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

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

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.”

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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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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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

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.

“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

“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.

“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: annaseuroantiques@gmail.com
or @annaseuropeanantiques.
483 W Airport Road, Heber