Minnesota Living - User contributions [en]

Minnesota apparel manufacturers

2025-12-21T01:56:52Z

Karlexceed:

There are several Minnesotan companies that sell branded merchandise, which is always fun to see. And there are several companies here that are contract manufacturers for other companies. But it can be surprisingly hard to find companies that manufacture their own items inside the state.

Collected below is a list of apparel manufacturers that produce at least some of their products right here in Minnesota.

== Barmah Hats ==
* [https://barmahhats.com https://barmahhats.com]
* Located in Staples.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Bemidji Woolen Mills ==
* [https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com]
* Located in Bemidji.

== Empire Wool and Canvas ==
* [https://empirecanvasworks.com https://empirecanvasworks.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Faribault Mill ==
* [https://www.faribaultmill.com https://www.faribaultmill.com]
* Located in Faribault.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== heim-made ==
* [https://heimmade.com https://heimmade.com]
* Located in Kelliher.

== Itasca Moccasin ==
* [https://www.itascamoccasin.com https://www.itascamoccasin.com]
* Located in Lake George.

== Lester River Bushcraft ==
* [https://www.lrbushcraft.com https://www.lrbushcraft.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Love Your Melon ==
* [https://loveyourmelon.com https://loveyourmelon.com]
* Located in Minneapolis.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Norsari ==
* [https://norsari.com https://norsari.com]
* Located in St. Paul and/or Northfield
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Red Wing Shoes ==
* [https://www.redwingshoes.com https://www.redwingshoes.com]
* Located in Red Wing.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Steger Mukluks ==
* [https://mukluks.com https://mukluks.com]
* Located in Ely.

== Superior Fleece ==
* [https://superiorfleece.com https://superiorfleece.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Sven Clogs ==
* [https://svensclogs.com https://svensclogs.com]
* Located in Chisago City.

== Wintergreen Northern Wear ==
* [https://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com https://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com]
* Located in Ely.

Links to other Minnesotans

2025-06-04T05:20:55Z

Karlexceed:

These are links to other Minnesotans out there talking about Minnesota.

* [https://16ozdays.com 16ozDays]
** All about coffee and coffee shops in the Twin Cities.
* [https://www.instagram.com/onlyaubss Aubrey (aka onlyaubss)]
** A great Instagram account all about exploring what MN has to offer.
* [https://streets.mn Streets.mn]
** A publication and advocacy group pursuing safer streets and better use of our collective resources.
* [https://www.youtube.com/@walkingminnesota Walking Minnesota]
** Great walking tour videos.

Minnesota apparel manufacturers

2025-05-23T17:15:02Z

Karlexceed:

There are several Minnesotan companies that sell branded merchandise, which is always fun to see. And there are several companies here that are contract manufacturers for other companies. But it can be surprisingly hard to find companies that manufacture their own items inside the state.

Collected below is a list of apparel manufacturers that produce at least some of their products right here in Minnesota.

== Barmah Hats ==
* [https://barmahhats.com https://barmahhats.com]
* Located in Staples.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Bemidji Woolen Mills ==
* [https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com]
* Located in Bemidji.

== Empire Wool and Canvas ==
* [https://empirecanvasworks.com https://empirecanvasworks.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Faribault Mill ==
* [https://www.faribaultmill.com https://www.faribaultmill.com]
* Located in Faribault.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== heim-made ==
* [https://heimmade.com https://heimmade.com]
* Located in Kelliher.

== Itasca Moccasin ==
* [https://www.itascamoccasin.com https://www.itascamoccasin.com]
* Located in Lake George.

== Lester River Bushcraft ==
* [https://www.lrbushcraft.com https://www.lrbushcraft.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Love Your Melon ==
* [https://loveyourmelon.com https://loveyourmelon.com]
* Located in Minneapolis.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Red Wing Shoes ==
* [https://www.redwingshoes.com https://www.redwingshoes.com]
* Located in Red Wing.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Steger Mukluks ==
* [https://mukluks.com https://mukluks.com]
* Located in Ely.

== Superior Fleece ==
* [https://superiorfleece.com https://superiorfleece.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Sven Clogs ==
* [https://svensclogs.com https://svensclogs.com]
* Located in Chisago City.

== Wintergreen Northern Wear ==
* [https://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com https://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com]
* Located in Ely.

Links to other Minnesotans

2025-05-23T17:13:39Z

Karlexceed:

MNLC:About

2025-04-13T21:11:04Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== What is the Minnesota Living Cooperative? ==

* A collection of people from various walks of life sharing their thoughts and experiences with the world.
* Perspectives from urban and rural Minnesotans.
* A wiki-style website bringing together topics such as DIY, gardening, caring for animals, household maintenance, vehicle maintenance, and more.
* A loose-knit and extremely casual mutual-benefit organization for all of the contributors.

