Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Dispatches from the protest line in Faribault February 22, 2026

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Protesters line up along Minnesota State Highway 60 in Faribault two weeks ago. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

WE PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday, grabbed our signs from the back of the van and headed to the sidewalk. There Randy and I joined others filtering in to protest by the Rice County government services building along busy Minnesota State Highway 60/Fourth Street in Faribault.

For six Saturday mornings now, people have gathered here to raise their voices against aggressive federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota and against many other policies and directives of the Trump administration negatively affecting our lives (and that of our neighbors) and/or threatening our country. Whatever concerns someone—democracy, Constitutional rights, due process, tariffs, the economy, voting rights, authoritarianism, immigration—those topics are covered in signage and/or in conversations.

Saturday morning we stood some 40 strong in 15-degree temps with a biting wind. That’s about half our usual number. Some of the regulars were missing, but I also saw many new faces.

Protesting against ICE two weeks ago. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

ICE IS STILL HERE

Top on all of our minds remains Operation Metro Surge, the largest mass immigration enforcement effort in the country which saw 3,000 federal agents descend on Minnesota. That includes here in our community, home to many Latinos, Hispanics and Somalis.

Despite the announced drawdown of those agents, ICE activity in Faribault has not decreased since they started working here in early December, according to one protester I questioned on Saturday. He laughed when I inquired, a telling response. He’s a trustworthy source, a boots-on-the-ground individual who is active and informed.

Groceries and personal care items collected by a church in the south metro for those in need. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

THE PERSONAL & FINANCIAL FALL-OUT

To hear stories of retired teachers giving kids rides to school is simultaneously heartening and heartbreaking. Parents should be driving their children to school or walking them to the bus stop. But, because of ICE, others are doing that while they are sheltered at home, afraid to leave, not working, not going to the grocery store.

Food shelves have sprung up in schools and in churches, supplementing already existing nonprofit food shelves. The need is great. I recently started volunteering at a local food shelf.

Families unable to pay rent now face eviction. The Faribault City Council last week denied a request from the Faribault Community Action Center for $50,000 in emergency rental assistance. In neighboring Northfield, the city council unanimously approved an identical request from the Northfield Community Action Center.

Faribault is a blue collar community that runs red. Northfield is white collar blue.

A sign held at a previous protest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

REACTIONS TO OUR PROTESTS

Whenever we protest, we are subjected to profanity, vulgarity and negative behavior from passing motorists among the overwhelmingly positive support. Based on my observations the four past Saturday mornings, the loudest and angriest are white women probably in their forties. I don’t understand the intensity of their angry outbursts. We just smile and wave, figuring we got to them with our messages.

Near the center of this frame, a protester carries a Rebel Loon sign. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

THE STORIES

I like to mingle when I protest. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, to hear stories. Like that of an elementary school student who returned to classes last week after a two-month absence. Or the first-time protester whose husband, an immigrant, has worked mostly remotely rather than drive to his job in Minneapolis. Or the man who crafted a Rebel Loon (the Minnesota state bird) sign and was protesting for someone who could not be there for fear of ICE.

These are real stories of real people in my community. I may not know the little girl who returned to school or the protester’s husband or the friend of the Rebel Loon guy. But I do know that I care about the people in my community who have lived in, and continue to live in, fear of federal immigration agents regardless of legal status. Residents of my community have been racially profiled, stopped, questioned because they are black or brown, have an accent, dress differently. I have talked to a Hispanic woman, an American citizen, who was stopped by ICE.

This is why I protest in the deep cold of a Minnesota winter, standing beside others with signs, Minnesota state flags and peace flags in a town of 25,000 where protesting exposes you to criticism. It matters to my profiled and targeted neighbors that I am publicly standing up for them. They’ve told me so. I cannot remain silent. We are stronger together. Minnesota Strong.

The winter boots I wear while protesting. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

BREAD BAGS

We protesters brave the cold for those who cannot safely stand here. We wrap scarves around our necks, put on parkas, pull on long johns and ear flapper caps and wool socks and winter boots, sometimes adding foot and hand warmers. Several of us joked about returning next week with bread bags inside our boots for another layer of warmth, a throwback to our childhood days.

