You never ‘get over it’

Pain and sorrow are things we don’t often let ourselves feel, and in our fast-food culture we think we should be over it by the time our loved one is in the ground. But the one thing the suicide of my friend’s husband taught me is that grief doesn’t end in a month or even two. It takes years. And even then, we’re never the same. I think that holds true whether its our grandpa who died, a good friend, a baby or a spouse — and I strongly believe that divorce is a type of death, as well.

When I wrote a story about grief for the STAR newspaper several years ago, I interviewed a number of people, including two grief counselors and a man whose stepdaughter had been murdered. I return to what they have to say whenever I think about grief and death. The past month, it’s been on my mind a lot.

THERE IS NO FORMULA FOR GRIEF

What’s the best way to handle grief? Isn't that the question we all have? But there's no answer because everyone grieves differently. Everyone takes their own time. Everyone grieves in their own way. It isn’t wise to compare yourself to another, but there are some common things we can all do that help.

Here are a few tips to getting through tough times:

1) Accept life is different.

2) Acknowledge how you feel.

3) Talk about it.

4) Reinvest in life.

TRAUMA CHANGES US

“Any traumatic event changes us. You can’t be the same after losing someone very close to you,” said Fairview Lakes Regional Hospital – Wyoming Social Worker and Bereavement Coordinator Gretchen Kirvida.

It’s important for those grieving to recognize they will never ‘get over’ a death. “You don’t get over the loss of a loved one, but you do get through it,” states Kirvida. “It’s not something you can say, I’m over this. You’re a changed person. You become normal again, but you’re a new normal.” Friends may say, “You’re not yourself yet.” “No, you’re not. You’re a new self,” Kirvida stressed.

“I think we need to acknowledge the power of grief. It has tremendous power to affect us physically and emotionally,” Kirvida said. “At least acknowledge that it is hard and it affects us.”

The first month or so after a loved one dies is a time of shock. In a culture where people get three days off after a death, you may need to go back to work before the reality of death has sunk in. “We live in a drive-thru grief society,” commented Kirvida. “We e-mail instantly. Fly around the world in a day. But grief takes as long as it takes. We can’t fast forward grief.” Kirvida insisted that just as there is no set timeframe for grief, there is no ‘right’ way to do it. While there are five commonly recognized stages of grief (denial/isolation, anger, bargaining, depression and, finally, acceptance) everyone handles things in their own way. “There aren’t any rules on how to grieve. People think there should be a recipe,” Kirvada said. Cambridge Medical Center Social Worker and Bereavement Coordinator Barb Larson agreed. “Almost any grief reaction is normal,” she said.

IT IS OKAY TO TALK ABOUT THE PERSON WHO DIED

“Don’t act like it didn’t happen, because it did,” Kirvida urges. Well-meaning friends who don’t mention the name of the person who died are making it harder on those grieving. Be the first to comment that you miss the person who died. “It’s really okay to talk about people who have died. Often people talk about everything else under the sun instead,” observed Larson. “People who are grieving need to laugh and cry and share their stories. They just need to be asked.”

“Justice for Marlys: A Family’s Twenty-Year Search for a Killer” is a book John Munday about his family’s struggle after Marlys was murdered at her Stillwater home.

“It’s important to focus on good memories. In time you will find acceptance of loss,” said John Munday, whose wrote “Justice for Marlys: A Family’s Twenty-Year Search for a Killer” about his family’s struggle after Marlys was murdered.

Munday dismisses those who offer pat answers, such as “God needed your husband more than you did,” or “God never gives you more than you can handle.” The question then is, “If I were weaker would my child still be around?” The best thing for friends to say is simply, “I’m sorry for your loss,” advised Munday.

Some people try to deal with the loss by pretending it didn’t happen. They drink or take pills to numb the pain. After years of talking with people who are grieving and who are coming out of the valley, Kirvida said, “You need to feel the pain if you’re going to get through it. Grief is very patient. It will wait for you. If you decide to drink, someday it will still be there for.” Kirvida met a man who joined her support group after losing his second wife. A few weeks after attending the meetings, he acknowledged, “I thought I was coming her for my second wife’s death, but it just hit me. I never grieved my first wife. I tried to rush it. But I never grieved.”

Kirvada urged people to do the work – and it is work. Confront the grief head-on. Yes, it will be exhausting, but you will come through it, she promised.

REMEMBER TO CARE FOR YOURSELF WHILE GRIEVING

• Eat good meals.

• Get exercise.

• Share concerns with people you trust.

