91.7 KAXE's Morning Show Blog

KLOG - the new GI-normous KAXE Blog

2009-01-13T15:01:00.002-06:00

We are now posting all KAXE related items at the KLOG. Check it out!

John Bauer's first appearance in a commercial

2008-12-19T09:39:00.002-06:00

Marshall Helmberger's weekly stories from NE Minnesota

2008-12-19T07:21:00.006-06:00

Every Friday morning at 7:20 we check in with Marshall Helmberger from the TimberJay newspaper in North Eastern Minnesota. Marshall and his staff were watching the minute by minute changes online of the Coleman-Franken recount... check out the up to date information from the Star Tribune.

Marshall also talked with us about the final closing of the Ainsworth plants in Cook, Grand Rapids and Bemidji. They have been closed for awhile but especially for the town of Cook, Ainsworth really made it a vibrant community. Now, even if it reopens, there are no job guarantees.

One of the stories Marshall has been following closely is Governor Pawlenty's budget cuts. Almost certainly will be cuts to LGA, local government aid. Marshall said the question is not IF there will be LGA cuts but how big they will be. He told us how a town like Ely is really impacted by these cuts.... Ely was supposed to get an increase in LGA this year and had levy limits imposed. That money they were counting on is in jeopardy now. Many cities fact this too - payments they thought they would be receiving on December 26th may not be forthcoming. Stay tuned for more on what exactly the Governor is proposing. Marshall mentioned that the League of Minnesota Cities lists information on the LGA cuts and how cities and towns will be coming. Click here for more information.

And, as always, give us your thoughts on these topics!

Cereal, Salt and Democracy in Action

2008-12-17T07:39:00.006-06:00

Today on The Morning Show Maggie Montgomery talked local foods with Keith Aho from Homestead Mills in Cook, Minnesota. They produce homegrown, hearty cereals and pancake mixes and sponsor our Friday morning "What's For Breakfast" segment on The Morning Show. For past conversations about local food see our website!

****

They also had a conversation with John Bray from the MN Department of Transportation about salting the roads. Did you know that if the temperature is below 10 degrees, salt will not work on the roads?

But that temperature is not the AIR temperature, it's the temperature of the actual pavement. Asphalt then, is often much warmer (if it is sunny) than concrete.

The Department of Transportation has spiffy, high-tech snow plow trucks with infrared technology that allows the drivers to know the temperature of the roadway at all times. If the temperature dips below 10 degrees, magnesium chloride is used. Magnesium chloride is effective to at least -12 degrees and has the benefit of kind of rust-proofing your car. When temperatures reach as low as they have this week, like -20 and -30 degrees the DOT uses a mixture of abrasive road salt that is prewet with magnesium chloride and sand. The DOT uses 28,600 tons of road salt, 16,000 tons of sand and 53,000 magnesium chloride.

John reminded us though, that as is always the case (and especially in the subartic weather) drivers need to drive with care.

****

E-democracy

Scott and Maggie talked with Ross Williams from KAXE's community journalism project (Northern Community Internet) and Daniel LeClaire from the Cass Lake Times about e-democracy in Cass Lake. E-democracy is described as the world's most experienced online citizen engagement initiative.

E-democracy has created a space online to discuss local issues of importance. It is a safe and civil space with rules about posting only 2 times a day and using real names.

E-democracy is up and going in Cass Lake, Minnesota thanks to Daniel LeClaire. It works especially well in their community for many reasons - transportation is difficult for many around Leech Lake/Cass Lake - and finding a meeting space is also of issue. Online, through e-democracy, those barriers can be bridged. There will be a e-democracy get together on December 28th at the North Star Coffee Bar. It's a family get-together with a showing of the movie "Dreamkeeper" as well as chili. Afterwards, there will be information on e-democracy where hopefully even more people will get involved.

Bemidji is also working on e-democracy and they need more members (100 people must be involved in a community) and there will be a community meeting next Tuesday December 23rd at the Grand Rapids Area Library from 5:15-6:15 to start the process in Grand Rapids. Brainerd and Hibbing are also getting ready to launch e-democracy.

For more information on e-democracy in your area, email us, comments@kaxe.org. Or call 218-326-1234.

The Great Minnesota Fish Book

2008-12-16T08:11:00.008-06:00

Tom Dickson joined Scott on the Morning Show today to talk about his new book "The Great Minnesota Fish Book" published by University of Minnesota Press.

Illustrated beautifully by Joseph Tomelleri, Tom Dickson described Joseph as the preeminent fish illustrator because along with his artistic abilities he is a fisheries biologist and has the technical skills to create amazingly realistic reproductions.

Along with the fish we know about in Minnesota like walleye and smallmouth bass, "The Great American Fish Book" has information on those fish most of us have never heard of like the Freshwater Drum. Most people think they are a sucker fish....but they are actually related to the Saltwater Drum and as Tom said, "they taste great... in fact they taste almost exactly the same as walleye." They can be big fish, up to 30-40 lbs in warmer waters in Southern Minnesota like the Mississippi River... but you can find the Freshwater Drum all the way up into Northern Manitoba.

Tom Dickson's favorite fish is the Channel Catfish. "It's a beautiful fish - great food fish that is super strong with a deeply forked tail.... very fun to fish for..."

Many believe that smaller fish are the best eating. Tom agreed, "With smaller fish there is less time to bioaccumulate things like toxins and other bad tasting things in the water." There's a trade-off though he went on to say, with a smaller fish - say a Northern Pike Hammerhandle - you've got a lot of Y bones to fillet. Most people think the perfect fish for eating is a 18" walleye.

What do you think? What is your favorite fish to eat?

Dodger: Cello Love

2008-12-15T12:16:00.003-06:00

I have cello love. I bought a cello in June. Lessons followed. I can proudly say I’m
almost done with Suzuki Book 2 with many more Suzuki Books to go. This week my cello and I will take the stage of the Reif Center with the Beginning Orchestra of the Itasca Orchestra’s Strings Program to perform “Old MacDonald,” “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,” “Jingle Bells,” and several more works of a minute or more in length. It will not be Bach or Ma, but me and this lovely, shiny wooden instrument only a foot shorter than I. We will join Jade, Eddie, Hannah, Kaitlyn, and David, the 6 to 13 year olds in my very own cello section. The seven or so songs will take 15 minutes, if that, and we will leave the stage a bit better or not after our first concert.

Day one last June with my cello, I enthusiastically broke two strings in my desire to learn how to tune. Then I quickly learned that I was not going to sound good for at least a year, if that. Next was the physical challenge of playing. You can actually injure yourself playing violins, violas, cellos, and basses. My chiropractor, after a few adjustments, showed me how to stretch and prepare for practice. Now I am focused. My yoga and weight lifting will make me the cello musician I hope to be some day. It’s not about just exercising anymore. It’s about strengthening my right arm, neck and back. Getting into the zone. Zen cello.

I now hear cellos everywhere, the “minimalist” cello strains in the film There Will Be Blood, and the music of Cloud Cult, the Sparrow Quartet, and Ben Sollee. Last month, I took a field trip to the Cities to see Brit cellist Steven Isserlis perform “The Protecting Veil” with the Minnesota Orchestra. In this piece the cello takes the role of the Virgin Mary lamenting. The cello lamented for a good 42 minutes as Isserlis’s fingers dripped off the end of the finger board. The high pitched wailing was mesmerizing, but the man sitting in front of me used Mary’s lament as background music for reading his concert program. How could he have been so clueless? It was a cello up there crying its heart out. I wanted to rip the program from his indifferent hands and tear it to shreds. A bit irrational I would say.

Love is not rational. Cello love. Watch out.

Kathy Dodge co-hosts KAXE Morning Show on Mondays and is the Executive Director of the Itasca Symphony Orchestra. Feel free to comment on "Cello Love", but be sure your syntax and spelling are correct!

Breakfast with Chips!

2008-12-12T10:26:00.006-06:00

No, it wasn't with Ponch or John from the California Highway Patrol.... and it wasn't breakfast with a bag of Doritos either.

Today we had a healthy breakfast thanks to CHIPS, the Coronary Health Improvement Project in Itasca County. Five folks from CHIPS showed up in our kitchen and served us with not only a healthy meal, but a tasty meal!

We had Biscuits and Gravy, Joyce and Arthur's bread, fruit & Rice Pudding. And best of all, we created a little community in our kitchen and in our conference room, people talking about changing eating habits, feeling better - both physically and mentally. Here's some of the recipes from the feast today. Look here for more!

Biscuits and Gravy

"Buttermilk" Drop Biscuits

3/4 cup plain soymilk or rice milk

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tb canola oil

1 Tb frozen apple juice concentrate (or other liquid sweetener)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour soymilk into small cup or bowl and stir in lemon juice. Let it sit for 10 minutes to sour.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Place oil and juice concentrate in small cup and beat with fork to combine well. Add this to flour mixture and cut it in with fork until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Add soymilk and stir batter with wooden spoon. The batter will be thick. Mist the baking sheet with nonstick spray and then drop dough onto it by larkge rounded spoonfuls to make 10 biscuits.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack. Best served hot or warm.

(From Vegan Vittles)

"Sausage" Gravy

1 cup water
½ cup raw cashews
2 cups water
1/3 cup flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp chicken or beef-style season (vegetarian options include McKay's and Bill's Best)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 Tb nutritional yeast flakes
½ bag Morningstar Farms Sausage or Griller Crumbles (vegetarian soy product)

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to boil. Blend the remaining ingredients, except sausage crumbles, until creamy (best to add flour at the end of the blending). Take blended mixture and add it slowly to boiling water, stirring with a whisk until the pot returns to a boil. Stir in crumbles and serve hot over biscuits.

Alternate Biscuit Recipe

1 cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tb baking powder
3 Tb Smart Balance or Earth Balance, cold
1 cup soy, rice, or skim milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix flours and baking powder. Quickly cut in Smart or Earth Balance while cold. Add milk and mix lightly with a fork. Do not overmix. When mixture has almost come together, pour out on a floured board. Gently press about ½" thick (may need to flour the top a little if it's sticky). Take a cup dipped in flour and cutout biscuit rounds. Reshape scraps to get another biscuit or two out of the dough. Spray a shot of Pam where each biscuit will sit on a baking tray, and put in hot oven for about 15 minutes. Best served hot out of the oven. Makes about 10 biscuits.

Rice Pudding

3 cups cooked brown rice

3 cups soy, almond, or rice milk

4-6 oz. coconut milk (optional)

1 Tb cornstarch

1½ Tb maple syrup

Zest of ½ lemon

Zest of ½ orange

2 tsp vanilla (less if you use vanilla soymilk)

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup raisins

3 Tb sliced almonds

1 tsp sugar

Combine everything in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the top with almonds and sugar. You may then, if you wish, broil the mixture for about 8 minutes to toast almond and sugar topping. This step may be skipped. Best if chilled thoroughly before serving.

Guido Comments on Arts and The Economy

2008-12-11T16:23:00.006-06:00

December 11, 2008

I want to step out of the guide role here for a few year-end moments, to turn a reflective eye, if you will, on the arts---on Capital-A Art---and on what it all means for us here in this community of communities we call KAXE-land.

The first thing that strikes you is how lucky we are, all across the listening area, from Brainerd-Nisswa-Pequot Lakes-Deerwood-Aitkin to Bigfork, Bemidji to the Iron Range, and pretty much every place in between: as we’ve seen, month after month, there’s a lot of Art happening in this big neighborhood, and much of it is very, very good. Whether it’s local school-kids doing a watercolor mural celebrating human rights or protesting hunger and homelessness---or a troupe of professional jazz dancers from Chicago---opportunities to create and witness Art around the northland abound, not equally everywhere, but wherever you are you’re within driving distance of most of those opportunities.

We’ve been documenting for thousands of years what creative self-expression (aka Art) does for the human body and spirit. It flat-out makes us healthier, and safer. People with backgrounds in the arts are more tolerant of diversity. They’re more flexible, more adaptable in unfamiliar circumstances. Their areas of reference are wider and more user-friendly. As students, they perform better provably on everything from achievement tests to college entrance exams. As employees, they’re more desirable for all of the above reasons; also, their communication skills are generally well developed, either broadly or in one or two modes or media in particular. In this total global environment, the only thing more critical than artful communication is cool water.

Recently, we’ve been documenting what Art does not only for quality of life but for the state’s economy, in studies commissioned by the McKnight Foundation and implemented mainly by Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Art in Minnesota accounts for almost $840 million in annual economic activity, generating nearly $100 million in state and local government revenues. In the Arrowhead Region alone, it’s $30-plus million in commerce, accounting for $17 million in household income in northeastern Minnesota. Every dollar the state invests in Art---by way of the State Arts Board or the Regional Councils or any other way---every dollar guarantees a return on investment of $11. When was the last time you heard your Economic Development Agency talking about Art in their incentive and stimulus discussions? And remember: the McKnight Foundation is not in the habit of funding smoke-and-mirrors research; this math is strict input/output analysis, using Nobel Prize winning economic-theory models.

Another calculation: when someone comes to your town, even from just a few miles away, to see your community theater group or orchestra or a world-famous touring production, they’re going to spend on average $45 per person, and that’s not counting show tickets. It’s food and lodging and gas, locally handcrafted coffee mugs, a touristy/novelty necktie for the geezer uncle back home. Shopping. Even the locals will drop $20, before tickets, when they go out to a play or concert or ‘Bambi on the Hood’.

But to me what’s most fascinating, most telling, about Art is this: Art outlives us. It’s what we leave behind, our marker. It connects us to what’s past and what’s next. Our cities fall down, or get bombed or buried by volcanoes. Our political institutions morph and implode. Faiths go up in smoke. Celebrities are forgotten. But Art survives: we’ve got it from as far back as we go, as a species, and if we ever lose sight of this…I can’t even finish that thought.

To all my friends and colleagues at the Edge Center in Bigfork, Ironworld and Range Arts and Lyric Opera House, Crossing Arts Alliance, Ripple River Gallery, Jaques Art Center, Bemidji Community Art Center and the too-numerous-to-mention other venues in that gifted town, MacRostie Art Center, Brewed Awakenings, Itasca Orchestra and Strings Program and Community Chorus and Children’s Theatre, Grand Rapids Players, to everyone who’s ever crossed the Reif Center stage or exhibited in our lobby, to all the organizations and people I talk about every month, and to all the organizations and people I’ve forgotten to talk about: best of the holidays to you and yours from me and mine, and, Scott-Hall-willing, I’ll do this again in 2009.

Steve Downing, a.k.a. Guido, is the Development Director at The Reif Center in Grand Rapids

The Great Christmas Tree Debate

2008-12-09T08:33:00.003-06:00

This morning Scott Hall talked with Eli Sagor from My Minnesota Woods about the top 5 stories in Forestry in Minnesota this year. They included passage of 2c managed forest land tax classification, market downturns - community and landowner impacts, emergence of carbon markets, biomass - biomass - biomass, and the passage of the legacy amendment.

At the end of their conversation Scott asked Eli his take on a real v. artificial Christmas trees. Eli talked about his family's tradition of going out to cut a tree every year. Eli mentioned the smell being part of the allure of a real tree.

What's your take? What kind of tree is in your house? Post your comments here!

Check out this photo slide show posted on My Minnesota Woods to see one family's tradition of cutting down their own Christmas tree. Or better yet, send us a photo of YOUR Christmas tree!

If you are looking for a local tree farm to cut/buy a Christmas tree from, check here!

Morning Show, Monday, December 8th

2008-12-05T12:56:00.004-06:00

This Monday, we meet Cloquet native, Brian Krohn. Brian recently became one of only thirty-two Americans to receive a Rhodes Scholarship to study two years at Oxford University in England. He is a senior at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. He’ll graduate with a degree in chemistry and minors in mathematics and biology. Brian has already done cutting edge research on biodiesel fuels.

Also, the People and Culture of India are coming to the Iron Range.
Essar Steel of India is building a new ore-to-steel plant near Nashwauk.
This Monday, Hibbing Community College teacher, Chuck Lyons will preview “Focus On India”, a conference at HCC next Thursday, December 11th. The president of Essar Steel Minnesota, Madhu Vuppuluri, India’s Minister of Commerce, Banashri Bose Harrison, and Governor Pawlenty will be part of this day-long conference.

And: the Minnesota sports roundup with Jack Lavaliere, a new video game review from the Binary Boys, and Tornado Bob’s forecast round out the Monday morning schedule.

Dr. Michael Fox's dog Batman

2008-12-05T08:26:00.005-06:00

is wearing booties from Ruff Wear. Dr. Fox's dog Batman is originally from India and doesn't like Minnesota's cold winters. As Dr. Fox told us this morning, Batman lifted his paws as if to say "Daddy I don't like this!" That's how Dr. Fox knows that winter is indeed here....

He also mentioned a couple of pet food companies he likes - The Honest Kitchen and Restoration Raw.

Dr. Fox puts Ruff Wear's booties on Batman to combat the cold.

varied thrush in Ely reports Marshall Helmberger

2008-12-05T07:35:00.003-06:00

Marshall Helmberger reported this morning of a Varied Thrush siting in Ely.... Check out The TimberJay newspaper for more information!

Marshall also talked about ski conditions in Northern St. Louis County - they have about 3 inches and he's done a little skiing on the lakes.... see the new Ski Talk blog on our website.

Samantha Smith

2008-12-01T14:44:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Brainerd High School Diver, Samantha Smith.
Samantha earned all-state honors at the state swimming and diving championships at the University of Minnesota pool this Fall. She was the highest finisher of all northern Minnesota athletes at the state swim meet this year. Samantha also won 13 of the 15 meets she competed in this year. Thanks to Mike Bialka, sportswriter at the Brainerd Dispatch, for the picture of Samantha in flight!

About Brussels Sprouts...and Two Upcoming Workshops

2008-11-26T13:32:00.003-06:00

Joel Rosen sent us this letter about Brussels sprouts. He also told us about some upcoming workshops. Below Joel’s letter is a good Brussels sprouts recipe!—Maggie

“Fall garden harvest is nearing the end. Everything is done here except Brussels sprouts, which have reached peak sweetness in the past 10 days. The trick this late in the year is finding a time to pick them. If you pick them when they're still frozen, you need to peel a couple of outer leaves and eat them shortly after they thaw out (cooked or raw). If you can find a window of opportunity where they thaw in the afternoon sun on the stalk, they can still be kept for several days in a cool place before eating without loss of quality. Once we've experienced temperatures of -5F or colder, the texture goes pretty rapidly with the variety I grow. I consider it a bonus when we can still eat Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving (likely this year).

Some people like to dig up the plants roots attached and store in the root cellar. They do keep reasonably well this way, but if you wait as long as I do, you'll never get them out of the ground unless you mulch heavily (at least 6" of straw) or get an early heavy snow cover…

A heads up for anyone you know interested in organic and/or sustainable farming: two very well know personalities will be keynoting events in Minnesota this winter. Eliot Coleman, innovative market gardener from Maine and author of several indispensable books for organic growers, is keynoting the Minnesota Organic Conference on Friday, Jan 16 in St. Cloud. He will also be conducting a breakout workshop on High Tunnels (For those interested in organic row crop farming, Fred Kirschenmann, probably the nation's best known organic grain farmer will delivering the Saturday keynote in St. Cloud)

On Saturday Feb 21, Joel Salatin, for many years a renowned innovative grass/livestock farmer and even better known since Michael Pollan's book, will be keynoting the Minnesota Sustainable Farming Association's Annual Conference in Northfield at St. Olaf College. Salatin will also be conducting a breakout workshop.

These individuals will no doubt attract a lot of attention, so anyone interested should register for the session/day of their choice soon. I can provide more information/links for interested parties.

--Joel Rosen”

A Good Brussels Sprouts Recipe

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and uniformly sliced
2-3 T butter
2 T sliced almonds
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large deep skillet over low heat.
Add the almonds to the butter in the skillet and cook slowly in the butter until the almonds are toasted. Increase heat to medium. Add the Brussels sprouts and garlic and quickly toss to coat with the hot butter. Sprinkle the red wine vinegar over the sprouts and toss again to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until sprouts are wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

High Expectations and Other Post-Election Thoughts

2008-11-26T11:43:00.005-06:00

by Scott Hall

On a taxi ride recently, I asked the young driver how his business was doing.

"It's slow", he said, "but it's going to get better next year."

"Really, what makes you think so?", I asked.

"Obama", he said. ("Wow!, that's high expectations", I thought.)

"Hope you're right", I said. I hope he is right. And I wish I were that charged up and optimistic.

The day after the election this response came to KAXE from a posting by Birdie Lyons on the Cass Lake e-democracy forum:

Wow! I am a simple 55 years young and I have seen much history in those
short years but I never thought I would see the day we would have a
president that was not white, let alone a black president. I spent most of
my time in Oklahoma as a youth in the boarding schools and I use to run away
to the 'shanty' town for protection.

Back then the south was still very segregated and the shanty towns were so named because they were communities where only black people lived. I was there when it use to say "whites only" on signs in front of stores and that was as recent as the early 60's! When the store signs said "blacks forbidden" that meant Natives too.

I was stunned to hear Obama mention the 'Native Americans' in his speech
last night and I made sure I heard it because the news station will never
let that be heard again unless they air the whole speech again.
I wonder what this man's presidency will hold for the Native people of this
country. This country was built on the white values and it remains a white,
black, Latino, Asian and finally Native country. We are always last on the
ladder but hey! that keeps us closer to Mother Earth or more grounded in our
values and lives, right?

