Park Ranger Kat Barker

 

When you think of a wilderness ranger, who do you think of? Do you picture a big burly bearded man, covered in plaid? Would it blow your mind to see a woman ranger, wearing pink, with a pickaxe in tow? If so, consider your mind blown.

Meet Kat Barker, a trails and wilderness supervisor. She and her crew head to the backcountry for 8 day long trips of 10-hour work schedules, consisting of clearing downfall, maintaining drainage structures, trail and bridge construction, etc. It takes a tremendous amount of strength and wherewithal to perform the daily tasks and move camp every night. The job may be tough, but it comes with the best office space around. Every night ends with a good meal at the campfire with friends, and rest is sweetest after collapsing into a sleeping bag, every limb aching from the typical routine.

It’s inspiring to see this role, historically dominated by men, being filled by strong, independent women. Kat’s advice for young girls who hope to follow a similar career path is that, “You can do it! If you love being in the mountains and enjoy working really, really hard and sweating a lot, there is nothing stopping you.  It can be difficult to get your foot in the door with public land management agencies, but do your applications, and call, call, call!  Making actual connections with the people in charge of trails and wilderness programs goes a long way in getting hired.  Or there are many other arenas like firefighting, range work, biology technicians, etc. that are open for newcomers as well.  Once you get hired on, even more doors will open.”

Nothing beats a barrel of determination and love for nature. Let your passions be your driving force in life.

Kat is wearing: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance Quarter-Zip & Women’s Original-Fit Crawford Canvas Dungaree 

The Fountain of Youth

You can spend a lifetime chasing your dreams and building your skills. Each passing year brings knowledge and a greater familiarity with your craft. Your hands learn the motions. Your feet know each peddle and step. Mixtures and solutions are written over and over in your mind so many times that you’ll never forget them. Each day you create new thoughts and ideas to make your work better or different. That accumulation is one of the most beautiful parts of life. Each time you put on your Carhartts, still covered in yesterday’s work, you’ve grown stronger, smarter, and more capable. The seasoning of each passing year, with all the mistakes and successes you’ve seen, can only add to who you are. Always wear your dirty work vest with pride.

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” -Sophia Loren

take a look at the El Paso Utility Vest worn above 

The Fight for the Henhouse

When there are obstacles standing before passions, the Carhartt woman does what it takes to break them down. Laura Mikulski moved to Ferndale, MI in 2006. As an organic gardener, the draw of keeping chickens seemed very alluring. They eat bugs and provide fertilizers. You can also rest assured that the flock is well cared for and their eggs are healthy to eat.
Laura’s planning and preparation led to the realization that there were municipal ordinances against keeping backyard chickens. (i.e. residents were not authorized to keep fowl within  a distance of 150 ft from any building) That was outrageous to Laura. In hopes that it would be an educational experience for the city, she looked for a way to amend these restrictions. Laura researched the plat maps and contacted the city’s assessor to find out how many properties would be eligible to keep fowl under the current ordinance. The results were shocking; there were so few properties eligible, that the regulation may as well have outlawed anyone from keeping chickens in city limits.
Laura reached out to Ferndale’s city council members and city workers to start the conversation. Several officials responded favorably, and the ball started rolling. Her fight for backyard chickens gained even more momentum when her work began winning over the locals. Ultimately, her appeals weren’t granted until 2012 when the ordinance was amended. She was the first to submit paperwork and have her coop inspected.
It was a long road to her ultimate goal, but now she and her hens can live happily ever after. If you’re in the Ferndale or metro Detroit area, keep up with Laura here.
For any of you that are looking into raising chickens of your own, Laura advises research and more research. Read as much as you can. Glean knowledge from online articles and blogs. Here’s a good starter kit of first aid care for your own little flock:

• Wazine: a wormer, for emergency purposes.  Some people recommend worming twice per year, but chickens often develop a natural resistance to these pests- use this only if necessary after a fecal test.
• Tetracycline Hydrochloride: an general antibiotic for use primarily when you notice respiratory issues or ‘headcold-like’ symptoms
• Sav-a-chick Electrolytes:  crucial for when weather gets very hot, or when dealing with an ill bird
• Flexible wrap: get the kind that sticks to itself, for use in holding bandages in place if a bird gets injured
• Gauze pads: for injuries
• Wound wash: be sure to get one without pain relievers, as those are toxic to birds
• Activated charcoal: for symptoms of poisoning
• Providone Iodine ointment: a substitute for things like neosporin, for injuries–great antibacterial ointment
• Blu-Kote: germicidal fungicidal wound dressing.  Crucial for a chicken kit- when chickens see red or blood associated with an injury, they will peck at it, and can turn cannibalistic if they’re not stopped.  BluKote turns the wound area dark blue-purple, which immediately stops the other hens from picking at an injury.
• Rubbing alcohol: sterlizing
• Hydrogen peroxide: wound cleaning/debriding
• Styptic powder with no pain relievers: for staunching blood flow, but be sure it does not have pain relievers in there, as most that are used with dogs do
• NuStock: ointment used for burns and skin disorders
• Medical scissors: for cutting dressings and feathers around a wound site
• Epsom salts: for soaking when the hen is egg bound or needs a site cleaned
• Superglue: for repairing a broken beak (it does happen)
• Tweezers: for pulling splinters
• Nutrient drench: for sick hens to revitalize and regain energy
• Probiotics: for use after antibiotics
• Gloves:  for when things get messy
• Book: The Chicken Health Handbook by Gail Damerow, contains tons of information on disease, illness, and malnutrition including symptoms and treatment
  
