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Grant Goltz: Artisan of the Woods

11/15/2016

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By Tenlee Lund

    How long does it take to build a birch bark canoe? If you really want to know, ask Grant Goltz, an artist, craftsman and teacher who lives near Longville.
    “Everybody asks that,” he says, “so let’s first break it down as to what’s involved in making a canoe. Let’s assume that you already know what you’re going to do and how to do it.” In other words, we’ll eliminate the learning curve.
    “First,” he says, “you have to go out and find the materials.” That could take a week or more, when you consider three or four days to harvest good quality birch bark and another day or so to get cedar that has a straight grain with no limbs or twists.
    “It’s not as easy as it used to be,” says Goltz, explaining that the right trees can be hard to find — and then they might be on somebody’s property.
    Next you need to dig spruce roots because “that’s what it’s laced with.” A typical canoe requires 500 to 800 feet of lacing, which requires “a lot of digging in the swamp.
    “Now you’ve got this pile of stuff — you’ve got birch bark, you’ve got a few logs. You’ve got to make all that into canoe parts.” He smiles.
    The cedar needs to be split down the grain for the ribs and gunwales; the bark needs to be taken off the spruce roots and they need to be split and split again until they become thin, flat laces; and the birch bark needs to be cleaned — and it’s all got to be done by hand.
    “If all goes well and you’ve got a couple of people to help you, probably another week goes by,” Goltz continues, “so, after a minimum of two weeks of pretty intensive labor, you’re ready to actually start putting the canoe together.
    “When most people ask how long it takes to build a canoe, this is where they start. But we’ve already spent at least two weeks, sometimes three, getting to this point. And you’ve got to do that with every canoe. It’s part of the process.
    “From here, if you’ve got a couple people to help, you can probably put a canoe together in a week.” He should know. He’s built lots of them.
    Goltz and his partner, archaeologist Christy Hohman, have been “studying birch bark canoes for at least 40 years” and building them since the mid-1990s. They thoroughly research, then build using methods and materials as close to authentic as they can replicate.
    “When we build our canoes, we’re usually using an example of an actual canoe that was documented. We don’t just build a generic birch bark canoe,” he explains.
    For example, in 2002 he built a 27-foot birch bark canoe for a group from France that wanted to use it to traverse Canada. “It was a replica of one of those old fur-trade canoes and they paddled it 3,000 miles, from Portland, Oregon, to somewhere on Hudson Bay. They had 2,000 pounds of equipment and six people in that canoe.”
    On that journey and countless others, birch bark canoes have proven to be reliably sturdy. This one crashed against a bridge support, breaking the gunwale. They repaired it with a hockey stick and completed the final 2,000 miles of the trip.
    As Goltz explains, native people had been using those boats for thousands of years. During the booming fur trade, from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s, the French voyageurs were also paddling birch bark canoes.
    Why? “Because they were the best suited watercraft for where they had to go and what they were doing. You could repair them, they were lightweight, they were sturdy. There was no comparison,” says Goltz.
    He doesn’t use the word “primitive” to describe ancient people’s methods because, “When you look back at how people used to do things, it was very sophisticated. They understood everything that they were doing and they did it very well and very deliberately. To me, that’s not primitive. They understood the scientific principles of a whole lot of things that we’re just starting to figure out today.”
    For example, they mixed powdered charcoal into the spruce pitch they used to seal the birch bark seams on the canoes. That’s why the seams are black.
    “Sunlight can’t penetrate and ultraviolet radiation doesn’t break it down. That’s science. For the world that those people lived in, that’s as good as any of the science that we use today. It’s just geared to another time, another situation. You can find all sorts of examples like that.”
    Goltz and Hohman also make museum-quality replicas of native pottery, again using authentic methods and materials. Much of their handiwork is on display in exhibits, and they also teach the skill to others, many of whom are descendants of native cultures.
    “It’s one of those things that people quit doing. When the fur trade brought in brass kettles, people said, ‘hey, we don’t need to do this anymore’ and quit, so the skill was not passed on,” Goltz explains. “Some native people were not even aware that their ancestors made pottery. It’s part of their cultural heritage that’s almost gotten lost.”
    But as Goltz and Hohman discover these skills, they research, learn, then teach them to others.
    “It’s fun,” says Goltz. “We like to share what we’ve learned with other people. A lot of the things we do are fairly unique. There aren’t many people out there doing them.”
    They’ve woven baskets, built guitars, carved wooden animals, tanned leather, built furniture and kayaks and worked with stone, wood and clay. “We can make almost anything because we’ve worked with everything imaginable,”  Goltz laughs. “We’ve been on an almost 40-year adventure and we still continue to pick up new ideas and things.”
    As they revive lost arts and develop an appreciation for cultures that were here before ours, we can all be grateful that they invite us along for the ride.
For more information, visit www.Squeedunk.com.
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In Case You Missed It Movie Review: Kubo and the Two Strings

