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An event in northeast Iowa, Tuesday, May 30, will explore issues related to “Karst, Water Quality & Livestock: Finding Balance for a Sensitive Geography.” The forum will take place at Luther College in Decorah, in Olin Hall, Room 102.

Topics will include karst geology, research on water quality testing in karst areas of Wisconsin and Iowa, outstanding Iowa waters and their economic value, Iowa’s manure management rules, and Wisconsin’s multi-stakeholder process to address pollution and health concerns in a high-value karst area. The event will also include viewpoints from several livestock producers on balancing the need to make a profit while protecting water quality.

Speakers:

• Eric Baack, Director of Environmental Studies Program, Luther College, and Students
• John Beard, Winneshiek County Supervisor & Local Business Owner, Iowa Legislator (2008-2010)
• Davina Bonness, Department Head Kewaunee County, Wisconsin, Land & Water Conservation Department
• Mark Borchardt, Microbiologist, USDA Agricultural Research Service and Adjunct Professor,
• University of Wisconsin-Extension
• Tom Frantzen, Chickasaw County Hog Producer for Organic Valley & Leopold Center Spencer Award Winner 2016
• Chad Ingels, Fayette County Hog Producer for Niman Ranch & Iowa Environmental Protection Commissioner
• Robert Libra, State Geologist of Iowa, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
• Michael Steuck, Iowa DNR Northeast Regional Fisheries Supervisor
• Gene Tinker, Animal Feeding Operation Coordinator, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
• David Vetrano, Fisheries Biologist (retired) & Managed Grazer, Bangor, Wisconsin
• Ric Zarwell, Ornithological Consultant & Allamakee County Protectors Founder

Space is limited. Advance registration required by May 22. A $25 fee includes lunch with locally sourced foods. Check-in at the event begins at 8:30 a.m., with the program from 9:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m.  For more information or to register, go to: www.iaenvironment.org/karstevent17

Event sponsors are the Iowa Environmental Council and Mississippi River Network (MRN), the Iowa Groundwater Association, Luther College Center for Sustainable Communities, Bob and Donna Bernard-Trout Unlimited Members. The Allamakee County Protectors – Education Campaign, Practical Farmers of Iowa and Trout Unlimited.

For questions or media inquiries, contact Ann Y. Robinson, Iowa Environmental Council, at Robinson@iaenvironment.org or 515-244-1194, ext. 211.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

As part of the afterschool program, children 5 years of age and older are invited to join us every other Wednesday, from 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm, for a themed read aloud and corresponding craft in the children’s section of the library.

This week, come celebrate butterflies!  Listen to stories about these dainty insects.  Then make a butterfly magnet to take home.

For additional information, please contact, Joan Roach, Children’s and Youth Librarian, at jroach@decorah.lib.ia.us or (563)382-3717.  Craft supplies are generously provided by Friends of the Decorah Public Library.

Lawn Chair Night!

Winneshiek County Courthouse

201 West Main St. Decorah, IA

2017 Lawn Chair Night Schedule:

• June 1 Mark Armstrong
• June 8 Gary Griffin
• June 15 Relay for Life
• June 22 Kindred Minds
• June 29 Mike McElrath
• July 6 Tom Schramm and the LPs
• July 13 Winneshiek County Fair (no performance)
• July 20 Nordic Dancers
• July 27 Nordic Fest (no performance)
• Aug. 3 Michelle Lynn
• Aug. 10 Uptown Jazz
• Aug. 17 Namoli Brennet
• Aug. 24 Root River Jam
• Aug. 31 Guttenberg German Band

Junior High Students, you are invited to join us for a trip to seven different artistic, cultural, and down right fun locations in the Driftless area, all in one day! All meals are provided and anxious parents will receive an itinerary at drop off, but for students each stop is a mystery! Drop off is at 7 AM!

$180 $35 materials fee

In conjunction with the free Rhubarb Festival happening 9 a.m. to 3p.m. at Sylvan Park on Saturday, June 3rd, 2017 , The Rhubarb Sisters are performing a kick off concert the evening before, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 2nd,  at the St. Mane Theatre in Lanesboro, MN entitled “Rhubarb’s Angels.” The Rhubarb Sisters are Elizabeth Fugelstad, Julie Kiehne, Peggy Hanson and Beth Hennessey, all from the Lanesboro area. The Rhubarb Sisters performed on “A Prairie Home Companion” in 2007 when the show was broadcast from The Rhubarb Festival and have made countless concert appearances in Lanesboro and the region throughout their 11 years as a group.

