I got to know David in the 90s while working at Utne Reader, as he was a frequent contributor to the magazine and a regular at our staff salons. Soren’s dad, Jay Walljasper, was the magazine’s editor during that time. Jay has been frequent presenter here in Northfield (see these Locally Grown blog posts tagged with his name).
Jay has a new book out titled All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons ("How to Save the Economy, the Environment, the Internet, Democracy, Our Communities and Everything Else that Belongs to All of Us").
Another of the stories in the book is about a guy named Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, who lives down in Northfield. He’s an entrepreneur, one of the founders of Peace Coffee, and a Guatemalan immigrant. He wondered what he could create to boost the prospects of immigrants in Northfield, and also show other people that immigrants aren’t taking something away from the community, they’re contributing something. What he came up with was a chicken co-op.
Everybody understands that local food is healthier for people and for the economy, but local food is also really expensive. Yet here are all these immigrants who were farmers back home, working in jobs that don’t use those skills. So he created this co-op where they raise delicious chickens that are less expensive than the local, organically raised chickens you find in the grocery store. The community benefits and the immigrants benefit. And it’s a cooperative, so there’s not a single owner; but it’s part of the market economy and it’s not getting government funds.
Long-time Transformation Northfield member John George and I met yesterday morning in my corner office at the GBM in an attempt to reconcile our differences since the big discussion about TN.
We were making considerable progress towards détente but in the end, we could not come to agreement as to who should pay for coffee. A summit is scheduled for April 14 at the next TN breakfast where John is a presenter.
Update 3/21: David Koenig was kind enough to take the photo. He then told us to keep it down as we were disturbing him and other patrons.
Proprietor Norman Butler got a belated birthday surprise from friends, staff, and patrons last night at the Contented Cow.
See the album of 6 party photos (with more photos of the exterior of the Cow bathed in snow at dusk), the large slideshow (recommended), or this small slideshow:
Northland College students learned that their friend and fellow classmate passed away this weekend as a result of being hit by a vehicle while skiing on frozen Chequamegon Bay.
In an email to the college community, Northland College President Michael Miller informed all faculty members, staff members, and students that Spring 2010 Northland College graduate Bjorn Norgaard will be remembered at a prayer service tonight at the college.
The body of a young man was discovered by a snowmobiler early Sunday morning adjacent to an ice trail between Washburn and Ashland. The trail was designated for the “Book Across the Bay” ski race on Saturday evening. Bayfield County Sheriff’s Investigators believe the deceased left Washburn sometime after the race ended and was skiing to Ashland. There was substantial evidence collected near the body to indicate the man was struck by a vehicle traveling on the ice trail toward Ashland. The skier is believed to have traveled the Book Across the Bay route Saturday evening but did not actually take part in the race. The race begins in Ashland and ends in Washburn. He remained in Washburn until race festivities ended and planned to ski back to Ashland via the race route.
On Sunday afternoon an Ashland man reported in person with his father to the Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office identifying himself as the suspect vehicle driver. He has been cooperating with the investigation. There was also a passenger in the vehicle who witnessed the event. The vehicle involved in this incident is being processed for evidence.
I asked regular LoGro commenter John George to send me pictures of his fancy snow blower. He finally complied and wrote:
It takes a 30" swath and is powered by a 357 cc engine. That is about the same size as the old 11 1/2 HP engines. Someone checked an engine a couple years ago and discovered it didn’t quite put out the HP it claimed, so there was a big lawsuit. Now, the engines are just rated by cylinder displacement.
The picture of the wires going into the handle grip show how they are heated. That is the best invention since sliced bread. No more cold, numb hands. I don’t have a way to haul it, or I would bring it over to your place for a demonstration. Aw shucks!
The Winona County Board approved hiring an outside consultant to examine potential collaboration and consolidation between the Planning Department and other county departments and outside agencies, as well as assist Planning Department staff in preparing to administer the newly-approved zoning ordinance.
