Farmers Market

So part of our new adventure with our farm and the LLC is to attend the closest farmer's market.  We were lucky enough to be accepted for the entire season as a new vendor, and after two weeks have had great fun, learned a lot, and made it a family affair!  After week one we had a list of things to improve, since we had never set up a stand such as this it helped to get one day under our belt to see  what we needed.  After adding some home made signage, more table clothes, and a better display for our corn heating bags, we feel it was successful!  It was so fun to share pictures of our chickens to make buying our food more personal.  So MANY, MANY people stopped by to look at the pictures and chat about their experience with chickens.  Some own their own, grew up with them, checked for eggs at their grandparents farm, walked around as a kid with a rooster on their head, or remember roosters chasing them around the yard :)  It attracted a lot of attention.

  This lady was the hit of the morning!

I also offered min-muffins as samples of my quick breads this week.  It was an easy addition and a hit.  Many adults tried them, then purchased a loaf or bag of muffins, and some kids got their breakfast from our stand.  I definitely will be doing this more often.  I offered larger muffins for sale with the quick bread loaves, and that was also  a hit.  I think  I will take a break from my French bread, also since there is a great bread stand at the market, and focus on quick breads, eggs, and corn bags until our garden produce is ready.  Garden set up happened this weekend so more on that soon!  

I was very proud we made our sign from scrap wood on our property, and leftover house paint!

Mr. Hopewell did awesome helping set up, make change, and take kiddos to the bathroom :)

 I was so excited that Mr. Hopewell's display idea for the bags, along with a friend's idea for a display board, worked!  We sold 7 bags in one morning!  The most ever, as we had been giving them as gifts and didn't sell any the first day but had lots of interest.  I am a bit excited since my new sewing skills are really working out, and it was nice to have others I don't know enjoy what I made. 

This is our updated corn hearing bag display.  Now you can see the explanation board, many types of fabrics we use, and our sizes.  You heat them in the microwave and the corn holds the heat longer than rice seems to.  They were a hit!

Using our chalkboards from home to list our goods, and of course the rooster picture mom and dad made us!

I am very happy with our stand right now and probably won't make any major adjustments for a while. 

 

CORN Heating Bags!

Just some of the prints I found on sale, or in the remnant pile at the fabric store.  It is a perfect first project for this beginning sewer, since my skills come from my middle school Home Ec classes. 

A long bag perfect for sore neck muscles.  This print was snatched up, have to make some more!

Cold toes love warm beds to crawl into at night :)

This is common to see at our house as one of the daughters gets growing pains quite often.  She always requests a warm bag to sleep with. 

 We are having so much fun, and teaching the kids many life lessons this year.  I can't wait to see what is in store for the season!  This weekend we had helpers in the garden, friends over for pork chops on the grill pit, and beautiful weather for getting dirty in the woods.  Here's to all the blessing we have had our entire lives, but especially since finding our home.  Get out and get some fresh air!  The buds and flowers are amazing!