Portage Lake District Library to host book signing Oct. 2

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host a book signing with local author Lisa A. Shiel from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Shiel will present her latest book, Forgotten Tales of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and share wonderfully offbeat and all-but-forgotten tales from the U.P.'s history. Find out why the barber said to the corpse, "That’s the best I’ve ever seen you look." Meet the sleeping man who rode the rails without a train. Discover the truth behind the rumors that one mining town was cursed with the ten plagues of Egypt, and learn why hugs terrified an entire city.

A resident of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Lisa A. Shiel researches and writes about everything strange, from Bigfoot and UFOs to alternative history. She is the author of six books, including Strange Michigan and the award-winning Backyard Bigfoot. She formerly served as president of the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association. You can find her online at www.BackyardPhenomena.com.

Children's Storytime begins Oct. 6

Storytime for the school year begins on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at the Portage Lake District Library and will be held every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10:15 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. Young children are invited to come for stories, craft projects, occasional music and lots of fun.

During inclement weather, weekday sessions will follow school closings. For Saturday programs, please call the library to check for closings.

Children are also encouraged to use the Children’s Listening Center at the library. Music, foreign languages and stories on CDs are available for use during their visits to the library. Up to four people at a time can use the equipment, including parents who want to help their children learn another language or simply enjoy music or a good book together. Please ask a librarian to help get you started.

Library presentations are free and everyone is welcome. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

First Friday to offer art, FiberRama sale, music Oct. 1

HANCOCK, CALUMET -- This First Friday, Oct. 1, offers art gallery receptions in both Calumet and Hancock and musical entertainment as well.

Community Arts Center in Hancock to host three First Friday events

A closing reception for Marquette artist Andy Gregg's Bike Art will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Community Arts Center. Refreshments will be served.

Gregg makes functional eco-friendly furniture from salvaged bike parts. His chairs, tables, barstools, coat racks and mirrors are modern and stylish with an urban look. The artist, who has a fine arts degree in photography, was inspired by designers and architects such as Mies van der Rohe and Charles Eames. Click here to read our Sept. 5 article with some samples of Gregg's work.

Following the reception downstairs, Phyllis Fredendall, fiber artist and Finlandia University professor, will give a slide presentation and talk about rag rugs in Finland, their widespread use and their loving care from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. upstairs in the Community Arts Center's ballroom. A suggested donation of $5 at the door includes a special preview shopping at FiberRama, a sale of yarn, fabric and notions from 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m. Proceeds from FiberRama will benefit the Community Arts Center. The sale will open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2.

The Community Arts Center is located at 126 Quincy Street in Hancock and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Call 482-2333 for more information.

Ed Gray Gallery to host two-person show

For the month of October, the Ed Gray Gallery in Calumet will present a two-person exhibit featuring Linda Ferguson and Barry Bernstein. A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1.

Ferguson says her series of paintings and drawings, "What Birds Fly Through," is meant to represent the atmosphere of a forest landscape.

Ferguson studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and acted as a gallery curator for fifteen years. She is currently pursuing an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Barry Bernstein’s pottery has been influenced by the work of Marv Zehnder, former NMU ceramic professor; Richard Devore, and Joseph Albers.

"My pots are wheel thrown vessels," Bernstein says. "I use the vessel form as my canvas and the firing process as my paint brush. It’s important for me to have intense color on top of wheel thrown pieces. Incidentally, it took me about 20 years before I felt that I had begun to get these things right."

Bernstein uses his surroundings to inspire his work. The slits in his pieces reflect his experience with the Dead River Falls; the square cut-outs in the pots represent the ore dock in Marquette.

The Ed Gray Gallery is located at at 109 Fifth St, Calumet.

Vertin Gallery to present David Niec exhibit

An opening reception for "Seasons in the Wild: Night and Day," an exhibit of paintings by David Niec, will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, at the Vertin Gallery in Calumet. The exhibit will run through Nov. 3.

The Vertin Gallery is at 220 Sixth St. in Calumet. For more information call 906-337-2200.

Copper Country Associated Artists to offer Origami art

From 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. this Friday, the Copper Country Associated Artists (CCAA) in Calumet invite the public to join in making flying folded paper cranes and fishes floating as a mobile. It's the ancient art of Origami. For over 300 years, Japanese mothers have been teaching this wonderful art of paper folding. And your turn is now. Members of the CCAA will provide the materials and instruction needed to turn folded paper cranes and fishes into a small balanced mobile. The CCAA Studio/Gallery is at 112 Fifth Street, Calumet.

Music at Conglomerate Café

From Oren Tikkanen:

Libby Meyer, the Music Doctor, will bring her furious fiddling and her rag-tag band of Old Hippies, aka the Conglomeratz, to the Conglomerate Café on 5th Street in Calumet to celebrate the First Friday of the Autumn. Libby and the 'Ratz will be stirring up a fine stew of Irish and American fiddle tunes, folk-songs, Finnish and other European dance melodies, and who knows what. Take a break while art-gallery browsing, and stop in for some of Madame Babette's fine pastries, coffee, tea, or something stronger. Enjoy the music from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. this Friday, Oct 1.

The Conglomeratz are Hugh Ralinovsky, the hermit painter from Jacobsville, on mandolin; Doug Bacon, finalist in the competition for "longest senior citizen pony-tail," on guitar and 5-string banjo; Oren Tikkanen, the original Calumet Beatnik, on tenor banjo, spoons, and anything left over.

Sulfide mine opponents rally in Marquette

By Michele Bourdieu

On Tuesday, Sept. 28, supporters of sulfide mine opponent Charlotte Loonsfoot rally in front of the Marquette County District Courthouse, where she presented a "no contest" plea against a charge of trespassing on Native American ceded land leased to Rio Tinto-Kennecott for the Eagle Project sulfide mine. (Video clip and photos by Keweenaw Now)

MARQUETTE -- A Rally of support welcomed Charlotte Loonsfoot, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) member, as she emerged from the Marquette County District Courthouse in Marquette on Tuesday morning, Sept. 28.

