Heber Valley Life

Author: Loralie Pearce

  • Forging A Legacy

    Forging A Legacy

    “Behold! The Sword of Power!”
    Whether from Arthurian legend or a stick in the woods, we’ve all felt the magic of wielding something greater than ourselves.

    The legend of King Arthur dates back to the 9th century (circa 828 AD). So, it’s safe to say that most children growing up in the Western world have heard some version of the tale where a young boy pulls a sword from a stone—or receives it from the Lady of the Lake—and becomes king. As with most legends, there are countless versions. But one thing remains constant: the sword. Excalibur, the magical blade, may be even more famous than the king himself. In the 1981 movie Excalibur, the wizard Merlin dramatically proclaims, “Behold! The Sword of Power!” as he presents the blade to Uther Pendragon.

    Be honest—how many of us have ever picked up a stick in the woods or a pool noodle at the store and wielded it like a sword, staff, lightsaber, or wand? Bonus points if you yelled, “Behold! The Sword of Power!” Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

    I was a blacksmith’s boy but yesterday; I am—what shall I say I am today?
    – Charles Dickens

    For Master Bladesmith and Heber Valley resident Daniel Olsen, that kind of imaginative play wasn’t just a phase—it was the start of a lifelong passion. “Before my dad became a school teacher, he was a contractor,” Daniel explains. “He would cut sword shapes from plywood, and my brothers and I would rush to play with them—just like in the King Arthur stories.”

    Daniel grew up in Battle Mountain, Wyoming, with wide open spaces and lots of freedom to explore. His parents, both school teachers, fostered in him a deep love for American and European history. “From a young age, I was fascinated by pioneers, settlers, colonists—where they came from and how they lived,” he recalls.

    So, it makes perfect sense that on a family trip to Utah, one of their first stops was This Is the Place Heritage Park. The blacksmith’s shop immediately drew Daniel in. “I was 14, and the shop was just so enthralling. I asked my parents if I could stay while they toured the park. I think I spent like three hours with the blacksmith.” When it came time to leave, Daniel said wistfully, “Man, I wish I could do this.” The blacksmith looked at him and said, “Why don’t you?”

    That suggestion set the course for Daniel’s life. The blacksmith told him that with a railroad track, a hammer, and a hairdryer, he could make anything he wanted. So when Daniel got home, that’s exactly what he did. “I dug a hole, borrowed my dad’s hammer, took my mom’s hair dryer, and found a piece of railroad track. My first knives were barely recognizable, but I didn’t care—I was hooked.”

    His parents weren’t too concerned about him building fires or hammering steel in the backyard, but the hairdryer? That crossed a line. “They made me get my own,” Daniel laughs. With no internet or YouTube, he turned to the library, checking out books on blacksmithing and forging. “It gave me something positive to focus on. I think it helped me avoid a lot of that teenage rebellion.”

    By the time he was 16, someone offered to buy one of his knives. “I sold it for $50 and thought I’d struck gold,” he says. That first sale kicked off not just a career, but a lifelong habit of reinvesting in his craft. “Every time I sold a knife, I bought more tools. I’ve been doing that for 33 years, and now we have a shop full of incredible equipment.”

    The “we” Daniel refers to is intentional—because now, his son Isaac has joined him in the forge. Isaac remembers watching his dad work, especially the rigged-up hair dryer. “I thought it would be fun to try it myself,” he says. His first “real” knife came from an old truck leaf spring. With guidance from Daniel, Isaac made the entire thing, including the handle. “He used layered fabric—denim and burlap—set in resin and pressed. It’s more durable than wood and looks amazing,” Daniel says proudly.

    Isaac’s favorite creation so far is a Bowie-style knife with a tigerwood handle. But his real passion lies in making Kukris—large, curved knives used in Nepal. “Right now, I’m working on two chef’s knives using a Japanese method called Go Mai, which means five layers,” Isaac explains. The knives use a mix of metals and natural materials—including wood Isaac foraged himself—and incorporate features like turquoise inlays and horseshoe pieces used as bolsters.

    One of the knives is for a mentor who had a profound impact on Isaac’s life and inspired him to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The second is for his mission president. “I wanted to give them something meaningful and unique,” Isaac says.

    Listening to Daniel and Isaac talk about their projects is like watching a symphony of fire and steel. They finish each other’s sentences, share stories, and describe their work with contagious enthusiasm. Honestly, you might want to camp out in their shop just to witness the process.

    Better yet, you can. Their business, 4D Blades and Tools, offers classes for all skill levels. Participants can forge chef’s knives, hunting blades, or even full-size swords. “We get people from all over,” Daniel says. “Youth groups, families, couples. One of my favorite things is watching relationships get reforged—pun intended—while people create something together.”

    Bladesmithing spans millennia and has deep roots in nearly every culture. Blades have symbolized power, protection, social status, and spiritual belief. They’ve also served as critical tools, from ancient survival to modern cooking. More than weapons or utensils, blades are storytelling vessels. A knife passed down through generations carries not just steel but memory.

    Daniel and Isaac understand this better than most. They’re not just making tools—they’re helping people preserve legacies.

    Daniel shares one unforgettable project: a custom knife for an active-duty Special Forces soldier. “He needed something reliable,” Daniel says. Together, they selected high-performance materials and functional design features. But the knife became so much more.

    The soldier had served in the Marines and Army before joining Special Forces. Daniel incorporated material from his old duffle bags into the handle, along with his grandfather’s WWII jump wings, a Buffalo nickel from his grandmother, and a silver dollar his grandfather gave him before his first deployment.

    “That coin was supposed to come back with him,” Daniel says. “But his grandfather passed away while he was overseas. He’s taken it on every deployment since.” They melted the silver dollar and used it in the bolster, embedding generations of memory into one object. “Now, he sends me photos from the field. He built an entire shelter with that knife once when they were stuck in a remote area for a week.”

    The soldier’s eight-year-old daughter has already claimed the knife for the future.

    “These stories are why we do what we do,” Daniel reflects. “That knife will outlive all of us, and so will the memories attached to it.”

    Another memorable moment came when an elderly man randomly pulled into Daniel’s shop. They got to talking, and the man shared that his father had made a knife in high school—over 100 years ago.

    That knife will outlive all of us, and so will the memories attached to it.

    He went home, got the knife, and brought it back to show Daniel. “It was in incredible condition. And as he held it, the stories just started flowing—about his dad, the mountains, working with sheep. That knife was a time capsule.”

    Those moments—unexpected visits, shared memories, multigenerational legacies—fuel Daniel’s passion. He’s even writing a book, The People of the Blade, exploring the global cultural impact of bladesmithing.

    And of course, he’s still creating with Isaac. Watching Isaac design and forge blades, not just for beauty or function, but as meaningful gifts, has been a highlight of Daniel’s life. Isaac is discovering that this work goes deeper than shaping metal—it’s about honoring relationships and creating something lasting.

    As Isaac puts it, “Bladesmithing has all kinds of funny sayings—like ‘Too many irons in the fire’ or ‘Don’t lose your temper.’ One of my favorites is, ‘Bladesmiths don’t make mistakes. They just make smaller knives.’ But that’s not entirely true. Failure is actually a big part of the process.”

    He continues, “We’re pushing the limits of what’s possible with materials, so things go wrong sometimes. But just like in life, we try, we fail, we learn, and then we create something beautiful and unique. That’s what makes this work so fulfilling.”

    More Information:
    @4dbladesandtools

  • The Journey of Russ Jones

    The Journey of Russ Jones

    Music can touch our hearts, create connections, and speak to our souls. Music transcends time, cultures, and languages, and few instruments can evoke that ethereal and transcendent power as the Native American flute.

    Aretha Franklin once said, “Music can take you right back, years back, to the very moment certain things happened in your life.” For Russell Jones, one of those moments would happen while working as a Substance Use Disorder Counselor. The clinical director asked Russ if he would teach a class on Don Miguel Ruiz’s book The Four Agreements. Russ read the book and, at that time, didn’t feel he understood the beliefs well enough to teach them. He politely declined to teach the class; however, several people attending invited him to go with them to Mexico. This simple invitation would take Russ on not only a spiritual journey but a life journey he couldn’t have imagined.

    Russ explains, “I kept on resisting, but then three people in two months asked me to go on one of these spiritual journeys to the pyramids of Teotihuacan. So, I agreed to go. I went there, and I had this incredible spiritual experience. A voice came to me and said, ‘You need to move here. You need to find a teacher, and you need to learn from these people.’ So, I did.”

    For the next two years, Russ would travel between Utah and Mexico while participating in an apprenticeship and learning about the ideology of the indigenous people of Mexico. Russ shares, “During my apprenticeship, one of my teachers played the flute; part of Don Miguel Ruiz’s and the Mexican indigenous people’s ideology is around vibration. And, I thought, I want to play the flute. […] So, when I came home, I went to the Native American Trading Post on Redwood Road, and I found this little $40 flute that spoke to me. This was in 2011, and, by this time, I’m 53 years old and I’ve never played a musical instrument in my life.” He chuckles as he continues, “I followed the directions on the DVD and did the drill, and the next week I bought a bigger flute, and, that is how I started my journey of playing the flute.”

    Across various cultures, wooden flutes are widely associated with spirituality and a connection to nature. Native American flute music, specifically, is a deeply spiritual and evocative art form that carries the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples across North America. Russ was drawn to the emotive, melodic, and soothing tones; the perfect music for meditation, healing, and storytelling. All things that Russ has a passion for, so, it was a natural progression for him to begin recording and sharing his music with others. He explains, “[…] I bought an amplifier, started to add in some echo and reverb, and recorded my first album on my iPhone 4. I put it on YouTube and iTunes, and I made a disc; it wasn’t the most professional recording job, but it got the point across.”

    Russ didn’t know it then, but things were about to get a lot more ‘professional’ for this self-taught flautist! He shares, “I asked a friend of mine, Leraine Horstmanshoff, how she played in front of other people, how that all worked, and she told me that we were going to have a concert at her house. So, I had my first concert in Sugar House at Leraine’s. And, I think 50, maybe 60 people showed up, and we had a lot of fun.” Another friend offered to let Russ record in his studio; however, after that experience, Russ discovered that recording in a soundproof room wasn’t his thing.

    If you’ve ever heard the almost whispered tones of a wooden flute, you might agree that they deserve to be played in open airy spaces where their vibrations can be felt and heard. And so, Russ would play and record where he was most comfortable: his home or the homes of friends, out among the rustling aspens against the magical backdrop of our beloved Utah mountains, or during his travels to Mexico and Peru where he was one of the very few allowed to play at Machu Picchu. Wherever he was, Russ played every day. He reminisces, “I started posting videos on Facebook, and one of my songs went viral; 40 to 60,000 people listened to it in a month. That was just amazing to me because I’m nobody. I’m like, I don’t even know what I’m doing. I just sit down and play the flute.”

    Russ may have thought he was a nobody—but others were taking notice, including professional musician, Douglas Morton. Russ shares, “One day while having lunch with Leraine, Douglas walks in and starts talking to her, and he looks at me and says, ‘Hey! You’re that flute dude. I want to jam with you. Let’s pick a time.’ I was taken aback, I mean he’s been doing music and sounds for over 30 years. He’s played with some of the biggest names in music and rock and roll.” Russ continues, “I went to his place in Park City, and I brought a bunch of flutes, and we played together. He played the keyboards and I played the flute. In an hour and a half, we recorded our first album together called Into the Woods. Douglas was, and still is, so supportive of my music. He’s a perfectionist and he spent a lot of time on that album, which paid off because it won best flute album in Europe.” The two make a great team and in 2023 they released their second album Infinite (Morton Jones) which was picked up by Awareness, a sub-label of Heart Dance Records. “I was really excited and proud to be picked up by a record company. […] It’s great to be recognized and make a little money, but I agree with Douglas, when he says, ‘We play because we want to help people. If we can help someone relax or fall asleep; if we can bring joy to somebody—then we’re doing what we need to be doing as musicians.’” Well, they’re definitely doing something right; Russ, who was recently accepted into the Recording Academy, has been invited to be a voting member for the Grammys.

    Russ continues to record and post videos to Facebook; however, he now also live-streams while playing wherever he is every morning from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. He says, “I have the best professional recording equipment now, and a little recording studio at my place, and I can still use some professional help but really I just want to play the flute.” Russ shares that he has fans from Kenya, Australia, the U.K., Canada, and the U.S., who tune in to listen to him play live. “Sometimes there are maybe 20 people, sometimes there are only three. I just play from the heart, and hope I help someone have a better day.”

    Playing from the heart, and genuinely wanting to connect with world cultures and their histories has led Russ to embrace wind instruments from around the globe. Over time, Russ has incorporated the haunting tones of the Japanese Shakuhachi and the pastoral sounds of the Balkan Kaval into his repertoire. Each instrument, with its distinct voice, adds a new layer to Russ’s poignant music and emotive performances.

    Fourteen years ago, Russ Jones picked up and played his first Native American flute, and since then Russ has been collecting more than just friends and fans, he’s also collected over 300 flutes. “I’m a collector by nature, and so, I started to collect flutes. I read a book by Doctor Richard W. Payne about these old indigenous flutes, and I just became fascinated by these flutes and the people who made them. As I learned about the family names of these old members and the players, I used Facebook to contact their family members. I was interested in their stories and soon discovered that I had a reputation as someone willing to spend money on these old flutes. Some Native flutes I have were born in the 1880s—they’re pretty rare pieces. I don’t know if I have the largest collection in the Western states as a personal person, but I have a pretty good-sized collection.”

    When Russ first began his collection, and only had three flutes, he discovered his third flute had a bit of a squeak. This unwanted squeal would lead to another ‘life-changing moment.’ Russ describes his experience, “When I first met Bill Hughes, he had been making flutes for 25 years. I told him, I had one of his flutes and it squeaks when I play. He just looked at me and said, ‘You should play softer.’ So, I blew softer and it played beautifully.” Bill was not only a mentor and support to Russ; he was the inspiration and guide Russ needed to access another gift in his creative toolbox. “Bill kept trying to get me to make a flute, and I told him, I’m a flute player, not a flute maker.” Bill was patient. A few years ago, Russ received a call from a friend about a large walnut tree that had just been cut down. He shares, “It’s believed that Brigham Young planted that tree; it was at one of his wives’ homes in Sugar House. I drove down there, picked up a bunch of the logs, and took them to Bill. And, that’s when he finally talked me into making a flute with him—that was my first flute-making experience.”

    The wood a Native flute is crafted from holds significant symbolic meaning and can represent nature, emotion, and connection to the spirit world and the world around us. For Russ, that moment was not merely about producing an instrument; it was more about preserving history, tradition, culture, and a passion that filled his soul with joy. As he continued his journey, Russ was led to another craftsman named, Geoffrey Evans, who taught Russ how to make flutes the old way: hand-carved without a lathe or a router. When one handcrafts a flute one can ensure that each piece carries a unique soul, a resonance that mirrors the vibrational energy of the earth. An instrument that is an extension of the maker. Whether we play, collect, or listen to the tranquil tones to ground ourselves to Mother Nature, we can all learn something from creating a Native flute. So, it makes sense that once Russ began creating custom, hand-crafted flutes for himself, friends started to ask if he would teach them.

    “Now I have a little shop outside my cabin where I teach. I have around ten flute students, and in the last three weeks, I’ve taught two other people how to make their own flute. It’s really crazy, I mean, I’m just this guy who loves the flute. I never in my whole life thought I’d be a flute guy, or make flutes, or be a voting member of the Grammys. I thought the only instrument I’d ever play was a stereo. But I love it. And, I’ve met so many amazing people because of it.”

    Russ has indeed made connections all over the globe, some world-famous, others well-known within the Native flute realm and various music genres, and thousands of others. Music truly is a universal language that transcends cultural and geographic boundaries.

     

    @RussJonesNativeFluteMusic
    @russjones_flutemusic

  • Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

    Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

    The origins of Sinterklaas can be found in the stories of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Greek bishop from Myra, now in modern-day Turkey. Today, St. Nicholas is known all across the world and has many helpers with various names like Father Christmas, Weihnachtsmann, Ded Moroz (Father Frost), Julenissen, and many more. In Iceland, they have 13 Yule Lads they call the Jólasveinar. Here in Wasatch County, we have a few of these generous and jolly Sinterklaas’ who visit us each year in December — all of which go by the name of Santa Claus. I tried tracking all of our Santa’s helpers down to see if I could talk with them, but, as you can probably guess, Santa is a difficult man to find, especially if you don’t have a direct line to the North Pole!

    Thankfully, one of Heber Valley’s elves came to the rescue and helped me connect with City Hall’s Santa Claus, aka Anthony White, and we had a very merry conversation about his life as Santa. Like many young boys, Anthony was fascinated with magic and dabbled with it here and there. As a young adult, he took the fine art of magic more seriously, learning from others and honing his skills. Eventually, Anthony joined the International Brotherhood of Magicians, and years later, decided to become a full-time magician. He couldn’t have known then, but that decision would change his life. In the movie The Santa Clause, Tim Allen’s character, Scott Calvin, decides to put on Santa’s suit, and, by so doing, unknowingly agrees to begin the transformative journey of becoming Santa Claus. Similarly, Anthony’s decision to don a Santa Suit would take him on his own journey. He explains, “I received a call fifteen years ago from a woman who wanted to hire me for four hours. She said there would be forty kids, and I could pick up the suit from her husband. I was a little confused. When I asked what she meant, she said, ‘Well, I need you to be Santa Claus.’” Anthony almost told her no; he was a magician, not a Santa, after all. Instead, he asked for her address, put on the suit, wore the fake beard, and absolutely fell in love with being Santa! “I came home and shared the news with Mrs. Claus, who made me two beautiful suits. Of course, I couldn’t be Santa without Mrs. Claus; she is amazing.” And with that, Anthony White became Santa Claus.

    To ‘become’ Santa, one must embrace and live the true spirit of Christmas: charity, kindness, and love. Santa explains, “Most importantly, you have to love children. You will have some who are rude or throwing a temper tantrum, some who are very shy, or come from very meager or difficult circumstances. It doesn’t matter who they are or where or what they come from — you have to love them all together.” He continues, “I am there to talk with the child and create a special one-on-one moment where the child gets to speak. I find out what they want, and sometimes I hear about school and family (FYI: little ones like to tell Santa everything). It’s important to me that they know that Santa loves them.” Santa added, “I love to see the sparkle in all the children’s eyes, and by that, I mean children of all ages. Grandmas will come and sit on my lap, and their eyes are just twinkling. They say, ‘Hello Santa,’ and hug me, and I already know what they want for Christmas, but I ask them anyway. It’s always happiness for my children. It’s so much fun because that is where you really see the true spirit of Christmas — it is in the sparkle in their eyes.”

    “One of the most touching requests I get every once in a while is when a child says they want a loved one that has passed. I have a family I visit every year whose little girl asked for her daddy to come back. I looked at her, and I smiled and said, ‘You know what, your daddy will be here for Christmas. You won’t see him, but he’ll be here in spirit, and Santa knows because he talked to Mother Nature, and she said to tell you that your daddy loves you very much, and he’s very proud of you, and he will always be watching over you.’ She gave me a big hug and said thank you, Santa.’” While I pause to control my emotions, Santa shares another tender moment. He visited a family with a little boy who had brittle bone disease. When they put him on Santa’s lap, he began to shake and cry. Santa wondered, ‘Uh-Oh, what did I do wrong?’ But the little boy looked up at him and said, “I knew that if I sat on Santa’s lap, I would be happy!”

    As I do my best to act professional and not full-on sob, Santa, being Santa, knows he needs to share a jollier story. “I was between appearances and driving through an impoverished neighborhood where I pulled over to take a little winter’s nap. Suddenly, I had a very strong suspicion that I was being watched. I opened my eyes, and there were two little kids with their noses squashed against the window. I freaked out and drove off! But then I thought about those two kids and turned around. I knocked on the door, and it flew open! And, the little girl said, ‘See! I told you mom!’ I gave them each a candy cane, and instead of eating them, they placed them like prized possessions under their tiny tree. Of course, I sat down and asked them what they wanted for Christmas. It’s always interesting because the children who don’t have much want things for other people. The children wanted something nice for their mama, and after we dried our eyes, the mother came up and gave Santa a big hug. We took pictures, and, to be quite honest, I don’t think I drove on the road to my next appointment — I kind of floated along.”

    “I feel that I am supposed to be Santa Claus because I’ve been blessed with an extra amount of love.”

    When Santa is in the city, he has to hide the sleigh and reindeer and use more modern-day transportation. On these occasions, he says, “When I am Santa, I am a very kind and friendly driver.” He loves the reactions of grouchy or mad commuters when they look to see Santa waving and smiling at them. “Suddenly, they get the biggest, cheesiest grin and are happy!” He’s even been known to toss them a candy cane or two through an open car window at stoplights. Once, while driving to Provo, he forgot he was in his Santa suit and stopped to help a family change a flat tire. “The look on the little girl’s face was priceless! HO! HO! HO!” His booming laugh fills the room.

    Santa loves these unplanned moments. And so does Anthony, but he explains, “When I am Santa, I am Santa. I know it sounds weird, and it’s hard to describe, but once I put on the suit — I’m no longer there, Santa’s there.” Santa grows out his beard every year, and since he’s not a natural ‘white,’ his daughter works a little magic of her own to help him achieve his “beard that’s white.” However, he shares that there is nothing artificial about his belly that shakes like a “bowl full of jelly!” Standing at 6’ 7.5” (with his boots on) and featuring 300 pounds of jolliness, Santa cuts quite the figure. One might suppose he’d terrify little children, but Santa laughs as he says, “I get tackled almost from the moment I enter the room. I get asked at least once or twice why I am so tall. I ask the kids, ‘Well, could you see Santa sitting on a phone book trying to see over the reindeer?’ Of course, the kids don’t even know what a phone book is, but the parents nod and smile.” He makes a compelling point; it is important for Santa to see over his sleigh and reindeer – Rudolph can’t be expected to do all the guiding!

    Rudolph is the only one of Santa’s nine reindeer with a special nose that glows. When asked how it shines so bright, Santa gives the children a brief science lesson on bioluminescence, which is the ability of living organisms to produce and emit light through a chemical reaction. Just like the creatures who live in the deepest parts of the ocean, like the Mariana Trench, Rudolph can use his bioluminescence to light Santa’s sleigh on foggy nights. The other reindeer also have unique talents, but not knowing what they are is part of the magic and mystery. In addition to those nine reindeer, there are 144 reindeer in training. Santa says, “Now, you guys sometimes have reindeer here in Heber, and some of those reindeer are mine, but most are not. How the reindeer fly is a secret of Santa’s, so I have to tell the children and the adults that I’m sorry, but you can’t see any of my reindeer. But you can certainly leave them a treat or a note – they love that.” One of the most popular questions is, ‘How do you get down the chimney?’ And, ‘What if I don’t have a chimney; do you come through my front door?’ Santa explains, “It’s very interesting how that works: I get above the chimney, and I get all googly — kind of like Jell-O, and then slurp the chimney just sucks me right down! I deliver the presents, then I place a finger beside my nose, give a nod, and whoosh up the chimney I go! I always pop like a cork coming out, which is so fun. Some houses don’t have chimneys; all they have are pipes. I get sucked down those pipes, and a fireplace appears, and when I go back up — the fireplace disappears. The original Santa never went through the front door, and neither do I.” As for what happens to fire in the fireplace — well, Santa has a magic flame on the soul of his beautiful black boots that freezes and unfreezes the fire so he doesn’t get burnt — pretty clever!

    Santa also gets asked, “Do you really eat all the cookies?” And, “How many elves do you have?” Santa chuckles, “I always take a bite, but sometimes the reindeer like to taste the cookies. So, I will share it with them or save it for a midnight snack.”

    As we end our interview, Anthony expresses his gratitude for Santa, “I feel that I am supposed to be Santa Claus because I’ve been blessed with an extra amount of love, and I’m able to help people. This world that we live in – this is something Santa wouldn’t say — but let’s be honest, it can be really horrible sometimes. What I do is try to bring some happiness and joy into the world.” I can hear Anthony’s and Santa’s love for being Santa in the answer to the last question, “At the North Pole, there are 3,624 elves, and I didn’t find the elves; the elves found me. They have helped Mrs. Claus and I become who we are today. The elves and the children are the ones who taught me the magic of Christmas.”

  • Meet Ashley Dudas

    Meet Ashley Dudas

    At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other’s well-being.
    – Author Unknown

    For horse lovers, the quintessential scene we often play over and over in our minds is that of being completely in sync with our equine counterparts; they are part of us, and we are part of them. They trot up to us, not because we have a treat for them, but because being near us is the treat. When we ride, we’re so connected that it only takes a shift of weight, a small movement, a gentle touch or tap, and we head off into the sunset. The reality? Most people who spend a lifetime around horses never experience that feeling. Many believe that that kind of relationship is unattainable, a tale told by movie producers. But what if it wasn’t just a story, what if we could experience that kind of harmony with the horses we love?

    Enter: Ashley Dudas, aka The Savvy Equestrian. Ashley loves teaching horse lovers how they can “transform their relationship with their horse into the partnership of their dreams.” She shares, “I used to think that the scenes I saw in movies like Hidalgo or The Horse Whisperer were magic, but it’s real. And, it’s even better than what they depict in the movies.”

    Ashley’s journey to discovering this oneness with horses began early on. “I think I came out of the womb screaming ‘horse!’ I’ve been obsessed with horses ever since I could remember, and I was very fortunate to have parents that could support my horsey dreams. I had my first riding lesson when I was five, and my parents purchased my first horse when I was eight — they did a fantastic job picking out a safe, suitable horse that I could learn on.” Ashley was involved with English Performance riding and jumping, and as she progressed it was time for another horse. That horse would be the catalyst for a ride Ashley never imagined she’d take.

    Everything Ashley knew before getting her second horse was not working. She explains, “It took two hours to catch her and four hours to load her in a horse trailer. We were showing and jumping and winning, but at the end, her mouth would be bleeding from the bit, and my hands would be sore and blistered.” Ashley’s coaches told her to use more force or bigger and bigger bits; one told her she should sell the horse to a cowboy — none of these sat well with Ashley. “I loved the horse, but at that point, I felt like we were not riding off into the sunset. She was terrified of everything, and it was a struggle to get anything done with her. I felt that the horse hated me. I wanted to give up. I went to my parents and said, ‘I don’t know if this horse thing is for me.’” Luckily, Ashley’s mom wasn’t so quick to give up on her daughter or her horse.

    While researching ways to help, her mom came across Pat and Linda Parelli and struck a deal with Ashley. They would go to a tour stop in Tuscan, Arizona, and see what the Parellis were all about. If fourteen-year-old Ashley still wanted to call it quits afterward, her mom would support that decision. Ashley reminisces, “I showed up and was very closed off to any of the information because I had made my mind up that horses weren’t for me anymore. But all of a sudden, there was music playing, and their horses were let out with liberty; there were no lines attached. Pat and Linda came walking out into the arena, and their horses galloped up to them! My jaw was on the ground — I’d never seen that with any person before. I never thought horses could want to be with humans that badly, with no lines, no lead ropes, no stunt shades, no nothing! The horses were actually choosing to be with humans. And then, Linda jumped on her big warm blood, bareback and bridle-less, and jumped over a picnic table! I was like, ‘Sold!’ I want to do this for the rest of my life! That was a life-changing moment for me.”

    Invigorated and ready to get back in the saddle, Ashley immediately began the Parelli Natural Horsemanship Home-study Program. She shares, “I had always been fascinated by the equine mind. I wanted to know how they learned, how they perceived the world, and what they thought about things. Unfortunately, nobody talked to me about those things until I was interested in horsemanship.” As she moved through the program, Ashley was excited to learn everything she could about the equine mind. She explains, “Natural horsemanship focuses on learning how horses communicate with each other so that we can attempt to emulate that when we are communicating and teaching them. Everything we do is designed to make sense to a horse — as a horse — as an individualized species — and not expecting a horse to come to Humansville and understand what on earth we humans want to do with them. So, we first have to learn what is important to the horse, how a horse learns, and what their body language means and indicates. Then we need to work on ourselves to be effective enough for these horses to trust us and want to interact with us.”

    Ashley soaked it all in, and five years later, at 19, she became one of the Parellis’ youngest instructors. And, The Savvy Equestrian was born. She expresses, “I’m very grateful for all my time spent with Pat. I still very much consider Linda my mentor – even now. I’m very grateful for all the amazing world-class horsemen that I was able to learn from. And, I’m so appreciative of the opportunities I had with them to travel around the country, teaching clinics and developing horses for the public. It was a lot of fun.” In 2020, after ten years working under the Parelli brand, it was time for The Savvy Equestrian to venture off and focus on building her brand.

    Taking what she’d learned over the years and adding her distinctive abilities and talents, Ashley revamped The Savvy Equestrian. Instead of only offering in-person training and coaching, she created a membership platform. Ashley says, “With the platform, I can continue to help hundreds if not thousands of horse lovers around the world, and not be the burnt-out instructor. Because, for a while, I was the burnt-out instructor. I couldn’t keep up with all of the people and all of the horses that I wanted to help.” The platform allows people access to videos that take them through the basics of everything they need to understand for a successful and enjoyable partnership with their horse. Ashley explains what sets her apart from other competitors, “First, you have one-on-one support; you have access to me as your instructor at all times. I can talk to my members every day in our community forum; I get to know them and their horses. I know what their struggles are so that I can film things for the members specifically or jump online with them for a live video chat. I also continue to travel for in-person clinics, training, and coaching. There is always lots of back-and-forth, so we can stay connected. Second, we share things that people struggle with, and we are not afraid to show what it might look like. A lot of online learning programs show finished horses doing what they already understand. We purposefully leave in whenever a horse, or a human, is struggling with something. We show that to our students — we want them to know that they are not alone. And third, we use extremely high-quality video and audio footage of our horses and our training. You see all the details, and they are interesting and entertaining to watch.” She laughs as she continues, “I don’t want to be an instructor that puts people to sleep.” Ashley does want to be, and is, the instructor who helps people understand what their horses are going through. She explains, “I help to lay out the experience that horses have with us in the lives that we put them in. Whether you’re a horse lover or not, I feel it’s important to develop more empathy for our horses. My main focus as an instructor is to help people become not just good riders — not just proficient equestrians, but true horsemen; people who can understand their horses from the inside out, and help their horses when they are struggling or they are fearful. Human relationships are hard and take a lot of work — we have to work on ourselves for them to be that beautiful and magical thing. It’s the same thing with our relationships with horses. I feel that a lot of horses live their whole lives in confusion with people because nobody has taken the time to spell things out to the horse in a way that the horse can make sense of it. I want my horses, and the horses I train, to have a smile on their face when I ask them to do hard things. I want them to be like, ‘Okay, I’m doing it because I trust you; I’m doing this because I like doing these things with you.’ Not, ‘I’m doing these things because I’m terrified of you.’ I want to help horse and rider create true partnerships — true connections.”

    It’s that connection, and helping others find it, that brought Ashley from Arizona to Heber Valley earlier this year. When Debra West, founder of Liberty Sanctuary, reached out to Ashley to see if she would be interested in coming out and hosting some clinics, Ashley thought, ‘Sure. Why not?’ She shares, “My fiancé and I came out here to Utah to see the horses and the sanctuary, to hear Debra’s heart about what she’s doing with the legislation, and what her focus is for saving America’s horses from the slaughter pipeline.” Everything clicked, and instead of heading to Montana, the couple decided to partner with Liberty Sanctuary and stay in the valley for a while. Now, in addition to The Savvy Equestrian, Ashley spends her days as the Director of Horsemanship and Training at Liberty Sanctuary. “I am focused on training, educating, rehabbing, and developing all the horses here. I am also training the volunteers and creating more horsemen. People can come and take a class, watch, or volunteer. I also teach private and group lessons here through The Savvy Equestrian.”

    To understand the soul of a horse is the closest human beings can come to knowing perfection.
    – Author unknown

    Working with rescue horses has been incredibly rewarding for Ashley and right within her wheelhouse of expertise. And, yes, she falls in love with every horse she works with, past and present. “I used to try and guard my heart when taking on horses for training for the public. Now, I’m just like nope. I love them all, and I’m going to do what I can for each one. Horses are such emotional creatures — they may not understand our complex human emotions — but they feel them. It’s why they make such great therapy animals. Over the years, I’ve realized it’s best to just allow myself to let my heart be ripped open every time, especially when I’m having to undo things with more mishandled horses or having to restart and go back in their education to fill in holes in the foundation of their understanding.”

    Understanding. It seems to be the keyword for Ashley, The Savvy Equestrian, Liberty Sanctuary, horsemen, and horse lovers. Don’t we all want to be understood, loved, and connected to something or someone?  Ashley says it best, “There is so much more to these amazing creatures than the things that we can physically do together. When you get into a horse’s mind and heart in such a way that you don’t know where you end and your horse begins, when you feel like one unit together, whether you are riding or on the ground, I feel like that is so much more spiritual and so much more powerful than just saddling up, kicking them to go, pulling them to stop, doing what you can to get it done, that doesn’t feel beautiful to me. I’m striving to get horse lovers to be true horsemen and people who can get their horses to love the things that we are asking them to do. That connection is addictive.” That connection is way better than movies or our minds could ever imagine!

    The Savvy Equestrian

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  • Life is a Pretzel

    Life is a Pretzel

    The author, Sarah Bird, once said, “Love makes intellectual pretzels of us all.” While she may have been referring to all the twists and knots and ‘crossings’ of romantic love, Meike Long, owner of the Pretzel Connection and pretzel baker extraordinaire, hopes her ‘pretzel love’ will help connect people from all walks of life.

    Some of my favorite childhood memories are of visiting castles in Germany with my Mutti and my Oma (mom and grandma). These trips not only provided scope for my overactive imagination, but we always stopped to buy a massive pretzel on a ribbon. We would wear around our necks and munch on it while traipsing around the castle corridors.  When I heard about Meike’s authentic German pretzels, naturally, I couldn’t wait to connect with her.

    While who created the first pretzel is unknown (and somewhat debated), the pretzel’s origin is often attributed to Bavaria. There are records of pretzels that date back to the sixth century, and by the twelfth century, the pretzel had become a symbol of German baking culture, with bakers forming their pretzels into various shapes that represented their guilds.

    Luckily for Meike, she can trace the first pretzel she ever made back to her Mutti’s kitchen. Meike grew up in Kaiserslautern near the United States’ Ramstein Air Base in Southern Germany. Raised by her grandparents, her Oma (whom she called Mutti, an endearing name for Mom) loved to cook, and each Saturday she would prepare a family dinner. Meike shares, “Everybody had to show up, and we would make pretzels together for our friends and family. So, as a young girl, I learned to make pretzels alongside my Mutti.”

     

    Fast forward to a day in 1977 when Meike decided to visit the gym on the military base; little did she know that her future would come walking through the doors in the form of an American Soldier. At first, she wasn’t too keen on him, but he grew on her, and by the time his tour of duty for the U.S. Army was finished, the two had fallen in love. Meike laughs, “Bob went back to the States in 1980, so I decided to come to the U.S. for a visit. That was on March 18th, and we were married on May 3rd.” Bob and Meike moved to Boston and were later joined by a son who they named Fritz, after Meike’s grandfather.  She reminisces, “I always enjoyed cooking and entertaining, and when Fritz was around eight years old, he started to play hockey, so we met a whole new group of people we enjoyed getting together with. Fritz played all through school, and after college, he and four of his teammates decided to come out to Park City to work as ‘Lifties.’ And, to make a long story short, they all stayed out here.” Meike continues, “He asked us if we’d like to join him, we were retired at that point, and we enjoyed mountain biking, climbing, fishing, and the mountains, so we came out here to this beautiful valley, and have just really loved it.”

    Meike’s fun-loving personality drew others to her, and in 2018, after becoming friends with Carl Probst, the owner of The Corner restaurant, she was invited to join their team. She explains, “I said yes, and over the years, I have gone from being a host to being a server to helping out in the kitchen to whatever they needed me to do. One day, Carl asked me if I wanted to join him in the bakery, so I helped him bake all the beautiful desserts, rolls, breads, and everything else they created there.  Around that same time, Mandy was opening up Judy’s Donuts, so I helped Mandy open that donut shop and worked there for a couple of months until things got going. Then, Berkley, Carl’s son, decided to have a once-a-month beer club event where they would showcase a local brewery, and he said, ‘Meike, can you make a pretzel for this event that is coming up?’” Well, Meike made the pretzels she’d grown up making with her Mutti, and, of course, not only were they a success, but they were a huge hit! Everyone who came to the event wanted to know where the pretzels came from and who made them. Before she knew it, The Pretzel Connection was born, and Meike was spending her days driving around the valley to deliver her delicious pretzels to people’s homes. That was just the beginning of Meike’s journey — word traveled fast, and one day, she received a phone call asking if she would cater a wedding. “I was like, sure. We can do that. Bob and I created a pretzel bar stand: it’s a three-tier copper construction that we hung pretzels off of. We displayed all of the condiments we offer on beautiful trays, and we had sticks and nuggets in baskets; everything was decorated beautifully with lights. The pretzel bar was super popular! After we did that wedding, everything just went crazy!”

    It was 2018, and unfortunately, the world was about to go a little crazy too. Meike shares, “After Covid, I left The Corner and started working with a high-end catering company in Park City. They allowed me to use their kitchen to produce my product which was such a help. The people I worked for were very kind. They always promoted my product to the people we served that evening, which created more and more of a buzz.” Meike also joined the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce and began creating connections with other local business owners. Making connections with others has always been a dream of hers; however, Meike never thought that she’d be bonding over pretzels, let alone creating pretzels for companies like Heber Valley Brewing Company, Offset Bier, Marriott, Blue Boar Inn, and the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, just to name a few, or invited to be one of the exclusive vendors for the River Bottom Ranch where they affectionately call her the ‘late-night snack vendor.’ In addition to providing an incredible Pretzel Bar for pretty much any occasion or event you can think of, The Pretzel Connection sells their wares at local markets and events, Oktoberfest, and their bakery located at
    2887 South Mill Road in Heber City. Meike also enjoys taking pretzels to schools, daycares, and assisted living centers. It has been a wild and crazy experience, but Meike loves it!

    Creating her pretzels is indeed a labor of love as each batch, from start to finish, is a five-hour process. But, it’s worth it, as everyone who tries her pretzels tells Meike they are the best pretzels they’ve ever eaten. And, if you want to add something sweet or savory to your twisted salty goodness, you can choose from several types of mustard, chocolate hazelnut mousse, brown butter cinnamon icing, raspberry honey butter, or cheddar cheese sauce — rumor has it that it’s so good you’ll want to drink it! Meike and Bob hand-make all their yummy condiments, except for the mustard, which Meike whispers conspiratorially, “I doctor it up a little.” All of the ingredients for the pretzels are sourced locally: the flour is from Lehi Mills, and the salt is from Redmond’s. “Plus a few secret ingredients,” Meike smiles. Amazingly, Meike and Bob run every facet of the business, from financials to marketing to updating their social media to planning events to baking to delivery to whatever the business needs — it’s just the two of them. Meike explains, “We are constantly in motion, working 12 to 14 hours every day. It’s a huge undertaking, but somehow, we have made it work. I just want to share as much pretzel love as possible and connect with as many people as I can. I think it’s so important — talking with and getting to know people.” Meike chose her company’s name and logo to reflect her desire to connect with people herself and to help others connect. She hopes that people will take the time to stop by her place and introduce themselves. And, say hello, and get to know each other while waiting in line for a pretzel or at an event while deciding which delicious condiment to add. After all, for Meike, The Pretzel Connection is all about connection and sharing her pretzel love. Meike sums it up beautifully, “I never ever thought I’d be a baker. But it has brought so much joy to my life, especially when I see the kids.  When we would do the Heber Market on Thursday nights, all these kids would come up, and they’d have these big smiles. There was all this other delicious food around, yet all they wanted was a pretzel. There is just something about it that makes you feel so good. I’m just really grateful for everything!”

    Calories don’t count on the Weekend

    ORDER PRETZELS for your next event!

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  • Big Dreams, Little Gouda

    Big Dreams, Little Gouda

    Camilla Smith’s journey into the world of entrepreneurship and all things charcuterie began at the tender age of eight while having a cook-off with her cousin. The two had a blast creating adorable little cakes for their impromptu competition. Camilla shares, “In that moment, I just fell in love with creating art out of food. At the same time, I had a desire to become an entrepreneur — thanks to my amazing parents who inspired me with their own business ventures.” Camilla thought she’d dive into the business world once she graduated from High School and started college, but everything changed when her sister got married.

    It’s incredible what you can learn by simply being curious!

    Charcuterie, loosely translated, means ‘cold cuts’ in French, and charcuterie boards have been around since at least the 15th century; however, their popularity, especially in the events space, has grown exponentially over the last few decades. These self-serve tables full of meats, cheeses, fruits, and veggies, artistically displayed on and around serving ware, and interspersed with floral arrangements, greenery, candles, and lights allow for lots of creative expression using food. So, naturally, Camilla organized a self-serve charcuterie table for her sister’s reception. It was a huge hit — everyone loved it! But, what surprised Camilla the most, was how crazy the profit margins were. The entrepreneur in her thought, “Wait a minute! This could be something big! Let’s try it.” And, that’s how Little Gouda was born! Camilla laughs as she tells me she was 15 years old at the time, and now, two years later at 17, she couldn’t be more thrilled about her journey.

    “With that one event in my pocket, I entered the Invest Nest program.” Invest Nest is a scholarship program that offers Utah High School students investment opportunities for their business ideas. Imagine a Shark Tank-style competition where students pitch their business or business idea to seasoned entrepreneurs. Students can win up to $10,000, and go through several rounds: first, an elevator pitch, then a five-minute presentation with PowerPoint —all to impress the judges. Students are paired with a mentor between rounds two and three, and only the top ten make it to the final round. Camilla explains, “I didn’t make it to the top ten my first year. Initially, I thought this was just a fun idea to do for family and friends; it’s probably not going to be that big. But my mentor really helped me see it as more.” With her mentor’s guidance, Camilla learned how to effectively market her business, and her mentor also helped her find her first non-family gig. Last year, Camilla did make it to the top ten and she won $1,000! Students who win scholarship money can choose to use the full amount for college, split the winnings: half for college half for their business, or reinvest the entire amount back into their business. “I chose to reinvest the entire $1,000 into Little Gouda, bringing in professional supplies and ramping up my marketing efforts to attract more customers.” This year marks her third and final year participating in the program — stay tuned for the results!

    Camilla also participates in the CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) program at Wasatch High School. Wasatch CAPS is a “partnership between Wasatch High School students [and] local business and industry mentors [where] students develop critical thinking and problem solving skills by working in collaborative groups to complete real-world projects while being mentored by industry partners.”

    There are six students in her group; all of them are entrepreneurs and own a business. During class the students run their businesses while learning and developing real world business skills. Camilla says that having the opportunity to work with wonderful mentors while being involved in both Invest Nest and Wasatch CAPS has been a huge part of her success as a business owner.

    Although, her parents have been instrumental in her journey, Camilla has worked hard to do most everything herself. “The startup costs were low and came mainly from my pocket.” Camilla expounds, “My mom hired me, and I worked for her to earn the money I needed to start a business. I’m not a super tech-savvy person, but my parents create websites professionally so, they taught me how to build and set up my website.” Camilla’s mom, Cassandra (aka Mama Gouda) often assists, particularly during events when she needs an extra hand. Camilla also has some amazing employees who help out with larger events.

    In speaking with Camilla, one has to think that her bubbly, friendly personality, enthusiasm, and professional work ethic are enormous factors in Little Gouda’s achievements. These attributes combined with Camilla’s passion and good business sense create the perfect recipe for setting Little Gouda apart from other catering companies. Camilla explains, “Most companies that do charcuterie only do the set up and take down — you won’t see someone out there keeping the boards or tables looking pretty. That’s one of the main issues with charcuterie, you set it up and it looks amazing but within the first ten minutes, after everyone starts eating, it begins to look like a war zone.” She is unreserved and excited as she continues, “But, we don’t let that happen! My employees and I stay throughout the entire event. We’re there to replenish and restock the charcuterie boards and tables, making sure they remain gorgeous and inviting.” Keeping tabs on the food also allows Camilla to do one of her favorite things — interact with and meet new friends. “What I absolutely adore about this job are the people! It’s hard to put into words, but the connections I make with clients, like the bride and groom, and others that I meet at each event, are just magical. I’m such a people person! I love hearing their life stories — like how the couple met or how long they’ve been together. Those little moments are simply precious!”

    It’s obvious that Camilla absolutely loves what she is doing. Loving what you do is good counsel — it’s what she tells other young people who are thinking about starting a business. Her advice? “Just do it! Try it out, even if it’s just once. Make sure you absolutely love it, and if you do, dive in headfirst! It’s all about passion, so go for it!” And go for it Camilla does. When clients are surprised by how young she is, Camilla is usually met with one of two responses: encouragement or doubt. But, Camilla quickly proves the doubters wrong by going all in and working her magic. It’s hard not to be impressed by her business smarts and professionalism. And then, of course, there’s her incredible talent with creating beautiful works of art with food! For someone who says her paintings and drawings end up looking like an alien landscape, I think it’s safe to say there are many who are grateful she didn’t give up on discovering where her artistic abilities lie. She shares, “It’s incredible what you can learn by simply being curious!” Camilla’s curiosity about creating art with food has led her to some amazing opportunities for learning, and meeting wonderful people in the industry. One of which showed her how to make the wonderful meat florets that everyone loves. Camilla is grateful for these experiences and adds that she really enjoys the pre-planning process, and collaborating with clients to create what they envision, and to make their event special. She also shares how appreciative she is for the opportunity to support local businesses by purchasing products from them whenever she can. One of her favorite collaborations has been her partnership with Heber Valley Artisan Cheese for all of Little Gouda’s delicious cheeses.

    Speaking of ‘cheese,’ this amusing story of how the name Little Gouda came to be is too entertaining not to share, “When I told my mom I wanted to start a business she loved my idea and was like, ‘Let’s make this happen,’ so, we started brainstorming ideas for a name and we came up with Cheese Cutter — then we busted up and were like wait no, that sounds too much like who cut the cheese — so we kept going and talking about all the different kinds of cheese and we just stumbled across Little Gouda and fell in love with it.” Camilla is an absolute joy to speak with and we were both laughing, especially when she followed with, “It’s way better than Cheese Cutter!”

    So, what’s in the future for this delightful young entrepreneur? Following graduation, Camilla plans to attend college for summer to finish her Associates degree with a minor in Spanish, and then she’s off to South America where she will be teaching English to elementary students for three months! After that, she plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, upon her return she intends to dive right back in to running and growing Little Gouda! Camilla plans to continue operating Little Gouda while attending college. Cassandra will be jumping in to help with scheduling and any emergencies that might pop up. As for who will handle the business while she’s out of the country and serving her mission — well, she’s still working on that, but you can rest assured that Camilla has everything under control — after all she’s having a blast running Little Gouda!

    www.littlegouda.com

  • Local award-winning author of AnnaGrey and the Constellation is set to release her newest book

    Local award-winning author of AnnaGrey and the Constellation is set to release her newest book

    A tyrannical queen. A rising rebellion. A choice that will change everything.

    All Anna wants is to grieve her sister in peace. But peace is the last thing she’ll get. After the tragic accident shatters her world, her life takes an even darker turn when her father is imprisoned in the castle and her mother is summoned by the ruthless queen. Terrified of losing what’s left of her family, Anna demands to go with them, despite the dangerous path ahead. As a shapeshifter who can’t transform, she’s already a target under the queen’s brutal laws—and the castle is the last place she wants to be.

    Enter Redford, her sister’s former fiancé, with an offer she can’t ignore—join the Rising, a rebel force determined to tear down the queen’s rule. Redford promises refuge, but when a ghost from Anna’s past shows up with a twisted opportunity to serve the queen, the lines between right and wrong begin to blur.

    Anna faces an impossible choice—join the Rising as their poison maker or stay at the castle and create a weapon so monstrous, it could change the kingdom forever.

    The book will be released on October 29th and will be available wherever books are sold, including on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more, visit authorlindsayflanagan.com, where you can also explore Lindsay Flanagan’s other works or order Little Red Wraith. You can buy it directly on Amazon here.

     

  • A Labor of Love.

    A Labor of Love.

    “I think self-reliance and self-responsibility and self-accountability will help you as a parent, a teacher, a citizen, and a friend.”
    – Henry Rollins

    Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group’s mission statement is “to provide the Heber Valley community and surrounding community members with a clear moral compass, necessary educational resources, training, and support to acquire self-sufficiency, resilience, sustainability, and readiness.”

