Traditionally, this time of year is when publications have a home builders or home improvement issue, which are usually filled with stories about expansive new homes and pricey remodeling projects. Our writers took a distinctly Northern Wilds spin on this topic. In this issue, you’ll find stories about living off the grid, building tiny homes, restoring pioneer homesteads and creating structures from shipping containers. Let’s just say that across the Northern Wilds, rugged individualism never goes out of style.
Our self-reliance no doubt explains the abiding interest many folks have in solar power. In this issue, Kim Casey talks with a Nipigon man who has fitted both his home and his camp on a remote Lake Superior island with solar panels. Lucas Will, who set sail from the North Shore to the South Shore, tells us what it is like to go from living in a sailboat to building a tiny home of your own. Recent first-time home buyer Kelsey Roseth offers tips on how to get started with the home buying process. Erin Altemus, who with her husband Matt Schmidt are among the remotest residents of northern Minnesota, tells what it is like to live far off the grid, at least 10 miles from your nearest neighbor. Kathy Toivenen writes about a rural family who incorporated a historic dove-tailed log cabin into
their new home. Julia Prinselaar delves into the traditions of the Finnish sauna.
As always, some of our Northern Wilds writers have been out in the woods. Joe Friedrichs goes ice fishing with a Montana man who is a cancer survivor. Gord Ellis gives us the lowdown on a favorite target of March ice anglers: the crappie. Erin Altemus provides an insider’s look at the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon with her report on what it is like to be a handler for a racing team. Mike Furtman shares stunning photos of the sea ducks that winter on Lake Superior. Indoors, Casey Fitchett catches up with Thunder Bay musician Rodney Brown. Breana Roy previews the upcoming Kindling Curiosity exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais. Maren Webb surveys a selection of spice shops. Kim Falter encourages us to eat more kiwi, while Amy Schmidt explains a healthy diet and exercise may go a long way toward preventing cancer.
Be sure to check out the winning photos from our annual photography contest. And vote for your favorite eateries in our restaurant awards contest where you’ll have a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice.—Shawn Perich and Amber Pratt
Elder Care correction: North Shore Area Partners
In the February issue, our story on Elder Care Options along the Minnesota North Shore did not include North Shore Area Partners (NSAP).
NSAP supports independence for seniors by supporting and connecting them to their communities. NSAP
Volunteers help seniors stay at home by providing transportation, housekeeping, free tax help, free legal aid, and health and wellness activities. NSAP serves eastern Lake County, including Beaver Bay, Finland, Isabella, Little Marais, Silver Bay and surrounding areas. For more information, visit: nsapartners.org.
Do you have a question for one of our writers? Or an interesting photo, recipe, or story you’d like to share with Northern Wilds? Please send it to breana@northernwilds.com.
Photo Contest Monthly
Enter our monthly photo contest for a chance to win a Northern Wilds cap!
Each month will have a photo theme.
• March: Home Sweet Home
Deadline is the last day of each month. We will notify the winner within the following week.
TO ENTER: Submit your photo to the Northern Wilds Facebook page or send it to contest@northernwilds.com.
See the Photo Contest page on Northern Wilds website for rules. northernwilds.com/contests/photography-contest
1st place Landscape - Brad Muckenhirn - Mankato, MN
Building on a dream
KAMINISTIQUIA—Back in the day, some homesteaders in rural areas of Northern Ontario and Minnesota built homes of hand hewn logs. The motivation was, for the most part, practical: a warm dry place to call home—not too big and not too fancy. Often, the log homes were chinked with moss, mud or hair from cows and horses. Barns and outbuildings were made with rough lumber from portable sawmills, and over time, exposure to weather aged the lumber to a beautiful grey to black barn board.
Today, vintage logs and barn board is in high demand to make shabby chic décor. An old barn window can be given a new life as a mirror; and weathered lumber is used to make photo frames, coffee tables and even feature walls.
Katherine and Rick Kerley had property in Kaministiquia, a rural community west of Thunder Bay. They wanted to build a house that wouldn’t just be accented in barn board—the couple wanted to build their entire home from repurposed, vintage materials. They began to collect supplies, such as lumber from old buildings that could be re-planed and hardwood flooring from their local community centre that was being refurbished. Then they heard of a neighbour in their community who was planning to demolish an old homestead built in the 1920s that was on his property. The young couple asked if they could go and pull any useable lumber off the building before the home was taken down and the owner agreed. When the couple took off the lumber cladding, they saw the beautiful condition of the pine logs and workmanship of the dovetailed ends, so they went back to the owner and asked permission to take the logs.
Slowly and methodically, the couple stripped the home of the siding, roof, plumbing, electrical and interior walls. Then they got down to the logs. They labeled the logs using metal prospecting stamps, as they were told by people with past experience that anything like a grease pencil may wear off. They also made a map of the design
[ABOVE] Shadowbox coffee table made by Kathy Toivonen from barn board and willow. | KATHY TOIVONEN
[RIGHT] A view of the Kerley’s newly renovated house. | KATHY TOIVONEN
and the location of all the logs. When they put the logs back together, the process was much like building with the children’s toy, Canadian Logs or Lincoln Logs.
The Kerley’s property also had an old homestead on it, but the logs were too deteriorated to be of use. So they took down the old building but used the foundation for an addition to the newly located log home. Even though the addition was made of vintage materials or wood produced by local sawyers, it has all the modern conveniences, including in-floor heating. To accommodate the addition, the roof line was changed from the original log home.
Finally, in 1997, after two years of moving logs, stock piling materials, and with a lot of help from friends, their new home was done. The Kerley’s had honoured the spirit and hard work of the original homebuilders by putting together their dream home with tenacity, resourcefulness, and by accepting knowledge and help from friends.
—Kathy Toivonen
The Kerley’s new home took roughly two years to complete. | KATHY TOIVONEN
An old log home built in the 1920s with lumber cladding. | BRENDA RIKKONEN
Logs assembled and addition being built. | RICK & KATHERINE KERLEY
Solar power options
NIPIGON—Gas and electric bills keep rising, as well as the frustration of consumers dependent on these public utility companies. It has led many people to seriously contemplate going off the grid. The idea of being able to harness one’s own energy isn’t just about saving money. It’s about freedom of choice in a world where options are becoming more and more regulated. But as alluring as it is to be completely self-sufficient from energy suppliers, there are drawbacks to consider.
Over the years, Gary Lange has acquired a lot of knowledge about energy options. Born and raised in Nipigon, he studied electronics in college. And it was while he was working at the Red Rock Paper Mill as an instrument technician that he began installing solar power equipment into local residences and camps. He now owns and operates the Bowman Island Lodge and Charters on a remote Lake Superior island. Except for the freezer, refrigerator and stove, which use propane gas, the lodge runs on solar power. There are eight panels and a large battery bank. He has never needed to use a generator in the summer months, because the batteries store enough energy for those days when there is limited sunlight.
When it comes to living off the grid, Lange explained that there are several things to consider. In order to be completely self-reliant, a very large PV-battery system is needed and it isn’t cheap. The
solar panels have to be installed in a large space where they will remain free of snow and can fully access the sun. And once a person’s residence or business is off the grid, they have to carefully monitor how their limited energy is being utilized. Leaving a television or radio on all day is no longer an option. Then there are all those appliances that have phantom loads, such as coffee makers, microwave ovens, alarm clocks and answering machines. When these types of devices aren’t being used for their primary functions, they are still drawing energy. But if they were disconnected from the power source when not being used, a person could cut their energy consumption by 10 percent.
“We don’t realize how much energy we waste,” said Lange.
Lange installed 36 solar panels to the roof of his residence and eight more are ground mounted. Unlike his remote tourist business, his house is still connected to the grid. And the excess energy created from his equipment is sold back to Hydro One through their Microfit Program. It took him about five years to pay off his initial investment and to see financial benefits. Gary explained it works out to a 10 percent return on your investment, whereas Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC) only offer one percent.
The township of Nipigon is using the Mircrofit Program for their community centre and curling rink. It started about
Erosion and Stormwater Construction Installer Course (6 PDH) 8am - 4pm Tuesday April 11, 2017 Lutsen, MN
This one-day course is designed for those who install or inspect erosion and sediment control devices and establish vegetation on construction sites. This course is free and includes a free lunch. Space is limited. Please register by April 4, 2017. Register online at www.cookswcd.org or call 218-387-3649.
four years ago and they have found that in the warmer months, they receive a reasonable payment from Hydro One. In the colder months, they are breaking even.
Lindsay Mannila, chief executive officer, explained that the rate of return on their investment is between 10-15 percent.
Something that fits in well with the township’s commitment to going green and keeping costs down.
There is a less costly way to implement solar power and still stay connected to the grid. It‘s called Net Metering. In this program, consumers can reduce their net energy costs by exporting surplus generated energy back to the utility company for credit.
Anyone interested in either of these programs should contact the utility company and complete the required application process.—Kim Casey
Gary Lange installed 36 solar panels to the roof of his residence and eight more are ground mounted. | GARY LANGE
Fly Box & Company in Grand Marais was built using two, 40-foot used shipping containers. | SCOTT SORENSON
Building with used steel shipping containers
THUNDER BAY—A cozy house built of steel? Shipping container architecture—using recycled shipping containers of heavy gauge steel as building blocks—is a growing worldwide trend. These containers can carry 30 tonnes of cargo across the oceans, sometimes stacked up nine tall on a ship. And many only travel one-way, because it’s not cost-effective to ship back empty containers.
So, what can you do with these 20foot or 40-foot used containers of heavy gauge steel? Plenty. The repurposed containers can be transformed into unique, eco-friendly, durable, stackable structures, from hobby sheds, cabins and homes, to multi-tenant developments and hotels.
When the two-storey 60-room Days Inn hotel opened on Dec. 9, 2014, in Sioux Lookout (about 400 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay), it received international media attention as the largest shipping-container-based hotel in North America. It used 120 surplus shipping containers placed Lego-style on a foundation of steel piles. Built by Calgary-based Ladacor and engineered by Steenhof Building Services Group in Orillia, Ontario, it took 13 months to construct.
Grand Marais is home to one of Minnesota’s first retail stores to build with shipping containers. Opened in June 2016, Scott Sorenson repurposed two, 40-foot used shipping containers for his Fly Box & Company storefront, a fly-fishing shop that sells fishing tackle, equipment and outdoor apparel, and provides guided fly-fishing trips in Cook County.
Containers were converted by cutting steel for windows and doors, insulating the exterior before covering with recycled barn wood, finishing the interior, and spiffing up the thick mahogany floors.
“The store was built offsite about 10 miles, hauled to town by a one-ton pickup truck and 40-foot gooseneck trailer, and put in place. Within five hours, a previously vacant parking lot was transformed
The world’s largest container ship, the 1,297-foot-long (395.4 m.)
MSC Oscar , can carry a whopping 19,224 shipping containers. The ship was built in South Korea for $140 million, christened January 2015, and is owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company. | WIKI COMMONS
into a new retail store in downtown Grand Marais,” said Sorenson.
He noted shipping containers are affordable, mobile (he can move the store), manageable for a small proprietor, and a great way to use and repurpose material.
Watching TV’s Home & Garden shows on mini-homes using shipping containers led Thunder Bay’s Vesa Venska to launch Sisu Spaces last fall; a company focused on converting used shipping containers into unique structures.
One of his first designs was a cabin/ mini-home with a Finnish sauna, bunk beds, rooftop patio, spiral staircase, galley kitchen, bathroom and even a fireplace.
“It took our crew one month to convert the shipping container,” said Venska.
At the Home Show in Thunder Bay last year, Venska’s cabin/mini-home was particularly popular with young people.
“I noticed a trend with younger people. They told me they didn’t want a big house—they want small places and liked the idea of a shipping container minihome,” said Venska.
Venska’s other current models include a two-car carport/storage unit, garden shed and a craft/hobby shop.
Have fun and continue your ski season at the Sugar Tour! Choose a beginner, intermediate or advanced cross country ski challenge using loops of 5, 8, and 18km. Treats and hot chocolate at the finish line. Great for all ages and families. Proceeds benefit the Sugarbush Trail Association.
Register at sugarbushtrail.org or same day at the Oberg trailhead
Registration: $15/adults; $10/youth (14 and under)
Tiny home offers freedom
WASHBURN—I’ve known a lot of homes, albeit temporary ones. During one stretch, I moved eight times in seven years: truck beds, studio apartments, tents, cabins, canoes and one-bedroom apartments. All of these places have been a home to me in the same way my childhood home was, despite their wildly different characteristics.
A home is more than just somewhere to lay my head at night and it’s even more than where my heart is. Home provides comfort, security, freedom; a sanctuary where I can recharge and stay organized. It’s where I dream of adventures amidst a comfortable nights sleep.
Years of home sampling, renting and borrowing presented a list of gained insight into what I wanted and didn’t want in my own, permanent home. And when I met my partner, Natalie, we combined our knowledge and desires.
We ended up with a sailboat. It was mobile (if only by water), compact, fairly simple, functional and attractive. It served our needs, some desires and supplied us with ample room to reach a few dreams. This served as our testing ground.
We couldn’t get away from the mobility aspect. At our stage in life, we know what we want in a home for ourselves and we are ready for our own, we just don’t know where. So we settled on building a tiny home on a 24-foot trailer.
One of the main reasons we decided to build small rested in our comfort with taking on the construction ourselves, figuring that building a smaller version of a “real” house must be more easily achievable (ha!). And we didn’t have the money to pay someone else to do it for us. Even though we both work full time, we figured we had more time than money.