Supporters greet Charlotte Loonsfoot, third from right, outside the Courthouse, shortly after she received a 30-day delay of sentence for her "no contest" plea against a misdemeanor trespassing charge. Also pictured are, from right, Laura (Furtman) Gauger of Duluth, Cynthia Pryor of Big Bay, James Haun of Skanee and KBIC elder Betsy Robillard Ross.

Loonsfoot was arrested for trespassing on May 27, 2010 -- while camping and praying on Eagle Rock, an Anishinaabeg (Ojibwa) sacred site, located on public land leased by Rio Tinto-Kennecott for their Eagle Project sulfide mine.

After entering a plea of "no contest," Loonsfoot received a 30-day delay of sentence on the misdemeanor trespass charge, which will be dismissed if she respects all the terms of the one-month probation.

A TV-6 reporter interviews Charlotte Loonsfoot outside the Marquette County District Courthouse on Sept. 28 after she presented her plea agreement against a charge of trespassing.

Loonsfoot's defense attorney said the plea allowed her to admit no wrongdoing.

"I decided to accept the plea agreement I offered to the prosecutor after seeing the outcome of Cynthia Pryor's case, held earlier this year," Loonsfoot said.

Pryor, arrested last April for trespassing on state land that Kennecott considered leased to them, despite the fact that the legality of permits required for the lease was being contested, asked for a jury trial and was found guilty after the judge refused to allow the evidence of the permits and lease into her defense. Pryor received a six-month delay of sentence.

Assuming Pryor's case would likely serve as a precedent, Loonsfoot said she chose the "no contest" plea since she didn't expect she would have a fair trial.

Loonsfoot appeared to be cheerful and glad to see her supporters

"It's just the beginning," she said. "I plan to run for a seat on the (KBIC) Tribal Council to try to change things from within. I feel the Council could be doing more to try to enforce our rights ... on treaty lands and they're not, probably because of prior commitments."

Loonsfoot said she plans to keep fighting the mine, which is located on ceded territory. Under Native American treaty rights, Loonsfoot and other KBIC members claim the Anishinaabeg people should be allowed to hunt, fish and gather on ceded territories.

This banner marks the entrance to a second camp that Charlotte Loonsfoot and family members set up recently, with permission, not far from Eagle Rock, on private property not belonging to Kennecott. Although they are not presently camping there, the banner remains.

Loonsfoot and another KBIC member, Christopher Chosa, were among six people at Eagle Rock when police arrived there on May 27 and asked them to leave. Four protesters left the site when asked, while Loonsfoot and Chosa were not willing to leave immediately and were arrested.

According to the Marquette Mining Journal, Chosa pleaded "no contest" in July and received a six-month delay of sentence and six hours of community service in early September. His case will also be dismissed if he fulfills the terms of the six-month probation.

Kennecott, working with local law enforcement, removed the camp structures and a community garden planted by campers at Eagle Rock.

Eagle Rock is now fenced off and nearly hidden behind high berms as Rio Tinto-Kennecott prepares to turn it into the entrance to an underground mine for a large nickel and copper ore body located under the nearby Salmon Trout River. Sulfide mine opponents believe the river, which empties into Lake Superior, is in danger of potential pollution by Acid Mine Drainage.

The area around Eagle Rock is now a construction site surrounded by a fence and high berms. No trespassing signs can be seen from the Triple A Road.

Laura Gauger (formerly Furtman) came all the way from Duluth, Minn., to support the Rally for Loonsfoot.

Gauger is a former resident of Wisconsin who is still fighting Kennecott Minerals because of water pollution caused by the company's Flambeau mine near Ladysmith, Wisconsin. Gauger also camped out at Eagle Rock last May with Loonsfoot and other supporters, both Native and non-Native.*

"It was important to me to show solidarity wih my friends in the U.P. who are fighting Kennecott," Gauger said.

She noted the similarity between Kennecott's Eagle Project and their Flambeau mine is that both are metallic sulfide mines, although the Flambeau mine was an open-pit type and the Eagle mine is intended to be underground.

"The Flambeau mine is yet one more example of how no one has mined a metallic sulfide ore body without polluting the water. That's important for the people of Michigan to know because Kennecott is holding up that (Flambeau) mine as their calling card to get in here," Gauger explained. "I want the people here to know that they have friends in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba who stand solidly beside them in fighting Kennecott -- and we're going to beat this thing."

Gauger presented evidence of stream and ground water pollution at the Flambeau mine when she spoke at the 2009 Protect the Earth event in Marquette. She, Professor Al Gedicks of the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse, and the Wisconsin Resources Protection Council (WRPC) are plaintiffs in a lawsuit being filed against Kennecott Minerals and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The case is not yet in court.

"We continue to consult with attorneys and our scientific consultants," Gauger explained.**

Wisconsin has a moratorium law on sulfide mining.***

Green Party First District Congressional candidate Ellis Boal, who drove up from Charlevoix to attend the Rally, said it was Gauger who told him about Kennecott's Eagle Project last spring when he was vacationing and hiking in the U.P. He also talked to Greg Peterson, journalist for Indian Country Today, who has written several articles about the Kennecott sulfide mine. Since then Boal has opposed the Kennecott Eagle Project sulfide mine as part of his official campaign platform.

Green Party Congressional candidate Ellis Boal, second from left, chats with Amy Conover, third from left, while Rally participants wait outside the Marquette County District Courthouse to greet Charlotte Loonsfoot after her court appearance on Sept. 28. Also pictured are Catherine Parker, left, and Jon Saari, Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC) Board member, right.

