Grab the family and find a pumpkin patch near you this fall

Nothing beats a visit to the pumpkin patch as the leaves start to turn. Below is a nonexhaustive list of patches across the state (there are many, many more). Beyond picking the perfect pumpkin, we’ve highlighted some of the experiences you can enjoy at each location.

MAUDLIN’S MINI FARM & PUMPKIN PATCH

2405 Jackson St. in Allendale

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 30 and Oct. 14

Enjoy a corn maze, train ride, petting zoo, combine jungle gym and corn pit. Games include pumpkin bowling, ax throwing, hay tunnel and more. Be sure to grab an apple cider, caramel and apples or pumpkin chip muffins during your visit.

Maudlin’s Mini Farm on Facebook or bit.ly/MaudlinFarm

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CAROLYN’S PUMPKIN PATCH

17607 N.E. 52nd Street in Liberty

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays and Mondays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; Sept. 16 – Oct. 30

Enjoy dozens of attractions, including the historic Country Carousel, Little Bud’s Railroad, petting barn, Pumkinator Pumpkin Cannon and kid’s zone with slides and more. Refreshments available including the famous pumpkin donuts, kettle corn, wine slushies, fudge and more.

www.carolynspumpkinpatch.com

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UPTOWN FARMS

22225 Glade Road in Laclede

Noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 30 – Oct. 29

Enjoy a hayride, slides, pumpkin slingshot, barnyard animals and corn pit. You can also try your skills at the corn maze. Refreshments include hot apple cider, fresh pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider donuts. Listen to live music on Saturdays and Sundays.

uptownfarms@hotmail.com, www.uptownsheep.com

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NORTH 40 PUMPKIN PATCH

22022 Gaslight Place in Callao

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 23 – Oct. 8

Enjoy a narrated hayride, corn pit, hay bale maze, inflatable maze, basketball, pumpkin bowling, cornhole boards, hay bale pyramid, tire jungle and more. Many weekends also include vendors and food trucks.

660-460-8588, www.north40pumpkinpatch.com

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LLYOD’S FAMILY FARM

7015 East Route Y in Ashland

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 23 – 24; 1 to 5 p.m. on Fridays,
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 1 – Oct. 29

Enjoy a hayride to the pumpkin field, corn pit, jumping pillows, slides, petting farm animals and more. Be sure to snap a photo by the big red barn, antique truck or pumpkin displays.

573-808-1070, www.lloydsfamilyfarm.com

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THE CAVE PUMPKIN PATCH

123 Swinging Bridges Road in Brumley

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 1 – Oct. 29

Enjoy a playground, corn house, bounce houses, barrel train rides, mini golf and more family activities. Visitors are welcome to check out the one-of-a-kind cliffside cave that’s decorated as a giant pumpkin and shop for local goodies in the country store.

573-369-3107, The Cave Pumpkin Patch on Facebook

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PUMPKIN PATCH AT 83 AND VINE

1171 E 412th Rd. in Bolivar

1 to 9 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 23 – Oct. 29 (also open Halloween)

Enjoy a train ride, corn pit, multiple playgrounds, spooky trail, hayloft slide, pumpkin bounce house and more. Challenge your family to pumpkin putt-putt golf, jack-o’-lantern bowling or a 20-foot-tall jack-o’-lantern obstacle course. Beyond pumpkins you can also buy Missouri-grown mums.

417-599-9242, www.83andvine.com

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BLOOMSDALE FUN FARM

11803 Carron Road in Bloomsdale

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 23 – Oct. 29

Enjoy music, food and more than 30 family attractions including a giant slide, mechanical rides, corn maze, petting zoo, corn pit, multiple swings, hay pyramid, wagon rides and more. Several weekends feature special events. Be sure to snap your photo by the pumpkin house or the painted caboose.

573-631-3767, www.bloomsdalefunfarm.com

EXETER CORN MAZE

State Hwy MM in Exeter

5 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays; 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays; 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to
8:30 p.m. on Sundays, Sept. 2 – Nov. 5

Enjoy a corn maze, go-karts, corn pit, zip lines, corn and pumpkin cannons, cow train, petting zoo, barn swings, gem mining and more. In the evening you can find some spooks in the two-story haunted barn, zombie paintball ride and a haunted maze.

877-846-3959, www.exetercornmaze.com

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MCWILLIAMS PUMPKIN PATCH

4007 Co Rd 6920 in West Plains

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, Sept. 30 – Oct. 29

Enjoy a train ride to the pumpkin fields or try the new mechanical pumpkin ride (it’s similar to a mechanical bull). Attractions include wagon rides, jumbo jumper, hay bale maze, corn maze and 40-foot slide. 2023 marks the 25th year for this pumpkin patch.