Scott's Big Weekend

2008-11-24T15:31:00.006-06:00

We went to Minneapolis Saturday to see Calexico, a band led by guitar and vocalist Joey Burns and drummer John Convertino. I first heard Calexico on KAXE 6 or 8 years ago. I like music with Mexican and Southwestern U.S influences - Los Lobos, Brave Combo, The Mavericks, Flaco Jimenez, TX Tornados, Ry Cooder, Chris Isaac and Calexico. There's a lot of energy, driving rhythms and melodrama, rock 'n roll, and fun about the music. Burns and Convertino are from Tuscon, Arizona and surround themselves with four great musicians, Jacob Valenzuela and Martin Wenk on horns, accordion, and vibes, Paul Niehaus plays an eerie pedal steel. He's from Nashville, and also does some delightful Dick Dale and other style guitar licks. And Volker Zander on bass.

The concert was at The Fine Line in downtown Mpls. Tickets were 17 dollars - a good deal for sure. They were "limited seating" tickets meaning we stood for three hours squeezed in with about two or three hundred other, much younger people. The opening act was The Acorn, an interesting band from Canada, but by the time their set was over my legs ached and there was no relief except walking in place. About 10:30 Calexico started up and all was forgiven. The last number of their encore was the polka, "Corona", and so a perfect ending. My ears still ring...

Listen...

Righteous Ice: David McDonald from Rainy Lake 7 Miles East of International Falls

2008-11-23T20:51:00.003-06:00

Friday, November 21

My dog Hilwa and I are up at the Lake making sure no raccoon or bear
have moved into a cabin (none have... all is good up north).
Jackfish Bay on Rainy Lake is iced over but it can't be very thick.
There is just an inch or two of snow here and there. It was a clear,
sunny, still, beautiful, cold day so I went down to the dock at sunset
(which is around 4:15 now) at looked north across the bay. There was
no wind and everything was so quiet that I could hear a faint rumble
from the mill in town to the west and a dog barking off in the
distance to the east. The loudest sound was Hilwa's paws on the
squeaky snow.

So I stood there for a moment enjoying the calm when all of a sudden
there was a loud sci-fi rippling noise that seemed to race from one
end of the bay all the way to the other in less than a second. Yes,
it was uber freaky and unexpected partly because there was nothing
visual... it was just a sound from under the frozen surface of the
lake. I am told it is the sound of the ice forming and following a
path of least resistance and making noise as it expands and hits other
ice. I suggest you get a better source for the science but that is
what I think was happening.

I waited and a few minutes later a completely different sound came
from another part of the bay. It was very cool and impossible to
describe. I stood there for about 10 minutes and heard a bizarre
collection of maybe ten different sounds from all over Jackfish Bay.
Righteous.

So then I closed my eyes and tried to get into a total audio zone. I
was standing at the end of the dock so the faint mill rumble was to my
left and the distant dog barking was to my right. I told Hilwa to
shut up so she wandered off and was making less noise behind me on the
shore. After a few moments another ice sound came from the lake and
it was righteous. I got more and more in the zone with each new and
different sound, sort of feeling exactly where it was coming from in
the bay. Some were pops, some were squeals, and others were the
rippling kind that travelled. Righteous.

Then I heard a different continuous noise coming from behind me and
it seemed to be quickly heading right at me. I wasn't sure what it
was so I opened my eyes just as an eagle flew overhead at about the
height of the trees heading north over the lake. The sound I heard
was its wings flapping in the quiet of dusk. Righteous.

- David McDonald

November Thoughts

2008-11-14T09:36:00.008-06:00

No Leaves
No Sun
No long bike rides
No shorts, bare feet
No swim in the lake

No vember

But that’s about all I can say bad about November. It can get us down and dark, but judging by the all places to go and things to do and see, the arrival of winter doesn’t diminish the amazing array of traditions and fun we have when it gets cold. For a lot of us – Bill Berg and Harry Hutchins come readily to mind – this is the first of five months of winter revelry. Ski swaps, holiday celebrations, and musical events, cultural traditions like lefse, ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, skating, basketball and HOCKEY! (my emphasis there - Fred Friedman and I are old friends, but when it comes to hockey, he’s from Mercury and I’m from Jupiter).

Except for the most gung ho, Winter gets long and we usually need to get away for a week or so. I’m planning to visit my brother in San Jose, CA in February. He and I will go for a some bike rides, and we’ll also check out a few stages of the Tour of California. It’s an eight day bicycle road race through the wine country, mountains and along the beautiful California coast. Lance Armstrong is in it this year so the crowds will be big and the hotels will fill up.

Please tell us what winter means to you and tell us about your special traditions and plans for this winter.

Guido's Guide and Arts Roundup For November and December (Check Out The Garcia Tie. He looks even sharper at 6 in the morning!)

2008-11-12T17:53:00.005-06:00

In and around Brainerd: the Franklin Arts Center is currently hosting the Brainerd Area Art Club Holiday Art Show; Stroia Ballet will do “The Nutcracker” at Tornstrom Auditorium tomorrow (11/14); Greater Lakes Performing Arts opens “Bye Bye Birdie” tomorrow (all through next week) at Pequot Lakes High School; on 11/25 the Central Lakes College Concert & Jazz Bands will perform; on the 29th the Lakes Area Concert Association presents “Trumpet Invasion” at Tornstrom; and there’s more, of course---for times & other details: explorebrainerdlakes.com

Ripple River Gallery near Deerwood: Bob and Amy aren’t doing anything particularly holiday-ish this year, but they’ve got the usual “wide range of really good work” (Amy’s words) on the walls and shelves.

Jaques Art Center in Aitkin: the Jaques Christmas Marketplace starts tomorrow (11/14), where bidding opens on items in the Annual Dinner & Silent Auction, which will be Saturday, 11/22 at 5. Also: they’ve got St. Nicholas Tea and English Tea parties scheduled, the usual 3rd Thursday Brown Bag Lunch next week (11/20) with “Watercolor: A Mind Of Its Own” (Bev Abear). And let’s don’t forget the World Famous Fish House Parade in Aitkin on 11/28.

To Bemidji. At BCAC through 12/21, “It’s Only Clay”, their annual national juried ceramics competition and exhibition. Plus Judith Selby at Dunn Brothers, plus Cyrus Swann at Wild Hare, plus the Christmas Boutique at Gallery North, plus Mary Therese Peterson at Neilson Place, plus “Nuncrackers” coming up at Wild Rose, and so on. Plus: Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, “Miraculous Fanfares” Sunday 11/23 at 3 at the High School, and a Holiday Concert and Messiah Sing-A-Long at BSU on 12/9 at 7:30. Also at BSU the 40th Annual Madrigal Dinner in the Beaux Arts Ballroom the 1st 2 weekends in Dec. and music department concerts one after another.

In Bigfork at the Edge Center their Holiday Gift Show & Sale is up in the lobby through 12/14; in the theater, 12/5-12/7 “What Do I Do With My Hands? One Vaudevillian’s True Confessions”, comedy, songs and stories by Brian Kent Johnson; and on 12/14 at 2 it’s the Blandin Male Chorus, free.

Over on the Range it’s still “In The Dark” at Ironworld, through 1/4, and the Festival of Lights 12/4-12/7 (Xmas trees, food, music, egg decorating, wagon rides, etc.). At Hibbing Community College Ragamala Dance Company performs Thurs. 12/11 at 7:30, South Indian classical dance, as part of the Cultural Events Series. On 12/20 at 2 & 7 Reif Center Dance Company tours their “Nutcracker Sweets” to HCC. Info on classes/workshops in Hibbing, some Xmas-themed, at rangeartcenter.org

Grand Rapids. MacRostie Art Center’s Nov. exhibitors, sponsored by LuAnn & Frank Hanson, are Samuel Johnson from St. Ben’s/St. John’s, functional pottery, dark wood-fired and white-glazed work, and drawings by Krista Matison. At Brewed Awakenings it’s nature photos by Judith Kustelski. At Reif we’ve got a five-artist exhibit in the lobby: Liz White (also serving as the curator), Dorothy Hall, Deb Page, Diane Rutherford, and Mary Shideler. On stage at Reif: Next week, music: middle school bands Mon. & Tues. at 7:30 at Reif, then Itasca Orchestra, first with a gathering at Rivers Thurs. at 5:30 with Soprano Hope Koehler and Itasca Orchestra’s Executive Director Kathy Dodge, and the Fall Concert at Reif on Sat. (11/22) at 7:30 (Dvorak’s 8th, Sullivan’s Overture to Yeoman of the Guard, Handel’s Rinaldo, and, featuring Ms. Koehler, a suite of Puccini arias that Dodger promises you will leave the theatre humming, in part because they’re so memorable, in part because they’ll be done so well). Funding by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council through an appropriation by the MN State Legislature.

Out of town: in previews, at the Belasco in NY, a revival of David Mamet’s signature “American Buffalo” with a terrific cast (Cedric the Entertainer, Haley Joel Osment & John Leguizamo).

Kale

2008-11-12T16:05:00.001-06:00

See that mountain of kale? Before it got to be a pile by the sink it had to be picked, the large veins removed, then chopped and washed three times in sinks filled with cold water.

The next step was to plunge it into boiling water for two minutes, then let it cool in another sink full of cold, cold water. Then you drain it and pack it in freezer bags.

The boiling water makes the kale wilt and turn dark green.

When it was all over, that big pile of kale fit easily into two, one-quart bags.

That’s the bummer about kale. Since I was a girl it’s been my very favorite vegetable. But it takes a lot of work to get a little kale.

All the greens are like that. Chard, beet greens, mustard…it doesn’t matter. It takes a lot to make a little.

Some things are just like that.

Greens are awesome things. They’re packed with vitamins (no wonder—when they’re condensed like that) and they taste…wonderful!

Kale is sweet and mild this time of year. And the plants themselves are amazing! The kale that’s still in the garden is still standing and edible even after several nights with temperatures in the teens (it would have been better if it was all picked now, but processing takes so much time!). Joel Rosen, from the Lake Superior Chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association, told me frost signals the plant to send sugars from the roots into the leaves.

I cook kale in salted water until it gets tender (kale can be tough sometimes), and then add vinegar or soy sauce when I eat it. My grandmother used to cook it with ham. Any way you do it, it’s yummy!

(P.S. the third photo is Dinosaur kale, aka Italian kale—it looks totally cool!)

-Maggie Montgomery

Second BIG CARROT Found - and it's BIGGER!

2008-11-06T09:18:00.003-06:00

Unbelievably, another huge carrot has been found in East Nary, at the residence of Dennis and Maggie Montgomery. The carrot, weighing in at 1# 8.5 oz, smashed the previous East Nary carrot record by 2.5 ounces.

“I couldn’t believe it when I weighed it,” said Maggie Montgomery. “It’s a lot uglier than the other carrot but quite a bit bigger!”

When asked if this carrot would be stuffed and mounted, Montgomery said, “It’s too late. We ate it. Just that one carrot was all we needed for a big pot of stew.”

Legislative Races: House Districts 4A, 4B, and 12A

2008-10-29T18:02:00.004-05:00

House District 4A is an open seat. DFL incumbent, Frank Moe, is not seeking a third term. The district includes parts of Beltrami, northern Cass, and western Itasca counties, including Bemidji, Cass Lake, Remer, and Deer River.

DFL John Persell

Republican John Carlson

Independence Sharatin Blake

Report on 4A race: Bemidji Pioneer article

* * *

District 4B includes southern Cass County, half of Hubbard County and the northern part of Crow Wing County. Cities in the district include Akeley, Pillager, Longville, Walker, Pequot Lakes, Lake Shore, Breezy Point and Cuyuna.

Republican incumbent, Larry Howes from Walker, is seeking his sixth term. He's opposed by DFLer Meg Bye from Pequot Lakes.

Republican Larry Howes

DFLer Meg Bye

Brainerd Dispatch article by Renee Richardson

Meg Bye, DFL candidate from rural Pequot Lakes, is challenging incumbent Larry Howes, Republican from Walker, for the District 4B seat in the Minnesota House. Howes, who was first elected in 1998, is seeking his sixth term. Bye, a former mathematics teacher, is a 12-year veteran of the Duluth City Council.

Looking at a predicted state deficit of $1 billion to $2 billion, candidates were asked what they would list as a priority and what they would cut. Howes said the state has to do what families do - live within its means. With today's financial uncertainty, Howes said: "This is simply not the time to raise taxes." Bye said to be fair people with incomes more than $400,000 should pay an additional one percent in taxes.

Bye and Howes differed on support of the JOBZone program, with tax breaks to attract businesses to specific locations. Bye said the program was a gimmick and was more about moving jobs around the state than increasing the economic base. Howes said the JOBZone program was not a gimmick and he said the biggest reason for job loss in the region coming from cuts in the forest industry and from the housing market.

Both Bye and Howes support the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment on the ballot this Nov. 4.

In regard to K-12 school funding, Howes said getting school levies off the property taxes would create a better economic system and he is impressed with plans coming forward. Bye said school funding should come through the state and not property taxes.

"We should stop pretending we can have good schools and not pay for them," Bye said.

Regarding a statewide single-payer universal health system, Bye said one was needed and people are ahead of the politicians on this issue. Howes said he somewhat supports a single-payer policy but not a universal one, saying health management systems have been the biggest curses for health care in the state. Bye agreed HMOs haven't worked and said health care needs to get away from being a commodity.

Candidates may have been the most animated when they asked questions of each other. Bye asked Howes why he voted against an energy bill that favored items like solar panels. Howes suggested it was a "gotcha" moment and he didn't remember the specifics of a particular bill. Bye said Howes voted against ever improvement to the energy policy. Howes countered asking Bye about her tax increase and questioned how that would affect small business. Bye said she didn't think many people in the district would be affected.

Bemidji Pioneer profile of House 4B race

* * *

District 12A includes most of Crow Wing County including Brainerd, Baxter and Crosby. DFL incumbent John Ward is opposed by Republican, David Allan Pundt.

John Ward

David Allan Pundt

Brainerd Dispatch article by Matt Erickson

Ward, Pundt weigh in on issues facing Legislature
CAMPAIGN 2008 DEBATES
By MATT ERICKSON
Staff Writer

When the Legislature convenes in 2009, whoever is representing Minnesota House District 12A will have a lot of work to do.
A $1-$2 billion state deficit, education funding reform and health care reform are just the tip of the iceberg of issues facing candidates Republican David Allan Pundt of Baxter and Rep. John Ward, DFL-Brainerd.

On Thursday, the two used a debate sponsored by Lakeland Television as a job interview of sorts, and both offered their ideas on what they would do in St. Paul.

On the deficit, Pundt suggested cutting legislators per diems, overhauling the state's welfare system concerning travel and requiring every state department to start each year with a zero based budget.

"As far as any other cuts, they're all on the table," Pundt said.
Ward agreed with all possible cuts being considered. He said reforming health care may add additional revenue and advocated a study of the state's tax system.
On education, Ward noted the writer's of Minnesota's constitution stipulated education must be adequately provided for, while Minnesota currently is 20 percent behind in its funding formula.
"We have to have funding in Minnesota that's fair, adequate, equitable and timely," Ward said.
Pundt said the state is using a 1940s system for 21st century students. He proposed merit pay for teachers and students going to school for more days of the year, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., five days a week.
"Let them treat it like the job it is," Pundt said.
On health care, Pundt said state mandates should be reduced and competition encouraged. Ward said costs could be cut by up to 80 percent through health programs.
"Health care should be right for all, not just the few, the rich, whomever," Ward said. "We need a health care system that's universal, comprehensive (and) affordable ..."The two issues most separating the two candidates Thursday were the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Dedicated Funding Amendment voters will decide on the Nov. 4 ballot and the possibility of raising minimum wage.
Ward was in favor of both issues, Pundt was against.
On the amendment, Ward said he was supportive of it because it gave people the choice to decide. He said the environment was critical to District 12A and needed to be preserved to pass on to future generations.
While not against clean water, air or restoring habitat, Pundt said he was against the amendment because dedicated funding for 25 years. He said things should be done with recurrent money.
On raising the state's minimum wage, Pundt said he was opposed because it would force businesses to raise prices or cut employees.
Ward said he was in favor of raising it to meet the federal minimum wage standard.
"It would put people closer to an actual living wage," Ward said.
In a twist from most debates, Pundt and Ward were able to ask each other one question.
Ward asked Pundt what he would do if the Republican party leaders demanded he vote the party line. Ward referenced last session's vote on a transportation bill in which six Republicans voted with Democrats and were punished by their party. Pundt responded that he would vote according to his conscience and constituents wishes.
Pundt asked Ward how he could say he was a pro-life candidate when he voted to elect pro-choice Rep. Margaret Kelliher as Speaker of the House. Ward defended his pro-life declaration, saying he's been so since he was a child and will remain so to the grave.

First Local StoryCorps story on KAXE

2008-10-19T22:03:00.005-05:00

Tune in this Monday morning at 6:50 for the first locally produced StoryCorps segment. You'll hear an excerpt of the conversation that Rick and Kathleen Blake of Grand Rapids had in the StoryCorps airstream trailer. They took their 40 minutes to remember their son Michael, who passed away when he was 8 from leukemia.

Kathleen tells the wonderful story of how telling her "Micahel the Elephant" story helped Michael get through his treatments.

It's the Fall Fundraiser at KAXE - the Northern Observer. What better way to support local media like KAXE that gives you real stories that matter. If you pledge your support at $10/month - $120/year - you can get "Listening is An Act of Love" - the first StoryCorps book as an EXTRA thank-you gift. Pledge online or call 218-326-1234/800-662-5799 to pledge your support.

And stay tuned to 91.7KAXE for more local StoryCorps stories. You'll hear the people in your community telling the stories that mean the most to them.
-Heidi

It's The Means, Not The Ends: Colleen and Chuck Weigh In On Funding Clean Water, Wildlife Habitat, and the Arts

2008-10-16T15:28:00.016-05:00

By Scott Hall

Few people question the value of public funding for clean water and wildlife habitat. The arts enhance our quality of life. But over the last fifteen years there have been many proposals in the MN Legislature to increase funding for these causes, mainly by raisng the sales tax by three eights of a penny. All of these proposals failed, so this year the Legislature decided put it to voters in the form of an amendment to the State Constitution. We asked our political commentators, DFLer Colleen Nardone, and Republican, Chuck Marohn, to tell us how they will vote.

The amendment on the November 4th ballot reads as follows:

Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to dedicate funding to protect our drinking water sources; to protect, enhance and restore our wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve our arts and cultural heritage; to support our parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore our lakes, rivers, streams and groundwater; by increasing the sales and use tax rate beginning July 1, 2009, by three-eights of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034?

Chuck:

I will vote NO. While these issues may be important, they are obviously not important enough to survive the legislative process. This is bad government. It is the legislature admitting that they cannot do their job and then allowing "the voter" to be the bad guy. If we vote this down, then they will say it is not important and they are justified in not funding it. If we approve it, they will claim to be leaders by setting this aside. It is a political sham.

I am also against because I believe much of the money would be wasted. If you look at the "trust fund" from the lottery proceeds, while some good work has been done, nothing proportionate to the money spent. For the most part, it has actually been a way to defund programs (they can go to the trust fund) or prop up agency spending in light of other budget cuts.

It is smoke and mirrors and bad government. We have enough of that already.

Colleen:

Variations of this amendment have been proposed many times. I have opposed them for some of the same reasons that Chuck opposes this one. If the issues of clean water, wildlife habitat and, in the case of this amendment, arts funding are such a high priority - which I think they are - then the Legislature and Governor should be providing the kind of sustained funding they need. In general, I don't like restricted, specific funding for specific causes, especially in the form of Constitutional amendments.

Having said all that, I'm probably going to vote for the amendment this time. We have gone a long time now without adequately funding wildlife habitat and clean water. Plus I'm a big advocate for the arts because they contribute so much to the quality of life for us here in Minnesota.

Observe: The Big Carrot

2008-10-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

by Maggie Montgomery

Yes, it’s just a carrot. But it’s a honker!

I’ve been away from home a lot this week, and will be away a lot more, but last night had a chance to take a quick tour of our late fall garden. It’s a little daunting to go out there, because it’s a scene of neglect right now. But the garden always makes me feel peaceful and grateful.

It was kind of cold out there, and breezy. The rain gauge showed that we had gotten 3½ inches of rain last weekend! After a few minutes Dennis came out and poked around with me.

The beets are covered with old sheets because Joel Rosen warned us last year they were susceptible to frost. Some will go in the cellar. Beets keep like champs! I’d like to pickle some too, in chunks.

The chard is getting frost damage around some of the leaves. I picked two bunches and took them in to steam on the cookstove while I canned some pints of tomato puree.

There are some little broccoli shoots to pick, and some of the brussels sprouts are big enough to eat or freeze. A few late cabbages are still growing. The tomato house is about half emptied. There are a couple stout celery clumps, also covered. The few parsnips might just have to wait in the ground until spring.

My favorite vegetable, kale, looks marvelous, although we haven’t had a chance to taste any yet! It’s lush and various shades of deep green—three varieties in one row! It gets sweet after a frost. We generally freeze it and bring it out for holidays.

While I was picking the chard, Dennis pulled a few carrots. I planted carrots four times this spring. The first three times, cutworms mowed them down. When I talked to our neighbor Michael Schumaker about his CSA operation on KAXE’s Morning Show yesterday, he mentioned that carrots are particularly sweet and tasty this time of year.

“Whoa! Look at that carrot!” Dennis exclaimed suddenly. He pulled one out of the ground. The garden had produced a whopper! We took it and a few other carrots inside with the chard.

We each ate a normal, delicious carrot. I photographed the big carrot on the counter, in my hand, and with Dennis. I’m not sure what else to say about it, except to observe that it’s BIG.

Guido's Arts Roundup for October

2008-10-15T17:41:00.003-05:00

The BSU Theatre Dept presents five performances of "No More Peace", a satire by Ernest Toller. The play is set in the small European country of Dunkelstein in the era between World Wars One and Two. It's a comical look at lame efforts to make peace among nations that have a history of going to war. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays, October 17th & 18th, 24th and 25th, at 7:29, with a matinee Sunday, the 26th, at 3 o'clock. Tickets $8 adults, $4 students & Srs, at Bangsberg Box Office; 755-3863.

Hibbing Community College Theatre presents "The Visit", a critically acclaimed drama set in a small town after World War Two. A wealthy woman seeks revenge against people in her home town that did her wrong many years before. The method of her revenge and the townspeople's reaction raise thought-provoking questions about justice, the nature of revenge, and the pressures of wealth and poverty. There will be eight performances of The Visit from October 23rd thru November 2nd.
Show times: Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30, Sundays 2:30; $10 general adm, $8 for students, $5 HCC students; Box Office 262-7377

Over in Bemidji: Studio Cruise, 10/17, 18 & 19: participating artists in the Bemidji area invite you into their studios to reveal tricks, cleaning habits, peccadilloes---and to do commerce. Free and open to all. More info at 218.751.6767 or swensonmail@yahoo.com Paul Bunyan Playhouse: the season’s over, but auditions for summer 09 are 11/15, details at paulbunyanplayhouse.com (get ready for The Who’s “Tommy”). At BCAC it’s still Sandra Haff/I Love A Parade, Gege Holden and Sean McCroy (bcac.wordpress.com). Plus there’s always art at Dunn Brothers, Wild Hare, Gallery North, Glazed and Amused, Neilson Place, and lots of other places in town.

Jaques Art Center, Aitkin: now through 11/8 Stephanie Mirocha (acrylics & watercolors) and “Turning Trail” (woodcarvings) by Tom Larson. Today (10/16) it’s the regular 3rd Thursday Brown Bag Lunch discussion: “Wildlife Stamps” presented by Judy Mans. Also: advanced photography workshop this Saturday (10/18) with Dee Kotaska. jaquesart.com

Ripple River Gallery: through 11/2 Diane Rutherford/batik & Bob Carls/woodturning. SEE THIS SHOW.

Around Brainerd: 10/17-18: Fine Art Sale at the Nisswa Community Center, 10-5. At Franklin Arts Center, 10/21, 10-4, Lake Country Journal Featured Artists Exhibit, details at crossingarts.org In Pequot Lakes, 10/24, 7:30, 25th Anniversary of Greater Lakes Performing Arts: Claudia Schmidt. explorebrainerdlakes.com

Range Creative Art Center/Hibbing: classes & workshops in woodcarving, watercolors, pastels, glass, oil painting, and more. rangeartcenter.org

At the Edge Center in Bigfork: through 10/25, “Natural Perspectives”---pottery, drawing & prints---by Concordia art faculty members Keith Williams, Marko Fields & Stephanie Hunder. Adjust your calendars: folk rocker Kevin Steinman, scheduled for 10/24, re-scheduled to March 13. N.B.: any artists who want to be included in the annual Edge Holiday Show (opens 11/6) SHOULD contact Lynn Nachbar yesterday (10/15).

In Grand Rapids, the High School Drama Club is doing “Shout” at Reif, 10/30-11/1.

MacRostie Art Center: in the MacRostie Gallery, sponsored by Kristen & Ed Anderson, a group show by the juror & award winners from MAC’s 2007 Juried Exhibit: Marlon Davidson (juror), Jay Jones, Dorothy Hall, Anna Shallman, and Natalie Himmirska. Back in the Minnesota Gallery: baskets and containers: curator and artist John Zasada has done it again. Words fail. For upcoming classes & workshops: macrostieartcenter.org

At Brewed Awakenings: on the walls this month Mitch Mickelson, on stage next Thurs. (10/23) at 6: Sam Miltich, Pat Downing, Jon Dallas: jazz standards. And High Bongo here at KAXE the following Thurs. at 6.

To Reif: tonight (10/16) at 7:30, sponsored by ICC and an anonymous underwriter, the Rose Ensemble. Ancient Mediterranean vocal music, with some string and percussion accompaniment. Ensemble Founder and Artistic Director Jordan Sramek will be doing a pre-show presentation at Rivers at 5:30. Then Saturday (10/18) at 7:30 it’s “Marilyn/Forever Blonde”, sponsored by Travel Leaders; i.e., Laurie Passard, who was a classmate here in Grand Rapids of Sonja Peterson, who became Sunny Thompson, who becomes Marilyn Monroe in this much acclaimed one-woman show. Next Friday (10/24) at 7:30 it’s American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, direct from NYC, sponsored by Rivers Wine Bar & Bistro, and there’ll be a pre-show event at Rivers that night, too, as well as a demonstration/lecture the next morning at Reif---call 218.327.5780 for more info about any of this. On the 23rd it’s “Stone Soup”, 2 daytime shows for schoolkids sponsored by Sara Swanson Law Office. On the 28th it’s Golden Dragon Acrobats, sponsored by Lake States Tree Service, on Nov. 7th Omaha Children’s Theatre doing “Harry the Horrible” sponsored by Target, the next night “Mama’s Night Out/Bambi On The Hood” sponsored by Jerry’s Warehouse Liquors, the Sawmill Inn & Country Inn. reifcenter.org

Two recommendations should you find yourself in New York in the near future: “A Man For All Seasons” at Roundabout Theatre (raves for Frank Langella as Thomas More) and “The Tempest” at Classic Stage Company (raves for Elizabeth Waterston as Miranda).

How Are You Handling The Big Bad News?

2008-10-10T12:01:00.002-05:00

The "big news" these days is too important to ignore, but I was glad to wake up to the Friday Morning Show knowing there would be a little relief. The Mom of Pop Culture, Talkbacks, the Border News with Marshall, What's For Breakfast, and other locally-produced segments gave us a break from the repetition of election reportiing and the doom and gloomy economic news.

I can't fault NPR editors for pouring so much time and energy into the election and economy, but I reached a saturation point by mid week. I know some of you are news junkies and can't get enough of the many different ways to look at these momentous events. I also know some of you would be happy with a headline news service and more music. We all have different puke points. What's yours?

Killing Frosts: A Letter From Joel Rosen

2008-10-07T13:05:00.003-05:00

The effects of frost are often misunderstood by gardeners. Generally, climatologists and agronomists classify frost as light, moderate, or hard. Light frost (29-32) will usually kill or damage warm weather annual foliage and stems (basil, cucumbers, and melons are especially sensitive). Moderate frost (25-28) will damage or destroy the fruits of the warm weather annuals like squash, tomatoes, etc (especially if their protective foliage has already been destroyed in a previous frost). Hard or severe frost (24 or below) may cause damage to some of the less hardy coles like cauliflower and may induce at least temporary dormancy in grass and clover.

Of course most root crops, cole crops, and hardy greens will survive and in many cases improve in quality following temperatures in the 18-24F range. Further complicating the issue is the level of available potassium in the soil, which will increase even tender plants' frost resistance. I have on numerous occasions seen squash, pumpkin, tomato, and pepper foliage frozen as stiff as cardboard, only to thaw out in the sun with little significant damage. The amount of dew frozen around the foliage (acting as insulation) also provides some protection, while wind in sub-freezing temperatures will increase the level of damage. The heat stored in the soil also can make quite a difference to growth within 6" of the ground, so a late August frost when soil is still warm will often show less damage than a late September frost with the same temperature. Duration of frost is also a significant factor. Finally, the placement of a gardener's thermometer may cause confusion. A thermometer attached to a house wall or inside a porch will nearly always register significantly warmer temperatures in calm conditions. An accurate reading of 37F from a porch thermometer may be less than 100 yards away from a garden where everything is frozen stiff. The nearby unprotected garden in a low area could easily be 10 degrees colder than that porch reading on a still morning, enough frost to damage quite a variety of garden crops.

One final caveat. While warm weather fruits and vegetables may survive light frosts, gardeners need to decide if they are worth covering and saving. Basil begins to blacken and deteriorate after the first night or two of temperatures in the 30's and the quality of vine-ripened tomatoes deteriorates markedly once nights begin to dip into the 30's, epecially when the days remain cool. Due to its higher sugar content, a ripe tomato will "survive" more frost intact than a green one, but it may not taste a whole lot better than those green tomatoes many gardeners wrap in newspaper and ripen in warm places in the fall. Once the weather turns cold, I like to focus on enjoying the things that are starting to taste really good, like carrots, broccoli, cabbage, fall apples, etc.

Joel Rosen is a gardener and frequently contributes his weather information to John Latimer's Phenology Show. Joel lives on Park Lake near Matowah in Carlton County. The growing season and phenology in Joel's neck of the woods can be different from other parts of the KAXE listening area due to the influence on weather from Lake Superior

Debates, Questions and Coded Messages

2008-10-03T13:24:00.007-05:00

Fickle Framing
This is the third election season I’ve been a panelist for debates on our local Public Television station. I prepare by spending a few hours asking other journalists and people who follow the Minnesota legislature what issues they think are important and what questions they would ask. I try to frame a question in a way that will not only make the candidates show what they know and think about an issue, but also make them show how much they know about the people they want to represent.

Candidates deflect, avoid or misinterpret debate questions all the time. So, from a journalist’s perspective, debates will be a disappointment if you expect wide-ranging responses that explore the various angles you imagined in your question.

For example, before one debate a few years ago, I had a some conversations with business people in the area. All of them said that the cost of health insurance was going up fast, and the insurance products they could afford had such high deductibles that they weren’t much use to their employees unless they got real sick.

So I decided to frame a health care question in economic terms. It went like this:

“If the state were to assume some of the health insurance costs of Minnesota workers, what impact would that have on the business climate in the state?”

I expected the answers would range from reducing the cost of doing business and improving the business climate (good things) to concern over how the state would pay for the insurance. However, all of the candidates saw the question as an opportunity to give their standard response to the “health care question”. I was sorry they didn’t answer my question, but it wasn’t a waste because at least viewers and listeners heard their ideas about health care reform.

Huh? You Gotta Know The Territory!
Some journalists only ask questions they already know the answers to. However, even if you think you know the answer, some candidate responses are so vague or evasive I think they are trying to disguise their ignorance. But that's not necessarily true. They may be using language people in their district understand that I don't because I don't know the territory well enough. For years candidates have used coded rhetoric for talking about hot button issues like taxes, race and abortion.

A Grand Stand
The first debate I ever worked featured Rudy Perpich and Warren Spannus. They were going against each other in the DFL primary for Governor. I think it was 1982. Spannus was the DFL's endorsed candidate. So Rudy was bucking his Party's will. During his closing remarks in this debate Rudy picks up his tax return and slaps it down on the podium and that's becomes the story of this debate. I'm sure the tremendous downturn in mining was one of the big issues of the day. But what was he saying with his gesture? That he's got nothing to hide? That he's not corrupt? Did this grand stand affect the outcome? I don't remember, but he won the primary and the next two general elections to become the longest-serving Governor in MN history.

Politics in KAXE's broadcast range: There are all or part of at least seven Senate Districts in the KAXE listening – districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 12. Each District sends one Senator and two Representatives to St. Paul . That’s up to 21 legislators in all from our area. This year there are no Senate races. So we will elect Representatives to fill about 14 seats in the House.

Baseball To The Rescue

2008-09-19T13:02:00.024-05:00

A pennant race is a welcome diversion from the high anxiety of Wall Street and the election. At least the games are a welcome diversion.

Hit the mute button. Sports talk on the radio and TV isn't all that different from political and economic commentary. It's shrill and self-important, delivered with an urgency that suggests you've got a hundred dollars bet on the game and only ten dollars in your pocket. The style is the substance. All the hype doesn't approach the tension from needing a two-out hit with the tying run on second base. The chatter, stats and posturing mean you care, but, to quote Yogi: "In baseball, you don't know nothin". What Yogi means is all the thought and analysis and preparation doesn't predict the outcome.

It's hard to ignore the crash on Wall Street, but don't you think the Seattle Mariners should get some of the bail out?...and the whole National League too, except "da Cubs". It's been 63 years since the Cubs were in the World Series. They lost to the Tigers in 1945 and 1935, the Yankees in '38 and '32, the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929, the Red Sox in 1918 (Babe Ruth pitched and won 2 games for the Red Sox). A hundred years sinced they won it! They beat the Tigers in 1907 and 1908. I think they're going to make it to the World Series this year. However, "in baseball you don't know nothin".

Twins comeback against the Rays last Thursday night made Friday dawn brighter. Friday and Saturday the starting pitchers got smoked early. Liriano to the rescue on Sunday, and it was bombs away last night in the first game against Chicago. Twins win, 9-3. Twins are young and fun, but their inexperience has been a weakness down the stretch. It's no coincidence that Mauer and Morneau are the most consistent hitters. They are the "old" guys who been through the pressure before. Over the last six weeks their good young pitchers have been inconsistent and run out of gas early. Blackburn tonight, Slowey on Thursday. Can they win the division? Sure they can; however, in baseball you don't know nothin'.

Best baseball book ever: "The Glory of Their Times" Lawrence Ritters' collection of stories told by baseball players who played between 1890 and 1920.

Sports Page Fallout, Gopher Football: Tom from Hibbing called last Thursday morning after the Sports Page: "C'mon, Scott, how can you and Fred not know who the Gophers are playing this weekend? It's Florida Atlantic! You guys gotta be on stuff like that!" Before I got deeper in Tom's doghouse by asking who is Florida Atlantic and why are the Gophers playing them, Tom reminded me that they beat Minnesota last year. Oops...
BTW, Gophers won,...Ohio State this week. The Gopher are big underdogs, however, in football you don't know nothin'.

In October, John Bauer starts his eighth year as coach of the Itasca Community College Women's Basketball team. His teams are well-coached, always hustle and will probably be one of the top teams in the state again. However, in basketball, you don't know nothin.

Guido's Arts Roundup

2008-09-17T22:00:00.001-05:00

GUIDO’S GUIDE/ARTS ROUND-UP/KAXE/September 18, 2008

Over at Ironworld: re: the Night Sky Observation, originally scheduled for last Thursday. It’s tonight (9/18). Representatives from the Paulucci Planetarium and the Hibbing Community College Astronomy Club will be there to show you how to use telescopes to pick out any number of items-of-interest passing by in the night sky. This accompanies the main exhibit, “In The Dark: Start Seeing Things”, now through 1/4/09, where you can actually get a context-expanding sense of what life is like for a mole or termite. Then 10/2, in the Film Series, it’s “Seeing In The Dark” by Timothy Ferris, 7 pm in the theater. More info: ironworld.com

At Range Creative Art Center in Hibbing, fall classes are now gearing up---woodcarving, pastel portraits, fused glass, and more---rangeartcenter.org

Up in Bigfork at the Edge Center, check out “Natural Perspectives” in the lobby gallery---pottery, drawing and prints---by Keith Williams, Marko Fields and Stephanie Hunder, and on 10/11 it’s Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club, at 7 pm. Details at the-edge-center.org

Bemidji Community Art Center, through 10/25, in effect three shows: “Natural Motion” by photographer Sean McCroy (slow shutter speeds, long exposures, turning nature surreal); “Color Studies” by GeGe Holden (fabric art, featuring seasonal themes); and “The Dolls: Homeless Women Telling Their Stories Through Art” (autobiographical dolls, each one with a unique narrative)---this, by Sandra Haff and the artists at I Love A Parade, and some of those folks will be on hand 10/3, as part of First Friday, 5-7 pm. These dolls will tell stories, some of them heartbreaking, all of them thought provoking. bcac.wordpress.com

At Jaques Art Center in Aitkin it’s still the western and Native American displays (Barb & Rod Furan, Linda & David Hommes) through 9/27. Coming soon: “Apples to Abstracts” by Stephanie Mirocha (watercolors) and “Turning Trail” by Tom Larson (woodcarvings); opening reception on 10/8 4-7 pm. Brown Bag Lunch (3rd Thursday) today, 9/18, at 12:15. jaquesart.com

Ripple River Gallery: closing out this weekend, “Imaginary Friends”, paintings & collage art by David Norstad, dolls & toys by Tracy McMan. Up next, 9/24-11/2, Diane Rutherford (batik) and Bob Carls (wood turnings). And on 10/4 a very special event: an open house and raku pottery demo/firing with Jim Loso---the raku guru---for more: ripplerivergallery.com

MacRostie Art Center, GR: two September exhibits, sponsored by Hawkinson Construction. In the MacRostie Gallery, “Dysphoria” by Jesse Albrecht (a must-see) and in the Minnesota Gallery, mail art, another very cool Paula Brandel idea. The reception for this is actually a closing reception, a week from tomorrow, 9/26, 5-7 pm. Lots of fall classes starting in October: paper, pottery, drawing & painting, woodcarving, gift-making---check out the whole list at macrostieartcenter.org And next month as part of the October Minnesota Gallery exhibition John Zasada & Tina Fung-Holder & others will be doing demos of baskets & containers, functional & not, with birch bark, twine, twigs, grass, and other stuff that grows in your yard.

‘Goods From The Woods’ this Sat. (9/20) 9-5 & Sun (9/21) 9-3 at the IRA Arena---the 6th annual---always a showcase of art and artistry and exceptional how-to demonstrations. goodsfromthewoods.org

At Reif: tonight, 9/18, “A Fine & Pleasant Misery”, Pat MacManus, sponsored by Arrow Embroidery/Photo Express, 7:30; tomorrow, 9/19, “James & the Giant Peach”, sponsored by Grand Itasca Clinic & Hospital, 7 pm; Saturday, 9/20, Jayme Stone, sponsored by Grand Rapids GM, 7:30; a week from Saturday, Riders in the Sky, over in Greenway, sponsored by Ogle’s Marketplace Foods, 7:30; 10/4, Glenn Miller Orchestra, sponsored by Woodland Bank, 7:30; 10/12, Cathie Ryan, sponsored by Timberlake Lodge, 7:30; 10/16, the Rose Ensemble, sponsored by Itasca Community College and an anonymous Reif donor; 10/18, 7:30, “Marilyn: Forever Blonde”, sponsored by Carlson/Wagonlit/Rapid Travel, featuring Sunny Thompson, aka Sonia Peterson when she was in high school here in GR. www.reifcenter.org for tix, calendar, links, & more. In Reif’s lobby, through 10/12: photography by Mark Harlow, large-format, up-close pictures of very wild animals, land- & sky-scapes.
Other/Fabulous Category: 9/27, 8 pm, at Ted Mann Concert Hall (U of M, West Bank): Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra---legendary, cutting-edge, unabashedly political, not PC---do the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) walk in the Minnehaha Park neighborhood, then go to this show. A great day. Guaranteed

1 woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes in the U.S.

2008-09-12T11:14:00.007-05:00

KAXE member from Grand Rapids, Anna Johnson was our guest on the Morning Show today. Anna is a 1 year survivor of breast cancer. In Anna's case, they caught it very early, and she is doing well.

But her life was changed by her diagnosis, and Anna is doing something about it.

On September 19th, Anna will join hundreds of other women and men in Minneapolis to walk 20 miles for 3 days. At night they'll camp in tents.

When we talked with Anna this morning she asked us to take a moment to think of someone we know who has been affected by breast cancer. She said everyone knows someone and almost everyone knows MORE than one person affected by it.

The funds that each walker collects for the 3 Day walk benefit the Susan G. Komen foundation.

Since its inception, the Breast Cancer 3-Day has raised more than $300 million that has been invested by the beneficiaries, Susan G. Komen for the Cure^® and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, for breast cancer research, education, and community outreach programs.

Eighty-five percent of the net proceeds from the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefit Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting to end breast cancer. Fifteen percent of the net proceeds from the Breast Cancer 3-Day benefit the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, a special field of interest fund that provides ongoing support for breast cancer initiatives including research, treatment, prevention and education.

You can make a donation in Anna's name by going to www.the3day.org. Click on Donate Now and search for Anna Johnson from Minnesota.

Walk Tall Anna! We're all rootin' for you!

some scenes from the first day at StoryCorps

2008-08-29T21:28:00.003-05:00

It was a magical first day! Have you signed up yet?

The StoryCorps Airstream, in Northern Minnesota, is a once in a lifetime opportunity! You come in with someone you know (a friend, loved one, coworker) and have a conversation. Maybe you know the story you want to talk about, but maybe you'll ask questions like,

What was the happiest moment of your life?

What were your grandparents like?

What was your favorite job?

What did you think you would be when you grew up?

What is your biggest regret?

Mary the Kayak Lady and her mother Goldy

2008-08-23T15:11:00.004-05:00

As we get ready for StoryCorps coming to town next week, Mary the Kayak Lady and her mother Goldy stopped by to do a little recording of their own. Goldy is leaving town before the booth gets to town, so we tried a KAXE version of StoryCorps.

Mary and Goldy came in and we sat together for 40 minutes while Mary asked her mom some questions. Britta Arendt from the Grand Rapids Herald review was there, and we all enjoyed hearing the feisty Goldy tell her stories of conquering her bucket list.

