Christmas Services at Bay Pointe, plus lots of updates

Please join us to celebrate Christ's birth on Christmas Eve at Bay Pointe Community Church.
Services will be 1:00, 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00 PM.
Michael and I will be greeting at all four services, so we would love to see you there!

We can still ship in time for Christmas delivery!

Go ahead, order some mixes for gifts or for Christmas gatherings!

Our new Kahlua and Cream scone
can be a wonderful addition to your Christmas goodies.

We are finally, fully moved into our new facility.
We cannot see one end of the building,
because the boxes are so high,
but we will get everything sorted and in it's place
and it will be a happy facility!

If I do not blog before Christmas, have a blessed Christmas!

No Internet

In case you tried to contact us via email in the past four days and did not receive a reply from us, our internet was shut down. We discovered it on Friday morning.

Since we are moving, we have to disconnect one internet service and open another (since the first one is not available at our new location). We have new service at the new facility, but had not moved the computers yet. We decided not to disconnect the first service until we had all equipment moved. However, someone in sales decided that Friday was a great day to end our internet. When I called to find out what happened, the sales department was closed for the holiday.

All this comes down to...we have no internet connections and may not have them for a few more days, until we can make the switch. You will hear from us as soon as we can respond.

Sorry for the inconvenience! We hope to be full speed ahead very soon!

P.S. I am at a remote computer so I can write this, but have no access to our email accounts.

What's New at Creekside Grains

Last month, we started construction on a new commercial kitchen/warehouse. Hopefully...we will be moved in by the end of November. We are waiting for electric hook up, which will now be delayed by at least two weeks, thanks to the powerful wind storm keeping Cherryland Electric busy last week.

We have been in a temporary facility for the past six months, but that will soon change. Our current commercial kitchen is in one building and the warehouse is in another, about ten minutes apart from each other, and about fifteen minutes from home.

We are so excited! The new building is in our back yard, so we will get to walk to work, every day! No more driving to the warehouse, then to the kitchen, then back to the warehouse, then back to the kitchen again, then back to the warehouse, then home at night. Time saved from driving will help Michael invent new recipes, so I can taste test them.

We live on a beautiful piece of property, with Beinter Creek running through it, so it will be a nice change of pace to actually enjoy the creek during daylight hours, instead of only hearing it when we get home at night.

Michael has been taking progress pictures. I will post them soon!

Great Couple!

Michael and Carole Steinberg
have visited the Farmers Markets
for the past few years
and stock up on Creekside Grains when they visit.

Carole had her camera ready,
so Michael and I got to be the subjects at last Saturday's market in Suttons Bay.

It was a beautiful autumn day!
We had a great time visiting again.
I look forward to seeing Michael and Carole next summer!

Gift Store Shoppers

One of our Miss Heart of Michigan contestants, and currently Miss GVSU,
Morgan was a great shopper at Gull Meadow Farms in Richland, Michigan.

She always finds the Creekside Grains mixes!



Morgan should be the Creekside Grains spokesperson.

She seems to find the mixes wherever she goes!

We only have about ninety more gift stores to cover,
so Morgan had better take a road trip.

She will have to go as far west as Montana and and far east as Pennsylvania.

Thank you Morgan! Happy shopping!

New letter from a happy chief cupcake

Dear Creekside Grains,

We made your garlic and cheese beer bread this evening to go with our split-pea and ham soup. Turned out very nice and everyone loved it.

Best,

Bridget

Bridget Coffey, Chief Cupcake
www.meganscupcakes.com
Copyright © 2010 Megan's Cupcakes

I have never had a chief cupcake send us a letter before. I am the Director of Taste Testing and Bridget is the Chief Cupcake. I love our titles! Thanks Bridget!

Ten Thousand!

Creekside Grains sold over ten thousand mixes so far this year! Woo hoo! Looking forward to the rest of the year to see what we can do!

Thank you everyone, for believing in us!

He Did It!

He Did It!

Michael holds the World Land Speed Record for Motorcycle Alternative Engines at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Combined average time (two way run) was 97.98 mph! There was a cross wind on the second run, so that slowed him down to under 100 mph.

I am so proud of him! He is so happy!

Miss Heart of Michigan has a beautiful titleholder with Kaley Schroeder and Miss Heart Racing has the World's Fastest Alternative Engine Motorcycle with the RE5. What a combination!

Here at Last!

Michael is staying in a five star hotel in the tiny town of Wendover, Nevada.
Even though it is five star, the rates are wonderful!

I wish I could be there!

He has lots of images that I get to post soon. He has lots of stories about his adventures so far.