"No amount of regulation is going to solve the problems of the Kennecott mine," Boal said. "Kennecott is the camel's nose under the tent."****

Save the Wild U.P. Director Kristi Mills helped organize the Rally to support Loonsfoot.

"It's not over," Mills said. "This is another stepping stone on our way to protecting the U.P."

Save the Wild U.P. Director Kristi Mills, left, leads Rally participants in a march near the Marquette County District Courthouse on Sept. 28. Gail Griffith, right, peace activist and sulfide mining opponent, carries a blue and white United Nations flag and a peace flag.

Also among the Rally participants was Jon Saari, Board member of the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC).

Saari said he attended the Rally to show "solidarity with Native Americans willing to step forward to protect their treaty rights and the water that supports us all."

James Haun of Skanee, a former United Auto Workers union chairman, carried a sign and a flag and wore a tee-shirt protesting Rio Tinto as a kind of British colonialism. He expressed concern about the company's present cutting of trees along the roads leading to the Eagle mine site.

As Rally participants march near the Courthouse, James Haun of Skanee displays his sign, flag and tee-shirt protesting the two British corporations, Rio Tinto and BP. At left, foreground, is Rachelle Giuliani of Marquette, carrying a sign in support of Charlotte Loonsfoot.

"The 510 and the Triple A on the eastern end going into Big Bay used to have a canopy like a golden tunnel surrounding this road this time of year," Haun said. "Now look at it. It's been cut back on both sides of the road. Stumps prevail, and it'll never be the same as it was in our lifetime. Color tours as we knew them are over. That was one of the special areas to drive through."

At the intersection of County Road 510 and the Triple A Road near Big Bay, Rio Tinto-Kennecott has cut trees along the sides of the road, destroying the tree canopy (some of which remains along the extension of 510, at the left of the photo). Click on photo for larger version.

Rachelle Giuliani of Marquette said she joined the Rally as a member of the human race.

"I'm concerned about the health and welfare of all the people who live here, so I stand for well being, health and peace for all -- including the construction workers, the miners and Kennecott itself," Giuliani said. "I like that Lakota saying: 'We're all related.'"

Giuliani generously treated the Rally participants to a breakfast at the Sweet Water Café after the Rally.

* See our May 9, 2010 article, "Native, non-Native campers on Eagle Rock oppose sulfide mine."

** See details on Laura (Furtman) Gauger's presentation at the 2009 Protect the Earth workshops in our Aug. 5, 2009 article, "Protect the Earth 2009: Part 1."

*** Click here for a description of Wisconsin's 1997 Mining Moratorium Law.

**** Ellis Boal is running for the Congressional seat now held by U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak. Other candidates include Republican Dan Benishek and Democrat Gary McDowell. Watch for our interview with Ellis Boal, coming soon.

Gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero to visit Marquette, Escanaba Sept. 30, Oct. 1

LANSING -- Virg Bernero, Democratic gubernatorial candidate and mayor of Lansing, will stop in Marquette and Escanaba Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 as part of his "Fighting for Main Street" campaign trip through Michigan, which he kicked off recently in Muskegon and Traverse City.

A Rally for Virg Bernero will be held from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, at the Marquette Dems Headquarters, 125 W. Washington St., Marquette. RSVP to (906) 226-3366.

A Meet and Greet with Virg Bernero will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, at the Besse Theatre Art Gallery, 2001 N. Lincoln Road, Escanaba.

To learn about Virg Bernero, visit his Web site.

See also Keweenaw Now's June 11, 2010 article, "Virg Bernero, Michigan gubernatorial candidate, defends working man during Houghton visit."

Bernero accepts debate proposal

On Monday, Sept. 27, Gubernatorial candidate and Lansing mayor Virg Bernero accepted an offer to participate in a debate from a large organization of Flint pastors, who had sent an official invitation to both Bernero and his opponent Rick Snyder.

The Concerned Pastors for Social Action invited the candidates to debate in Flint in the next several weeks. The Bernero campaign immediately accepted.

"Debates provide the public the opportunity to really get to know the candidates," said Bernero. "I welcome the opportunity to compare my economic plan and my record of creating jobs here against Mr. Snyder’s record of creating jobs in China. I am glad to accept the pastors’ offer for a debate."

The pastors said in their invitation that the debate would follow a town hall meeting format with moderators and focus on issues directly affecting Flint residents. The Concerned Pastors of Social Action reportedly represent dozens of congregations throughout the Flint area.

Missoula Children's Theatre to present "King Arthur's Quest" Oct. 1, 2, at Calumet Theatre

CALUMET -- The Calumet Theatre is pleased to present King Arthur’s Quest by the Missoula Children’s Theatre at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1, and at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Watch the Damsels in Distress sound the warning of trouble. Witness the Lady of the Lake as she produces the sword in the stone. Hide with the Camelotians when the Ghost of Arthur’s Father visits the castle. See the Giant tower over the questing knights. Cheer for the King when he makes friends with the terrible dragon. Listen in as Morgan le Fey and Mordred propose a better plan. Join the Knights and Squires of the Round Table as they try to do the right thing. Hope for the best outcome as your favorite characters of Camelot -- Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Taleisin, The Raven and Lancelot wrestle with the challenges faced by their people. Follow the original twist on this familiar story as it weaves its way through a landscape full of surprises!

Ticket prices for The Missoula Children’s Theatre are $10 for adults and $5 for children, $15 for both shows and are available by phone or by visiting the Calumet Theatre box office. Box-office hours are Monday through Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and two and one half hours before show time. For more information, please call the Calumet Theatre box-office at (906) 337-2610 or check the Theatre Web site at www.calumettheatre.com.

Missoula Children's Theatre is a non-profit organization based in Missoula, Montana. This coming year more than 55,000 cast members across the globe will take to the stage to the delight and applause of their families, friends, community, neighbors and teachers!