<blockquote>
We all do better when we all do better.

- Senator Paul Wellstone in a 1999 speech to the Sheet Metal Workers Union
</blockquote>

Main Page

2025-04-13T21:10:24Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== [[Articles]] ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.

=== [[Projects]] ===
Things we've done.

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

Main Page

2025-04-13T21:10:07Z

Karlexceed:

Minnesota apparel manufacturers

2025-04-13T21:08:42Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "There are several Minnesotan companies that sell branded merchandise, which is always fun to see. And there are several companies here that are contract manufacturers for other companies. But it can be surprisingly hard to find companies that manufacture their own items right here in the state. Collected below is a list of apparel manufacturers that produce some items right here in Minnesota. == Barmah Hats == * [https://barmahhats.com https://barmahhats.com] * Located..."

There are several Minnesotan companies that sell branded merchandise, which is always fun to see. And there are several companies here that are contract manufacturers for other companies. But it can be surprisingly hard to find companies that manufacture their own items right here in the state.

Collected below is a list of apparel manufacturers that produce some items right here in Minnesota.

== Barmah Hats ==
* [https://barmahhats.com https://barmahhats.com]
* Located in Staples.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Bemidji Woolen Mills ==
* [https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com]
* Located in Bemidji.

== Empire Wool and Canvas ==
* [https://empirecanvasworks.com https://empirecanvasworks.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Faribault Mill ==
* [https://www.faribaultmill.com https://www.faribaultmill.com]
* Located in Faribault.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== heim-made ==
* [https://heimmade.com https://heimmade.com]
* Located in Kelliher.

== Itasca Moccasin ==
* [https://www.itascamoccasin.com https://www.itascamoccasin.com]
* Located in Lake George.

== Lester River Bushcraft ==
* [https://www.lrbushcraft.com https://www.lrbushcraft.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Love Your Melon ==
* [https://loveyourmelon.com https://loveyourmelon.com]
* Located in Minneapolis.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Red Wing Shoes ==
* [https://www.redwingshoes.com https://www.redwingshoes.com]
* Located in Red Wing.
* Not all of their products are made in Minnesota.

== Steger Mukluks ==
* [https://mukluks.com https://mukluks.com]
* Located in Ely.

== Superior Fleece ==
* [https://superiorfleece.com https://superiorfleece.com]
* Located in Duluth.

== Sven Clogs ==
* [https://svensclogs.com https://svensclogs.com]
* Located in Chisago City.

== Wintergreen Northern Wear ==
* [https://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com https://www.wintergreennorthernwear.com]
* Located in Ely.

Articles

2025-04-13T19:38:29Z

Karlexceed:

Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[A Few Fall Traditions]]
* [[Geocaching]]
* [[Minnesota apparel manufacturers]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]
* [[A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares]]

Main Page

2025-04-13T19:37:29Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.

[[Articles|You can find all of our articles here!]]

=== Projects ===
Things we've done.

[[Projects|You can find all of our projects here!]]

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Projects

2025-04-13T19:35:24Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "Things we've done. * Pergola at the Lake Cabin * Compost Bin Upgrade (Coming Soon) * Shed Planting Bench (Coming Soon)"

Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Compost Bin Upgrade (Coming Soon)
* Shed Planting Bench (Coming Soon)

Articles

2025-04-13T19:35:01Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc. * Be Nice and Buy Local * A Few Fall Traditions * Geocaching * Links to other Minnesotans * The computer knows what's up... * A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares"

Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[A Few Fall Traditions]]
* [[Geocaching]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]
* [[A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares]]

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-04-13T19:34:31Z

Karlexceed:

MediaWiki:Sidebar

2025-04-13T19:32:18Z

Karlexceed: Created page with " * navigation ** mainpage|mainpage-description ** Articles ** Projects ** recentchanges-url|recentchanges ** randompage-url|randompage ** helppage|help-mediawiki * SEARCH * TOOLBOX * LANGUAGES"

* navigation
** mainpage|mainpage-description
** Articles
** Projects
** recentchanges-url|recentchanges
** randompage-url|randompage
** helppage|help-mediawiki
* SEARCH
* TOOLBOX
* LANGUAGES

A Few Fall Traditions

2025-04-01T06:59:40Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "'''Written by:''' karl As I'm writing this, it's closer to winter than summer, but I'd like to share a bit about my favorite season and the traditions we try to keep in my household. Autumn is by far my favorite season - the cooler weather (most years anyway), the changing leaves, best holiday Halloween, and of course all the food we can harvest and feast on. Thanks to the industrial revolution, you can eat basically anything, anywhere, year-round these days, but eatin..."