He will try for his first run tomorrow.

More, later....

Six States

My traveling husband covered six states yesterday - Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska.

Michael stayed in the great little town of Syracuse, Nebraska in a great little motel. This morning, when he was getting fuel at the nearby gas station, he saw a group of older men with suitcases. Being the inquisitive man that he is, Michael asked them if they were all homeless and needed a place to stay. They told him that they were on their way to MACKINAC (they pronounced it MACK-IN-ACK) ISLAND!

Of all places in the country, Michael found a group of travelers from a tiny town in Nebraska, going to northern Michigan for vacation. He told them to buy lots of fudge!

Michael just called a few minutes ago, with a little dilemma. The nice little motel that he stayed in Rawlins, Wyoming last year (where he was stranded for a week) was booked to capacity, along with every other motel for sixty miles! He had to keep driving for another two hours, hoping that the next town had rooms available. Since there is no cell phone service in Wyoming, I have to wait until tomorrow to find out how far he had to drive to get a place to stay. Lets hope he is not homeless tonight!

The saga continues tomorrow! Night!

Ready to Race

Michael picked up the RE5 at Rotary Recycle,
the RE5 hospital in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Jess Stockwell did a great job repairing the bike.
Jess is the #1 RE5 tuner in the world!

The bike is tucked safely in the van
and it is ready to race at Bonneville.

Michael has an official RE5 hat and t shirt.
He is also ready to race at Bonneville!

More tomorrow!

Michael is racing ready.

If you happened to follow the blog last year, you will know that it is time for Michael to go racing again. If not, here is the scoop...

Michael will be racing the Miss Heart of Michigan Suzuki RE5 motorcycle, in an attempt to beat his own world land speed record that he made last year.

He is on the road, heading to Tennessee to pick up the motorcycle at the RE5 hospital. It needed a few adjustments, but it is now racing ready. From Tennessee, he heads northwest to the Bonneville Salt Flats.

I will update daily with his adventures.

I would appreciate prayers for his safety and that of the other racers.

Thank you!

Look what we found!

As Morgan Lind, one of our lovely Miss Heart contestants
(currently holds the title of Miss Grand Valley State University),
strolled through Keewanau Gem and Gifts in Houghton, Michigan,
she spotted a familiar bag.

Morgan had to take a photo of it so we could see how adorable she is
and that she is holding a great cookie mix!

Thanks Morgan!

Lola is Missing Again

If anyone sees a little Bantam chicken named Lola, please let us know! Lola escaped again and Heidi has not seen her for two days! Lola's wings were clipped, so she must be escaping on foot, but she has not been found yet.

We will give Lola updates when they happen.

Happy Clients

This came in an email from one of our clients. I love happy clients!

Hi -

We purchased the Garlic and Cheese Beer Bread mix on Saturday at the Farm Market in Suttons Bay. It was fun to prepare and so delicious! Not only do we need to stock these in our pantry, but I think they'll make special "Up North" gifts.

I have to agree! Thanks for the great input!

Lola Update

Michael gave me more details about missing Lola.

He just came back from our neighbors house to let them know that he found Lola. Little did we know that Lola's mom (our neighbor Heidi) had been crying for four days because Lola disappeared. Lola was Heidi's favorite chicken. Heidi and Dave had spent the lasts four days searching for Lola in the fields and the creek and everywhere else in between.

We still cannot figure out how Lola got to our mailbox. The assumed way of travel was in a very big field with very high weeds and wildflowers. The only clear way to travel would have been the railroad tracks next to our home and even those are not easy to navigate!

It was such a blessing that Michael came home at that time. Within a few moments, Lola would have been in the road and gone forever. No wonder Lola jumped into Michael's arms to be taken home!

We are all so glad for a happy ending and one happy chicken!

What's Happening at Creekside

I am so far behind in Creekside updates! I guess that the ten Farm Markets each week are catching up with me. There is so much to say, and so little time to say it.

I have really enjoyed meeting new clients and seeing previous clients come to the Farm Markets for more Creekside products. It has been a wonderful summer at the Farm Markets!

Just a few notes from the past few days...

On the way to the Glen Arbor Farmers Market yesterday morning, I saw a very big buck and two tiny fawns hanging out by the side of the road. They were so pretty!

Today, I pulled into the driveway for the Grow Benzie Farmers Market. I looked into the neighboring field and saw hundreds of spider webs dripping with dew, sparkling in the sun. Each web was nearly perfect in shape. I wish I had my camera. There were so many and they were so beautiful!