417-256-6470, McWilliams Pumpkin Patch on Facebook

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BEGGS FAMILY FARM

2319 State Hwy U in Sikeston

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on select Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 30 – Oct. 29

Enjoy games, barnyard animals, tire mountain, music garden, hillbilly pig races, putt-putt golf, camel and pony rides, slides, corn maze and more. Grab a snack or meal from six food vendors serving everything from cotton candy to cheese curds to pork steak sandwiches.

573-471-3879, www.beggsfamilyfarm.com

Find a list of another 30 pumpkin patches in Missouri.

Originally Appeared Here

Harold’s Famous Bee Co. harvests the power of the honeybee

On a cold winter day, Harold Gallaher knocked 100 honeybees into a bucket with the sweep of his arm. He tossed on a lid and rushed toward his warm house, with the hope of keeping the cold and unhappy honeybees alive until they were all inside. Harold eased off the lid and coaxed out a bee. His goal: Get stung by a bee or two to relieve his intense nausea.

In 2010, Harold found out he had a cancerous tumor on his spine and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments for the cancer and faced the common corresponding nausea and lethargy. While he was tending his hobby beehives, a bee stung Harold.

“I went back to the house and told my wife I was hungry. She said, ‘Who are you? You can’t be hungry, you had chemo today,’ ” Harold recalls.

That accidental sting pushed Harold to explore apitherapy, an ancient type of alternative medicine that uses honeybee products to relieve various ailments from arthritis to headaches to inflammation. Harold knew the bee sting brought him relief. He also knew his wife wouldn’t continue to support the bucket of bees in her kitchen. So, he reached out to a family friend, Amanda Hutchings.

Amanda has years of specialized education in compounding medications — custom medicines for a specific person — and transdermal medications — skin-applied medicines. Amanda understood the benefits of apitherapy and told Harold if his doctor would write a prescription, they could explore the benefits of bee venom.

Company co-owner Amanda Hutchings inspects one of her educational hives in downtown Ste. Genevieve.

“I called my oncologist, and I’m the first person in history to get a prescription for a bee sting,” Harold says. “So, Amanda made up my prescription with purchased venom. We didn’t know if it would work, so we had to test it. I took a book and parked outside the hospital. I applied a bit of the cream and texted her the time and that I’d started Chapter 1. By Chapter 12 we were confident I wasn’t going to have a reaction, and the cream worked as well as the bee sting.”

Motivated by the results, the pair wondered if they could harvest their own bee venom. There was one major snag — a honeybee has just one sting per lifetime. “The honeybee is the only stinging insect with a barbed stinger,” Harold says. “So, if one stings you, the bee has to pull itself apart to get away and that kills it.”

Harold’s Famous Bee Cream is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease, Amanda says. Yet, they have had thousands of reviews from customers who have been able to harness the healthy benefits of bee venom.

A student of his hives, Harold had the idea to combine a glass plate, fine wire mesh and two AA batteries. “When the queen lands on the wire mesh, she receives a mild jolt,” Harold says. “She doesn’t like that and starts stinging. But since it’s a glass plate, her stinger doesn’t get stuck and she can dump her entire load of venom,” Harold says.

The queen will alert her 20,000 best friends in the hive, Harold says, to come out and help. Shortly after the glass is covered in the fine white powder of bee venom.

Initially, Amanda says, their goal was to find a solution for Harold. It worked so well for him, Harold started sharing the all-natural topical cream with others and quickly learned, by happy accident, it helps soothe aches and stiffness. In 2015, they created a small batch of the cream for a test group to try. In the next year, the official Harold’s Famous Bee Cream was released. Since the unique product received such great reviews from customers, Amanda and Harold filed for and received a patent in 2019 and created Harold’s Famous Bee Co.

Harold Gallaher and Amanda Hutchings offer a unique and immersive honey-tasting experience at their honey bar.

“We can’t say it’s a medical treatment,” Harold says. “I always tell people it is cosmetic because people look a lot better when they are not bent over in pain. I use a lot of bee cream. At my age everything hurts.”

Harold’s Famous Bee Cream is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease, Amanda says. Yet, they have had thousands of reviews from customers who have been able to harness the healthy benefits of bee venom.

Even though the pair still harvests venom from their own bees, the bee cream is now made by a contract manufacturer, usually at quantities of 5,000 containers. To keep up with demand, they buy venom from other beekeepers around the world. The cream is sold on Amazon, in more than 100 retailers nationwide and in their store in downtown Ste. Genevieve, which opened in 2019 and is served by Citizens Electric Corp.

Harold’s Famous Bee Co. is built around honey merchandise, including its flagship product, Harold’s Famous Bee Cream, which is made from honeybee venom.

At Harold’s Famous Bee Co., customers are immersed in a honey haven. It features a unique honey bar where customers can do a honey sampling of four to eight different honeys. The flavors, such as clover, orange blossom and blackberry, are based on the plant nectar gathered by the bees. Customers also find a smorgasbord of other honey-themed gifts, food and drinks.

Visitors can sample four to eight types of honey for free during their visit.

