection whatever the activity. Made from Mazzucchelli acetate, which is crafted in Italy from cotton and wood pulp, these sunnies are also environmentally friendly, making it a win-win. $199

B. FRESH

The Van Dope Fanny Pack Windbreaker Is it a fanny pack? Or a jacket?

Well, turns out it’s both, and it’s pretty darn fresh. We fell in love with the B.Fresh team the minute we met them, and we couldn’t wait to get these innovative jackets into our stores. When it gets a little chilly, the jacket will block the elements and hold all your essentials. When it warms up, just tuck the jacket, and your stash, into the fanny pack.

Done and done. $69.99

BINDLE BOTTLE

24 oz. Puppy Pack Puppy love is real. And I take mine with me on the road whenever I can. But I like to travel light, and I’m often forgetting some of the essentials. Enter the Bindle Bottle Puppy Pack. This all-in-one bundle features their signature water bottle with storage, an over-theshoulder carrying sleeve and a collapsible dog bowl with carabiner. I can hit the trail, the boat or the brewery and be confident that I’ve got my guy covered. $83

CALIFORNIA COWBOY

High Sierra Flannel

HOWLER BROTHERS

Rainbow Tech Strapback Our tech hats have become some of our most popular toppers in the last few years. They are easy wearing with a low crown and constructed of quick drying nylon-poly blend. Test them out on your next river day or any day you need a cool, versatile cover. $35

With its beverage pocket, zippered DRYTECH pocket, sunglasses loop and interior thermal lining, this flannel does it all. It’s the perfect layer under your jacket on cold days, and it transitions into the best spring/summer “shacket” for cooler nights by the water or in the woods. $158

Fresh Tracks

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SHARE YOUR STORY

We all have a story to tell.

Here’s your chance to share yours. @thelakeandcompany

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@tobi.kessler

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Everything we do at Lake and Company is inspired by the stories of people doing exceptional things. We celebrate that in the pages of this magazine, as well as in our stores. This marketplace brings you our top picks from these inspiring brands that support adventure, innovation, conservation and community. Read more about these brands online at thelakeandcompany.com.

Marketplace

MARKET

Place

OUTERKNOWN

UNITED BY BLUE

COTOPAXI

Your favorite denim trucker lined with 100% recycled polyester sherpa. Crafted with heirloom-quality organic and recycled cotton denim that's washed down for a well-worn feel like you've already had it for years. This coat just feels so damn good!

Your favorite ceramic mug, now travelfriendly with a silicone lid. The ideal companion to go zero-waste at your local coffee shop.

New! A lighter and more durable version of Cotopaxi’s best-selling backpack system built for all types of exploration.

This pack is perfectly sized for carry-on convenience, loaded with well-designed features, and tough enough to handle years of use.

Peacenick Denim Trucker

@outerknown

Ceramic Mug

@unitedbyblue

Allpa 35L Travel Pack

@cotopaxi

MARKETPLACE

NORTHERN GLASSES

LARISSA LODEN

WOODFIRE CANDLES

Scrappy Minnesota-based screenprinter Northern Glasses just released their Moose Treeline design, which is quickly becoming a bestseller on not only their drinkware but also their premium T-shirts and hoodies. 7% of Northern Glasses sales are invested in clean-water projects near and far.

This simple gemstone necklace is more than meets the eye! The Brene Necklace features a gemstone cabochon in your choice of five natural gemstones on an adjustable box chain. Wearable to up to 26 inches, this necklace adapts to the neckline of a sundress as well as it does to a chunky sweater. This style is named after boss babe Brené Brown.

With notes of silver birch leaves and fresh water, North Shore will be your go-to candle. Our signature amber jar pairs perfectly with the crackling sound of the wooden wick and this fan-favorite scent.

Call it our Minnesota roots, but we believe burning with wood is the only way.

Moose Treeline T-Shirt and Hoodie

@northernglasses

Brene Necklace in Labradorite

Amber Apothecary Soy Candle

@woodfirecandle

@larissaloden

LOLL DESIGNS

RUMPL

LAKE AND COMPANY

Just like Loll’s furniture, this modern birdhouse will last a long time. A clean and modern approach to what should be simple avian living, this birdhouse was designed by humans with the birds in mind. No assembly required, with easy mounting and access for cleaning out the old nest.

Succulents, but make them groovy. You don’t need a green thumb to appreciate this print. The Everywhere Towel in Psychedelic Succulents repels sand, pet hair, odors and stains, all while taking up a fraction of the space of a normal cotton towel.

Do you have a product that our readers should see? Reach out to kelly@thelakeandco.com to find out how to be featured in a future issue of Lake and Company magazine.

Pitch Modern Birdhouse

Everywhere Towel

@gorumpl

Have your product listed here!

@thelakeandcompany

@lolldesigns

LAKE AND COMPANY

53

It’s Tuesday at 2:30pm.

The weekend is calling!

From the boats to the slopes.

www.bfreshgear.com

Better Than Most Awards E ETT R

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ST

AN

TH

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LAKE

A

B

We know … you don’t like to pat yourself on the back. You are “Minnesota modest” at its best. But geez Louise, you’re onto a good thing and you work hard to do it well. So let’s celebrate. Don’t worry, we’ll be (Minnesota) nice and make sure you don’t come off better than everyone. But what the heck? If you think you’re better than most, give yourself some love, gosh darn it. Or, if not you, give it to whoever you think is!

O

AN M

CAST YOUR BALLOT ONLINE AT: THELAKEANDCOMPANY.COM/BETTERTHANMOST Votes must be submitted by June 1, 2022.

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Cast your ballot online at thelakeandcompany.com/betterthanmost or fill this out and mail it to Lake and Company, 10 NW 3rd St., Grand Rapids, MN 55744.

Votes must be submitted by June 1, 2022.

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BETTE

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SLUG GOES HERE

A TRAILBLAZER IS SOMEONE WHO’S

NOT AFRAID TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO; WHO BELIEVES THAT THE WAY WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT ISN’T NECESSARILY THE WAY WE’RE GOING TO DO IT.

Highlighting 7 female leaders who continually evoke a deeper connection to the reason why they’re blazing a trail in the first place: to create a new path and opportunity for others. They are inspired by a sense of community that is pervasive across the board. These Trailblazers willingly share their knowledge and encompass a vast community of learners and leaders. They embody the concept of pushing the envelope and fearlessly navigating the unknown.

POWERED BY

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LAKE AND COMPANY

what’s yo u r mission?

IF yOu CouLd have a conversation with anyone W hy who would it be?

- past or present Minnesota?

What attributes you to your purpose?

Tool, object, or ritual could you not live without?

What What does SUCCESS mean to ? is the

or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

What a reYOU afraid of? received that brought Is there a piec e ? you to who you are AND THE meaningful hat words of wisdom would you want to tell your younger self? What are you most proud of? legacy to be? wh at do yo u

w

pla c e in Minnesota? Why? what does the world need more of?

LAKE TIME MAGAZINE

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2

LAKE AND COMPANY

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13

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“I LOVE TO SEE A YOUNG GIRL GO OUT AND GRAB THE WORLD BY THE LAPELS. LIFE’S A BITCH. YOU’VE GOT TO GO OUT AND KICK ASS.” MAYA ANGELOU

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LAKE AND COMPANY

BLAZING TRAILS

ELISSA HANSEN

PRESIDENT AND CEO, NORTHSPAN

Elissa Hansen leads Northspan with more than 20 years of experience in business, community, organizational and economic development across Minnesota and Wisconsin. She invests her time creatively advancing others’ capabilities. In Elissa’s role, she engages with and elevates every client by facilitating tough conversations and moving organizations forward with action-oriented strategic methods. She works to create a setting for meaningful communication that respects diverse perspectives, creates joint resolve, and inspires individual and group action.

What’s your mission?

Unleashing human passion.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

My Oma, my grandma. She lived such a different life than me, and I felt so close to her right before her passing, and I think of her all the time. I truly believe she’s one of my guardians.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

Being proud of my failures!

What has been your biggest challenge in this role?

Building a strong, caring team who lifts up everyone in their own ways.

How do you define success?

It’s that feeling in the morning — on those days when you are ready … ready to go get it!

What, in your opinion, is the key to your success?

Building and maintaining long-term relationships through shared passion for humankind.

If you could do one thing differently, what would that be?

Become fluent in French.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Curious, driven and intuitive.

What would you say to others to encourage them to become a leader in an organization?

Learn how to fail fast.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Travel more!

Three key words to describe yourself: Authentic, adventurous, strategic Why Minnesota?

More than anything, my family and the lakes, and specifically the big lake, Lake Superior. She continues to call me back no matter how often or how far away I travel.

Do you have a motto or philosophy that you live by?

Be kind, and give grace to yourself and others every day.

Is there a piece of advice you’ve received that brought you to who you are and the meaningful work you do today?

Someone shared this quote with me early on in my professional life: “Nothing great has been and nothing great can be accomplished without passion.” – G.W.F. Hegel. Because my work feeds my passion, most days it doesn’t feel like work.

What words of wisdom would you want to tell your younger self?

Let go of needing to know; instead, allow yourself to imagine what could be possible. “To know is nothing at all; to imagine is everything.”

– Anatole France Favorite place in Minnesota? Why? Our family farm in Alvwood. It’s the one place where I feel connected to the grass, the trees, the fields and my family, even though I never farmed the land and I never met my ancestors who did. We are connected through the land.

What does the world need more of?

Women leaders and women politicians.

LEANN LITTLEWOLF

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITY HOUSING ORGANIZATION (AICHO)

LeAnn Littlewolf (she/her), Anishinaabe/Ma’iingan doodem, Gaa-zagaskwaajimekaag Tribal Nation, is a senior program officer at the Northland Foundation. LeAnn works on Maada’ookiing (the ‘distribution’ in Ojibwe), which is a grassroots grantmaking initiative in partnership with the Tribal Nations and Indigenous community.

LeAnn has worked for 30 years in nonprofit, community organizing and advocacy roles. With a master's degree in political leadership and advocacy and a master’s degree in education, LeAnn brings a commitment to cultural and community-based strategies, equity and Seventh Generation principles.

What’s your mission?

To build an Indigenous economy with my community.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

I would have a conversation with my grandfather, Steve Littlewolf, who died at age 42 and before I was born. My dad always told me stories about my grandpa, and I always was inspired by how he valued education, family and working hard. I would ask him what he thinks are the best things to give young people to help them in their lives and tell him I try to do things in my life that would make him proud.

Who is your role model? Has this changed over the years?

My dad is my role model. He always takes time to visit with people and be fully there. He taught me to be present with others and that time together is the best gift you can give and receive.

How do you define success?

Success for me is defined by how our community is doing. Are we thriving? Can you visibly see and feel our health and happiness?

What, in your opinion, is the key to your success?

The key to any success I have is due to being surrounded by good people. I am very lucky that I work with a talented team driven by a core value of care for others, and partners committed to a shared vision focused on a stronger community.

If you could do one thing differently, what would that be?

I would dream even bigger. I see people who imagine beyond the confines of the status quo and they transform the world. That is so exciting to me! Change is exciting. Trying new things is exciting. Being hopeful, curious and committed to exploring new ideas keeps us moving and growing.

How would you describe your leadership style?

My leadership style is to see the leader in everyone. We’re stronger, smarter and more innovative when we have diverse ideas and insights in vigorous dialogue. When people see their own power and leadership, it benefits the whole community. That’s what we need!

What would you say to others to encourage them to become a leader in an organization?

I say always build your skills and your experiences because you bring so much value to wherever you are. I encourage people to self-direct their leadership development and grow in the ways that make sense to them.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Trust your instincts because it will lead you to good people, good experiences and a good path.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I hope to see the Niiwin Indigenous Foods Market open as a warm, inviting community gathering place where people can pick up Indigenous foods that carry the history and flavor of these homelands.

AICHO is working on two development projects that will create a new expanded emergency shelter and a 50-unit affordable-housing development, which I hope to see open and operating. We work alongside Indigenous entrepreneurs, and I hope to see more emerging and established Native business owners in an even stronger network.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

I love using my time and energy to be a part of the TakeAction MN, the Duluth Whole Foods Co-op, Minnesota Indigenous Business Alliance, Native Sun and Lake Superior College Foundation boards. I work with people committed to core values of focusing on people’s growth and development, strengthening networks and sharing resources, and moving new ideas forward. I get to help with building renewable energy in Indian country, centering progressive values and working with cooperative economies.

Three key words to describe yourself: Bawaaji’ge (a dreamer) Jiikendam (happy) Ode’ (with heart)

What has been your biggest challenge in this role?

I love the challenge of centering my leadership work in Indigenous values and challenging myself and others to decolonize our thinking, practices and interactions.

What personality trait or skill do you consider your greatest asset?

I love visiting with others. I learn so much and we create so much from simple conversations. The best ideas come from just talking with others.

Why Minnesota?

These are my Anishinaabe homelands! I love the land, the water, the sky and the people here. We have a deep, long history and there’s so much to love here.

BLAZING TRAILS

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“LOVE IS METAPHYSICAL GRAVITY.” R. BUCKMINSTER FULLER

What tool, object or ritual could you not live without?

My asemaa (traditional tobacco) to offer and pray.

Is there a significant decision you made or experience you’ve had that has forever shaped your life?

I started a Native youth group and worked with a small group of young people as co-leaders. We literally had nothing and we generated so much community support. We ended up creating so many great experiences together. This experience showed me you can change things, but the most valuable change is how you see yourself when you belong with others. The best feeling in the whole world is to be a part of a group that moves together.

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

I was in a dark place in my career and felt like I wasn’t being valued or invested in. I decided to invest in myself and made a list of skills I wanted to develop or acquire, places or experiences I wanted to have, and the kind of people I wanted to be around. In four months, I was in a new role and everything I had listed out came to be. It’s so vital to always see your own value and help yourself fulfill your potential.

Do you have a motto or philosophy that you live by?

Try harder. I don’t mind failing, but I have to keep trying. I have failed many times, and no matter what, I have to get back up and try it again or try in a new way.

What are you most proud of?

My grandchildren. They are so alive, and I get these random, rare, powerful moments with them. One night, we went to see the Wolf Moon and one of them started howling! It was so fun! Then we stopped by the lake, which was freezing, and we just stood there listening to that delicate sound of crystals forming and water pushing in these long, slow waves. That’s magic and when I know I’m alive. I feel so lucky to have these moments together.

What do you envision your legacy to be?

I hope my legacy is that young people far in the future, who I will never have the privilege to know or see, receive something good as a result of my work right now. I believe in that so firmly, that we should always have them in mind!

LAKE AND COMPANY

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“BE KIND WHENEVER POSSIBLE. IT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE.” DALAI LAMA

BLAZING TRAILS

JENNIFER FORD REEDY PRESIDENT, BUSH FOUNDATION

Jen has been president of the Bush Foundation since September 2012. The Bush Foundation invests in great ideas and the people who power them in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and 23 Native nations.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Jen served as chief of staff and vice president of strategy for the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation, where she led the creation of GiveMN.org and Give to the Max Day. Her current board roles include Regions Hospital, GHR Foundation, Independent Sector and Council on Foundations. She is involved in a number of civic groups and committees and enthusiastically serves as an election judge. She also teaches a graduate course in philanthropic history and strategy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She has been honored as a “40 Under 40” leader by the Minneapolis–Saint Paul Business Journal, as one of the “100 Minnesotans You Should Know” by Twin Cities Business Magazine and as a NextGen Fellow by Independent Sector.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

Definitely Ben Franklin. I think about him a lot and how he would be wowed by our scientific innovations and proud that we have held together as a country and become a more inclusive democracy. At times, when current events get me down, imagining a conversation with Ben reminds me of the longer arc of history and makes me feel better!

What is your greatest achievement to date?

For a professional achievement, I feel really proud of the Bush Foundation’s work to establish $100M community trust funds for Native and Black individuals to use for education, buying a house, starting a business or other ways to build wealth. This is a big deal for us. It is a reparative action, an acknowledgment of how racial wealth gaps in our country reflect accumulated advantage and disadvantage from public policies. Most people have a sense of the impact of slavery and taking land, but not everyone knows what difference policies like the Homestead Act or federal mortgage programs made in who has built wealth and who has not in our country. I believe there is a big opportunity for people and institutions with wealth to think about what a reparative act could look like for them.

How do you define success?

I think success in life is the ability to make choices based on what you value most. It looks different for each of us based on what we value.

To me, success is being able to do things that make other people’s lives better in some way — and I mean that both in big-picture social change and also small everyday kindnesses. It all lines up to the same life purpose for me.

What, in your opinion, is the key to your success ?

I work really earnestly at getting better at my job and better as a human being. I think the most critical skill for a good leader is to listen and learn and improve. No one can do everything well, and what the world needs of us changes constantly. Getting feedback and different perspectives and adjusting is the key to any long-term success.

If you could do one thing differently, what would that be?

I have never been able to do a cartwheel. The need doesn’t arise much in my adult life, but I still would like to be able to do one.

Three key words to describe yourself: Half tax professor and half artist. (I am an equal mix of my mom and dad.)

Why Minnesota?

We moved here because my husband spent summers in Minnesota as a kid and thought it was heaven. We have stayed here because we love it. It has been a great place to raise our family and a great place for a career in philanthropy. No doubt we have big stuff to work on. For all our challenges, Minnesota also has a lot to celebrate, including lots of wonderful people who want to make this place work better for everyone.