I just got a phone call from Michael. He said that when he pulled into the driveway at our Creekside home, our neighbor's chicken Lola met him by the mailbox. Lola was inches away from being hit by a car! When Lola saw Michael, she jumped (or flew, I am not sure which) into Michael's arms and said "take me home!" He walked her back to the safety of her coop. We are still not sure how she got to our mailbox. It is quite a hike for one small chicken to travel that far!

Time to get ready for the next six markets in three days!

Glen Arbor was flying

The mixes were flying off the table today at Glen Arbor! I could not get them from the car to the table fast enough!

It was a very fun market. I got to meet many, many people who were visiting from all over the country. From Idaho to New York City and Kentucky to California, Glen Arbor had lots of visitors.

Even though the mosquitoes were awful and it sprinkled a few times, we still had a great time. I got to see the rest of the Brontman family and get reacquainted with the adorable family dog. They were my best sales people. When they suggested a mix to someone, that person bought it! Thanks for the help!

Off to pack the car for the Grow Benzie Farmers Market in Benzonia tomorrow!

Blue Angels

After five Farmers Markets in four days, I wanted a break, so Michael took me to see the Blue Angels on Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful day to watch the millions of people in town for the National Cherry Festival and enjoy the Blue Angels. The show was wonderful and it was nice to get away from work.

A few hours later, when we got back into work mode to buy some supplies at Sam's Club, we looked up, noticed three Blue Angels, then two more, then the last, as they flew on to their next show. It was a fun way to say goodbye and send them on their way. It was really fun to see a little boy wave to them and yell goodbye in the parking lot of Sam's!

All week, I loved to see and hear the Blue Angels practice. Our office is very close to the airport, so we could hear them take off, watch them get into formation and head into the skies. When I was driving home from the Leelanau Peninsula Farmers Markets, I got to see them fly over West Bay for practice. I really enjoy watching them! I am so glad we took the break to see the "official show."

Back to packing for the Farmers Markets. Glen Arbor, Benzonia, Leland, Northport, Elk Rapids, The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, Crystal Mountain, Suttons Bay and Frankfort are on our plate this week and every week throughout the summer. See you there!

Welcome back Brontman family!

The Brontman sisters stopped by Glen Arbor on Tuesday. It was great seeing them again.

We met last summer and were able to visit at each different market during the week. They are a very sweet family (with a great dog, too!). They gave rave reviews about Creekside Grains (especially the root beer cookies) and we are very grateful! They visited from the Chicago area.

I got to show them all of the new products that Michael invented since last summer. There is quite a variety of new mixes.

I look forward to seeing them at the Farm Markets in Leelanau County this week!

Laundry in the tub

Why is it, when you are tired and ready for bed, that the strange things happen without warning? It was after 11:00 PM on Saturday night and I started to put my favorite khaki capris in the laundry. Guess who had two giant stains on the back of the capris? Me! I had been watering my flowers earlier that evening and the dirty hose brushed up against my capris. Great big black stains embedded themselves in the clothing. So...I threw them in the wash, hoping to get the stains out before they set in.

Halfway through the cycle, I started smelling burning rubber and the machine sounded funny. I opened the lid to see very wet and soapy clothes just sitting in the machine. The motor had stopped working and the rubber belts were starting to burn. Now what? I left the laundry, woke Michael and told him about it and went to bed...grrr...

Yesterday, I took all of the wet, soapy laundry and put the clothes in our bathtub for a manual rinsing. I can really appreciate the modern conveniences after I spent a lot of time rinsing and wringing each piece of clothing.

When Michael got a chance to look at the machine a few hours later, he took the machine apart, played with it for a few minutes and made it work again. This was way after I had dried the clothes three times, because I had not wrung them out enough!

Michael had it fixed and I was back in laundry mode!

I am so glad that it was not jeans that I would have had to rinse and wring!

We are so spoiled in the USA! If our washing machine breaks, we can go to the laundrymat or buy a new machine and have it delivered the next day! So spoiled!

It Gets Better and Better!

Michael's newest invention...Dark Chocolate Cabernet Cake!

Where else can you get dark chocolate and your favorite cabernet all in one? I gave samples to the vendors at the Leland Market and at Black Star Farms and they all loved it!

A few of the comments included, "Can I lick the pan?" and "Can I eat the entire cake right now?" Also, "There are so many wonderful flavors of wine and chocolate in one cake! Wow"

Visit us at one of the many Farmer's Markets and get your Dark Chocolate Cabernet Cake mix!

