Sanborn Canoe Co – Winona, MN
Wooden Painted and Performance Paddles
Zak Fellman and Todd

If you follow us on social media, you have probably viewed this story about the amazing people at Sanborn Canoe Co. already, but if not… we recently started a collaborative project with other photographers around the United States in order to help foster the craftsmen resurgence. We are calling it Drift Journal. With the help of a growing list of amazing photographers, videographers, and writers we hope to highlight great craftsmen/artists in order to inspire more people to learn and appreciate heritage crafts. As a society we have reached a point where technology allows us to do many things with little effort. As a result we are using our hands less and so many great skills are slowly being forgotten.

But we hope to change that! So before you even read this, click here to open a new tab with more craftsmen at Drift Journal. And join the resurgence! (facebook, and instagram)

Sanborn Canoe Co – Zak and Todd are two of the most unassuming, humble guys you may meet. Cousins, they both grew up in Minnesota each with a crazy love for the outdoors and a grandfather who, before they were born, carved out his own wooden canoe and took to the water. It was that canoe that inspired them build their own, and shortly after, start what is now Sanborn Canoe Co. And only a few short years later, with the help of a couple friends, they are carving some of the finest handcrafted paddles in North America. Here is a little look into their work.

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Quality ingredients for a yummy wedding:

• Pacific Northwest souls
• an officiant who is also a close friend of the couple, engaging the audience in well-told stories
• food-inspired florals by Alesa De Jager
• Scandinavian kransekake
• our talented pals, with their farm-to-table goodness, over at Enos Farms
• square dancing with a real-live caller
• a fabulous bluegrass band, The String Ties
• weekend camping and…
• llamas

Eva + Travis, Seattle residents and Wisconsin natives, along with the help of Nancy, planned this fabulous Midwest wedding at Justin Trails resort — taste and see a bit of it for yourself. :)

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Let me introduce you to TJ Habel.

His family and my family have been friends for around 20+ years.  He’s an all-in kinda guy. Here’s one illustration: picture him bungee jumping in New Zealand and — instead of slowly falling off the bridge platform — jumping as high as he can, so that his body literally goes head first (up to his waist) into the river rapids below. If there is an extreme sport out there he has dabbled in it. So when TJ told me his proposal plan and asked if I would document it, I knew it would be a good one.

We met up before and hiked out to the Conservancy River Bluffs in La Crosse and he showed me the cliff where he had created a geocache a week prior. This was also a memorable spot for him and Kristen from years ago. He then hiked back down while I waited, and hoped the rain that was forecasted would stay away. While I was waiting, the rain came up over the other side of the river valley and drenched half of La Crosse but miraculously veered south and missed the spot — where TJ would propose — completely.

To add a TJ element to the story… during that scouting trip, after he reached the cache, the top of the box caught wind and dropped part way down the 200ft cliff so he had to climb down to get it (rope not included).  I really wish I would have moved to the best angle to illustrate the height, but I was way too concerned that he would need a hand (and I really didn’t want him to die, an hour before he was planning to propose).

So long story short:

He didn’t die!
He asked her to marry him.
She said yes!
They planted two oak trees (beside each other, so they can train them to intertwine as they grow).
And then, the next day, they went to Mali, Africa.

Congrats, guys!

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So if we were to recommend one wedding format to copy completely it is probably this one. :) A simple ceremony in the woods with 30 or so of your closest people. Each one, having the opportunity to speak love and encouragement to the couple and share in the moment. No performance, no wedding party, just honored friends and family. Then a party with a larger group of friends and family, the following day.

Amanda + Jeremiah’s wedding weekend at Camp Winnebago — which is just walking distance from the land where Amanda grew up and where her parents still raise sheep, grow grapes, make wine, and make maple syrup — was wonderfully low-key and beautifully simple.

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We’ve been a bit silent over here for the past few months. There are many reasons for the silence, but the biggest one is that I have been growing a baby in my belly (!) and the final months placed me on a couch and gave Ray a new title of Mr. Mom. Oh, and during the early months of my pregnancy, I had a broken foot. So…it’s been a bit of a crazy year for us, and thankfully, almost all of it happened in our off-season.

However, we still haven’t been as responsive as we’d prefer to be, so — to our couples — both past and future, thank you. For your patience with us and your understanding. That we are only human. And that sometimes, life throws a few curveballs. All at the same time. :)

We are truly grateful.

Our latest excuse for not posting anything is the best one we’ve had in awhile. His name is Rio Jude and he was welcomed into our arms on the first day of Spring, March 20th. One of my favorite photos Ray has ever taken of me follows (taken seconds after Rio was born) along with just one of our sweet boy.

We’re elated. What a joy it is to care for this tiny babe!