'''Written by:''' karl

As I'm writing this, it's closer to winter than summer, but I'd like to share a bit about my favorite season and the traditions we try to keep in my household. Autumn is by far my favorite season - the cooler weather (most years anyway), the changing leaves, best holiday Halloween, and of course all the food we can harvest and feast on.

Thanks to the industrial revolution, you can eat basically anything, anywhere, year-round these days, but eating a just-ripened apple straight off the tree is something special. Standing in the garden eating freshly picked berries or ground cherries is always time well spent, and anyone who's ever tasted the difference knows that sweet corn you buy directly from the farmer that grew it is better than anything that comes from a store. It's probably no surprise that many of my favorite autumn traditions also involve food in one way or another.

=== Making Applesauce ===

On my current property I'm lucky enough to have a mature [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haralson_(apple) Haralson apple] tree, one of the nearly 30 varieties developed by the University of Minnesota. The apples tend to be a little on the tart side, so eating them raw is only for those who like a more sour apple, but they make a great ingredient for cooked dishes.

One of the traditions my household has picked up since inheriting this tree is making applesauce after the apple harvest. [https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/applesauce This is the recipe] we've used as a starting point, with a few tweaks over the years. We've found that using 3 tablespoons of lemon juice can be pretty powerful, so replacing that with just 1 tablespoon of lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar seems like a good balance.

If you don't have an apple tree of your own, I recommend buying a few varieties of apples from the nearest orchard and trying to make a batch of applesauce for yourself. Peeling and coring the apples goes surprisingly quick if you put on some music, and you'll have a large pot of warm, delicious applesauce in less than an hour.

=== Carving Pumpkins ===

I've loved carving pumpkins ever since I was a child, though I don't think I could exactly tell you why. I like the act of carving itself and I like the end result - it's one of the few things that I reliably post to my Instagram account. And of course I like eating pumpkin seeds.

There are several guides online that will tell you how to roast pumpkin seeds, but in my experience, it's more an art than a science. You'll need to trust your instincts, but don't worry too much, it's a very forgiving process. The quick rundown of how to do this goes as follows:
* Scoop the seeds into a bowl, trying to limit the amount of strings and other pumpkin flesh that tag along.
* Transfer into a colander and run under cool water, rinsing the seeds and trying to get any loose strings off. You don't need to be too picky about this part; a few strings aren't going to hurt anything.
* Make sure you have a rack in the middle position of your oven and preheat it to about 300-350° F.
* Dry the seeds on a baking sheet with paper towels or clean kitchen towels.
* Drizzle with the oil of your choice. We tend to use olive oil.
* Put together a spice blend. Start with salt and then add whatever calls to you. I like garlic powder, black pepper, and a little paprika.
* Sprinkle your spice blend over the oily seeds and toss to coat.
* Spread them out evenly and toss into the oven.
* Check after 10-15 minutes, toss, and repeat. They will go for a total of 30-45 minutes depending on your oven, how wet the seeds were, etc.
* Enjoy!

They should keep on the countertop in an airtight container for a few weeks, but make sure they are completely cool before you store them otherwise they can get soggy.

=== Visiting Christmas Markets ===

Following a tradition dating back hundreds of years in parts of Europe, we here in Minnesota have quite a few options for Christmas markets. They vary quite a bit in size which can really change the experience; smaller ones will of course have less vendors, but larger ones can feel quite crowded. And if you decide to visit one, make sure to check whether or not it's an outdoor market so you can dress accordingly!

If you're familiar with the local arts & crafts scene, you'll see a lot of familiar stuff - handmade soaps and candles, jewelry, pottery, hot sauces, engraved wood, etc. But there's often seasonal items as well: gifts, Christmas tree ornaments, traditional items from European Christmas markets, wool hats and mittens, and more!

If you are curious but don't know where to start, I highly suggest visiting the [https://stpaulchristmasmarket.org European Christmas Market] at Union Station in downtown St Paul. While there, make sure to get yourself a delicious mug of Glühwein, which is like a spiced mulled wine.

Main Page

2025-04-01T06:58:30Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[A Few Fall Traditions]]
* [[Geocaching]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]
* [[A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares]]

=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Compost Bin Upgrade (Coming Soon)
* Shed Planting Bench (Coming Soon)

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Main Page

2025-04-01T06:36:07Z

Karlexceed: /* Projects */

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares]]
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[Geocaching]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]

=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Compost Bin Upgrade (Coming Soon)
* Shed Planting Bench (Coming Soon)

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares

2025-04-01T06:34:10Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "'''Written by:''' karl I love farm shares and I think you should too. If you're a farmer you can have a more reliable income, and if you're a consumer you can get great local produce without needing to shop the farmer's market every weekend. A farm share, also commonly referred to as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), is basically a contract or partnership between farmers and consumers. People purchase a "share" of the farm's expected harvest in advance and then..."

