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Copyright 2017 by Northern Wilds Media, Inc.
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The wolves of Isle Royale and Michipicoten Island
NORTH SHORE—While teaching winter plant identification for a wolf ecology field course in 2005, I read The Wolves of Isle Royale by Rolf O. Peterson. I was captivated by the incredible stories and valuable knowledge generated by his long-term research project on Isle Royale. Wolves protect plants by controlling herbivores, he revealed. With that, I was hooked.
The story of wolves on Isle Royale began in the 1940s, when a pack crossed to the island on an ice bridge. Numerous plot twists later, the wolves of Isle Royale have taken several turns for the worse. Only two wolves remain on the island, and they are so inbred that they can’t or won’t breed. The National Park Service is weighing the options—including introducing 2030 wolves to the park over a three-year period. A story that many like to think of as “nature taking its course” is about to get a new editor.
Meanwhile, on another Lake Superior island, wolves have just arrived.
At the 2015 Midwest Wolf Stewards Conference, Brent Patterson, a research scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, reported on three wolves that had just been spotted on Michipicoten Island in northeastern Lake Superior. This little provincial park is the third largest island in Lake Superior, and sits about 10 miles offshore. Caribou were reintroduced to the island in the 1980s, and they have been doing well.
When asked to compare and contrast the situation on Michipicoten to the one on Isle Royale, Patterson quickly listed a few ideas: they are both protected islands in Lake Superior with a single ungulate prey, and a single large predator. At that time, both islands had three wolves. “But,” he added with a chuckle at his understatement, “those wolves are on very different trajectories.”
Recently, I called Patterson to get an update on the status of those first three Michipicoten wolves. The small pack of three wolves had a litter that first spring and a litter every year since. Although researchers from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources haven’t been able to count the pups, they know that wolves have an average of 4-7 pups per litter. Patterson expects to find about 20 wolves on the island this winter during their annual population count. That means those pups are doing well.
Even though their numbers are swelling, there isn’t evidence that a second pack has formed…yet. During the last population count, several of the older pups were off on their own.
Keeping track of the wolves is no easy task. Six have GPS collars, but only three of the collars are still sending data via satellite. The island is a “non-operational” provincial park, which means there are no maintained roads or trails. Visitors mostly access the island by water, and stick to camping on the beaches. One kayak camper unzipped his tent to find two wolves staring back at him in October 2014—that was the first sighting. This summer, that
same lucky paddler spotted four wolves walking along the shore.
The wolves’ success seems partly, if not mostly, based on the abundant food available on the island. Caribou are their primary source of prey in the winter. After the spring thaw, wolves switch gears and focus on beaver until they become more elusive again after freeze-up. This two-pronged approach seems smart, but it may also spell doom for the caribou.
The caribou population is counted during aerial surveys each winter, population estimates are fine-tuned using trail cameras, and about 30 also wear GPS collars. Their numbers are declining. Where once they had the run of the island, now they must escape from a growing pack of predators. If it was just the wolves and caribou, the system might balance itself out eventually. Caribou numbers would decline to a point where the wolves couldn’t find enough
isn’t in immediate danger of being wiped out, though, and for now land managers are inclined to let nature take its course. Just like on Isle Royale, watching carefully as a natural drama plays out is incredibly valuable to science.
As much as we humans might choose to cheer for either wolves or caribou—the charismatic megafauna—beavers could be the real influencers on this island. With such a high population density, they’ve had a huge effect on the hydrology—altering the flow of water with their many dams—and the vegetation. Patterson reports that some areas have been impacted so heavily by beaver chews that they resemble young clear-cuts. In other places, alder thickets tangle up the swamps. This is not an easy place to take a walk.
food, then the wolf numbers would decline and the caribou herd could recover.
The presence of beavers complicates the system, though. The single population survey of beavers completed in October of 2015 revealed 1,300 active beaver lodges on the 71-square-mile island. That’s a higher density than Patterson and his colleagues have encountered anywhere else in North America. Those tender, juicy beavers could support the wolf population at high levels even as caribou decline. One by one, the wolves could pick off the remaining caribou whenever convenient, eventually leading to the complete extirpation of caribou from the island.
Caribou are a threatened species both in Ontario and Canada as a whole. As you might imagine, concerned citizens are pressuring the government to do something about the declining caribou numbers on Michipicoten Island. Their population
From a hiker’s perspective at least, Patterson describes the island as “a beautiful but nasty place in the summer.” That’s part of the reason why human visitors mostly stick to the beaches. As unwelcoming as this landscape may be to us, it’s a good example of how beavers are “keystone species,” and have an outsized influence on their ecosystem. Innumerable species of birds, fish, amphibians, invertebrates, mammals, and more rely on the wetlands and wet meadows that beavers create.
When you add in the fact that the presence of beavers may someday permit wolves to extirpate caribou, then it’s not hard to see that these waddling lumberjacks have more than just a supporting role in the drama unfolding on Michipicoten Island.
It has become clear that the Michipicoten story isn’t just a rehashing of the plot from Isle Royale. What will we learn from this new, long-term, predator-prey study? Only time will tell. Even a seasoned researcher like Patterson admits that “each year is more interesting than the last.” —Emily M. Stone
In 2015, three wolves were spotted on Michipicoten Island. That small pack has had a litter of pups every year since. | JOHN MCFAUL
Michipicoten Island is the third largest island in Lake Superior. | WIKI
A wolf track found on Isle Royale. | EMILY STONE
Understanding the wolf Separating fact and fiction with the help of the International Wolf Center
ELY—Unlike some animal-based tour attractions, the International Wolf Center in Ely focuses on education. The gray wolves featured for public viewing are enticing, but what sets the center apart is the vast information displayed to help us stop viewing the wolf as good or evil and begin to understand the complexities of this beautiful creature.
Through time, the wolf has been surrounded in mystery and darkness, leading to many unfounded fears and negative perceptions of this animal. The travelling human/wolf exhibit found its permanent home in Ely in 1993 when the facility opened to the public. The indoor display features an elaborate taxidermy showcase surrounded by audio and visual material breaking down wolf behaviour, myths and the relationship between wolf and man over time.
The staff at the center are well-educated and their passion for sharing their knowledge to the public is evident upon meeting them. The main attraction is the chance to view up to five wolves, including three of the five subspecies (Great Plains wolf, Northwestern gray wolf and the Arctic wolf). The handlers engage the animals in regular activities to encourage visibility to the public without forcing them to be on display.
“The pups are raised with people 24 hours a day for the first three months before they are introduced to the pack and outdoor exhibit,” wolf center manager, Krista Harrington, explains. “We do that so they aren’t afraid of people. They
are still wild and not domesticated by any means, but they have gone through the socialization process so that it is not stressful to be in the exhibit. You can see normal wolf behaviours that you wouldn’t see in the wild because they have a very strong fear avoidance of people. In the wild, it is very rare to see them and if you do, they tend to run away. So socializing them minimizes that fear.”
Due to mythology, folklore, and other influences, we have been taught that we have a reason to fear the wolf. The reality is that a wolf attack is extremely rare. Even in areas where packs had little to no human contact, including Isle Royale National Park on Lake Superior, they still displayed a strong aversion to human interaction.
Many members of the hunting and farming community have a negative outlook on the wolf due to depredation of livestock, as well as pets and predation of the ungulate population. A common misperception held by both is that wolves kill for fun. It may seem like it when a pack takes out more than it can eat at that moment. This is called a surplus killing and it has more to do with opportunity than it does killing for sport. If the option remains, they will return to the kill to eat over several weeks. Over a five-year period, on average there are about 70 annu -
al complaints of depredation of livestock due to wolves.
“In Minnesota, the population of ungulates has stayed steady. We have about 2,200 wolves and just over 1 million deer. Those numbers have been stable for quite some time,” said Harrington. “The moose population has been on the decline but there is a lot of research being done as to the reasons why this is happening. Predation is certainly one of them, but disease, changes in climate and habitat, could also be playing a factor in the decline as well.”
The reasons behind howling have also been misinterpreted overtime. There is no scientific evidence that there is an increase in howling in regards to the fullness of the moon. The only purpose of howling is communication. This can be to locate other members of the pack, to reinforce the bond of the pack or to defend their territory from other wolves.
In addition to the exhibit, the International Wolf Center offers a variety of unique and interactive adventure programs that you can participate in. For more information, visit: wolf.org
—Nicole Lewis
A taxidermy display at the Wolf Center showcases different wolf behaviors. | JOHN KRUSE
Twin Ports will celebrate the night skies in September
DULUTH—This September will kick off a celebration of the stars in the Twin Ports and Lake Superior region. Celebrate the Night Sky is a week of activities and events, including a presentation of the SKYGLOW Project, neighborhood star parties, and a seminar of national experts in lighting.
Organized by Starry Skies Lake Superior, the celebration runs from Sept. 17-23, with events held at a number of different venues in the Twin Ports and around the region. The week-long celebration is meant to raise awareness about reducing light pollution.
Award-winner filmmakers Harun Mehmedinovic and Gavin Heffernan will kick off the week on Sunday night, Sept. 17 with the renowned SKYGLOW Project, a visual odyssey documenting the darkest skies in North America, and the effects of light pollution on humans and the environment. The SKYGLOW Project has been featured worldwide, from the Washington Post and the BBC to the National Geographic and NASA.
Light pollution is no small concern in the nation. It is estimated that 80 percent of people in the U.S. can’t see the Milky Way, or more than the handful of stars visible in most urban areas.
“Along with all the natural beauty we enjoy here in the Twin Ports, we have relatively good visual access to the stars,” said Starry Skies Lake Superior (SSLS) chapter president Cindy Hakala. “As we install brighter and whiter LED lighting, we are systematically chipping away at this access.”
A Night Sky Seminar is slated for Sept. 21. The all-day event is designed for both professionals and citizens to
learn about lighting options, human and ecological health, and cultural values connected with seeing the stars.
Event coordinator Randy Larson explained, “There is a lot of research about how new lighting technologies are affecting human and environmental health and safety. We are bringing in a world-class array of speakers to discuss these issues and educate about our options.”
Other events, including neighborhood star parties, will be held so residents can view the stars through telescopes. Music and gallery events are also planned, and local restaurants will have the chance to participate with food and drink specials related to the stars.
“We want to make celebrating the night skies as accessible as possible, and that’s why we are scheduling neighborhood events. Organizers in other towns around Lake Superior are working with us to make this a truly regional experience,” explains Cynthia Lapp, SSLS member.
The idea for the seminar arose with the advent of new outdoor LED lighting fixtures that are starting to be installed in the area. Many residents have concerns about how brighter lighting is being used around the community. SSLS, the local chapter of the International Dark Sky Association, is behind the movement to raise awareness about light pollution, and establish the Lake Superior region as a destination for viewing the stars and northern lights.
To learn more: visit starryskiesls.org.
First place Landscape: Sleeping Giant by Brad Muckenhirn, Mankato.
The sky’s the limit Improvements to the Cook County/Grand Marais Airport
The original airport was located in Grand Marais on the site of the present-day Cook County schools. Built in 1933, it was funded by a Depression-era federal employment program. But proximity to town, nearby topography, erratic winds, and a host of other problems plagued the site.
“It didn’t take long to realize it was a poor choice,” said airport manager Rodney Roy.
In 1947, former World War II pilot Clarence Krotz opened Skyport Lodge and Airport on Devil’s Track Lake. Krotz provided flying lessons and also access into the area now known as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Eventually, the airport was scooped up by the county and replaced the earlier site. But over time, Devil’s Track became a popular summer getaway, and nearby cabins and private property limited any runway expansion. So in 1996, the county’s airport commission moved the airport to its current site, ¾-mile north of the old runway, and hired Roy to manage it soon after.
On a late July afternoon, a construction crew works on the exterior of the arrivals/departures building at the airport. Roy is inside a nearby hangar, performing maintenance on a client’s plane. His desk sits just inside the door—a temporary office until the crew finishes their work. In addition to his county position as airport manager—which includes maintenance, plowing, fueling planes, and staffing the office—Roy is a certified technician and rents a hangar for his own business: Roy Aero Service. He’s well-known for his restoration work, and is currently working on a 1950 Cessna, the first plane used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
to fight area wildfires. For that reason, during the Ham Lake fire of 2007, aircraft had to fly from the Ely airport instead of Grand Marais.
“Both the FAA and [the Minnesota Department of Transportation] are investing in your community. They don’t take that lightly. You have to prove to them that you’ll back it up once they do...the justification was primarily fire safety,” said Roy.
In addition to the runway expansion, the second phase of the project included a $740,000 remodel of the arrivals/departures building. The space includes a large lounge area/waiting room, bathroom facilities, a kitchenette, an office and a conference room.
“It’s an asset for the community...It’s designed to be available,” said Roy.
New expansions to the runway will provide for transport in emergency situations, including wildfires and medical evacuations. Improvements to the existing public spaces will benefit all who use the facility, including community members looking for a place to meet.
To celebrate the grand opening, a pancake breakfast is scheduled for September 23 from 8-11 a.m. The public is welcome.
Meanwhile, Gary and Jean land their Cessna on the new runway and taxi to their rented hangar. They unload from their plane into an old Ford Ranger, pass by the construction site at the arrivals/departures building, and drive home to Lutsen.—Matt Nesheim
GRAND MARAIS—Gary and Jean Grover load up their dog Monty and pack the car at their home in Apple Valley for a trip up the North Shore. Instead of joining the traffic driving north, however, they head west towards Flying Cloud airport in Eden Prairie. They open the door to their rented hangar and wheel out their 1969 Cessna 172 single-engine plane. Jean loads up Monty and their gear, while Gary—a private pilot for 40 years—“preflights” the plane. They jump in, call ground control, talk to the tower, and are cleared for takeoff. Once airborne, they head west towards Lake Minnetonka to clear Minneapolis airspace, then veer north towards Duluth. Lake Superior comes into view an hour later, and they turn northeast and follow the shoreline, passing over their house in Lutsen before turning north and circling Devil’s Track Lake towards the recently expanded runway of the Cook County/Grand Marais Airport.
The airport consists of an arrivals/departures building and office, county-owned tee hangars, a garage for maintenance equipment, a row of small, privately owned hangars, and—of course—a runway. There are 14 private planes based in Cook County, including Sawtooth Aviation, a business that does aerial tours of the region; the other aircraft are recreational and owned by area residents. Designated as a “general aviation” airport, Cook County offers no scheduled commercial flights, in part due to the security mandated for airline-served airports by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). But any private plane or corporate jet can use the airport whenever needed.
“It’s a tourism airport...We’re no different than Highway 61. We’re just another venue to get people up here,” said Roy.
Roy and the county airport commission spent years petitioning the FAA for $5.4 million dollars to expand the runway. The existing runway was only 4,200 feet and therefore shy in both width and length of the 5,000 foot minimum for larger aircraft, such as the firebombers used
Airport manager Rodney Roy stands in front of the nearly completed arrivals/departures building at the Cook County/Grand Marais airport. | STAFF
Find Fall Color
BEAVER BAY SILVER BAY FINLAND
Autumn migration along the Shore It’s not just geese and hawks
NORTH SHORE—When you think about autumn migrations along the North Shore, the well-known stream of raptors skirting the big lake—hawks, falcons and eagles— probably comes to mind. Or perhaps you envision wedges of Canada geese honking their way south, always a sign of fall. Heck, you might even imagine the northerly migration of tourists who come to see our beautiful autumn colors.
While all of these are part of our annual autumn tradition, there are other and often more subtle migrations occurring all fall long. You just need to know where and when to watch for them.
DRAGONFLIES AND KESTRELS
One of the most interesting migrations is that of the green darner dragonfly. There are two populations of green darners in our region, a resident population that breeds here by depositing their eggs in our lakes, streams and marshes during the summer and which will hatch the following spring, and a migratory population that, believe it or not, flies as far south as Mexico, traveling nearly 40 miles per day. This population waits until winter to breed, and it is their young that migrate back to our neck of the woods the following spring.
It’s likely that you’ve seen swarms of these big dragonflies in the fall, but just figured a large hatch had recently occurred. They are in fact migrating, and they are most noticeable on warm evenings as they dip and glide above our yards, or above open ridges, while feeding on insects before resting for the night. If you pay attention during the first half of September, you’re bound to see these swarms—swarms that are noticed by other, sharper eyes, too.
Those eyes belong to the kestrel, the smallest member of the falcon family. Kestrels feed extensively on large insects at all times of the year, and the peak of their autumn migration down the Shore falls at the same time as that of the green darners—timing that is hardly an accident. Like the green darner, which slows down to feed toward the later part of the day, so too do the kestrels, which target the darners. During migration, other birds of prey must stop and hunt along the way, often in territories unfamiliar. Thanks to these large dragonflies, which kestrels often capture while barely diverting in flight, these small falcons travel with their “fuel.”
MIGRATIONS OF YELLOW AND BLUE
Canada jays and most woodpeckers spend their winter with us, hardy denizens that they are. But our other jay, the blue jay, and one of our woodpeckers, the yellow-shafted northern flicker, depart for warmer climes in autumn.
Unlike Canada jays and most woodpeckers, blue jays depart for warmer climes in autumn.
| MICHAEL FURTMAN
While neither of these species migrate in dense flocks they way geese do, they do tend to travel en masse over a relatively short period of time. The best time to watch these movements are in the hours just after sunrise during the last half of September, and best places are ridges above Lake Superior. Unlike hawk watching, though, where you scan the sky, the jays and flickers will be streaming through or just above the undergrowth. Flickers come in ones and twos, but under the right conditions, blue jays may appear by the hundreds, all pointed south and west.
Of course there are other migrations as well. High overhead, it isn’t unusual to see wheeling groups of white pelicans, or spears of sandhill cranes. All the songbirds you see each summer, but vanish come winter, such as warblers in their drab autumn plumage, are also moving, flitting through our forests. These movements are large, but less easily seen because the birds are small, and move mostly through dense cover. An exception is the American robin, whose movements can be as dramatic as those of the blue jay.
All of these species see the big lake as a barrier, a place to avoid. Moving from near and far inland, they bump into Lake Superior and take an abrupt turn to follow its shores.