Conservancy needs to meet funding goal for Conglomerate Falls Oct. 1

Letter from John Griffith, North Woods Conservancy president:

Thank you so much for donating to Conglomerate Falls (CF) and helping to spread the word about the project. Hundreds of people have donated to the project, from $3.50 to $3,000 each. Together we have raised just over $20,000. Only $10K to go!

North Woods Conservancy (NWC) must raise the $30,000 down payment by this Friday, Oct. 1, 2010.

If everyone who has already donated gets one other person to donate $25, we'll make it.

Remember those chain letters and pyramid schemes of the 70s and 80s, where supposedly if you sent a dollar to the top name on the list, then in a couple weeks you'd get a dollar from 10,000 people (that somehow never came)? Well, the CF project is kind of like that, with one big difference: instead of having only one winner at the top of the pyramid, in this case everybody wins! We all can go and visit Conglomerate Falls.

I think sometimes people think that the amount of money needed is so large, that their $25 won't make a difference

Wrong! Many hands make light work. All we need is 400 $25 donations. All donations are tax-deductible!

But remember this:

• $100 donors are entered into drawing for one week at the cabin (10 prizes)
• $500 donors get one week at the cabin (includes deer hunting rights)
• $1,000 donors get a week at the cabin and their name on a plaque at the cabin.

Send your donation to NWC, PO Box 124, Calumet, MI 49913. Questions: Call 906-337-0782.

Visit the NWC Web site for more information.

Rally to protect public lands, treaty rights to be Sept. 28 in Marquette

From Cynthia Pryor and Stand for the Land:

MARQUETTE -- A Rally to protect public lands and Native American treaty rights will be held at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 28, on the Marquette County Courthouse steps in Marquette.

The Rally is to support Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) member Charlotte Loonsfoot, who will be appearing in court Tuesday morning for a plea bargain concerning her May 27, 2010, arrest on Eagle Rock, an Anishinaabeg (Ojibwa) sacred site, for trespassing on state land and treaty-protected ceded territory. Eagle Rock is now being used (and allegedly leased from the State of Michigan) by Rio Tinto - Kennecott for their Eagle Project nickel and copper sulfide mine.

Loonsfoot had been camping at Eagle Rock and was praying when arrested. Kennecott, working with local law enforcement, removed the camp structures and community garden and fenced off public access to Eagle Rock.

The State of Michigan lease, which is considered legal based on permits that are still being questioned, is not going to be allowed in Loonsfoot's legal defense, according to Loonsfoot's attorneys. Thus, she has countered a plea bargain of "no contest" with one month of probation.

Read more about the Rally on Stand for the Land.

Latin Music Party Oct. 2 at Up Hill 41 now smoke-free

Latin Music Party poster courtesy Julio Rivera.

HOUGHTON -- The Latin students from Michigan Tech University will sponsor a Latin Music Party from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Up Hill 41 in Hancock. Admission is open to those 18 years old and over with valid ID (21 to drink). Cover charge is $3.*

Every semester the Latin students from Michigan Tech organize a Latin Music Party at the Up Hill. The event hosts a DJ that plays a variety of Latin rhythms -- including salsa, merengue, bachata and others to keep the crowd dancing ALL night!

The students cordially invite the local community to come and enjoy great dancing in a SMOKE-FREE environment. For those interested in learning to dance salsa, there will be FREE lessons on the following dates:

• Saturday, Sept. 25, starting at 7 p.m. (Community Room at Daniell Heights)
• Sunday, Sept. 26, starting at 3:30 p.m. (SDC dance room)
• Wednesday, Sept. 29, starting at 8 p.m. (Community Room at Daniell Heights)
  

Lessons will start with the very basic steps. No partner needed.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact julio.l.rivera@gmail.com.

* NOTE: Please bring your passport as an ID if you don't have a driver's license.

Mini Grants for Art and Culture available in Western UP

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Council (CCCAC) is the region thirteen administrator for the Regional Re-granting program of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The CCCAC facilitates funding opportunities for arts projects in the six counties of the Western Upper Peninsula: Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Ontonagon, Gogebic and Iron.

Mini grants provide up to $4,000 for locally developed, high quality arts projects which provide special opportunities to address local arts needs and increase public access to the arts. Mini grants support a broad range of artistic expression from all cultures through projects which preserve, produce or present traditional and contemporary arts.

Mini grant dollars, matched by cash or in kind services, can be used for many types of arts activities such as exhibits, readings, performances, workshops, broadcasts, artist residencies, consultancies, commissions, restorations, festivals, pow wows, conferences, seminars, video and film productions and screenings, publications, and arts activities for students.

Any nonprofit organization or government body -- including service organizations, public schools, cities, townships, etc., from the six counties may apply. A panel comprised of knowledgeable individuals from each of the six counties evaluates all funding proposals. A review criterion includes artistic merit, sound planning and management, as well as community service. Geographic distribution, underserved populations, cultural diversity, and a variety of arts disciplines are considered when determining awards.

There is one round of funding for fiscal year 2011. The deadline is Nov. 1, 2010, for projects taking place Feb. 1 through Sept. 30, 2011. Applications are available on line at www.coppercountryarts.com or at the Community Arts Center, 126 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI 49930. Contact Cynthia Coté, Re-granting Coordinator at (906) 482-2333 or e-mail cynthia@coppercountryarts.com for more information or technical assistance.

Hughes Farm offers natural produce for local community

At the Hughes Farm near Calumet, neat rows of vegetables and a large greenhouse for extending the season are evidence of the farm's successful production of authentic local food despite the short Keweenaw growing season. The Hughes market, located at the farm, will remain open through the third week of October this year. (July 2009 photos by Keweenaw Now)*

By Tom Graham**

CALUMET -- Just outside Calumet and about two and half miles off US 41 down Golf Course Road, you’ll find one of the sweetest-smelling plots of land around. It comes courtesy of Gary and Pat Hughes and their 40 acres of fruits and vegetables.