“What I really love is making people smile. It really is about bringing joy and sharing the things that are true,” says Rhubarb Sister Julie Kiehne. “People want to seek more of the back-home roots to their childhood. Rhubarb brings that out.” Rhubarb Sister Beth Hennessy agrees, “We’re similar to rhubarb. We’re about finding happiness in your own backyard.”

The Rhubarb Sisters were born during the second year of the Rhubarb Festival, said Rhubarb Sister Peggy Hanson, and they just kept picking up steam. “One thing led to another and it just got out of control.” How out of control? If you’ve ever grown a patch of rhubarb, you know what an unruly piece of produce it is. One minute you’ve got a lovely little clump in the backyard and the next you’re peddling rhubarb jam and pie at the farmers market because everything in the root cellar has rhubarb in it and you can’t fool your family into eating one more bite. It’s the same for the Rhubarb Sisters.

“This goes so far beyond rhubarb,” Hanson states. “We perform for a lot for church groups, mother-daughter teas and that kind of event. Our basic message is that rhubarb is a humble thing. It’s just back by the garage.” But just because it’s humble, doesn’t mean it isn’t useful. “Especially in these economic times, we need to make the most of what we have,” Hanson said, so they make pies and cake and jam and use as much as they can harvest. “It blends with anything. It’s Midwestern values — make do with what you have. And you can hardly find it in stores,” she says. “It’s inherently noncommercial.”

So are the Rhubarb Sisters, who also travel far and wide in their house dresses and vintage aprons, singing about the wonders of rhubarb.“People respond to it. It’s very emotional. They think of home and grandma and homemade desserts,” Hanson says. And for some people, like the Rhubarb Sisters and their kin, it kind of takes over their lives. “My husband grows rhubarb,” Hanson says. “And he has a Google news alert for rhubarb. He’s on the pulse of rhubarb.”

So what does that pulse sound like? Warm up the pitch pipe and listen to the Rhubarb Sisters sing “What Shall We Do With the Extra Rhubarb” to the tune of “What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor.” “We have a good time,” Hanson says. “We make our fun.” So much fun that Hanson likes to dabble in a little rhubarb standup comedy. When asked if she is the top rhubarb standup comic in the country, Hanson doesn’t hesitate, “I might well be.”

#EscapeOrdinary and run barefoot or shoed on the single-track trails of Van Pennen Park, Decorah in a 5k or 10k that is sure to challenge your body AND head game. There are times you might find yourself alone on the trail and other times rounding a corner to greet the runner ahead; unless you aim to be first and beat the

COURSE RECORD:
M | F
5 K | 27.14.60 | 32.38.77
10K | 51.11.76 | 1.07.35.93
Little Drifter’s I Mile: 8.17.59

# of participants is limited. Register early. www.ddtr.us

***Packet Pick Up Located @ The Hatchery in Decorah, Ia from 6-8pm Friday June 2nd or at 7am June 3rd at the entrance of Van Pennen Park.

8:00 AM Start | Little Drifter’s run first followed by 5 & 10K runners.
5k -$30
10k $40
Little Drifter’s 1 Mile – Free for 13 & under (they still need to register)

This is a fundraiser to benefit the Northeast Iowa Montessori School –www.neim.us. A portion of the proceeds also benefits the caretakers of the trails: The Decorah Human Powered Trails and the Decorah Park & Rec.

Come to Northeast Iowa’s bluff country, a place unlike anywhere else in the state, and perhaps the Midwest. But don’t take our word for it…check it out! The run will traverse the off-road, single track trails maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers called the Decorah Human Powered Trails. The trails are groomed, marked and ready for the more adventurous types like yourself.

Enthusiasts drive in from all parts of the Midwest to enjoy these trails. Come see why!

What are the age categories?
Women
18 & under
19-25
26-35
36-45
46-55
56

Men
18 & under
19-25
26-35
36-45
46-55
56

Parking

Parking is available at the entrance of Van Peenan Park. Please be conscious of the Gravel Trucks that drive the road and park off to the side if you are parking on the road.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

The outdoor market is located east of the Decorah Post Office, in the parking lot just below the Oneota Food Co-op on River St and one block south of Water Street.