    Cultivating Community Self-Reliance through Education and Support.

    Emergency preparedness and self-reliance have always been an important part of Mike Petersen’s and Russell Olsen’s lives. Years ago, Mike decided to share his knowledge with other residents by offering a community emergency preparedness and self-reliance fair. He invited Russell and Sandra Olsen to teach a few classes. People from all over Wasatch County came out to the high school, eager to learn. The fair was a hit! So, they did it again the following year. By the third year, there was so much interest that Russ suggested they create a non-profit organization. It was a great idea; partnering with the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Department and other like-minded residents, they started Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group. The group’s mission is to work with community residents, leaders, officials, businesses, and other local non-profits to create “an emergency preparedness plan and provide community fairs and classes to help citizens within the community understand the importance of individual, family, and community preparedness; to create a supportive network with members with a clear moral compass, to learn from one another, and to empower our community to embrace self-reliance as a way of life.”

    For Russ, self-reliance is his way of life — it’s in his blood. Russ grew up in Oak City, Utah, and shares, “I was raised in a totally self-reliant community. We didn’t have a store. Every single family raised food for themselves and their animals. They had big gardens because they lived off them all year. Several families also had orchards in addition to the community orchard that everyone took turns tending. When it was time, we would all gather the fruit and vegetables and can them in the canning building.” Russ reminisces, “It was fun because everybody would get together and sit in a circle and shell peas, the kids would play and run around, but they also helped — everybody helped. It was how we lived, people gathering together, making quilts for the newly married couple, and just traditional things like that; that’s how I grew up.”

    Wasatch County’s shared history of self-reliance with other early settlements is part of what drew the Olsen’s to the Heber Valley to raise their family. He explains, “When we moved here, I was like, I would like to see my place and this community go back to their roots — the best we can. Can we totally do that? I don’t know. Can we create enough interest so we can encourage people to start?”

    Everybody has to start somewhere — right? Enter the Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group; helping create interest and encouraging others is why Mike, Russ, and others began the group. When Mike Petersen, who is currently serving our community as a member of the National Advisory Council for The Monument of the Americas: Christ in America Garden and the America Covenant Garden, had to step away, the Olsen’s took over running the organization. The couple saw a need to focus and expand in various areas, and both agreed that education would be their top priority. With decades of experience as teachers, Russ and Sandra understand the importance of giving people the opportunity to learn how to do things themselves, whether that’s figuring out how we learn or understanding the differences between mushrooms you can forage and mushrooms you should stay away from or discovering your inner blade-smith and bush survival skills. To encompass everything they wanted to offer, the Self-Reliance group developed six key focus areas to help encourage success with short-term and long-term self-reliance and self-sustaining goals. The Pillars of Self-Reliance are water, food, energy, health, communication, and safety. Under the water pillar, residents can learn how to find natural water sources, harvest rainwater, purify water, and store water. If someone wants to understand more about HAM and CB radio, classes offered through the safety pillar should be on their radar (pun intended). And, if you’re thinking of going off-grid, check out the hands-on workshops presented through the energy pillar.

    Speaking of pillars, the Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group recently joined forces with the Wasatch Community Foundation under the WCF’s Human Services pillar. Russ explains, “I talked with and got to know Tom and Marilyn Fowler when we asked them to come and talk to our organization, and he [Tom] said that he didn’t realize we were doing so much for the community. So, he was quite interested. […] What they were trying to do and what we were doing worked very well together, except their self-reliance program was not as well developed as ours. So, we were invited to come in and replace that program.” Russ excitedly continues, “I’m really happy at this point that we did that because I feel like both organizations together have an opportunity to reach more people and have a greater effect on the community.”

    In March, the two organizations helped sponsor the Emergency and Self-Reliance Fair held at Wasatch High School. The event was attended by approximately 2,000 people. More recently, WCF helped sponsor the Self-Reliance Group’s annual Labor of Love project. Russ explains, “We feel like a big part of becoming self-reliant is establishing a strong community that is willing to work together. So, we work hard to have projects that help invite the community to come together. For instance, the bean patch we just completed weeding with the youth during our Labor of Love project on August 7th. We felt that it was important for us to get the youth of the community involved. We had about 100 youth from different organizations, religious organizations, the high school, and so forth, and we just had a great time.”  Russ seems to beam with joy as he continues, “It was so fun to just talk with the youth, and they said, ‘Oh, this is really fun!’  Many of them had never done something like this before, yet they were working and learning together. Most of the youth groups have said they would like to do this again. So we’ll schedule more of those types of activities.”

    The bean field is just one of several fields where the group plants hardy foods they can grow to help feed those in need within our community. Last year, they planted potatoes, and over 800 families came out and harvested them. Russ shares, “They had a wonderful time. We had kids running around to see who could find the biggest potato, and people who had just moved here said, ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before.’ And so I think that it helps us to show people that move into the community that there is a community spirit — we are neither religious nor political — it’s a community. Our goal is to bring the community together. The goal is not to come in and take over but to help individuals, families, groups, and communities maintain or start their projects, in addition to helping with education and resources.” Russ continues, “We also don’t want to just give food away but to encourage people to come in and become themselves self-reliant. We [The Self-Reliance Group and the WCF] don’t want to enable people; we want to help people become self-sufficient, to help encourage people and say, ‘We have a project that you can participate in and be able to share in what we raise.’” One of the projects they have in the pipeline is working with the USU Extension Program, Heber City, and Muirfield Park to offer community gardens where families who don’t have the space can come and plant a garden. The Olsen’s also run their family plot as a working garden where people can go and see how everything is laid out, what plants and trees grow best in our area, walk through their greenhouse, learn about composting and bio-energy, and participate in hands-on workshops, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There’s so much to learn from them and their farm. Russ shares that after years and years of hard work, as of this year, they are 100% self-sufficient, meaning they do not need to walk off their farm to provide for themselves and their family. That’s an incredible accomplishment and one to be proud of. He also shared how happy he would be to see others within Wasatch County achieve this same goal.

    Another project … to quote The Princess Bride, “No, there is too much. Let me sum up,” I could fill an entire year’s worth of magazines with articles dedicated to talking about all that Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group has done, is doing, and plans to do. I’m not exaggerating. Additionally, the lifetime of experience and knowledge Russell Olsen has and wants to share is priceless — in value and quite literally — as 98% of all the group’s weekly classes, workshops, and events offered are free to the public.

    At the beginning of our conversation, Russ said, “You know, people ask me often, ‘Do you really think that you could make Heber self-reliant?’ and I say, ‘No. But, the closer we can come to that, the better we’ll be,’ especially if we have another problem like Covid or something worse. We don’t know anymore in our present condition. Could we help this community be sustainable for a month, two months, three months, just by working together?”

    It’s an intriguing question. Could we put aside our political, religious, and personal opinions and beliefs to come together for the greater good? I’d like to think so. We won’t solve all the world’s problems, but who knows, we might solve some of our own as we weed side-by-side, becoming friends one garden row at a time. After all, it takes a village, and the Heber Valley Self-Reliance Group, Russ and Sandra Olsen, and a plethora of community members are ready to help us become a little more self-reliant through their ‘Labors of Love’.

    What’s The Difference?

    To be self-reliant is to be reliant on one’s own powers and resources rather than those of others; to be self-sufficient is to be able to provide for yourself, especially with food production, with no help from the outside world; and to be self-sustainable means that you can be self-sufficient for many years or the entirety of your life.

    Learn More.

    Attend a Class, Workshop, or Event.
    Get Involved. Become A Member.
    hebervalleyready.org

  • From Passion to Plate.

    From Passion to Plate.

    Carolina Gelen began her cooking career at an early age. Initially, her curiosity about food was piqued while watching her mother create homemade meals every day. As her mother allowed her to play and experiment in the kitchen with various ingredients, Carolina’s curiosity would turn into a life-long love. This passion would take her on a path she could never have imagined as a five-year-old cooking side-by-side with her mother.

    “There’s cooking, and then there’s cooking with passion, creativity, and love. The energy you put into a recipe is just as important as the ingredients you use.”
    – Little Rae’s Bakery

    Carolina grew up in Transylvania, Romania, with her Hungarian and Romanian parents. She shares, “I didn’t have much growing up in a one-bedroom apartment, and I’d even say we were pretty poor, but my mom somehow managed to nurture this passion I had for cooking.”

    While most kids her age were enjoying their favorite cartoons, Carolina looked forward to watching cooking programs. Her favorite pastime of staring at the screen as world-renowned chefs sliced, diced, sautéed, prepped, and plated their culinary creations would have another unforeseen benefit. “Many of these TV shows were in English, so I ended up learning English by watching Food Network, Chopped, Jamie Oliver, and other shows like that,” Carolina chuckles as she continues, “Which came in handy a little bit later in life.”

    In Transylvania, cooking is not a career path that is encouraged. So, when it came time for Carolina to attend college, she chose to earn a degree in computer science. She explains, “It was something I knew I could finish, and it would provide a stable income to support myself after college. But, within the first year, it was very clear that I didn’t like what I’d picked to study.” In Romania, if you decide to change your major you have to start all over again. College credits don’t transfer like they do here in the U.S., so, she persevered and pushed through. After a day of tedious study, Carolina looked forward to coming home and cooking. “I started to post my recipes and food on Instagram as a way of doing something I actually enjoyed while going through college.” People began to take notice of her infectious smile and fun videos, and so did a couple of food media companies. Carolina shares, “The New York Times reached out to me because they were seeing my videos online. At first, I thought it was a scam.” She laughs and says “I was like, I’m in Transylvania. How did they even reach me? What do you mean The New York Times just emailed me?” But it wasn’t a scam. It was a dream come true. The New York Times sent Carolina recipes that she would film herself making, and then she’d send the videos back for them to post on their social media platform, NYC Cooking.  Six months later, Food52 reached out and asked if Carolina would join them as a recipe resident, creating recipes for them to post online, and, of course, she said yes.

    “Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors—it’s how you combine them that sets you apart.”
    – Wolfgang Puck

    Carolina began to set herself apart and expand her own brand as well, producing videos for her growing blog and Instagram followers. She shares, “One of the most important things to me is to make cooking as approachable as possible for everyone. I’m constantly inspired by seasonal ingredients and whatever I can find at local farms or farmers markets. I like to have fun with the ingredients and create a witty aspect to each recipe.  A lot of my audience will tell me that they are familiar with certain recipes I make, but they would never have thought to put things together the way I do, so it feels approachable but also innovative and new.” Carolina continues, “A huge rule in our house was that you weren’t allowed to waste food. We would make the most out of what we had. So, I try to show people how to make recipes without wasting certain ingredients or how to make the most out of the ingredients that they have.”

    Sometimes, using whatever is in your cupboards instead of what a recipe calls for can lead to delicious discoveries. For instance, while Carolina was craving some Penne alla Vodka, she decided to use butter beans in the sauce instead of pasta. She paired it with some crunchy butter toast, and voilà — an unexpected new dish, and fan favorite, was created.

    Don’t worry if you feel like the height of your gastronomical prowess lies in heating the contents of a store-bought can of Ravioli, garnished with a sprig of that leafy stuff at the end of celery. Carolina’s got you covered. “If you’ve never cooked for a day in your life, picking up cooking as a hobby or even for the sake of feeding yourself can be very intimidating, especially if you don’t know anything about it. I think that a lot of recipes are written for people who already know how to cook. So, my biggest focus with my recipes is to make sure that I describe things correctly. I give a lot of visual cues so you can understand every ingredient and every instruction and come up with a successful dish in the end by following the recipe.” Carolina also understands that sometimes, the last thing people want to do when they come home from work is cook. She says, “I always try to make things as streamlined as possible; I use the least amount of dishes, and, if I can, I cut a step for the sake of you getting dinner on the table faster. If there’s a bowl being used, it’s because it had to be.”

    As Carolina’s culinary methods grew in popularity, so did her opportunities. She explains, “I remember having this opportunity to work with an oil company. They sent some oil to me, and the Transylvanian Border Control sent the oil back. I was never able to even accept it and try it. It was small things like that, that made me think, okay, if I want to pursue my love of cooking online full time, I need to move to the U.S., so that is how I immigrated back to Utah.”

    Wait, what? Carolina’s been here before? Yep! In 2018 and 2019, she spent her summers in Park City working as a J-1. “I didn’t know much about Utah before coming here, but it was an opportunity that I decided to take. I worked in Park City at a few restaurants and bakeries. I used to work two jobs a day, fourteen to sixteen-hour days, and I worked anything from being in the kitchen to scraping floors and cleaning people’s homes to working in a bakery and opening it up at 4:00 in the morning, and that’s how I was introduced to Utah.”

    “Real cooking is more about following your heart than following recipes.”
    – Unknown

    Once back in the U.S., Carolina knew exactly where she wanted to plant her roots and shared that, “After seeing the Heber Valley, I was immediately drawn to its beautiful mountains and majestic scenery. I knew I wanted to live here. The valley is like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: not too small, not too big, just the right size. The people are friendly and neighborly, not too distant and not too noisy. It’s a postcard town, with Midway, Mount Timpanogos, and Deer Creek Reservoir sometimes reminding me of Switzerland. I love to drive around the valley, getting lost in the back roads with large farm fields full of beautiful horses and cattle. One of my favorite memories was seeing a bald eagle for the first time near Interlaken. It was just perched on the side of the road on a telephone pole surveying the valley below. So magical!”

    Carolina continues to create her unique kind of magic in the kitchen and online. This year, she became a New York Times contributor, which means that in addition to producing content and videos for NYC Cooking, she will also develop recipes for them. And, who knows, maybe she’ll even be a New York Times bestseller with her cookbook, Pass the Plate, which contains “100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes,” coming to a kitchen near you on September 24th. The cover of her book showcases Carolina’s exuberance and joy — it’s catching — and makes one want to get out there and cook. In case you’re wondering — yes, she included her Beans alla Vodka! Her voice is full of excitement as she says, “I really wanted this cookbook to be an extension of what people already follow me for online, something that could just live on every home cook’s countertop. […] I think you can find a lot of inspiration from it and a lot of reliable recipes that you can make on a busy weeknight or when entertaining family and friends.”  With simple and easy yet deliciously satisfying recipes for appetizers, breads, breakfast and brunch, desserts, dinners, drinks, main dishes, salads, snacks, soups and stews, and vegan and vegetarian victuals, Pass the Plate is sure to become a family favorite.

    Just as the eagle Carolina saw in Interlaken represents courage and freedom, Carolina acknowledges that she could never have had the courage or freedom to discover and develop her love of the culinary arts, let alone move to another country to pursue a career in it, without the influence of her mother.

    Carolina believes it is important for parents of young children to let them hang out with them in the kitchen. She shares, “I know it’s a big ask — I have cooked with children before, but I think that allowing them to explore or even just watch their parents cook goes so far. I give credit to my mother as much as I can for doing that with me, even if it was just something simple like frying eggs or letting me make doughnuts with her. She would let me cut the dough into whatever shape I wanted rather than pushing me away, turning me away from helping. I think that just giving your child a little more attention and letting them be there, and answering those silly annoying questions that you might think are annoying, but for them, it teaches them a lot.” Perhaps the famous American restaurateur, author, and Emmy Award-winning television presenter, Guy Ramsay Fieri, sums it up best when he said, “Cooking with kids is not just about ingredients, recipes, and cooking. It’s about harnessing imagination, empowerment, and creativity.”

    As we wrap up our interview, I ask Carolina if she ever suffers from creativity burnout. She laughs as she replies with a wholehearted, “Yes! I have certain days where I’m like, all I want right now is to throw a frozen pizza in the oven and not see food for the next three hours. But that usually comes when I have to develop a lot of recipes at a time.  On a regular week, I’m more than happy and joyful to cook dinner. It’s still very exciting, and even though it’s also my job, I love it, I still have a passion for it, which is a blessing.”

    Spending time preparing and eating delicious food with family and friends is indeed a blessing, a welcome respite from the chaos of our busy lives. So, gather around the table with those you love, scoop up some Beans alla Vodka, and pass the plate, please.

     

    Reprinted with permission from Pass The Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes: A Cookbook by Carolina Gelen. Copyright © 2024 by Gelen Media LLC.

    Photographs copyright © 2024 by Nico Schinco. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

     

     

  • European Antiques.

    European Antiques.

    Anna Weidell loves history and she loves antiques, but mostly, she loves people and their stories.

    “I was a history major in college, so I have an affinity for antiques and their social history and their beauty and uniqueness, especially European antiques. My family is from Northern Italy, and I have my Italian citizenship, so there is a strong bond.” After Anna graduated from college, she spent a year in Paris, France, as an au pair, and two years in Madrid teaching English. Anna shares that while she was growing up, ‘Vintage’ wasn’t as popular as it is now, and it wasn’t until she started a family that she began collecting antiques, “I fell in love with antiques over time as I started going to markets overseas. I’ve always been a history buff, and I’ve always enjoyed the stories and travel.” I can hear the passion in her voice as she continues, “When you go to places, the story becomes alive. For a while, I was really into quilting, and I would go to these Amish quilting events. For me, it became about the social history aspect of it — how women met, how they were together, what they created together, and why they created it, and then, all of a sudden, it just sort of extended out to antiques and vintage items, and it was all about the story.”

    Anna’s story began in California. Born and raised there, she met her husband, Jeff, in 1985 while working for Hewlett Packard. Jeff was earning his master’s at Stanford. The couple married in 1990 and raised their children in California. Three years ago, the Weidells decided they wanted to make a change. Anna was getting ready to retire, and Jeff was working remotely as the CEO of a commercial finance company in Minnesota, so they were free to explore options of where to begin a new adventure. Anna shares, “Sometimes things are just meant to be. We had been looking in Wasatch, specifically here in Heber, because we really liked the valley. We love the four seasons, its proximity to the airport, and the beautiful nature that surrounds the area, but at that time houses came up and sold very quickly, so we were thinking maybe we just build a house.” Before they jumped into a construction project, they thought to look online — one more time. Anna explains, “[…] and then this house pops up instantaneously, and it looked exactly like my house in California (it was owned by a French woman). Jeff was like, ‘If I show this to Anna, she’s going to want it,’ and I did. We got the keys in September 2021, and I think no one was happier about this house than my three adult boys. They were thrilled! Within five days of getting the keys, my second son was out here fly fishing. They all love it here. Buy Ivermectin was also something we considered important for our move. Nature is really important to us, so living here — it’s a gift! We’ve been super happy in Heber; we love the community.”

    For Anna, moving to Wasatch County has been serendipitous. She retired in 2022 and knew that she couldn’t be without something to do. That ‘something’ presented itself rather quickly and almost simultaneously. “As I met people within the community, and they discovered my love for antiques, they would always tell me there used to be an antique shop in Midway, of course, I asked the question, ‘Aren’t there any other antique shops here?’ Then, while we were getting ready to move into our new home, Jeff said, ‘You know, we don’t need to fill the house with all your treasures. Maybe we could figure out how we could work this out into something that would help us build community out here in Heber; help us meet people, and get us involved.” But that wasn’t all. Anna expounded on her experience, “Funnily enough, the woman we purchased the house from, who is now a dear friend, told me she’d been to Round Top, which is a huge antiques fair in Texas. She said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if you could do some sort of Pop-Up where you find a spot, fill it with treasures, and open it a few times a year? People love European antiques, and they’re not very common here in Utah.’” And, the idea for Anna’s European Antiques was born.

    The Weidells found an 1100-square-foot warehouse on Airport Road and began filling it with treasures from around the globe. Anna wanted the shop to feel like a French Brocantes — flea market. “I wanted the place to have the feel of you walk in here, and there’s all these treasures that allow people to explore and dig a little bit and hopefully find something that speaks to their heart. I usually have French or Italian music playing, and I serve little truffles sometimes, and it’s kind of a unique experience, you know, you walk in and you’re somewhere else.” The business model is also unique. Although the antiques are located in a permanent shop, it is a Pop-Up experience; being open only a few times through the year or by appointment.

    Anna has years of experience in marketing; however, she’s never owned a business, so she had to learn everything from the ground up. She shared how supportive people in the valley and the Chamber of Commerce have been, “The Chamber of Commerce is incredibly supportive of new business owners; they are just very open and helpful. I attended, and still attend, their lunches where I meet people who are so kind and willing to give me ideas on how to use social media and teach me about the pitfalls of starting a business, and so many other things. This valley is quite entrepreneurial, and it’s just been so great. Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done without their help.”

    Remember that the most valuable antiques are dear old friends.
    H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

    Anna’s European Antiques had their ribbon cutting in June 2023, opening their doors 16 times between June and December. Anna took time off in the fall and winter to visit England, Italy, France, and Spain in search of antiques and treasures to fill the tables and shelves of her shop. Most everything she brings in is from Europe, but there are a few things she sources from people, she’s known for years, in California. “I always like to have the vintage or antique ceramic crocs (technically, they are pickle jars); people seem to really like those. I don’t have mass-produced things; the majority are one-of-a-kind finds — not replicas. I always tell people if you see something you like — just like in a market — you should buy it because it probably won’t be here when you come back, and that’s happened on more than one occasion.”

    Hand-picking each item is a joy for Anna; getting them back home — not so much — going through customs and shipping presents its own challenges. She explains, “Recently, I brought over several of these British lawn bowling balls made of durable wood called lignum vitae. They’re beautiful but they’re dense, and the airport X-ray machine can’t scan them.” Anna laughs as she continues, “The balls look like cannonballs, […] and they [customs] ended up having to open all of my boxes. And a couple of items went out of my box and never went back into my box. That was a little disheartening, but, as in all things, if you keep doing it, you get better at it, and more comfortable with it.”

    Anna says it’s all worth it — she loves bringing the items back and watching others discover them in her shop. The best part for Anna is the stories that are shared by those who visit. One of her favorites took place this April, “I went to Italy to visit my family and decided to go to a market in Milan, and, while there, I discovered this beautiful hand-carved breadboard. Sometimes, you see them with French words, but this one was in Italian. It was the Lord’s Prayer. So, I carried this board from Italy to Spain to France to Heber. When I got it out of my suitcase, I thought, I’m never going to find another one of these, but I also thought, you know what, I’m going to put this out, and if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be, and if it’s not — it’ll walk out the doors in someone else’s arms.” She continues, excited to share the rest of the story, “I see a couple looking at the board for a while, so I walked over to them because sometimes I think it’s fun to tell the story of how I get items. I told them about the board, and they looked at me and told me that their daughter was serving her mission in Rome, and they had spent some time in Rome when their son served his mission in France, so they were very connected to Italy. That board meant something to them. The husband looked at his wife, and it was very sweet, he said, ‘I’m going to get that for you for Mother’s Day.’ His wife responded with, ‘I’m going to cherish it.’ That little breadboard is going to sit in that couple’s home as a reminder of their daughter’s mission and their time in Italy with their son. Experiences like this happen a lot in the shop; they fill my heart with joy. Sometimes people spend like two hours in the shop going up and down everything because there’s a lot in there, and that makes me happy. Even if they don’t buy anything, it makes me feel good to know that they enjoyed their time here looking at all the treasures.”

    Anna understands the best treasures are the people she meets and their stories. She sums the reason for her antiques shop up perfectly, “Somebody at the Chamber of Commerce asked me why antiques; I told them, with antiques you don’t really know the story before you get them, but you know that there’s been a story, and you become part of that story, and then that story moves on to a new story. Some things I have, I just touch, and I think who else touched this, how did they use it, and what family had this in their home. It’s just something emotional, it’s a moving on and a traversing of history that I think is just very important.”

    Anna’s European Antiques is a bit off the beaten path, but like all treasure, it’s worth searching for. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover something that speaks to you or better yet, a new friend.

     

    For hours or to request a shopping appointment: [email protected]
    or @annaseuropeanantiques.
    483 W Airport Road, Heber

  • Growing Young Artists.

    Growing Young Artists.

    Wasatch County is full of emerging young artists, and 332 of them participated in this year’s Emergence Art Contest. Since its inception in 2021 the contest has continued to grow and evolve. With Angie Neuberger and Amy Taylor at the helm, this year marks another success, especially with Diana Zarrabel jumping in to help ensure everything from contest information to entry forms were available in both English and Spanish; creating an equitable opportunity for everybody.

    In keeping with this year’s theme Everyday Heroes, Amy and Angie would like to give a huge shout out to all the sponsors, volunteers, judges, teachers, and student artists, without whom the 2024 Emergence Art Contest would not be possible — they are some of the best everyday heroes Wasatch County has!

    2024 Judges: Chantry Brewer, Ella Ballsteadt, Sarah Severson, Savannah Neuberger, and Colby Larsen.

    Top Winners
    Lily Christensen
    High School
    The Human Eye: The Window to the Soul

    Tirelessly performing the crucial task of capturing and interpreting the world around us. From the moment we wake until we rest our heads, our eyes as vigilant guardians, guiding us through the complexities of our environment. In my artwork, I chose the optometrist as my everyday heroes who empower individuals to see clearly and navigate the world with confidence. Whether prescribing corrective lenses, managing eye disease, or providing guidance on ocular health, optometrists are unwavering allies in our journey towards optimal vision and well-being.

    Paige Woodward
    High School
    The Heart of a Doctor

    When I thought about who my everyday hero is I decided to do a project on medical workers. My art project is of a medical worker holding up their hand in a heart shape. Doctors show so much love and compassion to people on a daily basis and save so many people’s lives. I am hoping to pursue a medical career path and am inspired by these people so much. In my watercolor painting, I tried to incorporate movement from the arms and the stethoscope to make the heart my focal point. I feel like the most important part of a hero is their heart and their selflessness.

    Zealand Bouxwhuis
    High School
    Looking Up

    Sometimes everyday heroes for kids can be anything. This is a drawing of Andrew Garfield (Spider-Man) looking up. I drew this to demonstrate the significance of looking up to someone or our heroes and the effect that can have. Spider-Man has given me a lot of motivation as a kid. On one hand, Spider-Man is just an ordinary dude. On another, he has a big impact. He makes me think about the difference I can make. He is my everyday superhero.

    Siena Partridge
    High School
    Mom

    When asked who the most important, influential person in my life is, one of the first people I always think about is my mother. She has raised me and become one of my closest friends in a way that makes her my hero. In this project, I’ve made a watercolor painting based off of one of my favorite photos of us. She is the inspiration for this project, and the painting is a gift to her.

    Kate Simons
    Grades K-2
    Trees Are Everyday Heroes

    Trees help us live and they give us oxygen and if we didn’t have trees we wouldn’t be alive. They give us shade and homes for animals. They give us wood to build houses.
    Trees are everyday heroes.

    Amelia Hagen
    Grades 3-5
    Helping Hands

    I called my art Helping Hands because one person is reaching down to help the other person who is having a hard time. The top hand is smaller because even kids can be heroes to adults and help them out. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can be a hero. Just by doing something kind for someone else or being there for someone. It doesn’t have to be a huge thing, but sometimes it is huge to the person you are helping.

    Madison Wall
    Middle School
    A Soldier’s Dream

    I dedicated this drawing to my hero who is my grandfather. He is 82 years old. When he was 18, he left his family without telling them and enrolled in the military. He trained to become a paratrooper. His enrollment ended just before the Vietnam war. I love him, and that is why I dedicated this one to him.

    Bela Gardiner
    Middle School
    Snowboarding

    This painting is a reminder of the good times in the mountain with my family. My family are definitely my heroes in many ways.

    Aceden Bouwhuis
    Middle School
    Wild Life

    Nature is our everyday hero because we get all of our resources and supplies from it, we live in it, and it is our everyday playground. This picture was shot right in my own backyard.

  • Ruff Work

    Ruff Work

    Shepherding: the act of guiding or directing in a particular direction; to make a group of people [or a flock of sheep] move to where you want them to go, especially in a kind, helpful, and careful way; the tending of sheep.

    While shepherding has been around for millennia, historically, it is difficult to pinpoint when the first organized sheepdog trials took place. According to various sources, the sheepdog trials we are familiar with today date back to 1867 in New Zealand and 1873 in North Wales. Regardless of the exact date and location of their beginnings, these organized-modern-day sheepdog trials were taking off, and by the 1870s trials were being held in Australia, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. Their success continued to grow and by the 1880s the sheepdog trials had made their way to America. And, in 2003, an amazing group of dogs, sheep, and people flocked together on Soldier Hollow’s Olympic Hill for the first annual Soldier Hollow Classic Sheepdog Championship & Festival!

    What, exactly, is a sheepdog trial? According to Soldier Hollow Classic’s website, “The purpose of a sheepdog trial is to test and demonstrate the dog and handler’s ability to move sheep over a prescribed course made up of practical obstacles found in everyday work, and to maneuver sheep in a calm, controlled manner.” Today, trials are held all over the world with the support of organizations like the International Sheepdog Society (ISDS) in Great Britain, and the United States Border Collie Handlers Association (USBCHA) in the United States. The Soldier Hollow Sheepdog Classic is an invitational trial, but complies with the USBCHA course standards and is judged according to the USBCHA Judging Guidelines.

    The Founder and Current Owners

    Mark Peterson loves Border Collies and has dabbled a bit in trialing through the years. So, it makes sense that while visiting Europe in 2000, he attended the International Sheepdog Championship Trials (for the UK countries). Impressed with what he saw, he wanted to bring something similar back to America. Mark knew if it was done right — people would love it. And so his search for a venue began. Following the Olympics, Mark visited what is now the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, and as he took in the views from Olympic Hill of the valley, he thought to himself, “This is the place!” Well… those may not have been his exact thoughts, but needless to say — he did think it would be the perfect venue. He spoke with Howard Peterson (no relation) the then manager of the Nordic Center, and they both agreed it was a great idea. Mark employed his creativity, talent, and expertise in art, graphic design, and marketing and went to work. Mark also came up with the ingenious idea to combine the trials with a festival; offering food, music, activities, merchandise, art, and demonstrations. The inaugural four-day event took place in the fall of 2003 and indeed offered something for everyone. The first-ever Soldier Hollow Classic Sheepdog Championship and Festival was an incredible success with 5,000+ spectators! Today, the Soldier Hollow Classic is the largest event of its kind in the world.

    Mark owned, managed, and created all aspects of the event from 2003 to 2018 when he handed the reigns over to the new owners & managers; Judy Klautt and Carol Clawson.

    Judy is the Festival Manager and has been involved with the festival in some capacity since the beginning. With her infectious laugh, Judy describes her position, “I do the festival portion. Carol is the front end, and I’m like the background singer.” After she briefly, in an almost brushing-off-no-big-deal manner, told me of her past experiences — I’m calling her bluff. Judy’s no background singer. Judy has spent the majority of her life, here in Utah, at Soldier Hollow. She shared, “In my former life, until 2021, when I semi-retired, I was the event coordinator at Soldier Hollow for many years. Prior to that, since the Olympics, I’ve been working with the kids in the ski races during the winter as a race secretary and volunteer coordinator.”

    Carol is the Competition Manager and has been involved with trials since the first event as a volunteer, and, for the last few years, as the Trial Coordinator. Like Judy, Carol is very humble about her role — both women could barely contain their excitement when speaking about the dogs, the sheep, the trials, and the festival; however, when it came to talking about themselves — well…let’s just say it wasn’t quite crickets — but it was close. I did; however, glean this fun little bit from Carol. “My family has had Border Collies forever. I was five when I got my first Border Collie from my great-uncle who lived in Craig, CO. […] When the Olympics was here in 2002 the Salt Lake Agility Club put on a demo up here at the ski jump. All the dogs were Border Collies and I thought, ‘Geeze! I ought to do that with my Border Collie.’” Two years later, Carol took one of their family dogs to agility lessons with a teacher who was also into herding. She shared, “I went out and my little dog had no natural ability, but I watched these guys and I just looked at Shauna, [the teacher], and said, ‘Oh, my gosh! If I could have a dog that does that, I will die happy.’ So, I ended up getting one of her pups off of her, and she was a really nice female, but frankly never quite made it. But it changed my life. I got another dog, and here I am with four dogs running Soldier Hollow.”

    Carol’s dogs aren’t the only ones running. Both Carol and Judy have adhered to the spirit and vision of the sheepdog championship Mark laid out 20 years ago. These two incredible women, along with many, many others, run all year long to create an amazing championship trial for dogs and their handlers; and a spectacular family event for all ages to enjoy.

    The Dogs

    All the dogs that compete at Soldier Hollow are Border Collies. Known for their intelligence, agility, hard work, and innate herding skills (shaped by generations of breeding), Border Collies have been used on farms and ranches all over the world for centuries.

    As wonderful as these dogs are, not all are created equal when it comes to trialing. Carol shared, “People have this sense that the dogs are just doing what their instincts tell them to do, but that is just so wrong. It is hard work. It takes a lot of training to be able to communicate with a dog that is in train drive and is hundreds and hundreds of yards away.” Carol has a friend who has trained dogs in everything from nose work and agility to search and rescue to sheep herding, who shared that training a dog for trialing is probably the hardest. “I think the reason for that is that you’re not close in proximity, and you have to deal with that instinct. You got it, you need it, but the dog has to learn to listen to you so that you can override instinct, especially if you want the dog to be in a different position to put the sheep in a different place. So, it is a lot about the relationship and the communication between the dog and the handler that develops over years.”

    When asked about the best time to start training, Carol chuckled as she explained, “Frankly, training really varies, and depends on both the dog’s and the trainer’s, maturity and skill level. I have a good friend who is a professional trainer; he’s actually judging this year. I remember asking him that question once, and his answer was, ‘October.’” Generally, serious training starts around 9-12 months, but honestly, these dogs continue to learn and develop. Each one has different strengths and weaknesses; you’ll never find one that has it all.” Carol also shared, “Breeding matters — you want working lines.” And, history tells us, these dogs know how to work. According to written accounts from the late 1800s, a herd of a thousand sheep could be managed by one rancher and one good dog. 

    Luckily, the dogs at Soldier Hollow Classic don’t have to herd a thousand sheep.

    The Sheep

    Soldier Hollow brings in 300-320 sheep for the event — but these aren’t just any sheep — these are Okelberry Rambouillet yearling ewes. The sheep have been described as “wicked,” “the ultimate test,” and “the most challenging sheep […].” According to both Carol and Judy, they are also beautiful and magical. The sheep are provided by Brian and Ann Mikkelsen Okelberry. The Okelberrys are stewards of one of the largest sheep and cattle operations on the “west desert,” and are both fifth-generation sheep ranchers. Each yearling is individually selected for “even size, condition, and confirmation.” Carol shared, “[…] they come in right off the range; the only handling they will have had is being sheared before they come. They are beautiful, they are just gorgeous sheep; they’ve been fending for themselves with predators and they’re pretty hardy. They are not used to dogs or people. They have never been herded before.” Judy adds, “To see them unloaded at the venue is a magical moment. They’ve never been on a truck before, they’ve never been around dogs or in a trial before, but they get here to Soldier Hollow and it’s wild to watch them take to their surroundings and just be happy sheep.”

    Keeping them happy and healthy is of utmost importance. Carol described how they run the sheep during the trial, “We run 45 different groups of five sheep — none of the sheep run twice in a single day. Then we mix them all back together, we will graze them, make them happy, then certainly the sheep are rerun over the next few days, but they only run once so they stay in really good condition; trust me these sheep are really fit.” Carol continued to explain part of what makes these Rambouillet ewes so challenging, “These sheep are used to being in flocks of hundreds, and sometimes one-thousand or more, and suddenly we separate them into groups of five, and they’re going ‘this is frightening,’ this wolf is behind me and there are only five of us. They are used to the whole ‘there is safety in numbers’ thing. They are not excited about what they are being asked to do. They are difficult. They are not used to going through panels because it looks frightening to them; they don’t go to the pen easily. These sheep are pretty much on the wild side. That is one of the things that western sheep, and our sheep in particular, have a reputation for — they are very challenging as a result.”

    The Course and The Trial

    The course is amazing, and if you’re a newbie to trials like me, I suggest visiting Soldier Hollow Classic’s website and perusing the descriptions of elements, explanation of points, and diagrams of the single and double lift courses — it’s fascinating. In summary, there are generally six scored elements to a course run: outrun, lift, fetch, drive, shed, and pen. Each element is “designed to test a skill that working dogs need to help a shepherd with he daily management of sheep. While the layout of the course may vary slightly from trial to trial, depending on terrain, all approved trials include the [six] elements. Each handler-dog team begins with a total score of 100 (can be more if more elements) and the judge takes off points for the mistakes made in each element of the course.”

    Soldier Hollow presents a perfect venue for sheepdog trials. In addition to an uneven hillside terrain (that tests the best of dogs), a landscape of trees, shrubs, and a pioneer cabin that provide potential places of refuge for the sheep (creating additional elements of difficulty), the Olympic hillside offers unsurpassed sight lines for the handlers, the announcer, the judge, and the spectators.

    Carol shared, “We will have approximately 66 dogs with 40-45 dogs running a day. Each day the top six qualify for the final. Each dog gets two tries to qualify for the championship run — and those preliminary runs occur on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with the top 18 competing in the championship run on Monday.”

    The 2024 event marks a lot of incredible milestones for the Soldier Hollow Classic Sheepdog Championship and Festival. They are not only celebrating 20 years of hosting one of the “foremost annual events of its kind in the world, having drawn competitors from 19 countries and over 13,000 spectators annually; and gaining international recognition for its quality and rigor,”1 but they are also moving to a new date.

    Soldier Hollow Classic has been held over Labor Day every year (except for 2023) since 2003. This year; however, it will be taking place over Memorial Day. Judy explained, “The compelling reason for that change, up to this year at least, was heat. When we were unable to do the event in 2023 due to the construction over at Soldier Hollow, we had some time to think about it and do some research; to see if that move made sense, and it did. Changing dates has definitely presented some challenges, but both Carol and Judy expressed how their ‘event family’ has been so supportive. Judy shared, “We have very loyal vendors and even with the shift to a different time of year and month almost everyone is coming back and some new people as well. To have this kind of support is just amazing!”

    Speaking of vendors… let’s talk about the festival!

    The Festival

    From the get-go Mark wanted this event to be an experience that families and individuals of all ages could enjoy. While some people are content to settle in for four days of sheepdog trials, others, especially kids, might want to get up and walk around — stretch their legs for a bit — and (dare I say) enjoy a change of scenery. Watching the dogs can be mesmerizing and addicting, but Mark wanted to make sure that there were also opportunities for spectators to not only learn about the sport, the dogs, and the sheep, but to experience and share their wares and talents with their community as well.

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    Judy shared that the event usually supports about 30 artisans and different vendors, along with two or three demonstration arenas where demos take place all day each day. Most demos are related to sheepdog trialing, dogs, sheep, animals, wool, and ecology. Judy shared, “There are demos from sheep shearing to working dogs and helping people understand what the trialing is all about and how the points work to how the dogs are trained.” Some of the demonstrations you can look forward to this year also include carting, pulling, and agility. Earth Wings brings in raptors and other birds, and Herding Haven brings in rescue dogs — some with disabilities — and showcases what they can do. Last year there was a petting zoo that was a huge hit with all the kids. This year there will also be a demonstration with Belgian Malinois who have been trained to sense ammunition and guns in schools. The demonstration I think I’m looking forward to most is Duck Herding. Yes, it’s a thing.

    The festival will offer food and drinks from vendors like Korean Bowl, Smoothie Island, Miss Kitty’s Outlaw BBQ, and others. Bohemian Brewery also hosts a beer garden each year. Guests can peruse the merchandise vendors from Rock-N-Lazy-F-Hats and Cowgirl Heaven to Maligator Munchies and Farm Dog Salsa to Museum Replica Jewelry and Wild Horse Artisans and more. There will truly be something for everyone to enjoy; culminating with the Salt Lake Scots performing with their full band during the awards ceremony. Judy shared, “It is quite impressive — it makes the hair rise on your arms — it’s awesome. They play every day for a few hours too. The combination of the bagpipes and Soldier Hollow’s scenery is stunning!”

    “These sheep are pretty much on the wild side. That is one of the things that western sheep, and our sheep in particular, have a reputation for — they are very challenging as a result.”

    Carol and Judy agree that life runs fast and it is their opinion that the Soldier Hollow Classic is “one of those events where you can actually just enjoy the peace of the day.” Judy expressed, “It’s a beautiful thing.”

    Come on out and join us for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Soldier Hollow Classic Sheepdog Championship and Festival — as Mark said, we think you’re going to love it!

    Event Tickets: soldierhollowclassic.com

  • Local Author, Lindsay Clyde-Flanagan

    Local Author, Lindsay Clyde-Flanagan

    Local author, Lindsay Clyde-Flanagan remembers the first story she wrote. It was a fully illustrated masterpiece about a girl and her horse — Black Beauty. No, she didn’t plagiarize Anna Sewell; she just borrowed the horse’s name — after all, she was only in second grade. Lindsay laughs as she shares how she wishes she still had the book. More recently, she wrote another book about a girl and her horse, only this time she didn’t borrow any names. This time, she went above and beyond her second-grade little girl imaginings and created an incredibly unique horned horse-like creature called an aeobanach named Iris. Oh, and this time — her story, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was published by Young Dragons, an imprint of Roan & Weatherford.

    Lindsay has been writing for as long as she could pick up a pen, so it should come as no surprise that her favorite subject in school (and the only class she never wanted to sluff — gasp!) was English. While in Junior High and High school, Lindsay had two teachers who would make a huge impact on what she did with her writing. She remembers, “Mrs. Spannos was the first teacher to tell me, ‘You can write.’ She even read one of my stories out loud to the entire class. She told me, ‘I can hear all the events in the story, and it’s so good!’ That always stuck with me. I was like, okay, I can do this.” Her High School teacher, Mrs. Broadbent, told her, “You do really well with writing and should continue doing it.” Lindsay says, “I had a lot of really supportive teachers. When I went to college, I decided to major in English, and that is where my writing really took off. I wanted to be a disciplined writer rather than just dabbling here and there.” Lindsay continued to hone her literary skills by earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature and a Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing, all while writing everything from creative prose and short stories to poetry. Lindsay shares, “Everything I’ve written, I’ve learned something from.” While in her undergrad, Lindsay submitted a poem about her maternal grandfather, “The Fisherman,” to a literary magazine. It was accepted and published. “Seeing my work in print was very cool, and I guess that buzz never left me.” That ‘buzz’ would continue to fuel Lindsay’s imagination as she set out to write and publish an epic fantasy trilogy.

    In the meantime, Lindsay still had to make ends meet. She explains, “I started editing because I knew it was hard to make a living as a writer, and I needed some kind of income, something that I could do on the side.” While in Grad school, Lindsay reached out to the editor-in-chief of Eschler Editing, whom she met at a writer’s conference, and inquired about an internship — and the rest is history — she’s been with them ever since. Lindsay recalls how that decision helped shape her as a writer, “I learned so much about writing by editing other people’s work because I had to study all the writing texts and editing guidelines, and it just made me that much of a better writer. […] Learning about what makes a story was another breakthrough moment for me.” Eventually, Lindsay decided to shelf her fantasy trilogy, but it wasn’t a waste of time — nothing you write is — as it would go on to serve as a 360,000-word back story for her new idea: The Laéth Realm Adventures.

    After an eight-year journey from the first sentence to publication, Volume One of her middle-grade fantasy series, AnnaGrey and the Constellation, was released in August 2023; books two and three are scheduled for release over the next two years. The idea for the series was sparked after one of Lindsay’s daughters came home from school and said that a boy had called her weird. Lindsay shares, “I started writing for her. To show her how being “weird” is actually cool, and it is what makes you unique. There’s a scene in the book where AnnaGrey says, ‘I’m coming into this magical realm where everything is different and strange, but it’s actually really beautiful.’” Although the book could be considered a ‘girl power’ book, the story also has strong boys featured in it. Lindsay has received a lot of positive, ‘I loved the book,’ comments from boys and girls — as well as adults. The underlying theme of being comfortable in our skin, and understanding that our differences are what make us unique and amazing, is a universal truth that appeals to everyone. Lindsay addresses not only the teenage angst and awkwardness we’ve all experienced, but also our adult insecurities and fears perfectly through several of her characters. But perhaps the most unique individual is Iris, the aeobanach, inspired in part by the adorable and often hilarious FaceBook Messenger Unicorn sticker: Ulysses S. Unicorn. Lindsay explains, “I adore unicorns, but they are all over in fantasy. I wanted something to be more mine. Growing up in this valley, we see deer and elk everywhere, and I think they are beautiful. So, I put antlers on my horse and created a name for it.” Lindsay loves languages and discovering where words come from. While looking up different words for unicorn, she came across the Irish word: Aonbheannach. She took the word and tweaked it to make it her own.

    Lindsay also added her own touch to the cover by working closely with the illustrator, Victoria Marble, which is rare in the publishing industry. She explains, “I am so in love with my cover. Victoria did an incredible job and was willing to work with me on colors and everything. Especially because I thought it was very important to make sure that you could see AnnaGrey’s crescent-shaped pupil and Iris’ star-shaped pupil. They are very important for the story. They were like, ‘We can do that and make sure that it’s seen on the cover.’” Lindsay loved the finished illustration, exclaiming that it was her dream horse. Lindsay thoroughly enjoyed everything about the publishing process with Little Dragons. “I’m so thrilled with my publisher and my experience with them. The care they took with my book — the physical book is so beautiful. The cover is beautiful, the book design is beautiful, and I just really got a personal experience.”

    When asked about her future endeavors, Lindsay shares, “My daughters and I are writing a picture book series about dogs; I’m working on two young adult fantasy novels, and my writing partner and I are writing a middle-grade graphic novel. I have so many things I want to say and so many stories I want to tell.” She chuckles as she continues, “I’ve been writing since I was seven, so I don’t think I’m going to stop.” While not everyone wants to be a published writer, everyone has a story. Lindsay sums it up best, “I believe there are so many stories here in our valley; they are just waiting to be told.”

    Have a story to tell but don’t know where to start?

    Join Lindsay Clyde-Flanagan online at writingdayworkshops.com or at Wasatch County Library for a series of community writing workshops.

    Available at amazon.com and local bookstores.

  • Jerry Robert Springer

    Jerry Robert Springer

    How do I sum up one man’s life in a few short pages, especially one who has lived a life as full of adventure and service as Jerry Springer? I don’t. All I can do is capture bits and pieces – the moments in time that stand out – and hope those stories honor this man who has touched so many lives.

    Jerry’s first experience in life began with an adventure. His parents, Beryl and Tura Springer, were living in a tent cabin community near Mammoth Lakes, California. Beryl, like his father, Jeremiah (Jerry) Robey Springer, and his grandfather, Nathan Chatman Springer, was a miner, working at the Cardinal Mine in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. As if being born in a mining community wasn’t exciting enough, Jerry decided to take things up a notch. Jerry Robert Springer made his debut in Bishop, CA, on January 21, 1937, right in the middle of a massive snowstorm! Getting to and from the hospital was challenging. Due to the heavy snowfall and record-cold temperatures, two neighbors tried but could not start their cars.

    Jerry recalls his mother telling him, “It was quite difficult, as big as I was, to keep getting in and out of cars. It became hilarious; in fact, by the time I got to the third car, I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes.’” The roads coming home from the hospital were impassible, and the Cardinal Company had to send a snow plow to clear the roads and tow the Springer’s car back to the mining camp. They were the last two vehicles to travel the canyon until mid-February. Once at their home, Beryl and several friends had to “[…] dig a snow trench and tunnel over six feet high and more than 30 feet long from the road to the cabin door.” That experience was probably not much different than the ones they would have while ‘digging out’ roads and driveways at their home base in Midway, Utah. Midway was home to several mining families, especially during the Depression. The husbands would work in California, Argentina, Mexico, or wherever they could find work, while the wives stayed in Midway.

    Although Jerry spent his early years living in various mining camps in California, Nevada, and Park City, Midway has been home to the Springer families since the late 1800s when their ancestors, Captain Cornelius A. Springer and Elizabeth (Bess) Moser Springer, first settled in the Heber Valley. Beryl purchased property in Midway (now 71 South 200 West) in 1939, eventually building a home in 1941. The home was unique because it was constructed of wooden ammunition boxes, using sawdust for insulation. Like many miners, Beryl split his time between farming and mining, and Jerry only lived in this particular home for a short time while Beryl and Tura built a home across the street. During his elementary school days, Jerry lived in Midway and spent his summers out of town wherever Beryl was mining. By the late 1940s, the Springer’s moved to Pleasant Grove, where Jerry would graduate from Pleasant Grove High School in 1955.

