Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and God's Blessings to you ALL! 


http://youtu.be/pn10FF-FQfs

http://youtu.be/Yjk9WqkFDNM

http://youtu.be/VKGonDIq8gw

Building a Warping Board

I finally got down into the basement and started building my warping board.  A warping board is a tool that will help me measure the warp threads needed to string on my floor loom for whatever project I decide to work on.  I think prices for warping boards are outrageous.  Mine cost less than $25.  Here's how I made it.

Materials

2, 8' pieces of  1" x 2" lumber
4, 4' lengths of 5/8" dowel rods
a handful of  thin nails
wood glue
hand tools

First I downloaded some instructions from the Internet.  I didn't follow this plan, but I needed to know how far apart to place the pegs and this plan had those measurements.

I cut 4 pieces out of the 1" x 2" lumber to build the frame.  Two pieces were 4' long, and two pieces were 3' long.  I laid the 3' long pieces on top of the 4' long pieces and nailed them together at the top and bottom of the 4' long pieces. 

Then with a pencil and ruler I marked the dowel rods into 6 3/4" pieces and cut them to size with a coping saw.

On the frame I measured and marked where the pegs would be placed, and I used a hand drill fitted with a 5/8" wood bit (sized to fit the 5/8" dowel pieces) to drill down ALMOST BUT NOT QUITE THROUGH the frame at those marked locations.  The dowel rod pieces will fit snugly in these seatings.

Next, I exchanged the 5/8" wood bit for a finer bit and drilled holes all the way through the center of each dowel seating.  I then flipped the frame over and nailed roofing nails through those holes and then turned the frame back over again.

I used a gimlet (purchased at Garrett Wade) to make a starter hole in one end of each dowel rod. I put some good glue in each seating and on the end of each dowel piece, then tapped each dowel lightly with a hammer, hole side down on top of the nails that were just nailed through the centers of each seating. As you can see, I had enough room on the frame to add a few more pegs so I bought another dowel rod and will do just that.  After the glue is dry and the pegs are as firm as I expect them to be, I will use some fine sandpaper to make the board all smooth.  Maybe I'll stain it if I can find some stain laying around.  I plan to hang this board somewhere on the wall in the basement.

Anyway, that's it. I'm proud of this warping board. One more "To Do" task completed. Now for deciding on a project and working the math to figure out how much warp and weft I'll need!

It's That Time of Year

We are in cookie mode here at Swamp Creek Farm.  I get a laugh at how certain people like to linger in the kitchen while I'm mixing batters and moving cookie sheets in and out of the oven.  This year I told everybody that I was going to make one batch each of the cookie favorites and once they are gone, that's it, so they'd better save some for Christmas.  I put most everything in bags and stick them into the freezer for Christmas week, but I have noticed that the brownies are already going fast . . . .  So far I made chocolate chip fudge cookies, oatmeal cookies and cocoa brownies.  Today I made the first batch of dough for the pfefferneusse and set it atop the refrigerator to age, white chocolate almond flavored almond bark, dark chocolate orange flavored almond bark, Alton Brown's gingersnap cookies (EXCELLENT and highly recommended!), and cream cheese kolackys.  The kolackys turned out so well, I'd like to share my recipe with you:

Kolacky

1/2 pound of butter, room temperature
2 Tbs. confectioner's sugar
1 egg yolk
1, 8 oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Cream butter with confectioners sugar, egg yolk and cream cheese.  Mix flour and baking powder; add to cheese mixture and stir lightly till texture is smooth.  Chill dough at least 30 minutes.  Then, divide dough in half.  Roll each half out on lightly floured surface about 1/4" thick.  Cut dough into 2" diameter circles and put on ungreased cookie sheet.  Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each circle and place a small amount of filling in each depression.  Bake in 350°F oven 15 minutes till set but not browned.  Cool and then dust with additional confectioners sugar. To say that these are yummy is not adequate!

