Aryn Henning Nichols

At least (roughly) 48 times a year, I look up at the dark night sky, bursting with stars, and think, “Whoa. We are tiny specks in this vast universe.” You too?

The universe fascinates me. And those James Webb telescope images of distant galaxies that were released this past summer are mind-boggling. What goes on out there? How are we even here? 

This curiosity – about the universe, the world, and the people and things that weave into our day-to-day – is what drives us to keep learning, even beyond the traditional back-to-school setting that heralds the coming of fall.

Our summer intern, Sammy Ferguson, shares the winding path of Decorah resident Nick Chill, who took the amazing photo on this cover. We love his positive perspective on life, and his quest for lifelong learning (pg 16).

We’ve been learning about our community and its people for the 15 years we’ve been making this magazine (woot, Happy Birthday, Inspire(d)!). As always, we’ve identified Community Building as one of the top positive things we can do in this life. This issue, we’ve got four great Community Builders: The Wrobel family in Viroqua, Wisconsin (pg 22); Sarah Johnson in Winona, Minnesota (pg 26); Jane Peck in Lanesboro, Minnesota (pg 29); and Nancy Sojka in Decorah, Iowa (welcome to new Inspire(d) writer Christy Ebert Vrtis, who profiled Nancy, pg 33). These people strive to improve their communities, and create spaces where others feel welcomed and connected, in this instance through historic renovations, community art, history, and quilting. 

This connection is everything. It shows us how we’re part of a larger whole, and how we have the power to affect change, affect each other’s lives, affect our own lives. Mental health writer Olivia Lynn Schnur taps into that, and gives us an idea on how we can use curiosity to connect to our biggest goals (pg 38). 

Fall, of course, is back-to-school time for students across the world. I remember delivering fall Inspire(d)s one year and seeing then-NICC President Dr. Wee standing outside at the entrance to the Calmar campus, on the street, a big smile on his face, waving as new students arrived for their first day of classes. This is Dr. Wee at his finest. Read Sara Friedl-Putnam’s great interview with him about his life and tenure as an educator and leader at Luther College and NICC (pg 43).

Fall is also time for gorgeous leaves. And leave (haha, pun) it to our conservationist writer Craig Thompson to rake me in (groan) on the topic of Leaving the Leaves. I bet he’ll get you too. As Craig says, “The more we mimic nature, the more we benefit the planet we call home.”

If you’re heading out for a fall leaf-looking drive, visit Free Range Exchange in Hokah, Minnesota (pg 48) for picnic fare. Or maybe you want to pick up snacks for your trip to Viola, Wisconsin for a class at Driftless Curiousity. Wonder and curiosity was the catalyst for Joy Miller and Rufus Haucke launching Driftless Curiousity (pg 58) in 2021. Joy was curious about why their corner of the Driftless is so dedicated to local food and organic farming. It came down to folks having a connection with their farmers – their neighbors – and in turn, a connection to the land.

Indeed. It’s all connected in this big universe.

 Let’s live (and learn) like we mean it.

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

Inside this issue, you’ll find: Nick Chill – The Paths of Life, An Interview with Dr. Wee, Mental Health: Live and Learn, Community Builders: The Wrobel Family; Sarah Johnson; Jane Peck; Nancy Sojka, Leave the Leaves, Sum of Your Biz: Free Range Exchange, Driftless Curiosity, Leaf Crown Project, Alfred Ludeking, and more! Read the whole Fall 2022 Inspire(d) online here!

If you got in your car, starting at Kenmore Square in Boston, and drove west on Historic Route 20, about halfway across the country you’ll enter the 333 miles that run straight through Iowa. There you’ll find the 9th Street SE exit for Dyersville (watch for the National Farm Toy Museum sign.) 

Although Dyersville, population 4,650, is often referenced alongside a certain famous baseball movie quote, it’s way more than that. It’s a vibrant community of entrepreneurs that are helping this rural town slide into home plate for the next generation. (Oh come on, you didn’t think we’d let it go that easy, did you?!). 

