I'm comin' in!

So, I have decided to change things up a bit this year. Normally I do a couple of craft shows early in the year; the first one is always at the end of February, and then one in March, one in April and then the outdoor Freight House Farmers' Market starts the first weekend in May and runs through the end of October. I wanted to cut back on the craft shows; I'm not giving them up all together, but just rearranging things a bit so that my income is more consistent and things are not so frantic in the fall, thus making me less crazy during the busy Craft show season....my husband would argue that my special kind of crazy has nothing to do with the craft shows...I digress. I have a plan. What I have decided to do is to start selling at the farmers' market right away...I actually started last week....sorry that I did not inform you of my plans in a more timely manner..now you are caught up. You may be wondering if I have lost my mind. A farmers' market in January, in Iowa? Why, yes, my friends, we have an INDOOR market here. I will certainly miss being outside all summer long, but when I weighed it out, there were just too many positives to pass up the chance to move inside. And I do have a pretty nice view of the outside from my space inside.

I bought myself a sweet little refrigerator off of Craigslist for my eggs (don't you just love Craigslist....minus the murder thing, of course, but still..). No more schlepping coolers full of ice and trying to maintain the proper temperature when it's 90 degrees outside in August. No more trying to hold onto a canopy that decides that it wants to fly with the wind. No more setting up and tearing down every day.  I set up my booth inside, I bring fresh eggs and baked goods every Saturday and Tuesday and bring home whatever is left, and done!
You may be wondering: what can you get at a farmers' market in the dead of winter?
Well...almost anything you can get in the summer. Of course, this time of year most of the produce is not local...as I mentioned, it's January, in Iowa..but it's still colorful and yummy.

There are lots of baked goods. Including my own cookies, Salted Nut Rolls and jam....which I neglected to photograph.

Handmade soaps.

 And pasta.

Olive oils.

 And local honey.

I love these repurposed wool items.

...especially these adorable little birds. I need a whole flock of the chickens that she makes for my Christmas tree next year.

Beside my normal wares of handspun yarn, eggs, baked goods, salted nut rolls and handmade clay figurines, I am partnering with my friend Lori, from Sommarang Farm in Wisconsin, to sell her roving and raw fleece at market.

 Come on, spinners, you know you want some!

Also, you may find my friend Cassie from Farm Genevieve in a booth next to me soon, she will be selling her handspun yarn, hooked rugs and other fiber art. We are just going to have a little fiber fiesta going on down there every Saturday and Tuesday.......but not this Tuesday,
because.....

 "Potentially Historic Snowstorm Expected through Wednesday
Two rounds of snow will affect eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri early this week.


 A major winter storm system will begin to impact the region late Tuesday morning into Wednesday, with the heaviest snowfall expected from midday Tuesday through about daybreak Wednesday. Snowfall  amounts of 10 to 16 inches are possible. To the southeast, totals of 16 to 20 inches are possible. In addition to the high snowfall totals, winds will increase to 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph from Tuesday night into Wednesday resulting in considerable blowing and drifting snow, especially in open and rural areas. Visibilities will likely be reduced in whiteout conditions and snow drifts may reach several feet high.


Putting the two events together, 60 hour snowfall totals ending at 6 pm Wednesday will range from 7 to 23 inches from northwest to southeast. Some of these totals will approach historic events for both 24 hour snowfalls and storm total snowfalls. For more information on local snowfall records, see the latest public information statement here.


Frigid temperatures will surge in behind the storm with wind chill values mainly between 0° and -25° from Wednesday morning through early Friday."

OK then...I am guessing that the groundhog is not even going to come out of hibernation on Wednesday, let alone see his shadow! Stay warm, my friends!