'''Written by:''' karl

I love farm shares and I think you should too. If you're a farmer you can have a more reliable income, and if you're a consumer you can get great local produce without needing to shop the farmer's market every weekend.

A farm share, also commonly referred to as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), is basically a contract or partnership between farmers and consumers. People purchase a "share" of the farm's expected harvest in advance and then receive a portion of the harvest at some interval throughout the growing season - weekly, monthly, etc.

<blockquote>
Community supported agriculture "consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production."

- USDA, source: [https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/community-supported-agriculture https://www.nal.usda.gov/farms-and-agricultural-production-systems/community-supported-agriculture]
</blockquote>

If you're in Minnesota, you can use the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's <em>Minnesota Grown</em> website to look up the nearest farm share program: [https://minnesotagrown.com/csa https://minnesotagrown.com/csa]

Also, if you are near the Twin Cities, check out TC Farm - they're basically a large collection of smaller family farms. They have a traditional CSA program, but they also allow consumers to purchase more typical grocery items on demand. Check out their website for more details: [https://tc.farm https://tc.farm]

And here's some links if you'd like to learn more:
* [https://www.localharvest.org/csa https://www.localharvest.org/csa]
* [https://farmsharenewsletter.substack.com/p/what-is-a-farm-share-or-csa-and-why https://farmsharenewsletter.substack.com/p/what-is-a-farm-share-or-csa-and-why]

Main Page

2025-04-01T06:28:50Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[A Very Brief Intro to Farm Shares]]
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[Geocaching]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]

=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Y
* Z

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Pergola at the Lake Cabin

2025-04-01T06:23:53Z

Karlexceed:

'''Written by:''' karl

Many years back, in the summer of 2009, I was asked if I could build a decorative pergola at the family's lake cabin. For better or worse, I agreed to take it on without a second thought.

I had a rough idea of how they were built and what I might want to do, so I fired up SketchUp and created a quick approximation to make sure that the scale and structure were going to look right.

[[File:Pergola_render.png|center|500px|A render from SketchUp.]]

I don't recall the exact dimensions of anything as I'm writing this except that the uprights are 6x6 posts. I believe the doubled beams are 2x8s and the rafters running perpendicular are 2x6s. All of the lumber used was treated.

Once I finalized the design and dimensions, I was ready to get to work. At the time of building the pergola, I lived over an hour's drive from the cabin, so I had set myself the goal of completing the entire project over two adjacent weekends.

On the first weekend, I used stakes and string to lay out the site and located where my footings were going to be placed. I dug the holes as close to two feet deep as I could manage and roughly 1 foot in diameter. I knew that I was going to use metal anchors at the base of the posts, but I didn't yet know exactly which style of anchor I was going to use. Because of this, after mixing and pouring the concrete, I ended up just smoothing the tops of my footings roughly flat.

Coming back a week later, I brought all of the tools and materials I though I would need. I started by centering of all of my posts on their respective footings, then drilling a hole with a masonry bit to accept expansion style anchor bolts. I used the bolts to attach galvanized standoff post anchors.

<gallery>
File:pergola_anchor.png|An example of the anchors used.
File:pergola_footing.png|The anchors in place.
</gallery>

Before raising the huge posts, I located where the carriage bolts for the 2x8 beams should pass through the posts and drilled those holes. I also notched the bottom corners of my beams at a 45 degree angle for a clean and simple look.

I then used some spare wood as bracing to help me hold the posts plumb while I attached them to the anchors. Once they were all standing, I was able to add the long beams and bolt them together into standing pairs. I had pre-drilled all of the holes, but they were still a little tight and pounding the eight galvanized carriage bolts through all of that material while they were overhead was exhausting!

<gallery>
File:pergola_attachment.png|A pair of carriage bolts attach the beams to each post.
File:pergola_angles.png|A simple 45 degree angle was cut into the end of the rafters.
</gallery>

The last thing to do before slapping on a coat of paint was to get the rafters attached. These also got a 45 degree notch on the bottom, and then additionally they all need to be notched to fit over top of the beams as well. Each rafter has 4 notches, half of their depth, to allow them to fit over the beams. They are then secured using 4" screws from the top into the beams.

[[File:Pergola_finished_scaled.jpg|center|500px|A picture of the finished pergola.]]

And that's really all there was to it. It's certainly not the best or only way to do it - in fact I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do it exactly this way! If I were to make any changes, I think I would look into adding bracing between the vertical posts and the horizontal beams to help stiffen the whole structure.

The computer knows what's up...

2025-04-01T06:23:37Z

Karlexceed:

'''Written by:''' karl

I got bored and asked an LLM (I think it was Google's Gemini): Can you summarize the meaning of the phrase, "Minnesota living"?

I thought the answer was kinda fun, so I'm posting it here.

