Mixed Media by French Artist Dany

February 14: Appreciation Deadline 

My husband once tried to get out of Valentine's Day by arguing that it's just a man-made event to make people buy gifts, cards and/or offer something special like a dinner. My comment was: "So?"

Valentine's Day, like Mother's Day or birthdays, involves a lot of commercialism. But would you really "think" of the special people in your life without a little push from the side? Here my husband states the obvious: "But I appreciate you all the time. " Well, I sure hope so, but visual reinforcement would be nice every now and then. Who in their right mind would turn down a gift, card, or even a thoughtful gesture. Let alone travel arrangements to a location with an ocean view (still waiting for this one!). These gestures never fail to make me feel appreciated and happy.

I like to think of these special days as appreciation deadlines. For most of us, it is probably about time to do something which sets this day apart from all the others.  With a little pressure from the calendar, appreciation may become a "to-do-list" item:  plan an interesting day, a few hours, or even a special moment.

Chore or not, the efforts will pay off. Even the fact, that someone thinks you deserve all of the attention, that he/she searched for a great restaurant, event to attend, or a deal on the biggest bouquet of flowers you could probably "waste" your money on, makes a caring statement.

Valentine's Day is like hitting the reset button: Stop all other applications, and just choose one - Make someone feel good!

Here's an array of options to achieve just this (in no particular order):

• Make travel arrangements... You don't have to travel this minute, but a confirmation code in a pretty card will get the point across.
• Dinner out is okay for her according to polls, but men don't list a romantic candle lit dinner as a top thing to do. So try maybe something out of the ordinary:
• Picnic on top of a look-out or by the frozen river while sipping hot mulled wine or Mojo Coco hot chocolate. Miraculously you present your mate with wonderful local snack foods such as crackers, organic tortilla chips, salsa, almonds, cheeses, dried fruits and chocolates in the appropriate heart shaped box...
• You can't go wrong with Breakfast in bed, especially if you hide a little something under the toast. Lanesboro Local has these amazing pancake mixes, specialty syrups, Sturdy Wheat Hot Cereal,  8-grain cereals and very neat pottery bowls to go with it! And of course, an array of options that hide nicely under the toast...
• Guys should CAtB - Cover all the bases: The card, the chocolate, the piece of jewelry (you can be done with this in 5 min flat)

• Gals: Beside the obvious easy "gift", you can show your appreciation with a new handcrafted fishing pole, a few new spinners, or a cast iron fish sculpture.
• Or something very special: Cook a hearty meal for him such as buffalo roast with Tequila Lime BBC sauce wearing a funky new apron while playing Garth Brooks "Nothing but an apron on..."
• Or simply order the best truffles in SE Minnesota at the Marketplace now. Costa Truffles will be available on Feb 10 and 11. Call 467-2944 for more info
• Something super easy: Place a bag of Barsy's Almonds in her handbag, on the nightstand or in the car for the commute... Choose from Sweeties, Naughties, or Hotties. You make the call!

Loni Kemp, Lanesboro Local  Board of Directors

Loni Kemp on

 Live Local -Live Well

February is a good time to hunker down and give ourselves time to reflect. Days are short and nights are long, while the wood stove beckons us to draw near and sit a spell.

As I think about our three decades of living in the country, it strikes me how utterly grateful I am for the blessings of a life lived here amongst our Fillmore County rural communities. The daily benefits are so abundant that one might easily take them for granted. I vow to be more observant and appreciative for the rural life we live here.

The motto adopted by Lanesboro Local is "Live Local. Live Well." It captures the organization's hopes of expanding the regional rural economy by connecting rural producers and rural consumers. But it is not just about helping our neighbors earn a good living. Nor is it just about our opportunity to eat some of the most delicious food produced anywhere, or to buy meaningful crafts and gifts. It is also about the joy of being part of communities that look inward to solve our own problems and create our own well-being.

