David was from New York, Lise was from Minnesota, and we planned to settle in Maine where there was a well-established small farm movement and we had arranged to caretake an abandoned homestead. While on a six month honeymoon at a high desert seed and research farm at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, Lise began feeling pangs of homesickness for the Midwest. Though it completely changed their plans, David agreed to consider moving to the Midwest as long as it was to Finland, Minnesota, which his research showed had land, water and climate similar to Maine. Upon arrival in Minnesota, we actually did find our home just outside of Finland, in the beautiful Sawtooth Mountains along the North Shore of Lake Superior. We began homesteading our 40 acres in 1988, living for six years in a simple cabin while slowly expanding our farm and our family. In the tradition of the original turn-of-the-century Finnish homesteaders, the first thing we built was the sauna. This provided an opportunity to learn construction and stonework skills which led to a stone and timber framed barn for livestock. By this time we had two children, Colby and Tess, and were outgrowing our small cabin so we built a new house, along with a greenhouse, and later, a stone chicken coop.

 

Over the years, hard labor and many helping hands created this homestead. We have juggled numerous part-time jobs to support our efforts, ranging from taconite plant janitor to census worker, and school counselor to county water plan coordinator. After 25 years as a CSA vegetable operation, we scaled back and now sell our produce at the Finland Farmers Market. We also grow and sell climate forward tree seedlings through the Farm and Forest Growers Cooperative as part of an effort to increase the resilience of our northern forests in the face of climate change.​ Round River's area has expanded to include 135 acres, from the winding Sawmill Creek valley to the spring-fed Kangas Lake.

 

Our work and community roles continue to evolve as Lise moved from full-time nonprofit leadership to freelance accounting and treasurer work and David serves as the Executive Director of the Northeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership, with Extension at the University of Minnesota. Colby lives in the original homestead cabin where he spent his early years, where he provides consultation for business solar energy projects and uses his technology and leadership skills in a variety of endeavors. Anna, a past intern, returned here to live and now manages most of the vegetable growing for the farm. A Round River Community is emerging from our diverse lives as we strive to create a safe and sustainable haven in a rapidly shifting world.