TELL ME A STORY

TELL ME A STORY
"Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation." Joel 1:3

Monday, October 21, 2013

Meet A Missouri Farmer

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Anna Christopher.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
Let me introduce you 
  to a wife
     mother
        farmer
           business woman             and artist

        Anna Christopher. 






Her produce displays are a feast for the eyes. 

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 Anna and her husband, Tom, and family,  
           farm 65 acres 
                                   of pumpkins,  
                                                      gourds, 
                                                             and Indian corn  
                                                                             in Missouri.
 
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

 The Christophers 

      sell their produce 
 
            in Kansas at the  
                 Overland Park  Farmer's Market 
                                             (from May to October)...

          ...and in Missouri 
                         in Blue Springs (2620 SW 7 Highway)

                               and  in Liberty (421 N. 291 Highway). 




  
  The Christophers 
were asked to display at  Williams-Sonoma 
 (a specialty store offering high quality pots and pans, appliances, specialty foods, cookbooks and kitchen products from all over the world) on The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.



  CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser.
http://countryclubplaza.com/merchant/williams-sonoma/



I met Anna and her daughter, Alysha, at their Blue Springs location on South 7 Highway.  This is their fourth year at this location.

Anna & Alysha Christopher.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 

I wanted to know if this creative family grew things in a creative way as well.

"Ask my mom about that," Alysha said.
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood


The  
Christophers  
    shared 
         stories  
             about 
                  their  
               pumpkins,  
           gourds 
   and corn.  




  
Some of their hybrid varieties I've never seen before.

Cinderella Pumpkins and Varieties of Gourds and Mini-Pumpkins.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

What are brooms made from?

Broom Corn...of course!

Broom Corn -  used to make brooms!  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Broom Corn -  used to make brooms!  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
Have you ever seen a Peanut Pumpkin? 


 The Peanut Pumpkin (when cooked) tastes even sweeter than a sweet potato.  Alysha boils it like a potato, and adds butter.

 

"Tom likes to do everything BIG," said Anna.  

 
 Anna:
"We grow all the pumpkins in the normal way.
 I do something different 
with the other gourd seeds.
I mix all the seeds together 
in big bowls, 
and plant them all together.
Then we watch to see what comes up.
I call them Odd-ball or Decorator Squash."

Have you ever seen an Apple Gourd ?

Apple Gourds.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  Cinderella Pumpkin?

Cinderella Pumpkins.  Copyright Marcia Norwood
Turks Turbin?

Turks Turbins and Swan GourdsCopyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  
Turks Turbins and Swan Gourds.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
Swan Gourds?

Turks Turbins and Swan Gourds.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  Spaghetti Squash?

Spaghetti SquashCopyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 Mini-Pumpkins?


Mini-Pumpkins.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Mini-Pumpkins Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 "Sometimes - 
we get a new hybrid that the bees create.  
I've never seen anything like this pumpkin.
It's an original.  
The bees made it!"

Anna Christopher

THE BEE PUMPKIN with Odd-ball/Decorator SquashCopyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 The colors are gorgeous!

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood


Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Bring your children and grandchildren 
                to pick out their favorite pumpkins/gourds,
                        and bring your camera 
                               for a photo shoot 
                           among the Christophers'
                                               amazing displays.
                                                         
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

 
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Choose from the TONS of hybrid pumpkins and gourds

The Christophers also have  
          Broom Corn,  
                 Flowering Kale,
                                      mums,
                                                              and straw bales.

Flowering Kale.  Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Brussels Sprout  
Brussels Sprout Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

 
Brussels Sprout Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

 We're going to pick up some 

straw bales

for decorations,
and also for food for our two Guinea Pigs.
 

Flowering Kale  is wonderful to grow in cooler climates...just perfect for our AUTUMN weather.

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
 Prices are reasonable!


Alysha painted some of the pumpkins with acrylic paints, and also  metallic spray paint.


Now this is different.
Alysha used black spray paint, and added dried berries and a crow!



What a delight to photograph a part of the Christopher's harvest.

This is one of my favorite photographs!


Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Now when do you get an opportunity like this to visit with a local farmer?

Don't forget to tell the Christophers you heard about them on Marcia's blog!

Thanks for stopping by!


Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Come back often, and bring a friend!

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
  
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood
  
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood

 
Copyright 2013 Marcia Norwood



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