I often write of the gifts of nature. Our wooded hills, verdant valleys, and productive farms form the setting for ever-changing delights. These are free to everyone who can open their eyes. The seasons, the weather, the moonrise and the sunrise provide new wonders every day. Black cattle against the snow; white lambs on green pastures; a soaring black eagle with white head and tail-all are just outside my window. Even the changing smells throughout the year say, "Wake up! Pay attention."

I treasure the can-do, help-your-neighbor mentality that thrives here. It seems we all raised our children to make things, fix things, and grow things. I believe that a very satisfying life is created when we make it ourselves.

An increasingly important pleasure for me is buying some of our food and goods from local producers. Our neighbors bring me fresh brown eggs every week and homemade sausage when they butcher, gifts at which I never stop marveling. Another neighbor sold us a quarter beef of the finest, leanest, tastiest meat we've ever had.

Lanesboro Local brings in a whole new dimension, where we've created a Marketplace for local goods and foods. I'm totally hooked on delicious Kapper's milk, Liz's salad greens, and a variety of excellent cheeses, meats, and chips, all made within this region. I'd much rather spend my money here than a faceless Walmart. 

As I reflect on rural life, I guess what I'm most thankful for is the sense of place. We feel firmly rooted, here in this particular landscape, in these overlapping human communities. It is not paradise here or anywhere else; people die tragically, and tornados and floods devastate. Yet we can trust that our communities will care and the seasons will turn. I'd rather live here than anywhere else on earth.

Planting Garlic at Sun Fresh Farms

Paul Schmidt of Sun Fresh Farms-We'll have to pray that at some point we'll get enough rain to actually grow something in SE MN, but with that being said, we are planning on a great garlic season and would invite anyone who is planning on large or bulk orders (20# and over) to contact us at pschmidty@centurylink.net as to the availability of that variety.  All orders that specify variety are on a first-come first-served basis.  We will have bulk quantities available in 2012 for the following varieties: Softneck- Inchelium Red, Chet's Italian Red and Tochliavri.  Hardneck- Belarus, Georgian Fire, Georgian Crystal, Chesnok Red, Armenian, Russian Giant, German Extra Hardy, Samarkand (Persian Star), Krasnodar Red, Music and Siberian.  We also want to let you know that we will have limited quantities of the following varieties:  Spanish Roja, Silver White, Creole Red, Zemo, Mary Jane and Elephant Garlic.  New for 2012:  Andidzhanskij, Duganskij, Choparski, Estonian Red and Belgian Red.  These last 5 varieties were obtained from avid garlic grower Br. Joseph at New Melleray Abbey near Peosta, IA.  We've got high hopes for these, but they will not be offered for sale until I've grown them for 3 years to see if they meet my criteria as a viable variety to be grown with no caveats in Minnesota.   

Ferndale Market, Cannon Falls: 

Ferndale Marktet's Local Artisan Cheese Day on Saturday, February 18(from 11-2 pm). This free event will feature a variety of cheese samples and presentations from area cheese makers. Artisan cheese lovers are invited to meet the people behind award-winning local cheeses. Attendents will have an opportunity to learn about the cheese making process and sample some of the area's best handcrafted cheese. Three local cheese makers, Faribault Dairy Co, LaClare Farms, and Pasture Pride will present their cheeses such as Amablu Gogonzola, St. Pete's Blue, Evalon, Juusto cheeses.

Brief presentations at noon plus samples, trivia, prices until 2  pm.

Join us for this fun, tasty and free event!

Ferndale Market is located at 31659 Cty 24 in Cannon Falls, MN. Visit www.ferndalemarketonline.com or call 507.263.4556

Jane Grevstad-  Jane branched out into I-pad covers. These are quilted and embroidered pockets to put your ipad in. They are padded for protection and decorative for the home or office. I also make a smaller size for the kindle. Some "Pockets for your Pad" have an environmental theme. They can also be personalized.