Under Rocks

In a quiet wooded neighborhood on the south side of Rockford, there's a man making magic in his basement workshop. Tom Asher uses the tools, knowledge, and creative skills he's gathered over a lifetime as a musician, woodworker, and artist -- to craft violins.

2000 called and wants its phone book back. And now it's in the hands that last touched it 25 years ago. Join Northern Star reporters past and present as they relive the past and plan for the future through a time capsule in a wall at Northern Illinois University.

One of the world's most precious architectural gems rests on the banks of the Fox River in northern Illinois. Maybe you've seen the Edith Farnsworth House in Plano: It's a mid-century glass and steel marvel designed and constructed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The Under Rocks team got a chance to visit and learn more about the woman who commissioned her glass get-away in the woods, Edith Farnsworth.

There's a museum around every corner in Illinois. The Under Rocks team explores three of them near us to see how they are preserving our histories. Got a favorite? Tell us at rocks@niu.edu

Does Illinois really need a new flag? Or is the old "seal on a bedsheet" good enough? In this Under Rocks Extra, we call on our favorite expert, self-proclaimed state symbologist and Illinois Enthusiast John Kokoris to review the options the state's flag commission is offering. And he is, respectfully, not pleased.

Thanks to a small town in northern Illinois, Groundhog Day is bigger than one chubby rodent and its shadow dropping a dubious weather forecast. In Woodstock, the groundhog takes a backseat to the real cause for celebration: the 1993 Bill Murray movie that was filmed there. The Under Rocks team visited the famed town square with the head of the annual festival (and Groundhog Day movie extra!) Rick Bellairs.

Craft distilleries are the new craft breweries: There's a growing number of these small operations in northern Illinois, offering their own take on the art of whiskey-making. And to wrap up another year of the Under Rocks podcast, our team heads out in search of some holiday spirit at Whiskey Acres in DeKalb.

We say goodbye to a field campus that meant a lot to northern Illinoisans during its decades of serving students interested in the environment and the arts. And we revisit a deep dive we took into one of the works of art that made the Lorado Taft campus so special.

There's a big sprawling graveyard in northern Illinois where the people of Belvidere have been laid to rest for nearly 200 years. In the heart of the Belvidere Cemetery is a tiny community space with a big history: Pettit Chapel, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The Under Rocks team met with Sam Larson there to learn more about the history of the sacred space and the role of a sexton.

As this year's season winds down, some unhappy White Sox fans turn to another era for their baseball fix. The Under Rocks team heads to Creston, IL for a vintage baseball match.

What do you get when you combine dragons, boats, a touch of “oh my!” and 22 dedicated athletes? The coolest sport you've never heard of! Dragon boating has roots in ancient China and branches all over the world…including a lake near you. The Under Rocks crew dons life vests and heads to Shabbona Lake for their latest adventure.

Fun-starved explorers find gold (and prizes!) along the Rockford Adventure Trail. Join us for what could be the most ambitious Under Rocks ever!

Lustron Houses. They're in your neighborhood. You just have to look for these mid-century metal marvels. You Under Rocks team heads to Mt. Morris to check out a cluster of Lustrons.

We go at it hammer and tongs during a visit to the Phineas Vaughan Blacksmith Shop at the Glidden Homestead in DeKalb. Will Dan be able to upset the steel in time to open his beer before it gets warm? Or does he have too many irons in the fire?

In a rural corner of northern Winnebago County, right up near the Wisconsin border, you can find one of the country's most important bird research centers – and one of the most dedicated teams of volunteers you'll ever meet. So as spring migration started ramping up, we sent our own dedicated team to investigate the Sand Bluff Bird Observatory and banding station.

Step into Founders Memorial Library on the campus of Northern Illinois University and you'll find yourself in a colorful dream world. Between the bookshelves are 22 towering sculptures by five artists from Mexico City. “Alebrijes – Creatures of a Dream World” is free and open to the public through November 8, 2024, and artist visits and other special events will be planned throughout its stay.