Is there a significant decision you made or experience you’ve had that has forever shaped your life?

Several years ago I took a trip to Cambodia to do site visits as a board member for a U.S. foundation. I’ve gotten to travel a lot and meet a lot of people in the world, but this was a different experience for me. The horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime show the very worst that we can do to each other as humans. To meet so many people who experienced those atrocities and yet were so full of joy was transformative to me. I was having a lunch conversation with someone telling me their secret to surviving starvation. Before the trip, I think I (unconsciously) believed I was so lucky that I should always feel guilty, not wholly joyful. After that trip, I believed that if I was not living life joyfully, I was doing it wrong. It has shaped every day since.

What are you afraid of?

Snakes. So afraid that I hate to even write the word!

Is there a piece of advice you've received that brought you to who you are and the meaningful work you do today?

Don’t quit preemptively. It was advice from a colleague when I came back to work after having a baby. She was saying not to quit just because I was afraid it might not work out. Try and see what is possible. It was fantastic advice.

What are you most proud of?

My family, for sure. I do feel some pride each year on Give to the Max Day. It is gratifying to see that work live on in such a big and fun way. I love it as an annual state pep rally to inspire and celebrate generosity in Minnesota.

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DEB DELUCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DULUTH SEAWAY PORT AUTHORITY

Deb DeLuca is the executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the first woman to lead the organization in its history. DeLuca is currently president of the Minnesota Ports Association and an executive committee member of APEX, a regional economic and business development organization. She is a board member of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota and the Chamber of Marine Commerce and also serves as an alternate Minnesota commissioner to the Great Lakes Commission.

What’s your mission?

To act with integrity and kindness, commit to meaningful connections with others, seek to learn throughout life, and make time for wonder and joy.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

That’s tough — just one person. That might change by the day, depending on what’s happening, what I’m working on. For today, I’m going to pick Doris Kearns Goodwin, the author of Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln and No Ordinary Time (about Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt). I’ve read most of her books. She is a great, thorough researcher and a concise, compassionate and empathetic writer. She’s an effective storyteller, homing in on the crux of a situation or the elemental aspects of a personality. On top of that, she made important choices about balance in her own life, and that speaks to me as a woman who had made deliberate choices throughout my career based on life balance. Ms. Goodwin was a respected Harvard history professor, a successful author and a mother. She decided she couldn’t occupy all three spaces in the way that suited her view of her role in those spaces. She chose to leave academia.

I would like to talk to her about the lessons she’s learned about leadership and life both via her research on the presidents and her own life/career decisions. I know it would be a great conversation.

But then, there are vibrant people in Duluth who I would love to meet for coffee — in other words, there are lots of rich lives and great conversations to have right here in our communities.

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Who is your role model? Has this changed over the years?

I can’t point to one person as being a singular role model. I’m over 60 — I think someone of my age has selected a variety of individuals throughout life to role-model certain aspects at different times. I was heavily influenced by my father’s curiosity, his ability to think independently, his creativity, his huge work ethic, his love of family and his sense of fun. He is a biochemist and an emeritus professor with an active research lab at UW–Madison; in fact, the Department of Biochemistry buildings are named after him. On the other hand, I look to my mother for her modeling of attentiveness, Zen-like ability to embrace the present, full-on capacity for love, fantastic deep listening skills and deep empathy. I’ve learned a lot from the various people I’ve worked with through the years in ways little and big.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

I’m very proud of our team at the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and the work we do. I’d say building and supporting this team and the foundation we are laying for the organization, our terminal, the port as a whole and, working with our regional partners, the economic health of the region are my favorite achievements to date.

How do you define success?

The definition of success must embrace the whole person: a successful life ideally includes meaningful work with a motivated team, a healthy and loving family unit of some form, deep friendships, the ability to love and be loved, interests outside of work, and a spiritual or contemplative component that allows you to express gratitude and ponder big questions.

If you could do one thing differently, what would that be?

I wish I would have learned to network more effectively sooner. It’s still not a strength, and it’s funny because I really enjoy getting to know people. ​​ How would you describe your leadership style?

We have a small, effective, highly skilled and competent staff motivated by a shared mission. I would say I am a strategic leader with a coaching tendency wielding a distributive power model. I seek the big-picture view but understand the importance of details and timing in getting the job done.

What would you say to others to encourage them to become a leader in an organization?

Work to be competent at your core skill or role, and work to understand the importance and complexities of other roles within your organization. Take on projects where you can work with a variety of people in your organization. Respect others’ work, others’ viewpoints and others’ limits. Make work fun whenever possible. Understand the mission of your organization and how you contribute to it. Be both humble enough to know your weaknesses and take the time to strengthen them, but also proud of the strengths that you bring to the organization.

Three key words to describe yourself: Engaged, curious and open to possibility. Since that last one isn’t really one word, how about: empathetic.

BLAZING TRAILS

Why Minnesota?

From the coastal perspective, Minnesota really is fly-over country, which perhaps is one of the appealing aspects, because it feels less crowded and rushed than the coasts. Minnesota has the right amount of everything: a breadth of cultural resources; amazing natural resources for recreation, preservation and economic development; an engaged and caring public; a history of productive civil discourse; a good public education system; a proud state university system; a great transportation system; wonderful parks; scenic beauty; a variety of landscapes … for me, it ticks all the boxes.

What personality trait or skill do you consider your greatest asset?

The ability to integrate others’ perspectives and opinions to construct informed decisions and effective solutions.

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

First, I try to get outside and participate in a solo aerobic activity because it clears my head and gives me room to think. Next, I surround myself with people I love and value and whose thinking I respect, and ideally people who make me laugh. I may or may not discuss the hot-button issue that is the source of self-doubt or the cause of adversity. I remember that few paths are linear, and all worthwhile paths involve adversity. Then I try to evaluate the situation in a new light and form a plan of action.

What are you afraid of?

Stagnation.

What words of wisdom would you want to tell your younger self?

I would tell my younger self that the path through life is not linear, and that there is a beauty in that. Be open to opportunity. Be comfortable sitting with your thoughts.

Favorite place in Minnesota? Why? Minnesota’s North Shore. I know that’s a broad geography. Let me explain. Whether I’m in a car, on my bike, on foot or on skis, I love to drop down the descent from the escarpment above Lake Superior and see the blue of the Lake and the cragginess of the exposed rock against whatever sky the day serves up. Included in this vista might be a blanket of winter snow, the unique green haze of nascent unfurling birch leaves in spring, swaths of blue lupine in June or the symphony of fall colors. It’s magical and monumental.

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Is there a significant decision you made or experience you’ve had that has forever shaped your life?

I was accepted into medical school — the University of Pennsylvania — when I was 25. There was a lot going on in my personal life at the time. I made the decision to not attend medical school, and in retrospect, it was not a well-formed decision. It was a reactionary decision. If I had been better at seeking help and input at that point in time, I might have decided differently; I may have simply deferred, or I may have reached the same conclusion to not attend. I thought I’d focus on research instead, but my life took a different path.

“NOT EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE COUNTED COUNTS, AND NOT EVERYTHING THAT COUNTS CAN BE COUNTED.” ALBERT EINSTEIN

What’s your mission?

To empower people to live their best lives.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I am dedicated to ongoing development and can quickly identify what motivates people to succeed. I enjoy recognizing unique strengths and weaknesses and determining how to help them become better professionals. I prefer people utilize their strengths and apply them to challenging situations and tasks.

What would you say to others to encourage them to become a leader in an organization?

Leadership shows up in every wheelhouse, not only among management. Leadership may take the form of advocacy, playing to strengths and applying the work to the mission of the organization.

Clear communication is imperative, and that includes listening and collaborating.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Look forward. Don’t look back.

CHRISTINA WOODS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DULUTH ART INSTITUTE

A top, brilliant administrator and strategist, Christina is a talented leader. Her success includes a 14-year career teaching, writing curricula and grants, fundraising, and diversity/inclusion consultation. As an Anishinaabekwe and community leader, Christina empowers individuals and illuminates the breadth of human experiences. Her focus is delivered with tender attention to advocacy rooted in celebrating inclusivity and professionalism.

Christina currently chairs the State of Minnesota Capitol Arts Committee, is president of the Duluth Public Arts Commission, and serves on the State of Minnesota CAAPB Task Force on Monuments and Statues. She was also awarded an AARP 50 Over 50 Most Influential People in Minnesota award as a “bias buster”.

Three key words to describe yourself: Equanimous, expressive, inspiring Why Minnesota?

It is my homeland.

What personality trait or skill do you consider your greatest asset?

Compassion. Meeting people where they are without judgment is how I deliver support and encouragement.

What attributes connect you to your purpose?

Balance of emotions and situations, humor, joy and love.

What does success mean to you?

Success is scalable. It can be experienced on a micro scale or on a macro scale. Recognizing success on any scale is the meaning of success.

