Vintage Bazaar

We're back from the Vintage Bazaar at Pettengill Farm in Salisbury, MA. So much fun! We want to thank all the people who stopped by our booth and made the weekend a memorable one!

Just wanted to share a few images with you this morning. I would have gotten a better picture of Sampson, the pot-bellied pig, but he'd found himself a cool spot and did not want to get up!

Madder Root booth at the Vintage Bazaar

The homestead at the main gate.

Entrance to the gardens.

One of the many flower displays.

I want this truck. Painted a dark purple.

Sampson the pot-bellied pig.

We also got packages out to Northern Tides in Lubec, ME (hope the Bay of Fundy Marathon went well on Sunday) and The Rock and Art Shop in Bangor, ME last week before we left, so if you're in either of those areas, please stop by and say hello for us.

If you'd like to contact us, please leave a comment (below), send us a convo on Etsy, or check out our page on facebook.

Hope your week's a good one!

All Good Things

Pretty much all good things start with tea and a doughnut or cinnamon roll (in my humble opinion).

Except, last week's best "good thing" was the addition of Ashley to the Madder Root team. She is an awesome photographer, seamstress, and artist and we are so happy to have her aboard. When she is not helping us, you can find her at Jameson Brown Photography taking beautiful portraits and wedding photos.

The count down is on for the Vintage Bazaar, which is this coming weekend (June 22 and 23, 2013) at Pettengill Farm in Salisbury, MA. We are excited to be doing our first show of the season.

 We also sent out tea towels, napkins, and produce bags to Maine Mountain Soap and Candle in Greenville, ME, Kennebec River Artisans in Hallowell, ME, and Conklin's Maine Mercantile in Belfast, ME.

A head's up for folks in the Lubec, ME area: The Bay of Fundy Marathon is being held June 23rd. Registration is closed, but if you are in the area cheering on the runners, please take a moment to stop by Northern Tides and say "hi" to Jerry and Deb for us!

Just a reminder that any Etsy orders placed 6/19 to 6/24 will ship out by 6/26/13. This will give us time to focus on the show. We thank you for your support and understanding.

In the meantime, you can find us on facebook, convo us through our Etsy shop, or share your own "good things" in the comment section below.

Hope your week's a good one!

A Moose, a Goose, and a Fox

Three days last week I was startled by wildlife stepping out from behind tall grass or woods onto the road in front of me while I was riding my bicycle.

First, a pair of Canadian geese too startled to honk. I got past them before they regained their wits. I have to admit the phrase "wild goose chase" came to mind.

Next a moose. I wish I had pictures. It was a little eerie how quiet he was for such a big guy! We watched each other for a while before he slipped back into the woods. Exhilarating.

And, finally, a fox ran across the road in town, followed by a bunch of crows yelling at it. Awesome way to start the day!

These encounters got me thinking about inspiration. Whether drawn from nature, from the people in my community, or from within, it's worth taking a moment to be thankful for inspiration, the opportunity to be creative, and the ability to experience the simple things that bring so much joy and beauty into life.

It was a busy week again last week. Maine's "waking up" for the summer season. We sent out a package to Rocky Acres Farm Stand in York, ME. We are also printing and sewing tea towels, napkins, and produce bags for more wholesale orders going out this week. 

The Vintage Bazaar at Pettingill Farm in Salisbury, MA is coming right up: June 22 and 23, 2013. It is open from 10am to 5pm each day. There is a $5 admission fee (children free) and free parking. 125 artisans and crafters will be there, including a bunch of Mainers: On the Round, Quench Metalworks, AP Floorcloth Design, and Madder Root. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello!

In the meantime, you can reach us by commenting (below), checking out our facebook page or sending a convo through our Etsy shop.

Hope your week's a good one!

Egg-citing!

Ok, lame title, but you have to admit, these are pretty awesome looking eggs.

Eggs

Got them at the Orono Farmers' Market on Saturday, along with some New Ace pepper plants (mine didn't survive the cold frame experiment), some frozen chicken pot pies (for company) and some goat cheese that I added to some pasta and fresh veggies for lunch.

More eggs

I was going to talk more about the Maine Women's Fund luncheon, but I'm still kicking around some ideas from the other women who spoke. I want to give it the attention it deserves.

Instead, I want to mention that we've partnered with Aube of the home cooking video blog "Kitchen Vignettes" for a June (2013) giveaway. To be eligible for a Farmers Market set of 4 produce bags, you'll need to check out her blog and either leave a comment saying why you'd like to win the giveaway or go to her facebook page and share the giveaway photo on your page. The full details are listed on her blog. You'll get really cool recipes and cooking tips as well, so definitely check it out!