Given that we were committing to living in such a small (some might say restricted) area, space was at a premium. Everything in the house needed to be intentional and functional; slightly higher countertops to serve my lengthy frame,
dog-friendly steps, and a comfortable built-in couch with storage underneath. Creating our own layout and design features that worked specifically for us was really important, so purchasing a pre-built one wasn’t an option we considered.
To a certain degree, we’ve stumbled through every phase of our build. Learning as we go, usually just in time for the next phase (and occasionally just afterwards) has been commonplace for us. While we recognize, and often agonize over, the significance of order of operations, spontaneity and planning routinely mingle in a mutual and sometimes desperate dance; a dance that has taught us a lot.
I didn’t identify as a construction worker, carpenter, wood worker, framer, or any other trade skilled-person before starting. After 18 months and 80 percent of a house later, I still don’t. But despite moments of frustration, we both have learned a lot and find moments to soak in that satisfaction and what it might lead to.
We continue to be motivated by our achievement thus far and our desired outcomes. Since moving onto our sailboat three years ago, we regularly purge our un-needed possessions, giving us less to worry about and keep track of. While our tiny house does have some complex systems (solar power, AC and DC wiring, cold climate plumbing), the simplicity and scale of what we have to maintain provides a freedom previously un-experienced.
When I left the North Shore, the realization that I’d spent more than $18,000 in rent and utilities over three years motivated me to find a way to invest in myself instead of giving my money to others. As Natalie and I got more comfortable and energized with the idea of “going tiny,” it became a component of our model to become both debt free and independent. To do this, we needed to spend money; an investment into us upfront.
As we near completion of our new tiny house, it will have cost us slightly more to
create a home with all of the same creature comforts you find in your own home. Yes, ours sits on three, 5,000 pound axles, and requires a place to park it, but we are at ease with this challenge. The opportunity to easily winterize (drain the freshwater tank) and park it somewhere safe whenever tempted by another one of life’s adventures always sits in our back pocket.
Building and living tiny hasn’t been about proving we could do it. More so, about simplifying the clutter in our lives. We didn’t want possessions, obligations and others’ expectations to drive our lives anymore. Our quality of life is too important. Our own expectations are that our tiny house will open up opportunities that we might never have had otherwise.
Going tiny might seem like putting all of our eggs into one, uncomfortable basket. But not for our lifestyle; we’ve always got our canoe and tent. Big, tiny, floating, or on a foundation, home is what you make it.
—Lucas Will
Natalie Jackson and Lucas Will went tiny when building their dream house.
LUCAS WILL
A bright future for the historic Rock of Ages Lighthouse
ISLE ROYALE—Perched atop a knifeedged reef on the western brink of the Isle Royale archipelago, Rock of Ages Lighthouse has stood watch, silently guarding the rocky shores of Isle Royale for more than a century. Standing 10 stories tall with a second-order Fresnel lens, the lighthouse is just as striking a sight today as when it was built in 1908. One of the most powerful lights on the Great Lakes with a range of 25 miles, the light serves as an important signpost for ships crossing Lake Superior, and marks the dangerous Rock of Ages Reef.
Since 1979, the Rock of Ages Lighthouse has been left to the wind, waves and ice without a keeper to maintain it. The Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society, an all-volunteer non-profit, has partnered with Isle Royale National Park to pick up where the last lighthouse keeper left off. Over the next few years, the lighthouse will undergo restoration with the help of dedicated volunteers, preserving the history of this amazing historic structure.
Rock of Ages Lighthouse is a welcome sight to all who journey to Isle Royale, not
just because they have almost arrived, but because it means that the rest of the world has been left behind.
“Rock of Ages Lighthouse has a way of protecting all those who pass by from the ever changing craziness that is our modern day reality,” said David Gerth, founder and director of the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society. “Those fortunate enough to set foot on the Rock know the overwhelming power of just being there, surrounded by the vast waters of Lake Superior and beauty of Isle Royale.”
The restoration of the lighthouse to its 1930s timeframe will allow visitors “to not only experience the beauty of the place, but also to feel what it is like to live the life of an offshore lighthouse keeper.”
Full scale restoration work begins this summer with the keeper’s quarters on the fourth floor of the lighthouse. Restoration will be completed by volunteers and funded by the Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society through grants and individual or business donations. Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society also accepts material donations for the project;
Action Floor Systems of Mercer Wisconsin generously donated all of the hard wood flooring for the lighthouse.
The lighthouse has a bright future thanks to the society and its supporters.
“The history and future of this publicly owned place belongs to everyone. With the help of all those who love Isle Royale, Lake Superior, and its history, Rock of
Ages will become a living lighthouse once again,” Gerth said.
Learn how to become involved at: rockofageslps.org, or email rockofageslps@ gmail.com.
Located five miles off the southwest corner of Isle Royale, the 10-story Rock of Ages Lighthouse was built in 1907-08 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rock of Ages Lighthouse Preservation Society will begin full scale restoration of the lighthouse this summer. | CHARLES GERTH
The pileated woodpecker Northwood homebuilders
NORTH SHORE—Throughout the snowpacked forest, piles of wood chips can be found at the base of rotting trees; pileated woodpeckers have been busy this winter. Large, oblong feeding holes riddle the trunks of punky snags. Signs of the pileateds’ presence far outnumber the actual number of birds in an area. Despite their relative rarity, these large, charismatic birds have an outsized impact on their ecosystem.
The rectangular feeding holes we see so commonly in the woods are just one example. Through their forceful foraging habits, pileated woodpeckers feed more than just themselves. Hairy woodpeckers specialize in gleaning smaller insects from pileated trees. Heart rot fungi take advantage of the wounds that pileated woodpeckers open up. The fungi accelerate decomposition that creates important habitat for even more organisms. Likewise, fungi of all kinds go to work on the piles of wood chips, and return important nutrients to the ecosystem. And through their voracious appetites, woodpeckers play an important role in moderating insect outbreaks.
Pileated woodpeckers provide nest cavities for other birds, such as chickadees and brown creepers.
| EMILY STONE
The largest feeding holes of pileated woodpeckers can provide shelter for brown creepers, chickadees, and other little birds looking for a cozy spot to spend the night. Bigger animals, though, seek out the pileateds’ deeper nest cavities. Each year in early spring, male pileated woodpeckers begin to excavate new nest cavities. The entrance takes the oblong form that we’re familiar with, but the overall hole is 10-24 inches deep. To achieve this, woodpeckers choose a nest
tree with a large diameter, a solid circumference and slightly punky center. Toward the end of excavation, the females assist, and they may take turns climbing into the hole, working away from the inside, and then tossing wood chips out the entrance. Some chips remain inside as the sole nest lining for their young.
If you’ve ever marveled at the size of the holes, or the size of the wood chips that came out of the holes, you may wonder how a bird the length of our forearm can inflict that kind of damage on a tree without inflicting similar damage on itself. Just like any craftsman, a woodpecker has a set of specialized tools; starting with the pileated’s long, chisel-like beak. At its base, bristly feathers filter sawdust out of its nose. At its tip, layers of hard bone and flexible tissue distribute force away from its bird brain. A long, barbed tongue gets put to good use in fishing carpenter ants out of cavities, but this complex of bone, muscle and cartilage does even more. The hyoid apparatus, as it’s called, splits into two horns, wraps all the way around the skull, and creates a safety harness for its head.
Using these features, in addition to serious neck muscles, woodpeckers are able to take 99.7 percent of the strain energy created through drilling and dissipate it throughout their body. The 0.3 percent of the strain energy that affects their head is converted to heat energy. This could cause a woodpecker’s brain to overheat and result in a different kind of damage, which is why woodpeckers take frequent, short breaks while they are pecking.
Although significant time and effort are invested in a nest cavity—each one takes three to six weeks to complete— woodpeckers will not reuse the hole in
subsequent years. This probably serves to protect the babies from parasites, or from mammalian predators who might remember the location from year to year.
Once a pair of pileateds abandon their nest cavity (and sometimes even before), a virtual line of squatters form outside the door. The spacious accommodations are coveted by a variety of birds and mammals, including other woodpeckers, ducks, bluebirds, flycatchers, owls, American kestrels, bats, squirrels, mice and pine martens. Roughly 70-80 species of animals have been documented reusing pileated nest holes.
On a cold night, the shelter of a tree cavity blocks the wind and provides enough insulation to increase the temperature by 40 degrees F. Birds roosting in tree cavities can see energy savings of up to 38 percent. Flying squirrels and some birds snuggle up in a fuzzy pile to share warmth. Chickadees and the pileateds themselves prefer to roost alone, even on the coldest nights. In fact, pileated woodpeckers often excavate additional roost cavities, which provide even more habitat for their neighbors.
With the amount of construction they do, and the number of species they benefit, it’s no surprise that scientists and wildlife managers consider pileated woodpeckers “ecosystem engineers.” They might be the most prolific homebuilders in the Northwoods.
Learn more about pileateds and other natural partnerships at the Cable Natural History Museum’s “Better Together” exhibit, opening on Wednesday, May 3 in Cable, Wisc.—Emily Stone
Pileateds
| LARRY STONE
The legend of St. Urho
FINLAND—
If there is a holy grail for the imaginary Saint Urho, it would be the original hand-written poem, “A Ode to Saint Urho.”
The poem was phonetically written, so when read aloud it would sound as if speaking with a heavy Finnish accent. The poem was scribed in the mid1950s by Gene McCavic, an employee of Ketola’s Department Store in Virginia, Minn. The inspiration for the prose (and co-author) was fellow employee, Richard Mattson, who spun a tale of a Finnish Saint who had killed all the frogs in Finland. For over 60 years, the poem, which is written on parcel wrapping paper, has been carefully preserved and archived at the Minnesota Discovery Centre in Chisolm. However, while the poem lied dormant in a box, the legend of St. Urho morphed and grew to become the “holiday” that we celebrate today.
The amphibian in the room
There are three significant differences from the original tale to the tale today. First, the poem states that St. Urho killed all the frogs in Finland, compared to chasing away grasshoppers. Second, the original poem makes no note of grapes. However, an interview with Richard Mattson in 1998 (also archived at the Minnesota Discovery Center) recounts the day back in 1953 or 1956 (time forgets) where he elaborates on the idea of poisonous frogs contaminating the grape crops during the ice age. And last is the discrepancy of the date, from May 24 to March 16. All three changes seem to have happened at the same time and relatively quickly. A 1956 article written by Clarence Ivonen in the Mesabi Daily News writes, “While the
sons and daughters of Erin are paying their respects to St. Patrick, Mattson was loud ly praising the feats of Saint Urho.”
Another theory for the changes could be politically charged. Given the polit ical climate during post WWII Europe, one cannot help but make a parallel to our North American Saint Urho and Fin land’s revered President Urho Kekkonen, son of a lumberjack, who was elected in March of 1956 and was best known for keeping neutral relations with the Soviet Union (a potential swarm of locusts that could have easily invaded the smaller Finn ish country).
The celebrations
St. Urho’s Day has become a world-wide phenomenon and is even celebrated by some in Finland. But there is another Fin land that has celebrated St. Urho’s Day for over 40 years: Finland, Minn. In 1976, the U.S. government encouraged communi ties to celebrate community pride for the bicentennial, and the name of the com munity itself should explain their heritage celebration. Every year since then, State Hwy 1 is shut down to accommodate a parade that begins at the top of a hill and makes its way through the town. Finland’s population of 400 people swells to about 1,000 people over the festive weekend.
“People who live far away come here every year if they can. It’s like a big family reunion,” said Honor Schauland, St. Urho event coordinator for Friends of the Finland Community.
Then, stories of St. Urho crossed north of the border. The legend of the Saint was first introduced to those in Thunder Bay in the early 1980s when the ORAS Chamber Choir held a celebration at the Finnish Labour Temple (Finn Hall) on Bay Street. St. Urho’s Day is (un)officially March 16, but festivities occur on whatever Saturday falls closest to that date. So when the party for St. Urho was scheduled for March 17, 1984, local Irish citizens protested. In the cover of darkness, they painted a green stripe and shamrocks along Bay Street. And during the celebration, a group of patrons from a local Irish pub pa -
The original “A Ode to Saint Urho” poem was written on parcel wrapping paper and is archived at the Minnesota Discovery Centre in Chisolm. | IRON RANGE RESEARCH CENTER
raded through the Finn Hall with banners that read, “Irishmen are #1.” But instead of conflict, the Finns welcomed the Irish, and over a beer the two groups celebrated their Saints.
This year, both communities are kicking off their St. Urho Day celebrations on Friday, March 17. Finland will offer a threeday event themed “Urhopalooza.” For
more details, visit: friendsoffinland.org.
The Finlandia Association of Thunder Bay party will kick-off with a dance and music by the Finnish Reggae band Conga Se Menne. Visit: thefinlandia.com for more info.
The faithful can easily do some cross-border celebrating.—Kathy Toivonen
St. Urho.
| HANNELE KORAMO
Long-tailed ducks flying over Lake Superior. | MICHAEL FURTMAN
Sea ducks on the unsalted sea
NORTH SHORE—Just about everyone is familiar with two groups of ducks that frequent the Northern Wilds region—the puddle ducks, typified by mallards, and diving ducks, like the familiar bluebill. But sea ducks? What are sea ducks doing on Lake Superior?
Actually, the sea duck group does include duck species that frequent this neck of the woods, though most of us don’t think of them that way. All of the mergansers, common goldeneye and bufflehead are members of the sea duck family, not because they nest near the sea, but because they feed in the ocean in the winter. No, what we’re talking about here are the odd ducks. Ducks that are rarely seen on the Great Lakes, don’t nest anywhere near them, and are typically found along the east or west coast in the winter. Yet sharp eyes have noted several species on the waters of the North Shore.
