Living Deliberately.

As I am writing this, I am sitting at a busy intersection in Clemson.  I see people crowding into fast food joints, honking their horns and, just in a foul mood on a beautiful day.  Part of it could be that it is Sunday afternoon and they know that in the morning, they will have to go back to work.  Part of it could be that it is getting cooler outside, by just a bit, and we can tell that soon it will be fall.  I think the major reason is the crowd. 

   All of these people are shuttled into the streets of this small college town.  Tires are squealing, music is blaring and it is just loud and frustrating.  It is a testament to how hard we work to shove square pegs into round holes.   We should not be so rushed in such a small town and where is everyone going in such a hurry?

   My good friend Ellen K. has been advising me to live deliberately.  No one can plan every moment of their day or week, but you do have a great deal of control over what you do now and if you think about the future those decisions can yield better, more positive time saving results in the future.  If you pay attention to your life and the things going on in it,  things will work out better.  Sound simple enough?

   Winnie Mae's Cooking Demo Series is focusing on just that idea; living deliberately.  Thinking about the things you can do right now in your life to make your future easier and less stressful.  It is about shifting the foundations of your life so that the things that you build on those foundations are more stable and less taxing.

   In the coming weeks we are going to have classes like how to cut up a whole chicken, saving time on a daily basis and money.  When you buy a chicken already cut, you are basically paying someone to do what would take the average person 10 minutes to do with a little practice.  It is not rocket science and a few moments of time at the beginning of the week could save you a lot of time later and a lot of money at the shopping center or CSA. 

   So join us as we try to round out some of the square pegs in your life.  This week is marinades and oils along with some coffee demonstrations with the crew from Leopard Forest Coffee.  So think ahead and join us at the Arts Center, every Tuesday for the forseeable future.

We all breathe the same air.

This is repost of something that I had written on another blog, before beginning Winnie Mae's.  I think it still fits.
   We have often talked about what it means to be a part of a community.  What should we expect from one another?  I have always thought that, as Kennedy said, "...our most basic, common link is that we all inhabit this small planet.  We all breathe the same air."  We are facing difficult times and I do not think that we can face them alone, sequestered from one another.  As a community, we can be bold and accomplish much.  There is strength in numbers.   This past week, we have talked and we have listened to one another.  We have seen the each others' needs and we have seen each others' wants, for ourselves and for our children.
   This past week we talked about health care.  We talked about education, both grade school and college,  and we talked about child care.  We talked about jobs, and owning homes, and retirement.  We talked about war and peace and supporting local economies and the storms in Clemson have made us wonder about global warming and the environment.  This past week has been a week of conversations about what really matters to people.
    So, now that we know the problems, what are the solutions?   The Co-op idea came up.  A group of people, each having needs and wants, yet each also having something to offer to their neighbor.  This is not so much the beginning of a new tradition, yet a continuation and revitalization of an old one.  The thing that makes us Americans and moreover, what makes us humans is our responsiblity to one another; the knowledge that though you skin is a different color or you worship a different or many gods in different ways, you, as I am, are human.  I am my brother's keeper and what gives me faith, what gives me hope, is that he too shall believe that he is mine.
   We believe that if we take care of the small problems, the big problems will be that much easier to deal with.  We believe that if we take care of what is right in front of us, those things in the distance will not be so  scary.  The future is not so scary if the present is not so bad and there is no darkness that we cannot all walk through together.  So, ask me about the co-op.

Now offering!

BeeWell Honey by the pound!
The result of 600 colonies of work in the Pickens County, Bee Well honey is raw, natural honey with no additives or preservatives, made right here in NW South Carolina.


Winnie Mae's Member Price- 2.90/pound

BeeWell Honey/ Member

1 pound $2.90 2 pounds $5.80 3 pounds $8.70

Non-member prices

BeeWell Honey/ non-member

1 pound $3.40 2 pounds $6.80 3 pounds $9.80

Join Winnie Mae's and help us support local growers like this.  Orders made today can be picked up at Tuesday, August 23 at the The Arts Center in Clemson between 3 and 6 pm.

Membership!

A co-op can be whatever you want it to be.  Moreover, it should be what you NEED it to be.  Be a part of Winnie Mae's and watch and help us grow in Clemson.
  