But in all seriousness, the Field of Dreams movie site is absolutely worth a visit. In fact, as this story came together, a massive $80 million development deal has been announced for the site, in addition to an annual MLB game, which is all downright exciting. And of course, you really must take in the history of Fred Ertl Sr at the National Toy Museum as well, founder of Ertl Toys, and much more. 

But if we were to re-write that famous Field of Dreams line, an even better version to describe Dyersville might be, “If She builds it…”.

You see, historically, women entrepreneurs have set the pace in Dyersville – both out of necessity and vision. For over a century, Dyersville was the home to one of HB Glover Companies sewing and manufacturing facilities – providing jobs and careers for women of all ages (yes, mostly women), who were not afraid to stand up for themselves while creating such iconic American brands as Brighton-Carlsbad Sleeping-wear, as well as flannel shirts provided to US troops in World War One. While the Brighton-Carlsbad line was sold by department stores from coast to coast mid-century, the women of HB Glover’s factories organized themselves, and even led the strike of 1916. This strike would later prompt the Richard Bissell novel 7 1/2 Cents, which also led to the smash Broadway Musical The Pajama Game. 

The building that housed HB Glover in Dyersville operated in one capacity or another as a sewing factory from 1910 to 2017. After that, the facility was mothballed until entrepreneurs Carol Miller and Tom Olberding saw a vision for turning this rich historical building into a hub for the community – while preserving that history, all through the lens of Craft Beer. Textile Brewing has done just that, even branching off to help develop other creative rehab projects such as the Corner Taproom in Cascade (which also has a Happy Joe’s Pizza Counter in the other half of the building!), and the freshly opened TapHaus in Atkins, just west of Cedar Rapids. 

The Brewery has fully embraced its history, complete with furniture built from original factory pieces and lighting constructed by Dyersville toy designer Chris Huisman of RetroPurposed. The place oozes of modern beers and fantastic history, with informational pieces throughout the taproom. It is also one of the first Gold Certified “Green Breweries” in Iowa, and has a forward vision for utilizing local grains and ingredients in their beers – such as the Re-gen (regenerative) Rye Red, Cascade Blonde, and the Breslau Style Schoeps which features over 70 percent Iowa grown wheat.

Just around the corner on 1st Avenue, Savvy Salvage, a wildly creative upcycling and “junk” business opened in 2010, is run by Heidi Huisman (Chris Huisman’s partner in life and adventures). Heidi’s family lineage in the self-proclaimed “garbage business” led her work in salvage long before it was “chic.” Keep an eye out for Chris’ lighting pieces there, as well as Karri Parrott’s “The Bird’s Nest,” creating one-of-a-kind furniture pieces sealed with Earth Safe Finishes. The store also acts as home base for the “Historic Route 20” Association’s Iowa chapter, with information, souvenirs, and more.

 Across the street at Brew & Brew, Becca Miller and her crew crank out all things homemade and delicious in what has become another hub for the community. After working in the Ag Tech and cattle breeding business, with a degree in Beef Production, Becca, then 24, saw the opportunity to purchase the coffee shop and make a difference in her hometown. So in 2017 she jumped in and never looked back. The business not only survived, but thrived during the pandemic through small town support. Becca continues to show the town love through creative baking, breakfast and lunch menus (try the Acreage Panini!), and custom cookies. 

And while modern Highway 20 has defined the outskirts of Dyersville, the thriving downtown is still the kind of place one would have found on Historic Route 20 back in the day – where you can buy a new outfit at Jennifer Recker’s J&R Fashions, pick up a new pair of shoes at Reicher’s, and meet up for a quick meal at the Palace Saloon, Chad’s Pizza, or Abby Sejdini’s freshly modernized Dyersville Family Restaurant – all within about two blocks. In fact, right on the 200 block is Keri Knipper’s just-remodeled Uptown Hair – in a building that has served as a barber shop or salon for more than 120 years. 

Beyond the physical investments, Dyersville is also making good on giving young people, and those with “young” ideas chances to shine. The sum of these efforts is not only helping Dyersville succeed in rural Iowa, but also helping show young adults that the town is actually a great place to live. Take social artist Ashley Althoff, an Eastern Iowa native, who attended Upper Iowa University, but saw the chance to put her graphic design and art skills to work in the place she grew up. From an Americorps project that kept her local, she quickly became engaged in projects and jobs with Elkader’s Art in the Park, the Clayton County Energy District, and telling the story of Textile Brewing as marketing manager. This is the type of creative work that can keep young, engaged Iowans plugged into their rural communities, while making real impact. 

