Curing for a Cure

This weekend marks the final regular season farmers market here in Monroe, and one vendor has organized a way for them to end the year with a bang.

Our friend Stef Culberson from Goosechaser Farm has put together "Curing for a Cure", a fundraiser for breast cancer research. Come downtown Saturday for a live auction featuring a variety of meats and other goods from local business owners.

Curing for a Cure draws its name from a donation of two whole, cured hams and two full sides of bacon. There will also be other food items such as 5# packages of Goosechaser Farm's famous brats, meat sticks from Hoesly's, a produce basket from Brennan's, fresh produce from Avon Locker, a produce and book basket from Inn Serendipity, acupuncture treatments from Harmony Community Accupuncture, car washes from Pro Image Car Wash and more.

Come downtown and bid high for this great cause!

Local food producer want to know your opinions

We've talked about our friends up at Goosechaser Farm by Blanchardville frequently here on Cheese Country Realtors. Well, Stef and Andre have been busy developing a new offering, and they could use some input.

They have been developing their line of brats made from heritage pork, turkey, chicken and more. Trust me, these brats are worth trying. Created from Stef's custom spice blends and meat from animals raised naturally on Goosechaser Farm's patures, the brats are a truly local product. We have had the pleasure of enjoying some before, and we have become complete converts. Delish.

In order to better meet customer expectations when developing a new service, Stef has put together a short survey. In exchange for about the 3 minutes of your time necessary to answer the survey, you will be entered to win a year-long subscription to Goosechaser Farm's Brat of the Month Club. Take the Survey!

Valentines Day = Chocolate

Chocolate and Valentine's Day are a perfect pairing. Treat your sweetheart at a couple of local events this weekend!

River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville is having their 2nd annual Chocolate Tasting and Auction on Saturday afternoon. From 2 until 4, sample delicious and unusual chocolates from TerraSource Gourmet Chocolates along with various wines. For only $2, you can sample all of the chocolates. Then, bid for your favorites in the silent auction. Stick around to show the selection of interesting and varied local gifts available at River Valley Trading Company, and save 10% on any of them.

After chocolate appetizers, head across the street to the new Pecatonica Grapevine. There, owner Christine Pieper will have another tasting, this time pairing wines with delectable morsels from one of our favorites, Stef over at Goosechaser Farm. Chef Stef will be bringing quiche with roasted duck on apple and fennel slaw with raspberry walnut vinaigrette; pumpkin gnocchi with sesame walnut butter; and red wine braised pastured pork with spaetzle and winter vegetables. If the samples are too enticing, pick up a full size dinner to take home. There will be more TerraSource chocolates here too! The event goes from 4 until 6, $7 per person.

Chocolate Temptation had a very popular chocolate fondue event last year, and they are repeating it this year. Now, both Saturday and Sunday are currently full, but I just spoke with Scott, and they are taking names to see if they have enough people to add another seating. I highly recommend it, so call them at 328-2462. If fondue isn't your thing, they will also be open for a while on the afternoon of Valentine's Day too, so take your sweetheart in to share a dessert and coffee drink.

Finally, take your little sweetheart to the Candyland Ball at the Masonic Temple in Freeport. From 6:30 until 8, little girls ages 10 and under can come with an adult in their lives (dad, mom, or whomever is special) to dance and enjoy the evening. $25 per couple, $28 for non-residents, each additional child is $7.

Most of the local restaurants will be doing reservations or special menus for this coming weekend, so treat your sweetheart. If you prefer to do the cooking yourself, consider a local foods menu! There are many places available to get local meat, including the previously mentioned Goosechaser Farm, and if you need some winter veggies, call Barb at Mainstreet to connect with the farmer's market coordinator. Many vendors do still have root crops like onions, potatoes and carrot available. Round out your table with wines from Famous Fossil or Primrose, or beer from New Glarus Brewing Company or Minhas.

Things to Do Around Monroe

~ There is an opening reception for the new exhibit in Frehner Gallery at the Monroe Arts Center on Thursday evening. "Looking In, Looking Out" is an exhibit by Lake Mills artists Karen Ragus and Leslie DeMuth. The show features artists working within a contrast of styles, a contrast of inspiration, and a contrast of imagery, but with a shared passion for color, mood and personal expression. The reception is from 5 until 7 pm, with a talk by the artists starting at 5:30 pm.

~ Did you get the kids enrolled for Monroe Theatre Guild's Stage Right Youth Theatre workshops this weekend? There is still time to enroll, so call Suzanne as soon as possible. There are two workshops for kids ages 7 and up this weekend, and two for kids ages 4 through 7 next weekend.

~ UW Extension is offering a free webinar for local farmers this Friday from 8 until 10 am in the new Justice Center. The topic will be on dealing with issues in the fall harvest, weighting the pros and cons of letting the crops dry naturally in the fields at the risk of potential mold development versus harvesting earlier and dealing with the costs of mechanically drying. Pre-registration is requested; call Mike Mayer at 328-9440.