However, life on this farm hasn’t always smelt so sweet. Gary, Pat and family have worked hard for years to create their farm.

Gary and his wife Pat are downstate Michigan natives and met while attending college. They developed a special fondness for this area after spending a summer near L’Anse. When Pat found work with the C-L-K school district, they moved up for good.

Gary and Pat Hughes at home on their farm near Calumet.

What the Hugheses now call their business started out in 1979 as little more than an old farm house and 40 acres of land. Pat and Gary, with help from their three children and others along the way, cleared and shaped the land into the farm that it is today.

"I’ve always had an interest in getting my hands dirty and growing things," Gary explained as his motivation for developing the family business.

The Hugheses' remodeled farmhouse as it is today, with the attached greenhouse that has served as the starting spot for many of their vegetables. (Photo © 2010 Tom Graham for Keweenaw Now)

One of the first changes was an addition to the house that included a greenhouse. This allows for planting as early as March or April. The Hugheses also constructed two ponds to allow for consistent and relatively easy watering of crops.

This is one of the ponds constructed especially for watering crops on the Hughes Farm.

In the early 1980s the Hughes Farm gained a reputation for having first-class, all natural strawberries. The decision to grow organic produce was simple according to Gary: "Why use chemicals if you don’t have to?"

The trade-off comes with the added time and labor it takes to combat weeds and wildlife. To help with the additional work load, the Hugheses typically hire two seasonal employees.

The farm once was certified organic, but in recent years the additional cost and paperwork with the certification process have become overbearing. Consequently, even though the Hugheses still maintain their organic practices, their crops technically fall under the "authentic" category as defined by the Marquette Food Co-op.

In the mid-1980s the Hugheses expanded from berries to vegetables and added fruit trees by the end of the decade. By the early 1990s they had added four free-standing hoop greenhouses, mainly to accommodate pepper and tomato plants.

Inside one of his greenhouses, Gary Hughes, second from left, talks about his plants and answers questions posed by participants in the July 2009 Reading the Landscape Sustainable Farming tour of the Hughes Farm.*

The plants inside the greenhouses grow considerably quicker and larger than any grown outside and uncovered. By mid-July the tomato plants are a good three feet tall with tomatoes the size of pears that fill the air with an indescribably earthy scent. Technological advances in the plastic used to cover the greenhouses have helped increase plant production while reducing the frequency of maintenance.

Lisken Van Pelt Dus of Pittsfield, Mass., admires tomato plants inside one of the greenhouses on the Hughes Farm. Lisken, along with her mother, Patricia Van Pelt of Hancock, participated in the July 2009 Reading the Landscape tour of the farm.

With the exception of a few chickens there are no animals on this farm to provide a key ingredient to a good harvest -- proper soil nutrients. The primary source of nutrients for the vegetables and strawberries on the Hughes Farm comes from winter cover crops. A combination of rye and hairy vetch is planted in plots that are open after harvesting. The mix is left to grow in late fall and early spring before being worked into the soil using machinery prior to spring planting. Once worked under, the decaying plant material provides the fertilizer, particularly nitrogen, that the vegetables need to grow over the course of the season.

Inside one of his greenhouses Gary Hughes explains to Reading the Landscape participants how he uses rye and hairy vetch to enrich the soil and how he plays music for his plants! (July 2009 videoclip by Keweenaw Now)

With nearly 40 types of fruits and vegetables, the Hugheses aren’t going to be put out from the loss of one or two crops. By diversifying the crops, they stand less risk if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate -- sort of a "don’t put all your eggs in one basket" approach. This year’s spring, which was unusually dry and particularly early, was no exception to the weather anomalies of the Upper Peninsula.

Artist Margo McCafferty Rudd demonstrates sketching vegetables to participants in the July 2009 Reading the Landscape Sustainable Farming tour of the Hughes Farm. The Reading the Landscape field trips combine art and natural history of the local area.

Weather isn’t the only enemy to combat. The crops grown in outdoor plots are left vulnerable to wildlife. Some of these plots are protected from wildlife by fencing or specially coated ribbon designed to deter animals like deer.

The specially coated ribbon, visible here in the foreground, deters animals from invading outdoor plots on the Hughes Farm.

The Hugheses market the majority of their produce right from the farm. The on-farm shop accounts for about 85 percent of their yearly sales, with the Keweenaw Co-op and other local grocery stores handling the rest.

Even now, in early fall, the market offers a wide variety of produce, including bumper crops of pumpkins and onions, Gary noted.

The recent frost that affected some gardens in the Keweenaw did not reach the Hughes farm because of their location high on a hill.

"We didn't get a frost," Gary said. "The air moves down the hill (so) the frost doesn't have a chance to settle."

This great view of the landscape from the Hughes Farm shows how its location, being on a hill, protects it from frost. Covers like this one in the foreground also protect plants from inclement weather and insects.

In addition to the pumpkins and onions, the Hughes market now also offers quantities of gourds, corn stalks, winter squash, cucumbers, carrots, beets, potatoes, lettuce, kale and chard, Gary said.

"We're going to be open probably through the third week in October," he predicted.

Pat explained that when operating the store, a typical morning starts with everyone picking. As the time to open approaches, she heads up and readies the shop. Once it is open, Pat spends her day weighing and cashiering and keeping the various items stocked while Gary and the employees continue to pick and tend to the crops.

Pat and Gary said their business has really taken off and been consistently busy over the last ten years.

The day-to-day grind of operating the farm shows not only in their hands, but hearts as well. Although proud of the business they’ve nurtured, when asked what their future plans included, Gary simply stated, "Retirement!"

The Hugheses are grateful for the community support they receive and work to return the favor in their spare time. Not only do they offer the community healthy all-natural produce, but they share their knowledge of the land with students from the C-L-K school district.