    Within a few years of his birth, Jerry was joined by a brother, Richard, and a sister — whom he adored — Norma Jean (Jeannie). Jeannie and Jerry shared a special bond, “She was a great gal. We did a lot of things together.” Jerry chuckles as he remembers, “We double-dated; she’d have a girlfriend that didn’t have a boyfriend, and she’d say, ‘I’ve got a brother.’” Jerry pauses for a moment before continuing, “It’s kind of hard to talk about her.” He then shared that on Christmas Day, 1956, while riding in a car with a friend, they were hit by a drunk driver, and Jeannie was severely injured. During the 1950s, ambulances looked more like station wagons. Jerry’s friend was the driver, and he let him crawl in the back to be close to Jeannie. Norma Jean Springer passed away in the ambulance while en route to the hospital in Salt Lake City, just 16 days before her 17th birthday. It was an earth-shattering event for Jerry and his family, and Christmas Day has never been the same. While the ache of loss never really leaves us, we discover how to treasure the memories of those moments and look toward the future. And Jerry had scores of moments and memories ahead of him.

    Following in his ancestor’s footsteps, Jerry began working at the mines when he was 15 as a Nipper. Jerry explains, “My father was a hard rock miner. […] He worked underground, where they had to blast, going after metals like gold, silver, and copper. I was what they called a ‘Nipper,’ that’s a person who would work with the underground miners. We’d keep them provided with water; we had to use water to keep the dust down while they drilled. We’d get the dynamite and make sure that it went down the hole, and whatever other tasks they needed.” After high school graduation, Jerry would return to California, mining near his birthplace in Mammoth Lakes to help pay for college. Jerry also worked at mines in Park City, Snake Creek, and Mayflower. He states, “We were cheap, and we were careful, and that’s what they wanted.”

    Through the years, Jerry developed a deep love and passion for education, western and local history, photography, service, and his community. This enthusiasm would help to shape the rest of his life. Jerry attended Utah State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s in history. While attending USU, Jerry met Karen Rae Knight. Karen was from Woodland, Utah, and shared Jerry’s passion for education, service, and eventually Wasatch County. Jerry and Karen were married on March 15, 1963, and had six children: CheriLynne, Trent, Raechelle, Sarah, Hazel, and Robyn. Although the couple would later divorce, they shared an amicable relationship. One of the family’s favorite memories was when all the siblings and their spouses took a trip to New York City with Jerry and Karen. Jerry doesn’t like flying and jokingly told one of his daughters, “I’ve gone this far (70 years); why not go the rest of my life without flying.” As the adage says, ‘Love conquers all,’ and Jerry’s first commercial flight was for his kids! He shares, “It was beautiful flying over the area.” Then he chuckles, “I wish the plane tilted a little more so that we could get a better view.” Apparently, Jerry has quite a sense of humor and loves to tease. A prime example of this was when they went to see the Statue of Liberty. As they were going through security with their cameras, Jerry kept asking, ‘Did you shoot that?’ Did you shoot that?’ The fun continued as they arrived at the ferry. It was raining, and everyone was in a hurry. Each time Jerry tried to go through security, the alarms would go off. He emptied every pocket, took off his coat, and tried everything until they figured out that it was the metal clips on his suspenders underneath his shirt. Jerry recalls, “It was a fun trip.” Jerry’s children credit him for their ability to laugh when things get hard and describe Jerry as fun and spunky.

    Jerry’s ‘spunkiness’ was evident even as a young boy. His Aunt and Uncle, Pauline and Joseph Erwin, were the original owners of Luke’s Hot Pots Resort in Midway (now Midway Mountain Spa/Ameyalli Spa Wellness Resort). Both Pauline and Joe had a lot of connections in the entertainment industry. Jerry recalls, “Pauline was a hair model, and Joe played professional baseball, wrote songs, and was in movies.” The couple’s friendship with big names like Roy Rogers and Virginia Mayo helped the Hot Pots become a major attraction for Hollywood celebrities and other entertainers. And spunky ten-year-old Jerry couldn’t wait to be right in the middle of all the excitement. Jerry loved horses and was put in charge of helping with the horses at the resort. During this time, young Jerry got to meet a lot of Hollywood stars and entertainers, but Rogers and Mayo, were the ones who visited the most and remain etched in the nostalgia of Luke’s Hot Pots Resort. One of Jerry’s best memories of that time was getting to ride on a horse with Virginia Mayo.

    Horses were a big part of Jerry’s life, and his fondness for them has led to many adventures. Jerry spent numerous summers saddle-packing the Wind River Range in Wyoming, the Thorofare region of Yellowstone to the Tetons, the eastern Sierras, and the Uinta mountains. While traversing the majestic peaks and inspiring wilderness, Jerry documented his travels and took amazing photographs. Jerry has had many of his writings and photographs featured in magazines like The Western Horseman, The Intermountain Quarter Horse, and Cutter & Chariot Racing World. His packing adventures initially began while Jerry was in college. During one summer break, he volunteered at Inyo National Forest in California and recalled, “We helped with everything from maintaining trails […] and taking the general public into the mountains. We were their guides and packed with horses. We also packed for those running cattle — we called ourselves Packers. I don’t remember the year, but it was a really special time and a lot of fun for a young single kid.” Inyo was near the mine where Jerry used to work with his dad. His experience working with horses there would be the catalyst for years of volunteer work with the National Parks and the National Forest Service. In 1967, Jerry joined the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Posse. When it was discovered that Jerry owned a boat, the Sheriff asked if he would join Search and Rescue — and of course, he did. However, most of Jerry’s time with SAR would be spent on the back of his horse, Smokey. Jerry recalls, “We rode horses year-round, even in the snow. We patrolled Deer Creek Reservoir and around the lakes in the Uintas. We found a lot of drowning victims – we were pretty successful at finding them, but it was difficult to get there in time.” It was a grueling and emotional task for the men. Jerry shares, “Horses have a real sense when you are riding them, especially when we were carrying living and non-living people.” Jerry also helped others with their equine escapades. You may or may not be aware that Heber used to host cutter and chariot races, and as can be expected, Jerry was involved with those too. His favorite memories with horses involve riding with his son, Trent, as they explored the mountains and forests he loved. His excursions on horseback inspired Jerry as he combined his passion for the outdoors and history, creating hundreds and hundreds of lectures. Jerry spent 20+ years traveling with his kids to the national and state parks and forests in Utah, California, and Nevada. They would set up camp, and Jerry would present on mining, the fur trade, or national and state parks. Jerry’s children spent their summers visiting mining sites and camping all over the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains. Many of them love camping because of these experiences.

    While at home, Jerry settled into his daily routines and community service projects. Jerry worked for the State Office of Rehabilitation as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Heber and later in Provo. He enjoyed working with individuals who found it difficult to get a good job due to various mental and physical struggles. Jerry shares, “We were serious about what we were doing. We made sure that they were comfortable with the work they wanted. Many of those I worked with didn’t have arms or legs, and they trusted us to help them find work.” Jerry’s brother Richard also worked as a Vocational Rehab Counselor, and the brothers found a lot of happiness and satisfaction in helping others succeed. Jerry also enjoyed success in his endeavors. He built a beautiful home for his family in the same spot where his grandparents home used to sit. And, just like he enjoyed playing on his grandparent’s large front porch as a child, Jerry’s children would enjoy the “giant front porch” of their home. Jerry’s involvement and volunteer work in Wasatch County extends generations of Springer family service. Beryl and Tura were involved with creating the Midway Boosters Club in 1947; Jerry’s grandparents and Aunt and Uncle also became members.

    While part of the Booster Club, the Springer family joined forces with the Kohler family to create a beautiful float for the first Harvest Days Parade. Six years later, in 1953, it was decided to switch the focus of Harvest Days to a Swiss theme, and Midway’s very first Swiss Days was created. Jerry’s grandfather was one of the five-person committee who oversaw the first event; Jeremiah and Lydia Springer were listed as ‘Patrons of the first Midway Swiss Days.’ The Springer’s volunteered the use of their three-acre pasture west of the Ice Rink on Town Square as a parking area until the 1980s. Naturally, Jerry would continue to be involved with Swiss Days as an adult and served as the chairman of the Swiss Days Committee for three years. He was the first chairman allowed to pick which vendors could go in the square. Jerry has fond memories of these days and remembers “[…] spending the night in a sleeping bag next to the large Swiss Days fire pit with friends to make sure nobody would fall in it.” Three of his daughters were Swiss Miss Royalty, and in 2013, Jerry was chosen as Midway’s Honored Citizen and took part in the Swiss Days parade. Jerry’s deep love for Wasatch County, especially his hometown of Midway, is apparent through his acts of service.

    Anybody can make history. It takes a great man to write it.  – Oscar Wilde

    During his lifetime, Jerry has served on committees for the Midway Town Hall Restoration Committee and the Wasatch County Fair. He was also a special appointee of the Mayor as a member of the Midway Historic Preservation Committee, and was a frequent contributor to the Midway Newsletter. Jerry has been an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in various callings like Ward Historian, Ward Clerk, and Assistant Scout Master. Many scouts have fond memoires of their backpacking, hiking, and camping ventures. Jerry’s educational endeavors included teaching at Wasatch Junior and High schools (1963-1966), teaching History at Brigham Young University, and teaching at Elderhostel programs for BYU and UVU at the Homestead Resort in Midway, the Chateau Après Lodge in Park City, and Snowbird Lodge at Brighton. Helping others receive a good education has always been important to Jerry; Utah State University has two scholarships, one in geology and one in business, set up in the Springer name. Jerry created several historical mining displays (some permanent) for Midway Elementary, Heber Valley Senior Citizen Center, the Heber City offices, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, the Sons of Utah Pioneers, and at the visitor centers at Jordanelle State Park and Wasatch Mountain State Park.

    Most Wasatch County residents know Jerry Springer as the ‘town historian,’ and for good reason. Jerry has spent decades compiling and collecting photos, articles, letters and notes, artifacts, memorabilia, and a plethora of other items of interest, from mining to Utah’s past and the Old West to Wasatch County’s history. Jerry meticulously arranged everything that could tell a story in the last home he built and lived in, near the property that originally hosted Luke’s Hot Pots. It is here that my family was first introduced to Jerry. While out for a drive, my husband and son passed Jerry’s home. He was outside and flagged them down — they stopped — and before long Jerry had invited them into his home. (I learned later that ‘inviting others in’ was a common event for Jerry.) Hours later the two returned home and excitedly told me about this amazing man they had just met, they showed me pictures of what I could only describe as an incredible in-home museum. I immediately wanted to meet Jerry and write his story — I had no idea what I would discover. To write Jerry’s life story would take years and fill volumes. Those lucky enough to know Jerry well are probably nodding and smiling to themselves right about now — a true testament to the lives he has touched. To say that he has had an enormous impact on Wasatch County residents and visitors would be an understatement. Many may not even realize that they’ve benefited from Jerry’s countless labors of love. When I finally had the privilege of interviewing Jerry, a few of his daughters, who live nearby, were able to join us. The one thing that stood out the most to me was the love that permeated the room. Our conversations were full of smiles, tender reflections, a few tears, and a lot of laughter. As stories were shared, Jerry would interject with comments like, “That’s alright, you can’t embarrass me,” and “I don’t know what stories she’s telling you, but there sure is a lot of laughing,” or my personal favorite, “Well, I’ve never been in Jail.” Actually, my favorite statement and moment was when one of Jerry’s daughters said, “Oh, Dad! We are so proud of you! And it’s really fun to brag about you for a little while.” With tears welling up, Jerry quietly responded, “Thank you.” Although there is a lot to ‘brag’ about, as Jerry has received many awards, honors, and accolades for his contributions and service hours, I believe his greatest accomplishments can be measured within the hearts and memories of his children.

    Recently, his children made sure that Jerry had the opportunity to visit the Springer Farms’ new farmhouse. After 86 years, Jerry has come full circle from walking in the space of the original home his great-grandmother, Matilda Robey Springer, built, and his father later grew up in, to visiting the new space his 2nd cousin, David Springer, helped design and build — a tender moment I’m sure. And one that, in typical Jerry fashion, has been documented in writing and captured with photographs. Jerry has spent his life devoted to sharing the history of places and people, and I hope that this brief but heartfelt ‘history’ of his life is, in some small measure, an honorable tribute to Jerry Robert Springer.

  • Walking in a Winter Wonderland

    Walking in a Winter Wonderland

    When Life Gives You Snow, Go Snowshoeing!

    Imagine,  for a moment, being surrounded by gorgeous mountain views on a crisp star-lit winter night. Huge feathery flakes twinkle as they fall, and a brilliant moon guides you along your path. Caught in the moonbeams, it appears you’re walking through a sea of diamonds instead of snow. You stop to take in the majesty of the moment, the still of the evening broken only by the crunch of snow underfoot. Soon,  shouts of ‘Welcome,’ friendly conversations, and laughter echo through the aspens, scrub oak, and pines. Off in the distance, the subtle glow of lights and a melodious song remind you that a delicious meal and good company await you. Your heart beats with excitement as you put one snowshoe in front of the other, eager to reach your destination. The experience is magical and unforgettable.

    Now, imagine that you don’t have to imagine! The Nordic Yurt in Soldier Hollow offers all the above and more! Owners, Bryan and Kate Silvey love the outdoors and enjoy sharing their passion with others. The couple is originally from the East Coast; however, like many avid outdoor enthusiasts, the mountains were calling, and they chose not only to go but to stay — making Midway their home.

    Bryan has worked as an outdoor guide for most of his life, and Kate spent years helping others create small businesses. They both also have backgrounds in outdoor education. The couple’s enthusiasm for adventure and staying active and healthy, combined with their love for the mountains and the wild flora and fauna, led them to start Wilderness Access Outfitters. Kate shares, “Wilderness Access Outfitters allowed us to bring together our past experiences, desires, and passions of what we do in life, and to offer the Heber Valley the experience of accessing the outdoors. […] I’ve always wanted to open my own small business, and it felt like the combo of coming together and building an outdoor company was the right move for us as a family.”

    Initially, WAO offered guided hiking, fly fishing, and stand-up paddle boarding trips. In addition to their excursions, WAO also rented everything you would need for an overnight backpacking or camping trip, a day at the lake in a kayak or canoe, and other outdoor essentials. If you needed it or wanted it, they would make it happen. As the company began to take off, Kate and Bryan decided to ramp up their guided snowshoeing tour by including an amazing meal in a cozy Nordic-style yurt! Kate explains, “These Yurt dinners were a great way to have a mix of [an outdoor activity and] having a fine dining experience in the beautiful outdoors of the Wasatch Mountain State Park; taking advantage of the Dark Sky Initiative, and being under the stars.”

    Kate and Bryan were excited about the opportunity to work with Wasatch State Park, building an 18-foot yurt and working with local chefs to create delicious four-course meals. In the beginning, Kate and Bryan did everything but prepare/cook the meals. They guided the outdoor adventurers on a gorgeous snowshoe trail to the yurt, where they would serve each course and then guide their guests back to their meeting spot. After the goodbyes, the couple would tromp on back for clean up. They washed dishes, did the laundry, vacuumed, and cleaned the yurt, along with a plethora of other tasks that needed to be done. It was a lot of work, but the couple enjoyed having that time to talk with and get to know their guests. The experience felt more like an outing with friends and family, with a delicious meal in between. That personal interaction and attention to detail was not lost on the community as they came out to support Kate and Bryan. Soon, word spread, and people from all over came to Midway to enjoy the snowshoe excursions and Nordic Yurt dinners. Five years and a full staff later, the Nordic Yurt was ready for an adventure of its own. Kate explains, “Our partnership with the state park has been incredible. They’ve been remarkably supportive of us from the beginning. […] They’ve watched us grow from only having a few dinners to five dinners a week during the winter, plus summer and private events. […] When we decided it was time for us to grow — they said we think the space we have in Soldier Hollow would be a good fit for you. So, because we already had that trust, that relationship, and the bond of working together, going into Soldier Hollow was the next organic step for us.”

    In 2021, Kate and Bryan expanded to a 30-foot yurt at Soldier Hollow. They built a fun deck where guests can sit and chat, listen to live music, and sip a drink while resting on the rails and enjoying the beautiful scenery and fantastic views of Heber and Midway. If they’re lucky, some wildlife may stroll nearby to say hi. Visitors can warm themselves by two deck fires, wander down to a large fire pit, take a seat, snuggle up in the fun western-themed blankets, and enjoy a S’more or two. The deck also creates a fun spot for Kate to welcome guests and introduce them to the musician(s), staff, bar, and Chef Ryan Estel, owner of the Old Goat. Kate shares, “Ryan has created a different menu each year for the Yurt, which is exciting because we can offer something different for returning guests — a new experience with new flavors.”  Ryan has partnered with Kate and Bryan for the last four years and has been part of what has made the yurt dinners so successful. “[…] it has been an incredible relationship to be able to create with Ryan — he’s a fantastic chef and is constantly blowing us away with the menus that we come up with together and we are excited to offer him again this year with the Nordic Yurt.” Aside from his prowess as a talented chef, one of the draws to Ryan was that he is local. Kate says, “We live here in the valley and want to support and give back to our community as much as we can. Most of our employees are local, and it’s important for us to support other local businesses, too. We try to use local vendors, local musicians, and get our food as local as we can. All of our wines and beers that we bring in are local.” In September, Kate partnered with Sierra Prothers, owner of Casperville Creations, for Harvest in the Hollow, offering delightful veggies, micro-greens, and even some edible flowers for their appetizer, salad, and main course.

    From the outset, Kate and Bryan’s goal has always been to share their love of the outdoors, good food, good company, and access to the beauties that surround the Wasatch Valley with everyone. The expansion of the yurt has allowed them to serve more guests and offer new opportunities for friends and family to gather. Kate shares, “During the summer, we offered chuck wagon and hike-in dinners and hosted a lot of private events. […] It’s been another fun way for us to invite locals and tourists to our beautiful outdoors and enjoy our valley.” Although the Nordic Yurt has only been at Soldier Hollow for two years, Kate and Bryan look forward to what the future holds for both the Nordic Yurt and WAO. But for now, Kate shares, “Being a part of this little Winter Wonderland and working with our staff and Wasatch Mountain State Park and Soldier Hollow has really been such an honor. To be able to offer guided fishing on these beautiful blue ribbon rivers, the yurt dinners and private events, and get people outdoors and help them have an experience that they’ve never had before, to give them an unforgettable moment here in the Heber Valley, is a blessing. It’s such a great experience to be able to bring people together to enjoy the outdoors, to celebrate each other and this beautiful environment that we are in.”

    There’s so much to do in Heber Valley’s Winter Wonderland!

    After a day of activity at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, enjoying the tubing hill, cross-country ski trails, biathlon shooting, snowshoeing excursions, and Ice Castles, or other winter adventures throughout the valley including, alpine skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, train rides, or sleigh and horseback riding, the best way to end the day is with an adventurous dinner at WAO Nordic Yurt.

    Wilderness Access Outfitters Nordic Yurt at Soldier Hollow
    waoutah.com

  • Jamie Harmon

    Jamie Harmon

    When Jamie Harmon first sat down to write her children’s life stories, she had no intention of writing a book, let alone publishing one.

    Jamie shares what inspired her to write My Divine Identity, “I didn’t set out to write a guided journal for girls. I started writing for my children. I wasn’t able to physically have children, and I wanted more than anything to be a mom. So my husband Jeff and I gathered our family together through adoption. We adopted four children, and they are truly miracles. The process of adoption is difficult, it’s a roller-coaster, but I know God’s hand led me to each one of them specifically; for me, it was not a random process.”

    Children who are adopted often ask, ‘Why didn’t my birth parents want me?’ And, although it is hard to believe, sometimes they are asked that same question by others. “That question just kills me. I’ve sat with four birth moms, and some birth dads, in the hospital as they sob and hand me their child. These kids were wanted and loved, and this decision was such a wrestle with God to place these kids into a loving home with two parents.” It’s a struggle to keep her emotions at bay, but Jamie continues, “I’m sure there are a few cases out there where some birth parents have had a crazy life, and maybe they didn’t want them, but that has not been my experience — not at all — it’s been the opposite. In my experience, these birth parents are so courageous to make that decision, and I have nothing but respect for them. I started writing so that my kids would know just how much they were wanted and loved, not only by us — their parents, but also by God and their birth parents, grandparents, cousins, and friends.”

    While writing for her children, Jamie had a sort of epiphany, “I wanted the writing to be good, so I went to a lot of writing conferences and took classes. During this process, I thought if I can strengthen my adopted kids’ identity, then I think I could help other girls and young women strengthen their identity, and that’s how the idea for the guided journal came about.” The idea to write for others would turn into much more and change Jamie and her family’s life. She explains, “I thought this is so great for our family and our children, and I wanted to do more. So I started writing personal experiences from my life, and I started noticing some themes of the things that I struggled with. Things like negative self-talk. For decades I had negative chatter in my brain, I was so harsh, and I would tear myself down.” Jamie chuckles as she recalls, “I was in my thirties when I started to recognize that I needed to change that about myself. And, my husband was the one who pointed it out.” Jamie tells the story of a particular night when their boys were still very young, and before they adopted their girls. The couple was getting ready to go out on a date. Jeff paid Jamie a compliment, and she responded with a negative comment. She recalls, “Jeff asked, ‘If we are finally able to adopt our daughters, do you want them to speak to themselves like that?’ I thought, of course I don’t. I didn’t want my sons to talk to themselves that way either.” Jamie thought about that question all evening and decided to make a change. “I want my children to understand that positive self-talk is so important, and that you need to treat yourself kindly, and be your own best friend.”

    Maybe you’ve heard the phrase: Things are caught — not taught. Well, Jamie has worked hard through the years to make sure that her children caught her being kind to herself, and caught her speaking positively about herself — even if she didn’t always feel like it. Sure, she’d forget, and negative words would slip out (she is human after all), but she would quickly catch herself. While researching this principle for her book idea, Jamie decided to put what she was learning into practice. Jeff and Jamie had their children create posters that included positive and encouraging words for them to read out loud each day. Jamie wasn’t always a believer in words of affirmation, but then her daughter shared an experience with her. Jamie shares, “We adopted our youngest daughter from China. One day, when she was in the second grade, a boy was making fun of her eyes and the way she looked. My daughter told me, ‘Mom, he was being really mean, but you know what Mom? I know that you’ve been talking about this a lot, and about how we should be kind to ourselves. I had to go to the bathroom, and when I was washing my hands, I looked in the mirror and I said, I’m not going to believe him. I’m going to believe what my mom and dad say about me and what God thinks about me; that I’m beautiful.’ She was in second grade, and she got it — amazing right?! A negative comment like that can stick with you for life, but because we’d been saying, what my daughter called her words of truth, every night before they went to bed, well, they worked! I was like this is such an important skill to learn and teach.” And that was all the prodding Jamie needed. She was no longer going to just think about writing a book; she was going to write a book.

    Jamie is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and has worked with young women ages 8-18. She says she felt inspired to write the journal for that age group. She shares, “I want girls to start learning these principles at a much younger age than I learned them. I want them to internalize them and understand them at a very young age. With social media, and all the comparison, and all the voices in the world, it’s very easy to get lost in the noise. They need a strong sense of self and who they are, now more than ever. One of my goals for this book is to empower girls to be strong, confident, and powerful, and to believe in themselves because the stakes are high these days. They have a lot going on.”

    As she put pen to paper, she realized that writing to a targeted audience about very specific things was not going to be easy. But she was up to the task — until she slipped and allowed some old habits to worm their way in. She explains, “I did have a moment where I was like, ‘Who am I to write a book? Why am I doing this?’ I tossed my laptop to the side, and threw my books aside, and said, ‘I’m done. Who’s going to say, yes, we’d love to publish this?’ My good husband heard this and was concerned. He was going out of town the next day and offered to give me a blessing. In that blessing, he said that inspiration would flow, and that I’d be guided. After the blessing, I thought, well, that’s nice, but I think that I’m done. He left the next day, and I picked up my laptop and started writing, because initially, I was thinking of writing it like a memoir. And then, just all of a sudden, I had this thought. I could do a guided journal for girls; I wrote the seven principles down in an outline in probably five minutes. I feel like it was downloaded from heaven. So I have to give credit to God.” She chuckles as she continues, “Yet, at the same time, I had to work my butt off because you have to put in the work.”

    The guided journal is divided into seven chapters, one for each principle. Each chapter also features a variety of activities, stories, and writing prompts. Although the journal does talk about the beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the principles taught are universal. Jamie explains, “The first chapter is about, Identity: Who Are You?; the second is, Choose Happy: Practice Gratitude; the third is Sunny Thoughts: Embracing Truths and Dismissing Lies, which is about managing your thoughts; principle four is, Be My Own Best Friend: Positive Self-Talk; five is, It Takes Time: Turn Trials into Triumphs; six is, Be Still: Calming the Soul, in this chapter, I do go into calming breathing exercises and strategies to help with anxiety, and when girls are smack in the middle of a trial and need a moment to calm down. Then the last principle is, Words of Truth: Affirmation.”

    From start to finish, it took Jamie six years to see her efforts pay off. While still just a rough draft, she took her outline to Storymakers, a popular writing conference in Provo, Utah. While there, she had an opportunity to meet with an editor who gave her the extra bit of motivation she needed. Jamie says, “The editor told me, ‘I have a 13-year-old niece who needs this right now, you should write this.’” Jamie finished the book, and when she returned to Storymakers, for the third consecutive year, she met Samantha Millburn, managing editor at Covenant Communications, and 18 months later, My Divine Identity: A Guided Journal for Girls hit the bookshelves in stores across the country.

    Since the journal was published in 2022, Jamie has wanted to connect with her audience in a more personal way. This summer, she decided to host a few mother and daughter workshops in Midway, Utah and one for girls 8-18 in Meridian, Idaho. She shares, “I wanted these girls, these women, to come and meet and talk and learn about the principles in the book.” Jamie also created crafts and activities for the workshops that coincide with each principle. For example, bracelets that help remind them of who they are, a My Words of Truth poster, and a BFF box, which was one of the more difficult, but rewarding, activities. The girls were given a box to decorate and then asked to write down ten things they like about themselves and one or two things they like about their bodies — now — not a future ideal body. Jamie says it was a very powerful experience.

    As Jamie looks toward the future she shares, “I would love to grow the retreats — that would be amazing. I would love to write a non-denominational guided journal, and one for women. Actually, I’ve written one for women, but it needs some work.” When asked if she has considered writing one for boys, she replies, “I’ve had that question a lot. My husband and I have talked about writing one for boys as well. They need it. They need it just as much!” I believe we don’t talk about our boys and their self-esteem as much as we should, and Jamie agrees. But that will be another story for after she publishes that book too!

    Until then, we can all benefit from performing a little self-care. We can start by: strengthening our identity; practicing gratitude; managing our thoughts; being our own best friend; turning trials into triumphs; being still, and finding our words of truth. Because the truth is, we are all wonderfully unique individuals with a divine identity.

  • Liberty Sanctuary

    Liberty Sanctuary

    Many little girls dream of having a horse — I know I did. I grew up in the city with a relatively small backyard. Behind the chain link fence that separated our house from a large field — lived a horse. I never knew her name. She was nothing special to look at; slight of build, dull chocolate coat, scraggly knotted black main. She was only there for a few short weeks, but man did I love her. Every afternoon I’d run outside and she’d gallop up to greet me; her velvety nose nuzzling my fingertips as much as the metal barrier between us allowed. I longed to touch her — really touch her — to run my tiny hands along her withers, to rest my forehead against hers, to straddle her bareback and hug her neck as far as my little arms would allow. Instead, we stood eye to eye, our hearts forever connected.

    Liberty Sanctuary is all about connecting hearts, healing souls, and offering America’s forgotten equines a second chance at life.

    Debra West, along with several equine enthusiasts, founded Liberty Sanctuary in 2023. According to the non-profit’s website, Liberty Sanctuary’s mission is “[…] not only to rescue and rehabilitate horses and donkeys that are found in kill pens but to share their stories and create awareness of their plight and unfair circumstances. The horse slaughter pipeline feeds an underground of black market businesses, all of which take advantage of the horse, America’s most noble animal. The American horse stands for freedom. Because of the horse, settlers could explore the country and head west. It’s unfathomable how this gracious animal that has enabled the country’s progress has fallen victim to greed, severe abuse, and, too often, an unjust and cruel demise. We aim to advocate and be a voice for slaughter horses by promoting the SAFE Act and others seeking other solutions.”

    Every year tens of thousands of horses are sent to kill pens, where they are eventually shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter. Although the horse slaughter industry has declined drastically since the 1990s, today, about 20,000 equines are being exported from the United States yearly to be served as meat in foreign countries, namely Russia and China. The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act aims to stop the export of equines for slaughter.

    Debra shares, “To me, it is unconscionable to think that this partner, who was so integral to the building of our country, our freedom, is now up for bail – basically in a prison. How does that happen? How are they not more protected?” Although she wishes she could save every horse in the slaughter pipeline, Debra has, to date, saved 24 lives. Her rescues include a foal born in the kill pens and, more recently, eight foals from Wind River, WY, whose mothers were sent to slaughter.

    Making The Connection

    Debra didn’t realize it at the time, but her first rescue was a mare named Shiloh. She shares, “Part of putting this property together was that I wanted to have horses here. It’s always been a dream. I used to call it my little ranch dream. Since I was a little girl, I have loved horses, but I grew up in New York City, so it wasn’t very easy or economical to ride or have a horse.” In 2016 Debra’s dream finally came true! She says, “As I was looking at these horses, I was like a little girl, so excited, I found this girl online […] and I agreed to purchase her sight unseen. I just fell in love with her little face and spirit. […] She’s really my spirit animal.” Debra didn’t know about the slaughter pipeline then, but Shiloh was priced so low that she could easily have gone to a kill buyer.

    A kill buyer is someone who goes to auctions and waits for the horses that don’t sell. They purchase them for almost nothing and turn around and sell them to kill pens. Debra explains the brutal process, “As soon as an equine enters the slaughter pipeline, medical care ends. Absolutely ends. Horses endure a twenty-hour packed ride to Mexico, sometimes with no food or water. Their demise is just really inhumane. No matter what people try to say, an animal can smell the blood of other animals. The horses are terrified before anything even happens. […] Due to the physiology of equines, many remain alive during the greater part of the slaughter process. […] To say that they don’t have awareness — they do have awareness.” I can hear the passion in her voice as she continues, “We have to do better. I think we can do better. That is where the SAFE Act comes in, but frankly, that is only step one. It’s not the solution.”

    Part of the solution is connecting the dots for people. Yes, the goal is to see the slaughter pipeline completely shut down, but also to make sure that there is a safety net. And that horse owners know where to go for help. One of the most shocking aspects I discovered is that a large majority of the horses in the pipeline are domesticated, young, healthy equines. All deserve a second chance at life; sadly, many do not get it. Debra says, “I was attracted, for lack of a better word, to the kill pen in Bowie, TX, because they are more professional, and they do a video on all of the equine so you can see them. Connect with them in a way. Most of the horses’ bail is anywhere from $700 to $1000, and when you are looking online, it shows their expiration/slaughter date. It’s pretty real. You see that date, and it motivates you to get a plan together.” She continues to explain, “Typically, we prefer to rescue younger horses because we feel like we have the best chance at giving them a meaningful chance at a new life — to be able to rehab them. Some will live their lives out here at the sanctuary, and we will try to rehome others and then, hopefully, rescue more because there is no shortage of them.”

    It definitely takes a team of knowledgeable people on both ends; those who know about rescuing from kill pens, scouting, and transporting, and those who know about caring for and mending broken souls. Debra shares, “I don’t go a day or an hour without remembering that I’m responsible for these lives. At the end of the day, I have to do my best for them. […] I can’t reiterate enough that there’s no way I could do this without the help of so many people. My husband, Scott Horner, he’s honestly like the pied piper where all the animals follow him around. It has been really beautiful to see his relationship with the animals here. And these beautiful equine advocates who have sat with me and helped educate me, helped me get my head around all of these issues — they have been so gracious. Don and Trevor, our trainers, Eric, our physical therapist, our Vet, Blair, and all the volunteers — I can’t say enough how amazing they are. […] There is not one thing I’ve done in my life where I have felt this kind of support — not one thing.”

    I believe if the horses at Liberty Sanctuary could speak our language, they’d say the same thing.

     “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched; they must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller

    Providing support to all the rescues is paramount at Liberty Sanctuary, from the open space to move around, to ample access to food and water, to no pressure and a soft place to land, to vet care and time to heal, to time to just be a horse. And, eventually, come to trust and make connections with others. Equine and Human-quine.

    I had the privilege to visit Liberty Sanctuary and witness some incredible connections, and learn more about these majestic beings’ stories. Where their stories actually began, for most, is undocumented. If we start at the kill pen — they are marked with a number — affixed so well, if removed, it would tear off hair and possibly skin — a semi-permanent reminder that they’ve been forgotten. One of the first things Debra does is give the rescue horses names. She explains, “I know it’s probably a human thing to name them. But we do know names are important; when an animal has a name, we treat them differently. The intonation of our voice, our actions, and our movements, they all change, and the horses know it. I feel like names help to create a connection between us.”

    Axel is a gorgeous draft mix who was working with Trevor Howard in the sanctuary’s main round pen. With views of Timp and American flags waving in the background — it was awe-inspiring. At first glance, there is a presence about this eight-year-old stallion. Abandoned to the kill pen and then abandoned in the kill pen, Axel has come a long way. Trevor shares, “Horses can tell when you are invested and when you are not; when you are in a hurry and when you are emotional.” I watched as Don Herbert, another trainer, switched spots with Trevor and gently worked with Axel to put a halter on. I didn’t realize that what I was watching was the culmination of months of work. Trevor explains, “That’s pretty cool watching Don work with Axel. That’s the first time Don’s ever handled him. If you would have seen this horse when we started to where he is now — I mean, that’s the first time we’ve put a halter on him, and I’m not even doing it.”

    It’s all about connection, trust, and feeling safe. Trevor explains, “One of the biggest things that I try to work on with any horse, whether it’s day one or day 151, is the connection between you and them. If you’re on the mountain one day and the horse startles and spooks — all you have at the moment is how deep your connection is with that horse. It’s hard to describe, but if you think about the positive connections in your life — they took time.” He looks toward Axel for a moment and says, “I think the horse is one of the most forgiving animals that there is on the planet. You can come and do everything completely wrong, against the nature of the horse, today, and they’d let you in tomorrow. You could do that for years, and they’d be hoping that tomorrow, you’d do it a little bit better. They’re just really incredible.” Trevor connected with Debra a few years ago, helping with her horses before she started the sanctuary. So it makes sense that she would reach out to him to work with the rescues. He says, “Everything that Deb is doing with the infrastructure and all the work that they’ve put into getting the horses to where they can just down-regulate from what they were, and they can come here and be a horse for awhile before we start working with them — I think that’s huge! I can guarantee that if we had started working with Axel on day three after being here, it would be a totally different story. Letting him be here, get fed, and feel safe — it’s been pretty cool. It’s really rewarding getting to work with horses that essentially really didn’t have a chance anymore and to give them a chance.”

    In the background, I hear Don speaking to Axel as he removes the halter, “You’re pretty alright for a wild free spirit.” Debra responds with, “Right! You’re okay with a wild free spirit.” And he is.

    Don is reserved and quiet, but from the moment you shake his hand, your soul feels calm. Where Trevor exudes a surety and strength in a jovial yet commanding and kind manner, everything about Don, from his smile to his gait, to the smooth, soft cadence of his voice, conveys a gentle strength. The two trainers complement each other perfectly.

    Don was one of the first on the scene when most of the rescues arrived; he looked them over and caught sight of a malnourished, runty four-year-old palomino-draft cross stallion. His ribs were sticking out, he had cuts and scabs all over his face and body, and Don said, “I want that guy.” When asked why, it takes a moment before he replies, “Sorry, my emotions well up. Really, it was just the look in his eye. The state that he was in. Obviously, he needed the most work. He was scared just being here, scared of being anywhere. He was just full of pain. And fear. I figured I could do something to help.” He pauses and smiles at Navajo. “And it’s working.”

    Navajo shares a space with another rescue, Scout, and Scott’s horse, Cody. As I walk to where Navajo is standing, Cody and Scout move to intercept until they decide I’m okay. Debra shares, “Scout’s been a good protector and comfort to Navajo. And Cody has sort of taken on the role of big brother. He has to supervise everything.” Navajo was the worst off out of all the rescues, but with patience and Don’s gentle guidance, he’s come a long way in the few short months he’s been at Liberty Sanctuary. Don explains, “When he first got here, he was extremely guarded — even when I’d come and just stand at the opposite end of the pen.” Debra adds, “He would snort at Don, but he was never aggressive. He was just terrified from whatever happened in his life – terrified of being in his own body.”

    Don walks over to Navajo and tenderly strokes his neck. “It wasn’t but a couple of months ago when this was just a dream. Between the environment and socializing and the work we’ve been doing, they’re [Navajo and Scout] coming around. They are actually looking for touch now and enjoy the connection.” Debra interjects, “Honestly, what Don is doing with Navajo — touching him, brushing knots out of his main and tail, feeding him out of his hand — he took one of the hardest cases, and they bonded beautifully. I didn’t know if it would ever happen. I thought it would take at least a year — he was that guarded.” Don affectionately moves his hand from Navajo’s neck to his head and notes, “They’re really head-shy, so you have to be careful. It’s fine, though, because every inch you gain, you keep forever.”

    When asked what his favorite part of working with Navajo has been, he quickly replies, “Every bit of it. It’s just been completely rewarding. Seeing him go from what he was like, (he pauses, controlling his emotions) he was just completely traumatized and afraid, and now he is completely the opposite, comfortable. We still have issues, of course, but we are making progress. Horses — they’re like the number one prey animal — they can freeze and run, but they don’t have much of a fight, and humans are natural predators, apex predators. So, the relationship between man and horse is kind of oxymoronic, really. It’s just extremely rewarding for me to see him come from being crazy wild and afraid to being accepting and realizing and allowing me to build a relationship with him.” Don continues to share his thoughts, “I can’t thank Deb enough for getting this whole thing started and letting me be a part of it. For me, being here is like my sanctuary. It does a lot because you have to be aware of your emotions, what you are thinking and feeling when you’re spending intimate time with them. Because we really do radiate our energy, our thoughts, our emotions, and they do too. To get a horse to relax and connect with you, to want that connection — it has to be a mutual relationship — the healing and growing that happens in that round pen is mutual. It’s quite a process, but it pays dividends for sure.”

    Trevor reminds us, “Everything we as horsemen feel we need to teach the horse, they innately already know how to do — without humans in the picture or on their back. In a way, we are in the way of choreographing this dance they already understand completely. Many times it’s very easy to place blame or point the finger at the horse, to point out a specific behavior, when generally all those behaviors that we don’t like were placed there because of a human in some pattern or something that we did in domestication that normally wouldn’t happen to a horse if it lived in the wild. The more time I spend with the horses, the more I realize how much I have to learn.”

    Debra agrees and shares what the horses have taught her, “Public speaking and advocacy are not the most comfortable things for me. But these horses give me courage — it’s an honor to try and give them a voice and to give voice to this cause and educate others. These horses are my passion. This is so deep in my soul that I feel it’s a calling. This is something that I’ll put my entire life on the line for.” And, really, she has. Debra quit her full-time job as a realtor and is giving her whole heart to all the souls that have found a home at Liberty Sanctuary.

    As I watch a few of them, I notice the last remnants of a kill pen sticker clinging to the hindquarters of what was once a horse with no name. I can’t help but smile at the symbolism; it fills my heart with joy to think about. Just as the numbers fade, and the glue loses its hold, and the sticker eventually falls to the wayside, so, too, are these incredible individuals’ fears and self-doubts fading, losing their hold, and falling to the wayside. I take in the smells of hay, horses, and scrub oak and enjoy the silence of the moment, broken only by the munching of hay and eventually the calm cadence of Don’s voice, “Ya, once you have that connection, it’s like the world melts away and it’s just simple — pure — I love it.”

    Safe Act this year is the year!

    Scott Beckstead, Director of Campaigns, for the Center for a Humane Economy shares, “The SAFE Act was introduced to Congress and we are working on getting it added to the Farm Bill, a piece of must-pass legislation that Congress has to pass every five years. 2023 is a Farm Bill year. Our focus right now is on getting members of the House-Senate Agriculture Committees to pass the SAFE Act as an amendment to the Farm Bill.”

    1. Contact your local members of Congress, whether they are on the agriculture committee or not, and support the passage of this legislature.
    2. Visit animalwellness.org to learn more about horse slaughter and the SAFE Act.

    To learn more about

    how you can volunteer or donate to Liberty Sanctuary visit: libertysanctuary.org

  • Ballerina Farm

    Ballerina Farm

    Our lives are filled with moments that help shape who we are, and who we want to become. Sometimes, all it takes is a flash in time, one moment, to completely alter the course of our lives.

    Daniel and Hannah Neeleman experienced such an instance while living in Brazil. One day, the couple visited a cattle ranch and witnessed a scene that would change everything — hogs free ranging. Daniel couldn’t stop watching the pigs as they roamed through open pasture, munching on grass side by side with the cattle. They weren’t in pens or locked up in stalls. Instead, they were meandering about enjoying the offerings dropped from mango, guava, star fruit, and cashew trees scattered about the farm. And that’s all it took — that single moment — and the idea for Ballerina Farm was born.

    “We have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist.”
    – Wendell Berry

    Craftsmanship and artistry run deep in the genetic makeup of both Daniel and Hannah. However, as the poet, writer, and farmer, Wendell Berry, states, neither of those talents is generally associated with farmers. As a former Miss New York City, and graduate of the prestigious Julliard School in dance — performing pirouettes and executing grand jetes, while running a farm, was probably not at the forefront of Hannah’s life plans. And, although Daniel has always had an interest in livestock, I think it’s safe to say that adding a PhD in farming to his BA in history and master’s in business was not on Daniel’s to-do list.

    Hannah laughs as she explains, “Daniel and I got married my senior year at Julliard. We were living in New York City — he was working, I was dancing — and after we had our first baby, Daniel told me, ‘You know, I don’t envision our family being raised in New York City.’ So, I knew we wouldn’t end up in the city, but I also didn’t think we’d end up on a farm.”

    When Daniel’s work with a start-up Tech company took their family to Brazil for four years, the couple found themselves drawn to the more rural areas of the country. Hannah shares, “[…] on the weekends, whenever we had time, we’d drive through these little farms, and we’d stay on these farms. We would see the farmers milking cows that were out on pasture and raising pasture pork; they had a really beautiful agriculture there, and that is where we fell in love with it. We knew that when we came back to the States we wanted to start our own farm raising pigs and cattle on pasture.”

    Upon their return, the Neeleman family landed in the small rural town of Birds Eye, Utah. Where, instead of purchasing a home, they rented a basement apartment and bought one-hundred acres of land. Daniel describes the experience, “We bought our first farm, and it was kind of out in the boonies. There was zero infrastructure; even the fences were falling apart. I still had my day job and Hannah was teaching dance at Utah Valley University, and taking care of our four kids.” The couple lived about 20 minutes away from the farm and would spend their evenings and weekends feeding animals, irrigating, and taking care of everything.

    Hannah and Daniel anticipated that they’d be living this ‘double-work’ lifestyle for a while. Daniel figured it might take five or ten years to get the farm up and going; however, the couple was surprised at how quickly they were able to jump into full-time farming. With their combined efforts, hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, craftsmanship, and artistry, it took only two years for Ballerina Farm to see success. The Neeleman’s dream that began in Brazil was finally becoming a reality in Utah — things were looking great — until another spark in time gave them a nudge they were not expecting.

    “Our farm in Birds Eye got hit with a wildfire and the whole farm burned down. We felt like there had been a lot of roadblocks to getting infrastructure on the property, building a house, and putting up barns. It was just a lot more than we had anticipated and we thought maybe this [the fire] was a sign from God that we should build elsewhere. And that’s when we saw the Kamas ranch on the market.”

    “Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful and most noble employment of man.”
    – George Washington

    The farmer who owned the ranch was picky — he wasn’t going to sell to just anyone. It was important to him that a farming family purchase the property. “They saw us and they were like, ‘We think that you guys are the next owners of the farm,’” Hannah says. The ranch had a home, a barn, a workshop, and other infrastructure already on it, which allowed Daniel and Hannah to put their boots on and hit the ground running.

    The couple moved their animals up to Kamas, started renovating the picturesque white farmhouse, and transformed the workshop into their shipping shop — complete with freezers — they were ready to go. It was 2019 right before all the craziness of Covid hit. Hannah shares, “We felt that we were so fortunate to have all our ducks in a row to be able to support our customers during the pandemic, and ship meat right to their door when there was such a short supply of meat elsewhere.” Both of them expressed immense gratitude for their social media followers as well. Daniel says, “We started our social media page, Ballerina Farm, when we bought the hundred acres and we had our friends and family following. We had like 250 followers, but by the time we sold that farm to come to Kamas, we had about 14,000 followers on Instagram, which seemed like a lot to us. When we put our first batch of animals up for sell, those that had been following the whole story wanted to support us. So, we sold our meat very quickly.”

    The Neelemans aren’t shy about the fact that they knew nothing about farming before starting their adventure. Daniel says, “We just jumped in not knowing, but I think that is the best way to do it sometimes. Luckily, there were a lot of good people who wanted to see us succeed, and that definitely helped.” Hannah adds, “Before we had the animals, we had this idea of raising pigs, and raising our kids on a farm. It was all just this happy farm life that we created in our mind, but the reality is that that is not how it works.” On the surface, the past four years of Ballerina Farm’s success may seem, to some, as an idyllic ‘Instagram-picture-perfect-life.’ However, they’d be wrong. Hannah explains, “There’s a lot of sacrifices. There are emotional sacrifices, there are physical sacrifices, and I think that that goes for anyone who is going from a life they are familiar with, to a completely unfamiliar one. I grew up in a city, indoors. I danced all day long in studios. I didn’t know what it meant to be a farmer or raise animals.” Initially, everything took them twice as long and Hannah and Daniel say they made four times the amount of mistakes as other farmers might make. Farming is hard — stewardship over animals can be as gut-wrenching as it is rewarding. Life on a farm means you have the privilege of witnessing breathtaking moments from the miracle of birth to the devastation of death. Farming is a 24/7 365 days a year job — there is no such thing as a day off or a weekend away. Hannah explains, “If a mama pig goes into labor at 2:00 a.m. in the dead of winter we have to be there to assist. These animals and this land are the livelihoods that we need to take care of.”

    Daniel and Hannah understand that to make dreams come true you have to be willing to put in the hard work, commitment, and sacrifice. They attribute their positive work and life ethics to their parents. Daniel shares, “Both of our parents are business owners. I grew up thinking that you went to school, and that was part of the learning process, but once you were ready it was time to start your own business — that’s just what you did. Hannah’s family is kind of the same way. Most of my siblings have their own businesses, and all of Hannah’s siblings have their own businesses.”  So, it makes perfect sense that falling in love with farming would eventually lead Daniel and Hannah to create a unique niche in the business of farming. Daniel continues, “Hannah’s only request was that when we started our business, we work together — and that’s worked out well for us.”

    “Hannah and I always knew that with a small farm, we’d have to do things a little more unconventionally than the bigger farms because we don’t have a lot of ground, and we don’t have a lot of animals, and a big part of that for us has always been telling our story.”

    “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.”
    – Thomas Jefferson

    With today’s modern technology, and the use of social media, the Neelemans have been able to share their story with the world. As of this writing, Ballerina Farm’s Instagram has 5.9 million followers! Aside from the gorgeous photos and videos, I believe part of the appeal is that, in a way, a lot of us crave a more simplistic lifestyle, the ability to spend time with family, to enjoy open and honest dialogue around the table with a home-cooked meal and those we cherish most. It is a privilege that many either don’t have the means or the family to experience — this is not lost on Hannah or Daniel — they are quite aware of their unique position. Hannah beautifully expresses, “I am with my family every day, we work together, we learn together, we struggle together, we share countless, priceless moments that very few people in this world get to have, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

    The desire to tell their story does not come from a place of boasting — it comes from a genuine love of others and a desire for them to know the joy they have felt. And, to encourage those who want to carve out their own small business or family farm. To help the small ‘farmer’ succeed and avoid some of the mistakes they may have made — and frankly, Hannah and Daniel legitimately just enjoy bringing others along with them on their journey. Daniel says it well, “We wanted to create a space for people here that is different than what everyone else is giving them. Let’s just try to show them what farming is about. I want to bring small farms back. I’m tired of seeing the dairy farmer that only has 40 or 80 cows shut down his operation because he can’t make a living — he should be able to market his product to the consumer, and be able to sell that product at a good price, and support a family on it.”