Dragonfly Books is excited to host a special story time and author talk for the children’s book Creekfinding. Creekfinding author Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrator Claudia McGehee will lead a story time, and special guest Michael Osterholm will answer questions about his real-life creek mystery. Children, parents, and adults are all invited to learn more about Creekfinding on Saturday, June 3 at 10:30 am at Dragonfly Books.

Creekfinding tells the true story of a man named Mike who went looking for a creek long after it had been buried under fields of corn. It is the story of how a creek can be brought back to life and, with it, a whole world of nature.

Friend or foe? Learn to identify & manage common garden insects while attracting pollinators to your backyard spaces.

After the workshop, learn a bit about the history of Seed Savers Exchange and get an in-depth garden tour.

To register: seedsavers.org/garden-bugs

$5 | Free for Members of Seed Savers Exchange

International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN)

ICAN of Northeast Iowa- supporting families affected by cesarean birth through education and advocacy. Join us at the First United Methodist Church in Decorah- 302 West Broadway St.

Our group meets at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. All are welcome including those interested in birth/motherhood, women who are pregnant, hope to become pregnant, or are further along on their healing journey. Dads are welcome too!

Like us on Facebook!

November’s Meeting is dedicated to creating closure post surgical birth.  Brenda Burke, local midwife, will lead this meeting.

We will not meet in December.

January we welcome Claudia Kriemelmeyer, holistic health care practitioner who will be sharing about nutrition.

Give a gift of the summer camp dream in driftless Spring Grove.
Alt for Barna! Viking Challenges & Traditions.

June 5-9 ages 5-9
June 12-16 ages 10 and older
$50 off with early registration. March 1.

Full of activities and language related to Norwegian American heritage -friluftsliv, music, birding trail, kubb, Jul, crafts, food, new friends and great instructors and cooks.  Housing available in Spring Grove .

Gift Certificates available through Giants of the Earth Heritage Center 163 Main St Spring Grove or call and sign up over the phone and we can send your certificate electronically in time for Christmas!

To kick off Decorah Public Library’s 2017 Summer Reading Program, “Build a Better World,” children of all ages are invited to come to the library to participate in the Grout Museum District’s Creepy Crawlies Demonstration.

Find out why hissing cockroaches hiss and see how furry a giant tarantula really is. This demonstration is guaranteed to fascinate and creep-out even the boldest participants!

This program is generously provided through funds received from the Decorah United Methodist Church Trust Fund.  It is free and open to the public.

For additional information, please contact Joan Roach, Children’s and Youth Librarian, at jroach@decorah.lib.ia.us or (563)382-3717.

Requested by artists throughout the Driftless, ArtHaus will be hosting a series of nude model sessions for those who love life drawing but rarely have the opportunity to draw the human figure. Drawing supplies will be provided for those in need.

$20 per session.

Calling all local artists. There is held on the first Tuesday of each month a meeting of artists for the purpose of showing and discussing their resent works. Open to everyone, using any medium, these meetings are friendly and supportive.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

Vesterheim is thrilled to host Danish musician Maja Kjær Jacobsen in a lively concert on June 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the museum’s Bethania Church on Mill Street. The cost is $15, paid at the door, which opens at 7:00 p.m.

Jacobsen plays the violin and the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle and she sings. Her specialty is traditional music from her home region in central Jutland, where the songs have their own sound and are sung in both standard Danish and a local dialect. Jacobsen says it is part of a rich Danish musical tradition, which very few people know about. “Denmark’s traditional folk music sounds like nothing else, yet somehow familiar. It is happy-go-lucky with an underlying note of melancholy,” she said.

Jacobsen is an accomplished composer and arranger, and writes music for her own bands as well as for others. In concert, she switches between traditional fiddle tunes and her own compositions.

Lawn Chair Night!

Winneshiek County Courthouse

201 West Main St. Decorah, IA

2017 Lawn Chair Night Schedule:

• June 1 Mark Armstrong
• June 8 Gary Griffin
• June 15 Relay for Life
• June 22 Kindred Minds
• June 29 Mike McElrath
• July 6 Tom Schramm and the LPs
• July 13 Winneshiek County Fair (no performance)
• July 20 Nordic Dancers
• July 27 Nordic Fest (no performance)
• Aug. 3 Michelle Lynn
• Aug. 10 Uptown Jazz
• Aug. 17 Namoli Brennet
• Aug. 24 Root River Jam
• Aug. 31 Guttenberg German Band

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

The outdoor market is located east of the Decorah Post Office, in the parking lot just below the Oneota Food Co-op on River St and one block south of Water Street.