•Try not to stay isolated.

• If problems persist, consider seeing a therapist or check out a grief group.

~ Barb Larson

WAYS FAMILY/FRIENDS CAN HELP:

• Listen. “It’s really okay to talk about people who have died. People grieving need to laugh and cry and share stories. They just need to be asked,” says Barb Larson.

• Listen some more. “Repeating stories is a normal process of grieving,” states Larson. “People need to work through each piece of the story until they resolve it.”

• Ask how they are even when you don’t want to bring up the subject. “People use a lot of energy trying to keep it quiet,” Kirvida notes. “The big thing is not being afraid to talk about it or afraid of emotions,” Larson adds.

• Offer specific help. Don’t just say, “Call me if you need anything,” Kirvida encourages. Offer to take them to church. Tell them you’ll be there Wednesday to take them grocery shopping.

• Mark it on the calender. Larson recommends marking time to call on the calendar so that you don’t forget.

• Give help instead of flowers. Consider giving a subscription to the Bereavement Magazine (www.bereavementmag.com or 1-888-6404-4673) instead of flowers like Larson does.

• Don’t one-up. Everyone’s grief is the biggest thing to them. Acknowledge that and let them grieve, Kirvida says.

• Don’t have unrealistic expectations, particularly at the holidays. Give them permission to change traditions or not get as much done when they’re grieving.

• Recognize the signs of depression. If they’re still laying in bed all day or losing weight months later, talk to them about seeing a counselor or being treated for depression. Encourage them to attend a bereavement support group.

A heavy heart

I’ve been thinking a lot about life and death lately, and about how tenuous our hold on life really is. It’s one thing when a grandparent dies, but a whole new thing when someone in your own age group dies. 40, 35 and 33 are just too young to die.

Chip Imker

Chip Imker died on Monday evening, May 23, 2011. His death at 35 earned headlines and he’s been designated a hero because he died in a training accident at the Cambridge Fire Department. He has two young children. When he ate dinner that night, I’m sure the thought of dying never crossed his mind. He was young, strong and healthy. At 35, you don’t think about buying life insurance or creating a will. You don’t make sure that you leave behind letters, photos and videos so that your children will know you if you aren’t there to see them grow up. You’re too busy living life to do that.

Kip Blomquist had Lou Gehrig's disease.

But Kip Blomquist had to. At 37 he received a diagnosis no one wants to get: three to five years. For the next four years, his young wife and four kids watched him deteriorate. They did, however, have time to prepare themselves, and Kip could make sure he left a legacy behind. Still, his death on June 20, 2011 was terrible. While his loved ones are comforted by the knowledge that he’s in a better place, it doesn’t stop them wishing he was still here. At 40, there is so much you haven’t done yet. Hugged your kids on their graduation day. Walked your daughters down the aisle. Been there when your grandchildren are born.

Gabe Nielsen in 10th grade.

Gabe Nielsen with his daughter who is now two.

Gabe Nielsen won’t be able to do any of that. At 33, he was just barely a dad. His life was snuffed out on Saturday, June 25 by a drunk driver in Longmont, Co. He went out to buy groceries, but won’t ever come home. Gabe’s death didn’t have to happen, not this early. It seems like just yesterday that we were all graduating from high school, ready to make our mark on the world. I bet that the drunk driver, Lisa Norton, felt that way once, but at 32 she made some really bad choices and killed a good man, severely injured his two-year-old daughter, harmed his sister, devastated his parents, and saddened all the people who had ever known him.

I hadn’t seen Gabe in years, a decade, but I always figured I would again. I didn’t try that hard to keep in touch; kids, spouses, jobs, other stuff got in the way, like they always do. This is just such a busy time, and it’s easy to let a friendship fall by the wayside. The thing is: you think you have time. You think that there will be time later to catch up on everything you missed. You think that someday — when you all have grey hair — you’ll get together and reminisce about what life was like in your teens. You’ll share the lessons you’ve learned over the years. You’ll reconnect and it will be like all those years never separated you. That’s the nature of friendship, right?

But then tragedy strikes. There is no tomorrow. Now what?

What about all that was unfinished in his life? What about those goodbyes he didn’t get a chance to say — that others didn’t get to say to him?

Here — and then gone. In a split second.

How do those left behind deal with that?

I have so many questions right now, and I can’t even put words to them all. But mostly, I have a heavy heart.

Barefoot on the beach part 1

I've never been the kind of girl who dreamed about getting married in a church.