Scoters (there are three kinds: whitewinged, surf and black) are probably the most common vagrants. Unlike some Arctic sea duck species, many scoters migrate north-south, as opposed to following the ocean coasts. In doing so, they sometimes make a stop in our area, and not just on Lake Superior, but other large lakes like Winnibigoshish and Lake of the Woods.
Far rarer is the Harlequin duck, a species that nests along fast moving streams
in the mountains of Canada, Alaska and northern U.S. Rockies. The males are strikingly colorful and those that end up on the North Shore (one or two a year) are birds that probably got caught up in a jet stream and landed here by chance.
The same is likely true for eiders. Both the king eider and the common eider occasionally appear in our area. Cook County has seen at least eight king eiders since records have been kept. A common eider was spotted with some mallards in the St. Louis Bay in Duluth just two winters ago for over a month.
One sea duck that has been appearing more frequently is the long-tailed duck (once called oldsquaw). Three years ago, nearly a thousand of them wintered in Two Harbors. Now, a winter rarely passes without longtails being seen somewhere along the shore. Flocks of many thousands are now common in the lower lakes, and the consensus among scientists is that they’re here because they’ve discovered a new and abundant food source—invasive quagga and zebra mussels. The long-tailed duck holds the record for deep dives—250 feet—and feed almost exclusively on mussels.
Seen an odd duck on the big lake? Chances are it’s one of the above. —Michael Furtman
[ABOVE] Common goldeneyes. | MICHAEL FURTMAN [LEFT] Harlequin duck. | MICHAEL FURTMAN
Life in the Deep Woods
BY ERIN ALTEMUS
My husband Matt and I moved to Cook County almost four years ago, with 25 sled dogs, three vehicles, a storage shed full of belongings and nowhere to call home. We felt we had perused the real estate listings enough to see that there were plenty of properties to buy within our price range. When we put our feet on the ground and started physically going to the properties, we found everything in our price range was either on a really bad road, many miles from town, lacked all basic amenities, consisted of a dilapidated shack or had no structure on it at all. One property visit required the real estate agent to pull us from the mud on our way out—not a great sell.
It was not necessarily our dream to live off grid, but it became apparent that off grid living was all we could afford, and we had the constraint of needing to buy a place that was on trails for mushing and in a sled dog-friendly neighborhood.
One day, I opened the paper and found a for sale by owner listing for a small cabin, sauna and wood shed on 40 acres on Mush Lake, a small and shallow lake tucked on the north side of Pine Mountain and in the hills above the Brule River. It sounded dreamy. The first time we tried to find the
place, however, we found ourselves walking on a four-wheeler trail with no cabin in sight. Several weeks later, the owner brought us to the place, a full mile of rocky, rutted, wet trail that only an ATV or really heavy-duty truck could travel. But road aside, the place had charm—a 600-square foot cabin on a private lake, connected to snowmobile trails and forest roads that were perfect for training sled dogs.
To be honest, the ‘off-grid’ part of the property didn’t faze us nearly as much as the ‘you can’t drive to the property’ part. We knew there would be challenges, but we decided to go for it. Our situation was becoming all the more urgent as we were living in a canvas tent, and it was October and already snowing; we were starting to get really cold. So we signed the purchase agreement and moved in mid-November, hauling everything we could by ATV and trailer.
Off-grid living can be very comfortable. I have visited off-grid homes that have every amenity—fully plumbed and wired. Our rustic abode has no well and we must haul in our water either from the lake or from town in five-gallon plastic containers that come in on the Otter sled. In the sum -
mer, we are able to pump lake water to an outside storage tank, but we still have to haul it into the house by hand. We have an outhouse. After living out of coolers for a period of time, we bought a used propane fridge. We have propane lights and a propane range and stove, but the cabin is also wired, so we are able to run a generator and run electric lights, many small appliances and best of all, a satellite internet system to keep us connected. We heat with wood cut from our property.
Our first winter at Mush Lake, we snowmobiled all the way out to the Gunflint Trail where we parked our cars. This was the winter of the polar vortex, when it was below zero every night and far below zero on many nights. Several times the snowmobile wouldn’t start and we had to walk three miles to get home.
Without any way to communicate with the outside world at first, we relied on planning. If I worked until 7 p.m., Matt would meet me at the Gunflint Trail with the snowmobile at 7:30 to give me a ride in. One night, when I didn’t show up because my car had died, he finally came driving toward town and we were able to find each other. When we hooked up the satellite internet
Living off the grid offers peace and solitude on our own private lake. | MATTHEW SCHMIDT
We keep a tank of water on the stove in the winter as our hot water source. | MATTHEW SCHMIDT
and could email each other if the plans needed to change, it felt like we had catapulted ourselves into the modern century.
There were winter days you could have seen us snowmobiling toward town with socks and underwear falling into the snow behind the otter sled all the way down the trail. Other days you would have found us
our property to and from the car requires me to watch the flora change day-by-day. It also keeps me in shape. Our nearest neighbor is likely 10 miles away as the crow flies.
In the last year and a half, there have been some changes that make our situation not-so-difficult. We were able to improve
I have walked face-to-face with moose on our road, followed fresh wolf tracks down the trail, watched fox sitting outside the kitchen window, and otters swimming at the end of our dock.
digging out the snowmobile from wherever one of us had managed to go off the hard pack and into the deep snow on the side, or out on the windswept lake, filling water containers from a hole in the ice to bring up to the house. We took saunas or showered in town.
We have hauled in building materials for two sheds by ATV and snowmobile. We rely on a snowmobile and ATV, chainsaw, wood splitter and generator. Sometimes, maintaining all these things—machines that we rely on every day—feels very complicated. It’s common for friends and family to romanticize what appears to be a simple life. It’s actually quite complex.
Don’t forget your car keys at home or it’s a long way back to retrieve them. Make sure there is back-up propane. Keep a gas container full at all times for the generator.
And yet, it is simple and so quiet. It’s a rare event that we have an unsolicited visitor—just the rare snowmobiler that gets onto our drive and off the Musquash Trail. Most of these folks turn around when they see a few dozen dogs barking in their direction. We have an entire lake to ourselves, that while too shallow to dive in from the dock, makes a great swimming spot in the summer if you paddle out to the middle. I have walked face-to-face with moose on our road, followed fresh wolf tracks down the trail, watched fox sitting outside the kitchen window, and otters swimming at the end of our dock. Walking in and out of
the road into our property most of the way. There is a still an eight-minute walk, but that seems easy to me now. Of course, this also means we must plow our road all the way to the Gunflint Trail. Because of my husband’s job, we also have access to a caretaker house that affords us hot showers and laundry service.
I’ve gotten used to the things that make our life challenging, and there are moments I crave something easier—such as waking up on a cold winter morning to find the propane is out before I’ve made coffee, requiring me to find a large wrench to go change it. When the plow truck gets stuck, we are on our own to get it out. Someday, I think I’d like the road to go to my front door.
This spring we will be adding another member to our family. Some have asked me if we are really going to raise a child off-grid. I don’t know how long we will live at Mush Lake, or maybe it will only be for part of the year. I do know that people have been raising babies off grid for thousands of years, so it is possible. And in Cook County, we certainly won’t be the first. Since our move to the North Shore, I have met some of the most self-reliant people the world can offer up, living all sorts of lifestyles that seem foreign to many.
I believe that those of us living here are in on the secret: It might be difficult, expensive and at times inconvenient, but living up north is definitely worth it.
woodstove and our dog May are the centerpiece of our small cabin.
2016 Photo Contest Winners
1st place Wildlife - David Brislance - Lutsen, MN
1st place Landscape - Brad Muckenhirn - Mankato, MN
2nd place Wildlife - Walt Huss - Coon Rapids, MN
3rd place Wildlife - Ken Greshowak - Duluth, MN
2nd place Landscape -Jackie Scherer - St. Paul, MN
3rd place Landscape - Ken Greshowak - Duluth, MN
1st place People - Brad Muckenhirn - Mankato, MN
1st place Pets - Sandy Updyke - Hovland, MN
2nd place People - Katelyn Kotanen - Thunder Bay, Ont.
3rd place People - Bethany Burner - Hovland, MN
2nd place Pets - Sherri Smith - Grand Marais, MN
3rd place Pets - Alison Gimpel - Duluth, MN
By Breana Roy
Kindling Curiosity
For eight years in a row, Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church has sponsored an art show, asking the community to submit art pieces based on a certain theme. This year’s theme is Kindling Curiosity: Lighting the Creative Spark. Artists of all ages may submit up to two pieces of artwork, accompanied with a brief bio and statement about the work. Pieces can be dropped off at the Johnson Heritage Post in Grand Marais, March 20-21. The exhibit will open on Friday, March 24 with a presentation.
Woodworking
Living in the great North Woods, we are surrounded by trees. Since this issue is themed around homebuilding, it seemed obvious focus on woodworking. Here’s a few of my favorites
Grand Marais artist Howard Hedstrom made this wood-turned bowl.
| HOWARD HEDSTROM
Glass artist Nancy Seaton teaches at the Grand Marais Art Colony. | NANCY SEATON
Peter Kess, owner of Kess Gallery in Ely, created this orange pine bowl. See more at, kessgallery.com. | PETER KESS
Melinda Wolff creates jewelry from reclaimed wood scraps. Her work can be found at Kah-Nee-Tah Gallery in Lutsen. | MELINDA WOLFF
“Geology of Minnesota Eagle Mountain”by Grand Marais artist Tom McCann. | TOM MCCANN
“Aurora Borealis” by Grand Marais Art Colony instructor Kathy Fox Weinberg. | KATHY FOX WEINBERG
Abstract painting by Cook County High School student Samantha Scalise. | SAMANTHA SCALISE
Rodney Brown
By Casey Fitchett
Canadian singer-songwriter Rodney Brown has had a long and lively career that includes an international tour, sessions teaching youth and appearances on national media.
Brown picked up his first guitar at age seven and has been performing professionally since grade eight. Though his whole family sang and harmonized together, he was most influenced by the talent of his father, country and western singer Mel Brown. Listening to his dad play around the house, at family gatherings and at church, ignited a spark in the younger Brown that formed the foundation for his career.
“He had a huge influence on my songwriting and I will always have my
country roots,” he said. “I loved the songs he sang; country and western songs by the Singing Brakeman and Hank Snow.”
His musical journey has since taken him to the bars, pubs and coffee houses of Northwestern Ontario and across the festival circuit in the late 1970s to promote his first album, “Freedom in Me.” The album was distributed across Canada and eventually to England and Japan. In the span of just a couple years, Brown toured to Newfoundland with the Kam Theater's production of HARVEST, and released another album, “When the Bay Turns Blue.”
In the mid-1980s, Brown took a brief break from his busy touring schedule to offer his skills in a new place: the classroom. Since completing a project
with First Nations students in Mine Centre, he has been a regular figure in schools throughout Canada and Minnesota.
“Children have a terrific sense of joy and wonder and they generally love to sing and make music together,” he says. “The focus is always to compose an original song with the class and they perform and record their work. I leave classes with a CD of their song.”
After releasing 11 albums, Brown has certainly arrived at a sound he can call his own. Country roots blended with a hint of the boomer music of the 1960s and 70s manifest in songs that reflect a sense of place in the North Woods.
“I have quite a few songs about our lake and have always been interested in Canadian history, especially local stories,” explains Brown. “It seemed like a perfect fit combining my love of music and song writing to tell the stories of where I live.”
Those songs about local Canadian history have gained the musician international recognition and went over well as he toured across Canada, the upper American Midwest and the U.K. Brown was part of The Journey of a Blanket program, which followed the path of a blanket's creation in Witney, England to Fort William.
Though he has strummed in-house concerts and soft seat theaters far and wide, recently Brown has been staying closer to home to perform and teach in elementary school classrooms. His steady Friday After Work Party gig at the Port Arthur Legion keeps him entertaining a regular crowd.
To learn more about Brown, visit rodneybrown.ca.
Breana’s Pick OF THE MONTH
Carla Hamilton was born in Wrenshall, Minn., but spent almost 18 years in Germany where she studied classic art. After returning to Minnesota in 2012, she turned to mixed media, incorporating repurposed objects like glass, sand, wire and string into her artwork. Hamilton’s artwork addresses political and social issues, based on her life experiences. Her artwork is currently on display at the Duluth Art Institute until April 9, titled Gezielt (Targeted). A community forum to discuss her exhibit will be held at 5:30 p.m. on March 8 at The Underground in Duluth. For more info, visit duluthartinstitute.org.
EXHIBITS
Nov. 10-March 5
Recent Acquisitions to the Collection: Norval Morrisseau Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
Dec. 2-March 5
Elizabeth Buset: Swine Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
Jan. 13-March 26
Amanda Burk: Stories of Contentment & Other Fables Thunder Bay Art Gallery, theag.ca
Jan. 24-March 26
Pop Evolution Tweed Museum of Art, Duluth, d.umn.edu/tma
Feb. 23-April 9
Elizabeth Kuth: Rooted Expression Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org
Carla Hamilton: Gezielt (Targeted) Duluth Art Institute, duluthartinstitute.org
Feb. 25-March 26
Fiber Arts Exhibition Baggage Building Arts Centre, Thunder Bay, thunderbay.ca
March 2-31
Youth Art Month Exhibition: Typography Edition (Reception March 2 at 5 p.m.) Whole Foods Co-op, Denfeld, duluthartinstitute.org
March 6, Monday
Sprouting 5 p.m. Art & Soul Gallery, Ely (218) 365-7300
March 24-April 9
Kindling Curiosity: Lighting the Creative Spark Johnson Heritage Post, Grand Marais, johnsonheritagepost.org
March 25-April 29
Urban Infill: Art in the Core 11 (reception March 25 at 7 p.m.) Thunder Bay Waterfront District, definitelysuperior.com
Rodney Brown will perform at the Port Arthur Legion on March 17, from 8 p.m. to midnight. | RODNEY BROWN
Wooden snowshoes, carved by Linda Ottis, member of the Northwoods Fiber Guild. | LINDA OTTIS
Cook
Thursday, March 9 • 6 - 8 p.m. Cook Count y M iddle/H igh School
▶ Par take in a delec table array of tasty samples from Cook County restaurants and food vendors.
