Travelers Needed!

Have you been to one or more Green Routes destinations this summer?  Do you have a story from your travels that you'd like to share with other green travelers in Minnesota?  We'd like to share your story in our newsletter.  If you're interested, call Margaret at 612.871.1541 or 866.378.0587 or email her at margaret@rtcinfo.org to set up a brief phone interview.

White Earth Indian Reservation's Cultural Tourism Rendezvous

White Earth, or "where there is white clay" in the Ojibwe language, is the home to the White Earth Nation (Anishinabe), located in northwestern Minnesota along the Pine and Lake Country Green Route. It is about 225 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul and well worth the drive to participate in the upcoming White Earth Reservation Cultural Tourism Rendezvous on September 15 and 16.  It will feature four-hour workshops on rice harvesting, birch bark winnowing and basket making, and storytelling workshop with author Anne Dunn. An Ojibway historian will guide a regional history tour. Costs: two days $125 per person or $200 per couple. To sign up call 1-800-973-9870. A list of nearby lodging can be found at www.nativeharvest.com.

The White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP), located in a former school in Callaway, works to recover the original land base of the reservation that was divided up through various land acts. Their Native Harvest company processes locally grown foods in their facility in the old school building. WELRP offers educational workshops such as basket making, language retreats, and Gammill quilting. They are able to help arrange tours and cultural presentations (wild rice harvesting, maple sapping, organic gardening, alternative energy projects, horse riding, heritage and other cultural programs). These must be arranged in advance. Visit http://www.nativeharvest.com. 

A drive through the beautifully wooded lake country will take you past a large log cabin, next to a colorfully painted tee-pee. Inside the cabin is the Minwanjige Café. The café, a warm place where all cultures meet and mix, serves fresh frybread, soups, sandwiches and delicious coffee from their own Muskrat Coffee Company. The café uses locally grown and organic foods and sells Anishinabe crafts, music, maple syrup, jewelry, books and other foods. The Minwanjige Café, located at 33287 County Rd. 34, Ogema. It is at the intersection of 34 and 143, across from Strawberry Lake Store. Phone (218)-983-3834.

 The Anishinabe Culture Center recently relocated from Detroit Lakes to Callaway and serves the local Indian community through various social programs and a local foods coop (usually on Mondays). Support for the center comes from their Anishinabe Gallery that sells native crafts by local artists.  The Center serves organic coffees and will eventually offer organic food in their café.  Hours M-F 9-5. Not open on weekends yet. Address: 322 Main Street, Callaway (Hwy 59). Call 218-204-0719.

The Tamarac wildlife refuge is located within the reservation. It is home to over 250 species of birds including trumpeter swans. During fall migration there is an abundance of waterfowl, including more than 15,000 ring-necked ducks. The refuge is in a near pristine state and encompasses three river systems that provide significant wild rice production. For more information about the refuge, call 218-847-2641 or visit the website www.fws.gov/midwest/tamarac/.