No, a blue sky held more allure than vaulted ceilings. A carefree ceremony called to me more than a regimented order of processional, vows, rings, unity candle and recessional. An intimate gathering held more meaning than a large, lavish affair.

Barefoot on the beach was where I wanted to be.

It didn't take me long to decide to be part of a growing trend; I wanted a destination wedding.

Faced with the prospect of luxurious affairs that not only require a fat bank account but years of planning, many couples are choosing to elope – and they are bringing their loved ones with them.

Whereas most used to go to Las Vegas to tie the knot without a lot of fuss, today couples wed on a volcano in Hawaii, during a cruise ship stop in the Bahamas, in a winery in California, or at a chateau in the Alps. Others take it to the extreme with a ceremony underwater, up a mountaintop, or followed by a bungee jump.

I didn't feel the urge to go that crazy. But I did want the experience to be something we would both remember forever. I wanted it to be new and exciting. I wanted our destination wedding to reflect the journey we were embarking upon together for the rest of our lives.

Choosing the location

There were a few things I knew I wanted as I began researching locations a year prior. I wanted it to be on a beach (I don't know, but Kenny Chesney must have gotten to me). I wanted it to be a casual affair, meaning I wasn't going to create a wedding there like I would have at home – i.e. no party favors, no band, no guest list over 200, no bridesmaids or groomsmen, no tuxedos or matching dresses, no elaborate cake with engraved cake cutters, no fancy sit-down dinner with a menu I'd labor over for months, no matching white chairs lined up perfectly with an aisle runner in the middle, no aisle decorations and no confetti.

I wanted to go someplace I'd never been before. I wanted it to be relatively inexpensive. And I wanted it to be laid back.

I initially checked out Bermuda, Italy and the Bahamas; looked into what a few cruise ships offered; and then focused in on the Caribbean.

I narrowed my choice to Mexico's Yutacan Pennisula or the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize, and then bought travel books on both. I also researched legal requirements. Mexico requires chest x-rays and blood tests upon arrival; however, there are no waiting periods or residency requirements. But as I'm not fluent in Spanish, I'd also need the assistance of a translator or wedding planner.

In Belize, the national language is English. The waiting period is five days and the residency requirement three days, but a local officiant can get the license faster.

When I read about the traditional lazo ceremony in Belize, my choice was made. During a lazo ceremony, a decorative garland is used to symbolically unite the couple for a lifetime of everlasting love. A picture I saw showed a couple and officiant standing in the center of a palm leaf circle on the beach.

That was exactly what I envisioned.

Next, I began researching specific hotels. I read everything Trip Advisor had to offer, found an online Ambergris Caye forum (ambergriscaye.com/forum), and browsed the county's many travel web sites (www.goambergriscaye.com, www.travelbelize.org). I read the local newspapers (both stories and ads).

I thought long and hard about the type of experience I wanted to offer our guests. I decided upon one that would give them a range of experiences. Instead of choosing a private resort far off the beaten track, I picked one within a five-minute walk of town. This way, those who wanted more action could have it, and head to town for its nightlife and range of shops. I didn't want to tie everyone to the resort's restaurant, knowing it would be one of the priciest ones, and being within walking distance ensured we didn't have to hire taxis to get everywhere.

I didn't get married at a Mayan ruin, but seeing this photo makes me want to renew my vows at one!

From www.belizeweddings.com, a good resource if you want to get married in Belize.

Sending out invitations

When we told people about the wedding, we said we'd love it if they wanted to come along, but we were holding a reception back home when we returned in case they couldn't afford it.

We initially expected 30 to 35 to make the trip with us, based on the responses we heard. The number was whittled down to 13 by the time it came to actually purchasing tickets and plunking down the necessary $1,000+ a piece for airfare and a week's lodging.

In retrospect, I think our size of 15 was perfect. It was just getting to be a group that was hard to keep track of at the peak, and many more might have lead to chaos – or at least more organization on my part. And I was there to relax.

I had initially envisioned sending out elaborate invitations in a bottle, but decided figuring out how to mail those would be a nightmare. Instead, I opted for sending out an email to everyone letting them know the prices I'd found for airfare and the hotel. Then I put all the information I'd gathered about flights, hotels and the country online at our personal web site.

From www.belizeweddings.com, a good resource if you want to get married in Belize.

From www.belizeweddings.com, a good resource if you want to get married in Belize.