Al Roder, former Northfield, Minn., city manager, who has also held posts in Becker County, Minn., and Norfolk, Neb., will assume the job for $40 an hour, a savings over the Planning Director position left unfilled after Brian Bender resigned in October. According to the agreement, Roder should make no more than $6,400 per month, he will not be eligible for benefits, and the County Board asked for a review or update of his work within three months.
Northfield native and photographer Fran Hall died on Thursday, December 2 in Boulder, Colorado. There will be a memorial service in Boulder about a week before Christmas and a service in Northfield after Christmas. Details to be announced. Fran would have celebrated his 96th birthday on December 18 and was an active photographer of nature until the end of his life.
I first heard of Fran Hall when I was working on a blog post about Henry Fisk and Clark Webster showed me his photo of Henry Fisk, taken by Fran Hall back in 1960.
At last week’s international competition at the Violin Society of America‘s annual convention, another Northfielder achieved Hors Concours status. (The dictionary definition of hors concours: "of an artist, exhibitor, etc., excluded from competing; without equal; unrivalled; literally: out of the competition.")
The Society grants Hors Concours status "to a maker who has been awarded Gold Medals in three different VSA Competitions."
This year, Northfield bowmaker Matthew Wehling won another gold medal, thus achieving Hors Concours status. He joins Northfield violin maker David Folland who achieved Hors Concours status back in 1996.
The family of Jerry Davidson, lifelong Northfielder and one of my regular racquetball buddies, has filed a missing person’s report with the Northfield police.
I last spoke to Jerry a little over a week ago, as he was going to be my racquetball doubles partner for last weekend’s Dale Snesrud invitational tournament. He never showed up. His brother, Wes Davidson, emailed me a flyer tonight, along with this information:
My brother, Jerry Davidson, is missing. My family filed a missing person’s report with the Northfield police. He was last seen 10-27-10. His last known location was south west of Northfield.
On 10-27-10, he said he was going to Fleet Farm to pick up supplies for his next backhoe excavation job. He has not made any contact with family or friends since 10-27-10.
He has a 1998 white Ford F250 pickup truck, license # 1 1 2 A A T, regular cab, black tool box behind the cab.
Please call the Northfield Police with any information: 507-663-9484. Attached is a missing flyer with pictures.
By Lance Heisler for Lampe Law Group, on July 31, 2010, 7:45 pm
Growing up in North Dakota during the 50s and 60s, I was privileged to experience something that’s all too rare now – the old-fashioned family doctor. “Doc” delivered babies, set broken bones, treated pneumonia, and helped Grandpa with his newfangled hearing aid. Doc knew the community, the families, and the individuals whose basic medical needs he treated from birth through the end of life. Some of you who grew up in that time, and perhaps in smaller communities, may remember a Doc of your own.
Just as Doc diagnosed and treated all sorts of ailments, our firm strives to “treat” all of your legal needs, large and small. We value working with our clients and their families, addressing their needs through all stages of life. The Lampe Law Group, though changing hands from time to time, has served clients in the same location for over 130 years. That has been possible because of our strong commitment and dedication to the community and to our clients.
Here are just a few examples of the ways in which we’d like to help:
Adoption – We make the process smooth and effortless, so you can focus on the joy of bringing a new addition into your family.
Buying or Selling Your Home – There are strict disclosure laws which apply to residential sales. Whether you’re buying or selling your home, the last thing you need is for that sale to result in a lawsuit. Let us help make sure your sale complies with the law, and that it closes smoothly with no unpleasant surprises.
DUI and Traffic Charges – It can happen to anyone. When it does, we can take the fear and anxiety out of the process and help you achieve the best result possible.
Criminal Defense – Northfield is a college town. Sometimes student hijinks take a turn no one anticipated; we can help. ‘Nuff said.
Divorce – We recognize there are no winners in divorce cases. That’s why our firm has been a pioneer in the effort to promote collaborative divorce where no one goes to court and the focus is on children, fairness, and maintaining family relationships.