Looking for a photo organization and editing program?
Interested in Adobe Lightroom, but don’t know where to start?

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a powerful photo organization and editing tool, built by photographers, for photographers. It is pivotal to many of today’s professional photographers’ workflows, including mine.

$25 registration is required, at:
https://www.meetup.com/Decorah-Photography-Workshops/events/239482464/

This class is part of a 4 Stage process. Each stage takes you further into mastering your camera. Some stages can apply to multiple classes, so keep an eye out. 

• Step 1 – Manual controls 

• Step 2 – Practical application and lighting 

• Step 3 – Photo organization/processing 

• Step 4 – Advanced techniques

Join me for an introduction to setting up and using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. We’ll go over topics such as:

• Importing new photos

• Organizing, categorizing, and rating photos

• Photo editing tools

• Exporting photos for print or web

• and more

I will be demonstrating on a big-screen TV for everyone to view. You may bring your own laptop containing Lightroom to follow along, or simply come with pen and paper to take notes. A computer with Lightroom is not required to attend this class.

If you are unable to pay with credit card, please contact me:
nick@nickchillphotography.com

Hutchinson Family Farm Campground (just 10 minutes from Decorah) is teaming up with “Trails for Dale” to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association. “Canoe for a Cure” registration includes kayak/canoe rental, shuttle, and 2-3 hour paddle down the beautiful Upper Iowa River, followed by a campfire meal and social.

Already own a kayak or canoe? Great! We would be happy to shuttle it so you can join the fun! Participants are welcome to bring additional snacks, beverages, and yard games.

Registration forms and payment must be received via mail by June 7th.

100% profit goes to the Alzheimer’s Association. Canoes and Kayaks are limited, so make your reservation today!

For more information about events, campsites, cabins, canoes or kayaks please visit www.hutchff.com.

Give a gift of the summer camp dream in driftless Spring Grove.
Alt for Barna! Viking Challenges & Traditions.

June 12-16 ages 10 and older (Youth camp one week earlier) June 5-9 ages 5-9)
$50 off with early registration. March 1.

Full of activities and language related to Norwegian American heritage -friluftsliv, music, birding trail, kubb, Jul, crafts, food, new friends and great instructors and cooks. Housing may be available in Spring Grove .

Gift Certificates available through Giants of the Earth Heritage Center 163 Main St Spring Grove or call and sign up over the phone and we can send your certificate electronically in time for Christmas!

Please Join Nisse Preschool for Summer Fun!

Our program is open to the public for children ages 3 (potty trained) to those who are just finishing kindergarten. Programming will run daily Monday-Friday from 8:00 am-1:00 pm  with NO additional charge for Extended Care (1:15 pm-5:00 pm).  Snack is included. We also offer a 3 days/week option  (days must be selected the week prior to attending). A multiple children as well as a three full weeks discount is also given.

Visiting artist, Danielle Cornish, is an illustrator who specializes in flowers, cupcakes and girls who can knock your teeth out. Spend the morning with her developing your skills in water color. Spend the afternoon at the pool or on a group hike. Please bring a sack lunch, as lunch is not provided. Grades 7-8.

$105 $35 material fee

In this six-week course, the focus is you. During class, every participant will workshop an existing piece of writing in detail in a supportive group of other committed writers — starting on the first day. Exercises and discussions will help you develop new work as well. Lead by Amy Weldon, this class is open to alums of ArtHaus and Luther writing courses only.

Cost: $120

The Winneshiek Energy District and Northeast Iowa Community College invite you to attend the Farm Energy Fair, a FREE day-long exploration of energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities for swine, dairy, and grain operations.

Visit www.energydistrict.org/farmenergyfair/ to learn more.

An extensive workshop to help you get started with studio photography. Nick Chill will walk you through some of the equipment you will need for basic studio lighting setup and how to utilize your equipment for flattering lighting on your subject. You’ll get an introduction to light patterns, use of reflectors and flags, and experience setting it all up. We’ll also cover some cheap and easy DIY methods to create pivotal studio tools.

Cost is $90

As part of Decorah Public Library’s 2017 Summer Reading Program, “Build a Better World,” families are invited to join us at Dunnings Spring Park for a morning full of fun! Spend time together outside as a family. Take a hike, play with bubbles, do-a-dot painting, and more! Bring a lunch and stay to picnic with other families.