Explaining our choice

There were those who didn't understand why we weren't doing the traditional wedding. To those people, we pointed out we were saving money by not paying for a church or reception hall, cake, florist, videographer, or soloist. We were also doing something exciting, and combining my love of travel with our wedding. Plus, neither of us are the traditional sort of people, and we wanted something that would be more carefree and fun.

Some accepted our reasons. Others didn't.
GOOD RESOURCES FOR DESTINATION BRIDES

• "Destination Bride: A complete guide to planning your wedding anywhere in the world" by Lisa Light. Also see her web site: destinationbride.com. Light includes information on weddings across the world, including tips on hotels and wedding traditions.
• Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine. The web site has a great forum. See destinationweddingmag.com
• Another great forum can be found at bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/
• Compare the multitude of wedding web sites out there at one easy site: www.weddingwebsites.com
• Insight Travel Guides. Full of photos, these are the easiest travel books to use.

Surprise proposal

It went like this... I'd just gotten back after a week in the Carribean on the island of St. Croix with my mom and aunt. So I hadn't seen my boyfriend of 2 years in a week, and we decided to spend the whole weekend together. On Sunday, we went over to his parents in Isanti to take the Honda crotch rocket out of storage. I was so excited to go for a ride, but his parents weren't around. We had to wait awhile to get the bike down. I said, “Ya know, we don't have to do this today but can wait until tomorrow.” For some reason, he was insistent.

We met at his apartment, went inside and then headed out for our afternoon ride. Jesse drove us to the Stone Arch Bridge in downtown Minneapolis and we got out to take a walk. It was a gorgeous April day. It was just ending, and he suggested that we watch the sun set from the bridge. A sunset over Minneapolis is one of my favorite things, so I readily agreed.

We sat out there for like a half an hour, and it was starting to get cold. I noticed Jesse was shaking. Knowing we were out there so I could enjoy the sunset, I told him we could leave since he was cold. He said, “No, we can stay awhile longer.”

Then all of a sudden he said it. “Tesha will you marry me?” And I turned to look at him, thinking he wasn't serious (as we'd never once before talked about getting married), and there was a jewel box with a gorgeous diamond inside.

Wow.

It was definitely a surprise. Especially considering he'd been making disparaging remarks about married folks for months. Apparently it was to prepare me – and keep me completely out of the loop so he could surprise me.

He had to warn me not to shake the box so the loose diamond wouldn't go flying into the Mississippi River.

I carried that box around with me for the next two weeks until we picked out a ring. It's the most beautiful ring ever.

And the proposal - well, it was the sweetest ever, don't you think?

Visit New Ulm: Author's wacky house 4 of 4

Jaunt down to New Ulm, Minn. this summer. You won’t be disappointed. There’s a ton of stuff to do. (This is the fourth and final post in a series.)

Don't miss touring the Wanda Gag house in New Ulm when you go. The interior paint is wild and wacky.

WANDA GAG HOUSE

Ever read “Millions of Cats” as a child? I read it to my daughter because she loves cats as much as I do. So when I learned that the author, Wanda Gag, grew up in New Ulm, I marked her childhood home as a Must-See during our trip there. It is indeed a cool house.

The Gag house is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The House that Anton Built was out of the family's hands for seven decades.

Wanda Gag’s father was an artist, photographer and all-around wacky guy. After falling out of the family’s hands for seven decades, the Gag (pronounced “gog”) family home at 226 North Washington, was purchased in 1988 by a group intent on restoring it. Today Anton Gag’s original color schemes once again decorate the interior and exterior walls of the Queen Anne home. In one section of the house, the restorers had to peel away 20 layers of paint to showcase Anton’s work. Anton was ahead of his time in many ways. He built the house in 1894 and included two skylights, an attic artist’s studio and wire for electricity before it reached his part of town.

Seven is the theme of the house. Anton had seven children, and there are seven rooms in the house. There are also seven paint colors used on the outside (and one more that my husband pointed out... guess the restorers accidently added another on the front porch floor).

We opted to take a guided tour, which I recommend. Our guide passed along interesting stories and features we wouldn’t have noticed otherwise. The tour took about 1/2 hour, and she thanked us for coming at the end. I got the impression they don’t get a lot of visitors, but I don’t know why. It’s such an interesting home and the family is fascinating!

Culture, peace and religious tolerance were virtues Anton considered necessary for happy living, according to a handout at the museum. Along with two other artists, Chris Heller and Alexander Schwendinger, Anton did painting, paperhanging, frescoes and signs. The trio became well-known throughout Minnesota for their fine work. The partners created the beautiful art on the walls and ceiling of Holy Trinity Cathedral in New Ulm. Anton was also interested in the Dakota Conflict of 1862 and he interviewed mamy of the survivors to recreate events in oil paintings. One of these is displayed at the Minnesota State Capitol. Others have been reproduced in history books. “The First Battle of New Ulm” was exhibited at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. Anton died in 1908 at 49 of occupational tuberculosis.