    Hannah creates her videos with the hope that those who want to do what she is doing, know it’s attainable. “I think there is so much you can do on a small scale to support your family. Get some chickens, have a little garden, get a sourdough starter and make your own bread. If you have the property, save up a bit to get a couple of sheep or a milk cow for fresh milk; these are all things that you can do on an acre or less and you’ll feel so much more self-reliant, and it will be really satisfying.”  She credits her parents for instilling in her the desire to ‘homestead.’ Although there were times when they struggled, and had to get creative, her parents always found a way to have a garden and purchase a cow from their neighbor’s ranch to put in the freezer. It was always important to them to know where their food came from. “It brings me so much joy to know that I made the sourdough, and the animals come from our farm, and the milk is fresh and raw, and it’s from our cow. It’s a different level of gratitude and appreciation and less waste. It brings a different spirit into your home. I think that it is important for all of us to get connected to food, however, whatever, that means to you, and however you can, wherever you’re at in your life.”

    Ballerina Farm is truly a family farm. As they have grown and had to bring in ranch hands and others to help meet the demands of their growing business, they have looked to the community they have come to love. Almost everyone that works at the farm is local and, both the Neelemans and those who work with them, have expressed deep gratitude for the opportunities to not only work close to home but to work with friends, who are like family. Speaking of, the adorable, wild, Neeleman kiddos also pitch in every day. Daniel shares, “They love to work either at the shop or with the ranch hands doing chores with them. They love to earn their own money. If they are on the clock working then they get paid.”  Hannah explains the importance and benefits of learning to work and a good education, “I love seeing how the kids feel a sense of responsibility. I think animals teach children how to be responsible.  If they have a chore and it doesn’t get done, someone else is going to be hurting you know, the animals will go hungry. They feel a responsibility to take care of these animals, and to be good stewards of the livestock. They help with the bottle lambs and the milk cow. It gets them outside and gets them working, and they develop a sense of ownership which is really cool to see.” She continues, “We homeschool our kids. We bring in a teacher, our neighbor (she’s so good), to teach them three times a week. She leaves us homework, and Daniel and I work with them on the other two days.”

    Being responsible for a growing family and a growing business can be daunting, but the Neelemans know with the support and help of their hard-working and dedicated ‘farm family’ they can meet the challenges and obstacles that come their way. For now, they are all excited and grateful for the growth and the new opportunities to connect more with the community and those who wish to visit the beautiful Kamas Valley.

    Daniel states, “We have some pretty cool things on the horizon. We are putting up a 150 jersey cow dairy here at the farm. And, we are building a creamery in Kamas right now along with a farm store and café. Customers will have the opportunity to see our showroom of non-food items, as well as our food items, our beef and pork, we’ll have baked goods from our chefs here, and dairy products — including ice cream! Everything will be made here at the creamery or locally. We’re still working on the menu for the café, but we’ll have croissants made with our butter, and bratwurst on a bun or a hamburger with our hamburger. We want people to have the opportunity to eat some fresh hot food right here from products made right here.” The new creamery and farm store/café will also be a sort of living farm where visitors can come and witness all the action. Hannah adds, “We want the creamery to be a good representation of what Ballerina Farm is. We’ll have all the chickens over there with the eggs, we’ll have all the fresh farm products, gardens, and greenhouses, and we’ll have some bottle calves and pigs. We hope to give people an idea of how a working farm works.” If you’re lucky you’ll get to watch as the milk truck makes its two-mile trek from Ballerina Farm to the creamery. The hope is to open before the snow falls, but you have to admit — a grand opening in spring with all the new babies would be so fun! And, for those of you with subscriptions, don’t worry, all that delicious heritage pork and dry-aged beef will still be available to ship from the farm to your doorstep. Now, you can also plan a trip to visit the majestic mountains Ballerina Farm is nestled in.

    “Our best moments are the foundations we use to reach for the sky.”
    – Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson

    From that first moment mesmerized by a passel of pigs grazing on beautiful Brazilian pastures to the first surreal seconds taking in the view of their pigs grazing on lush Kamas Valley pastures, Daniel, Hannah, and their children have experienced countless moments; laying a foundation for themselves, their posterity, and those whose lives they’ve touched, to reach for their dreams. As the story they share is ever evolving, Hannah sums the moments up perfectly, “Everyone was shocked when we actually became pig farmers, and I think that they imagine that after some time the farm will eventually lose its magic, and we will regret doing all of this, but the truth is the farm becomes more magical every single day.”

  • Bike Utah

    Bike Utah

    Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like a bicycle. To keep balanced, you must keep moving forward.” Trilby Cox and Chris Wiltsie, the Co-Directors of Bike Utah, understand the importance of moving forward whether they’re riding a bike or traveling through life.

    Bike Utah is a non-profit program that envisions “[…] a Utah where complete networks of bike lanes, paths, and trails contribute to livable, healthy communities, allowing everyone to ride regardless of age, ability, race, or income.” By collaborating and working with government, organizations, agencies, businesses, communities, and the general public, Bike Utah helps develop active transportation plans, educate both children and adults, and increase safety through legislation, all while improving quality of life for residents and visitors through an increase of bike lanes, paths, and trails.

    Bike Utah began approximately 18 years ago and was originally known as Utah Bike Coalition — which initially was just a board of bike enthusiasts in Salt Lake City trying to improve riding conditions for cyclists. Like all good things, their enthusiasm eventually caught on, and others wanted to join in the cause, including Chris and Trilby.

    Chris joined Bike Utah in 2018 as they were ramping up into a much larger organization. Chris shares, “Throughout college, I did a lot of advocacy work around safe streets […] once I graduated, I worked for a social innovation consultancy where we would consult with local governments, and use the profits from those jobs to do innovation projects within communities.” Upon receiving his master’s degree, Chris worked for the government. “After that I worked at Bike Utah. I’ve always done work around what I’m doing now. I just kind of naturally evolved into that.”

    Chris helped start Bike Utah’s Bicycle Education and Safety Training (BEST) program — the non-profit’s first big initiative. Chris explains, “BEST is an education program where we have coordinators who go around the state and teach students for about one week at each school how to safely ride their bikes.” Instruction is given both in-class and on-bikes. Bike Utah provides trained instructors, bicycles, helmets, and all other equipment for the duration of the program at no cost. The goal is to help as many students as possible to have an opportunity to learn how to safely and confidently experience their communities by bicycle. The BEST program reaches 3,000+ students across Utah each year.

    In 2020, Chris continued to use his unique skills to help Bike Utah expand by offering technical assistance to local communities. He explains, “I help them find funding and plan out high comfort and high safety bicycle infrastructure or, as the government termed at the time, family-friendly bicycle infrastructure. The term family-friendly is broad, but a good portion of the work I do is helping communities plan out where these facilities should go and where they are appropriate. This could be anything from soft surface selection for mountain biking trails to a multi-use path — like a really wide sidewalk next to a river or it could be something within your town or city that makes it safe for you to ride to the grocery store with your kids.”

    Trilby joined the team in 2020 as a Mid Week Mountain Bike Race director. She chuckles as she explains how she got involved, “For the first twenty years of my adult career, I worked as a geophysical engineer, specifically a seismologist doing data analysis for the University of California, San Diego.” Trilby was just getting into mountain biking as an adult — riding for herself and helping coach the South Summit Mountain Biking Team – when the nationally-funded grant project she was working on ended. She says, “[…] I was forced, you could say, to have a happy mid-life crisis and choose a completely different career path if I wanted to — and I did.”

    Bike Utah started the Mid Week races in 2017 as a way for mountain bikers to get together and enjoy local trails. Trilby shares, “I like to think of it as a community party where we all ride our bikes on the same trails, and there’s a timing system that happens to be there. The focus isn’t necessarily on the race or competition; the focus is on the community. I think what makes the Mid Week community unique is that it’s for everyone. All ages, all abilities, all different backgrounds and riding styles. So many unique personalities come together and have fun riding bikes together.”

    The Mid Week races are generally held on Tuesday or Thursday evenings and offer opportunities for both Cross country (XC) and mini-endurance riders. During XC events, riders are timed as they race on mountain bike trails in a loop. The mini-enduros have two stages of downhill racing; riders are not timed on the uphill portion but are timed on the two downhill portions of the race. Each event is divided into the following categories: 12 and under; Beginner; Sport; Expert; Pro; and Masters (riders 50+). Mid Week XC events also offer a free race for kids 10 and younger that are not quite ready for the main event; it is usually a small loop on the same trail that everyone is riding on.

    There are several aspects that set the Mid Week series apart from other races; one of them is how broad the events are. Chris explains, “I recently was in a meeting where I was explaining the mountain bike series to somebody, and they were like, ‘Whoa! This is huge!’  It [Mid Week] is pretty significant in Utah because it goes across the state — which is different than what is going on with most bike races that are region specific.” Mid Week events run from May to August and take place within different counties and venues, including Soldier Hollow, Coyote Canyon Loop, and Round Valley. Trilby explains a few other things that distinguish Mid Week, “We don’t do podiums at the end of each bike race; instead we have a huge giveaway. We have sponsor-donated swag, and every racer and volunteer gets a ticket and an opportunity to choose something from our giveaway. We celebrate community. We celebrate the support of Bike Utah at the end of the night, and it’s not about who got 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place, and so on.” She continues, “Another thing we do is give back. We host Dig Days, where we connect our riders with the trail organizations that maintain the trails we ride on. Anyone can help work on the trails — fix and maintain them.”

    Perhaps one of the most unique aspects is their effort to create safe spaces and events where everyone can ride. Bike Utah partnered with the National Abilities Center and Wasatch Adaptive Sports, and in 2020, Mid Week introduced an adaptive category for bikers who ride tri-cycles or quad-cycles.  Trilby shares, “We host several of our XC races in venues where the adaptive cycles can ride the same courses as everyone; however, not all venues have trails capable of having the larger wheelbase of an adaptive cycle ride on it. Our goal through hosting these races and having the adaptive categories, is to bring awareness to trail organizers and trail managers. Sometimes, with a few trail modifications, they can open up their trail systems to a whole new group of riders who wouldn’t necessarily be able to get out onto their trails.”

    Over the years, Bike Utah has grown exponentially and experienced many changes; with Trilby and Chris behind the wheel (or handlebars in this case), the non-profit is gearing up for another transformation this fall. Chris explains, “Bike Utah has had three main areas of activities: education, technical assistance, and mountain bike races.” Although these three programs go hand-in-hand, they’ve run independently of eachother. Trilby shares, “[…] moving forward, they will be interconnected and offered to communities together versus independently, with the Mid Week series falling under the umbrella of our community outreach programs.” Chris adds, “We talked to a lot of people, and are pivoting to better represent what people in Utah have said they want for their transportation system, and what would get them to feel more comfortable and safe riding bikes. […] It’s all very preliminary. But as an example, previously we’d go into a school and teach kids how to ride bikes — independent of their infrastructure — so the kids would learn to ride, but their parents wouldn’t let them because their town or city’s not a safe place to ride. With this new model, we’d teach kids how to ride safely, and we’d be working with their community to help them plan out safe infrastructure that the kids can ride on, and get it built.”

    You can hear the excitement in Trilby’s voice as she explains further, “Think of Bike Utah like a menu with something for everyone. We offer our education and safety programs, our technical assistance and city planning programs, and our community events whether that’s a mountain bike race with Mid Week or a speaker forum with our Spokes series. We are reaching out and asking communities, ‘How can we help with your cycling-related issues? Can we help your city government plan better cycling infrastructure so, after we teach your kids to ride safely, there’s a space for them to ride? What community engagement events can we offer?’” Chris adds that he wants the public to know that Bike Utah is not here only for the small tasks, but especially for the large and seemingly impossible ones too. The projects Bike Utah helps plan are serious undertakings. “We’re talking really robust stuff, like those multi-use paths that are separated by a huge medium, that is separated from the highway or maybe something with a concrete curb that separates the bikes from the cars.”

    Chris and Trilby expressed that there is a lot of work to be done, but they are excited for the opportunities this new shift will create. Chris states, “Cycling is freedom in so many ways whether it’s commuting or taking your kids around town or biking to work or school; it’s important to have these high comfort and high safety facilities.” Bike Utah has played a significant role in thousands of lives; and they have boxes and boxes of letters from kids expressing their gratitude for teaching them how to ride bikes to prove it. However, Trilby perfectly sums up why Bike Utah is important, “There is a lot of work that we are doing to enhance the cycling experience for Utahans, particularly for people who maybe don’t always have the benefit of being cared for in a way that they may need, and we are doing that constantly. It goes back to our mission — it’s a pretty short and bold statement, and I think you can interpret that in a lot of ways, but — we are making Utah a better place to ride.”

  • Little sprouts, big dreams

    Little sprouts, big dreams

    Sierra Prothers grew up skiing in New England, but when those mountains were no longer big enough for her, she made her way to the Rocky Mountains, eventually landing here in Wasatch County. Sierra’s travels and outdoor experiences fostered an interest in food sourcing and production; having space to plant a garden was an important factor in looking for a place to live. Sierra shared, “My partner and I found a lovely place in the town of Charleston right on the border of Heber. We were lucky enough to find a piece of property that was large enough that I could start a garden as soon as we moved in.”

    Excited by the opportunity to grow her own food, Sierra jumped in and started trying to plant right away. She shared, “I had some success and a lot of failures, and I learned a lot. I didn’t have a background in horticulture or anything. I just knew that it was really important to me to not only grow my own food but use our land in a way that we felt was productive.” Sierra began attending conferences, researching, and learning as much as she could. She spent a year and a half taking a lot of soil samples and amending the soil in the most natural and organic ways possible. Sierra explained, “If you don’t have a healthy soil system, it makes it really difficult to grow anything.” She also realized that in order to grow certain produce like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and other plants that need a long time to germinate and yield fruit, she would need to extend her growing season. And so, Sierra built a 1,000 square foot greenhouse. Sierra laughs as she recalls, “That first summer I grew primarily in that greenhouse, and I grew way too much food! I was giving it away to friends, family, and neighbors. I didn’t realize how much I could grow. I was doing a lot of inter-planting and succession planting so that none of my beds were ever empty and so that I was using as much of my space as I could.”

    After realizing how much she could grow, Sierra would spend her time, while working at an office job, daydreaming about gardening full time and growing even more food! She loved the feeling of being able to share what she grew with others and said, “I decided to make it a business and to share my knowledge and our food with our community. I felt that it was pretty important, especially with what was and is going on in our world.” When deciding on a name for her new business, Sierra wanted to honor the history of the original owners of her home and property — the Caspers — and Casperville Creations was born.

    Casperville Creations is truly all about community and giving back. Members of the community can volunteer to help out on the farm by weeding, picking, and helping get products ready for the Midway Farmer’s Market or the farm’s CSA boxes. Those who help will generally leave with several fresh veggies as a thank-you for their time and efforts. Sierra shared that one of the most rewarding parts of running the farm has been the ability to donate fresh produce to families in need within Wasatch County. “The amount of food that we’ve been able to give back has been pretty amazing. A lot of those families end up coming and volunteering on the farm, so that is really cool.” Sierra works closely with The Christian Center and posts a sign-up sheet during summer and fall for families who could use a little help supplementing their meals with fresh vegetables.

    The main component of Casperville Creations is their Community Supported Agriculture shares, which is a partnership between the farm and individual community members. CSA members pay a one-time fee and receive 16 to 18 weeks of fresh produce every week. Members also receive a fun reusable canvas tote to carry their vegetables in and have first choice of add-on items such as fresh cut flowers, microgreens, Oak Haven Honey, farm fresh eggs, goat milk soap, homemade tea, spice blends, and other homegrown or handmade products. Memberships can be shared, and if a CSA member is unable to use or pick up their weekly portion, they have the option of giving that week to a family member, friend, neighbor, or donating that week’s produce to a family in need. Sierra shared, “With the amount of CSA members last summer — we were able to donate over 30 weekly shares of food to families here in Wasatch County.”

    Casperville Creations works with several local restaurants and attends the Midway Farmer’s Market and a few in Park City. If you can’t make it to one of the farmer’s markets and a CSA share is not for you, Sierra says that individuals can call and see what produce is available that day or just stop on by and visit her at the farm. If you are looking for something specific, you can also call and pre-order. “We don’t have a lot of ‘you pick’ opportunities like some farms, but we do have large volunteer opportunities. I think what has been the most fun for people when they come to the farm is learning as they go. I’m right there working with everyone and answering questions — it’s a great chance to pick my brain.” Education is important to Sierra. She shared, “We hold workshops based on questions people have. Recently, I’ve had a lot of inquiries about my soil. So, last year we hosted a two-hour workshop here at the farm about how to create a healthy soil system, deciphering what a soil sample looks like, and where people can get soil samples. We’ve had workshops on raising chickens and even held a ‘Yoga at the Farm’ series.” Sierra is looking forward to creating a two-day intensive workshop and a flower workshop as well. For those who prefer, Sierra also offers one-on-one consulting, which can cover anything from planting advice to irrigation systems. Speaking of water —  Sierra strives to keep her footprint as small as possible and is very conscientious of water usage. Everything is on a drip irrigation system which means that Sierra can monitor and dial in how much or how little water each bed needs and receives.

    One question Sierra gets asked often is whether or not her products are organic. Although the vegetables grown at the farm are not certified organic, Sierra stated that “[…] what we practice is probably at an almost higher level than what it means to grow organically by government standards. Everything grown in our fields is grown in an organic discipline: green manures, crop rotation, non-GMO or chemically treated seeds, and no chemical herbicides, pesticides, or washes. I want to educate people on what that means because purchasing organic food can be pretty costly. I think that if you learn how to grow your own food, then you can cut out a lot of those extra costs.”

    Always looking to the future and for ways to help more people, Sierra shared, “A neighbor of ours graciously offered us close to an acre of additional land to grow on. So, we are excited to get the process of prepping the soil to be ready for planting next year. […] The newest addition to the farm is what I call the Sprout House – an insulated and heated shipping container I use to grow all of our starts and microgreens year round. Microgreens are the main produce we supply to restaurants. This will also allow us to start our tomato plants and everything that is going into the ground between March and April.”

    It’s obvious that Sierra has a passion for gardening, but her true joy is found in helping and giving back to those in her community — our community. Sierra says it best, “I saw a need in our community that I could help fulfill, and I want to utilize all the resources that we have. I want to reach more people this year than we did last summer — that is always the goal.”

    Harvest in the Hollow

    A farm to table collaborative dining experience, offering a local 5 course curated meal, live music, and drinks located at the Nordic Yurt in Soldier Hollow. Join us to adventure, celebrate, and dine under the stars, looking out over the beautiful Heber Valley.

    Learn more:
    caspervillecreations.com

  • Crunchy Super Mom

    Crunchy Super Mom

    In Louisa May Alcott’s book Little Women, the protagonist, Josephine March, states, “I could have been a great many things.”

    For those who have read the book you know that Jo March was actually a great many things — she just didn’t give herself credit. Many of us can relate to feeling as if we ‘could have been a great many things’ without giving ourselves credit for all that we have been, all that we are, and all that we have the potential of being. Sarah Harding has spent over 15 years helping others, especially moms, recognize their potential and manage their time in order to achieve their goals.

    Sarah has been ‘many a great things’ — from a piano performance major to a psychologist, to a doula and breastfeeding educator to a nutrition counselor and residential treatment facilitator for at-risk youth to a Marine Corps wife and corporate project manager to an entrepreneur and successful business owner to a natural minded, homeschooling mom. Just to name a few. Sarah’s professional and personal experiences are wide. From an outsider’s point of view one could easily assume (and many have) that Sarah’s had it easy — that she probably came from money or had opportunities handed to her or that she sacrificed time with her children for a successful career — but those assumptions couldn’t be further from the truth.

    As a latch-key kid, raising her younger sibling in a single-parent, very eccentric and chaotic home, Sarah grew up in “[…] frozen fish bowl, no electricity, below-poverty-level poverty.” But these experiences at a young age helped shape Sarah into who she is today. Sarah shared, “I look at every struggle as an opportunity and I’m not afraid of it. So, I’ve done a lot of things.” Without the fear of failure and being willing to take chances, Sarah jumped into life and hit the ground running. She worked hard and reaped the benefits: she had a doctorate and multiple degrees and certifications; she was a wife and mother; she was an online professor for colleges and wrote for magazines like Psychology Today and Live Strong Health; she managed each of their family’s homes as they moved with the military; she homeschooled her girls; and she created a simple system that not only allowed her to be a successful stay-at-home-entrepreneurial-mom but also a mom who helped other moms. In Sarah’s words, “I used to think I had it all — until I didn’t.”

    After her third pregnancy, Sarah developed a debilitating chronic illness while her then-husband traveled for work — leaving her to solo parent their three children. For years Sarah had been helping moms in her community successfully manage their time so they could ‘do it all’ — and now, she could barely get out of bed. “In that moment, all I felt was cheated and angry.” So, in typical Sarah fashion, she decided to do something about her situation; however, she couldn’t have known how that seemingly easy decision would change everything!

    Sarah shares, “I did the only thing I knew to do…I put my head down and created a solution.” Sarah wrote her feelings down in the form of a blog called Crunchy Super Mom. Her first entry was ‘So, You Want to be a Super Mom?’ “[…] it was an emotional article. It was like — you say you want this but you’re not willing to do this — speaking to moms that were basically looking at me like, ‘Oh she must not be spending time with her kids because she makes everything from scratch, she home schools, she cloth diapers and breast feeds, she baby wears, she has a clean home, and there’s just no way that she’s spending time with her kids too.’ But that wasn’t true. So, I wrote out a step by step list of things that outlined: if you want this, this is what you have to do. It was meant to be kind of a joke — an outlet. Well… I had over 1,000 subscribers within the first 24 hours of listing the blog and I really didn’t know what I was doing.”

    Moms from all over began asking Sarah questions about everything: from how she managed life with a chronic illness to meal plans to holistic health to entrepreneurship to how to create a plan that fit their personal situations. Sarah’s blog quickly turned into a business where she created mini courses in addition to working closely with others to create custom plans. Sarah explained how supporting others also helped her, “Slowly but surely I pieced together a simple, sustainable action plan that allowed me to reclaim my time, focus, and energy. As time went on, my body started to heal and I emerged stronger in mind, body, and spirit.”

    Crunchy Super Mom provided an avenue for Sarah to share her knowledge and experience gained from working as a counselor for women at a holistic health coaching program. She shared, “While working there I had access to all this mind-blowing research and I started writing for different health outlets talking about it — marrying science and evidence — what some people call natural wellness remedies.” It was a good fit. Years before meeting the owner of the program, Sarah was told that, because of some health issues, she wouldn’t be able to have children. In response, Sarah began her life-long studies about the correlation between illness, disease, environmental toxins, and food and diet. Sarah began detoxing and eating healthier; basically practicing what she was preaching. She shares, “When I got pregnant it was a huge shock!” Today, Sarah has three beautiful daughters who have inherited their mother’s entrepreneurial spirit — they run their own successful slime business via social media.

    Crunchy Super Mom remains a successful health and wellness platform; however, as the years progressed Sarah noticed that more and more women were asking for her time management systems. With her world once again shifting — this time with divorce — Sarah rebranded Crunchy Super Mom to Sarah Harding Co. where she focuses more on time management and entrepreneurship. She explained, “We were married for 14 years and I don’t want to erase that […] so I just rebranded. In January I created a new program called The Social Selling Society. It’s all about using social media to grow your business. I teach: how to test your business ideas; how to develop what your audience is going to look like; how to speak to them; and how to create your foundation — website, blog, content etc. After sixteen years of entrepreneurship — I feel I’ve come full circle in a way. This program is what I would have needed to get to where I am at today — obviously I’m here — so now I’m teaching women — starting from the beginning.”

    There are many things in Sarah’s life that seem to have come full circle — by design. If we go back in time to 2014 we’d find Sarah on a road trip that would bring her to Midway through Gaurdsman Pass. “I thought, oh this is a great little Utopia, but gosh I would not like to go through the mountain to get to my town.” She laughed as she recalled, “At that time I didn’t know there was another way to get to Midway.” A few years later while speaking in Salt Lake City, Sarah made a wrong turn in Park City and ended up once again in Midway. When Sarah knew she was getting divorced she came back to Utah specifically to find a place to raise her girls. She shared, “I moved into an apartment in South Jordan with plans to eventually buy a house there. My realtor told me about a home for sale with a really great kitchen, but it was in a town called Heber and I was like — that’s in the middle of nowhere!” Sarah decided to check it out anyway and, as fate — or divine intervention — would have it, her GPS stopped working and Sarah ended up in Midway again! “I was like it’s that stinking town — what is this place — I called her and said, ‘I don’t care what the house looks like I want to buy it.’” Sarah and her girls have been her for two years now and Sarah shared, “I just feel like I was meant to be here for my girls and I haven’t been disappointed at all. […] There are a lot of small business owners, a lot of entrepreneurs, and so I felt right at home.”

    Once settled in — Sarah didn’t sit still at all — she immediately began to reach out to others in the community and make connections. She explained, “I feel that I’ve been gifted with the ability to serve. I see chaos and I can turn it into calm and peace for other people. After I observe you personally — I can look at your life and I can listen to your struggles and I can put it down on paper in an organized fashion and then give you ways to adopt that as your lifestyle. I have no idea where that comes from. It’s probably a combination of God, education and just life.” Sarah also has a natural knack for connecting people. She says, “I’ve been called a super-connector. It’s hard to put into words, but when I meet someone new and they’re describing something to me, I’m like ‘Oh, I’ve met someone that you need to meet.’ It’s like having a rolodex in my brain.”

    While married, Sarah and her girls moved all over, she shared, “[…] setting down roots and finding community has been difficult. But I’m committed to living here and contributing to what makes this valley so great. I feel like my girls and I have finally found our community.” Sarah has aspirations to open a physical business here in Wasatch County, but in the mean time she’s happy meeting and connecting with others. “I’m not sure if people realize how big our small business-slash-online-digital entrepreneur circle is here. It’s impressive for a small rural town.” Sarah hosts events at her home and organizes community outings every quarter. Her goal? For us as community members to not only connect but learn that we too, can build the life we want for ourselves and our families in the nooks and crannies of everyday living; becoming ‘the great many things’ we are destined to be.

    I see chaos and I can turn it into calm and peace for other people.

    crunchysupermom.com

    sarahharding.co

    Instagram: @thesarahharding

    Facebook: Simple Systems with Sarah Harding

  • Inspiring Young Readers

    Inspiring Young Readers

    “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” – Madeleine L’Engle

    When Lezlie Evans was growing up she wanted to be a lot of things: an actress, a doctor, a criminal investigator, but a writer “was never on the list.” Lezlie chuckles as she recalls, “I was actually placed in a remedial English class when I was in the 7th grade. Writing has not always come easily for me. It took me hours to come up with an idea and even longer to get the words out of my head and onto the paper […] it wasn’t until I took several creative writing courses, while earning my degree in Broadcast Journalism at BYU, that I developed a passion for writing.”

    Lezlie shares, “I chose to stay home with my children […] and when they were little we would go to the library and check out stacks of books and we would read together every night. I remember sitting on the couch one night and thinking I want to do this.” She laughs as she continues, “I finally knew what I wanted to do when I grew up!”

    The idea of writing for children seemed to be a perfect fit for Lezlie. She shares, “I wanted to write picture books specifically for ages 4-8 years old because those years are when an amazing time of growth takes place in a child’s brain. Not only are they exposed to early language skills, especially when you take a child upon your lap and you read a story together; they are also exposed to all kinds of vocabulary. They develop curiosity and are able to build reasoning skills, predictive skills, and memory. If you think about it, children can always remember a story or a character from a book they read.” You can hear the passion in Lezlie’s voice as she continues, “I’m going to give you a few statistics here because I feel that they are really important, foundationally, for young parents and care givers to know. The greatest amount of brain growth occurs between the ages of birth and age five. In fact, by the time a child is three years old about 85% of the brains core structure is formed. Another really interesting statistic is: the single most important activity for building eventual success in reading and in school is reading out loud to your child every day. The experts say just twenty minutes a day will increase their success in academics by leaps and bounds.”

    In our world full of modern devices and technology so readily available, we are often battling with devices from an early age. Lezlie offers some great advice to parents and caregivers: “Start reading aloud from the time babies are in the womb to just days old. It’s that simple. Put down your devices for 20 minutes every day and help children fall in love with reading and books. Books can be pricey so go to the library often and check out as many books as you can.” Lezlie also shares a unique way to keep books readily available. “When my kids were young we had a basket in every room that we put books in. We’d read at lunch time, sometimes we’d even read in the bathroom when we had a captive audience in the tub. We read a lot! I believe that foundational reading, when they were young, helped my children to have very good verbal skills and success in their academic pursuits.”

    When it came to writing for children, Lezlie wanted her books to help as many children as possible develop a love for reading and enjoy success. However, wanting to write children’s picture books is very different from actually writing a book and getting it published and in the hands of children. But, sometimes the stars align or in Lezlie’s case a thunder storm ushers in a dream come true. Lezlie shares, “One night there was a huge thunder storm; lightening was flashing and the trees were thrashing against the windowpanes. It woke me up and these words started coming to my mind — trees are thrashing — big boom bashing — I grabbed my writer’s journal to write them down because I knew I wouldn’t remember them in the morning. The only place I could go to not wake anyone up was my walk-in closet. I sat there on the floor and wrote what would become the text of my first children’s picture book Rain Song.” Her manuscript landed on the desk of an editor with Houghton Mifflin who loved it. “It was my second manuscript I sent out which is unbelievable, that doesn’t happen in this industry. The editor just happened to pick it out of the slush pile — she loved it and wanted to publish my story. The rest is history from then on. It was a little bit of a miracle. But, to give balance to that — it’s not been that easy ever since. It has taken a lot of “Nos” to get another “Yes” for my other picture books.”

    Over the years Lezlie has published a plethora of children’s books and each one has had its own unique challenges and its own wonderful rewards. She shares, “I love to go into schools and present and share time with the kids and help them understand how important the skills of reading and writing are. Especially, since as a child I was a reluctant reader. Reading didn’t come very easy to me and it still doesn’t. I need to be captivated by a book in order to get through it. So, I really love that I can connect with children […] and help them want to build their reading and writing skills, and know that it’s not always going to come easy, but to keep persevering. I want them to know it will be worth it.” Her advice to all readers: find the kind of books you love. If you’re having a hard time, ask a librarian for some recommendations based off of your interests. “If kids don’t love to read yet, it’s probably because they haven’t found the kind of book that speaks to them or inspires them.”

    Books are portals to the imagination and for writers it’s very much the same. Inspiration for stories can come from myriad life experiences, people, places, and others’ stories. Lezlie shared that when her children were younger their antics often inspired her tales; especially The Bunnies’ Picnic & The Bunnies’ Trip. Now, that her children are grown, Lezlie’s grandchildren provide a lot of ‘fodder’ for artistic creation. Her rambunctious four-year-old grandson was the inspiration for Lezlie’s newest book: Vroom! Vroom! Beep-Beep!: A Crash Course in Kindess. “My grandson would crash through and forget to say ‘excuse me’ or ‘please’ he was on a mission.” She laughs as she recalls, “I started visualizing him as a little off-roader, a little red jeep, and this phrase ‘Vroom! Vroom! Beep-Beep!’ came to my mind and that is where the whole concept for the story began.”

    I had the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy (ARC) and it is an adorable story with a very good lesson. The fun illustrations by, Kate Chappell, feature a rural countryside complete with sheep, ducks, and a cow! One can easily imagine the scenes taking place right here in Wasatch County. In fact, Lezlie shares that living in Midway among the beautiful mountains, lakes, farms, and wildlife offers a huge scope for the imagination. “All I have to do is look out my window and I’m inspired!”

    Lezlie’s goal is to continue inspiring young children to never give up and to develop a love for books and reading. Sometimes the road can be a bit bumpy. Just like little red jeep, Lezlie has experienced many obstacles along her journey to becoming a children’s picture book author, but she’s also learned a lot of lessons, and gained a community of friends along the way. “I love writing for children. I have a lot of passion to keep going and keep pursuing the next book. The opportunities I have to put my stories in the hands of little ones is such a blessing. I’m so grateful, and hopefully my books can help them to spend some time in their day on the happy positive side of life.”

    Vroom! Vroom! Beep-Beep!: A Crash Course in Kindness

    Released on March 21, 2023. Come and celebrate with Lezlie at the Wasatch County Library’s Author Family Fun Night, Friday, April 14, at 6:30pm. Enjoy treats as Lezlie talks about the book and then reads aloud. You can check Lezlie’s books out from the library or purchase her books in advance at Kringle’s in Midway or at the event.

    Advice to Young Readers Who Want to Write:

    • Writing takes a lot of patience, a lot of perseverance, and probably some luck too, but don’t give up.
    • Everybody has a story to tell and we need stories.
    • Write – even if it’s just for yourself – you’ll never know what adventures await if you don’t.
    • Keep a writing journal by your bedside and write down the ideas that come to you at night.
    • If writing is difficult then just jot down a few words at a time.
    • Your stories will make a difference in someone’s life so go for it!
    • Record your ideas and thoughts on your phone or hand-held recorder.
    • Writing is personal – your writing doesn’t and shouldn’t be like everyone else – don’t compare – just have fun and write what you want.
    • Be bold! Be courageous! Be yourself and write!
  • Frye Provisions

    Frye Provisions

    Spring in the Wasatch Back is still a bit chilly, but it’s ‘Damn Hot’ over at Frye Provisions where Ryan and Jessie Frye are bringing their “sweet southern heat to the Rocky Mountains” with their homemade hot sauce.

    Ryan and Jessie Frye grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and have been involved with the hospitality industry most of their lives. They eventually ended up at the same restaurant, bar tending and, in Ryan’s words, “[…] one thing led to another.” Both Ryan and Jessie have adventurous souls and the couple decided to embark on a new adventure; leaving Memphis and heading out to explore the Western United States. They landed in Park City, Utah and loved it.

    While living in Park City the couple would host parties at their home. Ryan shares, “I’ve always loved cooking and grilling; being from Memphis, food was a huge part of our lives. We really enjoyed inviting people over. I’d always be cooking and Jessie would always be entertaining. So, we decided that maybe it would be nice to have a restaurant of our own someday.” With all their combined experience and knowledge of how restaurants run, Ryan continued to explain, “The plan was, that if we were to open up a spot, I could do the back of house and Jessie could do the front of house; marketing, and all that good stuff.” In order to pursue their goals the two moved to Salt Lake so that Ryan could attend culinary school. Jessie also went back to school and finished her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Graphic Design at the University of Utah.

    Soon after Jessie received her degree, Ryan was offered the executive chef position at the Washington School House, a luxury boutique hotel in Park City. The couple was excited to once again return to a more rural lifestyle. Ryan shares, “We took the opportunity in 2020, when things got crazy, and sold our house in Sugar House. We found a really awesome house out in Valley Hills where we have a beautiful view of the Timpanogos mountains.” Ryan continues, “We are big dog people. Right now we just have one dog but a big back yard so she can run and romp.

    And now, the newest edition is Jack, our baby boy, so we are loving our little Heber spot.”

    Ryan and Jessie both agree that Heber has been the perfect place to put down roots, and grow their family and their business, Frye Provisions, which features Ryan’s hand crafted hot sauce and Bloody Mary mix. As the executive chef at Washington School House, Ryan has the opportunity to create a lot of delicious food and “inevitably ended up making some hot sauce just for the restaurant.” It was a huge hit. Everyone loved it. Guests began requesting bottles to take back home with them. With ‘hospitality’ in his blood, of course Ryan would comply. Jessie was working as the marketing manager at the Zermatt Resort; putting her degree to work re-designing and designing their restaurant menus, signage, etc. She was also expecting their first child. Perfect timing to open a business — right. Right. Ryan explains, “Jess took some time off work for the baby and we were like, let’s see what it takes to make it [the hot sauce], bottle it, design it [the label], and put it on a shelf.”

    Ryan & Jessie Frye
    Frye Sauce
    Frye Provisions

    The two got to work! Ryan heating up the kitchen with batches of hot sauce and Jessie raising temperatures with her design prowess; and ‘Hot Damn’ they created a delicious product that represents both their ‘Southern Hospitality’ and their ‘Western Gumption’ perfectly. Ryan shares, “Literally last April, we had our first bottle made and started sending samples out. People liked it — they liked the look and the taste. Our first gig was the Heber Market on Main in June. From there we started going around and asking local shops if they would be interested in selling it.” Today, you can find Frye Provisions Handcrafted Hot Sauce at Park City Market, Fair Weather Natural Food, Heber Valley Brewing, and the Washington School House where many a happy guest can now purchase a bottle to take home via the hotel’s gift shop! Frye Provisions also offers a variation of the hot sauce as a Bloody Mary mix which you can request at both Washington School House and Heber Valley Brewing. You can also visit Fryeprovisions.com and order as many bottles as your palate desires.

    When asked about the future of Frye Provisions Ryan says, “It would be nice if our company did take off — that would be sweet — but those are all bigger details — I think the next big step would be going to a co-pack or making it in a factory because right now I make it all myself.” He explains, “I’m taking all the fresh ingredients, I’m blistering it all up, I’m bottling it all and putting all the labels on myself, […] eventually it would be great to be able to expand and get into bigger stores like Smiths, Lee’s Marketplace, or Whole Foods.” Ryan and Jessie say they are excited to see where their little ‘side hustle’ takes them, but for right now Jessie is loving being a full-time mom and Ryan loves working at the Washington School House. He shares, “The owners of the hotel are an extremely gracious couple that lives in San Diego. I’ve made a good relationship with them over the past few years. They’ve given me their trust of being able to create their menus and run their restaurant […] and we’ve had great success with it. I literally just asked them, ‘Would you be okay if I started this company?’ and you know their immediate response was, ‘We wish you the best and let us know if we can do anything.’ They are just really good people to work for.”

    Both Ryan and Jessie agree that whatever the future holds for them; gathering together with friends and family to enjoy delicious hand crafted food and good ‘ole southern hospitality will always be a huge part of their lives.  And who knows maybe someday a lighted Frye Provisions sign, designed by Jessie, will hang above the doors of their very own restaurant; where Jessie will run all things front of house, and Ryan, of course, will be running the back of house.

    FryeProvisions.com
    You can visit and order as many bottles as your palate desires. Pro Tip: bring a bottle to your next get-together and make a sweet & spicy impression!

  • A little creativity + imagination Inspiration Haven

    A little creativity + imagination Inspiration Haven

    AmberLee Shuler has always enjoyed creating, but it wasn’t until she started taking art classes in middle school and high school that she realized just how much she loved art! Painting with acrylics, watercolors, and oils, drawing, calligraphy, she enjoyed it all. While taking calligraphy in 10th grade, her teacher encouraged her to try out pottery. At first she was hesitant. AmberLee explains, “I didn’t think I’d really like pottery, but my calligraphy teacher was also the pottery teacher and I really liked him as a teacher.” So, AmberLee signed up. “I took pottery in 11th grade and absolutely loved it! I actually had two pottery classes in 12th grade because I loved it so much.” At the same time she was also taking photography and graphic design and had decided to pursue a degree in graphic design once she graduated.

    While in college she took several art classes including, drawing, 2D art, art history, and pottery, and was well on her way to earning her associates degree when, as often happens in life, she changed her mind. Instead of earning a degree in graphic arts, AmberLee earned her bachelor’s in elementary education, and began teaching. After her first year, she took a one-year break to stay home with her son. Still thinking about art, she decided to teach a few art classes out of her house before going back to teaching school full time; which she would do for another six years.

    In early 2022 AmberLee and her husband went out on a date to a pottery studio, and that changed everything. She explains, “While we were at that class, I was like I want to do this! I want my own studio. Originally, I thought I’d just have a pottery studio, but I also wanted to do paints and other art.” The couple went to a few different art classes — just to make sure — but AmberLee was certain. She continues, “I was like, ‘Ya, this is what I want to do,’ and that just sort of started the ball rolling. This was literally like January/February of this year that I decided I wanted to take the leap; and actually open an art studio instead of just doing classes out of my house.” AmberLee laughs as she shares that once the decision was made they immediately started purchasing supplies and looking for a place. In March they found a quaint basement ‘studio’ that they renovated and by April they were opening their doors; welcoming all to Inspiration Haven Art Studio!

    What can you expect to find when you walk into the studio? A lot of inspiration, a lot of fun, and a lot of ways to create! With clay being AmberLee’s favorite medium, it comes as no surprise that she plans to have a pottery room in the back of the studio. But for now, Inspiration Haven offers art classes, paint nights, and private parties for families, birthdays, and corporate events. Combining her love for art and elementary education, AmberLee also offers 4-week and 12-week kid’s art classes for ages 3-15. AmberLee teaches the fundamentals of art and the kid’s get to explore all types of mediums. AmberLee explains, “We work with clay and pastels, we paint with watercolors and acrylics, we explore all avenues. The kids come once a week for an hour-and-a-half and we just have fun and learn all kinds of art.” At the end of the 12 weeks Inspiration Haven turns into an art gallery. “We give the kids an opportunity to have their art work displayed in a more formal setting. It’s fun for them to see their work on display with everybody else’s.” The event is open to the public so friends, family, and community members can all enjoy what they’ve accomplished.

    AmberLee has accomplished quite a bit in just a few short months and enjoys helping others fall in love with art too. For her paint nights, anyone, from expert to never touched a paint brush before are welcome. AmberLee shares, “I guide them through a painting. I teach them technique a little bit too, but it’s not necessarily a formal art class. It’s more of an opportunity to come paint a picture and have fun, have a friends or family night out and enjoy the night.” The two-hour classes are typically on Friday or Saturday night; however, you can call and set up a private party for any night of the week. You can choose a 16X20 (or request a size) painting from Inspiration Haven’s collection or, if you give AmberLee a two-week notice, you can send her a picture of the art work would like to use instead. Everything you need to create your masterpiece is provided by the studio. If you require ‘snackage’ while painting (or hosting a birthday party or event) AmberLee says, “bring the food” just let her know first and she’ll make sure there’s a table for your victuals. Her goal is to create an inviting, fun space where everyone can be inspired. When asked what artist(s) inspire her she shares, “One of my favorite artists has always been Vincent Van Gogh. I love most post-impressionism art but his has always been a favorite of mine. I love how he creates movement in his artwork and the vibrant colors he uses. I’m also inspired by my husband’s grandma and aunt. They are incredible artists and I have always hoped to paint as well as they do.”

    When you visit Inspiration Haven’s website you will be greeted with these words: Inspiring Creativity & Imagination. If you scroll down just a bit more you’ll find this quote from Vincent Van Gough: “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” And that is just what AmberLee is doing; inspiring all to ‘silence’ the voice that says you can’t, to use their imagination, and to create!

    Santa’s Workshop
    Saturday, December 3rd. Sign up for painting and other Christmas crafts.

    Art Student Gallery
    Monday – Tuesday December 12th & 13th 5:00-8:00 pm

    2 S Main Street Heber City, UT
    435-271-3549

    inspirationhavenart.com

  • Fijn Cocoa

    Fijn Cocoa

    fijn adjective

    \ ˈfīn \

    1. nice, pleasant
    2. fine, thin
    3. delicate, meticulous
    4. made of small pieces, grains etc.

    Winter is here and that means snuggling up on a couch, watching the snowflakes slowly fall, while sipping your favorite hot drink. For the ‘Bradley Clan’ that hot drink would definitely be their unique blend of Fijn cocoa.  What began as an experiment to create a hot chocolate drink, that wasn’t so sweet, quickly developed into a deliciously fun family business; sharing the ‘Fijn’ life with everyone!

    Fijn Co. is the result of Annie Bradley’s love of chocolate. “I just have a complete love for good chocolate, and I’ve always loved hot chocolate, but it was too sweet. So, I’d add less and then it would be too watered down, so I just started making my own.” And, that’s how it all started!

    What’s in a name?

    Annie and her daughter, Shauni, and two daughters-in-law, Lillian, and Tricia, combined forces to scour the world for the best, and most healthy, ingredients to create a hot cocoa that was not only delightful for the taste buds, but wholesome, nutritious, and good for the body. Annie shares, “We just made it into something kind of special […] it feels so good and so healthy. But there’s so much more to Fijn than the actual cocoa. It’s a life style.” You can hear the excitement in her voice as she continues, “Our mantra is give, give, and give some more; and how much more meaningful life is when you do that. We thought we’d start with the cocoa and see where it takes us.”  The company name may seem a little odd at first; however, once you learn the meaning — it makes perfect sense.  Annie explains, “Fijn (pronounced ‘fine’) is the Dutch word for refined or delicate. We feel it applies to our relationships and everything, in that they should be more refined; that we should be more intentional about our relationships with other people. So, that is what fijn means.” She laughs, “Besides the fact that it is really an amazing cocoa, a fantastic product, and the ingredients are so healthy for you.”

    A chocolate drink that’s good for you?

    Tricia is the ingredient guru and shares, “We worked really hard to find the best ingredients. What we love is that there are only five ingredients in our mix: equal parts cocoa and collagen, with hemp protein powder, Saigon cinnamon, and Redmond’s sea salt.” Everything, except the cocoa, is sourced here in the U.S., and of course the Redmond’s sea salt is from right here in Heber Valley. “Our cocoa is originally sourced from Ghana — which is really fun because that is where Lillian is from and so we love that connection. There are no artificial sweeteners or anything like that — it’s just raw and real. We love to sweeten ours with raw honey, but you can use coconut sugar, monk fruit, maple syrup, or whatever you like. It’s fun because people can really make it their own in a way that is best for them individually.” Tricia laughs as she continues, “It makes us feel good and healthy when we drink it and when our bodies feel good our souls feel good and then we can connect with other people.”

    A unanimous chorus of everyone talking about connections makes it very clear that ‘people’ are the driving force behind these women’s lives. Lillian explaines, “Our mission statement is: Live the Fijn Life. This goal of living the Fijn life is not just about feeling good yourself, but being healthy, so you can go out and lift other people. From the very beginning it was important that we create something special that connects people — that’s really the mission behind what we are doing. The product is just an avenue to get there. The fact that it’s just delicious is a bonus.” Shauni jumps in to add, “One of my favorite quotes is: “We’re all just walking each other home.” I feel like that’s what we are doing. From our ingredients to our purpose to be grounded our selves — everything is just raw and real. It’s been really cool to see our community grow; there are a lot of people looking for healthy foods to put in their bodies.” She chuckles (yes, these gals laugh — a lot!) and continues, “We call it our Fijn moment. It’s a time where you can just relax as you drink, and focus on grounding yourself. It’s an intentional moment.”

    fijn4-2
    IMG_3994

    Annie, Shauni, Lillian, and Tricia, have all been very intentional with everything they have done since their Fijn journey began one year ago. From the ingredients to the name to the brand to the connections they’ve made along the way, everything has been done with the sole purpose to create a product that brings people together. Fijn Co. has not only brought the Bradley family together, but friends and neighbors have connected as well. Each of these women giggle and laugh as they vie for attention to give accolades to all those who are helping them achieve their goals. From neighbors like, La Tysha Mitchell who taught them to sew, to other family members like their dad Randy (Annie’s husband), and sister Shelbi. “Shelbi has a great eye and does our events, she’ll take her designs to dad and they work together; making all the wood pieces and everything by hand — we have a talented family,” Shauni shares. Annie chimes in with, “We’ve had a lot of cheerleaders, support, and help.”

    It is obvious that they’ve discovered the ‘secret’ behind running a family business.  Shauni explains, “We laugh — a lot — with each other, and at ourselves, it’s all healthy. We just love each other.” Lillian adds, “I think that is part of the magic for us. We are definitely easy going and willing to work with each other. We’re patient and respectful with each other and it just works. We’ve gotten that as a compliment and I think that’s part of what has helped us be successful both in life and in business — plus we all really like hanging out together — so, we make a great team.” Each of them bring something unique to the team and they all mesh well. Lillian is over operations and marketing; Tricia and Annie work together, researching and sourcing all the ingredients; Shauni handles all of their social media; and they all agree with Shauni when she says with pride and love that, “Mom [Annie] is absolutely the vision, she drives us and it’s perfect for our team. She is the heart.”

    Annie has some pretty big dreams to make Fijn Co. a household name, but for now they are focusing on the cocoa and the connections. Annie, Lillian, Shauni, and Tricia sum it up perfectly, “Everything is made with love. Yes, it’s a yummy, delicious cup of cocoa, but it’s so much more than that. With each cup of Fijn cocoa we want everyone to experience a Fijn moment and to give love. Love ourselves and those around us.”

    Health Benefits:

    Dutch Cocoa is alkalized so it is easier on your stomach than other cocoa. It also has a high healthy fat content — that your body loves — which gives the cocoa its creamy texture.

    Collagen is good for our entire bodies, especially our gut, skin, nails, and bones. Naturally occurring collagen in our bodies isn’t produced as well as it should be anymore due to our modern-day lifestyles.