Bankruptcy and Financial Planning – At some point in their lives, almost everyone experiences times of financial difficulty and stress. Don’t go it alone. We can help. A lot.
Employment Issues – Many problems between employers and employees, or contractors and subcontractors, arise from misunderstandings as to what each side expects. We can draft or review contracts in order to help eliminate those misunderstandings.
Social Security Disability – Physical disability coupled with loss of earning ability is one of the most difficult circumstances anyone can confront. We know the Social Security system, and we can help you get badly needed benefits as quickly as possible.
Wills and Estate Planning – Whether you’re young or old, YOU should make the decision regarding what happens to your children and your property after you’re gone. Don’t leave these critical decisions to the Court, the State, or anyone else.
Litigation – Getting sued creates an instant crisis for businesses and individuals. We have years of experience in trying lawsuits; we’ll take charge of your lawsuit quickly and efficiently. The best settlements in lawsuits are achieved when the other side knows you’re prepared to go to trial. We are.
These are only some of the most common legal needs people have through the course of their lives. Our ability to provide a broad range of legal services to clients of all ages and from all walks of life results in the best possible service to our clients for the most reasonable cost. That is the commitment we make to everyone who comes in our door. We’d like to be your “family lawyer”. C’mon in.
Friends and family of Rob Schanilec gave him a surprise birthday party at Chapati last night. Rob owns By All Means Graphics and publishes, among other things, the Northfield Entertainment Guide (NEG). I think he’s 60 years-old but I could be wrong.
I must smile at the article headline since I am not Roman Catholic nor do I think my support for the majority position of the ELCA on this blog qualifies me as “controversial”.
As we note on our Locally Grown About page, “we’re indebted to former KRLX news director Morgan Weiland and former KRLX station manager Cameron Nordholm for their help in launching the show in early 2006.”
I see they’ve cleaned up considerably since the photo (left) I took on the deck of the Cow. Cameron wrote via email:
You should also know that we’re headed out to California in July. Morgan is starting at Stanford as a PhD graduate fellow in communications. We’ll be living in/around the Palo Alto area. I’m starting a digital strategy consulting LLC and will continue to work largely with PBS but will also be looking for new projects. I’ve attached one of our photos – we’ll be posting more soon on Flickr/FB. Hope all is well.
Well, Josh and I thought we would be making a surprise visit to Northfield right around now on a road trip back north from Florida, but we had to take a different route! Josh, clutching his Contented Cow mug, was especially disappointed that we wouldn’t all be seeing you there soon.
Even though we haven’t been the best at keeping in touch, we’re always thinking about you all and telling everyone on our travels about you. We finally began rebuilding our boat last week in upstate New York and you can follow along on our blog.
Of course, Griff taught me everything I know about blogging so if you don’t like it, put your comment on Locally Grown!
Hope all is well with everyone and that we do make it out there for a visit soon. Everyone is welcome to come and see us as long as you don’t mind watching or maybe even helping helping us drive in a nail or two.
I’ve heard occasional objections over the past 5 years to my use of the term ‘salonistas.’ It’s a bit obscure, I admit, since the Urban Dictionary defines a salonista as “A person who wrote/worked for the online magazine Salon.com, especially during its heyday in the 1990s.” It also has a more generic meaning: anyone who regularly attends a conversation salon AKA a literary salon.
I’m not sure what term they’d prefer. Gasbag geezers?
I met Carmen Sevcik a few weeks ago during the controlled burn of Hidden Valley Park. She had just moved into one of the Valley Pond townhomes where we live.
Carmen’s a club officer for Rice County Steam and Gas Engines and is also well-known to many Northfield kids, as she’s driven a school bus for many years for Benjamin Bus. That’s a school bus mobile on her porch.
“Carleton’s influence extends to Nepal. Here’s the Northfield Cafe and Jesse James Bar in Kathmandu founded by Mike Frame, ’62, one of the first Peace Corps volunteers in Nepal. And the best fajitas in Nepal!”