This event is free and open to the public. In case of inclement weather, it will be cancelled. For additional information, please contact Joan Roach, Children’s and Youth Librarian, at jroach@decorah.lib.ia.us or (563)382-3717.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

An extensive workshop to help you get started with studio photography. Nick Chill will walk you through some of the equipment you will need for basic studio lighting setup and how to utilize your equipment for flattering lighting on your subject. You’ll get an introduction to light patterns, use of reflectors and flags, and experience setting it all up. We’ll also cover some cheap and easy DIY methods to create pivotal studio tools.

Cost is $90

If you have recently felt the need to repeatedly stab something, then we have just the thing for you! Stitch and B**** is a social embroidery club where subversive patterns are available and BYOB is perfectly acceptable.

$60 $15 supply fee

Lawn Chair Night!

Winneshiek County Courthouse

201 West Main St. Decorah, IA

2017 Lawn Chair Night Schedule:

• June 1 Mark Armstrong
• June 8 Gary Griffin
• June 15 Relay for Life
• June 22 Kindred Minds
• June 29 Mike McElrath
• July 6 Tom Schramm and the LPs
• July 13 Winneshiek County Fair (no performance)
• July 20 Nordic Dancers
• July 27 Nordic Fest (no performance)
• Aug. 3 Michelle Lynn
• Aug. 10 Uptown Jazz
• Aug. 17 Namoli Brennet
• Aug. 24 Root River Jam
• Aug. 31 Guttenberg German Band

An art exploration class designed for children who are ready to make the transition to attending class independently. Easel painting, homemade play-dough, mixed media collage, and watercolor resist drawings are just a few of the tools to choose from!

$80 $35 materials fee

An art exploration class designed for children who are ready to make the transition to attending class independently. Easel painting, homemade play-dough, mixed media collage and watercolor resist drawings are just a few of the tools to choose from. Perfect for kiddos ages 2-4.

$80.

An extensive workshop to help you get started with studio photography. Nick Chill will walk you through some of the equipment you will need for basic studio lighting setup and how to utilize your equipment for flattering lighting on your subject. You’ll get an introduction to light patterns, use of reflectors and flags, and experience setting it all up. We’ll also cover some cheap and easy DIY methods to create pivotal studio tools.

Cost is $90

As part of Decorah Public Library’s 2017 Summer Reading Program, “Build a Better World,” children of all ages are invited to come to the library to participate in Blank Park Zoo’s World for Wildlife Program.

Join a Blank Park Zoo educator and four animals from the zoo’s education department to talk about ways in which we can make the world a better place for all creatures, great and small! Changes in the way we live can make a world of difference for our animal friends in the wild. This fun and interactive program will show you just how easy it can be!

This program is generously provided through funds received from the Decorah United Methodist Church Trust Fund.  It is free and open to the public.

For additional information, please contact Joan Roach, Children’s and Youth Librarian, at jroach@decorah.lib.ia.us or (563)382-3717.

Every Highlandville Dance is different. We’re trying a Friday night dance, to accommodate someone from out of town who is near and dear to us. A seven o’clock start should be early enough for families. Light enough to see the beauty of the hamlet of Highlandville. Who will be there? Who knows? A dance in June can be like a reunion, like a vacation, like a sauna, like a step back in time. For sure there will be waltz, polka, schottische, and both seasoned and new dancers. And a few listeners/watchers, too. Come on out. (A water bottle is suggested.)

TWO PERFORMANCES! Fri June 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun June 18 at 1:30 p.m.

Professional performers from Southeastern Minnesota, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver and beyond will come together for 7 days to create 7 devised works for two stagings of innovative, inspiring and thought provoking performances. Lanesboro artist Catherine Glynn has invited fellow performance artists Carla Noack, Tod Petersen, Jerome Yorke, Hilary Williams, Leilani Raashida Henry, Ben Marolf and Michael Pelley to take some time away from their busy schedules for a week of ReCreation 101.

Inspired by the collaborative and experimental work done by theater companies such as the Rude Mechs, the Neo-Futurists, and the Saratoga International Theater Institute, A.R.T. has been conceived as a multi-year initiative to foster the creation and development of new works, while serving as a performance art companion to the annual Art in the Park fine art festival. The inaugural year’s theme is ReCreation, playing off of the Judeo-Christian tradition that it took 7 days to create the world, the Buddhist and Islamic notions that there are 7 Heavens, and the Islamic notion of the 7 doors to Paradise—with the implication being Lanesboro is an artist’s paradise.

