Steve and Hannah say a 'broken road' led them to start Broken Road Forge in Koochiching

Paul Nevin, director of the Koochiching Economic Development Authority, opened the second episode of the authority’s “Stories on How We Got Here” series at Broken Road Forge in Gemmel and invited residents Steve and Hannah to tell how they came to live and work in the area.

Steve said the move followed a long sequence of relocations and a property they found online. "I left New York in 2004," he said, describing stops in Montana, Arizona and Wyoming before returning to Minnesota and eventually moving north to the Broken Road Forge property.

Hannah, who spent 35 years in Duluth but grew up in the Iron Range, said she initially resisted moving so far north but changed her mind after a local business owner recruited her to help organize community events. "Within 30 minutes, she had me recruited for helping with the Halloween party and the Easter egg hunt," Hannah said, noting the personal connections convinced her the town had what they needed.

The couple described practical trade-offs of rural life—longer drives for medical appointments and big-box shopping—and the habits that make it work: planning trips to larger towns and relying on local networks for emergencies. Hannah recalled the early days without home internet when they used the cafe and the small community library to manage online tasks and communications.

Their work at the forge has become a community focal point. Steve recounted a recent "hammer-in" blacksmithing event in which visiting demonstrators led workshops; he said the gathering drew about 50 people, notable for a community of that size. "We had over, we had over 50 people here," he said, adding that the event was kept free and accessible to encourage broad participation.

The guests also described how business assistance accelerated their shop’s launch. Nevin said the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and KCDA helped the couple with planning and provided a grant that shortened the time to first sales. Hannah said the help included business planning and social-media support; within about 18 months they were selling on Etsy, in multiple stores, and shipping to dozens of states and several countries.

On local production, Steve described tapping maple trees on their property and harvesting sap for syrup; he estimated the season yielded roughly 320 gallons of syrup (speaker estimate). The couple also described sourcing eggs, meat and honey from nearby producers and using neighbor-supplied beeswax to finish metal pieces made at the forge.

Throughout the conversation, both emphasized mutual aid: neighbors who bring welcome baskets, help with chores after injuries, and pitch in during emergencies. Hannah and Steve said those reciprocal relationships—and local institutions such as the library and volunteers who run community events—were central to their decision to stay.

Nevin closed the recording by thanking the guests and KCC TV for recording the episode and said the series aims to showcase stories that might encourage others to consider rural living. The episode highlighted how local networks and targeted business assistance can help new residents turn crafts and skills into a viable small business.

The hosts noted the property’s mailing address is Misbah, while the location is locally known as Gemmel in Koochiching County; production credits listed Darcy Sullivan and KCC TV.