The Northfield Café is a sprawling restaurant, one of the most popular places in Tamel. It serves a large menu of dishes from most cultures except Nepal, but whether it is Southern chicken, salami pizza, tacos, or chocolate cake, the commonality is mediocrity…
The Northfield Café is one of several restaurants and hotels established by Mike Frame, a farm boy from Northfield, Minnesota. Mike was a volunteer in Nepal One. He signed up for a second tour and established a tiny experimental farm in Marek-Kathare, the remote village where I was also stationed. Mike was a peculiar man and he did not want to go home. So he became the father of tourist Thamel. Mike died a few years ago. Thamel is his legacy.
I was immediately drawn to the spectacle of a dozen little kids leaning over the edge of the pool. The hovering mother behind them: Northfielder Barb Wager, who I normally see in the business office when I visit Jerry Appledorn’s and his house of pain, AKA Professional Drive Dental.
The photo of my sweetie on the right is a keeper.
And then while taking photos of the flowers, I met someone I’d only communicated with via email and phone (about social media, natch), Alex Huff, CEO of LoudClick. (He heard Robbie use my name and wondered per chance if “Griff” might be that Northfield “Griff.”) Snapping photos like me, only with a way better camera, was Alex’s wife and LoudCloud president, Kristin Hortenbach. Alas, I neglected to get a photo of them so here are a couple of thumbnails, taken from their Picasaweb albums.
Robert Palmquist, CEO of Speechgear here in Northfield, has been in Vancouver for the Olympics the past two weeks, volunteering as a course worker for the women’s ski events and “supporting the Olympics by providing speech translation systems” (see press release).
He has four albums of Olympics photos in his Facebook photo gallery including the ones above where he wrote:
After a LOT of work on the course and VERY early and long days, we pulled it off and ran the woman’s downhill. Lindsey Vonn won the gold, Julia Mancuso the silver. Afterwards I went to the medal awards ceremony with the Vonn family, and later that evening joined them for a small celebration party with Lindsey and Julia.
I spent some time with Robert at Speechgear’s HQ before he left. More on that visit soon.
While snowshoeing at the east end of the Cannon River Wilderness Area last weekend, I pointed out to my niece the approximate spot where Henry Fisk, the Rice County hermit, lived. Robbie and I happened upon his sparse living quarters when we first moved to Northfield in 1974 but I don’t remember if he was still living there.
Northfield News columnist Maggie Lee wrote several columns about Fisk (also spelled ‘Fiske’) back in 2006, and many people chimed in with letters-to-editor about him. (Do a search there on both spellings of his name.)
Anyone have memories of Henry? Anyone have a photo of him?
I hauled out my old tripod and a new monopod this morning to try to do a better job at capturing yet another spectacular hoar frost. I got much better pre-dawn shots of downtown than last time. And I spent a couple hours in Carleton’s Lower Arb once it got light.
Here are three people shots. Photo albums are forthcoming but it may take me till mid-July to sort, crop and publish them.
Peter Seebach (Seebs): John, someone forwarded me a thing which helps explain why I do not believe the current situation provides adequate legal protections: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =ah4ke16g1DI Watch that, and then tell me with a straight...
Peter Seebach (Seebs): California in general has very high rates of “drug use”. And frankly, there is no place in the US that can be meaningfully called “very accepting” to gays. More accepting than others, sure. Why, I...
David Henson: Peter, you have the Internet you do the research. Use San Francisco as a baseline (an accepting place) – gays there have very high rates of depression and drug use.
Peter Seebach (Seebs): Those are fascinating beliefs, but conveniently for us, the research has already been done, and they’re wrong. Legalizing gay marriage has no effect on the observed incidence of homosexuality, and the concept of...
David Henson: John, I understand sexuality to be a continuum and not a hard and discrete fact. I earnestly believe that if gay marriage is approved many more people will experiment with gay sex and some numbers will get AIDS (and depression and...