By then I’d been outside for an hour, my cheeks slapped red by the wind, my fingers and toes growing numb. But I was laughing, deep belly laughing, at the bread bag stories. It felt good to laugh with these protesters, to find comedic relief in the darkest of times.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

From proverbs to culture, native Tanzanian shares his insights & stories February 16, 2026

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Joseph Mbele shares stories, proverbs and culture on February 11 at Books on Central, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

FABLES TEACH LESSONS. Fairy tales offer happy endings. And African proverbs impart wisdom.

Last Wednesday evening, Joseph Mbele, retired St. Olaf College professor of post-colonial literature, cultural consultant, author and storyteller, shared three African proverbs during a literary event at Books on Central. This man, who calls himself an African and a Tanzanian, held the rapt attention of attendees gathered in the used bookshop in the heart of downtown Faribault, home to many Somalis.

THE CROCODILE

While I enjoyed the two African folktales Mbele told, I really appreciated the proverbs. They are, by nature of a proverb, succinct. A few words carry a whole lot of punch. First up, this proverb: “Before you cross the river, don’t insult the crocodile’s mouth.”

Immediately the image of a crocodile’s sharp teeth popped into my mind. As it should have. This proverb, Mbele explained, is about being respectful to people in our relationships and in life in general. Be anything but respectful and we risk negative consequences. Snap.

THE BLACKSMITH

Second up this African proverb: “It’s because of man that the blacksmith makes weapons.” Thinking in African terms, the weapons would be knives and spears. I thought of guns. Mbele repeated the proverb, letting it sink into our brains. “It’s because of man that the blacksmith makes weapons.” The lesson here, Mbele said, is that we can be better than this—be kind, helpful and supportive—so we don’t need to bear arms/weapons. That’s an oversimplification, of course. But proverbs are not meant to be complex.

THE VISUALLY-IMPAIRED

Third, Mbele recited this proverb: “The one-eyed person only thanked God after he saw a blind person.” As someone with vision issues, that hit home. The proverb is a way of teaching gratitude, Mbele said. The contrast between seeing with only one eye and total blindness put the situation in perspective. The thought that there’s always someone who has it worse probably flitted through the minds of everyone in the bookshop.

THE STORYTELLERS

Mbele talked about the tradition of Africans sitting around telling stories to entertain and teach. Languages like his native Matengo, an indigenous language in Tanzania, are oral, not written. As he spoke, I began to understand the importance of folktales in African life. Stories connect people and, like proverbs, teach lessons.

Applied to my own community, Mbele explained that Somali men gathering on downtown Faribault street corners are simply socializing and sharing stories and are not to be feared. “It’s un-African to be by yourself,” he said of a culture that focuses on family and togetherness.

He even went so far as to say an African could be considered evil or a witch if living alone. That surprised me, but drove home the cultural importance of community and family. Now if only everyone in Faribault could hear these proverbs and insights from this native Tanzanian. Then perhaps they would not fear that which they don’t understand, like the Somali elders gathered on street corners downtown telling stories, sharing news or simply sitting in each other’s presence.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

African folktales & culture focus bookshop literary event February 10, 2026

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(Promo credit: Books on Central)

HE’S A MESMERIZING and engaging storyteller. He is Joseph Mbele, retired professor of post-colonial literature at St. Olaf College in Northfield, cultural consultant and author.

And Wednesday, February 11, at 6 p.m., Mbele will be the featured speaker at a free literary event at Books on Central, a volunteer-run used bookshop of the Rice County Area United Way. Located in the heart of historic downtown Faribault, home to many Somali immigrants and refugees, the bookshop seems a fitting place for Mbele to talk about the living tradition of African folktales and the role of the storyteller. Somali men gather on street corners in downtown Faribault to share stories and news.

I’ve heard Mbele speak at this bookshop previously. I absolutely cannot say enough positive things about the warm way he connects with the audience, the way he uses stories to teach, the way he genuinely cares about bridging cultural differences.

Love this book by Joseph Mbele.

As an author, his writing carries that same compassionate, culturally-connective message. He’s written Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences, Chickens in the Bus: More Thoughts on Cultural Differences, and Matengo Folktales.

Mbele knows of what he speaks and writes. Born in rural Tanzania, he studied and taught at a public university there; earned a PhD in African Language and Literature from the University of Wisconsin—Madison; and eventually landed in the English department of St. Olaf College in 1991.

