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Have you ever noticed how people from Texas love, and I mean capital L-O-V-E being from Texas?
They have a built-in state pride that’s so large that even the rest of the world knows that “everything is bigger in Texas.” In fact, if you Google image search “Texas flag tattoos” you’ll return over 93,000 photos of people who have forever inked their body with the Texas flag or some other iconic Texan thing.
It’s admirable.
It’s a little scary.
But in the end, I want a little of that.
No, not some crazy Texas tattoo, but a state pride for all our citizens that runs deep. One that North Dakota citizens could wear like a badge of honor no matter where they live now.
North Dakota has reason to be proud: We have a budget surplus and the lowest unemployment in the nation. We’re a leader in energy, agricultural, aerospace and more. We’re ranked in the top 10 in lots of stuff: #1 job market, #1 state competitiveness, #3 happiest people, #1 most social (media) state, #3 for gross domestic product growth, and #1 in awesomeness.
OK, I made up the awesomeness statistic. BUT, if there was a scale for that, I just know North Dakota would rank high there too.
Check out more North Dakota rankings in the 12 reasons to Live, Work and Play in North Dakota.
In the end, North Dakota is filled with a humble brood. Most our ancestors came from Scandinavian and Germans stock, where it just isn’t the cultural norm to brag about anything. We all live our lives, do our jobs, care about our neighbors and we don’t have much to say about it.
The citizens of North Dakota have much to brag about, but mostly they just like living and being from here. And, if asked, we’ll gently tell you we are from “North Dakota.” No extra context needed. No bragging necessary.
We may never reach the “Texas-level” of state pride, but I do hope we all strive to be Ambassadors for North Dakota. Staying positive about the state we live in and love helps others to see that what we don’t have is sometimes what makes us such a great place. And, remembering what we do have tends to keep us humble.
Amazingly, the North Dakota Ambassadors program, which is North Dakota’s volunteer feel good force, has grown to just over 7,600 members on our social networks. Ambassadors spread our positive state messages and we’re changing the nation’s view about what we are. Join us on Facebook or Twitter.
In the end, my dream would be that all our citizens and former citizens choose to be a North Dakota Ambassador. We all carry a different vision of what being an Ambassador for North Dakota is. The Ambassadors program is even looking for feedback on what you think an Ambassador is – Take the Ambassador Survey.
We may never reach a time when there are 93,000 Google hits depicting people with North Dakota’s flag inked on their body, but I hope we’ve got our North Dakota roots tattooed on our souls. It is a quieter kind of state pride than Texas has, but in the end, I’m left thinking maybe I don’t want everything to be bigger in North Dakota … maybe, I’m simply humbled by the fact that it’s better in North Dakota.
Note: Thanks to Ambassador and new North Dakota Department of Commerce Marketing Intern Stacey Loula for sharing her thoughts as a student-transplant to North Dakota. She truly is a “city-slicker,” born and raised, as she grew up in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. She is currently a senior at the University of Mary, majoring in Business Communication with a minor in Public Relations.
North Dakota is home to many different cultures, Native Americans, Germans, Scandinavian’s, and Norwegian’s which have all brought with them their unique tastes and foods. As a native of Minnesota, I have found that there are many different foods that I have never had or heard of before moving to North Dakota. Although I have not experienced all of them quite yet, I would like to share with you some of the different tastes and foods that North Dakota has to offer.
Native American/Western Grub
Buffalo burgers and other buffalo dishes are on some menus, but I have heard if you want real, authentic Native American foods, your best bet is to attend a Pow-Wow. A few you might want to consider:
- Nue’ta Corn Festival, held in Mandan in August
- Mid-Winter Pow-Wow, which takes place on the day of New Year’s Eve in New Town
- Twin Buttes Pow-Wow, in June
- United Tribes International Pow-Wow, held in Bismarck in September
German-Russian Grub
Many German/Russian traditional foods remain popular in the state, particularly Knoepfla soup, Fleischküchle, and Kuchen. Knoeplfa soup is true comfort food, mixing dumplings and potatoes in a creamy chicken broth, it is unlike any other soup you could have. Fleischküchle is a savory, deep-fried turnover which can contain a variety of fillings, but the most common is seasoned ground beef. For dessert, Kuchen is the hands-down favorite. Kuchen, as the German-Russians prepare it, has a cake-like crust with a custard filling, which often includes fruit.
You can find German-Russian dishes at numerous local restaurants:
The city of Beulah is noted for their Fleischkuchle, which you’ll find not only at restaurants, but fairs, festivals, a few roadside stands, and even the Dairy Queen.- Kroll’s Kitchen restaurant chain in Fargo and Bismarck to be the best place for Knoepfla soup, as well as other German-Russian dishes.