11/9/2016

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by Dustin Engstrom

The magic in Kubo and the Two Strings from Laika, the animators behind Coraline and ParaNorman, is the ability the studio has to create worlds literally out of whole cloth, or paper, or giant skeletons with swords sticking out of their heads.  Part traditional stop-motion, part computer animation, the movement, the color, the imagination and skill that went into every single detail, gives the film a sweeping, tactile feel.  Yet the pleasing part about watching a film like Kubo, although geared toward children, is the way it captures an adult’s imagination as well.  Unlike the constant bombast of comedic throw offs from studios like DreamWorks, this delightful animated film doesn’t rely on a constant stream of silly gags and over the top characters to get kids’ attention.  It relies on what makes any big film great: story, character, and a sense of wonder.
           The story focuses on a Kubo, a boy with the ability to bring his origami to life with his guitar. During the day he puts on a show for the local villagers, and at night he takes care of his ailing mother in a cave.  Her memory comes and goes as she damaged her head protecting Kubo from her sinister father, the Moon King, and her twin sisters (who look like something out of a creepy anime).  Her mother tells him that his father, a great samurai warrior, died protecting him from their villainy.  One night, the time of day his mother tells him he should never be out in the open or his grandfather and aunts will come for him, he tries to pray to his father like the other villagers do for their deceased loved ones.  His mother’s words ring true and so begins an adventure for Kubo to find his father’s magical armor to be able to combat his relatives.  He is accompanied by a talking monkey and a man-like beetle.  They fight the aforementioned giant skeleton, (sixteen feet tall and weighing 400 pounds, the skeleton is considered by the studio to be the largest stop-motion puppet ever made) orb-like eyes under a dark ocean, and of course, the main villains of the piece.
           To say more would spoil the story and the fun.  The characters are voiced by some of Hollywood’s top talent, including Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, and Rooney Mara.  The characterizations aren’t flashy or gimmicky.  The colorful story consistently amazes with its outstanding visuals.  Likened to the quest stories of folklore, Kubo uses the Japanese setting well, outlining part of its culture and architecture with loving detail.  There are many spirited moments of humor and adventure.  Above all, it urges you to remember what it’s like to be a kid.  Some kids might find some of it a bit scary, but more so than that, a warning to parents to be prepared to talk their children about death as that is a big part of the story.  I commend the creators for taking that risk and not suppressing that aspect of the film.  This is a magical adventure, but it captures real truths – ones that can be painful, but with this story and these characters – can be a cathartic experience for everyone.  And it’s a fine thing to behold.
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Taking Her Passion to HART

11/7/2016

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Picture
By Kate Perkins
Editor

For the last nearly 30 years, Donna Wambeke has devoted a significant amount of her time and effort to helping animals across the Lakes Area. She was on the ground floor of the creation and development of the Heartland Animal Rescue Team (HART), and continues to lead HART as the organization’s executive director.

She recalls that when HART was started in April, 1987, the organization had no building and relied on volunteers to foster homeless animals. Donna had seen an article in the paper about the organization’s founding, and was a member by day two.

“We started with no building, no money- just some caring people,” Donna said. “We got donations for dog food, and would go to construction sites and get old lumber for dog houses.”

In 1990 HART was donated money to operate out of a storefront in Brainerd. In 1992, HART purchased the building where it’s currently located- but it needed a source of income to sustain itself.

Donna spearheaded a project to have a consistent source of income by providing impounding services for area cities. She started getting contracts, and today HART has agreements with 18 municipalities. Municipalities pay a fee so that if there’s a stray dog in the city, it can be brought to HART for care. That side of HART’s work has allowed the shelter to grow and thrive.

“We started out with about a $200 a year budget. Today when I did the budget for the fiscal year it’s $390,000,” Donna said.

The growth of HART allowed the organization to perform a major remodel. Donna is particularly proud of the dog kennel. It’s open air, with good-sized enclosures for each dog. Every dog has a bed, blanket, toy, and plenty of fresh air thanks to a high-quality ventilation system.

Donna said that while an animal shelter is often perceived to be a sad place for dogs, that’s not really the case at HART.

“So many people have the icky, dark, dreary impounds in their head,” Donna said. “I don’t feel bad for these (dogs and cats at HART), I feel sorry for the ones that should be here and aren’t. The ones tied up, starving, or having babies in wood piles.”

All the animals at HART are well cared for, given regular walks and plenty of attention. They have plastic swimming pools to play in during the summer, and get a frozen kong every morning. But it’s still just a temporary home for the dogs and cats that come to HART- and 1,200 to 1,500 come through the doors every year.

Donna said that the spay and neuter message has really gotten out across the Lakes Area, and stray dogs here have become less of a problem. So, whenever HART has space in its shelter, it takes dogs from other, overcrowded areas and has them transported to HART, where they’re adopted out. They receive 20 dogs a month from one organization, and 10-15 a month from another organization. Often the dogs come from areas of North Dakota or southern states like Tennessee or Kentucky.

“The majority of our animals are transfers, which makes us feel really good because they’re coming out of high-kill shelters or impound facilities,” Donna said.

HART is a low-kill shelter, which means that there are very few instances in which animals at the shelter are euthanized. Usually it’s when they’ve attacked humans or are ill and can’t be saved.