His visit to Books on Central on Wednesday evening presents an opportunity to learn from a gifted storyteller about African folktales and culture in a comfortable setting back-dropped by shelves of books.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

From rural Mexico to the Midwest, stories that connect us January 27, 2026

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The stories of six women from Mexico are featured on these panels in a traveling exhibit in the atrium of the Northfield Public Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

STORIES CONNECT US on a personal level. And now, more than ever, it’s important to hear and read the stories of others to grow understanding, acceptance and community.

An introductory panel explains the exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

To that end, I feel grateful for “Chicāhuac: Women’s Stories of Strength & Sacrifice from Rural Mexico to the Midwest,” a traveling exhibit currently displayed at the Northfield Public Library. This bilingual exhibit shares the stories of six strong women: Concepciona, Doña Conchita, Fatima, Oligaria, Teresa and Veronica.

One of my favorite quotes in the exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

“Chicāhuac” is an endeavor of Puentes/Bridges, a nonprofit that helps farming communities in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin bridge cultural and language gaps between Mexican workers, farmers and communities. During the past 20 years, dairy farmers have traveled to Mexico to meet the families of their employees. Fifth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer and co-founder of Puentes/Bridges, John Rosenow, sparked this public storytelling project.

A portrait of Oligaria by Olivia Villareal-Bishop. Oligaria worked on a dairy farm in the U.S. before returning to Mexico. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

Many dairy farmers in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, including Rosenow, rely on Mexican migrants to milk and care for their cows. Two of the women profiled in the exhibit worked on U.S. dairy farms before returning home to Mexico.

As someone who grew up on a family dairy farm, I understand the value of skilled laborers committed to being there day in and day out to milk cows. Advances in mechanization have certainly made milking cows easier in the years since I left the farm. But it’s still not a job many would choose. Yet, these men (and some women) from Mexico are choosing this work to support themselves and their families across the border.

Those viewing the exhibit are invited to write messages to the women on individual postcards. Those will then be delivered by Puentes/Bridges to the women. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

Support of family is a consistent theme running throughout the narratives of the six women featured in the exhibit. Their loved ones in America send money back to Mexico so their families can have a better life.

Veronica’s story, in Spanish, in the bilingual exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

In her words, Veronica says, “I took the money Roberto sent and bought some land, built a house for us, built a house for his parents, raised three kids to be great human beings, and at one time cared for 17 people in our household.”

I’ve long understood the high value Latinos place on family, observing those strong ties while out and about in my community. The words of these six women reaffirm “familismo,” placing family needs above that of the individual.

A quote stresses the importance of community. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

Yet, the separation of families takes an emotional toll on those left behind in Mexico and those now living in America. “When they go, it’s so sad,” says Teresa. “One suffers a lot. You cry when they go. You don’t know how long it will take them, when they’ll arrive, how they’ll be treated, who will give them a little glass of water if they need it?”

Each of the six women have their own panel telling their stories. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

Imagine if you were that mother—Concepciona, Doña Conchita, Fatima, Oligaria, Teresa or Veronica. I admire the strength of these women who endure much, who remain strong and resilient.

Among the many photos in the exhibit is this one of Fatima and her mom making tortillas. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

Back in Mexico, these women grow corn, make tortillas, spin wool into yarn, run a school supply store and much more. They care for their families, honor and celebrate their culture, connect with and embrace their communities.

Their stories matter. They matter. And it’s important for all of us to understand that.

The atrium side/lower level entry to the Northfield Public Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

FYI: “Chicāhuac: Women’s Stories of Strength & Sacrifice from Rural Mexico to the Midwest” will be at the Northfield library until February 4. Then it moves to the Cannon Falls Public Library, opening there on February 5 through February 21. After that, Lanesboro, LaCrescent and Red Wing will host the exhibit. You can view the exhibit and learn more about Puentes/Bridges online at https://www.puentesbridges.org/ This exhibit stemmed from a 2025 trip to Mexico and a collaboration between Puentes/Bridges, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and the Wisconsin Latinx History Collective.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Inside The Land of Plenty under “the king’s” rule January 6, 2026

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Protesters stand along Minnesota State Highway 3 in Northfield at a NO KINGS protest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2025)

ONCE UPON A TIME in The Land of Plenty, the leader of the land ruled like a king. Not a nice king. Not a kind king. But rather a mean-spirited one.