Pat handles most of the details, explaining to the children where the fruits and vegetables they eat come from and what they look like prior to processing. She even helps guide the students to select appropriate vegetation, hardy to the area, for the school’s student-led Heritage Garden Project. The gardening program is funded through a grant from the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative and support from other community partners. The purpose of the grant is to engage students in activities that benefit their community, school and the Lake Superior watershed -- all virtues that Pat and Gary support and participate in.***

Interested in enjoying the tastes, texture and smells of all-natural produce grown right here in the Keweenaw? Then stop by the farm and see what’s available. The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the third week of October. Raspberries and strawberries are available to be picked throughout the season when announced or by appointment. For more information, look for their signs along the road, give them a call, or check out their website at www.hughesfarm.net.

Editor's Notes: * Photos for this article, with one exception, were taken by Keweenaw Now during the July 2009 Reading the Landscape Sustainable Farming tour of the Hughes Farm and are reprinted here with Gary Hughes' permission. Reading the Landscape is a collaborative program of art and natural history field trips sponsored by several local conservation groups. Read more about it on the Gratiot Lake Conservancy Web site.

** Guest reporter Tom Graham wrote this article for David Clanaugh's recent summer journalism class at Michigan Tech University.

*** See our Aug. 14 article, "C-L-K school garden project yields rich harvest," by Madeline Baron and David Clanaugh.

History series to present discoveries on Cliff Mine Sept. 23

EAGLE RIVER -- Have you ever walked along one of the trails at the Cliff mine, stumbled upon a crumbling masonry ruin, and wondered what it was? If you are one of the many people who explore the site, chances are you have come across a feature you can’t identify. Join Sean Gohman as he describes recent archeological investigations to learn more about these features and this significant copper mine.

This program will be held at 7 p.m on Thursday, Sept. 23, at the Eagle River Community Center, located at 57935 Calumet Avenue in Eagle River, Mich. It is part of the Fourth Thursday in History program sponsored by Keweenaw National Historical Park.

The Cliff mine began in 1845. The first Keweenaw mine to pay its investors a dividend, the Cliff operated successfully until 1869, when production dropped for the first time. Different mining companies continued to work the lode on and off until 1931; the shafts were finally capped in the 1960s. Today, only remnants of this once-mighty mine mark the landscape: poor rock piles, masonry foundations, and wagon road traces provide clues to the how the men, women and children of this mine lived, worked and played. Gohman, a PhD student at Michigan Technological University, spent the summer documenting the site as part of an archeological field school and will share what he and the other students discovered.

The Fourth Thursday in History series arranges public presentations on important aspects of Copper Country and regional history, including techniques for historic preservation. Presentations are scheduled in venues throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula, particularly at historic sites associated with specific topics. They are free and open to the public.

For further information, including specific directions to this event, contact Keweenaw National Historical Park at 906-337-3168, or check the web at www.nps.gov/kewe.

Ski Club volunteers replace bridge on Churning Rapids trails

By Arlyn and Sandy Aronson*

HANCOCK -- On Saturday, Sept. 18th, a covey of volunteers gathered in Churning Rapids to replace the old Spring Creek bridge. This is part of Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club’s ongoing effort to make the trails more fun to ski, not to mention safer for skiers and the groomers to use.

The first step was removal of the old unit. Pictured here are Sean Boyden, Michigan Tech chemical engineering student, and Arlyn Aronson, who is bashfully operating the club's UTV. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photos © and courtesy Arlyn and Sandy Aronson)

Next was the building of the new 8-foot wide, 16-foot long structure that will be much higher, keeping it out of high water, and of course wider so that it is safer for our skiers to use.

Sean Boyden, left, and Jay Green, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club president, work on the new bridge.

Done! And most of the wonderful crew who worked on it can be seen here on the new bridge. Pictured, from left, are Rich Feathery; Sean Boyden; Pat Davis from Madison, Wis.; Jay Green; and Sandy Aronson. Not pictured is Betsy Hagens, also of Madison, Wis.

With the generous assistance of volunteers and the memberships, Keweenaw Nordic Ski club will continue to upgrade their equipment and trails, making them more fun to ski on, plus hike/bike/run over the summer months. Over the past five years they’ve purchased a volume of tools used by the groomers and the volunteers for the upkeep of these trails.

Gromit, the trail boss, supervises the work and the fun.

For this project, special thanks to Terry Kinzel and Sue Ellen Kingsley of Churning Rapids for their financial assistance with the Spring Creek bridge replacement.

Finlandia crew to brush trail Sept. 25

At 9 a.m. this Saturday, Sept. 25, a Finlandia crew will be brushing and lopping their way upstream on the trail starting at Tomasi Road, to the green gate at Churning Rapids. This section can’t be done with the towed mower and must be done by hand. We’ll meet at the RR grade and Tomasi Road intersection and hike down to the creek from there. We’ll have six to eight folks helping. Maybe you’d like to help us feed them with some baked goods??? We’re going to supply them with a hot lunch of garden carrot soup. If you could help feed them or would like to lend a hand clearing this section, we’d be most appreciative.

This photo shows what happens when the trail boss finds someone hasn’t pulled their weight. ;-)

If you’d like to help with materials or volunteer, just get in touch with us by emailing arlyn@superiortandems.com or by calling 906-370-2911.

Please note that your membership is also very important, and you can get that at http://www.keweenawtrails.com/ Be sure to look for Keweenaw Nordic Ski club membership application. Together we’ll make the trails better yet!!

*Editor's Note: Guest authors / photographers Arlyn and Sandy Aronson are active members of the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC), which maintains the Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids cross-country ski trails in Hancock. Arlyn is also the lead groomer. For more information about KNSC, visit their Web site.

Katie Alvord: Happy World Carfree Day, Sept. 22!