The town has rallied to help foster the self-employed and those chasing their ideas. The Dyersville Innovation Lab is a collaborative project of the Rural Ideas Network, Dyersville Economic Development, Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation, Dubuque County, and Dupaco Credit Union. The Lab hosts co-working space, business coaching, roundtables, and more. They are now one of five locations featuring the Innovation Lab model, including one in Northeast Iowa, Lansing Office Works, opened in 2021 (read about that facility on pg 24 of the Summer 2022 Inspire(d) Magazine).

So as the seasons bring in “baseball weather” – keep Dyersville in mind for a perfect road trip. It’s true, the 1989 hit film Field of Dreams helped put Dyersville on the modern Iowa map, and will inevitably continue to bring the fans – but we’d argue that it’s the dynamic, often female lead folks of Dyersville who continue to make it special. And no, this is not heaven…. It’s Iowa, and there’s really good beer too. 

Going on a Dyersville Day Trip?

Check out dyersville.org before you go, and put these fun spots on your to-do list!

Field of Dreams Movie Site

Filmed on the Kinsella Family Farm, visit the place that helped the rest of the world understand that this is heaven. fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com

National Farm Toy Museum

What Iowa kid’s upbringing would be complete without the innovations of Fred Ertl Sr? A union journeyman mold maker and Steward at the Adams Company in Dubuque, Ertl began making toy tractors in the 1940s from his basement furnace using sand from the river and used airplane pistons while the company went on strike, and through pioneering licensing work built a die-cast toy empire. The Museum tells Ertl’s story, and many more, and also hosts the National Farm Toy Show the first week of June in Dyersville. Explore thousands of tractors and farm toys, as well as the incredible work of wooden toy creator Bernie Kluesner, 100 years of John Deere through Farm Toys, and more. www.nationalfarmtoymuseum.com

Basilica of St. Francis Xavier

Shining out 200 feet over Dyersville, the twin spires of the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier mark the tenacity of founding German immigrants to Dyersville. Since 1889, this Catholic Church has served thousands of parishioners, having been bestowed the “Basilica” title (one of 53 in the US) by His Holiness Pope Pius XII. Check it out, just at the edge of the downtown district on 3rd Street SW. piresoffaith.com

Textile Brewing Company 

Fun, beautifully restored, environmentally conscious brewery in an old sewing factory! Come for the beer, stay for the giant Bavarian pretzels, and don’t miss the historic displays all around the taproom. Dog friendly seasonal biergarten – tell them Inspire(d) sent you! textilebrews.com

Brew & Brew

Local Coffee, breakfast, and lunch shop. Don’t miss the beautiful cookies that owner Becca Miller decorates in her “spare time” – the treats, sandwiches, salads, and coffee are all just exactly what you need. brewandbrewdyersville.com

Savvy Salvage 

We love this super fun “junk” shop! Owner Heidi Huisman is an artist, curates beautiful pieces in her shop, and is a treasure herself. This shop also acts as the HQ for Iowa’s “Historic Route 20” representation. Don’t miss it! savvysalvageiowa.com

TOMY Factory Store

Through a series of conglomerations and sales, the TOMY Company now owns Ertl Toys, amongst many other brands you’d recognize. The Factory store is a fun spot to make a quick shopping stop. Check out “TOMY Outlet Store” on Facebook.

