Harvest festivals have been popular in all cultures, but Germans show a special exuberance in their annual Octoberfest. The famous two-week festival brings more than 3.5 million people to Munich each fall for celebrations with German food, large steins of beer and various forms of entertainment for all ages.

After 11 different homes from California to New York, Alida Zimmerman and her husband retired to a 1902 log cabin in the Chippewa National Forest of northern Minnesota. They lived there for 18 years, and Alida thought it was their forever home, but one day her husband asked if she wanted to move.

Cooking for friends and family sometimes can be a challenge in face of individual dietary requirements and choices between keto, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free food. This becomes even more important as we consider the need for balance in a healthy diet and try to provide a delicious meal with eye appeal.

I continue to be amazed at how things unfold here at the farm. Trust is one of our building blocks as Inn Along the Way continues to unfold. Growing in new directions, people continue to show up to help move the development along.

Hello to all my friends.

My boy Eli came to visit again. He is my hooman’s grandson. He visited last year and the year before. I was so very happy to see him. We got to play a lot.

Last night the crickets in the garden were most insistent in their song, signaling the end of summer and our approaching fall. Fall is my favorite time of the year when the nights are cool, and the days are still full of brilliant sun. This time of the year also can’t help to energize the cook when viewing the colorful vegetable mounds at local farmers markets.

Labor Day offers us the opportunity to thank those whose labor infuses our lives with well-being.