“The storefront is definitely a byproduct of the success of Harold’s Famous Bee Cream,” Amanda says. “We wanted a different concept; we didn’t want just shopping. We want to make connections with people and just chitchat about bees and nature. My love of beekeeping started in the last several years after researching the venom. Nature has this beautiful symphony going on every day around us and we so often miss it.”

In downtown Ste. Genevieve, the Harold’s Famous Bee Co. store is dedicated to all types of honey products and honey education.

Amanda says even online customers from other states will pop in the store. “They’ve had these great reactions to the product, and they stop in to just see our little storefront here in the middle of a small town America,” she says. “That’s pretty amazing.”

A FESTIVAL FOR THE BEES

Mark your calendar for June 29, 2024, so you can attend the fourth annual Honey Festival and Market hosted by Harold’s Famous Bee Co. Located in historic downtown Ste. Genevieve, the event features a full day of music, food trucks, farmers-market-style vendors and fun. Beekeepers lead demonstrations and discussions. Be ready to take a photo with the festival’s queen bee (you’ll recognize her regal beehive hairdo). “It’s just a fun and educational event for the whole family,” says Amanda Hutchings, co-owner of Harold’s Famous Bee Co.

Since 2021, Amanda Hutchings and Harold Gallaher, owners of Harold’s Famous Bee Co., have hosted an annual Honey Festival and Market. The event brings thousands of people to Ste. Genevieve. The event is focused on education, nostalgia and fun. Photos courtesy Amanda Hutchings

For more information, visit www.haroldsfamous.com or visit the Harold’s Famous Bee Co. storefront at 234 Market St. in Ste. Genevieve. It is one of 500 Missouri companies that are part of the Buy Missouri initiative overseen by Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe. To find Missouri-made products or to enroll your business visit www.BuyMissouri.net.

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Laclede Electric lineman makes art from cast-off poles

With a wide sweep of his hand, Larry Taylor gestures toward the pile of raw materials in his shop near Hartville. “All of this was headed to the trash,” Larry says. He’s talking about the stack of wood cut from old poles and crossarms replaced in his job as a lineman for Laclede Electric Cooperative.

Only a fellow lineworker would appreciate these power line relics that were changed out after being damaged by storms or otherwise reaching the end of their useful life on the co-op’s lines. That is, until Larry works his artistic touch on them.

Using hand techniques and computer-controlled equipment he’s just beginning to appreciate, Larry combines the detritus that comes from repairing power lines into works of art that are “Taylor made” for retiring linemen and other electric co-op employees. He calls his creations “line art” and his side gig L.T. Line Art.

“It all started with those old REA poles,” Larry says, referring to poles set in the 1940s that were tagged with “REA Co-op” in metal letters. REA is the Rural Electrification Administration, the New Deal program that loaned money to get electric co-ops started.

“I always wanted one,” Larry says. “We were changing one out one day and I thought, ‘I want that chunk of pole.’ It’s just the history. You know, the co-op is 85 years old this year. It’s hard to believe we’ve still got stuff out there that old. It’s the history, and the craftsmanship and the pride they put into it so that it is still up there and still being used.”

Larry’s growing interest in the history of his co-op dovetailed with the retirement of many of the co-op employees he’s worked beside in his 29 years as a lineman. Inspired by the look of the old REA poles, he started creating retirement gifts that would keep alive the memories those retiring linemen had of repairing storm damage, building new circuits and basically keeping the lights on for members.

His collection of old power line hardware included several pieces with the kind of craftsmanship no longer made. Larry mounted the old brass hardware on a piece of barn wood and hung it in his garage. He liked the way it looked, and the creative juices started to flow.

“I had this Dremel (a rotary grinder) out here one day and I just looked at it and thought, ‘You know, I bet I could put somebody’s name on one of those insulators.’ So, I got to messing around with it, and it kind of grew from there,” Larry says.

He started by adding names and dates to insulators. Before long he had designed a unique piece of art crafted from barn wood, a short piece of pole sliced in half, a piece of a crossarm with an arc sawed out to match the pole, insulators and various pieces of hardware used in linework. Working by hand with his Dremel and a woodburning pen, he carefully carved names into surplus red porcelain insulators and burned into the cross-arms and barn wood names, years of service, light bulbs, lightning bolts, union logos and other tributes to the recipients.

As Larry’s artwork began appearing at Laclede Electric’s four offices, someone asked Larry what kind of laser he used for the engraving. Larry replied that he was working by hand.

“He said he figured that was a laser,” Larry says. “He told me about his machine and I kind of got to looking into it. To do one of these by hand, it takes me an hour, hour and a half. My hand gets numb. I eventually decided what the heck and I got one. It’s made it a little easier but I can still do them by hand if someone wants one that way.”

Through trial and error, Larry taught himself how to set up the computer-controlled laser and rotating table to engrave names on insulators. He uses red and brown insulators that are obsolete for today’s lines. Depending on how deep he sets the laser and how fast it moves, the color of the engraving can change from white to gold or tan. No two turn out the same.