The leader had never been appointed king. It was a title he claimed for himself with oppressive authority. In truth, he’d been voted into his powerful position, not overwhelmingly as he declared, but rather in a close election. That should have been enough to tamp his crowing, rein in his overuse of superfluous adjectives and adverbs, deflate his super-inflated ego and encourage good behavior. But it was not to be.

ONE JANUARY DAY

Rather the self-proclaimed king, who’d been ousted from The Land of Plenty after his first tenure, determined to make up for lost time. Five years earlier, on an early January day, he attempted to retain power when his supporters stormed the castle. He claimed ignorance. Some believed him; many didn’t. Evidence doesn’t lie.

The king’s anger simmered, then boiled over when he returned to the castle feeling vindicated and empowered. A man of vengeance, he sought to punish any who opposed him. On the flip side, he freed those he considered wrongfully shackled. No one would do harm to him or his legion. No one. He was in charge. His decisions held absolute power. Only his voice mattered.

Threats. Intimidation. Cruel and demeaning words. Imprisonment. Deflection. Manipulation. Gaslighting. Conspiracy theories. All fit his mode of ruling. He would make The Land of Plenty great again, whatever that meant.

BROKEN PROMISES

He promised to end wars and claimed he had. He promised to lower prices. He promised to rid the land of strangers and foreigners. That sounded promising to all who supported him. No conflict, only peace. Fewer coins spent on food purchased in the town square marketplace. A strong land unlike any other, without foreigners roaming the streets, taking away jobs, committing crimes and creating chaos (his words).

Except it was the king creating chaos. Doing whatever he pleased. Causing discord. Divisions arose within the kingdom. World conflict increased. Prices spiked as the king imposed new taxes. The ruler of The Land of Plenty was viewed by millions as uncaring, ruthless, self-centered and far worse. Many felt his wrath.

SNATCHED, BANISHED

The king targeted strangers and foreigners who contributed greatly to the economy and success of the kingdom. They toiled in fields, wagon wheel factories, blacksmith shops, bakeries… Some even emptied his golden commode. But to the king, none of that mattered. “Go back to your homeland!” the king screamed. “We don’t want you here!” He decreed that the unwanted should be snatched, grabbed off the streets by his masked henchmen and banished. And so many were.

As the days, weeks, months and then a year passed since the self-proclaimed king resumed his rule, the situation in The Land of Plenty was far from fine. It was, in fact, rather awful, dire, especially for the lowly peasants who labored long hours for every coin. Many realized they’d been duped, led to believe in fairy tale endings. In happily ever after.

And so the story goes with three chapters unwritten, the ending unknown.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

“Anonymous mother” & a call to action November 5, 2025

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An anonymous mother’s story and commentary as written by Kate Langlais for her “I Am Minnesota” project. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

I ALMOST MISSED IT. “Anonymous Mother’s Story” positioned next to “The Young Mother” charcoal portrait in the “I Am Minnesota” exhibit by Faribault artist Kate Langlais. But there it was, tucked in the corner near the light switches in the Paradise Center for the Arts main gallery.

The exhibit features some 20 portraits and stories of first and second-generation immigrants from my community. None is more relevant than that of the young mother who now faces deportation and separation from her infant. Here are key words in her story: young mother. here legally. green card. application suddenly canceled. awaiting deportation. ankle bracelet. cruel and inhumane.

We’ve all heard countless media reports of people snatched from the streets and elsewhere by masked agents of the federal government, unlawfully detained without due process, separated from family, deported… That is, indeed, cruel, inhumane, heartbreaking and wrong. Even when immigrants are following all of the rules, all of the laws to legally live here, they find themselves targeted.

Martha Brown took this photo of the anonymous mother which is included, along with text, in the “I Am Minnesota” exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

To read the story of this young mother from my area, to see the faceless portrait, and then to also view a photo taken by Martha Brown, candidate for Minnesota House District 19a, deeply touched me. Brown photographed only the young woman’s legs and the wheels of her baby’s stroller. That was absolutely the right and compassionate thing to do.

The intentionally-framed image is more effective and powerful than if Brown had photographed the woman’s face. Every single person who sees this image should understand the reasons for anonymity. In a statement with the photo, Brown urges southern Minnesotans to reach out to their U.S. congressman “to stop this cruel and inhumane treatment.”

Langlais’ inclusion of the anonymous mother’s portrait and story, along with Brown’s photo and words, is perhaps the most important part of the “I Am Minnesota” exhibit. And to think, I nearly missed it there in a corner of the gallery. Don’t miss this exhibit, which closes on November 15 at the Paradise Center for the Arts. It’s located in historic downtown Faribault, a place many immigrants call home.