▶ Bid on quality silent auc tion items donated by our local businesses and individuals
▶ enter tainment while socializing with fellow suppor ters of the ISD 166 Cook County Schools.
* The Cook County School District ISD 166 Education Foundation awards grants for projects and activities that enhance the curriculum. Nearly $102,000 in grants have been provided by this foundation.
T ickets available at:
Java Moose
Blue Water Cafe or from any CCSDEF board member: Shelby Anderson
Annie DeBevec
Harr y Drabik
Devlin DuVall
Gene Erickson
Hal Greenwood
Susan Lappi
Lorelei Livingston
Doug Sanders
Ann Sullivan
Checks can be written to “EATS 2017”
LUNCH AT THE TAVERN
Campanaro
Frosted Fatty Fat Bike Race
March 4-5
Back for the second year in a row, Spirit Mountain and Frost River will host the Frosted Fatty Fat Bike Race on the slopes of Spirit Mountain in Duluth.
This two day event, held March 4-5, will bring competitors from throughout the country for fat bike races, live music, bike demos, guided tours, food and drinks, a silent auction and more, with over 300 participants expected. New this year is a cross country race on Saturday morning, as well as a dual head-tohead slalom race for skiers, snowboarders and bikers in the evening. There will also be $5,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. This family-friendly event will be exciting for racers and spectators alike.
include Fat Bike Sunday;
Mountain. In partnership with Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS) and The City of Duluth, the AWT at Spirit Mountain would provide Duluth with a biking trail that could be used in all-weather events. This trail would be the first of its kind in the Midwest.
The Frosted Fatty provides fund raising for the All Weather Trail (AWT) at Spirit
For more information, visit spiritmt.com
Races will be held throughout the day on Saturday, starting at 9 a.m.
This year’s Frosted Fatty Fat Bike Race will include fat bike demos, live music, food and a silent auction. | SPIRIT MOUNTAIN Activities
lift-served fat biking. | SPIRIT MOUNTAIN
SPIRIT MOUNTAIN
BLUES FEST
Alan
Big
Birch Grove Community School’s Saplings Program receives 4 of 4 STARS from Parent Aware!
PATSY O’BRIEN & DICK HENSOLD
Saplings Program: ~Ages 3-5 ~M-F from 7am-5pm Go To: www.birchgroveschool.com under the Community Education tab. See our other great programs too!
March 4, Saturday The North Shore Music Association in Grand Marais presents an evening of captivating Celtic fare by folk duo Patsy O’Brien and Dick Hensold. Award-winning singer and guitarist Patsy O’Brien has collaborated with famous musicians Paddy Keenan and Cathie Ryan. Dick Hensold, a master of Scottish reel pipes, whistles and recorder, is the leading Northumbrian smallpiper in North America. The duo will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth; on sale in advance or at the door. northshoremusicassociation.com
THOMAS RHETT
March 4, Saturday Country singer Thomas Rhett will bring his Home Team Tour to Duluth, with special guests Kelsea Ballerini, Russell Dickerson and Ryan Hurd. Rhett will perform songs off his new album, “Tangled Up,” including “Die a Happy Man,” “Crash and Burn,” “Playing with Fire,” and his current hit, “Star of the Show.” The concert will be held at 7 p.m. at the AMSOIL Arena. Tickets can be purchased online. decc.org
CABIN FEVER RELIEVER FUNDRAISER
March 5, Sunday The Two Harbors Community Radio will host the third annual Cabin Fever Reliever music and entertainment extravaganza at 3 p.m. in the Two
Harbors High School auditorium, featuring storytellers, poets, singers and musicians. This year’s performances include Gail Francis, THUG, Hannah Rey, the Northwoods Band, Meghan Cavallin, Nancy McGibbon, Arna Rennan and Erika Pelach. The Cedar Coffee Company will sell gourmet coffee and treats before the show and at intermission, and there will be free snacks and drinks too. Tickets can be found at various locations in Two Harbors. ktwh.org
EATS FUNDRAISER
March 9, Thursday The Cook County School District Education Foundation (CCSDEF) presents EATS; Enriching Academics Through Sustenance. Held at the Cook County Middle/High School, enjoy an array of food samples from local restaurants and food vendors. There will also be a silent auction and musical entertainment. The event will be held from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are $25 to attend and only 150 tickets will be sold. Tickets are available at Java Moose, Blue Water Café, and the middle/high school office. Contact a CCSDEF board member for more info.
WINTER MOONRISE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
March 10-11 Join North Shore photographer John Gregor and Split Rock Lighthouse site manager Lee Radzak for a twoday photography workshop. Learn about proper photographic technique, lens selection, filtration and how to achieve the sharpest image. Participants must bring a digital camera capable of exposure control and a tripod. The workshop will be held at the Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors. Registration is required. mnhs.org/ event/2373
Folk duo Patsy O’Brien and Dick Hensold will perform an evening of Celtic music in Grand Marais on March 4. | NSMA
WOMEN’S EXPO
March 11, Saturday Need a girl’s day? Head to the Duluth DECC for the annual Women’s Expo, featuring speakers, seminars, exhibits, entertainment, samples, screenings, shopping and pampering. Numerous businesses will be attending, such as the Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, Sleep Number, Wine Creations, St. Lukes, LuLaRoe, Lake Superior College, Harley-Davidson Sports Center and more. Northern Wilds will also be at the expo, so stop by and say hi. The expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $6 at the door, or free if you sign up online in advanced. duluthwomensexpo.com
NORTHERN ONTARIO HOUSING EXPO
March 11, Saturday Thunder Bay will host the second annual Northern Ontario Housing Expo, featuring guest speakers, classes, a vendor trade show and prizes. The expo will provide valuable resources and information for current and potential renters and homeowners within northern Ontario. Classes include, “Strategies to use the equity in your home to maximize net worth and pay down debt,” and “The home buyers plan: Tips and
tricks to get the maximum bang for your buck.”
The show will be held at Victoria Inn from 8 a.m.6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online. nohe.ca
THE SUGAR TOUR
March 11, Saturday All ages and abilities are invited to partake in the Sugar Tour; a cross country ski challenge at Oberg Mountain in Tofte. Categories include a 5k loop, 8k loop and 18km loop. Skiers must reach specific trail intersections to get credit for their accomplishment. There will also be treats, hot chocolate, games and a bonfire. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for ages 14 and younger. Online registration required. All proceeds will benefit the Sugarbush Trail Association. sugarbushtrail.org
DOG DAYS OF WINTER
March 12, Sunday Head to Trail Center Lodge on the Gunflint Trail for the annual Dog Days of Winter, featuring sled dog derbies and kids rides, freestyle skijorning races, a snowman competition, snowshoe games, a bonfire with free s’mo
Hunger is a serious “invisible” problem here in Lake and Cook Counties. But together we can take a bite out of hunger. Our goal is to DOUBLE the annual funding of local anti-hunger programs. How? That’s where you come in. It’s a simple challenge: we are asking our members to pledge a monthly donation to our North Shore Hunger Hero initiative. Any amount of support makes a difference –even $1 a month adds up.
In 2017, we’re pledging to match all contributions in March up to $3,000. The bonus is that March is National Food Shelf Month—meaning all the money we raise together will also be matched through national programs. NSFCU will offer additional matching opportunities throughout the year. Your part is simple
The next time you visit a branch, just tell us you want to be a North Shore Hunger Hero, and how much you’d like to give. Sign a permission slip and we will do the rest. Even easier, sign up online through NSFCU E-Branch under “My Account”. As a team of North Shore Hunger Heroes, we can help end hunger in our communities! How cool is that?
Finland’s 42th Annual St Urho’s Celebration Schedule of Events
Friday night, March 17th
6-8 p.m.— Miss Helmi Talent and Beauty Contest—various stops around town
8 p.m.-Midnight— Music at the West Branch by the Tom Schramm Band
8:30 p.m.-Midnight— Music at the Four Seasons by Tara Nelson
Saturday, March 18th
8-10:30 a.m.— Finland MN Historical Society’s Pancake Breakfast, and Craft Fair at the Clair Nelson Center
Noon—Tug of War across the Baptism River
Before and during the parade— - Finland Fire and Rescue will be selling refreshments outside the Finland Fire Hall.
- AfterProm will be selling St Urho T-shirts outside the Finland Co-op
Noon-1 p.m.— Parade through Finland on Highway 1. Call Cheri Bischoff at 218-220-9947 to register for the parade.
1-3 p.m.— Clair Nelson CenterCraft Fair, kids games, Lunch, and music by Casey Aro
1-4 p.m.— Music at Four Seasons by Tara Nelson
1-5 p.m.— Music at Our Place by the Curry Band
8 p.m.-Midnight — Music at the West Branch by the Tom Schramm Band
8:30 p.m.-Midnight— Music at the Four Seasons by Tara Nelson
Sunday, March 19th
3pm— Door Prizes, 4 p.m.— Raffle Ticket Drawing at Four Seasons
Supported by the Silver Bay Area Tourism Association
The Finland St. Urho’s celebration will include a parade at noon on Saturday, March 18. | SUBMITTED
res, hot dogs and hot cocoa, and more. Sled dog derbies include an eight-dog race, six-dog race, and four-dog race. All derbies start at 11 a.m. and cost $20-40 to register. trailcenterlodge.com
ets are $9 in advance, $12 at the door, or $15 in advance for both nights. Must be 21 or older to attend. lutsen.com
ST. URHO CELEBRATION
St. Urho’s Special – Fend off the grasshoppers with $20.00 off all rooms March 17 and 18
• Pool with 110 ft. Figure 8 Waterslide
• Breakfast Buffet with Waffle Bar
• Rooms and Suites with Whirlpools and Fireplaces
• High Speed Wireless Internet
• Near State Parks and National Forest
• Snowmobile Trail Access from Our Lot
Beaver Bay Finland Silver Bay Lutsen
* Pay-at-the-Pump
* 24-hour card reader
* Speedpass Pumps
* No Ethanol in our Super Unleaded
* Also Diesel at some locations
today’s way to pay
Full Menu • On & Off Sale Liquor “Finland’s Family Restaurant” 218-353-7343 • 6 miles N. of Hwy 61
THE PEKING ACROBATS
March 14, Tuesday The Peking Acrobats are a troupe of China’s most gifted tumblers, contortionists, jugglers, cyclists and gymnast, accompanied by live musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments. Since their Western debut in 1986, they have redefined acrobatics with treacherous wire-walking, trick-cycling, precision tumbling, and by performing daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs. This is one family-friendly performance you won’t forget. The show will be held at 8 p.m. at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. tbca.com
DULUTSEN SKI & MUSIC FESTIVAL
March 17-18 Hit the slopes at Lutsen Mountains for a weekend of skiing and live music, featuring Duluth’s top artists performing at Papa Charlie’s. Friday night’s lineup includes the Black-Eyed Snakes, Rich Mattson & the North Stars, and Sarah Krueger. Saturday’s lineup features Jillian Rae, the Hobo Nephews with Ryan Young of Trampled by Turtles, and Brothers Burn Mountain. The first show begins at 8:30 p.m. both nights. Tick-
March 17-19 Join the town of Finland for a weekend of fun. This year’s theme for the 42nd annual St. Urho celebration is Urhopalooza: 3 Days of Grapes and Grasshoppers. Festivities will include the Friday evening Miss Helmi beauty and talent competition, the Saturday parade at noon on Highway 1, a raffle, and lots of music, food and crafts. friendsoffinland.org/ st-urho-2017
MINNESOTA BALLET PRESENTS FIREBIRD
March 24-25
The Minnesota Ballet in Duluth will perform Firebird, a Russian fairy tale set in a primeval forest and an enchanted garden, filled with monsters, mayhem and magic. Prince Ivan captures the beautiful Firebird, who gives him a magical feather for her freedom. But the Prince will need her help in overcoming the evil sorcerer Kostchei and his troops, who have captured the Prince’s brothers and the princesses. This magical ballet by Igor Stravinsky will entertain the entire family. The show will be held at 7 p.m. at the DECC Symphony Hall. Tickets available online. minnesotaballet.org
URBAN INFILL
March 25, Saturday Experience downtown Thunder Bay transformed with multi-sensory art and unparalleled live performances with the Urban Infill: Art In The Core event, featuring hundreds
The Urban Infill project in Thunder Bay is celebrating its 11-year anniversary. The outdoor “exhibit” will remain downtown until April 29. | DEFINITELY SUPERIOR
of artists, numerous projects and held at multiple locations. The exhibition will kick-off on Saturday, March 25 with an opening reception for all ages in the Wa -
terfront District from 7-11 p.m. Then, stay for the Arty Lounge After Party from 11 p.m.-2 a.m. for ages 19 or older. definitelysuperior.com
DINNER SPECIALS
Head to Cove Point Lodge in Beaver Bay on March 16 for their monthly Third Thursday Food and Wine Dinner, starting at 6:30 p.m. This month’s theme is St. Urho’s. Call for reservations. Third Thursday dinners will continue through June. Cove Point Lodge will also offer a Fire and Flights Food and Wine Weekend: Snowshoe Edition, March 3-5. covepointlodge.com
Also on March 16, the Vanilla Bean restaurant in Two Harbors will offer a four-course Wine Dinner. Cost is $55 per person. Reservations are required. thevanillabean.com
Fitger’s in Duluth will once again host the annual Taste at Fitger’s event on Friday, March 31. Over 40 of the area’s finest local restaurants will serve up their tastiest culinary masterpieces and exquisite wines, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Event will be held from 6-9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Fitger’s Inn. northernlakesfoodbank.org
