August 2001
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FROM
THE EDITOR
Travel to the Southwest…Minnesota,
that is
LYNN S. LA FROTH
IN JUNE, I visited southwestern Minnesota—prairie
country—where farm fields seem to go on into forever. In the place we stayed, Balcony
B & B in downtown Montevideo, I picked up a book compilation of southwestern
Minnesota authors and poets. I had to laugh when I read about folks from the "farm
country" visiting heavily-forested northern Minnesota or Wisconsin, where I
live. When these prairie lovers were asked how they liked the woods and lakes, they'd
say something like, "well, it'd be fine if they cut down the trees on both sides
of the road for 20 miles so you can see something."
Even though I'd had a publishing/printing relationship with Andy Kahmann of Montevideo,
Minnesota for almost a decade, I'd never actually visited this area except to pass
through very briefly on my way to somewhere else like the Black Hills. Kahmann used
to be the general manager at Western Printers where Twin Cities WELLNESS is printed.
I was to discover that Kahmann and I had a lot in common—more than just publishing.
I ran into him and his wife Cherri at the orientation for parents when my daughter
entered The College of St. Catherine several years ago. We both had daughters named
Sunshine who entered St. Kate's the same year and were born within about a month
or so of one another! I'm sure St. Kate's hasn't had any Sunshines before or since,
let alone in the same graduating class. My Sunshine remains in the publishing/printing/graphic
design field and after graduation from St. Kate's, his Sunshine went on to the Northwestern
College of Chiropractic. So the cross-overs remain.
Anyway, enough side trips! Last year, Kahmann left Western Printers to start his
own printing shop, but of a far different animal than today's modern print shop.
Andy and Cherri invited me to the area to visit their new business—A to Z Letterpress—on
Montevideo's main drag and take a tour of surrounding wellness-oriented and arts-oriented
businesses. Our first stop was to their unique and now nearly extinct turn-of-the-century
letterpress print shop where the printing they do is all done by hand using linoleum
blocks to make the artwork and graphics, setting the old lead type by hand—letter
by letter. "My" Sunshine worked with him while we were there to create
her own set of greeting cards from lineleoum blocks she'd carved. Kahmann and Sunshine
created the cards entirely by using the old letterpress machines for printing, cutting,
and folding. Kahmann works with many artists who provide the linoleum blocks that
he prints into posters, invitations, brochures, or greeting cards, among many other
things. Kahmann also sells much of what he prints.
If you stop at A to Z, notice the hand-crafted metal fence in front, blacksmithed
and welded by Gene Sandau with Kahmann's help. Sandau's metal crafting is one of
the unique crafts of an area filled with artist-craftspeople. Kahmann sells Sandau's
hand-crafted metal bird or flower poles among other things at the shop. If you visit
Madison, Minnesota, be sure to stop at Gene Sandau's blacksmith shop. His wife, Latain,
owns the wellness center just two stores down, Therapeutic Massage by Latain, next
to Java River's Courtyard and above which the Balcony B & B is located. It seems
the arts and wellness are married in more ways than one in this town.
Our next stop was next door for lunch at Java River Coffeehouse owned by Patrick
Moore, who is also one of the artists whose work Kahmann prints the old-fashioned
way. Some of the art printed letterpress-style goes on the walls of Java River Coffeehouse
along with a card rack for the greeting cards printed next door. Together Kahmann
and Moore teach classes on letterpress/block printing at Milan Village Arts School
in Milan, Minnesota. Java River is virtually a heart and a hub of the artist and
wellness community in this area where folks meet to exchange ideas, build community,
and get interactively creative.
Moore, an active member of the Land Stewardship Project for their Western Minnesota
office, sells organic coffees and buys locally from organic growers for not only
the cappuccinos and lattes (and other coffee drinks) he sells but for the restaurant,
also part of Java River. The organic food comes from the area farms, when available.
