Twas the months before Christmas and all through the house, there were whispers and cries heard by each mouse:

“Oh no,” was the statement, “I have no idea what to give Aunt Bessie and to Aunt Bea!”

Yes, what a quandary until it was told of how great local items can be found for great gifts!

Over the next two months, as we enter into the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, The Local Growers site will feature stories on producers and businesses offering food, produce and products that make great gifts!

Whether it’s the local treats like Nelson’s Jams and Jellies or the wines of Eagleview Winery, there are many great opportunities to buy local from local producers!

You don’t have to live near a big city to make those connections! There are some tremendous local growers in rural areas, too!

Visit some of the winter farmers markets. Fergus Falls has a winter market in the strip mall across from the Otter Tail County Museum. That market is open Wednesdays from 2-5:30 and on Saturdays from 9-1. The market will be open for operation November through January.

If you want to check out more, go to your state’s Department of Agriculture website and look for “local grown.” In Minnesota, the website to search is Minnesotagrown.com

Another great spot to check out locally is the locker plant. Each one of those markets has a special recipe for mixing spices to create beef sticks and jerky. They could share that recipe with you, but….nope. It’s a trade secret, I’m sure, but a great adventure going to those markets to get a taste of some truly great meaty treats.

Need a turkey for Thanksgiving? Want a locally grown Christmas tree? How about some good local honey for the ham glaze? Or what about great knitted items to wear as you warm up around the fire?

Those are some of the stories I will be covering for The Local Growers.

I am so excited to go on this journey with you, finding some great ideas for Christmas presents and making connections with local growers.

Millerville Co-op Creamery is one of the features. The creamery makes handcrafted butter. Oh, imagine that on a slice of lefse! What’s lefse, you ask? It’s a Scandinavian treat made with potatoes and flour. Some might liken it to a tortilla, but it’s like a tortilla only in its shape. Many like it buttered with cinnamon and sugar or just sugar. In my family, we simply buttered it and it was the “bread” in our meal.

Let me know if you have a local grower you’d like featured or if you have a recipe to share.

I can’t wait to start begin this trip of wintery goodness….