Cream Cheese Kolacky Filling

1, 8 oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbs. confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2 Tbs. butter, room temperature

Combine all ingredients and beat till smooth.  Keep covered and in refrigerator till ready to use.

____________________________________

I have to say I'm looking forward to tasting the pfefferneusse as I have never made it before.  I'll finish baking it next Tuesday because on Wednesday I'm going to the Ag Extension Office in Phillips for a greenhouse/biomass heating workshop that I think will be very interesting.  My sister will be there, too, and it will be nice to see her. 

Tom and Ed went out and brought back a lovely Christmas tree that Ed and I decorated. Our Sarah called the other night and is having her first Christmas tree this year.  She has a beau, is doing something new at work that pays a little better, and is very happy with her life.  She said she only has three ornaments so  I think I'll give her my best Hallmark tree ornaments to get her collection going.   
It's bitter cold outside right now and we have a couple of inches of snow on the ground.  Our old dog is snoring in her sleep with her head on my feet. There's a fire in the wood stove and the Christmas tree is twinkling brightly.  I think I'll give my worries about the world a rest -- at least for tonight.

Cold and Colder

I finally got my cranberries and made cranberry sauce, cranberry mustard, and cranberry juice with 20 pounds of them.  I tried making my own craisins with the last 10 pounds, but it was a horrible failure; the final product tasted like burnt fruit leather.  It was simply awful and I had to toss it into the compost.  I'll try again next year with a smaller amount. Gosh, I hate to waste food!

We have had little bits of snow here but nothing is sticking so far.  The weather varies between cold and colder.  Rifle hunting season opens today and I'm sure the hunters would like a couple of inches of snow on the ground to aid their tracking.  Tom was out early this morning and let two nice does go by.  I think he's waiting for the buck with the big antler rack that shows on his deer cam.  He did get a nice buck already with his bow right in back of the house. 

On Veterans Day we went to the American Legion Hall in Butternut for their dumpling, sauerkraut, and pork loin dinner.  It is their biggest fund raising event.  As usual, the food was great!  I'm glad we went early because they ran out of dumplings just after 6:00 p.m.  Tom had gone to help make dumplings the day before. He said they made over 400 dumplings (and these are BIG dumplings made German style with shredded bread and mashed potatoes).  There is no problem getting Lara and Ed to eat at this meal!

I did get the new garden box filled with dirt and compost, and I still have some bags of leaf mulch in back of the chicken coop that I want to put on my forest garden raised beds.  I'd like to make them as high as the raised beds Sepp Holzer makes so I will just keep adding material to them till I like the way they look. 

I sure miss my chickens.

On other cold (political) fronts, the recall of Scott Walker has started.  Within 48 hours recall workers had already collected 50,000 signatures.  Great!  Between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. TODAY on the State Street side of the Capitol in Madison is a Recall Walker Kick Off  Rally.  There will be a marching band and singers.  Also, Teamsters Local 662 and members of Teamsters Joint Council 39 are sponsoring a canned food drive to help local food pantries, so if you go to the rally please bring a can of food with you for them.  And to keep up with Recall Walker information, visit http://www.wearewisconsin.org/.

I have to add this YouTube video of Scott Walker when he went to Chicago.  "Mic checks" are all right!

Regarding the Penokee mine issue, the information exchange potluck dinner on November 16th at the Bad River Community Center in Odanah went well.  Another potluck  will be scheduled for next month. I'll pass on the information when I get it. 

Our Special Olympics bowlers are going to the state tournament in early December.  All of them made 1st place at the Regional tournament in Eau Claire.  Hurray!  Congratulations to Justin, Anneliese, and Nino!

This has sure been a busy November.

Mining Update

Here are a couple of links to updates and who to contact on the proposed mine affecting the Bad River Watershed:

http://savethewatersedge.com/polluters-over-resources-bi.html

Assembly Committee on Jobs, Economy and Small Business

Senate Select Committee on Mining Jobs

Sen. Neal Kedzie is the Chair of the Senate Select Committee.  Here is a link to a recent article regarding his views:

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20111027/APC0101/110270495/Wisconsin-State-Senator-Neal-Kedzie-defends-sweeping-changes-water-permits

Senate Bill 24

There will be a photography exhibit highlighting the wilderness area to be affected by the proposed mine opening on November 14 in the Capitol Rotunda in Madison. 

There will be a potluck dinner at the Bad River Community Center on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to voice your opinions and get current information with respect to the mining issue. If you go, don't forget to bring a dish to share!

You know, no matter how many supposed jobs this proposed mine would bring to the Northwoods, the fact of the matter is that there will come a time when the mine would no longer be profitable and mining would shut down -- just as the old mines did -- and the Northwoods will be in the same bad economic straits it finds itself now, but without the iron ore as a natural resource and with a devastated wilderness area. And who knows -- what is to stop the mining company from suddenly deciding to sell its interests to China and reneging on any conditions imposed on it by the State should it grant permission to go ahead with the mine? How many times have communities in this country been left high and dry by such corporate actions?


On another issue -- RECALL SCOTT WALKER -- the effort begins NOVEMBER 15, 2011, NOT EARLIER.  See this article.  Don't be confused by dirty tricks.  I'm ready to sign! I believe that people are more important than corporations. 

Happy Halloween

Well, so the moon isn't full this Halloween -- we'll have to wait until 2020 for that -- but the traditions and history of the day are fascinating.  Trick or treating is a town event in our area so Lara and Ed and I usually make our own fun.  I'll read Goblin Market by Christina Rosetti and make traditional Indian Pudding served with a scoop of Schwan's Autumn Treat ice cream for a treat.  And after I put the kids to bed, maybe I'll go outside and wake the dead with some whirling and foot stomping of my own to Tulans Magic Drum.  Whee!  Now where's that Headless Horseman when you want to dance? 

Projects and More Projects

The Full Hunters Moon was really pretty this year.  I almost felt like howling at it.

I'm really trying to get as much as I can done before the ground freezes.  St. Luke's Summer went by too fast!  The warm weather has vanished and the wind has been howling for several days now.  No more leaves on the trees; even the tamaracks are turning brown.  I finally made it to the lumber yard and bought the wood for several of the projects I've been wanting to build like

Broom Closet

building shelves and putting up organizers in the broom closet so nothing falls on top of you when you open the door, and

New garden box

the new garden box I've been wanting.  (OK, so I still have to fill it up with dirt -- why do you think I want to get things done before the ground freezes?)

Then there is my basement pantry shelf unit.  I'm really proud of it.  Finally I'm able to put all of my canning jars up and off of the cold cement floor and there's plenty room to spare for more jars and pantry items. (I'm still looking to buy about 40 pounds of cranberries.)  It feels really good to be organized.  I have just enough wood left over to make my warping board so I can measure the yarn to string my floor loom.  Hurray!

Pantry Shelves

I have half of one log cabin quilt cut out.

But my biggest achievement this month has been overcoming my fear of and buying

my very own Savage Model 93 .22 W.M.R. rifle!  It has a cool scope and an accutrigger.  I'm taking it over to Dad's tomorrow for some pointers on using it.  Now I won't have to wait for someone else to dispatch chicken eating varmints.  Thanks to Marjorie Wildcrafter for giving me encouragement on the topic of using guns in a correspondence with her a while back.

Today I scrubbed the floors before the aide came to give Lara a bath, then finished butchering the chickens and canned the broth (I'll make a pot of gumbo tomorrow with the meat), baked pumpkins for puree to have for Thanksgiving pumpkin pies, and I cleaned and saved the pumpkin seed for next year's planting. 

With all this work it's no wonder my back hurts!

October

It's October.

Steel gray clouds cry cold tears;

to barren trees the wind laments.

Weathered stands the coop

Empty

Silent

For chickipoos are gone.

No eggs till next year.

Apple Time

Yep, it's that time of year again.  I just love apple time!  Yesterday I headed up to Bayfield for some of the good stuff.  It rained off and on, and a lot of the color on the trees had already peaked, but it was a nice drive.  There was even a rainbow in the sky at one point, but the picture I tried to take of it didn't turn out; it's kind of hard to take pictures while driving on the highway. 

The first place I went to was Erickson's. 

But nothing they had appealed to me this year so I headed on down the road to Bayfield Apple Company where I bought two bushels of apples, a bottle of hard apple cider (I've always wanted to taste hard cider), and a jug of regular apple cider for Lara and Ed.  By the way, if you have ever been to Bayfield Apple Company, you can no longer go into the old building -- the one where you used to be able to watch them make the apple butter.  You shop in the new store and they'll get the apples you want for you.  Be prepared to squeeze your wallet.

Next stop was Hauser's.  I love this place!  While I didn't buy apples today, I was able to get some pears.  Yay!  The folks here have some great views of Lake Superior and a lip smacking selection of apple wines.  This year they offered apple "seconds" and "thirds" for sale.  I think that's a great idea.

The apple dumplings I made for supper were snarfed down right quick.

And you know what I did all day today . . . .

Blue Hubbard Squash

I get asked alot about what to do with this beautiful squash --

Well, you can cook it like you do any other winter squash.  Don't let the size of this squash put you off from buying one.  

First I cut it in half, piercing the rind in a rib line with a sharp knife.  I don't try to cut the squash through; just cut each side at a time. 

See how big the hollow is in this half?  Take out the seeds and set them aside to clean and dry for your next year's planting! Then lightly grease a baking sheet and put one half on it.  I have to cook each half separately because both halves won't fit in my oven at the same time.  I usually place it cut side down first and bake it in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes before turning it over and cooking it another 30 minutes.  Depending on how big the squash is and what you want to do with it, it takes between 45 minutes and an hour to bake.  For me, it is done when you can easily pierce the meaty side of the squash with a fork.

I then scrape the meat out of the squash and mash it with a little butter.  We like to drizzle maple syrup over it.  This half squash fed my hungry family of four.  I'm going to use the other half to make this Maple Squash Pie recipe. 

Blue Hubbard squash tastes great and keeps well.  Don't be afraid to try it!

Taking a Walk

The weather lately has been cool and rainy, but I did manage to dodge rain drops the other day to walk around the woods and take some pictures.

I like the spots that let you peek through to see the big marsh.  There are several of them on the other side of the big marsh, but that will have to be a walk on another day.

Here's a nice critter condo.

This looks like a good spot to lay down wet hay and spread around some mushroom spawn.

These little maples aren't wasting any time claiming their place in the forest. 

Look at how these new maples sprout from this stump.

Here's a little basswood tree.  The tornado took out most of the big basswoods and I miss them.

This is a mature yellow birch left to be a seed tree.  Isn't the bark gorgeous?

There are still lots of bees buzzing in these forest flowers.

I don't know what this vine is, but it is thriving on the banks of the creek twisting happily amongst the dogwoods and blackberries.  The tree colors are pretty, too.  When I have more time I'll have to check out how the beaver dam is looking, but that's a longer walk.

Help Save Landreth Seed Company

Thanks to Mr. H over at Subsistence Pattern for passing this on.  I ordered my catalog and some seeds, and I look forward to ordering more after perusing the catalog. 

Have you done a good deed today?
Help Save Landreth Seed Company

What My Eyes See and Heart Tells

I have to tell you about an incident that occurred at the last farmers market that really disturbed me; I just can't get it out of my head.  Three young people came to my stand, two boys and a girl.  If any of them was over 25, I'd be surprised.  I don't even think the girl was 21.  Anyway, the girl wanted to buy some of my potatoes.  She had a booklet of WIC/FMNP (Women Infant Children/Farmers Market  Nutrition Program) coupons and turned to one of the boys to help her use them.  I was surprised that she did not understand how to use the coupons because they are essentially used the same as money, so I took a closer look at her.  She was very thin with a pretty face, and tatooed and body pierced up and down, but that was not what disturbed me.  When her companion gave her a $3.00 coupon from the booklet and she turned to look at me, her pretty blue eyes and face were absolutely vacant.  There was simply nothing there.  This girl was literally incapable of thinking for herself.  Really.  She could not function independently.  I walked her through picking out the potatoes she liked from the bushel basket and placing them on the scale to be weighed.  She gave me a happy smile when I finally bagged the potatoes and gave them to her.  Then the three of them walked away.  It was then that I thought, if she had WIC coupons . . . then where was the baby?

And that wasn't the worst of it.

While I was waiting for the girl to pick out the potatoes she wanted, I saw another young man walking down the sidewalk across the street.  I doubt that he, too, was more than 25 years old.  I swear that but for the loose overalls he wore, he didn't have a stitch on, and the overalls were slit up to almost the hip on both legs.  He walked, not like a human being, but an ape.  He was fair complexioned, had a lumbering gait, and he kept his head lowered and avoided eye contact with other people in the area. His hands were curled under like an ape's hands when it walks.  It was almost as if they were paralyzed in that position.  I was absolutely shocked. 

On various radio shows I have heard of people talk about America's disaffected youth.  I believe that I have finally seen what these radio hosts have.  But do I think these young people I saw were representative of the majority of American youth?  Adamantly, no.  Yes, we are living through hard times, and the world we know is transforming like a caterpillar into a butterfly before our eyes.  Nothing will ever be the same -- including us.  And, unfortunately, there will be some people not strong enough mentally or emotionally to make it through these times to see the sun shine again.  Many will.  What is important to remember is to be mindful of our attitude.  These hard times WILL pass.  There IS hope. 

I came across a link to a video that was posted on a listserv I subscribe to that I believe is good to share at this point.  It is an example of how one family did not succumb into negativity following adversity, but rather used it to turn their ranch around.  Most people don't have what this family started with, but the point the video makes is relevant no matter what you have:  BELIEVE in yourself and you will find a way to make your life better.  Here's the link --  Imperial Stock Ranch.

Harvest in Full Swing

Did you see the harvest moon?  It was so bright and beautiful, I thought for sure I'd hear some wolves howling at it, but they must be busy elsewhere.

Harvest Moon

I know I've been busy!  First, allergies laid me low for three days again, but thankfully I'm back on my feet.  I thought I'd turn into a lemon from all the lemon tea with honey I drank.  Then there was running to the doctor with Lara for her annual check up.  The nurse practitioner we saw was appalled that Tom and I never had any kind of health care assistance in caring for Lara and Ed.  Suddenly we have seen a home health care intake nurse and had a home physical therapy evaluation to see what kinds of mechanical aids we might be able to utilize at home and what body strengthening exercises we can do with Lara; a nurse has already come out to give Lara a bath for me (to give my back a rest from constantly lifting her); an occupational therapy evaluation is being scheduled to see just what finer motor skills Lara has or may need help with; and, there is the possibility of linking us up with a social worker who would provide us with information about other services we might be able to receive for both Lara and Ed.  And on Monday, Lara and I go to see a dietician to help with setting up a proper dietary program for Lara.  Wow! Am I still on planet Earth?  This all has been difficult for Tom and me.  We have always cared for Lara and Ed ourselves or had close family help us (thanks, Aunt T and Grandma Hon!).  Learning how to accept help from other people is foreign to us, but I realize that we are not getting any younger and taking care of Lara and Ed will not get any easier for us.  So, it is best to admit our limitations and get what intervention we can now before one of us gets injured lifting Lara and care giving turns into an emergency situation.  With the way the economy is there is no telling how long the help will last, but I'll take what we can get for as long as it lasts.  What we learn from working with these professionals can only help us.  I'm grateful for their help.  We paid taxes all our working lives so I guess I shouldn't feel guilty about finally using social services.  Still, it's hard, but I have to admit I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me.  Subconsciously I must have been worried about getting help.  I believe Pluto went direct today.  I surely feel transformed by events!

On other fronts, I started working in the forest garden to get those raised beds built I mentioned in earlier posts.  They don't look like much yet, but you should be able to see the outlines.

I'm going to lay down lots of green matter and cover it with manure and good compost.  As the site slopes slightly, the deep rooted horseradish  and rhubarb will each go into a bed of their own and hold down the soil.  The work is going faster than I thought it would and I should finish it in another day.  Hurray! 

We have a healthy squash harvest this year.

Tom's Garden Squash Harvest

Here are some of my Blue Hubbard and Sunshine squashes.  I'm so happy I finally got some Blue Hubbard to grow.  Some of them are still a little green, but they will keep a couple of weeks and ripen up.  I still have the New England pie pumpkins and a few more Hubbards out in the field that I will have to gather fairly soon now that we had our first hard frost of the season last night.  I don't know what it is about squash, but it's only when I harvest them that I feel like I really have a harvest.

My Red Cloud potatoes sure didn't last long.  Lara and I sold half a bushel the first day at market, then I sold a full bushel to the neighbor down the road, and that leaves barely one more bushel to sell.  When we harvested Tom's potatoes, for some reason he only got two bushels, and those were very small so we won't be taking any of those to market.  He planted Red Pontiacs and Superior varieties.  I think I'll stick with my Red Clouds.

This afternoon we were back in Tom's garden again and harvested another trailer load of corn and squash.  We were going to bundle the collards to sell at the market, but they are so bug chewed I told Tom I couldn't sell them.  But we will eat them.  Bug chewed leaves don't bother us.  I'm going to leave my Golden Bantam corn on the stalk and let it dry.  I'll shock the stalks after they turn brown and shell the corn to use for seed and chicken feed next year.

The kitchen is really full.  From saucers of fermenting tomato and cucumber seeds, kefir brewing, eggs that need to be washed and almost ready crocks of sauerkraut calling out to yum it up with a nice pork loin in a pot, harvest here is in full swing. 

I feel good.

Mining Update

I've just received some information on the September 30th rally.  The event is being billed as a "Hootenanny and Camp Out".  It will be in the Penokee Hills September 30 - October 2, 2011.  It is an alcohol and drug free event.  For more details, go to savethewatersedge.com.  If you need even more information, you can email pheducationproject@gmail.com or savethewatersedge@gmail.com.  If you would like to volunteer, contact pheducationproject@gmail.com.

There will also be a presentation about the proposed Penokee mining project and (1) how it would affect the Northwood's flora, fauna, public health, and economic future; and, (2) what YOU can do to raise awareness of it.  This presentation will be held this coming Monday, September 19, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Portage County Library, 1001 Main Street, Stevens Point, WI.  The presenter will be Frank Koehn.  Here is a link to an article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that will give you an idea of what the Northwoods faces with this mine:  http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/124929144.html. 

Personally, I am all for progress and certainly welcome jobs coming into the area, but I am NOT willing to sell my soul or sacrifice our splendid natural resources just for money.  Once Wisconsin's natural resources are gone, they are gone forever.  No amount of worthless dollars or paper promises is worth the loss!

Something Wicked This Way Comes

One night a couple of years ago there was a meeting up in Glidden "informing" property owners about mineral rights and mining. My sister and I went to this meeting.  While there, as a former legal secretary, my "critical listening" antennae started buzzing -- something was up.  Somebody, somewhere in the mining industry was discretely sniffing for information.  Nothing overt happened that I could detect, and I relegated the event to the remote-but-not-forgotten memory section of my brain because my antennae aren't often wrong about such things. 

Now, guess what I've just learned?  The illustrious corporate whores in the Scott Walker administration are working hard to undermine Wisconsin's strong protective mining laws (look up LRB-2035 and be on the look out for similar legislation to be proposed) and allow Gogebic Taconite LLC (of Cline Resources Group out of millionaire Christopher Cline -- BTW coincidentally(?!) another campaign contributor (from West Virginia) of Governor Scott Walker [http://www.wisdc.org/index.php?filter=+Search+&from=2010-09-24&to=--&contributor_name=Cline&name=Walker%2C+Scott&interest=Natural+Resources&module=wisdc.websiteforms&cmd=searchadvanced]) to mine iron ore in the pristine Gogebic-Penokee Range of northern Wisconsin with little to no regard for environment or citizenry.  So what's the big deal, you ask?  Well, go to savethewatersedge.com/ and check out the information there to find out.  There is supposed to be a rally on September 30th at Copper Falls State Park about this, but I don't have any other information regarding the rally.  While you're at it, think about joining former Senator Russ Feingold's Progressives United that is trying to get the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision overturned that will help prevent outside interests from interfering in political elections. 

This is just one more reason to RECALL SCOTT WALKER and get rid of his cronies.  Does something wicked this way come?  Yeah -- if we let it. 

Saturday Market

Proud to say I chipped in to have this sign made for our market

Saturday started out rainy and chilly.  I was tempted to turn the car around and come home while Lara and I headed toward Phillips because the rain was coming down so hard, but I took a chance that the rain would stop, and it did shortly after we reached the farmers market.  I was surprised at the number of customers that showed up; usually when the weather is off so are the customers.  I suppose the good numbers were because of visitors and the long Labor Day holiday weekend.

Marie, a local caterer and long time local food supporter, had a tent next to us and cooked samples of the everybody's produce.  The air smelled soooo good!  She bought some of our Red Cloud potatoes and made "Loaded Potatoes" (steamed potato split and filled with your choice of chicken or pulled port, steamed veggies, and topped with dollops of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese).  Lara and I bought one and was it ever good.  Talk about healthy eating!

Marie and her tent

We sold another bushel of corn and close to 30 pounds of potatoes.  Lara and I were very pleased when a man came to our booth and told us he thought we had the best tasting food at the market!  That really made my day.  My produce may not be the biggest or prettiest or largest quantity, but I don't use commercial fertilizers and I slug through the growing season with only hand tools and my trusty BCS 722 walking tractor.  My produce tends to be small because I am still building my soil's fertility, but you just can't beat those old heirloom varieties for taste.  They shine!  And the lady that bought my small onions last week, came back and bought more because she said she loved the way they tasted.  When customers come back like this you know you are selling real food.

This is Dawn.  She networks with John and Floyd, the guys who take the time to haul everybody's scales down to Medford each Spring to get calibrated for the season. Because they are a network of growers, they always have a wide selection of veggies at their booth.  I like the way they use old potato and feed sacks to decorate their table.  I bought a whole box of tomatos from them for $18 to supplement the less than half a bushel of Rutgers tomatos I got from my garden. 

Phil didn't want his picture taken but allowed me to take one of his booth.  His veggies are simply enviable.  He gave me some advice about my soil, which was very nice of him.  We are a friendly group in Phillips, but we are definitely food oriented.  While we can offer crafts for sale, at least 50% of each booth must be dedicated to food or food products!

Phil's table

This is our market manager, Diane of B's Flambeau Acres.  She and her husband, Alan, sell honey and maple syrup.  It's delicious!  Diane was the first friend I made when we moved to Wisconsin and she is very dear to my heart.

Diane of B's Flambeau Acres

And to round it off, here is our booth and the rest of the vendors at the other end of the market.  I'm embarrassed to say that I can't remember everybody's names.

Find the farmers market nearest where you live and visit it.  Farmers markets are good for the stomach and good for the soul!