    Hemp Protein in the form of an organic powder is one of the best proteins for your body to digest fully and put to good use.

    Cinnamon is rich in antioxidants and may help support blood sugar control, protect against heart disease, and reduce inflammation.

    Redmond’s Sea Salt is pure and unprocessed with 60+ trace minerals that give it one-of-a-kind nutritional benefits with a subtly sweet flavor.

    Annie’s Favorite Way to Enjoy a Cup of Fijn Cocoa:

    “Heat just enough water to dissolve your cocoa. Add cocoa and your choice of sweetener, mine is raw honey, dissolve together. Then add ice and fill with water and heavy whipping cream. It’s so good!”

    You can find Fijn Co. Cocoa at:

    The Bedroom – Park City

    Redmond’s – Heber, Provo & Sugarhouse

    and online at www.fijnco.com

  • Meet Megan Mounteer

    Meet Megan Mounteer

    “If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I’ll never grow up.”

    – J.M. Barrie

    Megan Mounteer not only grew up climbing trees; she built magnificent forts among their branches;  she went digging in dirt; she recruited playmates among the caterpillars, snakes, butterflies, and ladybugs; she cultivated, planted, watered, and loved many a blooming thing; and more than likely ate some of the weeds she pulled. The only difference between wild-nature-loving ‘child’ Megan and ‘adult’ Megan is that today, instead of building forts she’s building up a business (just between you and me — I think she still secretly builds tree forts).

    “For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be.”
    – John Connolly, The Book of Lost Things

    “I grew up as a little nature baby, rolling in the mud puddles, and running around naked. Megan laughs as she shares her childhood antics. Her smile and bubbly personality are infectious, and it’s certainly not difficult to visualize her as the wild and free child she describes. “I loved nature, loved the plants, and everything about it; I have oodles of pictures with bugs crawling on me, and snakes, grasshoppers, and praying mantis’ in my hair, and I’m all excited. I just loved it. Honestly, I think I was born to be a little flower power child.”

    Megan comes from a family of nature lovers and hard workers. She shared that her love for nature, and her work ethic, in part, comes from her grandparents and her parents. “My grandma Sue and my grandpa Rudy were just big nature lovers. When we would go to Michigan [they taught us] about connecting the plants with nature and the overall circle of life and loving nature and the beauty she has to offer.”

    Megan’s parents, Bart and Michele, owned a landscaping business (Mounteer Enterprises) so, naturally they recruited their children, and sometimes their friends, to help out — which they gladly did. Megan shared, “Ice-cream, of course, was the first payment. I was down to plant whatever they needed. I was like, ‘Ice-cream? Yes! You just put them [the plants or trees] where you need mom; I’ve got my digger.’ I have five siblings (my two oldest passed away and so now we have Bryce, me, and McKenzie — I’m the middle) and I remember mom and dad, when they had big plant-up jobs, they were like, ‘Okay, guys get your friends. Get ‘em all involved…’ Ice-cream was included so we’d round the troops up. Play dates became planting parties. If I didn’t have that at such a young age I don’t think I’d be where I am today.”

    Today, Megan and her brother, Bryce, have taken over the family businesses. Bryce is over BCM Landscaping and Snow Removal and Megan runs Country Gardens and Nursery. Their sister McKenzie (who is still in college) also has entrepreneurial ideas of her own; she’d like to run an all women excavating business with all pink equipment — This is definitely a family of hardworking go-getters — and maybe an overachiever or two. Megan shared, “We always had a garden growing up and I remember this one year I grew this massive zucchini. My mom and dad were like, ‘I don’t think it’s eatable at this point.’ I told them, ‘That’s not the point. I just wanted to see how big I could get it.’ It was like the size of my thigh! I was like Yay! This is awesome!’ It [the zucchini] definitely made it in my books and that was all I needed.” Megan definitely learned how to get things done; she is happiest when she’s moving and doing. “I’ve never been one that can sit inside and just be comfortable there. I always had to be outside exploring, learning, touching, feeling, smelling, all that. And so, I think that the passion just grew with me, whether I knew it then or not, what I was going to do [owning/running the nursery]; I think the journey was already headed in that direction.”

    “If you tend to a flower, it will bloom, no matter how many weeds surround it.”
    – Matshona Shliwayo

    I once saw a poster of a dandelion in seed; some of the seeds were blowing off in the wind — the saying scrolled across stated, ‘Weeds or Wishes’ — I believe this is a great way to look at life. We can look at our experiences the same way; as adversity or opportunity. Megan’s life, like all of us, has seen its ups and downs; it’s what we do with the downs that make us stronger. Megan struggles with dyslexia, and while that has its own set of challenges it also opened the door for opportunities. Megan attended Soldier Hollow Charter School which was the perfect setting for her; they were very much about hands-on learning, nature, and being in and learning about our environment. Reading may not have been her strong suit growing up, but she excelled in other areas like the science of nature, how things work, communication, humanities, and art. In fact, in third grade she won Soldier Hollow’s Arbor Day Art Contest. “It was one of my big moments where nature and my creativity came together. I was like, ‘Whoo-hoo! Success! I may not be doing too well in the grades but by darn the art projects are going good!’” When asked what her painting was of, she explained, “It was really fun growing up, but I didn’t have a lot of neighbors or kids around me, so that always forced us [my siblings and I] to go out and across the street. There was a lake in front of us and we were always building this tree fort over there and adding on to our little hut that we were creating.  My drawing was of all the things that made our fort terrific. It was basically celebrating all of the joy that I had growing up in our hut.” Megan was one of the top three winners in the state and still remembers the theme: Trees are Terrific and Energy Wise. A theme she still loves and agrees with as she talks with her customers about the importance of trees in our mountain landscapes.

    Megan attended college to be a sign language interpreter but discovered that was not for her. So, she decided to become a pilot. After finishing her solo flight she had an opportunity to pursue flying as a career; however, when the choice came to either dive in or pull out — she went a different direction. Holding back her emotions Megan explained, “Family is super important to me; because of the time you have to be on the plane and the hours you have to be away from home — it just wasn’t something that I felt like, in the long run, I’d be happy with. So, I kind of reeled back and asked myself, ‘Okay, as far as your future, what makes you happy, where do you go with this?’ And, from there I went into ‘I’m going to start my own landscaping business.’”

    Megan started her own landscaping business, Blue Sky Beauties, with her best friend, Sydney. The two of them hit the ground running and their business took off. “There was a lot of success and a lot of learning at the same time. We both loved it. There’s something so gratifying about watching it [the business] grow and be able to create something more beautiful, more colorful, and help others create, it was just everything that I was looking for.” The business was growing fast, but then a pretty big ‘weed’ popped up!

    Several years after running Mounteer Entreprises, Megan’s parents decided to also open a nursery to help supply product for their landscape jobs — this ‘idea’ turned into Country Gardens and Nursery. Megan’s smile is huge when she explains the evolution of the family business, “We started with the idea that we would do this business for the landscapers, but then people from the community started coming out and visiting us to see what we had. It was one of those situations where it was a blessing in disguise. It’s interesting how life lines things up and how your path is created, and you just never know how or where it’s going to go, but you get there; and we just loved working with our community and neighbors.”

    As life would have it, just as Blue Sky Beauties was taking off, the property Megan’s family leased for the nursery was sold. They were given one year to find another place or pack-up and close their doors. After looking for property, crunching numbers, and doing everything in their power to keep the nursery open; things didn’t look good. Bart and Michele had to make the very difficult decision to close their doors; however, when they made the announcement — a solution was presented. Megan described how it all fell in place, “We went to the city and told them, ‘We’re so sorry, but so thankful for the time that we did have, but we are closing doors … The city said, ‘Hold on a moment. You’re the only nursery in Heber and we don’t have anything else like you guys. There is a property that is kind of unique and we think you might fit in nicely … we looked at it and were like, ‘Yes, if this works we would love to have this space.’ So, we are involved with the city and the airport and are super appreciative for both parties to lease us this spot.” Megan’s voice is full of gratitude and pride as she continued to share, “And from there — we just created this masterpiece. My team has worked their booties off and I couldn’t be more thankful and just grateful for them being here because I couldn’t do it without them.”

    Megan had a great way of expressing how to deal with the ‘weeds’ in our lives and just ‘bloom’ where we are, “I believe if you focus on where your joy and your passion is then success will come; that’s what I have felt and experienced in my own life.”

    “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
    – E.E. Cummings

    Megan has had a lot of great life experiences in her 26 years (yep she’s a young ‘un!) that have prepared her for taking hold of the reigns and successfully running Country Gardens and Nursery. She spent her after-school hours at the nursery, watering the plants, assisting with custom planting, helping customers, and myriad of other responsibilities. “Growing up, I was in and out of the business constantly.” It seems perfectly reasonable that she would naturally grow from helper to owner, but she says she does sometimes get the occasional raised eyebrow, “People look at me because I am young and it’s sometimes intimidating, but at that moment of realization, I think, ‘Show them who you are and they will be impressed.’ I believe age is not everything and if you always put your best foot forward then you’ve got no regrets in the end.” Megan does put her best foot forward and in doing so she attracts the best of the best. Megan had to hold back the flood gate of emotions as she spoke about her team, “As far as the people who are helping me to be successful, I do have to start with my parents. They have done everything; honestly I wouldn’t be who I am today, shaped the way that I am, if it wasn’t for them and the things that they did. It’s funny, sometimes my parents talk about feeling bad because they were so busy with work, but I’m like, ‘No, at that moment you showed me that you were there to provide for the family, even when times were tough, you still were out there grinding and getting the work done, and still would make time for family.’ At the end I would not change it for anything because I am so proud of who I am today, and my parents structured that.”

    Megan continued, “The next one would be Johnny. Johnny would be my right hand man for sure. When he first came here from Columbia, he could hardly speak English, but we instantly had this really fun connection. I believe if you give people the time you will understand what that person is saying, but if you’re not willing to give it time, then you’re missing an opportunity to connect and help each other.” Megan also shared, “When I got to know Johnny deeper, I found out his background and where he came from and his story, and it blew my mind.  Johnny is just incredible and it has been a joy for both of us to grow together. For him to teach me what he has and for me to feel valuable in his eyes with my age … he tells me all the time, ‘Megan, you have it. I know you have it – I’ve never seen anybody who cares and talks to people the way that you do.” Megan covers her heart with both hands, and continues, “We had this gem this whole time, but because individuals did not take the time to hear or listen he could not shine.”

    Megan genuinely loves her entire team. (I wish I could include everyone she spoke about — I suggest taking a walk through the gardens and getting to know them.) Of her team Megan says, “I think there’s something with our team that is unique; we feel like family, where we hug, we tell each other we love you, where there is something that is deeper than the surface from a typical work relationship. It’s not just one person, but a combination of coming together and an understanding of, yes, this is my job, but yet this is my family. As a family owned business, it’s a realization that they are our extended family.” Megan feels that letting each team member ‘shine’ is important, “There is so much power, from both parties, when people are where they want to be; when they are encouraged to create, and grow.”

    Growing takes courage; sometimes we doubt ourselves, Megan has had her share of doubt too. “A lot of people ask me if this [running the gardens and nursery] is all I want. I’m like, ‘Yes, yes this is something that I am very passionate about.’ In the end, though, they can see it. I think that is also a good realization for me — that they truly see it — because sometimes I do question myself. ‘Am I good enough? Can I do this?’ The answers do pop up and I can see the success from my actions and the positive feedback.” Her advice to young entrepreneurs and everyone really, is, “Don’t be afraid. Find what you love and go for that. You won’t be disappointed. Don’t get discouraged if feedback seems negative. I always say, ‘Ceaseless Improvement’. If it’s not your best work then take that opportunity to grow from that — don’t be down on yourself — even though it may be hard to grow – remember, everybody is learning. It’s important to understand that you can never make everybody happy and don’t let that hold you back. Just always give it your best so there are no regrets. And, if your best was not enough for someone don’t let it hurt you. Let that one go, learn from it, and move forward knowing that more success is coming.

    “Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.”
    – Chinese Proverbs

    Over the past two years, Megan has experienced both flashes of failure and moments of getting everything “perfect and spot on”. She shared what she’s learned, “It’s easy to pick out all the bad — what’s hard is moving forward from where you are at and figuring out where you want to be. In my opinion, if you have a solution oriented mindset then you will find that things naturally flow. I appreciate that I will always find things to work on and improve.”

    Megan has about as many ideas of working and improving as there are vegetables in a community garden. One of her next big endeavors is starting up a non-profit organization that will help create housing opportunities for her employees. As Wasatch County continues to grow and expand there is a concern that many who work here can’t afford to live here. “We’ve been talking with Restore about their home building programs, and looking into what that would look like for us. I’d love to work with other businesses and non-profits; I think that it’s an opportunity for a really beautiful moment to come together and create something unique and amazing. I don’t want anyone to feel like once their lease is up they have to move or have nowhere to go.”

    Speaking of going someplace … Megan wants Country Gardens and Nursery to be more than just a place to purchase amazing plants and flowers; she wants the gardens to be a place for the community to come and gather. “We are creating more classes for the community to be involved in and are expanding our outreach to kids and teenagers. I believe the younger generation is the most powerful generation because that is what’s to come. I think it is super important to connect with them; offering fun interactive classes and getting them involved with hands-on gardening and Mother Nature is a beautiful way to make that happen.” Remember the garden of ideas? Well … I’m going to take the proverbial deep breath and try to get them all into one paragraph.

    Here we go!  For the younger kiddos, Megan wants to start holding book readings in the mornings; while the older kids are at school. But, mind you, this is Megan we are speaking of — this won’t be any old book reading; this will be a book reading combined with a petting zoo! She’s also been in cahoots with Paws for Life and developing classes where they will come and talk with kids about dog care and dog walking. They’re also looking at working with Nuzzles. Remember it’s all about connections and connecting businesses with community members. Megan also has plans to work with Midway Mercantile, Midway Farms, and OG Café; the idea is to sign up for a class ($10) with CGN, head over to the farms and pick your fresh produce, then come back to the gardens where Midway Mercantile’s chef will use your produce to cook you up a meal; or just head over when OG is there and enjoy their delicious cooking while visiting and wandering the grounds. Megan also wants to create a smaller version of a farmer’s market by inviting budding artists to come and create, display, sell their wares, and ‘let customers connect with their work’. She’d especially love to work with high school students and young entrepreneurs teaching them all about the how-to’s of business. She says, “I have the space to do that. There are so many students who are painters, jewelry makers, sculptures, wood artists; they’re even growing plants! I’d just love to give them the opportunity to work with a store, price their pieces, figure out what the store is taking from that, and basically get their foot in the door. There’s nothing like that in the high school — I’d like to do that for them.” Megan also wants to offer the same services to local artists who are small and just getting started. Her list goes on but I do have a word count to adhere to folks, so, I suggest giving them a call or taking a look at their website for up and coming events and classes. (Hint: There’s going to be a fun family event in October.)

    Megan understands all good things take time and she’s prepared to give each project the time it needs to be done well, but, in the meantime, she is definitely not standing still! Even with all of the many things she’s working on, one of Megan’s favorite parts of her job is going out and helping people plant their yards and gardens. “I enjoy being a personal gardener. I love to plant and help others plant. I love the relationships I have with the customers. At first they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re a young buck, but let’s see what you got.’ It’s always such an honest, genuine experience; we always end up laughing and it’s so fun when they see you back at the nursery. I think it’s really important to create those bonds. Usually, when you walk into a store, you don’t meet the owners. I think it’s fun to see people’s reactions when they make the connection. They’re like, ‘Oh my gosh! You’re the owner? Wow!’” Megan shared that some customers have told her that, “They want to come back because of the vibration of the nursery, the feel of it, and not just the product of the nursery.”

    “We Grow Love Here”
    – Megan Mounteer

    At the end of the day, Megan’s goal is, “… not only to be the number one nursery in the Wasatch Back, with the number one customer service, but I want it to be above and beyond what you’ve ever seen before. I want us to be the site that people are traveling near and far to come and see what we are all about. I want people to come in and get excited because of the bubbly vibe that the team puts off — it’s like this — love bubble I call it — we grow love here! We want our customers to know that they are important to us.  We want them to know that we’ve got their back and that we are going to do everything in our power to make sure they have the best success on whatever their project may be. We want to show the customer: we got you, don’t worry, lean on us, let us assist you, come to us with the questions, and let us make you feel comfortable in this field the way that we are comfortable in this field.”

    In my opinion, that’s pretty impressive, and others are taking notice too. Megan was hesitant to share (an employee urged her on); Megan was recently nominated for a 21 and Over award. Nominees are people in their 20s who are doing unique, creative, things within their businesses. Megan blushed and shared, “It’s hard for me to talk about because I’m like, ‘Is that really something that I am worthy of?’” I think Megan’s statement at the end of our interview proves she is: “It all goes back to one thing. How can I leave an impact on everyone around me?”

    Megan is leaving an impact and along the way she is helping others leave an impact too. I believe we can all learn a little something from our home-grown Heber Valley flower-power child when she says, “I know that I’m not perfect — I don’t think that I ever will be — but I will always be improving and I will always shoot for the moon and if I hit the stars that’s okay too!”

  • Midway Volksmarch

    Midway Volksmarch

    “I love to go a-wandering,

    Along the mountain track,

    And as I go, I love to sing,

    My knapsack on my back.

    The Happy Wanderer – Florenz Friedrich Sigismund

    As a child I had the incredible opportunity of spending time in Germany. My siblings and I are first generation born in America; both my parents are from Deutschland. One of my favorite activities while visiting my Großeltern (Grandparents) was to go walking and hiking all over. My young imagination ran wild as we traversed hills and mountains to visit castles, churches, and historical landmarks. One of my favorite places to run and play was the forest that bordered my Oma and Opa’s property. To my delight, one day we packed the car and drove four hours to visit the Black Forest. As we walked my mother told me stories about wandering through the forests as a child; my heart beat with joy as I heard the faint Coo-coo, Coo-coo, of a Cuckoo bird — just as my mom had when she was a little girl. I listened intently to hear it again, but to no avail. Perhaps it was because they are naturally elusive or perhaps it was because my Tante Gabi broke out in a song of her own. She grabbed mine and my sister’s hands and the three of us took to the trail skipping and singing The Happy Wanderer song. During the chorus we would shout and laugh out loud, “Val-deri, Val-dera, Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” Those moments are some of my most treasured memories; I didn’t know it then, but much of my childhood was spent Volksmarching.

    What is Volksmarching?

    Volksmarching is a form of non-competitive walking that was developed in the 1960s as a way for friends and family to venture outdoors and explore their communities, nature, and history. The word Volksmarch, literally translated, means people’s march. The activity became so popular that by 1968 Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland formed the International Federation of Popular Sports (IVV). Among other duties, the IVV helps with the structure, sponsorship, and coordination of Volksmarching events. According to the American Volkssport Association, today more than 10,000 people across the globe participate in 7,500+ events. Traditionally Volksmarches are specific routes or predetermined trails or paths (usually 5K or 10K) that people of all ages and abilities can access and enjoy. Many people participate in various Volksmarches all over the world and have fun documenting their miles walked, and collecting commemorative pins and stocknagles (walking stick medallions). Anyone can Volksmarch and you don’t have to limit your ‘march’ to walking. The Volkssporting movement also includes bicycling, swimming, cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing, and other various activities approved by the IVV. You can go Volksmarching anywhere, but one of the best places to go Volksmarching — yes, I’m biased — is (drum roll please) MIDWAY, UTAH!

    Walk * Protect * Preserve

    Dust off your Dirndl Dresses and Lederhosen folks! Yes, it’s that time of year to grab your walking stick and start Volksmarching! Wait. What? There’s Volksmarching in Midway? Of course there is. With our ‘alpinesque’ scenery, Swiss heritage from early Swiss settlers, and beautiful Swiss influenced architecture; how could there not be a Volksmarch? If you didn’t know — now you know — and you can join the journey. The first Midway Volksmarch Festival was held in 2019; it was, and continues to be, a huge success. This year’s festival is slated for September 17th and will be hosted again by Preserve Midway and Midway Historical Preservation Committee. Preserve Midway is a non-profit dedicated to protecting Midway’s rural lands and heritage. Lori Stone, President of Preserve Midway shared, “The festival is a fundraising event to help further the preservation of Midway’s rural character — cherished by residents and visitors alike. Preserve Midway believes our open landscapes are worth saving. The pastoral Swiss themed village of Midway, like many small towns in the Rockies, is challenged by impacts from rapid urban growth. Preserve Midway wants to balance that growth by preserving open lands. Our mission is to promote thoughtful growth and provide options to landowners for preserving the rural character, open space, and heritage of Midway.”

    “I have learned, in the process of educating about land preservation, that Open space is critical for recreation and to preserve a way of life that many find meaningful. This community event is for everyone who loves Midway and the Heber Valley. We hope all will come support Preserve Midway’s mission by participating in this fun family friendly event.”   – Lori Stone, President Preserve Midway.

    Preserve Midway is an advocate for the Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘Smart Growth’ principals; and the Volksmarch Festival is a wonderful way to raise awareness about: preserving open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas; creating walkable neighborhoods; and fostering distinctive communities with a strong sense of place3. What better way to do that than to get residents and guests alike out walking and enjoying Midways’s open spaces and historical sites. To participate in the 2022 Midway Volksmarch Festival you can pre-register online at: preservemidway.org or register the day of at Midway Town Square beginning at 9:30 a.m. The festival will kick-off promptly at 10:00 a.m. with a gorgeous Friesian horse and other farm animals leading the way. Volksmarchers can take the self-guided “Pathways to Preservation” route which meanders past current conservation projects, including the 105-acre Kohler Dairy Farm and Midway’s historic Mountain Spa. Participants are encouraged to download the Utah Heritage Walks app to learn about fascinating historical insights while strolling through Midway. The trek ends at Midway’s Town Square which will feature live music, info booths, games, farm animals, a bounce house, awards, and food from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The festival will take place come rain, snow, or whatever ‘weather’ Midway throws out there — fingers crossed it’s a sunny day! Please leave your furry friends at home and bike or carpool; parking is available at the LDS church house located at 165 Center, Midway.

    Volksmarching is about bringing everyone together and learning about our heritage and the lands we are blessed to live on and around. It’s about discovering what we have in common, what is important to individuals and communities, and sharing our stories with others. I personally recommend (sometimes) walking while talking; every stocknagle on a seasoned Volksmarcher’s walking stick has a tale just waiting to be told. So, whether you’re a newbie or alumni of Midway’s Volksmarch, don’t be shy – ask, listen, share, and talk while you walk. Who knows, maybe you’ll find someone you can sing The Happy Wanderer with as you skip through parts of your journey. In between those moments take time to stroll silently; in the beauty and majesty of nature, reminiscing, and reflecting on what having open spaces means to you, offer a silent ‘thank you’ for those who have gone before, and promise to do your best to protect the legacy of our mountain valley heritage for future generations.

    Preserve Midway

    “After the success of the 2019 Open Space Bond the open space conversation changed. Playing an integral role in the effort, Preserve Midway supporters and Wasatch County taxpayers voted to pass the Bond’s open space measures. ‘Encouraging Midway City planners to preserve open space and increase pedestrian trails brought significant results,’ says Kris Ward, a founding board member. ‘In this way, the Volksmarch and Smart Growth ideals work hand in hand to support our goals.’ Preserve Midway’s advocacy and collaboration with property owners and local land trusts helped protect more than 150 acres in 2021. Rather than adding hundreds of residential homes, new infrastructure, and more traffic that threatened Midway’s rural character; the historic Kohler Dairy Farm, Mt. Spa property, and the Kem C. Gardner Midway Legacy Preserve, have been protected with conservation easements. And, thanks to overwhelming citizen support; another 100 acres are in the process of being saved from development!”

    Protecting Midway’s historic Mountain Spa property represents an ideal collaboration between Summit Land Conservancy, Midway City and Open Space Committee, Wasatch Open Land Board, Preserve Midway and private investors. Working in concert, the groups preserved open lands while dramatically reducing zoned density. The 2022 Volksmarch walk will visit this iconic and beloved property.

     

    Midway Volksmarch

    Fall Festival and Fundraiser

    Saturday, September 17, 2022  |  10:00am – 2:00pm

    Midway Town Square 75 N 100 W, Midway, Utah

    Live Music • Food Trucks • Live Farm Animals • Climbing Wall
    Bounce House • Games • Awards • Drawings for Prizes

    Don’t forget to: wear a good pair of walking shoes; don your dirndl or lederhosen; bring your walking stick and plenty of water; plan on a few hours to complete the walk; leave Fido home; have fun and enjoy all the festivities.

  • 9/11 National Day of Service

    9/11 National Day of Service

    In conjunction with the National Day of Service; local civic groups, faith organizations, the forest service, school councils, senior centers, the Wasatch Parent Network, the Wasatch Community Foundation, and others within our community have organized Heber Valley’s 9/11 Day of Service.

    On Saturday, September 10th, there will be 15 different service projects taking place throughout our valley for individuals and families to participate in. Please scan the QR code or visit http://hebervalleyserves.org  for a list of projects and additional information on volunteer opportunities and ways you can give back to our community.

    After all that hard work you can relax and enjoy some local entertainment at the Southfield Park. Bring a picnic and set up your camp chairs or blankets by 5:00 pm.

    We thank you in advance for providing service in honor of those who served, and those who lost their lives, that day. We thank you for the positive impact your service continues to have in making our Heber Valley the beautiful place it is today, tomorrow, and for future generations.

    Use the following hashtags when sharing pictures and stories about your experiences on social media: #911day and #911utahdayofservice

  • The Cadence of Life

    The Cadence of Life

    Photographed by Liam Pearce

    “Harmony, balance, and rhythm. They’re the three things that stay with you your whole life. Without them civilization is out of whack. And that’s why an oarsman, when he goes out in life, he can fight it, he can handle life. That’s what he gets from rowing.”
    – George Yeoman Pocock Boys in the Boat

    The Latin word Credimus, translated to English means — We Believe. In 2019 five adults and thirteen students from Platte County High School in Bailey, CO believed they could tackle a crazy ‘boat’ race up the Puget Sound in Washington State, called the Seventy48. Team Credimus was the only team made up of students to enter and, after paddling their hearts out for seventy miles in 17 hours and 42 minutes, they placed 23rd out of 109 finishers. Thrilled with their accomplishments they couldn’t have known the ripple effect their courage and determination would have.

    At this point you might be asking yourself, “…and this has to do with land-locked Wasatch County how?” Keep reading it’s a pretty cool story — at least I think so — but then again I’m a bit biased.

    The Seventy48 Explained

    In 2018 the Northwest Maritime Center introduced the Seventy48 — an inaugural pre-race to their Race to Alaska (R2AK)1 adventure. Racers have 48 hours to complete 70 miles up Washington State’s Puget Sound; starting in Tacoma and ending in Port Townsend. The rules are simple: no motors, no wind, and no support — you can pedal, paddle, or row — human power only.2

    All Hands on Deck

    After hearing about team Credimus’ experience and success participating in the Seventy48 race Ryan Greene, Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind principal and Director of Blind Campus Programs, had an idea and shared it with fellow USDB teacher and Director of Deaf Outreach and Online Programs, Adam Billings — who just happens to be a tall-ship captain with extensive experience sailing and building boats. If you’re wondering what a tall-ship is; think of the Mayflower or the infamous (yet fictional) Black Pearl. Adam shared, “Ryan showed up to my office and said, ‘Hey, I heard about this high school that built a boat and did this race. Can we do that?’” The answer of course was a resounding ‘Yes!’ The two enlisted Brandon Watts, Director of Outreach Services for the Visually Impaired, and the three of them went to town (or Sea — literally).  After getting the go-ahead and funding from USDB administrators — the USDB Yacht Club was official and team All Hands on Deck was created.

    The next steps would include getting the word out, putting together a crew, (hint, here’s where Wasatch County comes in to play), and building a boat. It was going to be a challenge for sure; but Greene shared that challenges like this were what drew him, Billings, and Watts into working with deaf and blind students. Greene and Billings reached out to the crew in Colorado, who built their boat by hand and were more than willing to help out. This partnership quickly turned into more than just helping another team build a boat. The PCHS Yacht Club not only helped USDB obtain building plans; they donated both the stern and the bow of their boats as well. In addition, Steve Hanford and Kip Otteson (PCHS teachers, mentors, and coaches), along with several student crew members came out to Utah to help with technical and moral support. It was also decided that both teams would do a training session together at Lake Powell in early spring of 2021. Since the Seventy48 was canceled in 2020 team Credimus was anxious to return and would be racing alongside team All Hands on Deck.

    Enter Wasatch County.  Landon, who has low vision, and has been homeschooled since Kindergarten, first heard about the Seventy48 through USDB’s outreach program in February 2021. Initially he was not sure he wanted to join the team; however, the opportunity to build a boat was too good to pass up. For the next three months Landon went to Salt Lake City to help other deaf and blind students build their 36-foot Catacanoe. Landon has goals of being an aerospace engineer; designing rockets for SpaceX and, although it’s a ‘ship’ of a different kind, he appreciated the chance to learn and enjoyed working with the wood, and the other students and teachers. He shared, “There was a lot to learn about the boat and the best way to build it. And, it’s cool to be able to say ‘I helped build that.’ Once we took it out on the water it was great to see it float and work well.”

    The day of the race finally arrived and expectations were high; team All Hands on Deck and team Credimus were the only two student teams to enter the race. There was a lot of buzz surrounding the fact that a bunch of deaf and blind, land-locked kids, some who’d never even been to the ocean, let alone on the ocean in a boat they made, were going to attempt this crazy race. According to Landon the race was an adrenaline rush, it was amazing, it took blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of willpower and team work. He shared that it was also extremely heart crushing. Seventy48 2021 experienced the worst weather in the race’s history; more than half the teams did not finish due to heavy rainstorms, high winds, whitecaps, and six-foot swells. After rowing a grueling but incredible 50 miles (so close!) the USDB Yacht Club was advised to set shore and withdraw. It was a devastating blow and certainly not what they had planned for. But that was last year…

    Seventy48 2022

    On Thursday, June 10th 2022 the USDB Yacht Club will once again enter the Salish Sea with the goal to paddle seventy miles up Puget Sound and ring the bell at City Dock in Port Townsend before 7:00 pm on Sunday, June 12th.

    Only two of the students from last year’s crew, both with a score to settle and a point to prove, were able to return. Landon and fellow crew mate, Ashton, will be teaming up with six other students representing Sanpete, Washington, Utah, Salt Lake, Summit, and Wasatch Counties. Landon is looking forward to taking on more of a leadership role this year and shared that, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to go back again and help students who haven’t done anything like this before.” He spoke of having reservations about being on the ocean for the first time last year and knows that some of his crew mates have similar worries. “I want them to know that we can get past our fears — especially together as a team helping each other. It’s easy to say ‘we can do hard things’ but when we are in the middle of hard things it’s also easy to just bail. I want to help others understand that ‘bailing’ is usually not the best option, I mean last year the weather decided for us, but I hope to help everyone know that they are capable of finishing and actually doing the hard things. It just takes work, and a willingness to get out of your comfort zone, and not giving up, and not letting others tell you, ‘you can’t’ or ‘it’s okay your blind’, being blind or deaf or whatever doesn’t matter — the only limits are what we put on ourselves.”

    Each crew member has different reasons for joining the crew in addition to various concerns and unique challenges to overcome. Josh joined the crew because he loves new experiences and has enjoyed preparing both mentally and physically for the journey. “I do at least 30 minutes of training each day after work; mostly my arms and upper body. I’ve also learned a lot about team work and how working as a team on a boat applies to life…” Dillon said he joined the crew to make new friends and get out of his comfort zone. He shared, “I never thought I’d be doing something like this in my life. I had a seizure in a pool two years ago so I’m afraid of falling in the water; I’m going quite a bit out of my comfort zone for this race.” For Emily it was about getting in shape and motivation. She admitted that being motivated can sometimes be a struggle for her. “Consistency, that’s the biggest challenge for me. I know I can do it — I just need to do it — you know there’s a certain amount of motivation for the race because you don’t want to be the weak link…and I like getting out of my comfort zone; that’s where you really learn.” Hannah shared, “I saw the footage and everything about last year’s team and I was like I want to try it. So, now here I am.” One of Hannah’s biggest worries is fatigue and having her muscles give out on her due to Low Muscle Tone, but her attitude is very positive. “I was born with a condition called Miserable Malalignment Syndrome; where my bones were twisted the wrong way and I’ve had to have multiple surgeries where they’ve had to break my bones and put rods and screws through them. It’s helped me because I got through that hard thing so I can get through this hard thing, and it’s [her attitude about her experiences] showing other people that they can get through hard things too.” Erica joined the crew because she loved the gear; but in all seriousness she shared, “I like being able to do hard things; being able to say ‘Hey, I did that!’ I think it’s important to have a positive mind set and good attitude during the race and seeing how strong I am. I don’t know how strong I am but maybe I’m stronger than I thought.”

    There’s something that resonates with all of us in each of these statements; and I believe that Michelle Ward, a teacher at USDB, said it best when she shared, “I love doing everything outside. I love to hike, and climb, and I used to row in college. Being legally blind myself, you get a lot of people, who think it’s encouraging when they say things like: ‘You’re an inspiration’ when it’s like I just want to do the things. I think the misconception, truly, is that if you’re legally blind you’re not going to be able to do anything wild and crazy; so, the fact that we get to do this wild and crazy thing is really cool.”

    This year All Hands on Deck will be the only student team; PCHS Yacht Club is taking a break. However, they will be there in spirit as they donated their vessel to the USDB Yacht Club; christened the ‘Credimus’ the boat and her new crew are an ideal symbol of grit and determination. We Believe and All Hands on Deck form the perfect combination. It will take all hands on deck to paddle through the night, the waves, the possible storms, and the ‘hopefully’ smooth as glass waters; it will take willpower, team work, and the mindset of ‘We Believe’ that no matter what the seas or life throws at us — together we are strong — together we can make it through the blood, sweat, and tears to finish what we start — in this race and in life.

     

    USDB Yacht Club 2022 Crew

    Ryan Greene, Keri Ostergaard-Welch, Michelle Ward, Alex Westergard, Liz Wood, Rikki Myers, Vince Dimov, Matt Houston, Landon Pearce, Ashton Hintze, Hannah Hart, Josh Taylor, Dillon Dodge, Emily Groves, Erica Emery, Tyler Workman

     

    Have fun!

    Dig Deep! USDB teacher, Keri Ostergaard-Welch, shares some great advice with the crew:
    Remember to have fun even when things are tiring. Dig deep – we can do more than we think we can. Just because we get uncomfortable doesn’t mean we have to stop. It means we find ways to get through it and often times our bodies will surprise us.

    Follow the Crew

    Beginning June 10 seventy48.com

    1 The R2AK is the first of it’s kind and North America’s longest human and wind powered race (750 miles from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK). rdak.com
    2 seventy48.com

  • Join the Crawfish Boil Crew

    Join the Crawfish Boil Crew

    It’s summer time! Vacations are near; school’s out; and the days are pleasant and long. If you’re searching for a fun and unique activity to do close to home and after work — try fishing for crawfish at our very own Strawberry Reservoir.

    rCrawfish boils have long been a time-honored tradition throughout the South but over the years they have become quite popular here in land-locked Utah. Some people would say that these little crustaceans are just as delicious as lobster; some say they’re better. Most agree that they are definitely more fun to catch — well at least for those of us who don’t live by an ocean.

    If you’ve never heard of a crawfish maybe you know them by another name; crawdad, crayfish, craydid, mud bug, a yabby, or a freshwater lobster, mountain lobster, or rock lobster. Yes, the star of the song that launched the band B-52’s career was none other than a crawfish a.k.a. Rock Lobster! While the term you use for these small critters is largely dependent upon where you live — they are all the same animal. And, although they look like the mini-me version of their larger cousins — crawfish are not lobsters (or fish). There are more than 500 species of crawfish that live in North America and these patriotic crustaceans can be found in red, white, and blue! (Red is common; blue is rare; white is more rare; and yet they all taste the same, and when cooked the blue crawfish turn a bright red.)

    These modest rock lobsters feature in more than just songs; they can be found in soups, butters, pastas, salads, and Cajun cuisine — pretty much any dish that calls for shrimp, crab, or lobster, can be substituted with this miniature mud bug. Perhaps the most common, or well known, way to serve them is boiled and tossed on a table covered with newspapers, along with corn cobbettes, new potatoes, quartered onions and lemons, and garlic butter sauce. (If you want to get creative you can toss in a smoked Andouille sausage or two.)

    The best part of a crawfish boil? Catching the clingy-clawed-crustaceans!

    In Utah crawfish are found at elevations of 8,000 and below and like to hang out in clear, fresh water, with a rocky habitat at depths less than 20 feet. You can find crawfish in most Utah lakes; however, in recent years Strawberry Reservoir has become a favorite for many seeking to fill their buckets with some good ole mountain lobster. (Yes, I am trying to use each name. Why? Because — you have to admit — they’re just fun.) Speaking of fun…let’s get down to it — how does one go about catching a yabby.

    First, you need to have a current Utah fishing license; children under age 12 do not need a license. According to The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources,
    “…there is no limit to the number of crayfish you can legally catch or possess.” However, “…live crayfish cannot be transported away from the water where they were caught.” Once you have a license and are aware of the rules; you’re good to go.

    There are about as many ways to catch crawdads as there are creative ideas — I mean the things cling to just about anything! I spoke with a long-time crawfisher named Jay, who shared his evolution from beginner to expert in the hopes of helping save some time for newbies like me. He shared, “I started as a little kid. We’d go to all the lakes and give it a try. We did it the old way, where you put a piece of raw chicken on a string and drop it out in the lake, and then you slowly drag it in and drop the crayfish in a bucket. We’d do it from the pier or wherever we could as kids.” He continued, “We weren’t very successful and when we cooked them they weren’t very desirable. They didn’t taste good at all — we didn’t know what we were doing. We lacked the expertise.” All of that changed years later when he met his sweetheart. Jay explained, “…when Jit came into my life it turned into more of a family type situation. It turned out to be a pretty good time and pretty good eatin’ too.”

    When asked what changed he shared that Jit, who is from the Philippines, knew how to clean and cook them! “When I was little they tasted like mud and I thought I’d have to tolerate that kind of taste. She taught me different,” he laughs. “At first we used the same method I did when I was young — then we saw people using dome traps. We decided to try them out and took our Kayak out about 30 feet; put a raw chicken leg in to attract them, lowered it down between the two kayaks; and fished while we waited. We’d pull the trap up after a while and they’d usually be full. Then we’d dump them in a bucket and do it again.” Jay warned not to pull the trap out sideways as it could unload the trap and “you don’t want to lose ‘em.” He also shared that the crawfish will be all over the trap both on the inside and the outside. “We used nets, and vent screens on buckets, because they really don’t swim off, you can pull up that screen and they don’t want to get out they want to head down and not up. One time we used a bicycle basket that was made out of mesh and that turned out to work very very well.”

    For a while it was trial and error; figuring out which traps they liked best; what spots were their favorites, and over time family members and friends joined them, all with their own traps. Now, they have a system and know what works best for them. Jay says that like all other ‘hobbies’ or ‘sports’ some people like to share and help beginners while others are a little more territorial and keep to themselves. Jay and Jit have their secrets too but if you ask they’ll share, because for them it’s about the experience and being with friends and family.

    Jay & Jit’s Tips:

    • “Smells attract crawfish so we use both raw chicken legs and chicken liver.
    •  Keep them occupied with eating; have something they want, that’s the way you keep them in whatever you are putting them in.
    •  Lay your traps closer to the beach; about 15 feet out. That’s where you’ll find the big ones! If they are less than four inches the DWR wants you to throw them back in, unless you are using them for game bait.
    •  Remember that crawfish go in spurts — they do like a bloom — and it depends on the time of year.
    •  You can go crawfishing year round — day or night.
    •  We like to use barrel traps — they have worked the best for us but there are a lot to choose from so use what you like best.
    •  If you’re in a canoe or kayak — hang your traps off the sides — and have your bucket on the kayak, when it’s full, go to shore, dump them in the cooler and go back out until you have however many you want.
    • Twilight is the best time!
    •  Our favorite way of harvesting crawfish with our kids is giving them tongs and a bucket, then letting them go explore the rocks and see how many they can find. Be aware of high and low water levels.
    • A nip from these guys can be painful! They can’t reach you if you pick them up firmly between thumb and forefinger just behind the claws. You can wear gloves until you get the hang of it.
    •  Once we catch them we put them in coolers full of lake water to let them naturally flush themselves out as we keep changing the muddy water to clean water. Remember some are small enough to fit through larger cooler drains. We use multiple coolers to switch back and forth — it’s a little more work but it cleans them out well.
    •  One of our secrets is that we boil them in Sprite, garlic, and a little salt. We just cut up a couple of garlic cloves and put them in with whatever seasoning you want. We also add a little water and butter. We boil them right there on the beach on our camp stove. We use butane because it gets a little hotter than propane. After we cook them we eat them with all sorts of stuff — what we don’t eat we put in baggies and freeze as soon as we are home.
    •  If you have kids — get them involved — we’ve noticed that the kids love catching the crawfish even if they don’t enjoy eating them.
    •  Don’t get in a hurry. Enjoy it. We take plenty of shade just like you would for any other trip to the beach or outdoor sport; make sure you have the time to enjoy it.”

    After sharing their fun tips, Jay stated, “The most important thing for us is that it’s a family and friends thing. Everyone can be involved and have fun. We picked Strawberry because it’s got good fishing and we’re not just there for the crawfish — there’s trout too. For me it’s to be out and away and I love it.”

    Well…what are you waiting for? Get out and catch yourself some delicious crawfish!

    Things to BRING

    Proper clothing for weather – don’t forget your wellies!  •  Fishing License  •  Tongs  •  Traps  •  Coolers  •  Gloves  • Raw chicken legs & liver  •  String & five gallon bucket  •  Cook stove (butane or propane)  •  Large pots & pans  • Headlamp/Flashlight – if going out at twilight  •  Fresh water & Sprite  •  Garlic, Lemon, Cajun spices, additional food to cook if eating on the beach   •  Plastic table cloth  •  Firewood – know the rules before you go  • Wipes & paper towels  •  Plastic baggies and ice if you plan on bringing your cooked critters home

  • Heber Valley Business Launch

    Heber Valley Business Launch

    Jakob and Brodie Kahler have always been close. Close in age, close in proximity, and now close in business.

    When I say close, I’m referring to being near each other in time and space; to be fair — the two brothers were like most siblings — fighting, arguing, and not fully appreciating each other until later in life. Fortunately, for brothers and best friends, Jake and Brodie, their ‘later in life’ happened during High School.

    KNIT TOGETHER

    Growing up, Brodie was content to let Jake take the lead. He shared, “As the older brother, Jake has always set the way, and been a good example for me to follow. I’ve learned a lot from him.” Last year — their roles flipped — with Brodie taking the lead.

    While Jake was away serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Brodie was ‘chilling’ in his room sketching the amazing designs running through his imaginatively talented head. Brodie graduated from high school right around the same time Jake came home from his mission, and the two soon headed out to Provo for school and work. Jake decided to take a summer job selling solar panels in California and wanted Brodie to come along with him. “I’ve always wanted Brodie to be a part of everything I’m doing, and when I got the sales job, I wanted him to come with me. I thought it would be a good opportunity for him to develop a lot of good skills.” But Brodie had other plans.

    While working at Smash Athletics, a screen-printing business, Brodie thought, “I like to draw, and I like to create stuff. I might as well put them [the drawings] on some clothes. I have a book where I write down my ideas, and I started drawing things I thought would be fun. Eventually, I was like, I want to try and create a clothing business because I’ve always really liked fashion and clothing and the idea of designing and having my own fashion line.”

    Brodie shared his idea with Jake, and, like any good big brother would do, he jumped at the opportunity to join his little brother on this new adventure together — and Kujoh was born! Well, according to Brodie, it took a lot of tries and a few weeks to come up with a name he loved and could envision what he wanted the brand to represent. Brodie shared, “I was eating dinner one day, and it just came to my head: Kujoh. It [this particular spelling] doesn’t mean anything in any language — I looked it up — but I really liked it.”

    Both Brodie and Jake have been looking things up, researching, and doing their homework as they’ve worked together creating their brand and business. The two complement each other perfectly. Jake explained, “Brodie is a very talented kid, very artistically talented. He has a lot of gifts in drawing, and just being able to see something, and I am not at all that way. I’m good at seeing the whole picture and helping to organize and structure a lot of things. I’m good at seeing a process through, taking an idea, creating a finished product, and getting it out to people.”

    Jake is very much an extravert, while Brodie is more of an introvert — which works out quite well. While Jake networks, makes connections with various companies, and creates the marketing plans; Brodie goes to his room, turns out the lights, lights some candles, gets out his book, and goes to town creating. Brodie also decides on all the merchandise and does the screen printing for each piece. Jake stated, “Brodie is for sure the heavy lifter in all this, and I’ve just sort of helped map it out. My purpose is to help Kujoh get exposure so Brodie can concentrate on creating clothing that not only he will wear but that others will want to wear too.”

    Jakob Kahler | Brodie Kahler
    Kujoh

    After speaking with both boys, I have to say I was very impressed with how evenly matched they are. In my opinion, they are both heavy lifters — just in different ways. When asked how they were funding their business endeavors (I assumed their parents were helping out financially. Well . . . you know what they say about making assumptions), Jake modestly shared, “I was the one who funded the business to get us on our feet and get started, get our website set up and help us create the test products. We haven’t had to reach out to anyone for help or take out any business loans.” He explained how that was possible, “What I made during the summer we put into the business and whatever we make from sales will go right back into the business. We want to make sure that we can stay on top of everything without ever getting behind or ahead of ourselves. So, that is where I stepped in and started the ball rolling on the business side, making sure that I got all the funding taken care of for everything,” pretty impressive for a 20-year-old.

    For now, Smash Athletics is allowing Brodie to utilize their equipment. “I get to go in the shop and set the screens with my design, I choose the colors, and everything — it’s nice.” However, Brodie said that as their need for larger quantities grows, they plan on acquiring their own equipment. The brothers hope to eventually have a production/merchandise warehouse, in addition to a storefront where people can not only purchase their clothing but also come and hang out and have fun, “maybe watch a football game or participate in an activity.” More like a café meets sports club meets merch vibe — Kujoh is not necessarily about a lifestyle but about experiences.

    Brodie shared that, “. . . throughout Instagram we will be posting photos where our clothing drops are more like events you can come to. I really want to make the brand a kind of interactive thing. It’s not just clothing; it’s deeper than that. I’m just really excited to be able to explore that in the future.”

    What do Jake and Brodie hope for the future of Kujoh? Well, for now, they are looking forward to introducing their brand — Kujoh went live Sunday, February 20th! Pictures of their base layer: a hoodie, a crew neck, and a hat — just for starters — were posted on social media beforehand. If all goes well, which I have no doubt they will, the brothers hope to create fun pop-ups around the country, and eventually nationally. In conjunction with their pop-ups they would also like to start their own non-profit or collaborate with an existing one to share their brand and help others. Brodie explained, “I’d like to do these little pop-ups for a few months at a time in different places where we can get to know other people and immerse ourselves in their culture and help where we can. I also want to collaborate with different brands and companies. I’ve already looked into starting my own charity and what that would take, but it might be easier to work with one that already exists. I want to do a lot of charity, that is important to me. For now, though, we are just concentrating on getting our brand out there.”

    Remember earlier when Brodie said that they want their brand to be more about experiences than about clothes — to be deeper? Well, Brodie is already working on a second clothing line called Kujoh and Kin. He said, “I really like the idea of kin being family.” Jake and Brodie shared that they couldn’t have done any of this without the support of their family and friends throughout this entire experience. They both laugh when Jake shares, “Our parents are our best clients right now — they’re wearing all the stuff!” Jake also shared that many of their friends have jumped in with both feet helping with photography, photoshoots, getting the word out, etc., etc.

    Kujoh is truly about the experiences we share with our family and friends, and above all else, it’s about two brothers celebrating each others’ unique gifts and strengths; doing their part to make the world a better place by bringing people together through shared experiences!

  • Calling All Artists!

    Calling All Artists!

    With all of the talented artists we have here in our valley it should come as no surprise that, collectiviely, their art work can be seen from Wasatch County to all across the globe. This spring and summer there is an opportunity for our amazing artists to share their gift(s) with Summit County by creating a Historical Mural in Hoytsville, Utah.  

    “The SCPAAB is seeking qualified artists to create a two-dimensional mural celebrating and honoring the history, heritage, and culture of Hoytsville and Summit County. The mural will be installed on the exterior of the Public Works Building in Hoytsville and should be approximately 121’X11’, with some flexibility based on design concept and development. There are plans to also include a “listening tour” with interviews from Hoytsville residents, local historians, and Indigenous Tribal members.”