And that’s good fortune for those of us who live near the lake. Just like the birds, we know that the long white winter is coming, but for a month in the autumn, we can enjoy the spectacle of the changing season and the passage of these travelers.—Michael Furtman
Full service vet opens in Grand Marais
COOK COUNTY—Cedar Grove Veterinary Clinic opened July 25 in the Cedar Grove business park on the outskirts of Grand Marais.
The new clinic has been highly anticipated by Cook County’s many pet owners and mushers who have traveled to Two Harbors, Ely and Thunder Bay for emergency pet services and procedures that require lab work, x-rays or surgery. The enthusiasm for the clinic was evident during the open house held the night before the clinic opened. Throughout the evening, the clinic was packed with folks welcoming Dr. Nadder Samari and his wife and partner, Lee, to Grand Marais.
Dr. Nadder Samari, originally from Iran, grew up helping his family with 300 sheep and goats, which is where his love for working with animals grew. He came to the U.S. at the age of 15 to pursue veterinary medicine, first obtaining a degree in animal sciences from the University of Minnesota, which is where he met his wife, Lee, and later attending vet school in Iowa.
The couple moved to Battle Lake in 1992 to work with a veterinary practice there and later purchased the small animal portion of the practice in 2011, which they still maintain when they are in Grand Marais.
The Samaris have been visiting Grand Marais for almost 18 years.
“We had been thinking about how we can have a practice here and how to have a living quarters,” Nadder said. Then the business park idea came up, which allowed for an owner-occupied building. This made the idea of opening a practice here affordable because they wouldn’t have to buy or rent a separate house.
Lee Samari has a background in elementary education and psychology, but joined the practice to help manage the office and team. That was three years ago, and Lee admits that when she started working at the clinic in Battle Lake, she “knew nothing.”
Nadder had to explain how to hold a dog so that she wouldn’t get bit, for instance.
“I was thrown in the deep, deep end.” Lee said. “I was paralyzed by answering the phone because I was afraid I wouldn’t know the answer.”
But despite her lack of veterinary knowledge, she has excelled at managing the business.
“I love building the team. I love talking to the clinic’s customers,” Lee said. “If I can help, I’ll do it.”
Now the two have brought their teamwork to Grand Marais. In the first week of business, Nadder performed several routine spays and neuters and a mass removal. They are scheduling dental exams for the near future. They have seen lots of sick dogs, Nadder said, some of which have been emergencies. They have performed euthanasia as well.
Some day they hope to be here full time, but until then, they are here every other week. The availability is shown on a calendar on their website: cedargrovevetclinic.com The Samarais will answer the Cedar Grove clinic phone when they aren’t here as well—to set up an appointment and to consult.
“Please call,” Lee said. “Even when we’re not here. The phone will always be answered.”—Erin Altemus
Dr. Nadder Samari and his wife and partner Lee at the newly open Cedar Grove Veterinary Clinic. | ERIN ALTEMUS
Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour
COOK COUNTY—A group of local artists and gallery owners joined with Visit Cook County to revive and reimagine the Crossing Borders Studio Tour, which retired last year after 20 successful years.
The new event, Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour, will feature 14 stops and more than 40 artists along one of the most scenic fall color drives in Minnesota. The event will give visitors an opportunity to meet with artists in their home studios, as well as visit with guest artists at local art galleries. The dates for the Fall Studio Tour are Sept. 29–Oct. 8.
Artists on the fall tour include Betsy Bowen Gallery & Studios in Grand Marais, Dan and Lee Ross of Hovland, who helped start the Crossing Borders event 20 years ago, and painter Hazel Belvo and other artists at Frykman Art Studio in Grand Marais.
For many of the featured artists, these 10 days will be the only time they open their studios to the public all year.
“We have had customers fly in from around the country to come to the Studio Tour,” said Dan and Lee Ross, who are sculpture and print artists. “When it comes to the new tour, there is an added
Artist Maggie Anderson at work in Lutsen. | SUBMITTED
sense of discovery this year with 11 new stops and 35 new artists. Painters are joining the tour for the first time. The tour is moving forward, and we are excited about it.
- Unique access by train and floatplane.
- The only full-service canoe outfitter for Wabakimi.
- Main base B&B plus 6 remote fishing outposts.
“Lake Superior is the backdrop, the boreal forest is the setting and the artwork is the centerpiece. This fall come and experience new sculpture, prints, wood turning, paintings, weavings, and more in the setting that inspired them.”
To see a full list of artists, visit: visitcookcounty.com/arts
- Full or partial outfitting, with or without guides.
- Permits, maps, route planning and shuttles.
- Quote this Code # NW0516 for a free $100 gift certificate.
2017 FALL HOME ENERGY TOUR
• A Solar Primer with Brian Bennett of Outback Solar
• Home Energy Tours of grid-tie & stand-alone solar pv systems, solar thermal heating & sustainable homes
• Learn about nancial incentives & renewable energy loans
• Enjoy a post-tour beverage at Voyageur Brewing Company
Cook County Local Energy Project Presents: RSVP to: localenergy@boreal.org by Sept. 27
Art on the house of Neil Sherman. | MARK TESSIER
Two Harbors keeps it fresh with community garden
TWO HARBORS—When it comes to planting seeds in a community, longtime Two Harbors resident Marek Fuller believed in the roots of inspiration.
And so it’s only suitable that a welcoming and productive community garden in Two Harbors now bears his name.
“Marek was an activist for social change and improvement in Two Harbors,” said Michelle Miller, director of the Two Harbors Area Food Shelf and one of the volunteer coordinators of the garden. “After he passed away, his family approached the food shelf to create a community garden as a memorial for his dedication to the community.”
Fuller died in 2013, but his legacy certainly lives on in the Two Harbors community and beyond. Now in its sixth year of operation, the Marek Fuller Community Garden features 39 plots for people to grow food for themselves, their families or to share with community members. The raised-bed gardens are free to anyone who wants to use them, though there is a first-come, first-serve plot registration each spring.
And in what is perhaps the garden’s most unique feature, participating gardeners are asked to donate a portion of their harvest to the local food shelf. This is done to both increase access to healthy food and reduce the cost of providing fresh produce at the local food shelf. In 2016, Miller said the community garden provided 2,200 pounds of fresh produce for the food shelf.
“We serve nearly 130 households each month and to be providing fresh produce on a weekly basis is truly unique for a food shelf in this area,” Miller said.
Two of the early-stage planners for the community garden in Two Harbors were Phill Arnold and Jan O’Donnell. Though their vision was instrumental in the coordination of the initial phases of the operation, Miller said the positive response to the garden has perhaps superseded any expectations from those who got the project started.
“I believe the original vision has been far surpassed,” Miller continued, “with additions and community support increasing every season.”
As Two Harbors’ population expands within, and beyond city limits, Miller said the need for gardening space was both in demand and occasionally in short supply. To help those who lack adequate space for a garden, most or all of the tools, seeds and water are provided for gardeners to use at no cost.
“Because we are located just outside the city limits, we are accessible to those who live in apartments or other homes which do not provide adequate land for growing,” Miller said.
And naturally, without land for the garden to take root, there would be no garden. Prior to the first shovel ever touching the earth at the garden site, land was provided at no cost to the food shelf with support from the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency. And the gardeners and other community members are now creating nutrient-rich soil on site, as a compost system was started last summer.
Showcasing the diversity of the community garden, participants range from longtime locals who live downtown to seasonal residents looking to give something back. The gardeners’ ages expand the generations, Miller said, with the youngest to get their hands in the soil a recent enrollee in kindergarten, and the most seasoned gardener being in the mid-nineties.
Largely a result of the community garden’s growth and popularity, there is now a garden coordinator to oversee operations at the site. The position is funded through various grants, primarily through the Cooperative Light and Power’s Operation Round Up program and a Hy-Vee One
Step grant. Now in her second season, Colette Bitz is the 2017 garden coordinator. She has a horticulture background with a focus on organic, sustainable gardening systems, according to Miller.
And while the garden aspect is thriving, so too is the community aspect of the operation. A collection of local businesses and organizations have literally put their hands in the project’s dirt, including the local Heritage Girls troop and a collection of local churches. Also involved is Castle Danger Brewery, which took on its own plot at the community garden this year. And while it’s one thing for a local business to get involved with the community garden, it’s another notch up the vine when that entity donates all of its produce to the local food shelf.
Caitlin White is the taproom manager at Castle Danger in Two Harbors. She said many people, both locals and tourists alike, are unaware of the growing need for, and the quality of the local food shelf.
“We want to do our part to shed light not only on the issue of hunger in our community,” White said, “but also the assistance that our food shelf provides.”
White said donating all of Castle Danger’s produce from its garden plot followed suit with the business’s already established partnership with the food shelf.
“The garden is such a special program to have for our community, as it provides a space for people to grow their own food,” she said. “We feel it’s very important for people to have the opportunity to bring home the freshest food possible.”
In addition to providing produce for the local food shelf, there are people involved with the garden who utilize the food-assistance programs out of the gardening season as well. Miller said this year 40 percent of the gardeners are food-shelf visitors as well, nearly three times more than last year. In addition, volunteers also maintain one plot assigned entirely to the food shelf. And the community garden is not the only local source of fresh produce for the food shelf, as other local growers also contribute annually, Miller pointed out.
There are currently no plans to expand beyond the 39 plots at the Marek Fuller Community Garden. However, Miller said the garden should continue to thrive and serve as an example of what happens when community members come together.—Joe Friedrichs
Thursday 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Wine and Beer Tasting Sponsored by Voyageur Brewing and North Shore Winery. Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door Saturday 11 a.m.
The Marek Fuller Community Garden in Two Harbors celebrated its sixth growing season this year. | SUBMITTED
Lively Weekends Celebrations
CULTURE DAYS | SEPT 29 - OCT 1
Culture Days is the largest annual celebration and participation initiative undertaken by the arts and cultural community across Canada. Culture Days features free interactive activities that invite EVERYONE to explore the ‘behind the scenes’ world of artists and creators at work in the community. Culture Days Thunder Bay features dozens of engaging and entertaining activities.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS
Open Streets – walk, run, bike, blade, skateboard or dance down the full length of Court Street on Sunday, October 1st, from noon to 3 pm. The street will be closed to vehicles to provide space for physical activity, social connection and fun!
You do not have to be a student or alumni of Lakehead University to join the fun. Come watch some exciting university hockey action, take in a foreign film viewing, and let the kids enjoy our Superior Science Camp, or taste some culinary delights in our Waterfront District. COME DISCOVER
The Tale of a Town Canada – ends their month-long residency in Thunder Bay with a multimedia performance of stories from the community’s colourful history presented in a special pop-up venue.
Movie Night – a free public screening of locally-made feature film Sleeping Giant, described by critics as a film of “startling power,” and “a drama of honesty and sincerity.”
NORTHERN DELIGHTS
HARVEST | SEPT 26 - OCT 7
For two weeks participating eateries are offering special prix fixe meals for $25 or $35 (CAN). Locally-owned restaurants in the Waterfront District and Bay and Algoma Neighborhood will be partnered with local food producers, and will have their chefs feature the homegrown bounty of Northern Ontario on their menu.
LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY HOMECOMING | SEPT 28
- 30
Good Times Await
North of the
Seeking a Hip Scene?
Border
Head for Thunder Bay’s Waterfront District and the nearby Algoma & Bay Neighborhood. You’ll find it all: live music, great food, funky galleries, unique shops, the OLG Casino, Marina Park and more.
This ain’t your daddy’s Thunder Bay www.thewaterfrontdistrict.ca (Remember, Thunder Bay is on Eastern Time —1 hour ahead of MN time.)
ThunderCon will take place Sept. 23-24 at the Valhalla Inn.
| SUBMITTED
The Fate of the Furious movie will play at Marina Park on Friday, Sept. 1 as part of the free Movie Nights on the Waterfront series. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will screen on Sept. 22 for the ThunderCon movie night. Movies start after sunset and concessions will be available. Remember to bring warm clothing, a blanket and a lawn chair. thunderbay.ca/movienights
The Magnus Theatre will begin its upcoming season with We Will Rock You, a musical by Queen and Ben Elton. This is the first time that this legendary hit from London’s West End has ever opened at a Canadian regional theatre. Taking place in the distant future, the story features covers of Queen’s greatest hits. Performances will be held from Sept. 7-23. Tickets can be purchased online. magnustheatre.com
The annual Kidney Walk to raise funds for Northern Superior Chapter will take place on Sunday, Sept. 10 at Marina Park. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Tia Chi Park and the walk will start at 10 a.m. There will also be refreshments, entertainment, prizes and more. Register online at kidneywalk.ca or call 807-624-2680.
The Bay Street Film Festival, held Sept. 14-17, is moving on with a new name and a new location. The festival began 13 years ago as an effort to provide an opportunity for Northwestern Ontario films shown alongside films from around the world. Over the years, the film festival enjoyed considerable success, but evolving technologies and new opportunities have pushed it in new directions. The new name for the organization is the Vox Popular Media Arts Festival. People can count on the same general format for the annual festival, along with more ongoing programming, different forms of digital media, and a broader program of events and activities. The new location is in Trinity United Church Hall at 310 Park Avenue, across from the Armoury. baystreetfilmfestival.ca
American rock, country and folk singer-songwriter Steve Earle will perform at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 24. Earle has won three Grammy Awards and released over 15 albums. He’s collaborated on recordings with talented artists such as Sheryl Crow, The Indigo Girls and Lucinda Williams, and his songs
have been recorded by such legends as Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill and Waylon Jennings. His recent album, So You Wanna Be an Outlaw is a homage to outlaw music. Tickets can be purchased online. Other shows at the auditorium include Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan, Sept. 11; Simple Plan, Sept. 12; Chris Hadfield, Sept. 14; and Joe Bonamassa, Sept. 27. tbca.com
Enjoy two weeks of special prix fixe meals with the Northern Delights Harvest , held Sept. 26-Oct. 7. Participating restaurants in the Waterfront District will offer meals for $25 to $35. This is a great opportunity to try something new and celebrate the local culinary scene. facebook.com/ northerndelightstbay
Tourism Thunder Bay is teaming up with Lakehead University, Culture Days and Northern Delights Harvest to offer the Fall in Love in Thunder Bay road trip contest. The prize package includes two nights hotel stay at the Marriott’s Towneplace Suites on Sept. 29-30, dinner for two at your choice of one of the Northern Delights Harvest participating restaurants, a behind the scenes tour for two at the Magnus Theatre, and two tickets to a Thunderwolves hockey game. To enter, visit northernwilds. com/sweepstakes
Culture Days takes place throughout Thunder Bay, Sept. 29-Oct. 1 and features free, interactive activities for the whole family. New this year is Open Streets day on Sunday, Oct. 1, held from noon to 3 p.m. Court Street from John Street and all the way to Boulevard Lake will be closed to vehicles to provide space for physical activities, such as walking or biking. Other highlights include a free movie night, featuring the locally-made feature film Sleeping Giant (hosted by Youth Move), and The Tale of a Town Canada multimedia performance. thunderbay.ca/culturedays
And when we meet… ENCOUNTERS WITH WOLVES
BY SHAWN PERICH
The author always scans his yard before letting out his dogs. | BENJAMIN OLSON
Iwake up every morning thinking about wolves. Before letting the dogs out on their leashes, I make a visual scan of the backyard. While I’ve never seen a wolf there, the wild canines live in our Hovland neighborhood and occasionally attack local dogs. It is prudent to be vigilant.
One September evening a few years ago, I came home to find a large, male wolf standing in the road in front of my house. I drove toward the animal to shoo it away. The wolf leaped across the ditch on the opposite side of the road (which is wooded) and then paced down the rightof-way. About 75 yards beyond my home, it stopped. I pulled the truck up beside it, separated only by road ditch. Rolling down the window, I shouted, “Hey wolf! Get out of here!” The animal ignored me. I shouted again to no avail. I got out of the truck, thinking that would surely convince the wolf to run away. It took a couple of steps and stopped, perhaps 20 feet away from me. More shouts were ignored. I considered hopping across the ditch and approaching the wolf, but thought better of it. Instead, I hurled a baseball-sized rock near the animal. Finally, the wolf slowly trotted into the woods.
You might think the wolf was behaving abnormally or was unusually bold. Having experienced other close encounters with wolves, I’m not so sure that was the case. Of all the denizens of the northern forest that I’ve encountered, wolves are different.
Consider the cold November morning when I was making my way deep into the
deer woods. I was moving quickly, but quietly along a snow-covered overgrown logging road, pausing occasionally to look and listen. That’s how I heard approaching footsteps. Although I was hopeful it was a wandering buck, the footsteps didn’t sound like a deer. I wasn’t surprised when a beautiful black wolf appeared. We looked at one another, perhaps 40 yards apart. Then the wolf turned and walked back into the woods. Unafraid, it stayed within my view as it moved away. I suspect it heard my footsteps and came to check out the source of the sound. Discovering I was neither deer nor moose, potential sources of food, the big predator simply walked away.
Similar encounters with wolves while sneaking through the woods in search of a buck has led me to believe they routinely investigate what they hear but cannot smell. When I’m hunting, my goal is to be inconspicuous, because a whitetail buck is even warier than a wolf. I always hunt with the wind in my face to lessen the odds a deer will pick up my scent. A whitetail or wolf that catches a whiff of human scent will head in another direction. Dense forest cover ensures that encounters with either critter will be up close.
Nearly always, you’ll hear an approaching animal before you see it. Sometimes it will be no more than the sound of a breaking twig. Usually, you’ll hear footsteps. Deer tend to take a few steps and pause. With practice, you can tell the steps are made by hooves. In contrast, a wolf walks quickly and quietly on its pads. My hunting partner once had a wolf approach very close before it came into view.
“Now I know what a wolf sounds like,” he said afterward.
The most recognizable sounds made by wolves are howls. More than once, I’ve woke with a start on a winter’s night to the sound of wolves howling not far from my house. Sometimes this means they’ve pulled down one of the neighborhood deer and are about to have a feast. At other times, I’m not sure what the howling is about.
Last fall, I was grouse hunting with my two yellow Labs along the same old logging road where I’d once encountered the black wolf. We had just reached the edge of a high ridge when howling started up somewhere in front of us and perhaps 100 yards away. In addition to the full-throated sounds of an adult wolf, the high-pitched yaps and half-howls of pups chimed in. Without hesitation, I called the dogs, turned around and started back the way we had come. There was no doubt our presence had set off the chorus.
