Girl's' Homesteading Weekends
/
Michele Broxton, left, and I talked about keeping bees July 9, 2022 at her Girl’s Homesteading Weekend. (Ozark Farms photo)
Girl’s Homesteading Weekends
Do you remember heading home for a weekend and finding yourself baking pies, canning jam and making cookies with your Mom and family?
I do and hopefully passed that legacy on to my stepchildren when they spent their weekends with me. There’s something gratifying about working together and passing on skills especially making a meal, or parts of a meal.
Michele Broxton from Ozark Farms Market in Rolla, Mo. is taping into that yearning for simpler days. She sponsored the first Girl’s Homesteading Weekend July 8-9, 2022 that included discussions on what it was like to live on a farm milking cows, raising ducks, making pies and sourdough bread among other things. A farm girl herself, MIchele shared stories of growing up on a farm and what she learned from that experience.
There were also discussions under an outdoor tent on managing cattle and bees.
Cattle and beekeeping discussions took place outdoors under a tent with roaming ducks and chickens nearby. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
Ozark Farms Market is a relatively new local business off Highway 72. Michele started making pies as part of her church ministry in 2017 and today has a working kitchen daily making fresh bread and cookies. She plans to add a deli soon and features a number of vendors with local wares. The market serves not only nearby campers but the local community as well.
Part of the front of the Ozark Farms Market off Highway 72. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
As part of her market inventory, Michele is adding local vendors including handmade soaps, hand painted furniture and my beekeeping books.
Michele Broxton, owner of Ozark Farms Market off Highway 72. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
The last time I spoke with Michele she was recuperating from the homestead weekend so grateful for the new friendships and interest in continuing the event. Of all of the things the weekend generated Michele said she was most happy about the camaraderie. Many of those attendees have already signed up to come back September 16-17, 2022 for the fall session.
To accommodate the interest, Michele said she has doubled the fall seats but they are almost gone. If you want to enjoy a couple of days learning something new as well as making new friends, sign up and join us! Cost is $129 for the two days not counting overnight accommodations. The fee includes all meals and supplies.
Restocked pile of A Beekeeper’s Diary at the checkout counter. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)
And if you stop in earlier to enjoy a glass of milk and freshly-baked cookies, pick up one of my beekeeping books, you can’t miss them at the checkout counter!