~ Famous Fossil Winery is having Wine Movies and Cheesecake on Fridays and Saturdays this November and December. Enjoy a free wine-themed movie, pick up a slice of homemade Famous Fossil Cheesecake, and enjoy an evening out. This weekend's movie will be A Good Year; next week's is The Secret of Santa Vittoria.

~ Baumgartner's has live music this Saturday evening. Glen Davis will be playing blues starting at 8 pm. It should be a great event. Stop by Baumgartner's tonight for their Wednesday night Baby Back Ribs special!

~ Get some of your holiday shopping completed this weekend at the Brodhead Jaycees Arts and Crafts fair. Browse the many vendors all day on Saturday at the high school. Food will be available on site as well.

~ You can eat pancakes all day long in Freeport on Saturday. The United Methodist Church is having a pancake breakfast, and the Silvercreek Museum is having a pancake supper.

~ Monroe Arts Center hosts the final Sunday concert for fall on Sunday. Chicago pianist Mark Valenti will perform a series of works by Schubert, Stravinsky, and Debussy starting at 2 pm. Tickets are free for MAC members, $10 for the general public and will be available at the door.

~ Edler Glass Studio in Cedarville has their annual open house on Saturday and Sunday from 10 until 4. Watch the art of glass blowing, view the exhibit pieces and browse for something special to take home.

~ Small business owners, make plans to attend a workshop on financing options at Blackhawk Technical College Monroe's campus on Tuesday evening. The subject of the workshop will be Financing Opportunities for Small Business. Learn the myths and truths about small business loans, grants, financing and more. The cost is $10 and pre-registration is required. Call 342-1038 to register.

~ The Young Professionals of Green County are hosting a socializing and networking Happy Hour at Flanagan's Shenanigans on Tuesday, November 10 starting at 5:30 pm. Free snacks, drinks specials. The YPs are doing a Toy Drive for the Monroe Women's Club in conjunction with this event, so please bring a new, unwrapped toy if you are able.

~ Register for Chef Stef Culberson's Gifts from the Kitchen workshop at Goosechaser Farm next week. This popular class will be offered three times this year, twice at the farm and once at Kookaburra's in Monroe. Each participant will take home four wrapped and packaged gifts, all ready for giving.

~ Next Wednesday, November 11, MAC is auditioning local talent for the Annual Showcase of Talent Variety Show starting at 6:30. Groups or individuals, singing, dancing, instrumental music, comedy and more are all welcome. A second day of auditions is scheduled for Saturday morning, November 11.

Things to Do Around Monroe

It looks like the hot weather, sunny weather will hold throughout the weekend. Are you looking for something to do outside to enjoy the sunshine or inside to beat the heat?

~ Bring your lawn chair to Downtown Monroe to enjoy the second Concert on the Square. Red Hot Dixies take the stage at 6:30 pm. Order your boxed lunch in advance from Turner Hall, Garden Deli or http://www.turnerhallofmonroe.org/.

~ New Glarus hosts the Heidi Festival this weekend. Come watch the Heidi play, shake a leg in the Street Dance, sign the kids up for the children's tractor pull, browse the Art Fair, and enjoy a wagon ride. The festivities take place Friday through Sunday.

~ Don't forget about MTG's Odd Couple! This is the final weekend for the show, and I have heard it is great. Maybe we'll see you there.

~ Have you been to the Piazza yet? This is a large private party where crashers are welcome. Terry and Nancy host incredible music acts in an intimate, outdoor setting. Come for the potluck dinner after 6:30, music starts around dusk. Bring a dish to pass and your beverage of choice. Reusable tableware is provided. The cost is pass the hat. The musical act is Cajun Strangers, and the potluck theme is "From France to Nova Scotia and Down to New Orleans."

~ A new exhibit opens at the Stephenson County Visitor's Center by Freeport this week. "Cruisin' in Style" is an expo featuring automobiles, old and new. There is also information on Freeport's annual Cruise Night in August.

~ Stef at Goose Chaser Farm has a culinary workshop scheduled for Sunday, June 27 at her farm. The class this month focuses on Fresh Cheese. Make cheese, and then learn what to do with it. $30 per person, registration required.

~ Splish splash! Area pools are open for business, and they are very popular places in this heat. Monroe, New Glarus, Monticello, Brodhead, Lena, and Freeport all have community pools open to the public. Purchase a season pass or just come for the day, but remember the sunscreen! Don't forget about Yellowstone Lake or Lake Le-Aqua-Na if you prefer nature's swimming pools.

However you spend this weekend - at any of the above place, picking strawberries, biking the trails, watching the kids chase fireflies at dusk or hanging out in the hammock with a glass of lemonade - enjoy the fleeting days of summer.