mankato mag june2015

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MANKATO REGIONAL AIRPORT | 507-389-3000 | MNAIRSPECTACULAR.COM

The world-famous United States Air Force Thunderbirds are bringing their high energy, precision aerobatic flying performance to the Minnesota Air Spectacular in Mankato. You’ve never seen anything like the Thunderbirds, “America’s Ambassadors in Blue,” and their F-16C Fighting Falcons!

Bring the entire family and enjoy numerous exciting airshow performances, many fun ground displays, concessions and other attractions.

The Minnesota Air Spectacular two-day event will take place at the Mankato Regional Airport, just north of Mankato. Mark your calendars now!

Performers include:• United States Air Force Thunderbirds • Team Oracle• U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team

• Dacy/Kazian Wingwalker• John Klatt Airshows• Kent Pietsch Airshows

SPONSORED BY:

JUNE27-282015

A Must See, One-of-a-Kind Event Featuring The USAF Thunderbirds!

Team Oracle

U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team

Dacy/Kazian Wingwalker

Visit www.MNAirSpectacular.com for complete details!

Get Your Tickets!Tickets to the Minnesota Air Spectacular are available at the Verizon Wireless Center Ticket Office in Mankato and at all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets will also be available on the day of the show at the Mankato Regional Airport. FREE Parking!

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MANKATO REGIONAL AIRPORT | 507-389-3000 | MNAIRSPECTACULAR.COM

The world-famous United States Air Force Thunderbirds are bringing their high energy, precision aerobatic flying performance to the Minnesota Air Spectacular in Mankato. You’ve never seen anything like the Thunderbirds, “America’s Ambassadors in Blue,” and their F-16C Fighting Falcons!

Bring the entire family and enjoy numerous exciting airshow performances, many fun ground displays, concessions and other attractions.

The Minnesota Air Spectacular two-day event will take place at the Mankato Regional Airport, just north of Mankato. Mark your calendars now!

Performers include:• United States Air Force Thunderbirds • Team Oracle• U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team

• Dacy/Kazian Wingwalker• John Klatt Airshows• Kent Pietsch Airshows

SPONSORED BY:

JUNE27-282015

A Must See, One-of-a-Kind Event Featuring The USAF Thunderbirds!

Team Oracle

U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team

Dacy/Kazian Wingwalker

Visit www.MNAirSpectacular.com for complete details!

Get Your Tickets!Tickets to the Minnesota Air Spectacular are available at the Verizon Wireless Center Ticket Office in Mankato and at all Ticketmaster locations. Tickets will also be available on the day of the show at the Mankato Regional Airport. FREE Parking!

MM Pages 0615.indd 1 5/20/2015 4:05:04 PM

“We couldn’t be happier with the way

the claim was handled. We are now

rebuilt, better and stronger than ever.

Thank you for everything.”

- Dennis Wolff

W.W. Blacktopping, Inc.

507.387.4081katoins.com

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • June 2015 • 3

FEATURESJune 2015

Volume 10, Issue 6

Long journey homeThe Southern Minnesota

Children’s Museum can stop wandering.

24The busy life

A peek into the world of a fewultra busy families.

22

About the CoverLogan Kohlmeyer of the Hatanpa Insurance Agency team prepares to serve the ball during a recent

volleyball night at Caswell Park in North Mankato. The game was part of a recreational sports league, which you can read all about on page 16.

Rec league mania!It’s that time of year again, folks.

Get out there and have some fun!

16

“We couldn’t be happier with the way

the claim was handled. We are now

rebuilt, better and stronger than ever.

Thank you for everything.”

- Dennis Wolff

W.W. Blacktopping, Inc.

507.387.4081katoins.com

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4 • June 2015 • MANKATO MAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS6 From the editor 8 This Day in History9 The Gallery Michael Cimino

10 Beyond the Margin A truth at play

12 Day Trip Destinations Paul Bunyan Days

33 Food, Drink & Dine 34 Food Nutraceuticals?

36 Wine The wine education continues

37 Beer Adventurous ales

38 Happy Hour We still love the pina colada

40 What’s Cookin’? Bringing celery back

47 Home +Style72 Then & now Morbid thoughts from Facebook

74 That’s Life Morbid thoughts from Facebook

76 Garden Chat The joy of chickens

78 Your Style Be comfortable in your swimsuit

80 Coming Attractions 81 Faces & Places84 From This Valley An ode to fat tires

9

34 37

78 80

12

Coming in JulyYou’ve been waiting for it ...

Our annual Best Of Mankato issue brings you the winners of dozens

of categories as voted by YOU!

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6 • • MANKATO MAGAZINE

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Thursday, June 8, 1911Attempt Made On The Life Of A Soil Tiller; Waseca county man was shot at four times; Bullets through his hat!

An attempt was made on the life of O. M. Carlson of Iosco, Waseca County a few evenings since. Mr. Carlson stated that he was shot at four times, two of the bullets passing through the crown of his felt hat and another one through the sleeve of his coat just below the shoulder. In proof of this assertion he took off his hat and displayed the two bullet holes and pointed out the one through his coat sleeve. Mr. Carlson related the circumstances of the affair. He and his wife and a hired man came in from milking about 10 o’clock. After entering the house Mr. Carlson recalled he had not closed his dove house and started out to perform this duty. When he reached his yard, his attention was drawn by an object down by the road side. He watched for a moment, and satisfied himself it was a man creeping toward his house. This struck him as a peculiar performance and he quickly returned to his house and got his gun. When he returned to the yard the man had shifted his position, which more firmly convinced Mr. Carlson that he was bent on mischief. In order to get a better line on the fellow, as Mr. Carlson expressed it, he took a sort of circle about his yard and was working up toward the fellow, when the fellow fired a couple of shots at Mr. Carlson in rapid succession. Mr. Carlson dodged behind a tree where he stood for a few moments. He cautiously bent forward to see where his enemy was located when two more shots were fired at him. Mr. Carlson then tried to use his gun, but it refused to work and he hastened to the house.

Saturday, June 1, 1985Taylor Proposes Tax Holiday in August

Senator Glen Taylor, IR-North Mankato, has proposed that the State not withhold any individual income taxes from workers’ paychecks during the month of August. The tax holiday would let taxpayers keep the money they would eventually be refunded at tax time. “We should return the seven-month tax overcharge the state will have collected from January to the end of July,” said Taylor, the Senate Minority Leader. The amount returned to Minnesotans during August would be about $200 million, the same amount that taxpayers were overcharged during the first seven months of 1985, Taylor said. Tax collections and withholdings would be resumed in September. “Instead of the State holding the money without interest for another six to nine months until they get their refund, Minnesotans would have larger paychecks in August. That means taxpayers get to keep what is rightfully theirs,” Taylor said. Taylor said that with taxpayers keeping the extra money, the general economy would also get a boost.

Friday, June 18, 1920Williams was soaked!

John F. Williams of North Mankato said that the watering of gardens promotes the growth of vegetables and ensures abundant returns, but that he has gotten his growth he thinks at the age of 60, and long ago ripened. At least he thinks he has passed the green stage of growth. For that reason, he objects to being “watered,” especially by a garden hose in the hands of an angry woman.

Yesterday Mr. Williams explained there had been some dispute of the boundary for some time past, and two or three surveys of that lot had been made. Mr. Cramm had given him the position for the setting of the stake, and Mr. Williams alleges that while he was driving the stake in place, Mrs. Evans turned the garden hose on him, and kept it there.

“I never ran from danger when I was young,” said Mr. Williams, … “And I am now too old to run, so I stood and took my soaking like a man without a word of protest. But after I got the old water shook out of my clothes, I started to get a little hot under the collar. … I may have needed a bath, but I do not believe I should have been forced to take one.”

This DAy in hisToryBy Jean Lundquist

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Artisic adornmentsThe GAllery: Michael CiminoBy Nell Musolf

Michael Cimino spent his elementary and high school years as a student in the New

Ulm Area Catholic school system. A regular part of those school years was weekly mass and since, as Cimino put it, he “never liked to listen all that much.” The time spent in the pew sparked an artistic awakening in him that remains to this day. That awakening was a fascination with the adornments that filled the New Ulm Cathedral and made him question what, as a society, we adorn and why.

“I looked at the adornments in the Cathedral and wondered why they were chosen, how they got there and what they meant,” Cimino said. “Adornments are everywhere, not just in churches. If you look at older buildings you will see adornments in the decorative window trims and on pressed tin ceilings — they used to be used much more extensively than they are today. The big box stores don’t use adornments and they all look pretty much alike. I’m really interested in what we adorn and why.”

After graduating from Cathedral High School, Cimino enrolled at Minnesota State University, Mankato. At first he considered majoring in aviation and then business but eventually gravitated toward art. He received his BFA in Ceramics in 2014 and is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts program at MSU and is pursuing a degree in Studio Arts Ceramics. His goal is to become a working artist and said that to make that happen today’s artist needs to know about business and promotion in addition to being a jack of all trades

in just about everything else.“I think that it is possible to make

a living as an artist,” Cimino said. “It takes a lot of work to make it happen but it can happen.”

Cimino’s art has remained firmly in the area of what could be termed the mystery of religion. He attributes his Catholic upbringing to his fascination with creating ceramic figures of Jesus and Mary and using them in his art in what most people would consider to be non-traditional ways. For example, a recent showing of his at The 410 Project featured hundreds of ceramic corbels (adornment) installed on a grid on the wall. One of his goals is to hopefully open a dialogue among people that doesn’t necessarily challenge traditional religious views but that offers the possibility that there may be more artistic possibilities in the icons used in the Christian faith.

“I consider myself to be a common, regular person,” Cimino said. “When I’m creating a work using a figure of Jesus or Mary, I hope to show an alternate possibility, not to offend in vain. For example, two Mary’s facing each other allows the viewer to imagine what kind of conversation the two women would have. There is so much left out about the life of Christ, and most of our information comes from the four Gospels. I believe there are gaps in the story to imagine and explore.”

Cimino has also made ceramic figures of Jesus in the traditional pose of hanging on the cross — only Cimino has removed the cross.

“Without the cross, Jesus could be

interpreted as ascending or flying,” Cimino said. “That opens up a whole new dialogue.”

Cimino fires numerous ceramic figures daily. After casting an object in plaster and pressing or pouring clay into the negative cavity, Cimino has a reproduction of his original object. With clay as his medium, he has the ability to distort and alter the casting after it has been removed from the mold. Cimino said that he likes working with clay as it offers him the opportunity to let go of his original intention and work in conjunction with the limitations and characteristics of the material.

Once his figures are completed, Cimino occasionally donates them to thrift stores and then revisiting the store a few days later to see where they have ended up. More often than not they are in the section filled with religious items.

“That’s fine,” Cimino said. “If people see what I make as religious iconography that’s OK with me. If other people see them as fine art, that’s OK too. My whole point is that we each see things differently and we should.”

Cimino said that he has gotten criticism as well as compliments from Christians and people of other faiths as well. When asked how long he thinks he will continue working with religious icons and adornments, he replied, “I don’t know. I still find it fascinating. I don’t see me stopping any time soon. People can be so serious about religion that I hope that when they look at my art they are able to smile a little too.”

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MANKATO MAGAZINE • • 11

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If you have yet to see the nearly 30-foot-tall statue of Folklore Legend Paul Bunyan erected on State Highway 34 in Akeley, Minnesota, a town of less

than 450 people, you may want to plan a road trip around the Paul Bunyan Days Festival June 26 through 28. Clad in a red and black checkered shirt, boots and a black, burly beard, this larger than life lumberjack has been widely celebrated in the area long before the festival was created in 1949.

“Akeley is considered to be the birth place of Paul Bunyan, and it goes back to the days of the late 1800s,” said Jeff Lindstrom, President of the Akeley Lions Club, who has lived in the area for the past 35 years.

It started with Thomas Barlow Walker, otherwise known as T.B. Walker. Lindstrom said Walker was a logger and a timber baron. Walker not only developed the town of Akeley, Minnesota, naming it after his business partner, but he also built a new mill as a branch of The Red River Lumber Company.

“He had a bookkeeper named Akeley,” said

Lindstrom. “In Akeley, there was a huge lumber mill during those days.”

According to the Minnesota Historical Society’s website, the mill operated from 1899 to 1915.

Lindstrom said the timber barons focused their logging efforts on “virgin pine,” which are “old-growth” Red and White Pine in Minnesota.

“These loggers came in here and over several decades, pretty much cut and cleared this virgin pine,” he said. “Once the big pines were depleted, Walker and his crew went to the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and Washington and logged there.”

In addition to this career in the logging industry, Walker is also known for founding the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. But it was in the logging camps where Lindstrom said the legend of Paul Bunyan was born.

“A writer and story teller came up with the story of Paul Bunyan,” he said.

From then on, Lindstrom said the story became one of folklore, and the community was soon

Paul Bunyan was a large man, but not as large as his legend

DAy Trip DesTinATions: Paul Bunyan DaysBy Leticia Gonzales

The parade in Akeley is one of the highlights of Paul Bunyan Days.

Where the

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identified as the birth place of Paul Bunyan.“He’s kind of one of the folklore legends like Pecos

bill, and John Henry,” he added. “Someone would tell the story about someone who was bigger than life.”

It was William B. Laughead, said Lindstrom, who brought the great legend to life in Akeley’s logging camps more than one hundred years ago. The Forest History Society’s website, which is based in North Carolina, listed Laughead as an advertising manager for Red River Lumber Company.

Frank Lamb Sr., President of the Paul Bunyan Historical Society in Akeley, also noted that the “first printed word of Paul Bunyan” was printed in Akeley. It was an advertising campaign that definitely stuck.

Before the Paul Bunyan statue was created in 1984, a giant cradle was constructed in 1949 to resemble the logger’s birth.

“The reason we celebrate is we have a statue of course, said Lamb. Although Paul Bunyan statues can be spotted in Brainerd and Bemidji, Minnesota, as well as Bangor, Maine; Portland Oregon; and Klamath, California, he insisted that Akeley’s statue was “much larger and more lifelike than others in the country.”

Lamb, who was born in 1938, recalled early memories of the first Paul Bunyan Days Festival held in 1949.

“They had foot races the first year,” he said. Both he and his brother had won in their age groups.

Decades later, Lamb still actively participates in the festival by playing keyboard and singing with his four-piece country band, Frankly Country.

In its 67th year, the three-day festival, which is sponsored by the Akeley Chamber of Commerce, touts the usual vendors, crafts, entertainment, and parade, which is hosted by the local Lions Club on Sunday. The parade attracts 400 to 500 spectators, and runs along Highway 34, which is the main roadway into Akeley.

Lindstrom said the Akeley Lions Club recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and will be showcasing three of its original members as grand marshals in

the parade. The organization will also host a Friday night fish fry, which will serve up 200 to 300 pounds of fried fish.

A children’s fishing contest, along with separate races involving crawfish, turtles and minnows are also a sight to see at the festival. The Akeley Paul Bunyan Historical Museum on the city’s Main Street will also be open for visitors through Labor Day. There is also a plethora of outdoor attractions in and around Akeley.

“A lot of people who would come here who were tourists would be interested in going to the Itasca Park, the head waters of the Mississippi River, Lake Itasca,” Lindstrom said.

The surrounding area is filled with resorts and recreation, where people come to fish and play on the lakes. Visitors can swim or water ski in Akeley’s Eleventh Crow Wing Lake, which features a public beach.

There is also the Forestedge Winery in Laporte, Minnesota, which is less than 20 miles from Akeley, and the Paul Bunyan Trail System, which Lindstrom said is a “big draw in this area.”

“I think it’s about 160 miles of paved biking trails that will basically take you from Brainerd to Bemidji,” he said.

And if you want to explore even more of Paul Bunyan’s infamous territory, you can venture out into the Paul Bunyan State Forest.

