A visit & interview with MCFM vendors Theresa Bentz (Get Bentz Farm) and Maddy Bartsch (Salt of the North Dye Garden).
Words and images by Iglika Petrova (a devoted Mill City Farmers Market shopper).
I have a quote on my wall that I love: “Do everything with so much love in your heart that you wouldn’t want to do it in any other way.” This sentiment describes so well Theresa (she/her) and Maddy (they/them), the collaborative duo behind Get Bentz Farm and Salt of the North Dye Garden. There’s nothing in the world that they would rather do, in any different way that they are already doing, and they wouldn’t do it with anyone else but with each other.
Get Bentz Farm and Salt of the North Dye Garden are located on the same farmland in Northfield Minnesota. Get Bentz Farm produces a variety of sheep products such as yarn, meat and sheep skin. It’s also home to one of four Midwest woolen mills, Badgerface Fiber, which is operated by Theresa and Maddy. Salt of the North Dye Garden grows plants that are used as natural dyes, which Theresa then uses to dye her fibers. In Maddy’s words: “We’re trying to help revitalize the concept of producing and creating textile goods locally with agricultural products.” And that is what is so unique about what Theresa and Maddy do; 100% of their fibers come from local sheep. The fibers are milled, turned into products, and dyed locally with locally grown plant dyes. “Our yarn is 100% sourced locally, cared for, and processed in the most non-polluting way,” as Theresa would add.
Theresa started her journey several years ago when she and her husband, Jake, bought the land they were drawn towards in Northfield, MN – a farm with lots of natural diversity in a spot that overlooks the Cannon River Valley. They tried farming different things but noticed that what worked most naturally with their land were their sheep. They breed an Icelandic breed of sheep that is known for the quality of meat and wool. What is so wonderful about what they do is that Theresa and Jake believe in sustainability and allowing their sheep to live their most natural lives.
Maddy started their journey while in college and realized that the Apparel Program they were in was not a good fit for them. On their own they became really interested in the work they are doing now, and how to create garments locally utilizing plant-based dyes, local fibers, and recycling. After graduating they interned at farms and worked at local fiber mills. They became so passionate and interested in the world of natural dyes and the entire process that they read all the books, watched all the informative videos, worked every task on the farms, and talked to every community member who knew anything about local and naturally dyed fibers. Maddy’s relentless passion, care and curiosity to understand how all the pieces fit and work together is something that’s hard not to notice, and it is the quality that is the driving force behind what they do.
Here is a peek inside their beautiful and carefully cultivated dye garden:
Theresa and Maddy met several years ago and as a duo they are even stronger and more driven than they would be on their own. They have a wonderful, close and supportive partnership. It’s easy to see how they both admire and value what the other person does and who they are as a human. Their business partnership is one where each of them can be true to themselves and their own values, and also one where they create something incredible together. As Theresa says: “What Maddy and I have in our venture together that is so important is that we are cheerleaders for each other. If one of us makes a sale, both of us are celebrating.”
When talking to Theresa and Maddy one word keeps coming in our conversation – relational. And that word encompasses everything about them and how they work. From how they approach and care for the land, the animals and the plants. And the thoughtful way they process, dye and turn the fibers into products. To the way they connect with the community around them and the people who use their products, visit their farm, and attend their workshops.
As humans we used to be more connected to the things that supported our everyday lives. We used to grow and prepare our food. We used to make our garments and the objects in our homes. The process was slow and each step of the process had to be learned, practiced and mastered. That close relationship with what we were making gave us meaning and a deeper connection to our object of creation. With the industrial revolution and the way we live our modern lives, we have lost that meaningful connection with the things that surround us and what we put in and on our bodies. What Theresa and Maddy are doing is revitalizing that process. They inject so much passion, knowledge, long-learned craft and thoughtfulness into each step of their process, and they share that with their customers.
And the gift of their art is that it connects us to our daily life objects in a deeper and more meaningful way. A hat made with Theresa’s yarn is not only a hat, it’s a mini world resulting from a care-filled process that we get to experience when we wear it. A dye kit from Maddy is not only a jar filled with beautiful flowers, it’s a mini garden where the soil, the sun, the pollinators and the hands that cared for them will hug us when our fabric is dyed.
When asking Theresa and Maddy what the world needs less of and what it needs more of, both of them answer similarly. “We need less scarcity mindset, and less fear. We need more cooperation, collaboration, connection and curiosity. If we are curious and collaborative, there is nothing we couldn’t do together. Everything is cyclical – when you share those things, they come back to you.”
If you want to experience the wonderful world of Theresa and Maddy, check out their booth inside the Train Shed this Saturday, October 19th where you can find an amazing variety of Theresa’s local yarns as well as Maddy’s natural dye kits and new felted items. You can also attend one of their farm classes or click and scroll down for more info about U-pick dye plant and mill tour opportunities. They are so excited to talk to and welcome anyone who is interested in what they do and how they do it.
“There are so many outside factors that separate us as humans, and we are striving to do the opposite,” says Maddy. “We are going to be connected, generous and kind and invite everyone to this beautiful table of life together.”