March
Northern Wilds Calendar of Events
Feb. 28-March 6
Wood Week North House Folk School, Grand Marais, northhouse.org
March 1, Wednesday
Blood Drive 8:30 a.m. Senior Center, Grand Marais, mbc.org
Go Red for Women Luncheon Duluth DECC, northlandgoredforwomen.org
Bob Swanson: Grand Portage Arts & Crafts History 6 p.m. Grand Marais Public Library, grandmaraislibrary.org
Gaelynn Lee 8 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com
March 1-4
FIRST Robotics Regional Competitions Duluth DECC, mnfirst.org/frc/duluthregionals
The Full Monty : The Broadway Musical 8 p.m. Finlandia Club, Thunder Bay, cambrianplayers.ca
TBSO: Carnival of the Dinosaurs 3:30 p.m. Grassroots Church, Thunder Bay, tbso.ca
Timmy Haus 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
March 14, Tuesday
Ruby’s Pantry 5 p.m. Cook County High School, Grand Marais, facebook.com/rubyspantrycc
St. Luke’s Orthopedics & Sports Medicine HS All-Star Hockey Game
6 p.m. AMSOIL Arena, kernkompany.com/events
The Peking Acrobats 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
March 15, Wednesday
Manion’s Wholesale Spring Buying Show Duluth DECC, manionswholesale.com
3 Doors Down: Us and the Night Tour 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
March 16, Thursday
Beer & Paint Castle Danger Brewery, Two Harbors, castledangerbrewery.com
Third Thursday Food & Wine Dinner 6:30 p.m. Cove Point Lodge, Beaver Bay, covepointlodge.com Wine Dinner 6:30 p.m. Vanilla Bean, Two Harbors, thevanillabean.com
Gordon Thorne 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
March 16-26
Disney’s The Lion King JR! Duluth Playhouse, duluthplayhouse.org
March 17, Friday
St. Patrick’s Day
Blood Drive 9 a.m. Northshore Mining, Silver Bay, mbc.org
Webinar: Boltz’ Birthday 5 p.m. International Wolf Center, Ely, wolf.org
St. Patrick’s Day Meal 5 p.m. Bluefin Grille, Tofte, bluefinbay.com
March 17-18
DuLutsen Ski & Music Festival 8:30 p.m. Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen, lutsen.com
March 17-19
St. Urho Celebration Finland, friendsoffinland.org/st-urho-2017
March 18, Saturday
Cross Quetico Lakes Ski Tour & Reel Paddling Film Festival Little Falls Recreation Center, Atikokan, skibeatenpath.ca
AEOA Home Stretch Workshop 8:30 a.m. Wildwoods Land Co, Ely, aeoa.org Xerox-Intaglio Transfer Demo 9 a.m. Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org
Glaze-a-thon 10 a.m. Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org
Artist Talk: Good Book Bad Idea: Environmental Activist Art 1 p.m. Grand Marais Art Colony, grandmaraisartcolony.org
Short Shorts Film Festival 7 p.m. The Underground, Duluth, duluthplayhouse.org
Michael Monroe Log Cabin Concert 7 p.m. Grand Marais, michaelmonroemusic.com
March 18-25
Canadian Ski Nationals Lappe Nordic, Thunder Bay, lappenordic.ca
March 19, Sunday
Jim & Michele Miller 7:30 p.m. Gun Flint Tavern, Grand Marais, gunflinttavern.com
March 21, Tuesday
Two Harbors Area
Chamber Spring Banquet 5 p.m. Clearwater Grille, Two Harbors (218) 834-2600
March 23, Thursday
Library Scientists: STEM for 1st-3rd Graders
2 p.m. Ely Public Library, elylibrary.org
Artist Talk: Elizabeth Kuth
5:30 p.m. Duluth Art Institute, Duluth, duluthartinstitute.org
TBSO: Sara Davis Beuchner
Performs Chopin 8 p.m. Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, tbca.com
The Race: 2 dog max per skier, freestyle races (open to skate skiing or classic skiing). Open to all experience levels
The Race Course will take place entirely on Poplar Lake and will be groomed but will not have set classic tracks. Skate skiing should be quite favorable for those seeking speed! Kick Sleds welcome.
Snowman Competition
We will supply the snow and a box of accessories. You are welcome to bring your own items. Be creative and be decent.
Snowshoe Games
Bonfire Smores Hot Dogs CoCoa Maple Snowcones BBQ
Where? Trail Center Lodge
1/2 way up the Gunflint Trail 7611 Gunflint Trail, Near Grand Marais For more information: 218-388-2214 dogdaysofwinter.info • dogdaysofwinter.net
MARCH 25
SATURDAY EVENING SUMMIT CHALET 5:30 - 8:30 pm
with Special Guests
MAGIC BY CHAZ
KIDS MUSIC WITH THE BAZILLIONS
ART PROJECTS
MAGIC BY CHAZ ART PROJECTS
Dinner, Gondola Ride, Entertainment $20 Adult/$12 Child (age 6-12)* FUN FUN
FACE PAINTING PIZZA PARTY FIREWORKS
*SAVE 50% with daily lift ticket or season pass
OPEN MIC EVERY TUESDAY
DJ BEAVSTAR EVERY THURSDAY
TIMMY HAUS
FRIDAY 3/10 & 3/24
APRÉS SKI EVERY SUNDAY
MAR 26 - Pushing Chain 3:30-5:30pm | FR | A Ages VIVA KNIEVEL 3/11
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
MAR 05 - Acoustic Wu
MAR 12 - Lehto & Wright
MAR 19 - Chris Silver
SSongwriter eries
MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS ONDAYS
MAR 01 - Gaelynn Lea
MAR 06 - The Lowest Pair
MAR 13 - Chris Koza
MAR 20 - The Pines & Keith Secola
MAR 27 - Dusty Heart
MAR 08 - Jack Klatt
MAR 15 - Martin Devaney
MAR 22 - Pieta Brown
MAR 29 - Phil Haeywood
The North Shore Dish
Finding Flavor with Herbs and Spices
By Maren Webb
Herbs and spices are at the heart of any good recipe and meal. They allow us to transform basic ingredients into everything from an exotic Thai dish to a hearty American staple. So often, we let those little containers sit in our cabinets, aging away and losing flavor. Thankfully, several businesses are striving to get fresh spices and herbs into your kitchen, to add that extra oomph to your cooking. And for those busy nights or for those more complicated flavor profiles, they are also creating spice mixes to make it even easier to achieve that delicious meal.
McQuade’s Herbs, Spices, and More opened this past summer, right across from Castle Danger Brewery in downtown Two Harbors. Following in his family’s footsteps, Frank McQuade has brought fresh spices, herbs and custom spice blends to the North Shore after learning the trade from his Grandfather, owner of Herbs Spices and More in Arena, Wisc. The shop in Two Harbors offers bulk herbs and spices, allowing customers to buy what they need. Spice jars are available for a dollar each or resealable bags are also available.
“The great part in selling like this is you can bring in any of your own containers and I can fill those up as well,” said owner Frank.
Whether you have a favorite spice jar set you want to refill or start a new set, McQuade’s has you covered.
In addition to the traditional herbs and spices for sale, McQuade’s has many custom spice blends available. Some favorites include Potato Magic, Prime Rib Rub, garlic pepper and their own curry powder. potato magic is by far their most popular item, which can top any kind of potatoes, from mashed to baked to French fries. A local restaurant is now using them on its breakfast potatoes and French fries. Owner Frank’s favorite way to use it is by tossing potatoes with olive oil and Potato Magic before roasting in the oven.
McQuade’s Herbs, Spices, and More also has a coffee shop in the store, offering espresso drinks and brewed coffee. McQuade’s worked with a Minnesota coffee roaster to create blends for their own Agate Bay Coffee Company. In addition to fresh-brewed coffee and drinks, bags of whole bean and ground coffee are available for sale in the shop with their own roasts: Coal Dock Grog (dark roast), Round
House Roast (medium roast), Breakwater Breakfast Blend (light roast), and Caribbean Cream (light roast with caramel, vanilla and Kahlua flavors). Their blends were developed with good friend Christian Dalbec of Christian Dalbec Photography.
Stop in to freshen up your spice rack or for a cup of coffee. The shop is open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (632 1st Avenue).
North of the border, Crazy Good Spices is bringing delicious and easy spice mixes to the masses.
Founded by Grace Ward, a long-time caterer and cook, she first created spice blends for her family, “wanting a fast and easy way to season meals after a busy day.”
Now 30 years in the making, she offers about a dozen spice blends and cocktail rimmers, including the popular Grace’s Fa -
vourite, taco seasoning, Citrus-Dillicious and Homestyle Rub.
Grace’s Favourite is just that, owner Ward’s favorite that she uses herself. A blend of her favorite spices, red bell pepper, basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, and a few secret herbs and spices, this mix is a versatile way to add flavor to your favorite dishes— from chicken to pasta to bread crumbs. It’s available in regular and salt-free options.
Ward started Crazy Good Spices by planting, harvesting and dehydrating her own herbs and spices. But as the business grew, she needed a larger producer of the raw product. She found a source for her needed spices in California. All the spices and herbs are grown outside, not in a greenhouse.
“There’s a difference when the spices soak up the warm Californian sunshine and rich nutrients from the earth that can’t be replicated indoors,” said Ward.
The newest product, Caesar Rimmer, may be a new item for American readers. In Canada, the Bloody Caesar is a popular cocktail with vodka, clam nectar, tomato juice, lime, Worcestershire sauce and celery salt. If you say it’s Canada’s version of a Bloody Mary, be cautious, as you will likely be corrected. While the main difference is that the American Bloody Mary uses tomato juice and the Caesar uses clamato
McQuade’s Herbs, Spices, and More sells traditional and custom spice blends. | MCQUADE’S
Crazy Good Spices uses raw ingredients from California that have been grown outside, not in a greenhouse, giving the spices a richer flavor. | CRAZY GOOD SPICES
Recipes Kiwifruit The Sunny Peach
By Kim Falter
With a name like “kiwi” we would assume this fruit originates from the picturesque country of New Zealand, but, the kiwi comes from the Yangtze River Valley and Zhejiang Province of northern and eastern China, where it was called Mihou Tao and Yang Tao, or “sunny peach.”
The kiwifruit grew in forests on woody vines that could reach heights of 12 feet and cover an area 15 feet wide.
According to a study by Purdue University, “It was cultivated on a small scale at least 300 years ago, but still today most of the 1,000-ton crop is derived from wild vines scattered over 33 of the 48 counties of Zhejiang. The plants may be seen climbing tall trees or...sprawling over low scrub or rocks exposed to strong northeast winds and bearing heavily.”
Traditionally, the kiwi was not eaten as we do today, but primarily used as a tonic for growing children and as an aid for women after childbirth. At the dawn of the 20th century, New Zealand missionaries in China discovered this succulent fruit and brought it back with them to their home country. It was there that growers then developed it into the standard kiwi that we see in our grocery stores today. Though the New Zealanders had a rather robust crop, and pretty much cornered the market on kiwi export, it didn’t make its way to America until the 1950s. In its early days, it had many names; melonette and Chinese gooseberry were the most popular. In order to make their healthy crop into something more marketable overseas, the New Zealanders named this fruit the “kiwi” which is a Maori word for the nocturnal, flightless bird unique to their country. It was not until 1970 that the first successful crop of kiwi was established in America. Currently, we rank tenth in global production of this fruit, and although New Zealand and Italy have pretty much run the show when it comes to production, in the past few years China has emerged as the number one grower of the kiwi.
This small oval fruit is covered in small brown hairs, is succulent green to pale yellow inside and has tiny black seeds. Although there are over 60 varieties of kiwi, what
we primarily see in the grocery store is the Hayward variety. Unfortunately, kiwis are not a fruit that would flourish in a Minnesota climate, although there are some very small varieties such as the ‘kiwi berry,’ that have proven hardy to colder climates. The kiwi needs plenty of water and is finicky about temperature. According to the California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc., they need a growing season that can render 240 frost-free days and they do not like early frost in the fall, preferring a gradual decrease in temperature as opposed to the abrupt drops we see here. Relatively free of pests, it is typically inadequate watering that has the most detrimental effects on growth. One odd pest to the kiwi vine is the common cat. The young shoots smell much like catnip, so cats are prone to rubbing on them, therefore potentially destroying the crop.
The kiwi is a tremendously nutritious fruit. It is high in vitamin A, including carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin that have been reported to decrease progression of macular degeneration. The pulp also contains almost all the recommended daily value of vitamin C. In addition, it is a great source of vitamin E and K, minerals such as potassium and magnesium, and the seeds contain some omega-3 fatty acids. Kiwi can be served raw (with or without the brown peel, which is edible), juiced or used in baked goods. It’s important to keep in mind that kiwi’s contain the enzyme, actinidin. This enzyme is commercially used as a meat tenderizer, which means it breaks down proteins. This is important to keep in mind when combining kiwi with any dairy product, as it will coagulate if not consumed immediately. It is this action that brands kiwi an aid to digestion as this enzyme can also help break down protein from meat and dairy if consumed in tandem, possibly reducing the bloating or fullness felt after consuming a protein-rich meal.
Fortunately for us, kiwis are quite prevalent in our grocery stores year-round. Since it can flourish in both hemispheres—available to us from California starting in November and ripening in New Zealand through May—we are able to enjoy this nutritious fruit almost any time of the year.