Goldy is 86 and determine to try new things. Here's just a few things that Goldy has done in the last few years:

jump out of a plane
ride bucking bronco
drive a race car
ride a jetski
ride in a helicopter

I knew that I would enjoy this pre-StoryCorps session, but I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did! There was something utterly inspiring about sitting across the console from a 4'5" 86 year old woman that not only wasn't afraid to try new things, but LOOKED for them. You could see the pride in Mary's eyes and the surprise in her face at some of the things her mother said.

Hope you can be a part of the StoryCorps project, here in Grand Rapids, Minnesota August 29th-September 20th. Call us for more information! 218-326-1234

The Intrepid Dennis Elj and his 6-word memoir

2008-08-22T09:20:00.006-05:00

Here it is:

Underachieving pleasure punk seeks constant gratification. Dennis Elj

Our very own Dennis was published in "Not Quite What I was Planning, Six-Word Memoirs by Famous and Obscure Writers."

What a great idea! What would your 6-word memoir be?

Here's a few others:

Running away. Best decision I made. Stephen Elliot

Weird quiet girl fading from view. Felicia Sullivan

Hey Red, order Up! Chop! Chop! Patty Griffin

Last words, our daughter, too soon. Steve Allen.
And, from KAXErs
Surprisingly, it is going quite well. Gail Otteson
And 2 from Michael Goldberg:
I'm still wondering what comes next. All I really expected was everything.
Post YOUR 6 word memoir here!

Guido's Arts Roundup, Thursday, August 21st

2008-08-20T14:04:00.007-05:00

The Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork: this Saturday (8/23) at 7 pm, “Expressions”---an evening of music by area artists (kids and adults) featuring cello, violin, vocals, AND the new piano. Tix at the door. In the lobby: throughout August, Timothy’ Ray’s collaged paintings and collographs. Big, busy, abstract work---wonderful, very accomplished stuff.
Over in Bemidji, the usual abundance: “Re-Collection” at the Art Center, “In the Good Old Summertime” at the History Center, “Coming Together” at Dunn Brothers, “Earthly Delights” at Wild Hare---and there’s more, of course, at bcac.wordpress.com

Ripple River Gallery/Deerwood: now through 9/21, David Norstad and Tracy McMan, “Paintings, Collage and Constructions”---excellent, as everything at Ripple River always is---

Jaques Art Center in Aitkin: opening this Saturday (8/23) and running through 9/27, western and Native American art and, in conjunction with that, in their Dialogue With The Arts series, next Tuesday (8/26) at 1 pm, “Native Art – Woodland Pottery” with Carri Estey, Mille Lacs Indian Museum Director.

At the Range Art Center in Hibbing, they’re winding up their Summer Art Camp for kids this week. For next things there, check out rangeartcenter.org

Ironworld in Chisholm: beginning next week (8/30 – through 1/4/09) “In the Dark”, a nationally traveling exhibit from the Cincinnati Museum Center.

Up the street from KAXE at Brewed Awakenings this month, Cindy Jackson---Heidi Holtan’s sister. Go to womenofwhim.com and check out the photo of Cindy (guess her age) AND her diverse portfolio, handbags to canvas art and everything in between. The photo’s black-and-white, the artwork nothing but color, color, color.

MacRostie Art Center, in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids: now through the end of the month, the 16th Annual Juried Exhibition, plus a show in the back gallery by Rachel Melis, the juror. Front and back: diverse, accomplished work, beautifully installed. Fall classes posted now and starting next week...http://www.macrostieartcenter.org their new and really nice website)

At the Reif Center up on Conifer Drive, tonight at 7:30, Darlene Westgor, Nick at Night’s Funniest Mom in America, the last show in Reif’s Summer Comedy Series. Thanks to our underwriters for the funny stuff every Thursday since June, Reed Drug and Wendigo Lodge, Golf & Conference Center. Next Tuesday, the last of the summer’s Indies on Tuesdays, sponsored by Rivers Wine Bar and Bistro: “Drifters”, an award winning film from China, by way of the Grand Rapids Area Library. Next Thursday the 2008-2009 Reif Season opens with “Teddy Roosevelt…Today” by Keith McGough, underwritten by US Bank and Itasca Reliable Insurance Agency.

Notes from farther afield…. At the Guthrie in Minneapolis Theater Latte Da brings “Old Wicked Songs” to the Dowling Studio, directed by Grand Rapids native (and my old neighbor) Peter Rothstein, in preview 9/12, then running through 10/5. And that same weekend, between here and there, at the Rainbow Granite Quarry in St. Cloud, it’s Merce Cunningham and John Cage’s “Ocean”---our very own Eric Uzelac will be in the orchestra for this literally world-class event. There are three performances, but it’s been sold out for weeks. Dodger and I do have some tix---I’ll report next time.

Steve "Guido" Downing is the Development Director at the Reif Center in Grand Rapids. Steve does a monthly arts roundup on KAXE's morning program. Add your reviews and comments on the northern MN arts scene.

Would you drive 55

2008-08-05T08:22:00.006-05:00

Staff physicist Aaron Wenger was in yesterday to talk speed limits, hair-dos and don'ts, asteroids and Mars.

Aaron talked about HIS theory (take that yesterday's StarTribune!) that to conserve energy and lower our use of fossil fuels the best thing the government could do is to enforce a lower speed limit. He said it is simply ASTOUNDING how a substantial chunk of the hydrocarbon load could be lowered 15-20-25%. He's in favor of a totalitarian regime that throws people in jail after a couple of tickets. He even mentioned the possibility of car manufacturers putting a cap on how fast you could go.

Is this a crazy idea? Would you agree to it? Post any other ideas you might have here....

Lemon Curd - What is it Good For?

2008-08-04T09:28:00.005-05:00

On NPR's Morning Edition this morning they talked with foodie and domestic goddess Nigella Lawson. She talked about cooking vegetables and the beautiful array of colors this time of year....she even had a vegetable dessert - a zucchini cake with lime curd between slices and cream cheese frosting on top.

That got us thinking, what the heck IS lime curd? Or lemon curd for that matter? So we posed it to listeners and sure enough, Joan from Boy River called in and told us about a recipe for lemon curd that she found online.

Here it is (from www.joyofbaking.com)

Lemon Curd Recipe:

3 large eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons) (do not use the bottled lemon juice)
1 tablespoon (4 grams) finely shredded lemon zest
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into small pieces
In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, stirring constantly (to prevent it from curdling), until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream or a hollandaise sauce) (160 degrees F or 71 degrees C). This will take approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately pour through a fine strainer to remove any lumps. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk into the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and refrigerate for up to a week.
Makes 1 1/2 cups (360 ml).
Note: Room temperature lemons provide more juice. After squeezing, strain the juice to remove any pulp. Zest is the yellow, sweet-flavored outer rind of the lemon. A zester or fine grater can be used to remove the rind. Cold lemons are much easier to grate. Grate lemons just before using as the zest will lose moisture if it sits too long.

I also mentioned a website I had seen that lets you enter in the contents of your pantry/refrigerator/freezer and it will give you a recipe. One of those sites is called RecipeMatcher... you can also check here or here

What online food sites do you frequent? Post them here!

those pesky deer flies!

2008-07-29T22:30:00.007-05:00

This morning on the Phenology Show, John Latimer talked about a homemade kind of remedy for getting rid of deer flies. Apparently, deer flies are attracted to the color blue - so a fella out there in Internets-land somewhere came up with the idea of putting a blue dixie cup on the top of his hardhat refurbished in blue plastic and covered in tanglefoot - a sticky product that they put on flypaper.

Other people have put jerry-rigged blue sticky things on sticks to attract the pesky flies and mounted them on their cars and lawn mowers.

What deer or horse fly remedies do you have?

A Bra's Tale on StoryCorps

2008-07-09T10:55:00.005-05:00

StoryCorps is the largest oral history project that travels across the United States recording everyday Americans interviewing each other.

KAXE has been chosen as a StoryCorps story and YOU will have the opportunity to record your own history. At StoryCorps, they believe that everybody’s story matters. Every life counts. By reaching out to record our history, hopes, and common humanity— we can help illuminate the true character of this nation. StoryCorps will be in Grand Rapids at the end of August thru September of this year!

One of the latest stories that was heard on NPR's Morning Edition was from 94 year old Betty Jenkins. Betty tells the story of how her mother worried about her lack of womanly curves and potential boyfriends so she took matters into her own hands. Hear her story here.

Beej's peeps--2nd brood

2008-07-03T15:20:00.005-05:00

Beej keeps ever vigilant protecting her peeps. Much easier now in their portable "Peep-Barrel-Stretch-Limo" TM. Buffs and Orps have the "fun/run" of the garden. Peppers, tomatoes, squash, blackberries,and basil sport extra-serrated leaves from experimental munching. No cut worm, slug, night crawler or beetle stands a chance. I eagerly await any and all questions, comments, jokes, and pokes: ljohnson@kaxe.org or on the KAXE morning show blog.
Thanks,
Linda and Beej

Poem for foresters

2008-06-24T10:15:00.003-05:00

A Walk in the Woods

By Louis Jenkins

Out here in the woods I can say anything I like without
fear of contradiction. I am not faced with solving any of
the great problems. I have only to cross a twenty-acre patch
of mixed hardwoods and spruce from one road to another
without getting lost. Really, I am as free as the birds that
flit from tree to tree, like the white-throated sparrow,
singing "old Sam Peabody, Peabody, Peabody," or the trees
that are doing their usual dance-arms extended, fingertips
raised, feet firmly planted, swaying from side to side. Just
across the clearing there's a group of slender aspen, all in
their spring party dress, chattering away. Now the music
begins again. "Moon River." Ladies choice. That tall
homely one bends over to whisper to her friend and ...oh,
hell, they're all looking straight at me.

Here's your excuse to eat more fried food!

2008-06-23T08:33:00.010-05:00

Dan Houg finds way to beat fuel prices with vegetable oil-powered car
Leslie Rith-Najarian, Bemidji Pioneer
Published Friday, June 20, 2008

To avoid the gas pumps, many people have begun to go to new – and sometimes unusual – lengths.

Dan Houg’s vegetable-oil-powered car is an innovative example of this. Houg, who lives in Bemidji, is the chief engineer at KAXE radio station in Grand Rapids. For the past seven months he has been driving a 1991 Volkswagen Jetta that has been converted to run off of any type of vegetable oil. So far, he has driven about 17,000 miles on waste vegetable oil.

This car is not the first of its kind; however, most vegetable-oil-powered cars are used in warmer climates. Because of this difference, Houg had to spend extra time researching how to modify an engine that could function in northern Minnesota's climate.

n order to use this specific fuel method, in addition to the original diesel fuel system, the creation of an entirely separate heated fuel system for the vegetable oil was required. Houg explained that the car starts up on diesel, then after driving six miles, the vegetable oil has warmed up enough to liquefy and he can switch the fuel lines. The car must shut down again on diesel so as not to congeal the fuel lines.

The car can take fuel that comes from vegetable oil discarded from deep fat fryers. Vegetable oil is an attractive alternative for many reasons – it’s renewable, resourceful, low in particulates, and produced domestically. Houg specifically pointed out that waste vegetable oil is distinguished from biodiesel. His fuel is filtered in a four-stage procedure instead of being mixed with chemicals in a more complicated, hazardous process. The mileage achieved with this fuel form is an impressive 45 miles per gallon.

Houg has been getting his oil from ARAMARK food services at Bemidji State University. ARAMARK has been using Frymax Sun Supreme, a non-hydrogenated sunflower oil that was specifically selected for more healthful frying. This selection worked out perfectly for Houg because he believes that it is the non-hydrogenation that has allowed the engine to work in cold temperatures.

“There is a hint of delicious, peppery fried food in the exhaust, but for the most part it smells like burning vegetable oil as you might have when drips fall on the stove,” said Houg.

He said that he has been extremely impressed at how well the engine has held up. There have been no complications to date, and the only maintenance required is switching the vegetable oil filter every 2,500 miles. Also, the car handles cold far better than expected. Houg has driven the vehicle in minus-30-degree weather, and there were only four occasions this winter when he couldn’t use it.

Still, the whole idea isn’t quite unblemished. Essentially he said he’s trading time and labor for money. The fuel filtration process is time consuming; however, in four hours Houg can prepare 50 gallons. Considering the amount of money saved, he calculates his earnings to be about $50 per hour for his labor.

The only other hitch is a specific Department of Revenue excise tax on cars that burn vegetable oil. Regardless, Houg said that the 20-cent-per-gallon fee is incomparable to the amount of money he is saving.

“The best part is beating the fuel prices,” Houg said. “I no longer have to obsess about my mileage. When I hear the diesel prices are up, it no longer affects me.”

It is because of his altered car that Houg has been able to keep his much-loved job. His daily commute is 125 miles, and with gases prices the way they are, paying for that much diesel would not be at all practical.

The engine conversion process can be completed by any person who knows his or her way around a car engine. As Houg put it, “It’s not rocket surgery.”

However, he also said this alternative isn’t for everyone. Since the car must run for a few miles before the vegetable oil is warm enough to use, it’s not overly practical for those living short distances from their destinations. On the other hand, Houg does encourage this fuel option for those who travel long distances often.

For those inspired to attempt an alteration themselves, or simply to learn more, a more detailed explanation of the motor and filtration process can be found at kaxeengineer.blogspot.com.

The positive feedback and thumbs-up that Houg receives on the road have inspired him to take his ideas further. In addition to broadcasting information about his “grease car” to the public, Houg is now getting ready to step into the political arena. He recently received a letter from the Department of Revenue encouraging him to become part of a movement working to change Minnesota’s policy toward alternative fuel users. This initiative interested Houg and he is preparing to meet with politicians and gathering further information on waste vegetable oil usage.

There will be more to come from Houg and updates can be heard on KAXE stations, 91.7 Grand Rapids, 105.3 Bemidji, 89.9 Brainerd, or found on his Web site. For now, he can be seen driving around town in his blue Jetta emblazoned with vegetable oil pride.

Ojibwemowin: What's For Breakfast? Daataagwa'igan, Bakwezhigan!

2008-06-19T10:33:00.005-05:00

Ingichi-minwendaan noondamaan mii apii dazhindameg, "Awegonen maajiyan noongom?" endaso-Naano-giizhigak. I really like hearing the segment "What's for breakfast" every Friday.

Awegonen maajiyan noongom zhebaag? What are you eating this morning?

Inga-miijin daataagwa'igan, naa bakwezhigan igaye indamwaa. I'll eat oatmeal this morning, and some bread, too.

Two different names for 'oatmeal', from two different ends of our Leech Lake reservation: 1)daataagwa'igan 2) ozhaashaaboo.

A basic name for bread: bakwezhigan.

There are two different basic verbs that we use when we talk about eating: 1) miijin & 2) amwaa. The short story of it: miijin is an inanimate verb, and amwaa is an animate verb. Oatmeal is inanimate - from the sentence above: Inga-miijin daataagwa'igan: I'll eat some oatmeal.

And, bread is animate: miinawaa bakwezhigan igaye indamwaa: and I'll eat some bread too.

There is not an easy answer to why some nouns are called 'animate' and why some are called 'inanimate' (which is a linguistic description that doesn't just mean 'living' or non-living - it's the gender of the noun).
We use different verbs that agree with the gender.

Folks who grow up speaking Ojibwemowin as their first language learn it contextually and naturally make the distinctions.

Many of us second-language learners learn this explicitly, and use many different tricks and tips to discern the best way to use these words. A good way to know which verb to use is to know the plural ending of the nouns: if the plural noun ends in -n, it is an inanimate noun. If the plural of the noun ends in -g then it is animate; then we'll know the correct verb to use when we're talking about something.

Off on another gender tangent: in some cases, the gender of the nouns may differ (dialectically) from region to region. What is animate here may be inanimate at another reservation or community. Strawberries, potatoes, rocks, these are classic examples of words that differ in animacy/gender from place to place.

Keeping Risk in Perspective by Marshall Helmberger

2008-06-17T20:58:00.003-05:00

Marshall is the editor of the Timberjay - you can hear him on the Friday morning show wrapping up his week of stories at 7:20am. This week he had a story on MinnPost about the risk of venison.

Lead in venison: Keep risk in perspective
By Marshall Helmberger
Monday, June 16, 2008
Are those who eat large amounts of venison at risk of lead poisoning? That was the question on the table [last] week as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) held a conference in Bloomington with natural resource officials from several Midwestern states.

The DNR first raised the concerns about lead after tests on venison donated to food shelves found lead fragments in nearly one out of five packages. Further tests using venison obtained from DNR employees, found lead fragments in a similar percentage of packages tested. Concerns about the impact of lead on those consuming venison has led the DNR to suspend its venison donation program to food shelves, a program that had shown plenty of promise as a means of encouraging hunters to take more deer, while providing quality meat to those in need.

Questions about the safety of deer meat are more than academic to many folks in our area, and that includes me and my family, whose red meat consumption consists mostly of venison. My take on the question is this: We face risks in everything we do. What's important is to keep those risks in perspective. And on the long, long list of things that can kill us, or make us sick, the risk from lead fragments in venison must be well down towards the bottom.

As the DNR has acknowledged, they are unaware of so much as a single case of even mild lead poisoning stemming from consumption of venison. Humans have long existed with lead in their bodies. We all have it within us, and in most cases, it has no detectable effect. In higher concentrations, it can lead to a number of acute and chronic symptoms, including neurological effects, nausea, headaches, and fatigue, but there are a thousand other substances out there that can do the same thing.

Relative dangers

I don't discount the potential risk, just as I don't discount the potential risk posed from consuming deer infected by chronic wasting disease. But I'm not about to let such remote risks keep me or my family from eating a high quality meat that in many ways is healthier than commercially produced alternatives, like beef.

As always, risk is a relative thing. We've all heard the reports of unsanitary conditions at slaughterhouses, and the outbreaks of real, even fatal, illness from eating contaminated beef. We know that most beef is much higher in saturated fats than a wild food like venison and because most cattle are now raised in close quarters, they are routinely pumped full of antibiotics and other things that most of us probably shouldn't consume. We know that the harmful environmental effects of industrial cattle farming are increasingly significant. Some scientists have even suggested that undetected prions in commercially-raised beef could be responsible for the rising prevalence of what is most often diagnosed in this country as Alzheimer's disease, but could be evidence of the brain-wasting effects of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, which is similar to mad cow disease.

So which represents the greater threat to human health? I know what I'd rather eat — it's venison, hands down. If deer hunters are eating venison rather than industrially produced beef, they're almost certainly better off, regardless of the risks posed by small amounts of lead.

It's much the same issue with fish consumption. For years, the state's Department of Health has put out fish consumption advisories for many lakes in our region due to the presence of mercury. While those advisories are still in effect, the health department recently revised its suggestions and is now recommending more fish consumption, because of the growing data showing the beneficial health effects of many of the other compounds found in fish.

In other words, it appears the health benefits of moderate, regular fish consumption may well outweigh the risks posed by mercury.

Doing a careful job of processing

If deer hunters should take anything from the revelations about lead, it's to consider butchering their own deer, or taking it to a commercial processor that they know and can trust to do a careful job. It's only human nature that we'll take greater care when dealing with food we know we'll be consuming. Given the lead concern, I know I'll probably leave a bit more of the meat around the wound than I have in the past.

It's good to be informed about such risks, and if we can reduce those risks by minor changes in our behavior, it just makes sense. I don't subscribe to the mentality of those who fight or dismiss any new information that they don't like, or find inconvenient. We've had way too much of that thinking in American society in recent years, and it's harmful.

Yet we can't go the other extreme, so often exhibited in the media, where every remote risk is turned into the newest scare of the week and the public isn't provided the sense of perspective that is so critical in assessing relative risk. Let's hope the DNR will use a little of that perspective as it decides where to go from here.

Facing North: Portraits of Ely

2008-06-12T14:19:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow morning (Friday June 13th at 8:10am) we're going to talk with Andrew and Ann Goldman about the book they've created "Facing North: Portraits of Ely, Minnesota" published by University of Minnesota Press.

Ann wrote the essays and Andrew is the photographer for this project. The book features more than 100 portraits and essays about the unique people who call Ely home.

Andrew Goldman writes in the photographer's preface:

The idea of documenting Ely, Minnesota, appealed to me for a number of reasons. The visual variety and strength of character in the people offered seemingly limitless potential for interesting images. The town has a timelessness, an enduring spirit directly connected to the early pioneers who settled this area barely one hundred years ago. The context of the Northwoods is present in every person and every endeavor, but primarily I wanted to find the larger story through the faces of the people here.

Do you have a connection to Ely? Post it here!

Did you hear last week's StoryCorps segment?

2008-06-12T14:10:00.000-05:00

Most of the StoryCorps segments we hear on NPR's Morning Edition are touching and move me close to tears. Last week's was a whole different can of worms - it cracked me up! Ramon's story was recorded at the StoryCorps Mobile Booth in San Diego. He talks about how all the Mexican-American students at his school had their names "americanized" by their teachers. Ramon became Raymond.

The teachers DIDN'T change one kid's name though. Listen to it here.

And don't forget that the StoryCorps mobile booth is coming to Grand Rapids to include US in the largest oral history project in the United States. They will be here August 25th - September 20th. Stay tuned for how you can sign up to talk with someone you care about!

Tune in Friday mornings for segments of StoryCorps - or check the website for archives and blogs about the project.