  The proper workwear is also essential when tending to your flock. Take a look at Laura’s look: Carhartt Women’s Kenmare Henley, Women’s Huron Shirt, Relaxed-Fit Denim Jasper Jean, El Paso Utility Jacket, & C-Grip Knuckler Glove.

Master Frame Buildin’ Momma

Natalie worked as a bike messenger for 6 years as she went to grad school for architectural design.  She wanted to combine her love of design, the world of cycling, and respect for the environment into a business and way of life. With its bike-friendly nature, Portland seemed like a great place to start Sweetpea Bicycles, owned and operated by Natalie and her husband, Austin. Out of a desire to help women experience the joy of cycling, she strives to make bikes that perfectly fit a woman’s body. As a mother of two, there’s no doubt her enthusiasm will be passed down to her children.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s a great time to take a step back and appreciate the ambitions and passions your own mom instilled in you. Don’t forget to tell Mom that you love and appreciate her.

Take a look at Natalie’s work wear here: Carhartt Women’s Minot Shirt, 1889 Slim Double-Front Denim Dungaree, & Short Sleeve Signature T-Shirt.

 

Tips for First Time Pet Owners

You’ve hit the sweet spot when you find a way to merge your passion and your job. Minneapolis graphic designer, Kelsey Dusenka, has found a way to do just that. Kelsey has three cats of her own, but after finding an abandoned, malnourished kitten beside a dumpster in the dead of winter, she found herself on a mission. She cared for the kitten until she found a good home for it. Kelsey realized how difficult it is to part with an animal and how much more difficult it is to take any pets to the shelter, which may be why so many are abandoned. With all of that weighing heavy on her heart, Kelsey wanted to create an educational resource for first time pet owners to learn what it takes to raise a cat or a dog before they adopt so the animal wouldn’t be returned to a shelter or abandoned. Kelsey is now working on starting a Kickstarter to fund My Pet 101. Ultimately, she’d like to combine forces with shelters and have a presence at their adoption events. Keep an eye out for updates on Kelsey’s website.

Tips for first time pet owners from Kelsey Dusenka: 
“Do your research. You’re not buying an animal, you’re adopting one. The biggest reason newly adopted animals are returned to shelters is because of owners’ lack of knowledge, which is also the easiest problem to fix. Know how much it’s going to cost, how to set up your home, and how to raise it. As simple as it sounds, the more you know going into owning an animal, the less surprises there’ll be, and the easier it’ll be on you and your new pet.”

Advice on Passion Projects

This is Annie Yiling Wang, graphic designer by day and jewelry designer on the side. Jewelry making is a fun hobby that lets her use her hands as she unwinds. Getting crafty can be relaxing, while still putting visual skills into play. Annie approaches her designs as if they were a three dimensional pattern or collage. The different color combinations and materials form a wearable canvas. She even makes a lot of her own beads. Annie has found a way to make her side project profitable. A lot of artistic and crafty people spend much of their downtime making things that could be turned into a lucrative passion project.

Advice from Annie about selling your work:

• Find stores in your area. Don’t be shy about showing them your work.
• Have a type of client in mind and seek out places who may have a similar client base.
• Get creative with places your could sell your wares. Think outside of your market.

“but I don’t think I would be near as happy working 9-5 in a suit”

Meet Josey Butler. She grew up on a rural Missouri cattle farm and now lives and works in Texas, training horses and competing in rodeos. Josey is a fireball if I’ve ever met one. So much skill and determination flow from her as she steps into the arena. She’s confident and bold. Her horses knows who’s boss. She’s authoritative and filled with compassion and understanding at the same time. The relationship with a horse and his master is so complex and unlike anything else. When I asked Josey to explain that connection to me, I was blown away by her response.