Dogs and wolves don’t mix. Wolves don’t tolerate dogs and will kill them.
When I’m walking in the woods with my dogs, even when grouse hunting, I try to make enough noise to announce our presence and avoid a surprise encounter. Still, it can happen. I was hunting grouse in an aspen thicket with my old yellow Lab, Tanner. Hunting dogs seem to never forget the places where they’ve flushed birds previously and Tanner had flushed a few in
Patience—and winter camouflage—was key to getting this shot.
DAVID JOHNSON
Wolf encounters are never planned but always memorable.
| GARY FIEDLER
Photographers find that some wolf pups are bold and inquisitive.
| NACE HAGEMANN
this thicket. He was hunting intently. Even though he was no more than 75 feet from me, I couldn’t see him in the heavy cover. Suddenly, I heard more noise in front of me than one hunting dog could make. I called Tanner and was surprised when a wolf burst from the brush 10 feet in front of me. The wolf was surprised, too, and immediately veered away. I kept calling and another wolf ran out from the same place as the first, also veering away. Still, no Tanner.
I kept calling and out popped the dog. He gave me a look that seemed to say, “Can’t you see I’m busy hunting?” I called him to heel and started out of the woods. The dog was clearly not happy to end his hunt.
In retrospect, I think we had happened upon a couple of young-of-the-year pups,
which would be nearly full-sized at that time of year. I don’t know what interaction occurred, if any, between the wolves and the dog, although they had to be within a few feet of one another. Since Tanner typically isn’t distracted by deer or other critters he encounters while hunting, perhaps he paid the wolves no mind. But I shudder to think that had the wolves attacked, I may not have been able to crash through the cover quickly enough to save him.
I’m not sure what those two wolves were thinking. Nor do I know the thoughts of any other wolf I’ve encountered. What I do know is that they were thinking, because what impresses me most about wolves is their obvious intelligence. We co-exist in this place and rarely do we meet. But when we do, it’s always memorable.
WOLF HUNTING …through the lens
BY RHONDA SILENCE
Stop at nearly any local eatery and you’ll see photographs of moose or bear, on canvas or on metal prints. Area art gallery walls are filled with photos of otters, owls, grouse, geese and more. We’re blessed in the Northern Wilds to have so many talented nature photographers.
But even the most skilled shutterbugs sometimes have a hard time finding wildlife and capturing images on camera. Among the hardest-to-find animals is the wolf.
But there are photographers who have managed to get excellent photos of the elusive animals. How do they do it?
Grand Marais photographer David R. Johnson said Canada lynx are actually the hardest northland creature to catch on camera, but he said wolves are a close second.
Johnson employs a variety of methods to get wolf photos. He said he has learned where wolf packs are located and he just keeps visiting those sites. He hides in the tree line or dons camouflage and waits for the perfect moment.
He has also staked out road kill, which brings out a lot of wildlife.
“Road kill is hit or miss though,” said Johnson. “Some wolves don’t mind getting their picture taken, others are kind of spooked.”
One of his favorite photos is of two wolves running away from the camera, one with a large deer leg in its jaws.
“That was exciting,” he recalls.
Both Johnson and Gunflint Trail camera-man Nace Hagemann spend a lot of time on backroads, looking for wildlife. Hagemann said he doesn’t plan for wolf sightings, but by virtue of his job as a carpenter on the Gunflint Trail, he drives through areas abundant with wildlife.
“I don’t stake them out,” he said, “But I drive a lot. I put 45,000 miles on my truck. I spend hours on the way to jobs.”
His best tip? Get off the heavily traveled Gunflint Trail and onto the backroads. His biggest challenge? Beating other photographers and area visitors to the spots where wolves have been spotted.
He was driving those backroads recently and was fortunate to get some amazing shots of wolf pups. He spotted the young animals on the way home from a long day on the job, at about 7 p.m. He said there was no sign of adult wolves and he watched the pups for about 15 minutes. Hagemann said he knelt down next to his car to take pictures and one of the young wolves acted like it was going to run right
up to him.
“There were others who ran off right away and who came back a little, but that one almost came up to me. It always seems like there is one in the group—with moose too, if they have twins—that seems to be bolder,” said Hagemann.
In addition to getting off the main roads, both photographers advised patience after an animal has run off into the woods.
“If they run off for a car—a lot of animals use the roads and will do that when a car comes—if you stop, turn off your car and just wait, a lot of times they will pop back out. Most animals are trying to get somewhere and they use the roads, so if you leapfrog ahead and wait, you’ll sometimes see them again,” said Hagemann.
“And turn off your engine,” he said. “Most people don’t think of that, but the quieter you are, the more likely they will pass by.”
Johnson added that he always has his camera ready to use and he keeps it close, ready for action if and when he sees a wolf while driving. He also uses the leapfrog method.
“Often I will drive past or pull over and wait for them to come back on the road. If I can hide my truck, that’s better. I will get out and hide in the brush line. It’s best if I can get under a large pine tree—that’s the best cover and room to move around. I have had them come up to around 20 yards of me before they can tell something isn’t right, then they scatter.”
Neither photographer has ever felt that they were in danger taking wildlife pictures, even when taking photos of pups.
And what sort of adventures can photographers expect? Hagemann chuckled as he recalled a wolf he was once watching.
“It walked just off the road, looked right at me and took a ‘crap.’ I took it to mean that’s what it thought of me!”
For Johnson, the most exciting photo opportunity was probably the two wolves who ran off with the deer leg.
To see more wolf and wildlife photos from Hagemann, visit nacehagemannphotography.smugmug.com. For Johnson, visit davidrjohnson.zenfolio.com.
North Shore
From a Potter’s Perspective
Richard Cooter has experienced all the ups and downs of owning an art business on the North Shore; he has been a full-time potter here for more than 30 years. In the 1980s, he attended the University of Minnesota as a studio art major. When he took his first ceramics class, he knew—pottery would play an important role in his future.
“I like the variety of work. I like the materials I’m working with. I like the type of freedom and independence it gives me,” said Cooter. “I think it suits my personality and character.”
He’s shaped a successful career for himself on the North Shore.
“Mostly I sell out the door of our showroom, which is attached to my workshop, and we’ve built a clientele over the years,” he said.
Over the years, the potter’s work was noticed by the Angry Trout Café in Grand Marais, and today the restaurant serves their customers on his distinct dinnerware.
The durable, dense stoneware is created through labor-intensive methods, designed in simple forms with minimal décor and basic glazes. They’re fired at high temperatures in a 125 cubic foot wood burning kiln, and the fire leaves behind traces of the process that makes each piece unique.
“I make functional pots,” said Cooter. “And I think the work is really completed when someone uses them.”
His designs are inspired by our local environment and reflect a natural aesthetic, with a goal of ‘making washing dishes a pleasure.’ That’s a phrase he picked up long ago from an English potter, and the meaning stuck.
The potter and his wife Debbie, a weav -
er, have an ample at-home studio where the pair create art and sell their wares. The open studio “seemed like the right thing to do,” said Cooter. “I was in a good physical location to do that. I had the space to do it. I was kind of near a major highway so I thought…if I hung out a sign there was a chance that I could fool people into coming by,” he joked. As an added benefit, on their rural property, Cooter has a ready source of firewood for their kiln.
Cooter’s perspective on the local art movement is special; he has witnessed both growth and decline of Minnesota’s public art education over the years. When he was young, the focus on art classes “created a public, in the state of Minnesota, that is aware of art, and value it. And I don’t think that’s been the case in every state,” said Cooter. “It concerns me now that it’s not the case to the extent that it was in Minnesota anymore either, which makes me wonder about the future of arts in Minnesota.”
To see more of his work, visit: cooterpottery.com or drop by his studio during the Cooter, Tonder and Friends Art Weekend. Held Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in Two Harbors.
By Kelsey Roseth
From a Gallery Perspective
Betsy Bowen Gallery & Artist Studios is one of those special spots that you need to seek out. It’s the working studio of Betsy Bowen, an acclaimed, local woodcut printmaker and author/illustrator. The studio and gallery is tucked in a historic Grand Marais church—the town’s first Norwegian chapel.
“Once they find us then they remember, and we have a lot of repeat visitors who come every year,” said Staci Drouillard, the gallery manager who has worked with Bowen for about 15 years.
The church space is filled with Bowen’s printmaking presses, and it also includes space for other artists and their work.
“Betsy really believes strongly in making space available to local artists,” said Drouillard.
Along with Bowen’s work, the gallery features the work of Stephan Hoglund, a local jeweler with 30 years of experience. He makes jewelry from local gemstones, and does portrait and wedding photography. The gallery is also the home of Wickwire Clay Works, the working studio and gallery of Melissa Wickwire, who makes handmade tile and does custom installations, as well as the work of Jim Sannerud, a wood turner and furniture maker who has his wood shop on the first floor.
No matter if galleries along the North Shore are hidden gems, or on the side of Highway 61, they play an important role in our local art scene.
“The North Shore arts community is a thriving, active, living community of people. We have world-class artists who live here and work here,” said Drouillard.
About 75 percent of traffic to Betsy Bow -
en Gallery & Artist Studios is from outof-town visitors. During the peak travel season when our communities bustle with energy and guests, hundreds of people will drop in to tour studio spaces or purchase gifts in the gallery. Drouillard meets families who are reading Bowen’s popular book Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet Year to their second or third generations. The book is in its 25th year in print.
“People come in and can find in Betsy’s work something tangible from this place that they can take with them,” said Drouillard.
For more info, visit: woodcut.com.
Betsy Bowen is a woodcut printmaker and author/illustrator. | BETSY BOWEN
Richard Cooter is a full-time potter in Two Harbors. | RICHARD COOTER
T for Trees woodcut by Betsy Bowen, from her book Antler, Bear, Canoe: A NorthwoodsAlphabetYear , Houghton Mifflin, 1991. | BETSY BOWEN
Richard Cooter has made pottery for over 30 years. | RICHARD COOTER
From a Photographer’s Perspective
Popular Duluth photographer Ryan Tischer is an artist with an exceptional business sense. He’s developed a unique formula that’s helped him shape his passion for photography into a full-time business for both him and his wife.
“The reality of it is that [my wife and I] are much busier with business, framing artwork, marketing, and doing things like that,” said Tischer. “As an artist, that’s where most of your time goes if you’re self-employed and making your livelihood from it.”
During high school, Tischer captured photographs as a hobby. And while in college at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, he studied communicating arts, photography and video production, and began selling his artwork. In 2007, Tischer took a big leap; he decided to pursue photography full-time.
The following year, he attended about 45 art shows to promote and sell his work. In 2014, business was growing, and his wife Aimee quit her job to assist with the business.
Tischer said one of the keys to his success was developing his niche.
“You should be able to describe what it is that you do in one sentence, maybe two at most,” he advised.
He’s known for nature and landscape photography of the Lake Superior region.
“Our trademark is ‘take a piece of the North Shore home,’” he said.
Tischer and Aimee form a productive partnership—Tischer is responsible for taking and editing photographs, custom canvas framing, matting his art on aluminum cut in his shop, and marketing and selling his work. Aimee assists with customer care, bookkeeping, print matting, and art show preparation and operation.
The photographer has narrowed his business down to a science. He has a list of “secret spots,” where he returns time and again to capture the changing environment. For example, during the early spring when the sea smoke rises over the Big Lake, he’ll head back to his favorite locations and take photographs for a few
weeks straight. When conditions aren’t just right, he’s managing the business.
“Taking photographs out in the field is actually five percent,” Tischer said of his time management.
He’s also developed a selling strategy that keeps him successful. He’s narrowed down the list of 45 art fairs to just 15—reducing his show visits by two thirds but making twice as much money. Half of his customers are local and half are from outside the region. He sells to individuals and businesses including banks, hospitals and others—building a clientele base and growing his business.
“The most important thing for me, and I think for a lot of artists, is to develop repeat customers,” said Tischer, who learned key business tactics in college that stuck. “It costs 10 times more to find a new customer than to keep an old one.”
This November, the Tischer’s are taking on a new adventure. They’re opening a studio and gallery at 5 West Superior Street in downtown Duluth.
To learn more, visit: tischergallery.com.
From a Glass Artist’s Perspective
You know how, in the early spring, the ice on Lake Superior and its tributaries starts to shift and create jagged breaks and peaks of layered ice?
If you’re a big fan of that natural occurrence, you’ll love Blue Skies Glassworks.
“It’s inspired by ice and water, particularly the icy waterfalls in the spring when the melt starts,” said Mike Tonder, a kilnformed glass artist who creates one-of-akind sculptures, hand-cut from flat sheets of glass. His inspiration comes when “the rivers are breaking up, and that push of ice that comes down and stacks up and tips the ice.”
To create his art, Tonder carefully assembles the sculptures and fires them in an electric kiln before carving and etching the fused glass forms to completion. It’s a detailed, time-consuming process.
“It’s real quiet and contemplative,” said Tonder of his work. It’s reflective of his personal excursions in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Ontario’s Quetico Provincial Park, and his time as a forester and park manager at Crosby Manitou State Park near Finland. There, he and his wife Jody Freij-Tonder lived on-site in a rural, disconnected cabin and enjoyed the solitude of a life lived in the woods.
Tonder decided to switch gears after that, and became a full-time artist in 1987.
“When I started out in the glass, I really wanted to take something that was pretty simple, with basic materials, readily available…and I wanted to have something that aesthetically was different than what I was seeing out there,” he said.
Freij-Tonder is also an artist and she creates recycled glass jewelry. In the early part of their art careers, the pair traveled the country to sell their art. Then, about 20 years ago, they moved to Thomas Lake near Two Harbors on a property with ample room for their studios.
Mike
They could have lived anywhere, but the pair settled on the North Shore for the slow pace and environmental inspiration. Together, they helped build up the local art community and met with artists often to converse and connect.
Tonder said it’s his responsibility to create art that helps people experience the North Shore.
“It allows people to see the vision that we, as people who live here, have,” said Tonder. “It gives people something to appreciate the North Shore in a way that they might not if they come up here and don’t make any contact with artists or don’t look at any artwork.”
To explore his art and see a list of galleries he’s featured in, visit: blueskiesglassworks.com. And drop by his studio during the Cooter, Tonder and Friends Art Weekend. It runs Sept. 29-Oct. 1 and is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at 4360 Thomas Lake Road in Two Harbors. The studio tour includes two studios and 15 artists.
Glass bowl by Mike Tonder at Blue Skies Glassworks. | MIKE TONDER
Ryan Tischer is a full-time nature and landscape photographer based in Duluth. | RYAN TISCHER
“Lupines on Fire” by Tischer. | RYAN TISCHER
Artists
Tonder and Jody Freij-Tonder. | MIKE & JODY
By Breana Roy
An Abundance of Art
Two self-guided art tours will take place this month: the Lake Superior 20/20 Tour in Two Harbors (Sept. 29-Oct. 1) and the Art Along the Lake Fall Tour in Cook County (Sept. 29-Oct. 8). Also occurring is the Group of Stephen exhibit at the Baggage Building Arts Centre in Thunder Bay. Renowned Confederation College oil painting instructor Stephen Krasemann and 11 long-term artists/students will be showing the culmination of their painting accomplishments. An opening reception will be held Sept, 3 from 1-4 p.m.
The Lake Superior 20/20 Tour will include pottery by Duluth artist Sheila Staubus. See more of her work at: sheilasmarvelousstuff.com. | SHEILA STAUBUS
Wood design artist Dan Findley will also take part in the Lake Superior 20/20 Tour. | DAN FINDLEY
“Quebec Fall” by David Legge will be on display at the GroupofStephen exhibit. | DAVID LEGGE
Two Harbors artist Dan Paulson will showcase his glass work during the Lake Superior 20/20 Tour. To learn more about the tour, visit: lakesuperior2020.com.