    The project will have a budget of $10,000; deadline for RFQ submissions is February 20, 2022 by 5:00 pm (MST). To learn more please visit: www.summitcounty.org

    According to the SCPAAB’s website the following requirements are needed for application submission:

    Letter of Interest – This letter should be no more than one page and should explain the Artist’s interest in the project.

    Current Resume – If submitting as a team, a current resume for each team member [should] be provided.

    Visual Support Materials – Submit 10 digital images of your professional work. Images must be submitted in the following format:

    • File Type: JPEGs
    • Image Size: Images to be no more than 1920 pix on the longest side saved at 72 dpi.
    • File Labeling: Files must be titled with a number indicating the viewing order, followed by the artist’s last name. The numbers must correspond to the accompanying Image List.

    Use “0” in front of single digit numbers. Do not use more than 30 characters, and use only letters, numbers and underscores, example: 01_Smith.jpg

    Annotated image list – The image list must include the artist’s name and a brief description of the image stating its title, date, medium, size, location and if a commissioned project, the commission budget.

    Community Engagement: 2-3 Examples of community engagement projects or workshops that were coordinated with past public art projects.

    References – A list of at least three professional references that have an intimate

    knowledge of artist’s work and working methods. The list must include complete emails and telephone numbers.

    Contract – The individual(s) selected shall be required to enter into a professional services agreement with the County on a form to be drafted and approved by the Summit County Attorney’s Office. Applicants must read the County’s standard professional services agreement (posted at http://summitcounty.org/249/Public-Art), which includes the artist’s mandatory insurance requirements. Contracted Artist(s) may be subject to additional requirements in the contract related specifically to the project.

    Materials (including links to file sharing services) should be emailed to: [email protected] with the subject line: RFQ Submission – Hoytsville Historical Mural.

    All submissions must be received by 5:00pm MST on February 20, 2022. Submission of digital materials is required. Digital format responses will be accepted via email (Attn: Thea Henney, Summit County Public Art Advisory Board Administrator at [email protected]).

    Read More

    Questions

    Summit County Public Art

    Attn: Thea Henney

    Summit County Public Art Advisory Board Administrator

    PO Box 4455

    Park City, UT 84060

    [email protected]

    http://summitcounty.org/249/Public-Art

  • Happy Hanukkah

    Happy Hanukkah

    “The spirit of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is shared by all people who love freedom.” – Norma Simon, Author

    Freedom we all know is not free. And though the cost of freedom is always high, one cannot afford to surrender or submit. Across all cultures and as far back as oral recollections and written records go, there have always been tales and historical writings of those who would remove the freedoms of others and of those who would rise up and fight for their people’s independence.

    As a nation, we celebrate our independence every year on the Fourth of July with traditions such as fireworks, barbeques, parades, and gatherings across the country. However, as individuals, families, and sects, we all celebrate our various heritages, cultures, and ancestral independence in numerous ways throughout the year.

    One such celebration takes place every year in November or December (depending on the cyclical nature of the Jewish calendar). Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication or Festival of Lights, is a celebration commemorating the ‘Miracle of the Oil’ that took place during the rededication of the Second Temple. The holiday is also a time to reflect on the Jewish revolution against the assimilation and suppression of their religious freedoms during the reign of Antiochus IV. Although widely thought of as the “Jewish Christmas” due to the proximity of dates, that idea couldn’t be further from the truth – Hanukkah has been observed and celebrated since around 164 BCE, more than 150 years before Jesus of Nazareth was born.

    The Story of Hanukkah

    Before we begin, let’s clear up some of the confusion regarding the spelling of Hanukkah, or is it Chanukah? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “The answer is that both are considered correct, though Hanukkah is the most widely used spelling, while Chanukah is more traditional. In addition, more than 20 other variations are recorded.” I love ‘traditional’ so, as we revisit history, I’ll use the old world spelling for a bit.

    The story of Chanukah begins in 332 BCE during the reign of Alexander the Great. Although Alexander had conquered Persia, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine, he allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. However, more than a century after the rule of Alexander the Great, a Syrian King, Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid dynasty, came into power. And everything changed. Under the tyranny of Antiochus, the Jewish people were persecuted, oppressed, and thousands were massacred.

    There were many changes and severe restrictions placed upon the Jews; and their culture, beliefs, and religious practices. Antiochus appointed a Hellenistic “High Priest” to their Temple and had a statue of Apollo erected inside. The Jews Torah scrolls were confiscated and burned, and the study of Torah (scriptures) was outlawed. Antiochus made it mandatory for the Jewish people to eat pork (a non-Kosher food/animal); the refusal to do so was punishable by death. Circumcision was illegal and also punishable by death. The observance of Shabbat was illegal, and the worship of Greek Gods was legally forced upon them. To further desecrate the Temple, Antioch required an altar sacrifice of swine. The sacrificing of pigs on the altar began on Kislev (the ninth month of the Jewish calendar) in honor of Apollo’s birthday — December 25th.

    Revolution, Rededication, and Rejoicing

    There are various historical accounts regarding the events that incited what is known as the Maccabee1 uprising; however, most historians agree that there were two groups who opposed Antiochus: a nationalistic group led by the Hasmonean family of the High Priest Mattathias and his five sons, including the eldest, Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim (forerunners of the Pharisees and no direct connection to the modern movement knows as Chasidism). The two joined forces and waged a victorious three-year war against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and the oppression by the Seleucid Greek government.

    Following the death of his father, Mattathias, in 166 BCE, Judah took the helm. And within two years, these Jewish warriors took control, founded the Hasmonean dynasty, reasserted the Jewish religion, expanded the boundaries of Judea, and reduced the influence of Hellenism and Hellenistic Judaism. According to History.com, in preparation for the rededication of the Temple, “Judah called on his followers to cleanse the Second Temple, rebuild its altar and light its menorah — the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation, and were meant to be kept burning every night.” The rededication took place on the 25th of Kislev (December) in 165 BCE. In his book titled The Feasts Unlocked, A Practical Understanding of God’s Holy Days, Allan R. Aguirre explains that, “. . .after defeating Antiochus IV and driving his forces out from the Temple, very little of the prescribed oil to light and keep the Temple menorah lit was left or undefiled by the Syrian-Greeks. The “Miracle of Lights” is that this one-day supply of oil lasted and burned for the entire eight-day period needed to prepare [the consecrated oil].” This miraculous event inspired Judah to proclaim a yearly eight-day festival memorializing the rededication of the Temple and the restoration of Torah observances. It is believed that one year later the first Chanukah was celebrated.

    Several sources, including history.com and Allan R. Aguirre, state that there could be a possibility that the ‘first Chanukah’ may have been a belated celebration of Sukkot, which the Jews had not had the chance to observe during the revolt. Sukkot is one of the most important Jewish holidays and consists of seven days of feasting, prayer, and festivities. Aguirre mentions the book Antiquities of the Jews where Josephus gives an account of the festival, “. . . they [the Jewish people] were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when, after a long time of intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their worship, that they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from that time to this, we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights.”

    Chanukah or Hanukkah Today

    Today, Hanukkah is still celebrated worldwide with the traditional lighting of the candles in the menorah (the only religious observance related to the holiday) and the gathering of friends and family for stories, songs, food, and games. It is traditional to eat fried foods on Hanukkah in memory of the significance of oil to the holiday. One of the more popular foods is latkes, which date back to at least the middle ages. Originally latkes were made of cheese fried in oil; until the 19th century when the potato arrived in eastern Europe. Today, latkes are synonymous with fried potato pancakes. There are about as many variations of latkes as there are spellings of Hanukkah. Sufganiyot’s, Jelly-filled doughnuts, are also a traditional fried food served during Hanukkah.

    Gift-giving is not a tradition of Hanukkah; although, with the commercialization of all holidays, some families will exchange gifts among immediate family members. According to the website Judaism 101, “It is extremely unusual for Jews to give Chanukkah gifts to anyone other than their own young children. The traditional gift of the holiday is “gelt” small amounts of money.”

    Another tradition of Hanukkah is playing dreidel. Dreidel is a game of chance developed during the time of Antiochus. Those who wanted to study Torah, which was illegal, would conceal their activity by playing a gambling game with a top — a common and legal activity — whenever an official of Antiochus’ was nearby. Aguirre explains, “The dreidel was marked with four Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimel, Hei, and Shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase nes gadol hayah sham “a great miracle happened there” [in modern Israel, the letters were changed to reflect the translation “a great miracle happened here”] referring to the miracle of the oil. The letters also stand for the Yiddish words Nit (nothing), Gantz (all), Halb (half), and Shtell (put), which are the rules to the game.”

    No festival, celebration, or holiday is complete without music, and Hanukkah is no exception. Many traditional songs celebrating Hanukkah date back centuries and are sung in Hebrew, though there have been attempts to translate the songs into other languages such as Yiddish and English.

    This year, Hanukkah will begin at sunset on the 28th of November 2021 and end at nightfall on the 6th of December 2021 (Jewish Year 5782).

    The author, Anita Diamant, shared, “This is the season when people of all faiths and cultures are pushing back against the planetary darkness. We string bulbs, ignite bonfires, and light candles. And we sing.” Whatever holiday(s) we observe during the winter months; I challenge all of us to celebrate with kindness, inclusivity, respect, care, and genuine love for our neighbors, and an appreciation for those who protect and fight for the freedoms of all.

    Perhaps the Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, expressed what should be at the very heart of every society when he declared, “Hanukkah is about the freedom to be true to what we believe without denying the freedom of those who believe otherwise.”

    The Menorah and Hanukkiah

    A menorah, which has only seven candleholders, was the lamp used in the ancient Holy Temple in Jerusalem — now a symbol of Judaism and an emblem of Israel. A Hanukkiah, however, has nine candlesticks — one for each night of Hanukkah and an extra one (the shammash or servant) to light the others. During each night of Hanukkah, a blessing is offered while the candles are lit; candles are inserted from right to left but are lit from left to right.

     

    1 The name Maccabee is often used as a synonym for the entire Hasmonean dynasty, but the Maccabees proper were Judas Maccabeus and his four brothers.

  • Adventures Of Skinner

    Adventures Of Skinner

    The smith, a mighty man is he,

    With large and sinewy hands;

    And the muscles of his brawny
    arms are strong as iron bands.

    Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “The Village Blacksmith”

    It is believed that Albert Einstein once said, “Life is a journey with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all experiences to enjoy.” For David “Skinner” Collins, that saying couldn’t be truer. Anxious to get started, Skinner began his life’s journey two months early. At two pounds six ounces, he fit on the palm of his father’s hand. “I was the first male and the first grandchild on both sides of the family. So, I have the oldest child syndrome. . .” Skinner was raised by his German grandmother, who gave him this explanation for his coming early, “You’ve always done this, you just started early doing things before people thought you were supposed to be doing it and you did it faster . . . if anyone tried to help you, you’d throw a fit — you did it yourself!” Skinner chuckles as he expresses, “I really have done that all my life, and through good guidance from my grandmother. She spoke clear. She didn’t beat around the bush; you never had to guess what she was thinking because she’d tell you before you wanted to know anyway. It’s a trait that I’ve taken on as well. In that process, I lived all my dreams by the time I was 29 — and I’ve been dreaming ever since.”

    Growing Up

    Skinner was born on Manitoulin Island into the Scottish clan Cranstoune, and was raised on a 187-acre farm just outside Sault Ste. Marie in a place called Bar River. “We grew all our own food; we had our own animals. We were known for being able to butcher anything, and in fact, people joked that ‘when the Collins’ butchered a pig, they used everything including the squeal.’ That was the way I was raised. If you butcher an animal, that animal is giving its life for you; you use it all — even the hides. I learned how to do all that at a very young age. It was just a part of life at that time.” Although everyone around them had furnaces, electricity, and indoor plumbing, Grandma Collins would have ‘none of it.’ “I’ve lived this long without it — I don’t need it now.” Skinner agreed, “And we didn’t. Did we miss anything? Not at all!”

    At the age of six, Skinner was given a neck yoke to carry water from a nearby spring-fed river for the house and milk pens. “We had to work if we were going to live. Period. So, you split wood, and you knew how to use an axe and how to fell a tree by the time you were six. When I was nine, I went to work for a neighbor farmer and started shoeing horses. By the time I was eleven, I was doing a lot of things that most kids now at 20 years old don’t do. But the thing is, is that it was a different time and place.” Young Skinner was also a mischievous kid who had fun with friends; he learned to work hard and play hard, he learned to ask questions and solve problems, he learned to appreciate nature and to serve others. All of which would prepare him to dream big and achieve big.

    “When I was eleven years old, I sat under a tree with a friend of mine, and we got to talking about what we’d really like to do — if there were specific things — what were the top three. I’d watched some black and white movies, so I wanted to be on a wagon train, and I’d like to set a world’s record, and maybe be a performer too.” The goals were spoken, the universe complied, and Skinner grabbed hold with both hands — quite literally — riding, driving, and swinging his way through some pretty amazing adventures!

    What’s in a name?

    When Skinner was 17, he discovered that mules were much more efficient than horses and began trekking all over the country on the back of them. On one quick jaunt, while in Virginia, he rode a mule cross-country over a mountain faster than a truck. When the rest of his group arrived they started calling him ‘Mule’, which developed into ‘Mule Skinner’, which two weeks later was shortened to just ‘Skinner’ and the name stuck.

    Driving Stakes, Clowning Around, and Riding Horses

    Skinner’s father worked on the freighters on the Great Lakes, worked in a steel mill, and was a steeplechase jockey. He received his track license with Willie Shoemaker, who is recognized as the most successful jockey in racing history. Skinner shared, “When it came time to working a particular horse on the track — Willie said that my dad could get the horse to do what they needed it to do. He was a natural at it, which I picked up from him . . . horses are my business.” Always working towards his three grand goals; Skinner thought, “. . . maybe I’ll ride a fast horse and set a record. As far as performing, maybe I’ll perform on horses, [but] to be on a wagon train in the 20th century — maybe not — so I brushed it off.”

    Skinner had seen a few things in his life, but one thing he hadn’t seen was a circus — that is until he joined one! “I joined the circus to stretch canvas and drive stakes; fifteen months later, I was number three in the top ten buffoon clowns in North America.” How the heck did that happen you ask? Skinner explained, “One of the old clowns thought I’d make a good clown. I turned him down, but he suckered me into a routine. He was doing a vaudeville routine that took two people — I knew the other part of it, so he had me do it — it was his proof that I would make a good clown. I said no, but the owner of the circus was right behind me . . .
    and I couldn’t have my other job unless I was a clown, so that was the end of that.” Skinner also performed as one of the top ten aerial stunt clowns in the United States. “I swung on a quadruple trapeze that was 47 feet off the ground.”

    Skinner stayed on with the ‘big’ circus for four years before going home and producing his own Circus: Smiles International, the Biggest Little Show on Earth. “It was connected to the educational system in Canada . . . and I taught high school and college students all aspects of theatrical production. I had jugglers, tumblers, ventriloquists, slack wire walkers, and illusionists.  In the summer we would have workshops in the park . . . and then the last Saturday of the month we’d come together, and everybody got to perform and entertain the whole town.” The program was eventually picked up by the Canadian Children’s Workshop Theatre, an organization that awarded grants to anything that promoted the arts in Canada. As part of his show, Skinner also had a ventriloquist act with his ‘Muppet’ friend Oscar Sledge, the world’s only talking chimpanzee. Together the two of them traveled the country educating children, performing, and raising money for those in need. For Skinner, the best part of his circus was giving students, who may never have performed, the opportunity. “When you get into the performing business, it gives you a social structure that allows you to be open with people and understand people. You can see things in a little different light. So, it was good for them to come out of their shells, and when they did, their other careers took off.”

    After he closed his show, he went back to the horse business and blacksmithing. “Not knowing where it was going, I started beating steel. . .” He took a small break to return to performing — this time with horses. Colonel Trevor Bale, an honored trainer with Vienna’s famous Spanish Riding School that features the Lipizzaner horses, and a friend of Skinner’s whom he met while with the circus, found Skinner working in Michigan. The Colonel needed some help with one of his horses and knew of Skinner’s reputation of getting them to do what they needed to do. “The next thing you know, I rode for 2 ½ years with the Imperial Lipizzaner Stallions as a primary rider. So, I actually did make it as a horse performer, which was great.” Become a performer. Check.

    Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, keep those ‘wagons’ rollin’!

    Remember the part where Skinner said he didn’t know where beating steel would go? Well, being a dang good blacksmith paved the way for many an experience — including the one dream he thought he’d have to set aside — joining a wagon train.

    As a blacksmith, Skinner traveled the country, worked for the national parks (he was the sole blacksmith on the rim of the Grand Canyon for 3 ½ years), and rode everywhere he could on the back of a mule. “I rode all the Blue Ridge and the Smokies, and 200 miles short of the full Appalachians, and twice from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico, and then I came west. I rode on a road over Virginia and arrived in Livingston, Montana . . . and rebuilt five of the Yellowstone Stage Coaches, and then the Western part of my life started.”

    While in Yellowstone, Skinner drove coaches and cooked for the Lake Hotel and a dozen others. Skinner’s knowledge across various lines of work, combined with his love for history, made him the go-to person for big movie shoots and a few reality shows. He drove carriages and helped locate historical props. “History becomes our future. It really does. And the more you know of history, the more you know of the future — it becomes a wonderful thing. Everything that I’ve done, I’ve learned the why and how and where it came from.”

    The wagon train also brought Skinner to Utah and the Heber Valley. “I was in Mackinac Island — a horse-powered island. I was driving a horse-drawn taxi, and I picked up some recruiters from Deer Valley . . . we got to talking, and they hired me to cook for them.” Skinner didn’t know anything about Deer Valley, Heber City, or Utah, but he decided to come down and work for a season. When the season ended, Skinner was within hours of leaving when a gentleman from Idaho asked him to represent them on the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail. In the summer of 1992, Skinner rode from Independence to Oregon City with a four-hitch of mules. Every subsequent summer for the next seven years, he would leave for 3-5 months on another wagon train. Some were reenactments where companies would sponsor them, while others were for Bicentennial or Centennial celebrations.  Most wagon trains had support vehicles, and they would set up large tent encampments; however, some did not. “We did the Blaine County Freight Run, which was a blast! Those trails hadn’t been traveled for sixty years; it was what we called a fend-for-yourself wagon train. There were no support vehicles. You either put it on your horse or in your wagon, or you didn’t bring it.” This wasn’t a problem for Skinner; he was used to being a one-man operation.

    The two people you don’t mess with on a wagon train are the blacksmith and the cook. Skinner generally held both positions for each wagon train he was on. He occasionally acted as the medic too. He was astute, proficient, quick, precise, and well-respected by those on the trail and those who worked with or sponsored the wagon trains. A great example of this was Henry Weinhard’s Beer, who was a major sponsor of the Oregon Trail. They would bring in groups of people each week; they had their own horses, but the horses needed to be shod — of course, they went straight to Skinner. “I would charge them $100 per horse and a case of Henry Weinhard’s Beer. They said fine. Well, after three weeks of this, they quit giving me cases of beer. What they did was call their delivery people when the wagon train was close to them, and the delivery truck would show up and load the back end of one of our horse trailers — just load it! Two-thirds of the train were mule guys, and they said if you’re getting the beer, we’ll get the coolers! That was fun.”

    Skinner represented Wasatch County for the Utah Centennial in a wagon train that used big teams of mules and antique wagons. There were 109  wagons that started the trek from Logan to Cedar City; Wasatch County was number 100. Only seven wagons completed the trail from start to finish. Skinner’s wagon was one of them; he also received recognition as the most authentic wagon. The day after the wagon train pulled in, Wasatch County erected the statue of William Madison Wall. Skinner shared this interesting tidbit of Heber Valley history; during the rededication of the park, he was asked to help place a time capsule at the base of the statue.

    Skinner has traveled 40,000+ miles in the saddle; and well over 20,000 miles on wagon trains. It is fitting that Skinner’s first time arriving in the Salt Lake Valley was by wagon. Be on a wagon train. Check, check, and double-check.

    Sketch of Skinner, by R. Duncan
    Sketch of Skinner, by R. Duncan
    Henry Weinhard beer promotion
    Henry Weinhard beer promotion

    Dreams and Everything in Between

    To record all that Skinner has experienced would take volumes of tomes. In a nutshell, it would be accurate to state that the fantasy world we all escape to through books, movies, plays, etc. has been Skinner’s world: from living in a 7’X7’ lean-to for a year-and-a-half that he built in the side of a Virginian mountain to fixing wheels and axels for the Amish to designing stages and auditoriums; from holding process patents on steel for mules and Jackasses to cooking for some of the largest ranches in the country and Bear Ships in AK, to running a Chuck Wagon at Soldier Hollow during the 2001 World Games to setting up a blacksmith shop in Melvin Moulton’s old Smithy to sitting for local artist Robert Duncan; from growing a magnificent 7 ½ inch mustache to giving up pants for a comfortable Kilt to tracing his Scottish and Irish ancestors back to the 15th and 11th centuries to being able to trace equine genetic history back to the time of Alexander the Great and Cleopatra to . . . well you get the picture. For Skinner — it’s all about the ‘Can Do’ attitude. When he shares his life stories with others, it is not to brag or boast; it’s about connecting with people and helping them open up about their experiences. It’s about showing others that they don’t just have to read about adventures; they can go out and live them.

    Oh, and the dream to set a world record?  Yep, he did that too. Skinner was hired to do a sideshow while in Michigan. As part of his act, he would break concrete blocks with his head — he says it was that or shove ice-picks in his head, swallow swords, or spit fire — all of which are in his repertoire. At this point, that statement should come as no surprise. Although he was only allowed to break 6” at a time, he wouldn’t be Skinner if he didn’t at least try to break more. He did. “I broke 14 ½ inches in one hit with my head in March of 1981.” Set a world record. Check.

    What’s next for Skinner? “I just keep adventuring. I just take new challenges and do something different.” Skinner has lived, and keeps on living each day as if it was his last, and along the way, he chooses to share his stories and encourage others to share theirs. Having the courage to be open is probably one of the reasons Skinner makes friends everywhere he goes. Many of these friendships have developed into life-long treasured relationships.

    One cannot sum up a life in a few pages; however, I believe this particular Muppet quote (appropriate because ‘Muppets’ right?) might do Skinner’s life justice. In the song “A Thankful Heart” from The Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooge and his entourage gently state: “Life is like a journey, who knows when it ends? Yes, and if you need to know the measure of a man, you simply count his friends.”

  • 2021 Wasatch County General Election

    2021 Wasatch County General Election

    03. November 2021 – Wasatch County, Utah

    While most of us were sleeping, city and county staff spent their night counting ballots into the wee hours of Wednesday morning.  As of this reporting there are currently 40 provisional ballots waiting to be verified and many mail-in ballots expected to arrive over the next few days. All votes will go through a canvassing process – which generally takes two weeks – before official results are released.  The ‘unofficial’ results are as follows:

    Charleston Mayor
    Brenda Kozlowski
    123 60.59%
    David Hendricksen
    80 39.41%
    Charleston Council
    Scott Solum
    117 31.03%
    James D. Howells
    85 22.55%
    Marc L. Mair
    91 24.14%
    Joseph Grahm
    85 22.28%
    Daniel Mayor
    Scott Kohler
    200 58.31%
    Michael Duggin
    143 41.69%
    Daniel Council
    Robyn R. Pearson
    184 29.21%
    Stefanie Grady
    160 25.4%
    Jonathan Blotter
    228 36.19%
    John A. Glodowski
    58 9.21%
    Heber City Mayor
    Kelleen L. Potter
    1,598 48.99%
    Heidi Franco
    1,664 51.01%
    Heber City Council
    D. Scott Phillips
    1,741 57.8%
    Wayne Hardman
    731 23.7%
    Yvonne M. Barney
    1,269 42.2%
    Bryce Hoover
    510 16.4%
    Hideout Mayor
    Philip J. Rubin
    144 94.12%
    Candidate Withdrawn
    9 5.88%
    Hideout Council (4 year term)
    Chris M. Baier
    132 52.8%
    Ralph Severini
    118 47.2%
    Hideout Council (2 year term)
    Bob Nadelberg
    122 48.8%
    Carol Haselton
    128 51.2%
    Midway Mayor
    Celeste Johnson
    1,174 100%
    Midway Council
    Jeffrey G. Drury
    1,139 52.34%
    JC Simonsen
    1,037 47.66%
    Wallsburg Council
    Terri Eisel
    76 42.94%
    Eric Andersen
    30 16.95%
    Scott W. Larsen
    71 40.11%
    Proposition #6 RAP TAX
    FOR (YES)
    3,744 49.93%
    AGAINST (NO)
    3,754 50.07%

    Registered Voters

    19,902

    Ballots Cast

    7,675

    Voter Turnout
    0%

    www.wasatch.utah.gov/clerk  Election Summary Report last update 11/02/2021 10:39pm

  • Vernon Murdock

    Vernon Murdock

    “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

    – Pablo Picasso

    Vernon Murdock began creating art from the moment he first figured out how to hold a pencil. As a very young child, he loved nature; he loved the mountains and the fields that surrounded his home — so he drew them. He enjoyed looking at and watching cartoons — and sketched those too. Vernon’s curiosity about how things worked was no different — he illustrated all the stationary and moving parts. He adored and loved his family and treasured his ancestor’s stories of the past — and eventually depicted his favorite scenes with pencil in hand. He loved and revered his God and his Savior — and in time, he would create a full-color 230-page piece of art to honor them — a gift for his posterity. It hasn’t been an easy road, but Vernon has done his very best to remain an artist as he grew up.

     

    “The main thing is to be moved, to love, to hope, to tremble, to live.”
    – Auguste Rodin

    Vernon L. Murdock was born in 1928 to Thomas and Millie Murdock of Heber City, Utah. Vernon and his siblings grew up in what he describes as, “a tiny three-room house with a path, not a bath but a path,” he laughs as he shares his fondness for his childhood home. “I was born in the house next door and as kids, we were just children of nature. There wasn’t room in the house for more than one or two people to be comfortable, so us [sic] kids lived outside all the time. But we had a good time and we enjoyed life. We grew up not knowing any better; it’s a good thing, a year after I was born the depression hit, so I’m a child of the great depression — I lived through that. We were raised on nothing and didn’t know the difference.”

    Vernon’s childhood was full of trepidation, hard work, loss, hope, joy, love, a little bit of mischief, and of course, art. His voice is soft and reserved as he shares some of his memories. “My father was a minor and mother was an excellent cook. She made do with whatever she had. We didn’t have any land, except this little square that this house sits on, and it scared my father really bad to know how to feed us kids because the mines shut down during the depression. The miners were out of work and so in his attempt to feed us, we plowed up every square inch of ground that was available in this block and planted it with vegetables. That was our job as kids; weeding and watering and taking care of the vegetables while dad was out looking for work.”

    “Dad found work with the CCC, the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was part of the Roosevelt (FDR) administration’s effort to provide work for men. Dad was sent to California to work on parks and other projects. He was paid $30 a month and sent $26 and something home for mom and us kids.”

    “There was[sic] seven of us kids. My older brother, who I adored, he was my hero. He contracted polio and died when he was only seven and I was only five. That was tough because we couldn’t have a normal funeral with polio. They put his casket by the window inside the house, so we were all outside. We had the funeral on the lawn. We put boards on logs and those were the seats. We sat on the logs for the funeral and looked into the window and that was …” Vernon’s voice drifts off for a moment deep in thought. In the quiet, I silently empathize with his loss. He continues with a smile, “My siblings, with one exception, are still alive. My older sister died when she was 97, my next older sister is 96, and I’m 93. My brother is 91; he lives next door to me. So, here we are, all long in the tooth and all of us still alive. We’ve been blessed that way. [We] always had a great family relationship with each other. [We] loved our brothers and sisters — always have. [We’ve] always been good to each other, which is a great blessing.”

     

    “Every artist was first an amateur.”
    – Ralph Waldo Emerson

    The Murdock family was blessed and they enjoyed many delightful moments together through the years. Whatever life dished out — good or bad — Vernon was always focused on art. “I was always an artist from the time I was able to hold a pencil and that was just what I was. It was a natural gift, I guess, and so I tried to be an artist, become an artist.” He attended BYU for a few years, taking as many art classes as he could, before serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He spent three years in Argentina and fell in love with the culture, language, and people. While in Argentina the Korean War broke out. When Vernon returned from his mission he joined the Air Force ROTC, graduated from BYU, and received his commission in the Air Force. He went through pilot training and became a pilot. He reminisces, “It was quite an experience flying airplanes and helicopters. My favorite was the F86. It was a premier fighter; it was a Korean War-era fighter. It was a good aircraft, it was the last of the old type airplanes that you had direct control of, there was no electrical or pneumatic interference between you and the airplane — you were part of the aircraft.”

    After the war ended Vernon went back to BYU. He had been promised an assistantship to teach art. “I went to BYU and ran up the stairs to the dean’s office and said, ‘Here I am’ and lo and behold there was Pharaoh who knew not Joseph. The Dean said, ‘Who are you’ so that was my big balloon burst and I came floating down and hit the ground. So, I got married,” he chuckles and smiles.

    Vernon met Elizabeth Joan Vance while attending BYU, “Elizabeth worked at the BYU health center as a nurse and I met her when I went into the BYU health center. I was working as an electrician for the University putting myself through school. I was there fixing the lights at the health center and in walks this little nurse with her pretty little uniform — in those days they wore a white uniform with a white cap — and I said alright I guess that’ll work.” Vernon ended up dating Elizabeth’s sister and not her. Four years later, after returning from the war, he ran into her again and was like WOW! Part of the attraction Vernon shared was, “Knowing she was from a small town in Northern Mexico was kind of an attractive thing for me. I spoke Spanish and loved the culture and all that stuff so it worked great.” A while after they’d been dating Elizabeth and her dorm mates invited Vernon and his dorm mates over for a home-cooked Mexican supper. Vernon shared, “I went over and got heartburn from the Mexican food and I thought it was love so I proposed to her.” That’s what I call heartburn with a happy ending!

    Vernon and Elizabeth were married in 1958 and raised four beautiful children together. Vernon designed and built their house on the ‘square’ plot where he used to weed and tend the family’s garden. He and Elizabeth hauled every stone for the gorgeous floor-to-ceiling fireplace and hearth that warmed their family home and a loft that would eventually become his art studio. For the first part of their life together Vernon worked as an art teacher at Wasatch High and Granger High. After two years at each school, he’d had enough and decided to take a leap of faith and work full-time as a free-lance artist — and the journey began.

     

    “Creativity takes courage.”
    – Henri Matisse

    Working as a freelancer can be tough but it is also incredibly rewarding. Vernon shared, “It was alright if you don’t mind missing a few meals and if your wife doesn’t divorce you for not being a good provider. I did the best I could. So, now I guess I’m known as an old free-lance artist working up in the garret.” Over the next few decades, Vernon would create thousands of images and hundreds of commissions. He worked for the LDS church illustrating Seminary and Institute manuals, a 16-volume Book of Mormon series on church history, and ten volumes of Bible stories. For the Bible series, Vernon illustrated every page in addition to compiling, layout, and type. Pursuing his love of cartoons Vernon also worked for several of the animation studios in California and discovered something he didn’t expect. “I think that the worst job in the world is animation because there’s no creativity there. You’re putting down what somebody else thought of. I did Smurfs, and the Green Hulk, and Spider-Man, and other stuff. You sit there with an animation disk in front of you that you work on and try to get different angles and stuff like that. It was extremely tedious but I had to make money. Now it doesn’t matter because it’s all on computers, now they do beautiful, marvelous, things with computers. I look at them and I can’t believe the effects that they get. I watch these new things that they come out with and I’m amazed but it’s not the same, the creativity is in the way they manipulate the computer.”

    Everything changes. Everything is in a constant state of flux and the world of art is no different. As our communities, lives, jobs, families, and talents transform it is important to remember, honor, and learn from the past. Honoring our heritage is an integral part of the creative process for Vernon. Anyone who has seen his historical illustrations and paintings can attest to his attention to detail and uncanny way of capturing the emotions of days gone by. In 2009 The Way It Was: Greater Wasatch County First Events and Historical Commentary compiled by Raymond Green, M.D. and Illustrated by Vernon LeRoy Murdock was published. It is beautiful. The illustrations and full-color paintings are so realistic that one feels like they could pick them up off the page or walk right into a scene. When asked about his experience creating the book Vernon shared, “I wanted to build a bridge to that time. I didn’t want to describe it with my words, which are lacking, to show how it was. There’s only one way to describe the way it was and that’s through artwork because people can’t identify it otherwise. This is all being lost now. The generations now don’t understand at all the processes and so forth that we used in those days to put up hay or to farm or to mine or dig canals, any of that.”

    Teaching the new generation about what it took to make Wasatch County what it is today is something Vernon worries about losing. “This valley was totally different than it is now, just a small square of town, without any outbuildings outside the perimeter of town. When I moved into this house I could look out the east window and there wasn’t a house that I could see anywhere. It’s hard for me to drive around the valley now to see all the buildings that are here it’s not the same. It just changed the complexion of the valley entirely, all the Red Ledges buildings, and multi-million dollar homes that are being built up on the hills. It’s just amazing. You go up there and look and you see whole new towns practically everywhere you go where it used to be a pretty rural town now it’s just a huge bedroom community. The people that are moving in are mostly wonderful people but it’s no more a farming town.” When asked what he would say to the community he responded with, “Well . . . it would just be that in order to really appreciate this valley and what it’s about they need to look into the history. They need to at least try and understand how it [Wasatch County] came about and some of the things that created this place. If they don’t then they are missing out on a lot. If they don’t they can’t really appreciate where they are because this valley has a lot of history and it’s all interesting. It was created by sweat, tears, sacrifice, hard work, and courage.”

     

    Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.” – Leonardo da Vinci

    Connecting our community’s past to our future is secondary to Vernon’s true love and passion — his God, his Savior, his children, and posterity. During these past few years, Vernon has worked tirelessly on a book written for his children titled: Because He Loves Us. The book is a history of Christianity from before the earth was created to the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in 1830. In the introduction, Vernon wrote, “I am writing especially to my children and grandchildren with the hope that this view of the history of God’s dealings with his children will give them a better understanding of the true nature of God, which in turn, will give them a better understanding of who they really are, and what they are really worth.” A sentiment I believe we could all benefit from.

    Both books are true works of art, inspiration, hard work, and love. “In working on these books I find that if I work hard enough and long enough, I begin to feel some promptings, promptings from heaven — but it doesn’t come easy. It wasn’t meant to be. The lord intended us to do our very very very[sic] best and work our hardest and then he kind of steps in and inspires us sometimes.”

    Inspiration doesn’t seem to be something that Vernon lacks. From his illustrations to his historical paintings to the commissions he’s asked to create, Vernon captures the vision and increases it beyond his patron’s imaginations. Michael Moulton, Chairman of the Heber City Historic Preservation Commission, commissioned Vernon to create a painting of the Center Creek Cemetery for the LDS church and shared this about his experience, “I took him there [Center Creek Cemetery] and said this is what I see and a few months later he came back with what I had described enhanced at least 200%! It is the most gorgeous, beautiful, inspiring, painting . . . it stands in the Heber East Stake Center now. As far as I’m concerned he is one of the best historical painters out there. I just love everything that he does . . . they’re all marvelous!”

     

    “The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration.”
    – Claude Monet

    When asked about his inspiration Vernon shared, “Usually I have an emotional connection to something. I remember it and go, ya, I need to do that, record that. Nature inspires me. Timpanogos inspires me. I made a trip up to the mountains a few days ago just to get back in the hills and you know every time you get up into the mountains, up into the forest, it’s good for the soul. Those are the things I like to paint, stuff that is good for the soul . . . any creating process kind of connects you with the joy that our Father in heaven had of creation. You begin to understand that in creating things you get joy and that doesn’t mean just the visual arts or music or anything like that, it can be creating anything. You know the work of creation is something that everyone needs to experience.”

    Vernon has experienced an incredible life over the last 93 years; from being a child of the depression to sneaking peas on the vine from the back of a wagon on its way to the pea cannery, to losing a beloved brother, to learning to cherish family. From schooling to war and flying, to work, marriage, and children, to the fulfilling of dreams and the loss of others, and through it all, Vernon captured his childhood love of art and figured out how to “remain an artist once he grew up.”

     

    Vernon Murdock

    “Everyone talks about the creative process but I always start with a pencil first — you’ve got to get it as right as you can. At 93 years of age, everything I do is old fashion [but] I hope my talents are still needed for something.”

  • Born in Scotland Stitched in America

    Born in Scotland Stitched in America

    If you’re one of the brave men and women who regularly don this delightful article of clothing, then you may have heard the saying, “It takes a real man to wear a kilt.” It’s a phrase often spoken — in a comical attempt at sounding Scottish — in our home every time our son wears his kilt — which is pretty much every day! In 2019 we adopted a new saying, one that jumped out from the tag on a newly acquired Commando Kilt from Sport kilt. “A man in a kilt is a man and a half!”

    My son’s obsession with kilts began years ago — before we’d met James Ansite or heard of his amazing kilt shop. Unable to find an affordable kilt for my highland adventurer to romp around in, we settled on seven yards of a bright orange flannel plaid material and constructed our version of the Grand Kilt — it was awesome! He lived in that thing. We eventually forked out some dollars for a very nice traditional wool kilt for special occasions (only he wore that as often as he could too). Then one glorious day, we heard that a kilt shop had recently landed practically in our back yard — our happy camper was overjoyed. I, on the other hand, was nervous that my son would now feel inclined to sell a kidney on the black market to support his habit. Our first visit to Sport Kilt alleviated my worries — the kilts are amazing, well made, and affordable, and — the best part — my son discovered a friend with whom he shared many interests.

    James Ansite was 17 when his kilt adventure began, “I wanted a kilt real bad, so my dad and I made one together. This was back in 1996, and there were no kilt companies with websites; I didn’t know the first place to start. We pulled out the ping-pong table from the garage, laid out the fabric, and used my grandma’s sewing machine.” James’ couldn’t have known his life was about to change — he was just thrilled to be wearing his homemade kilt.

    “I was wearing it around as a teenager, and all my friends thought it was really cool and wanted one too. So we made a few for my friends. We were all racing bikes at the time and would use the kilts to change out of our bike shorts after a race. The cycling community really took after it, and our kilts became one of the best selling products in VeloNews, which was a cycling catalog back in the late ‘90s.”

    James also discovered the Highland Games scene and set up shop along the West Coast during the events. He explains, “It was a perfect fit for the Highland Games community because they needed kilts that were a lighter weight that they could compete in, that didn’t take months to get, and wasn’t as expensive as a $500 kilt made in Scotland.” While all this was going on they started the first website for Kilts, Sportkilt.com. “. . . and here we are twenty-five years later,” James laughs.

    For the past twenty-five years, James has enjoyed creating everything from the Great Kilt to the modern kilt to his latest evolution — the hiking kilt — for Men, Women, and Children. Sport Kilt features 70 different tartans, some traditional, others designed by James, and a spattering of custom plaids. If you can imagine it, Sport Kilt can create it! “We’ve reproduced some of the oldest Scottish family tartans like the Wallace and McDonald. We’ve also designed tartans for states and counties, teams, clubs, families, and various individuals who want something to represent their heritage or just to be different. We created a tartan for the city of Long Beach, CA, and had it approved by the city council and registered in Scotland. With modern-day tartans, the colors can represent whatever you want. For Long Beach, we used blue for the aquatic capital of the US and gold for the 49ers; we had the plaid woven and made into kilts. I’d like to design one for Wasatch and Summit Counties — it would be neat to design now that we are here. Utah has its own tartan, which would be neat to get. We have California, Hawaii, and Nevada. It’s fun to do regional tartans.”

    When it comes to picking a tartan, if you don’t already have your own, James’ advice is, “If you don’t have any Scottish ancestry, just pick a tartan that calls out to you. No one’s going to be offended if you’re wearing their tartan. I’ve worn all seventy tartans that we carry, and I’ve never had a Gordon come up to me and say, ‘hey, you better be a Gordon’; if anything, they are flattered that you like their tartan.” If you’re feeling creative, you can always work with James on designing your unique pattern or purchase material and send it his way. He explains, “We try to order in bulk to keep the price around $69. When we add a new tartan, we like to be fairly certain that we can sell at least 100 kilts in that tartan. So we are looking for tartans that have mass appeal. People can also send us their own material. We need about five yards to build a custom kilt; we can do pockets, belt loops, whatever they want. People send us wild material all the time; animal prints, sports teams, comic book characters, you name it. That is our niche here —providing kilts that are good quality and a lot of fun!”

    Speaking of fun, James has taken the traditional, modern-day kilt, as we’ve come to know it, and added a creative twist. Breaking away from the traditional wool and belt, Sport Kilts are made with their custom brand of cloth, and you can order them with belt loops or — wait for it — Velcro! I know, amazing, right? James explains, “Our flagship material is an eight-ounce poly rayon that we have specially made for us. It holds a pleat well, feels like very fine wool, but doesn’t contain any wool, so it’s hypoallergenic and breathable. It’s great for being active.” Taking the kilt along for the ride into the 21st century, James’ latest evolutions of the kilt include his hiking and comfy kilts. “For our hiking kilt, we use microfiber, like board short material, that dries quickly and packs down small. People have worn them in ultra marathons, for fly-fishing, paddle boarding, rafting, surfing, and to hike the Appalachian trails.” According to Sport Kilts website, “Wearing our lounge kilts [Comfy Kilt] is like wearing PJ’s without the hassle of stepping into flannel pants. Made of super-soft 100% cotton flannel, it’s hands-down the most comfortable kilt in the world.”

    All of the kilts, except for the Commando Kilt, are made in-house — right here in Heber. When asked why the move to our valley, James replied, “The driving force was for my kids. I wanted them to have more opportunities to get outdoors. Growing up in Southern California, we were lucky to see snow once or twice a year; watching my twins play in the snow this winter was amazing. I want them to experience the seasons and see moose, and deer, and things like that that I didn’t get to do when I was younger. I’m trying to give them a more nature-inspired lifestyle.” James and his family love it here and are grateful for the support they have received from the community; they’re also enjoying getting to know their neighbors. James has particularly enjoyed getting to meet one of his customers, who just happened to live here in our valley. “There’s a cowboy chef in town named Skinner who wears our kilts every day. We talked on the phone when we were in CA, but now that we are here, he’ll pop over in the afternoon, and we’ll shoot the breeze. He’s a great guy and we’ve become good friends.”

    I highly recommend ‘popping’ over for a visit too — and don’t forget to ask for a tour of their backroom! Their huge bolts of fabric, oversized cutting tables, sewing machines, sergers, and racks and racks of finished kilts is a sight to see. While 99% of Sport Kilt’s business is done online, they love having people drop by to visit. Although you can just walk in for custom designs, James says it’s best to call first to make sure they’re available. I suggest you call just to listen to the message on their voice mail — it is awesome!

    “You can buy a kilt from off the rack, or we can tailor your kilt to fit you specifically. We take your shape and size into account when we build your kilt, so it fits perfectly.” James stated that “. . . talking with our customers is always so fun because they are interested in sharing their heritage and history with us; we learn something new and interesting about Scottish and Celtic history almost every day.” James continues with a bit of pride in his voice, “There are all types of reasons why people want to try a kilt for the first time. Our customers are unique individuals; not everyone can have the guts to wear a kilt — it definitely takes some guts — especially the first time. But, once you realize that everyone wants to talk to you, and people smile when you wear it, you get more comfortable and realize how fun it is. It’s a great conversation starter. People want to ask about the tartan you’re wearing, or your ancestors, where they are from, and it leads to all kinds of great discussions.”

    Sport Kilt offers traditional kilts, formal kilt packages that have everything one needs for a black-tie event or wedding, and the basics to get started, which include the original sport kilt, and all the accessories to go with it — sporrans, kilt hose, flashes, and Skean Dhu’s (a small knife worn in the kilt hose, you should look it up it has an impressive history). The great thing about kilts is that you can dress them up or down.

    If you like being a little rebellious and have yet to experience wearing a kilt — now’s the time! Whichever kilt you choose, and regardless of how you wear it, there’s no denying that, in James’ words, “There’s something freeing and different about wearing a kilt that people love.”

    A short history of the Kilt.

    Léine: 12 Century & earlier.
    A léine is a simple tunic that was worn long by women and to the knee by men. By the 16th century, people began to show off their wealth by wearing longer, more elaborate leine’s. Of course, no tunic is complete without an accessory, specifically, a large swath of woolen material to wrap yourself with on cold misty mornings. This mantle was called a plaid in Scotland and a brat in Ireland and was very likely made from a checkered cloth or tartan (which literally means checkered); these ‘tartans’ were not associated with any region or family — that wouldn’t happen until the 18th century.

    The Great Kilt: 16th to 17th century.

    In Scots Gaelic plaid originally meant blanket — at a certain point, people began to gather these plaids into folds and belt them about their waist, throwing the rest of the material up and over their shoulders to be worn in a variety of ways – and walla! The Great Kilt was born! The belted plaid, as it was also called, is still worn today by many celebrating their heritage. Traditionally these magnificent mantles were seven to nine yards long and were used as blankets, tarps, tents, and a myriad of clever things one can do with loads of fabric. But let’s face it, after a while, all that ‘stuff’ can be heavy and tedious to deal with.

    Phillabeg: 17th century.

    Soon, the top part of the Great Kilt was tossed aside to make room for the ‘Little Kilt’ or Phillabeg, which was basically the lower half of the belted plaid. The phillabeg was not tailored; it was just a shorter length of cloth, gathered loosely into folds, and belted at the waist, and is what most people see in artist renditions during the mid-to-late seventeenth century. The first tailored kilt, and what we now know as the kilt, was first introduced in the 1790s.

    And now, to address the myth of the tartan. Historians agree that there were no ‘clan tartans’ or ‘region tartans’ until the end of the 18th century.

    The Dress Act of 1746 made the wearing of “the Highland Dress” — including the kilt — illegal. During the Proscription (up until 1782) an exemption was made that allowed the kilt to be worn by the Black Watch regiment — enter the Black Watch tartan. In 1782 the law was repealed, and two years later, the Highland aristocrats set up the Highland Society of Edinburgh, leading to the labeling of tartans with names of towns, districts, and eventually families. In the year 1800, there were approximately 100 ‘named tartans,’ and according to the Scottish Register of Tartans, there are over 4,000 registered tartans today — although only about 500 of them have ever been woven.

    Should you ever find yourself in want of wearing a great kilt you can jump on over to sportkilt.com and watch a video of how one would do so.

  • Heber Valley Meats: A Cut Above

    Heber Valley Meats: A Cut Above

    An Unknown Rancher Once Said, “In Winter’s Chill or Summer’s Heat . . . Farmers and Ranchers Work so the World Can Eat.”

    Farms and ranches are more than wide swaths of land used to raise crops and livestock. They are a family’s heritage and future. Jessie Morris and Chad Murdock understand the importance of both heritage and looking towards the future; it’s one of the main reasons they opened a butcher shop right here in their beloved Heber Valley.

    Jessie and Chad have been best friends since middle school. The Morris family moved to Utah in the 1980s to raise their family, while the Murdock family was one of the first families to help settle the Heber valley. Jessie grew up helping out in his family’s antique store and shared, “I’ve always had kind of an entrepreneurial spirit to me. I always knew that I wanted to start my own business and . . . things happened in life, and the situation came about where everything sort of aligned right, and I figured it was time to make dreams become a reality. Chad spent his childhood years working on his family’s ranch, “I’ve always been around cows and livestock, and I’ve always been fascinated with meat cutting and processing.” Chad also has a love of history and attended university to become a history professor but after two years decided to take another path. He applied for and received an apprenticeship with Springville Meat Company — and fell in love with the craft. You can hear the joy in his voice as he expresses, “I worked my way up from the bottom and became one of their head butchers. I developed a really really strong passion for meat cutting and butchering and the whole trade in general.”

    After five years of discussing plans to open a butcher business together, COVID-19 gave them the push they needed to launch Heber Valley Meats. Chad explained, “. . .
    with the pandemic it became pretty apparent that the system that we have in the US is a little bit broken — it’s just a few big companies that control the entire market, and it’s coming down hard on the consumers and the producers. I feel like they’re both not getting treated fairly by these big corporations, and so I figured, well, I’m going to try and do my part and help. Help the producers and the consumers as much as I can and try and bring it back down to the local level. That’s been my dream all along. And so now it’s finally coming to fruition.”

