It doesn’t take long when leaving downtown Waseca to find yourself among farm fields and woodland. But drive just far enough on the dirt road that turns from County Road 10 into 150th Street and you’ll come across a farm unlike any others in the area. A small hopyard stands adjacent to a house atop … [ Read more]
How a Two-Cent Postcard Inspired Dr. Cora Johnstone Best to Climb the World’s Greatest Mountains
The world’s first postcard was issued nearly 150 years ago in October 1869, according to the internet. Nothing more than a card mailed without an envelope, they’re popular today among insurance agents who want to wish their clients a happy birthday. But the humble postcard once held so much more promise. Case in point: A … [ Read more]
Matt Osterman’s “Hover” is a Heartland Horror story
Drones are as accessible as iPhones these days. Anyone can get their hands on one—to take videos, race, or simply enjoy as a toy. Minnesota filmmaker and director Matt Osterman’s latest work, “Hover,” takes this technological phenomena one step further and explores a not-too-distant future where drones are used for a more sinister purpose. Osterman, 40, … [ Read more]
Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store: A world of surprises in one big yellow barn
On a regular Thursday afternoon in the town of Jordan, Minnesota, two young boys are standing in the middle of a giant yellow barn, surrounded by every kind of candy imaginable and having a very important debate. “Okay, if you could only get one, would you get a gummy snake or alien?” one boy asks. … [ Read more]
Taking a deep-dive into Somali culture at the Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota is home to the largest population of Somalis in the United States. Roughly 57,000 people live here, according to the latest census figures (the actual number is believed to be much higher); most live in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area. The “Somalis + Minnesota” exhibit, organized by the Minnesota Historical Society and the Somali Museum of … [ Read more]
Loon Liquor Co. 2.0: First look at the new cocktail room and distillery
When co-owners Simeon Rossi and Mark Schiller began raising money for Loon Liquor Co. in late 2012, they had a concept that they were confident would be successful. They wanted to create spirits from locally sourced, organic-certified ingredients, and they wanted to do it in their hometown of Northfield, Minnesota. Having no distilling experience didn’t seem … [ Read more]
Taste of the Twin Ports: A six-stop restaurant blitz through Duluth and Superior
Here’s our Twin Ports tour by the numbers: six restaurants, 14 hours, a five-year-old, and a baby riding shotgun. We had a blast checking in on the insanely active dining scene in Duluth and Superior, although we caution readers that this schedule and/or this choice of traveling companions may create a noticeable strain on your … [ Read more]
Win Tickets to Hopped Up Caribou Festival’s Beer Garden
This summer, Caribou Highlands Lodge in Lutsen, Minnesota, will be hosting the 8th Annual Hopped Up Caribou Beer Festival.The festival runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday July 13, 14, and 15 in the Sawtooth Mountains in Lutsen, Minnesota. Now, The Growler Magazine is offering you a chance to win two Beer Garden tickets, which allow you … [ Read more]
Little Minnesota in the Willamette: Winemakers from the North have staked their claim in Oregon’s wine scene
Pinot noir that seduces with satin-and-lace elegance. Riesling worthy of her exalted status as Queen of the White Wines. Chardonnay that walks a tightrope with both energy and grace. These are the kinds of wines coming out of arguably the most exciting wine region in the United States today—Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Over the years, several … [ Read more]
Insight Brewing expands distribution across Minnesota
As of this week, Insight Brewing beers are now available in northern and south and central Minnesota. Insight recently partnered with Locher Brothers Distributing to expand their market to the south and middle of the state; Bernick’s is bringing the love to northern Minnesota. That means Insight’s five staples—Hell Chicken, Sunken City, Troll Way, Lambton Dragon, and … [ Read more]
Minnesota receives $33.6M for wildlife restoration
It’s that time of year again, when this year’s distribution of the revenues generated from excise taxes paid by the hunting, boating, and angling industries gets doled out among the states via the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration acts. The program raised $1.1 billion for state wildlife agencies in 2015, … [ Read more]
Waterfall season is a thing, and it has arrived
North Shore waterfall season is officially here, according to Cook County’s website. Cook County has the North Shore’s most dramatic waterfalls, including Devil’s Kettle Falls in Judge C.R. Magney State Park, the ephemeral “phantom falls” that pour from the cliffs lining Highway 61, and the High Falls of the Pigeon River in Grand Portage State Park. … [ Read more]