New Wood-Fired Oven at the Clair Nelson Center

By: Kaare Melby

As I look out at the brand-new and beautifully crafted outdoor oven here at the Clair Nelson Center, I can’t help but think back to early 2022 when I started writing one of the grant narratives that ended up funding the construction of our new wood-fired oven. What I wrote then struck me as even more impactful now:

“Culture lives in shared space. Our ancestors were forced to share resources as a matter of survival and through that necessity, they maintained community connection and cohesion. Together they laughed, they sang, they told stories, and they shared experiences. As modernity removed the necessity of shared space, people naturally began to drift apart. Rather than a side effect of survival, our relationships became difficult to maintain. This truth has been amplified with the pandemic and an increasingly divided political culture. We now understand that shared space has to be intentionally created in order to strengthen community cohesion and maintain local culture. We also understand that people are attracted to healthy, happy, functional and cohesive communities. So we have decided to build a community hearth that can draw our community together and invite new people in.”

Relationship is at the heart of everything. We know that the bonds between individuals are what create the strength in our community, and we know those bonds are strengthened when we spend time together. Now that we have this oven, it’s time for us to find a way to create an inviting space that will help our community thrive. There are lots of ideas, from pizza night, to having a community baking day, and we are sure there are many more ideas, too! No matter how it ends up getting used, we just can’t wait to see you all together enjoying the space.

If you have a fun idea of how we can use this new oven, please let us know by giving us a call: 218-353-0300

Important: This oven does require knowledge and skill to be used, please do not attempt to use it without a trained staff member. At this point we are still figuring out a system for public use, and we will share that system with all of you once it’s ready.  

If you would like to support more work like this, please consider making a donation here.

 

This project was made possible through generous grants from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation and the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB).