I heard a gentle voice call out behind me: âWell, hello there, Mr. Stark!â I turned to see a bright-eyed woman who said sheâd spotted me on the local comÂmunity pages. Thatâs how I met Adelle SolariMoon â walking down Main Street on her way to meet with acclaimed local ceramicist Karen LeBlond.
Hands in Clay, Heart in the Valley
Adelle had just begun an apprenÂticeship in pottery â using the same hands that, most days, are out past the edge of town, homesteading as she defines it: studying the connecÂtion between sky, earth, and all living things, while quietly exploring how to support local youth and rethink the culÂtural gaps we face as a community.
She didnât lead with that, though. Like many folks who make a real impact in this Valley, sheâs not chasing recognition â sheâs simply showing up. For the land. For the art. For a way of life that still values purpose over polish.
Adelle came here for small-town America â and stayed for something deeper: a sense of growth. Of contriÂbution. Of connection earned through work, not words.
Echos of History Shape Our Valley
Her daily rhythm mirrors that of the early settlers who shaped this region. Where 19th-century homesteaders braved isolation, harsh weather, and the unknown, todayâs version faces difÂferent tools and hardships: rising costs, water concerns, the work of reconnectÂing to early kitchen practices before industrialism, and the quiet challenge of choosing a heart-centered, more holistic path for herself and her community.
Yet the spirit remains. Adelle is part of a new generation of modern homeÂsteaders courageously rebuilding what many fear is fading â not with slogans or social media, but with early mornÂings, long days, and hands that know how to care for soil, life, and stone.
The Lifeblood of Custer County
We often celebrate the storefronts â the charm of Main Street, the sparkle of events. But itâs the people behind those facades, just a block off the beaten path, who keep the heart of this valley beating. Folks like Adelle â who support the local food chain, shape the local art scene, and build something lasting without asking for applause.
She didnât come here to retreat from the world. She came to be part of something honest and alive.
Youâll find her online, watchÂing from afar, praying for answers to lifeâs most pressing questions â in the kitchen, at the kiln, on the land â living proof that the West was never truly âwon,â only stewarded. And that stewardship continues today, in boots and gloves, not headlines and hashtags.
What started as an acquaintance between two strangers on the sidewalk whispered a reminder: The West isnât built by noise. Itâs built by neighbors. Just like Adelle â and you. It is you, me, we who put the âusâ in the Wet Mountain Valley.
â KC Stark, Tribuneâs
Man on the Street