“Being the weird horse girl growing up has taken me places nationally a lot of people will never see. It’s extremely hard work, people think you just ride horses all day, and there is so much more too it than that. You have to be a part time vet and part time therapist to a 1200 lb animal who can’t just tell you what’s wrong. You have to be a carpenter, plumber, electrician, and mechanic because things don’t always malfunction during business hours, and running a horse training facility relies on all those things daily. You’re also an accountant and secretary because the government still wants taxes, and there is an amazing amount of paperwork involved in both billing and accounts payable when your entering events and such. On the other hand when you’re recieving checks, or an award for a job well done for a client, or even just sitting on a great horse at the end of the day, watching the sunset– it’s unbelievably satisfying. Most people who train in the horse industry never end up on the cover of Forbes but I don’t think I would be near as happy working 9-5 in a suit.”

A life and career driven by passion and a solid work ethic is worth the sweat. Find what drives you and make it happen. Be grateful for the little things you do day-to-day that remind you why you’ve chosen the path you’re on. Find joy in the sunsets.

see Josey’s work gear here: Carhartt Women’s Norfolk Henley, Marlinton Vest, & Carhartt Women’s Jasper Jeans

I’ve Got Turbo Blue in My Veins

Remember Adrienne from a few posts back?
We wanted to share a bit more of her story. 

Q: What is your first memory of your fascination with automobiles?

A: Both my parents work in automotive industry. There was always car stuff and art work around the house that my mother or father had done. My dad always had cool cars. I was always so excited when he brought home cars when I was growing up. I remember being three or four years old and he came home with this 4^th generation Corvette manual with a stick. I would help him wash it and work on it. One day, I was sitting in the drivers seat of the car and I pulled on the gear shift and it started rolling. My Dad yelled at me as he jumped in the car and pulled on the hand brake. That’s when I first fell in love with cars. That was the beginning of my obsession of cars.

Q:  What car did you learn to drive on and what was the first car you owned?

I first learned to drive my mom’s minivan when I was 10 years old and she let me back it out of the garage. When my dad said I could officially start learning to drive, it was music to my ears. My dad had a 50^th anniversary Corvette and that was the first car he took me out in. That was a pretty cool car to first learn how to drive. We would go to the parking lot at a school by my house. I was pretty picky when it came to picking out my first car, which was a 1999 Camaro SS.

Q:  Why did you start working in a body shop?

A: I started working in the shop with another women who was building a funky transformer car. We were the only two women in the shop and when that gig ended I asked the owners if I could stay on and apprentice with the guys in the shop. They said yes!

Q:  Why are so many women in drag racing? Why are you building a drag racing car?

A: The sport of drag racing is more receptive to women than other forms of car racing. They look at you as a racer first, a man or woman second. I spent a lot of time drag racing in college. That’s what my friends and I were doing. So naturally that’s why I wanted to build my own car. And my racing friends are all guys. I only have one girlfriend. I don’t hang out with girls too much.

Q: Can you describe what makes this car so special?

A: What I like about the first generation Monte Carlo is that it’s a muscle car but it’s got an underdog quality. It’s an unconventional hotrod. My plan for it is comes partly from inspiration from drag cars and partly from the inspiration of mid-century stock cars. I’m building a completely custom dashboard with gauges.

Q: Tell us about your day job?

A: I work in promotion in the motorsports industry. I travel around the country to all kinds of car racing events including NASCAR, American Lemans Series (ALMS), dirt track, and Indy Car races. I manage mobile event tours and also relationships with race teams and tracks. I love it! I get to spend my weekends at a racetrack. I’m in heaven. The hardest part about my job is not being in a car or a pit crew. I want to work on cars and drive them, but that’s not my job. But I get to be an advocate for the sport, which is rewarding.

Q:  Do you think you’ll make the switch to the other side of the track, ie. to driving?

A: My parents didn’t put me in a go cart when I was four, so I’ve accepted the fact that I’m not going to race cars for a living. My passion is still around my work, so I’m grateful.

Q: How is it to be a woman in the field of auto sports? How do the guys treat you?

A: In my day job, I don’t volunteer information about my own mechanical skills and knowledge of cars. I just don’t boast about it. But people who know cars can pick it up. It’s not like it used to be. Racing is still male dominated, but there are lots of women who work in motorsports, and people don’t seem to judge whether you’re male or female. You just have to do a good job exceptionally well.

Outside of work, to be honest, my favorite part of driving my cars would be when I would pull up at cruise night and step out with my designer clothes, and no one expected a women to walk out of that car, never mind own it. They always thought it must be my boyfriend’s car. I don’t have a boyfriend. Generally guys thinks it’s cool that I work on cars, but they are also intimated by it. I’m an intense person. My dad says I have to put a radius on it, my intense personality that is.

Q: What does the future look like for you?

A: To stop procrastinating and go to graduate school and get my MBA.

See what Adrienne is wearing here: Original-Fit Canvas Crawford Dungaree, Clarksburg Zip-Front Sweatshirt, Clarkston Cami, Logo Loop Belt, & Billings Safety Glasses with Anti Fog Lenses.