Fred and Scott's All-Star Picks

2008-06-12T09:46:00.003-05:00

American League

1B Justin Morneau, Twins
2B Ian Kinsler, Rangers (Scott); Brian Roberts, Orioles (Fred)
3B Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
SS Derek Jeter, Yankees
C Joe Mauer, Twins
OF Josh Hamilton, Rangers;
OF Manny Ramirez, Red Sox;
OF Milton Bradley, Rangers (Fred); Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners (Scott)
DH Milton Bradley, Rangers (Scott); Hideo Matsui, Yankees (Fred)

National League

1B Lance Berkman, Astros
2B Chase Utley, Phillies
3B Chipper Jones, Atlanta
SS Jimmy Rollins, Phillies (Fred); Jose Reyes, Mets (Scott)
C Brian McCann, Atlanta (Fred); Benji Molina, Giants (Scott)
OF Ryan Braun, Brewers
OF Ken Griffey, Reds (Fred); Ryan Ludwick, Cardinals (Scott)
OF Matt Hilliday, Rockies (Fred); Nate McLouth, Pirates (Scott)

DH Dan Uggla, Marlins (Scott); David Wright, Mets (Fred)

Off the Deep End

2008-06-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not talking about the mindset of most of us here at KAXE, it's the title of a book that will be featured on the Morning Show this Friday, June 13th at 8:40am. The full title is:

"Off the Deep End - The Probably Insane Idea That I Could Swim My Way Through a Midlife Crisis - And Qualify For The Olympics"

Hodding Carter writes:

In February 2004, I decided I was going to qualify for the Olympics. I was forty-one. At that age, most men who are suddenly afraid of yet one more day flying by (read midlife crisis) buy motorcycles or get twenty-year-old girlfriends or they doctor up their bodies with pectoral implants - some even do all three. The majority, however, don't abruptly decide to pit themselves against the greatest swimmers in the world.

Tune in!

Ojibwemowin for Thursday, June 12

2008-06-12T09:30:00.003-05:00

Aaniin giin, Noongom gigii-tazhindaamin: today we talked about:
Ajina go gii-mizhakwad gigizhebaag, booch, ani-kimiwan miinawaa. It cleared up for a while this morning, but as it goes, it's going to rain some more.

Ode'imini-giizis ezhinikaazod wa'aw giizis noongom, the moon/month we are in is called the 'strawberry moon' .

Maajiiginoon ode'iminan omaa Anishinaabewakiin, naa wayiiba go wii-aditewan. The strawberry plants are beginning to come up, beginning to grow, and soon the berries will be on the plants and will ripen.

Awiiya na ogikendaan wenji-izhinikaazod Ode'imini-giizis? Daga bi-ganoozhishin giishpin waa-nakwetaman o'o. Does anyone know why this month is called the strawberry moon? If so, give us a call and give us any different ideas you may have been taught in Ojibwe country about this month's name .

Mii go iw. That's it, Saagajiwe

Team Weaver Racing

2008-06-03T15:27:00.004-05:00

Here's a picture of Skyler Smith from Bemidji - the 17 year old driver for Team Weaver. Team Weaver is the brainchild of writer Will Weaver - a racing team featuring a young driver that accompanies his new series of books for young adults "Saturday Night Dirt". Will, Skyler and the car (#16) travel around to talk with young readers. The first in the series came out in April, and Skyler's first ever win happened Mother's Day Weekend.

Skyler and Team Weaver and "The Bookmobile" compete in the stock car races around the KAXE listening area. Keep up with Team Weaver by checking out the blog....

Stay tuned for information on a KAXE event where you can meet Skyler, Will and #16 sometime this summer!

Maggie and Greta's Marvelous Morel Meal Recipe

2008-05-27T15:01:00.003-05:00

1. Saute one finely chopped onion and three garlic cloves in a little olive oil

2. Add two cups of morels

3. Saute for a couple of minutes

4. Add cooked chicken or shrimp (optional)

5. Add one and a half cups of cream and chopped chives

6. Add garlic salt and stir over low heat

7. Serve over pasta or rice

A video about StoryCorps

2008-05-26T08:34:00.005-05:00

Here's an ABC news story where StoryCorps founder Dave Isay was spotlighted. Our StoryCorps project starts this week with a community meeting on Thursday May 29th at 6pm. Let us know if you'd like to be a part of it! Don't forget the StoryCorps airstream will be here at the end of August - you'll have the opportunity to have a conversation with someone you care about.

When to Plant that Plant

2008-05-22T15:00:00.004-05:00

For many of us in northern Minnesota, the planting instructions on the backs of seed packets are a little too imprecise. Do we really have the option of planting peas anytime between April and June in the north woods? What are the most tender plants and which ones are hardy?

Joel Rosen has operated Park Lake Farm near Mahotwa for many years and offers this advice for local gardeners:

In the past few weeks I've heard quite a few on-air conversations about when people are planting and/or transplanting vegetables in their gardens. Below are some guidelines that some listeners might find helpful. Feel free to forward to anyone who expresses an interest.

Generally, planting and transplanting dates depend on soil temperature, hardiness of species, vigor of seed, and in some cases average last frost date. First class of vegetables includes greens that are quite frost hardy--spinach, mustard, arugula, lettuce, endive, etc. These can be safely seeded anytime in spring the ground is dry enough to work. However, even these cool weather greens will be very slow to germinate in soil temperatures below 40F. For most areas of northern Minnesota, soil temps will be above 40F sometime in early May (but of course, not every year--we are still looking at 9am soil temperatures at the 4" depth in the upper 30's this week) By the time these greens come up as seedlings, they should be hardy enough to withstand the low temperatures likely to occur--for this class down to about 18F.

Another class of small seeds is just as frost-hardy, but requires a higher soil temperature to germinate: peas, onions (from seed) and their relatives, beets, carrots, and parsnips. You can safely plant all of these except peas as early as the greens, but the additional time they take to come up will allow cool weather weeds to create a green carpet that can smother your emerging seedlings. In the case of peas, cold, wet soil may cause seed rot, especially in less vigorous varieties like Sugar Snap. Generally, this group is most successfully seeded about a week to 10 days after the early greens (May 10-15 on average). Beets will be first to come up (6-7 days in favorable weather), followed by peas and onion family (8-10), carrots (12-16), and parsnips (16-20).

About the same time as this group, a small planting of seed potatoes for early new potatoes can be safely set in the ground. These should not be planted as deeply as later main-crop potatoes as the cooler soil at lower depths will delay emergence--1-2" is probably best. Once potatoes come up, (2-3 weeks at this time of year) they are somewhat frost sensitive, but they will usually tolerate an eye level temperature of about 28F if they are still only a couple of inches above the ground which will retain some warmth on a cold night. If potatoes do get burned by hard frost in June, they will usually just grow back with little ill effect. I wouldn't advise putting the main crop of potatoes in this early, as there is some risk and little advantage to be gained. Potatoes that mature at the end of the growing season will usually store better over the winter.

Following these first two groups, there is a significant time lag before other things can be safely planted from seed. The main consideration is average or last expected frost date, but soil temperature and moisture are also critical in some cases. Sweet corn is a good example. While sweet corn seedlings will withstand a light frost, they should not be planted until the soil is warm and dry. If you're anxious to plant sweet corn while the calendar still says May, be certain that weather anticipated for the next seven days is warm and relatively dry. Most sweet corn seed, especially the sweeter varieties, will not germinate until the soil temps approach 60F. In cool, wet conditions, untreated seed will rot. Over the years I have lost lots more sweet corn seed due to cold soil than due to June frost. In an average year, I plant sweet corn on June 6th, but some years the soil is still too cool and damp on this date.

Bean seed is less susceptible to seed rot, so if you're anxious to eat beans early, they can be safely planted about a week before the last average frost date.

The vines, including summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons, are most successfully grown from transplants, but they can be direct seeded a few days before the last average frost date. Squash and pumpkins will usually survive a brief, light frost, but cucumbers and melons are among the most frost sensitive crops in the garden, so it's advisable to separate planting dates by 4-7 days.

Transplants are a somewhat different matter, as these are going to be exposed to wind and cold temperatures in the first 24 hours. Generally, these will fall into three categories. The Brassica family (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, etc) are quite frost hardy and can usually be safely transplanted after the last expected date for temperatures falling below 20F. Of course, seedlings should be healthy and should not be set out on a day that is excessively windy or has an anticipated nighttime temperature approaching the 20F mark as they are most vulnerable before they establish root system.

A group of transplants that is reasonably frost hardy but may suffer premature bolting if set out in cool spring weather includes celery, celeriac, and Swiss chard (also some varieties of broccoli may sometimes "button up" if temperatures are too cool for an extended period of time after setting out). Best to wait until late May-early June to avoid these problems.

Obviously frost-sensitive transplants should not be set out until at least close to the average last frost date and a forecast of warmer than average weather for the first few days. Some transplants like tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and squash will tolerate a brief, light frost if healthy and rooted into the ground, but cucumbers, melons, and eggplants will probably be a total loss.

Most sensitive of all is basil--a hint of frost will kill a basil transplant, and even an extended period of chilly weather without frost will damage basil enough to reduce production later in the summer. In our Lake Superior zone, I wouldn't set basil transplants outdoors until late June and only with a good 3-day forecast. For those who are unsure of their average last frost date, the MN DNR has a nice map which can be accessed through the climatology link on their website under agricultural climate information---agricultural data tables and maps (http://climate.umn.edu) . This map shows by color the range of dates for which the included area will have only a 10% chance for late spring frost.

Counting back about a week to 10 days will generally give the average last frost date. For example, we are in the zone dated June12-18, meaning we have only a 10% chance of frost this late. Over the past 21 years we have experienced frost 3 years after the 12th, so this seems to be a pretty good guide. Our average last frost date is about June 5, so counting back 7-10 days matches up pretty well.

Of course, none of these maps show microclimates or account for soil types, ranging from sandy to heavy clay, nd exposure (full versus partial sun, southern versus northern slope). These factors can affect safe and/or smart planting dates by as much as 3 weeks. A good soil thermometer and some accurate recordkeeping is really the best approach.

--Joel Rosen

Ramblin' Jack

2008-05-22T14:02:00.006-05:00

So we're getting ready to talk with Ramblin' Jack tomorrow on the Friday Morning Show and we were inundated by Ramblin' Jack songs and anecdotes in the conference room. Okay, maybe it was the lemon bars talking but Maggie and Mark couldn't STOP telling us about Ramblin' Jack ...

Maggie really likes Jack's rendition of the Dylan song "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" and of course "912 Greens" (though it's a VERY long song)... and also South Coast - he won a Grammy in 1998 for it...

Mark told us more about how Ramblin' Jack was the real deal - and that Bob Dylan emulated himself after Jack. Jack lived with Woody Guthrie for awhile - as a student and an observer. Woody's son Arlo has said that because of his dad's early death, it was Ramblin' Jack who really taught him about this dad's music. Oh yeah, Ramblin' Jack was not a train hobo, he was a hitchhiker. And the name didn't come from traveling - Ramblin' came from Jack's love of storytelling.

Ramblin' Jack is headlining the Dylan Days concert on Saturday night at 7pm on the Hibbing High School auditorium stage - joined by Spider John Koerner and Tony Glover. See the Dylan Days website for more information.

What's YOUR favorite Ramblin' Jack song?

Public Education in MN at a Crossroad?

2008-05-16T13:47:00.005-05:00

The Brainerd and Crosby-Ironton School Districts have made drastic cuts in their sports, band, choir, debate and other activities budgets. Public education funding hasn't kept up with rising costs, even more so now due to high fuel and food costs. Small school districts are even having trouble offering the range of classes important to many students and their parents. Parents are opting for open enrollment, home scholing and on-line learning to meet their needs.

On Monday, May 19th, on KAXE's Morning Show, we talk to Tom Ellis, Principal, and Mark Weiberg, teacher, at BlueSky Charter School. It's the fastest growing school in MN, and it's all offered on-line. We'll find out how on-line learning works and discuss it's place in the future of public education in MN. If you miss the interview, look for it on KAXE's web site.

As always, we invite your comments, here, on our talkback line, 327-2716, and via e-mail: comments@kaxe.org.

Student Essay on Local Diet

2008-05-12T13:44:00.003-05:00

Students in Elaine Fleming's writing class at Leech Lake Tribal College recently completed research projects about the food they eat. The class created skits from their research, and made meals for the tribal college and for the Cass Lake Community Family Center's Family Togetherness Day last week. Elaine said they were able to replace a processed meal of hot dogs and chips at the family center with one that was local and organic.

Cheri Goodwin was one of the students in Elaine's class. Her paper about local eating is both well-researched and personal.

Time for Healthy Changes
By Cheri Goodwin
In our modern day lives, we’ve evolved as humans to become dependent on fast foods, although eating healthier foods would be better for us in the long run. Our society has diverted away from growing and processing our own foods. My research has given me a chance to review my eating habits, evaluate local foods, and look at the way I take care of my body. In the end I hope the research I’ve done will have a positive effect on my family and me. A few of us are somewhat overweight and do very little physical exercise. The following statement from the grocery store I shop at hits my research thoughts right on the nose. In an ad they placed in our local Sunday paper, Luekens Village Foods had the following quote:

I resolve in 2008 to eat more organic & natural foods. Besides, I’m worth it. I deserve the best. My health is too important to me. But there are a few things I
need. I need great taste AND great price. I need to feel good about myself for buying organic & natural foods. No more excuses. 2008 is the year I change my
life. Time for some healthy action. I will look back on this year and be proud. I
won’t have any regrets. Life is wonderful—why not eat wonderful food?

So speaking of wonderful food, I’ve never thought of where the beef in my quarter pounder with cheese came from or my children’s chicken nuggets. I guess I always presumed they came from a cow that was raised on a farm, in the country. After reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan, I learned about the way cattle are raised. Raising cattle to feed billions of people is not a very natural thing to do. Cattle begin their lives on a ranch. There they live the first six months of their lives. Calves need to nurse from their mothers; they are then weaned to various types of grasses. Once weaned, they are ready to go to the feed lot, “A feedlot is very much a premodern city; however, teeming and filthy and stinking with open sewers, unpaved roads and choking air rendered visible by dust” (“Omnivore” 72). According to Pollan, “The only reason contemporary animal cities aren’t as plague ridden or pestilential as their medieval human counterparts is a single historical anomaly: the modern antibiotic” (“Omnivore” 73).

I previously believed that antibiotics were only used for human sickness. Contrary to that fact that antibiotics are used to heal us is “Antibiotics are used in agriculture to promote growth in healthy animals” (“Omnivore” 79). For these reasons, I currently think twice about eating my quarter pound cheeseburger meal from McDonalds, even though due to hunger and time constraints I still have found myself going through a fast food drive-through.

The only thing I’ve ever known cows to eat was grass. I’ve now learned that once cows leave the ranch they are switched from a grass fed diet to a diet of flaked corn, due to the economic logic behind switching their diets. It’s much more economically feasible to feed cattle corn than have them graze on grass. Economics dominate our lives, even so far as evolving cows to eat a different diet to save money. One of the downfalls of cows eating corn is that it can cause bloat. Corn dominates more of our food chain than we think about. Corn is put through what is called a wet mill, “these mills are called wet to distinguish them from the traditional mills where corn is simply ground into dry meal for things like tortillas” (Pollan, “Omnivore” 86). Pollan writes that every bit of a piece of corn is processed into some sort of food science.

The first rough breakdown of all that corn begins with the subdivision of the kernel itself: Its yellow skin will be processed into various vitamins and nutritional supplements; the tiny germ (the dark part nearest the cob, which holds the embryo of the potential future corn plant) will be crushed for its oil; and the biggest part, the endosperm, will be plundered for its rich cache of complex carbohydrates. (“Omnivore” 86)

As you can see, our food chain has evolved into so much more than when we produced our own food. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to raise chickens at my place of work. I had a volunteer who was from Germany; she was raised on a farm there. She came up with the bright idea that we could make a portable chicken coop, utilizing our unusable wheelchair wheels. It sounded brilliant! We provided her with all the materials to build a chicken coop for our elders to observe. She built it right in our main gazebo. All of our residents got to either watch from the window or come outside to watch. One of the reasons she wanted to have our coop mobile was because of our limited green space. After the coop was done, we ordered and purchased chicks from the local food co-op. She picked out chicks that we could butcher. Over the summer, we all watched our chicks go from “cute little chicks” to big chickens. Our coop ended up being difficult to keep clean and hard to move around. Although our chicks did survive the summer, we found out that due to our limited green space they were quite a hassle to raise.

We had decided early in our project that we’d have a feast once our chickens were ready to butcher. On our big day everyone was very excited and willing to help out. One of our residents whose nickname was Farmer, had plenty of experience raising farm animals. Farmer gave us lots of advice and was very excited to be helping out. A few of our staff members had experience butchering chickens, so they volunteered to help. One staff member brought her axe used for chopping chickens’ heads off and a big kettle used for scalding feathers. We even had races to see which one of us could pluck feathers off the fastest. It was a big event for our staff and residents. On that same day our kitchen staff happened to be serving chicken. I overheard one of our lady elders whispering to another lady elder, “I didn’t eat the chicken.” I laughed to myself. This just goes to show all the work that’s involved in raising your own meat compared to going to the store to purchase your food.

Another way we’ve evolved is that we’re not used to raising our food and then processing it to eat. I believe that our raising of chickens at the nursing home was the first time in many years that chickens were raised on our reservation. Raising our chickens also brought back memories of my grandmother, Audrey. She informed me that when she was a young girl, she’d be in charge of preparing her family’s Sunday dinner. She described to me how she’d go out to the barn yard, pick out a chicken to butcher, cut its head off, dress it, and cook it (Cobenais). We now treat our animals we raise as pets, rather than food for our table. Due to modern civilization, it’s way easier for us to purchase our food than to raise our food, although not healthier.

Speaking about healthier, I’ve recently had the opportunity to listen to two local speakers; they both thrive on living healthy lives. One of our speakers was Dennis Montgomery. He and his wife decided last year that they were going to eat local foods within a one-hundred mile radius of their home and business for a year. On February 14th, he spoke to our class. One of his biggest reasons for his decision to eat a local diet was that he wasn’t happy with the “carbon footprint left from food” (Montgomery). He explained that he prefers to support local farmers versus distant farmers, due to the high cost of transportation and packaging. Another factor that concerned him was that big factories were “treating animals as a product instead of a living animal” (Montgomery). He also informed us that if our national transportation system would shut down for three days, our grocery stores would have no food. After listening to him talk, I came to believe that for the most part they already were living a fairly healthy life-style. I also noticed that he had a well built body frame, very lean and muscular. Compared to mine, his body looked very healthy. Mine, as the saying for cow’s meat goes, is nicely marbled.

Our other speaker, Patricia Heart, spoke to our class on February 28, 2008. She also had her own philosophy on healthy living. Like Dennis, Patricia also appeared to have a well maintained body frame. She informed us that she feeds her inner spirit as well as her senses. Her eyes need to be “fed” food, which she gets from having bright colors around her like plants and rocks. She also needs to have food for her soul. Some examples she gave were the sky and watching plants grow. She feeds her ears by not exposing herself to cussing, loud sounds, and gossip. She enjoys smelling natural odors, her woodstove, and her flowers. Finally, she feeds her mouth. She prefers to consume very little meat, dairy products, and definitely no pop. She grows her own fruit and vegetables and buys her food from a buying club. She explained to us that a buying club was a way for her to purchase bulk organic foods at lower costs. She also is very physical; she enjoys ballet and chopping her own wood.

After listening to her speak, I was under the impression that her lifestyle must take up a great deal of her time. I thought that maybe she was the type of person who needed little sleep. She informed us that she sleeps about eight hours a night. I found out she has the unique opportunity of not needing to work outside her home due to the fact she receives alimony from her former husband. For me living her kind of life-style would take a great deal of hard work and time to be successful. I think the majority of us, deep inside, crave this “old style” type of life.

Our class needed more research opportunities for our paper. Our instructor Elaine requested us to look into how many fast food restaurants we have in our local city that tempts us every time we drive by them. I counted fifteen. Fast food restaurants are “the most advertised, thus their foods are consumed the most” (Spurlock). Personally, my family eats at a fast food restaurant about three times a month. I was curious to know how many people these fast foods businesses draw from. “The total population of Bemidji in the 2000 census was 11,917 people, and the community hub was over 55,000 people” (Wikipedia). A community hub is the surrounding communities of a city. Of all the different ethnic groups represented in Bemidji, the total for our people, Anishinaabe, is 11.52 % (Wikipedia).

These fast food places contribute to our peoples numerous health problems. One of the biggest for our people is diabetes. Risk factors in developing diabetes is obesity. “3 in 5 diabetics are overweight or obese, 1 in 2 diabetics have sedentary lifestyles, 1 in 4 diabetics have no leisure time physical activity, and 1 in 5 diabetics are current smokers” (Minnesota Department of Health). I’m currently in the process of getting all of my blood levels checked; I hope my results come back negative. I know I’ve gained weight over the past couple years, and I don’t participate in an active lifestyle. So, it looks like if I don’t take some action soon, I’ll be heading for a life with multiple health problems. One thing I’m proud of is that I’ve finally quit smoking.