“There are 80 some miles of ATV and dirt bike trials that are maintained trials,” Lindstrom said. “I have had people come up from out of state and say these are some of the nicest ATV trails you will find anywhere. There’s plenty to do around here, and we are forest and a lot of trees, a lot of wild life.” MM

If youGoWhen

June 26 through 28, 2015Highlights include:

Fish Fry Friday Evening ( June 26) and, Parade on Sunday ( June 28)

What

Paul Bunyan Days

Akeley, Minnesota

Admission$2 festival button,

additional cost for Fish Fry Visit www.facebook.com/

Paul-Bunyan-Days

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LAMBRECHTS gifts • home • fashion

Downtown New Ulm

New UlmVisit

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LAMBRECHTS gifts • home • fashion

Downtown New Ulm

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xxxxxxxxxxxxx

By Robb Murray | Photos by Pat Christman

REC LEAGUE MAniA

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Yahtzee is “fun.” Playing Clash of Clans on your iPhone is “fun.” Checkers is “fun.” But, let’s face it: “KING ME!” doesn’t exactly pack the same thrill as spiking a volleyball with

brute force down your opponent’s throat. Yahtzee can’t replace that feeling when the pitcher serves up a lollipop and you swing, connect sweetly and send that ball sailing through a perfect blue sky over the chain-link fence ringing the outfield. And some dumb strategy game on your smart phone can’t possibly come close to the feeling of having to look your opponent in the eye, see that they’re sweating just as much as you are, see that they want to win just as badly as you do, and that they’re here — so close you can touch them — and they want to win just as badly as you do.

“This is more of a fun rec thing, but we play to

win,” says Allex Jahner, dressed in the hot pink shirts of their volleyball team’s sponsor, Dasch Salon in Eagle Lake. She’s surrounded by teammates Amanna Berthusen, Ashley Fleming and Caitie Decker and, trying to look as serious as possible (and maybe she is serious, but it’s slightly difficult to take seriously a woman in a hot pink shirt clutching a cup of hard cider), she says ... “I don’t like to lose.”

Tonight, Caswell Park in North Mankato is abuzz with people who would much rather get outside, get dirty and get living life than stare into a computer screen, or watch another marathon of their latest Netflix obsession. The volleyball courts are full of teams of athletic, earnest women scrambling around the sand courts. The softball diamonds — where on this night some of the teams are co-ed and well lubricated with Coors Light — rarely get a rest.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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Concessions are busy, the playground is bustling with the offspring of volleyball and softball players. Hibachi grills blaze up on picnic tables. Coolers filled with ice are like cozy nests for 12-ounce aluminum cylinders of beer and soda, or clear plastic jugs of Gatorade and PowerAde. Drive by the place. Or any rec league site. You’ll see full parking lots and fields full of happy people.

Not sure if you’re aware of this, but: Rec sports is kind of a big deal.

Across America, roughly 15 million adults take part in some kind of organized recreational sport. The recreational team sport winner is basketball with 3.6 million participants. When you add non-organized recreational activities, the participation numbers go way up. Locally, it’s likely several hundred participants take part each season.

But back to our night of rec league mania ...Things are a little more serious on the volleyball

side.Take that team from Dasch Salon, for example:

This isn’t just a rag-tag group of friends who needed an excuse to hit the bar. Each of them has a pretty decent volleyball pedigree, including four who played in college. All played in high school.

“A lot of these teams have been playing rec volleyball for a long time,” Jahner says. But enough about them. They’ve got to start warming up, so we’ll

move on.Brian Martin and Ben Hoffman are sitting in the

bleachers enjoying a cold beer before their softball game. For them, it’s kind of a no-brainer being out here, playing a game they grew up with.

“It’s the perfect reason to be out on a beautiful night,” Martin says.

Adds Hoffman, “I love softball, and I just love being able to be outside. I could be sitting at home watching TV, being bored. Or, I could be here.”

They love playing ball, obviously. Heck, most nights, Hoffman leaves his wife at home and heads out to one of the numerous leagues of varying seriousness he plays in. (No word yet on how Mrs. Hoffman feels about that ...) But he says he’d have it no other way.

What they’re not here for is a winning record. At least, not necessarily here for it. They give players a hard time, for sure. But it’s their own teammates that are the target.

“We’re pretty nice to the other teams,” Martin said. “We’re more likely to give our own guys a hard time. ... For me, winning is fun but ... I’m not going to go home and break stuff if we lose.”

One of the guys whose job it is to make sure things stay on track, stay within the rules, stay “recreational,” is umpire Paul Beinke. Like everyone else, Beinke says he just loves being outside, loves being involved

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in something where everyone is there for the love of the game and a sense of community.

Unlike the others, though, Beinke knows what it’s like to be in pursuit of the prize. When it comes to amateur softball, Beinke has been close to the top of the mountain.

He played for the Rockets, a team from the Easton area that, one year, took third place in the world championships at Cocoa Beach. So, yeah ... Beinke knows what he’s talking about. His team played 248 softball games that year. That’s not a typo, folks: 248 games, about as many as the Twins and Wild play in a regular season combined.

To be an umpire for these recreation league games, one needs to go through ump school. To learn the rules of softball? Well, yeah. But there’s a more important skill.

“Conflict avoidance. That’s the key word,” Beinke says. “But no matter how much they yell at me, they’ll never catch up to how much yelling I did as a player.”

With that, a smile lights up his face and Beinke heads over to field two.

Back at the volleyball courts, one woman is sitting alone. Lindsay Turner plays for one of these teams, but not today. She’s injured, so the best she can do is sit courtside and cheer her team on, wishing she was

playing instead of watching.Turner’s story is, in many ways, the essence of

what makes recreation league sports so beautiful. She came to Mankato for a job as an occupational therapist. When she arrived in town, she needed roommates, so she hopped online and visitied Craigslist. (I know: sketchy, right?) But it worked. She found the perfect roommates, she says, and those roommates encouraged her to join them in their rec league teams.

She played winter volleyball at first, then joined the team for the sand court leagues. As a three-sport athlete in her Wisconsin hometown high school, finding a way to keep active meant a lot to her, she said.

“Where else do you get the opportunity to play a team sport like this?” she said. “It has a great social aspect, too. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of new people.”

But on this night, all she can do is watch her teammates, bump, set SPIKE! Bump, set, SPIKE! High fives, good jobs, nice serves. Sand kicked up, sweat dripping down foreheads, laughter bouncing from court to court and throughout the park.

“I really wish I could play,” she says, gazing at the players. “This sucks just sitting here.” MM

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We touched base with a handful of them to see how they managed to stay afloat, amid the countless meetings, practices, competitions and concerts. This kind of family — the kind that loves to play and pack in as much as possible — typifies the southern Minnesota ethos, and embodies the theme of Mankato Magazine this month.

What a better way to exemplify this theme, than through service, which is what the Dickhudt sisters did. Not only did they juggle Key Club and Honor Society meetings during the school day, they completed 10 to 15 service hours for each of the organizations in their spare time.

After school, Sammy can be found running with

It’s part of the southern Minnesota ethos to work hard. And these days, that attitude

extends to play, as well.

By By Leticia Gonzales | Photos by Robb Murray

BUSYBUSY

BUSY

When 18-year-old Abbey Dickhudt, a recent graduate of Mankato West High School, begins a new chapter of her life as a freshman at the University of

Minnesota Morris this fall, she will have no problem adapting to the frenzied life of a college student. Abbey, the fourth of six children, comes from a very active family, where juggling multiple activities is second nature.

Even though school didn’t start until 8:15 a.m., Abbey and her 14-year-old sister Sammy arrived at school at 7:20 a.m. for Jazz band rehearsals.

“Sometimes we both wake up at seven, so we are crunched for time,” Abbey said. “I am normally eating my toast while driving in.”

In addition to a full course load during her senior year in high school, which included three advanced placement classes, Abbey was involved in a plethora of clubs, and even managed to work three days a week at an assisted-living facility.

You may be thinking that this is too much for a teen to handle. Life shouldn’t be that busy for anyone, right? The Dickhudts are actually a perfect example of the increasingly common ultra-busy family. You know the ones — multiple children, all involved in sports and band and dance and knowledge bowl and marching band and church and scouting and chores and … well, you get the picture.

MM Pages 0615.indd 22 5/20/2015 4:06:51 PM


her cross-country team in the fall or as a hurdler with her track team in the spring. With meets usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she doesn’t return home until 9 or 10 p.m. Like Abbey, Sammy usually spends about two hours a night on homework.

It’s a lot of late nights,” said Abbey of her sister’s routine. “1 a.m. is common, but she gets all her homework done and gets good grades.”

The two sisters, along with their 10-year-old sister Angie, are also active in the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, where they participate in religion

classes, worship groups and service activities. Even with a booked calendar, Abbey said she has learned to take time for herself.

“I have taken up gardening and planting seeds,” she said. Abbey has also taught herself to play piano, and learned to embroider from her grandmother.

“It’s been important that I am passionate about all of them, which makes it worth my time,” Abbey added. “I really enjoy everything I do, which helps a lot with the time commitment and balancing things.

Living on a hobby farm without many distractions such as a television, has also helped Abbey focus on

Abbey Dickhudt is the quintessential super busy youth. She’s in various bands at Mankato West, is involved in Lancers, yearbook staff, student government, national Honor Society and many more. She was even named Homecoming Queen.

MM Pages 0615.indd 23 5/20/2015 4:06:53 PM


what’s important. “I have definitely learned time management, and

then I have really come to value the time I have at home,” she said. “My family is a big part of being able to do all of this because they are always encouraging me to try new things and keep doing them.”The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities

With nearly 2,000 hours of unstructured time each year to spend, Audra Nissen Boyer, Community Education and Recreation Director for Mankato Area Public Schools, said the time youth spend outside of school is twice the amount of time they spend in school.

“That’s the equivalent of a full-time job,” said Nissen Boyer. “High-quality opportunities for learning beyond the classroom support parents in helping their children grow, support schools in preparing youth for the working world and support communities in encouraging active and responsible participation in civic life.”

These opportunities can include community-based youth activities that take place before and after-school, weekends, holidays, and summer breaks.

“Extracurricular and enrichment activities can have strong positive effects on children’s lives,” she added. “This is especially true for students whose personal circumstances put them at higher risk. Some research suggests that what students do during their out-of-school time has as much bearing on their success as what they do during the school day.”

Whether it’s a continuation of lessons from the

school year, or a chance to try something new, North Mankato Resident Stacey Williams said extracurricular activities not only help her nine-year-old daughter Tabitha develop friendship and comraderie, but they also keep her active instead of sitting in front of a computer all day.

“She kind of thrives in a lot of activity and being involved in a lot of things,” said Williams. “I know some kids are as involved in as many things as she is, but she tends to be a little bored if she isn’t involved in a lot of things; it is stimulating to her.”

Between attending a summer program and a YMCA camp, Tabitha will spend her free time filled with swimming lessons, and possibly gymnastics and a week-long religious camp.

“I think summer activities are easy to fit in the schedule without school in session, but sometimes it’s hard to attend any type of lessons because summer plans are often unpredictable,” Williams said. “It’s harder to stop what you are doing in the summer and run off to a lesson of some sort, because you may be at the lake or park, or hanging out in the backyard having a barbecue.”

While it may be somewhat of a challenge during the summer months to plan family activities around lessons and camps, Williams said she is able to stay quite organized during the school year, thanks to her planner, and a solid routine.

“We just kind of balance the stuff as we can, between what we have going on in work,” said Williams.

From a two-hour gymnastic class two afternoons a week, one hour of piano and voice lessons once a week and a combined ballet class with her mother

Sammie Dickhudt (right) is just as busy as her sister with volunteer work, band, sports and more.

MM Pages 0615.indd 24 5/20/2015 4:06:56 PM


Tabitha Williams stays ultra busy with gymnastics lessons as well as voice, ballet and piano lessons.

once a week, Tabitha maintains an active schedule. Williams said activities are selected based on a combination of Tabitha’s interests, as well as what she might do better in.

“Sometimes she states things she wants to get involved in,” said Williams. “We look at how that will fit into her schedule to see if that is feasible.”

If the schedule appears to full, Williams said she will suggest giving up one activity for another.

“If I ever felt it was too much for her, I wouldn’t allow something,” she said. However, that has yet to happen.

“She does very well in school and she is very balanced,” Williams said.

Like Tabitha, 18-year-old Jordan Parker, a recent graduate of Mankato East High School, said she was able to discover her interests by trying different activities throughout her youth and high school years.

“My parents encouraged me to always try new things and find things I enjoyed doing,” said Parker. “I say the number of activities you do doesn’t matter as long as you enjoy doing them and can balance out a schedule.”

In high school, Parker was involved in cross country, drama club, student council, band, choir, National Honor Society and weekly piano lessons, to name a few. She was also regularly involved in an early morning scripture study seminary course at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before school each day, and participated in weekly youth activities for her congregation.

Parker said there weren’t any limits to how many activities she could participate in, but she also had

help from her parents. “They both supported me in all my activities I did,

because they were proud of me for my hard work and determination,” she said.

Setting up a schedule, getting a good night’s sleep, and maintaining a positive attitude also helped Parker keep up with her activities, which in turn ensured she also performed successfully in the classroom.

“The activities I was involved in at school helped me lot with my school work,” she added.

“I was able to maintain high grades for school, which helped me out a lot to be involved with other things outside of school. Being involved made me wiser and smarter with making decisions to make school important in my life.”

Parker also credits her involvement for instilling values of “integrity, respect, confidence, leadership, compassion, bravery, and honesty” in her life.

The benefit to her?“Lifetime values, lessons, and memories that I can

take with me when I go to college and continue on my journey toward success and happiness,” she said. “I learned a lot from all the friends I met and all the fun times I had with them.” MM

MM Pages 0615.indd 25 5/20/2015 4:07:03 PM


Few nonprofits in the Mankato area have been as solidly accepted by residents — and donors — as has the Southern Minnesota Children’s

Museum. Now that they’ve completed renovation of their new home and opened the doors to eagerly waiting kids, Mankato Magazine thought it’d be a good time to check in with the museum’s board of directors to ask about their evolution from fledgling but fiesty newcomer to the hottest nonprofit in town.

Mankato Magazine: Tell us about the time when the idea for the museum was hatched. Did the founders ever envision what has happen recently with the opening of the brand new Children’s museum?

Linda Frost: At Mary Jo Hensel’s and my employer, Early Childhood Family Education, parents repeatedly mentioned they were looking for more activities in the area. In 2002, a friend visited Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and brought back the idea for starting a museum. Mary Jo and I did much preparation work at this time, but the effects of 9/11

hit the economy in the area, and our dreams were put on hold.

In October 2005 when community members went to Bellingham, Washington and came back with excitement about their children’s museum — the dream was renewed.

We went to gain support and educate anyone who would listen about what a children’s museum was and could be. Planning included filing for non-profit status, incorporating, forming a board, grants, visiting museums. The Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota was born.

We were very mindful of our planning from the beginning. As we look back at our early plans of exhibit galleries, the building, the staff, the board and how the public would receive us — it is actually very close to the original dream — but now it’s real!

MM: When the board was originally formed, what kind of experience did board members have in leading a nonprofit? Were you all new to this thing or did some come in with experience at other organizations?

By Robb Murray | Photos by John Cross

The long journey

hoMEAfter a nomadic existence saw it

relocate several times, the Southern Minnesota Children’s

Museum finally found the support — and the money — that it needed

to put down permanent roots.

