Tell Me A Story: October 2016

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

Link: http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2016/10/meet-missouri-farmer.html

Let me introduce you
to a wife,
     mother,
        farmer,
         business woman             and artist.

        Anna Christopher.

Her produce displays are a feast for the eyes.

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

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.

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

"Ask my mom about that," Alysha said.

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


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

What are brooms made from?

Broom Corn...of course!

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 ?

Cinderella Pumpkin?

Cinderella Pumpkins. Copyright Marcia Norwood

Turks Turbin?

Swan Gourds?

Spaghetti Squash?

Mini-Pumpkins?

"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 colors are gorgeous!

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.

Choose from the TONS of hybrid pumpkins and gourds.

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

Brussels Sprout

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.

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!

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!