<blockquote>
The phrase "Minnesota living" conjures up images of a high quality of life with a strong focus on the outdoors. Here's a breakdown of what it typically implies:

'''Beautiful natural environment:'''
Abundant lakes, opportunities for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities year-round (including winter sports).

'''Strong sense of community:'''
Friendly and welcoming residents with a high civic engagement.

'''Thriving economy:'''
Low unemployment rate, strong worker protections, and a good standard of living.

'''Four distinct seasons:'''
Residents embrace all that each season brings, including cold winters.
</blockquote>

Be Nice and Buy Local

2025-04-01T06:23:16Z

Karlexceed:

'''Written by:''' karl

When I'm shopping for something, I always try to buy as locally as I reasonably can. Local retailers, local manufacturers, and local materials or ingredients.

Buying locally is better in several ways. It's better for the environment by reducing the amount of transportation that items need to get to you. It's good for the local economy by keeping the money nearby and circulating instead of flowing directly out to a giant corporation that moved it's headquarters overseas for tax purposes. And of course, buying locally can help to encourage more local businesses to start and secure our towns' futures.

I want my money to be spent improving the things I like and that are nearest to me as much as possible. I've found that local manufacturers can often make a product at a comparable or sometimes even lower cost than large corporations, especially when you factor in the quality.

Of course there are still things that I will buy from major retailers, if for no other reasons than price and availability. I buy my garbage bags from Target, Cub, or Walmart - why wouldn't I? But if there's an opportunity to do better, I like to think that I'm the kind of person to give it serious consideration.

== So I Needed a New Wallet... ==

I want a good leather wallet that will last me several years, if not decades. My current wallet was a gift from my father. It's made from a fairly thin leather and it's managed to last me about a decade so far, but it's definitely starting to show it's age.

I thought, "Ask the internet what's a good wallet." And most of the answers I found were luxury labels with price tags starting at $250 minimum. And I didn't particularly like any of the options I was seeing.

So instead of looking for what the internet considered "the best", I start looking for nearby leather goods manufacturers and found several promising candidates right away:

==== Leather Works Minnesota ====
* [https://leatherworksminnesota.com https://leatherworksminnesota.com]
* St. Paul, MN

==== Buffalo Billfold Company ====
* [https://buffalobillfoldcompany.com https://buffalobillfoldcompany.com]
* Worthington, MN

==== Century Leather Products ====
* [https://clpuber.com https://clpuber.com]
* Owatonna, MN

==== Hanson Leather Co. ====
* [https://www.hansonleatherco.com https://www.hansonleatherco.com]
* Stewartville, MN

==== Strey Designs ====
* [https://streydesigns.com https://streydesigns.com]
* Minneapolis, MN

==== Ashland Leather ====
* [https://ashlandleather.com https://ashlandleather.com]
* Chicago, IL

I started with two criteria: I want it to be full-grain leather in a shade of brown and I want it to be a bi-fold design. My current wallet is a tri-fold design and I'm sick of having curly cash.

After looking through the offerings of all of these companies, I ended up choosing the No. 9 Wallet made by Leather Works Minnesota. It's handmade from high quality full-grain American leather right in St. Paul and it's only $100. That sounds well worth the price to me.

'''Update:''' I've owned the wallet for a few months now and am very happy so far. The way the leather is wearing in and becoming uniquely "mine" is gorgeous. There is one thing that I would say I found difficult, and that's how tight the cash compartment was to begin with. Hopefully with some use, this will be less and less of an issue.

Geocaching

2025-04-01T06:22:48Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "'''Written by:''' Aiden I had a geocaching phase last summer, and I believe I found about 4 or 5 in North/central MN. However there were a few destroyed or that I couldn't find. There was a surprising amount of caches for a small lake town, and that seems to be a pattern across the state. I had no idea it was such a big thing! I think that geocaching is a fun activity to do, and it would be very fun to make a cache as well and see who logs it! It's a niche, but very we..."

'''Written by:''' Aiden

I had a geocaching phase last summer, and I believe I found about 4 or 5 in North/central MN. However there were a few destroyed or that I couldn't find. There was a surprising amount of caches for a small lake town, and that seems to be a pattern across the state. I had no idea it was such a big thing!

I think that geocaching is a fun activity to do, and it would be very fun to make a cache as well and see who logs it! It's a niche, but very welcoming community in my opinion. If you're unfamiliar, a geocache is a little container with a logbook inside, and you get the coordinates and some hints and try to find it. They're usually hidden in trees or behind things, and it's super fun to look for them. It also can be super frustrating, especially when they are <em>hidden just right out of sight behind a sign.... </em>Some caches are in beautiful locations; the most memorable one for me was located on a hill above a beautiful round red barn from 1913.