- New Leipzig, Leipziger Hof Restaurant is a popular gathering place to enjoy dishes like schnitzel (deep-fried, breaded meat, usually veal) and Russian-style borscht (soup made with cabbage, and often beets).
- Wishek, which calls itself the “Sauerkraut Capital of the World.” Nothing beats it!
What other German-Russian foods might you encounter in North Dakota? Sausages, spaetzle (tiny dumplings), strudel (flaky pastry with either savory or sweet fillings), and pierogies (baked or fried half-moon dumplings, which also contain either savory or sweet fillings, especially mashed potatoes or cheese). If you like pickles and happen upon German-Russian watermelon pickles, you may want to give them a try. Dill and red-hot peppers added to the brine give these watermelon pickles a nice kick.
Norwegian Grub
Among the most common Norwegian dishes are lutefisk and lefse. Lutefisk is cod which has been preserved by soaking it in lye. Lutefisk is slimy and slippery; it just slides right on down your throat (gross). It’s most definitely not my most favorite thing to eat, but who knows maybe it will be yours. It’s a love, hate thing; people generally either love it or hate it. In either case, it’s considered an acquired taste, so lutefisk may be best left to those with a more adventurous palate. On the other hand, lefse will appeal to just about anyone. This delicious thin, flat potato bread is most often served rolled up with either butter, sugar, cinnamon, or brown sugar. I like mine sometimes with just butter and other times with just brown sugar or a mix of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, but it can also be rolled around fillings, as you would use a tortilla. Lefse is one of my favorites and has been a tradition in my family for centuries; my mom makes batches upon batches every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nothing beats homemade fresh lefse, but buying it from a grocery store is an alternative to making it from scratch.
Local Specialties
The land and rivers of North Dakota also produce a few local specialties.
- The official state fruit, the chokecherry, adds a flavorful touch to a number of food items. For instance, there’s chokecherry butter, similar to apple butter. Chokecherries are also used in jellies, fudge, barbecue sauce, and more.
With North Dakota’s vast, unspoiled lands and its lakes and rivers, hunting and fishing are popular pastimes. Local fish you may catch or find at a local restaurant include:
Northern Pike, Walleye, Bass, Perch, Trout, Catfish and Chinook Salmon.
Among wild game there is:
Ducks, geese, pheasants, grouse, partridge, wild turkey, deer, elk, moose, antelope and bighorn sheep.
In addition, North Dakota boasts a few wineries, all of which offer tours and tastings.
- For a number of grape wines like Merlot and Riesling, the main establishment is Red Trail Vineyards in Buffalo.
- Dakota Hills Winery in Knox produces a few grape wines, though most of their wines are native fruit wines and honey wines.
- Maple River Winery in Casselton and Point of View Winery in Burlington produce only non-grape wines, mainly fruit and honey wines. Fruit wines you’ll find include chokecherry, crab apple, wild plum, elderberry, apple, raspberry, and many more. Rhubarb wine is another variety, and Maple River also makes dandelion and pumpkin wines.
You may not find these wines outside of North Dakota, so if you love wine, stopping by a winery would be a fun and tasty adventure.
In the Peace Garden State, there are plenty of food options to choose from. Trying some of the state’s local cuisine, whether buffalo, kuchen, lefse, or chokecherry jelly, you can’t go wrong and it will give you a real taste of North Dakota and our land of many cultures.
This just in: Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t see shadow. Spring is coming!
Punxsy Phil says spring is coming!
Isn’t it amazing how each year – on Ground Hogs Day – we take a brief moment to care about the weather forecasting skills of a giant ground rodent. The ground hog has been a national tradition for years and let’s face it, his special day of weather forecasting is a nice diversion mid-winter to get us looking towards spring. This year Punxsy Phil says spring will come early and winter is on its way out, simply because he didn’t see his shadow.
Sitting here in North Dakota on what really, truly is a beautiful morning (with the exception of it being a wee bit cold — -23 degrees Fahrenheit as of 7 a.m.), we’re hopeful that rodent is right. An early spring would be welcomed by all in North Dakota this Ground Hog’s day.
The whole production of shadow-based weather forecasting has left this Ambassador hoping Punxsy Phil isn’t a ground hog playing possum. With so many prairie dogs in North Dakota, we certainly know how to appreciate a ground rodent. So cheers to you Ground Hog, you better not turn out to be a dang lier!
Check out Punxsutawney Phil’s official website for more Ground Hog action.
Note: Thanks to Ambassador and new North Dakota Department of Commerce Marketing Intern Stacey Loula for sharing her thoughts as a student-transplant to North Dakota. She truly is a “city-slicker,” born and raised, as she grew up in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. She is currently a senior at the University of Mary, majoring in Business Communication with a minor in Public Relations.