Glen Arbor, plus, plus, plus

So much to catch up, but I am off to bed. Early day at the Glen Arbor Farmers Market tomorrow.

I will update with my wonderful Upper Peninsula travel adventures, plus Miss Michigan, plus all of the great gift stores that I visited, plus Michael's new mixes, plus, plus, plus!

Bye for now!

Bye!

For the first time since our honeymoon nine years ago, I am taking a mini vacation! I have taken many trips for conventions, but they do not count as a vacation, since we only had a few hours to play on each trip. The rest of the time, we were in classrooms and trade shows...

This is a real vacation! My sister told me a few months ago to block off the time and join her on a trip through the Upper Peninsula. We both attended Northern Michigan University (over thirty years ago), so it will be fun to see how much the University and Marquette have changed in thirty years. We used to dine at the Villa Capri in Marquette and we are looking forward to going back. I hear it is still one of the best Italian restaurants! It gets rave reviews on the web! The butter used to drip off the garlic bread! I hope it still does, just for old time sake!

My sister was driving over the Mackinac Bridge in 1975, the night the Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared near Whitefish Bay. She said it was a very scary storm and the bridge was closed shortly after she crossed. We will spend some time at the lighthouse museum at Whitefish Bay.

We will also visit my "neighbor." Jean and I played together in Jackson nearly every day when we were little. When we attended Northern, Jean stayed in Marquette and I moved back home. It will be nice to see her after so many years.

Big Bay and Grand Marais are also on our list. I have never been to Grand Marais, but it was one of my father's favorite places to visit. I will enjoy seeing the place that my father loved so much.

We have less than a week to play, so we will make the most of it. We will also visit several of the gift stores that carry Creekside Grains products. I cannot wait to meet the owners and see the stores.

Michael will be at Elk Rapids Farm Market tomorrow and Frankfort on Saturday. I will be back at the Suttons Bay Market next Saturday! See you then!

Bye!

Suttons Bay, Frankfort and The Village at Grand Traverse Commons

If you are out and about on Saturday morning, stop by the Farm Markets and pick up a few mixes for the weekend.

I will be at Suttons Bay, Michael will be at Frankfort and Kelsi will be at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons. The weather looks great for the weekend and the mixes will be a great addition to your weekend gatherings.

Michael's newest Black Bean Beer Bread is so good! Get some dip and you will have a great snack combo!

Don't forget the pancakes! Holiday weekends are the best time to have a leisurely breakfast with pancakes and local maple syrup.

Have a great weekend! Hope to see you at the Market!

Turtles

I got to visit mom at her cabin on Sunday afternoon. We decided to take a Sunday drive to check out the countryside and it was a turtle convention!

Only a mile from the cabin and here was turtle #1. He was a big boy - about a foot long. He was in the middle of the road, taking a leisurely stroll. I stopped the car, stood behind him and told him to get moving, so he would not be squashed. He stepped up the pace and made it across the road safely.

One mile later, and another turtle was in the road. I had a truck close behind me, so I could not stop. I drove around him, but the truck had to go over the top of him. I wonder how Mr. Turtle felt when he had a giant vehicle drive over him? He was between the wheels, so did not get hurt. I still wonder how a turtle feels when someone drives over him?

When I left the next morning to come back to Traverse City, the second turtle was not in the road, so I have to hope he crossed the road safely.

Turtles are such neat creatures! God does good work!

Farm Market Time

Michael has been at the Farm Market at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons for the past few months and has really enjoyed meeting new Creekside Grains clients.

I was at the Suttons Bay Farm Market for the past two weekends. It was great seeing my vendor friends from last year and meeting new Creekside Grains clients.

Many of the Farm Markets will be starting up in a few weeks. By mid summer, we will be at about nine markets each week. I look forward to enjoying the beautiful summer weather and dining on fresh produce from the vendors!

Speaking of fresh produce, Michael is growing a small garden this summer. He has an 8'x8' plot started. The lettuce has already peeked out from under the dirt and looks promising. I grew up on a farm with a two acre garden (8'x8' is not two acres, but it works for me), so I am ready for fresh veggies from our own backyard, just like when I was growing up!

See you at the Markets!

Spring Craft Show

If you are in the Traverse City area on Saturday, stop by and see us at the Spring Craft Show, located at First Christian Church (behind Best Buy). The crafters were setting up tonight and the show looks like it has some great items.

I will be at the Craft Show from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Michael will be at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM for the Farmers Market.

We hope to see you!

Another Great Letter

Creekside Grains donated a gift basket for Cherry Knoll Elementary School fundraiser. This is the thank you letter from one of the students. We left out his name for safety reasons.