[[File:Geocaching.png|center|500px|A round barn.]]

We all need fun scavenger hunts once in awhile, so I think we should bring geocaching back. This summer let's all go get ticks while aimlessly wandering on the side of the road looking for caches! You may look crazy, but at least you're having fun. Who cares what people driving by think? Plus, you get to explore back roads and areas that you never usually get to, and see unique scenery.

Main Page

2025-04-01T06:20:57Z

Karlexceed: /* Articles */

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[Geocaching]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]

=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Y
* Z

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

File:Geocaching.png

2025-04-01T06:19:46Z

Karlexceed:

The computer knows what's up...

2025-04-01T06:17:44Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "I got bored and asked an LLM (I think it was Google's Gemini): Can you summarize the meaning of the phrase, "Minnesota living"? I thought the answer was kinda fun, so I'm posting it here. <blockquote> The phrase "Minnesota living" conjures up images of a high quality of life with a strong focus on the outdoors. Here's a breakdown of what it typically implies: '''Beautiful natural environment:''' Abundant lakes, opportunities for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activ..."

I got bored and asked an LLM (I think it was Google's Gemini): Can you summarize the meaning of the phrase, "Minnesota living"?

I thought the answer was kinda fun, so I'm posting it here.

<blockquote>
The phrase "Minnesota living" conjures up images of a high quality of life with a strong focus on the outdoors. Here's a breakdown of what it typically implies:

'''Beautiful natural environment:'''
Abundant lakes, opportunities for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities year-round (including winter sports).

'''Strong sense of community:'''
Friendly and welcoming residents with a high civic engagement.

'''Thriving economy:'''
Low unemployment rate, strong worker protections, and a good standard of living.

'''Four distinct seasons:'''
Residents embrace all that each season brings, including cold winters.
</blockquote>

Main Page

2025-04-01T06:15:49Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, creative writing, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[The computer knows what's up...]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]

=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Y
* Z

=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Be Nice and Buy Local

2025-03-31T07:55:42Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "When I'm shopping for something, I always try to buy as locally as I reasonably can. Local retailers, local manufacturers, and local materials or ingredients. Buying locally is better in several ways. It's better for the environment by reducing the amount of transportation that items need to get to you. It's good for the local economy by keeping the money nearby and circulating instead of flowing directly out to a giant corporation that moved it's headquarters overseas..."

When I'm shopping for something, I always try to buy as locally as I reasonably can. Local retailers, local manufacturers, and local materials or ingredients.

Buying locally is better in several ways. It's better for the environment by reducing the amount of transportation that items need to get to you. It's good for the local economy by keeping the money nearby and circulating instead of flowing directly out to a giant corporation that moved it's headquarters overseas for tax purposes. And of course, buying locally can help to encourage more local businesses to start and secure our towns' futures.

I want my money to be spent improving the things I like and that are nearest to me as much as possible. I've found that local manufacturers can often make a product at a comparable or sometimes even lower cost than large corporations, especially when you factor in the quality.

Of course there are still things that I will buy from major retailers, if for no other reasons than price and availability. I buy my garbage bags from Target, Cub, or Walmart - why wouldn't I? But if there's an opportunity to do better, I like to think that I'm the kind of person to give it serious consideration.

== So I Needed a New Wallet... ==

I want a good leather wallet that will last me several years, if not decades. My current wallet was a gift from my father. It's made from a fairly thin leather and it's managed to last me about a decade so far, but it's definitely starting to show it's age.

I thought, "Ask the internet what's a good wallet." And most of the answers I found were luxury labels with price tags starting at $250 minimum. And I didn't particularly like any of the options I was seeing.

So instead of looking for what the internet considered "the best", I start looking for nearby leather goods manufacturers and found several promising candidates right away:

==== Leather Works Minnesota ====
* [https://leatherworksminnesota.com https://leatherworksminnesota.com]
* St. Paul, MN

==== Buffalo Billfold Company ====
* [https://buffalobillfoldcompany.com https://buffalobillfoldcompany.com]
* Worthington, MN

==== Century Leather Products ====
* [https://clpuber.com https://clpuber.com]
* Owatonna, MN

==== Hanson Leather Co. ====
* [https://www.hansonleatherco.com https://www.hansonleatherco.com]
* Stewartville, MN

==== Strey Designs ====
* [https://streydesigns.com https://streydesigns.com]
* Minneapolis, MN

==== Ashland Leather ====
* [https://ashlandleather.com https://ashlandleather.com]
* Chicago, IL

I started with two criteria: I want it to be full-grain leather in a shade of brown and I want it to be a bi-fold design. My current wallet is a tri-fold design and I'm sick of having curly cash.

After looking through the offerings of all of these companies, I ended up choosing the No. 9 Wallet made by Leather Works Minnesota. It's handmade from high quality full-grain American leather right in St. Paul and it's only $100. That sounds well worth the price to me.