Originally Appeared Here

He changed majors, but held onto his passion for art, which might only be trumped by his passion for professional baseball.

“Baseball is what I idolized growing up,” says Kyle, who runs a box truck repair shop by day. “I was always looking at baseball cards and fascinated by the artwork. I thought about how they pick the perfect image that’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye. As I got older, I thought, ‘What a great way to connect those worlds for me by doing artwork of professional baseball players.’ ”

Kyle started doing pencil drawings of players in the evening and posting them on social media in 2018. His drawings elicited a phone call that opened the locker room door at Busch Stadium. A family member of pitcher Michael Wacha reached out and asked Kyle if he’d be interested in doing a painting of the now-former Cardinal. He’d never created a painting of a player before, but couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

He carefully started the 3-by-4-foot acrylic painting of the Cardinal right-hander. “I was hesitant at first because it cost a little more, but I thought if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do it right,” he says. “It was nerve-racking. He’s a player in the public limelight, so I better get it right or the comments are going to be brutal.”

Kyle finished the painting and headed north on Interstate 55 to the 2019 Cardinals Winter Warm-Up. The pitcher knew something was up, but didn’t know exactly what Kyle had created. Michael reached out and asked Kyle to bring the painting up to his hotel room.

“He had no idea how big the painting was going to be of him,” Kyle says. “He was blown away and was so appreciative and amicable, just a super nice guy to be around.”

Michael asked Kyle if he would do a painting of teammate Jack Flaherty. Kyle happily obliged and through a combination of word-of-mouth exchanges in the clubhouse and social media postings, his workload became constant.

Kyle says people began to view him less as a fanboy trying to be around players, but as an artist. “That’s when I first started to get taken more seriously,” he says. “That’s when I started building more credibility.”

As his following has grown, Kyle has painted for some of baseball’s biggest stars including Jazz Chisholm, Paul DeJong, Marcell Ozuna and Madison Bumgarner. He teamed up with 2019 Conn Smythe Trophy winner and St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup Champion Ryan O’Reilly for a painting that was auctioned off for the Blues’ charity.

Kyle’s artistic process begins by getting a visual of the room the painting will be hung in. From there, he searches for the perfect image to use as inspiration. “At that point, I take the image and break it down by shadows and highlights,” he says. “Then I start the process with acrylic ink. I’ve tried oil, but I didn’t like the look of it. In my head I model it after a stained-glass window in a church. I marvel at how the artists would take a 3D person and turn them into 2D glass that looks so beautiful.”

In between his day job and home life with his wife and children, Kyle is generally able to finish a painting in two or three weeks.

Kyle says athletes have become more image conscious, including having an interest in art. Being in the middle of the marriage of art and sports is something Kyle doesn’t take for granted.

“Anytime somebody finds out I’m going up to Busch Stadium this weekend to deliver a painting, it’s always something like,  ‘Man, I can’t believe that’s what you get to do,’ ” he says. “I’m extremely lucky. I’m very, very blessed that I even have this opportunity. It’s not something I’ll forget.”

For more information on Kyle Taylor’s portraits, check out his Instagram page @kyletaylorportraits.

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Jack Snelling drove 4,347 Missouri miles to see all 115 courthouses in 10 days

In May, Jack Snelling hit two milestones. First, he graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree of music in composition. Second, he completed an epic road trip that combined his love of history, geography and the open highway.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always loved roads, highways and maps,” says Jack, who grew up in St. Louis suburb Webster Groves and has spent the past five years in Columbia. “As a kid, I would spend hours on my mom’s computer on Google Maps, just looking at different places and imagining what the roads were like.”

At 16, armed with a hand-me-down car from his father, Jack began exploring the St. Louis area. He quickly became a wanderer, always opting for the road less taken. Once a Mizzou Tiger, Jack challenged himself to avoid Interstate 70 and find scenic routes on his trips between St. Louis and Columbia.

While music was his focus at Mizzou, Jack also earned a minor in geography. “I became really interested in the historical highway system,” he says. “I made a class project out of figuring out where all those old highways went.”

Through this research, Jack learned the original purpose of the Missouri highway system was to connect the county seats. Essentially every county seat is about 30 minutes away from another county seat and so on. The calculations began for Jack: 114 counties + one historic courthouse in St. Louis = 115 county seat courthouses that are about 30 minutes apart. If he drove for 6 hours, he could visit nearly 12 of these notable buildings each day. In 10 days, he could check them all off his list. Who’s ready for a road trip?

Of course, Jack wanted to use the original road system for his travels. That may seem as easy as plotting a route on Google Maps or pulling out an atlas. Not so. The 1920s-era historical highway system in Missouri predated the federal highway system. Roads have been replaced and renamed. So, Jack went about recreating the original 1922 Missouri highway map.

