Inside the Farm Stores

Last week I took you with me, via pictures, on a 'tour' of the little farm stores that local German Baptist families have in my area. http://marmeespantry.blogspot.com/2010/01/winters-drive-to-farm-stores.html As promised, I am now posting the re-print (from another blog's post from last year) of an inside 'tour' of the farm stores that I go to. Enjoy the trip..........

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I made my weekly trip this past Saturday and the owners gave me permission to take a few pictures - NOW you can see what the farm store I shop at look like inside!

The first place that I usually stop at is Stoney Creek Market.

This family is German Baptist (not Old Order) and has electricity, only they use it minimally. This store sits at the end of their driveway, right between the house and barn. The shop's contents are a little different every time you go - they deal in scratch n dent items (I don't mind paying 17 cents for a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup just b/c the can is DENTED!!), buy-outs from over stocks and products who's packaging is changing. As you can probably see, there are many name brand items.

Above is isle #1. Actually, I think this pic makes it look bigger than it is, but you can see that they have packed shelves. Starbucks coffee for $2.99 a bag, anyone?!

Here's isle #2 and the recently added freezer section. Expantion is GOOD!

When you come in the door you find the health/beauty section, some homemade shopping bags made out of sweat-shirts! Beside that is a little refrigerator - how would you like a bottle of Tazo Tea for 49 cents?!?! ($1.99 @ a deli!) I shop at this store before I go to the larger stores (Krogers, Meijer, etc.). What I don't get here, I get at the larger places. I can get 3 boxes FULL of groceries for around $50 here!

After I leave Stoney Creek, my next stop is the Old Order farm (they live like the Amish) where I get my brown eggs and whole milk. [Click on the link above.] After I stop there, I go on to The Flour Barrel. This shop is actually an addition onto the back of the home of a German Baptist lady. If I could have a home business THIS is what I would like to have...this is the 'model' for Marmee's Pantry!

As you walk in the door you take in all the lovely herbal smells...ahhh. It's great. You can see here that this is a bulk food store. Not only does she have food/baking/cooking/canning items, but she also has a lovely assortment of cookbooks and Christian books (from a German Baptist point of view) [~~ I would like to have small homeschool & cookbook sections in Marmee's Pantry]...

Here is a lovely shopper who let me take her picture . You can see the wonderful assortments of flour, sweeteners, noodles, pastas, beans, bean soups, nuts, oils, flavorings, honey, apple butter, yeast...etc...

Below, is the other side the the center isle...here you can find homemade jello mixes, Bigelow teas, all sorts of bulk treats like licorice, pretzels, cheeto-type snacks, mints, etc. See that back left corner? That's any kind of herb or spice that you can think of! She also has all sorts of cute cookie cutters. See the curtain in the back? That goes into the owner's house.

And I would I would be remiss if I didn't show you that, yes, there actually ARE flour barrels! lol You can also see that there are corn meals, flaxseed meal, bread flour, wheat flour, rye flour, spelt...any type of baking necessity you can think of.

Now you can see why I love "my" little farm shops! I wish I could have gotten photos of the lovely ladies who own these shops, but they, like the Amish, do not like to have their photos taken, but they were most happy for me to show you into their shops and extend and glad "welcome"!

Blessings from Ohio, Kim Wolf<><