'''Update:''' I've owned the wallet for a few months now and am very happy so far. The way the leather is wearing in and becoming uniquely "mine" is gorgeous. There is one thing that I would say I found difficult, and that's how tight the cash compartment was to begin with. Hopefully with some use, this will be less and less of an issue.

Main Page

2025-03-31T07:35:42Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Be Nice and Buy Local]]
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* X
=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Y
* Z
=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Pergola at the Lake Cabin

2025-03-30T07:15:27Z

Karlexceed:

Many years back, in the summer of 2009, I was asked if I could build a decorative pergola at the family's lake cabin. For better or worse, I agreed to take it on without a second thought.

I had a rough idea of how they were built and what I might want to do, so I fired up SketchUp and created a quick approximation to make sure that the scale and structure were going to look right.

[[File:Pergola_render.png|center|500px|A render from SketchUp.]]

I don't recall the exact dimensions of anything as I'm writing this except that the uprights are 6x6 posts. I believe the doubled beams are 2x8s and the rafters running perpendicular are 2x6s. All of the lumber used was treated.

Once I finalized the design and dimensions, I was ready to get to work. At the time of building the pergola, I lived over an hour's drive from the cabin, so I had set myself the goal of completing the entire project over two adjacent weekends.

On the first weekend, I used stakes and string to lay out the site and located where my footings were going to be placed. I dug the holes as close to two feet deep as I could manage and roughly 1 foot in diameter. I knew that I was going to use metal anchors at the base of the posts, but I didn't yet know exactly which style of anchor I was going to use. Because of this, after mixing and pouring the concrete, I ended up just smoothing the tops of my footings roughly flat.

Coming back a week later, I brought all of the tools and materials I though I would need. I started by centering of all of my posts on their respective footings, then drilling a hole with a masonry bit to accept expansion style anchor bolts. I used the bolts to attach galvanized standoff post anchors.

<gallery>
File:pergola_anchor.png|An example of the anchors used.
File:pergola_footing.png|The anchors in place.
</gallery>

Before raising the huge posts, I located where the carriage bolts for the 2x8 beams should pass through the posts and drilled those holes. I also notched the bottom corners of my beams at a 45 degree angle for a clean and simple look.

I then used some spare wood as bracing to help me hold the posts plumb while I attached them to the anchors. Once they were all standing, I was able to add the long beams and bolt them together into standing pairs. I had pre-drilled all of the holes, but they were still a little tight and pounding the eight galvanized carriage bolts through all of that material while they were overhead was exhausting!

<gallery>
File:pergola_attachment.png|A pair of carriage bolts attach the beams to each post.
File:pergola_angles.png|A simple 45 degree angle was cut into the end of the rafters.
</gallery>

The last thing to do before slapping on a coat of paint was to get the rafters attached. These also got a 45 degree notch on the bottom, and then additionally they all need to be notched to fit over top of the beams as well. Each rafter has 4 notches, half of their depth, to allow them to fit over the beams. They are then secured using 4" screws from the top into the beams.

[[File:Pergola_finished_scaled.jpg|center|500px|A picture of the finished pergola.]]

And that's really all there was to it. It's certainly not the best or only way to do it - in fact I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do it exactly this way! If I were to make any changes, I think I would look into adding bracing between the vertical posts and the horizontal beams to help stiffen the whole structure.

File:Pergola finished scaled.jpg

2025-03-30T07:14:34Z

Karlexceed:

Pergola at the Lake Cabin

2025-03-30T07:12:24Z

Karlexceed: Created page with "Many years back, in the summer of 2009, I was asked if I could build a decorative pergola at the family's lake cabin. For better or worse, I agreed to take it on without a second thought. I had a rough idea of how they were built and what I might want to do, so I fired up SketchUp and created a quick approximation to make sure that the scale and structure were going to look right. A render from SketchUp. I don't recall the exac..."

Many years back, in the summer of 2009, I was asked if I could build a decorative pergola at the family's lake cabin. For better or worse, I agreed to take it on without a second thought.

I had a rough idea of how they were built and what I might want to do, so I fired up SketchUp and created a quick approximation to make sure that the scale and structure were going to look right.

[[File:Pergola_render.png|center|500px|A render from SketchUp.]]

I don't recall the exact dimensions of anything as I'm writing this except that the uprights are 6x6 posts. I believe the doubled beams are 2x8s and the rafters running perpendicular are 2x6s. All of the lumber used was treated.

Once I finalized the design and dimensions, I was ready to get to work. At the time of building the pergola, I lived over an hour's drive from the cabin, so I had set myself the goal of completing the entire project over two adjacent weekends.

