Udder Market Underway (HAY!) in Maple Plain

So, you're driving down Hwy. 12 and you see a cow directing traffic with carrot sticks. Think I'm kidding? Think again! It happens every Thursday come 3 p.m. in Maple Plain, Minnesota. You should come just to see the faces on some of the drivers when they round the corner! Or listen to how many semi drivers honk their horns and wave to our cow.

Actually, you could spend the entire four hours of the market just watching our crazy cow. It makes for great entertainment and lots of laughs. He dances, jumps on stage with the musicians and sings, hugs old and young shoppers, dons Zorro garb and slices vegetables, plays Twister with the kids, poses for pictures, and delights all who meet him. Or, is it a her? Name is Buttercup Brown, so you tell me. Or, better yet, come meet Buttercup at Udder Market Maple Plain and see for yourself!

And, while you are there, pick up fresh produce from Yang Farms and the prettiest bouquet of flowers you will ever want to bring home from W.F. Produce. Grab some Thai stir fry sauce from Wild Tree, herbs from G5 and peppermint from Young Living Oils.

While you shop, you'll have the pleasure of hearing live and FREE MOOsical performance by a variety of performers. For a complete schedule, see www.uddermarket.com.

When you get home, put the flowers in a vase in the middle of the table. Stir fry some chicken in the Thai sauce. Add fresh produce and herbs. Easy, somewhat healthy. Very delicious. Mix the peppermint with water and drink after dinner for fresh breath.

If you want to eat without cooking yourself, head on over to McGarry's Irish Pub where they prepare an Udder Market special each week using our vendors products! Plus, they have a pretty deck and a cold one to enjoy on that deck.

But, before you do, take a peek inside the cutest museum you will ever lay eyes on...the Maple Plain Museum. I dare you to stump Marlys with a question about the area or history of the area that she doesn't know!

I could go on and on with things to do on a Thursday night at Udder Market and in downtown Maple Plain. Look for MOOs on a wine tasting, movie in the park, a beer tasting and more...or get the MOOs delivered right to your e-mailbox by signing up for our MOOsletter at www.uddermarket.com.

Looking for an Udder Market in your town? Give us a holler.

WeeDs, sEEds, TWigs and fiGs...Enviro-Friendly Kid Krafts!

Yeah, it's warm outside! So, get the kids out of the house and into the backyard collecting all sorts of fun things for earth-friendly craft projects.

Here are ten from www.familyeducation.com

• Twig Vase
• Fork Flowers
• Nature Bracelet (I love this one. Wrap masking tape around the wrist and stick on leaves and twigs....)
• Wind Sock (using an oatmeal container)
• Eggshell Mosaic
• Newspaper Leaf Prints
• Rock Necklaces
• Wiggle Worm (made with egg cartons and paper towel rolls)
• Potpourri Pinecones (scented with cinnamon and nutmeg, yum!)
• Painted Nature Pictures

Have fun! And remember to join us at Udder Market in Maple Plain every thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. starting July 7. Besides shopping for fresh produce and artisan wares, look for our vendors offering Calve's Corner activities for the kids. We'll be making our own nature bracelets and rock necklaces!!

Udder Market Maple Plain Update

Hay! Have you herd the MOOs? The herd is coming together quite nicely for this year's Udder Market in Maple Plain, Minnesota.

We're udderly thrilled to announce that Lisa from Wild Tree is coming back for her third season and can hardly wait to buy her MOOey Bueno sauces and dips. W.F. Produce and Flowers returns again, too, with the prettiest bunches of flowers you ever did want to smell! And, Jenny and Craig from G5 Gardens will be supplying us with fresh herbs and breads and, if we're lucky, some vegetable animals!!!

Rumor has it that Janelle from Blue Water Vision has been busy creating one of a kind jewelry perfect for gift giving. Holy Cow! Sounds like Sam has been honing her acting skills and will be entertaining us on our stage (hay wagon). Speaking of waggin', our wacky cow will be gracing us his presence throughout the summer, too!

Shucks, we're so excited to see our old friends come back.

We have MOO friends, too! The Yang Family will be hoofin' it down to the market each week with and udderly awesome array of fresh produce and we're lucky to have Penny from Lucky Penny Farm with her beautiful soaps!

To get all the MOOs as it comes in, follow Udder Market on Twitter!

MOOching On Some Carrots......

Mimi and I started Udder Market, an udderly unique farmers' market in 2007. Our goal was to offer local communities a market with a fun approach to shopping for veggies and learning all about what it means to be "green." Well, we are now in our third season of Udder Market in Maple Plain and this year is going to rock!! Now that road construction is done we'll be seeing 18,000 cars drive by every day, which means plenty of shoppers stopping by for a snack; particpating in one of our healthy living demos or kids' activities; listening to great MOOsic on our main stage (a flat bed), all while catching some summer rays! So, we hope you'll join us this summer at Udder Market. Buttercup Brown, our wacky cow, will be entertaining the kids, moms and dads will be picking up fresh produce for dinner, and Mimi and me will be in the shade of the old oak tree MOOching on some carrots. Maple Plain's Udder Market, Thursdays, July 7 to August 25, 3 - 7 p.m., off of Hwy 12 and Main Street.