During my research on improving my eating habits, I took a shopping trip to Harmony Natural Food Co-op, located in Bemidji. Harmony foods is a local food co-op that has all types of organic and locally grown foods. Right when I entered the store, I noticed it was very “earthy.” The sun was shining in their two big southern facing windows. They had lots of live plants sitting in front of their windows, and I even noticed a sign advertising wireless internet connection for their customers. When I first encounter a new store, I look over all the available products and then take mental notes of products comparable to what I use. After I surveyed the store, I picked up a basket and started through the store again. The first section was their fruit. I decided to purchase a bag of organic apples from the state of Washington, and they were comparable to what I usually pay, three pounds for $4.29. Another thing I noticed was that their fruit didn’t look as fresh as fruit in my local food store. It seemed to me that there were not enough consumers purchasing their fruit. I then noticed organic avocados on sale for $1.45. Wow, I thought! Now that’s a good deal. During my initial survey, I also noticed a collection of packaged organic dips; I selected a package of guacamole dip to mix with my avocados. My thoughts were that I’d have a delicious snack for my family that night, baked potato chips and organic dip.

I looked their dairy products over. They had organic milk, butter, and juice. Most of the dairy products sold were much higher in price than I was used to paying. I settled on purchasing a dozen organic eggs raised on a local farm in Bagley, Minnesota. The eggs cost me $2.99 a dozen. The packaging was very simple with just a sticker and the farm’s name on the carton. The next product that caught my eye was organic whole wheat macaroni. Macaroni is a big hit at our house! They also had large cans of organic fire smoked tomatoes, which they sold two cans for $6.00 with an in store coupon. Great deal for me! Visions of my meal for that night were of very healthy and delicious foods.

My trip to the local food co-op was a very informative and educational experience. In their freezer section, they had grass fed beef which came from Menahga, Minnesota. This hamburger sold for $5.98 a pound. That night all of my family members enjoyed our organic supper; we all actually enjoyed the taste of wheat macaroni. My husband does the majority of the cooking at our house; he cooks delicious meals for us. When we had breakfast, my husband boiled both types of eggs I had in my refrigerator, organic and inorganic. We all agreed that the organic eggs tasted much better than the inorganic eggs.

My husband also hunts deer every fall for us. He makes sure to get enough deer to last us throughout the year. The majority of our deer meat is ground up and mixed with extra lean ground beef. We usually mix our meat eighty percent deer to twenty percent beef. As far back as I can remember, it’s been a family event for us to wrap and date our meat. The younger children enjoy writing on our packages. My husband also has a friend who raises his own pigs. We buy one-half a pig from him about two times a year. The pig is taken to a local butcher who processes and wraps up our meat. These are examples of our family efforts to eat locally and in a healthy manner.

I also kept track of my food intake for a week. I now see that I lack adequate amounts of dairy products and fruit in my diet. More physical activity needs to be incorporated into my life. Another thing is that my food portions are more than my body needs. After all my research, I’ve decided to take a stand for my health and live a healthier lifestyle. I’ve been procrastinating for a very long time on starting an exercise program. I’ve researched the internet and found a site that gives me good tips on being healthy and setting exercise goals. I’m now on my way to tracking my exercise activities. This site I’ve signed on to is sponsored by our government. Even the name of this web sight encourages me, Small Steps. Doing a little something to improve my health is better than doing nothing. By implementing healthy steps into my life, I hope to set a good example for my family and live a healthier life-style.

Works Cited
Cobenais, Audrey. Personal Interview. 8 Aug. 1999.
Heart, Patricia. “Local Diet.” Leech Lake Tribal College, Cass Lake. 28 Feb. 2008.
Luekens Village Foods. Advertisement. 17 Feb. 2008.
Minnesota Department of Health Fact Sheet. Diabetes in Minnesota. 6 Mar. 2008
Montgomery, Dennis. “Local Diet.” Leech Lake Tribal College, Cass Lake. 14 Feb. 2008.
Pollan, Michael. The Omnivore’s Dilemma. New York: Penquin Books, 2006.
Super Size Me. Dir. Morgan Spurlock. DVD. Kathbur Pictures, Inc., 2004.

25th anniversary of Phenology and the KAXE Rain Garden

2008-05-06T08:10:00.007-05:00

Extension educator with the U of MN Extension Service Mary Blickendorfer joined Scott Hall on the Morning Show today to talk about the new rain garden at KAXE to celebrate 25 years of the Phenology Show with John Latimer.

Mary explained that a rain garden is not a pond - and that it does not need to be next to a body of water. "Anyone who owns property and a house can have a rain garden" she said. "Rain gardens help water quality - they reduce flooding, improve groundwater..."

Unlike a pond, a rain garden is a temporary collector of water. If the water were to sit more than 48 hours and collect it would be a mosquito breeding ground. With a rain garden at KAXE on the Mississippi River, the rain will soak into the soil and be transpired into plants and back out into the atmosphere during that 48 hour time period.

Mary is going to be on The Morning Show with Scott as the rain garden proceeds. The next step is to get Gopher One out to make sure we are safe and not hitting any power lines. After that, we'll have to work on getting rid of some plants we don't want like tansy and white cockle...

The good news Mary told Scott, is that the soil is good - loamy sand to sandy loamy.

The other step is to pick out an array of Minnesota Native plants for the rain garden. What do you recommend? Do you have a rain garden? We'd love your advice!

If you are interested in rain gardens, Mary suggested doing some online research. Check out these sites:
Maplewood, Minnesota's Rain Garden Project

MN Conservation article
University of Wisconsin Rain Garden information
Blue Thumb

Rain Garden Network

A post from Linda Johnson

2008-05-02T17:45:00.005-05:00

WARNING!

KAXE may be overwhelming to some. It happened. I heard, went to the KAXE chicken workshop, now have baby Myrtle and Ruby--Golden Stars, Dagney, Elna, Eula, Rose, and Esther--Buff Orpingtons, and Orville, Leonard, C.W., Albert, and Walter--Cornish Cross. Beej is showing promise in her Peep Protector Training.

I listened. Put in 10 taps. Then 20. Heard Egon reporting hundreds of liters of sap. Put in 54 taps total—sleep deprivation for a month hauling sap in 3 snow storms and evaporating on my pathetically small wood stove (although it does sport a KAXE bumper sticker) outside. More sap than thought possible. I learn, but continue to listen, thus still a listener-at-risk.

“You can save seeds”, they said. Been giving away seeds, plants, tomatoes, salsa, sauce and hope to have the freezer cleared by harvest.

“Canning is easy!” they announce. So, the pre-zip code era pressure cooker, canner, tons of jars pile up. I intermittently laugh, cry and laugh…a lot…and keep listening to KAXE.

Maggie says to blog. This is my would-be-blog, ‘cept I don’t know how to transfer it to blog form…yet.

Does anyone else think a KAXE listener support group is a good idea?

Please email me or comment here. Heartfelt thanks, Linda

The Big Questions in Life

2008-05-02T13:03:00.009-05:00

When a recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of egg whites, what do you do with the yolks? Throw 'em? Drink 'em? Make creme brulee?

John and I just got done making a angelfood birthday cake in the KAXE kitchen for his daughter's birthday party tonight. If you had been there, this is what you would have heard:

What are stiff peaks?

What the hell does "cut through batter twice with a knife" mean?

Are you going to wash the dime?

Surely you're not going to throw away 11 egg yolks?

I put the cake upside down on a pop bottle?

John's mom, my inspiration in baking, always baked a dime for good luck in her cakes, so John will be doing the same for his daughter Meg.

Here's the recipe we used:

EASY ANGEL FOOD CAKE
Printed from COOKS.COM
1 1/2 c. egg whites

1 1/4 c. sifted cake flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/4 tbsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. almond extract

In large mixing bowl put egg whites and let set to room temperature about 1 hour.
Sift flour with 3/4 cup sugar, sift 3 times and set aside. Beat egg whites, medium speed with salt and cream of tartar until forms soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 3 tablespoons at a time. Beat after each addition. Beat at high speed until it forms peaks. Then at low speed add extracts. Sift in flour mixture 1/4 at a time, mixing at low speed 3 seconds after each addition or until mixture is completely blended.

With rubber scraper gently push batter into ungreased 10" tube pan. Cut through batter twice with a knife. Bake on lower rack in oven 35 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees, or until cake tests done. Let cool completely, about 2 hours. Invert tube pan over bottle to cool.

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!

P.P.S MT "nothing goes to waste" Head took the 11 egg
yolks. No worries.

NO Chickens Allowed!

2008-05-01T08:07:00.005-05:00

Ethan Montgomery recently looked into whether Bemidji’s municipal code would allow him to keep chickens in his yard in town. Here’s what he wrote about the experience:

"Many people think of chickens as farm livestock rather than backyard pets. Actually, chickens have a lot to offer. When I heard of the urban chicken concept I was initially skeptical… “Mom, are you serious?” “Absolutely,” she said. I began researching, already aware that chickens lead cruel lives in the corporate/agribusiness world. The extent is more than I had expected - they are debeaked with hot clippers, pumped full of growth chemicals that can cause their legs to collapse from rapid weight gain, and many die from the sheer stress of their situation. I already knew that brown farm eggs taste better than "regular" eggs.

I did not know that recent research found that eggs from chickens allowed to forage naturally have, on average, seven times more beta carotene (which is what makes pastured egg yolks so orange), three times more vitamin E, two times more omega-3 fatty acids and two-thirds more vitamin A than those from factory farmed chickens. Pastured eggs also have one-third less cholesterol and one-quarter less saturated fat, on average (Mother Earth News). I would reasonably conclude that this is a result of better diet and living conditions.

I was also unaware that a backyard chicken "agri-hipster" movement existed. Many of the participants have as few as three or four chickens-others as many as several dozen. Chickens are allowed in various forms in the cities of New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Topeka, Los Angeles, and many others. Common conditions for keeping chickens include, but are not limited to, guidelines of how far from property lines they may be kept, the number of chickens that may be kept, whether roosters are allowed, and if consent from the neighbors is required.

Bemidji, MN has an outdated and arbitrary code that I would like to see replaced by a proposal I constructed that takes inspiration from many other proposals from city council members and interested citizens across the nation. Bemidji is an informed city and this is exactly the sort of code adjustment to help lead it a little closer to sustainability and self-sufficiency.

Nowhere in Bemidji’s municipal code (http://www.municode.com/Resources/gateway.asp?pid=13726&sid=23) does it say that chickens are banned. In Chapter 6 (animals), Article 3 (animals and poultry) the code states that a permit is required from the city. Since no permit is required for having a dozen cats, I propose that either this requirement either be extended to dogs, cats, etc., or it should be removed for hens, if not roosters.

The criteria for issuance of a city permit is as follows: “No permit required under this division shall be issued to an owner if to do so would constitute a health hazard or constitute a nuisance to others in any form.” My neighbor’s dog knocks over my trashcan, barks, and occasionally relieves itself in my yard while it’s "just passing through the neighborhood." The dog is a nuisance in many ways. I can hardly see how three to six penned hens would constitute a greater nuisance than one unruly, unrestrained canine. I am not inherently against dogs and cats…I think they are wonderful animals, even if they aren’t as good to have in a city as chickens.

I called the animal control officer for the city for details about the municipal code; he referred me to the website above. Fortunately I had already read the ordinance and knew to ask what was necessary to get a permit. The response was that a clean area for the chickens to live and exercise was all that was required.

Then he got suspicious and asked where I lived. Upon hearing that I lived near the technical college I was told that I would never get a permit. I was “in proximity to other people.” He may or may not have understood that my true intention was not to start my own miniature chicken flock to generate complaints for him, but he didn’t seem enthused. After thanking him and hanging up I bristled a bit at being arbitrarily told by a bureaucrat that having even two or three hens would not be permitted because it would constitute a nuisance.

I live on a double lot (.38 acres), and while I agree that this is not a huge swath of land, it certainly is more than adequate considering the lesser restrictions in place in the four largest cities in the United States of America. In Minneapolis, the largest city in the state, you are allowed to keep an unlimited number of chickens provided you have the consent of 80% of your neighbors within 100ft of real estate and provided that the chickens (roosters are allowed as well) are penned. I was displeased that the decision about whether I was hypothetically allowed to keep chickens was in the hands of a city employee rather than the decision depending upon my neighbors’ consent.

Most poultry detractors cite noise, smell, and a need to distinguish between urban and rural, city and country as reasons not to allow chickens in their neighbors’ back yards. These are all valid concerns, though the reality seems to be that the problems are generally much less than people would imagine. I searched for a single anti-urban chicken blog and found none-nary a “peep.” This seems reasonable. Chickens will hunt for mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects. They also eat kitchen scraps and yard rubbish, all while producing less waste than cats and dogs - and they lay eggs! My opinion is that the simple solution is to regulate them similarly. I wholeheartedly believe a city should require an inexpensive permit to house more than six dogs or cats in a residential area.

While this may seem like a trivial issue, the larger issues of animal cruelty and human self-sufficiency and sustainable lifestyles are not. I don’t know many chicken owners, but those I do know all have gardens, beautiful green lawns from the extra "fertilizer," and more eggs than they can eat.

Don’t cry “Fowl!” Please do the right thing and encourage decriminalizing the urban chicken!"

Ethan's Proposed Code Revision for the City of Bemidji:
• 1-3 chickens must be kept 15 feet from neighboring structures. 4-6 chickens must be kept 25 feet away. A permit is required if you wish to keep more than 6 chickens. Roosters are not allowed in residentially zoned areas (neighbors could waive all requirements except the permit for 6+ chickens).
• Permits would be granted only to residents of single or two-family homes.
• Owners are subject to noise laws that can lead to a fine if neighbors are disturbed between 10:00pm and 7:00am.
• Chickens would have to be provided with a clean and covered structure with a fenced area and tied at all times when out of the structure.
• Chicken slaughter is prohibited in residentially zoned areas.

Ethan Montgomery is a KAXE member (and 28-year-old son of KAXE general manager Maggie Montgomery) who lives with his wife, Siau Yean, and 2 sons within the Bemidji city limits. He wrote this article as part of his class in Minnesota Politics at Bemidji State University.

Sources:
Independent Weekly: Urban Chickens
myurbanchickens.blogspot.com
http://www.municode.com/

peta.org
thecitychicken.com

High Tunnels

2008-04-28T12:13:00.007-05:00

In the past few days I’ve been looking online at information about high tunnels. It started last week on KAXE’s Morning Show, when Scott Hall and I talked to Terry and Loralee Nennich, owners of Ter-Lee Gardens (for Terry and Loralee) near Bagley. Terry has been called the “High Tunnel Guru” of Minnesota. He’s a University of MN extension educator who has done a lot of research on the subject. Terry builds tunnels; Loralee plants them.

A high tunnel is a plastic-over-frame, generally unheated version of a greenhouse. It is relatively inexpensive--1/10 the cost of a greenhouse. Crops are planted directly in the ground. They are watered by drip tape that is laid on the ground or buried about an inch under the soil. There are no fans. Crops are vented by rolling up the plastic sides of the tunnel.

High tunnels are especially important to growers who want to get a jump on the season, and they also allow growers to extend the season into the fall. Consumers pay a premium for early produce like tomatoes and, if farmers can market food for a few extra weeks each season, it means a lot to the bottom line.

Loralee said she plants several varieties of tomatoes and 35 varieties of (primarily) hot peppers in the Ter-Lee high tunnels. The varieties are not the normal types grown in Minnesota. High tunnels get really warm, so Loralee grows varieties native to hotter climates. She and Terry have to be sure the tunnels are vented before it gets too warm inside on any given day.

My online searches showed that the tunnels are a little more involved than I originally had hoped, but definitely do-able for the home gardener. There are high tunnels at the North Central Research and Outreach Center in Grand Rapids. Dave Wildung at the Center was another pioneer, along with Terry Nennich, of the high tunnel method. There is also a MN High Tunnel Production Manual available online from the University of MN Extension Service.

The folks from Ter-Lee Gardens come to the Bemidji farmers’ market at the Pamida parking lot three days a week—Sundays 11-4, Tuesdays 9-5, and Thursdays noon-6. They produce asparagus, strawberries, and 30-40 types of vegetables from early July through November 1.

StoryCorps - Mom and Son - Why Are You Still Not Married?

2008-04-28T11:31:00.013-05:00

Did you get a chance to hear last week's StoryCorps on NPR's Morning Edition on KAXE?

10-year-old Rahsheed McKenstry interviewed his mother Rhonetta in Memphis, Tennessee. Rahsheed and his brother are being raised by their mother and he had some questions to pose to her.

"OK, so why are you not still married?"
"Because my ex-husband was horrible," she said.
"Was he violent toward you?"
"Yes."
"Was he violent toward anybody else?"
"You and your brother, which is why I won't let him see you."

Listen to their conversation here.

The StoryCorps Airstream is coming to Northern Minnesota at the end of August through September. This means you will have the chance to sit down with someone you care about and ask them questions. Contact us if you are interested in setting up an interview or want to volunteer with this project.

Other things you can do:

Listen Friday mornings to NPR's Morning Edition on 91.7 KAXE

Read the StoryCorps book "Listening Is An Act of Love - A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project"

Have your bookclub read "Listening Is An Act of Love - A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project"

Subscribe to the StoryCorps podcast

Check out the StoryCorps website - http://www.storycorps.net/

Read the StoryCorps blog
Come to a Listening Party at KAXE studios - stay tuned for details

this just in from John in Ideal - an Eyesore!

2008-04-19T22:13:00.001-05:00

Hi Heidi,

Don't you see these eyesores everywhere - even the state isn't immune.

I want to recruit you as a member of the Apostrophe Nazi Party. All you have to do is be on the watch for these eyesores.

john

Landmark or Eyesore?

2008-04-19T07:24:00.008-05:00

Maggie Montgomery drives by this landmark/eyesore on the way to work. Her thought was that it is definitely a landmark that is BECOMING an eyesore. What do you think? Are there eyesores where you live? Post them here and tune in to Between You and Me from 10-noon today (4/19) on 91.7 KAXE. Email a photo of a landmark/eyesore!

StoryCorps coming up!

2008-04-17T14:08:00.005-05:00

You may have already heard but KAXE has been chosen as a StoryCorps station....we couldn't be more thrilled!

What exactly IS StoryCorps?

Since 2003, almost 30,000 everyday people have shared life stories with family and friends in our StoryBooths. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the Library of Congress. Millions listen to our broadcasts on public radio and the web. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind.

We hope you'll not only record a conversation with someone who matters to you, but volunteer to be a part of this great project. We need ideas on places we can bring the StoryCorps airstream across the listening area - people to help staff the booth - and folks interested in helping to get the word out, etc. Stay tuned for more information on October's StoryCorps project.

You can hear StoryCorps every Friday morning on NPR's Morning Edition between 5:15 and 5:30 and again at 7:10. You can also hear StoryCorps on upcoming episodes of Realgoodwords.

Career Advice from a Comic Book

2008-04-17T13:29:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow we're talking to author Daniel Pink about his new manga career book for young adults "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko - the Last Guide You'll Ever Need". In graphic novel/cartoon form Pink gives six core lessons of finding, keeping and flourishing in statisfying work.

Tune in to the Morning Show Friday April 18th at 8:10 for a conversation with Daniel Pink!

7 Random Things

2008-04-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Christina Brown at Northern Cheapskate to do a meme called 7 Random Things. What the hell is a meme I thought? Kids these days...

A meme, according to some meme blog I found, is described as this:
In the context of web logs / 'blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it's some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on. I generally consider these to be actual questions and not some multiple choice quizzes that determine some result at the end (what color you are most like, what cartoon character are you, what 80s movie are you).

So, after somewhat figuring it out, here's my 7 Random things.

1. Popcorn hulls - when I was little I saw some relative put in contact lenses. I thought they looked a lot like the hulls from popcorn so I stuck them in my eye.

2. Little River band - the first cassette tape I bought with my very own money. Have you heard about the Lonesome Loser?

3. pond's - I use this old lady smelling cream on my face. My 93 year old grandma has always used it and barely has wrinkles.

4. Corn Dogs - I love corn dogs. Even the veggie dogs that aren't as bad for you.

5. Entertainment Weekly. I subscribe.

6. Rings - I lost both my wedding ring and my engagement ring.

7. California - I have never been to California (she hangs her head in shame).

-Heidi

check out Aaron Brown's 7 Random Things...and POST your 7 Random Things here!

Weekend Pow-Wow at ICC a Big Success!

2008-04-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

WEEKEND POW-WOW AT ICC BIG SUCCESS
Grand Rapids, Minnesota April 12, 2008:

Over 400 people attended the 20th Annual O-Gitch-I-Dah POW-WOW held at Mullins Gym at Itasca Community College (ICC) in Grand Rapids, Minnesota on Saturday, April 12, 2008. Participants included 153 registered dancers, 17 drum groups, and 12 vendors from five of the Anishinaabe tribes in Minnesota. Many non-native members of the community also participated which was one of the main objectives of this culture sharing event organized by the O-Gitch-I-Dah Club, ICC's American Indian student organization.

This was the first time in many years that the pow-wow was held on the weekend and with the recent snow storms O-Gitch-I-Dah Club president Charity Warrington-Curry was concerned about people staying away. Warrington-Curry said, "The turn out was huge and we really came together as a community. The 30 members of our club worked hard to make this happen and it's an awesome feeling for the pow-wow to exceed all our expectations. If there was one thing I would like to say to everyone, it would be 'chi-miigwech' ('big thank you' in Ojibwe)."

Early Saturday afternoon, several eagles were seen flying over the ICC campus which is a sign of positive spiritual significance according to Native people. The Grand Entries took place at 1:00 and 7:00 PM with Larry Aitken serving as spiritual advisor, Pete White as master of ceremonies, and Gary Charwood as arena director. The co-host drum groups were Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig and Leech Lake Nation. At 5:00 PM the feast was held in the ICC cafeteria. Traditional food like fry bread and wild rice was served by O-Gitch-I-Dah Club members and royality dancers from reservations in northern Minnesota.

The O-Gitch-I-Dah Club at ICC was founded in the 1980s and sanctioned by respected medicine man Jimmy Jackson. It strives to provide peer support and promote activities to increase the understanding of American Indian culture and heritage. O-Gitch-I-Dah is an Ojibwe word meaning "people we depend on to protect us." The club is open to all interested ICC students and encourages participation with all community members.

For more information about O-Gitch-I-Dah, go to http://www.ogitchidah.info/ or contact the organization's adviser Harold Annette at ICC phone (218) 327-4491 or e-mail hannette@itascacc.edu.

See KAXE's flickr page in days to come for photos from the Pow-Wow.

Aaron B's column: the unique aesthetics of the Iron Range

2008-04-14T20:49:00.005-05:00

From MinnesotaBrown.com

Blight Me: the unique aesthetics of the Iron Range By Aaron J. Brown
It’s spring on the Iron Range. I know this because last week we had to hire a guy with a loader to remove a million tons of snow from my rural driveway. Not a plow. A loader. Hello, spring!Maybe it’s just a little bump in the road on our way to the real spring. When real spring finally arrives, our thoughts will turn to the stuff that’s been hiding underneath that snow all winter long. The slow recession of winter’s white canvass reveals old cars, rebar, scrap lumber and sometimes even the fate of stray animals we used to see around (but not so much the last few weeks).

Someone I know who moved to the Iron Range from a small farming town once told me about her first impression of the Iron Range. The first thing she noticed was the rather eclectic collection of cars and other metal goods in people’s yards. I suppose as an Iron Range native I could have feigned outrage over this observation, but I know better. We Iron Rangers are a proud, noble people … who leave things in our yards.

One could argue that my perspective is skewed. I grew up on an Iron Range family-owned salvage yard out in Zim. (I have to be careful. My wife thinks I mention this more often than former presidential candidate John Edwards talked about “the mill). As a kid, if I saw an old car up on blocks in someone’s yard my response was, “what,just one?” We lived in a trailer house just a few dozen feet away from another trailer house that was packed to the ceiling with hubcaps. We would walk back to grandpa and dad’s shop along a path that wound through piles of aluminum cans and hulking dead machines of uncertain purpose. And this was all very normal to us, like oak trees and picket fences of Rockwell’s America.

That’s how it is on the Iron Range. I’ve heard theories that the Range’s love affair with junk has to do with our working class demographics or the fact that early miners weren’t able to own their own land, so they didn’t mind leaving junk out. Heck, maybe we just like junk. After all, the junkyard where I grew up was just a dozen miles north of the now defunct Sanitary Harry’s bar in Kelsey. The late Sanitary Harry ran for governor several times under the promise of “a car in every yard.” His drinking establishment gained a reputation for the odd junk that would be piled both inside and outside the building. In its last years, a friend told me the bar’s owners had literally shellacked random junk to the tabletops.

The first controversy I ever encountered in Iron Range journalism had to do with a county blight ordinance. Folks in the countryside wanted the right to keep spare cars on their property so they could harvest parts when needed. But big government was getting in the way. Cabin owners were complaining and deputies were writing blight tickets. Letters were exchanged. Public outcry against the policy ran surprisingly hot. The blight ordinance is still on the books today, but I don’t see any fewer cars on private properties out in the woods. I assume something of a junk car détente took place behind closed doors.

Junk defines the Range and that’s not all bad. Along the Mesabi Trail near Hibbing, tourists from all over get a good look at rusted pieces of mining equipment that were simply abandoned near their final resting places. Some might question why that stuff was left there. The answer is clear to me. All who see these scrap metal specters know that the Iron Range is a place where people shaped the land and their children long outlived their machines. And that’s who we are.

I don’t mean to diminish the work of so many Iron Rangers in sprucing up their yards, property and homes. Many places around here look like the very picture of Americana. But I have to bear the truth that what many folks remember when they visit the Iron Range is the colorful, blue collar cornucopia of metal that adorns so many other yards. This sharp, rusted world is just coming into focus this time of year. Hey, I don’t mind. It gives the place character.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist for the Hibbing Daily Tribune.

Final Day of the Fundraiser

2008-04-11T15:11:00.006-05:00

It's the final day of our spring fundraiser and it feels like a snow day. The kind of day where you can breathe a sigh of relief and just enjoy the day in your pajamas. (after you've dealt with all that snow on your driveway of course!)

We've reached our monetary goal (our total as I type is $51,259) and are working hard to meet our goal of 400 members by 10 tonight. Currently we have 336! Thanks so much to all of you who pledged! Thanks for believing not just in community radio, but in your community.

As Margaret Mead said:

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Here's a scene from KAXE volunteer Gail Otteson's yard where the Wabana creek flows in the springy-snowy weather of April 11th.

How much snow have you gotten? Send us a photo!

Dr. Michael Fox on tomorrow's Morning Show

2008-04-10T15:21:00.007-05:00

It's the final day of the spring "Greatest Moments" fundraiser tomorrow and we're excited to have our friend Dr. Michael Fox join us at 8:15am. He's our monthly guest and a veterinarian, animal behaviorist, syndicated columnist and author who takes your pet questions.

Psst, here's a secret: we've got copies of Dr. Michael Fox's books available for pledgers at the $10/month - $120/year level along with the brand new totebag and subscription to Lake Country Journal Magazine. We've only got a few - 1 copy of "Dog Body, Dog Mind - Exploring Your Dog's Consciousness and Total Well-Being" and 2 copies of "Cat Body, Cat Mind - Exploring Your Cat's Consciousness and Total Well-Being". If you call (218-326-1234/800-662-5799) or pledge online first, you can get his books. BEFORE we even talk to him! A bonus for our blog readers!!!!

Dr. Fox is one of the many voices you hear on KAXE - we like him because he's real and he speaks his mind and he knows what he's talking about. Who is your favorite KAXE voice?

Potato Wild Rice Soup

2008-04-10T13:28:00.004-05:00

Here’s the recipe for the soup from today’s lunch at 91.7 KAXE:

Butter, 2 T
Chopped onions and/or shallots 2/3 cup
Carrots about 5, peeled and diced
Potatoes, peeled and diced—lots!—enough to fill soup pot 2/3 full (we used reds today)
Dried celery tops, about 3 T (you can use a stalk of chopped fresh celery)
Cooked wild rice, 3-4 cups
Shredded gouda cheese from Green Pastures Dairy, 2-3 cups
Milk, 2 or more cups depending on the soupiness you desire
Dill weed, about a teaspoon
Salt to taste

You can vary the quantities according to how much soup you want and how you like it. This recipe made a big pot of soup for about 12 people!

Brown the shallots or onions in butter. After they soften, add the carrots and allow them to caramelize a little too. Add potatoes and celery and just barely cover them with boiling water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn down the soup and allow it to simmer until the potatoes are well cooked, about 25 minutes. Breaking down the potatoes gives the soup some body.

Add salt and taste the soup. Stir in the wild rice. Reheat. Stir in the cheese. Reheat. Add milk and dill. Warm up the soup again, but don’t boil it!

Chickens!!!

2008-04-09T13:48:00.003-05:00

On today’s KAXE Morning Show Scott Hall and I talked to Jane Grimsbo Jewett about chickens. Jane is a farmer from Willow Sedge Farm in Palisade. She has produced many local food interviews for KAXE. In addition to farming, Jane also works for the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture.
Jane will present a free workshop about raising chickens and selling eggs next Tuesday April 15th at 4 p.m. at KAXE’s studios, 260 NE 2nd St, Grand Rapids Minnesota. Call KAXE if you’d like to attend (218/326-1234)!
Here are a few things Jane told us:
She just bought 100 chicks at L&M Fleet Supply. She chose Black Australorps because they lay well and are winter-hardy. Australorps were developed in Australia. They have glossy black plumage that has a greenish-purple sheen. She said Barred Rocks are also a good laying breed.
Jane told us chickens will be old enough to lay when they’re 5-6 months old.
Chickens will produce eggs in the wintertime if they receive 14 or more hours of light per day and have a little warmth in the coop.
Most layers produce eggs for 1 to 1½ years. Some people allow the chickens to molt and produce eggs another season. The average life span of a laying hen is 3-4 years, although some pet chickens can live much longer.
There is a growing demand for local eggs. Jane knows of some businesses that are looking for a reliable source of local eggs.
The cost of eggs at the grocery story has gone up considerably, due to the cost of grain and transportation. It is becoming possible for local egg farmers to meet the prices of non-local factory farms.
Jane feeds her chickens some grain all year, although the chickens can also forage. She notices that the chicken yolks become a deep orange color when the chickens start eating young shoots of grass.
If you’re thinking about raising chickens, come to the workshop!

Aaron Brown helps us with the weather blues

2008-04-07T11:05:00.004-05:00

Here's his column from Sunday's Hibbing Daily Tribune:

Pre-spring warm-up by Aaron J. Brown

In northern Minnesota there’s a fifth season, one that doesn’t really have a name and that most folks who live south of the Great Lakes couldn’t understand. For the sake of argument today I’ll call it “Pre-Spring.” This season peaks right now. It’s sort of like spring in that things are melting. But it’s also like winter in that the lakes are still frozen and if you send your kids outside for too long you might find them frozen to the side of your garage. It’s not just a season. I contend that it’s a test written specifically for the people of the North to ensure that our souls are worthy of our mailing addresses.

This past week I went for my first run in three months. In previous years I have maintained a disciplined (in that it could be measured) running regimen that spanned the full calendar year. When the weather got cold, I would dress warmly. When our road got slippery, I would wear these fancy chains on my sneakers. But that was all a long time ago (OK, a year), before I went from being a father of one to being a father of three. This year we have baby twins at home, a toddler and a crazy dog, so all my willpower collapsed to the floor where it was probably eaten by an infant crawling too fast to properly identify.

So my running had been on hold. That is, until I realized that it was pre-spring and that I wouldn’t need the foot chains or extra layers. There’s something about that level of involvement that kept me from running when there was so much going on inside the house. When you have to suit up, strap chains to your shoes and then run, stretch and shower you’re talking about 45 minutes at the least, probably an hour. In that time, our children may have possibly caused the house to implode due to the sheer force of their vibration. It really makes sitting on the couch a viable alternative to running.

Looking out the kitchen window one morning this week, however, I saw bright sunlight, flowing water on the concrete garage apron and patches of brown grass replacing the white canvas that had until recently been our yard. I wouldn’t need the shoe chains. One polar fleece and a pair of sweatpants would suffice. The babies were napping and the toddler was otherwise occupied. I could run and probably get away with it. So I did.

And it was great, except that it was deceptively cold. Despite the bright spring sunlight, a bitter north wind iced my hands. The melting snow on our dirt road was still slippery, which forced me to run in the sludgy mud along the roadside. The whistling wind forced me to turn up my iPod to an unsafe level, at least according to some doctor who said something that I couldn’t hear. (He looked very concerned. It was probably important). Though I enjoyed the first good run of the season, I couldn’t help but notice the strange season we all endure, but that few from down south (you know, Iowa) would understand.

We northern Minnesotans now live in a world where a pretty girl in shorts and a tank top could walk by moments before a blizzard buries our entire region. This is a difficult place to live. It’s hard for the human mind to comprehend such a place or such a season. Fortunately, we’re used to this around here. It’s just Pre-Spring, or Sprinter, or Winting, or whatever you want to call the weird time before temperatures, and perhaps our very existence, can be predicted.

Aaron J. Brown is a columnist for the Hibbing Daily Tribune. Read more or contact him at his blog www.minnesotabrown.com.

From Aaron Brown's Blog - Community Media

2008-04-06T22:05:00.007-05:00

KAXE's Community Web project is in part our own exploration into what the future of media might be - where will people get their news? How will friends/neighbors/fellow Northern Minnesotans communicate when even small town papers are owned by large conglomerates?

Aaron Brown is a frequent voice on KAXE and is firmly planted in the worlds of traditional media (weekly column in the Hibbing Daily Tribune and commentaries on KAXE) as well as new media (a prolific blogger at http://www.minnesotabrown.com/). From time to time we sample his writing here - if you have an interest in Iron Range politics or media in rural areas - we suggest you keep up with Aaron on his blog. Here's a recent post of his:

The future of small town media in 1,000 words by Aaron Brown

A really interesting comment about local newspaper websites crossed the blog yesterday morning. As you may know, the ACM family of newspapers on the Iron Range now require readers to sign up for a free account to use its newspapers’ websites. A MinnesotaBrown blog reader responded to the change in this way:

What the hell are they thinking with this "free account" crap? I refuse to register. I find their sites difficult to use, and damned annoying in that they don't include all the articles. In fact, I've pretty much quit going to the sites at all because they try to make it hard for me to use their sites, in the apparent hope that by doing so, I'll buy a paper.Well. I don't. I am not a newspaper reader. I don't buy newspapers, and I'm not about to start buying them. I DO go to websites to read news. Presumably they derive ad revenue from the advertisers on their website who count on me to buy their goods and services just like those who advertise in the paper assume there is a connection between readers and sales.
I feel the Range papers are marginalizing their online readers. They are marginalizing the potential of their online business. And they are marginalizing their future existence.e hell are they thinking with this "free account" crap? I refuse to
register. I find their sites difficult to use, and damned annoying in that
they don't include all the articles. In fact, I've pretty much quit going to
the sites at all because they try to make it hard for me to use their sites,
in the apparent hope that by doing so, I'll buy a paper.

The comment prompted this thought on my part. If and when the storied “e-Media Revolution” that people keep talking about happens (the time when the Internet finally and fully absorbs the functions of "old media" like newspapers and broadcast TV) the first wall that crumbles won't be the big city daily papers or CNN, but the small town newspapers and local TV news affiliates. This massive change will happen from the ground up.

These are my own thoughts based on my experience as a college communication instructor, former Iron Range small town daily newspaper editor and current writer and blogger. I still write for the Hibbing Daily Tribune, so it's important to note that I'd like to keep that job and that I'm not picking on that publication (or its parent company and affiliates), nor can I reveal any trade secrets (if I ever really knew any). But I can talk generally about the struggles that small town papers face in the Internet Age.

Here’s the problem. Let’s consider a hypothetical small town newspaper that had a circulation of, say, 15,000 in 1988. This paper has probably lost half its readers since. Today’s circulation, 6,000-7,000, consists of people disproportionately older and less Internet savvy than the population at large. Meantime, new readers were learning that they could get a good deal of what they wanted from this hypothetical paper’s website. Papers without a website were openly mocked by the Web-proficient members of their community, to the point where all papers adopted websites. As these websites developed, enthusiastic news people realized that the Internet is a really great medium for the written word and the websites grew in popularity.

But web readers got the product for free, advertisers weren’t willing to pay much to get on the website and the whole effort was costing the industry gabuldyjillions of dollars (an approximation). Newspapers were well aware this was happening and their leaders held numerous meetings (believe me). Some tried password protecting their web versions, but few would pay to read the papers online. Others tried making their web versions so awesome that they could entice advertisers to buy online ads. Some customers did, but this still didn’t make up the revenue.

Let me crystallize the problem: More people (and most young people) are using the Internet to receive news, but no one has figured out how to make as much money operating an online news site as newspapers USED TO be able to make before the Internet. Because media consolidation has driven up the debt service on your average small town paper to well above what is financially prudent, the old revenue figures are crucial to maintaining company stock prices. Unless this problem is figured out (and that ship may have sailed) we are trolling toward a total media realignment that will begin not with the New York Times, but with all the small papers about the size of the Anytown Whig-Observer. When these weeklies, small dailies and mid-sized papers in competitive markets realize that their revenue has fallen so low that it is equal to what they could make off the Internet alone AND when a majority of their readers are already on the Internet (two things not yet true, but coming), they’ll reconfigure. Add in the fact that many newspapers are now either owned by or in some kind of partnership with a local television network affiliate, and we’re talking about united, multi-media news operations functioning with the same editorial staff and disseminating news on TV and high-end websites, or perhaps a yet unknown combination of the two.

Oh, but there will be hundreds of bankruptcies and tens of thousands of layoffs before this occurs, so let’s not get too excited.

I teach blogging seminars for the KAXE Community Journalism Project. I’m not speaking for them either when I say this. But there is an efficiency argument that the Internet is a much more cost effective way to gather and share news in small towns. Over time, I could easily see community news websites that combine video, audio and print content replacing the old media. We definitely aren’t there yet, but nonprofit community journalism operations like KAXE are way out ahead of commercial companies in small towns. Streaming media on the big sites like http://www.cnn.com/, http://www.msnbc.com/ and http://www.foxnews.com/ is great – and will remain the standard into the future. But the “revolution” won’t really be at hand until the dams break in small and medium markets. When it happens, the results will be part chaotic, part fascinating and most assuredly remarkable. And while people in today's media industry will be affected negatively at first, it's important to remember that we will still need journalists, editors, technicians, graphic designers and photographers in this new media.

Now, there’s no reason that my current employer (I hope still current after speaking this heresy) and its sister publications on the Iron Range can’t survive or even thrive through all of this, but doing so will require a nimble approach when the majority of their readers make the leap to the Internet. None of this will happen next year, but I expect that it will happen before long. And it will happen in every corner of the world.Even, perhaps especially, here on the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota (U.S.A., the World, the Universe).

PS: And for those who prefer political posts, I'll leave you with this: the biggest uncontrollable variable in the budget of a small town paper is the cost of employee health care. Guess what happens as a result? Layoffs and a gradually crappier health care plan.

Holtan Wrecks KAXE Kitchen in Soup Face-Off

2008-04-06T17:11:00.004-05:00

Yes, it's true! Producer Heidi Holtan made a colossal mess in the kitchen in a vain attempt to win KAXE's first-ever soup throwdown.
She omitted that fact in her blog post below. Here's what happened:
On Thursday the staff realized there was no food scheduled for lunch on Friday of KAXE's Great Moments pledge drive.
Fresh from a weekend watching the Food Network during down time at the NFCB conference, Heidi and I agreed to create soups from ingredients found around the station. We could each bring an ingredient from home. Don Boese (a founding member of the local gourmet club) would judge the soups!
I brought a jar of home-canned tomatoes.
Heidi brought boullion cubes. She also claimed the entire contents of the KAXE freezer for her own.
I scrounged some garlic and part of an onion (left over from Chef Charlie's visit the previous day) from the fridge and asked Scott Hall if I could use some of his peanut butter. He said yes.
Heidi stole a frozen White Castle hamburger from Rev Dave. Rev Dave had written clear instructions on his burger box (something about death to transgressors) indicating that he did not want to share.
I browned the onions and garlic, seasoned them with curry powder and red pepper flakes (liberated from a puddle of honey in the lazy susan in the cupboard), added the tomatoes, a little water, peanut butter and a can of coconut milk (from the back of another cupboard--it had been there for a year, maybe more).
Heidi thawed the stolen hamburger in the microwave, whizzed it in the blender, added water and boullion, heated it up, and whizzed it again.
During the second whizzing, the burger water WHOOSHED out the top of the blender, across the counter, and splattered the walls! The entire kitchen was a disaster!
As you probably read in Heidi's blog post below, judge Don Boese liked the burger soup and declared the contest a tie.
He faulted the crunchy peanut butter in my soup and, although I thought the curry powder might curry favor, it did not. The soup was a bit spicy for Don. "They should be eaten together," he asserted. "The mild, all-American flavor [of a pulverized and watered down White Castle hamburger] is complemented by the spicy flavor of the peanut butter soup."
Was the curry powder too overwhelming? Will the kitchen ever recover? Should we find another judge?
We'll find out during the next KAXE food throwdown!

Chateau Blanc Recipe from the KAXE Throwdown

2008-04-06T09:47:00.005-05:00

If you didn't hear the KAXE Cafeteria Soup Throwdown last Friday, Maggie and I were given the following instructions:

Make a soup from the ingredients currently in the Kitchen

Bring 1 ingredient from home

Wow the judge (Don Boese)

My ingredient from home was Beef Bouillon cubes. And I came up with what turned out to be a surprisingly good soup. Some call it the White Castle Soup, I like to call it the Chateau Blanc Soup. *

Here's the recipe:
1 frozen white castle burger (SORRY DAVE!)
1 beef bouillon cube
3 cups of water
day old French bread
butter
1/2 cup onions
2 tsp red pepper flakes
dash of salt

Cut crusty french bread into bite size pieces. Heat butter, onions and red pepper flakes in a sauce pan. As it gets hot and bubbles, add french bread and fry up until browned. Set aside.

Follow directions on the white castle box for thawing/cooking in the microwave. Plop burger in a blender. Puree for 1 minute. Add to pan you cooked the french bread in.....add water - continue to stir. As it begins to bubble, put back in the blender to further puree (it was a little tough getting the bun completely pureed).

Put back in sauce pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve with breadcrumbs sprinkled liberally on top. Pay no attention to the terrible color and tell no one what you put in it! you'll be surprised by the reaction! Don Boese reacted "It is very American! Surprising!"

The only negative thing to come out of the 1st ever KAXE Cafeteria Throwdown was that no winner was declared. Don said he thought the two soups complemented each other so well he couldn't choose!!! Maggie and I will have to go head to head once again to find out WHO the KAXE Cafeteria Head Chef will be! Stay tuned for more....