One of my favorite images from downtown Faribault shows a group of Somali men visiting on a street corner. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2024)

FYI: The Northfield Public Library is hosting “Bridging Communities: A Celebration of Somali Culture” from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, November 8. The event features interactive dance workshops led by the Somali Museum of Minnesota Dance Troupe; a performance by the Faribault Middle School Choir; and a participatory sing-along of Somali songs. Other activities include henna art, face painting, bilingual Somali storytelling, a scavenger hunt with prizes and more. The library is collaborating with Somali community partners and St. Olaf and Carleton colleges to bring this event to Northfield.

NOTE: I photographed the “I Am Minnesota” exhibit with permission of the Paradise. I also received permission from Martha Brown to include her photo in this post.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

“I Am Minnesota” exhibit features immigrants’ portraits & stories in Faribault November 4, 2025

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Kate Langlais’ newest installment of her “I Am Minnesota” project fills the main gallery at the Paradise Center for the Arts with nearly 20 portraits. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

EACH TIME I VIEW the portrait art of Faribault artist Kate Langlais, I feel gratitude. Gratitude for the project she’s undertaken to showcase first and second-generation immigrants in my southern Minnesota community. Titled “I Am Minnesota,” this collection of portraits and accompanying first-person stories is now displayed in the main gallery at the Paradise Center for the Arts in downtown Faribault until November 15.

Kylee, as drawn in charcoal by Kate Langlais. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Every single person in Faribault, Rice County and Minnesota ought to see this enlightening exhibit. In her artist’s statement, Langlais shares her own family story of descending from immigrants. She invites everyone to write their stories in the gallery guestbook and then to take the time to read the posted stories and “open your heart to connecting with all of your Faribault neighbors.”

The Monroy Lara Family, an oil on canvas by Kate Langlais. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

I appreciate those words, “open your heart to connecting.” It is when we begin to talk to one another, to meet each other on a personal level, to see each other as individuals, that barriers begin to fall and we become neighbors, even friends.

A charcoal portrait of Cathlena by Kate Langlais. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

This “I Am Minnesota” exhibit connects us in a way that is effective. It doesn’t get much more personal than faces and stories. These are the stories of individuals rooted in Africa, Asia, North America, South America and Europe.

In her own words, Cathlena’s story. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Viewing this creative project takes time. Some of these portraits I’ve previously seen at smaller exhibits of Langlais’ immigrant-focused work. It’s important to see every face, hear every voice. Like Rosa’s.

The Molina Family as drawn in charcoal by Kate Langlais. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Born in the US and raised in Texas and Minnesota, Rosa has struggled with racism. She tried to fit in while growing up—reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, joining Girl Scouts, throwing toilet paper at houses… Still, Rosa was told to “go back” to her own country. America is her own country. She was told, too, to “speak English because this is America.” Being bilingual is, in my opinion, a strength in today’s interconnected world.

Another view of portraits in the “I Am Minnesota” gallery exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Even among acquaintances, I’ve heard derogatory comments about Faribault’s immigrant population, especially Somalis. I don’t let those negative remarks go unchecked. Rosa says it well: “I just think sometimes that some people forget that their families were once the different ones.”

Kate Langlais’ drawing of Sam, born in a Cambodian refugee camp. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

To be “different”—in how you dress, the language you speak, the food you eat, the way you look, your customs and traditions—often makes you a target. The first and second-generation immigrants who shared their stories with Langlais don’t hold back. They’ve been bullied, misunderstood, struggled, been told to assimilate… It’s disheartening at times to read their truth. But these are words we need to read.

The Echeverria Family operates a successful food truck, Delicious Pupusas, as drawn in charcoal by Kate Langlais. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)
Silvia Echeverria’s story about how her family business came to be accompanies the family portrait. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)
In the corner of another portrait is the name of a popular Faribault restaurant, El Tequila Family Mexican Restaurant in business for 27 years in multiple communities. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Among all of the tough truths there are beautiful words, too, of friendships, dreams, opportunities, goals, hard work and success. Restaurants opened. A food truck business started. And many other stories of obstacles overcome to achieve personal happiness and professional success.