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

My go-to strategy is to share my challenge with the people who cheer me on and the people who are my truth-tellers.

What does the world need more of?

The world needs more love. When a person lives from their heart, they are living through the lens of love. Ode’imin is the heartway in Anishinaabemowin. There are so many teachings about living in this way.

BLAZING TRAILS

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“LOVE IS AN ACTION, NEVER SIMPLY A FEELING.” BELL HOOKS

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“I AM MY ANCESTORS’ WILDEST DREAMS!” RUSSELL JOSEPH LEDET

SERAPHIA GRAVELLE (AGUALLO)

CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VOICES FOR ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL AWARENESS (VEMA)

A Hispanic native of Central Texas, Seraphia moved to Minnesota in 1998. Her personal and full-time professional work is in social justice and activism as co-executive director of VEMA and community equity and anti-racism organizer. Her hope for VEMA is to create an all-inclusive community on the Iron Range, where her five children and five grandchildren reside.

BLAZING TRAILS

What’s your mission?

To create a culture of anti-racism in communities across northern Minnesota.

What personality trait or skill do you consider your greatest asset?

My ability to speak within any group of people.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

My daddy. He had so much wisdom to share, and I wish I had taken in more of it when he was here.

What attributes connect you to your purpose?

Being a Hispanic woman and having lived and experienced the culture and truth that comes with it.

Who is your role model?

Angela Davis.

What tool, object or ritual could you not live without?

My headphones! Music gets me through any situation, from celebration to concentration.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

Raising children who are activists, who have the ability to selfadvocate and who seek justice for all.

What is the biggest challenge or greatest sacrifice you’ve made in pursuit of your passion?

Financial well-being. There is not a lot of money in activism.

What has been your biggest challenge in this role?

Navigating white fragility.

What does success mean to you?

Accomplishing whatever goal, small or large, that I have set for the day.

How do you define success?

Consistently moving forward and being better than you were the day before, whatever that looks like for you personally.

Is there a significant decision you made or experience you’ve had that has forever shaped your life?

The decision to make Minnesota my home. It has been equally challenging and rewarding.

What, in your opinion, is the key to your success?

The support of my family, biological and chosen.

If you could do one thing differently, what would that be?

I would have held onto my culture a bit harder when I first moved here rather than disconnecting from it in order to survive.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Bold, to say the least.

What would you say to others to encourage them to become a leader in an organization?

You don’t need a formal education to be a leader. You just need passion and the will to get things done.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Never feel like you have to take up less space in order to make others comfortable. Always be your authentic self.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I would like to be a part of seeing the communities I work and live in not only accept diversity, but embrace it.

Words to describe yourself: Bold, articulate, accepting, honest Why Minnesota?

This is where I have chosen to call home. Where I have chosen to raise my children.

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

I remind myself that my ancestors wanted me here for a reason, and I made a promise not to let them down.

Do you have a motto or philosophy that you live by?

Treat others how you want to be treated.

Is there a piece of advice you’ve received that brought you to who you are and the meaningful work you do today?

Get out, then reach back and get someone else out.

What words of wisdom would you want to tell your younger self?

Remember who you are and always be that.

What are you most proud of?

My children and grandchildren and everything they offer.

What do you envision your legacy to be?

A good ancestor. I want the generations that come after me to be able to connect with the wisdom I leave behind. To have a legacy worthy to uphold.

Favorite place in Minnesota? Why? In a kayak on any lake. The lakes here are something that is offered in very few places. The beauty that Minnesota has offers the opportunity to connect with the Earth to help heal us. Plus, WATER IS LIFE! What does the world need more of?

Kindness.

LAKE AND COMPANY

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TAMARA LOWNEY

PRESIDENT & CEO, ITASCA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (IEDC)

With a goal of gaining knowledge and experience, Tamara spent the first 20 years of her career working throughout the U.S. and internationally for ARAMARK. She led hospitality organizations in Alaska, Ohio and California, before hiring on to the ARAMARK International Team, providing food services to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 2010 Asian Games and 2012 London Olympics. In her experiences, Tamara has managed thousands of people from all walks of life and led teams to be successful through great adversity.

In 2019, Tamara became president of IEDC in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Since then she has led her team through an extensive series of projects to support her community, including a $1 million emergency loan program, facilitating grant programs for Itasca County businesses in 2020 for more than $2.5 million, and driving extensive outreach and support for local businesses.

In 2020 the Economic Development Association of Minnesota honored Tamara with the Innovation Award, one of its Excellence in Economic Development Awards.

Tamara resides rural in Minnesota with her husband and daughter. They love small-town life and are very active in their community.

What’s your mission?

As long as I can remember, I wanted to see the world, travel, learn and experience new things. I loved my family but felt like the world was beckoning me to explore. So I did. In my journey, I took in incredible sights and amazing events, but the most remarkable part was the people, the cultures. I came home with all of this in my heart, ready to do something real. Make a true difference. I hit reset and trusted that the new path would still allow me to do all of those things. Just here at home.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

Really trusting and believing in myself. I have spent the majority of my career leading people, learning and trying to be my best self. Because I truly believe when I am my best, I can help others find their best, and together we can achieve amazing things every day.

What has been your biggest challenge in this role?

My career today is all about relationships. We find success together, not standing alone trying to hold up mountains. Building and maintaining those relationships is hard. Breaking down barriers that are decades old and locked in a vise is hard. My job is just as full of inspiring moments as it is those where you need to just vent to get through to the next conversation. But when the win comes, you know it was worth it.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Passionate. Some might say energizing, while others might say … exhausting? [laughs] I believe leadership is building a culture where people feel challenged and appreciated. Where they can speak up without fear and share ideas. We work hard together and have a lot of fun.

What would you say to others to encourage them to become a leader in an organization?

There is nothing quite as inspiring as the feeling of helping your team achieve amazing things — when you see people grow and develop and feel that you are contributing to that development. Then there are those moments where you and your team are making real impacts in your community, for people you know and care about. It doesn’t get better than that.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

I truly believe that there are incredible opportunities for our community in the next few years. I want to continue to bring people forward and continue to drive projects to the finish line. Most importantly, I want to take on welcoming community work and finding pathways for us to grow through diversity and workforce attraction.

There are so many leaders here that are ready to move the dial and help us grow, but this work goes beyond bringing in new businesses; it means bringing in a new workforce too.

Why Minnesota?

Minnesota has always been home to me. Even though I left to travel the world, I always knew I would come home. I love the people, our small towns and our history. I love the way I can walk into my local gas station and know just about everyone and they know me. I grew up knowing that I wasn’t alone, not just because of my amazing family — but because of the community I lived in.

What attributes connect you to your purpose?

Curiosity, real interest in people, problems, processes. I don’t exaggerate when I say, “I’m really interested in hearing more.” I believe that you can learn from everyone (yes, even those who are against you) and every situation. I love learning about people and get so excited when I connect dots for myself and others. The value of the human experience is totally underrated, and I go out of my way to understand people and cultures. As a child, I had a globe that I used to spin, then I'd close my eyes and point to all the places I would go.

I read books, until reading wasn’t enough and I had to see, feel and hear with my own eyes to truly garner that experience.

BLAZING TRAILS

What are you afraid of?

Not being a good enough mom to my amazing daughter, Goldie. I push myself at work and push myself at home, always looking for the secret sauce of patience and love for my girl. Clearly, it doesn’t always work. In my mind, being a good mom is not just being a caregiver but also inspiring her to see all that she is capable of, and letting nothing stand in her way. For me, that means I am pursuing my dreams too, showing her, through more than words, that anything is possible.

Is there a piece of advice you’ve received that brought you to who you are and the meaningful work you do today?

A long time ago, when I was just a teenager, after a heartbreaking blow of not receiving some award, I was walking outside feeling sorry for myself. One of my coaches came up to me and told me that I didn’t get that award because I didn’t need it, that I had the heart and confidence I needed to get big things done, that others need that award to help them find their confidence. Fast-forward almost 30 years and I can remember that night and those words like it was yesterday. Not only did it give me even more confidence in who I am, but it also taught me to recognize when others need those words of support to help them find their voice. Being a leader is trying to see your team’s strengths and challenges, and know when they need you to help lift them up.

”

In moments of self-doubt or adversity, how do you build yourself back up?

One, I always let myself go there. I mean, I do my best not to pretend I am not affected by self-doubt or adversity — I vent, I rant, and then I remind myself what effect adversity has on me — it makes me push even harder to prove that I can and I will get it done. I guess I’m giving away a trade secret here, but one of the best ways to motivate me is to tell me it can’t be done. So once I find my way through “my moment,” I put on some high-energy music and dance around the office and move on.

