Few places on earth are more synonymous with beer than Wisconsin. Names like Pabst, Schlitz, and Miller spread the fame of the state worldwide while many amazing beers were seldom available beyond a 50-mile radius of the brewery. Ranking the most important beers in Wisconsin history is only slightly less controversial than ranking its “best” … [ Read more]
The Cheese Stands Alone: Willi Lehner forges world-class wheels on his self-sufficient wisconsin farmstead
Above the rolling hills near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, at Willi Lehner’s 16-acre farmstead, a turbine spins in the wind. It looks like a child’s toy on top of an Erector set, but that wind turbine, in combination with a fleet of solar panels, generates about five times as much power as the whole farm needs. … [ Read more]
Now Open (Or Damn Close): Copper Crow Distillery in Bayfield, Wisc.
Lake Superior’s South Shore is one of the world’s most legitimately spellbinding places. Add the character of a mighty, ever-changing body of fresh water to a series of tightly knit, remarkably welcoming little communities, and you’ve got a spot that invites visitors to return again and again. For Copper Crow Distillery owners Curt and Linda … [ Read more]
First Course: Revolution!
A ‘Guerrilla Harvest Dinner’ heralded the birth of the Ashland and Bayfield chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union I. An Improvised Feast The spreadsheet for the harvest dinner stretched 49 lines deep. Each line was an offering from an individual that reflected a different aspect of the harvest: “Two pecks of apples and some onions.” … [ 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]
Superior Sounds: Great summer concerts along the shores of the greatest Great Lake
Summer in the Upper Midwest—so much to do, so little time! Like any other Minnesotan, I enjoy hopping a plane to somewhere warmer for a week or so in the winter, but summer is the perfect time to enjoy local offerings out on the open road. Some vacation for leisure; others for adventure. I always … [ Read more]
RJ’s Meats in Hudson installing a meat vending machine
In the most uber-Wisconsin development of the day, RJ’s Meats, the terrific butchery in Hudson, took delivery of a Regiomat meat vending machine from Germany. The refrigerated unit will be stocked with an unspecified selection of meats in the near future. The company claims, via Facebook, that the machine is the first of its kind in … [ Read more]
Come on inn: The Oxbow Hotel and The Lakely open Thursday
Indie folk band, Bon Iver, has won Grammy Awards, collaborated with Kanye West, thrown multi-day music festivals, and just released their third studio album, “22, A Million,” on September 30. And in just a few short days, the founder and frontman behind the group, Justin Vernon, will be able to say that he helped open a … [ Read more]