    Jessie explained further, “Initially, we are going to have mobile slaughter and custom processing. We’ll go to the ranchers and farmers, slaughter the animal, clean it, gut it, skin it, and then bring it back to our shop to do the processing and break down further. We also offer this same service to those with family farms that have personal animals that they want to eat over the year or sell half a beef to community members and things like that. Having somebody local makes it a lot more convenient instead of driving down to Utah or Salt Lake counties. It’ll be here in town, in Heber, and compared to retail pricing and grocery stores, buying half a carcass or a whole carcass saves you quite a bit on meat prices.”

    Both Chad and Jessie say that farmers and consumers enjoy this process. “It’s a better system for the small farmers. We can show up right to their farm and butcher the animal right there. They don’t have to stress if they don’t have a trailer to lease or rent a trailer. It alleviates the stress of loading the animals up and then hauling them for several hours. Then they have to sit in the facility; it’s a lot, it’s a lot of stress on the animals, whereas we can show up to the farm and the pig’s still eating his breakfast, and you know he doesn’t know any the wiser. I think it’s a much better system, so we’re very excited to start offering that to the community.”

    Although livestock is at the core of their business Heber Valley Meats also offers wild game processing, a storefront to purchase cut meats, opportunities for local ranchers, and eventually, they will provide local restaurants with home-grown meat.

    “There is a lot of hunting and fishing in our valley and outdoorsmen that come to Heber . . . so we’ll be able to process wild game as well. We will also be offering retail sales so people can come in and buy a couple of steaks or hamburgers or small cuts of meat. As part of that, we’re going to be focusing on sourcing local meat from animals raised here in Heber Valley — ideally. And making sure that we have high-quality meat, and that helps the environment. We’re not shipping around meat; we’re not shipping around animals, so there are a lot fewer transportation costs, a lot less fuel, and other things used. It helps the economy. We’re keeping things local. We’re keeping money locally, we’re keeping jobs here locally, and so it helps quite a few different things in having local meat processing available instead of large scale meat processing.”

    Chad shared that, “I’m in the process of working with a couple of local ranchers here in the Heber Valley and down in Utah County. I also raise some too, so we are going to try and be able to supply local beef to the community — which I think is awesome, which is kind of a dream come true for me. I think people are excited to be able to know that they’re eating something that was raised just right here, or at least in this very state versus being shipped in from across the country — we’re excited about that.” Chad is also excited about the opportunity to work with local restaurant owners. “We’ve had a few restaurants reach out to us, and for us to sell to the restaurants, we have to do a little bit more paperwork and inspections through the Utah State department of agriculture, so we’re working with the state right now. Our goal is to be able to start supplying restaurants by the end of this year — and that would be really awesome.”

    Heber Valley Meats celebrated a successful Grand Opening on May 1st. Both Chad and Jessie shared their gratitude for the overwhelming community support they have received. Customers have been excited to purchase cuts of local beef, pork, and lamb and are raving about the domestic elk jerky! Of course, you can also purchase beef and buffalo jerky. Ranchers and farmers have expressed their delight at having everything from slaughter to cut and wrap available right in their back yard — literally.

    For Chad and Jessie, their journey has been about more than just the culmination of hard work and perseverance to achieve their childhood dreams. It has been and always will be all about family, heritage, and the future. Chad expressed it best, “I’ve always had a very special connection with Heber and Strawberry Valley. My ancestors were such good community builders; not only were they building the community with the Mormon settlers, but they were also really great friends with the Indians. In the middle of the Black Hawk war, Joseph Stacey Murdock, my fourth or fifth great-grandpa, made a treaty with Chief Tabby-To-Kwanah. Afterward, they smoked a peace pipe, killed, I think, two or three cows, and had a barbecue right here on Main Street in Heber with the Mormons and the Indians. It’s an incredible story, and I’m super proud to come from that lineage. I have a really special place in my heart for Heber and the area, and of course ranching and beef, and just sharing, sharing the lifestyle with people.”

    Chad Murdock and Jessie Morris are proud to honor their family’s heritage and follow in their ancestor’s footsteps. They both agree, “There was never a question, that if given the opportunity to open a butcher shop, that it would be anywhere else but here in the Heber Valley!”

  • Emergence Art Contest

    Emergence Art Contest

    Inspired by Our Home Town

    The majestic and varied landscapes of Wasatch County have inspired artists from across the globe since the early pioneers first settled here. Today our valley’s mountains, rivers, fields, farms, and skate parks are inspiring a whole new generation of young artists.

    The year 2020 brought about a lot of change for everyone — in Wasatch County, a group of PTA presidents representing the district’s elementary, middle, and high schools, decided to change things up a bit too. After much deliberation and discussion, it was decided that Wasatch County would break away from the Parent-Teacher Association and create their own Wasatch Parent Network — the only thing holding them back was the PTA Reflections program. For those unfamiliar with Reflections, it is a nationally recognized art contest. The WPN wanted to make sure that students in Wasatch County could continue to participate in art competitions. So they rolled up their sleeves and went in search of ways to offer challenging opportunities for K-12 artists.

    During a district meeting, it was mentioned that the Wasatch Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) was creating a website for their art contest — Emergence. Emergence’s goal is to help, “Grow Young Artists.” The contest’s art categories include 2D drawings, paintings, graphic designs, and photography in addition to 3D works like pottery and sculptures. This seemed like a perfect match. Angie Neuberger, President of the Wasatch High Wasatch Parent Network shared, “It really came down to the Wasatch County School District, the CAPS program, the Wasatch Parent Network, and Heber Valley Life Magazine, working together to create this amazing art contest. The hardest part was that each student could only enter one category — so they had to decide if it was going to be a painting or a photograph or whatever they liked best.”

    Once submission and contest rules were decided things began to move fast. Open to all students in grades K-12 in Wasatch County School District the contest was announced in March with all entries being due just after Spring Break in April. Angie laughed as she shared, “We had 175 entries this year — our first year — which was just great and kind of a crazy time too. It was a bit tricky trying to find judges but we were really thrilled with the response from the students and those who volunteered to judge. We had six judges; all from the community and all involved with art in some way.”

    The judges had a blast and said that it was really difficult to choose; however, they all mentioned that their favorite part of the process was reading the descriptions of the artwork. The theme for the 2021 Emergence art contest was “My Home Town”. The artists’ works, words, and how they related to the theme puts into perspective just how unique and amazing our home town is.

    Angie explained that “I feel like with Reflections we couldn’t do anything like this, each school was always on their own – with this [Emergence] we all came together and we made it better.” Angie also shared that, “the way the Wasatch Parent Network, Wasatch County School District, the CAPS program, and Heber Valley Life came together to highlight the arts was just so amazing. I am so appreciative of the support everyone has given us to do our own thing. I love the name Emergence and everything that it encompasses . . . I just think the kids were so great with creating artwork that they are passionate about

    Spring by the stream
    TOP WINNER – GRADE 9-12

    HANNAH BERRETT

    Spring by the Stream

     Hannah Berrett loves creating art with graphite, but when it came time to decide which of her pieces to enter in the Emergence art contest, she decided not to play it safe.

    “I had already been working on a landscape painting, my first, and I put so many hours into it, and I was just super proud of it. I loved the story about how it was of one of my really good friend’s backyard here in Midway — and that it fit so perfectly with the theme.”

    Hannah is Wasatch High School’s Visual Arts Sterling Scholar; during her interview, she was able to talk about what a privilege it was to represent Wasatch High School, her community, her painting, and the Emergence art contest. Hannah says that she is grateful her art teacher told her about the contest and how honored she was to win and be able to present and be recognized by the school district. “I’ve done Reflections before, but it was always a little confusing; I think that this [Emergence] was awesome. It was really cool that it was more personal, and they focused more on the talent within our community instead of being a big competition.”

    Hannah developed a love for art while drawing with her grandpa, Kay Watson, who is most famous for his artwork created for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hannah seems to be following in her grandfather’s brush strokes as she recently started a business painting all sorts of things like movie posters, album covers, and whatever people want on their shoes. The most unique thing she has been asked to paint was a skateboard deck.

    Hannah loves creating for others and shared, “My favorite part of doing artwork is when people ask me to do commissions because I love being able to not only work on the artwork but work with the people in my community. I love being able to learn more about them and being able to express something that they want into a piece of art, and it’s just amazing seeing their reactions. I get videos and pictures, and I just love it.”

    Moving forward, Hannah plans to become an Art Therapist and will be attending the University of Utah next year, where she will double major in Psychology and Visual Arts.

    A Kid in the Park
    TOP WINNER – GRADE 9-12

    LILY CHILD

    A Kid in the Park

     As an eventer in the world of Equestrian sports, Lily picked up her mom’s Pentax and started snapping photos of horses and people riding — and something happened. She found a new talent and a new passion.  Completely self-taught, Lily has been experimenting with all types of photography for the past six years. This year she enrolled in film photography — her first time taking a photography class.

    Lily’s recent obsession has been photographing her friends who skateboard. When she heard about Emergence, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She explains, “. . . with the theme ‘My Home Town’ I wanted to highlight this little community we have here in Heber Valley. We all see the skateboard park as we drive by, and there are always lots of little kids there during the day, but at night all the big kids come out to play, and it’s so fun! We’ve got some seriously good skaters here . . . everyone is so nice and supportive of each other no matter their level . . . it’s such a fun vibe!

    Her photo titled, A Kid at the Park represents one of the more important parts of ‘My Home Town’ for Lily. “This picture is of Crew, who I’ve been best friends with since second grade. So that was just really cool that it won.” She continued, “I really enjoyed Emergence. I feel like it’s more community-centered and that the students get a little more recognition for their work and for whoever won. I think that it is cool that they are putting us in the newspaper and the magazine and that we got to go to the district office. I thought that it was really awesome that they did that for us.”

    So, what does Lily want to do next? Well, she’s got some pretty big plans. Lily says it best, “One of my all-time dream jobs would be to be a photographer for National Geographic or an outdoor adventure brand like Patagonia or The North Face. It would take me to cool places and give me the opportunity to meet such cool people and to be able to capture it all with my camera . . . it would just be awesome.”

    Simple Elegance
    TOP WINNER – GRADE 9-12

    KATIE HENDERSON

    Simple Elegance

    Katie Henderson moved to Heber when she was in 8th grade and was not too excited about living here. Katie loves to ride horses and housed her horse at a barn in Northfield. Katie shared, “I was going out to Northfield five days a week, and one day there was this blizzard, it was the coolest thing. It was so simple but so beautiful, just the prettiest thing you could ever see.” She captured the moment on film and knew it was the photo she wanted to enter for Emergence.

     “I’ve done photography all through high school and fell in love with it, so I took every single photography class there was offered at Wasatch. I’m in AP studio art right now for photography, I saw the fliers up at school, and my photography teacher told me that he thought it would be perfect for me. I take photos of Heber all the time. I probably have 100 sunset photos of Timpanogos alone. I just take photos whenever I can, and I just thought it [the photograph] fit so perfectly.”

    When asked if she used any type of sepia or grayscale filter, Katie said, “No, I didn’t use anything. It was just contrasted that morning; it was crazy cool how black and white it really did look.”

    “I’ve done Reflections throughout my life, and the thing that I loved about this contest is that it was very community-oriented and I saw that this was something special we could do close to home, and it was personal to every single person in the valley. I thought that was cool.” She also enjoyed presenting her artwork to the school board, “It was really special getting that extra boost of ‘Yay!’ from the Principle and Vice Principle and board members.”

    Katie’s photograph titled Simple Elegance represents more than just a beautiful day in our valley. Katie explains, “I’ve come to adopt that theme myself – My Hometown. Because starting from not wanting to move here to this being my favorite place in the world. I think that it is really special that I found that simple elegance about Heber that I find so amazing.”
    Katie will be attending Utah State University in the fall and shared, “I would love to at least minor in photography and get a good base there and see where it takes me.”

    Cicily Larson
    TOP WINNER – GRADE 6-8

    CICILY LARSON

    It’s a Good Life

    This painting represents how I live a good life and the beauty we all can enjoy as we slow down in life to look up. Looking up at the sky brings perspective on where we stand. One of my favorite parts about living in the Heber Valley is God’s canvas is all around me! I love how the mountains draw a line in the canvas separating the Earth from the Heavens. I love how climbing the mountains makes me feel closer to the sky as well as the Son.”

    “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

    Thomas Merton Tweet
    Naomi Hansen
    TOP WINNER – GRADE 6-8

    NAOMI HANSEN

    Natural Beauty

    “Many people like to see the attractions of a town. I, on the other hand, choose to illustrate the sights that cannot be man-made. Midway is a natural wonder and I want people to realize that through my drawing.”

    MILLIE TAYLOR
    TOP WINNER – GRADE 3-5

    MILLIE TAYLOR

    Coming Home

    “This is a picture of my home town with the most beautiful tall mountains. I like coming home to Midway because it has pretty scenery and sunsets. The painting represents how I feel when I come home after being gone.”

    Mackenzie Howard
    TOP WINNER – GRADE K-2

    MACKENZIE HOWARD

    Rainbow Ice

    “I did a picture of my family at the Ice Castles in Midway at night time. My favorite thing to do in my home town is to visit them every winter. They are so pretty at night with the rainbow colors all over them. I really like going on the slides, walking through all the tunnels, and seeing the new things they can build. It’s a special thing about our town because people come from all over to see it, even my cousins and grandma and grandpa.”

    Every child is an artist, the problem is to remain an artist once they grow up.

    Pablo Picasso Tweet
    A huge shout out to our Judges

    Jordan Daines

    Colby Larsen

    Ella Ballsteadt

    Justin Bowen

    Quinn Calder

    Liz Sprackland 

     

    Huge Congratulations
    top winners

     

    K-2         | MACKENZIE Howard

    3-5          | MILLIE Taylor

    6-8          | CICELY Larsen

    9-12       | HANNAH Berrett

    9-12       | KATIE Henderson

    9-12       | LILY Child

     

    The top seven winners in each category will have their artwork on display for one year at the Wasatch County School District’s Office located at 101 E 200 N, Heber City.

  • Defending Wasatch Back – Wasatch County 2A Sanctuary Initiative

    Defending Wasatch Back – Wasatch County 2A Sanctuary Initiative

    If you’ve driven by the Wasatch County Administration Building on Main Street in recent weeks you may have seen a bunch of people holding signs, and flourishing American Flags while waving at passersby; perhaps you wondered, “What in the world is going on over there?” The answer would be – a lot!

    Defending Wasatch Back began as a group of moms sharing their concerns while at different events with their children. As they told two friends, and they told two friends, the word got out and soon there were citizens from all over Wasatch County joining them.

    Cheryl Karl, one of the two founders of Defending Wasatch Back, shared that they started holding Monday rallies in front of the Wasatch County Administration building as a way for people to express their concerns to the public and County Council. “We asked people to leave their president flags supporting whoever they were voting for at home. We said no Trump flags, no Biden flags. This is just an American thing. We asked that members of the community bring their American flags, and any signs supporting whatever they felt strongly about.”

    The group meets every Monday during the general County Council meetings to offer support for those presenting before the council; they ask for cars to honk, as a reminder that the people of Wasatch County are here, want to be represented, and involved in decision-making processes. The goal of Defending Wasatch Back is, “. . . to gather like-minded people who are willing to take action.” Cheryl shared that, “We don’t want to sit around just shaking our heads, saying someone should do something, [we] want to make sure that people who join us are willing to write emails, got to rallies, go to peaceful protests, do something about the problem; not just shake their heads.”

    Currently, Defending Wasatch Back has combined forces with the Wasatch 2A Sanctuary group in support of making Wasatch County a Second Amendment Sanctuary. What does that mean? In a nutshell, a Second Amendment sanctuary is a state, county, or locality in the United States that has adopted laws or resolutions that oppose the enforcement of certain gun control measures. As of March 1, 2021, sanctuarycounties.com reports that there are 1,188 2A sanctuary counties, either through resolutions or ordinances, across more than 20 states. Noah Davis states on their site, “As politicians attempt to use tragedies to take rights away from law-abiding citizens, more than 37% of U.S. counties have been declared Second Amendment Sanctuaries. The Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement has kicked into high gear since the election and shows no signs of slowing down.” In Utah, Uinta County was the first to become a 2A Sanctuary county, followed by several others like; Utah, Wayne, and Weber, just to name a few.

    Gary Hughes a member of both Defending Wasatch Back and Wasatch 2A Sanctuary explained, “What the whole Second Amendment Sanctuary Movement is about, nationally, is sending a message to Washington that the Second Amendment is still important to us, we still want it, we still need it, and we’re not going to tolerate infringement of it. It’s a way for citizens of Wasatch County who largely feel ignored by their representatives at the federal level – their congressmen and senators – to be heard.”

    In August of 2020, Sandra Hughes and Ryan Hobbs started the Wasatch 2A Sanctuary group and approached City Council regarding Wasatch County adopting and putting into place a 2A ordinance. According to Sandra, the meeting went really well, there was no opposition from anyone present, and they were asked to put together a committee of council members and citizens. She explained that “the purpose of the committee is not to decide whether or not there should be a 2A ordinance – that is for the vote. The purpose of the committee is to decide on the verbiage of the ordinance.” Kendall Crittenden is the head of the committee and has worked closely with Sherriff Rigby, Mark Nelson – the County Attorney’s Representative, and committee members to create a draft that will be presented and read to the public during the County Council’s general meeting on Wednesday, April 21st at 3:00 pm. You can jump onto Wasatch County’s site: https://docs.wasatch.utah.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Meetings/ViewMeeting and download a PDF of the proposed ordinance.

    Gary explained the difference between an Ordinance and a Resolution and why the wording of the document put forth for a vote is important. An Ordinance has the force and effect of a law whereas a resolution is simply a formal expression of an opinion and holds no weight. There are a lot of misconceptions out there as to what the 2A ordinance would do. Many people believe it is a way to try and get around state gun laws. That is not true. Hughes describes it quite succinctly, “As Sherriff Rigby, and the citizen’s committee has written it. The ordinance prevents county money from being spent in any enforcement of federal law as it pertains to the Second Amendment. It also prevents the county in the future from entering into a written agreement with any federal agency to do that same thing. That’s it.” He continued by stating “The ordinance also states that this does not preclude the Sherriff’s office from enforcing state law in any form. So every state-level gun law is enforceable and will be enforced by the Sherriff’s office. There is no one; the Sherriff’s office, the county, the committee, anyone that does not want people who commit a crime with a gun to be prosecuted. What we don’t want is for people to become criminals simply because they own a gun. The ordinance is clearly written with the direction of the Sherriff to specifically included state enforcement and prosecution of anyone who violates the law and uses a firearm in a criminal matter.”

    So what does all this have to do with what is going on in front of the administration building? Well . . .  in defense of protecting the Second Amendment, and adding their support for Wasatch County to become a 2A Sanctuary, Defending Wasatch Back has been encouraging citizens to join their rallies, and educate themselves on the matter. Cheryl stated that when Sherriff Rigby was asked, “When was the last time you saw 100 moms standing outside Main Street on a Monday to fight for their gun rights. He said, ‘I’ve never seen this in my entire life.’” Sandra shared that, “. . . having the group out front rallying for us or just demonstrating their support, made me bolder as I went into the meetings,” and Gary, who’s been involved in the gun right fight for nearly 30 years, stated, “I’ve never seen a group of men willing to go out and do something about their rights and individual liberties, as these women are. So, you might say I’m a fan!”

    For those who are not fans – that’s okay too! The world would be a boring place if we all thought the same. Having the privilege of living in a free country though takes work and right now, regardless of individual convictions, no one can deny that our freedoms are under attack. It is important to protect the rights of all and we do that by protecting the Second Amendment which protects the First. If the Second Amendment falls the Bill of Rights and the Constitution will follow. It is up to all of us, as citizens of the United State of America, and as citizens of Wasatch County to bring our differing opinions to the table and come to unifying agreements (even if that means agreeing to disagree) through respectful, free, and open debate.

    Hughes, I believe says it best, “I think that people who oppose this, you know they think that we’re a bunch of antigovernment wackjobs, that we’re militia people, that we’re domestic terrorists. You know all these things that the media has labeled anyone who doesn’t agree with [their narrative] . . . people have been conditioned to dehumanize us. . .  I mean it’s scary . . . all we are asking for with this ordinance is for the county to tell the world that we won’t participate in this. And that we believe in the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment is for everyone! It’s for the left, it’s for the right, it’s for brown people, it’s for white people, it’s for gays, it’s for straights, transgendered, it’s for everybody. The Bill of Rights is universal. It’s not selective. I want to protect all people’s rights just as much as my own.  I’ve always kind of taken this position in my life that if I allow the government to do something to someone just because I disagree with them, then they’re going to do it to me too. And I don’t want that. I’ll stand up for those causes, but for some reason, we’ve been conditioned to think that every infringement is okay as long as it’s for guns, and that’s really a sad thing. I wouldn’t dream of taking someone’s First Amendment rights. That seems to be the domain of other people, the silencing of other’s opinions and all that, I find it amazing that some people consider the Second Amendment or the Bill of Rights a divisive issue because it’s not to me – it’s a universal right – it’s for everyone.”

    Join other community members this Wednesday, April 21st at 3:00 pm at the Wasatch County Administration Building, 25 N Main Street Heber City, to learn more about Wasatch County becoming a 2A sanctuary and to have your voice be heard. After all in Cheryl’s words, “When we say that someone has to do something, that person is me, and you, and everyone around us, we have to look in the mirror and say no one is going to do this for us. We have to do it!”

    Interested in learning more? Visit the following: Wasatch County 2A Sanctuary Facebook page, Utah Business Revival Facebook Page, www.takeactionforfreedom.com, www.sanctuarycounties.com, and www.defendingutah.com. You can also join one of over 50 Thursday groups that meet, every Thursday all over the state to talk about concerns. Information for these groups can be found on several of the above sites.

  • Wasatch Community Foundation

    Wasatch Community Foundation

    We all know that our valley is a treasure trove of natural beauty. However, have you ever asked yourself what Wasatch County’s most valuable attraction is? I believe it’s the people who live here, and that includes our amazing youth.

    Wasatch Community Foundation agrees. According to their website, ourwcf.org, the mission of their Educational Pillar is to help produce, “The Finest Youth on the Planet!” Helping our youth find their way in the world and giving them as many educational opportunities as possible is at the forefront of everything that WCF Education Pillar Chair, Jim Ritchie, does. Cassandra Smith, WCF Marketing Chair, shared that, “As one of the founders of Wasatch Community Foundation [Mr. Ritchie] helped to develop the UVU Heber Valley Campus and [continues to] assist the Wasatch School Foundation in providing scholarships to every high school senior that applies, along with our annual Kati Fischer Teacher of the Year Award.”

    WCF’s Educational vision for Heber Valley is to become an “Educational Everest.” Cassandra explains that “WCF currently has two projects underway in conjunction with further developing our Wasatch UVU campus. The first is establishing an accredited hospitality and tourism degree program. The second is supporting and partnering with UVU and Wasatch High School to develop a trade(s) program for the valley.”

    The first project is already well on its way. This fall UVU’s Woodbury School of Business will open enrollment for its Wasatch Resort Management Program (WARM). Students who enroll in the program will complete five consecutive semesters to earn a Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management. Students will attend UVU’s Wasatch Campus in Heber; while working at partner luxury hotels in Heber City and Park City. The program is unique in that students will be part of a structured cohort. According to the program’s description, “Thirty students will be admitted in the first cohort in the Fall of 2021. Cohort courses will be offered back-to-back minimizing the time students are required to be on campus and ensuring students are available to work up to five day or five evening shifts a week.” The educational experience is designed to include: group projects, case studies, guest lectures, workshops, certifications, competitions, mentoring, and more. Enrolled students will work for partner hotels receiving competitive pay and tuition reimbursement.  The goal is to have students gain valuable experiences that will help launch their careers and graduate with little to no student debt.

    The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute showed that leisure and hospitality jobs in Wasatch County grew by 64.0% from 2010 to 2019.1 Meeting these needs, by offering youth the opportunity to earn a degree and work close to home, will be a great benefit to our community and our valley’s hospitality venues. Cassandra shared that, “Donations are needed to support this program, particularly with getting the word out. Resort owners, businesses, parents, teachers, school officials, and counselors should be aware of this program and its development. We have amazing resorts, restaurants, and businesses in the Heber and Park City valleys, and we are looking for business owners and managers to partner with UVU who are willing to help create a world-class training facility and provide training.”

    The vision for training and job opportunities doesn’t stop with a Bachelor’s in hospitality management. WCF, Jim, and many others in the community are working hard to develop a second program that focuses on trade opportunities in Wasatch County. “We are looking for trade companies like, plumbing, HVAC, construction, electrical, auto-mechanics, cosmetology, culinary arts, etc. that are willing to partner with Wasatch High School and UVU Wasatch Campus to provide trade programs for our youth.” To start the development of this new program WCF will need donations, partnerships, and community support. Wasatch County has amazing youth who have a lot of talent to share. Working together for the “well-being of Wasatch County residents by uniting community resources and programs,” we can create and support local educational programs and opportunities that will help the world recognize our youth for what we know them to be. “The Finest Youth on the Planet!”

    For scholarship information visit: wasatched.org/scholarship-program

    1 https://gardner.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/TravTourReport-Sep2020.pdf, p9

  • A Legacy Lived and Loved

    A Legacy Lived and Loved

    On a sunny August morning, Renee Fitzgerald Johnson sat outside the house she was born in while passersby honked and shouted at her. I know it sounds horrible, but it wasn’t. It was quite the opposite. Renee was celebrating her 95th Birthday! Her children and grandchildren had decorated her front lawn with brightly colored letters, numbers, and balloons. Announcing to all that today was a special day, and the beautiful woman waving was an amazing lady who’s lived an extraordinary life.

    Ida Renee Fitzgerald was born to Avis Luella Bonner and Benjamin Athel Fitzgerald on August 14, 1925. She was two when Charles Lindbergh made the first solo non-stop transatlantic flight, four when the great depression began, and fourteen at the start of World War Two. As a young woman, she witnessed the inauguration of John F. Kennedy, Rev. Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech, and man’s first steps on the moon. And, she has watched the transformation of Wasatch County through the years. When asked about how much our valley has changed, Renee responded with a simple, “Not a lot.” Her sweet answer testifies to the fact that, for Renee, the important things haven’t changed that much. Although much-loved grand-parents, parents, siblings, spouses, and friends may have passed, Renee is surrounded by friends, family, and memories, and they are what hold her heart.

    Bonner Corners

    Renee’s earliest memories of family and friends are centered on living with her maternal grandmother, Sarah Eliza Bronson Bonner, or Ma Bonner — as everyone called her. Ma’s husband, Renee’s grandfather, was William Bonner, the son of Margaret Edmondston and George Bonner who found their way from Ireland/Scotland to Provo Valley (now Midway), Utah around 1861. William and his older brother, George, were taught how to work from a young age. When ore was found in the nearby mountains, the two of them obtained a contract to supply timber for the Ontario Mine. Their business grew quickly and was very prosperous. The two boys shared their success with their parents and future families by building three beautiful homes. One for their parents (completed in 1876), and one for each of them and their brides-to-be (completed in 1878). Built on three corners of Midway’s first East and Main streets, the area became known as Bonner Corners.

    On January 24, 1878 William married Sarah Eliza Bronson and George married Phoebe Annette Alexander in a double wedding ceremony in the home they built for George and Margaret. Afterwards each couple walked across the street to their respective homes to continue the celebration. According to family history it was quite the shin-dig. “Many guests were present and after the ceremony an elaborate banquet was served at both homes that had been built and completely furnished [as a wedding gift] for their brides, [and] dancing filled the evening.” 1

    Designed and built by local master builder and architect, John Watkins, the three homes — with their red brick exterior and ornate white Gothic revival trim — quickly became known as the Gingerbread Houses. In 1879 the brothers built Bonner Brothers Mercantile (now Midway Mercantile Restaurant) on the corner across from George’s home to the west of their parents — completing the four Bonner Corners.

    Renee shared, “I remember going over to the store [Midway Mercantile] with Ma [Bonner] nearly every day. We’d go over and Ma would visit with everyone in town.” Renee’s grand-daughter, Kim Powell, interjects, “So you were there forever!” The two laugh, apparently Ma Bonner liked to talk — a lot. Still chuckling Renee told her, “I would just get so tired, and I’d say, ‘Ma, is it alright if I go home and she’d say yes you can.’” Like most young girls growing up in the 1920’s Renee enjoyed playing dolls with friends, but she also liked helping Ma Bonner around the house. She preferred to stay inside rather than explore outside. Renee loved Ma’s house. She explained, “It was a nice home, and it was always clean, and I enjoyed that.” Her son, Jeff Johnson, and Kim both add that as Renee grew and started her own family she was an impeccable housekeeper and kept an immaculate home.

    The mercantile remained one of Renee’s favorite places to be throughout her young life. “I liked it because there were always people there that I knew. They were always so friendly and we would talk and talk — even though I couldn’t get Ma out of the store and I’d go home — it was fun.” Her voice is full of emotion as she expresses, “I enjoyed Ma’s place so much.”

    Going Home

    When Renee was five years old, it was time to go back home to Heber, her parents, siblings, and school. She attended Central Elementary School, built in 1892; the school was open for 110 years — closing its doors in 2002. The school was demolished in 2016, and the Heber Valley Police and Public Works building now occupies the ground where the school once stood. Renee’s school years are full of fond memories. “I loved school. I just loved it. I worked hard but it was all fun. I remember [one of my teachers] Mr. Giles, and he was pretty strict. He didn’t put up with any nonsense. He was the only one like that, but I really liked him. I had some good teachers, and they helped me a lot.” Renee liked all of her classes and said that she couldn’t recall having a favorite.

    Renee was the fourth of seven children (five boys and two girls) Luella and Athel raised in the Heber home Renee lives in now. There were three bedrooms and one bathroom, Renee’s voice is cheerful as she shares, “But you know, it worked out well, I don’t know how we did — but we made it work.” When Kim asked Renee if she got along with her siblings she said, “I never remember a fight.” Jeff replied, “I don’t think I’m buying that.” I say if after 95 years you don’t remember sibling squabbles you’re remembering the right stuff. Renee remembers never wanting for anything. Kim shared, “I think [the] family was not incredibly wealthy but they were well off, with the store and the sheep — they owned a lot of property — and ran the livestock.” William operated the livestock business full-time — raising purebred horses and cattle, while George ran the Mercantile.

    Renee and Kim both shared stories that Luella passed down to her posterity. Stories of traveling to school in a horse-drawn sleigh, wrapped in thick blankets with hot bricks at her feet, gliding over snow so high the sled went right over fence lines. Or when Luella was fourteen, and they cleaned the house for weeks and wore their Sunday best, in preparation for the night when they would turn the lights on in Midway for the first time during the fall of 1909, are treasured memories that continue to link generations. When Kim relates Luella’s words, “At the moment all of the lights came on in the house, [I] felt that heaven could not possibly be as beautiful and bright,” Renee becomes emotional remembering her mother and the heavenly, magical feelings her story always evokes.

    Renee reflects on her time in Midway and Heber with affection, “Those were happy days,” happy days making a life. Renee recalls waiting to eat till the men came in from taking care of livestock and being one of the first families to own a car in the valley. She remembers making fudge and penuche, dancing and singing around the Christmas tree that sat in the middle of the room — lighted by real candles, and Christmas Pageants with cousins. She talks about spending time at the Ranch House in Woodland engaging in water fights (no one was immune including Luella — everyone got wet) and herding sheep. These are just a few of the life events Renee has experienced. Perhaps one of her favorite memories is ironing day. Luella did all the laundry on Mondays, and on Tuesdays she did all the ironing. Athel would always buy her a box of chocolates for ironing day. “If we would come in [the house] on Tuesday when she was ironing, we’d all sit down and have chocolate.” You can hear the fondness in Renee’s voice as she reminisces about her time growing up in the valley, “I loved those days — it was special.”

    Then one day Renee met a boy.

    World War II and Life with Dean

    Dean Johnson was a year older than Renee and at first she didn’t think too much of him other than he was a good friend of her brother, Don. When World War II began Dean and all five of Renee’s brothers left to join the war effort. Renee’s father, Athel, was sick with fear and anxiety, years later when he succumbed to Cancer, Luella said that it was the war and the worry over his boys that made him ill and caused the cancer. Renee remembers her father fondly as she shares, “I wanted a Junior Prom dress, so Mother and Dad and I went down to Salt Lake to get it. I picked the most expensive one.” She laughs, “[Mother] said no, but dad said yes, and [we] got it. It [the trip] was so fun.” Renee loved her dress. “The dress had strawberries on it. It was really unusual, no one else had one.” She pauses for a moment before continuing, “Oh, I take that back. One other girl had strawberries on her dress and I was quite upset.” Renee, Jeff, and Kim all laugh together as they remember and imagine better days during the war.

    After the war Dean returned to Heber and he and Renee started dating. They soon fell in love and when Dean finished his service in the Navy, the two tied the knot on June 28, 1946. They had three children; Valerie, Wesley (Wes), and Jeffrey. “They are very nice kids, of course this is a mother speaking.”

    Both Dean and Renee come from big sheep herding families; soon after they were married the couple moved to Fountain Green in Sanpete County to run sheep. Like everyone, Dean and Renee experienced both ups and downs throughout their marriage but they found their rhythm and worked well together. Renee took pleasure in cleaning, while Dean enjoyed cooking. “Dean was the cook and never used a recipe. He was a phenomenal cook . . . and Renee made the best candy.” Dean loved gardening and Renee loved Japanese Bunka Embroidery. They were both hard workers and wanted to create a loving home for their children. Jeff shared that his parents’ support always meant so much to him and his siblings. “Mom and Dad always supported us in everything . . . every football game, every rodeo, everything . . . no matter how far away.” That support extended to their grandchildren as well. “They would be to everything they possibly could; concerts, soccer games, even if it meant sitting in the car as they got older.” Kim said. Renee added, “We loved it! We loved going to those games.” Jeff chuckles, “You could always tell where Renee was sitting, she was the loudest, and she always let the refs know if they made a mistake.”

    Through the years the family has lived in Fountain Green, Orem, and Mountain Green. Renee worked for Browning Arms for 20 years, she also worked at ZCMI and did a little tutoring at the schools. Jeff recalls watching the moon landing on their black and white TV in their Orem home. When he asked his mom what she thought when man landed on the moon, Renee quipped one of the best responses I’ve heard, “Oh, I thought that was a pretty exceptional thing, how often does that happen!”

    Renee’s personality draws you in from the get-go and like Ma Bonner, Renee loves to talk to people. Kim said, “Funny thing about her [recent] birthday; I took her out so she could see the sign, and she was having so much fun waving at people that she didn’t want to come in.” Renee waved and visited with neighbors from 10:00 – 8:00 Friday and Saturday. “It was fun! You don’t get many experiences like that and I’m just fortunate to have good grandkids.”

    Coming Home

    When Luella passed away in 1990 she left the house to Renee. In 1993 Dean and Renee’s lives came full circle as they returned home to Heber. Renee still lives in the house she was born in, the house she grew up in, the house she loves. On February 23, 2015, her beloved Dean passed away. Most of the neighbors she knew who used to live here have all passed away — Jeff and Kim believe that there are only two others from Renee’s class that are still living. Kim says, “She’s got really good neighbors who look after her.” Renee feels blessed and grateful to have such great neighbors, children, and grand-children. “My kids are so good. Kim [my grand-daughter] lives right here, my son Jeff is sitting right now with me on the couch — it is wonderful. I have a lot of really good grandchildren, they keep me up on things, and it helps a lot.” Kim and Jeff agree with Renee’s sentiment, “We always have so much fun when we get together.”

    “Everyone always asks what Renee’s secret to longevity is.” Kim chuckles. “I always attribute it to just eating as much chocolate as you want, because Renee inherited her mother’s love of all things chocolate!” When asked what her favorite kind is; Renee sweetly says, “Chocolate Chocolate, not the dark stuff, I want the good stuff.” Renee has lived a beautiful, fulfilling 95 years, and looks forward to many more. In three simple sentences, Renee sums up what I think we all hope for, “It was a really fun life. I just enjoyed every bit of it, and even now I enjoy talking about it. Talking to you kids about it — it’s just delightful!”

  • Wasatch Community Foundation

    Wasatch Community Foundation

    In recent years Wasatch County has undergone a tremendous amount of change. As the people who live in this beautiful valley we’ve had to take a deeper look at what we, the community, care about. American author, and huge proponent for community, Margaret J. Wheatley once said, “There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” I believe, during this ever-changing process of discovery, one thing has remained consistent; we care about each other. We care about community. Because we know what we care about — we, the community of Wasatch County, are capable of great change! We are capable of lifting others up regardless of our differences. We are capable of building a community that is better each day than it was the day before. We are capable of being the good we want to see in the world.

    Our community has always strived to serve, so — it’s no wonder that for years Wasatch County had numerous organizations trying to fill the needs of our residents. It’s also no surprise that so many would want to volunteer; donating their time, services, goods, and money; but to which organization? And how did one make sure that their donations were going to help those within Wasatch County? What if you wanted your donations to go towards supporting a specific group or project? And, what if you were the one that needed assistance — which organization did you go to for help? The process seemed overwhelming for many donors and confusing for recipients. In 2005 a group of dedicated volunteers set out to create an easier path, forming the Wasatch Community Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to connect residents who want to donate, to residents in need — from the community, for the community.

    According to their website, “Wasatch Community Foundation is . . . the largest all-volunteer, non-profit organization in Heber Valley.” Cassandra Smith, Director of Marketing, shared, “This is an all volunteer organization. We all live in Heber Valley; we all handpicked Wasatch County as our destination for living, we are all very committed to keeping our community as a place where people feel welcomed and can enjoy and feel safe and happy, and that goes for everyone that lives here.” Cassandra’s voice is full of emotion as she expresses the passion board members share for those living in Wasatch County, “We know that healthy families make happy communities and we want . . . the people in our community to feel welcome, and heard, and lifted, and loved . . . this foundation is a way for us to help, a way for us to give back.”

    The mission of Wasatch Community Foundation is to advance the well-being of Wasatch County residents by uniting community resources and programs through the following pillars: Human Services, Health, Education, Recreation, and Arts. According to Tom Fowler, Board Chair and Health Pillar Chair, “There is a chair for each one of those pillars. They each have their own committee that has established their own vision and mission statement to establish their objectives.” Over the last fifteen years WCF has grown and changed to better serve the community’s needs. One of those changes is the implementation of the five pillars. Cassandra explained that, “These pillars were not decided on a whim. We spent a lot of time discussing and researching, and made our decision very carefully. [Using the philosophy of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs] we started at the very bottom; everyone needs food and shelter; moving up you need an education and a job, and we have those things covered in our education and human resources pillars; then continuing to entertainment [the Recreation and Art pillars], which actually helps to self actualize people as they move up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. We use the pillars to match each of those stages as your developing into a self actualized individual and a happy healthy family.”

    If you visit the Wasatch Community Foundation’s website (ourwcf.org) the first thing that greets you are the words; “Happy, Healthy Families Make Extraordinary Communities” written in bold letters and scrolled across a photo of two smiling faces. This simple sentence conveys the ethos of the foundation and everything WCF strives to do. In their earlier years, Jim Richie (one of WCF’s founders) and the foundation were instrumental in spearheading the UVU satellite campus, and helping to fund the Heber Valley Dialysis Center, and the Recreation Center. Through the years the foundation has also played an integral part ensuring that everyone who lives in Wasatch County has the basic necessities to be healthy. WCF partners with groups like Friends for Sight, Community in Action, CCPC, CCPC Heber Valley, St. Mary’s of the Assumption, St. Lawrence Church, Wasatch County School District, and others to provide dental, vision, hearing, and wellness exams and follow-ups to children who are returning to school without health insurance, food services to community members, students and their families, and cold-weather clothing to those in need. Recently the foundation brought together three of five different Christmas gift programs and created one program. Marilyn Fowler, Director and Admin, shared; “What it did was stop redundancy and competition for funds, allowing those events and programs to be more successful and more unified.”

    Unification is the goal and perhaps one of the best examples of this is Wasatch Community Foundation’s Thanksgiving Dinner. This annual event strives to bring everyone in the community together — and they mean every one! From the Mayor to the current Rodeo Queen, to the police and banjo strumming cowboy bands, to senior citizens and your neighbor, your next-of-kin, and you! WCF works together with the hospital, health clinic, and high school to provide a free hot meal and fun-filled evening to anyone in the community who wants to join in. The dinner is held in the high school auditorium and the amazing high school chefs cook all the food. The foundation takes care of all expenses involved so that there is no cost to the high school. Tom gives the run-down; “We have the police there, giving away stuffed animals so that the kids become familiar with them. We have a photo booth to take pictures. The hospital provides shots, blood pressure testing, and other tests. We have a coat and glove drive for people to bring in coats, pants, gloves, hats, and it’s all separated by size. People can come in and get supplies for their kids. It’s a huge success. We have one or two of the Cowboy Poetry bands come and play the whole time, people get up and dance and have a lot of fun.” At first, the idea was to provide a meal for residents unable to enjoy a family Thanksgiving dinner but as plans progressed the foundation decided they wanted it to be “a celebration so that people from all walks of life would come.” A celebration where anyone, regardless of their situation, could feel welcomed, heard, lifted, and loved.

    Ending on that note would be lovely; but much like the Grinch in the children’s story by Dr. Seuss who took, “. . . the Who’s feast . . . pudding . . . roast beast . . . cleaned out the ice box as quick as a flash [and] even took their last can of Who hash.” COVID crept into our community and quick as a flash our lives changed. Many of our residents lost jobs or had to close their businesses, our children could no longer attend school, we were told to stay away from our elderly, and eventually each other. The necessities of life were suddenly in short supply; many questioned how they were going to pay their mortgage or rent, how were they going to purchase food. While the run on toilet paper may have provided comic relief to some — the reality was — most were nervous about what this pandemic meant and what the future would hold. Everyone in our community suddenly became in need of something. Along with other organizations and individuals, Wasatch Community Foundation did what they do best — they went to work making connections with those in the community who could give and those in our community who needed to receive. The foundation partnered with CCPC and St. Mary’s to raise over $130,000 for Wasatch County residents needing help to pay rent, mortgages, utilities, etc. Marilyn had a huge impact on the program as she worked tirelessly finding families (through the school district and other sources) and helping connect them with St. Mary’s. Families were vetted, and lenders were asked to reduce payments, a one-time payment of $500 was then sent directly to the business. Over 200 families in Wasatch County were served through this collaboration. As COVID continued into the summer months the schools were concerned about the logistics of getting lunches to those students, using the school lunch program, who lived far away. The foundation stepped in and as Marilyn described, “We said, ‘Okay — we’re going to take care of that!’ [With the help of many volunteers] we distributed over 2,200 lunches to students that couldn’t make it to the schools. Our [local] restaurants got involved too. John Platt owner of Midway Mercantile Restaurant and our Human Services Chair, Renee [Burkley] worked together; John called the restaurants and every week one or two restaurants would provide hot meals for fifty families! Each of these restaurants would make the food and deliver it to the food pantry, families had to have a card, and they would pick up their food. This program was a great help to our valley.”

    Helping our valley is what Wasatch Community Foundation is all about and although some events, like the Thanksgiving dinner, have gone the way of the ‘Who hash’ for a season; they will return. This year the foundation will be collaborating with CCPC to provide turkeys and a bag of additional Thanksgiving dinner items to families in our valley. Moving forward the foundation has great things planned. Tom stated, “The foundation can do big things for this valley and I think that we have the right board and structure to allow us to focus on projects, programs, and events in specific areas in this valley.” Projects like developing new trail systems, building an art center and an ice-rink, programs like developing a Trade School opportunity for High School students in collaboration with UVU, or a yearly community meet-and-greet event for businesses, non-profits, and community members, are just a few of the ideas residents have shared they’d like to see within our valley. Wasatch Community Foundation’s goal is to bring the people and organizations needed to make these desires a reality together. Tom explains, “The foundation helps with unifying groups and helping in whatever capacity is needed. We support all of Wasatch County — we have a broad approach as to how we meet our mission through our pillars.”

    Wasatch Community Foundation’s motto says it best; “Happy, healthy families create extraordinary communities.” Wasatch County is extraordinary because as a community we know what we care about — we care about each other.

  • Holiday Traditions

    Holiday Traditions

    The crisp fall air brushes against our mountains, painting them with vivid oranges, yellows, and reds. Cornstalks rustle, and the nutty smell of squash, burning ditches, and cinnamon awaken our senses. Autumn arrives, ushering in anticipation for the Holidays — and the foods that come with them.

    Food sustains life and nourishes our bodies, but food also sustains cultures and nourishes our identities. Food is generally at the center of all we do. Foods are symbolic in our religious rituals and associated with specific celebrations. Our food preparation can be sacred, an exact science, a lesson in chemistry, or just some good ole’ fashioned fun — with a pinch here and a dash there! Creating delicious dishes binds friends and families together — or, if you’re on a cooking show, it can turn into a hellish-battle!

    Conversations, stories, history, and heritage are shared — traditions are passed down, and new ones are created — all while we gather around food.

    As we prepare to enter the Holiday chaos, it might be fun to learn a bit about the foods used in celebrations around the world. We invite you to sit back, relax, read for a moment — or two — then take a deep breath, exhale, and prepare to dive into whatever your Winter season looks like (don’t forget to pack a snack).

    While some people carve pumpkins for their October 31 celebrations, residents of Oaxaca, Mexico, are preparing to celebrate Noche de Rabanos (Night of the Radishes). This tradition takes place on December 23 and has been practiced for over a century. Large radishes (upwards of six pounds) are grown and harvested specifically for the event. The radish artists can spend days creating and carving their masterpieces, many of which display nativity scenes, animals, or Mayan imagery. The best radish carver can receive a cash prize worth thousands of pesos (hundreds of USD).(https://www.wvpublic.org/news/2018-12-20/holiday-food-traditions-are-as-much-about-connection-as-eatin)

    The week-long celebration of Kwanzaa (December 26-January 1) is full of dancing, singing, gift exchanging, and culminates in a large feast. Catfish, collards, macaroni and cheese, jerk chicken, gumbo, and accras (Caribbean fritters), have become traditional foods used during the festivities. (https://www.africa.upenn.edu/K-12/Kwanzaa_What_16661.html)

    The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a Southern Italian tradition celebrated on December 24. Whether you’re celebrating in North America or Italy, you won’t find seven specific types of fish being served. Think of it more as a seafood celebration. Typical fish used include: baccala (salt cod), frutti di mare (shellfish), capitone (eel), calamari (squid), scungilli (conch meat) and vongole (clams). Fried vegetables are also a popular accompaniment to the fish. Traditionally, the feast takes place in the morning’s early hours, after midnight mass. “Then it’s time for dessert, which may include biscotti, panforte, pandoro, and panettone.” (https://www.italiarail.com/food/feast-of-the-seven-fishes)

    Worldwide, it is Jewish tradition to eat matzah on Passover, and apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah. During Chanukah (Hanukkah), eating traditional oily foods such as latkes (fried potato pancakes) topped with applesauce or sour cream, and sufganiyot (deep-fried doughnuts) or other kinds of fritters, is in homage to the miracle of the oil that burned for eight nights instead of one. (https://www.chabad.org/holidays)

    Midnight snacking takes on a whole new meaning if you are celebrating New Year’s Eve in Spain. Apparently, eating one dozen grapes at midnight isn’t just a tradition — it’s a serious superstition. On Noche Vieja (Old Night), it is customary to stay at home until the clock strikes twelve. Families and friends gather around their bowl of lucky grapes (uvas de suerte) and wait to hear the chimes ringing from the Real Casa de Correos in Madrid (broadcasted via television across the country). The bells toll twelve times — one for each month. With each chime, you ‘pop’ a grape into your mouth — and probably try not to choke — or laugh. If you eat them all, you will have good luck in the new year. (https://www.donquijote.org/spanish-culture/holidays/nochevieja/)

    This next dish sounds delish! Lechón (Spanish for roasted suckling pig) is one of the most popular dishes in the Philippines and many Latin American countries. The pig is usually stuffed with lemongrass, tamarind, garlic, onions, and chives; it is roasted on a large bamboo spit over an open fire. Lechón is traditionally served whole on a platter at celebrations like weddings and Christmas. It is often served with a thick, rich liver sauce cooked with sugar, fresh herbs, and vinegar. (https://www.tasteatlas.com/lechon) I don’t know about you, but all this talk of food is making me hungry!

    If you need to stop reading and make a food run — go for it — I get it! There are a few more unique victuals to share, but then I think we should go to work on creating our own traditional cuisine and get some food in our bellies!

    Onward — we go!

