My column would have run for the local newspaper last weekend, but that paper now no longer exists. A little piece of me goes with it. Not only did I spend 25% of my lifetime writing for it, the terrifying process of coming up with something original each month made me into the writer that … More Gleanings from the book of Eli
I continue to be amazed by the sheer quantity of great stories that are all around us. It seems that everybody has an incredible story to tell. You just need to ask the right questions. Unable to conceal a mid-life crisis, my queries tend to revolve around vocation and identity. This story originally appeared right here, and is … More Multiple Sclerosis as a catalyst from being a burnt out cubicle jockey to self-taught artist and entrepreneur.
Ninety dollars for a turkey. Are you kidding me??? When I agreed to take the extra bird off the farmer’s hands, I assumed it might cost about half that. At the time I was working for minimum wage as a part-time farmhand at the Food Farm, an organic farm located in Wrenshall. I traded nearly two days of … More Wrestling with a $90 turkey
In writing this column for the paper, I was stunned to discover that my earlier encounter with this family just might have altered the direction of my life. WOW. I really hadn’t thought of it until now. Check out my original story about Max Organics, Ben’s Blooms, and the origins of Duluth Trading Company right … More Raising entrepreneurs organically.
Last month I penned that post about Gaelynn Lea, which you can read here. She actually ended up winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Competition, an almost unimaginable turn of events. Predicting this outcome would have been akin to choosing David over Goliath. Lea’s selection came out of a pool of 6,100 other entries from around the country, and … More On Gaelynn, Grandma Moses, and going over the hills
Writing this column was more like an exorcism than some sort of creative outpour. As I fell asleep beside the woodstove last week on the night of the deadline, I had absolutely nothing. Since it’s delivered to every household in the city, this is terrifying. I drifted in and out of consciousness for hours, as if … More Hope. Smells like bacon
Rotting debris, intentionally piled as if sculpted, is beautiful. What some cast aside as worthless becomes valuable. What had been reviled is renewed. Redeemed, if you will. Ripe for obsession, I was introduced to hugelkultur through the impressive urban farming efforts being undertaken by The Duluth Grill. Pronounced “hoogel culture,” it’s a style of gardening … More Rot and Renewal, or “The Happy Hugeler!”
I sell quite a few books at The Duluth Grill. Delivering them by bike requires a significant investment of time as it requires me to haul them across town. Occasionally, the need to replenish the stock comes at an inconvenient time, but always, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, the experience is the highlight of my week. This particular … More Inefficient, Crazy, and Utterly Delicious
I’ve been quiet lately. That’s ok, I think. Probably the most memorable experience of the past month was a trip the family took to pick strawberries together. We took the country route, rather than the busy highway. I was inspired by several farms, and stopped for grass fed beef and a full gallon of maple … More The Power of Place
This post is in response to a reader who passed along a thoughtful comment in reaction to my newspaper column (pasted below). Her comments were rather encouraging, but they provide an opportunity to expound on something I’ve been thinking a lot of these days. The barrage of social media in our lives can produce an overwhelming … More Reflections on a great activity, inadequacy, thrilling in the chase.
Ed's Big Adventure 