O So Good Winery 

Just on the Southwest side of Dyersville – this Iowa Winery offers up a great variety of wines spanning a wide pallet of styles and flavors. Occasional music, fun atmosphere, and Chad’s Pizza make for a nice stop. osogoodwinery.com

Dyer-Botsford House 

Built by the founder of Dyersville, James Dyer. The House is now a museum featuring artifacts, displays, and beautiful antiques, including over 2,000 dolls! dyersvillehistory.com

FUSE 

Dyersville, Sports Bar, Wine Lounge housed in 100 year old hotel and former industrial space. Opened in March 2022 by Tara Rahe with the intention of helping fuse the new and old sides of Dyersville. fusedyersville.com

Heritage Trail

Take a ride on this 30-mile route to explore the Upper Midwest’s most scenic all-season trail from Dyersville to Dubuque. Follow the path of a once bustling railroad into a 450-foot deep valley, past old mining and mill towns. Discover the rugged beauty that welcomes thousands of bicyclists and hikers each year. www.cityofdyersville.com/315

Day Trip Add-ons:

From the north – Take backroads to the Hill Country Convenience Store and Every’s Auto & Tire in Colesburg. It might be one of the best examples of small town resourcefulness in Eastern Iowa.

Worth the extra 15 miles – Drive to Cascade, Iowa (pop, 2100) to check out the Corner Tap (Craft Beer Bar) and connected Happy Joe’s Pizza. If this isn’t a grown-up-Iowa-kid’s dream, nothing is. The project was actually a collaboration between three businesses, the City of Cascade, and the State, and it is a beacon of what small town redevelopment can look like.  Hot tip – Cheryl’s Flour Garden Bakery is across the street and also worth the trip (but only open until 2pm!). 

During warm summer evenings, as the sun tumbles and stars rise from their daytime slumber, a lightshow below the horizon unfolds. A single spark, then two, herald the performance. Within minutes, the flickers crescendo. As owls and bats begin nocturnal rituals, fireflies emerge by the hundreds to dance brightly, silently punctuating the darkness with tiny sparks. Bioluminescence – the production of light by living creatures – adds a tincture of magic to our backyards.

The ability to generate and emit light is widespread in nature, particularly in marine realms. Plankton, jellyfish, and even fish dwelling in the stygian darkness of deep oceans, blink, flicker, and glow. 

On dry land, fireflies send bright pulses of biological morse code skyward. The purpose of bioluminescence varies by species. For some, it advertises unpalatability – “I’m bitter, don’t eat me.” For others, like deep sea fish, glowing appendages lure unsuspecting prey toward jaws filled with sharp teeth. Fireflies, on the other hand, use light as the language of love, a seductive semaphore intended to attract mates. 

Fireflies are classified as beetles. Numbering more than 400,000 species (and counting!), beetles comprise almost 25 percent of all known organisms on Earth. Of that total, 2000 species are fireflies. Distributed across the planet, they burn brightly on every continent except Antarctica. Closer to home, more than 100 species inhabit North America, most found east of the Mississippi River. 

Life is not always glamorous for these six-legged luminaries. They begin as tiny eggs deposited in damp mulch or leaf litter. After hatching, larvae live a subterranean existence, voraciously hunting slugs, snails, and earthworms. Depending on the species, up to two years is spent in the root zone. Larval fireflies, like their adult counterparts, are bioluminescent and often referred to as glow worms.

Adult life is short and to the point – mate and expire. In what may be the best example of an insect dating app, males fly slowly over fields and woodland edges while emitting brief flashes of light to attract females. The flash pattern varies by species. Females, ever cautious, watch while concealed in vegetation. When Mr. Bright flies by, a receptive female flashes her interest. After a brief exchange of wattage to seal the deal, mating ensues, eggs are laid, and the cycle begins anew.

Unfortunately, firefly populations are blinking out. Habitat loss, pesticides, and light pollution that interfere with mating are conspiring to drive their numbers down. Losing the little lights of summer is unthinkable. 

Thankfully, we can take action to help our flickering friends. Here’s how:

• Create firefly homes by planting beautiful gardens filled with native plants.

• Leave the leaves and let logs rot. Both provide important habitat for larval fireflies. Remember – they eat pesky slugs and snails.

• Make the Driftless dark by turning off outside lights. Motion detectors can address safety concerns.

• Stop mowing all that lawn. Let some revert to habitat for fireflies and other wildlife.

• Refrain from using lawn chemicals.

Lightening bugs are an iconic part of our natural heritage. By taking a few simple steps, we can ensure their enchanting backyard lightshows burn brightly for future generations.