Here I'm with my good friend from high school, Janet, and her grandson.
OK, so the Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival isn't really all that exciting, but I've only missed one year my whole life and it's a fun tradition! Kent, on the other hand, grew up out in the country, so since he wasn't a “townie” like I was, he doesn't appreciate all the hubbub and prefers keeping faaaaar away, so he'll usually stay and get stuff done around here. (A win-win really, because I come home to a perfectly manicured lawn, clean toilets, folded laundry, and other stuff that makes a wife's heart go pitter-patter, right ladies?!)
Here are some more pictures with captions to show you around our hometown:
The kids and I made our first stop up to the high school for pancakes, REAL handmade sausages, and REAL maple syrup! I'd like to tell you that this was real butter but unfortunately I don't think it was…
Look at the pathetic sign hanging in the hall of my old high school. Pretty sad, huh? You *know* I wanted to rip it down, but Kal never would've forgiven me for making a scene. (Links aren't working in these captions, so below I'll link to my healthy milk post with info on why we should *only* drink WHOLE milk!)
This is my sister Gail serving pancakes. Most of the locals help in some way at the Sap Festival every year. (She's a secretary at the school and worked there way back when I attended, and I was blessed to have her. Imagine if every teenager had a caring big sister like her right at school to help them through such a tricky stage of life!)
Here's my super sweet sister-in-law, Eva, carrying sausages. My brother was volunteering, too, but when he heard the words, “picture” and “my post”, he disappeared fast.
Is this a cool old fashioned fire truck or what? My 21 year old nephew, Keegan, bought this antique truck for fun and drove it in the emergency vehicles parade with his girlfriend, AND he invited our 6 year old to ride with them, because he knows how much he loves fire trucks! Sweet, huh?!
This is my Aunt Joanne who was selling her cool decorative light up bottles at the craft show. She also makes jewelry and just about anything else you'd want. Yeah, I didn't get those creative genes…
This is my niece, Jenna, trying some of Mr. Brady's raw, local honey. We had a great conversation about what an effective all-natural anti-allergy remedy it is for people with seasonal allergies.
Here's the Big Kahuna, Ron Rhynard, showing me the tank where they boil down the Sap to make Real Maple Syrup. He and I were talking about how many years Kent (my hubs) and his brothers helped Ron, their Dad, drive all over town with the sap wagon to collect the buckets of sap.
What festival would be complete without the Crap Wagons? In case you're wondering, NO, I did not give in and buy this junk for my kids. Instead I told them that we could make some delicious elephant ears at home, with homemade dough fried in a healthy oil (instead of the fake heart-killer vegetable oils they fry in there), with real melted butter, and cinnamon and coconut sugar sprinkled on top. I haven't tried this yet, but mmm, doesn't it sound good for a once-in-a-great-while treat? By the way, ‘Deep Fried Oreos' from the picture don't even *sound* good, yuck! Do *you* think they sound good???
Later we went out to my sister and brother-in-laws for a bonfire with the fam before heading home. What a fun weekend!
Have you seen my other posts about Shepherd, our hometown?
- A conventional pig farm in the 1980's – about the farms Kent worked on when he was younger.
- My first 5K at the Sap festival a few years ago – read about how pathetically slow I was.
- Healthy milk information
- Information about healthy fats
- 5 Ways to use real maple syrup
leigh says
I think you underestimate your creativity with food! I am a very crafty person and I much prefer to work with textiles, but as a mother of very young kiddos, cooking has become my new creative outlet and thanks to you and fellow foodie bloggers, I’m learning all sorts of neat new tricks. Cooking can still be a chore sometimes, but it’s normally very satisfying work. Some people who are less inclined to sew might admire a fantastic seamstress’ work. I’m not as gifted in the kitchen, so I marvel at people like yourself who just toss things together so beautifully! People who are creative with food just blow my mind.
Mary says
It looks like you were able to sneak your brother into a picture!!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Of course he had to turn his head!
gogardengirl says
You have to love a local festival. Our small town celebrated the 117th Irrigation Festival this weekend! It was a true rural event with lots of fun,fireworks, parades, craft fair, carnival, logging show, car show, etc. We are building memories and traditions with the next generation. It is part of the rhythm of life around here. People ask “you celebrate irrigation ditches” and we proudly answer “yes we do”.
KitchenKop says
It’s always funny when you hear the names of other towns’ local festivals, like “The Potato Festival” or “Asparagus Festival”!! But then I remember that “The Maple Syrup Festival” must sound just as silly to them. 🙂
Kim Morisett says
That is so cool! I had no idea that you were from Shepherd. I am up in Mt. Pleasant & I thought it was cool enough just that you were in Michigan. I wasn’t at the festival this year because I was in Columbus, OH at a Leadership Convention. Thanks for sharing your pictures!
KitchenKop says
How fun! I’m in Mt. P all the time when we’re home! I love that Kroger store, it has lots of great organic foods. We don’t have a Kroger here in GR, but thankfully I know where to find stuff at other stores anyway. Do you ever go into the Green health food store there?
Kim Morisett says
Yes, the Kroger here is pretty good! I do shop at the Green Tree Grocery whenever I can afford to 🙂 I buy my Hilhof organic creamline whole milk there or at the Country Corner Market north of Mt. P a few miles, whenever I don’t have raw milk. Maybe one of these days we’ll run into each other!
Darcy says
Hi Kelly,
I was interested in your comment about honey and “what an effective all-natural anti-allergy remedy it is for people with seasonal allergies”. I work with a few people who have bad allergies and I’d like to tell them about honey. Could you say more about it, please?
Thank you so much for sharing through your website!
KitchenKop says
Hi Darcy,
There’s more information on that in this post: https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2008/04/allergies-shaklee-local-honey-raw-milk.html
Kelly
Heather H. says
I used to have awful hayfever every year. I was lucky enough to find a very local source of very raw honey. The guy lives only about a mile from me, and uses no processing at all, so what a blessing he was to find. I started by taking just a small amount, about what you could lick off of a spoon and worked my way up to a Tbsp a day. In about 6 weeks I had zero hay fever symptoms and I haven’t had any for 7 years now. It’s important that the honey is local, so you build up a tolerance to the local pollen that you are allergic to. It’s also important that it is un-heated. I hope this helps!
Schmidty says
Sweet sweet home town life ….loved the photo essay and descriptions. Bet Mr. Brady’s honey is killer (it’s all the love and care they use, I’ve long suspected).