Charcoal portrait of Dawud, whose family story is rooted in Somalia, by Kate Langlais. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Second grader Dawud, born in St. Paul and living in Faribault, holds unbridled optimism about his future. “I want to grow up to be a business owner, just like my dad, and travel around the world,” he says. But then he also dreams of becoming a professional basketball or soccer player, like many other Minnesota boys his age. I hope nothing, especially not his immigrant background, holds him back. Ever.

As Marco, who came to the US at age seven shares, “We love autumn, flowers, the sun, nature, and the great opportunities to become better people.”

The Paradise Center for the Arts in historic downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

FYI: The Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Avenue North, Faribault, is open from noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and also during scheduled events and performances.

This exhibit was photographed with permission of the PCA. Portraits are the copyrighted work of artist Kate Langlais. My photos, in some cases, do not show the entire portrait. Please visit this gallery exhibit to view all of the portraits in full and to read the accompanying stories.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Finding memories & sharing stories at the RCHS Flea Market September 16, 2025

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Vendors set up shop on the grounds of the Rice County Historical Society last Saturday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

I’VE SHOPPED ENOUGH FLEA MARKETS, garage sales and thrift shops through the decades to understand that all three hold nostalgia and memories along with some bargain prices.

Vintage goods offered by Rex Kern. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

Take the recent Rice County Historical Society Fall Flea Market in Faribault. Browsing through tables of merchandise and talking to vendors elicited many memories with second-hand goods prompting stories.

Vendor Rex Kern, left, visits during the flea market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)
I detasseled Dekalb seedcorn and my dad grew Dekalb. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

For example, when I spotted a Dekalb seedcorn sign, I initiated a conversation with merchant Rex Kern about detasseling corn for Dekalb. Worst job, ever, I declared. Kern listened and then agreed that pulling tassels from corn stalks in the heat and humidity of July, dew running down my arms, corn leaves slicing my skin for $1.25 hour sounded awful. But then he shared his story about catching and stuffing turkeys into cages. That, I said, sounded far worse than pulling tassels. Kern didn’t last long at that job. In my mind, I was seeing, too, the many loaded turkey trucks that pass through Faribault en route to the turkey plant only blocks from the flea market.

This beautiful bride brought back memories of my own bridal doll. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

At Kern’s booth I also found assorted dolls standing in cardboard boxes, their heads peeking above the edges as if watching shoppers. I found the scene a bit creepy although the dolls were not creepy. Among those dolls was a bride, which sent me back to a childhood Christmas. I received a bridal doll enclosed in a red suitcase. She was beautiful. Until she wasn’t. My older brother took her and smashed in her boobs. Why? Because, sometimes brothers can be mean.

Among the albums at the flea market, heart throb Donny Osmond. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

If Donny Osmond, who performed with his older brothers in the Osmonds band and then solo, was ever mean to his only sister, Marie, I don’t know. But I do know that I considered him a heart throb. A flea market album, “Donny Osmond—Alone Together,” was enough to temporarily take me back in time to my teen years of swooning over the likes of Osmond, David Cassidy, Bobby Sherman and many other teen idols.

This unrelated collection of merchandise drew my eye, prompted memories. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

But I wasn’t exactly embracing the clown I saw sandwiched between Winnie the Pooh and a bunny. I remember, as a kid, fearing clowns in parades. Not any more. Still, I wouldn’t intentionally buy a clown to display in my home.

A Fun Lil’ Band plays at the flea market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

It’s interesting how memories that have long been tucked away can suddenly resurface when triggered by a sight, a smell, a sound, a conversation. In a brief conversation with members of A Fun Lil’ Band, playing at the flea market, I shared that I never had the opportunity to play an instrument and can’t even read a musical note. The closest I came to playing music was on a toy accordion I received for Christmas one year. And, no, none of my three brothers wrecked that.

This vintage 1930s bike priced at $200 looked similar to one my mom rode. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

My maternal grandfather salvaged wrecked bikes from the junkyard, repairing and repainting them for me and my siblings. So when I saw several vintage bikes for sale at the flea market, I thought of Grandpa. I only wish I had realized then what a gift of love this was to us, his grandchildren. Without Grandpa fixing up those bikes, I wouldn’t have had “Sky Blue,” (yes, I named my bike) the recycled bike he painted sky blue and gave to me. My very own bike, no sharing with siblings required.