“I’VE LEARNED THAT PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.” MAYA ANGELOU

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FASHION DISASTERS BLOWING FASHION OUT OF THE WATER AND ONTO THE ICE

By PATTI PAULSON Photography by MAX HAYNES AND LARRY LABONTE

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ART

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Art Shanty Projects creates this intricate web of connectivity: artists work together to produce a fantastic village on ice, visitors are taken into this enlightened world and greeted as friends, and the neighborhood and city embrace this temporary artistic adventure. As a participating artist, I have learned so much about the amazing connections artists make with their audiences.

Conversations with visitors during the Project always seem to begin with art or the weather but will often move on to more meaningful engagement. Through my interactions on the ice, I have seen visitors find and enjoy beauty while learning of the fragility of our ecosystem and gaining an understanding of what actions they can take to create a better world. I’ve had exchanges with visitors about warming temperatures, endangered polar bears, the need to plant trees, the dwindling pollinator population, rising ocean tides and the increase of violent storms. I worked with Art Shanty Projects the year we had to pull shanties off the ice of White Bear Lake because it was rapidly melting (talk about a climate change conversation starter). These insights have provided me with great inspiration and allowed my performances to shift toward sharing important environmental messages.

I’ve been a performer with Art Shanty Projects for 12 years.

My involvement started on Medicine Lake in Plymouth, where I drove my artcar — the Lipstick Car — at the world’s only annual ArtCar Parade on Ice. On White Bear Lake, visitors met me as a roving photographer with the Giant Frame, and on Bde Unma (Lake Harriet) I was reporter Patti Pucker from KOLD-TV, coming to you “live from the Ice.”

For Art Shanty Projects 2022, I wanted to do something extra-super-special. I wanted to bring the climate conversation to the foreground, to be the center of attention. I also felt a need to incorporate my love of winter fashion and the joy of making wearable art. So I created Fashion Disasters — climate catastrophes come to life in over-the-top costumes and performances.

here’s something extraordinary about a festival on a frozen lake. Art Shanty Projects is a four-week-long art event, held on a frozen lake in the Twin Cities metro area.

Contracted artists build incredible temporary structures, like ice fishing shacks with artistic themes. Their designs are assembled on site to make up a village of shanties where performers entertain and amuse visitors in playful and thoughtful ways.

desperately looked around at my belongings wondering just what would be most important to save. The dangers lurked for weeks; the fires were on everyone’s mind. Special meetings took place at the community center down the road, which had been turned into a central headquarters for the firefighting teams. When the winds turned the smoke in our direction, the air pollution became dangerously high. Thanks to the courageous workers and some much-needed rain, the fires were kept from our township and we didn’t need to evacuate. This experience gave me more drive for the Fashion Disasters project.

I chose Wildfire as my disaster because I love the color red (yes, it was that simple). Little did I know this disaster would be hitting very close to my home up near Lake Superior. Our area experienced an intense drought last summer, causing the rivers and lakes to hit record lows, and the forest service banned outdoor fires. Then, last fall, the Greenwood fires reached to about 15 miles from my house. We were alerted to prepare to evacuate, and I

The results of our team’s efforts to personify catastrophes are jaw-dropping! Bright colors and textures pop on the pure-white background of snow and ice. The audience’s eyes are on us when we take the ice, and climate change takes center stage.

Fashion Disasters demand attention by physical presence alone.

Conversations can be scary and hopeful and daring and bold. This is our mission, accomplished!

RISING WATERS 76

OIL SPILL

BY PATTI PAULSON

HURRICANE

BY PATTY GILLE AND HER FRIEND THERESA LINNIHAN

BY PETER SCHULZE

DENIAL

BY MINA LEIERWOOD

BY DOMINIQUE MENARD

BY MAJENTAH AQUARIOUS

After the application was accepted, my team quickly developed from my amazing collection of artistic friends. Each artist I invited got a small stipend and the freedom to develop their own disaster, both costume and character. In addition to a catwalk (or catastrophic walk), I wanted each disaster to take the stage for a song, reading or movement piece of their own creation in any genre or style. Efforts to recycle and repurpose materials were encouraged, and used, including salvaged snow fencing and caution tape, burlap sacks, plastic materials from roadside cleanup, repurposed bicycle tire rubber tubing and upcycled prom dresses.

ISLAND OF PLASTIC

WILDFIRE

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ARTS & CULTURE

By LYLA BROWN, JACQUELYN JENSON AND RUTH PSZWARO

Grand Marais Art Colony M

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Ada Leaphart Residency

innesota’s North Shore: It’s one of the iconic North American landscapes. For those who call it home, the rhythms of life here are deeply tethered to the elements — the land, water, wind, sun and snow. Whether it is the sunlight on the Sawtooth Mountain Ridge, the sound of waves on Lake Superior or the sweet smell of the boreal forests, the North Shore calls us to explore — to explore smooth contours and rough textures, the warm autumn hues and the waters that carry a hundred shades of blue.

Since 1947, the Grand Marais Art Colony has made its home in this region, edged in by the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on one side and Lake Superior on the other. Its founder, painter and art instructor Birney Quick, loved Cook County, fly fishing and painting outdoors. He and his business partner, Byron Bradley, teamed up, with the support of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, to establish an outdoor painting school that embraced the complex geography and beauty of the area. Ever since then, people have made the pilgrimage to Grand Marais to visit the Art Colony. Their time in this landscape, in the Colony’s studios and under the guidance of skilled art instructors shapes their creative questions and gives them the space and time to explore art.

A key resource that the Art Colony provides to artists is residencies and studio access. Artists-in-residence take advantage of space and time to dive deep into their work and invest in exploring that next best thing. The Art Colony’s multidiscipline ceramics and printmaking studios are available from October to April for artists to pursue their individual projects; these studios then flip their purpose and offer classes to all comers from May

“Whether you are just

starting to dip your toes into creativity, you have a latent artistic interest, or you simply love galleries, museums and the work of artists, you too can come and explore art at the Art Colony.

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Moheb Soliman

Bruce Silcox

to September. The Art Colony provides these things — support, access and education — because it understands that pursuing art is not necessarily a straight or easy path.

Whether you are just starting to dip your toes into creativity, you have a latent artistic interest, or you simply love galleries, museums and the work of artists, you too can come and explore art at the Art Colony. Take a foundational class meant for true beginners and see where it takes you! Sit in on a free artist talk or a demonstration, or participate in a virtual mini-class. Additionally, throughout the year the Art Colony hosts exhibitions that bring opportunities for exchange and dialogue about issues facing the Great Lakes region, as well as an annual arts festival that attracts some 15,000 visitors every July.

Freeze Casting by David Andree, 2020, documentation of temporarily frozen fabric sculpture, dimensions variable

This fostering of art and artists has not only had a lasting effect on the students who visit the Art Colony but also has shaped the town of Grand Marais. With over 75 years of artists coming to the North Shore, Grand Marais and the Art Colony have grown together. While small rural communities might struggle to provide any sort of arts access to their residents, you will find the arts thriving in Grand Marais. This small town of 1,300 people is home to numerous art galleries and art-centric organizations, as well as stunning public murals and art installations. You will find that those who recognize the importance of art and culture come to Grand Marais. As their time here shapes them, they in turn shape this place, making Grand Marais, the Art Colony and the greater artistic community deeply interwoven.

Today, the Art Colony continues its 75-year legacy of supporting artists and amplifying the enduring human need for creative expression and inspiration.

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cfdesignltd.com 218-722-1060 | 218-343-0983 Duluth, MN

Bayfield, WI

A Trail of Choice

By CHERYL FOSDICK

A

s long as 200,000 years ago, kinsfolk marked their passages and routes with broken branches, scored saplings, cairns, mileposts and signs. We suppose that trailblazers faced hazard and risk, threat, menace and a dubious equilibrium — and met all these uncertainties so they could connect points A and B along a line in the wilderness. If you think about it, though, the original trailblazers knew the beginning and the completion of their journey.

They were graphic guides, directors of a procession. Most important for humanity, they set down a tableau of change and progress.

part the scene of Horror and Hazard, to reveal an unobstructed view of paradise. One might think about following, no?

Trailblazers, in fact, left traces in the wilderness that promised we could always find our way home, no matter our quests or adventures abroad. This is significant and is vital security to every great entrepreneur, adventurer, pioneer, inventor and orator alike who has stepped off the line from A to B; that is, the prospect for and the vision of returning home fulfilled.

Excuse the Trailblazers. It’s really the brave and the dreamers amongst us who rely on the blazed trail being simultaneously the path away from and toward home. We should quietly embrace those who made judgments and choices regardless of the Trailblazer — driven by curiosity, hope and determination. People who took and continue to take these risks to step off the path so that others may know by example that they can bind their own original thoughts to equally original itineraries traveling through the wilderness.

As we often find over time, the symbolism of an unpretentious activity, like trailblazing, becomes its own linguistic milepost.