Be surprised and delighted by 7 new devised works of Audacious Raw Theater, each 7-15 minutes in length, while gaining insight into the creation process and embracing the spontaneous. Come for both stagings — artists will be revising and recreating throughout their time in Lanesboro. Each performance will be unique!

“We shall not cease from exploration, and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” — T. S. Eliot

This event is presented by LANESBORO ARTS and sponsored by Inspire(d) Media, Commonweal Theatre, and Walter Bradley at Thrivent Financial.

The beloved poetry slam is back! Join us in the ArtHaus Studio courtyard with poet Jim O’Laughlin, Languages and Literature faculty at UNI, sponsored by Dragonfly Books.

Cost is $3-10, personal choice. If you would like to perform, please sign up online.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

The outdoor market is located east of the Decorah Post Office, in the parking lot just below the Oneota Food Co-op on River St and one block south of Water Street.

Join the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation for the 8^th Annual Breakfast on the Farm event on Saturday, June 17, from 8:30 a.m. – noon, at Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar, Iowa. Enjoy a wholesome breakfast including Dad’s Belgian waffles, Edgewood Locker sausage and dairy products produced and processed in northeast Iowa from Country View Dairy.

Guided tram tours of the nationally-recognized Iowa’s Dairy Center farm will also be provided. Children and families attending will enjoy the chance to meet some calves, visit several educational exhibits, milk a cow and watch robots milk cows.  Takeouts are available along with on-site parking; donations for the breakfast are appreciated.

New features at this year’s Breakfast on the Farm event include expanded kids’ activities including corn pools and a cow bounce-house, along with a photo booth and farmers available to answer your questions while you wait in the serving line.  Improvements to the electrical service at the tents were generously provided by Winneshiek County Farm Bureau.

For more information, contact Megan Kregel, Iowa’s Dairy Center coordinator, at (563) 534-9957, ext. 107. To watch an event video, visit www.iowadairycenter.com.

Lanesboro Arts’ annual Art in the Park festival on June 17, 2017, is southeast Minnesota’s longest running art festival. Renowned for quality, variety, and value, Art in the Park attracts thousands of regional patrons to Sylvan Park in Lanesboro each year. Featuring 100 fine art exhibitors, live music, scrumptious food, craft beer, kids & family art activities.

TWO PERFORMANCES! Fri June 16 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun June 18 at 1:30 p.m.

Professional performers from Southeastern Minnesota, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver and beyond will come together for 7 days to create 7 devised works for two stagings of innovative, inspiring and thought provoking performances. Lanesboro artist Catherine Glynn has invited fellow performance artists Carla Noack, Tod Petersen, Jerome Yorke, Hilary Williams, Leilani Raashida Henry, Ben Marolf and Michael Pelley to take some time away from their busy schedules for a week of ReCreation 101.

Inspired by the collaborative and experimental work done by theater companies such as the Rude Mechs, the Neo-Futurists, and the Saratoga International Theater Institute, A.R.T. has been conceived as a multi-year initiative to foster the creation and development of new works, while serving as a performance art companion to the annual Art in the Park fine art festival. The inaugural year’s theme is ReCreation, playing off of the Judeo-Christian tradition that it took 7 days to create the world, the Buddhist and Islamic notions that there are 7 Heavens, and the Islamic notion of the 7 doors to Paradise—with the implication being Lanesboro is an artist’s paradise.

Be surprised and delighted by 7 new devised works of Audacious Raw Theater, each 7-15 minutes in length, while gaining insight into the creation process and embracing the spontaneous. Come for both stagings — artists will be revising and recreating throughout their time in Lanesboro. Each performance will be unique!

“We shall not cease from exploration, and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” — T. S. Eliot

This event is presented by LANESBORO ARTS and sponsored by Inspire(d) Media, Commonweal Theatre, and Walter Bradley at Thrivent Financial.

While creating a mischievous nisse or a charmingly hideous troll, you’ll learn the basics of needle felting. (Needle felting uses barbed needles to sculpt the fibers of unspun wool into shapes.) You’ll learn how to fashion a metal armature; needle felt and attach shapes for arms, legs, and tummies; and finally add fun, finishing details like gigantic warty noses, curly beards, outlandish hairstyles, pink toes, Nordic sweaters and mittens—whatever you fancy! Plus, the techniques you learn will allow you to continue adventuring in needle felting after class.