Sure, you have a rock collection. Who doesn't? Meet Jon Barnhart, whose rock collection was started by a Civil War veteran, and every stone has a story. Not to mention his collection of bikes, outhouses, out-buildings, signs, sleighs, vintage cars... Well, you're just going to have to listen.

It has been five years since The Librarian, a.k.a. Dan Libman, stepped into a wrestling ring in Oregon, IL. No, there won't be a rematch. But he will catch us up on what his fellow wrestlers are doing today.

Under Rocks wraps up another year of adventures by bundling up and heading into the woods to find the perfect pine. Actually, it's more of a farm than woods, as these rookies learn what's so great about a real Christmas tree. Sinnissippi Farm and Forest co-owner Doug Conroy schools them on the real vs. fake debate. The Clauses even weigh in -- and it's M-A-G-I-C.

Hi, this is your Under Rocks podcast team. We're excited about our final episode of 2023 and even more pumped about what's in store for 2024. So please leave a message at wnij.org or rocks@niu.edu. And starting now, you can find a fresh episode every third Thursday of the month!

It's a dance as old as humanity itself: Bees make honey, humans steal it. And for the most part, we get away with it with nothing more than an occasional sting. But over time, we've learned we must do more for the honeybee, which is propping up our fragile ecosystem. The Under Rocks team managed to get itself invited to peer into the process of stewarding bees and harvesting honey with Tim Benedict of Orion Organics. It's his farm in Lee County where bees roam with the bison among the wildflowers of Nachusa Grasslands.

Take a stroll through your nearest downtown and chances are you're going to see some big bold public art on at least a few buildings. Cities and towns are embracing murals as a way to support artists and show some civic pride. We sent WNIJ's Under Rocks team to downtown Rockford to learn more, starting in the studio of muralist Brett Whitacre. (We'd love to see your favorite mural! Send a photo and location to rocks@niu.edu)

Hike along with the Under Rocks crew as they slog through woods and fields in search of the jewel of springtime, the morel mushroom. To put it another way, watch them get skunked with Chris Fink. But there are triumphs along the way, lessons to be learned, and even a few consolation prizes.

For six Fridays every year, temporary restaurants pop up in churches, clubs, and community buildings across the Midwest. Menus may vary, but they stick with one theme. Fish. Fried fish.

What do you think of when you hear the word "mead?" Vikings, Renaissance Faires, a cloying sweet nectar? The Under Rocks team discovers the joy of modern mead during a visit to downtown Elburn.

The Culinary Historians of Northern Illinois are preserving our stories, recipes, and community cookbooks -– and putting it all into a bigger societal context. Join WNIJ's Under Rocks team as we take a deep dive into grandma's recipe box and serve up a big slice of chocolate kraut cake. Your ideas are welcome at rocks@niu.edu!

Flags fly over Sycamore, Illinois as it celebrates the world's favorite orange gourd: The Pumpkin Festival gets underway the last full weekend before Halloween. It's those orange flags with the grinning jack-o'-lantern that drove a listener to contact WNIJ's Under Rocks team to get answers to some burning questions. And make sure you listen ‘til the very end of the show for a special appearance by our favorite Illinois Enthusiast!

You don't need a passport to get to a world-renowned meditation center. In fact, the Illinois Vipassana Meditation Center is just a short hop from Rockford. The Under Rocks team takes you there — but can they go ten days without speaking?

How would you handle yourself in a medieval melee? Do you know what realm you live in? In the latest Under Rocks podcast, our team joins up with Team Belegarth in a Kane County park. When the herald cries "weapons up," these foam fighters really "lay on!"

So you've spotted a flock of huge white birds with comically-large beaks riding the Rock River surf. They couldn't possibly be pelicans, could they? They're far too exotic for the Midwest. Right?WNIJ's Under Rocks team heads out in search of the American White Pelican — and finds a festival devoted to these spring-time visitors along the way.Email us your story ideas at rocks@niu.edu!