Whisk lime juice, oil, shallot, vinegar, honey, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add kiwis, bananas, bell pepper and mint. Toss to coat. Serve sprinkled with cashews. Serves 4.
Banana-Kiwi Salad
From eatingwell.com
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne, or to taste
4 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 firm ripe bananas, cut diagonally into ½ -inch thick slices
½ cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped cashews, toasted
Brie Glazed with Kiwi
From The California Kiwi Commission
½ cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons currants
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon cloves, ground
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
¼ teaspoon allspice, ground
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 California kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons pecan pieces
1 small wheel of Brie
Place cranberries, currants, brown sugar, cloves, ginger root, allspice, mustard and water in a medium saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer the mixture until the cranberries swell and the liquid thickens into a jamlike consistency, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. When cool, stir in the chopped kiwi and pecan pieces. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the whole brie on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Spread cooled kiwi-cranberry marmalade over the top of the brie and coat edges evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the brie round swells. Remove from the oven and gently slide the brie onto a cheese board or plate. Serve immediately with crackers. Serves 12.
Castle Danger Brewery Loch Sloy Scottish Ale
By Eric Weicht
Located in downtown Two Harbors, Castle Danger Brewery sits in a pretty cool spot. With windows facing the historic harbor— home to both an operating Taconite Dock as well as the historic ‘Dock No.6’—Castle Danger is a brewery that, in the spirit of the North Shore, brings together the modern and the traditional through the timeless process of brewing beer.
Before making the trek down from Grand Marais, I had done my research and knew exactly what two beers I wanted to try. The first, the Loch Sloy Scottish ale, is a traditional Scottish Ale brewed untraditionally with spruce tips and cranberry. The second, the Mosaic Fresh Hop IPA, is an IPA where the hops were added fresh instead of in pellet form (a rare style since fresh hops need to be added immediately after being picked to maintain flavor).
Both beers were fantastic, but only one can be the true ‘Beer of the Month’ (such a prestigious title, I know). Thus, the Loch Sloy Scottish Ale wins for the month of March, because of the unique North Shore spin it puts on a classic style and because of its unusual malty-tart flavor.
The tartness from the cranberry, spice from the spruce and carmelly-malt flavor from the grain add a layer of complexity that, quite frankly, I’m having a hard time capturing in words. My advice: try it yourself.
An Ounce of Prevention
By Amy Schmidt
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), approximately one-third of common cancer cases in the U.S. could be prevented by eating healthy, being active and staying lean. That’s an estimated 374,000 cases of cancer that could be prevented. Considering that cancer is now the leading cause of death world-wide, prevention is a worthy goal.
What we eat is among one of the most powerful protectors of good health. Fortunately, you don’t have to live off sprouts and kale to positively impact your health. Eating a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains and beans, as opposed to one high in red meat, processed food and sugar, is important. This is not to say a burger and malt can’t be enjoyed, but they should be enjoyed as an exception rather than the norm.
Daily physical exercise is also important for your over-all health and helps reduce the risk of cancer. This doesn’t mean everyone needs to train for and regularly run marathons. Rather, try to add meaningful, achievable forms of exercise into your routine, like a brisk walk on your lunch break or a bike ride with your kids.
A plant-based diet and regular exercise aids in maintaining a healthy weight, an -
other factor in cancer prevention. Stored fat does more than make our pants too tight. Fat cells produce chemicals that increase both cell growth and cell reproduction. The more times a cell divides, the more chances there are for cancer to develop. Maintaining a healthy weight keeps these chemicals, and negative cell division, in check.
Commercial tobacco use is another major factor, causing up to 40 percent of all diagnosed cancers. If you are a tobacco user, the most powerful anti-cancer step you can take is to reduce or stop use. Sawtooth Mountain Clinic can connect patients with “Call It Quits,” a tobacco-cessation help line. You can also self-refer and call “Quit Plan” at 800-354-PLAN. Both routes will get callers to the same place: a free and confidential help line where they can get coaching, support and even no-cost nicotine replacement.
There are other things you can do to help reduce your risk of getting cancer. Limit your intake of alcohol and sugary beverages. Keep sodium consumption in check by avoiding processed foods whenever possible. Get an annual physical and follow through with doctor recommended screenings and tests. Also, women who breastfeed not only help reduce their own risk of cancer, but that of their children.
Roughly one-third of common cancer cases in the U.S. could be prevented by eating healthy, being active and staying lean. | STOCK
The threat of cancer can feel like a predator, lying in wait for the ambush. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees or magic potions that will prevent it 100 percent. But being mindful of over-all health and
curbing tobacco use should help keep the threat at a safe distance.
More information and creative ways of stay healthy can be found at: aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk
Northern Trails Winter Crappie in Northwestern Ontario
By Gord Ellis
Every once in a while, a few buddies and I pile into a truck and head west from Thunder Bay to fish for crappies. The Rainy River District has some great crappie fishing, and that includes the big waters like Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods. Crappie are fun to catch, slightly exotic compared to walleye and perch, and make a very tasty supper. These panfish also provide some unique challenges to the winter angler.
ELECTRONICS
One of the unique things about crappies is that unlike perch and walleye, they often suspend above the bottom. This means that the angler that drops his or her bait directly to the bottom will often leave the lake empty handed. You really need to use some form of electronics to consistently catch winter crappie. Crappie also have some unusual habits. At certain times, they can be very aggressive, attacking the bait as soon as it is dropped into the water. Yet more often than not, they have to be teased and taunted to extract a bite. Using a Hummingbird ICE 55 flasher, I’ve watched crappie follow a small jig and minnow combination up and down in the water column a dozen times before committing. Sometimes, the fish can be triggered by pulling the bait away from them and then letting it slowly drift back down. Other times, holding the bait in front of the crappie’s nose and jiggling it ever so softly will do the trick. These fish can also can be very competitive, hitting the bait only when another crappie appears.
LOCATION
The number one secret to success with winter crappies is choosing the right place to fish. It sounds simple enough, but finding the perfect location can be the difference between a nice bag of slabs and a big fat zero.
Natural Canadian Shield lakes like Rainy Lake tend to see cyclical periods of crappie action. These cycles can see the crappie population fall into a couple of dominate year classes. Big crappie of 10 to 13 inches might dominate for several seasons with few small fish caught. Then the big ones disappear for a time and eight- to 10- inchers rule. In general, crappie fishermen will always find a few fish to cooperate if they look hard.
Prime winter crappie areas will usually be next to structures such as offshore
humps. Offshore humps hold the most bait during the fall period and therefore the most crappie. Minnows move into the wood and muck-bottomed bays once the ice covers the lake, and the crappie are right behind them. The best crappie action will occur on the transition from soft to hard
bottom. With your flasher, look both for baitfish and crappies that are schooling in these areas.
TIMING
Persistence, patience and mobility are the three keys to consistent catches of crappie. Morning and evenings are usually peak feeding periods for the crappie, but over the years, I’ve caught some of my largest fish at high noon. Crappie will hit in flurries, going hard for several minutes, then shutting right down. Moving around to find biters can often solve the problem. Don’t be afraid to leave and then return to hot holes. Crappie are very mobile and will come back to key areas to feed.
CRAPPIE TECHNIQUES
There are many ways to catch winter crappie, but for the biggest slabs it’s hard to beat a small treble and a 2-inch minnow. Use a #12 treble hook and carefully hook one prong of the treble hook just under the dorsal fin of the minnow. With a treble and minnow you will sting even the lightest biting crappie. A balance rig and an ultra-light rod will work well, as will a super whippy “dead stick” rod in a holder. Light line of two- to four-pound- test is key for crappie.
In deeper water, I’ve had great success using small slip floats to suspend bait off the bottom. My favourite is the Ice Buster,
a yellow foam float that can be cut to size, snaps on and off your line and won’t freeze up. If you see a movement in the float, don’t strike right away. Give the crappie a few seconds to eat the minnow and set the hook by reeling straight up on the fish. A hard, walleye style hook set will pull the hook right through a crappie’s lip. Another great option is a small jigging spoon tipped with a wax worm. Good spoons include a ¼-ounce Hopkins or Northland Buckshot Spoon. You can tip the wax worm right on the treble or make a 3-inch dropper hook off the bottom of the spoon and put the waxies on that. Crappies are often relating to the mud bottom as they feed on mayfly larva and love the taste of waxies. An artificial lure that works well is a 2-inch white or brown tube. You can sometimes buy these pre-rigged for crappie or panfish. The slow fall and horizontal presentation of a tube will help on days when the bite is off. For crappie, use a jigging rod that is light but not too whippy. There are many panfish type rods on the market. One short jigging and a longer dead stick model will cover your needs.
Winter crappie fishing is a fun change from the usual fare of walleye, perch and lake trout. This winter, grab the kids, load up the truck and head to some of Northern Ontario’s crappie grounds. There’s never a dull moment when you are fishing for slabs.
A mess of crappies on the ice. | GORD ELLIS
Author Gord Ellis with a nice winter crappie. | GORD ELLIS
Cancer Survivor Fulfills a Dream
By Joe Friedrichs
In 2010, Montana resident Jonathan Haun was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma at the age of 28. Doctors gave him a minimal chance to survive.
Haun grew up and lives in rural Montana. He presently resides in the town of Thompson Falls, a small community about 70 miles northwest of Missoula situated along the banks of the Clark Fork River. A lifelong fisherman and outdoorsman, Haun decided to spend as much time in nature as he could once the prognosis came in. He changed his diet and worked hard to find the positive in a bleak situation. He took on cancer.
Despite the odds stacked against him, in 2017 Haun— who stands at 6’7”—is cancer free. This winter, he was able to fulfill the dream of an ice fishing trip to the Gunflint Trail and Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
I had a chance to speak with Haun during his trip.
[ABOVE] When it’s -26 degrees F. outside, an ice house comes in handy. [LEFT] During his trip, Haun caught lake trout, rainbows and splake. | JOE FRIEDRICHS
This is Not My Life:
A Memoir of Love, Prison and Other Complications
By Diane Schoemperlen HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.,
$24.99
What is it like to fall in love with a murderer serving a life sentence in prison? This is Not My Life is a candid memoir written by award-winning author Diane Schoemperlen—who was born, raised and educated in Thunder Bay and now lives in Kingston—about her roller-coaster six-year relationship with a convicted murderer. There’s romance, love, humour, joy, laughter, anger, frustrations, heartbreak, challenges and an intimate look inside Canada’s prison system, its bureaucracy and how it affects inmates and the people who love them. “Prison is both like a secret society with its own rules, written and unwritten, and a foreign country with its own culture, customs and language,” writes Diane.
Woven throughout the book are Diane’s reflections about the influences on her life, including growing up in Thunder Bay. It’s a powerful story of a complex love relationship that consumes Diane’s time and creative energy as she tries to make it work, while balancing the needs of a successful writing career.—Elle Andra-Warner
From Blueberries to Blue Seas
By Curtis C. Bush Savage Press, $19.95
Despite knowing nothing of sailing, author Curtis Bush decided to pursue his lifelong dream and purchased a small 12-foot sailboat named Sea Mouse After fixing it up and bringing it to a small lake for its maiden voyage with a friend, Bush began learning the ropes. A few upgrades and sailing adventures later, Bush purchased a 26-foot sailboat and single-handedly sailed from Duluth to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway. This fascinating, fun-filled memoir tells the tale of his adventure, from humble beginnings to a dramatic end.
—Breana Roy
Canoes: A Natural History in North America
By Mark Neuzil & Norman Sims University of Minnesota Press, $39.95
Ancient records of canoes are found in the Pacific Northwest to the coast of Maine, in Minnesota and Mexico, in the Southeast and across the Caribbean. Weather it’s made of birch bark, carbon fiber or dugout, its silhouette is instantly recognizable. Filled with historical photographs and artwork, Canoes is the story of that singular American artifact—of canoes old and new, the people who made them, and the labors and adventures they shared.—Breana Roy
MOUNTAIN LAKE
Mountain Lake is one of the few relatively-easy to access lake trout lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). While it’s a lake with a lot of smaller lake trout, it also has the ability to grow giant lakers.
ACCESS: Accessing the lake from the Canadian side is the easiest way to get to Mountain Lake—roughly a two and a half hour drive from Grand Marais. From Hwy. 61, you’ll take Hwy. 593, head west on Hwy. 588 and take a left on E. Arrow Lake Road for the final 16 miles. From the American side, the quickest way includes a fourmile paddle or hike down Clearwater Lake via entry point No. 62, and a 90-rod portage with a ridge that is tricky during the winter.
“It’s a little bit steeper coming back from Mountain Lake,” said Forrest Parson, of Hungry Jack Lodge. Parson advised against this approach during the winter.
VITALS: This long, east-west oriented border lake is 497 acres and it has a shore length of 35.69 miles. It’s deep (210-foot maximum depth) and clear (average water clarity is 28 feet). The American portion of the lake sits entirely inside Cook County and the BWCAW.
GAME SPECIES PRESENT: Lake trout and smallmouth bass.
SOLID LAKER POPULATION: The lake has long been known to put up both numbers of decent-sized fish and also has the potential to produce giants. Minnesota DNR’s 2011 fisheries survey of the lake turned up one fish that was 40.9 inches long.
Parson said the lake has a reputation for having pretty nice, average-sized lake trout, say from 22 to 25 inches. The majority of the lake trout in the 2011 survey measured between 15 and 19 inches, and the survey report reads, “Lake trout remained abundant in Mountain Lake in
2011, even though the gill net catch was the lowest seen to date … Although low for this lake historically, the 2011 catch was nevertheless above the normal range for the lake class.” All of the fish collected had been produced naturally.