Trailblazers, with a capital T, have become, by definition, noble and courageous individuals whom others aspire to be, with followers on their heels, to make the world a better place. However, the merit of following the path of any Trailblazer depends upon the very nature of the person: collaborator or opportunist; learned scout or swashbuckler; custodian or political puppet; narcissist or humanitarian. Further, we have the often perilous tendency to extend meaning to the mere sound and the visual connotations of words — Trailblazer: flames thrown from superhero fingertips neatly 82

Consider the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Donning a coat of bright color (what does this tell you?) and flute in hand, he used his music to charm the overpopulation of rats off a mountain cliff.

So underappreciated yet sonically charming was this brigand Trailblazer, he subsequently also led the 130 children of the town to the same fate. Oops.

If not the Trailblazer as leader and guide, then whom? This is who we should put our faith in. Ourselves. Us. There is no one whose footsteps we need to match. We only need to know we carry the potential and framework for extraordinary vision through any journey. Before we made them heroes, Trailblazers were just doing their job. Visionaries are the folks who leave the trail from A to B because it exists in the first place. Exploration may be far and wide, but the blazed trail endures so one may always find a way home.

Set Apart From The Rest

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FINDING CLARITY

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LAKE AND COMPANY

MINNESOTA’S ECO-CONSCIOUS DOMES AND FOOD FOREST

By JON KREYE

Photography by JON KREYE

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estled in between Lake Superior and the Lutsen Mountains sits Klarhet (pronounced “Klar” like bar, “het” like net) an up-andcoming eco-conscious destination for adventurers and foodies on Minnesota’s North Shore. Upon first stepping onto the property, I could see why the owners, Nicole and Kirk, decided to name the place after a feeling of complete transparency and quietness — a true sense of clarity, or klarhet in Swedish. The namesake of the property represents the feeling Nicole and Kirk eventually found while working together creating it and reaching for that bliss.

Waking up inside a dome is a refreshing feeling. With a spacious, bright and open concept, the design lends itself to feelings of peace and tranquility. The design of each dome is minimalistic, yet extremely intentional.

While planning my stay, I asked which dome is best.

Nicole shared that guests are encouraged to read about the name and intention behind each of the four domes and choose the one that best resonates with

GUESTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ ABOUT THE NAME AND INTENTION BEHIND EACH OF THE FOUR DOMES AND CHOOSE THE ONE THAT BEST RESONATES WITH WHERE THEY ARE IN LIFE AT THE MOMENT.” 87

STAY

where they are in life at the moment. Interestingly, Nicole and Kirk named each dome one by one after completing them. One of the domes is named Laguz, which is Old Norse for “water, sea and the deeper consciousness.” Laguz invites an inner stillness, like the depths of the freshwater sea in its view, where long-held forgotten dreams may ignite once again within. And with another quiet moment, those once-forgotten dreams may rush into the shores of your heart, guiding you forward forevermore. For my weekend excursion, I chose to stay in the Raidho dome, which is Old Norse for “joy of the journey, a new path forward, and new opportunities,” which resonated with my current state, having exciting opportunities on the horizon.

The domes are well equipped with in-floor heating, a super-sustainable pellet-fueled fireplace, a kitchenette, a spacious bathroom and so much natural light, thanks to the huge windows facing Lake Superior. Every item and material inside the domes was sourced as close to Lutsen as possible.

Even the live-edge wood counter in one of the bathrooms was garnered from a fallen tree on their property. Not a detail went overlooked in the design, as Nicole and Kirk considered sustainability, natural solar heat, lake views and ethically sourced materials as they planned.

Intention is a word I would use to describe Klarhet.

Not only in its design but also in the meaning and feeling of the spaces that have been created. The domes, created with sacred geometry at their core, offer a one-of-a-kind opportunity for harmonization that comes when aligned with nature, that place where creativity and clarity thrive. The goats and

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“THE DOMES, CREATED WITH SACRED GEOMETRY AT THEIR CORE, OFFER A ONEOF-A-KIND OPPORTUNITY FOR HARMONIZATION THAT COMES WHEN ALIGNED WITH NATURE, THAT PLACE WHERE CREATIVITY AND CLARITY THRIVE.

chickens, which are friendly neighbors of those staying in the domes, have a purpose within the property. The goats help graze and clear the grounds and are also milked. One of the goals of Klahet is to create educational opportunities for guests and community members; on any given day, you can join the staff in immersive farm-to-table culinary experiences. One such experience coming soon will include milking the goats in the morning, then using that milk to learn how to make goat cheese. In the evening, guests will make homemade pizza with that same goat cheese in their soon-to-be-finished state-of-the-art teaching kitchen with sweeping views of Lake Superior.

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A deep-seated mission of Klarhet is to sustain the natural environment it sits on. In light of this, Nicole and Kirk are in the process of creating a regenerative food forest. What is a food forest? I wondered the same thing. Simply put, it is a food system that works with, rather than against, the challenges of the natural environment. Regenerative food forests strive to coexist with animals, insects and nature to nourish the body as well as the earth itself. During my stay, I was able to walk through the future food forest, which currently consists of mounds of brush and other natural elements. The regenerative forest technique helps promote soil development and growth of the organic edibles that will thrive in this minimally invasive environment. Currently, Klarhet boasts fruit trees, shrubs, vegetables and herbs with a goal of continuing to expand and even hiring a farmer to tend their gardens.

Nicole and Kirk’s passion for organic food stems from their childhood. As a child, Nicole watched her grandfather work

REGENERATIVE FOOD FORESTS STRIVE TO COEXIST WITH ANIMALS, INSECTS AND NATURE TO NOURISH THE BODY AS WELL AS THE EARTH ITSELF.”

in his small garden and learned quickly that food tastes different when it comes from the ground.

Meanwhile, as a child Kirk was also learning about farming on his grandfather’s dairy farm. Nicole later became a nurse practitioner and completed her doctorate in nursing practice specializing in integrative health, which allows her to share with others her passion for consuming whole foods. These experiences have helped shape their worldview and their current lifestyle. One long-term goal for Klarhet is to integrate a clinical setting for health care providers to experience growing, cooking and eating whole foods that they can then share with their future patients.

If you take a step back to look at it all — a regenerative food forest, eco-friendly domes, purposeful animals, a teaching kitchen, secluded woods and dedicated owners — you’ll realize Klarhet is far more than just another North Shore Airbnb. Spearheading immersive educational experiences for the community and visitors with goals of creating sustainable food and jobs for the community, it’s really a movement. Ultimately, Nicole and Kirk want to create a space where masters of their craft (farmers, chefs, designers, makers, musicians) have a place to share it with others and build a strong community as they grow and learn from one another.

As a self-proclaimed Airbnb super guest, I am usually pretty content with my stays, but I don’t often leave with a whole new perspective on growing food, deep feelings of peace or inspiration to do my part to sustain our environment. Nicole and Kirk’s hope is that some of the inspiration they’ve found throughout their journey rubs off even a little bit on anyone who visits to follow the dream of their own. I certainly found clarity during my stay. Will you?

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LEARN MORE AT DULUTHTRAINS.COM

TAKE A RIDE

Housed in the historic St. Louis County Depot, the Lake Superior Railroad Museum features the finest collection of railroad equipment in the country. This must-see Duluth attraction offers interactive exhibits as well as history from the region.

In addition to the railroad museum, you will find the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which operates excursion trains from late spring through fall color season, using historic rail equipment from the museum collection. Take in views of gorgeous Lake Superior as you travel along its shores on this memorable ride.

These trains are also available for private charter services and group events.

Back IN HISTORY

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LAKE AND COMPANY

A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS Employing people with disabilities

A

t first glance, a warehouse humming with the meticulous assembling of corrugated plastic products may not seem like the obvious place to employ and empower people with disabilities. But get to know the people doing the work, and you’ll quickly learn that MDI is a special place, with a culture founded on inclusion.

MDI is a Minneapolis-based manufacturer of corrugated plastic products and provider of production and medical services that help keep supplies flowing across Minnesota and the world.

Within its three Minnesota facilities, MDI is a thriving business with a nonprofit mission of empowering the career success of people with disabilities. In fact, approximately half of MDI’s employees are people with disabilities.

Eric Black, president and CEO of MDI, says there is an opportunity for other Minnesota businesses to engage and employ this overlooked talent pool to address workforce shortages. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is twice the general population.

“When we hire a new employee, we focus on the person’s abilities and strengths — not their limitations,” Black said. “The sobering reality is that tens of thousands of Minnesotans with

disabilities — from Chanhassen to Crosby — are skilled and ready to work but have not been given a fair shot.”

Black, who spent more than two decades working for a Fortune 500 company himself, challenges companies of all sizes to keep an open mind and consider hiring people with disabilities.

“It’s not enough just to hire a person with disabilities,” added Black. “The real work starts after the hire, with the ultimate goals of job satisfaction, retention and empowerment.”