In addition to featuring Anton’s unique interior decorating, the house museum also showcases Wanda Gag’s lithographs and her sister Flavia’s watercolors.

The evolution of the home.

Family photos

The house still has the original electric switches.

Scribbles on the wall

Wanda Gag left New Ulm after graduating from high school to study art in the Twin Cities. She tried to keep her family together after her mother’s death (due to alcholism). From there, she moved to New York City where she became a commercial artist. Lithographs were her medium of choice, and she was one of the first to make sure that the pictures on facing pages worked together. In many cases, her illustrations span both pages. She moved to rural Milford, New Jersey and in that setting created much of her notable art work and children’s books. Other popular books include “A B C Bunny,” “Gone Is Gone,” and “Tales From Grimm,” which she translated from German and illustrated. Her books are for sale in the museum gift shop.

Flavia Gag wrote and illustrated eight children’s books, including “A Wish for Mimi,” “Melon Patch Mystery,” “Tweeter of Prairie Dog Town,” and “Fourth Floor Menagerie.” She followed Wanda to New York along with three other siblings, and was heavily influenced by the creative atmosphere at Wanda’s New Jersey home, “All Creation.”

However, neither Flavia nor Wanda had any children of their own, and there are few descendents left to share stories of these amazing women.

Of course, I left the Wanda Gag house with one new book for me and one for my daughter.

WHAT I DIDN’T GET TO SEE IN NEW ULM

We saw only a fraction of the cool stuff to see in New Ulm during our short two-day, one-night trip. Here are eight things I want to return for:

1) I’d love to go back to taste the appetizers and share a bottle of wine at Morgan Creek Winery — some evening when my child isn’t so impatient. www.MorganCreekVineyard.com

2) The 45-foot-tall Glockenspiel in downtown New Ulm chimes throughout the day and plays programmed pieces at noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. I’d love to hear those bells. There are 37 in the clocktower and they weigh more than two tons. Twelve figurines rotate on a circulating stage during the bell performances. 327 North Minnesota Street

3) I’d like walk relectively through the The Way of the Cross, completed in 1904 and rennovated in 2004. It has 14 stations showcasing statutes brought in from Bavaria. 1500 Fifth North, behind the medical center

4) The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame honors legends like Bob Dylan, Whopee John, Judy Garland and Prince. An induction ceremony is held the first Friday of November with a free Showcase of the Bands the next day. 27 North Broadway, open Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

5) I am thrilled by great architecture and I’d love to tour the Gov. Lind House. John Lind was the 14th Governor of Minnesota and the first Swedish-born American to serve in the U.S. Congress. His stately Queen Anne-style home was built in 1887. 622 Center Street, www.thelindhouse.com

6) Nothing beats the fun of visiting an old general store and chatting it up with the costumed guides. The Harkin store is just nine miles outside New Ulm, and is owned by the Minnesota Historical Society. I want to sit awhile on the front porch and watch the rolling river. 66250 County Road 21, www.mnhs.org/places/sites/hs

7) A meal and beer (Schell’s, of course) at Turner Halle. The hall is decorated with over 70 feet of stunning murals of Switzerland, Italy and Germany. An Italian artist painted the scenes in 1873, but there were painted over during World War I to prove loyalty to America. They were restored in 1999. 102 South State, www.newulmturnerhall.com

8) Swim in the sand-bottomed pool at Flandrau State Park, and hike along the many trails.

Learn more about the great things New Ulm has to offer at www.newulm.com.

OTHERS IN THIS SERIES

#1 - Visit New Ulm (Holiday, Otto's Restaurant)

#2 - Morgan Creek Winery

#3 - Schell's Brewery

Visit New Ulm: Brewery 3 of 4

Looking for a fun place to visit this summer? Head down to New Ulm and visit both a winery and brewery!

This building first housed the Schell family and is now the brewery office. Although New Ulm was evacuated during the Dakota Indian War, the Schell Brewery buildings were left unharmed, likely due to the friendship the Schells had with the indians.

Brewery Tours are held daily through the summer for just $3 a person.

Tours last about an hour. Leave time for sipping a beer while wandering through the family gardens. The mansion is still occupied by family members and isn't open to tours.