Coral Berge, St. Paul, Minnesota, credits her Aunt Alida, who always brought an art project when she visited, and her artist father for sparking her lifelong interest in arts and crafts. Some ten years ago she happened upon a needle felting demonstration and could hardly wait to try it! She has been needle felting ever since, winning numerous ribbons at the Minnesota State Fair, including Blue Ribbons for a 12-inch Santa with faithful pal Rudolph, and a “Veterinary Snowman” with adoring patients Freckles the golden lab and Blue Boy the parakeet.

$130.00 Members, $180.00 Non-members, plus $20 materials fee.
Youth ages 14-17 receive a 25% discount.
Local residents half price on stand-by basis.

Sign up online at vesterheim.org, or by calling 563-382-9681.

In this six-week course, the focus is you. During class, every participant will workshop an existing piece of writing in detail in a supportive group of other committed writers — starting on the first day. Exercises and discussions will help you develop new work as well. Lead by Amy Weldon, this class is open to alums of ArtHaus and Luther writing courses only.

Cost: $120

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

Lawn Chair Night!

Winneshiek County Courthouse

201 West Main St. Decorah, IA

2017 Lawn Chair Night Schedule:

• June 1 Mark Armstrong
• June 8 Gary Griffin
• June 15 Relay for Life
• June 22 Kindred Minds
• June 29 Mike McElrath
• July 6 Tom Schramm and the LPs
• July 13 Winneshiek County Fair (no performance)
• July 20 Nordic Dancers
• July 27 Nordic Fest (no performance)
• Aug. 3 Michelle Lynn
• Aug. 10 Uptown Jazz
• Aug. 17 Namoli Brennet
• Aug. 24 Root River Jam
• Aug. 31 Guttenberg German Band

An art exploration class designed for children who are ready to make the transition to attending class independently. Easel painting, homemade play-dough, mixed media collage and watercolor resist drawings are just a few of the tools to choose from. Perfect for kiddos ages 2-4.

$80.

An art exploration class designed for children who are ready to make the transition to attending class independently. Easel painting, homemade play-dough, mixed media collage, and watercolor resist drawings are just a few of the tools to choose from!

$80 $35 materials fee

High school students are invited to join us for a trip to seven different artistic, cultural, and just down right fun locations in the Driftless area, all in one day! All meals are provided and anxious parents will receive an itinerary at drop off, but for students each stop in a mystery! Drop off will take place at 7 AM.

$180 $35 materials fee

As part of Decorah Public Library’s 2017 Summer Reading Program, “Build a Better World,” children of all ages are invited to come to the library to participate in Mad Science of Iowa’s spectacular Construction and Demolition Show!

Are you truly mad about science?!?! Join Scientist Jim Birkel for fun interactive experiments such as building a human “kid” dome, standing on eggs until they finally break, windbag structures, demolition catapults, vortex-generating tools, balloon and mini –“dynamite” (firecracker) explosions, and building a large arch with keystone block.  Jim will also demonstrate some new LEGO-neering construction gadgets! This show is truly designed to please those of all ages!

This program is generously provided through funds received from the Decorah United Methodist Church Trust Fund.  It is free and open to the public.

For additional information, please contact Joan Roach, Children’s and Youth Librarian, at jroach@decorah.lib.ia.us or (563)382-3717.

“Trails for Dale” was organized by Brecka, Tiffany, Shanna, and Maddie Putnam to celebrate and honor their dad, Dale Putnam, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. There is no cure for him, or anyone fighting Alzheimer’s today. It is estimated that 10 million people are diagnosed daily. We simply don’t have the infrastructure to take care of that many people, so we have to find a cure.

“Trails for Dale” is a 24-hour biking event to be held June 24 to raise funds for research to take down Alzheimer’s; all proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Association. Bikers should sign up for one hour (or more) shifts starting at 12:00 AM (that’s midnight Friday night)–the goal is to have at least one person riding all day. At the end the day, all adult participants are invited to join for a group lap and after party.

Groups are encouraged – sign your family, team, or club up for an hour or two or three, or consider a corporate hour!

Adults are encouraged to raise at least $100 or couples to raise $75 per person, and kids to raise at least $10. There will be a dedicated kids’ hour during the day, as well as food and fun at event headquarters.