By Stacey Loula, North Dakota Ambassador
Even a "big city" girl can find lots to like in North Dakota, says Minneapolis-area native Stacey Loula.
Why North Dakota of all places? That question is by far one of my favorites. Family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances often ask this one question because I chose North Dakota as a place to better myself and continue my education. Now as a Business Communication and Public Relations senior at the University of Mary, I couldn’t have imagined a better choice.
Two and a half years ago my journey took me to North Dakota. I chose North Dakota because it was something new for me, both culturally and personally. I wanted to expand my horizons, and North Dakota gave me that opportunity. If I look back 5 years ago, I never would have ever thought of Bismarck as a place I would end up or even so much as visit or vacation. I mean what’s so good about North Dakota right? Its winters are treacherous; it’s always super windy, nothing to do, nothing to see, etc. Well, that was then, before my journey of self searching and a need for something more.
I have come to appreciate North Dakota, especially having grown up in the bustling metropolis of Minneapolis. I think that moving to a smaller state, let alone smaller city really makes you appreciate a place like North Dakota. It is a place that prides itself on friendliness, family, togetherness, helpfulness, selflessness and giving. “Home is where the heart is,” and that is exactly the feeling I get from being here. Where I come from it’s all about who has what, how much it costs, and money is what makes the world go around. People tend to lose track of what true happiness is and the important things in life, that’s why I am here and why I love this State; and I think that plays a huge part in why North Dakota is doing so well economically. This state has played their cards right despite the rough economic times, but it definitely shows. Hard work really does pay off.
I have worked very hard to get where I am today and believe me, it was not easy. I feel very liberated and proud of all that I have accomplished thus far in my life. North Dakota is my happy place. My home away from home. No matter how crazy my friends and family think I am for choosing North Dakota, what matters is that I am happy. It’s because of my accomplishments, mistakes, life changing decisions, people I have met, and the friends and family to help guide and support me along the way that have molded me into the person that I am today and I am proud to be that person here in ND.
Strangely, we’ve become so connected digitally with social media, cell phones and email that we are certainly loosing a little of our personal touch. Let’s face it, one-to-one communication isn’t what it used to be. Text messages now interrupt conversations, cell phones ring with the authority of something that demands immediate attention, and timeliness is based on whether or not you’ve responded to all the messages on your Blackberry.
Sometimes it is really good to be reminding how to be attentive, especially in the case of one-to-one communications. A blogger I follow by the name of Nate Riggs, had a great post this week on how to have better one-to-one meetings. In 35 simple steps, Nate reminds us how to be good humans. And as North Dakota Ambassadors, I hope that is something we can all aspire to be.
I’ll share a few of my favorites below, but then go and check out the entire list at NateRiggs.com. You’ll be glad you did!
- Try to be on time. You’re not always going to succeed. Life happens. But try as hard as you can.
- If the other person is late, be gracious. You never know if they or their loved one has been in a traffic accident.
- If someone offers to buy your coffee, graciously accept their gift with a “Thank you”
- Practice good nonverbal communication. Make eye contact often. Nod. Smile. Look surprised. Emote. Show your attention visibly.
- Wait for their periods. Let the other person finish their complete thought. Pause to consider for a second, then respond.
- Don’t be afraid to laugh. Sharing laughter creates a different level of connection.
A white Christmas has arrived in North Dakota! I was chatting with some other North Dakota ambasadors this week, some in-state and some out-of-state and all expressed such a strong bond to North Dakota, especially at Christmas time. It got me to thinking, why is that?
When I asked that very question, I got a variety of answers. Most people could remember some great Christmas present, or a visit from an unexpected relative, playing with cousins, or Grandma telling a Christmas tale, a favorite holiday tradition, but none of them spoke specifically of a link to North Dakota. That is when it hit me, that link to the state comes from the quality of life people find or remember having here. Holiday memories, at least all those I received when I asked, had one thing in common … family and friends, those roots that always call us here.
The time we make and spend with family and friends is always more precious at the holidays. In North Dakota, maybe we make a little more time year round to connect with our families and friends, to appreciate them outside of the holidays. Perhaps that’s why our bond to the state always calls us a little louder during the holidays, especially if we are outside her borders.
Holiday wishes to all our Ambassadors worldwide. North Dakota wishes you a Happy Everything and a prosperous New Year. View our Ambassador Greeting to you!
If you are wondering what to get this Ambassador for Christmas … all I want is MORE AMBASSADORS! Please get another North Dakota lover in our ranks and have them join our social networks.
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