| DAN PAULSON
Also part of the GroupofStephen exhibit at the Baggage Building Arts Centre is “Glorious Lights” by Josie Rogalski. | JOSIE ROGALSKI
Fall Studio Tour & Sale
OLD FASHIONED PIE SOCIAL
Sept. 3, Sunday Wrap up the end of summer with an Old Fashioned Pie Social at Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center on the Gunflint Trail. Held from noon to 4 p.m., there will be ice cream, beverages and lots of locally homemade pies to choose from; suggested donation is $5 per slice. Guest author, Timothy McDonnell will be signing his new book, The Contemplative Paddler’s Fireside Companion. The North Shore Community Swing Band will provide live music starting at 2 p.m. Carol Stockman will demonstrate how to make pine needle baskets. The annual sidewalk sale will also take place, with 20-50 percent off many gift shop items. And don’t forget to check out the new sign on the Gunflint Trail, welcoming visitors to Chik-Wauk. chikwauk.com
HYMERS FALL FAIR
Sept. 3-4 The first fair in Hymers was held on Sept. 12, 1912. Since then, the current fair grounds were purchased and many buildings added, but the true country spirit of that very first market still remains. Located in Kakabeka Falls, there will be live entertainment, contests and prizes, lots of good food, horse and cattle shows, artisan vendors and exhibits, and locally grown pumpkins. This year’s theme is Sow It, Grow It, Show It. Admission is: $7 adults; $5 seniors and ages 6-12; ages 5 and under are free. hymersfair.com
SUPERIOR FALL TRAIL RACES
Sept. 8-9 This challenging race, held on the Superior Hiking Trail, offers distance categories of 100, 50 and 26.2 miles. If the distance isn’t challenging enough, the terrain is. It is a rugged, rooty and rocky single-track trail with near constant climbs and descents. The 100-mile race will begin in Gooseberry Falls State Park at 8 a.m. on Friday; the 50-mile race will start in Finland at 5:15 a.m. on Saturday; and the 26.2-mile race begins in Schroeder at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Each race will finish at Caribou Highlands in Lutsen. Race registration required. superiortrailrace.com
RADIO WAVES MUSIC FESTIVAL
Sept. 8-10 WTIP’s 10th annual Radio Waves Music Festival in Grand Marais will feature 28 local and regional acts. Held at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Grand Marais Rec Park, the festival includes on-site food, children’s activities and on-site camping. This year’s music lineup includes Svea, Dusty Heart, Brothers in Arms, Trapper Schoepp, Jack Klatt, Mysterious Ways, The Fish Heads, Sky Blue Ensemble, and Bughouse. On Sept. 9, the Violence Prevention Center in Grand Marais will host “Dance Until There Is No More” during the festival, from 1-7 p.m. Dancers will be collecting pledges to support the VPC’s work to eliminate domestic and sexual violence. Visit violencepreventioncenter.org to learn more. Admission for the festival is available at the gate; $10 per day or $20 for the weekend, and free to children 12 and under. wtip.org
HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL
Sept. 8-10 Enjoy autumn in Ely with the three-day Harvest Moon Festival, filled with arts and crafts, food, live entertainment and activities for the whole family. Held at Whiteside Park, there will be pony rides, a petting zoo, demonstrations from the Ely Folk School and magic, ventriloquism and comedy shows by Magic Village. Shop a delightful mix of original arts and crafts from over 100 local and regional artists and craftsmen. Listen to music by the Singing Slovenes, with guest button box player Gaspher Krek, direct from Slovenia. The festival will be held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free. ely.org/events/ harvest-moon-festival
PLEIN AIR COMPETITION
Sept. 8-14 Venture outdoors and you might spot local artists painting or drawing the breathtaking landscape, creating a work of art before your own eyes. The Plein Air event opens with a juried art competition from Sept. 8-14. This year’s juror, Kami Mendik, will teach a class
Sept. 16-17, titled Composition and Color in the Landscape. Other events include a lunch discussion with artist Allison Eklund, painting at the Pincushion Overlook, and a quick paint on Sept. 14. An opening reception for the Plein Air exhibit will be held from 5-7 p.m. at the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais. The exhibit will then be on display at the Johnson Heritage Post and Grand Marais Art Colony until Oct. 29. grandmaraisartcolony.org
LAKE SUPERIOR HARVEST FESTIVAL
Sept. 9, Saturday The Lake Superior Harvest Festival in Duluth is celebrating 24 years of connecting producers and consumers. This family-oriented event features local food, live music, handmade crafts, educational demonstrations and exhibits, a renewable energy fair and more. Located in Bayfront Festival Park, the event will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission and parking is free to the public. sfa-mn.org/harvest-festival
COUNTRY ROADS
MOTORCYCLE POKER RUN
the event are also limited, and can be purchased online or at the gate. duluthdragrace.com
Sept. 9, Saturday The annual Country Roads Motorcycle Poker Run in Nolalu, Ontario, will feature over $1,000 in cash prizes. Prizes are: $500 for the best poker hand, with two random draws for $300 and $200, plus 50/50 Draw and Joker Poker. Registration for the event will begin at noon at the Nolalu Community Centre and all registered hands must be turned in by 5 p.m. The canteen will also be open from noon to 5 p.m. at the community centre. This event is open to everyone over age 18 and all types of vehicles can be used. A map of the route is supplied at time of registration. facebook.com/nolaluncc
KIA OF DULUTH
DRAG RACES & CAR SHOW
Sept. 9-10 Participate or come and watch as more than 125 vehicles take to the street, roaring down Garfield Avenue in Duluth at speeds exceeding 150 miles-per-hour over 1/8 of a mile. There will also be a car show, with more than 350 vehicles on display, including those scheduled to race; registration required to participate. Bleacher seats to watch the drag races are limited and can be purchased online in advance. General admission tickets to
FESTIVAL OF COLOURS
Sept. 10, Sunday With roots in ancient India, the Colour Festival is a joyful reminder to cast away bad feelings and throw worries to the wind. Join the throngs of people laughing, playing, dancing, eating and filling the sky with clouds of bright colours. Held at 1 p.m. at the Marina Park in Thunder Bay, there will be live musicians, dancers,
Laurie Toth, pastel
Hazel Belvo acrylic
Paul Bondhus, stone sculpture
Brittany Foster jewelry
The Harvest Moon Festival in Ely will feature a farm market, vendors, food and live music. | SUBMITTED
yoga instructors and more. The colours used are plantbased, non-toxic and environmentally-friendly. The festival is open to all ages. festivalofcolours.ca
FALL FAIR
Sept. 10, Sunday The 36th annual Terrace Bay Fall Fair is one of the largest arts and crafts shows in the area. Held from noon to 4 p.m. at the Terrace Bay Arena, this event attracts local residents, individuals from surrounding communities and tourists who are passing through Terrace Bay. There will be hand-made artisan items of all kinds, as well as food vendors. Admission is $2. terracebay.ca/visiting
UNPLUGGED XVI
Sept. 13-16 The North House Folk School in Grand Marais presents the annual Unplugged festival fundraiser, celebrating community, music, craft and storytelling. Performances include storyteller Kevin Kling with Prudence Johnson, Dan Choinard, Claudia Schmidt, Dane Stauffer, Simone Perrin, and special guests Jon Vezner and Don Henry. Other activities include a live auction, hands-on craft demonstrations, mini-courses and an artisan marketplace. There will also be a Flannel Formal Gala at 7 p.m., Sept. 15; a 5-course meal prepared by five of the Northland’s best chefs. Tickets for the Gala and Unplugged festival can be purchased online. northhouse.org
HAWK WEEKEND FESTIVAL
Sept. 15-17 Celebrate the fall bird migration during the annual Hawk Weekend Festival in Duluth. Held by the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, there will be a variety of field trips, hikes, programs and activities for all ages. Programs include Dragonflies and Kestrels, Beginning Hawk Watching, Advanced Hawk Watching, Songbird Banding, and Warblers, Waxwings, and Waterthrushes.
There will also be a pre-festival workshop Sept. 13-14, titled The Best of Hawk Ridge. Registration required for both events. hawkridge.org
HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL
Sept. 15-17 The annual Hot Air Balloon Festival in Duluth offers numerous family-friendly attractions, including hot air balloon rides, a craft beer tent, food, vendors and live music. The Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth will hold a free Family Kite Fly from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Then, at 5 p.m., Disney Channel star Kevin Quinn will hold a
The NorthShore Inline Marathon in Duluth features multiple race categories. | SUBMITTED
free performance as part of Kids Live. Also performing will be Tanner Hagen and the Madill Performing Arts Center. And don’t forget to register for the Color Run 5k on Sunday, Sept. 17. All activities will be held at Bayfront Festival Park. Admission to the festival is free. duluthballoonfestival.com
BOOYA
HARVEST FESTIVAL
Sept. 16, Saturday The fifth annual Booya Harvest Fest in Finland will be held on Saturday, Sept. 16 and feature a farmers market, arts and crafters/vendors, live music by Casey Aro, the famous bowl of Booya and Bread, kids games and more. There will also be a car show from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., sponsored by Don’s Auto Repair and Towing. Trophies and door prizes will be awarded at 2 p.m. The festival will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Clair Nelson Center. facebook.com/booyaharvestfest
NORTHSHORE INLINE MARATHON
Sept. 16, Saturday Be a part of the largest inline marathon in North America this summer, by joining the 22nd North -
Shore Inline Marathon in Duluth. This year’s races consist of: kids sprints, half inline skating, half marathon run, full marathon rollerskiing, full marathon inline skating, a 10k run and the “combined event,” in which participants skate the half marathon, as well as the full marathon, for a total of 39.3 miles on inline skates. A post-race awards ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. at Grandma’s Sports Garden. Race registration required. northshoreinline.com
TERRY FOX RUN
Sept. 17, Sunday The 37th annual Terry Fox Run takes place around the world on Sunday, Sept. 17 and Terry’s many friends and supporters will gather in Thunder Bay by St. Ignatius High School to honor his legacy and continue his “Marathon of Hope.” Coordinated by Lakehead Rotary, 100 percent of all donations for this non-competitive 5k race are forwarded to the Terry Fox Foundation. All ages may participate, as well as cyclists, roller-blade skaters, babies in strollers and leashed dogs. Registration begins on site at 1 p.m. and the race will begin at 2 p.m. Water stations will be available and certificates will be given at the end of the race. terryfox.ca/terryfoxrun/ thunderbay
SHUNIAH FORTY MINER
XC MARATHON
Sept. 23, Saturday Blacksheep Mountain Biking Club will hold the 2nd annual Shuniah Forty Miner Marathon on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Kinsmen Park in Thunder Bay. New this year is the addition of a 5k Mini-Miner. Other races include the 12k short course, the 24k medium course, and the 48k long course. An after party will be held at Sleeping Giant Brewing Company, with awards given to the top three male and female riders in each distance category. There will also be lots of prize drawings, donated by race sponsors. Race registration required. blacksheepmtb.com
The Shuniah Forty Miner bike races will take place at Kinsmen Park in Thunder Bay. | SUBMITTED
Enjoy a tractor-pulled wagon ride, games and pumpkins at the Gammondale Farms Pumpkinfest. | SUBMITTED
FABULOUS FALL NATURE GEEK-OUT
Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Last year, Wolf Ridge in Finland offered the first Fabulous Fall Nature Geek-Out. The people who lived for agates learned to use lapidary tools. Those who love tiny owls came and banded saw-whets. Wildlife lovers got the scoop on setting up camera traps. Others spent the weekend on the organic farm cooking up fall sauces with a chef. It was so much fun, the weekend will be repeated again this year—everyone is welcome to sign up for one of about a dozen workshops. In addition to returners from last year’s geek-out, a lichenologist, dragonfly specialist, arborist, paddle-sports teacher, yoga instructor and raptor specialist are being added. wolf-ridge.org
ART ALONG THE LAKE: FALL STUDIO TOUR
Sept. 29-Oct. 8 The new Art Along the Lake: Fall Studio Tour will feature a variety of unique, handcrafted artwork by more than 40 artists at 14 locations throughout Cook County. Locations include home studios, as well as galleries with guest artists, such as Frykman Art Studio, Betsy Bowen Gallery and Studios, Last Chance Fabricating, Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery, the Grand Marais Art Colony, and Ron’s World Rocks, Silver and Gems. All locations will be open daily, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. visitcookcounty.com/arts
HECK OF THE NORTH BIKE RACE
Sept. 30, Saturday This year’s Heck of the North gravel bike races will start and finish near Two Harbors. There will be two course options; a 100-mile course and a 50-mile course, both equally challenging. Each course will have its own checkpoint with snacks and water to help keep you rolling. Pre- and post-race activities will be held at Castle Danger Brewery, featuring live music, food trucks and craft beer. Race registration required. heckofthenorth.com
FALL HOME ENERGY TOUR
Sept. 30, Saturday The Cook County Local Energy Project presents a free Fall Home Energy Tour in Grand Marais, on Sept. 30, starting with registration at 8 a.m. at the Cook County Community Center. Held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the event will include a solar installation talk with Brian Bennett of Outback Solar Electric; financing solar projects in Cook County with Staci Drouillard; and a tour of five local solar electric systems, including on and off-grid systems, solar thermal, sustainable buildings and more. Must RSVP by Sept. 27 to: localenergy@boreal.org. More information can be found online. cookcountylocalenergy.org
PUMPKINFEST
Sept. 30-Oct. 29 Enjoy over 20 family-friendly attractions at the 23rd annual Pumpkinfest at Gammondale Farm. Located in Slate River (near Thunder Bay), Pumpkinfest will feature contests, such as the Needle in a Haystack Photo Contest, local food, games, a tractor-pulled wagon ride, races, prizes and more. Pumpkinfest is open rain or shine. Admission is $10. gammondalefarm.com
Northern Wilds Calendar of Events
Aug. 26-Sept. 4
History Week Throughout Cook County, visitcookcounty.com/entry/historyweek
Aug. 31, Thursday
Monroe Crossing 7:30 p.m. Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, grandmaraisplayhouse.com
Aug. 31-Sept. 2
Rich Lewis Band 9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Aug. 31-Sept. 3
Duluth-Superior Pride Festival Throughout the Twin Ports, dspride.com
Sept. 1, Friday
Blood Drive 9:30 a.m. Ely, mbc.org
Annual Nipigon 5k Run/Walk
5:30 p.m. Community Centre, Nipigon, nipigon.net/events
Free Movie Nights on the Waterfront: Family Series After Sunset, Marina Park, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca/movienights
Sept. 1-2
Rich Lewis Band 9 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Sept. 1-3
Fest du Nord Music Festival
YMCA Camp du Nord, Ely, dunord.org
Ole & Lena: Ole Plays Nursemaid? Dial 911! 7 p.m. (2 p.m. Sun.) Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais, grandmaraisplayhouse.com
Great Northern Classic Rodeo Superior, WI, greatnorthernclassicrodeo.com
Sept. 1-4
Nipigon Fall Fishing Festival Nipigon, fallfishingfestival.ca
Foragers Camp Weekend Ely Folk School, Ely, elyfolkschool.org
Sept. 1-10
WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Port Arthur Stadium & Baseball Central, Thunder Bay, thunderbay2017.com
Sept. 2, Saturday
Lichens of the North Woods 10 a.m.
Sugarloaf Cove Nature Center, Schroeder, sugarloafnorthshore.org
Children’s Story Hour with the Muffin Man 11 a.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, drurylanebooks.com
Outdoor Painting Demo: Neil Sherman 1 p.m. Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org
Michael Monroe Log Cabin Concert 7 p.m. Grand Marais, michaelmonroemusic.com
Sept. 2-3
Wolf Family Rendezvous 8:30 a.m. International Wolf Center, Ely, wolf.org
Sept. 3, Sunday
Instructor-in-Residence Demos & Mini
Classes 10 a.m. North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
Old Fashioned Pie Social Noon, Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center, Gunflint Trail, chikwauk.com
Brother John 2 p.m. Chippewa Park, Thunder Bay, chippewapark.ca
Briand Morrison 2 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Double Gemini in Concert 7 p.m. Ely Folk School, elyfolkschool.org
Sept. 3-4
Hymers Fall Fair Kakabeka Falls, hymersfair.com
Sept. 4, Monday
Labor Day
Trezona Run 8 a.m. Trezona Trailhead, Ely, ely.org/mn/events
Bump Blomberg 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Sept. 6, Wednesday
CCHE Afternoon Tea 3:30 p.m. Naniboujou, Grand Marais, northshorecampus.org
Full Moon Music with SVEA Singers 7 p.m. Drury Lane Books, Grand Marais, drurylanebooks.com
Sept. 7, Thursday
National Beer Lover’s Day: Craft Beer Trivia & Tasting Games Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
Hiring International Workers
Workshop 1 p.m. Cook County Higher Education, Grand Marais
Fray in the Bay: Superior Bay Race Barkers Island, Superior, duluthkeelclub.com
Agate City Rock Show 9 a.m. Two Harbors, lakecountycalendars.org
Fall Fest 9:30 a.m. Chester Bowl Park, Duluth, chesterbowl.org/fall-fest
Booya Harvest Fest 10 a.m. Clair Nelson Center, Finland, facebook.com/booyaharvestfest
Kids Butterfly Pinning Workshop 10 a.m. Thunder Bay Public Library, sciencenorth.ca/thunderbay
Artist Talk with Hazel Belvo: The Art of Seeing: Developing a Visual Literacy 11:30 a.m. Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, grandmaraisartcolony.org
Darryl Stubbings Memorial Golf Tournament Noon, Strathcona Golf Course, Thunder Bay, dstubbsgolf.ca Open Streets Noon, Simpson St. & Victoria Ave., Thunder Bay, ecosuperior.org/openstreets
Open Art Group 1 p.m. Northwoods Friends of the Arts Gallery, Cook, nwfamn.org
Kevin Quinn: Free Performance 5 p.m. Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, kernkompany.com
Community Corn Roast 5 p.m. Apostolic Gospel Church, Duluth, agcommunitycornroast.weebly.com
Sept. 17, Sunday
Color Run Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, duluthballoonfestival.com
DPA Historic Properties Tour 11 a.m. Duluth, duluthpreservation.org
Terry Fox Run 1 p.m. St. Ignatius Parking Lot, Thunder Bay, terryfox.org
Bump Blomberg 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
Sept. 17-23
Celebrate the Night Sky Throughout Duluth & Superior, starryskiesls.org
Sept. 20, Wednesday
Blood Drive 11 a.m. Silver Bay High School, mbc.org
Live Music Grandma Ray’s, Grand Marais (218) 387-2974
Live Music 9:30 p.m.
Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com
Live Music 9:30 p.m.
Red Lion Smokehouse, Thunder Bay, redlionsmokehouse.ca
Sundays
Voyageur Brewing Company Tour
1 p.m. Voyageur Brewing, Grand Marais, voyageurbrewing.com
Nature Related Films (through Sept. 17) 1 p.m. US Forest Service Kawishiwi Ranger Station, Ely, ely.org
The North Shore Dish
Putting Local Food on the Menu
By Maren Webb
This is the season of bountiful harvests here in the Northern Wilds. Our short growing season can be challenging, but when September arrives, gardens, farms and kitchens are often overflowing with fresh, local produce. For those of us that don’t seem to have that green thumb, look no farther than these farmers markets and other local food sources for fresh, delicious, and, dare I say, healthy food to enjoy before the seasons change. Buying local produce and products is not only great for taste, it also supports the local economy with food dollars staying within the community.
Farmers markets are likely the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about where to buy local food. Markets have sprung up across the region, from the year-round Thunder Bay Country Market to seasonal markets in Two Harbors, Finland, Ely, Grand Marais, Duluth, Superior, Nipigon and many other communities. The Thunder Bay Country Market is the largest market in the area, with over 80 vendors throughout the year and a second market day during harvest season. Whether you are looking for just-picked produce, a handmade gift or lunch, the Country Market is likely to have what you need.
The Two Harbors Farmers Market made a move this season to Spokengear/ Cedar Coffee Company. Now you can get your Saturday morning latte and locally grown vegetables, sweet treats and handmade soaps, among many other items. In Finland and Grand Marais, the Thursday markets have been going on for four and three years, respectively, starting at 5 p.m. each week. The items available each week varies, but fresh produce and breads are mainstays.
“Each year we strive to increase the number of attendees to help supplement the livelihood of local residents,” said Finland Farmers Market coordinator, Stefan Meyer.
All three of these markets include farmers that also operate CSAs, offering surplus vegetables for sale at the markets.
CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is another option for sourcing local produce. This model allows customers to purchase a share of the farm’s production up front in the spring and then receive weekly deliveries during the growing season. Unlike a farmers market, this provides the farmer a predictable income and the customer a cooler or box of produce each
week, even if they miss their local farmers market or don’t have access to a market. Each CSA is run a little differently, which I’ve found after being a member of CSAs in California, Illinois/Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Do your research and talk with the farmer to ensure it is a good fit for you. I have discovered many new vegetables that I was not familiar with before (hello, kohlrabi!) and have experienced both the joys of bumper crop seasons and the disappointment of some crop failures (cut worms are nobody’s best friend). While I dread the end of each CSA season when my fridge is no longer full of locally grown and harvested vegetables, I do look forward to the annual visit to our farm, Round River Farm in Finland, to pick up the last of the harvest, greet our farmers, and see the ground that fed my family for the season. Farming is a labor of love. Most small farms in the U.S. lose money on the business each year, so be sure to thank your farmer for their commitment.
Whether you aren’t quite ready for a CSA share or are interested in buying from a farmers market but can’t get to one, a new model has been started north of the border: an online farmers market. The Su -
The Two Harbors Farmers Market occurs every Saturday from 9 a.m.-noon. | MAREN WEBB
You can find locally grown vegetables, among many other items, at the Two Harbors Farmers Market. | MAREN WEBB
perior Seasons Food Market is an online market with twice-weekly delivery services, with fresh produce and products from dozens of local producers. Choose from either two pickup locations (Thunder Bay Country Market in Thunder Bay or Belluz Farm Store in Slate River, ON). If you live or work within the city limits of Thunder Bay, there is delivery (free to businesses with $25+ order or $5 delivery fee to homes with no minimum required).
“We thought it would be...helpful to new or smaller farms needing to scale up more without having to put in the long hours standing at a market or driving around doing deliveries. In other
words, growers focus on growing and less time on sales/marketing,” said Kevin Belluz, manager of Superior Seasons Food Market.
If you plan to head north to pick up pumpkins on a Saturday this fall, be sure to check out the Superior Seasons website Tuesday through Thursday that week to put in an order for Saturday pickup at the farm. For Americans, most items can be brought back across the border for personal consumption (note: potatoes and tomatoes are not allowed). The September online market will highlight a wide variety of produce, including carrots, beets, kohlrabi, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, winter squash, pumpkins, cabbage, onions, garlic,
The Finland Farmers Market features live music [LEFT], as well as vendors of all kinds [ABOVE]. It is held every Thursday from 5-6:30 p.m. | SUBMITTED
kale, Swiss chard, tomatoes, potatoes and more. One of the best ways to support local agriculture is to eat, preserve, and can local items while they are in season. Stock up now and enjoy the bounty throughout the winter.
op in two Duluth locations strive to buy local first. For example, the Cook County Co-op carries products from 19 Cook County producers and many others within their 400-mile radius that they define as local. Some fresh products are even available in the winter, such as tomatoes from Bay
As customers, we have influence over what is served, so keep that in mind next time you are
Even if you haven’t had the chance yet to make the trip to Thunder Bay, you may have eaten some of Superior Seasons’ products at The Angry Trout in Grand Marais. Regular readers of this column have read that many restaurants are striving to serve more local items. Another way to support your local farmer is to encourage your favorite restaurants to “buy local” as much as they can. As a diner, expect menus to change with the seasons and even what is available that week for harvest. Asparagus may be available year-round if it comes from thousands of miles away, but isn’t it better to enjoy it for that short window each spring when it is at its prime, harvested nearby? As customers, we have influence over what is served, so keep that in mind next time you are ordering. With a quick Google search you can see what is in season for the region or simply ask your server if any menu items include locally sourced products. Your local farmer and taste buds will thank you.
Another source for buying local is a food co-op. This member-owned and governed business model often focuses on offering locally grown food as part of its mission. Both the Cook County Whole Foods Co-op in Grand Marais and the Whole Foods Co-
Local Farmers Markets
Ely Farmers Market: at Whiteside Park in Ely. Tuesdays 5-7 p.m., through Sept. 26. facebook.com/pg/ elymnfarmersmarket
Finland Farmers Market: at Clair Nelson Center, 6866 Kramer Road, Finland. Thursdays 5-6:30 p.m., through Oct. 5. facebook.com/pg/ finlandfarmersmarket
Local Food Market in Grand Marais: at Cook County Community Center, 317 W. 5th Street. Thursdays 5-6 p.m., through Oct. 12. facebook. com/thursdaylocalfoodmarket
Thunder Bay Country Market: at CLE Dove Building, 425 Northern Avenue, Thunder Bay. Saturdays 8 a.m.-1 p.m. year round and Wednesdays 3:30-6:30 p.m., through the harvest season. thunderbaycountrymarket.com
Two Harbors Farmers Market: at Spokengear/Cedar Coffee Company, 1130 11th Street, Two Harbors. Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon, through Sept. 30. facebook.com/ twoharborsfarmersmarket
Produce based in Superior, with an indoor operation that partners with the Challenge Center to employ clients with disabilities. Most food co-ops will note where items were sourced or if they were locally grown, so keep an eye out as you shop. Often, I see there are tomatoes available from Bay Produce and others grown in Mexico at my co-op, so I’m sure to grab the ones grown
in the region. Sometimes local produce will cost a bit more, but that money will help support another local family and help sustain local agriculture. In 2013, a survey was done in Cook County that found there was $78 million dollars of economic activity related to food but less than one percent was sourced from local producers. Even an increase of several percent would be a significant increase for local farmers, helping to ensure that local farmers can continue.
We all buy local for different reasons: taste, battling climate change, supporting the local economy, or convenience. No matter the reason, during this season of bounty let’s support our local farmers and producers by buying local and savoring the delicious treats while they last. Each market purchase, CSA membership, or restaurant order can get us one step closer to a long-lasting local food system.
Experience North Shore Camping despite Chronic Pain
By Kelsey Roseth
There’s often a deep void in those left with chronic pain after an accident, injury, or illness—a long-term struggle with your identity once beloved hobbies and interests appear to be out of reach.
Through the years of heartwarming progress and disappointing mistakes during my own chronic pain journey, I’ve discovered successful ways to continue camping despite the pain. Motivated by our stunning local landscape, I’m constantly seeking out modifications and adaptations so that I, too, can experience the brilliance of the North Shore—in my own way.
My Story
The onset of my chronic pain was 2010. Prior to the diagnosis, I was a healthy woman in her early 20s with a passion for the outdoors. I studied at Montana State University in Bozeman, and spent more time exploring, hiking, snowboarding and camping than I did in class. I moved back to my home state of North Dakota one year before my diagnosis, and lived a busy, active life.
My chronic back pain began with a lifting injury, and at first, my doctors and I didn’t expect a long-term problem. I pursued physical therapy and other treatments vigorously, and continued to live my life with minor adjustments as I waited for the pain to vanish.
That time never came.
For years, I struggled with that loss of identity. The activities I enjoyed, the energy I once had, the positivity I was known for—I thought all was gone.
When my husband George and I moved to the North Shore from Fargo about four years ago, we sought peace and fulfillment from a life lived in the northwoods. We moved here to be close to the Big Lake and become part of a more active, outdoor community. Since my pain was limiting, George often explored the North Shore solo.
A Mindset Shift
Shortly after we moved here, my doctors and I switched my pain management to focus on chronic care rather than acute pain relief. I learned techniques and tricks to help me become stronger, more positive, and happier. I picked up new hobbies. I became an avid birdwatcher, and began to practice origami and calligraphy from my recliner. As my positivity increased, the desire to test my limits surfaced.
Today, I’m still not able to walk far, sit for extended periods, carry much weight, bend and flex unnaturally, and lay on uncomfortable surfaces. That doesn’t mean I can’t go camping.
Over the years, I’ve carefully and thoroughly developed a comfortable system for enjoying my favorite activities—in
small doses. George and I recently went to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, just east of Thunder Bay, for a long weekend together. I may not be able to experience a camping trip like he can, but I can certainly participate, and I absolutely love that.
Learning to Camp with Chronic Pain
Whether you suffer personally from chronic pain, or you have a family member who has limitations, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the overwhelming beauty of the northwoods. I can attest to that. It may not be to the same degree as others, but it can be perfect in its own right.
My husband and I manage to make camping with chronic pain work, and here’s how:
• Thoroughly Prepare We have a detailed spreadsheet to help us prepare for a weekend of camping, which includes all of my go-to tools for pain management. I always assume the worst-case scenario.
To prepare, I gather my medication, including my occasionally-used prescriptions that can help manage pain. I pack a heating pad, TENS unit and an extra pillow to prop underneath my legs as I lie down. At times, I bring Icy Hot or a Theracane for a simple distraction from pain. Thorough preparation helps ease my anxiety heading into the trip.
• Get Comfortable Tent camping is within reach for those with chronic pain, if you modify the experience to your comfort. Over the years, George and I have picked up a three-inchthick sleeping pad, a reclining cot for resting by the campfire, a cheap fold -
ing chair to keep my back at a 90-degree angle, and we have a pop-up tent to keep the bugs out. Any tools you own that increase your comfort, bring them along. It’s worth it.
and other historical sites to study the area’s past. We enjoy walking slow and capturing beautiful photographs, and teach each other how to further develop our artistic eye.
My husband and I manage to make camping with chronic pain work, and here’s how.
• Take Breaks Often Any time we travel or pursue activities, we go slow and take breaks often. If we’re driving, we schedule time to stop and stretch. If we’re on a hike, my husband carries a hammock to serve as my emergency nap spot for when the exhaustion from pain kicks in. We plan our day to include a mixture of standing, sitting and walking to ensure I don’t overdo it.
I sit out when needed and encourage George to continue his more vigorous pursuits. Know your limits and don’t overdo it. It’s easy for that to happen (this is a daily struggle for me), but keep trying. If we’re doing something that may overdo it, I plan for a half-day of rest following. It’s actually become one of my favorite parts of camping—solo napping in the woods while listening to the birds.
• Appreciate the Small Things Over the years, I’ve identified low-impact activities that I can enjoy. I’ve become an obsessive birdwatcher and a sucker for slow interpretive hikes, taking time to appreciate the history of the area we’re camping in. George appeases me as I tour cemeteries
Do I miss intense activity in the woods? Absolutely. But I’ve accepted my limits and find extreme joy in what I can do, not what I can’t.
• Celebrate Victory It’s most important that for us, those with chronic pain or illness, go easy on ourselves. I celebrate my small victories as much as I can. I’m pleased when I can participate at camp and wash dishes or help start a fire. I take time post-trip to journal, reflect and share the news with my family when I’ve reached a milestone. I celebrate when I take a short hike solo. And I’m still wildly happy about our first successful camping trip of the year.
No pain circumstances are the same, and while these techniques work for me, they may not work for you. However, my hope is that you discover simple steps to help you experience the North Shore in a way that is unique to you. It’s within reach and I’m rooting for you.
George and Kelsey Roseth after hiking at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
| KELSEY ROSETH
Our campsite on Marie Louise Lake.
| KELSEY ROSETH
Recipes Northern Pike Salad with Lemon-Chile Sesame Dressing
By Jack Hennessy
Most anglers know full well the thrill of hooking into a northern pike. Northern pike bite throughout the day, even during the sunny doldrums of the afternoon when most other fish have retired until dusk.
Like most fish and other seafood, the colder the water, the better your catch will taste. This means the farther north you travel, the more delicious your pike will be. However, because pike have a line of y-bones in each fillet (uncommon in most fresh water fish), some fishermen don’t keep them to eat. They are missing out on a tasty treat.
Whether freshly caught or purchased from the grocery store, pike offer many nutrients and are high in protein. Not only are pike a joy to catch, they are a very healthy addition to your table, if you are willing to put in the extra effort for this great-tasting, fish.
Makes two servings
Scaled and filleted pike, enough to yield 10 ounces
Light dusting of paprika, salt and pepper
(Spray can of cooking oil also recommended)
SALAD MIX:
Romaine lettuce
Swiss chard
Baby mizuna
Baby red leaf
Baby argula
Baby spinach
1 avocado, diced
Half red onion, thinly sliced
1 on-the-vine tomato, finely diced
DRESSING:
Juice and zest from 2 lemons
1 ounce ginger, grated
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Scale and fillet pike. Completely remove y-bones if desired, or make a shallow incision along white protruding dots where y-bones are located. Pre-heat grill to 400 degrees. Make sure coals are gray and hot (if using charcoal) and grate is also hot and very clean (otherwise fish will stick to grate). Lightly dust flesh of pike with paprika, salt and pepper. Spray both sides with cooking oil. Place fleshside down for 1 minute on grill, for a quick sear, then carefully flip so skin-side is down. Cover grill. If you made an incision along y-bones, the bones will start to curl from flesh due to heat. You can hand-pick ones at this time.
Once flesh is flaky and fish fully cooked, remove pike from grill and hand-pick flesh from skin, careful to remove any excess y-bones. Set flesh aside in refrigerator to cool. Mix salad. In a large mixing bowl, zest and juice 2 lemons, grate 1 ounce of ginger. Add olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Stir thoroughly. Mince a clove of fresh garlic, enough to yield 1 teaspoon. Add garlic to bowl, along with sesame seeds, chili flakes, kosher salt and sesame oil. Thoroughly mix and add to dressing bottle.
You may choose to toss salad with dressing ahead of time before dividing into two bowls, or add dressing afterward. Make certain to thoroughly shake dressing bottle before pouring overtop salad. Top each bowl with 5 ounces of hand-picked pike. Serve and enjoy!
Voyageur Brewing Company Boundary Waters Brunette
By Eric Weicht
September is the perfect month on the North Shore. The birch begin turning yellow. The air is crisp and hitting a temperature perfect for hiking during the day and sleeping at night. The mosquitoes are gone. And breweries all along the Shore are transitioning from their light, summer seasonals to more malt-driven, flavorful fall and winter lineups.
As the days grow shorter and the temperatures colder, I start craving beers with a little more flavor, a little more malty-richness compared to the light ales of the summer. A dark yet drinkable style, brown ales make for an excellent fall brew. One of my favorite brown ales is Voyageur Brewing’s Boundary Waters Brunette.
As one of Voyageur’s four flagship beers, the Brunette is offered year-round by the Grand Marais brewery, but it’s in the fall that this beer becomes especially seasonable. An English-style brown ale brewed with Minnesota harvested wild rice and water sourced straight from the greatest of the Great Lakes, the Boundary Waters Brunette is everything that a good brown ale should be. The wild rice adds a distinct earthy flavor to the beer that balances well with the light sweetness and caramel flavor from the malt. With a low IBU and reasonable ABV, the Brunette is both drinkable and interesting, one of my favorite qualities in any beer. Aesthetically, the beer has a nice clear, amber look to it, and a good body that finishes clean.
Northern Trails
The Wolf
By Gord Ellis
I’ve been asked to write about wolves and, I will be honest, they are a subject I have mixed emotions about. Growing up, I didn’t hear much good stuff about wolves. My Grandfather Ora, who I admired and looked up to, was an amazing hunter with an incredible ability to hit fast moving animals, including wolves. And he hated them.
“The only good wolf is a dead wolf” he would say, a mantra that was repeated regularly. There were more than a few wolves that fell to his quick shooting. As the years passed, I would hear similar things from other hunters and trappers and farmers. Wolves were bad news.
Yet I was fascinated by the mysterious nature of the wolf. Seeing moose, deer and bear was a common occurrence in northwestern Ontario. But wolves? Never. I didn’t actually see a wolf in the wild until I was well into my 20s. Even then it was a fleeting glimpse, a grey shadow slipping through the trees.
However, as I became a more serious deer and moose hunter I would hear wolves. Sometimes they were lone animals, other times in packs. There are not many things that have made me feel like a cave man, but the howl of a wolf is one of them. The incredible, raw response my body has to the sound of a howling wolf is truly something. It shows just how hardwired the fear and respect for the wolf is hard wired into the human DNA.
One of the most memorable experiences I have of hearing wolves howling took place north of the small town of Vermillion Bay, in northwest Ontario. A group of us, including my father Gord Sr. and oldest son, Devin, were hunting some cut-over areas for deer in early November. This was a decade ago, when deer were plentiful and wolves on the upswing. We were set up in the evening and it was a gorgeous calm night. The cut-over was very still, but as dusk approached a single howl broke out. Then another. And soon some wolves were barking and yapping and making all manners of racket. The sound carried forever. As if that wasn’t enough, another pack fired up on the other end of the cut. It sounded like a half-dozen animals as well. I can’t speak for my hunting partners, but the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Then, just as fast as it started, the howling stopped. Not one of us saw a single animal.
In recent years, I’ve taken to scattering trail cameras around my hunting areas. Although the lion’s share of the pictures is of deer, bear, foxes and crows, there are also wolves. It’s been fascinating to see how wolves appear in the frame and disappear just as quickly. Many of the animals seem to be tracking deer, bucks usually, of-
ten alone or in small groups. As much as I know I should dislike seeing a big, grey timber wolf in my favorite hunting spot, it’s also exciting.
During the past couple of years, the wolf population has grown to such a point in the northwest that they are having a nega -
tive impact on moose and deer recruitment. You don’t need to be a biologist to know this. Wolf kills are easy to identify. Wolves are very good at what they do, and God made them to be an effective predator. Because of this wolf bumper crop, over the past couple of years I’ve bought a $10 wolf tag. The landowners where I hunt don’t want wolves around as they eat pets. I’d like to see a few more moose and deer survive as well. Yet so far, I’ve not been in a position to pull the trigger on a wolf. And I honestly wonder if I could.
Last fall, I did see a wolf in the far end of a field I hunt. It caught my movement almost immediately, even though I was hundreds of yards away. In short order, the big grey timber was flat out running, graceful and oh so dog like. It was an enormous wolf. Scary big. I was thrilled and a little intimidated.
It’s hard to imagine a northern Ontario wilderness without the fearsome presence of a wolf.
A timber wolf is seen on Gord Ellis’ trail cam photo near a well-worn game trail. | GORD ELLIS
The grey timber wolf is seen on a trail cam picture in late fall. Wolves are never far from deer. | GORD ELLIS
Wild Traditions
Shrubs, Bitters and WildCrafted Cocktails
By Julia Prinselaar
Last month, I tuned into a live webcast to learn how to make a sugar-reduced version of the Spanish summer classic, sangria. This drink is really about its presentation and has all kinds of variations—you can play around using red or white wine, and a combination of colourful berries and citrus fruits.
Hosted by Santé WildCrafted Cocktails, its co-founder, Brent Ellerson, said their (sans) sugar sangria is a “healthy alteration to a classic recipe.” It uses no added sugar; only the natural sweetness from apples, oranges, lemons and berries infused in a late harvest white wine. The drink is topped with fuscia bee balm blowers, which are native to the area.
Broadcasting from its Muskoka, Ontario-based virtual bar (vbar for short), Santé WildCrafted Cocktails is an interactive online experience that teaches viewers how to create cocktails and mocktails from foraged and handcrafted ingredients. They also encourage people to create memorable experiences through artisan bartending, reflected in their slogan, “Drink to remember, not to forget.”
I thought that was brilliant and it struck a chord with me. Today’s mainstream culture is steeped in alcohol—practically every social gathering, celebration or occasion has undertones of drinking. Weddings, birthdays, graduations, concerts, festivals, sports games, backyard barbeques and holidays. Advertising, laced with the caveat to “please enjoy responsibly” is no help to the next generation of independent consumers,
either. Some studies, like one published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs last year, claim that there’s a correlation between underage drinking rates and the level of exposure these teens have to alcohol-related ads. There are a lot of factors at play here, but it’s safe to assume that drinking alcohol at social functions has become the relative norm.
While that’s a hard case for cultures across the world, excessive drinking has found a pretty comfy place in Western social settings, too. I recently attended a folk
festival—you know, the kind with dancing children and barefoot musicians—and ended up camping near a group of teenagers circled up chanting “B-b-b-b-b-b-beeeeer!” as they passed around the beer bong. To me this seemed wildly out of place. Or, maybe I’m just getting old?
Yet in many parts of Europe it’s common to toast to one’s health. “À santé” or “Salute!” How ironic is that? But like most habits of indulgence, the problem creeps up when drinking alcohol slips from moderate enjoyment into routine abuse.
Circling back to health, there are aspects of bartending that draw from the tradition of quality, artisan ingredients combined and consumed in moderation. Go to any upscale cocktail bar and you’ll find garden-grown flowers and herbs, as well as handcrafted mixes like bitters and shrubs that add depth and complexity to a beverage.
Shrubs are a colonial-style concentrated drink mix of fruit, sugar and vinegar. Bitters are a traditional cocktail ingredient and health tonic made of bitter and aro -
Santé WildCrafted Cocktails teaches viewers how to create cocktails from foraged and handcrafted ingredients, such as wild blueberries. | JULIA PRINSELAAR
northern sky
SEPTEMBER 2017
By Deane Morrison, MN STARWATCH
September opens with Venus hosting winter constellations in the eastern predawn sky. West of the planet, the bright star Procyon, in Canis Minor, the little dog, rises at almost the same time as Venus. About 40 minutes later, Sirius, the brightest of stars, rises even farther west in Canis Major, the big dog.
As the month goes on, the winter stars sweep westward; Venus drops toward the sun, rising later every morning; and the spring constellation Leo, the lion, becomes the planet’s new starry companion. In mid-September, Mars and Mercury enter the morning sky above the eastern horizon. Mars is dim and climbs slowly, but brighter Mercury, as usual, quickly pops (up) and drops. On the 16th, Mercury passes near Mars in the sun’s foreglow.
On the 18th, look an hour before dawn to see, stacked from top to bottom: Venus; Regulus, the brightest star in Leo; an old crescent moon; Mars; and Mercury. Mars and Venus are rapidly approaching each other en route to a very close pairing in early October.
In the evening sky, Jupiter all but disap -
pears into the sun’s afterglow this month. This leaves Saturn, in the south to southwest, the lone evening planet visible to the naked eye. High in the southwest, the Summer Triangle of bright stars encloses a patch of sky replete with constellations big and small, plenty to delight anyone with a star chart.
Autumn’s “water” constellations are now moving into prime evening positions in the south. Capricornus, the sea goat, is westernmost. Moving eastward, we see spidery Aquarius, the water bearer; then the Circlet of Pisces. Above the Circlet is the Great Square of Pegasus. Below Aquarius, the bright star Fomalhaut marks the mouth of Piscis Austrinus, the southern fish.
September’s full moon arrives at 2:03 a.m. on the 6th. And at 3:02 p.m. on the 22nd, the autumnal equinox ushers in fall.
The University of Minnesota offers public viewings of the night sky at its Duluth campus. For more information and viewing schedules, see the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at: d.umn.edu/planet.
Keith Erickson and his family live just a few houses downriver from PolyMet Mining’s proposed
which includes enjoying the water right in their
Culture, prophecy bind Ojibwe people and wolves
By Charlie Rasmussen
For traditional Ojibwe people, the keys to understanding the natural world, to living a good life, are captured in oral stories. Part legend, part history, these ancient teachings explain the relationship between humans and animals in the Lake Superior region. Among the fishes, four-leggeds, and birds, no creature has a more intimate relationship with the Ojibwe than the wolf.
“When the world started, the wolf was put here to help people,” said Ojibwe elder Jim Merhar. “You can think of it almost like dogs today. The wolf is a partner to man.”
At age 77, Merhar has lived a full, four-seasons lifestyle centered on hunting, fishing and gathering across northeastern Minnesota. A seasoned deer hunter, he has never known this landscape absent of wolves and says the environment is healthier for their presence. Woodland encounters with wolves are cherished, invariably reinforcing a world view that emphasizes a bond between humans and animals.
“Sitting in my sugarbush boiling (maple) sap one year, a wolf walked right into camp,” Merhar recalled. “I spoke to him in Indian. Then he just went on his way, off into the woods.”
Ojibwe language speakers know the wolf as ma’iingan. Considered wise mentors from a time when humans and animals openly talked to each other, wolves instructed Indigenous people how to con -
duct themselves both in social groups and hunting afield. Like wolf packs, Native families organized themselves into clans, taking on responsibilities in service of the greater community, working for the benefit of everyone.
For the Ojibwe, ma’iingan figures prominently in a creation story that Merhar knows well. Original man, the last living being placed on Earth by the Creator, was directed to travel across the land and name all the plants, animals and natural features. In time, original man became lonesome and requested a companion. The Creator sent ma’iingan and together they walked the earth until they had discovered everything.
Respecting this unique cultural relationship, tribal governments across Minnesota’s wolf range declared reservations off-limits to hunting in 2012 after the federal authorities removed Endangered Species Act protections for wolves and turned over management to the states. The Red Lake Band took it a step farther, naming the tribe’s 846,000-acre forest a wolf sanctuary.
Are wolves so sacred that it’s never acceptable to kill them? Merhar says no. When a wolf dials into a livestock operation for its meals, and relocation and hazing techniques are ineffectual, lethal control makes sense.
“I can understand that,” Merhar said. “But the sport killing, the trophy killing is something else. Are you going to eat that animal? Then you shouldn’t kill it.”
The act of sport hunting ma’iingan has no redeeming value, he said.
North into Canada, the cultural connection to ma’iingan is equally strong. At Nigigoonsiminikaaning First Nation, retired University of Minnesota professor Pebaamibines Dennis Jones calls the Ojibwe-wolf union a spiritual relationship. A brotherhood.
“In our area, this sacred relationship is alive and well. The wolf is still instructing us, if you listen,” he said. “The spirit of the wolf travels with the wind, that’s where you can find him. And the spirit of the wolf is still consulted in ceremonies. It’s where you ask for direction in your life.”
On a landscape level, Jones points to an Ojibwe teaching that all creatures have a role to play in a healthy ecosystem. The absence of any one plant or animal impacts everything else, resulting in sickness and any number of maladies.
“We’ve really messed with our ecosystem. There’s been a lot of tinkering,” he said. “That creates imbalances in the animal kingdom and beyond.”
Perhaps the most poignant element of traditional teachings is the prophecy that avows the Indian people will go the way of the wolf—what happens to one will happen to the other. European settlement in western Lake Superior more than three centuries ago kicked the prophecy into motion. Driven from their far-reaching homelands by colonization and conflict, natives and
wolves retreated to wild places, surviving on small tracts of land. After several hundred years and a gradual shift in attitudes through the latter half of the 20th century, they endured appropriation of land and lifeways, and joined again on a journey of recovery.
Artwork by Wesley Ballinger from Mille Lacs Band. | WESLEY BALLINGER
Strange Tales
The Lark of Duluth: Making Aviation History
By Elle AndraWarner
Did you know the inaugural flight of the world’s first regularly scheduled airline flight had a strong Duluth connection?
Aviation history was made on January 1, 1914 when the Benoist XIV No. 43 biplane the Lark of Duluth, owned by Duluth’s wealthy grain merchant Julius Howland Barnes, flew the historic inaugural flight of the world’s first regularly scheduled airline, Florida’s St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line. The biplane flew from St. Petersburg to Tampa with pioneering pilot Tony Jannus.
In June of 1913, the biplane had been purchased by Barnes for $5,000 from the St. Louis-based Benoist Aircraft Company and shipped by rail to Duluth to be featured in the Lark O’ the Lakes Carnival as “Air Ship flights.” This was less than a decade after the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers on December 17, 1903.
Barnes said in 1954, “It was in 1913, before World War I, I brought to Duluth from St. Louis a biplane flying boat which we christened the Lark of Duluth. There were no flying fields in the country so a water surface was necessary and we stationed it at the Boat Club on Minnesota Point.” (Lark of Duluth, Duluth Aviation Institute website).
The Benoist XIV ‘flying boat’ Lark of Duluth was built in St. Louis and was painted green with 35-foot white wings, and an open cockpit with side-by-side space for a pilot and one passenger. The hull was made of three layers of spruce with fabric between each layer. Powered by a 75hp six-cylinder two-cycle Roberts engine, it launched from water and reached a top speed of 6 mph. The Lark of Duluth was the first of only two Benoist XIV manufactured by the Benoist company.
Once the biplane was in Duluth, Barnes took the first flight on the Lark with Tony Jannus, soaring underneath Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge before heading out to the open waters of Lake Superior. It would be Barnes first and last flight, as his bankers felt it was too risky to have him fly (he owed the bank money); Barnes then transferred management of his biplane to business partner W. D. Jones. Throughout the summer of 1913, the Lark of Duluth continued to carry passengers, using the Duluth Boat Club as its base.
Once the summer season ended, Tony and his older brother Roger Jannus convinced Barnes to let them modify the Lark of Duluth and ship it by rail to St. Petersburg, Florida where the founder of the Benoist
Aircraft Company Tony Benoist and Florida businessman Percival E. Fansler formed a new company, the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line, with a vision to offer a regular scheduled passenger service. Their plan was to fly between St. Petersburg and Tampa, using the two Benoist Model XIV biplanes, the Lark of Duluth and Florida, and hiring the Jannus brothers as pilots. Passengers (one per flight) would pay $5 for the one-way 22-mile (35 km) flight across Tampa Bay, lasting about 18-23 minutes.
With a crowd of 3,000 watching, the Lark of Duluth started the flight at 10 a.m. to Tampa, piloted by Tony. The passenger was former St. Petersburg mayor Abraham C. Pheil, who had paid $400 at a charity auction for the ticket.
At the time of launch, Fansler said, “What was impossible yesterday is an accomplishment today, while tomorrow heralds the unbelievable.”
The last official flight of the Airboat Line was on May 5. During its four months of operation, the airline had carried over 1,025 passengers and freight like ham, bacon and bundles of newspapers for St. Petersburg Daily Times.
In the summer, Roger took the Lark of Duluth for the 1914 Lark O’ the Lake Carnival, plus flying passengers. Then, in August 1914, he purchased the biplane from Barnes and took the biplane on tours in several U.S. locations. It all came to an end in San Diego, California, when the Lark was damaged in a hard landing by another pilot and reported to be unsalvageable; mystery still continues as to its whereabouts.
Tragically, two years later in October 1916, the Lark’s history-making pilot Tony died after his plane crashed in the Black Sea due to engine failure while training Russian pilots. Then in 1918, his brother Roger died in France when his de Havilland-4 burst into flames in midair while he was flying for the U.S. Signal Corps in World War I. As for Barnes (1873-1959), he became nationally known for his businesses, public service and business interests, including president of the McDougall Duluth Company building ships and the Barnes-Duluth Shipbuilding Company. However, according to news reports, when he died in April 1959 at age 86, he had lost millions, lived in Duluth’s Holland Hotel and was almost penniless, leaving a small estate to his brother.
Three full-scale replicas of the Lark of Duluth have been constructed to commemorate its historic flight. The first in 1984 by the Florida Aviation Historical Society and displayed in the St. Petersburg Museum of History; the second in 2014 by the Duluth Aviation Institute now on display at Duluth International Airport; and, a third by Kermit Weeks, owner of Fantasy of Flight Air Museum in Polk City. | JAMES G. HOWES
A Benoist XIV flying boat— Lark of Duluth—on Tampa Bay begins its takeoff run for the first flight by a scheduled airline in history, flying for the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line, which operates between St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida. | WIKIMEDIA
NORTHERN KIDS
Canis Lupus or Gray Wolf
By Erin Altemus
Did you know?
Wolves eat 10 pounds of meat per day on average—the equivalent of 20 half-pound hamburgers— and those are large hamburgers! Wolves don’t have a constant supply of food though, so one day they might eat 20 pounds and another day they might eat very little. Wolves in the Northern Wilds eat a lot of deer. They may also eat moose, as well as smaller animals like rabbit or even beaver.
Dog or Wolf?
Wolf and dog tracks are very much alike. A grown wolf’s paw is usually five inches long by three inches wide. How does that compare to your hand? Most dog prints are smaller than this—only a large dog breed would have a print comparable to a wolf print.
Do the tracks move in a straight line or meander around? A wolf usually moves in a straight line on the trail. A dog, however, will weave back and forth, smelling the smells, checking things out. Also, dogs vary their gait more than wolves. A dog will switch between trotting and running, whereas a wolf will move with a more consistent trot.
ACROSS
The Howl
Have you ever heard a wolf howl? Why do you think a wolf howls? Wolves do not howl at a full moon, contrary to popular belief. Rather, wolves often howl to tell other wolves to keep away from their territory. A pack may howl to say “we live here,” and another pack may respond to say “we live over here.” Sometimes wolves howl just to say hello or for fun.
A Wolfy Puzzle
4. An animal that eats meat (such as wolves or bear)
6. What we also call feces from an animal
8. The foot print of an animal
9. An animal eaten by another animal
DOWN
1. Where a litter of pups is raised
2. A person whose job it is to study wolves
3. The scientific name for any wolf (the genus)
5. A family of wolves
7. Where a wolf may store food for a later time
A WOLFY PUZZLE ANSWER KEY
Four Seasons
Guest House sits right on the shores of Lake Superior
$515,000
This property has (4) income-producing rental units. The 3-bdrm main house could be used as an owner’s home, with (3) rental units located in the Guest House next door. Or, to maximize rental income, this property could be converted to short-term rental units. Solidly built, with quiet interiors. Brand-new septic system in place, plus a buildable lot on 4-acre rear parcel. Superb location near ski hill, golf course, Superior Hiking Trail, and sits directly on the Gitchi-Gami Bike Trail with restaurants, shops & galleries also nearby. Whether you’re looking for a business opportunity or a new lifestyle, find it here at Four Seasons Guest House! MLS# 6030289
Sandra McHugh, Realtor® Red Pine Realty 218-370-7841 Email: sandra@redpinerealty.com
Attractive, well-maintained 3BD, 3BA home. 2-story walk-out with 100’ of shoreline on the north shore of Devil Track Lake, 20 minutes from Grand Marais.
BLANKET ISLAND, ROSSPORT
Your own private island located in the south of Rossport Harbour. Sheltered by the main land, Whiskey Island, and Nicol Island. Approx. 1/2 mile from the town of Rossport. 764 ft of Lake Superior shoreline. Really neat 1 1/2 story cabin with water, shower, cooking facilities with woodstove. Gravity water feed from tank on roof. $199,000 CDN
SIBLEY
PENINSULA
Black Bay. Lake Superior. 98 acre piece with 4700 feet of shoreline facing south. Beautiful property between Superior Shores and Pearl Harbour developments. Seclusion, $189,000 CDN
NICOL ISLAND ROSSPORT
Tremendous Lake Superior building sites. Lakefront and interior lots for sale with docking facilities. Causeway opened year round. Power and phone. Starting at $55,000CDN
OLIVER LAKE
215.5 acre parcel with 3900 feet of lake frontage. Rugged property-water access. Southern exposure, ultimate privacy. $169,000 CDN
LAKE SUPERIOR LOTS Little Trout Bay, 20 minutes north of the Minnesota/Ontario border, 3 large estate-sized lots, very sheltered with southern exposure. Tremendous views. Power and telephone available. Priced beginning at $199,000 CDN
Prime Lake Nipigon property
Northern Light Lake Ontario
CAVERS COVE ROAD
with almost 90 acres, 1793 feet of shore, and 3 classic Aldrich log cabins with outstanding lake views. A rare, unique opportunity! MLS# 6030553 $2,250,000
STUNNING CONTEMPORARY HOME. Spectacular soft contemporary 3 bdrm, 3 bath home situated above Chimney Rock with miles of panoramic views of Lake Superior & almost 480’ shoreline. Property includes guest cabin with private drive. MLS# 6029387 $1,930,900
STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS. Immaculate and beautifully furnished 4 bdrm, 3 bath Lake Superior home. Very little maintenance with smaller association benefits! All major rooms with stunning lake views. Master suite and laundry on main level. MLS# 6028321 $595,000
LAKE SUPERIOR, BIG BAY, BIG VIEWS. Dense spruce forest, moss covered boulders and privacy make this a classic Lake Superior lot. 200' shoreline with partial driveway in place, shared road maintenance, power and Broadband. Easy access from Hwy 61, yet private and secluded feeling. MLS# 6029039 $212,500
SECLUSION
shoreline. There is a neat, well-maintained cabin, sauna, dock and outhouse. Easy year-round access. Great fishing and wildlife sightings. MLS 6028765 $668,500
WILDERNESS INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY. 2000+ acres of
storage sheds, plus a very unique and rare sand beach! MLS# 6026327 $529,000 LAKE SUPERIOR HOME SITE. Great Lake Superior lot with an excellent site for walkout. Surveyed and level open location for your new home. This 1.07 acre parcel has a very neat, private cove and a 447' of meandering ledge rock shoreline. MLS# 6027506 $299,000
SEA GULL LAKE LOT –BWCAW VIEWS. This 10-acre lot has great views and 489 ft of accessible shoreline with a sand swimming
CLASSIC CABIN ON CLEARWATER LAKE.
