More Meetings?

Yes, "The Scream" by Munch is far from Medieval but I feel confident meetings were always regarded thus. This Saturday, April 4th at 3:00pm at Jack McGowan's Cabin http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=44+07+30+N+94+03+09+W&ie=UTF8&z=12&ll=44.13787,-94.052582&spn=0.09831,0.343666&om=1&iwloc=addr is our regularly scheduled business meeting. I have invited the MLC students so we can better coordinate the May 2nd Demo at the MLC Renaissance Fair in German Park, New Ulm, Minnesota.

They May Be Mummers

Medieval morality plays, allegories, miracle plays, and folk plays were common entertainment as well as moral reinforcement of Christian beliefs. We are hoping to contrive one of these diversions to have the Shire children perform at St. Radegund's Fair this August. All children will be welcome to perform in the modest production. Dates of practices will be forthcoming.

A Note On Nettles

If any of you have brushed up against this little gem with a bare arm, leg, or cheek (you know what I mean if you've been crouching with paper in hand) then you will not soon forget the reason it is called the "stinging" nettle. This plant was once not cursed as a noxious weed but valued as a pot herb and fiber plant. As soon as the frost goes out of the ground the little green ruffled leaves pop up; some of the very first green you will see. I keep watching my "patch of the little beauties" with anticipation this year rather than grudging resentment as it was one of the agents party to the demise of my champion Iris bed. I have visions of nettle soup, nettle puddings, and nettle quiches - all common medieval fare. I also have been working on extracting fiber from mature nettle stems that have overwintered behind my corn crib. All these endeavors and their results will be posted in future.

Meeting Reminder

n March 28th at 1:00pm there will be a St. Radegund's planning meeting at Jack McGowan's cabin. We will be going over the budget and deciding on prospective Event Stewards and Class Coordinators. Any input is welcome. St. Radegund's Fair is the Kingdom Of Northsield's A&S Event and will be held August 7th - 9th at Jack McGowan's Farm. http://www.historyfest.com/

Minnesota Scottish Fair

Gone are the guid ald days of the Macalister Scottish Country Fairs (alas and many a forlorn sigh!) One of the estimable and entirely lovely Clan Tartan folk http://www.clanntartan.org/ has contacted me with the specifics of the Minnesota Scottish Fair http://www.mnscottishfair.org/ and a Scottish harp competition to be held therein. The fair is to be held at the Dakota county fair grounds in Farmington, Minnesota. Ooh, and there is to be a ceilidh at the MacCracken Pub, sounds fun! So, hitch up your kilts all ye braw lads and bring your spending money - unless you're skint - then find someone to take ya. Oh, and watch out for the sheep...

Fat Hen

Chenopodium album or Fat Hen was a commonly used plant during medieval times - more common for those of "low" station. Young tender plants were used like spinach- cooked and fresh - and the seeds of the mature plant were ground and used as a flour or in porridge. I have eaten "Fat Hen", being introduced to it as a thirteen year old at Lake Shetek State Park by a good looking park ranger on a nature walk - yes a nature walk not a "nature walk" (wink, wink). It's slightly stronger than spinach but very edible. Every time I am weeding it out of my garden I pinch off a few leaves and have a snack and remember that ranger. (*Sigh*) Go try some this spring. We call it Lamb's Quarters here in the USA.

Official Kingdom Of Northshield Event

St. Radegund's Fair has official Kingdom Status! There will be an unscheduled planning meeting held this month Saturday, March 28th at 1:00pm, at Jack Mcgowan's cabin prior to the official business meeting Saturday, April 4th. This meeting is to review the numbers from last years St. Radegund's and plan a very detailed budget for this year. This is crucial! This is a Kingdom event and the Kingdom is to whom we must answer! (Is anyone sweating?)

We also need to choose Event Stewards and Class Coordinators. We need to get information for a web flyer and a Northwatch ad. The Northwatch ad should be submitted by the end of April.

Knew Known World Handbook

Greetings unto the populace of Northshield,

For decades the Known World Handbook (KWH) has been a must-have resource for any newcomer to the SCA. The last update to this quintessential publication occurred over 14 years ago. Over the next year or so, the SCA will be revamping this critical handbook from the ground up. The goal is to release a new KWH for sale through the SCA's online Stock Clerk by the first quarter of 2010. We are looking for anything and everything a newcomer to the SCA could be interested in. If you have an idea for an article, send it on in. There is no limit to new and fresh ideas. For a list of sample topics visit: www.sca.org/kwh Try to keep the articles between 800 and 3000 words, and please submit them via Word files or in the body copy of an email to kwh@sca.org. Authors of existing articles in the KWH are invited to refresh, renew, and update their prior KWH articles. If you send in any article, artwork or photograph, please fill out the KWH release form available at: www.sca.org/docs/pdf/kwhrelease.pdf

Wes Hanna (Baron Kainin)KWH Editor in Chief & Deputy to the President, SCA, Inc. kwh@sca.org

Rivenwood March Calendar

March

Sunday 1 - Business Meeting and Lupercalia post mortem

Wednesdays 4,11,18,25 - 7:00 pm Arrow Making - Bill Miller, Eagle Lake

Thursdays 5,12, 18,26 - 6:30 pm Armory Night - Prahl's Shop - Garden City

Saturdays 7,14,21, 28 - 2:00 pm Archery - Ingall's, Mankato

Saturday 7th - 9:00 am - Crash-n-Bash open fighter practice, South Dakota

Sundays 15, 29 - 2:00pm Fighter practice, (15th location to be determined)

- 29th 2:00 pm Martin Luther College New Ulm

Sunday 22 - 1:00pm Jewelry Making - Hundstad's, Mankato

For details on directions and locations go to http://www.rivenwoodtower.org/

St. Radegund's Fair

St. Radegund's Fair is officially on the calendar!http://northshield.org/Events/ August 7th - 9th. We stepped aside from our original weekend for Norskogen's event, Shutzenfest. There has been expressed much gratitude over this and it is being spread around. I have recieved, already, guarantees of attendance from senechals and from the kingdom Minister of Arts and Science who is petitioning for Kingdom status for this event! Now comes the work!

We are going to need to fill some heavy duty positions; we need an event steward and a class coordinator. These two positions are crucial! (Melanie Wing tentatively volunteered for the class coordinator position - but I want to hear it come out of her actual mouth before I get too excited.) Mike Prahl is overseeing the fighting again this year - thank you Michael! - and Bill Miller and Darin Ingalls are in charge of the archery portion. Thank you for volunteering for these positions!

Now, since this is an Arts and Science Event we are gong to need artists and scientists! We have many in this shire. If you have a class you wish to teach feel free to volunteer!

The next business meeting is the goal deadline for filling the event steward and class coordinator positions. Take a moment and consider making a committment to volunteer - and remember; there were two event stewards for Lupercalia.