MM Pages 0615.indd 26 5/20/2015 4:07:07 PM


LF: Our founding board was mostly those who had roots in early childhood education and what was developmentally appropriate for a wide range of children. I wouldn’t say we had people who had experience in leading a non-profit, but we did have people who had experience leading people and were willing to learn — and, most importantly, were passionate about the vision and mission. While we were involved with non-profits in our field, we did know we needed to have people from the business world who could help us. Lyle Jacobson was, early on, that business person who really did help with connecting us with community business leaders and helped us decide how we should proceed with our organization. We weren’t afraid of hard work or asking anyone and everyone how we should do this or that. We met at least twice a month for a few years and even had committee meetings in between. We became a close-knit group and that was what made those days so fun. We always expected to succeed and never lost our passion for the vision.

MM: Can you talk about some of the struggles or

challenges the board had getting the organization on its feet? Did everyone embrace the idea and mission right away or did you have to convince people that having a children’s museum was a good idea?LF: For a while, our biggest challenge was knowing what to do next. We would go on museum visits and during the drive we would plan exhibits, what we were going to give our donors, the donor walls — all things that we really weren’t ready for. But they were ideas that led to thinking about how we could share this with others. We would ask other museums how they started and write down everything they said. Children’s museums are great for sharing any detail of their history. We did have to go out and educate many about what exactly a children’s museum was and what it wasn’t. We would leave almost all meetings more determined because people loved the idea. They may have wondered if we could make it happen, but we were determined.

In 2007, we applied and received a $10,000 grant from Mankato Area Foundation for consultant fees. We hired renowned museum consultant Jeanne

MM Pages 0615.indd 27 5/20/2015 4:07:10 PM

Vergeront to set up our goals and then consultant Peter Olson to help prepare a timeline for those goals.

MM: Talk a little bit about the current make-up of the board. How has the museum benefited from the makeup of personalities involved in its leadership? Does everyone get along?LF: Over the years we have put together a Board Recruitment committee which has been very deliberate about who we ask to be on the board. It is discussed with each new board member what we see as their resource to bring to CMSM. We have many personalities as well as an age range on the board. I think that has led to keeping our ideas fresh and always bringing in new enthusiasm. Respect is a key ingredient to what makes our board succeed. The remaining seven Founding Board members will be going off the board this summer and our Sustaining Board members are in place to take over right where we are leaving off. The Sustaining Board has a different mission now that we are open, but no less important than opening. The Founding Board has confidence the remaining board members will succeed in sustaining and growing CMSM.

MM: One of the biggest challenges for all nonprofits is fundraising. The museum has been quite successful in securing the funding needed to create a first-class facility. Tell us about your strategy and how you were able to convince large donors to join the project.LF: As you said, the Museum has been fortunate in securing donations from very generous donors over the years, but it has sometimes been a slow and methodical process. Since the Children’s Museum was a new idea for our community, it often took a fair amount of education and time before a donation was made. Lyle and Kay Jacobson were the first large donors to step on board and commit to the Museum. This was a huge step for the Museum

in that it earned us credibility with other donors in our area. The Museum would not be here today without the Jacobsons.

In addition, the Museum has been lucky to have had a large number of highly dedicated board members, volunteers and staff over the years. These individuals have contributed enormously in time, treasure and talent, garnering respect and encouraging many donors over the years.

MM: Overall, what is the museum’s ultimate goal, and how will you measure success?

LF: The Children’s Museum’s ultimate mission is to ignite the natural curiosity of every child through the power of play in a dynamic, awe-inspiring environment. The museum’s vision is to be the catalyst for building a stronger, more vibrant community around play so that all children in our region share in a bright future of opportunity and well-being.

Success will be measured through the museum’s ultimate sustainability and ability to grow our audience and impact with children and families throughout Southern Minnesota.

MM: What is the board’s plan for growth? What is its plan to keep the museum relevant, fresh, and a destination place for families in southern Minnesota?LF: Right now, the Museum’s next phase of growth involves completing raising funds for a Water Play Exhibit as well as completing the work in the outdoor learning environment of the museum, including the Ridley Farm Animal Experience, Crystal Valley Field Fun and Dotson Back 40. The museum plans on opening these outdoor exhibits by the end of summer 2015.

For the inside galleries, new components and experiences will be added over time within the permanent exhibits. In addition, visitors can look forward to new programming opportunities in the Two Level Makers Space on a regular basis. MM

The Tree of Forts Climber will surely be one of the hottest attractions at the Southern Minnesota Children’s Museum.

MM Pages 0615.indd 28 5/20/2015 4:07:11 PM

Brian Benshoof, CEO, MRCI Worksource

Laura Bowman, Director of Community Relations and Development at

Mayo Clinic Health System

Dr. Brenda Flannery, Dean, College of Business, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Linda Frost, Retired Early Childhood Parent Educator, ECFE

Kaaren Grabianowski, Sales and Events Manager, Country Inn & Suites Mankato

Mary Jo Hensel, Retired Early Childhood Coordinator, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial

Nick Hinz, President, Frandsen Bank and Trust

Lyle Jacobson, Former Owner, Katolight

Barb Kaus, President, Greater Mankato Area United Way

Linda Kilander, Retired Principal, Mankato Area Public Schools

Kim Kleven, Early Childhood Coordinator, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial

Eric Lennartson, Designer and Marketing Coordinator, ISG

Naomi Mortensen, Marketing Director, Environmental Tillage Systems

Tim Newell, Director of Solutions Business Management, Kato Engineering/Emerson

Jean Peterson, Retired Director, Children’s House, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Christine Powers, Partner, Abdo Eick & Meyers

Tom Riley, Telecommunications Operations Executive, Greater Mankato Growth

Beth Serrill, Attorney, Blethen Gage & Krause

Christie Skilbred, Project Manager, Capstone Literacy Center/Coughlan Companies

Dr. Katie Smentek, Pediatrician, Mankato Clinic

Sara Steinbach, Regional Manager, Public Affairs & Marketing, Mayo Clinic Health System

Keith Stover, Retired President, South Central College

Vance Stuehrenberg, County Commissioner, Blue Earth County, MN

Anna Thill, President, Visit Mankato

Karen Wahlstrom, Retired Early Childhood Specialist, ECFE

Pam Willard, Director, Golden Heart

Brian Benshoof, CEO, MRCI Worksource

Laura Bowman, Director of Community Relations and Development at

Mayo Clinic Health System

Dr. Brenda Flannery, Dean, College of Business, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Linda Frost, Retired Early Childhood Parent Educator, ECFE

Kaaren Grabianowski, Sales and Events Manager, Country Inn & Suites Mankato

Mary Jo Hensel, Retired Early Childhood

Coordinator, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial

Nick Hinz, President, Frandsen Bank and Trust

Lyle Jacobson, Former Owner, Katolight

Barb Kaus, President, Greater Mankato Area United Way

Linda Kilander, Retired Principal, Mankato Area Public Schools

Kim Kleven, Early Childhood Coordinator, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial

Eric Lennartson, Designer and Marketing

Coordinator, ISG

Naomi Mortensen, Marketing Director,

Environmental Tillage Systems

boArD oF DIreCtorS

MM Pages 0615.indd 29 5/20/2015 4:07:13 PM

& Activities

MM Pages 0615.indd 30 5/20/2015 4:07:25 PM

& Activities

MM Pages 0615.indd 31 5/20/2015 4:07:31 PM


GAME OF HOMES

422 Park Lane, Mankato, MN | www.NuStarMankato.com

(507) 381-4747Voted One of Mankato’s Best

DANIEL WINGERT

Starring Dan Wingert

MM Pages 0615.indd 32 5/20/2015 4:07:39 PM

It’s not often that I have a burning disagreement with one of my writers. But this time ...

She doesn’t know this yet but our food writer, Sarah Johnson, used her What’s Cooking column this month to extol the virtues of what is perhaps the food I hate more than any other. Stringy, nauseating, dumb celery.

As a kid, my mom tried once to get me to eat it and, judging by the look of oral horror on my face, she got wise and never tried again. My friend Ken’s mom, Marlene, tried getting me to eat it by doing the “ants on a log” trick. She soon realized that a few ounces of peanut butter can’t bamboozle a palate as refined as mine.

Celery ... is ... the ... WORST.However, because Sarah is one of my most trusted writers, and

because in general it’s wise for me to endorse the offerings in this magazine instead of condemn them, I’m willing to enter June with an open mind. I will give celery a chance — one last chance — and try her braised celery recipe. (I’ll also probably have a veg-etable I actually like on standby, though. Guy’s gotta eat, right?)

Elsewhere in Food Drink and Dine, we continue our education on California wines. I don’t know about you, but I feel like I get closer to becoming a sommelier with each one of Leigh Pomeroy’s columns. And across the page, Bert Mattson gives the kind of advice you can use tonight. He’s recommending a beer I’ve never tried before. Maybe I’ll cook up some of that braised celery, some “backyard brisket” and give this jalapeno beer he’s recommend-ing a try.

You should, too.

Enjoy!— Robb Murray, Associate Editor, Mankato Magazine

food, drink & dineso

uthern m

n style

GAME OF HOMES

422 Park Lane, Mankato, MN | www.NuStarMankato.com

(507) 381-4747Voted One of Mankato’s Best

DANIEL WINGERT

Starring Dan Wingert

MM Pages 0615.indd 33 5/20/2015 4:07:46 PM


We’re always putting stuff in our bodies, for better or worse. There’s food, and there are pharmaceuticals, and somewhere in between

are things called nutraceuticals. “Nutraceuticals” is a broad umbrella term that is used to describe any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods.

Nutraceuticals run the gamut from vitamins and herbal supplements to actual food, often organically grown, gluten-free and/or a “superfood” (see sidebar).

The philosophy behind nutraceuticals is to focus on prevention. The father of medicine, Greek physician Hippocrates, famously said, “Let food be your medicine”, and today’s science is confirming more and more just how right he was. A whole raft of human maladies can be cured or alleviated by putting the right things in and keeping the wrong things out of our bodies.

Nutraceuticals are used to improve health, prevent chronic diseases, postpone the aging process, or just support basic bodily functions. People with diabetes, renal and gastrointestinal disorders, certain infections, allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, eye conditions, Parkinson’s disease and obesity are all good candidates for nutritional therapy.

Shelly Bartlett, cosmetologist, hair designer, lifestyle coach and owner of INdiGO Organic, oozes enthusiasm for nutraceuticals from her very soul. Sharing space in her Madison Avenue building with hair-cutting and massage areas are racks and racks of nutraceuticals for sale, making it feel a little like a

natural foods coop combined with the delightfully soothing scents and sounds of a spa.

Even the beauty products Bartlett sells – Intelligent Nutrients by Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Aveda – are made from food-grade ingredients and are completely edible. (But probably not very tasty.) The idea is to put nothing ON your body that you wouldn’t put IN your body, such as harmful chemicals, dyes, perfumes and the like.

Bags of cereal, specialty teas, energy drinks, snacks, candy, peanut butter, juices, spices, sea salts, essential oils, herbs, coffee, vitamins, supplements and extracts line the shelves along with deodorants, toothpastes, clothing, baby products, soaps, laundry products, nail polish, candles and even plush bamboo bathrobes.

Glowing noticeably along one wall is a large grouping of translucent pink Himalayan salt lamps, purported to rid the air of dust, allergens, bacteria and mold spores. Plug them in and they attract moisture laden with these baddies. The live ones are killed by the salt. The lamps also emit negative ions to bond with the positive ions that are dust and allergens, dropping them harmlessly to the ground instead of up your nose (according to the literature) and promising relief from respiratory ailments such as asthma and COPD. They are pinkly luminous and mysteriously beautiful.

The organic, all-natural, all-juice lollipops are amazing. Free samples at the desk. Just sayin’.

And plans are to open a full deli, with sandwiches and salads, in May.

ever heard of ‘nutraceuticals’?You’re about to

By Sarah Johnson

Food

south

ern mn style

MM Pages 0615.indd 34 5/20/2015 4:07:51 PM


“Let food be your medicine”1. Greek Yogurt is chock-full of protein and

probiotics. It fills the belly, improves digestion and bolsters the immune system. Plus, it’s a great healthy recipe substitute for sour cream, cream cheese and mayonnaise.

2. Quinoa packs some serious nutritional prowess, providing all nine essential amino acids our bodies can’t produce themselves. And it’s filled with protein— eight grams per one-cup serving.

3. Blueberries are nutritional superstars, filled with fiber, vitamin C, and cancer-fighting and memory-improving compounds.

4. Kale beats out all the rest in terms of nutrition, providing more antioxidants than most other fruits and veggies. It’s also a fantastic source of fiber, calcium, and iron.

5. Chia seeds are loaded with the most essential fatty acids of any known plant. Plus, one serving of the stuff is bursting with magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium.

6. Oatmeal is high in fiber, antioxidants and tons of other nutrients. This breakfast staple has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels, aid in digestion and improve metabolism .

7. Green Tea has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for everything from cancer to heart disease.

8. Broccoli is packed with vitamins, minerals, disease-fighting compounds and fiber.

9. Strawberries are high in vitamin C and antioxidants.

10. Salmon is packed with protein and a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

11. Watermelon is low in sugar and high in vitamins A and C.

12. Spinach is full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and vitamins that promote vision and bone health.

13. Pistachios hold lots of protein, potassium and fiber.

14. Eggs are a relatively inexpensive protein source loaded with nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids.

15. Almonds are the most nutritionally dense nut, meaning they offer the highest concentration of nutrients per calorie per ounce.

16. Ginger has been used for years as a delicious flavoring and an all-natural remedy for everything from an upset stomach to unwanted inflammation.

17. Beets contain tons of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help fight disease and strengthen vital organs.

18. Beans are high in protein and low in cholesterol. They’re also loaded with fiber, folate and magnesium.

19. Pumpkin is crammed with antioxidants and vitamins, including beta-carotene.

20. Apples are a great low-calorie source of fiber. Plus, upping apple intake has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, diabetes and asthma .

21. Cranberries help fight inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease, improve oral health, and help prevent ulcers and yeast infections.

22. Garlic has been used for centuries as food and medicine to treat anything from high blood pressure and heart disease to certain types of cancer.

23. Cauliflower is full of vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting compounds called glucosinolates.

24. Leeks are credited with everything from kicking cancer to boosting immunity. Studies also suggest leeks could help protect the digestive system from stomach and gastric cancers .

25. Lentils are cheap, easy to prepare, and high in protein, iron and other essential nutrients.

MM Pages 0615.indd 35 5/20/2015 4:07:53 PM


Leigh Pomeroy is a Mankato-based writer and wine lover

A brief history of California varietal wines, part trois: new choices

NOTE: This is the third part in an ongoing series about the change in wine drinking habits in the United States.

Last month we concluded with the newfound popularity of Merlot and Syrah/Shiraz wines beginning in the 1980s (Merlot) and 1990s (Australian Shiraz). Since then, while not completely shying away from the traditional favorites Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Americans have picked up an affinity for other varietals and wine region sources.

At one time, for instance, dry California Sauvignon Blanc could only be had from a handful of wineries, most notably Concannon and Wente in the Livermore Valley. Virtually all the Napa Valley Sauvignon Blancs were bottled sweet in an attempt to emulate the sweet Sauternes and Barsac wines from the Bordeaux area of France.

Then the iconic Napa winemaker Robert Mondavi took a trip to France in the 1960s and discovered the Sauvignon Blancs of the Pouilly Fumé region of the Loire Valley, all of which were aged for a time in oak barrels and bottled dry. From this model he fashioned his now famous Fumé Blanc, which became one of the most popular dry white wines on the premium wine market.

But domestic dry Sauvignon Blancs and Fumé Blancs (same grape, with the latter being aged in oak) have in the last two decades been challenged in popularity by New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, which are known for their aggressive, clearly unforgettable flavors ranging from grass to herbs to green olives to bell peppers. (See the Mankato Magazine wine column for March 2015.)

Meanwhile, but sometime after discovering the power and pleasure of the classic Rhône varietal syrah/shiraz, Americans were also slowly being introduced to the white wine varietals of that region, primarily viognier but also roussanne, marsanne, grenache blanc and vermentino.

