Good conversation doesn’t always pair well with a hearty meal, as a full mouth quickly becomes a silent one. This pause in pronunciation is a welcome one if the food is delectable enough to create its own story. Read more about You Don’t Have to Hide Your Food Away
Adding to the vibrancy of the arts community in the St. Croix Valley, the annual ArtOPENer Pottery Tour will be going strong in its second decade of operation, encouraging guests of this self-guided tour to “see where art happens, from the gallery to the backyard” and give people a glimpse into the world of each artist. Read more about Studio Tour Time
It was 2013 when my husband and I moved to Hugo, Minn., to begin new jobs and (quite literally) put down roots as part-time tree farmers. I’ll admit I was a bit taken aback by my new neighborhood, which was home to more cows and chickens than people. But I took up kayaking and began exploring the bodies of water that seemed to surround me: tiny, nameless lakes; well-known, heavily populated ones; windy rivers; and, of course, the majestic St. Croix. Read more about Paddle (and Peace Out)
Gabe Schubert readies his fly-fishing rod aboard a 13-foot skiff on a clear, calm day around the first of November, just outside downtown Stillwater. He casts, and like a bullwhip, the line unfurls. His fly—a lure in the shape of a baitfish—smacks the water. Schubert strips the line a couple of times. He pulls in the white-and-chartreuse lure by hand. It bobbles side to side, gliding a little at each turn. Schubert designed the fly to move this way, and at nearly 12 inches, it’s unusually long for fly-fishing bait. Read more about The Ghost of the St. Croix River
Kathleen Eddy uses Valley Bookseller as a platform. The Stillwater bookstore famously makes savvy, up-to-date recommendations to its customers. Every month, it hosts book clubs for readers of crime, mystery and the classics—often featuring area authors—and connects with local libraries and schools in a commitment to community outreach that has spanned 27 years. Tourists from abroad make it a destination. Read more about Your Summer Reading
School is almost out for the summer, and if you have kids, you might be wondering how to keep them occupied over the long break. Sure, there’s always television to watch or video games to play, but if you and your family are looking for more active and engaging ways to stay busy, the St. Croix Sailing School has you covered. June through August is prime sailing season, and throughout the summer, the St. Read more about The St. Croix Sailing School Offers Classes for Skippers of All Ages and Experience
Making things grow is the easy part of being a farmer, says Eduardo Rivera, who grows organic fruits and vegetables on a 31/2 -acre farm in Grant Township, just west of Stillwater—but of course any farmer will tell you the word “easy” is said tongue in cheek. Read more about Organic Optimism
Kids Oasis in Stillwater is open six days a week for open play, starting at 9 a.m. daily Monday through Saturday (closing times vary). Birthday party packages are also available during off hours. Cost is $5.50 per child, with free admission for two adults. After a morning of play, locals Bella, 7, and Vinny Michels, 4, selected these top five reasons to come again.
1. The Post Office, “because you get to mail packages,” Vinny says. Read more about Top 5 Things to Do at Kids Oasis
Eduardo Rivera keeps close tabs on his top organic earners at Sin Fronteras farm in Grant, Minn.
1: Peppers
2: Roma tomatoes
3: Cherry tomatoes
4: Cilantro
5: Parsley
6: Tomatillos
7: Calabacita (a Mexican squash variety)
Read more about Sin Fronteras here. Read more about Top 7 Veggie Earners
PureYoga in Stillwater has been open for seven years, thanks to St. Paul transplant Suzy Schaak, who saw a need, filled it and, with support of the community, now owns a thriving wellness center. “We work very hard at making sure everyone feels welcome. Our studio is super community-based,” says Schaak, who started PureYoga with humble beginnings in a graciously loaned barn; the business has exploded, and now has thousands of students and more than 20 instructors. Read more about Unwind with Yoga
Visit our other community sites