“I was able to find some maps and records of the actual laws or plans that were passed for roads,” he says. “So, I was able to go through all that information to see where the roads were. For example, if you see a road called Old State Road, chances are that’s the original. Also, if you’re on a random road that has a suspicious number of old tire and auto repair places, that’s a good indicator you’re on an original highway.”

Once his map was complete, Jack decided the most efficient path would be to start in St. Louis and spiral around the outside of the state to eventually end in Columbia (see map). Plan in hand, Jack hit the road. At each stop, he’d admire the courthouse and town square and snap a selfie. Then it was back on the road.

“The scenic route takes you through the middle of every town, so I really did get a chance to experience the town, even if I didn’t stay long,” Jack says. “I made a conscious choice at the very beginning to be OK with delays and not being as efficient as possible. I wanted to appreciate the drive and the places I saw.”

Each of the 115 courthouses Jack visited were unique, but he was surprised by how similar the town squares were in each city. “All of them virtually look the same across the entire state, and they have the same kind of businesses — there’s nearly an H&R Block in every single county seat, usually right by the courthouse,” he says.

After traveling 4,347 miles in 10 days, Jack can now confidently debunk the “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” saying — at least where Missouri county courthouses are involved.

Cass County: The Harrisonville courthouse, which was completed in 1897, features yellow brick and a seven-story clock tower with four-faced clock. “It was definitely the most unique out of all the courthouses,” Jack says.

Cole County: While the Missouri State Capitol building can overshadow it, Jack says the Jefferson City courthouse was one of his favorites. The building, completed in 1897, features a Romanesque Revival style, clock tower and corner pavilions.

Gasconade County: Built in 1898, the courthouse in Hermann overlooks the Missouri River. This building was a gift by local merchant Charles D. Eitzen who left $50,000 in his will for the building. It is believed to be the only courthouse in the U.S. funded entirely by a private donation.

St. Charles County: The historic county courthouse in St. Charles was designed by architect Jerome B. Legg, who also designed the courthouses in Ste. Genevieve, Gasconade, St. Francois and Mississippi counties. It was completed in 1903 in the classical revival style.

Jasper County: Jack says the Carthage courthouse, which was completed in 1895 and features the medieval castle elements of turrets, towers and arches, blew him away with its beauty: “It was like I was at Walt Disney World.”

Henry County: Of the modern-style courthouses, Jack says Clinton’s was one of his favorites, with its huge top-to-bottom windows. The building, which was completed in 1893, features Italianate arches, large towers and peaked roofs.

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Some of the crafters and artisans typically demonstrating at Hootin an Hollarin include a ropemaker, basket weavers, knitters, crocheters, quiltmakers, fly fishing tiers, twined rag rug makers, lye soap makers and dollmakers. One of the people carrying on an old-time tradition is Squires craftsman Darrell Wolf of Wolf’s Broom Shop.

Darrell demonstrates the 1874 method of building handmade corn brooms of nearly every size and application to visitors at his booth near the courthouse. He has a piece of broom corn on hand to show the seeds that sprout at the top of a stalk in the place of ears.

“I give these out to kids, and they love it,” Darrell says with a smile. Picking up a piece in progress, he notes where the different lengths are trimmed to make a finished product in his broom press. Darrell, a former mechanic for the H.B. Reese Candy Co., was introduced to the trade by a coworker who gave him a demonstration and swept up a brand new broommaker.

“I enjoy demonstrating, I don’t just want to sell brooms,” Darrell adds. “A lot of people ask me, ‘What do you make?’ and I say, ‘Mostly sawdust and wood chips.’ ”

One thing you won’t be able to avoid at Hootin an Hollarin is the food. Whether you’re in the mood for ham and beans, barbecue, burgers, ribbon-cut potatoes, fried ice cream or kettle corn, you have your choice anywhere on the courthouse square.

Wafting from one tent, however, are the scents of late summer and early fall that won’t be ignored: Fresh-baked bread and homemade apple butter. Gainesville resident Marilyn Tilly shares samples of the delicious flavors with visitors, along with a few secrets on how to make the best apple butter, free of charge.

“The secret is to cook it a long time and get all the juice out of it,” Marilyn says as she spins the peel from a crimson Red Delicious apple. “They make a lot of water, so you really have to cook it down and take the lid off to let the water out.” And, of course, you’ll want a slice of hot bread to go with it.”

Dora artisan Bobby Walker is no stranger to sharp edges. As the owners of Devils Backbone Knives, Bobby and his wife, Debbie, craft knives for deer camp and the kitchen with equal attention to detail, artistry and quality. Besides his unique creations, the “Forged In Fire” champion has a much older method of cutting to demonstrate for festivalgoers — flint and chert knapping. Bobby shares the ancient art of making an arrowhead or spearhead or bird point or stone knife as he chips away at a fist-sized piece of chert.

“Most everything is done by what they call ‘lithic reduction,’ ” Bobby says with a laugh in between strikes at the stone, “which just means we’re just taking pieces off here.” He deftly retrieves a few larger pieces as they clatter to the asphalt parking lot under his tent and sets them aside to be used for crafting smaller points. He notes that rocks off the ground or out of a creek bed typically aren’t usable because they have stress fractures caused by moisture held inside the minerals.

