Rhymes With Decorah

Welcome to our second show in a mini-series from Spring Grove, MN! In this episode we visit with Bill Fried from the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center . Founded in 2009, Giants of the Earth Heritage Center is a nonprofit historical society that is dedicated to honoring, preserving, and interpreting the history and heritage of the people from Spring Grove’s Norwegian Ridge (Minnesota's oldest Nor...

Welcome to the first in a series of shows featuring -- (Not Decorah!) -- Spring Grove, MN ! A huge part of our goal in starting this companion podcast to Inspire(d) has been to have another format that we can help tell the stories of our region. Despite the name "Rhymes With Decorah" (or perhaps because of it!?), the show is not just about Decorah - but all those that work to make our region a gre...

Join Inspire(d) founder and Editor in Chief Aryn Henning Nichols along with Benji Nichols for this episode of “Rhymes With Decorah”, as they talk about 15 years of Inspire(d), the Fall 2022 issue (#70!), a new website , and so much more. October 2022 marks 15 years of Inspire(d), which launched with it’s first issue on October 4, 2007 (hear a fun story about that day on the show!). Through it all...

RWD #21 Ross Evelsizer – NE Iowa RCD Ross Evelsizer is the Natural Resource Projects Director for NE Iowa RC&D (Resource Conservation & Development) - a Decorah native, avid outdoorsman, husband, Dad, and even a part time chef! But the heart of Ross’s work is in the form of projects that focus on the health of our region’s watersheds, through many channels obvious, and less obvious. Ross’s work ha...

On this episode of "Rhymes with Decorah", we tell the incredible story of geologist Jean Young and the discovery of the Decorah Impact Crater. Long time educator and NE Iowan Birgitta Meade joins us to tell the story of Jean, who she also called a friend, right up to her passing in 2007. We dedicate this episode to all those who are willing to follow a hunch in life, and take action in their belie...

Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum has roots that go back to the 1800s and a collection of artifacts that was first formed at Luther College in Decorah. Those items became the roots for what is now the most extensive collection of Norwegian American Artifacts (33,000 and counting!) in the World. On today’s show, we talk with Vesterheim President and CEO Chris Johnson about the old and new of Ves...

The Good Dog Center , located just north of Decorah, started as the dream of two friends – Carmen Hurley and Beth Einck – and a leap of faith into creating a business to not only train dogs, but build a community of “dogs and their people” from across the region. Good Dog Center's Carmen Hurley after a great day in the ring! Over the years, Beth moved on to retirement (as planned) and long-time GD...

Kristen Underwood has called Decorah home for decades, but found her way to the upper Midwest from the San Francisco Bay Area as a professional actor and creative. It was a chance performance with the actor and Commonweal Theatre founder Eric Bunge that led her to Lanesboro, MN, where Kristen spent a decade acting professionally. Her connections to Luther College came in multiple ways through this...

Nordic Fest was started in 1967 by a dedicated group of Decorah civic leaders and volunteers to celebrate the spirit of community and spotlight the town’s connections to Scandinavian heritage . For over 55 years, it has served as the high mark of Summer in Decorah, welcoming visitors from across the world to Water Street to experience our community. This sense of volunteerism and community pride a...

(Kristin Eggen, Photo by Charlie Langton)   Farmers Market season is just hitting it’s stride as we record this episode of “Rhymes With Decorah” with special guest Kristin Eggen. Kristin has been the Decorah Farmers Market Manager since 2020, but was a part of the Market community years before that! In fact, it was the power of a ukulele and the will to share her musical endeavors with a Market cr...

Michelle Lynn is a writer, musician, educator, presenter, and one of the main influences of how “Rhymes With Decorah” got started! It’s true – but you’ll have to listen to this show to hear that story! Michelle grew up on a century farm here in NE Iowa, found her way musically to the guitar, and started writing songs as a teenager. That love of music found her playing across the region as a young...

Adam Wiltgen is a Harmony, MN native who’s work in connecting communities through the arts spans our greater region. Currently, Adam and his family live in Red Wing (MN) where he is the Program Director at the Anderson Center at Tower View , and also a member of the City of Red Wing’s Arts & Culture Commission. One of the things that we’ve learned in creating a regional publication for almost 15 y...