Griff Wigley: Good turnout last night for the Cannon Valley Mountain Bike Team meeting at the high school. I’ve blogged a summary with the ppt presentations.
Griff Wigley: Jordan Osterman, the new Sports Editor for the Northfield News, scooped me on Saturday. I’m glad! Northfield high school mountain bike team forming As a club sport, mountain biking would have no official affiliation with either...
Griff Wigley: Good suggestion, Curt. I’ll do that for next week’s blurb. I have been verbally emphasizing the importance of having girls on the team, especially since their points on race days count more than boys’ points. Other...
Curt Benson: Hey Griff, I wonder if you shouldn’t put a bit more emphasis on the idea that you’re recruiting both boys and girls for this team. And that the scores for both the boys and girls make up a team score. I think that in the...
Griff Wigley: It should be noted that this team does not yet exist! So this meeting is for those student-athletes (and their parents) who might be interested in joining this new team.
Griff Wigley: Suzy Rook has a sidebar to today’s Nfld News update on last night’s Council meeting. Excerpt: The city administrator and finance director say they have asked for the information on several occasions, including last month...
john george: Living where we do, it is only a few blocks walk to North Street and a grand view of the sunsets. Also, with our neighbors’ mature white pines & spruce, our covered deck affords outdoor enjoyment with a fair amount of...
Griff Wigley: Props to the newspaper and Suzy Rook for mentioning LoGro twice in the story: Fire Department officials, including Fire Chief Gerry Franek, did not respond to several requests from the News for association financial records or...
Griff Wigley: Posted to Northfield News at 1pm: Ethical questions arise over Northfield Fire Relief Association expenses Donations made to Northfield Fire Relief Association aren’t public dollars, but that hasn’t extinguished city...
Griff Wigley: Curt/Robert, There’s a summary of the Rescue Squad on Page 21 of the 2009 NFD report to the City. It doesn’t mention that there’s a Rescue Squad Association. The last paragraph states: The Northfield Rescue Squad is...
Robert Palmquist: If Hvistendahl’s motivation was to keep the financials from getting known, his submitting a memo like that just really backfired. I agree, why would these financials be such a secret??? And why did the NRSA hire a lawyer to...
Curt Benson: So Hvistendahl has found another place to wet his beak. You ask a good question, “Why is it important that the City not know the Northfield Rescue Squad Association financials?”
Jim Haas: Happens to me a lot. So much that my lovely wife had to coin a term for it: she says I have datelexia.
norman butler: Since coming to my adopted country 16 years ago I have observed, amongst other things, that not putting the day with the date is both common and peculiar to Northfield (MN? USA?).
John Thomas: Just a reminder, advance tickets for Girls Night Out 2012 can be purchased on The Grand’s website at http://www.thegrandnorthfield. com/public-events. Your tickets will then be available at a special “Will Call” at...
Liz Reppe: This is a great place to buy plants! Jeni is very knowledgeable and they are both really helpful. You get great service and plant expertise, but the prices are not higher than other places in town.
bill metz: While most of how Jake is being remembered revolves around, and rightly so, his great and wonderful talent as an artist and teacher and the works of sculpture he has left for our and the next generations enjoyment, I have had the...
Ross Currier: It was an honor for me and the NDDC to work with Jake. His pieces of sculpture in our community send a powerful visual message that Northfield is an Art Town. I still marvel at his clever and creative approach to building social and...
paul krause: The memorial service will be held at 11am. Doors to the Chapel will open at 10am for a chance to visit with family members and friends to share memories of our dear friend. Anyone who would like to view the documentary Harvest (which...
kiffi summa: Come on, Griff… you say you’re “more than a little clueless about about investments” but you “just happened to notice”… and from what you said, were reading analytically, etc etc… Once...
Griff Wigley: I’m more than a little clueless about investments but I noticed on page 14 in the April 24 Council packet that the Fire Relief Association has 85% of its pension portfolio in stocks. Isn’t that a bit risky/aggressive for...