Viognier was an almost extinct varietal as late as 1965, when reportedly only eight acres existed in the northern Rhône Valley. Then it was discovered by American and other winemakers and viticulturists for producing a fragrant, medium- to full-bodied wine with peach and pear characteristics that could be grown in relatively warm climates. Since that time the grape has found new homes in California, Washington, Australia and Chile, and is no longer considered endangered.

Today, Viognier is the best-known white Rhône varietal, with the others listed above often blended together rather than bottled as separate varietals. But I predict that will change as American wine drinkers — especially the ABC (anything but

Chardonnay) crowd — discover their unique flavors and qualities.

As long as we’re discussing the varietals of France’s Rhône region, let’s go beyond syrah/shiraz and grenache, mentioned in previous articles. Of the others the most important is mourvèdre, also known as mataro or monastrell in Spain. This is a blending grape for the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines of the southern Rhône Valley, and is also present in many Côtes du Rhône reds.

In Spain it is a primary varietal in the Valencia and Jumilla regions, whose wines are becoming very popular in the U.S. because of their intensity and good value.

Decades ago I remember visiting the small Italian family wineries in the southern Santa Clara Valley in California, south of San José. They were very generous in their pouring, as were many wineries throughout California in those days, and they always reserved their Mataro as their final pour, even after their Cabernet Sauvignon. Mataro was, in their opinion, their best red wine.

Another red varietal gaining significant inroads with Americans is Argentinian Malbec, which has gone from near zero to a ubiquitous presence in nearly all wine shops. Why?

Like Australian Shiraz, these wines are intense, usually soft, flavorful, alcoholic, often slightly sweet (shush — it’s a winemaker’s secret!) and inexpensive, although there are better, more quality offerings at substantial prices.

Malbec was once a major blending grape for Bordeaux wines but has since almost disappeared from that region. Just as viognier was resurrected by California and other worldwide wine interests, malbec was transplanted and proved uniquely adaptable to the high-altitude, temperate climate of the Andes foothills of Argentina.

I have to confess I am not a fan of Argentine Malbec, though I’ve never put out the money to try a more expensive one and perhaps one day I should. That said, I am a big fan of the French wine Cahors (pronounced “core”), also made from (predominantly) the malbec grape. Cahors is quite different from the Argentine version: Although still inky dark, it is drier, less fruity, less alcoholic, and often quite tannic and therefore long-lived.

Malbecs are now coming from Chile and California, so look for its popularity to increase in the future.

(Next month: More varietals, a bit on Pinot Noir, plus Americans’ recent return to the joys of bends.)

Wine & B

eerso

uthern m

n style

winesBy Leigh Pomeroy

MM Pages 0615.indd 36 5/20/2015 4:07:54 PM


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Smoking out some adventurous ales

BeerBy Bert Mattson

Biannually, like a work whistle, smoke signals a shift in domestic life.

In fall, chimney smoke ushers us indoors where, in following months, celebratory meals will be served in dining rooms. In spring, grill smoke summons us outdoors for meals shared in fresh air and capped, perhaps, under the rise of June’s Strawberry Moon.

I like charcoal. Most peers prefer gas for convenience. Charcoal shouldn’t be seen as a bother. Rather, it’s a sort of ritual. If outdoor cooks were honest, most would admit an affinity for ritual – honesty isn’t the policy at cook-outs, in my experience. I won’t argue charcoal in itself means better flavor, but it has certain advantages in heat distribution that ultimately influence flavor. Its higher heat more readily sears meat, building flavor – especially significant in smaller cuts and burgers. Besides, the smell sets the scene. Aroma is important to any eating experience, particularly an outdoor meal … as is beer.

Beer becomes an almost essential consideration for a long cook: see above section on honesty. Backyard-smoked brisket is a treat. It takes time. While a session beer may render big talkers more tolerable during a long cook, the final product calls for something robust. Sipping stout at a June barbecue can earn some sideways glances. Good, better to be left alone to appreciate the way stout’s bitter-coffee character contrasts sweet-spiced brisket bark (akin to the interplay in red eye gravy or campfire-baked beans). The smoke ring and buttery texture of a well-prepared brisket salute the subtle char and creamy mouthfeel of Badger Hill

Brewing Company’s Foundation Stout. Both exhibit a deep, rich, roast. Your crew will probably assume that you’re nodding and smiling at their jokes.

Should you draw a balmy afternoon for your barbecue, embrace it. Double down and crack a bottle of Ballast Point’s Habanero Sculpin IPA. It is an accident of our physiology that chili peppers confuse pain receptors and cause perspiration. As hot air hits it, perspiration evaporates carrying away heat in its vapor. Yup, Habanero Sculpin will help make you cool. This beer breaks all the rules: high alcohol and aggressive hopping intensify the heat of habanero. It’s what the kids call, “extreme.” I almost couldn’t stomach it until the host, of the gathering where I first had it, coincidentally came up and offered me her prized blue cheese spread: the creamy spread calmed the heat, hops harnessed penicillium piquancy, and carbonation cut the cheese. Try this one with a blue cheese burger or grilled – not hot – wings with blue cheese dressing.

If you’re not so extreme, have a thick steak and a Black IPA such as Bitter Neighbor from Third Street Brew House. Steaks tend to sit on the grill longer than burgers, exposed to sapid smoke from drippings hitting hot surfaces, acquiring more complex flavors which resonate with roasted malt. Grill marks match up to the beer’s bitterness. It’s not as bitter as the name suggests and, I’ve found, it’s actually smoother than many of my cooking companions.

Or, meathead friends and bitter neighbors

MM Pages 0615.indd 37 5/20/2015 4:08:06 PM


Maybe the pina colada has had its day, but we’re still drinking it

Much like “getting caught in the rain” (which is usually irritating) or “making

love at midnight in the dunes of the Cape” (which is usually a misdemeanor), the pina colada is a drink that sounds better in theory — or in cheesy song lyrics — than it usually turns out to be.

My favorite cocktail is the Negroni, and to wax Seuss-esque, I would drink one in a boat; I would drink one with a goat; I would drink one anywhere. But the appeal of the pina colada is bound to climate, geography, mood; it’s a drink made to be sipped by googly-eyed newlyweds at Sandals resorts. Ordering one often leaves me disappointed and twitchy from the sugar. (Rupert Holmes — writer of “Escape (The Pina Colada Song),” the 1979 earworm quoted above — feels even more strongly; in 2004, he told New York magazine that he hates the drink, comparing it to Kaopectate.)

Icon though it may be, it’s hard to figure out what the pina colada really is. It’s been the national drink of Puerto Rico since 1978, and if you find yourself in San Juan, as I did recently, you can visit Barrachina. The restaurant has been in the old city since the 1950s, and on its exterior, a marble plaque announces it as “the house where in 1963 the pina colada was created by Don Ramon Portas Mingot.” You can sit in a sun-dappled courtyard and sip the restaurant’s pina colada, rum added to a pour from a frozen-drink machine.

Then, as the day darkens, you can drive down Avenida Juan Ponce de Leon for a pina colada at the Caribe Hilton. The hotel sticks to its own creation story, to wit: The drink was invented at the hotel in 1954 by Ramon “Monchito” Marrero, who used a recent Puerto Rican invention — Coco Lopez cream of coconut — in its creation. (The new Caribar at the hotel has seized upon the history with a menu focused on

the “evolution” of the pina colada, highlighting such cocktail cousins as a “clear colada” made with coconut oil-infused white rum and clarified pineapple juice.)

In 2004, Puerto Rico’s then-governor Sila Maria Calderon sided with the Hilton when she acknowledged the drink’s 50-year anniversary and credited Marrero. Regardless, you can sit in either establishment drinking your pina colada, awash in origin myths (and rum), feeling the tropical breezes (and rum), remembering that there are references to “pin acoladas” that go back further than either claim.

Well, maybe you can remember. See “rum,” ibid.

May 2, 1937, a New York Times classified ad: “Pina-colada and coconut, the fastest selling drink on Broadway; tremendous profits; we supply complete equipment.” A 1947 society column from The Washington Post refers glowingly to a drink at “Oriental” restaurant Ruby Foo’s: The pina colada is “a tall drink that can be enjoyed alike by wets and white ribboners.” (“Wets” were imbibers of alcohol; white ribbons were a symbol of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.)

References to “pina colada” go back to the 1920s. But the Caribe Hilton’s claim to today’s version is probably the most credible, although given how bartenders play with ingredients, arguments about “Who invented X drink first?” sometimes seem a little cuckoo.

Barrachina’s drink was intensely sweet and pineapple-forward, thinner and less frothy than Caribar’s; the waiter confirmed it contained only pineapple juice, cream of coconut and rum. Caribar’s re-creation of Marrero’s contains an ounce of heavy cream as well as coconut cream; it’s paler, coconuttier, thicker, like a milkshake.

Both were tasty drinks. Neither was transporting.

Which made me wonder: What makes a cocktail iconic? Why has the pina colada lasted so long?

The drinks world is full of comeback kids, drinks that used to be cool, faded, yet reemerged post-craft-cocktail revival for drink writers to dust off and advocate. But the pina colada presents no such cliche: I don’t see it creeping through the back door of bars that are laden with complex whiskeys and amari, buttoning a too-tight guayabera over its chest hair, grinning a disco grin.

The pina colada has had its day in the sun. Today’s cocktailers want bitter, herbal flavors; freshness; local ingredients — not the weird delicious goo that is Coco Lopez, full of multisyllabic chemical thickeners. Today’s cocktail lovers want drinks in which the base spirit is a talented lead, not a shrill vaudevillian who needs to be smothered under a frippery of sweet juice and coconut.

We’ve moved past the pina colada, left it sweating by the pool, its fat red maraschino heart broken at the bottom of the glass. Maybe it was never that great a drink.

And yet: Years back, in a town on the northern coast of Puerto Rico where my husband and I honeymooned, we stopped at the side of a highway to buy a ripe pineapple from a man who hacked it up with a rusty machete. We picked up Coco Lopez, rum and limes (to cut the sugar) and made drinks that I still feel happy thinking about.

I’ve tried to recapture them with the recipe here, but you’ll probably prefer one you had on a different beach, back on a sun-gilded afternoon you’ll never revisit.

The fact that the pina colada is never immune from circumstance might be what makes it iconic. It’s about where you drink it and with whom, in a way that truly great cocktails transcend — and therefore rarely achieve.

It’s about sitting on a strange beach at dusk with horrible

Drinks

south

ern mn style

Happy Hour: By M. Carrie Allan | Special to the Free Press

MM Pages 0615.indd 38 5/22/2015 12:13:21 PM


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sunburns, barely able to touch each other, holding cool drinks against your skin as you look out at the rolling breakers and the still-unknown contours of a life together.

The pina colada is dead. Long live the pina colada.

Pina con LimaThe classic pina colada recipe

results in a frothy, boozy, intensely sweet shake. This variation keeps the drink’s heart of pineapple and coconut but balances the sweetness with fresh lime juice.

You’ll need a blender.Cream of coconut is available

at most grocery stores. Look for pineapple with a rich, sweet smell (or, if picking the pre-cut kind, look for fruit that’s intensely yellow).

Ingredients• 3 to 4 ounces fresh pineapple,

plus a small slice or wedge for garnish

• 1 1/2 ounces light rum (may substitute a combination of light and gold rums)

• 3/4 ounce cream of coconut• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice, plus

1/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

• 1 cup crushed ice

StepsIn the following order, combine

these ingredients in a blender: the pineapple (to taste), rum, cream of coconut, lime juice and ice. Blend on the highest speed for 30 seconds, then pour into a highball glass.

Garnish with the pineapple slice or wedge and a sprinkling of lime zest. Serve right away.

MM Pages 0615.indd 39 5/22/2015 12:14:32 PM


Poor, poor celery. It’s come a long way … down.Often overlooked in the refrigerator until it’s

wilty and sad, relegated to the soup pot and bor-ing appetizer plates, celery gets no respect nowadays, even though we all eat about 10 pounds of it a year. But there was a time …

Celery was once celebrated as a viable vegetable entity on its own, and cookbooks from the mid-1900s proudly feature sautéed or creamed or braised celery as side dishes fit for company.

Celery actually has three edible zones: the crunchy stalks, the herb-like leaves, and the seeds which are ground and used as a spice (bloody Marys, anyone?) Never, never, never throw those leaves away; use them instead to add a fresh green boost to salads and sandwiches, or toss them in with a pot roast or baked chicken to add depth of flavor.

My favorite way to eat celery: Ants on a Log. Apply peanut butter to celery twig, dot with raisins, enjoy the crunch. It’s one of the first recipes I ever learned, and I’m pretty good at it by now. I’ve made one change to the original version: Use real chocolate-covered ants! The giant candy store in Jordan sells ‘em. You could also use chocolate-cov-ered raisins in a pinch.

As far as medicinal uses go, celery is supposed to be helpful in reducing cholesterol, blood pressure and joint pain. Being low in calories, celery recipes are highly admired among weight watchers. Potassium is abundant in celery, and it’s also reported to be an aphrodisiac.

Most celery is the light green Pascal variety, but a golden vari-ety also exists, as well as the closely related celery root or (celeriac) which is another topic altogether. Look for crisp, bright green leaves as signs of freshness, and keep stored in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. It lasts quite a while, after which it’s time for the soup pot.

BUT … before things go that far … consider cooking up a batch of this:

Braised Celery with Tomato and Parmesan

6 celery ribs, plus celery leaves3 garlic cloves2 tablespoons olive oil½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoesA few big pinches of kosher salt, or to tasteFreshly ground black pepper to taste (maybe 6 grinds)2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about a cup, packed)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Clean the celery ribs, peel the stringy fibers on the convex side, and cut them into 4-inch-long pieces. Reserve some celery leaves. Peel the garlic and dice it finely.

Heat a 2-quart saucepan on top of the stove. When the pan is heated, add olive oil. When the oil is hot (this will take perhaps 15 seconds—it’ll shimmer), add the garlic and sauté the garlic for about a minute and a half. Then add the reserved celery leaves and continue sautéing for another 30 seconds. Add the red pepper flakes and diced tomatoes.

Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes (until the sauce has thickened slightly). Add salt and black pepper to taste. At this point, you’ve made a basic marinara.

Spread half the marinara sauce on the bottom of a shallow baking dish just big enough to hold the cel-ery. Add the celery, hollow side up; try not to overlap the pieces much. Cover the celery with the rest of the sauce. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and set a timer for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. At the 35-minute mark, test to see if the celery is ten-der (the tip of a paring knife should slide into the cel-ery effortlessly). If you used the inner ribs of the celery head, the celery probably will be tender at this point; if you used the outer ribs, it usually won’t be. Continue baking until the celery is tender, about 45 minutes.

When the celery is tender, remove the aluminum foil from the baking dish. Spread the grated Parmi-giano-Reggiano cheese over the top. Bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and has browned just a little (or a lot, if you prefer). Remove from oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving to give the juices a chance to settle.

bringin’ CeLerY back!The sad story of an overlooked but highly nutritious veggie

Food

south

ern mn style

whAT’s cookinG By Sarah Johnson

Sarah Johnson is a cook, freelance writer and chocolate addict from North Mankato with three grown kids and a couple of mutts.

