Sponsored by
Bloom Flower Farm
Bloom is a small flower farm in Northeast Iowa run by Jen Opheim and family. At Bloom, we love to watch things grow and to be creative. It all begins with a vision. Maybe you want fresh locally grown flowers for your DIY wedding bouquets. Maybe you want to promote your business with a petite posy giveaway. Or maybe you have a flower friend who would love a unique gift of blooms through our seasonal CSA. Whatever your flower needs are, we’re happy to help. Let’s create something beautiful together!
Read the Fall 2016 Inspire(d) Online!
Sponsored by
Bloom Flower Farm
Bloom is a small flower farm in Northeast Iowa run by Jen Opheim and family. At Bloom, we love to watch things grow and to be creative. It all begins with a vision. Maybe you want fresh locally grown flowers for your DIY wedding bouquets. Maybe you want to promote your business with a petite posy giveaway. Or maybe you have a flower friend who would love a unique gift of blooms through our seasonal CSA. Whatever your flower needs are, we’re happy to help. Let’s create something beautiful together!
Fall is one of our most favorite times of the year – glorious weather, beautiful leaves, sweaters, hot chocolate, marching bands…we could go on and on! So we’re super excited to bring you the new Fall 2016 Inspire(d) Magazine! Online today, and out on stands starting this weekend!
Here’s what you’ll get to read:
Be an Acorn! • Foster Care in Iowa • Local Politicians Making Their Worlds Better: John Beard, Chuck Gipp, Kurt Friese Alicia Leinberger, and Sarah Schroeder • Q&A with Rosanne Cash • Barn Sales • Fall Art Trips in the Driftless • Make It: Paper Plants • Probit: Phyllis Green • And more! (Click above to read it full-screen, and just hit esc when you want to exit )
Fall 2016 Editor’s Letter:
Right now, it’s 5:24 in the morning. I’m dreadfully behind on my magazine deadline, even though this is the third time this week I’ve been up all night – once for flooding, though. Benji’s been on the road for seven weeks living out one of his long-time dreams (living out dreams is something we highly encourage around here), and tomorrow, Roxie and I go to pick him up! Exciting!
I’m not gonna lie – it’s been a lot of work, these past seven weeks, but, man, as I’m reaching all sort of finish lines here tonight, I’m feeling like a mother bleeping champion! Seriously, you might 
even be able to hear me roar.
And it makes me think about you and me and us, and how we really can do anything we put our minds to.
Somehow, we started this magazine nine years ago in October. It’s far from being “to the nines” (i.e. perfect), but it’s been a whole lot of fun and I truly believe we’ve changed our world – at least a little bit – for the better.
It brings it all around to our cover this magazine: “Be an acorn.” I’ve said this ever since my Ralph Waldo Emerson kick in college. His quote is, “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” Boom. That sums up everything behind our mission for Inspire(d) – small changes can lead to big world changes. Be an acorn, man!
There are lots of acorns in this issue.
Folks changing the world through politics, like John Beard, Chuck Gipp, Kurt Friese Alicia Leinberger, and Sarah Schroeder (pg. 14).
Others trying to help, care for, and inspire some of the nearly 6,000 kids in foster care here in Iowa (pg. 34).
Others still, living out their dreams of being artists and being successful – you can visit artists all around the region in the fall during studio art tours or at cool art festivals and more (pg. 52).
There’s also a lot of fun in this issue (and in the region in the fall): Barn Sales (pg. 26), outdoor dining, (pg. 9), and great music and performances all over the Driftless.
Speaking of performances, make sure you check out Rosanne Cash’s performance at Luther College November 12, and before you go, check out my interview with the prolific singer/songwriter. I had a blast chatting with her on the phone, even though I always get so nervous about stuff like that!
The top of my fun list always includes a road trip too – we’ve gotten pretty good at packing the car and getting ready, so don’t miss our little essentials guide at the end of the mag (pg. 64). I’m hoping to put that list to good use, because, seriously, as I was putting this magazine together and I was all, “I want to go to Mineral Point! I want to go to Soldiers Grove! I want to go to see Rosanne Cash! I want…”
Apparently, there are a bunch of things I want to do this fall. We hope you feel the same way!
Looking forward,
Aryn Henning Nichols
P.S.
Roxie started pre-school this fall! Ahh! How is that possible. We thought you, dear readers, might want to know. ‘Cause, you know…you’re family! Thanks for sticking with us for NINE years! Whew! XOXO