The survey said most of the lake trout in the lake have to feed on invertebrates, since only the larger lake trout can feed on most of the lake’s white sucker population. The growth rates of smaller fish are average, according to the DNR, but growth rates for larger fish on the lake are below average.
FISHING LAKERS: During the winter and heat of the summer when the fish are deeper, Parson suggests heavy jigs worked vertically. It’s a good lake even during the warm-water season because, while it might get a decent amount of traffic, he said, most of it is not fishing traffic. He likes Little Cleos, jigging spoons tipped with minnows and airplane jigs.
During the spring, seek out the shallowest water and adjacent midrange depths with in-line spinners, spoons and crankbaits, trolling with plenty of line out behind the canoe (to give fish time to settle down after you spooked them by paddling by) and high-quality ball-bearing swivels to prevent line twist. Setting a line with cisco can also be quite effective.
SMALLIES: While smallmouth bass populations have exploded on a number of lakes closer to Parson’s resort, as of 2011, the fishery on Mountain Lake had yet to take off. The species first appeared here in the 1990s, according to the DNR. That 2011 survey turned up eight smallmouth in the 10- to 11-inch range, and growth rates appear to be quite slow. The DNR survey suggests that there has been a dramatic drop in the abundance and diversity of minnows in the lake since smallmouth bass have become established. That could be keeping growth rates low.—Javier Serna
Sleepless in Handler-land
By Erin Altemus
I’ve heard that the handlers sleep less than the mushers during the Beargrease. During the race, which started on a Sunday morning and ended 72 hours later, I slept eight hours, broken into two-hour increments. I didn’t do an exact tally, but I believe Matt slept about 15 hours.
I am not saying that handling is more difficult than standing on the runners for three days. But sleep deprivation has its challenges.
Stepping back, the race started on a chilly Sunday morning in a large gravel pit outside of Two Harbors. The handling crew consisted of Andrew, our full time handler for the winter; Annie and Dan who handled at the Beargrease last year; and my mother-in-law. Amidst a few thousand spectators, we maneuvered dogs to the gangline, only to be told there would be a delay to the start. Matt would be the second musher out of the chute, which meant there wasn’t going to be a lot of warning about when to go, so we ended up with the dogs on the gangline far too early. They screamed and hollered for a full 10 minutes before we finally got the team to the chute and down the trail—a relief for musher, dogs and handlers to finally see them on their way.
Most of the teams, Matt’s included, kept a fast steady pace to the Finland checkpoint. At Finland, the parking lot was a sheet of ice.
When Matt’s team arrived, we quickly stripped all the dog booties so the dogs’ feet would slip less on the ice and maneuvered them down the ice sheet to our truck where the dogs ate, drank and took a short nap before heading out on the trail again. Interestingly, several teams blew through the Finland checkpoint and kept going to Sawbill. There are two mandatory checkpoints later in the race, the others are optional. But a team has to accumulate a minimum of 30 hours rest during the course of the race. Former champions Ryan Anderson and Nathan Schroeder both went through Finland. Our mushing friend and statistician had told us that no one has ever won the Beargrease without
resting in Finland on the first day. Would that soon change?
Matt left two hours later for Sawbill, an unassisted checkpoint, so the handling crew drove straight up to Trail Center, parked the dog truck and went to eat and rest at our home nearby. I slept for two hours but then awoke to check the GPS trackers. Matt was back on the trail headed toward Trail Center after a 4.5 hour rest at Sawbill. He looked to be moving at a steady pace. By then I had too many nerves to sleep any longer. We left for Trail Center in the wee hours of the morning to await the team.
They came smoking into the checkpoint, having passed several teams on the way in. I was worried that Matt was moving too fast early on in the race, but I kept most
of these thoughts to myself—Matt knows what he is doing. The handlers did the usual routine—strip booties, feed dogs, lay down straw, cover the dogs with blankets and relax for two hours, then feed them again. Keep track of time, wake up the musher, bootie the dogs, point the sled in the right direction and fill it with more dog snacks and human snacks, put the dogs back on the line and send them on their way.
Next stop, Grand Portage.
By this point, a pattern emerged. Ryan Redington, another rookie in the race, but experienced musher who had recently beat Matt in the Gunflint Mail Run by a few minutes, had lept ahead of the rest of the mushers, and he did this by cutting rest early in the race and going fast. Redington
left Trail Center a couple hours earlier and Matt was next. Within minutes however, Matt was trailed by Colleen Wallin, Denis Tremblay, Anderson and Schroeder, all serious contenders for the win. I thought one of these competent folks would pass Matt on the way to Grand Portage, but Matt got there first, achieving the fastest run time on the longest leg of the race.
However, Matt didn’t feel good about the run. It seemed several dogs were sick, and running in the heat of the day never makes a musher feel good about his run. When we first arrived at Grand Portage, half of the team didn’t want to eat. Several hours later however, they started eating and drinking again. By the time the eight-hour mandatory rest was over, the team looked refreshed. One dog, Melverne,
A race vet checks out Nancy at the Grand Portage checkpoint. | ANNIE FONTAINE
would stay behind with a sore wrist.
At this point, I noticed another pattern. Redington had left two hours before Matt again, but Anderson, was leaving 10 minutes behind Matt from every checkpoint. Redington was down to a smaller team of dogs by then and we knew he had to catch up on mandatory rest, so even though he was ahead in physical miles, I knew that Matt might actually be ahead of him once the rest was equalized. Anderson however, had 13 dogs like Matt, and put himself in a great position, running just behind him and keeping the competition within sight.
On that leg, the teams ran past the halfway point and were on their way back down the shore toward Duluth. My handling crewmates were getting excited about how well Matt was doing. At one point, my mother-in-law with hopeful eyes and a rush of excitement exclaimed, “You mean, he might actually win?” to which I harshly responded that we simply weren’t going to talk about it anymore. If my two times running the marathon taught me nothing else, it’s that you can be having a great run and it can all fall apart in seconds. There were still 150 miles to go and that’s a lot of race. I knew how hard the last two legs could be and I just simply didn’t want to jinx anything by getting too excited or confident about Matt’s position and odds.
Matt had strong runs into Devil Track and then Sawbill—though he had to carry a dog in the bag going into Sawbill, which slowed the team down in some really tough hills. The real test was about to come in Finland, the “turn and burn.”
Redington’s team came in first, now only leading the pack by just over an hour. He
bedded his dogs down on straw for a rest.
Anderson had stealthily followed Matt out of Sawbill, again, 10 minutes behind and had maybe gained several minutes, so we knew these guys would be seeing each other soon. Matt came into the Finland checkpoint. We swung the team around and sent him back on the trail. He did a head-on pass with Anderson, who also came in, turned his team around and headed back out just behind Matt. Then, much to my surprise, Redington lept up, hooked up his team and took the chase.
From then on, I could hardly watch the trackers. Anderson eventually passed Matt, but Redington did not, so they came into Two Harbors in that order. Once the rest had been calculated however, Matt would actually have to leave a few minutes behind Redington. Redington had six dogs, Matt had nine. I knew it would be hard for Matt to win the race, but at that point, I thought he might get second.
Unfortunately, things went wrong. As we were leaving the checkpoint, someone told us they thought they saw Matt’s team headed back to the checkpoint. Matt had to drop a dog—Lion decided he just wasn’t going any further and kept lying down on the trail. After leaving Lion, Phoenix decided she didn’t want to run either, so Matt left her as well. Now he left with a team
that was confused. At that point, they were tired, and to make them turn around two times was really hard on morale. It was the right thing to do—carrying a dog would have been worse. But down to a team of seven, Matt’s chances of getting in the top three were done. In the end, Schroeder passed Matt and Matt held on to fourth.
Matt told me later that nothing I could have said about the last leg of the race could have prepared him for how hard it was. He ran up every hill, often pushing the sled to get to the finish. By all measures, Matt ran a fantastic race—running with the guys that won is no easy feat. If things had played out just a little differently, Matt could have won.
“I enjoyed being in the lead for a hot second,” Matt said at the banquet.
Next year, he plans to let me run the Beargrease again.
Handling duties involve feeding the dogs, bedding them on straw, and giving them lots of love. | VICKI SCHMIDT
Victory is not quite ready to rest. | ANNIE FONTAINE
Matt and team leaders Beezus and Nancy at the finish. | VICKI SCHMIDT
Wild Traditions
The Sauna: Winter’s Soothing, Saving Grace
By Julia Prinselaar
As I write this column, Grand Marais is wrapping up its first annual Hygge Festival (Feb. 9-15). Pronounced hoo-gah, hygge is the Danish ritual of “embracing life’s simple pleasures,” particularly those in the snow-covered North. Skiing through treelined trails, a moon-lit night hike, relaxing next to a fireplace to watch a Celtic music show at a local craft brewery—these were just some of the events offered during the festival to savour the splendor of winter in celebration of the North.
Life in this region isn’t always comfortable for us Northerners. Winter can be downright bitter. It’s not uncommon to smear Vaseline on our cheeks when we’re walking on a cold, blustery day. Or to bore through 20 inches of ice to reach water and drop a fishing line, only to have it freeze over in minutes (unless you have a handy slotted spoon to scoop out the invading slush). And what compels us to live in—let alone enjoy—a climate that calls us to plug in our vehicle overnight so we can rest assured it starts the next morning?
In spite of these challenges, life in the North has its mercies: the heat of an outdoor bonfire, the warmth of a wood stove, or a pile of wool blankets and a pair of cozy slippers. Living in the cold makes us appreciate warmth even more. Tried and true, one such refuge is the hot, steamy sauna.
Cultures around the world embrace the ritual of sweating, whether it’s in a ceremonial lodge to meditate and connect with ancestral spirits, or simply to bathe and get clean after a hard day’s work. Sweating in steam opens the skin’s pores, relieves
stress, invigorates the body’s organs and increases blood flow. It’s hard not to feel renewed in mind, body and spirit after a long sauna session.
While it’s estimated that the Finnish sauna tradition has been alive for at least a thousand years, the people of Finland brought the sauna to Canada and the U.S. around the 1870s, when immigrants began to settle in northwestern Ontario and northern Minnesota in large numbers along Lake Superior. The community of Finland, Minn. is a testament to this history and Finns currently make up about 12 percent of the total population of Thunder Bay—one of the largest concentrations of this demographic outside of their home country.
“We had a sauna at least once a week—it was our main way of having a good wash,” recalls Pekka Torma, age 77, who still routinely saunas with his wife Marilyn in a lakeside home they built together near Thunder Bay.
Along with six siblings and his parents, Torma immigrated to the community of Intola on the outskirts of the city in 1952. At the time, he was a teenage boy—old enough to remember bathing in the löyly, the warm envelope of soft-heated sauna steam, at his grandparents’ home in the years before he left Finland.
“They had a sauna that was older style, what they call a savusauna, a smoke sauna,” he said.
These types of saunas don’t use chimneys. Instead, rocks are heated over a fire in the room and the room fills with smoke as it is warming.
“It was built a little different than sauna stoves now. You couldn’t go in there when you had a fire…It was filled with smoke when you were heating it up, and when it got hot enough, somebody would go in there and throw water on the rocks.”
The resulting steam created pressure in the room, which cleared the smoke out after a vent was opened in the back.
“That’s how those were heated in the early 1900s. And everybody would have to
go in at the same time if they wanted to have a good steam. You don’t heat it after— it was kind of a one-time deal.”
As Finnish immigrants settled and carved out homesteads along the North Shore, their saunas were among the first buildings erected on the property. They were typically attached to a large dressing room that dually functioned as living quarters.
“It was how a lot of Finns built their saunas. I remember in Finland, there was a cook stove in the dressing room beside the sauna, and when we would have a sauna, my mother would often make pancakes,” said Torma.
At one time, saunas were revered as a sacred gathering space—the room served much more than a utilitarian function. People took to the sauna for medicine and healing during sickness, and to prepare for rites of passage throughout the course of life: for marriage, to give birth, and even cleansing after death, notes Dalva Lamminmäki, a teacher and practitioner of Fin -
no-Ugric shamanic healing and medicine. After a day on skis, hiking the dog up a snowy trail, or doing anything outside in the winter, retreating to the warmth of a sauna is the epitome of hygge to me.
Taking a sauna can help open the skin’s pores, relieve stress, invigorate the body’s organs and increase blood flow. | STOCK
Woodland Foothills
•Lake Superior and mountain views
•Slab on grade with radiant in-floor heat
•2 bedroom 1 bath
•Under $150,000
•Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, 2x6” walls with R21 insulation
•Energy Star windows and doors
•Local contractor built on sit
•Hickory kitchen cabinetry
•Stainless Steel appliances
•Hidalgo oak Pergo Flooring
•March move in date
REAL ESTATE SALES
Twenty acres of shared open space, Convenient Lutsen location Call to see the home
Onion River Road - $79,000
6 acres of Resort Commercial zoned property Owner Financing with qualified buyer.
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
BLACK BAY SUBDIVISION
NICOL ISLAND ROSSPORT
Over 2200 feet of Lake Superior frontage, over 15 acres. Sandy beach. Deluxe boathouse with power, kitchenette, bathroom, sauna and loft. Private hiking trails with bridges. Private boat launch. Price is $227,000CDN Black Bay. Lake Superior. 98 acre piece with 4700 feet of shoreline facing south. Beautiful property between Superior Shores and Pearl Harbour developments. Seclusion, privacywater access. $189,000 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
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 North shore. 215.5 acre parcel with 3900 feet of lake frontage. Rugged property-water access. Southern exposure, ultimate privacy. $169,000 CDN
Jamar Company leaders Craig Fellman and Troy Sundbom are excited about PolyMet’s proposed copper-nickel mine that will bring job growth and economic diversification to the entire region, including Duluth. When it comes to protecting the environment, they have confidence that the extensive environmental review completed by state and federal regulators, combined with PolyMet’s commitment to excellence, will ensure the job is done right.