Farmers Market Collection Set of 4 Produce Bags

We also had a chance to talk with Louis Bassano and Jim McConnon at the Penobscot County Cooperative Extension. Very helpful in answering some questions on the business side of things. Busy week!

Other than that, we're getting ready for Vintage Bazaar at Pettingill Farm the end of the month (June 22-23), and sending out wholesale orders. Last week, we sent another bundle of tea towels, napkins, and produce bags to Conklin's Maine Mercantile in Belfast, ME.

As always, you can find us at our facebook page or Etsy shop.

Hope your week's a good one!

Maine Women's Fund Luncheon

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to speak at the Maine Women's Fund Leadership Luncheon in Portland, ME.

Though I generally consider myself to be a behind-the-scenes kind of a person, I was honored to be asked to represent Women, Work, and Community for the event and to speak about our (Madder Root's) experience in receiving a mini-grant through the Maine Women's Fund.

Plus, it was a chance to get dressed up - a rare occurrence these days!

Here I am with Jane Searles, my friend and mentor. She's the regional manager for the Bangor Region of WWC.

Janyce and Jane Searles of WWC

Here are some of the women from WWC at our table. Jane won the table prize, which was a coaster from the artist Ann Taintor. Darn! I missed it by one seat!

Front: Karen, Jane, Janyce, Gigi; Back: Alyra, Gilda, Jenn, Cyndi

The mini-grant we received helped us purchase advertising space in the MOF&G, the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's newspaper to let people know we were going to be at the Common Ground Fair. We blogged about it, briefly, here.

I'm learning about how to make an MP3, so if that turns out well, I'll record my speech and post it.

In the meantime, I'd like to thank Jane Searles and Eloise Vitelli of Women, Work and Community for asking me to speak and Sonya Tomlinson of Maine Women's Fund and Peter Munro for helping me with my speech and supporting me through the process.

This post doesn't even touch upon how inspiring the event was. I'll save that for next time. I will say, though, I was honored to share the stage with many powerful, courageous, and creative women.

We also sent out packages to our friends at Minka in Kennebunkport, ME, Treats, in Wiscasset, ME, and Under The Dogwood Tree in Southwest Harbor, ME this past week. We hope, if you're in any of these areas, you'll stop by and say hello for us!

You can also follow us on our facebook page or contact us through our Etsy shop.

Hope your week's a great one!

Pizza Palooza

After a few months of slacking off making homemade pizza, it was on the menu twice this week. The first was kale pesto pizza with tomatoes, onion, and kalamata olives. Gotta love that green-green kale!

Kale Pesto Pizza Ready for the Oven

Fiddleheads (tips of ferns) are in season for just a short time in Maine and are a sure sign of spring. Got some at the Orono Farmer's Market on Saturday.

Fiddleheads

BF and I grilled them with just a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and onions. Everything tastes that much better on the grill!

Fiddleheads and Onions on the Grill

 Then we topped the pizza dough with a homemade red sauce, the fiddleheads, onions, and some feta cheese. Simple, but so yummy!

Pizza Topped with Fiddleheads, Onions, and Feta

Here's the pizza fresh out of the oven. (It didn't last long). The fiddleheads look dark, but they had a nice, grilled taste, with a crispy freshness that's hard to describe in words. Simple ingredients. Big flavor!

Fiddlehead Pizza Fresh from the Oven

Got a favorite pizza recipe to share? Let us know about it in the comment section or on our facebook page.

Last week, we sent a couple packages of tea towels, napkins, and produce bags out to Casual Interiors, in Boothbay Harbor, ME and Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine. Her stores are in Bath and Portland, ME. You can also find us online at our Etsy shop.

This week, Janyce will be speaking at the Maine Women's Fund Leadership luncheon in Portland, ME on Thursday. Should be a fun time! More about that in next week's post.

Hope you have a fabulous week!

Peaceful Bike Ride

Something peaceful about starting the day with a bike ride. I always love the fog lifting off the river.

Didn't see any deer this morning. Usually, they're in the fields or on the bike path. I've learned to "snort" to get them to move out of the way. Otherwise, they just stand there staring.

Nothing much new in the gardens. Still waiting for the lupine to bloom.

 Anyway, off to do some sewing. We're getting ready to send out some orders this week. We'll post those on our facebook page, once they've gone out. You can also find us any time at our Etsy shop.

Hope your week's a good one!