Sew and Sow Tour 2026- March/April

Entry 05/02/2026

By Dawn Espe, Executive Director, The Sowing Room

Spring?

I imagined this leg of the tour would feel a bit warmer — maybe even free from the worry of icy roads along isolated highways. Despite the lingering chill, I still managed to find warmth in the places and people I met along the way.

Cities visited: Sebeka, Menahga, Nimrod, Long Prairie, Browerville, Clarissa, Randall, Cushing, and Pillager

St. Patrick’s Day Lunch and the Quilting Culture

I ventured out on St. Patrick’s Day, heading into Morrison County — and completely forgot to wear green. My first stop reminded me of my oversight: two tables of white-haired women decked out in leprechaun hats, beaded necklaces, and sipping green beer. Their laughter filled the space. It was rejuvenating to see these social circles thriving in ways that brimmed with joy and connection.

My next stop was a quilt shop, declared by my sister and her mother-in-law as “better than the shops in the metro.” The moment I stepped inside, I entered a world unfamiliar to me — strange tools, stacks of fabric, piles of neatly cut squares, and a language I didn’t understand. Out of my element and without a guide, I wandered quietly. No one offered help; maybe I looked confident enough to be a quilter myself.

New Discoveries

The drive down Highway 71 winds through small communities that seem to blend together at 60+ mph. But on this tour, I actually get to turn into those towns — not just pass through them.

When the coffee shop I’d planned to visit was closed, I circled the block looking for another stop. I ended up at a new “in progress” business — part restaurant, part gift shop, and soon-to-be home to the young family who had just opened it. As they shared their story, enthusiasm radiated from them. I ate my taco-in-a-bag and marveled at their courage to build both a livelihood and a sense of community in such a small town.

Later, driving out of downtown, a building caught my eye — enough to make me pull over. To my surprise, it was a food co-op I’d never heard of, even though I thought I knew all the ones in our five-county region. I stopped in, chatted with the manager, and learned it had been there for over ten years. Their quiet commitment to bringing high-quality food to their neighbors left an impression on me.

Things Don’t Change… Well, Maybe a Little

Traveling south on Highway 71 took me back to a place I once lived for four years. Everything felt familiar — the café breakfast sandwich, the small-town rhythm, the unmistakable rasp of “Papa Mikey” at the municipal liquor store around 3 p.m.

But there were changes, too: a former diner turned Mexican restaurant, a new coffee shop, fresh park updates. These small shifts gave me pause, reminding me of my first days there, how I gauged my sense of belonging, and how the place continues to evolve. I can’t help but wonder what it will look like the next time I roll into town.

Cities to be visited in May/June: Staples, Motely, Chickama Beach, Manhattan Beach, Pine River, Ironton, Crosby, Tromwald and Riverton