“You’re trying to take everything off of the outside to get to what’s on the inside,” he adds, removing another layer in a spray of white shards. “I’m not a sculptor, but I’d say that the same way: You’re having to remove material to get to it and be able to use it.”

So, if on the third Thursday of September you find yourself in the hills of Ozark County, listen closely for the sounds of laughter, dancing feet and old-time music, and follow it down the road to Hootin an Hollarin.

“We’re a small friendly little town in the Ozarks that’s been having this same event honoring the pioneers and our ancestors for 60-plus years now,” Paula says. “Music, food, crafts, demonstrations, all kinds of contests — I think it’s good for all ages. Pretty much everybody can enjoy something about it.”

This year’s Hootin an Hollarin is scheduled for Sept. 21-23 on the courthouse square in Gainesville. For more information or to view the annual festival guide published by the Ozark County Times, visit www.hootinanhollarin.com.

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Nearly everything the colonists built was made to last. Today 30 historical buildings remain, with many open to visitors during Bethel’s festivals. A self-guided walking tour leads visitors year-round.

Keil’s religious and utopian ideals were threatened by the coming of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad. Watching outsiders who didn’t share his vision move into the area, he looked for a secluded location for a new colony.

In 1850 he led a group of his followers west from Bethel on the Oregon Trail. Originally his son, Willie, was tasked with leading the wagon train but he died just before the trip began. His father had him placed in an iron coffin filled with the colony’s whiskey and brought him along on the 2,000-mile trip. Keil would establish a new colony in Aurora, Oregon.

Bethel would continue to function as a commune until Keil’s death. When the colony disbanded in 1883, its members each received a share of its considerable holdings in proportion to their contributions.

The village continued to be a hub of commerce and agriculture for many years. But slowly its population shrank as larger cities in Shelby County grew. Its historical buildings became private dwellings or small shops such as drug stores, grocery stores, a bank and other retail businesses.

In 1970 interest grew in preserving Bethel’s past. The Bethel Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places that year. Elim was added to the register a year later, followed by Hebron, the colony’s meeting hall, in 1978. Repairs made at this time ensured the character of Bethel would remain for future generations.

Bethel, which is served by Macon Electric Cooperative, has always attracted artists who practiced traditional crafts. Blacksmiths, potters, weavers and other artists have found their muse in its setting. That helped prompt the many festivals that have brought visitors to Bethel for decades.

“Our markets and our Outdoor Festival, whether they make 10 bucks or a thousand, it’s all intended to go back to restoration and repair,” says Larry Smoot, a member of Historic Bethel German Colony Inc., the group that works to continue Bethel’s unique heritage. “We’ve had just enough people that genuinely care about the history. I think that has made all the difference. In a lot of towns like this there’s no one who cares enough to put in the time.”

For many years Bethel was home to the World Sheep Festival, which literally brought shepherds from all over the world to the tiny village. While the sheep festivals ended, another Bethel tradition continues today in its Youth Fiddle Camp held annually in June. This event brings master fiddlers to Bethel to pass on their skills to a new generation. In spring and fall Bethel hosts a Colony Market, which brings craftsmen, antique vendors, food, drinks and music to the village.

Coming soon is the Wildlife & Outdoor Expo on Aug. 26. This event is a nod to the many outdoor activities that draw sportsmen to the area. Typically, vendors of all kinds of outdoor products set up at the colony’s red barn. One highlight is the free 3D archery contest, which takes place on a challenging wooded range near the river. Other highlights include a BB gun range, youth archery, turkey calling contest and many outdoor-related seminars.

“Hunting and other outdoor activities are very popular in this part of the country,” says Larry, a director for Lewis County Rural Electric Co-op and chairman of the expo. “It is our hope that this expo will offer something for the entire family. We want to offer interesting things to see, education on a variety of outdoor topics and entertainment for everyone.”

Bethel’s festivals wrap up in December with “Christmas in Bethel.” One highlight of this event is a glimpse into colony life through tours of many remaining historic buildings.

Whether you come for a festival or to eat at the Fest Hall, which serves food seven days a week, Bethel is a step back in time you won’t find anywhere else in Missouri.

For more information call 660-284-6493, visit www.historicbethel.org or follow Historic Bethel German Colony on Facebook.

Originally Appeared Here

Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole

• 20 ounces ground turkey breast
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 large bell peppers, chopped (1 each red, yellow and green)
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup long-grain brown rice
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In large skillet over medium heat, add turkey, onions, salt and pepper. Break up turkey and cook until browned.

Add turkey mixture to 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, brown rice, oregano and garlic powder. Mix until combined. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 80 to 90 minutes until rice is tender.

Remove foil, add shredded cheese and bake 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

recipe courtesy Culinary.net

Asparagus, Bacon and Egg Salad

• 6 bacon slices
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
• 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup scallion, sliced

In skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan. Set aside.