“We are going to go the extra mile for the stray, for any animal you bring in here,” Donna said. “We work really hard to get these animals adopted. Going to HART is never a death sentence for any animal.”

High-kill shelters often have a limit on how long a dog or cat can be at the shelter before, if they’re not adopted, they’re euthanized. Sometimes that time period is just five to seven days. That does not happen at HART.

“We have no time limit,” Donna said. “People come in here and say, ‘You’re not going to kill it, are you?’ and I say, ‘Why would I?’”

At HART all the animals are kept for seven days before they go on the adoption floor. They’re spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, receive flea and tick treatment, and are de-wormed. All of this is included in a $150 adoption fee. The dogs are also temperament tested so they can be matched with the best home for their personality.

HART has an open-door policy for all stray animals. For surrenders, though, the shelter has a list of guidelines that must be met. The dog or cat being surrendered has to be under a certain age, and must not have bit or attacked a human. If HART staff can’t handle the dog or cat, it can’t be accepted because staff needs to be able to care for the animal. Donna said that often old cats do not do well in a shelter, as they hide and seclude themselves. Some even shut down completely and don’t make it. That’s why it’s important for those animals to find a home through different means.

At HART, a staff of 13 who Donna describes as “very caring individuals” does its very best to find a good home and positive outcome for every animal that comes through the door. Many staff members have been at HART for 10-15 years. The shelter is a non-profit and is governed by a board of directors who care about HART’s cause.

After nearly 30 years, Donna said that her continued involvement in HART, as well as that of her colleagues,  comes down to passion.

“It’s not a job, it’s a passion,” she said.

To learn more about HART, support its cause or see some of the adoptable animals, visit www.hartpets.org.

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Pine River Airport Takes Flight

11/2/2016

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​By Kate Perkins
Editor

While the Pine River airport has always been a place of flight and travel, it’s become even more so in recent months, as a flight instructor and airplane mechanic have teamed up and moved into the airport to serve the community.

Tom Pfingsten, flight instructor, and Ron Sieling, airplane and helicopter mechanic, are both taking up a post at the airport as some of the only people in the area who do what they do. They’re accompanied by Elsa the Airport Dog, a black and white dog that looks like cookies and cream ice cream- and is just as sweet.

Both Pfingsten and Sieling have extensive experience in their fields (Elsa has extensive experience as airport buddy). Pfingsten has been flying for more than 20 years. He said he got “the bug” for aviation at a young age, and learned to fly as soon as he could. Though he was a police officer at the time he got his pilot’s license, Pfingsten got a job flying for the DNR as a conservation officer pilot, flying for animal counts, fire watches and enforcement.

Sieling, meanwhile, got his start in aviation mechanics more than 15 years ago, working for North Memorial Ambulance on their flight for life helicopters. He’s also worked on offshore petroleum helicopters. That happens to be the area with the highest concentration of helicopters in the United States.

Sieling and Pfingsten agree that the common misconception about learning to fly and having a plane is the cost. Pfingsten said that most people don’t realize that they can learn to fly for around, or less than, $6,000. Pilots don’t necessarily need to own an airplane to learn- they can rent a plane for flight time with their instructor.

Pfingsten compared the cost of learning and of small planes to other forms of recreation, such as fishing boats, snowmobiles or jet skis. A flyable plane, on the low end, can be purchased for around $20,000. Prices go up from there.

“The sky is the limit,”  as far as airplane prices go, Pfingsten said. (“Pun intended,” he added.) On the other hand, though, “you can buy two planes for less than the cost of a new pickup truck.”  

And, now that Pfingsten and Sieling have landed at the Pine River airport, Pine River is poised to help a lot of future pilots. Sieling is licensed to sell aircrafts and performs the required annual maintenance and inspections, so pilots need not travel far for that service. He’s also licensed to sell aircraft.

“We want to revive the airport,” Sieling said. He said studies have shown that towns with a utilized airport show growth in response to that use.

And Pine River is a great place to learn. Sieling pointed out that because the airport is small, there is less traffic for learning pilots to deal with.

Pfingsten said that convenience is also a benefit. People in the Pine River-Backus area won’t have to travel far to train for their license.

“A lot of people in the rural areas use aviation for personal and business travel, and just for recreation. Recreationally it’s just a fun thing to do. It involves developing a skill, so if someone is achievement oriented and wants to be the best they can be at something, aviation offers that challenge,” Pfingsten said.  

Aside from recreation, there are a lot of opportunities for a career as a pilot. “It’s not just transportation,” Pfingsten said. His own career is an example of that. In his career with the DNR, Pfingsten flew at night in the fall to catch poachers who were shining deer. They also flew as they counted animal populations, from animals as large as moose to as small as ducks.

To Pfingsten, the experience of flying is like no other.

“There’s a freedom, a different perspective when you’re looking out over god’s creation and see it slowly moving underneath the aircraft, knowing you’re guiding that craft. You’re the only one capable of and responsible for the safety and quality of that flight.”

To learn more about Sieling’s Pine River Aeromotor business or Pfingsten Aviation Flight Training, call the office at their hangar at 218-587-5000. Both businesses can be found at the Pine River Airport, at 1340 State Highway 84.
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