Mason City Tweet Up

Twitter is a social media program I utilize each day.  I meet lots of great people and enjoy conversations.  

There are a couple of people in Northern Iowa that I talk to (and listen to).  @danielcline, @dixiebrown, @bizownersonline - just to name a few.  Dan Cline and I have met before - and we decided to have another tweet up.  Both of us are thrilled to be joined by other twitter folks in the area! 

Mark your calendar:  Friday, February 6 at 10 a.m.  Cabin Coffee 451 Indian Head Drive Mason City Iowa.  They are a great coffee house with free wifi.  Come thirsty and ready to meet fellow twitters!

What will we talk about?  I think it's a great idea to chat up what it is we do, and we are looking for to add to our businesses.  Beyond that -- let's just have a conversation!

Are you coming?  RSVP here if you would!   

What I've Learned About Social Media

What I've Learned About Social Media

Determine what Web 2.0 means.  Let's back up - Web 1.0 was basically providing information for your reader.  Bump that up and what do you have?  Having a conversation with your reader!  Do you do that?  Does your blog and/or website make the reader feel he/she has input?  Or are you just providing information? 

You've got to find a few things that work for you.  Get good at them.  Then get better.  I'm working on blogging, twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.    What Social Media tools are working for you, and why? 

Don't get sucked in.  It's like quicksand out there!  When I first started on Twitter, a week went by and I realized I was spending 8 hours a day on Twitter!  I had to take better control of my time.

Keep doing what has been working for you.  Most of us still have bills to pay, and we need to keep making the money we make.  Gary Vaynerchuk said it best for me when he said: go to work, come home and eat and play with the kids, then work from 7 pm to 2 am.  You want the bling?  IT'S CALLED WORK!  (I'm so paraphrasing here ... you can see it at keynotekid.tumblr.com) 

Put what you've learned into practice.  Take part in a tweet up (@shawnacoronado, @danielcline and I have had mini tweetups).  Ask questions.  Teach others.  And continue to have a conversation .... you might be surprised where it takes you! 

photo courtesy of Kris Hoet at flickr.com 

Happy Birthday Denise!  You're still 6 months older than me! 

Towns End Winery

Local Winery - FINALLY!

Vern and Judy Harper are the owners of Towns End Winery in Hampton. There is some discussion about the name. Vern says it is Townsend Winery and Judy says it is Towns End. Townsend is a family name. And the actually winery in Hansell is on the towns end. Some day they talk about moving to the farm West of Geneva, build a house and move the winery there. It will still be towns end!

What possessed you to start a winery? Judy: Vern was possessed! Vern had some physical problems and couldn't just sit around feeling bad! He could only walk about 50 feet or so – so he'd plant and then sit down a while. He also wanted something to do in retirement and not sit around and watch tv all along. So he started planting some grapes for exercise. That was about 6 years ago. He figured as long as he was planting grapes, he'd open a winery.

Vern: We started using our own products and would need a way to take care of the fruit trees and berries on the farm. We also wanted to use some land that we already had that was not being used. We will be buying products from local growers in the county eventually.

Tell me a little about the things you had to do to become legal and ready to open business. Vern: I took a lot of college classes to do this. I killed off the first crop of grapes and decided to take some online classes from SW Missouri State on how to make wine, how to be a vintner. The next step was to grow better grapes. Then we had to decide where we were going to put the winery. Where we going to build or refurnish a building? We decided to use the old barn, it was structurally sound and we've redone it. There is a silo attached and one day we will use it as well. We remodeled and had specifications to meet in the construction. We had to have water, electricity, restrooms, storage rooms, locked area to store the wine.

Judy: I started filling out forms. Lots and lots of forms. My son and I took a class at DMAAC called the 2007 TTB Compliance Seminar for Bonded Wine Premises. We have to be a bonded wine premises. We needed the basic permit from the federal government. The DNR required a water quality permit and a permit for how we will take care of disposal. The application to establish the wine premises eventually turned out to be about 139 pages! The federal government knows more about me than I know about myself! We had to get permits from the state, tax permits. By the time you start the paperwork most people give up! We had to register our name (after we formed the corpooration). I had started doing this by myself – and realized that I would need some legal help. Ken Grueniga from Eagle City Winery said he got some help from a lawyer. I worked with Elaine Cooney and she helped us with the filing. From the federal government we were officical August 29, 2008. They called in the morning on the 29^th and did a personal interivew (part of the process). I asked her if this meant we would get the permits in time to pick our grapes that were ready to be harvested. Remember, this is the fideral government! She said she thought she could do that by the end of the day. I thought 'yeah sure”. Don't ya know, she called back in early afternoon and said we could pick our grapes -we got our permits.

We had to get bonded, insured. Jasperson Insurance bonded ups and Castle Dick and Kelch got the insurance to sell alocholoic beverages. It's all new to Franklin County! No one had done this before in Franklin County.

Talk to me about the labels. Judy: there aren't any.

Vern: actually Tyler our son is in charge of the labels. Each type of wine has to have an approved label (approved by the federal government and the state has to ok you as well). We are in the process of choosing labels. You can help us decide by visiting www.townsendwinery.com Go to logo choices, choose the one you like and then email your decision to webmaster@townsendwinery.com Vern likes #1 and Judy likes #4. But you can help decide! Cut off date is February 14. After the labels are chosen, we apply again for the proper permits.

What kind of wines are you going to have? Vern: Fruit and berry (apple, gooseberry and raspberry), red table wine, white table wine. Maybe a concord too. Maybe a frontenac (Judy's favorite). Table wines are blends.

Judy:We would like to do some fall things: cranberry, pumpkin, mulberry, rhubarb. Part of the dilemma is getting the product. We want to get our products locally. We want to grow a lot of it too! So if you're a farmer with extra berries -contact me! They have to be away from livestock (flies tend to cover the berries).

When can we buy wine from you? Vern: Some say July, some say November. As soon as we get the labels, we will have some wine available. We are targeting July to actually open. We're looking at mostly being open Thursday through Saturday. The rest can be by appointment.

Judy: Just give us a call. You know we are retired! The kids will be also helping us. They are partners in the business.

What kind of activities would you like to do around the winery? Judy: It will be perfect for events. You can have your class reunion here. Church potluck. That sort of thing. We'd like to have some music too! We've talked about having special dinners catered in the winery – an adult prom for example! We'd like to have a book club, mother's clubs – doesn't that sound like fun? Legally, we can only sample five one ounce servings. So all those activities can have a wine tasting along with the activity!

Vern: We belong to several wine organizations and we will work with them. Our hope is to have a wine trail here before too long. Eagle Grove, Fredericksburg, Kanawha, Us – we all have winerys.

Are you taking pre-orders? Vern: No. Not at this time. This will be our first year selling wine. Let us get a better idea about how much we will make and what we will sell.

What's taken you so long? You started six years ago. Judy: This is pay as you go by the way. We decided not to borrow. We've taken our time and have built this as we could afford to. We built bedrooms above the winery, maybe one day we will have a b and b. We might add on and have a restaurant out there. Our goal was not to overbuy – we will work our business as we are able to. If we run out of wine – that's not a bad thing! It means we sold all of our wine!

Towns End Winery

2138 160^th St

Hansell, Ia

641-456-2836 

Why Watkins?

Watkins in the Neighborhood!

Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Denise Passehl. I have lived on a farm near Latimer since 1982 with my husband Gordon. I have a son Brandon who is 32 years old. I have twin grandchildren that will be 3 years old in March. Along with my 3 dogs and many farm cats country life is the life for me.

I grew up in the small town of Geneva, Iowa. I attended Ackley Geneva School. I was born in Hampton, Iowa in 1955. My father owned a grocery store so food has always been something I have loved to experiment with. I had two grandmothers that were excellent cooks along with my mother and father who both loved to cook so I learned at an early age.

Why Watkins? I started with Watkins in 1982. I am an Independent Watkins Associate. I had purchased some products and fell in love with them so decided to make this a business for me and to use the best quality products that I have ever used. What makes them different than the grocery store brands to me is they are fresher tasting and the quality is superior. Watkins products are natural and organic, containing all the natural oils giving you a much more superior product. When using Watkins you will use less saving you money. Watkins also carries cleaning products and personal care products which are natural plant based products, concentrated so you add your own water saving you money.

What are your favorite products? How are they different from what I can get in the store? My favorite products are the Cinnamon, Vanilla and Pepper. The pepper is sneeze proof because all the natural oils are left in it and it does not have any fillers. There is no powdery stuff flying in your face when you use it because of the oils. The same goes for the cinnamon, it contains the natural oils giving you a much sweeter product and you use less. Watkins Vanilla is very popular and well known for its flavor. It is double strength and freeze proof. You use less of it also so when a recipe calls for 2 tsp you can use only one, saving you money.

If you like cinnamon this is the best. Try a taste test with the store brand. Put a little in your palm of the store brand first and taste it. Then put Watkins cinnamon in the other palm and taste it. You will notice the difference immediately. The store brand will be bitter and Watkins will be sweet.