Cut asparagus into 4 pieces. Add asparagus to same skillet used to cook bacon. Cook until fork tender, about 4 minutes, depending on thickness of asparagus.

While asparagus cooks, prepare dressing. Whisk oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside. Chop bacon.

Remove asparagus from pan and place on platter. Top with chopped bacon, eggs, tomatoes and scallion. Pour dressing over top.

recipe courtesy of Cheese Curd in Paradise on behalf of the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board 

Citrus, Mango and Pineapple Salsa

• 1 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, diced
• 1 1/4 cup fresh mango, diced
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Sea salt, to taste
• Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• Tortilla chips, for serving

In large bowl, combine pineapple, mango, tomato, onion, jalapeno, coriander, lime juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper, to taste. With rubber spatula, mix all ingredients together. 

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve with tortilla chips.

recipe adapted from becomingness.com

Weeknight Pasta with Veggies

• 16 ounces linguine or penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sweet bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated 
• 1/2 cup smoked provolone cheese, shredded 
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring 6 quarts water to rolling boil and prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente texture, reserving 1 cup pasta water.

In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onions, carrots and sweet bell peppers. Saute vegetables about 5 minutes, or until they brighten in color and begin to soften. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook and stir 1 minute to allow tomatoes to release juices.

Pour reserved pasta water into skillet, stirring well. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings, as desired. 

Transfer drained pasta to skillet along with lemon zest and smoked provolone cheese, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

recipe courtesy of Comfortably Domestic on behalf of Milk Means More

Originally Appeared Here

After moving into St. Louis, Steve became the director of Restore St. Louis, a ministry that helps people with issues such as home repair, health care and tutoring. It was through this outreach, a local gang member told Steve what the community really needed was jobs.

This conversation in 2017 planted the seed with Steve for a jobs-focused ministry, which would eventually become Have A Cow. The plan was for a restaurant, fueled by their own cattle farm, that would hire people from the neighborhood who had difficulty finding employment elsewhere. Plus, the restaurant would provide good food and be a meeting place for the neighborhood — a vital connection between urban and rural communities.

Steve and Lisa, who are members of Crawford Electric Cooperative, joined forces with their fellow Restore St. Louis colleague, Tom Shuman, who brought a restaurant background to the team.

“The only parameters Steve put on the initial menu conversation is he wanted to have two primary signature items,” says Tom, Have A Cow’s head chef. “One of them was a world-class cinnamon roll. The other one was the fact he was raising cows, so we probably ought to sell really good hamburgers.”

Breakfast is served all day at Have A Cow. The menu’s top seller is the Bunkhouse Breakfast, which includes two eggs, homestyle potatoes, one pancake and your choice of bacon, sausage or roasted vegetables. Other breakfast options include cinnamon rolls, Belgian waffles, biscuits and gravy, omelets and quiches.

All forms of caffeine are offered throughout the day. Choose from a dozen coffee drinks that start as whole beans ground in the middle of the restaurant. The popular MOOchiato is espresso, steamed milk and vanilla topped with caramel sauce. You can also grab a mug of loose-leaf brewed tea served hot or iced. The Front Porch Special is the house brew of Earl Gray, jasmine and spearmint.

The breakfast menu is complemented by a hefty offering of sandwiches, burgers, soups and salads for the lunch crowd. Hamburgers are the highest selling nonbreakfast option. Tom and Steve also recommend the Farmer’s Catch, a flame-broiled whitefish with lettuce and tomato; the Slightly Spicy Brisket Sandwich, slow-roasted brisket with barbecue sauce and pepper jack cheese; the Roasted Veggie Panini, flame-roasted vegetables topped with pepper jack cheese; and the Cow Kicker, housemade meatloaf topped with barbecue sauce and jalapenos.

“I’m a sucker for a good meatloaf sandwich,” Tom says. “Ours is a substantial sandwich.”

If you’re after a lighter option, select from the several salad options. Steve’s goal was to offer salads that actually fill you up and Lisa wanted customers to be able to pick the toppings. Hence the Field Greens + 3 and Field Greens + 5. From more than 15 toppings, you can select three or five to add to a base of field greens. Another popular salad option is The Ranch Hand, which includes roasted vegetables served hot on a bed of mixed greens. You can add steak, chicken or fish to any of the salad options.

“We deliver nonpretentious, straightforward and good food,” Tom says. “There’s nowhere to hide in our menu. We have to be consistent through training and upholding our standards.”

Have A Cow represents many new chapters for Steve and Lisa. In creating the business, they became farmers, restaurant owners, coffee bean purveyors and more.

“I’d never raised cattle before, but my brother, Mark, raises cattle in California,” Steve says. “I’ve always been jealous of him, and he encouraged me to try it. I’m always learning new things, and I love sharing the day-to-day aspects of the farm with people who come into the restaurant. They want to be part of the farming life in Missouri.”