MDI’s Career Skills program — offered since 2017 — helps employees become the “CEOs of their life” through weekly classes that build personal and professional development skills to improve confidence and productivity. The program has a goal of impacting 2,500 lives by 2025. MDI is seeking one-time funding from the Minnesota Legislature to roll out a virtual component and thus expand its reach.

Pointing to progress made by other Minnesota companies, including Arrowhead Medical, Boston Scientific, Brother Justus Whiskey Company and Hotel Rapids, Black says providing goodpaying jobs for people with disabilities also makes economic sense.

“If we open our minds to untapped talent pools, we can provide meaningful employment for people who deserve it, solve staffing challenges across the state and strengthen our economy.”

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NATURES EDIBLES

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by Kitty and Bill Lindner

Lake country is bursting with a myriad of wild edibles...nature’s first fruits await the most savvy of foragers.

From its long, wintery slumber the earth is awakening. Soil thaws and drinks in the melting snow. Gentle rains know to come, stirring the ground with life. The classic smell of spring is surely in the air. And the sun’s warm rays rouse our first plants into budding.

As the cyclical calendar drives Mother Nature’s hourglass, the very first spring edibles emerge. Wild leeks are the first to push out of the forest floor. Fiddlehead ferns pop up from the moist earth. Walleye are instinctively drawn up the warming creeks and shallow shoals to spawn.

And finally, when conditions are perfect, the queen of spring is heralded in; the long awaited morel mushroom is announced. Together, these jewels of the outdoors present as the ultimate spring bounty feast.

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FIDDLEHEAD FERN MOREL MUSHROOMS Slightly nutty in taste, morels are widely considered the most prized of wild mushrooms. Common varieties include yellow and black morels. In North Country, the black morels are predominant.

Warm weather, humidity, and rain serenade the morel for her spring debut. She is regally posed for a relatively short window of time. Those who discover this spring treasure and culinary reward are willing spend hours in pursuit.

In this region, morels are healthy challenge to find because they blend in with their habitat. Once you find one, get on your knees and scan intently. You’ll often see more when you get into a mind/eye profile. They can be found in cleared areas and both mature and young Aspen. Hillsides and swails are often key spots.

Keep a close eye on the ground and bring a mushroom stick to shuffle leaves and move brush. “When you think you know everything about finding morels, then think again, because they will make a fool out of you,” says Pat Swedman, life long mushroom hunter from Max, Minnesota.

HOW TO CLEAN AND TRIM MORELS: 1. Using a vegetable brush or soft toothbrush, remove debris from outer part of morel.

2. Place morels in colander and rinse in cold water until they come clean.

3. On a cutting board, slice morels lengthwise to find hidden debris and to confirm that it is a true morel. It should be hollow inside; if it is not hollow it is NOT a true morel. Pay dry.

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Fiddlehead is a stage of growth, a tightly coiled young shoot, resembling its namesake head of a violin. There are look-alikes; but only one species is edible, the fiddleheads from the Ostrich fern. At this early stage, they have a bright chlorophyll flavor. Some say they taste like asparagus with a hint of fresh green bean. You’ll find this delicacy late April or early May, across much of the state in low areas, and near creeks and rivers. They are best when harvested when they first appear, just a few inches above the ground. Fiddleheads are in their coiled form for about only two weeks until they unfurl into graceful greenery. Rest assured, in season you can also find them in pint-sized baskets at specialty grocery stores, local markets, or food co-ops. Fiddleheads can be steamed, blanched, pureed, or sautéed. They are lovely as a side, or added to pasta dishes, as accompaniment to fish, and in salads.

HOW TO CLEAN/BLANCH FIDDLEHEADS: 1. Trim brown ends from the fern shoots and pull off the papery skin.

2. In a colander, rinse with cold water 2 or 3 times until clean, then drain and pat dry.

3. Blanch in a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes and shock in a bowl of ice water.

4. Skim off any remaining chaff. Rinse a final time. Use immediately or refridgerate.

WALLEYE The walleye-fishing opener has a long history of being the official sign of spring.

Walleye are really abundant in our lakes and rivers. Fortunately, fishing opener coincides with the other spring treats. Once you’ve caught your own walleyes and have prepared them with these prized delicacies, the reward is complete and ready to savor.

RAMPS

Light, white and flaky, moist and very clean tasting, walleye lends itself well to a variety of preparation: panfried; pan-seared; batter coated/fried-shore lunch style; baked; broiled and grilled.

Ramps (wild leeks), another harbinger of spring, break through the soil in late April or early May. You’ll see colonies of them occupying shaded, cool, damp areas of deep deciduous forests. Look for their long, green, pointed oval leaves. To distinguish them from others, crush the waxy leaves to release the oniony-leek aroma. If the soil is very moist it’s much easier to pull up the ramps. If the dirt is even medium-dry, you’ll need hand or full-length garden tools to dig them out. Loosen the dirt deep below the bulb, being careful to not damage the bulb. Pull up enough for dinner and leave the rest to go to seed and germinate. Once picked, it looks similar to a table onion or scallion; but the leaves are broad, similar to a tulip. The leaves and bulbs are eaten raw or cooked and are especially popular in soups.

The bulbs pack a powerful garlicky-onion punch when folded into pasta, salads, and pesto. The leaves can be wrapped around fish, for a subtle scenting, while being roasted. Bulbs can be sautéed and added to any recipe that calls for onions or shallots. Ramps are also delightful in egg dishes, risotto, quesadillas, tofu, Asian cuisine, and biscuits. Ramps can be pickled and enjoyed for up to a year in the fridge. Another idea is to snip off part of the fresh leaf and immerse it in gin or vodka for spring tonic martini.

TRIMMING RAMPS 1. Snip the roots away. Cut the white bulbs from the blush part and stem of the plant and rinse well. Set aside the stems for other uses.

2. Heat olive oil or grapeseed oil on low to medium heat. Once hot, add ramps.

3. Toss and fold for about five minutes.

4. Ramp bulbs are ready for eating or adding to recipes.

ABOUT RAMP GREENS/FORAGING OR BUYING ~Choose only vibrant green leaves (not pale, and skip the wilted ones) ~Rinse leaves in cold water to keep them fresh, and dry well. Then store them in the refrigerator in damp paper towels and place in an unsealed plastic bag.

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PAN-FRIED WALLEYE WITH MOREL-LEEK SAUCE (Developed by Teresa Morrone)* Serves 2 Seasoned Flour: 1/3 cup all purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional) 4 to 6 ramps, trimmed and rinsed 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, divided 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped morels 1 cup half-and-half or evaporated skim milk Fillets from 1 eating-sized walleye, skin removed Sea salt and freshly ground pepper To make the seasoned flour, combine the flour, cornmeal, onion powder, paprika, salt, and garlic powder (if using), in a zippered plastic bag; shake well and set aside.

Slice the ramp bulbs into 1/8-inch-thick slices; slice the greens into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Sauce: Melt about 2 teaspoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the ramps and sauté for a few minutes until soft. Add the morels and continue cooking until they are just tender, 3 minutes.

Push the mushrooms to the side of the pan, and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the flour mixture into the juices stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in half-and-half. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles very gently; simmer while you prepare the fish. Be sure to stir the sauce occasionally while you are cooking the fish.

Dredge the damp fish fillets in the flour. Melt 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Shake the excess flour from the filets and add the fillets to the skillet in a single layer. Reduce the heat slightly and cook until the fish is a rich golden brown on the bottom. If the skillet seems dry, add a bit more butter, then turn filets and cook until fish is just done, 4 minutes on each side.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the fish to a serving plate. Spoon the morel sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

FIDDLEHEADS WITH ASIAN DRESSING (AS SHOWN) Serves 2 2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoon dark sesame oil 2 teaspoons rice wine (optional) 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or equivalent desired heat factor 1 cup fiddleheads Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine (if using), sugar, sesame seeds, and cayenne in a bowl or small container; mix well. (This can be done earlier in the day; store mixture at room temperature.) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fiddleheads. Return to a gentle boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and refresh immediately with lots of cold water. Drain a second time and refresh again immediately with lots of cold water.

In a mixing bowl, combine the fiddleheads and dressing, stirring to coat. Let stand for at least 10 minutes, or as long as an hour before serving. Serve at room temperature.

* Teresa Marrone is an independent author, she has written over a dozen additional cookbooks. She is also the author/photographer for a series of photographic field ID guides on wild berries and fruits (published for four regions of the US). Teresa is also co-author of a growing series of photographic field ID guides for mushrooms, including Mushrooms of the Upper Midwest, co-authored with Kathy Yerich.

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Currently Reading

By CLAIRE PETERLIN

There were two things my mom never said “no” to while my siblings and I were growing up: new books and stray dogs. All of my favorite memories revolve around books — trips with my mom and baby sister to the library, hours spent at bookstores, receiving books and pajamas (my other love language) for Christmas every year, my dad reading the Harry Potter series and a different voice for each character, my grandpa drawing little smiles or frowns in the corners of the hundreds, if not thousands, of books he read from his recliner in Babbitt, Minnesota. The list goes on. Even now as adults, most of my family’s conversations include books, and I love asking people what their list of favorite reads includes. Books, to me, equate with happiness.