By Katie Alvord

HOUGHTON -- Happy World Carfree Day! Cruise the international news online, and you'll find evidence of some of the roughly 1,000 Carfree Day events being held today in a reported 40 countries around the globe. Click here to read more on Katie Alvord's Divorce Your Car blog.

Photo: Katie Alvord, Keweenaw Now guest author, practicing what she preaches in Houghton. Click on photo for larger version. (Photo © Mary Been)

Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club Board to meet Sept. 22

HANCOCK -- The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) will hold its monthly board meeting at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Wednesday, Sept. 22, at the Hancock Chalet. All are welcome.

On Saturday, Sept. 18, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club volunteers replaced the old Spring Creek bridge on the the Churning Rapids trail. Pictured here, from left, are Rich Feathery; Sean Boyden; Pat Davis from Madison, Wis.; Jay Green; and Sandy Aronson. Not pictured is Betsy Hagens, also of Madison, Wis. (Photo © 2010 and courtesy Arlyn Aronson) Watch for more photos, coming soon!

The agenda includes such new business as Mike Young and the Ski Tigers, Shopko grant, bridge work, the Barneløpet and more.

Contact Jay Green, KNSC president, at jbgreen45@charter.net for directions, to add agenda items, or to ask a question.

Headwaters News: Michigan regulators unsure how to enforce changes to Rio Tinto's Eagle Mine

By Gabriel Caplett of Headwaters News

MARQUETTE -- Since earlier this month Rio Tinto has been burying electric lines underneath County Road AAA in northern Marquette County. The underground lines will connect the company’s Eagle Mine with new power lines running on County Road 550, leading to a coal-fired power station in Marquette.

According to regulators at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE), connecting the electric line to the mine site would be illegal. Or, it isn’t. It really depends who you talk with. Read the rest of this Sept. 21 article on Headwaters News.

"Green Maps of the World" exhibit opens at Finlandia Gallery

HANCOCK -- "Green Maps of the World: Charting a Sustainable Future," an exhibit created by internationally respected ecological designer Wendy Brawer, is featured at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, through Oct. 16, 2010.

Wendy Brawer (second from right) and her design team. (Photo © Carlos Martinez)

An Opening Reception will take place from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23. The designer will speak at 7:15 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Wendy Brawer has written about, taught, and shared information and inspiration about eco-design for more than a decade. Her New York-based company, Modern World Design, consults and creates services and products that promote ecological stewardship.

The "Green Maps of the World" exhibit features green maps from around the world, and introduces the Keweenaw Green Map in an interactive display.

The Keweenaw Green Map was initiated by the Sustainable Keweenaw Resource Center (SKRC), Hancock, with support from Finlandia University.

SKRC co-director Barb Hardy explains that the Keweenaw Green Map is an online map charting local businesses, projects, happenings and other sites that play a part in sustainable community development.

Green Maps are designed to be explored, customized, and enhanced by their users.

The public can view, interact and contribute to the Keweenaw Green Map at www.keweenawgreenmap.net, or at the SKRC at the Finlandia University Jutila Center campus, Hancock.

Rick Loduha, Finlandia University associate professor of Interdisciplinary Design, became acquainted with Brawer in 1993 at an Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) conference.

"We were both speaking on sustainable design, but she packed the house," Loduha recalls. "At the time, she was working on the Green Apple Map for New York City, the precursor to the now globally accepted International Green Map System. We are very excited that Wendy has made time to visit the U.P."

Brawer will be on the Finlandia University campus Sept. 22 to 24 to work with Finlandia University Interdisciplinary Design majors.

Brawer's Green Apple Map sparked a revolution in the way cities are mapped. The Green Apple Map charts the environmentally and culturally significant places in New York City.

Three years later, in 1995, Brawer launched the Green Map System (GMS), a universally shared visual language of icons and programs for both city-wide and youth mapmakers.

The GMS engages local citizens in the mapping of a community's interdependent environmental, social, and economic systems. This system of mapping has gained the creative support and involvement of a diverse network of designers, environmentalists, activists, students, engaged citizens and civil servants.

With nearly 700 locally-led Green Map projects in 55 countries, the Green Map System has become a global effort. Today, hundreds of printed and interactive online Green Maps highlight and link local nature, culture, and green living resources. For more information about the GMS, visit www.greenmap.org.

The Finlandia University Gallery is in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street, Hancock. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 12 noon to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

Kids Consignment Sale to be Sept. 24-25

HOUGHTON -- The Keweenaw Family Resource Center (KFRC) will be holding a fundraising Kids Consignment Sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-25, at the Copper Country Mall on M-26 in Houghton. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the KFRC Tree House Indoor Playground.

The half-price sale starts at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. Payment must be cash or check only, no credit cards. New Moms and Moms-To-Be can sign up for the First-Time Mom's Club and shop before the sale starts (no strings attached!).

Updated: Houghton Dems to hold conference call with Gary McDowell Sept. 20

HOUGHTON -- The Houghton County Democratic Party announces a conference call event with First District Congressional candidate and State Rep. Gary McDowell at 7 p.m. TONIGHT, Monday, Sept. 20, at the Democrats' Headquarters, 509 Shelden Avenue, Houghton.

"It's a great opportunity to hear from Gary and from fellow Dems and volunteers across the district," says Jesse Burnett, a new Field Organizer for the coordinated campaign (Michigan's 1st District). "If you'd like to ask Gary a question and help out with calls come to the Houghton County Democratic Party office before 7 p.m. After the Q and A session we'll have a phone bank until 9 p.m. Hope to see you all there."

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Jesse Burnett at joiburnett@gmail.com or 906-360-8003.

"I'll be in the office just about every day between now and election day, so stop by and say hi when you get a chance," Burnett adds.