I highly recommend the delicious and healthy food served at Java River's restaurant
from the sandwiches to the soups to the fresh salads and delicious pastries.
After lunch, the first stop on our tour to rural Montevideo, hosted by Kahmann, his
wife Cherri, and artist friend Franz Richter, was to the Tokheim farm, where Gene
and wife Lucy have a studio for pottery making and Gene's famous Norwegian knife
making. The rustic gallery displays Lucy's and Gene's pottery and Gene's knives.
Gene is internationally-known for the traditional Norwegian knives he creates. The
pottery barn is a must-see on anyone's visit to this area. But you'll have to stop
at Java River for directions.
One of our tour hosts, Artist/Sculptor Franz Richter, uses the kiln at the Tokheim
studios to fire his traditional Norwegian sculptures of folk people—elves and trolls
and other mythical figurines. In the barn, Richter showed us one of the traditional
Norwegian boats that he and Gene had constructed from scratch, having taken a boat
building class at Grand Marais' folk art school. Richter is central to the preservation
of the Scandinavian folk arts in this area and is an archive of information, not
only about the area's Scandinavian history but also its art. You'll find him working
with Kahmann at A to Z Letterpress most days.
Next stop: Moonstone Organics, a century farm, owned and operated by the Handeen
family since 1872. Before a tour of the farm, Owners Audrey Arner and Richard Handeen
welcomed us on a hot day with a cold drink from their herb gardens. While enjoying
the shade in comfy outdoor chairs and sipping home-made mint iced tea, we learned
this farm is a member of the Land Stewardship Project. We strolled down to the creek
where Julio, their breeding bull, and his entourage followed us—of course, on the
other side of the fence. Moonstone beef is raised on organic pastures without pesticides,
antibiotics, or hormones. The farm uses land stewardship measures such as resting
pastures to allow for plant regrowth and the herd enjoys the farm's own grass and
hay during the winter months. No animal by-products are ever fed to their stock,
and all calves are born on the farm.
Moonstone Farm also has a one-room cottage called The Broodio, a farmstay bed and
bagel, where one can enjoy the ambiance up close and personal of a Minnesota River
Valley farmstead. To order Moonstone Farm beef or make a reservation at The Broodio,
you can email them at aarner@maxminn.com or call 320-269-8971.
Our next stop to Easy Bean Farm, an organic produce, community support ag farm, owned
by Michael Jacobs and Malena Arner Handeen was cancelled because of time constrictions.
Jacobs and Handeen sell shares of produce and eggs to the Twin Cities metro area
and to the local area of Montevideo, Morris, Milan, and Willmar. Malena is a talented
artist who also works with Kahmann producing linoleum-block artwork. You can see
her work both in Java River and in A to Z among a variety of other places in the
area.
Arriving back at Balcony B & B to three bedroom vases of spectacular aromatic
bouquets of fresh, locally-grown, organic flowers compliments of Easy Blooms by Robin
Moore, a subscription flower share farm which is located on Easy Bean Farm, topped
off our tour in style! Visit southwest Minnesota, it's more than just endless vistas,
it's an experience.
Visit www.prairiefare.com for more information on five area farms and Java River.
This website includes information about western Minnesota as well as maps to the
organic/free-range farms.
For more information on the area businesses:
A to Z Letterpress, 218 So. 1st St., Montevideo, MN 56265, 320-269-0174 (home number, call after 7:30 p.m.)
Java River and Balcony B & B, 1-877-213-5320, 210 S. 1st St, Montevideo
Easy Bean Farm (320-793-6675) and Easy Blooms by Robin Moore, 320-734-4696; both located at 5075 100th Ave NW, Milan, MN 56262
Moonstone Farm, 9060 40th St. SW, Montevideo
Tokheim Stoneware, 320-769-2142
Gene Sandau, 320-598-7858
Therapeutic Massage By Latain, 320-598-7858
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2001 Twin Cities WELLNESS newspaper.
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