*I don't recommend trying this one at home.

Cats Won!!!

2008-04-05T12:04:00.001-05:00

new totals

2008-04-05T11:42:00.001-05:00

with the poll and phone calls it's currently 32 cats and 28 dogs. GO CATS!

Dogs v. Cats on Between You and Me

2008-04-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Today we're talking dogs and cats and your greatest moments with them. Post them here!

And be sure to vote on the poll to the right - we're taking a poll throughout the show and will find out, finally, if it is DOGS or CATS.

Tune in from 10am - noon for Between You and Me on KAXE.

Gordon Prickett's take on Presidential Politics

2008-04-01T20:15:00.004-05:00

Voters have spoken loudly in the Presidential Caucuses and Primaries, starting on January 3rd.

John McCain is the presumptive GOP nominee and all his opponents have withdrawn.

Barack Obama has won a large majority of the state contests and is way ahead with the popular vote. He has a sizeable lead over Hillary Clinton in convention delegates, that is highly unlikely to shift in the 10 or so contests remaining. But he hasn't yet secured a majority of all the convention delegates. That is, he has not sown up the Democratic Party nomination

Serious challengers Edwards, Biden, Richardson, Kucinich, and Dodd have all withdrawn after realistic assessments of their results.

What remains in the contest between the two Democratic finalists are, 1) unpledged super-delegates, and 2) the disqualified state Democrats in Florida and Michigan.

The impartial analysts seem to agree that Clinton's only chance at the nomination now is to somehow convince enough party leaders, super-delegates, and Obama-pledged delegates that Sen. Obama is "unelectable" in the November 4th contest with John McCain.

Which brings the news to a local focus - with three Minnesota super-delegates who remain uncommitted, unpledged. Do they think Obama can win?

Let's ask Rep. Collin Peterson, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and former statewide candidate and current DNC member Nancy Larson. On KAXE's Morning Show.

With the endorsement by super-delegate Gov. Richardson the other day, the remaining most prominent "supers" are Jimmy Carter, Nancy Pelosi, and Al Gore.

I would pose them with the same question.

If most of the answers are affirmative, then I believe it is time for Sen. Clinton to step aside, like John Edwards did, and help elect a Democrat in the fall.

The nation now is ready for the formation of a national and a global agenda for the next four years and beyond. Let us discuss and debate this agenda, Republican versus Democratic. And let's "turn the page" in this campaign, and begin to write a new American chapter.

-Gord Prickett is a KAXE volunteer from Nord Lake in Aitkin county

Ojibwemowin: Giga-iskigamizigemin

2008-04-01T14:05:00.004-05:00

Noongom gigii-tazhindaamin: today we talked about:

"Ondaanimad" (ohn-daahn-ih-mud), the wind comes from a certain direction;

"Ganabaj wii-kimiwan", it might rain, maybe it will rain;

"Giga-iskigamizigemin (Gih-guh-is-kihg-uh-miz-ih-gay-min): We're going to boil down the sap!

"Jiikendaamoog" (ji-kayn-duh-moog): they're excited, happy

"Woohoo! Gijiikendaamin ji-izhaayang idi imaa iskigamiziganing!" We're really excited to head out to sugar camp!

All Things Equine

2008-04-01T10:17:00.004-05:00

Bethanne Perendy sat in for Bobbie Kleffman today on All Things Equine. Where else but KAXE can you hear in-depth conversation about horses and donkeys named Jack? She talked with Scott about training horses. Did you know you can hear archives of All Things Equine? Check here to do that.

A Report from Iraq on Today's Show

2008-04-01T08:49:00.003-05:00

This morning Scott talked with Sami Rasouli - a man born in Iraq who lived and ran a successful business in Minnesota for over 30 years. In 2003 he returned to Iraq and was very disturbed by the conditions he saw there...it caused him to sell his business in Minneapolis and move back to Iraq to do whatever he could to rebuild the country. Based on the model of the Christian Peacemaker Team he created the Muslim Peacemaker Team.

Sami will be in Northern Minnesota - he'll speak at the Vermillion Community College in Ely Wednesday April 2nd at 7pm at the VCC Lecture Hall. He'll be in Grand Rapids Thursday April 3rd atat Davies Theater at Itasca Community College from 10:30-noon and at Community Presbyterian Church at 7pm that same evening.

KAXE and the NFCB Vote to Support International Journalism

2008-03-29T14:20:00.003-05:00

This afternoon KAXE was part of a unanimous vote by the National Federation of Community Broadcasters passing the resolution below. The vote was requested by AMARC (the World Association of Community Radio Stations--of which KAXE is a member). It supports the international work of community broadcasters and journalists. The resolution will be sent to the US State Department and the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon:

WHEREAS, with 35 journalists killed in Mexico since [the year] 2000, ten in 2006 alone, most of them while covering cases of organized crime and corruption, Mexico has been considered the most dangerous country in the continent for journalists;

WHEREAS, Mexican community radio stations, including community-based station Radio Bemba in Hermosillo, have denounced systematic practices of harassment and intimidation from police authorities against their news gathering work;

WHEREAS, there is a long history of rampant impunity in cases involving crimes against journalists perpetrated bu public officials;

RESOLUTION,

The members of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, representing 190 member radio stations in the United States, express our deepest concern for this atmosphere of violence and impunity against Mexican journalists and community radio practitioners and urge President Felipe Calderon to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation in all pending cases of attacks against journalists, ensure those responsible are brought to justice, ensure protection of the work of journalists and community media practitioners, and ensure compliance with the constitutional laws that protect the right to free speech.

Atlanta, Georgia, USA
March 29, 2008

Greatest Moments in the life of Cake

2008-03-28T19:36:00.014-05:00

Hi, my name is Patty-Kake and this is my brother Johnny-Kake. We're cake.

You know, we've seen a lot of parties, because we're cakes. But tonight was different. This was by far, forks down, the greatest moment of our 7-layered lives. There was joy, laughter, whipped cream, music and camaraderie. Johnny-Kake and I really felt appreciated.

Maybe this is half baked, but it wasn't like we were "just" cakes. The fork-holders really included us in their celebration. It is so sweet when people come together to communicate, to laugh, to listen and of course, to eat.

KAXE is not that different from a big ol' slab of cake - it can bring people together in a really good way and lead to lots of Great Moments.

The Greatest Moments fundraiser on 91.7 KAXE starts Monday morning. The first pledge will be a really great moment, so don't be shy, fork it over!

KAXErs Searching for the Lost City of Atlanta

2008-03-26T19:46:00.007-05:00

We thought that the lost city of Atlanta disappeared thousands of years ago under the ocean. Turns out it's actually in Georgia. And you can fly there! So we did!

We're joining hundreds of other staff and board members from community radio stations all over the United States to celebrate the rediscovery of Atlanta. (Georgia!)

Here's a photo from our first night at the National Federation of Community Broadcasters conference in Atlanta.

Video from Elaine MacRostie Member

2008-03-24T22:30:00.006-05:00

KAXE member & Elaine MacRostie sent us this video she took at the DFL Convention in Nashwauk...

Ojibwemowin: Onaabani-giizis

2008-03-13T09:53:00.003-05:00

"Ani-ziigwan!" It's getting to be Spring.
"Ningizo wa-aw goon." The snow is melting.

There are many names for snow and ways to describe it:
"Zhakaagonaga": mushy snow or slush.
"Onaabanad". the snow has a crust on it.
That's why the month of March is named "Onaabani-giizis"

Maggie's Local Food Update 3-12-08

2008-03-12T13:48:00.003-05:00

There is lots of local food news around KAXE this week!

Scott Hall and I talked with Kent Lorentzen of Jacobson this morning. Kent is a local farmer and manager of the Grand Rapids Farmers’ Market. The Grand Rapids market is open Wednesdays and Fridays through the summer. This year, they’re moving to a new location, across the road from the Central Square Mall (on Highway 2). They’re also opening earlier this year (the first Saturday in May) to sell bedding plants and other items like jams and maple syrup. Kent specializes in beets, potatoes and onions. His garden is about 100’ x 120’, and he has a potato patch that is between half an acre and an acre in size. Kent said several members of the market specialize in certain foods that they can grow best on their land. Market members pay annual dues and a daily fee. For more information, and pictures of last year’s market, visit their website: http://www.grfarmersmarket.org/.

About ten people attended KAXE’s book club meeting last night, to discuss Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable, Miracle. It was a lively discussion that encompassed recipes, apple tree pruning, and raising calves. It was also a yummy discussion. Participants brought a variety of local food—beets, potato salad, cheese, venison sausage, salsa, blueberry muffins, and black current wine.

Jane Grimsbo Jewett, volunteer producer for many of KAXE’s local food segments and staff member for MISA (the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture) has offered 5 hogs for sale (they are sold by the half). The cost is approximately $234 for a half hog (that’s about 80# of meat net), including slaughtering and butchering by Beier’s Country Meats. The hogs will be butchered in late March or early April. Those ordering hogs would be paying the grower (Jane) $1.60/# for the animal. Beier’s charges $45 to slaughter and $.50/# to cut and wrap the meat to your specifications. The staff at KAXE has purchased two halves. That leaves 8 remaining. If you eat meat and are interested in some sustainably raised pork—email srose@kaxe.org (Stephanie Rose). You can sign up for an entire half or, if other people go in with you, you can split up a half.

Finally, KAXE staffer Linda Johnson is organizing a seed exchange, for those who save seeds or wish to procure some. If you’re interested in participating, email her: ljohnson@kaxe.org. She’d like to set up a day for the exchange!

If you are a local food producer, or if you know someone we should interview about local food, please let us know. Also, we’re interested in your local food recipes. We made local crepes in the KAXE kitchen this morning (with a dash of non-local Cognac in the batter, courtesy of KAXE historian and gourmet club member Don Boese). Do you have a favorite local food breakfast?

Maggie Montgomery's Local Food Update 3/5/08

2008-03-05T12:17:00.006-06:00

I’m looking forward to next week’s KAXE book club discussion of Barbara Kingsolver’s book, Animal Vegetable Miracle. I read the book last summer and passed it around to several friends and family. The book was both serious and humorous, and contains some good recipes and lots of great stories. KAXE’s book club meets next Tuesday March 11th at 4 p.m. at KAXE’s studios, 260 NE 2nd St, Grand Rapids MN. The meetings are open to everyone!

Today on KAXE’s Morning Show, Scott Hall and I talked to Merle Roberts, owner (with his wife Roxie) of Merle’s Farm Fresh Meats. Merle and Roxie and their family have supplied many people in our area with locally grown pork and beef for the last 10 years. Their truck has been a fixture at area farmers’ markets, and many people say that Merle and Roxie’s meats are some of the best available in these parts.

Merle told us he is strongly considering quitting business this year. He said that two years ago corn cost $1.80/bushel. Now it’s $6/bushel. Soybean meal was $180/ton. Now it’s $400/ton. He said he uses 20,000 bushels of corn each year to feed his 100 sows, 60 head of cows, and 4,000 chickens. “I’m looking at working 16-hour days and losing $75,000-$100,000 this year,” he said. Merle blamed ethanol plants and the world market for the high cost of grain.

He said he and Roxie might move to Wyoming to find work this summer. Merle will re-evaluate the decision next fall. “I don’t want to raise prices that much, or just a few people will be able to afford the meat…People are going to get their eyes opened at the prices in the grocery store this year!”

Meanwhile, on the home front, Dennis inventoried the freezer last weekend. Here’s his comprehensive food report:

Contents of the freezer 3/1/08
Strawberries 18 qt
Raspberries 9 qt
Rhubarb sauce 1 qt
Plums 1 qt
Grape juice 1 qt
Apple cider 1 gal
Tomato sauce 7 pts
Corn 6 qt and 4 ears
Chopped green peppers 1 qt
Green beans 7 qt
Snow peas 3 qt
Peas 2 qt
Broccoli 9 qt
Cauliflower 5 qt
Beet greens 3 pt
Mustard greens 1 pt
Bok Choy 1 qt
Kale 6 qt
Some pesto and basil/olive oil from 2006
Basil butter (2007) 1½ qt
Bread (sourdough) 4 loaves
Eggs (frozen) 3 dozen approx.
Goat 3 roasts (from Fultz family farm)
Chicken 2 whole (Bemidji farmers’ market)
Fish fillets 2 pts (caught locally)
Beef 1 roast (from Paul Meyer)
Venison steaks and ground (from Cori Kindamo)
Lamb 1½ lambs approx. (from Erling Lofthus)
Really old stuff (frozen)
Edamame 1 bag
Organic soybeans 1 bag
Boca brats 3 brats
Spring roll wrappers 2 pkgs
1 pkg. frozen macaroni and cheese (left by visitors)
1 box of chicken tenders (left by visitors)

Canned (he didn’t count this): green beans, sauerkraut, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa, applesauce, and some canned hot peppers from Karen Ryan.
Stored in the cellar: carrots and cabbages from Joel Rosen, parsnips, beets, apples, potatoes
Stored upstairs: some pitiful-looking acorn squash, shallots, onions, garlic
Growing: 3 basil plants and 2 pots of cilantro
Based on the inventory, here are some of our plans: There is pretty much fruit left (27 quarts of strawberries and raspberries), in spite of the fact that Dennis started 11 gallons of wine in the last week or so (chokecherry, raspberry/rhubarb, and honey grape). He may start some strawberry/rhubarb wine in the spring when the new rhubarb comes up, if we have enough strawberries left.

There are 42 quarts of various frozen vegetables, not including the tomato sauce. We’re saving the frozen and canned veggies somewhat, and concentrating more on eating the stored veggies first, before they decay—carrots, cabbage, potatoes, squash, beets, apples.

The squash and apples are going downhill fast.

We’ve started making plain yogurt by the quart, and making fruit smoothies.
Blackstar Dairy has stopped making yogurt! That’s why we started doing it ourselves. It isn’t too hard, although I broke a quart jar of milk when I immersed it in boiling water this weekend. Note to self: Start with cool water for each quart.

We’re looking forward to spring! By late May we should be getting some fresh asparagus, and wild greens like lamb’s quarters and nettles—plus some morels if we’re lucky and some lettuce or other cultivated greens if we’re on the ball! Looks like we won’t run out of food!

Last weekend:
Dennis started 1 gallon of honey grape wine
He also started 5 gallons raspberry/rhubarb wine
I baked 8 loaves bread (this is a lot—4 are to give away)
Made 1 pt sour cream
Made 2 qt yogurt
2 pumpkin (squash) pies
Weekend dinners were: potato wild rice soup with pickled beets and sourdough bread on Saturday and pot roast (goat and venison), mashed potatoes and cabbage Sunday.

Young Reporters at KAXE

2008-03-03T23:35:00.003-06:00

Have you heard our 11 year old community journalist Maggie Anderson yet? Among other things, Maggie has done two interviews for the KAXE Morning Show. Tomorrow morning (3/3/08) Maggie will be talking with retired DNR wildlife biologist Bill Berg about antler sheds.

If you missed her interview with her friend Rebecca - they talked with DNR grouse specialist about a psycho grouse that had been attacking people around Rebecca's house in Hibbing.

KAXE is voice to many people throughout the community of Northern Minnesota. If 11 year old Maggie can do it, so can you! If you've got a subject you'd like to do a report on - whether it's for the radio or for the web - we'll help! Check out the new KAXE community web project!

Ojibwemowin: Mino-doodaadig

2008-02-26T16:17:00.004-06:00

"Noongom (today) gigii-tazhindaamin (we talked about the phrase) mino-doodaadig" - which is the plural command that says, "Hey you guys, be good with each other" or treat each other kindly.

Movie talk tomorrow

2008-02-21T13:43:00.008-06:00

Do you care about the Oscars?

Are you a movie buff?

Have you seen any of the movies nominated?

Tomorrow (6:40) on the KAXE Morning Show we'll talk with the Mom of Pop Culture before she heads out to California for the Oscar show and parties - we'll also talk with University of MN film history professor Dr. Rob Silberman at 8:10. He'll tell us what to look for at the Oscars and also what to go see at your local theater or to rent on dvd.

So who will win best picture?

Atonement
Michael Clayton
Juno
No Country for Old Men
There will be Blood

There are at least 2 Minnesota ties to these films - Juno is written by former Minnesotan Diablo Cody (once a guest on the Friday Morning Show) and No Country for Old Men is directed by superbrother directors Joel and Ethan Coen (never guests on the Friday Morning Show) who grew up in Minnesota.

And don't forget - a perfect pre-Oscar event is happening at the Grand Rapids Area Library - the final Film Noir of The Big Read with Steve Martin's spoof "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid". It's at 3pm - free (both the movie AND the popcorn!).

Ojibwemowin: Mizhakwad, Aadaanimad

2008-02-21T11:39:00.003-06:00

It is cold outside today - "gissa namaagad agwajing", the sky is clear - "mizhakwad" (mih-zhuh-kwud), and the wind will change directions - "aandaanimad" (aahn-daahn-i-mud), come out of South and warm us up a little - "wiiniiabawaa".

A Phenology Note For The Week of February 18 - 22: Horny Canids

2008-02-19T15:51:00.006-06:00

With overnight temperatures this week 20 to 30 below, Spring seems like a remote possibility. It wouldn't be uncommon for more below zero readings the rest of the month. But the Canids - wolves, fox and coyotes - are preparing for thier mating season by marking their territorial boundaries with urine and scats. As you ski, snowshoe or snowmobile in the woods these days look for the signs of these fur-bearing pedators who time the arrival of their young with the availablity of rabbits, deer and other mammals they depend on for their food

Some of the 183 Million pounds of beef recalled were sold in Minnesota

2008-02-19T15:12:00.003-06:00

The Aitkin Independent Age, Brainerd Daily Dispatch, and Lakeland Public TV have all shown us the story by now of the ugly and dangerous practices that have put California ground beef in our school lunches.

Federal inspectors, too few and too late, are currently investigating the underground video from that Westland/Hallmark plant which showed "downer cows" - non-ambulatory and disabled - being shoved and prodded into slaughtering pens.

Patrons and citizens of this school district ought to be told just why Minnesota is buying and distributing this product to hundreds of its schools - including schools in this region at Brainerd, Little Falls, McGregor, Pierz and Aitkin.

Whatever happened to "Minnesota Grown?" Cattlemen across our state can deliver a good beef product.

As one landlord in a Stevens County operation named "Boss Ridge Ranch," I'm proud of the thousands of pounds of safe and nutritious Grass-fed Beef raised on our land, in cooperation with the U of Minn. experiment and outreach station at Morris.

As teachers like to tell us parents and grandparents, this can be a "Teaching Moment."

I am confident that this Westland Beef, hauled in bulk from California was cheap. And now how can Aitkin Schools find meat for our students that is locally grown, healthful, and nutritious?

I await your answers. I want to learn from you.

Sincerely,

Gordon Prickett

Ojibwemowin: Giikinjigwemishin

2008-02-13T17:50:00.005-06:00

It's Valentine's Day! Also known as "Noondendami-giizhigad" (flirting day). In addition to "Ojiiminish" (give me a kiss), why not "Giikinjigweminish" (give me a hug, hold me).

Hear the Ojibwemowin weather forecast and learn a useful phrase every week on KAXE's Morning Show (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:35)

Lows and Highs in Local Eating-From Maggie Montgomery

2008-02-12T11:31:00.000-06:00

The low point for local eating this week was definitely last Saturday when I found that nice, big pumpkin melted into the carpet. The low part for Dennis was trying to clean it up.

We’d put the season’s pumpkins and squash in an unheated room upstairs and closed the door. Squash like warmer temperatures and lower humidity than our cellar provides, and we thought the room would be about right. Now and then, on cold days when the wood-burning cookstove is hot in the kitchen, I bring one or two squash downstairs, cut them open, scoop out the seeds, put the squash in a baking dish with a little water, and roast them in the oven. We eat the seeds too, if they’re still tender—-rinse them, soak them in salt water, then roast them with melted butter in a pie pan until they’re brown. Yum!

But upstairs, there’s that big stain on the rug. We still have to buy a scrub brush and have at it with carpet cleaner again—and maybe again and again. We found and removed a couple more squash on the verge of melting. We’ve also moved the squash off the floor.

Dennis and I wondered if we’d reached the point in the year where the squash were going to make a habit of rotting, so last night I brought some downstairs to cook. The pie pumpkin was dry and stringy—I could hardly force it through the food mill even though it had cooked a long time. The buttercup was beautiful. I didn’t have time to make them into anything yesterday, but tonight they'll become pie or soup or custard.

Inspired by the pumpkin, Dennis also went through the carrots and beets in the cellar. They’re holding up remarkably well, but we’re running low on carrots and the beets are sprouting some pale, pink leaves.

Other than the cilantro and basil in the window, we aren’t growing anything right now. So the focus is on cooking and eating. We talk a lot about creating a regional northern Minnesota cuisine, based on what grows here.

The high point for the week? It might have been the homemade noodles that became Mee Goreng for our family’s Chinese New Year gathering last Friday, or it might have been the raspberry crepe cake. A crepe cake is simple to make, if a bit time-consuming. Simply make a double batch of crepes (you’ll need 25 or 30 of them). As each one comes out of the pan, spread it with a thin layer of homemade raspberry jam. Stack them up. Sprinkle the top layer with a little sugar. Serve with whipped cream. For greater impact, you can optionally pour about ¼ cup of brandy on top and light it before serving (note: brandy isn’t local, of course)!