For more information, e-mail trailsfordale@gmail.com or visit http://trailsfordale.absurdudeez.com/.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

The outdoor market is located east of the Decorah Post Office, in the parking lot just below the Oneota Food Co-op on River St and one block south of Water Street.

West Music is partnering with ArtHaus to bring you a class of color mixing and instrument identification. Purple pianos, green guitars, and more will be featured! Perfect for PK-K.

There is also an afternoon option.

Cost is $80 $30 materials. Instructed by Mykal Finch.

West Music is partnering with ArtHaus to bring you a class of color mixing and instrument identification. Purple pianos, green guitars, and more will be featured! Perfect for PK-K.

There is also a morning option.

Cost is $80 $30 materials. Instructed by Mykal Finch.

In this six-week course, the focus is you. During class, every participant will workshop an existing piece of writing in detail in a supportive group of other committed writers — starting on the first day. Exercises and discussions will help you develop new work as well. Lead by Amy Weldon, this class is open to alums of ArtHaus and Luther writing courses only.

Cost: $120

With instructors Rebecca Hanna and Steve Speltz.

Turn a log into a chair! Learn the history of the kubbestol and the steps for making one. You will also learn how to pick the proper tree for the size of the kubbestol you want to make (with a trip to the woods.) We will take you through the process of debarking, shaping, and hollowing a log necessary for the drying process. Next you will begin shaping and sanding on your own child size kubbestol and fitting the seat to the stool. You will leave the class with a 21-24 inch kubbestol.

No experience necessary. Price: $285.00 Members/$335.00 Non-members. Winneshiek County residents receive 50% off tuition on stand-by basis.

West Music is partnering with ArtHaus to bring you a class of color mixing and instrument identification. Purple pianos, green guitars, and more will be featured! Perfect for PK-K.

There is also an afternoon option.

Cost is $80 $30 materials. Instructed by Mykal Finch.

West Music is partnering with ArtHaus to bring you a class of color mixing and instrument identification. Purple pianos, green guitars, and more will be featured! Perfect for PK-K.

There is also a morning option.

Cost is $80 $30 materials. Instructed by Mykal Finch.

Requested by artists throughout the Driftless, ArtHaus will be hosting a series of nude model sessions for those who love life drawing but rarely have the opportunity to draw the human figure. Drawing supplies will be provided for those in need.

$20 per session.

West Music is partnering with ArtHaus to bring you a class of color mixing and instrument identification. Purple pianos, green guitars, and more will be featured! Perfect for PK-K.

There is also an afternoon option.

Cost is $80 $30 materials. Instructed by Mykal Finch.

West Music is partnering with ArtHaus to bring you a class of color mixing and instrument identification. Purple pianos, green guitars, and more will be featured! Perfect for PK-K.

There is also a morning option.

Cost is $80 $30 materials. Instructed by Mykal Finch.

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

Lawn Chair Night!

Winneshiek County Courthouse

201 West Main St. Decorah, IA

2017 Lawn Chair Night Schedule:

• June 1 Mark Armstrong
• June 8 Gary Griffin
• June 15 Relay for Life
• June 22 Kindred Minds
• June 29 Mike McElrath
• July 6 Tom Schramm and the LPs
• July 13 Winneshiek County Fair (no performance)
• July 20 Nordic Dancers
• July 27 Nordic Fest (no performance)
• Aug. 3 Michelle Lynn
• Aug. 10 Uptown Jazz
• Aug. 17 Namoli Brennet
• Aug. 24 Root River Jam
• Aug. 31 Guttenberg German Band

An art exploration class designed for children who are ready to make the transition to attending class independently. Easel painting, homemade play-dough, mixed media collage and watercolor resist drawings are just a few of the tools to choose from. Perfect for kiddos ages 2-4.

$80.

An art exploration class designed for children who are ready to make the transition to attending class independently. Easel painting, homemade play-dough, mixed media collage, and watercolor resist drawings are just a few of the tools to choose from!

$80 $35 materials fee

Local vendors sell a wide range of products, including baked goods, fresh fruit & vegetables, crafts, meat, eggs, jewelry, honey, plants, and lots more.

Live music most Saturdays and some Wednesdays!

Forms of payment accepted:  cash, credit cards, WIC, SNAP, gift certificates, FMC Senior Nutrition Program, and Food Bank Vouchers

The outdoor market is located east of the Decorah Post Office, in the parking lot just below the Oneota Food Co-op on River St and one block south of Water Street.