Farmers Market Spotlight - Owl Creek Maple Syrup

    Maple syrup...mmmmmm...need I say more?  Probably not, but you know me.  I always have a story to tell.  This is Charlie Elliott and his wife, Mrs. Charlie Elliott.  Oh I figure right after I publish this her first name is going to pop into my head, but I am downright horrible at name remembering!  Saving grace for me teaching school was the seating chart.  I can tell you next week what she wore today, though.  I can even tell you about this cute button down jean shirt she has that has their farm name on it.  Oh how I want one of those!  For some reason I remember some of the clothes folks wear, but names stump me.  Why I remember...all right, now I'm rambling.  Back to the story...
    Hey now, don't be shy.  Give them a nice, "Howdy!" and wave back.  They are such a friendly couple!  You know that '70's song by Steeler's Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle With you?"  You know how it goes..."Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you."  Well, I just love singing that part of the song, and Owl Creek Maple Syrup is to the left of me, but they are NOTHING like that song!  There's no place I'd rather be.  They keep me in line to the best of their capabilities.  Charlie's been my Market neighbor for all of my four years with it.  With Charlie and Mrs. Charlie on my left I get to see a fantastic couple every Saturday morning.  I'm so happy to be on their right.
    They sell the most awsome maple syrup!  Big bottles, little bottles, leaf shaped bottles...it's liquid gold in a bottle!  Then to top it off, Charlie's wife bakes up the most delectable maple included muffins and maple candies, too.  Trust me, I know! (I hear Charlie really likes those candies, too.)  I really need to make an appointment with Jillian Michaels for some ab work.  
    Seems like all that stuff at the grocery now days starts with the main ingredient of corn syrup.  It doesn't even have a lick of actual maple syrup in it any more.  I remember when finding 10% maple syrup in a bottle of that one with the picture of a cabin on it was amazing.  If you're lucky you might find a teenie tiny little bottle of real syrup costing a small fortune on the top shelf stuck between the blueberry syrup and sugar free syrup.  But my thought is why go and buy that when you can enjoy syrup that's made local?  We really enjoy Owl Creek Maple Syrup!  It's absolutely tops!
    What cracks me up is when someone asks Charlie if he's selling honey.  I don't know what it is, maybe it's the Owl Creek Maple Syrup sign that gets me giggling over it.  Then sometimes I hear some other questions that just tickle me silly.  "Does that have carbs in it?"  "Is it sugar free?"  Now I'm truly not making fun of anyone.  If I'm going to make fun, I need to start with myself.  It just shows me what a gracious and giving family the Elliotts are.  Patience of saints.  Charlie sits back behind his table and always has a kind word for everyone.  He talks about the process of making their syrup, if it's been a good spring for the syrup to run, and the different bottles of syrup he has.  They are just a wonderfully friendly family and I'm fortunate to spend my Saturday mornings next to them.  Of course, I can't help but ask something like, "Hey Charlie, that got Vitamin A in it?"  He's such a peach to put up with me!  See you at the Market...and don't forget to visit Owl Creek Maple Syrup!  Smiling & Waving, Sharon
    

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