Comfortable, well maintained 2 bdrm, 1 bath cabin cared for by the same family for over 60 years. 205 feet of shoreline on much sought after Clearwater lake with direct access to the BWCA. MLS# 6027760 $259,000
SECLUDED AND PEACEFUL - MCFARLAND LAKE. Quality built cabin tucked in a mature cedar forest with great views of the palisade. One bdrm plus lrg loft, nice kitchen, dining & cozy living area with wood stove. A lrg work/storage shed with beautiful cedar sauna & deck included. MLS# 6027273 $169,900 PRICE REDUCED!
SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. These 1-2 acre lots are located on the south side of Loon Lake and offer great lake
TOM LAKE GETAWAY. Well constructed and maintained cabin with year round access, electric and broadband. Enjoy the solitude, wildlife, the new sauna, and great fishing from this perfect location. Level access to the lake shore. MLS# 6029506 $149,900
$134,900
CABIN WITH BWCAW VIEW ON MCFARLAND. This super 2 bdrm cabin has great views of the Palisades and the west end of McFarland Lake. Just a stone’s throw from the BWCAW! Comes furnished including pontoon boat, fishing boats, canoe, dock, and two Onan generators. MLS# 6029644 $205,000 PRICE REDUCED!
WILDERNESS SETTING - TUCKER LAKE. A perfect place for your cabin or home with unspoiled views and lots of Gunflint Trail privacy. 3.68 acres and 554’ shoreline. Tucker Lake is a protected lake with added setbacks to protect the lake and views. Direct BWCAW access. MLS# 2309237 $222,900
LEVEL LOTS, NICE WOODS, EASY SHORE. These three Devil Track Lake lots have easy access from a county road, with power, phone, broadband and great building sites. South shore, 200 ft. frontage, great views. Build your home on the lake here. MLS# 6027317-6027319 $198,900 each
LIKE NEW LAKE ESCAPE – TOM LAKE. Newer lake home, 2 bdrms, 1 bath, full kitchen, great screen porch. Grid power and Broadband available. Newer septic and well. Furnishings included + boat, motor, dock and boat lift. Protected 233 feet of shore. MLS# 6027514 $197,500
EAST BEARSKIN LAKE HOME. Charming 2 bdrm cabin on 180 ft of E. Bearskin Lake. Federal lease property. Awesome views of the lake, level walk to the dock and shore. Includes utility shed, woodshed, aluminum canoe & boat. MLS# 6028479 $195,000
PRIME PIKE LAKE Wilderness, woods and lakeshore. Pristine views of Superior Nat'l across the lake, towering white pine overhead. Virgin pine and cedar are unique here! The 252' frontage and 3 acres have gentle shore, crystal clear water and great privacy. Driveway and drilled well. Power and Broadband available. Fishing, wildlife and easy access to Lutsen or Grand Marais. MLS# 6028197 $179,900 PRICE REDUCED!
A-FRAME ON POPLAR LAKE. Classic 2 bdrm, 2 bath A-Frame cabin in a beautiful setting overlooking Poplar Lake. End of the road privacy with year-round access. Very nice, gentle path to the 156’ of lake shore. Nice mix of trees. MLS# 6024438 $160,000 PRICE REDUCED!
THREE PRIME PIKE LAKE LOTS Three lake lots with wilderness, woods, and lakeshore are waiting for your dream lake home or cabin. Pristine views, towering white pine, +/- 200' accessible shoreline each with crystal clear water and great privacy. Good driveway in place, ideal location, power and broadband available. Four total lots can be purchased together at a discount. MLS# 6028199, 6028230-31 $174,900 ea. PRICE REDUCED!
BIRCH LAKE CABIN Two bedroom cabin plus charming log bunkhouse on 150 feet of shoreline. Comfortable accommodations for year-round recreational fun. Water, septic, generator power, small garage, large shed, dock platform. Very private, easy access to BWCA. MLS# 6028894 $164,900 PRICE REDUCED!
6021031 $159,900 PRICE REDUCED!
CARIBOU LAKE - HOME SITE. New price is well below tax assessed value. Magnificent old-growth cedar and maple trees. Great, high build site on Sawmill Bay. 5.34 acres and 185’ lake frontage. MLS# 2203572 $95,000
LOT ON NINEMILE LAKE. Beautiful, large lot on Ninemile Lake in Finland. Lot adjoins Superior National Forest and Cabin Creek Unit Roadless Area with excellent shoreline and views. Power and year round access! MLS #6028511 $69,000
TALK ABOUT WILDERNESS! Private, deep wilderness parcel. 17 acres includes almost 300’ frontage on Tucker Lake plus a section of Tucker River. Superior Nat’l Forest lands next door with BWCAW just across the lake. MLS# 6028852 $69,900
NORTHWOODS VACATION GET-AWAY. This recently remodeled and updated ski-in/ski-out condo has 1 bdrm, 2 baths, fireplace, and great views of the ski hills, plus distant views of the Poplar River. Walk to the pool, playground, restaurants – everything you need! MLS# 6027382 $118,000 RARE GUNFLINT LAKE PARCEL. Exceptional lot with 344' of waterfront features unreal views and privacy. Use the slope of this lot to your advantage when considering what style to build. Power and broadband available. Borders public land! MLS# 6027298 $225,000
NEW! GREAT PRICE LAKE LOTS. Deep woods, seclusion and nice views from these Tom Lake lots. This is the desired west side of the lake with access from the Camp 20 Rd. Enjoy a peaceful lake property with good access. Great back roads to explore. Adjacent land available. MLS# 6030741, 6030742 $49,900 each
PRIVACY ON 20 ACRES. Beautiful Lost Lake is a remote wilderness lake with only
CHARMING LOG CABIN RETREAT. This cozy little log cabin sits in the woods on beautiful McFarland Lake. The sleeping loft and screen porch make it feel bigger than it is. The lot has 150 feet of frontage and there's plenty of room for a future main cabin. MLS# 6028241 $152,900
CLASSIC ELEGANCE ON LAKE SUPERIOR. Tastefully remodeled one bdrm condo featuring white cabinets,
and island, and laminate
SUPERIOR LIVING ON THE LAKE. Gorgeous 2 bdrm, 2 bath condo with unobstructed Lake Superior views! This unit has had everything redone and replaced. Convenient location with access to many recreational opportunities. MLS# 6026577 $144,000
LAKE - 159 ACRES.
Lake! Good northern fishing. 200ft. Shoreline, forestry road
snowmoblie access. Motivated Seller! MLS#
& CABINS
A GEM IN THE WOODS.
There is quality and detail at every turn in this magnificent 2 bdrm, 2 bath home hidden on 30 acres in the Grand Portage State Forest. Marble stairs and floors, loft, master bath with hot tub & sauna, soaring cathedral ceilings, and 2000 sq ft attached garage. Not your typical home in the woods, this is a rare gem waiting for someone who loves the outdoors, but wants the class of an elegant home at the end of the day. MLS# 6022895 $575,000
MOUNTAIN TOP VIEWSLOG HOME. The ultimate wilderness retreat - 160 acres surrounded by gov't lands. No one will find you here! The log home is masterfully built and lovingly cared for. Solar power, well and septic. Super nice sauna building. Solitude awaits from this mountain-top retreat. MLS# 6027934 $524,900
HOME IN PARADISE.
FANTASTIC LOG HOME NEAR GRAND MARAIS Two story 3 bdrm log home only 10 mins from Grand Marais. Stone wood-burning fireplace, dramatic curved stairway, views of Lake Superior, lrg garage, and wood-burning sauna. Spacious deck and lower level walk-out. MLS# 6028341 $364,900
Great views and walk to the expansive Lake Superior beach. Large 2 bdrm, 3 bath home, quality updates, new large septic system, new kitchen appliances,
HOMES & CABINS
SECLUDED COUNTRY HOME - RURAL GRAND
MARAIS. This single-level, well maintained 2 bdrm, 2 bath home sits on 24 acres with a huge pond as part of Woods Creek. Great yard with beautiful views of the pond. High maple ridge, adjoins federal land. Huge insulated garage, large covered porch. Minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6029005 $319,900
CLASSIC FARM HOUSE AND 20 ACRES. Simply charming country home with outbuildings and some pasture for your horse! The 3 bdrm, 2 bath home has a country kitchen/dining room, huge living room, & 3 season porch. A cute log cabin sits near the home, and the land is special with a lrg wildlife pond & planted pines. More land is available. MLS# 2309191 $269,900
bdrm, 2 bath cabin tucked in the woods overlooking a beaver pond. A screened porch for summer dining. The living room is open and includes the kitchen and dining. A cozy Franklin stove warms the whole building. The full basement is a complete guest space . Generator power and over 100 acres to explore. MLS# 6029349 $269,000
BEAUTIFUL HOME IN THE WOODS. Fantastic 3 bdrm, 2 bath cabin with sauna and bunkhouse. The 3.78 acres is surrounded by forest with Ninemile Lake across the road. Large kitchen/ dining space, incredible master suite, upper level sunroom. Lots of room for guests! MLS# 6029835 $229,900
TIMBER FRAMED LOG HOME OVERLOOKING TOM LAKE. Charming log cabin on 78 acres with seasonal views of Tom Lake. Large loft bedroom and covered porch with swing. Stone fireplace, hardwood floors, and metal roof. Year-round access. Furnishings and generator included. MLS# 6027412 $177,000
NORTH SHORE RETREAT. A little one room cabin waiting for you to make it into something. 3.8 acres on the Lake Superior side of Hwy 61 with decent lake views; you'll feel the lake effect. The cabin is kind of rough, but maybe this is the project you've been looking for. MLS# 6027897 $36,000 PRICE REDUCED!
of sheltered space. Two wells and septic systems. Easy county road access. What's your idea? MLS# 6018972 $220,000 PRICE REDUCED! FANTASTIC GRAND
MARAIS HOME. This solidly built one-level home has 3 bdrms, 2 baths, and attached 2-car garage. Open layout, updated mechanicals, geo-thermal system, new septic, and private wooded back yard with creek. Adjacent lot (MLS# 6022810) also for sale. MLS# 6029340 $199,000
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
PRIME RETAIL DOWNTOWN GRAND MARAIS.
Main traffic location in the heart of down town. Located on Wisconsin St between Blue Water Cafe and Sivertson Gallery, with 25 ft street frontage and over 2300 sq ft each. Build up for a lake view – lots of possibilities! MLS# 6029930, 6029951 $150,000 each
PRIME COMMERCIAL LOTS IN LUTSEN.Two acre-sized lots with Highway 61 frontage-road access and great visibility in downtown Lutsen. Nice creek borders the east property line, nice mature forest. Great location for a small gallery, retail or restaurant. A residential lot is available adjoining to the north.
MLS#: 6027064 $99,900
MLS#: 6030056 $89,900
COMMERCIAL LOT IN GRAND MARAIS. Good opportunity for a commercial building with a nice second story view of the harbor. Level 40 x 50 lot. A two story vacation rental could be built with a harbor view. What is your dream? MLS# 6024992 $52,500 PRICE REDUCED!
RIVER/CREEK FRONTAGE
LARGE TRACT WITH CREEK. This 319 acre parcel has ponds & creek frontage on the Flute Reed River. Has been in DNR management program. Great for hunting or homesteading. Access is by unimproved easement from the Camp 20 Road, near county maintenance. The land may be split - take your pick of "40's"! MLS# 6027384 $258,000
SUGARBUSH, BEAVER, TROUT. Remote 80 acres ,10 miles from Grand Marais with easy access. Surrounded by public land. 700’ of Durfee Creek frontage. MLS# 6024638 $149,000
NEW! TWENTY ACRES – GREAT LOCATION. Great larger parcel near Grand Marais with road in to the “top” of the property. Lake views, maple and mixed forest, small creek. County road access with power and broadband close by, borders public land on three sides. MLS# 6030517 $112,000
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. Stunning Little Devil Track River frontage and Pincushion Mtn. trail access make this 6.3 acre property perfect for skiers, hikers and mtn bikers. Zoned Resort/Commercial. MLS# 6026067 $103,900
CASCADE RIVER RETREAT. Deep in the Superior National Forest, good road access and a small 150 s.f. starter cabin with solar power. Frontage on the mighty Cascade with rapids and trout pools everywhere. Views of the valley from nice building site. MLS# 6029531 $85,900 WOODS, WATER & SECLUSION.Three 40 acre lots with 600 to 1000 ft frontage on Mons Creek. Also includes deeded access to Lost Lake. Private and secluded. MLS# 6021356 $59,900 or MLS# 6021357 $69,900 or MLS# 6021358 $74,900.
NICE HOME SITE NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Nice elevation and views from this 6.75 acre lot off of County Rd 6 just minutes from town. Frontage on Little Devil Track River, with lowland and highlands. Nice forest and privacy for your home or cabin in the woods. MLS# 6027581 $54,900
NEW! FLUTE REED RIVER HOME SITES. These two heavily wooded parcels have the seclusion of 11-13 acres and about 330' frontage each on the trout stream Flute Reed River. Access is easy from frontage on a county road. Power and broadband are available. These lots are the perfect place for a retreat property or a yearround home. MLS# 6030884, 6030885 $49,900 each
500’ ON MOHNS CREEK. Mixed topography of beautiful rolling land with many great build sites on 25 acres. Old growth cedar, spruce, pine and birch. Abuts state land. MLS# 6029353 $39,000
LAND/BUILDING SITES
TOP OF BIRCH CLIFF. See 50 miles across Lake Superior –incredible 180 degree views! Private drive and buried power in place. Nice mature trees and public lands on 2 sides. More land is available. This site will rock your world. MLS# 6029487 $350,000
100+ ACRES NEAR GRAND MARAIS. Great location for a home or recreational property just minutes from Grand Marais. Rolling land with creek, borders thousands of acres of federal and state lands. Great investment and subdivision project. Power at road. Seller willing to subdivide MLS# 6027269 $277,900 PRICE REDUCED!
LOCATION, VIEWS, PRIVACY - 80 ACRES. This former homesteaders property has it all: rolling topography, ravines, grassy meadows, mature timber, flowing creek and expansive Lake Superior views! Minutes from Grand Marais, adjoins USFS land. MLS# 6027073 $279,000
HOME SITE OR BUSINESS DREAM. This 13.4 acre property could be a great home site or resort-type business location. Adjoins Pincushion Mtn. hiking/ skiing/biking trails. Lake Superior view with more land available. Zoned Resort/Commercial. MLS# 6026068 $214,900
LARGE WILDERNESS ACREAGE - LAKE ACCESS. This 80+ acre parcel includes 400 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake. Building sites are located across the road on the hillside with potential lake views. Rugged property with high topography and old growth cedar and pine. Easy access to the BWCAW and Border Route Hiking Trail.
MLS# 6024602 $179,000
MOUNTAIN TOP - WILDERNESS VIEWS. Fantastic vistas into the BWCA and surrounding rugged topography near McFarland Lake. Located at the end of the Arrowhead Trail with easy year-round access. The 122 acres has a high ridge and a “mountain top” for you to name.
MLS# 6024599 $154,900
INCREASINGLY RARE, LARGE RECREATIONAL PARCEL. 190 arces fully surveyed. The perfect retreat. Has a rich variety of trees, ponds, high and low lands, some meadow land and wetlands.
MLS# 6029820 $150,000
LARGE ACREAGE WITH WATER FEATURES. The headwaters of Irish Creek! Quality 160+ acres, 5 parcels sold grouped or separately. Many great features incl. old growth white pine, ponds, camping and building areas.
MLS# 6030177 $149,500
BIG LAND NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR. Four 80 acre parcels located south of Schroeder off Highway 61 with shared access and approved septic sites. Mix of trees, gradual elevation, nice build sites and lake view. MLS# 6027841, 6027843, 6027844, 6027845 $139,900 each FANTASTIC FIVE MILE ROCK. Great 7 acre property abuts Highway 61 at Five Mile Rock. Beautiful views of Lake Superior. Excellent build site and a 30 x 40 Morton building. Ready for your dreams! MLS 6030238 $120,000
PROVEN GREAT HUNTING AREA - 80 ACRES. Prime hunting land in Schroeder. Rolling land with great wildlife habitat incl. stream, beaver dam with large pond, and a good mixture of trees and low vegetation. Older 2 bdrm cabin in a beautiful park like setting overlooking large beaver pond.