Young entrepreneur Avery set up shop at the flea market. She also sells on etsy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

I expect other flea market shoppers found memories among the tables and tables and tables of merchandise. I also found a 13-year-old selling her homemade bracelets and earrings via her business, DazzleberryBeads. Avery started the company because she wants to buy a dog. She’s almost there. I failed to ask her what kind of dog.

A shopper brought her dog, which I asked to photograph. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

But I did see, and photograph, a dog at the flea market.

Commemorative buttons from Faribault for sale at the flea market. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

I appreciate the stories shared at flea markets, the memories recalled, the art discovered, the history displayed. A flea market is about so much more than getting rid of “junk,” which really isn’t junk at all. It’s about all of us, collectively, sharing our lives.

This, the vendor said, is a sheriff. The piece reminded me of all the Westerns I watched as a child. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

TELL ME: Do any of the items in the photos featured here prompt memories for you? Please share your stories.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Three stories of kindness in my community July 30, 2025

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A look through a garden kaleidoscope at The Paine Art Center & Gardens in Oshkosh, WI. (Photo courtesy of Miranda Boyd)

IN SOME WAYS, kindness resembles a kaleidoscope. It’s ever-changing, surprising and delightfully-beautiful. So is music. Combine the two, and you have a harmony of kindness.

A harmonica and instructions given away recently following at a concert in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2025)

Attendees at a recent blues concert in Faribault’s Central Park were extended a kindness by the Minnesota Blues Society via the gift of a free harmonica and a short lesson in playing techniques. The Everett Smithson Band had just completed its performance when folks gathered in the park’s center for the give-away. I grabbed two harps (a synonym for harmonica) for my elementary-aged grandchildren, but didn’t stick around for the lesson. An interested group of concert-goers, though, circled Smithson, a Minnesota Blues Society Hall of Fame inductee, for instructions.

Decades ago as a child, I had a metal toy harmonica, with not a clue how to play it. My attempts at music were more noise than anything. Yet here I was, many years later in the presence of a professional harmonica player and vocalist willing to teach a bunch of strangers harmonica basics through the Blues Society’s “Harmonica Lessons for All Ages” program. The group, with a mission in part of promoting blues music in Minnesota, has given away more than 500 harmonicas. That’s a whole lot of kindness spread to music lovers across the state, including right here in Faribault.

Burkhartzmeyer Shoes, in business since 1949. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2025)

KINDNESS IN A SHOE STORE

It was during a previous concert in the same Faribault park that I once again witnessed kindness, this time in the words of a 10-year-old, the daughter of a friend. I don’t recall how the subject turned to shoes. But this young girl, who’d been cartwheeling across the grass and playing Frisbee and kick ball with her sister and friends, declared that her favorite store is Burkhartzmeyer Shoes. That’s a third-generation family-owned shoe store and repair shop in Faribault.

Now when a kid tells you they like a shoe store better than a certain Big Box retailer (which shall remain unnamed), you take notice. Turns out Bruce at Burkhartzmeyer Shoes allowed my young friend entry to the shoe storage space behind the curtains. She was impressed by all the shoes in the back room and by the free sucker you get whenever you buy a pair of shoes. Oh, and by the fact the Burkhartzmeyers know your shoe size just by looking at your feet.

So here I was in the park listening to a story about a kind shop owner who left such an impression on a 10-year-old that she was now promoting “Shop Local” without even realizing it. Kindness in action repaid with kind words.

Books on Central is located along Central Avenue in downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2024)

KINDNESS IN A BOOKSHOP

Another shop in Faribault, this one open not even two years, also excels in exceptional customer service and kindness. Last week, when the grandkids were staying with us, we popped into Books on Central, a used bookstore run by Rice County Area United Way. All proceeds benefit non-profits which the local United Way supports. My granddaughter, who is very much in to dragons, was looking for a dragon book she hadn’t yet read. There were none to be found despite the best efforts of the volunteer staff and myself to locate one.

The next day, though, I received an email from volunteer Dave Campbell that the graphic novel, The Dragonet Prophecy, was just donated. Did I want it for my granddaughter? Izzy, who previously wanted nothing to do with graphic novels, quickly said, “Yes.” Did I mention she loves dragons?

Dave said he would hold the book for me. If not for his wife, Jeanne, who was volunteering on the day we shopped at Books on Central, the Wings of Fire graphic novel would have been processed, shelved and quickly sold. It’s a popular series. But Jeanne remembered Izzy’s dragon interest and, in this act of kindness, a girl who loves to read now has one more dragon book in her collection.