    In many European countries, you will see processions of girls dressed in a white dress with a red sash, wearing a wreath with candles upon their heads, singing, and carrying Saffron Buns in celebration of St. Lucia on December 13. In Greece, many fast before the holidays, and when Christmas arrives — they go all out — after they break their fast. One of the more popular traditional foods served is Melomakarona, a sweet, honey-soaked cookie topped with ground walnuts. Of course, there’s always the traditional Plum or Figgy Pudding from the UK, Danish Kransekake or Almond Wreath Cake, and all the marzipan, chocolate, red cabbage, and roasted goose from Germany. In Australia, Christmas and New Years are smack dab in the middle of Summer! They celebrate by throwing whatever they feel like on the barbie (grill for the rest of us mates) and enjoying seafood, cold cuts, alcohol, pavlova, and trifle, just to name a few, along with a challenging game of cricket. Here’s an interesting tidbit. According to BBC, for 40 plus years, many Japanese families have gathered around a KFC ‘Party Barell’ for some finger-licking-good chicken as part of their Christmas celebrations — bet you didn’t see that one coming.

    Food is an extension of who we are. Regardless of culture or religion, food is an integral part of life celebrations across this beautiful globe we call home. Food unites. Where ever you are in the world, and whatever you celebrate or don’t celebrate, whether you’re honoring a generations-old tradition or creating new ones; this winter season, we invite you to come, gather — eat and enjoy!

    Gather your kids, friends, and family to discover different cultures and the food they eat. Try out a few new recipes, and prepare them together. Participate in a festivity you’ve never celebrated before. Eat new foods. Share and create a new tradition!

  • Russ McDonald Field

    Russ McDonald Field

    Amelia Earhart once asked, “What do dreams know of boundaries?” As children, our dreams have no boundaries — we can become anyone — do anything — the possibilities are endless. When Russ McDonald was knee-high to a model airplane, he dreamed of flying. Towards the end of WWII Russ joined the Navy and served as an enlisted man in San Diego, working on aircraft, not flying them, but don’t worry — Russ was just warming up his engines.

    After WWII, Russ put the GI Bill to good use. He attended mechanic school, learned to fly, earned his licenses, and received his flight instructor certificate. Once back home in the Heber Valley, his dreams soared past the boundary of only flying. Russ was approached about building an airport, buying an airplane, and teaching others to fly. When Russ began carving out that first runway, he couldn’t have known it, but he was also carving the path for hundreds of others to realize their dreams of flight.

    In 1947 Russell McDonald, Elmo Jacobsen, Guy McDonald, Rex Whiting, Lloyd Lawton, and Sperry Rollins formed Heber Valley Flying Service, Inc. With an access road from Highway 189, an office building, a hangar, and a 1946 Aeronca Champion waiting in the wings — Heber Valley Flying Service, Inc. opened their doors for business on September 7, 1947, with Russ as chief flight instructor, head mechanic, and general manager, and the rest is, as they say, history — seventy-three years of history to be exact.

    For the first five years, the Heber Valley Flying Service was hopping. World War II veterans flocked to the small airstrip eager to learn and take to the air. In 1948 the corporation added another Aeronca Champion, an ERCO Ercoupe, and a Cessna 170 to their growing fleet. In 1949, with financial support from the Federal Aviation Funding Program, the runway was extended to 4,400 feet. The runway, taxiway, access road, and aircraft parking areas were paved, and the water tank was replaced by a well. With all these improvements came more opportunities, and six local Heberites with a Luscombe 8 took advantage by starting a flying club. Everything was blue-skies until a few clouds rolled in.

    In 1951 Russ McDonald became a pilot for United Airlines, leaving the corporation. By 1952 the GI Bill flight training had run its course. With no revenue the Heber Valley Flying Service was forced to sell their airplanes and equipment, and Heber City acquired the hangar. For a few years, it seemed as if this field of dreams had reached its boundaries, but like all good stories, a hero swooped in — quite literally — saving the day — or in this case, a fledgling airport. Soaring gracefully through the air, Gliders, and Sailplanes were the core of the airport from 1955 to the mid-’80s. By 1956 the airport was once again up and running with a full-time fixed-base-operation.

    For the next sixty-four years, the airfield would host planes from the prop-piston era to the jet era and go through a myriad of changes. In 1992 the runway was extended to 6,898 feet and in 1996 Heber City honored Russ McDonald — what began as a small field with a bulldozed runway for a handful of dreamers was now the Heber Valley Airport — Russ McDonald Field. Today there are 53 hangars and over 100 planes on the field.

    Perhaps one of the most important hangars is the one that houses the Heber Valley Air Museum. Started by Eddie Strauchand and Steve Guenard in 1997 to honor and tell the stories of WWII veterans, the museum became headquarters to the Commemorative Air Force in 2001. In 2008 a new hangar was built specifically for the museum. Matt McNamara, CAF Utah Wing Leader, shared, “We [Heber Valley Air Museum] have a lot of memorabilia from local Park City and Heber folks that served in WWII, so that’s kind of our specialty niche for this museum. We believe in telling the stories of WWII from as many perspectives as possible to give people a complete picture of it. We want to put the real human aspect to the war that gets lost in the history books.”

    The museum is full of artifacts, from a 1930’s wood-crafted propeller, to a rebuilt B-17 instrument panel with all original instruments, to an electric suit worn by a B-17 crew member. For those interested in the engines and planes, they’ve got those too. A P38 built by General Motors and a Rolls-Royce Griffin sit side by side. The museum’s centerpiece is a 1941 Boeing PT17 Stearman — currently under restoration. In addition to exhibits depicting stories of WWII and other historic military events, the museum has a full library, a section dedicated to the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots), and displays showcasing local aviators and veterans.

    Other fascinating pieces of history aren’t in the museum at all. Silently, and not so silently at times, the warriors of the air sit outside the museum during visiting hours. Their tales of glory are told orally by those who designed, built, maintained, and flew them, yet one can almost hear each part, from rivet to wing, tell their unique story — adding to the whole. Part of CAF’s and the museum’s mission is to honor these historic airplanes by maintaining and sharing them with the public. Matt shared, “It is amazing when a veteran, or someone who worked on the airplanes — maybe built them in the factories — when that person in their eighties or nineties shows up at the airport and actually sees the airplane, puts their hand on it, gets in their old seat, or touches something they built; the years melt away and all of a sudden they’re twenty years old again, and they will start telling their stories. It’s an emotional thing. That’s why a lot of us volunteer to do this. All the blood, sweat, and tears are worthwhile when you get to see a child, grand-child, or great-grandchild see the airplane that their grandma or grandpa built or flew.”

    In the fall, a B-25 will land at the Heber Valley Airport. It will be there from September 21-28 for the public to enjoy. Original film from WWII will be showcased along with various information and memorabilia. Patrons will be able to snap photos and take to the sky in the B-25 or the two on-site warbirds. One may choose from a T-6 Texan or a Boeing Stearman biplane. In conjunction with the B-25 visit, if Covid-19 restrictions allow, the museum will host a hangar-dance on Saturday, September 26. In between flying and dancing, you can peruse the displays and read the stories of locals like Burnis Watts, Jackson ‘Jack’ Wells, Harry Moyer, Seymour ‘Ike’ Issacs, Ray Brim, and Russ McDonald.

    David Gorrell, CAF Utah Wing Finance Officer, expressed his admiration for Russ McDonald, “Russ, to those of us who’ve been here for a while, was our mentor. He was the gentleman that everyone wishes they knew as they begin their career in aviation. He was a remarkably kind man and an incredibly skilled aviator; it was a real honor to be part of his group.”

    David and Matt both shared that the day Russ retired after 36 years as a pilot for United Airlines, he purchased a P-51 Mustang, a famous WWII fighter. A few years later, he bought a little red Pitt’s Special aerobatic biplane, which is still at the airport. He kept both at the Heber Valley Airport and flew one or the other every day. If you happened to be around, Russ would say, “Jump in the back, I need someone to ride with.” Russ also had a great sense of humor. McDonald had Newf, the unofficial airport canine mascot, painted on his P-51. Newf’s owner, another pilot, had shaved his fur to look like a lion. Matt recalls, “That’s why it looks like Russ has a lion in his plane — a little insider joke at the airport back then.”

    For seventy-three years the Heber Valley Airport has been an integral part of Heber Valley’s history and community. It’s not just an airstrip or a museum, the airport is a place where families can gather to watch aircraft from WWII bombers to modern day jets, to gliders, take to the sky. It’s a place to learn about the past and look to the future, a place that understands change and is committed to being good stewards and helping that change move in a positive direction. It’s a place of dreams, possibilities, and stories. Like Russ McDonald’s story of a farm boy who dreamed of flying and became a pilot, an instructor, and started an airport, there are countless stories out there waiting to be told and endless dreams with no boundaries. Matt McNamara said it best, “Chase your dreams wherever they may take you.”

    For seventy-three years the Heber Valley Airport has been an integral part of Heber Valley’s history and community.

    The Heber Valley Air Museum hosts several events throughout the year.

    Open Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    To learn more about the
    museum and their events
    cafutahwing.org.

    To learn more about the Heber Valley Airport — Russ McDonald Field,
    hebervalleyairport.com.

  • Heber Market on Main

    Heber Market on Main

    By Loralie Pearce

    When was the last time you invited your friends to meet you in aisle 10 of your neighborhood grocery store for a chat? Wait — don’t answer that. Instead, imagine yourself meandering through a beautiful open air space bursting with local art, crafts, agricultural goods, food, music, and if you’re lucky, a giant bounce house. Welcome to the all-new Heber Market on Main!

    In 1998 Heber City wanted to create a fun farmers market where the community could support each other through buying and selling locally sourced produce and other goods. Unfortunately, our valley’s climate doesn’t play nice with those who wish to grow a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. Short growing seasons and surprise late spring freezes have made it difficult for the market to find its identity as a true farmers market.

    The good news is that identity evolves with time. Enter the rebranding committee! Suzanne Hansen, Director of Heber Valley Market and Business Licensing; Matt Brower, City Manager; Dave Booth, Chief of Police; Mark Rounds, Director of Parks and Cemeteries; Tony Kohler, Planning Director; and Justin Hatch, Animal Services Supervisor, along with others in our community, have been working hard to create a new experience for Heber.

    Beginning with removing ‘farmers market’ from the name, and designing a new logo and website, Heber City Municipal’s main goal for the market is to promote local businesses and create an “inclusive, small town, world-class event for all to enjoy.” Next on the list, they addressed traffic flow concerns. “We’ve implemented a new layout to improve the vendors’ and visitors’ experience. Attendees can find just what they’re looking for while enjoying an easier booth layout, strategically designed to accommodate larger crowds, strollers, and wheelchairs.” Booths will be categorized according to what they are selling — feeling a bit crafty? You can stroll through the craft section. Hungry? All the food trucks will be in one place. In the mood to browse through some fine art — there’s a section for that too. A lot of consideration went into the positioning of booths to make the overall experience fun, exciting, and easy to navigate. One of the last orders of business was to make sure we remember our roots. “There are free, prime placement, booths available to those who are producing locally sourced products. If you are making local honey, growing local tomatoes, or other farm-fresh products, we would love for you to participate.” Even though ‘farmers market’ has been dropped from the name — the farmer has not been dropped from the market.

    Recognizing that the market is going to be different, Heber City Municipal shared, “As Heber is growing, there are many people that would like to be part of the Heber Market. We feel diversity adds to the richness of the event; however, local businesses will always get the first shot.” Vendors, visitors, and community members are encouraged to jump online now and take a tour of hebermarket.com, to register or learn more about the all-new Heber Market.

    With the understanding that Heber of 2020 is changing and adapting with current events daily, Heber City Municipal is optimistic and excited about our valley’s summer. “We are hoping for a big Fourth of July party for our city, with the Heber Market on Main at the center of the celebration.” Of course, Heber City will follow the Governor’s guidelines and directives implicitly. Our community’s health and safety will always take precedence. “Even if we are only able to pull off four events in July or August — it will be a big deal for our community — because everything else has been canceled.” The Heber Market is a unique event. Unlike other functions that need to take on debt and a degree of uncertainty before their event’s opening dates, the Heber Market pays for itself. Although put on by Heber City Municipal, all the fees collected from the vendors go to pay for the market — taxpayers are not pressed for the event.

    While schedules are still uncertain, the new look and layout, new themed events, new entertainment, and new vendors are certain to make the all-new Heber Market worth the wait! Whenever it happens, I plan to stay awhile — meet me at the food booths!

    hebermarket.com • #hebermarket

  • A Look At Jordanelle Development

    A Look At Jordanelle Development

    Change.  It’s a small word, yet for many the expression spikes our adrenaline and causes our hearts to beat quickly with fear or excitement. Whatever our personal response, this fact remains: nothing is meant to stay the same forever. As intelligent beings, we crave improvement and progression; we long for that something just out of reach and are willing to work hard for it  — even if it takes decades to achieve.

    For the past 162 years, the area we now call the Wasatch Back has been in a constant state of change. Perhaps one of the most impactful changes to Wasatch County was the construction of the Jordanelle Dam and Reservoir, which began June 1987 and was completed nearly six years later in April of 1993. Not only would the reservoir change the topography of the land, she would physically impact and shape the socioeconomic status of the Wasatch Back.

    It is believed that Leonardo de Vinci once said, “Water is the driving force of all nature.”

    It also could be said that water is the driving force of development. Although the Jordanelle’s primary purpose was to provide culinary water to Wasatch, Utah and Salt Lake counties, her close proximity to Deer Valley also provides a unique opportunity for the development of a true year-round resort paradise.

    This vision — shared by many land owners, developers, city officials, council members and Wasatch County citizens — is not shared by all. Many others have very different opinions on what they’d like to see for the basin area. Regardless of our differing views, it’s fairly safe to say that the “views” from our streets and surrounding mountain summits are changing rapidly. And these changes aren’t slowing down anytime soon.

    The 30,000-Foot View

    As we move forward, what does the future look like for Wasatch County; specifically, the areas that surround the Jordanelle?

    To answer that question, let’s go for a quick aerial ride around the neighborhood…

    It’s 2050 and we’re on a short, virtual flight out of the burgeoning Russ McDonald Air Field. Our destination? The airspace above the Jordanelle. I’ll be your flight attendant — so buckle in — as we may experience some turbulence.

    As we ascend to the north, off to your right you will notice the 5,000-plus homes, schools, churches, businesses, trails and open space that make up the Sorenson properties. Continuing straight ahead, as we cross over the Jordanelle Dam, to the west is the Mayflower Mountain Resort with her nearly 1,500 luxury homes, city center, ski runs and lifts.

    If you turn your head and look directly across U.S. Highway 40, you’ll see Mayflower Marina. Banking to our right, we see other resort-style communities such as Deer Crest, Deer Cove and Skyridge. As we circle to the south along the east shoreline of the Jordanelle, we pass the town of Hideout, the Tuhaye, Berg Ridge, Victory Ranch and Benloch Ranch communities, and make our way back to the Sorenson properties.

    Of note: If each of these developments build out all of their entitled units, we would have flown over roughly 15,000 homes, numerous businesses, many hotels, several schools and churches, and other amenities like trails and trailheads, parking areas, gas stations, and — well, you get the picture.

    Did the view make you want to jump from your seat and do a happy dance? Or did you feel like making good use of those small paper bags the airlines provide? Whatever your reaction to this glimpse into our future, there are a few things that you may or may not know about the developments happening now and those slated for the future.

    First and foremost: It’s going to happen… and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Every one of those developments has been approved and entitled for years.

    What does entitled mean? It means that Wasatch County approved the number of residential units, hotels, workforce housing, parking, businesses and all other structures and build-outs included in the developers’ master plans. This means that the backhoe you see on the side of the mountain was approved years ago to be where it is today.

    It’s important to understand that we didn’t get here overnight. Everything concerning the dam, the reservoir and the land surrounding the Jordanelle has been in some type of planning phase for at least 40 years.

    Back To Reality

    Let’s drop our gaze from a futuristic bird’s-eye-view to a present-day ground level and take a tour around the Jordanelle. We begin with the big yellow machines and all the digging off U.S. Highway 40 that’s caused many to exclaim, “What the heck?!” Here’s what’s really happening on that mountainside.

    According to Wasatch County Planner Doug Smith, “The majority of the excavation that you see happening up here is part of a VCP, or voluntary cleanup program, that the state has to approve. There are a lot of tailings and mine stuff up there that the VCP group volunteered to come in and cleanup. That’s the majority of it, but they are also excavating for a water tank that will be buried on the side of the mountain.”

    That water tank is part of the infrastructure that Gary Barnett’s EXTELL Development Company is beginning to put in place for the Mayflower Mountain Resort.

    You may have heard of this new resort in our back yard. What you may not know is that the Mayflower Mountain Resort is just one of a number of projects that are being developed on property once owned by Stichting Mayflower, an investment group from Holland.

    In 1979, Stichting Mayflower purchased approximately 4,500 acres of land that stretches into Deer Valley’s Bald Mountain area and extends over to Guardsman Pass. In the early 1980s, the investment group began the process of planning, requesting approvals and seeking entitlements for various developments on its land. At this time, the Jordanelle Reservoir did not exist and the Bureau of Reclamation had yet to make a final decision on the reservoir itself.

    According to Bill Coleman and Bob Theobald of Berkshire Hathaway, Stichting Mayflower had to turn in two plans; one with the reservoir and one without. It also had to receive approval from an outside firm, which was tasked to review all of the aspects of Stichting Mayflower’s master plan. The master plan, which included entitlements for 2,000 to 3,000 Equivalent Residential Units (ERUs), was approved and entitled in 1984 – 1985 by both the Wasatch County planning director and county commissioner.

    Stichting Mayflower was not the only developer seeking approval in the 1980s, and in 1987 the construction of the Jordanelle Dam required that both U.S. Highway 40 and U.S. Route 189 be rerouted and rebuilt. The newly-built U.S. Highway 40 added another layer to the already unique basin area.

    Now, anyone from anywhere in the world could fly into the Salt Lake International Airport and drive straight to a world-class ski resort — with a newly-dammed, pristine body of water nearby, ready and waiting for investors to dive in. Land owners and developers did just that, taking advantage of the new development opportunities on all sides of the reservoir.

    In the 1990s, entitlements were approved for several developments, including Benloch Ranch (originally Talisman) with 2,046 ERUs and Tuhaye with 900 units. In 2001, Victory Ranch was approved for 690 ERUs (though the land owners recently cut the density to 350 units) and Sorenson’s master plan was approved and entitled in 2007.

    In 2014, Stichting Mayflower decided to sell its property. Coleman stated that three-quarters of the Mayflower property was sold to the aforementioned developer, Gary Barnett, in 2017. Barnett’s local EXTELL properties include: Pioch, a master-planned area owned by United Park City Mines; Blue Ledge, a ski in/ski out luxury residential condominium development; and the Mayflower Mountain Resort.

    Utah’s Next Year-Round Resort

    The Mayflower Mountain Resort will be the first full-service ski resort to be developed in the United States since 1980 when Beaver Creek opened in Colorado. Which is fitting, considering the vision for the basin area is to make it a year-round resort, similar to Vail and Aspen. Consisting of 5,600 acres, the resort will include luxury homes, condominiums, single-family homes, townhomes, 95,000-square-feet of employee housing, 250,000-square-feet of commercial and retail space, a 68,000-square-foot public recreation center, a performing arts center, an ice rink, five to seven lifts, 400 acres of ski runs located on the back side of Deer Valley Resort, the world’s largest ski beach and three hotels.

    The Mayflower Resort is the first recreational project in Utah to work with the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), and as such, the first hotel built will have 100 rooms reserved for military personnel, with a preferential rate based on rank. “The lower your rank, the lower your price,” said EXTELL Development Senior Vice President Kurt Kireg at a media gathering on August 12, 2019.

    Building Up And Out

    Now, let’s cross the street and head over to Marina West — too bad the portals aren’t built yet. Wait . . . what?

    In the spring of 2020, construction will begin on portals near the Jordanelle Express Gondola and the wildlife portal near Mayflower. Doug Smith explained, “There will be four bridge structures; two south-bound and two north-bound, with daylight in the middle and pedestrian and vehicular access underneath. The idea is that you can have a transit that circulates through here without having to clog up the Mayflower intersection.”

    The Mayflower Marina is the last piece of the original Mayflower property that is still owned by Stichting Mayflower. The land is approximately 160 acres with the potential to house 392 ERUs and various commercial property. State Road 319 runs through the acreage, dividing the property into two sections — Marina East and Marina West.

    In 2015, Deer Cove was entitled for 865 ERUs on 87 acres. Located adjacent to U.S. Highway 40 and directly across the highway from the already existing ski in/ski out community of Deer Crest, Deer Cove will have direct on-site access to the gondola via the Deer Crest Portal. Deer Cove has the potential to be developed into a small community containing both single and multifamily units, condominiums, a club house, a hotel, commercial units, open space, and hiking and biking paths and trails.

    Another possible plan for Deer Cove could include the development of a campus or corporate site. How Deer Cove will develop is still undecided; however, Deer Cove’s neighbor Skyridge has been decided.

    Skyridge, which was part of the original Mayflower development approved and entitled in 1984, covers 678 acres on the northwest section of the Jordanelle and is entitled for 503 units. The community has various developments under the Skyridge umbrella; all with fun names like Orion, Ursa and Constellation. In keeping with the overall vision to create a year-round resort area surrounding the reservoir, Skyridge will house several resort-type amenities, including outdoor gathering spaces, a community park, a golf academy, an equestrian center, horseback riding trails, a club house, short-term lodging, a kiosk, two public trailheads and approximately seven miles of trails that will connect with Bureau of Reclamation trails around the Jordanelle.

    Smith shared that there also has been some discussion regarding an improved day-use beach area with docks, pavilions and restrooms. The aforementioned clubhouse, equestrian center, golf academy, trail heads, kiosk, hiking and biking trails, and day-use beach will all be open to the public.

    According to Smith, “None of this could have developed without the [Jordanelle] Parkway, because they would have been on a dead-end road. [The] county won’t allow dead end roads over 1,300 feet that don’t have a second access, so this has to be built, completed and accepted by the county before we issue building permits.”

    The Jordanelle Parkway has been envisioned for 25-plus years. The parkway will connect the Mayflower Mountain Resort off of U.S. Highway 40 to State Route 248 at the Browns Canyon intersection and will include a 10-foot asphalt hiking and biking trail that runs parallel. The parkway is slated to be finished in the spring or summer of 2020. Which means, next year you could go for a stroll or ride your bike from Mayflower to the JOVID Mark Hotel.

    On the east side of the basin, the town of Hideout recently received entitlements for 360 ERUs for two new developments: Deer Waters and Deer Springs. Berg Ridge, located east of Tuhaye, is a 180-acre subdivision development with 182 ERUs.

    Tuhaye and Victory Ranch are both already well established and are continuing to build. Tuhaye, which recently purchased 400 acres, told the county it was not going to change its number of ERUs; it instead plans to spread its 900 units across more acreage.

    “Victory Ranch went through a rezone of 6,000 acres and we are recording their last plat,” said Smith. “They are only around 350 units of their approved 690, but they said their owners wanted to cut back in density. With the higher-end projects, that’s what we are seeing now.”

    Benloch Ranch also cut their ERUs from 2,046 to 1,827 on 2,335 acres, and is waiting for final plat approval for its first 30 units. Located on the south side of State Road 32 between Victory Ranch and the Sorenson properties, Benloch Ranch — like Skyridge — is intended to have a resort feel with a clubhouse, pool, restaurants, commercial amenities, backcountry trails and maybe even a zip line.

    Speaking of — let’s zip on over to the Sorenson Properties. (Yahoo! We’re almost through!)

    The Sorenson development is a massive project that has created a lot of discussion within Wasatch County, but today we’re just strolling by. The 9,000 acres that make up the Sorenson properties cover a good chunk of mountain range touching Benloch Ranch, Victory Ranch, Red Ledges and almost all the way down to U.S. Highway 40. The residential community of River View on the west side of State Road 32 is part of Phase I of the Sorenson master plan.

    “Sorenson has the potential to be more primary residents than secondary, and if they are, then they should have services provided up there,” said Smith. “It’s what we call internal capture for traffic management, so within the development you should have school sites, library sites, fire stations, soccer and baseball fields, churches, grocery stores, gas stations; all those things. This way, everybody doesn’t have to get onto Highway 32 [sic]… they don’t have to drive into town to get a gallon of milk.” The Sorenson master plan reflects the same view.

    Our Future, Together

    Not the view you were expecting when we first started? Exactly the view you were expecting? What we are seeing today is the realization of a vision that has been carefully planned for over 35 years. I think Bill Coleman said it best, “These developments have real gravity, they are not fleeting, and they were not spontaneous.”

    Just like any other living organism, if a community is not growing, it’s dying or dormant. There needs to be new nutrients that come and go — that change with time and growth. Wasatch County is growing and thriving and changing. Yes, it’s a little scary. Yes, it’s a little exciting.

    What do we envision for our county’s future?

    Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” How our county and cities continue to change is for us to decide — so let’s do it together. After all, change is just a small word. Together, we can make a big impact.

    As residents, our voices are important — they shape what the future of our county and cities will look like. Let your voice be heard. Be informed. Be involved. This is your county, your city, and your help is encouraged. Want to be part of the planning process? Join county or city council. Want to be involved but you’re not sure how? Visit Wasatch County’s website and scroll through the volunteer boards. Serving on county boards is a lot fun and you learn a ton. Do you love hiking and biking? Join the Wasatch Trails Foundation. There are a lot of places to get involved and things you can do to help shape your community.

  • Meet McKardy Kelly

    Meet McKardy Kelly

    Sunday, July 21, 2019, is a day that McKardy Kelly says she will never forget. Riding into Midway atop a blaring fire truck, McKardy waved and smiled at family, friends and community members who lined the streets in her honor. The parade paid tribute to McKardy, who was named the National High School Rodeo Queen the day before in Rock Springs, Wyoming. McKardy — the first Utahn to win the title since 2008 — says she owes her success to her friends, family and the special place where she grew up.

    For McKardy, family, home and the town of Midway have all played a very important role in her journey to the National High School Rodeo Queen crown. “I love talking about where I live and the people I live by because it’s really unique,” she says. “I live down a lane with my whole family; my grandpa and grandma, my grandpa’s brother and my cousins. We’re a really close family.”

    Living on a family farm taught McKardy the value of hard work and reinforced her family ties. For the speech portion of the competition, McKardy spoke on the importance of family and heritage, and shared some of the more “entertaining” aspects of life on the farm. “I talked about how my grandpa, Brent, got his hand into the tailgate of the truck and his finger fell off… And the time the horses were escaping the arena and he was trying to race them to the gate and he rolled his four-wheeler…

    “So, you never know what you’re going to get on the farm — but you learn to work hard and you learn to have fun as well.”

    When asked what she loves best about living in Midway, McKardy quickly replies, “I love my community. It’s amazing. I love my friends and family who always support me. I love that I have opportunities to live on a farm and get taught those principles, and to be able to spend time with my grandma and grandpa. I have the closest relationship with them and I don’t think a lot of teenagers have that opportunity”.

    That close relationship is where McKardy first learned to love everything about rodeo. “I got it definitely through my family heritage,” she laughs.

    A Girl, Her Horse and a lot of Hard Work

    Representing the Utah High School and National High School Rodeo Associations has been a dream of McKardy’s since she was a little girl.

    Growing up going to rodeos with her dad and grandpa — who are both rodeo announcers — McKardy says, “I just had a love for it and knew that I wanted to do it.” Queening also came naturally to McKardy, as both her mother and grandmother have been crowned Queen.

    McKardy explains that, “Rodeo and Queening are two separate events. For rodeo, I compete in barrel racing and pole bending, but they are not associated with the Queen contest. For the Queen contest, I compete in modeling, speech, interviews, an impromptu question and horsemanship. When you are crowned a Rodeo Queen you represent that association.”

    From her first competition at age 10, to being crowned the Utah Junior High School Rodeo Queen, to becoming the first freshman to receive the title of Utah High School Rodeo Queen since 1993, to now the first Utahn to receive the national title in 11 years, McKardy’s family and community have been behind her one hundred percent of the way.

    To achieve her long-held dream, McKardy has had to put her hard work ethic to the test. She spent countless hours learning about current events, honing her public speaking skills, writing and memorizing speeches, studying rule books, as well as learning each and every part of her horse. Along with practicing poise and presence, and looking calm, cool and collected with a stomach full of nerves and butterflies, contestants have to know the sport of rodeo.

    “There’s nothing more rewarding, nothing makes you feel more accomplished, than putting in all that hard work and then getting results on competition day,” she beams. “It’s the best day but you have to work for it.”

    Luckily, that work is with a lot of amazing people and horses. For Nationals, she trained every day in the arena with her horse, Gee Whiz, an 11-year-old gelding with a “super spunky personality.” Together they won the horsemanship category. McKardy also won the speech, modeling and appearance categories – all of which helped her win the title of National High School Rodeo Queen.

    “It was really neat to find out that I was the first Utah girl in 11 years to win!” she smiles. “I’m friends with all the past Queens from Utah because the ‘Rodeo Queen World’ is rather small. I have looked up to those women my whole life and it’s been amazing holding the same title as them. Having the title of National High School Rodeo Queen is such an honor.”

    Fulfilling Her Queenly Duties

    For the next year. McKardy will travel the country and the world, representing National High School Rodeo and speaking to youth. Her platform for Nationals was creating an environment where people who suffer from mental illness will have the same respect as people with physical health conditions. McKardy will continue educating others by sharing her experiences with people who suffer from a mental illness.

    “I was able to meet a lot of people who suffer in ways I would never have known about until I got to know them. I think that kindness goes a long way because you can’t see what everyone is going through.”

    Being kind is important to McKardy – and so is being a good ambassador for the associations she has represented over the years. “As a representative, you can’t really live like a normal teenager – in a good way though – because people are looking at you,” she explains. “You are not just trying to be the best you that you can be, but you are representing high school rodeo in the title, you are representing high school kids. You have to be on your best behavior at all times – you have to be that person you’d look up to.

    “We’re all going to make mistakes and that’s okay. It’s a lot of pressure but it’s also really cool to have this title that helps remind you to be kind to everyone you meet, to be involved and be a good friend.”

    Listening to McKardy, it’s hard to believe that she still has two years left of high school. She speaks with the wisdom and insight of someone with a few more years and more life experience under her belt. Moving forward, this role model is keeping her boots on ‘cuz she plans on doing a whole lot more walking, talking and riding.

    McKardy hopes to qualify for nationals next year in barrels, pole bending and other rodeo events. After high school, McKardy plans on majoring in Agricultural Communication and hopes to use her skills in the field she loves so much – rodeo! “It’s the whole atmosphere and experience that I love,” she explains. “I never would have met my best friends in the whole world if I hadn’t entered the little county contests and I never would have met my best friends that I met being Utah High School Rodeo Queen… Now that I went to Nationals, I have friends all over the country, the world, and I never would have gotten those experiences doing anything else.”

    McKardy is still settling into her title but when asked about future Queening contests she says, “It is a super great honor to be able to represent the National High School Rodeo. It’s the top queening contest; it’s the biggest thing you get to do in High School. When I’m older, maybe I’ll try out for Miss Rodeo Utah and Miss Rodeo America. Now I just get to go represent and have fun!” 

    Representing the National High School Rodeo Association is an honor McKardy is excited to share with the world, and representing Midway — the town she loves — her community, friends and family is an honor she is grateful for. “I’m so grateful to everyone that came out that Sunday to support me. I didn’t expect anything and I never saw it coming, but I never doubted for a second that I had the best community. It was a day that I will never forget!”

  • Waddie Mitchell

    Waddie Mitchell

    What’s in a Name?

     

    When Shakespeare penned those words he was asking does a name really matter? For Bruce Douglas “Waddie” Mitchell, it’s a safe wager his answer is yes. 

    As a young buckaroo growing up on a remote ranch near Elko, Nevada, Bruce was his dad’s right-hand man. “The hired hands around the ranch always called me ‘Doug’s Little Waddie,’” he says. “They’d shout out, ‘Hey Little Waddie,’ and as I grew up it was still Little Waddie until all of a sudden it was just Waddie.”

    You can hear the pride in his voice as he explains, “It was more or less used to say, ‘He’s a good cowboy, he’s my friend, he’s an Old Waddie.’”

    At the age of 22, Doug’s Little Waddie legally became Waddie Mitchell.

    The Birth of a Poet

    Those ol’ cowhands gave Waddie much more than his name. They instilled in him a love for storytelling. Living 14 miles away from the nearest neighbor in a small community consisting of only ranch hands and his family, Waddie grew up like generations before him. There was no electricity, and no radio or television.

    Waddie chuckles as he says, “We did the strangest things at night — we talked to each other.” For Waddie, community borders faded away and the world opened up as he sat around the supper table and listened to those cowboys spin their tales. It wasn’t just the stories that caught Waddie’s attention; it was the rhythm and cadence, the tempo and twang of the cowboys’ voices, the song of words without music. “I fell in love with what those cowboys were telling me, those old cowboy poems. I loved them without knowing why.”

    Waddie’s love for cowboy poetry led him to write his own, and with no idea where it would lead him, he began to share what he wrote. “The biggest things that I’d do with my poetry was to give them out at Christmas time. I couldn’t afford a Christmas card so I’d write a poem and draw a picture and have them run off and send out my own Christmas cards. That was the only way I had to spread some of my poetry around a little bit.” 

    Although Waddie had been reciting poetry since the age of 10, his first public performance came 24 years later.

    It would change everything.

    Western Poetry, Johnny Carson and a Silver Anniversary

    In 1984, Waddie helped organize the first Elko Cowboy Poetry Gathering. He didn’t think anyone would be interested but during that frosty winter weekend in January, over 2,000 people came to listen to ranchers and cowboys as they weaved their yarns of life working cattle. Waddie was one of those “Ol’ Cowboys,” and as he took that first step into the spotlight, giving life to words with his Western drawl, people took notice.

    When a neighbor traveled 40 miles to deliver a message that he’d been invited to appear on “The Tonight Night Show” with Johnny Carson, Waddie gave a polite, “No thanks.” It was calving time and besides, never having had a television, he’d never heard of Johnny Carson. Waddie’s friends talked him into going anyway — and the rest is history.

    After 26 years of riding and roping, Waddie hung up his cowboy hat and donned a new one: that of a professional storyteller and poet. For the past 36 years, Waddie has performed all over the world, appeared on numerous television shows and been featured in top U.S. magazines. He’s written four books and made a series of recordings for Warner Brothers and Western Jubilee. Waddie founded the Working Ranch Cowboys Association in 1994 and wrote a poem specifically for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

    Oh, and that little cowboy poetry gathering he started in Elko? Well, it’s celebrating its 35th anniversary and is now internationally recognized as the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering.

    Waddie also had a little something to do with the start of the Heber Valley Western Music and Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Waddie and Tom Whittaker met in Logan during one of Waddie’s performances, and after speaking together about the ins and outs of what it takes, Tom was up and running. Thanks to the help of Waddie and the Heber Valley community, Tom and his friends created one of the nation’s largest premier festivals. Waddie, who has hosted the gathering for 20-plus years, will once again host our local gathering as it celebrates its silver anniversary this October. 

    The Heber gathering holds a special place in Waddie’s heart, so when asked to share one of his most memorable career experiences, it came as no surprise that it took place in our beautiful valley. “Last year in Heber they brought in Jack Hannah, one of the members of the Sons of the San Joaquin… We had been buddies and done shows together for 30-plus years and always appreciated and loved each other,” he reminisces. “For him to sit there with his guitar and sing me songs and ask me to do a poem he hadn’t heard for years, just that little bantering back and forth, it was one of those things you realize how important they are. That little deal just did a world of good for me.”

    What a Ride

    Waddie himself has done a world of good for others, too. In speaking about sharing his poetry, Waddie said, “People come and they laugh and they have to think and they’d be moved to tears and they didn’t know where all this was coming from. They didn’t have that growing up and so people that are in their 50s say to me, ‘This is what I’ve been looking for my whole life without having any idea of what I was looking for.’ I’ve had young people come up to me and say, ‘We didn’t know anybody did stuff like this — this is cool.’ If [the stories and poems] didn’t hold merit, they wouldn’t survive.”

    For Waddie, a name does matter — and the name Waddie Mitchell holds more than merit in many hearts. It’s been a wild ride for Waddie — from Doug’s Little Waddie, a one-time buckaroo and cowboy, to now a professional storyteller and poet, and, of course forever a son, father and friend.

    “Ya know, I spent 26 years as just a way strong cowboy and if somebody had told me a year before it all happened that I was going to go off and become a professional storyteller and poet, and not even work on the ranch anymore to speak of, unless I just wanted to, I’d ‘a said, ‘You’re absolutely nuts! You’re crazy! Absolutely crazy!’ — But, it’s been quite a ride!”

    The designation of “cowboy” holds a lot of merit and meaning for Waddie. With a reverent voice Waddie explains, “I think that throwing that word ‘cowboy’ around has kind of cheapened it. Those saddling up in the dark and often times coming home in the dark, that’s their life they’re living. They’re carrying that title and deserve a little more of our respect. Ya know, I spent 26 years as just a way strong cowboy and I’ve spent the last 35 years telling stories about it. So, I used to be the real deal but I’m not anymore.”

    Evening Chat

    Here ya go, young feller
    Let’s take this saddle off your back
    I’ll get you a scoop of rolled oats
    And we’ll have us an evening chat

    Now let me curry this sweat off
    I suppose it’s the least I can do
    Settle down now, enjoy your grain
    I’ll turn you out when you’re through

    Well, we finished us up another day
    That ol’ sun is going down
    Hmmmph, I wonder why we say that
    When it’s the Earth that’s spun around

    ‘Cause the sun is stationary, you see
    …What’s that, boredom in your eyes?
    I guess it don’t make no difference to you
    If I call it “sundown” or “earthrise”

    But regardless, we had us a good day
    And we got what I wanted to done
    Neither one of us got hurt
    And we managed to have us some fun

    I’ve got me high hopes for you, Brownie
    I believe we will make a good team
    You’ve just got to slow down some
    In time you’ll know what I mean

    O’ when I was young I was like you
    But when working cows, you’ll find
    That enthusiasm’s dandy
    But experience is kind

    Sort of lets an older feller
    Work at a slower pace
    And still get as much accomplished
    On account of fewer mistakes

    Here, let me have that foot up
    I’ll check on that ol’ hoof crack
    Hold yourself up, darn it
    No need to be hard on my back

    Yep them clips I drew have done it
    Looks like it’s growing out fine
    Won’t hardly know you had one
    When I shoe you up next time

    Say, but you caught that yearling slick
    Do you like ropin’ as much as you claim to?
    Maybe we should enter us a jackpot
    Now there’d be something to aim to

    But I don’t see the boss allowin’ me
    To take you past them hills
    ‘Sides, you know nothing of trailerin’
    And I don’t recon you ever will

    See, you and I are a dying breed
    Ain’t many like us these days
    Well, I see you’ve et up the last of your grain
    Come on, pard, you go out and graze

    Thanks for the chat, I’ve enjoyed it
    S’pose I best head on inside
    And git me some supper started
    I’ll catch you later, pard… Thanks for the ride

     by Waddie Mitchell

  • Off-Grid Living: Disconnecting From The Beaten Path

    Off-Grid Living: Disconnecting From The Beaten Path

    Off-grid living. Those words often conjure up visions of people like Grizzly Adams, living off the land in a one-room log cabin with their bear bestie Ben, completely cut off from civilization. For some, that sounds like heaven — for others, not so much. The beauty of off-grid living is that it can look like whatever you want it to look like, from a tiny house deep in the woods to a dream home just off the beaten path — the sky’s the limit. Beards and bears are optional.

    Going “off-grid” simply means not being connected to one or more of the utility companies providing electricity, gas, water or sewer. Off-grid living can also include practicing self-sustaining activities such as growing your own food and raising your own animals. For some, living off-grid also means zero internet, land lines or cell phones — except for emergencies.

    Living off grid is not as simple as it sounds. I know; I’ve been doing it for years.

    The good news is that it’s also not as difficult as one may think. As more of us develop a desire to leave a smaller footprint on Mother Earth, off-grid living is becoming more appealing and socially acceptable. Rural cities and counties are slowly coming on board by issuing permits and creating regulations in favor of off-grid living, making it easier to go off-grid without moving too far from civilization.

    Startup Challenges

    Two of the biggest challenges facing those wanting to go off-grid are obtaining land and financing. Finding a piece of land without HOAs and CCRs, in an area that allows wells, septic systems and the option to use alternative power sources such as solar, wind and hydro, is a challenge and requires a lot of research, leg work and tenacity.

    Financing can be just as challenging. Most banks and credit unions will not finance lots larger than five to 10 acres or off-grid projects, unless you have a substantial down payment. There are some businesses that specialize in off-grid financing — mainly solar homes — but each has their own set of rules.

    One business I looked into would finance building a home powered only by solar, but you could not have a well. You had to hook up to city or county water. I have yet to find any financial institution that will loan money in order to finish off-grid homes or projects already started. My suggestion is this; start from scratch with a great team versus trying to self-build, unless you plan on financing the project yourself.

    Next Steps

    With the perfect place found and money in pocket, you now need to visit your local government resource for water rights, records, applications and forms, as well as information on well drilling.

    With the perfect place found and money in pocket, you now need to visit WaterRights.Utah.gov for water rights, records, applications and forms, as well as information on well drilling.

    Next, become friends with the wonderful people at your local Health, Planning and Zoning, and Building Departments. These are the people you will be spending a lot of time with over the course of your project. They will be the ones issuing permits, reviewing, inspecting and approving everything you do; from your well, septic system, off-grid systems and residential plans, to building, plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire. For those lucky enough to live in Wasatch County, Wasatch.Utah.gov is a great place to start.

    Speaking of water and permits, did you know that it is no longer illegal to harvest rain water in Utah? Senate Bill 322, passed in 2010, allows for the legal harvesting of rainwater in Utah. You can now install a rainwater harvesting system, above or below ground, and use the water on the same parcel. You may harvest up to 2,500 gallons per parcel. If you have more than two containers, or any one container stores in excess of 100 gallons you will need to register your system with the Utah Division of Water Rights. Registration is free. For more information, see this pdf from Utah State University about rainwater harvesting in Utah.

    Harnessing Nature’s Power

    Deciding how you’re going to go off-grid is the fun part.

    Electricity generated from running water is one of the most affordable and best off-grid power sources. It runs 24/7. Unfortunately, year-round or seasonal streams are hard to come by on most private properties. If you are lucky enough to have a babbling brook, there are two ways you can get power: a turbine in the natural channel of water (these are usually prohibited) or a dammed water flow that feeds into a turbine. Your stream can only be dammed if you have sufficient elevation difference between where the water enters and leaves your property. Even with sufficient elevation, there may be local restrictions on damming due to water rights of farmers and ranchers who are downstream.

    Wind is a clean, reliable and surprisingly affordable source of electricity that is becoming more popular for off-grid living. How much wind does one need? Well, that depends on how much wind you can capture — and how much you capture depends on how high your windmill is, which leads to many more questions about wind energy. The “Small Wind Electric Systems Utah Consumer’s Guide” published by the U.S. Department of Energy is a great resource for answering such questions.

    There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding wind energy, noise and safety. Before you find a neighbor acting out a scene from Don Quixote against your giant windmill, arm yourself with the facts to dismiss him or her by reading “10 Wind Energy Myths” by the National Renewable Energy Lab.

    With technology moving faster than an anemometer can measure the wind, options for solar power are increasing every year. Today you have the choice of solar panels on an array, panels on your roof or even roof tiles resembling ordinary shingles embedded with the highest-efficiency photovoltaic cells. You can have large lead-acid batteries that require a charge controller, an inverter and a room of their own, or small lithium-ion batteries with the controller and inverter included — all packaged nicely together in a box the size of a large screen TV.

    The number of solar panels you will need depends on a number of factors, like your electricity usage, geographic location, the physical location of your array and which direction your roof faces. If you choose to have solar panels on your roof, visit SolarSimplified.org to learn about fire codes and how they relate to solar roof panels. 

    Concerning fire, it’s a good idea — and in some areas it is required — to have water storage, a fire hydrant and a sprinkler system in place to protect your off-grid investment. There are several different options for off-grid water storage. You can draw from an abundant, year-round spring, creek, aquifer or pond, but those are rarely available. The most common water storage option is a water tank. To learn more about water storage for your off-grid project go to off-grid.net. If you decide you’d like to give off-grid living a try, or want to implement some off-grid practices to your on-grid home, the most important thing is to enjoy the journey amidst all the researching, planning, permits and inspections. Take time to admire your hard work and relish in the fact that your small footprint will leave a lasting impression on future generations of beard growers and bears.

  • Master Of Murals

    Master Of Murals

    At four years old, Skye Walker did something that would change the course of his life. He picked up a crayon and began coloring. He’s been coloring and creating ever since.

    In June 2018, Skye hit the road in his Sprinter Van — appropriately and cleverly named “Vango” — for a yearlong “Sea2Sea Mural Tour.” Ten months, 17,000 miles and 23 murals later, Skye Walker found himself in the Heber Valley.

    Skye wasn’t lost. Quite the contrary: the stars had aligned to get him here. One month before he left on his tour, a young woman watched him paint a large mural for a law firm in Encinitas, Calif. She loved it and told a friend, who told a friend, who just happened to be Perry Dickson, one of the owners at Slim & Knobby’s Bike Shop.

    Perry contacted Skye about painting a mural for their new store, but the timing wasn’t right. Fortunately fate intervened — while reviewing his schedule in Albuquerque, N.M., Skye discovered he had a few extra days. He called Perry, they talked, Skye jumped on a plane, and in the course of five days Skye created an amazing mural for the new Slim & Knobby’s featuring a sky full of stars that guide the eye toward the splendor and nature of the Heber Valley.

    Sandwiched between shooting stars and the rolling waves of lakes, rivers and streams, a beautiful scene of colors, textures and geometric shapes unfolds. A golden sun rises behind Mount Timpanogos while a majestic moose stands guard over Mother Nature’s creations. A lone bear treks through giant evergreens on his way to a honeycombed mountain, carefully watched by a rainbow trout clearly out of the water yet still perfectly in her element. Topography lines wind throughout, giving a sense of place while not indicating anywhere specific.

    Skye Walker’s 24th mural is beautifully unique and inspiring.

    A Large-Scale Perspective

    Skye is inspired by nature and enjoys creating realistic pieces of art, but his true love lies in presenting what is real in an unusual, diverse and fun manner.

    “When you get to push a little bit and have some fun with color and placements, taking things out of the ordinary and giving them a fun spin, it really gives the brain something to think about,” he explains. “It makes it more fun, I believe, for the people that are experiencing the mural.”

    Sky continues, “I know that whenever I’ve stopped and seen a mural that really took my breath away it made me think. I’ve been like, wow that was incredible. Not to say that that can’t happen with small-scale art, which it does, but I mean — when you’re standing in front of a hundred-foot wall — it’s definitely going to grab your attention and make you think”.

    And Skye’s artwork does make one think. His art gives the viewer a sense of connectedness between Mother Earth and her inhabitants. It fills one with the sense of responsibility to look out for each other and take care of one another. That desire to connect was one of the reasons Skye decided to go on a mural tour.

    “I wanted to put myself in a position to be on the road full-time and be in areas to, not only paint a mural, but to experience the local area as best as possible, whether that’s the nature or the urban part,” he explains. “I wanted to interact with people I wouldn’t normally meet and make new friends, and I did. It’s been amazing, very inspiring, and an incredible journey.”

    “I believe that public art is imperative to our society. It inspires people and uplifts communities, whether people know it or not.”

    A Different Kind Of Painting

    Educating others about art comes naturally to Skye when he talks to people viewing his work. As he primarily uses spray paint when creating large murals, he often hears, “Oh you’re using spray paint — isn’t that graffiti?” Sky believes teaching others that “graffiti” is a legitimate art style is an important part of those discussions. Sadly, this style has long been associated with tagging and vandalism — and vandalism is not art.

    As more people learn the difference, they come to understand and appreciate the unique style of street art. Some of the most sought after street artists like Shepard Fairey and Banksy are helping change public opinion of graffiti art, and now people not only respect the art but also want it in their towns and homes. 

    To some, our picturesque Heber Valley may seem an unexpected place for a large street art mural, but its the perfect style in which to capture our distinctive place on this planet. When you stand in front of Skye Walker’s amazing mural, it will not only make you think; this artwork will take your brain on a journey of possibilities, provide another perspective and make you glad that Perry Dickson and the stars aligned to send Skye Walker in our direction.

    Mostly, though, it’ll make you grateful that Skye picked up that crayon and never stopped coloring.  

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