Dear Creekside Grains,

Thank you for the baking mix basket. We appreciate your generosity. You helped Cherry Knoll raise $8,000 dollars. Now we can go on field trips.

Sincerely,
******

We love it when we receive these letters! We love it when they can go on field trips!

Great Letter

While we were in the process of moving, we received this great letter in the mail. We are using stars to protect the writer's identity. I am writing this letter exactly as she wrote to us.

To Whom it May Concern:

I am ***. I'm in 4th grade and I go to *** Elementary. I am learning how to write business letter's so I chose you to write to.

My mom loves your coffee cookies! The reason she loves them is because then she doesn't have to make coffee at 6:00 in the morning.

If you don't have any bread products, I think that you should make some banana bread mix because my whole family loves any kind of bread. I was wondering if I could have a coupon so that my family could try more of your other products.

Keep up the good work,

***

What a great letter! We will see what we can do to get a banana bread mix made. Michael has a great recipe. I will give him a little nudge to get it started!

We have lots of other new bread products. I will try to get them on the site soon, so her family can enjoy Creekside Grains breads.

Final Moving Day!

If you do not hear from us for a few more days, it is because the phone lines and computers and internet are moving to our new office.

If all goes well, we will be back in action on Friday afternoon. If the normal glitches occur, you will hear from us on Monday.

Back to final packing and moving!

Bye!

Almost Moving Day!

Next Friday, we will be officially out of this office and into a temporary office.

Lots to do and little time to move it all!

We had wonderful friends who helped move most of the office furniture
and files and shelves and lots of boxes on Saturday,
but my office is still very full.

I leave town for five days on Friday,
so poor Michael has to clean up after me.
He can do it! I know he can!

On Saturday, March 20,
I will be going to the Keepsake Collection Folk Art and Craft Show
at Saginaw Valley State University on Bay Road in Saginaw.
Hours are 10 AM to 4 PM.

I will be sampling Michael's newest invention...
Double Chocolate Hazelnut Espresso Cookies!
Our taste testers raved about it!
Join us and try one for yourself.

If the blog is empty for awhile,

I will fill it up when I return and unpack!

What a Story!

This was sent to me by a client who wanted to share her Creekside Grains story...Please keep the family in your prayers. Thank you.

Two years ago my friend was diagnosed with cancer, shortly after finding our she was expecting. She was unable to do the traditional treatments until after the baby was born.

Now with a healthy baby girl and an amazing husband, they started a new life of her being in remission. God had other plans for her. Just a few weeks ago, she went into emergency surgery and was unable to see her daughter for days.

When her little girl did get to visit her, Grandma had purchased a package of Princess Pancakes or Crown Cookies (not sure which mix, because I didn't get the entire story) for a "Get Better" gift. Her little girl walked into the hospital room with the mix and said, "You're still a princess to me Mom."

God's grace, mercy and love is unfailing and faithful and continues to bless my friends. Everything went great in surgery and we'll shall see what the weeks ahead hold for them.

Miss Heart, then off to Lansing

It has been over a month since I blogged? Guess why? I will tell you!

Michael is the Executive Director of Miss Heart of Michigan, which is a Miss Michigan, Miss America preliminary competition. I am the President.

Last Saturday, Miss Heart 2010 was crowned at the Leelanau Sands Showroom. Kaley Lynn Schroeder also took home a $10,000 scholarship! Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund was the co emcee with our Miss Heart 2009, Katie LaRoche. Kirsten and Katie did a wonderful job entertaining the crowd and helping to make the evening go smoothly.

Kaley is now preparing for Miss Michigan in June.

For the past two months, I have been planning the event, from ticket taking to Lodge room reservations, to script writing, to making sure contestants paperwork was correct, to answering over fifty emails per day, to preparing judges books, to you name it, I did it.

Whew, the pageant is done and we are starting to plan for next year.

We are also preparing for the Lansing Gift show which starts on Sunday. Michael is busy packing mixes and preparing products and I am polishing up the brochures and order forms. We heard that over 600 people attend the show, so we are looking forward to a great weekend!

Have a great weekend! I know we will!

Amazing brownies!

I just received this email...

"Hey Loretta!

This is Terri (Jenn's mom).

I don't have a facebook, so I am "borrowing" Jenn's!

Michael's brownies are AMAZING!

They didn't last very long at our house!

Tell him "Bravo!" from all of us! :)"

I love it when a client loves our brownies so much that
they have to borrow Facebook to get the message to me!

I have to agree with Terri.

The brownies are soooo good!