The "Summer 2022" issue of Inspire(d) Magazine "With Intention..." is on stands now and special guest, and editor-in-chief Aryn Henning Nichols joins us to talk all things Inspire(d)! We look forward to making these quarterly (or more often!?) chats about the new print issues of the magazine and all that goes into creating each issue.  Topics that we cover: - Dad Jokes - Summer! - The beautiful co...

Humble Hands Harvest is a worker-owned co-operative farm located just outside of Decorah (Iowa). Founded in 2013, Humble Hands grows 2+ acres of organic vegetables, in addition to grass-finished sheep, pastured pork, and fruit and nut trees, all distributed through annual CSA (community supported ag shares) as well as at the Decorah Farmers Market . Today’s guest Hannah Breckbill, along with farm...

Local food can mean a lot of different things to different people – from picking a garden fresh herb or tomato, to creating a full on farm creamery to produce world-class yogurt. And while most grocery lists are purchased at a well lit, climate controlled store, connecting a regional market for locally grown foods can be a bit more complicated. The Iowa Food Hub , created in 2012, works to connect...

In 2012 Scott & Kelly Searcy found their way back to NE Iowa, chasing pursuits in using their passion to help guide people to better lives through exercise. That would eventually lead to their business, Body Logics , but it was in those earlier years of exploration that Scott discovered Decorah’s extensive soft trail (single track) system. He also found a love for trail running, and helping others...

Rhymes With Decorah #08 Features Josh Dansdill and Jared Nielsen from Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) . NE IA RC&D works with partners from throughout our region to explore natural resource based economic development opportunities while at the same time protecting and enhancing natural resources. Their mission is to recognize opportunities and provide leadership to make N...

On Episode #07 of Rhymes With Decorah we welcome Jacki Boldt, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Iowa Executive Director, alongside Inspire(d)'s Aryn Henning Nichols.  ​Jacki is the Executive Director for 10,000 Small Businesses Iowa and has been at Des Moines Area Community College since 2008. She joined DMACC Business Resources as a Business Consultant in 2012 where she currently works with c...

On episode 6 of Rhymes With Decorah we welcome special guest and Executive Director of the Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, Jessica Rilling!  Jessica and her husband Justin are both NE Iowa "Boomerangs" (as we like to call them), having graduated from ISU, followed pursuits across the state, and returned to the Decorah Area in late 2020. Most recently, Jessica served as Executive Director for the...

On episode 5 of Rhymes with Decorah we talk with Carson Eggland, Executive Director of Helping Services for Youth & Family . Since 1973, Helping Services has been a resource for Iowans to turn to for help. Originally set up as a crisis-line service, the organization has broadened it's scope over the years to provide services to clients of all ages - ranging from new parents, to youth mentors and m...

Diversity, rural Iowa, and yoga are words that are sometimes not thought of in the same sentence. But we're here to share a story that doesn't just dabble into diversity, but an event that has been honored as the 2022 winner of the Iowa Tourism Award for Outstanding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion -  The Driftless Yoga Festival! We remember the moment well from almost a decade ago - hearing about...

If there is an entity (or entities) in our region that Aryn and I both get truly excited about, it would be LIBRARIES! Yes - we are that geeky! It might seem obvious that public libraries are incredible resources - windows to the world, amongst other things, that serve every sector and demographic of a region. But libraries provide so much more than books and reading material. Who better than to t...

One of our goals of "Rhymes With Decorah" is to highlight people and organizations in our region that are tackling the challenges of our times. When we talk with folks on a state level, the same challenges come up - housing, jobs, workforce, broadband, education - and child care. Stephanie Fromm is a Decorah "boomerang" who returned to Winneshiek County in 2015 to become the Executive Director of...

Show Number One! Welcome to Rhymes With Decorah, a project of Inspire(d) Media and companion to Inspire(d) Magazine. We'll be using this platform to feature the positive stories of our region, explore big challenges from across the upper midwest, and talk with folks who are working to make their communities stronger. Stories about communities you Love - By people you trust = Rhymes with Decorah. T...

Rhymes With Decorah! A podcast project from Benji Nichols of Inspire(d) Media. We'll be telling the stories of people and places, and looking at the challenges as well - to make positive IMPACT.   Stories about communities you love, by people you trust.   Rhymes With Decorah  - Season 1.  Coming soon from Inspire(d) Media.