On the first weekend, I used stakes and string to lay out the site and located where my footings were going to be placed. I dug the holes as close to two feet deep as I could manage and roughly 1 foot in diameter. I knew that I was going to use metal anchors at the base of the posts, but I didn't yet know exactly which style of anchor I was going to use. Because of this, after mixing and pouring the concrete, I ended up just smoothing the tops of my footings roughly flat.

Coming back a week later, I brought all of the tools and materials I though I would need. I started by centering of all of my posts on their respective footings, then drilling a hole with a masonry bit to accept expansion style anchor bolts. I used the bolts to attach galvanized standoff post anchors.

<gallery>
File:pergola_anchor.png|An example of the anchors used.
File:pergola_footing.png|The anchors in place.
</gallery>

Before raising the huge posts, I located where the carriage bolts for the 2x8 beams should pass through the posts and drilled those holes. I also notched the bottom corners of my beams at a 45 degree angle for a clean and simple look.

I then used some spare wood as bracing to help me hold the posts plumb while I attached them to the anchors. Once they were all standing, I was able to add the long beams and bolt them together into standing pairs. I had pre-drilled all of the holes, but they were still a little tight and pounding the eight galvanized carriage bolts through all of that material while they were overhead was exhausting!

<gallery>
File:pergola_attachment.png|A pair of carriage bolts attach the beams to each post.
File:pergola_angles.png|A simple 45 degree angle was cut into the end of the rafters.
</gallery>

The last thing to do before slapping on a coat of paint was to get the rafters attached. These also got a 45 degree notch on the bottom, and then additionally they all need to be notched to fit over top of the beams as well. Each rafter has 4 notches, half of their depth, to allow them to fit over the beams. They are then secured using 4" screws from the top into the beams.

And that's really all there was to it. It's certainly not the best or only way to do it - in fact I wouldn't recommend that anyone else do it exactly this way! If I were to make any changes, I think I would look into adding bracing between the vertical posts and the horizontal beams to help stiffen the whole structure.

File:Pergola angles.png

2025-03-30T06:41:02Z

Karlexceed:

File:Pergola attachment.png

2025-03-30T06:40:53Z

Karlexceed:

File:Pergola footing.png

2025-03-30T06:40:38Z

Karlexceed:

File:Pergola anchor.png

2025-03-30T06:40:25Z

Karlexceed:

File:Pergola render.png

2025-03-30T06:40:08Z

Karlexceed:

Main Page

2025-03-30T06:36:23Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* B
* C
=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* [[Pergola at the Lake Cabin]]
* Y
* Z
=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Main Page

2025-03-30T06:30:35Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* B
* C
=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* X
* Y
* Z
=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

MNLC:About

2025-03-30T06:29:57Z

Karlexceed:

[[File:Logo_256px_transparent.png|right|180px|MNLC Logo]]
== What is the Minnesota Living Cooperative? ==

* A collection of people from various walks of life keeping busy and sharing their thoughts and experiences with the world.
* Perspectives from urban and rural (and everywhere in-between) Minnesotans.
* A wiki-style website bringing together topics such as DIY, gardening, caring for animals, household maintenance, vehicle maintenance, and more.
* A loose-knit and extremely casual mutual-benefit organization for all of the contributors.

<blockquote>
We all do better when we all do better.

- Senator Paul Wellstone in a 1999 speech to the Sheet Metal Workers Union
</blockquote>

File:Post header-main street.png

2025-03-30T06:22:47Z

Karlexceed:

File:Post header-farm share.png

2025-03-30T06:22:38Z

Karlexceed:

File:Post header-autumn.png

2025-03-30T06:22:27Z

Karlexceed:

File:Post header narrow.png

2025-03-30T06:21:56Z

Karlexceed:

File:Post header.png

2025-03-30T06:21:44Z

Karlexceed:

File:Logo large transparent.png

2025-03-30T06:21:19Z

Karlexceed:

File:Logo 512px transparent.png

2025-03-30T06:21:12Z

Karlexceed:

File:Logo 256px transparent.png

2025-03-30T06:21:01Z

Karlexceed:

Main Page

2025-03-30T06:14:20Z

Karlexceed:

== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, lists of fun things, etc.
* [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
* B
* C
=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
* X
* Y
* Z
=== MNLC Pages ===
* [[MNLC:About|About]]
* [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!

Main Page

2025-03-30T06:14:07Z

Karlexceed:

== Welcome to the Minnesota Living Cooperative ==
=== Articles ===
Information, editorials, lists of fun things, etc.
** [[Links to other Minnesotans]]
** B
** C
=== Projects ===
Things we've done.
** X
** Y
** Z
=== MNLC Pages ===
** [[MNLC:About|About]]
** [[Info for contributors]]

We're currently rebuilding the site, so we appreciate your patience!