Herald-Review - Grand Rapids, Minnesota -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 5/3/2002
Last Visited: 5/7/2002
From the kitchen of Pete Axford
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Taconite, is the birthplace and childhood home of Pete Axford.He graduated from Greenway High School.He and his wife, Kathleen, live in Coleraine and Pete is busy serving the community in any way that he can.He is presently serving his second term as Coleraine mayor.He is a member of the Greenway Knights of Columbus where he has served as Past Grand Knight, Deputy Knight, and Chancellor.Pete is song leader for the congregation at Mary Immaculate in Coleraine.Prior to serving as mayor, he served on the Coleraine City Council for 20 years.One of his unofficial duties is his self-appointed job as official pigeon trapper in his beloved city.It seems that a flock of 70 pigeons had invaded many bird feeders in Coleraine and were determined a "must-go."Pete didn't want to see them all killed, he didn't want to see them at his feeder, and so he devised a pigeon trap.When he gets several he takes them to someone who trains English Springer Spaniels.The dogs are trained for competition.If a bird is injured in retrieving, the dogs are immediately disqualified.Pete successfully got the Coleraine pigeon count down to 13 and then some Bovey pigeons moved to town and he has once again begun his trapping.Pete has served on the Coleraine Library Board for 26 years.Coleraine's library is the smallest Carnegie Library in the United States.
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Pete and Kathleen have three children and eight grandchildren.Their children are Jim, Cheryl, and Leanne.It was fun to visit their home.Each of their children were appreciative, respectful to teachers, and treated other students kindly.I asked the Axfords if they had a secret ingredient for raising children.There was no hesitation."Yes, we believed in lots of hugs and told them often that we loved them.
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Pete then went on to explain that during the time when his children were in high school, their finances were tough.In 1979 Pete went to work at J & L Steel where he had worked for 19 years.At 1 p.m. one day, he was told that his job was done as of 3 p.m. that same day.He was crushed.He had worked from the bottom to being chief mine clerk.What was he to do?Before long he got a job selling cars.Selling new cars was fun for Pete but he hated selling "previously owned" cars.When Montavon and Gildemeister Motors combined, he once again found himself without a job.He did odd jobs, worked as a handyman, worked for the school district and worked at Perrault's Red Owl in Coleraine.After several years, he began working full time for Potlatch and worked there for 19 years until his retirement in 2001.One memory from this time stands out.His son, then a junior in high school, came home and told his dad that "l probably shouldn't have, but I asked a girl to the prom and now I need a suit."That night Pete and Kathy tried to figure out where they would get money for a suit.Pete borrowed it from Jack Perrault and paid it off doing janitorial work after his grocery job hours.
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Pete used to hunt but now he prefers watching wildlife and letting it live.While I visited with Pete, we enjoyed watching yellow winged blackbirds, chickadees, blue jays, starlings, crows, juncos, and even pigeons come to the abundant supply of feed.They are remodeling their upstairs, Pete enjoys working with wood, and gardening.He especially likes raising flowers, raspberries, and tomatoes.Both of the Axfords enjoy family memorabilia.Their home is graced with many family treasures.One of their favorites is a Czechoslovakian rock crystal vase that Pete's grandmother wrapped in a towel and hand carried on a bus ride for hundreds of miles when she moved to this area.The vase was handed down to his father who purchased a single rose each year on the date of his marriage proposal and proudly displayed it in this vase.Now, this same vase is used to display flowers from the Axford's garden.A family quilt hangs in the living room.Leanne made this for her parents, and so the tradition continues of preserving and cherishing family heirlooms.Not long ago, Pete visited a cabin on Whitefish Lake in Nebish.Nebish is a small town near Blackduck.This cabin was his father's childhood home.He brought back logs and cedar shakes from which he made picture frames for many members of his family.Hanging on his deck is a ladder with worn steps.His father and siblings used the ladder to climb to the loft where they slept.The cabin is nearly gone but the memories are rich.His father used to describe their log home as being as "tight as a corn crib."
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Pete Axford credits his mother with teaching him the basics of cooking.There were four boys at home before a girl joined the family and so it was out of necessity that Pete was taught to cook.By age 12 he could put out a full meal.He regrets not learning how his mother baked bread.His father was also an excellent cook and used to have family cookouts.His cooking is not limited to home-cooking.This gentleman has dealt with 400 pork chops, scrambled eggs by the case, and baked hundreds of cakes, cookies, and desserts for the National Guard camps where he was first cook.He retired from the National Guard in 1988 after 25 years of service.
Enjoy his recipes.
Sarmas (recipe is from Pete's dad)
Freeze two medium heads of cabbage.
Thaw in refrigerator for two days
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