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reFlecTionsBy John Cross

the roots of the three-month break from school during June, July and August trace back to a time when society was more agrarian and youthful labor was a much-

needed commodity on the farm.Most adults likely would agree that it is a tradition that has

outlived its usefulness.Youth, however, would beg to differ.All the world is their oyster in the summertime — three

glorious months to explore, to sleep in, to fish or play ball.Soon enough, they will discover the reality of work, of duty,

of responsibility.until then, we should let them enjoy it while it lasts. M


MM Pages 0615.indd 42 5/20/2015 4:08:32 PM

reFlecTionsBy John Cross


MM Pages 0615.indd 43 5/20/2015 4:08:39 PM

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Table of Contents

50 DIY Pallet Wood Furniture

52 Finding the Right Balance

58 From Trash to Treasure Rescuing Craftsmanship

62 Emerging Trends in Crafting

64 A Day Trip Destination Could Lead To Insporation

68 How You Can Finance Your Home Improvemnet Projects

50

52

58

62

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

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Special Advertising Section • June 2015 • • 49

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Story by Marianne Carlson

Functional, Affordable & Beautiful

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Armed with a sketchbook full of ideas and her mind set on saving money, Barb Skodje-Mack asked her husband Travis to put his handyman skills to work

this past winter.She asked him to help her build furniture for their new lake

home using old pallet wood.“Travis was the builder and I was the designer,” Skodje-

Mack said with a smile. “He had to look at my drawings and figure out how to make them into something real.”

Once the pieces were complete, Skodje-Mack did the finishing work, sanding and applied several coats of polyurethane.

Skodje-Mack her husband Travis have three young boys, Brayden 8, Brenden 6 and Brogan 4, so they wanted to make sure that slivers were not an issue for anyone.

“She had to be careful not to sand them too much because part of the appeal, is the coloration and texture, the boards have naturally or the marks left on them from being ripped down,” Travis said pointing to a group of dark circular marks across the back of his newly constructed love seat. “These are from a saw blade”

The couple spent many evenings and weekends in their garage, this past winter, constructing a variety of different furniture for their lake home.

The total furniture count this spring was: two loveseats, two large mirror frames, two coat hook racks, two sofa tables, a queen headboard, a farmhouse bench, shelves for a wrought iron baker’s rack and a hanging wine rack.

The first piece the couple finished was a sofa table, also known as a console table. These tall thin tables are perfect for the bedrooms at the lake house because they don’t take up a lot of room, and there is still enough surface area for a lamp, Skodje-Mack said.

That first project turned out so good that they decided to keep going.

When one of Barb’s neighborhood friends saw the new hanging wine rack, she fell in love with it and asked Travis to help her build one for her kitchen.

“It turned into a little party,” Skodje-Mack said with a laugh.

“I think I made 7 or 8 wine racks in one night,” Travis said with smile.

When asked if she is a trailblazing, do-it-yourselfer, Skodje-Mack said. “Not typically. I’ve always been more into fine art than construction art, but we needed furniture. We really wanted to do this rustic sort of theme and this idea fit right in with our vision.”

Before running out and loading up the pickup truck with pallets lying on the curb, Skodje-Mack said to make sure and ask permission.

“Most people are more than happy to get rid of them, but some businesses reuse them, so just ask before you take them,” she warned.

When asked how much money they think they saved, Travis said, “Each of the love seats only cost around $20 to make. That is basic lumber that I used for the bases.”

“That is not including the throw pillows and the crib mattress,” Skodje-Mack said.

That’s right. The main cushions on her loveseats are crib mattresses.

“Working on these projects has served the functional goal of bringing fun, rustic furniture to our lake home, but it has been a surprisingly fun adventure for us as a couple and family,” Skodje-Mack said. “We spent many days and nights this winter working together in the garage and feel happy about what we created together.”

MM Pages 0615.indd 50 5/20/2015 4:09:59 PM


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The total furniture count this spring was: two loveseats, two large mirror frames, two coat hook racks, two sofa tables, a queen headboard, a farmhouse bench, shelves for a wrought iron baker’s rack and a hanging wine rack.

The first piece the couple finished was a sofa table, also known as a console table. These tall thin tables are perfect for the bedrooms at the lake house because they don’t take up a lot of room, and there is still enough surface area for a lamp, Skodje-Mack said.

That first project turned out so good that they decided to keep going.

When one of Barb’s neighborhood friends saw the new hanging wine rack, she fell in love with it and asked Travis to help her build one for her kitchen.

“It turned into a little party,” Skodje-Mack said with a laugh.

“I think I made 7 or 8 wine racks in one night,” Travis said with smile.

When asked if she is a trailblazing, do-it-yourselfer, Skodje-Mack said. “Not typically. I’ve always been more into fine art than construction art, but we needed furniture. We really wanted to do this rustic sort of theme and this idea fit right in with our vision.”

Before running out and loading up the pickup truck with pallets lying on the curb, Skodje-Mack said to make sure and ask permission.

“Most people are more than happy to get rid of them, but some businesses reuse them, so just ask before you take them,” she warned.

When asked how much money they think they saved, Travis said, “Each of the love seats only cost around $20 to make. That is basic lumber that I used for the bases.”

“That is not including the throw pillows and the crib mattress,” Skodje-Mack said.

That’s right. The main cushions on her loveseats are crib mattresses.

“Working on these projects has served the functional goal of bringing fun, rustic furniture to our lake home, but it has been a surprisingly fun adventure for us as a couple and family,” Skodje-Mack said. “We spent many days and nights this winter working together in the garage and feel happy about what we created together.”

MM Pages 0615.indd 51 5/20/2015 4:10:15 PM


You’ve decided to remodel your kitchen. Now what? A kitchen renovation is a major undertaking that can transform the look and function of your home.

It requires planning, communication, and patience. The process can be exhilarating and stressful. A finely balanced combination of aesthetics and functionality is what will drive the remodeling process.

Planning your kitchen remodel will take time. If you plan well, the amount of time you’re inconvenienced will be minimized. Also, you’re more likely to stay on budget. Begin the planning process by studying your current kitchen. What do you like? What doesn’t work? What do you want the remodel to accomplish?

Once you’ve defined your remodeling goals you can explore kitchen design concepts that support your daily needs and life style. A gourmet kitchen may include professional grade appliances and specialty storage solutions. The layout of an entertaining kitchen could be designed around a large island

with custom features to serve food and beverages. A family-centered design may include areas for doing homework, packing school lunches and charging electronic devices.

The style of your new kitchen should complement the rest of your home and will benefit from a focal point. Don’t overdo the details. Also, it usually isn’t necessary to completely fill every wall with cabinets. A good layout balances storage, function, and aesthetics. Avoid heavy runs on doors and drawers by adding features such as glass doors, open shelving, or specialty appliances like beverage centers. You’ll want your remodel to last a long time. So be careful about the style choices you make.

If you’re interested in timeless choices consider shaker cabinets, subway tile, and white colors. White is forever fresh. It is always high on the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s survey of popular colors. White is a bright, clean color that reflects light and can open up a small kitchen. Shaker style cabinets are a classic. Their simple frame and

panel design look good in almost any setting. The clean lines are a perfect fit for a transitional style kitchen. Subway tile has been used since the early 1900’s and is a wonderful choice for backsplashes. It is an iconic staple of American design that does not go out of style.

Of course, there are always trends that you can incorporate into your design. One of the most popular is grey cabinetry. Warm-toned metals such as brass, copper, and bronze also remain on trend. Another popular style is mixed cabinet finishes, in both paint and wood. Pale wood tones are a making a comeback in both cabinetry and flooring. Solid quartz countertops continue to increase in popularity due to their consistent coloring and low maintenance.

Finally, you’ll face your biggest challenge – living day-to-day without a fully functioning kitchen. With some preplanning you can make this inconvenience less painful. Find an area in your home that can serve as a stand-in kitchen, this may be in a utility room, the garage, or spare room. Set this area up away from any construction. Pare down the kitchen gear you will bring into this space. Start packing up your kitchen early! It will take longer than you think. This will also give you time to do some purging. Plan your meals around small appliances such as slow cookers, microwaves, and electric

Submitted by: Antje Meisner Concepts

Finding The Perfect

Balance

MM Pages 0615.indd 52 5/20/2015 4:10:24 PM


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with custom features to serve food and beverages. A family-centered design may include areas for doing homework, packing school lunches and charging electronic devices.

The style of your new kitchen should complement the rest of your home and will benefit from a focal point. Don’t overdo the details. Also, it usually isn’t necessary to completely fill every wall with cabinets. A good layout balances storage, function, and aesthetics. Avoid heavy runs on doors and drawers by adding features such as glass doors, open shelving, or specialty appliances like beverage centers. You’ll want your remodel to last a long time. So be careful about the style choices you make.

If you’re interested in timeless choices consider shaker cabinets, subway tile, and white colors. White is forever fresh. It is always high on the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s survey of popular colors. White is a bright, clean color that reflects light and can open up a small kitchen. Shaker style cabinets are a classic. Their simple frame and

panel design look good in almost any setting. The clean lines are a perfect fit for a transitional style kitchen. Subway tile has been used since the early 1900’s and is a wonderful choice for backsplashes. It is an iconic staple of American design that does not go out of style.

Of course, there are always trends that you can incorporate into your design. One of the most popular is grey cabinetry. Warm-toned metals such as brass, copper, and bronze also remain on trend. Another popular style is mixed cabinet finishes, in both paint and wood. Pale wood tones are a making a comeback in both cabinetry and flooring. Solid quartz countertops continue to increase in popularity due to their consistent coloring and low maintenance.

Finally, you’ll face your biggest challenge – living day-to-day without a fully functioning kitchen. With some preplanning you can make this inconvenience less painful. Find an area in your home that can serve as a stand-in kitchen, this may be in a utility room, the garage, or spare room. Set this area up away from any construction. Pare down the kitchen gear you will bring into this space. Start packing up your kitchen early! It will take longer than you think. This will also give you time to do some purging. Plan your meals around small appliances such as slow cookers, microwaves, and electric

skillets. If you don’t have access to a sink in this space you’ll want to load up on disposable serving pieces. Have fun with it. Spread out a blanket and have a picnic in the living room.

A kitchen renovation is a massive task. Part of good planning is to know your limits. Don’t be fooled by the remodeling projects that you’ve seen on T.V. A complete kitchen remodel does not happen in a matter of weeks. What you don’t see is the months of planning that took place beforehand. Materials have been pre-ordered. Many meetings have occurred with various trades involved with the job before demo begins. Using the services of a professional can simplify the process. Pros assist in design decisions, foresee potential problems, schedule contractors, and manage the project.

Always plan for the unexpected. Set aside an extra 15 to 20 percent of your budget for surprises. You can never be sure of what a demolition team may uncover. Water damage, mold, electrical or plumbing issues are some items that may need to be addressed and added to the budget.

Remember the end goal. There are few home improvement projects that can match the impact of a remodeled kitchen. The months of planning and weeks of construction will all be worth it. An updated kitchen will add beauty, function, and value to your home for years to come.

Submitted by: Antje Meisner Concepts

Finding The Perfect

Balance

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MM Pages 0615.indd 53 5/20/2015 4:10:37 PM


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MM Pages 0615.indd 55 5/20/2015 4:10:50 PM

MM Pages 0615.indd 56 5/20/2015 4:11:00 PM

From trash to treasure –

rescuing craftsmanship

By Marianne Carlson

MM Pages 0615.indd 57 5/20/2015 4:11:06 PM


The word junk might be a swear word to some people. But to others, the word junk inspires creativity.In the hands of the right person, junk is a mystery

that needs solving – uncharted territory that has yet to be discovered.

For imaginative people, junk is simply finding a new use for something old. The word junk implies unlimited possibilities.

“And what could be more fun than letting your imagination run wild?” Don Short, owner of West End Architectural Salvage asked with a laugh.

West End Architectural Salvage is located in Des Moines, Iowa and is a 50,000 square foot warehouse with four floors of merchandise for sale. Every item at West End Architectural Salvage is truly unique. This spectacular collection spans a wide range of historical styles, genres and cultures. The inventory comes from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, England, the Middle East, and various other places, making their selection anything, but boring.

With several hundred patrons visiting the store each day, inventory is constantly changing.

“Some pieces are sold even before they are unloaded from the truck,” Short said. “The best way to see everything is to come visit us, but if you can’t do that, then check out the website. You can literally shop and explore all four floors of the building.”

In addition to finding and selling an eclectic medley of home décor and furniture , Short and his crew can make just

about anything you can imagine. “If you can dream it, we can build it,” Short said with a

laugh.Many people might recognize Short

from television. His reality show, West End Salvage, airs on HGTV (Home & Garden Television) and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) network. The show has a huge following and is now in its second season.

Short took some time out of his day for a little Q & A session.

Q: Where did you grow up? Go to college? Did any of that play into what you do now?

I grew up in Beach, North Dakota and went to college in Grand Forks. I played football and studied industrial engineering.

After college, I moved to Minneapolis, but I only stayed for one year. It was a bigger city than I wanted to live in. I moved to Marshalltown, Iowa and decided to take a different path. I ran Taylor’s Maid Rite Restaurant until 1986 and during that time I restored 14 houses in Marshalltown and 12 in Des Moines.

Q: When you say restored – what to do mean? Can you elaborate?

All homes are unique. So when I restored these homes, I used materials that meshed with the style and age of the home, but added my own twists and a few new amenities.

In this one home I did, I took all the backs off the kitchen cabinets and put windows in. The cabinets had glass fronts,

so you could look right through the cupboards all the way outside. You could still see your plates and glasses, but you could see outside too. It was really cool.

Q: Were you always interested in building furniture and restoring old homes?

My grandparents on my mother’s side tore down a couple of homes and they used all the best pieces and parts in a new home that they built for themselves in the early 60’s. I remember – they used these beautiful French doors as a dividing wall between the dining area and living room. They also used a bunch of the old hardware.

That started it. But my parents were huge antique collectors, so I suppose

that helped fuel the fire too. My dad and I built this great big fireplace mantel from

beams that we pulled out of an ice house in Glendive, Montana. I guess I’ve just always been around it. In high school I started refinishing furniture, building houses and restoring apartment buildings. I always looked at it like more of a hobby than a job.

Q: What is the most extensive renovation project you’ve ever done?

My crew and I spent twelve years renovating the 10,000 square foot Willard Mansion in Marshalltown. It’s a historic landmark and is over 100-years-old.

Q: How did West End Architectural Salvage come to be?I bought two warehouses with the idea of building luxury

condos. Then the city wanted to put in this really cool park across the street, but they didn’t think I was a big enough

Don Short, ownerWest End Architectural Salvage

MM Pages 0615.indd 58 5/20/2015 4:11:13 PM


about anything you can imagine. “If you can dream it, we can build it,” Short said with a

laugh.Many people might recognize Short

from television. His reality show, West End Salvage, airs on HGTV (Home & Garden Television) and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) network. The show has a huge following and is now in its second season.

Short took some time out of his day for a little Q & A session.

Q: Where did you grow up? Go to college? Did any of that play into what you do now?

I grew up in Beach, North Dakota and went to college in Grand Forks. I played football and studied industrial engineering.

After college, I moved to Minneapolis, but I only stayed for one year. It was a bigger city than I wanted to live in. I moved to Marshalltown, Iowa and decided to take a different path. I ran Taylor’s Maid Rite Restaurant until 1986 and during that time I restored 14 houses in Marshalltown and 12 in Des Moines.

Q: When you say restored – what to do mean? Can you elaborate?

All homes are unique. So when I restored these homes, I used materials that meshed with the style and age of the home, but added my own twists and a few new amenities.

In this one home I did, I took all the backs off the kitchen cabinets and put windows in. The cabinets had glass fronts,

so you could look right through the cupboards all the way outside. You could still see your plates and glasses, but you could see outside too. It was really cool.

Q: Were you always interested in building furniture and restoring old homes?

My grandparents on my mother’s side tore down a couple of homes and they used all the best pieces and parts in a new home that they built for themselves in the early 60’s. I remember – they used these beautiful French doors as a dividing wall between the dining area and living room. They also used a bunch of the old hardware.

That started it. But my parents were huge antique collectors, so I suppose

that helped fuel the fire too. My dad and I built this great big fireplace mantel from

beams that we pulled out of an ice house in Glendive, Montana. I guess I’ve just always been around it. In high school I started refinishing furniture, building houses and restoring apartment buildings. I always looked at it like more of a hobby than a job.