   Basic Yearly Membership includes ($25.00)

10% discount on anything that Winnie Mae's offers.  Products, Produce, Events.

You decide! There is strength in numbers and your vote helps us decide what to carry, what events to produce, what projects to support, etc.  With Winnie Mae's you are part of a real community!

Profit Sharing! Your membership in Winnie Mae's is an investment in your future.  For every purchase you make recieve points for up to 10% of the purchases you make, help at events, and promoting Winnie Mae's.  At the end of the year, Winnie Mae's cuts you a check!

   Full Yearly Membership includes ($50.00):

25% discount on anything that Winnie Mae's offers.  Products, Produce, Events and numerous freebies!

Discounts at local businesses.  We can get most things for you, but we do not have EVERYTHING.  Winnie Mae's is partnering with other local business and other members to bring you as much as we can. 

You decide! There is strength in numbers and your vote helps us decide what to carry, what events to produce, what projects to support, etc.  With Winnie Mae's you are part of a real community and with Full Yearly Membership, you are a part owner.  At monthly meetings, you will get to propose new projects and help determine the direction of Winnie Mae's.

Profit Sharing! Your membership in Winnie Mae's is an investment in your future.  For every purchase you make recieve points for
- up to 20% of the purchases you make.
- help at events
- promoting Winnie Mae's.
- At the end of the year, Winnie Mae's cuts you a check!

Click on the membership option that suits you and let's get started.  Once you join, you will recieve a membership number and soon get a membership card for use with your purchases.  Join us at The Arts Center in Clemson  Tuesday August 16 from 3pm to 6 pm or email us at info@winniemaes.com for more info.  As always, we ask that you keep spreading the word.  Local success needs local support!

The Upstate Green Cycling Tour.

Ok, so I have heard a lot of things, a lot of advice about what to do and how to do it.  The interesting thing is that a lot of these comments have been about places OUTSIDE of Clemson.  I have been invited to Greenville, Furman, and been told about the amzing things going on in Spartanburg and Traveler's Rest and Asheville.  There is a lot to do and the beauty of society today, with social media and all of the means of connection at our disposal, I do not HAVE to be in Clemson to get these things done. 

So, I will be taking advantage of the cooling weather and hopping on the bike for points north.  I have heard great things about Greenville and I hope to stop at HubCity Co-op in Spartanburg, Swamp Rabbit Cafe in Greenville, and Leopard Forest Coffee in Travelers Rest. 

It is amazing that we are not the first to have this idea.   It is a growing movement all over the country and in places like the Upstate because the farms are RIGHT HERE!!!  Think about the number of farms you pass on the way to other places only to see that they get their produce from halfway around the world.

We are coming to our senses and realizing there is a better, more sensible way to get our food and support our local economy!

Follow along, contribute, and remember, our success is based on your support!

eli

Farmageddon coming 8/26

I love the "process" that goes into what we are doing with Winnie Mae's.  I love the way that it grows and changes and how we are able to create and do good at the same time.

Our first concept of the Harvest Dinner was to create a venue where people could meet their local farmers and gather with some like minded people over some good, local food.  So the concept was really very simple.  Still, the more we thought about it, the more we considered that it might be an opportunity to do more than that.

Education and awareness have to be ongoing and what better way to talk about both than over a great meal from some local farms and gardens while watching an informative documentary.  The Harvest Dinner will still take place on the 26th at the Arts Center at 212 Butler St. from 6 pm until 9 pm in the auditorium, but we will also be showing the movie, Farmageddon, a film by Kristen Canty.  It is about the way small farms are being treated lately and how food is getting and sometimes being kept from getting your table.  See the trailer at the right.

Beyond this particular evening, we thought it would be good to do events, every two weeks where we show a film, do a little education and facilitate discussion.  Above all, we want to grow a community. We are calling it our Meaningful film series. We will be showing 10 movies, at several locations, about issues that are very near and dear to our hearts and things we should be talking about. First on the list is Farmageddon, accompanied by some great food provided by Longbranch Farms and the Clemson Student Organic Farm.


So, purchase a pass below that fits your needs for this showing and others and support the discussion.

Available Passes

5 Movie Pass $35.00 6 Movie Pass $40.00 7 Movie pass $45.00 8-10 Movie Pass $50.00

Tickets ARE transferable. (Give your pass for a show to a friend if you cannot make a particular show!)
Some shows will allow for single event purchases depending on the venue.
We do take requests!  Let us know how we can make each event positive and enlightening for you.