As I finished my undergraduate and graduate degrees, reading took a back seat to studying and navigating the start to my adult life. In the last few years, I’ve fallen back in love with reading. You can find me sitting with a cup of coffee at my kitchen counter reading nonfiction or tucked under a blanket in Minnesota, or lying in the sun on a boat or dock or beach (Jensen Beach, preferably) with a good novel.

Someone once told me I was a multipotentialite and it felt like finally getting permission to live my authentic life. Indeed, I don’t have a favorite genre. I constantly have five-plus books going at once. I’m also deeply and painfully an introvert, but if you talk to me about books — you wouldn’t know it.

On My Nightstand The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

What She Knew

by Gilly

I Will Teach You to Be Rich

by Ramit Sethi

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

The Culture Map

by Erin Meyer

“My tip for reading more books is the same as my tip for drinking more water — always have it in hand. It’s that easy.”

Read this if … … you’re asking about the meaning of life:

… you feel like you’re being pulled in too many directions and need refocusing:

… you like short, vibrant stories with excellent characters:

… you can’t resist a good, Southern “alright, alright, alright”:

… you want to be transported to another place and love history:

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World by the 14th Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans

Greenlights

by Matthew McConaughey

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

I’m an engineer, so bear with me. The law of conservation of energy states that the total energy of a system remains constant; it cannot be created or destroyed, just converted. Nerd alert, but this law drives my life.

Every day we start with only a certain amount of energy and have to make choices about where to place that energy. This book teaches how to minimize distraction and how to double-down on the “essentials” and methods to apply these concepts in real life.

Sometimes you just want to pick up a story and be able to finish it in the same sitting, you know?

I present: short-story compilations! Perfect for a short reading session during morning coffee or after-school pickup or in between Zoom calls.

Evans presents complex storylines and human dynamics that explore deep themes of race, culture and American history. Her stories both made me smile and made my heart hurt.

When a friend recommended this to me, I hardcore rolled my eyes. Hollywood celebrity memoirs? Yeah, no thanks. Oh, how I was so wrong. And I need to add a correction — don’t read this one; listen to it on audiobook. This was my road-cycling listen last summer and I actually mourned finishing it.

Hate him or love him, Matthew McConaughey has lived an amazingly interesting life and has overcome some seriously challenging life events and actively reinvented himself in pursuit of a more fulfilling life.

Where are my wandering souls? I love a good book that takes me away to a place I’ve never been.

And when you live in the freaking tundra, sometimes a book is the quickest form of escape. The Poisonwood Bible is set in the Belgian Congo in 1959 and tells the story from the point of view of the wife and four daughters of a Baptist missionary over a span of three decades as they uproot their lives to move to Africa and navigate family heartbreak and rebuilding during the Congo’s fight for independence.

The Book of Joy is a record of a week-long conversation between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu exploring the concept of joy: how we can create joy and overcome the obstacles that prevent it. This is a must-read for anyone looking to live a more meaningful life and is also a timely opportunity for reflection on our ability to create light when there seems to be so much suffering in the world.

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Now booking events, weddings, reunions. theandersonhousehotel.com | Wabasha, MN

Est. 1856 Minnesota's Oldest Historic Hotel

theandersonhousehotel.com | Wabasha, MN

By ALYZA JAMES

Grounded Advice and Whole-Bean Wisdom A voice for awareness, connection and uplifting communities

I

was 5 when my parents decided to start a coffeeroasting company. My earliest memories of the business include helping my parents put labels on first-generation retail bags, attending coffee shows with them and running around their small warehouse in my dance attire, as my studio was conveniently located right next door. But as time went on, and their business became larger and more successful, I drifted away from the coffee business to pursue other areas of interest.

Shortly after returning to my parents’ coffee-roasting company, Alakef Coffee Roasters, in 2014, I attended a conference where a gentleman from Colombia spoke of a husband and wife who owned a small coffee farm.

As Colombia had been so war-torn, the husband was drafted to fight in the war and sadly was killed. When the wife took ownership of their farm and a key piece of their machinery broke down, she went to the banks but was refused financing simply because she was a woman. Now, I had basically lived my entire life in and

PODCAST

around the coffee industry, yet I had no idea that this inequity existed. I felt so moved and inspired by this story that shortly after taking full ownership of my parents’ company in 2015, I launched the City Girl Coffee brand.

Our goal? To source exclusively from women-owned and women-managed farms and cooperatives from around the world. Additionally, we give a portion of proceeds back to organizations that support these women by giving them access to fair marketplaces, education, resources, financing and positions of power.

Today, City Girl has grown into a multimillion-dollar business and this July will be launching in 1,500+ additional grocery stores throughout the U.S. The amazing response City Girl has received inspired me to think more globally. How can we bring awareness and equity to other women and industries around the world? When the pandemic hit in March 2020, I suddenly felt a new sense of urgency to not only bring awareness to but also connect, inspire and uplift communities.

So in January 2021, I launched the City Girl Empower Hour podcast with a single goal: Bring listeners “Grounded Advice and Whole-Bean Wisdom.” Listeners can tune in to hear inspiring stories from entrepreneurs, media personalities and all-around life experts who are excelling in their chosen profession. From our episode with certified life coach Kris Torgrimson about intentional goal setting and mindfulness, to Lisa Shol, who started her company, Lil Beanstalk, six months ago to create a more sustainable and affordable solution for baby and kid clothes, to Erin Coscerelli, a sideline reporter for the Las Vegas Raiders, who shares her experience as a female in a VERY male-dominated field, to our upcoming guest Angie Bastian, who, alongside her husband, Dan, founded Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP and grew it into a beloved, empowered and spirited brand sold internationally, every episode aims to highlight, connect, share and elevate amazing women and their stories, leaving our listeners empowered and lifted up where they belong!

Sourced from women around the world.

Roasted in Minnesota.

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MEET THE MAKER

With Deep Reverence for Nature & Family Photography by CRYSTAL OSEN

Introducing a new Minnesota brand inspired by memories of trips into the Boundary Waters with their father. Now a mother and three sons have launched an environment-friendly brand with the hope of encouraging us all to live life to its fullest.

T

he origins of one of Minnesota’s newest brands, Abode Outside, can be traced to a teenage son’s walk in the woods with his father — a conservative, religious man who rarely elevated anything above faith. The two were on a trip in the Boundary Waters when the father stopped, looked around and referred to the northwoods as his “sanctuary.” This was the first and possibly only time the father admitted that the woods restored his soul and contributed more to his spiritual journey than a Sunday church service. This moment sparked a love of the outdoors in the son. Ever since those childhood trips in the Boundary Waters, nature became a vital part of that young boy’s life.

Twenty years later that young boy,Nathan Baller, conceived an apparel brand based on sustainability, new technology, functionality, gender neutrality and awareness. His research has shined a light on how harmful our current clothing industry is to human and environmental health. Plastic pollution, excessive water use, unfair wages, unsafe working conditions and CO2 emissions are just a few of the major issues fueled by the clothing industry.

Abode Outside was developed in mid-2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now a family business with Nathan’s mother and brothers — who all carry a lifelong passion for the outdoors.

Sustainability

It is so important to support sustainable, responsible businesses right now, especially in the clothing industry, because fashion is considered the second-most-polluting industry, behind energy. We live on a very small, very rare planet with limited space and resources.

Functionality

Fast fashion is the term used for the traditional clothing development process of pumping out new trends as cheaply as possible. The push to make clothing fast and cheap puts stress on every aspect of the supply chain, from the factory workers to the farmers. This practice, which has gone on for decades, is the primary reason behind the many health issues facing the clothing industry. That is why we use a “function over fashion” approach to clothing design.

Gender Neutrality

Every item is designed with exclusive gender-neutral sizing, referred to as “ecosizing.”

Awareness

Most people are aware that oil and gas is a polluting industry. The issue is mainstream. You can find solar panels and electric cars in many neighborhoods around America, and that trend will continue to grow.

Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the problems surrounding the clothes we wear every day. Their mission is to educate consumers and businesses about sustainable clothing and consumption.

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Wellness Retreat YO U R

On the road, in the wild, at home, or out in the backyard your authentic sauna journey begins with Voyageur.

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Aimee Jobe, @aimeejobephoto

LAKE AND COMPANY

ISSUE 19

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Resting along the shoreline of Duluth’s harbor, a stay at Pier B is just the beginning of lasting memories on the lake. Whether you soak up some sun sightseeing on the water, or by taking in the view from our spacious lawn or hot tub ~ your Superior escape awaits.

Book your Duluth, MN getaway at pierbresort.com