SCHELL’S BREWERY

The next day we set out for the August Schell Brewery the second-oldest, family-run brewery in the nation and the oldest in Minnesota. It was established in 1860, just two years after Minnesota became a state. There isn’t a big sign to follow; you’ll want to turn by the Target and head up the hill.

Turn right before the Target onto Schell Road.

Schell’s specializes in brewing 14 of its own German-style lagers, and has also been brewing Grain Belt and Grain Belt Premium since 2002. The tour is less of a brewery tour than a beer tour. We spent about 10 minutes getting the history of the company and then traipsed through the grounds. There are only a few buildings (and a pretty garden with a pair of peacocks), so it didn’t take too long. Then it was on to the Rathskeller Tap Room — a place reminiscent of old-world, German-style Rathskellers. We all sat down at these long tables and got educated on beers.

The tour includes a very limited section of the production area.

Where the magic happens.

Oooo! Peacock!

Time to get educated on various types and flavors of beer.

Each table left a stack of bottles like this after the tasting. We got to try a little bit of everything!

We learned the difference between pilsners, ales and lagers. I’m not a big beer drinker (prefering wine), but I liked several of their selections. I prefer my beer to be meaty, and this stuff was. I especially loved the Stout, which leaves behind a coffee/dark chocolate taste. Yum. The way the tasting worked went like this: Our tour guide talked about the type of beer while her cohort from the bar passed out a bottle on each side of the table. The people in the middle got left with quite a bit to drink! We each filled up a glass partway and tasted. Then before we could hardly finish what we had, we tried another. On and on it went. We tasted over 10 types of beer. And THEN we could have 2 MORE full beers! That was well worth the $3 tour fee. Those who didn’t want beer could get 2 glasses of 1919 Root Beer.

Schell’s is a wonderful Minnesota business story. Four generations after August Schell started the company, his relatives are still at the helm. They made it through an Indian War and the Great Depression, as well as several other economic downturns. After August died, the company passed down to his son, Otto. When Otto died unexpectedly, it went to his sister’s husband, George Marti. His wife, Emma, took over when he died in 1934 and then passed down management to her son, Alfred. It was Alfred Marti who sponsored a group known as the Schell’s Hobo Band which still entertains the young and old around New Ulm. Warren Marti succeeded his father in 1969. It was Warren who expanded the company to include the soft drink, 1919 Root Beer. I don’t know about you, but that’s my favorite root beer! Ted Marti runs the company today, and it has been under his leadership that the company has introduced its own line of speciality beers such as Pale Ale to Weizen. Two of his sons are currently serving overseas in the military.

August and Theresa Schell, the couple who started Schell Brewery in 1860.

This wagon was used in parades for years.

History of the wagon.

They endured winter, starvation, an outbreak of cholera, ravenous locusts, outdoor plumbing and bad shoes. Brewing was so much simpler back then.

No visit to Minnesota should be complete without a tour of Schell’s Brewery. And now we are searching out Schell’s beer to keep on hand at home — even me, the non-beer drinker!

CURRENT BEERS:

• Seasonal —

Bock, Maifest, Heifeweizen, Zommerfest, Oktoberfest, Snowstorm, and Schmaltz’s Alt

• Original –

Schells and Schell’s Light

• Year-Round —

Firebrick, Pilsner, Hofenmalz, Stout, Dark

• Grainbelt —

Premium, Nordeast, Light

Schell’s Brewery

1860 Schells Rd.

New Ulm, MN 56073

(507) 354-5528

schells@schellsbrewery.com

Gift Shop hours: Daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Brewery Tours: September to December — Friday 3 p.m., Saturday noon, 1, 2, 3, 4 p.m., Sunday 1,2,3,4 p.m.

January to May — Friday 3 p.m., Saturday noon, 1,2,3,4 p.m., Sunday 1, 2:30 p.m.

Summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day) — Monday to Friday 1,2:30,4 p.m., Saturday noon, 1,2,3,4 p.m. and Sunday 1,2,3,4 p.m.

(Tour times are extended during these New Ulm festivals: Bavarian Blast the third weekend in July and Oktoberfest the first and second weekends of October.)

Tour fee: $3 for adults. 12 and under free.

Pose with the gnomes while you wait for your tour to start.

Stroll through the garden before leaving Schell's.

OTHERS IN THIS SERIES

#1 - Visit New Ulm (Holiday, Otto's Restaurant)

#2 - Morgan Creek Winery

COMING

#4 - Wanda Gag House