You keep telling me I need cinnamon, why? Bakers love the cinnamon because of it flavor but I also like it because studies have been done on it and it may help lower blood sugar in diabetics and I am diabetic so I use it daily. I put it in my oatmeal. I have also put it in hot chocolate, what a treat!

I've heard of Tasting Parties, what is that? Watkins also has Tasting Parties and they are fun. You get to sample all kinds of dips, breads, snacks and many other items. Who doesn't like to try some new foods and some great ideas for entertaining? I can book Tasting Parties for you. Sometime in the future when the weather is better I am going to have one at my friends house Deb Brown. (We will actually have it at the Methodist Church so we can have more people!)

Who is your ideal customer? My ideal customer is anyone who loves great quality food and loves to cook. Knowing that you have served your family or friends the best and seeing it in their faces is a great feeling. All of Watkins products are versitale and you can make many different foods. Not only the food items but anyone who wants to use cleaning products that are GREEN, keeping you and your family safe using natural plant based products. You also help the environment using the cleaning products.

What is your contact info?I can be reached by calling 641-580-4052 on my cellphone, 641-579-6106 on my home phone, emailing me at denisepassehl@watkinsonline.com, and by visiting my website where you can order online at www.watkinsonline.com/denisepassehl and enter my ID number 300500

What are your favorite recipes? My favorite recipes are usually ones I make up myself. Coming from a family that loves to cook we did that most of the time. I do have some favorites I will give you.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup/250 mL all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL baking soda
1/4 tsp/1.2 mL salt
2-1/2 tbsp/40 mL butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup/125 mL sugar
1/4 cup/60 mL brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp/5 mL Original Double-Strength Vanilla
1/4 tsp/1.2 mL Butter Extract
1/2 cup/125 mL semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking Spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC. Spray cookie sheet(s) with Watkins Cooking Spray; set aside. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Place melted butter in large bowl; stir in sugars and mix well. Add egg and extracts; mix well. Add flour mixture and chocolate chips; mix until just combined. Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.

Nutrition Facts

Makes about 30 cookies, 1 per serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories 60
Protein 1 g
Carbohydrates 10 g
Sodium 40 mg
Fat 2 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Dietary Fiber 0 g

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

Salisbury Steak
1 pound/454 g extra-lean ground beef
1/3 cup/80 mL dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup/80 mL skim milk
1 egg white
1 tbsp/15 mL (rehydrated in 1 tbsp/15 mL water) Onion Flakes
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Meat Magic
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Beef Soup & Gravy
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL Black Pepper 6 oz
Cooking Spray

Mushroom Gravy
2 cups/500 mL water
2 tbsp/30 mL Beef Soup & Gravy
2 tbsp/30 mL red wine vinegar
2-1/2 tbsp/40 mL cornstarch
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Thyme
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL Black Pepper 6 oz
1 can (4 oz/113 g) sliced mushrooms

Cooking directions

Salisbury Steak
Combine all ingredients; mix gently. Shape into 6 oval patties, about 3/4-inch/2-cm thick. Spray skillet with Watkins Cooking Spray. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add patties; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove patties from skillet; set aside. Drain skillet, if necessary.

Mushroom Gravy
Combine all ingredients except mushrooms, and pour into same skillet. Cook over low heat until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Stir in mushrooms. Return patties to skillet. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes or over cooked noodles.

Makes 6 servings.

picture courtesy of rogerwp at flickr.com

Think Local

If we are to survive as a small community, we have to think local.  

I recently got picked up by the Des Moines Register to be on their business blog widget.  It's a great honor and I am proud to participate.  So it got me to thinking, what is it I do that people want to read about?  I do a lot of interviews.  I often feature local Franklin County businesses.  I write about tools that businesses could use to keep getting more business.  

It brought me back to the thought, if we are to survive as a small community - we have to think local.  I've stood on my soapbox and preached about shopping local.  That is something I will continue to do.  But today - let's go outside of the box and see what's there.  

What kind of things could we do locally that will help support a local business and be fun?

What if we had a wine tasting and a book club meeting at Townsend Winery in Hansell? (watch for that interview this week)

What if we could take a class about lace at Cornerstone Cottage (she has some of the most beautiful lace for sale)? 

What if the Questers met the Cemetery Society for coffee at Merrybee's? (questers are collectors of antiques, collectibles and history - the cemetery society I know of is women who know a lot of history about the county). 

What ideas can you come up with? 

picture courtesy of exfordy at flickr.com