Rural Missouri - December 2022 - 4

RM | COOPERATION
Shop local
I
Support your neighbors
with Missouri-made gifts
n the summer of 2020, when the pandemic had
shut down local businesses statewide, the Rural
Missouri staff got a call from Farmers' Electric
Cooperative Manager Rod Cotton. He wanted to
know if there was something we could do to help
those artists and small-business owners whose livelihood
was at risk.
Our answer was a resounding " yes. " The conversation
led to the first " Shop local " page that year.
Back for the third time, here's our picks from a host
of rural entrepreneurs who will make this holiday
season one to remember. For even more gift-giving
ideas, turn to the Buy Missouri website at www.
buymissouri.net, The Best of Missouri Hands at
www.bestofmissourihands.org and Missouri Grown
at www.missourigrownusa.com.
A unique location for local art is JoAnn McCoy's
Room for Art Gallery located at 124 W. Main St.
in historic downtown Washington. The gallery is a
feast for the eyes, with the work of more than 50
artists represented, including the watercolors of her
father, Jim Peters. Here you also will find sculpture,
hand-forged ironwork, glassware, textiles, jewelry,
ukuleles, baskets and more. On Saturdays various
artists are on hand to demonstrate their craft.
Nothing is more appreciated than a gift basket of
Missouri-made goods. You can find one-stop shopping
at Buy Missouri retail partners such as Eclectic
Originals in Waynesville (www.eoriginals66.com).
The Winding Road (www.windingroadstore.com) in
California offers the work of many talented Missouri
artisans, including the " Master of Barnwood " Daryl
Libbert and potter Ann Grotjan.
You also can shop around and build it your own
gift basket. Consider starting with Current River or
Elephant Rocks handmade soap from Arcadia Valley
Soap in Ironton (www.arcadiavalleysoap.com).
They also offer lotions, bath bombs and wax melts
made at the shop in the heart of the Arcadia Valley.
The foodie might like something from Lampe's
Bulone Enterprises, the home of Vince's Gourmet
Italian Foods. Shop online at www.buloneentllc.com
for Vince's Smoky Red Pepper Marinara or Caponata
Italian relish or keep it simple with a Missouri
basket sampler.
Missouri is home to many businesses supplying
quality locally raised meats. Check out the
Hermann Wurst Haus (www.hermannwursthaus.
com) where you can order a Bacon Brat Bundle, a
4 RURAL MISSOURI | DECEMBER 2022
hickory smoked whole turkey or a four-pack of the
Wurst Haus mustard. Even better, opt for a gift certificate
to one of Wurstmeister Mike Sloan's sausage
making classes.
No gift basket would be complete without a
bag of Missouri-roasted coffee. Niangua's Noggin
Bonkin Coffee (www.nogginbonkincoffee.com)
roasts an unusual white coffee with a nutty, tealike
taste and coffee from the Congo, Mexico and
their own blends. Lamar's Bearded Bee (www.
beardedbeecoffeecompany.com) offers coffee from
Central America and Ethiopia along with tea and a
good selection of brewing accessories.
Martha and Tom's Farm in Owensville will help
you fill your gift basket with their Cool Cow Cheese
(www.coolcowcheese.com). But for the full experience
" adopt " a cow by purchasing one of their farm
favorite cheese boxes. Their Whole Herd gift box
includes cheese, an adoption certificate, T-shirt and
a stay in their rustic farmstead.
Subscriptions are the gifts that keep on giving.
One of the more unusual is the Beef Jerky
Subscription Box from Alewel's Country Meats in
Warrensburg. The monthly deliveries will include a
different award-winning jerky delivered to the doorstep.
If that doesn't suit you, www.alewels.com has
plenty of gift ideas ranging from the Box O Brat to
the Taste of the Farm sampler.
For the outdoors fanatic there are plenty of Missouri-made
options. Clinton's Hann Made Calls
(www.hannmadecalls.com) are both beautiful and
practical gifts for the deer, coyote, waterfowl and
turkey hunters on your list. For the angler, how
about a guided trip to catch " the fish of a thousand
casts? " Visit www.missourigreatoutdoors.com/
pomme-de-terre-guides for muskie guides.
Happy shopping. By buying local, you give two
gifts at the same time.
photo courtesy Room for Art Gallery
Watercolor artist Jim Peters shows off his skills during one of
the Saturday demonstrations at Room for Art Gallery.

http://www.nogginbonkincoffee.com http://www.beardedbeecoffeecompany.com http://www.beardedbeecoffeecompany.com http://www.coolcowcheese.com http://www.buymissouri.net http://www.buymissouri.net http://www.bestofmissourihands.org http://www.missourigrownusa.com http://www.alewels.com http://www.hannmadecalls.com http://www.missourigreatoutdoors.com/pomme-de-terre-guides http://www.missourigreatoutdoors.com/pomme-de-terre-guides http://www.eoriginals66.com http://www.windingroadstore.com http://www.arcadiavalleysoap.com http://www.buloneentllc.com http://www.hermannwursthaus.com http://www.hermannwursthaus.com

Rural Missouri - December 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - December 2022