Miss Representation is next on September 9th.  This film takes a look at media images and the young women in our society.


Your purchase will help support Winnie Mae's, The Arts Center, The Clemson Area Food Exchange, The Rensing Center, and more opportunities and events like this in the Clemson area.

Thank you!  

Coming soon!

This past week has seen a lot of excitement in the Winnie Mae's camp.  Thanks to a lot of your support, and a lot of hard work by the crew, this past 48 HOURS has seen a lot of excitement.

First, we have a temporary home to get started.  In this day and age, it is so easy to do things on line and from many miles away, but nothing takes the place of face to face interaction.  Nothing takes the place of being local!  So stay tuned as we work out the details and we get busy!

Second, we are working to start putting out products!  Slowly of course, but things are emerging. 

Bulk Products....
   The coming week will see a lot of money saving bulk items that you can order for pick up.



olive oil



oats



raw sugar

 The beauty of bulk and being a part of Winnie Mae's is that you can actually save money, time, and support local markets by getting more of what you need from us instead of getting those main items (veggies from local farmers, meats from local ranches, etc.)  locally and STILL having to stop by your local supermarket on the way home.

Third, "Loconomics" t-shirts are coming soon.

Fourth, the Environmental Film Series is coming soon.  See a lot of the documentaries that people are talking about, and maybe some poignant works of fiction as well.  An Inconvenient Truth, Farmageddon, Truck Farm and maybe even Avatar, and The Day After Tomorrow.  All give a vivid visual of what is going on with our planet.

Fifth, we are working on so many other things!  We are here to address your wants and needs because we are your friends and neighbors.  We want to get to know you and for you to get to know and like us.

So, stay tuned!

Menu, Menu, Menu! (we take requests!)

We have the hardest and the easiest jobs in the world....Menu selection and tasting.  There are a lot of things growing in the South and when it comes to menu, we have to decide between all of the things that there are to work with out here.  The problem isn't too little, but too much to work with and whittling down what goes on the menu.

For the dinner on August 26th, we are basically going to play it by ear.  We have thoughts and we have hopes and so forth, but we want the Harvest Dinner to be based on what is harvested, pure and simple.  Longbranch farm has a lot of thing they know they will have; fresh pork, chicken, and beef, but they have so much more out there.  The same with the Clemson Student Organic Farm; so many delicious things coming out of the ground!

Here is what we know we are going to have....

Sampling of Greens because we know they will have a number of greens coming up just then, so we want to mix and match and give a bit of choice.

Carolina Corn Chowder

Herb Roasted Chicken

Blueberry Shortcake.

Peach Cobbler

And More.  Keep checking back to see what else we have coming up!

We take requests, so please tell us what is on your mind.

A Yummy Way to Support a Cause: Your Local Food Co-op!

I had a plan for this post.  As a matter of fact, I got through most of it with an eloquent diatribe about how a lot of money is leaving Clemson.  It was about how many companies in Clemson were owned by people the hourly employees who run the places will never see.   I was going to rant and rave.  It was going to brilliant, if I do say so myself.

Then I thought that it would be best just to state the case and let the chips fall where they may.  Will we bring a lot more into this community via art, music, food?  Yes.  Will we be dedicated to a cause and creating a system of fair employment/ownership?  Hell yes!  Will we be good and positive stewards of the earth, creating a positive example for local healthy living where you know not only where your food comes from but who grew it?  Dang skippy.  Will be just be better than anything you could possibly get from (insert name of giant, unhealthy chain restaurant here)? You're darn right!  We are better for you, the earth, and the local economy.  There is no need to even debate it.

So summer is coming to an end and we are getting the ball rolling, doing all that we can do to get out there.  We need your support and we will make it worth your while with some delicious temptations showing you what we can do and what it means to buy local.  Look to the right and see what catches your eye.

Look in the right hand column and see what is going on.  We are making awesome cookies all from local ingredients and we can guarantee you can taste the goodness. The Rensing Center is making great jams an preserves, and the dinner on the 26th promises to have some great local eats from the Clemson Student Organic Farm and Longbranch Farm in Fair Play.  I am amazed at how many people are coming together to make this happen.  Join us!  We are not that far away.