I was born in Chicago. My family moved back up to the Bad River Reservation where my father is from when I was four months old. After a few years, we moved into the border town of Ashland, which is just to the west of the reservation. Photos by Stanley Schrock I went to the
“Basketry teaches me to be flexible.” Read More »
I grew up in a place called Veefkind. It used to be a little bitty rural community with a store, post office, a couple of sawmills, tavern, church, and, of course, the cemetery. It was named after my great-great grandfather, Henry Born Veefkind, who actually built our farm. The home farm went through six generations
“A farm kid, an old jock, and a veteran.” Read More »
I have always enjoyed making things with my own hands and sharing them for other people to enjoy, and beer is no exception. Photos by Hedi Lamarr Rudd I grew up in a beer-loving family, so beer has always been a passion of mine. But before we started the Wisconsin Hop Exchange Co-op, I mostly worked
Those were the days. We’d go down South 17th Street in Sheboygan and I’d go by three of my buddy’s houses and we’d pull our four wagons to the pier. Photos courtesy of Dan Welsch I had a blue wagon with white PVC rod holders, rod sticking up, landing nets, my boombox, my dip net
“Fishing is a part of me.” Read More »
I would say my family, my mother, my grandmother, and uncles that came by, shaped who I was. Even though we didn’t have much when I was a kid, they made sure my brothers and I were good people. Photos by Hedi Lamarr Rudd Share This Post So I give tribute to them first. But
“I turned my pain into passion and started mentoring.” Read More »
I think my earliest understanding of wanting to work with wildlife was probably when I was six or seven, and my parents had a guest visiting from out of town. Photos by Stanley Schrock Share This Post To this day, I have no idea who this lady was. I just remember they were sitting outside
Following a Master Naturalist Path Read More »
I’m a fourth-generation circus performer. My mother is originally from Hungary and my father is originally from Bulgaria. My great-grandfather and great-grandmother started circus arts in Budapest. He did slack wire, balancing on a thin wire suspended in air and juggled side-by-side with my great-grandmother. Photos by Hedi Lamarr Rudd In 1963, both my grandmas
“I’m a fourth-generation circus performer.” Read More »
I was born half a mile down the road as the crow flies from where I live in Cashton. I’ve had chances to go many places with my music but have never moved more than just a quarter mile from home. Photos by Adam Blackbourn Cashton is the best city in the world; it’s a
“If I let go of that, then the tradition is lost.” Read More »
I grew up in Evansville, about a half-hour south of Madison on Highway 14. Mine was a pretty good childhood. My dad, who was an engineer on the railroad, was away a lot, but he made things count when he was home. Photos by Hedi Lamarr Rudd Evansville was a really great town. My front
“I hope to spend my whole life from here on in the service of others.” Read More »
I grew up on the outskirts of Sun Prairie. As a kid, I spent most of my time on my granddad’s farm. It was a great time. I learned machinery and a work ethic, no doubt about that. Photos by Sterling Strathe I think it also laid a groundwork for a land ethic, even though
“That started a whole new chapter in my life.” Read More »
A long time ago, I dated a pilot who took me flying—multiple times, actually. And I fell in love with it. Photos by Hedi Lamarr Rudd It was one of those moments where a light bulb went off and I thought, ‘Hey, I could do this.’ And I thought more about it and decided if
“Flying airplanes was my dream.” Read More »
My name is Dylan Jennings, or Bizhikiins—Young Buffalo, as we translate from Ojibwemowin, our language. Photos by Megan Monday “My parents were really young when they had me, just out of high school. They met down by Waaswaaganing, or the Lac du Flambeau Reservation, near Minocqua. They stuck together to raise me and to take
“I dedicate my life to educating others about Native people.” Read More »