Griff Wigley: Has there been any media reporting on the intergovernmental meeting in Bridgewater Township that was held on April 25 re: the Rural Fire Protection District and the City of Northfield?
Jim Mangan: I noticed this morning that a few of the newly planted trees along South Highway 3 have a pronounced lean. Could it be storm damage?
Ross Currier: It’s great that someone is enhancing the connection between downtown and uptown. I know they coordinated their work with MNDoT, City staff, and the Streetscape Task Force. Uh, raise your trowels in a toast to the Northfield...
Vicki Serreno: I wish I’d known – this is my neighborhood since I left Northfield in 2010. I’d have shown up to support them.
Kathie Galotti: My neighbor and sometimes babysitter Maggie Kennedy appears in this video as well! Go Maggie, and Cliff and Sophie and Parker and everyone else! Well done, guys!
Peter Seebach (Seebs): Heh, we had those when I was in college. Guess we’re making progress, they’re starting years earlier now!
Sandy Vesledahl: Thanks for blogging our garage sale Griff! We are at 2018 Jefferson Rd, Suite 1, thanks to the Jasnoch Family for allowing us to use the space. We will be there until 5:00 today and again from 8-2 on Saturday. We’ve had a...
Bright Spencer: I have an 8 year old dog that has not been neutered, has not reproduced and never been out unleashed except in our yard. It costs nothing to care for your pet properly.
Bright Spencer: To see this makes me so happy! Best of luck to you!
Peter Seebach (Seebs): For what it’s worth, I’m pretty happy with the whole process so far, although we found exciting new things out about the land development code, such as “the rules for calculating how tall a building is for...
Peter Seebach (Seebs): Not a hot tub, a swimming pool. One of those backyard pools you can get at k-mart, and the greenhouse is so we can use it a couple months earlier in spring and later in fall.
Arlen Malecha: I wish more establishments had outdoor seating & dining. Now that our offices (Coldwell Banker South Metro www.CBSouthMetro.com are downtown, I love to see people sitting and dining outside. It is fun to walk up and down...
Sean Hayford O'Leary: I would say the current configuration of Division Street makes me grateful not everyone is doing it. Sidewalk dining brings a lot of livelihood to the street — but I’ll admit that I’ve been occasionally...
Griff Wigley: Rebecca, there are several Northfield eating and drinking establishments that have outdoor dining with tables and chairs, serving alcohol, but not SIDEWALK dining. Downtown ones that come to mind: The Tavern, Chapati, The Cow, Froggy...
Rebecca Bliss: Timely post, Griff -I didn’t realize this. I was just commenting to my husband about how nice it would be to dine al fresco now that the weather is getting warmer. Guess this is another discovery for the new...
Patty Gallivan: MOST Northfield volunteers are waiting for someone who DARES boost a program with evidence of effectiveness to come forward with leadership to actually make a difference with students in our Northfield schools. Make sure to let us...
David Morris, co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, stopped by the GBM on Friday morn. He and his wife, Harriet Barlow, were accompanying their granddaughter, Tessa, and her friend, Soren Walljasper, on a visit to Carleton College (left photo).
I’m now collaborating with Jay and longtime client Curtis Johnson, Citistates Group, on a project (right photo). While I was at Utne, Curt was executive director of the Citizens League and was instrumental in finessing funding for the Neighborhood Salon project. It was a 1991 salon here in Northfield that was instrumental in the birth of Northfield.org. 
Jay has a new book out titled All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons ("How to Save the Economy, the Environment, the Internet, Democracy, Our Communities and Everything Else that Belongs to All of Us"). Another of the stories in the book is about a guy named Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, who lives down in Northfield. He’s an entrepreneur, one of the founders of Peace Coffee, and a Guatemalan immigrant. He wondered what he could create to boost the prospects of immigrants in Northfield, and also show other people that immigrants aren’t taking something away from the community, they’re contributing something. What he came up with was a chicken co-op.
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