Lone Apple

We have a Honey Crisp apple tree.

The tree is about six years old and has produced two apples so far.

Last year, we had one Honey Crisp apple on our Honey Crisp apple tree.
We picked it too soon and it was not sweet enough.

This year, we had one apple on our Honey Crisp apple tree.
I talked to Al at Bakkers Acres who knows his apples.
Al told me when to pick that apple for the best taste.

Here is the "official" apple picking ceremony.

We had the solo Honey Crisp apple for dessert tonight.
We have to say that it was the best apple we have ever eaten!

Welcome new Hallmark stores

Welcome to a new family of Hallmark gift stores in West Michigan.

Di's Hallmark has three locations in Muskegon.

Di's Hallmark also has stores in Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood,
Byron Center, Caledonia and Grand Haven.

Mariellen's Hallmark has a store in Ludington.

Three stores carry six of our best sellers.
The others carry twelve different flavors of our mixes.
You will be sure to find a taste for everyone!

Be sure to tell them that I sent you!

Double Doggies of the Week

Here are our latest doggies of the week.

Meet Peter Pan and Celia Tiffany.

They come as a team, so we get to say "Double Doggies of the Week."

They ride very nicely in a backpack when they visit the Frankfort Farm Market
and get so much attention!

Sooo cute!

Castle Farms Craft Show

Join us this Saturday or Sunday at Castle Farms in Charlevoix for the Royal Craft Show.

Hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday.

If you want to buy something unique and creative for Christmas gifts,
Castle Farms is the place to be.
There will be over 125 artists and craftsmen, with all kinds of handmade items.

We will offer our usual mixes,
plus some very pretty Christmas cookie cutters with our sugar cookie mixes.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

10,000 down, 10,000 to go

I am not sure when it officially happened, but we sold over 10,000 mixes so far this year. Exact total is 10,762! Yippee!

Last year, the official 10,000 mixes sold date was September 17. Looks like we are a month ahead of schedule.

We are still working on the 20,000 goal for 2011!

Thank you to all of you who purchased mixes at the Farmers Markets, on the web, or at a local gift or food store. We appreciate you!

We love our "funny little business!"

Double D Day

Friday is Double D Day.

First, we celebrate "Doggie of the Week."

This Doggie of the Week came from the Northport Farmers Market,
a few weeks ago.

Meet Joey, the very shy dachshund who did not want to be photographed.
He is still cute, even if he did not want to smile.

Friday is also "Doughnut Day!"

My market neighbor Melissa Drake from Cherry Beach Orchards
walks a block to Barb's Bakery in Northport
and brings back a yummy custard filled chocolate doughnut for me.

Every few days, while we are at the other Farmers Markets,
we talk about "Doughnut Day"
in anticipation of the Friday Farmers Market.

I confess, we do not really "talk" about it.
We yell "Friday Doughnut Day!" when we discuss the event.

It is the little things that amuse me!!!

Ingredients

In case you want to know what goes into your chocolate mixes, here it is!

Sugar on the left, cocoa on the right and chocolate chips on top.

More ingredients go into each mix, but this is a good start!

The kitchen smells so good when Michael mixes chocolate!

Today, Michael is making me two kinds of chocolate cake to taste test for new recipes.
This is my birthday cake.
I have to work as Director of Taste Testing even on my birthday,
but what a great job it is!
I will let you know the results.

Doggie of the Week

Finally, I am getting to our First Annual Doggie of the Week program. We see so many wonderful dogs (and their owners) at the Farm Markets, so we decided to show you as many of them as we can.

Here are the first two of many doggies. Welcome Chelsea and Trevi. I introduced Trevi last week, when we were celebrating Stuart and Susie's anniversary.

Chelsea and Trevi have their PFDs on. When they jump off of boats, Stuart and Susie always have them wear these, as it is easier for helping them get into the boat. I think they are adorable.

If you come to Northport or Frankfort Farm Markets, Michael and I will be there, camera ready, to make your pup a blog star!

We Saw It Again!

We were still working, so outside we went to see the International Space Station again!

It was so amazing!

It passed through the Big Dipper, and made us feel so small
when we saw the tiny space station in an enormous group of stars.

God does good work!

International Space Station

Guess what we saw this evening? The International Space Station!

It is traveling at more than 17,000 miles per hour.

It is over 220 miles up in space.

It takes 92 minutes to orbit the earth,
so if we are still working later this evening,
we will get to see it again.

Michael thought he saw a sign in the window
that asked if we could set out a plate of root beer cookies for the next pass by.

He is baking them now, just in case they can pick them up!