Sometimes, the best way to fix something is to burn it down -- especially when it comes to natural areas choked with invasive plants. Things heat up for the Under Rocks crew as they tag along with Jack Pizzo and Associates for a prescribed burn at his house.

A splash of real maple syrup can mean the difference between a good waffle and a great waffle. And once you know the amount of work that goes into making that tablespoon of sweet amber liquid, it becomes even more delicious. We tap into our local sapspert to guide us through the magical transformation we're calling The Sappening.

Dry your tears, curling fans! You don't have to wait another four years for the Olympics to roll around to get a fix of your favorite icy sport. There are more than 40 curling clubs in the Midwest, including the Waltham Curling Club, the oldest in Illinois. For the first time, the Under Rocks crew deals with actual rocks as they hit the sheets and aim for the button. Who will come back for the next bonspiel? Good curling, everyone!

What's an "Illinois Enthusiast?" Behold county expert and Under Rocks fan John Kokoris. He shares his love for his home state and schools the Under Rocks crew on county seals. Check out his seal rankings on Twitter — @johnjkoko.Send your ideas for future episodes to rocks@niu.edu!

DeKalb is known for a lot of things: corn, its university, Cindy Crawford… But one of the hidden gems of the city is the little golden pillow of fried dough known as The Beer Nugget. We explore its origins and try to answer the question, "why aren't these EVERYWHERE?"

Farms across Illinois are serving up their own little slice of horror this time of year — corn mazes. Haunted corn mazes. The Under Rocks teams asks "Why is corn so scary? And how do I get outta here?!?"

Some call it yucky, most call it yummy, and we just call it our beloved pawpaw. The Under Rocks team heads to Paw Paw, Illinois in pursuit of the elusive fruit.

RAGBRAI, an annual week-long bike ride across Iowa, returned after a COVID-canceled 2020. In this episode of Under Rocks, we check in with Dan Libman and friends during their pedal across Iowa, then dip into the WNIJ archives for more stories about the ride that brings thousands of people together for friendship, adventure, good causes, and...hamballs?

The Under Rocks crew leaves no stone unturned, no sparkler unlit, in pursuit of the greatest Fourth of July celebrations in northern Illinois.

From sunrise in Thomson to fireworks in Chicago, Under Rocks host Dan Libman gets a good long taste of Illinois as he and four intrepid friends pedal their way across the Land of Lincoln.

Imagine walking in the woods and coming across six large men struggling to transport a coffin on their shoulders, heads bowed in concentration, arms taut under their burden. It might take you a moment to realize you’re looking at a sculpture: Six life-sized somber mourners and a casket. This is “The Funeral Procession,” or “The Seven Muses,” and sadly, it is not on public property. But don’t worry, the Under Rocks team isn’t shy about asking for permission: We scored a tour from Jan Stilson, a former librarian at Northern Illinois University's Lorado Taft campus and author of the book Art and Beauty in the Heartland: The Story of the Eagle's Nest Camp at Oregon, Illinois. Thanks to Dan Libman, Spencer Tritt, Jan Stilson, and Melanie Costello for helping overturn this rock. Not literally. Special kudos to Jared Ortega for the excellent photographs in this month's slide show: It's better than being there (because you would be trespassing. Don't trespass.)! As always, if you have an idea

The coldest, snowiest, most miserable time of year means one thing for many of the hardiest folk in Wisconsin – time to drag your ice auger and a bucket of shiners out onto the nearest lake. On the latest episode of Under Rocks – WNIJ’s exploration of the hidden treasures of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin – our intrepid explorer Dan Libman hits the ice with fishing mentor Chris Fink, along with our multimedia crew, Spencer Tritt and Jared Ortega. Bundle up because it ain’t a fit (day) out for man or beast! Ice fishing is a revered winter sport in the Midwest – as soon as the ice is thick enough, tiny huts start popping up on lakes across the region. But the sight of ice shanties is less common in Illinois than it is in some neighboring states, where ice may freeze thicker and lakes are more plentiful. Rule #1 of ice fishing: Don’t reveal the site of your favorite fishing spot. Under penalty of being laughed at, don’t even ask. Dan confesses the extent of his ice fishing

Another year, another dozen opportunities to explore what’s cool, what’s interesting, what’s weird in your own backyard. It’s Under Rocks, where you help us send our adventurous correspondents out to discover those hidden gems in northern Illinois. This time, Jason Cregier and Dan Libman, with a big assist from tech giant Spencer Tritt, visit with some of the people who transform Old Places into New Spaces. Rehabbing an old building can be an expensive, overwhelming commitment. Imagine taking on a whole downtown square! That's what's happening in Mt. Morris. Dan Libman meets up with Ashley Sarver in the Ogle County town. She's the Senior Urban Planner at Studio GWA, based in Rockford. One of Studio GWA's projects was to transform an old theater in Rochelle into a home for the Kennay family's business: a distillery with a welcoming public space. Dan gets the story of the restoration from Doris Kennay, owner and operator of Kennay Farms Distilling. Look around you. These types of rehabs,

On this episode of Under Rocks , we don't turn over any stones, but we take you face-to-face with a massive chunk of concrete along an Ogle County roadside. Like many northern Illinois residents, Dan Libman was worried that when a certain DeKalb bookstore closed, he might never again be able to use the word “Grotto.” But that was before he made a discovery on a bike ride. On an ordinary corner in Stillman Valley stands something quite extraordinary: A concrete shrine, complete with arches and a cupola, with inlays of stone and marbles, and a bench for contemplation and prayer. The LaFleur Grotto. Although that was many years ago, Dan never stopped thinking about it. Recently, he became curious about the shrine’s origin, so he tracked down Betty LaFleur, the daughter of the man who built it. Joseph LaFleur built the shrine to keep up his end of a bargain with The Virgin Mary. Five of his ten children served in the military, starting in World War Two. The devout Catholic promised Mary he

On the second episode of the Under Rocks podcast, host Dan Libman, tech wiz Spencer Tritt and WNIJ correspondent Jason Cregier visited the Shabbona Barber and Hot Shave Parlor in Shabbona, Illinois, where Jason would receive the closest shave of his life. This was back in late February, before the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic swept across Illinois. Now the thought of getting a haircut, let alone a close shave, seems almost foreign. The Shabbona Barber and Hot Shave Parlor is currently closed until May 30 under Governor J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-home order. Owner and operator Anthony DeWitz plans on reopening once the stay-at-home guidelines lift. Highlights from the episode include Dan and Jason discussing what it was like pre-COVID-19 to socialize, the lack of proper hair maintenance during the quarantine period and possibility of administering a self “quarancut.” At the Barbershop, the discussion included DeWitz' favorite type of haircuts, why he opened the shop, the proper

On our inaugural Under Rocks podcast: We celebrate the weirdness of winter in northern Illinois. Dan Libman and Susan Stephens hit the slopes (the sled slopes), pedal icy backroads, traipse through freshly-fallen snow with a trail groomer, and find out just what that brand new mountain in the middle of a DeKalb park is made of. Grab your mittens and hop on! Highlights of this episode: It's a wintry mix! Your favorite local sledding spots. We visit two of your favorite sled hills in DeKalb County: Russell Woods and Hopkins Park. Elise Lewis and Maggie Plapp share some excellent parenting tips from the top of a hill. The mysterious mountain at Hopkins Park: how did it get there and what's it made of? Mike Holland reveals the secrets. Don't have a sled handy? Joe Mitchell has a pro-tip. Grooming the trails with Steve Forss of the Rockford Park District and his makeshift snow smasher. Enjoy camping but find it just too darn comfortable? Jim Kline has the winter "sport" for you. Ride the