The land provided the raw materials of a good life for miners, farmers, lumbermen, fishermen, and hunters. Hard work shaped logs into boards, but also yielded intricate carvings. Thrift and vision transformed salvaged scraps into utilitarian quilts of extraordinary beauty.

       The rhythm of the seasons still sets the pace of life in the Northern Tier. No matter what the calendar says, maple sugaring can't start until snapping cold nights and warm days prompt sap to run. Long winter nights around a wood stove invite popcorn, corn soup, singing, storytelling, whittling, quilting, weaving. The richness of the landscape and cultural heritage fosters folk art and products pleasing to all the senses.