When customers place their orders at Have A Cow, they don’t receive your standard number. Instead, they are handed a small stand with a photo and name of one of Steve and Lisa’s cows. The customers love it, Steve says, and look forward to meeting new members of the herd during their visits.

Have A Cow offers a perfect destination for St. Louis locals or visitors, since major attractions such as the St. Louis Zoo, Busch Stadium and the St. Louis Science Center are all just minutes away. While the food may call customers into the restaurant, Steve says they stay for the community and joyful environment.

“Our customers say things like, ‘I can’t put my finger on what this is, but everyone’s happy,’ ” Steve says. “As a team, our whole goal is to love anybody who walks through that door and serve them.”

To many, the more-than-the-food mission of Have A Cow is complicated, ambitious and maybe even a little crazy — hence the memorable name.

“Growing up kids used to say, ‘Don’t have a cow, man!’ ” Steve says. “That meant don’t get all excited about something. But if you’re going to have change come, it’s going to take something crazy. If it’s crazy to love your enemy, our challenge is to have a cow.”

Specialties: All-day breakfast options, including pastries, combos, pancakes, biscuits and gravy and quiches. Burgers, sandwiches, customizable salads and soups. Customers can also enjoy a full coffee menu, hot or iced teas, craft beer, wine, seltzers, ciders and cocktails.

Price: Breakfast entrees from $7 to $15. Pastries from $2 to $4.50. Salads and sandwiches from $11 to $18.

Details: Open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cash, credit cards and Apple Pay accepted. Free Wi-Fi. Nonsmoking. Restaurant is located at 2742 Lafayette Ave. in St. Louis. Contact at 314-261-0305 and www.haveacow.farm.

Originally Appeared Here

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

Crust:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Rice, uncooked

Filling:

8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons extra-fine sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/2  teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup strawberry fruit spread

3 teaspoons lemon juice (optional)

1 pound strawberries, halved

Whipped cream, optional

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

To make crust: In food processor, add flour, sugar and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter, egg and vanilla; pulse until combined and crumbly. Lightly flour surface then form dough into ball. Slightly flatten to form thick disc. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.

Flour surface then roll dough to 11-inch circle. Place dough in 9-inch tart pan with removeable bottom. With rolling pin, roll over top to trim excess dough around edges. Cover dough with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. 

Press aluminum foil against crust, covering edges to prevent burning. Fill and distribute uncooked rice evenly. Bake 20 minutes. Cool completely.

To make filling: In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla until blended and smooth. Spread cheese mixture evenly over crust. Refrigerate 1 hour.

In small bowl, microwave fruit spread and lemon juice, if desired, stirring often. Arrange strawberry halves around tart. Drizzle heated fruit spread over strawberries. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Apple, Strawberry and Blueberry Salad

Blueberry dressing:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Fruit salad:

2 large apples 

Two 6-ounce packages lettuce mix

1 pint strawberries, cut in half

1 pint blueberries

1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted

Blueberry dressing

To prepare blueberry dressing: In blender, process blueberries, balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste, until smooth. Set aside.

To prepare salad: Cut apples into 1/4-inch thick slices. Using 1 1/2-inch diameter star-shaped cutter, cut apple slices into stars.

Place lettuce mix in large bowl; add apples, strawberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with pecans. Before serving, drizzle each salad with blueberry dressing.

recipe courtesy Culinary.net

Chocolate and Strawberry Greek Yogurt Bark

3 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt

1/3 cup honey, plus additional for drizzling, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup melted dark chocolate

1/2 cup strawberries

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

In medium bowl, combine Greek yogurt, honey and vanilla.

On parchment-lined baking sheet, spread Greek yogurt mixture to 1/4-inch thickness. Drop spoonfuls of melted chocolate onto yogurt and use toothpick to drag in circles. Press strawberries and chocolate chips into yogurt. Freeze at least 3 hours.

Remove from freezer and break into pieces.

recipe courtesy Milk Means More/United Dairy Industry of Michigan

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar blend

1 tablespoon almond butter

1/2 cup bananas, frozen

1/2 cup blueberries, frozen

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced

1/2 cup berry yogurt

Fresh blueberries for garnish

In blender, blend spinach, water, apple cider vinegar, almond butter, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, 

chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger and yogurt until smooth. 

Pour into two glasses and garnish with fresh blueberries, if desired. 

recipe courtesy Culinary.net

Pecan-Topped Raspberry Cake

3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

12-ounce bag frozen raspberries

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Whipped cream

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In bowl, cream 3/4 cup sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time and continue beating until well incorporated. Add flour, baking powder and vanilla; beat well.

Pour batter evenly into 9- or 10-inch prepared pan.

Place frozen raspberries on top of batter. Sprinkle with pecans, remaining sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.

Bake about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool. 

Serve with whipped cream.

recipe courtesy Washington Red Raspberry Commission

Originally Appeared Here