Kindness exists everywhere. I saw it in a harmonica give-away. I heard it in the story of a 10-year-old praising a local shoe shop. And I received it in a book held for the granddaughter I love, the girl I want to live and grow and thrive in a world of kindness.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

“Four Red Sweaters,” a difficult, but necessary, read July 1, 2025

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(Book cover sourced online)

TYPICALLY, I CAN READ a book within two weeks. But not Four Red Sweaters—Powerful True Stories of Women and the Holocaust by Lucy Adlington. I had to renew this book at my local library in order to finish it.

Why? The content is so difficult, disturbing and devastating that I could only read this work of nonfiction in small chunks. But I was determined to finish this book about Jock, Anita, Chana and Regina—four Jewish girls living in Nazi Germany—and all connected by red sweaters. I owed it to them to learn more about the awful atrocities inflicted under Adolph Hitler’s rule by those who lived, breathed, and followed him and his ideology.

All the while I was reading Four Red Sweaters, a small voice in my head whispered warnings in words like a knock on the door, fear, anti-immigration sentiment, snatched, disappeared, deported, deception, secrecy, dehumanizing… The parallels to today were not lost on me.

REAL PEOPLE WITH STORIES

What I particularly like about this book, if one can ever really “like” a book on such a topic, is the personalization. Anita is not just #69388 inked onto her left forearm at Auschwitz-Birkenau. She is a girl who arrives at the concentration camp wearing shoes adorned with pompoms and tied with red shoelaces. She is a girl who knew how to play the cello. That skill eventually saved her.

But too many died. Millions and millions. That included the Fink family, brutally murdered by their neighbors in an act so heinous I can’t share it here. Turn to page 96 in the book. The Finks were extended family of Jock, a main character in this story. She was one of the “lucky” Jewish children who escaped Nazi Germany, along with her sisters, on a Kindertransport, an all-out effort by brave souls to get Jewish children out of the country to safety. But Jock’s parents and brothers died at the hands of the Nazis.

The pages of Four Red Sweaters are filled with heroic acts, bravery, defiance and determination that show the incredible strength of the human spirit. There existed a mentality of surviving together or dying together. The pages of this book are also filled with stories of unbelievable, unfathomable cruelty.

A NECESSARY READ

Author Adlington backs her writing up with 23 pages of source notes. In small print. That’s a whole lot of documentation in researching and writing this book. I cannot imagine the emotional toll this took on her. I also cannot imagine anyone reading Four Red Sweaters and not feeling deeply moved and worried, but also grateful to Adlington for sharing the stories of Jock, Anita, Chana and Regina and the broader stories of the Holocaust. We need to read about, study, learn and remember the past so as not to repeat it.

Near the very end of Four Red Sweaters, Adlington writers about a knitter who, in 2013, designed Remembrance socks. Heatherly Walker’s sock pattern honors Regina and the others who were forced to knit socks and more for the Nazis and their families. She incorporated hidden Jewish stars into the pattern, which is available on the Ravelry website for crafters. Knitting is an integral part of the stories Adlington shares in her book.

Hope in a story at the traveling exhibit about Holocaust survivors, “Transfer of Memory,” which I viewed in 2014 at the Steele County History Center, Owatonna. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2014)

DEFIANCE, COURAGE, HOPE

One seemingly small act stands out for me in Four Red Sweaters. Regina’s friend Esther, after foraging mushrooms for the Nazis in the Sobibor extermination camp, walks into the SS canteen, sees a pot of soup cooking and spits in it. And the Nazis eat it. I can only imagine the satisfaction Esther felt in that moment of defiance. Endless examples of defiance, courage, hope and resilience are knitted into the pages of Four Red Sweaters.

As challenging as it was for me to read this book, I needed to do so. For to stop reading when the content grew increasingly difficult and disturbing would have been to do exactly as the Nazis desired. Nobody must know. But we must all know. And, sometimes, like Esther, we must spit in the soup.

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TELL ME: If you’ve read Four Red Sweaters, how did you react? What stands out for you in the book? Special thanks to Missy’s Crafty Mess (the blog of an avid reader and knitter) for writing about Four Red Sweaters, which led me to this book about the Holocaust. I am grateful for her recommendation.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling