POTS AND LOCAL FOOD-Ceramics Monthly

This article recently ran in Ceramics Monthly. It says a lot about the connection between locally grown foods and handmade pottery.

DowntoEarth.pdf

Katy Hemberger, who helps us out in both the Gallery and the studio during the non-farming months, and her husband, Peter, have a CSA (community supported agriculture) farm just west of Hutch. Visit them at www.augustearth.com . If you live in the Hutchinson, Litchfield or St. Peter area, they still have a couple of shares left for this summer.

Anyway, there's some food for thought here (pun intended).

DowntoEarth.pdf

Holy Moley It's Been Awhile

BETTER KNOWN AS HOW THE SEASONS CHANGE...daily

When last we posted, April 9, we had been through spring (ice out on March 28 see below), refreeze, and a couple of noreaster snow storms. The poor geese and mallards who chose our pond got started early (end of March, above)

By April 6th he was frozen in the ice for a day. We think the female had already gone on the nest by this time and we feared for the eggs in the cold.But it all worked out and by the 8th he was free and the weather was warming a bit....after 2 snow storms. Welcome to Minnesota!

By the end of April our neighborhood pheasant and his lady friend(s) were at the feeder that neighbor Jerry Notch built and maintains behind the gallery. Everyday at 5:30 out he comes. As I write this, we're pretty sure the hens are on the nest (21 days). Thanks to Jerry and some mild winters, we've got pheasants everywhere.

Then a couple of weeks ago, Betsy looked out the Gallery window and what should appear but our first wild turkey (besides Tom, that is)!

Our worries about the geese turned out unfounded as their clutch of 6 showed up last week May 4th. Proud parents as the Orioles, swallows, finches and other birds all showed up a couple of weeks early. Suddenly there's lots of action everywhere competing for nests, food and mates.

So in less than a month we went from this: to this!

So pretty soon we'll bring you news of some new glazes Betsy's working on, meet the folks who work at the Gallery and Studio, a couple of philosophical pieces (for what it's worth) and more. Thanks for your patience.