Q: What is the most extensive renovation project you’ve ever done?

My crew and I spent twelve years renovating the 10,000 square foot Willard Mansion in Marshalltown. It’s a historic landmark and is over 100-years-old.

Q: How did West End Architectural Salvage come to be?I bought two warehouses with the idea of building luxury

condos. Then the city wanted to put in this really cool park across the street, but they didn’t think I was a big enough

operation to handle building the high rises they had planned. So I sold to a bigger developer.

In the meantime, my team and I had just salvaged a couple of houses on Grand Avenue and I was sitting on all this great stuff. So I decided to run an ad in the local paper and have a two week tag sale.

That was in September 2005 and now, 10 years later, we have what we have now.

Q: It looks like an awesome space for events. Do you rent it out? What is the most common event?

We have around 15 events per month. We average four weddings receptions each month, which is the most popular event, but we host anniversary parties, family reunions – you name it. I am surprised by and love the diversity of the people that like to come here.

Q: West End Architectural Salvage has its very own coffee shop – What is your favorite coffee?

A good strong Americana.

Q: When did you first realize you could make a living making furniture?

Well, it took seven and a half years for us to be profitable. During that time we’ve had some really good things happen. There was one time when we weren’t going to make payroll and then we got an order from Bachman’s in Minneapolis. We made payroll and it kept us going.

What is crazy about this business is that we are sitting on $1 million worth of inventory. But it is all about timing, rather than price point. For example, I might have the perfect mantel and I’m selling it for $1 and I have a clawfoot bathtub for $.50, but if you don’t need a mantle or a bathtub, then it doesn’t matter what it costs.

I really think people are reevaluating what they spend and they are only going to buy things they need, things they love.

MM Pages 0615.indd 59 5/20/2015 4:11:24 PM


• Stop in now andsee one of thebest showrooms inMankato!

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Q: How about the whole repurposing thing - what inspired you to get into that side of the business instead of creating furniture from new materials?

I’ve always loved giving new life to old things. I think of repurposing as the ultimate green activity. It’s pretty incredible knowing that you are re-using material that might have just been thrown away.

There are a lot of antiques that don’t function with how we live today. So I like to take the pieces that still interesting and adapt them to fit our needs today. For instance, tables used to be 27 inches tall. Now tables are 30 inches tall.

Q: When people walk through the door, do they have a specific idea of what they want or do they just want you to create something for them?

Only about 10 percent are sure on what they want. The other 90 percent just want us to make something unique for them. I think a lot of it is word of mouth – they have friends that we have built something for or they have seen us on the TV show. It is a big compliment when they trust us.

Q: What is the most commonly requested piece of furniture?

Tables. But we also do this line of chairs with one-inch tube steel that is pretty popular. Church pew seats are also a favorite.

Q: What is the most unusual furniture or fixture you have made?

We make these great wine racks and wine stations out of reclaimed wood. We’ve even made some out of old lockers. We’ve also made some coffee tables out of mill blades.

I like creating things that make people think or evokes memory.

Q: It looks like your crew is pretty tight. How long have you been working together?

Our core group of five has been together since the beginning – around 8 years. We have 23 full-timers and 10 of them, we just hired in the last three years. We have another 10 part-timers that are mostly college students.

Q: What is your favorite part about what you do?

There is a lot of freedom and creativity.

Q: Any last words?Tune in and watch the show. If you

are traveling through Des Moines, stop in and see us. There are 100 awesome things to do in this city. And it is not a bad drive from Mankato. Bring a credit card and some Miller High Life.

MM Pages 0615.indd 60 5/20/2015 4:11:36 PM


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“Why buy it when you can make it yourself?” is a mantra many crafters or do-it-yourselfers live by. Crafting can be an excellent outlet

for self-expression and an entertaining way to pass the time. Many crafters even turn their hobbies into successful business ventures.

This year certain trends are poised to take crafting by storm, while fads of 2014 should continue. Those making the rounds on Pinterest® and crafting blogs may discover the following crafts are trending in 2015.

Natural elementsCrafters are taking their cues from nature, and you’re

certain to find natural elements, such as wood, bark and burlap, in craft projects. Distressed finishes on furniture and photo frames will still demand attention. Do-it-yourself projects, such as turning a slab of a tree trunk into a table or upcycling wooden shipping palettes into shelving, also will grow in popularity. Whenever working on designs that feature natural materials, try to repurpose elements whenever possible for the most rustic, authentic feel.

Chevron and diamondsThose sprucing up home decorating elements with stencils

or chalk paint can find inspiration in many places. Patterns that continue to show up in abundance include chevron and various incarnations of the diamond. It’s easy to dress up just about any element with some well-placed stenciling, which does not necessarily require a wealth of skill or experience. Stencils also can be used on flooring to create a faux area rug effect.

Color of the YearIf you get giddy over the warmth

of browns and reds, you will be enamored with Pantone®’s 2015 Color of the Year. The authority on color and a provider of color systems, Pantone® has chosen Marsala to be the “it” shade for 2015. Blending burgundy and brown tones to create a hue perfect for filling a wine glass or painting dining room walls, you will see plenty of this robust shade in decorative elements and clothing in the year ahead.

Bringing the outside inAn ecologically sound and creative trend for spring

involves crafting your own garden terrarium. Terrariums can be made out of just about any shaped glass or plastic container. Use hardy plants and a moisture-holding substrate to help your terrarium flourish. Terrariums can be interesting focal points for any room, and they’re a creative use for empty vases, aquariums and other containers collecting dust.

Painting on canvasEach year brings with it a new crafting obsession. This

year it’s poised to be watercolor painting. Classes are bound to pop up in craft stores and other hobby centers near you. Or you can experiment at home with just a few basic tools.

Another growing paint trend is to enjoy a ladies’ night out that pairs painting with wine and socialization. Participants work on a painting over a predetermined number of sessions and then take their masterpieces home.

Spring into greenGreen hues and floral and foliage patterns for decorating

will be popular this year. Anyone can liven up interior spaces with elements that borrow from nature, including leaf patterns and flowers.

Crafting continues to be a popular form of expression and a beloved pastime. Certain trends emerge each year that set the course for do-it-yourself projects.

craftingEmerging trends in

MM Pages 0615.indd 62 5/20/2015 4:11:45 PM


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Bringing the outside inAn ecologically sound and creative trend for spring

involves crafting your own garden terrarium. Terrariums can be made out of just about any shaped glass or plastic container. Use hardy plants and a moisture-holding substrate to help your terrarium flourish. Terrariums can be interesting focal points for any room, and they’re a creative use for empty vases, aquariums and other containers collecting dust.

Painting on canvasEach year brings with it a new crafting obsession. This

year it’s poised to be watercolor painting. Classes are bound to pop up in craft stores and other hobby centers near you. Or you can experiment at home with just a few basic tools.

Another growing paint trend is to enjoy a ladies’ night out that pairs painting with wine and socialization. Participants work on a painting over a predetermined number of sessions and then take their masterpieces home.

Spring into greenGreen hues and floral and foliage patterns for decorating

will be popular this year. Anyone can liven up interior spaces with elements that borrow from nature, including leaf patterns and flowers.

Crafting continues to be a popular form of expression and a beloved pastime. Certain trends emerge each year that set the course for do-it-yourself projects.

crafting

MM Pages 0615.indd 63 5/20/2015 4:11:46 PM


It all starts with clean, white walls – the perfect backdrop – an empty canvas.

At least for Jackie Dickie it does.Dickie is the owner of Farmhouse in the City 1890, located

in Waseca.After nearly a decade as a freelance stylist for Better Homes

& Gardens, Dickie decided to take a break and focus on some of her own projects.

Now, almost one year later, the stars have aligned and Dickie has opened her own shop in Waseca.

“It was always on the agenda,” Dickie said with a smile. “I just had to wait for the right time to do it and now I found the space, which is totally exciting. It is big enough to handle, but not too big and the architecture and ambiance are a perfect marriage.”

Farmhouse in the City 1890Once the walls and ceiling rafters were painted with a fresh

coat of white paint, Dickie was ready to begin the best part – filling her new shop.

“I had to figure out what I wanted to carry,” Dickie said. “I knew I wasn’t going to put anything in there that I was not in love with myself. I am very selective. I am always looking for the perfect combination of vintage finds and new products.”

During her time working with Better Homes & Gardens, Dickie formed lasting relationships with several

manufacturers that are now her go-to-guys for new inventory. “When I order new items, I am very specific about what

I want, and I am not going to stock every product,” Dickie explained. “Most of my vintage finds are one-of-a-kind and when they’re gone … they’re gone. I want to keep that same philosophy with my new items as well. The idea is that this is a place to find something special and every time a customer comes back, the shop will be new and fresh.”

Farmhouse in the City 1890 is open every 2nd Friday and Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dickie spends the other three weekends of the month searching for unique products and of course arranging them in a creative way meant to provoke thought and maybe even a little conversation.

“I am bringing in a variety of styles, but overall I am looking for comfort, beauty and function,” Dickie said with a smile. “I am very methodical. As I am hunting, I make sure that all of the products I bring in can be married with Cottage, English, French, early American or a simple Modern style. I really try to be selective and make sure that all of the items can cross over from style to style. Because the bottom line is that each home owner is purchasing something that they are going to add to the style that already exists in their home.”

The Shop Keepers of WasecaDickie is part of a group of shops in Waseca that is working

together to brand themselves as a daytrip destination for

truly unique shops filled with Vintage, Garden, Cottage, Industrial and Primitive wares.

“What is so nice is that everybody has a different look, but it is cohesive with each other,” Dickie said. “Customers can buy something from me and then go to the neighbor down the street and purchase something else and they will all work well with each other.”

All of the shop keepers in Waseca are being very careful not to duplicate their inventory so that customers have the ability to go each of the different locations.

“I feel very fortunate to work with all of these wonderful shop owners who are willing to work together and promote each other,” Dickie said. “All of the shops are fun. There are lots of goodies for everybody’s design style.”

Dickie said that she and her friends are always looking for a daytrip destination and now that is something Waseca can offer.

Engaging CreativityWhen asked what the best of par to running her own shop

is, Dickie said, “Developing new friendships. I love talking to my customers and hearing what they are working on. I love listening to how they are going to use their new items. For me, it is all about sharing ideas.”

One of Dickie’s favorite things in the entire world is finding objects that have a million uses –items that can be used inside and outside of the home no matter the season.

“When you find multiple uses for one object, then you

By Marianne Carlson

ADay Trip Destination Could Lead To

Inspiration

MM Pages 0615.indd 64 5/22/2015 12:15:03 PM


manufacturers that are now her go-to-guys for new inventory. “When I order new items, I am very specific about what

I want, and I am not going to stock every product,” Dickie explained. “Most of my vintage finds are one-of-a-kind and when they’re gone … they’re gone. I want to keep that same philosophy with my new items as well. The idea is that this is a place to find something special and every time a customer comes back, the shop will be new and fresh.”

Farmhouse in the City 1890 is open every 2nd Friday and Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dickie spends the other three weekends of the month searching for unique products and of course arranging them in a creative way meant to provoke thought and maybe even a little conversation.

“I am bringing in a variety of styles, but overall I am looking for comfort, beauty and function,” Dickie said with a smile. “I am very methodical. As I am hunting, I make sure that all of the products I bring in can be married with Cottage, English, French, early American or a simple Modern style. I really try to be selective and make sure that all of the items can cross over from style to style. Because the bottom line is that each home owner is purchasing something that they are going to add to the style that already exists in their home.”

The Shop Keepers of WasecaDickie is part of a group of shops in Waseca that is working

together to brand themselves as a daytrip destination for

truly unique shops filled with Vintage, Garden, Cottage, Industrial and Primitive wares.

“What is so nice is that everybody has a different look, but it is cohesive with each other,” Dickie said. “Customers can buy something from me and then go to the neighbor down the street and purchase something else and they will all work well with each other.”

All of the shop keepers in Waseca are being very careful not to duplicate their inventory so that customers have the ability to go each of the different locations.

“I feel very fortunate to work with all of these wonderful shop owners who are willing to work together and promote each other,” Dickie said. “All of the shops are fun. There are lots of goodies for everybody’s design style.”

Dickie said that she and her friends are always looking for a daytrip destination and now that is something Waseca can offer.

Engaging CreativityWhen asked what the best of par to running her own shop

is, Dickie said, “Developing new friendships. I love talking to my customers and hearing what they are working on. I love listening to how they are going to use their new items. For me, it is all about sharing ideas.”

One of Dickie’s favorite things in the entire world is finding objects that have a million uses –items that can be used inside and outside of the home no matter the season.

“When you find multiple uses for one object, then you

are really getting your money’s worth,” Dickie said. “I love coming up with new ways that old things can be used. If my customers leave my shop with just one idea, then I feel like I did my job.”

What’s next?In one word – CLASSES.“That’s right. I am going to teach classes,” Dickie said

excitedly. “I am also working on bringing in some visiting teachers too. Once again, I am not going to offer any class that I wouldn’t want to attend myself.”

Classes start in September and they will be held on separate days than her normal hours.

“I’ve been telling my customers to keep a close eye on my Facebook page because I will be posting sneak peeks leading up to the first class and in August I will announce the class schedule and dates,” Dickie said. “These classes will be a creative outlet for my customers. At the end of the class, they will take home a finished project. I think some people feel like they don’t have a creative side, but once they are placed in the right environment, they surprise themselves. Everybody has a little bit of creative side. Creativity is the most powerful when we all feed off of each other. I love connecting with people and I love helping people engage their own creativity.”

ADay Trip Destination could lead To

Inspiration

MM Pages 0615.indd 65 5/20/2015 4:11:50 PM


Directory of Area Businesses

Farmhouse in the City 1890107 11th Ave. W. Waseca, MN

(612)599-8042

Homestead917 N. State Street, Waseca, MN

(507)327-7492

Ms. Macs Antiques100 N. Main Street, Janesville, MN

(507)317-2457

Past & Present Antiques & Gifts1101 N State St, Waseca, MN 56093

(507) 835-4000

Pearl Button Primitives206 N. State Street, Waseca, MN

(507)461-1648

Summerhouse Farm2412 N. State Street, Waseca, MN

(507)461-0328

Zinnias231 Elm Ave. W., Waseca, MN

(507)833-5822Check Facebook for updates on

special sales events, classes, promotions and updates.

Antiques Plus28 N Minnesota St, New Ulm, MN

(507)359-1090

Cherry Lane Antiques & Appraisals1440 Cherry St, New Ulm, MN

(507)354-4870

Hope & Faith209 N. Minnesota St. New Ulm, MN

(507)354-2222232 Main Street East, Sleepy Eye, MN

(507)794-2050

Domeier’s German Store1020 S Minnesota St, New Ulm, MN

(507)354-4231

Grizzly Canyon Antiques & Collectables

140 East Main StSleepy Eye, MN(507)766-0801

JANESVILLE & WASECA

New Ulm & Sleepy Eye

MANKATOAntiques On Walnut

114 E Walnut St Mankato, MN (507) 388-5060

Antique Warehouse125 W Ruth St Mankato, MN

(507) 388-1824

Black Dog Antiques302 N Riverfront Dr, Mankato, MN

(507) 625-5948

Broad Street Antiques1434 N Broad St, Mankato, MN

(507) 291-5528

Generations Antiques615 S Front St Mankato, MN

(507) 345-7551

Old Town Antiques & Mercantile521 N Riverfront Dr Mankato, MN

(507) 386-0600

Pond Road AntiquesCurrently looking for a new location

Watch Facebook page for updates(507) 386-7663

Sav Mor Jewlery816 N 2nd St. Mankato, MN

(507)345-5508

Salvage Sisters613 N Riverfront Dr, Mankato, MN 56001

(507) 345-8575

ST. PETERPlaying Possum Antiques

& Whimsy218 S Minnesota Ave, St Peter, MN

(507) 934-5636

Diamonds in the Rust217 Park Row, St Peter, MN 56082

(507) 934-1490

Habadashery Antiques & Uniques220 S Minnesota Ave

St Peter, MN

MADELIA609 Barn Boutique

609 W. Main Street, Madelia, MNOccasional Sale twice each year– First week in May & October

Hope and Faith Floral & Gifts23 W Main St, Madelia, MN 56062

(507) 642-8967

MM Pages 0615.indd 66 5/20/2015 4:11:53 PM


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Directory of Area Businesses

Farmhouse in the City 1890107 11th Ave. W. Waseca, MN

(612)599-8042

Homestead917 N. State Street, Waseca, MN

(507)327-7492

Ms. Macs Antiques100 N. Main Street, Janesville, MN

(507)317-2457

Past & Present Antiques & Gifts1101 N State St, Waseca, MN 56093

(507) 835-4000

Pearl Button Primitives206 N. State Street, Waseca, MN

(507)461-1648

Summerhouse Farm2412 N. State Street, Waseca, MN

(507)461-0328

Zinnias231 Elm Ave. W., Waseca, MN

(507)833-5822Check Facebook for updates on

special sales events, classes, promotions and updates.

JANESVILLE & WASECA

MADELIA609 Barn Boutique

609 W. Main Street, Madelia, MNOccasional Sale twice each year– First week in May & October

Hope and Faith Floral & Gifts23 W Main St, Madelia, MN 56062

(507) 642-8967

MM Pages 0615.indd 67 5/20/2015 4:11:59 PM

How you can finance your home improvement

projects

like having a credit card. It’s possible to borrow a certain amount for the life of the loan, which is a set time specified by the lender. During this time, homeowners can withdraw money as it is needed up to the value of the line of credit. HELOCs typically have a variable interest rate that fluctuates and payments can vary depending on the amount of money borrowed and the current interest rates.

• Title I property loan: Residents of the United States with limited equity in their homes may qualify for an FHA Title I loan. Banks and other lenders are qualified to make these loans from their own funds, and the FHA will insure the lender against a possible loss. Title I loans can be used for any improvements that will make a home more useful and livable. They cannot be used for renovations deemed luxury expenses.

• Borrow against retirement funds: Some people opt to borrow against a 401(k) plan, IRA or another retirement fund. If the retirement plan allows a loan without penalty, it can be another way to secure funds. Because it is the homeowner’s money, there will be no credit check required and less delay in getting the funds. Borrowers should keep in mind that taking a loan against a retirement account will usually result in a lower retirement balance than it would have been had they not borrowed money from the account - even after the funds have been repaid.

• Credit cards: Credit cards are an option when improvements are not expensive. Individuals with excellent credit ratings may qualify for cards with a no-interest introductory periods of several months or more. These cards can be a good way to pay off moderate improvements in a short amount of time.

Many home renovation projects require homeowners to develop a home improvement budget. Homeowners are urged to explore all options and find the least costly loan method and the one that will present the best possibility for avoiding debt.

Many homeowners recognize that improving and maintaining a property makes a home more livable for its inhabitants and more attractive to

prospective buyers when the time comes to erect a “For Sale” sign in the front yard.

But a well-maintained home also provides additional benefits. According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, home improvements not only raise the values of individual homes, but they tend to raise neighborhood standards as well. Home improvements can create jobs and help local communities flourish economically.

Maintaining a home can be a costly undertaking. Home improvement projects can be expensive whether homeowners hire professionals or tackle renovation projects on their own. The following are a handful of options homeowners can consider as they look for ways to finance renovation projects.

• Paying outright: Paying for the renovations upfront and in full is perhaps the simplest way to finance a project. Homeowners who have the cash to pay for renovations outright won’t have to worry about interest rates or balloon payments.

• Mortgage refinancing: Some homeowners tap into their home equity to cover home remodeling projects. Refinancing a mortgage means paying off the debt owed and starting over with a completely new loan. Refinancing comes with various fees and can cost between 3 and 6 percent of the loan’s principal.

• Home equity loans and lines of credit: Both of these options are commonly referred to as second mortgages. When homeowners apply for home equity loans or lines of credit, they are borrowing against the equity value in their homes. A home equity loan is a term, or closed-end, loan. It is a one-time sum that will be paid off over a set amount of time with a fixed interest rate and the same payment each month. This is a one-time loan from which a person cannot borrow further. A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, is


MM Pages 0615.indd 68 5/20/2015 4:25:56 PM


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How you can finance your home improvement

projects

like having a credit card. It’s possible to borrow a certain amount for the life of the loan, which is a set time specified by the lender. During this time, homeowners can withdraw money as it is needed up to the value of the line of credit. HELOCs typically have a variable interest rate that fluctuates and payments can vary depending on the amount of money borrowed and the current interest rates.

• Title I property loan: Residents of the United States with limited equity in their homes may qualify for an FHA Title I loan. Banks and other lenders are qualified to make these loans from their own funds, and the FHA will insure the lender against a possible loss. Title I loans can be used for any improvements that will make a home more useful and livable. They cannot be used for renovations deemed luxury expenses.

• Borrow against retirement funds: Some people opt to borrow against a 401(k) plan, IRA or another retirement fund. If the retirement plan allows a loan without penalty, it can be another way to secure funds. Because it is the homeowner’s money, there will be no credit check required and less delay in getting the funds. Borrowers should keep in mind that taking a loan against a retirement account will usually result in a lower retirement balance than it would have been had they not borrowed money from the account - even after the funds have been repaid.

• Credit cards: Credit cards are an option when improvements are not expensive. Individuals with excellent credit ratings may qualify for cards with a no-interest introductory periods of several months or more. These cards can be a good way to pay off moderate improvements in a short amount of time.

Many home renovation projects require homeowners to develop a home improvement budget. Homeowners are urged to explore all options and find the least costly loan method and the one that will present the best possibility for avoiding debt.

MM Pages 0615.indd 69 5/20/2015 4:27:22 PM

MM Pages 0615.indd 70 5/20/2015 4:12:14 PM

Quality Products and Exceptional Service from yourlocal, hometown lumber yard and rental company.

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North MankatoHOURS: Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Marvin windows and Doors brings its Built around you®

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Lloyd Lumber Company

MM Pages 0615.indd 71 5/20/2015 4:12:25 PM


The Mankato Area Community Band has enjoyed a long tradition of musical excellence, spanning 93 years. It was originally formed in

1922 as the Mankato Elks Band (sponsored by the Mankato Elks Club). Gradually, it evolved into the Mankato Area Municipal Band, with funding coming directly from the City of Mankato as a line-item on the city’s budget. In 2006, the city divested itself from this fiscal responsibility, and the band entered a new phase of its existence — relying on arts grants as well as public and private donations.

The band’s achievement in longevity is all the more remarkable when one considers that the military/town band styles of musical performance upon which this organization was originally modeled were already beginning to decline throughout the United States in the decades following the first World War. What, then, accounts for the rise of this institution in Mankato? The answer lies, perhaps, in

the fact that returning American WWI veterans, many of whom had been musicians in military bands in Europe, sought new opportunities to keep playing their instruments after they arrived back home.

Some became instructors training an entire new generation of musicians to follow in their footsteps. That tradition is still alive and well in the modern Mankato Area Community Band. The age range of the current band membership is from 14 to 85. Younger musicians gain invaluable training by playing alongside older, more experienced members. Some of these individuals have been playing their instruments for more than 50 years. Occupations include, but are not limited to: professional musician, music teacher, business owner, computer technician, pharmacist, lab technician, counselor, physician, historian and student. On average, the band consists of 50-55 members.

In a typical year, the Mankato Area Community

“And the band Played on:” Mankato Area

Community band

Then & now: Mankato Area Community BandBy Bryce sTenzel

The Mankato Community Band plays concerts throughout the summer, including Sibley Park, as shown here.

MM Pages 0615.indd 72 5/20/2015 4:12:28 PM


Band performs sixty-five different pieces of music. Rehearsals are conducted Monday evenings, beginning the first week in June; the band then plays Tuesday evenings for six or seven weeks, through the end of July. This means that the music is often handed out one night, and played the next — requiring a significant degree of proficiency on the part of the musicians. Many different styles of music are played, catering to audiences of all ages: patriotic, marches, current and classic movie themes, jazz, novelty numbers, Disney and children’s music. The band even offers younger audiences a children’s march each week, featuring bubbles or other parade favors.

The Mankato Area Community Band plays most of its concerts at the Leas Schwickert Band Pavilion (Leas was a long-time member of the band and an accomplished clarinetist) in Sibley Park. However, with the recent effort to rebuild Mankato’s Boy in Blue Civil War monument, the Mankato Area Community Band started a new tradition of playing a special patriotic concert in Lincoln Park each year. It is the only band in the area that includes

some patriotic music at every concert, always ending with John Philip Sousa’s immortal Stars and Stripes Forever. Truly there is something for everyone at a Mankato Area Community Band Concert! It is quality family entertainment at its best, coupled with a slice of good old fashioned Americana thrown in for good measure.

Bryce O. Stenzel, has been a trombonist for the Mankato Community Band since 1981, and is

the current band President.

Mankato Area Community Band 2015 Schedule::

June 9, 16, July 7, 14, 21 - Sibley Park

June 23 - Blue Earth Co.

Courthouse Lawn

June 30 - Lincoln Park

Shown above is the Grand Army of the Republic Juvenile Band. Below are members of the Mankato Community Band..

MM Pages 0615.indd 73 5/20/2015 4:12:31 PM



An Employee Owned &Local Business Since 1957

1951 Riverfront Dr., Mankato507-387-1171 1-800-879-1938

Mon.-Fri. 8am-7pm • Sat 8am-5pm • Sun. 11am-5pm

www.candssupply.com

We service what we sell!Authorized Cub Cadet &

Toro Sales & Service

2 GREAT BRANDS! 1 GREAT LOCATION!

ZERO-TURN RIDING MOWERS!

Whether it’s your first home, your dream home or home improvements, Community Bank is ready to help. If you have big plans this year, you owe it to yourself to check out our competitive rates and closing costs. Our bankers can explain all the options we offer and design a plan that frames your dreams beautifully.

MANKATO - ST ANDREWS DR 507.385.4444MANKATO - MADISON AVE 507.625.1551VERNON CENTER 507.549.3679AMBOY 507.674.3300

www.cbfg.net

JUSTIN GIEFERNMLS ID 815771

ALYSSA BOWERSNMLS ID 815776

NMLS ID 670406

Match your dream home,with a dream loan.

Bring in this ad and receive $250 off your closing fees on the purchase of a new home

or refiance on an existing home!Offer expires August 31st, 2015

Nell Musolf is a mom and a freelance writer from Mankato.

Facebook has all kinds of time-wasting quizzes on topics such as “What State Should You Live In?” and the ever popular “Which Beatles Song Are You?” While these

quizzes aren’t exactly enlightening, they can be fun. They can also be downright bizarre like the quiz entitled, “How Are You Going to Die?”

Although I now know that I should live in Wisconsin and that I am “Penny Lane,” I haven’t worked up the nerve to find out how I’m going to die. Mainly because I don’t want to know how I’m going to die. That’s one of those topics that definitely falls under the “none of my business” category. Plus, I tend to be a wee bit on the paranoid side, so if I ever did take that quiz and discovered I was going to die in a plague in 2043, I know that I’d spend the next 28 years taking my temperature and checking my tongue for black spots (which isn’t exactly how I pictured my golden years.)

But after seeing the “How Are You Going to Die” quiz pop up once again on Facebook, a childhood memory flashed through my mind. A childhood memory that involved my very own father predicting how all of his children were going to die en masse and on a family vacation.

Going anywhere as a family was never too much fun since my dad refused to turn on the air conditioning (“Stick your head out the window if you’re hot!”) and refused to buy more than one cheeseburger per child when we stopped at McDonald’s. On the road, Dad ruled and none of us dared question his authority as he sat behind the wheel of our green Ford Estate wagon with the faux wood panels, unused air conditioning and radio permanently tuned to his favorite station.

On that particular trip we were on the highway and found ourselves behind a flatbed truck loaded with metal rods. “Troops!” Dad barked (his term of endearment for us), “Look straight

ahead!” Dutifully, my siblings and I turned our attention to the truck. “Do you see what’s on the back of that truck?” Dad solemnly questioned. We nodded. “One sudden stop and all of those rods could fly through OUR windshield and knock all of your heads right off!” Of course, it never occurred to any of us to ask our father why he would be spared while his innocent children were speared by errant metal rods. With the faith of children, we knew that if he told us that metal rods were the newest health hazard, then it had to be true. I don’t know about my siblings but I spent the rest of that ride staring at the metal rods and praying my father would change lanes.

In addition to predicting death-by-flying-objects, Dad was also fond of passing out paternal nuggets of what he must have considered career guidance. Whenever we passed the state penitentiary for women, Dad told my sisters and me, “Take a good look because that’s where you’re going to end up someday.”

I’m not quite sure why he took delight in making such dire predictions regarding his offspring’s future. Part of it was possibly his Scandinavian ancestors who, let’s face it, aren’t exactly known for viewing the world through rose colored glasses. But I think another part of it was simply his basic personality. My father, for all of his lovable qualities — and he had many — simply enjoyed being a stinker.

His stinker urge was especially in full bloom when it came to watching television. Dad liked to watch what he wanted to watch and he preferred to watch alone. Therefore whenever there was a program on that he wanted to see and he came into the living room to find his children parked in front of the set (the spot where we spent most of our waking moments), he launched into his Clear the Room technique. That technique involved reducing each of us to tears either through anger or hurt feelings so that we stomped out of the

room and he got to watch “The Carol Burnett Show” in peace.

But back to the death quiz. I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure that the people who make up quizzes for Facebook don’t know what

they’re talking about. Then again, I wouldn’t mind living in Wisconsin and I do like “Penny Lane.” Hmmm. Maybe I should

take that quiz. At least then I’ll know whether or not I need to avoid trucks laden with metal rods.

how are you going to die?

ThAT’s liFeBy Nell Musolf

If you really want to know, try Facebook

MM Pages 0615.indd 74 5/20/2015 4:12:44 PM



An Employee Owned &Local Business Since 1957

1951 Riverfront Dr., Mankato507-387-1171 1-800-879-1938

Mon.-Fri. 8am-7pm • Sat 8am-5pm • Sun. 11am-5pm

www.candssupply.com

We service what we sell!Authorized Cub Cadet &

Toro Sales & Service

2 GREAT BRANDS! 1 GREAT LOCATION!

ZERO-TURN RIDING MOWERS!

Whether it’s your first home, your dream home or home improvements, Community Bank is ready to help. If you have big plans this year, you owe it to yourself to check out our competitive rates and closing costs. Our bankers can explain all the options we offer and design a plan that frames your dreams beautifully.

MANKATO - ST ANDREWS DR 507.385.4444MANKATO - MADISON AVE 507.625.1551VERNON CENTER 507.549.3679AMBOY 507.674.3300

www.cbfg.net

JUSTIN GIEFERNMLS ID 815771

ALYSSA BOWERSNMLS ID 815776

NMLS ID 670406

Match your dream home,with a dream loan.

Bring in this ad and receive $250 off your closing fees on the purchase of a new home

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Jean Lundquist is a master gardener who lives near Good Thunder.

one way or another, I’m going to have the

best garden ever!

GArDen chATBy Jean Lundquist

As I write this, my backyard flock of chickens is unaffected by, and uninfected with, the H5N2 strain

of avian influenza. I worry about my chickens every morning when I let them out, but I also worry about them every morning when I decide to keep them cooped up (literally), attempting to keep them out of harm’s way. A chicken isn’t happy to be kept in confinement like that, I think.

