Last weekend we attended the Kentucky Green Living Fair held at the Center in Somerset. I’ve been looking forward to this event for weeks and I’m proud to say that it did not disappoint! Really and truly I was blown away by the talent and variety of booths throughout the building. We got the chance to meet many awesome people, learn a few things and most importantly support small businesses.
One of my goals is to shop small when possible because in doing so you are supporting a dream and typically a better quality item! I am born and raised in a small town of many Dollar Generals and gas stations. Some say that’s all this town is good for but I beg to differ. I’m constantly discovering new shops and handcrafted items right here in my local area. Sometimes I think, “how did I not know about this?” or “why did I not try this earlier?”
There’s something so great about shopping locally that you can’t get from chain stores. I love nothing more than to walk into a shop and seeing people who are truly happy to be there. The atmosphere is so pleasant that you are drawn to come back just to get that feel.
That’s the exact type of feel I got from many of the vendors last weekend.
Sun Sugar Farms
One of our first stops was to Linda Fritz, from Sun Sugar Farms. Linda had a variety of sustainable products at her booth from silicone bowl wraps, to CRESBI crates and even produce containers. I’m of course a sucker for replacing single use plastics so I just had to stop at her booth for more info!
I’ve been using the same cling wrap for a long time now but was looking into a replacement to cover my bowls. Silicone wraps were on my radar and Linda just happened to have a really nice set. I’ve tried many of them on my bowls here at home and they work perfectly!
The highlight of her booth though would have to be the CRESBI crates. These collapsible crates are lightweight but quite durable and can hold up to 6 plastic bags of groceries! I bought a pack of 3 for my own personal use and they make grocery shopping a breeze.
I love how I can organize my groceries by crate and by placing the barcode on top, it makes checking out very easy. The cashier can simply use a hand held scanner to scan the groceries without even taking your items out of the crate. How cool is that?
Linda is the owner of Sun Sugar Farms in Verona, Kentucky and also the creator of CRESBI crates. Check out her story and more of what she has to offer at cresbicrate.com
Old Maple Farms
Good maple syrup is a treasure and I can certainly say that Old Maple Farms has some of the best! I may just have to take a trip to Edmonton when this runs out because it’s THAT good.
Old Maple Farms is owned by Dale and Becky Nickel who were kind enough to let us sample their syrups and jams which were all fantastic! We tried the peach and blueberry syrup first which were delicious but that hickory was a no brainer. We had to buy it! We have plans to smother it in a meat dish but Becky said she personally loved it on pancakes. I think I’ll give that a go sometime soon.
Along with the syrup we also purchased blackberry jam which is literally my jam. I can eat that stuff on anything! If I told you they had jalapeno jam would you believe me? I totally thought she was kidding but no, it’s for real! Many people enjoy it on a cracker with cream cheese. I omitted the cream cheese but I do have to say it was very delicious on a cracker. Why is it that jalapenos can taste good with anything?
Old Maple Farms offers nursery, produce, craft syrup, and grass fed beef. Browse their website at oldmaplefarms.net
The Berry Center Bookstore
You can imagine just how ecstatic this book lover soul of mine was to see this booth! What caught my eye originally was nature and bird log journals but their selection was so great I said, “I would buy all of them if I could!”
I really enjoyed getting the chance to talk to vendors Virginia Aguilar and her husband, Ben. Located in New Castle, Kentucky The Berry Center and bookstore provides historical information that may be otherwise difficult to find. Their vision is to advocate for farmers and continue the legacy of Wendell Berry who opened the eyes to agriculture across the nation.
The Agrarian Culture Center and Bookstore neighbors the Berry Center in an adorable log cabin. Here you’ll be able to find many great books, including the writings of Wendell Berry himself! If I ever find myself near New Castle, there’s no doubt I’ll have to pay them a visit. You can learn more on their website at theberrycenter.org
More Photos From the Fair!
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