MLS# 6029945 $115,000
LARGE ACREAGE NEAR TOM LAKE. 128 acres with good road access and an easy walk to the Tom Lake boat landing. Year-round road, power is possible here. The 3 forties may be split - take your pick. MLS# 6027383 $111,000
HUGE POND-HUGE PRIVACY. Large 45+ acre wooded parcel located across from Tom Lake. Huge pond/lake in the very center of the acreage. MLS# 6029352 $99,000
LAND NEAR WILSON LAKE. A special piece of the Northwoods – 16 acres with deeded access to Wilson Lake! USA-owned forest is your backyard. Driveway, electric, and a small bunkhouse/shed are in place. MLS# 6028685 $80,000
GREAT LOCATION FOR YOUR HOME. Convenient 7.5 acres located just 5 miles from Grand Marais on a Co Rd 7 blacktop, with some lake views, good building sites, driveway and a tiny cabin set up for your camp outs until you build. MLS# 6027933 $79,900
LARGE LAND, POND, LAKE RIGHTS. Densely wooded 60 acre parcel with beaver ponds and access to Lost Lake. Good seasonal road access, many great building sites and southerly exposure. Lots of elbow room, privacy, and miles of forest roads to explore. MLS# 6029025 $69,900
NEW! LARGE LAND, MAPLES, LAKE ACCESS. This 67 acre parcel has high maple ridges, a pond, and an easement to walk to Tom Lake. Good seasonal road access, many nice building sites. A perfect escape property in an area with many trails to ride and forest to explore. MLS# 6030705 $69,900
RUSTICATE, RECREATE, RELAX. Hovland hideaway – 43 acres with new driveway to “base camp” with a nice camper trailer and shed. Trails have been cut throughout the property which adjoins State land. MLS# 2313223 $62,900
GREAT LOCATION, QUALITY FOREST, BUILD
HERE. These 10-acre parcels have a mature and mixed forest, southerly exposure, easy county road frontage and just minutes from Grand Marais. MLS# 6023274 $64,900, MLS# 6023275 $62,900, MLS# 6023276 $64,900
MAPLE HILL - HOME SITE. Heavily wooded 6.45 acre parcel with great privacy, county rd frontage, power and phone. MLS# 6023465 $64,500
RIDGES, PINES & VIEWS - ARROWHEAD TRAIL. Nice 20 acre parcel with high building sites and huge pines. The surrounding federal land leads directly into the BWCAW. MLS# 6024600 $59,900
WOODED HOME SITE This 5+ acre parcel is only 1.5 miles from Grand Marais and ready for your country home. Mixed forest, with forest service land in the back for exploring or hunting. A driveway and culvert are already in place. MLS# 6026053 $55,000
STONE'S THROW LAKE SUPERIOR. This heavily wooded, private 2+ acre building site sits just across the highway from Lake Superior's shore with a view of the big lake. You can walk the beach or have a bonfire on the State shoreline. MLS# 6029899 $52,900
HEAR THE WAVES, FEEL THE BREEZE. Great building site just across the highway from Lake Superior with great views, dense spruce trees and easy access. The approximately 2 acres is located across from State owned shoreline with miles of beach to comb. MLS# 6029866 $52,900
GRAND MARAIS CITY LOT. Great location for a home in the city of Grand Marais. Paved dead end street with water and sewer hookups. Lake view from a second story! More land available. MLS# 6029695 $52,900
RUSTIC WOODED WONDERLAND Beautiful 40 acres of maple forest with small rustic cabin bordering Judge Magney State Park. Enjoy the peaceful solitude of Aide Lake, rimmed by an open cedar grove just a short hike from the cabin into the park. MLS# 6025235 $52,000
PERFECT 5 ACRE HOME SITE. This private and secluded build site is just waiting for your custom plans! Only five miles from town with five acres of great woods bordering public land on two sides. MLS# 6028922 $51,500
GRAND MARAIS LOT. Nicely wooded lot on quiet street. City street, curb and gutter. There is a property assessment for city water and sewer. Location to be identified. MLS# 6029185 $50,400 PRICE REDUCED! REMOTE WILDERNESS. Here is your remote wilderness parcel. 40 secluded acres with big trees, big pond, big hills, snowmobile trails and lots of Forest Service land to explore. East and West Twin lakes are close by for good fishing. MLS# 6029821 $49,900
30 ACRES - PANORAMIC VIEWS. Rare mountain top property with a 180 degree view of distant Lake Superior and the ridge to the north. Many trails in place with food plots for wildlife. MLS# 6020274 $49,500 LAND FOR FUN OR HOMESTEADING. Heavily wooded 39 acres with a large variety of trees and easy road access on Camp 20 Rd. Southern exposure great for solar set up. The Superior Hiking Trail is steps away. Close to county maintained road. MLS# 6027896 $48,900
GREAT PRIVACY CLOSE TO TOWN.This 5 acre property just outside Grand Marais sits at the end of a private drive. Potential Lake Superior views, small creek and nice elevation make for a great ready-to-build home site. MLS# 6029451 $48,000
BUILDING SITE OVERLOOKING MCFARLAND LAKE. This pine studded 7 acre property has easy walking access to the county beach on McFarland Lake. Nice elevated build site with easy county road access. MLS# 6024601 $43,000
WOODED 10 ACRES IN HOVLAND. North woods seclusion plus electricity and broadband! Great forested parcel. The driveway is in leading to a secluded build site with nice trees. Cute shower house and outhouse. MLS# 6024396 $42,900
WOODED ACREAGE – GM. Two private 20 acre lots with hiking and ski trails, and abundant wildlife. A high building site offers seasonal views of Lake Superior. MLS# 2313172 $39,500 & MLS# 2313173 $35,000
POWERS LAKE ROAD PARCEL. This is the beautiful ‘40’ that you have been waiting for. Easy access off Powers Lake Road with electricity and broadband. This is a fine opportunity for the person seeking a remote retreat with some modern amenities. MLS# 6027426 $44,900
5 ACRES NEAR CARIBOU LAKE. Gorgeous corner lot with colorful maples and majestic cedars. Plenty of privacy. Close to hiking trails and the Caribou Lake boat landing. Year round access with power! MLS# 2279179 $35,000
LAND FOR ESCAPE AND RECREATION. Remote yet accessible 20 acres near Judge Magney State Park. Good mix of trees, high building site, some distant Lake Superior views. MLS# 6025397 $34,900
GREAT LOCATION HOME SITE. Wooded home or cabin site near Devil Track Lake. The 1.72 acre lot has nice trees and maybe a view of the lake from a second story. The boat landing is just down the road, as are many other lakes and trails. MLS# 6029872 $29,900
NEW! HUGE LAKE SUPERIOR VIEWS, GORGEOUS HOME IN TOFTE! Sprawling views, Super home! Master bedrm with bath, Gourmet kitchen. Lower level walk out has views and excellent guest space! 2 car detached, all you could want! MLS#TBD $329,900
NEW! THE SUNSHINE CABIN IN SCHROEDER! Sweet “Rustic Living” , two bedrms, roughed in bath on nearly 10 ac., yr round access and electric/broadband! Drilled well and a Super Outhouse. REALLY nice! MLS#6030726 $129,900 NEW! SUPER CUTE FARM STYLE HOME WEST OF GRAND MARAIS. A Real Gem 2 bedrm 1 bath. Wood stove, propane heat. Gorgeous wood floors. MLS#6030868 $149,000
NEW! LUTSEN HOME AT MINK RANCH! Nice home for the money, three bedroom, one bath AND a garage. Really a cute place, just a minute from Lutsen Mountains, Move in Ready! MLS#TBD $149,800
CABIN ON LOON
LAKE! Peaceful living overlooking Loon Lake and the Wilderness! New stairway to the lake meanders through the woods…a great setting for this really nice and comfortable cabin with loft bedroom and Views that will Knock your socks off! It’s the perfect Tiny Home for your Gunflint Trail adventures! MLS#6028432 $211,000 NEW! DESIGN AND ELEGANCE ON DEERYARD LAKE, LUTSEN. Lindal Cedar Home, dramatic stone fireplace set amongst posts & beams of Douglas Fir. Designer kitchen, sunroom, secluded
LUTSEN MOUTAIN VIEW
HOME! Spacious, tasteful home in Lutsen w/ 11 acres and views: Big Lake and the Inland Mountains including the ski slopes! This home has it all: comforts and class of high end finishing, combined w/ country living! You’ll LOVE watching the skiers from your back deck! Big garage, sauna house!
MLS#6027250 $435,000 REDUCED!
HEY HANDYMAN! Come take a Look at this Tofte home with acreage! Lots to offer, the home is solid and has a nice flow. The kitchen has been upgraded! Large windows allow for lots of light, and accessory buildings are perfect for a workshop and garage! Curious? Give us a call to see this gem!
MLS#6022904 $177,500 NEW ROOF! REDUCED!
LIVING A HOP SKIP & A JUMP FROM GRAND MARIAS!
Charming rustic cabin on 10 acres of south facing forest with distant views of Lake Superior. Bordering public lands, great for hunting or hiking!
MLS#6020031 $85,500 REDUCED!
Fall Colors are Early this Year, Head North for the Peak Leaf Season!
Hwy 1 area Hunting Cabin on 10 ac MLS#2309318 $64,900
Whitetail Ridge Overlooking Lake Superior! Just off Highway 1, Enjoy Sprawling Lake and Ridgeline views and Rugged Terrain! Yr Round Access, Electric. MLS# 6024856 $110,000
30 acres Wilderness, Borders lands next to Little Manitou River!
MLS#2309327 $129,000
Rocky Wall Overlooking Lake Superior just outside Silver Bay. MLS#2244646 $99,000
Rock Road in Silver Bay area! Great build site with creek frontage! MLS#2308638 $45,000
Lakeshore on Ninemile Lake at the Village, common water and septic, build ready, borders common land! MLS#2309096 $39,000 REDUCED!
10 Ac Parcels of Maples! Rolling Terrain of Mature Maples to a Sweet Building site Perched Over a Mixed Boreal Forest. Year Round Access and Electric at Road! MLS#2024250 $49,900 REDUCED!
DRAMATIC Mountain Top Views, Rolling Hills, Maple Forests fading in to Spruce and Pine and year round access. FROM $70,000 MLS#2090628
NEW! Lot 3 High Ridge Drive, Premier View Acreage New on the Market! Acreage and Awesome Views, driveway in place and build site ready! MLS#TBD $59,000
Sawbill Trail Tofte Lake Superior Views, Mature Spruce forest with driveway and well in place! MLS#6030129 $99,900
LeVeaux Mountain, Super Views and Wildlife Ponds! MLS#2220050 $69,000
Just Up the Sawbill Trail Grab your little piece of the Northwoods, rolling terrain and small community feel with year round access, great build sites!
MLS#2070510 Prices from $24,900!!
Wowser Lake Superior views on Overlook Tr! MLS#2296509 $79,900
Maples with lots of Elbow Room, Year Round access and nice location between Cross River in Schroeder and Finland!
MLS#6028422 $59,000
Wowser Lake Superior Views perched on LeVeaux Mountain in Tofte! Big Views, Great location minutes from Lutsen Mtn, BlueFin Bay. Must see land!
MLS#6028132 $79,000
Holy Smokes!
End of the Road bordering County land, Tofte. HUGE value with 2 lots sold for the price of one! Lots 6 & 7 Chester Blvd. Lake Superior views, quiet spot, walk to BlueFin Bay on Lake Superior!
MLS#6028792 $49,900
1046 Cramer Rd-Schroeder-40 ac with creek and tons of Maples! OMG it’s a beautiful parcel with high elevations and ravine like creek. Driveway is in! Minutes to Sugarloaf Cover Interpretive Center on Lake Superior!
MLS#6028837 $98,000
BIG TIME VIEWS of Lake Superior-Tofte, Excellent value at Johannes Toftey
MLS#6029322 $68,500
Overlook at LeVeaux Mountain-Tofte!
Serene Woodsy setting with Lake Views!
MLS#6029324 $49,000
Maples Galore, Acreage! Schroeder Location with Yr Round Access and Electric!
MLS#6029593 $99,000
Mature Spruce and BIG Lake Views! Walk to Blue Fin Bay, drilled well in place! MLS#2272174 $49,900
Nice parcel bordering USFS land, driveway roughed in, access to Tait Lk! MLS#6023412 $35,000
Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from MLS#2309328+ FROM $39,000
Heartland of Lutsen, 80 ac at the Foothills of Ski Hill ridge, near downtown Lutsen! MLS#2312987 $119,000
Over 8 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen! MLS#2216560 $45,000
Prime Build Site(s) just off theCaribou at Jonvick Creek! MLS#2240533 $49,000
Gorgeous 5 acre parcels in the Heart of Lutsen paved Caribou Trail locale bordering USFS lands! MLS#2174799 From $54,900 - $77,500
Creek Build Site just off the Caribou Trail at Jonvick Creek!
Rare and Unique Build site! MLS#2289515 $57,500
30 acres of Prime Wilderness Land with year round access and electric at street with Views of Lutsen’s famed Clara Lake! MLS#2080599 $137,500
Maple Leaf Trail at Jonvick, Maples Galore!
Nice elevated build site. Yr Round access, electric. MLS#6024972 $49,000
“Sunset North”
perched along the coveted Onion River Road this sweet 5 acre build site has a roughed in driveway and a nice mixture of trees. Super location for recreating! MLS#6027996 $57,500
Ridgetop Views Overlooking Caribou Lake! Tuck your home in to the Maple hillside in Lutsen, year round access. Super Location! MLS#6028429 $56,500
Tait Lake area, Legend Trail parcel bordering USFS lands with views of Wills and Williams Lake!
MLS#6028619 $67,500
Wilderness Lutsen location at Tait Lake- backlot with Driveway in place! Yr Round and Electric
MLS#6029115 $37,500
Ridgetop 5+ ac in Lutsen, Ski Hill and Lake Superior Views! Fab Location, Boreal Forest with Maples!
MLS#603266 $49,900
Ski Hill Road lands, Boreal Lane is your Key To Mountain Top Living! 5 ac lots from MLS#6029557+ $59,000 TO $99,000
Cty Rd 7 Murphy Mountain Lake View lands! Bargain Buys in young Poplar Forest, easy clearing for Sweet Lake Superior Views for as little as $39,900! Or Enjoy Hilltop Build Site with driveway in place. MLS#1599157 $79,900 REDUCED!
20 Acres near Pike Lake, minutes to the new Boat Landing! Driveway is in place, nice shed. Panoramic Wilderness! MLS#6028569 $69,000
Grand Marais Meadows on County Rd 7, Gorgeous Setting, Super location! MLS#6029849+ $65,000
LAKE SUPERIOR AND INLAND LAKESHORE BUILD SITES!
LUTSEN LAKE SUPERIOR CASCADE
BEACH RD LAND! Very accessible, build site close to the water, listen to the waves of Lake Superior lapping the rocky shoreline! Gorgeous morning sunrises over the Big Lake, a must see! MLS#2308906 $299,000
SWEET PARCEL ON SWALLOW
LAKE in isabella area! 220 ft of shoreline, 2.5 ac! MLS#2300576 $64,900
SWEET CLARA LAKE SHORELINE! Level
Access from Build Site to Rocky Shores.Superior National Forest Lands! Electric, yr round access, Old Cabin in place to use now and build later! MLS#1600179 $199,000
LAKESHORE 10+ ACRES BORDERING
SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST! in Lutsen, year round access with over 10 acres and 200 feet of shoreline! Hilltop building site with cleared path thru cedar forest to Christine Lake, a super wilderness lake great for paddling your days away! MLS#6023288 $99,900
END OF THE ROAD SPECTACULAR 280 ft of cliff shoreline with unobstructed Views across Lake Superior! Little Marais area, Build ready, driveway already in place! MLS#2313255 $265,000
400 FT OF STUNNING LAKE SUPERIOR
SHORELINE minute’s to the Cross River in Schroeder! Rolling terrain, nice Evergreen stand giving nice buffer from ANY highway noise. Worth the walk through the wilderness to see the AMAZING 400 ft of sprawling ledge rock shoreline!! MLS#2313305 $440,000 SALE PENDING
MLS#TBD $199,900
LOVELY DEERYARD LAKE PARCEL! Lutsen’s Secret Treasure, Deeryard is a peaceful respite from the busy life outside the Northwoods. Maple hillside cascades in to the clear waters!
MLS#6027527 $189,900
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM ON LAKE SUPERIOR!
Nearly 800 ft of shoreline and 11 ac. of rolling terrain, with signs of the past logging roads and Spruce planted forests providing a sweet buffer from all of those pesky worries of the Real World! Driveway installed in to the mid-section of the land to allow you to explore which building site best fits your desires!
MLS#2309271 $799,000
PIKE LAKE SHORELINE, PRIME rocky s horeline, dropping off to nice depth! Awesome mixed boreal forest, high ground for build site. South facing, year round access, electric. Build your dream home, ask for Lot 6 Willard Lane!
Meander in to the Sawtooth Ridges where folks enjoy the peace and seclusion of the Wilderness! 20 acres off Victory Lane-Off Grid Living! MLS#6028471 $30,000
$299,900
with a million dollar view. Practical layout, natural stone fireplace customizes den and multiple decks for you to enjoy the views.
MLS 6029901 $569,900
9140 W Hwy 61
Spacious 3BR, 2BA home. Every bedroom has stunning views of Lake Superior. Large deck, timber frame bunkhouse; 300’ shore, 30x40 pole barn, 2 car garage and woodshed.
MLS 6027781 $499,900
57XX East Hwy 61 - $89,500
Amazing cabin with cobblestone fireplace, all wood floors & tons of windows, nestled in by the water’s edge. 400’ of meandering ledgerock shoreline on 2.97A.
MLS 6027296 $599,900 PENDING
1388 Croftville Rd
Cute and cozy 2BR, 1BA renovated about 12 years ago and the remodel was oversee by a local architect. .92A with 162’ easily accessible shoreline.
MLS 6029398 $395,000 SOLD
Superior Lots
4.10A Lake Superior lot; 280’ shore. Driveway, septic mound, and underground electric already in place. Easy-to-walk shingle/small cobble beach. MLS 6028143
2884 W Hwy 61 - $279,900
1.30A, very attractive piece of vacant lakeshore located just past Terrace Point. 371’ of stunning ledgerock shoreline, with incredible views of the Grand Marais Harbor and the Sawtooth Mountain Ridge Line. MLS 6027340
2888 W Hwy 61 - $249,900
Fabulous views of both Artist Point and the Sawtooth Mountains! Stunning Lake Superior lot with 1.24A, 200’ ledgerock shoreline embedded with Thomsonite Stones. MLS 6027323
Stonegate Rd $194,900 - $199,900 NEW
2 lots along scenic Chicago Bay. Nicely wooded and private! 1-2A with 200+’ shore. MLS 6030329
Point - $549,999
Superior View
4512 Cascade Beach Rd
Homes & Cabins
Inland Lake Homes
Heavily
Nicely
6029508 NEW PRICE $359,500
Historic Lutsen Lockport sites
Great Lutsen location tucked up behind the Lutsen general business district, yet private with 5+ acre lots. This is a very
Jonvick Creek Sites in Lutsen.
curbside. Great Lutsen location just offCaribou Trail. Convenient to everything, yet private. Great Pricing.
Pancore Lake, Tofte
Pancore Lake is a pretty special area. Only three private parcels adjoin this lake with the US Forest service occupying the majority of shoreline on the entire north shore side of the lake. This property is approximately 60 acres offering some towering views yet has a very nice gentle access to the lake with 250’ of shoreline and multiple build sites available. MLS 6028959 $195,400
Lot 6 Block 5.
This was one of the very first lots purchased because of its outstanding location. Nestled adjacent to the River 7 Green -
Grand Marais Area
5th – 8th
12th – 15th
19th – 22nd
26th – 29th $15 per person • Tours start at 7pm nightly • Reservations