So as my happy chickens wander about the yard, then wander back into the coop to lay their happy eggs, my mission is to keep them out of my gar-den. I want them to scratch and peck and eat green things, but I want none of that going on in my garden. Chickens in my garden will be unhappy chickens. Or so I threaten them.

All spring they have been rummag-ing about in the garden, pre-tilling and post-tilling, looking for tasty tidbits. Early on, those tidbits were insects. But now, I am worried about my virulent seedlings that might look to a chicken just like a clover or any other plant in the yard that they find tasty. And when the tomatoes and peppers turn red, they will be pecked to death by one of my “happy chickens.”

When I market my eggs, I say they are free-range eggs laid by happy chickens. I might have to change that slogan if they continue to enter my garden.

So in one of my more creative moments, I devised a plan to make everybody happy — especially me. I developed plans for what I believed to be a chicken-proof garden fence.

First I measured the perimeter of the garden, and found I needed 200 feet of the plastic snow fence I was planning to buy. I found the metal fence posts I needed in the shed, and correspond-ing fence post pounder nearby. I dug up a few dozen zip ties, and VOILA! I was ready to fence.

My plan was to space the posts widely so that I could have the fence taut at the

ground level, but floppy at the top. My belief was that the chickens (and rab-bits) would be excluded from the gar-den at ground level with this system. Because chickens like to fly up, land, and observe, if they attempted to roost at the top of the fence, it would wob-ble and they would let go, flying back out. Such a logical plan from someone who really understands her chickens, I thought.

I opted for the green plastic snow fencing as opposed to orange. I thought it might be easier on the eyes, though I now realize that nothing found in nature in this part of the world, at least, is that shade of green. (Or is it really blue?)

After I had it all set up, I devised a fool-proof way to set a gate. I bought some bungee cords to make it happen.

Every time I do the dishes now, and stand at the kitchen sink, I see this monstrosity of a fence. But the real question is … Did I outsmart the chickens?

I did not. Some of the leghorns found their way in, but not all of them. A cou-ple of the leghorns circled the fence all day, trying to figure out how to get in with the others. But how many chicken feet scratching in the dirt does it take to wreck a garden? I figure about two (or one chicken, more or less.) It hurt me to see the gate opened and the chickens within the fence the day this photo was taken. It hurts me almost as much to do dishes and look at this blue/green fence in the yard. I guess there is only one solution: I’m not going to wash dishes anymore this summer!

Oh — and Plan B is to deploy an owl decoy on the fence by the chicken entry point. One way or another, I’m going to have the best garden ever!

Plan your Springmove now!At Ecumen Prairie Hill you can enjoy life to the fullest:• Independentandassistedliving• Memorycare• Freevaletparking• Anytimediningmenu• PremiumDirectTV• NexttoRiver’sEdgeHospital• Short-stayswelcome• Noentrancefees

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Plan your Springmove now!At Ecumen Prairie Hill you can enjoy life to the fullest:• Independentandassistedliving• Memorycare• Freevaletparking• Anytimediningmenu• PremiumDirectTV• NexttoRiver’sEdgeHospital• Short-stayswelcome• Noentrancefees

1305MarshallStreet|St.Peter,MN56082507-484-2203|www.ecumenstpeter.org

CallLisaforapersonaltour!507-484-2203

GreenScene Nursery& Landscaping

Larry Cell 507-327-4476 Julie Cell 507-327-4440Nursery 507-234-TREE (8733)

We Design, Install, Deliver

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HWY 14 in friendly Janesville

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Let’s start by agreeing that swim-suit anxiety is not about size or shape. Plenty of fit women

and slender men feel awkward and apologetic in swimwear. Got a body? Keep it covered most of the day, most of the year? then you’re a prime can-didate for resenting and resisting the swimsuit.

It’s about being exposed. It’s about spending most of the year wrapped tight and buttoned-up, and then sud-denly, all of a sudden, flesh. eyes on flesh. Sunshine on flesh. Air on things mostly only fully exposed once per day during the few private seconds between shower and robe.

It can be different, starting now, this summer. And it’s not even neces-sary for you to become a genuinely unselfconscious person. No personal growth or change required! We’re talking about tricks. easy-breezy mind games like so much sand volleyball.

1. Get your least-favorite body part tattooed. upper arms, thighs, what-ever. Decorate the spot most likely to make you avert your eyes and say “fine, forget it, I’ll stay home and read my summer book club book in this nice stuffy bedroom.” the tat-too doesn’t need to be permanent, just permanent enough to stand up to sun and surf. Get a henna kit or a pack of Sharpies. Spruce up your body like you’d do with a peeling windowsill you just haven’t found time to scrape and repaint. And behold, just as a new sun-catcher and an un-killable pathos plant delight the eye and distract from dust and peeling paint, so the intri-cate henna patterns on your billowy upper arms now comprise an envi-able piece of art.

2. Pretend you’re from France or Australia. I don’t mean you should imagine you’re there, I mean pretend you are from there. Like when you were a kid and you and your sister, who’d grown up in the Midwest and spent a total of one ten-day summer vacation south of

Illinois, played “let’s pretend we’re from the South” and then you’d talk in cartoonish Southern accents to the imagined fascination of every-one in earshot. When you play “let’s pretend we’re not from here” as a grownup in a swimsuit, your pos-ture relaxes. Your gaze lifts, no lon-ger focused on who’s checking you out or why nobody’s checking you out. Such things don’t matter. C’est rien. You’re on holiday on a beach where the body is a simple fact, a natural feature like the dunes or the rocks. Why not swagger your thigh-shaped thighs right down that shoreline, like the Aussie or european you fake-are?

3. be pregnant. My personal lifetime best moment in swimwear was August 1995 when I was a hearty seven months along. upon arriv-ing at the beach in a pink flowered maternity one-piece, I saw that it might be possible to dig a stomach-sized hole in the sand and lie safely on my front for the first time in weeks. the thought was delicious. I don’t remember if we had any digging tools with us or if my hus-band just did the whole deal with his hands but I know that a hole appeared, and I rolled into it, and I found a beachy peace that trumped the anxiety which might otherwise accompany such expansive flowery exposure.

4. If pregnancy isn’t practical for you this summer, and you’re a high-stakes case for whom a henna tattoo or fake heritage just aren’t enough, take an imaginary daugh-ter to the beach. It’s like take Your Daughter to Work Day but in this case you bring a daughter, real or imagined, along with you to the beach. In a million years, would you risk showing that impression-able girl that one’s body should be apologized for? that she should compare her size and shape unfa-vorably to any other body?

You would not. So don’t.

Seriously, some kid might be watching, wondering if they’ll ever make it out of this tough thing called middle school and turn into a happy and confident grownup. Show her what that looks like. Smile. Act like you’re fully engaged with the natural and social world. Pretend — just this once, for her sake — that grownups don’t waste days fidgeting with straps and worrying about when they last shaved.

Grownups, rather, relax into the elements and the shared joy of a day at the beach.

Grownups, you will convince her, act as if all bodies are worthy of such a thing.

Four ways to trick yourself into being comfortable prancing around in a swimsuit

your sTyleBy Ann Rosenquist Fee

From the delivery room to graduation, we give kids the complete care they need for a healthy mind and body.

• Convenient clinic locations• Same-day appointments • Pediatric specialists and therapy services

Find a provider at mayoclinichealthsystem.org. Call 1-877-412-7575 (toll-free) to make an appointment.

4.95”x4.95” Mankato Magazine May 2015

Choose Mayo Clinic care

for your child

58103 200th St. • Mankato, MN507-625-4593

Mankato Industrial Coatings is home to Line-XProtective coatings. Line-X is the Nation’s leading

protective coating system with a nation-wide lifetimewarranty. We also offer a full line of truck accessoriesto customize your vehicle all at unbeatable low prices.

linexofmankato.com

Ann Rosenquist Fee is executive director of the Arts Center of Saint Peter and a vocalist with The Frye. She blogs at annrosenquistfee.com.

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From the delivery room to graduation, we give kids the complete care they need for a healthy mind and body.

• Convenient clinic locations• Same-day appointments • Pediatric specialists and therapy services

Find a provider at mayoclinichealthsystem.org. Call 1-877-412-7575 (toll-free) to make an appointment.

4.95”x4.95” Mankato Magazine May 2015

Choose Mayo Clinic care

for your child

58103 200th St. • Mankato, MN507-625-4593

Mankato Industrial Coatings is home to Line-XProtective coatings. Line-X is the Nation’s leading

protective coating system with a nation-wide lifetimewarranty. We also offer a full line of truck accessoriesto customize your vehicle all at unbeatable low prices.

linexofmankato.com

Watch for the

Best of2015Mankato

resultsin the

July 2015MankatoMagazine

MM Pages 0615.indd 79 5/20/2015 4:13:25 PM


May 30-31 Mankato Ballet Company presents “Alice in Wonderland” 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. — Nicollet High School — 1 Pine St., Nicollet —$12 adults, $9 children 12 and under, free children 2 and under 507-625-7716

4 Songs on the Lawn: Pour Me Band11 a.m. Jackson Park — 151 E. Jackson St., Mankato — free

10-13 Highland Summer Theatre: Xanadu7:30 p.m. Ted Paul Theatre, Minnesota State University — $22 regular, $19 discount 507-389-6661

11-14 Mapleton Town and Country DaysAll day various locations – events include demolition derby, tractor pull, petting zoo, food stands, fireworks and more – for more information, visit www.mapletontownandcountrydays.com

11 Songs on the Lawn: Rogue Valley11 a.m. Jackson Park — 151 E. Jackson St., Mankato — free

18 Songs on the Lawn: The Last Revel11 a.m. Jackson Park — 151 E. Jackson St., Mankato — free

20 Craft Brew Fest1-4 p.m. Whiting Park – 140 Main St., Winnebago – $20 in advance, $25 at the door, $5 designated drivers – www.craftbrewfest.com

23-27 Highland Summer Theatre: Doubt7:30 p.m. Andreas Theatre, Minnesota State University — $16 regular, $14 discount 507-389-6661

25 Songs on the Lawn: The PorchLights11 a.m. Jackson Park — 151 E. Jackson St., Mankato – free

26-30 Deep Valley Homecoming Various locations around Mankato — $100 adult five day, $50 children five day, $25 adult per day, $15 children per day — www.betsy-tacysociety.org/events

cominG ATTrAcTions: June

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EASTER EGG HUNT WITH THE MAVS

1. While waiting for the gate to open, the Mavs have multiple activities for the kids to participate in.

2. Stomper even showed up to pose for a couple of pictures with the kids.3. The Mavs had a great turnout of kids of all ages who came out to the

Easter Egg Hunt.4. Once the gate opened, children covered the field in search of the Easter

eggs.5.There’s always time for a quick game of touch football while waiting for

the gates to open.6. The Mavs hid eggs throughout the MSU Soccer field.7. The children were every excited to find what was inside the eggs.

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FAces & plAces: Photos By Sport Pix

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96.7 HUMAN FOOSBALL TOURNAMENT

1. DJs from Hot 96.7 announced the event and kept the pace of play moving. 2. The Human Foosball Tournament was all fun and games, as everybody showed

good sportsmanship after each game. 3. Foosball players showed their excitement after scoring a goal. 4. Many teams participated in the Human Foosball Tournament, taking shifts

between the two “tables.”5.Hot 96.7 hosted the Human Foosball Tournament, held April 25 at Veterans Park in

St. Peter. 6. The referee drops the ball into play while each team attempts to control

possession. 7. The goalie boots the ball away from his goal.

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FAces & plAces: Photos By Sport Pix

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1. A group of guys in their heels poses together after the event.

2. For those who did not come with their own heels, plenty of pairs were available.

3. Watching men navigate high-heeled shoes may have been the most interesting part of the day.

4. Members of the Mankato Department of Public Safety all lined up showing their support to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence.

5. Mankato police officers enjoyed their first steps in high heels.

6. And the group was off to Walk A Mile In Her Shoes.

WALK A MILE IN HER SHOESFAces & plAces: Photos By Sport Pix

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Fat tiresSo we had a garage sale one year,

with most of the stuff out on the driveway. But Al wandered back

past the sales table, into the actual garage, and called up to me, “Hey, is this for sale?” “This” was tucked back behind the lawnmower and the garbage can, propped tight against the interior studs. “This” was a dilapidated old green and white bicycle, in terrible shape, handle bars rusted off, drive chain slack, seat askew, tires flat since JFK was President. It had sat unused in one garage or another for more than four decades. For someone with a collector’s eye, however, it was a find. And no, it was NOT for sale.

In its day, the Monark Silver King Eldorado was a Cadillac of bikes. My Grandfather, who lived just up the street in West Mankato, brought it over in late summer, on my 8th birthday. For the better part of a decade, it was my preferred mode of transit, as I glided up and down Moreland Avenue, or Timber Lane, which, having just been resurfaced, was the smoothest ride you could find, and where, except at 8 a.m., there was almost never any cars. It’s not often in life one can fully experience such unimpeded smoothness.

On a fine summer day, with just one strong thrust on the pedals, you could glide all the way from Sunset Boulevard, banking onto Eginton Road, still gaining momentum as you hit Baker’s downhill slope, until you cruised all the way onto Pleasant Street hill, past the high school athletic fields and the slough. You finally had to start pedaling again to get up the other side of Pleasant, beyond what is now Stoltzman Road.

A couple of my friends had three-speeds, but true road-racing bikes hadn’t really caught on yet; this was more than two decades before adopted Minnesotan Greg LeMond would emerge as a world-class racing cyclist. The Monark, with balloon tires typical of the era, was built for comfort, not for speed.

••••

We had finally moved the bike out of a corner of my parents’ garage when we bought our own house. Still it remained un-rideable until at last it caught the eye of Derek, newly married to daughter, Julia. Derek is a “bicycle guy,” and handy. He asked if I’d like to ride it again, then began painstakingly restoring the old beauty. He got parts from local bike shops and from the Internet. He remounted the handle bars. Besides straightening and tightening the old drive chain, he put on new whitewall tires after cleaning the old rims. Now, except for the tank and its thin beep-tone horn, she was 95-percent restored to her former glory.

••••

With the Tour de France just a month away, local racing aficionados are likely pounding their ten-speed road bikes across the miles of great trails that have been laid out in our area. And bike shop owners are busy. At the Flying Penguin, John says he sells “far more road bikes.” Still, “Mountain bikes are our biggest growth segment.” Mountain bikes are the successors to the balloon tire bikes of mid-20th century. “It’s related to the amount of terrain available. It used to be [just] Minneopa and Seven-Mile Creek. Now you add Mount Kato … The Kiwanis Dog Park trails, Traverse de Sioux, all those hot spots.” Also, for the growing contingent of bicycle commuters, fat-tire bikes are reliable, more comfortable, and of course in winter, offer more traction.

At Nicollet South, James says he sold several dozen fat-tire bikes last year, with winter bikes sporting tires up to

five inches

wide. While road

bikes with their one-inch tires still dominate sales, James says the shift back to fat tires began with the emergence of fancy mountain bikes and their great suspensions in the 1980’s, and there’s been a fresh surge in the last four or five years.

••••

It occurs to me that Derek never charged me anything to restore the old Monark, except what it cost him for parts. He undoubtedly intended to demonstrate what a fine son-in-law the family has gotten. As I pumped air back into those whitewalls last month, getting ready for the summer season, I had the thought: I should treat Derek to a cold one out on the deck. There’s a brew he just might choose, one with a Monark bicycle as its logo, named in honor of a bike trip the brew-meister took through Europe. It’s a Belgian-style beer you might have heard of. That’s right, it’s called Fat Tire.

From This VAlleyBy Pete Steiner

Peter Steiner is host of “Talk of the Town” weekdays at 1:05 p.m. on KTOE.

Or, what goes around, comes around

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mankato mag june2015

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