Campaign Kickoff Saturday, Sept. 25

The Houghton County Democrats will hold a Campaign Kickoff from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Ramada Inn, with live music and refreshments. Tickets are $10 a person. To order tickets, click here.

Monday, Oct. 4, is the last day to register to vote in the Nov. 2 election. For Michigan voter registration information click here.

For more information about Gary McDowell, visit his Web site or see our Sept. 10 article, "Gary McDowell, Congressional candidate, visits Houghton County Dems."

Update: Highway Cleanup Sept. 21

The Houghton County Democratic Party will clean its Adopted Highway at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 21. They will meet at their Adopt-A-Highway sign on M26 between Ripley and Dollar Bay.

Portage Library to host music, alternative medicine programs Sept. 21, 22

HOUGHTON -- The Portage Lake District Library will host "Big Violins for Little People" from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21, for children of all ages.

Libby Meyer, director of the Copper Country Suzuki Association (CCSA), and Amanda Plummer of Keweenaw Family Music will be joined by CCSA students for an hour of music making and dancing.

Children of all ages are encouraged to participate. An instrument "petting zoo" where children can try out the stringed instruments will follow.

Alternative medicine talk Sept. 22

Rachele Bachran from the Western Upper Peninsula District Health Department will present "Time to Talk" from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at the Portage Lake District Library.

Time to Talk is an educational campaign that has been launched by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the National Institutes of Health at Bethesda, Maryland.

The purpose of the campaign is to encourage patients, particularly those aged 50 and older, and their health care providers to openly discuss the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Talking not only allows fully integrated care, but it also minimizes risks of interactions with a patient’s conventional treatments.

Bachran will give participants a TELL tip sheet for patients, an ASK tip sheet for providers, patient wallet cards to keep track of all medicines including CAM therapies, and postcards listing additional online resources. She will also show a brief power point presentation and explain details about the Time to Talk campaign.

Bachran is a School and Community Health Educator with the Western Upper Peninsula District Health Department and has an M.S. degree in Health Promotion.

Everyone is welcome to attend and library presentations are free. For more information, please call the library at 482-4570 or visit www.pldl.org.

Sibelius Academy Festival to feature folk, classical, contemporary music Sept. 21-25

HANCOCK -- Three music genres and three nations are represented at this year’s Finlandia University Sibelius Academy Music Festival! The genres are folk, classical, and contemporary. The nations are Finland, Spain, and Estonia.

The 12th annual Sibelius Festival takes place next week, Tuesday, Sept. 21, to Saturday, Sept. 25. Student musicians from the Sibelius Music Academy of Helsinki, Finland, will present five concerts at four locations in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Here’s a look at the musicians:

From Finland comes the folk duo PAJU -- Pauliina Pajala, who plays fiddle, viola, and nyckelharpa (a traditional Swedish string instrument), and Juulia Salonen, who sings and plays accordion and puhaltimet (a Finnish wind instrument). The repertoire of these playful and spontaneous musicians includes modern and traditional Finnish and Finnish-Swedish folk tunes and their own compositions.

The Finnish folk duo PAJU -- Pauliina Pajala on fiddle and Juulia Salonen with puhaltimet (a Finnish wind instrument) -- will perform during the Finlandia University Sibelius Academy Music Festival next week, Sept. 21-25, in Hancock, Calumet and Ishpeming. (Photos courtesy Finlandia University)

From Spain, Duo Aguirre and León will perform popular traditional Spanish folk songs and selections from contemporary Spanish, Argentinean, Finnish, and Norwegian composers. Accordionist Arantza Aguirre and clarinetist Ana León have performed numerous concerts and music festivals in Barcelona and other cities in Spain.

Accordionist Arantza Aguirre, left, and clarinetist Ana León will perform popular traditional Spanish folk songs and selections from contemporary Spanish, Argentinean, Finnish, and Norwegian composers during the Sibelius Academy Music Festival.

From Estonia, pianist Maria Aru will perform classical piano pieces by Beethoven and Schumann, as well as compositions by 20th-century Estonian and American composers.

Estonian pianist Maria Aru will perform a solo concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Hancock and will participate in the five-musician concerts in Calumet and Ishpeming as well.

Two of this year’s Sibelius Festival events are daytime concerts in Calumet and Ishpeming, which are free for middle and high school music students and their teachers. These concerts -- at Ishpeming’s W.C. Peterson Auditorium and the Calumet Theatre -- are intended to connect youth with other cultures and inspire them in their music-making. The informal 90-minute concerts will include comments from the musicians about themselves, their instruments, and their lives as musicians, followed by short performances. Community members are invited to attend for just $5 per person, general admission.

Here is the concert line-up:

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 21, folk duo PAJU, will appear at the Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy St., Hancock. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for students.

The five musicians will present a free concert for middle and high school music students at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at W.C. Peterson Auditorium, 319 E. Division St., Ishpeming. The informal concert is open to the public; tickets are $5 for community members.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, classical pianist Maria Aru will perform at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1000 Quincy St., Hancock. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for students.

At 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, the five musicians will present a free concert for middle and high school music students at the Calumet Theatre, 340 6th St., Calumet. The informal concert is open to the public; tickets are $5 for community members.

All five musicians will present a full length concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Calumet Theatre. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for students.

Concert tickets may be purchased at North Wind Books, Hancock, on-line at http://finlandia-university.ticketleap.com, or at the door prior to each performance. Calumet Theatre performance tickets are also available at the theatre. Finlandia University students may attend the concerts free.

For additional information about the 12th annual Sibelius Academy Music Festival, please visit the Finlandia Web site, or contact festival coordinator Karen Johnson at karen.johnson@finlandia.edu or call 906-487-7348.

For the most accomplished student musicians in Finland (and for musicians around the world) the Sibelius Academy is the destination for the best and brightest. The prestigious Sibelius Academy, founded in 1882 and named for Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, is one of the largest and best regarded music academies in Europe.