SIBLEY PENINSULA
PIE ISLAND
Timber Frame Classic
to the Tumultuous Shoreline, the Waves Pounding the over 600 ft of Rock with plenty of Splash! Inside the Fabulous home your guests will enjoy the Cascade of the Creek to the Big Lake just outside their bedroom window. The master bedroom Welcomes the Sunrises via huge windows overlooking the drooling shoreline… 0r Says Goodnight to the Sun while watching the flickering of the fireplace from bed. All the other parts of the home are Magnificent, from the gazebo with hot tub, to the large library, to the gourmet kitchen with function and charm. See it to Believe it is the Best! MLS# 6019683 $1,197,000
GORGEOUS SHORELINE WITH RARE SEA ARCH! The views are from the deck of a ship. A crafters dream home, lots of elbow room, stone fire place for the ages and lower level walk out living space your friends and family will LOVE! Attached Garage! MLS# 6023379 $549,0000
WINTER SKI RETREAT ON LAKE SUPERIOR!
After a Day of Skiing, Relax in the Sauna! Or cozy up to the fireplace while absorbing Incredible Lake Superior views! Or snowshoe down to the Big Lake and enjoy a winter camp fire in the protected Cove on Lake Superior! Mint condition three bedroom, two bath Lake Superior home with two car detached garage and Sauna! Minutes to Lutsen Mountains! MLS# 6023113 $550,000 REDUCED! THE ADVENTUROUS CABIN ON LAKE SUPERIOR! Designed by the Architect/Owner to be the base camp to all the Outdoor Adventure the North Shore has to Offer! Sweeping views of Lake Superior from the interior of the home, but you’ll want to stroll out to camp-
ON POPLAR LAKE.
200’ of level GORGEOUS frontage, secluded, cedars, swimming, walleyes, relaxation. Super Cabin if we didn’t already say it. MLS#6025737 $219,000
GUST LAKE CABIN IN LUTSEN! Tons of value on a spectacular piece of shoreline! Super fishing cabin on a peninsula point overlooking peaceful Gust Lake and the Boundary Waters a hop skip and jump away. MLS#6020330 $239,000
ELEGANT AND INCOME GENERATING QUARTER SHARE AT SURFSIDE! at Tofte’s upscale Surfside Resort. #7 is
CONDO IN THE WOODS! Cross Country Skiers Dream! Centered in the midst of miles of Cross Country Ski Trails, there is a small resort condo on Lake GeGoKa in the Superior National Forest lands off Highway 1 between Lake Superior and Ely! Tons of shared amenities, nice lake views and surrounded by mature pines, this truly is a Winter Wonderland!
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 $189,000 NEW ROOF!
BIG VIEWS OF THE BIG LAKE! Tiny Home on a Gorgeous Chunk of land in the Hovland
& 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!
Spring is in the Air! Get Lucky Head North for Springtime Fun on the Shore!
STYLISH NORTHWOODS HOME,
SUPER LOCATION! Minutes to BlueFin Bay on Lake Superior, this home has it all! Gorgeous interior, featuring dream kitchen with tons of cabinetry and spectacular granite counters with built in breakfast bar. A great home for hosting family gatherings, let the kids play on the lower level and enjoy main level living with wrap around deck and upstairs loft bedroom/office space.
MLS#6020313 $319,000
GRAND MARAIS FAMILY
HOME! Perfect for the growing family, convenient to school w/ 3 bedrms on main level and additional space on lower level. Large city lot, Chicken Coop in place! MLS#6022686 $197,500 REDUCED!
NEW! LOG CABIN IN THE MAPLES! Meander on to this 40 acre parcel to see this lovely year round home with electric and broadband! The home features birch flooring, and huge spruce logs, a very welcoming and comfortable cabin. Super location, very close to Ninemile Lake in the Finland area! MLS#6026826 $199,900
NEW! PRIVACY IN THE PINES! Secluded, wooded lot in the heart of the Devil Track Lake recreational area! Your new home will be a project; it’s a clean pallet ready for your vision! Much of the hard work has already been done, with refinished or new sheetrock and paint on walls and ceilings, kitchen is ready for your choice of cabinets! Lots of potential! MLS#TBA $109,900
this property a mustsee. Great views over the village to the harbor, Big Lake and Artist’s Point. Currently rented as yr round rental, but could be nice vacation rentals! MLS#2308951 REDUCED! $279,000 SELLER SAYS SHOW ME AN OFFER!
Hwy 1 area Hunting Cabin on 10 ac MLS#2309318 $64,900
NEW! 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 $56,900
DRAMATIC Mountain Top Views, Rolling Hills, Maple Forests fading in to Spruce and Pine and year round access. Tons of acreage available, or just pick up a 40 for $70,000! MUST SEE, call Emily today! MLS#6001560, multiple#’s call for full map and prices! FROM $70,000 MLS#2090628
Spring is in the Air! Get Lucky Head North for Springtime Fun on the Shore!
Sugarloaf Retreats on High Ridge Drive, Located a hop, skip and jump from Sugarloaf Cove on Lake Superior! Large parcel, with access to the Superior Hiking Trail! Yr Round access and electric to street! MLS#1598640 $36,200
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!!
Tofte vaag on the Sawbill, Nice Lake Views! Walk to the Coho, great location! FROM $49,900 MLS#1615956
Wowser Lake Superior views on Overlook Tr! MLS#2296509 $79,900
LUTSEN LAKE VIEWS & WILDERNESS LANDS!
Mature Spruce and BIG Lake Views! Walk to Blue Fin Bay, drilled well in place! MLS#2272174 $49,900
NEW! Nice parcel bordering USFS land, driveway roughed in, access to Tait Lk! MLS#6023412 $35,000
High Ground End of Cul de Sac borders Superior National Forest! MLS#6021436 $49,900
Woodland Foothills Build Ready lots, Shared Water & Community Septic from $19,000 MLS#2309328+
Heartland of Lutsen, 80 ac at the Foothills of Ski Hill ridge, near downtown Lutsen! MLS#2312987 $119,000
Over 15 ac of Wilderness on Turnagain Trail in Lutsen! MLS#2216560 $69,500
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
80 Ac with Poplar River Frontage on the Honeymoon Tr! MLS#2307399 $95,000
Gorgeous Views of Williams & Wills Lake in Lutsen! Year Round Access, electric, Mountain Top site bordering USFS land. A Wonderful place to build your home! MLS#2107927 $70,000
& WILDERNESS LANDS!
GRAND MARAIS LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!
TimberWolff Realty is Fun! CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK
LAKE SUPERIOR LAND AND INLAND LAKESHORE BUILD SITES!
JAW DROPPING LAKE SUPERIOR
Ready to build with long winding driveway to build site, surveyed. Defined build site with Huge Views!! Rare opportunity close to Grand Marais and within walking distance from the Croftville Road, very nice for walks. MLS#6022564 $325,000
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
DREAMY LAKE SUPERIOR . land and lakeshore! Several acres of privacy and way more than 200 ft of Level Access Lake Superior shoreline in Schroeder, near Sugarloaf Cove Naturalist Area!
MLS#2090420 $275,000
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
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 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
SWEET PARCEL ON SWALLOW LAKE IN ISABELLA AREA! 220 ft of shoreline, 2.5 ac!
MLS#2300576 $64,900
HEY HEY TAKE A LOOK AT THIS SUPER NICE CARIBOU LAKE BUILD SITE!
The original cabin was recently removed, allowing for a nice “established feel” to this lot. Driveway in place, clearing done and electricity available!
MLS#2309132 $150,000 PENDING!
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 REDUCED! $450,000
but it’s there, along with yr round access!
MLS#2313068 $167,700
MAJESTIC WHITE PINES ON TAIT LAKE SHORELINE! Lutsen’s favorite spot for quiet recreation, this deep lot has 200 ft of shoreline and 3++ acres! Yr round access, electric, only 20 minutes to Lutsen’s Ski Resort! Five minutes to BWCA! Untouched virgin forest, a beauty of a lot! Includes the lakeshore lot and the back lot for TONS of value!
MLS#6025368 $209,900
PIKE LAKE SHORELINE, SOUTHERN EXPOSURE! Nice big lake lot: 5+ acres, 225’ of frontage! Maples, cedars, fir, ash: a diverse mix of thriving Northwoods. The fall color is dreamy, try collecting maple sap in the spring! Shallow lake access,
Homes & Cabins
1183
Casper
Inland Lake Homes
the nicely wooded property has two or more perfect sites on which to build your special lake home. Views are classic old North Shore looking over Chicago Bay. Shared septic system is in place. MLS# 2308784 $365,000 CONTEMPORARY LOG HOME. Every room has a Lake Superior view! This beautiful home on 6.5 acres features an open living/ dining room with cozy wood burning stove and wraparound deck. The shoreline is accessible with a fire pit and beach platform. The kitchen has a huge granite island and custom hickory cabinets with lots of storage. Extra
LAKE SUPERIOR, BIG BAY, BIG VIEWS. Dense spruce forest, moss covered boulders and privacy make this a classic Lake Superior lot. 200 feet of shore with partial driveway in place, shared
INLAND WATER PROPERTIES
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# 6023139 $225,000
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 $224,900
NORTH FOWL LAKE CABIN.
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 $187,500
Lovely 2 bdrm cabin with sauna. The private 200’ of lake-front lot has gentle shoreline and great views. Remote water only access from the US side of the border. Stunning views and easy access to the border lakes. MLS# 6023214 $179,000
AFFORDABLE CABIN ON CLEARWATER
LAKE. Cute 2 bdrm cabin on very special Clearwater Lake with 180’ frontage. Very affordable for up north cabin life. MLS# 6023119 $169,000
POPLAR LAKE-BWCAW ACCESS. Nice 2.11 acre lot with beautiful west views of the lake and 244’ of shore tucked in a quiet bay. A small, updated 1 bdrm cabin sits right at the water’s edge. Plenty of room for a main home and garage. MLS# 6021031 $169,900
SOLITUDE ON LOON LAKE. These 1-2 acre lots are located on the south side of Loon Lake and offer great lake views, 152-218’ beautiful shoreline and many nice trees. The main road is in place and power is on the lot line. MLS# 2093855, 2159458, 2309227, 2309228 $159,000 and up
SUPREME LAND, SUPREME WATER. Over 20 acres of amazing forest teamed with 300’ of awe-inspiring shoreline that rests at the southeast end of Tom Lake. MLS# 6023688 $130,000
LOTS ON NINEMILE LAKE. Two beautiful, large lots on Ninemile Lake in Finland. Lots adjoin Superior National Forest and Cabin Creek Unit Roadless Area with excellent shoreline and views. Power and year round access! MLS #6019489 $89,300 & MLS #6021813 $69,000
SNOWSHOE RUN LOTS. Set along a high ridge overlooking Hare Lake in a mature northern hardwood forest. Yearround plowed and maintained county roads, power at each property and a clear water trout lake. MLS# 6019490 - 6019496, 6019498 Lake lot prices start at $48,800 END OF THE ROAD PRIVACY ON TOM LAKE. This beautiful wooded lot has its own bay/cove. There is a long curved driveway to a nice cleared build site. MLS# 6021553 $47,500
CONDOMINIUMS
WELCOME TO LAKE SUPERIOR. Warm & beautiful light-filled end unit Aspenwood Townhome. The 2-story walkout style leaves you with plenty of options to get outside and close to the Big Lake. This 2 bdrm, 3 bath home includes 98% of all furnishings &
SUPERIOR LIVING ON THE LAKE. Gorgeous 2 bdrm,
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 CLASSIC POPLAR LAKE CABIN. Sweet, older 2 bdrm cabin on a bay of Poplar Lake with 100’ frontage. Great location! Charm in every room. Potentially a great vacation rental. MLS# 6023157 $154,500
HOMES & CABINS
BUYING OR SELLING
Call: 218-591-0985
Email: stphn.carlson@gmail.com or Realliving.com/steve.carlson.
OVER 4,000 FT FRONTAGE ALONG THE BAPTISIM RIVER
One of a kind property on the sought after Baptism River. This 140 acres has over 4,000 feet of frontage on the Baptism just off Mattson Rd near Finland Mn. Privacy is what this is all about.
For more information call 218-591-0985, email to stphn. carlson@gmail.com or Realliving.com/steve.carlson.
MLS# 6007921 $250,000
PINE RIDGE OVER LAKE SUPERIOR
Lot 9 with 3.8 acres and view of Lake Superior, 3 miles north of Two Harbors on Hwy 61. Price includes lot, shell of house, well and septic. (no inside finishing)
2806 HWY 61
MLS# $299,900
440 ft of Lake superior frontage and 8 acres with small creek beautiful views and lot of privacy.
MLS# $440,000
www.Realliving.com/Messina
Lynne Luban
Over 10 years selling downtown MPLS Condo living. Currently representing this developers 9th project PORTLAND TOWER.
I am available to meet with you in Grand Marais or Minneapolis to go over prices & floor plans.
Steve Carlson
CATCHLIGHT CATCHLIGHT
common Eider
This common eider had perhaps been blown off course while migrating, or maybe it was just wanderlust; the Twin Ports is not in the eider’s normal range. I heard from some friends that this eider had been seen in a little spot of open water near Barkers Island in Superior, Wisc. Considerably larger than a mallard and with a markedly different bill shape, it was easy to spot in the group of maybe 100 mallards.As far as I know, this eider was alone.—John Heino
With over 250 acres of fun and ac tivities, there’s something for the entire family! From awardwinning historic programs, concer ts & festivals, to a science centre with an astronomical obser vator y – there’s so much to see and do! an overnight stay at our R V campground!
