Mud & Magnolias October 2020

Mud&Magnolias October.

November 2013 July 2020 October 2020

the MEN’S

ISSUE

FLY TYING

Beekeeping FALL recipes Men’s FASHION PUMPKIN PATCH Farms

CONTENTS

24 32

45 75 24

RECIPES

45

HUMMING WITH THE BEES

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THE COOPERS’ GETAWAY

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE CATCH

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WOODCARVINGS BY MIKE

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PUMPKIN PATCH FARMS

With fall comes the start of hunting seasons, like deer and duck. This issue, we based our recipes off of wild game and common catches that may be gracing your household and table this season.

In 2009, the Coopers bought a fixer-upper, an unfinished, abandoned and vandalized cabin outside of a family-favorite state park in Iuka.

Through making it their own, this rustic cabin now includes a treehouse apartment.

Mike Bailey has lived many lives. From biker, singer and lyricist, cancer survivor, to a family man through and through – evolving from a little boy who deeply admired his grandfather, to a husband and father – and now a wood carver.

ALSO:

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What started out as a pollination project for his fruit trees has turned Darrell Cunningham into a full-blown beekeeper, and has turned his property into a honey hiatus, the ideal setting for keeping his hives.

Richard Tucker is a graphic designer, artist and fisherman. His artistic nature equips him with the attention to detail needed to tie his own flies. Tucker fly fishes for white bass, trout and even gar – yes, gar caught on a fly.

From hayrides, corn mazes, a petting zoo, caramel apples, kettle corn and, of course, pumpkins, Pumpkin Patch Farms in Blue Mountain has just about everything for a day filled with good old-fashion fall family fun.

MEN’S FASHION

DIY: WATCH BOX

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October 2020 ON THE COVER A fly fisherman sets out on his next adventure.

Watch recipe videos inspired by our time at Pumpkin Patch Farms at mudandmag.com.

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here’s a country music song by Trace Adkins that’s called “Just Fishin” that pretty accurately describes some of my childhood. The song talks about a dad taking his little girl fishing. The whole time she rambles on about her ballet shoes and kitten –– with not much real interest in catching fish. However, the chorus says, “She thinks we’re just fishing.”

I grew up down a little dirt road in the Arkansas Delta.

My dad always got joy taking my sister and I hunting and fishing. He took us places we would have never otherwise seen, and taught us about respecting nature. At the time, it wasn’t one of my favorite pastimes, but looking back, we weren’t “just fishing.” I wouldn’t trade that time with my family for anything.

This edition is packed with interesting features and recipes that have an outdoor theme. Venison chili, like the recipe on page 24, was one of our family favorites growing up, and it is still one of my go-to recipes on a cold fall day. You can even make it in the slowcooker –– which is always a win for me. I can’t wait to try some of the other delicious looking treats. I know it will provide the comfort that fall food is known for.

I think you will be fascinated by what all we included in this issue. From beekeepers to wood working to fly tying, there’s a little bit of everything outdoors. We hope it inspires you to get out and enjoy the season.

1242 S Green St. Tupelo, MS 38804 662.842.2611

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sarah Brooke Bishop

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Lindsay Pace Kristina Domitrovich

FEATURED SALES CONSULTANTS Leigh Knox Teresa McDonald Nick Boone June Phillips Tyler Vuncannon Darla Webb Shelley Ozbirn Angie Quarles

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dennis Seid

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JEWELRY

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Good luck to all the football players out there and don’t forget to wear your mouth guards.

Call Now:

662-844-7231 Peter L. West, DDS | Chris S. Hester, DMD | Sanders West, DMD Serving Northeast MS since 1975 105 Parkgate Dr. Tupelo, MS | tupelodentalgroup.com

RECIPES

Fall Bounty In the South, oftentimes fall and hunting season are used interchangeably. These warm and cozy recipes keep wild game in mind, while providing standard substitutions that can be found at any local grocer.

Venison Chili recipe on pg. 24

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RECIPES

Stuffed Crappie and Mushrooms recipe on pg. 24

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RECIPES

Crawfish Chowder

recipe on pg. 24

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RECIPES Cheerio Mounds

recipe on pg. 21

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Duck Poppers recipe on pg. 24

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RECIPES

Fondant Root Vegetables recipe on pg. 25

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RECIPES

Huntsman’s Cocktail recipe on pg. 25

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Good luck to all the football players out there and don’t forget to wear your mouth guards.

Call Now:

662-844-7231 Peter L. West, DDS | Chris S. Hester, DMD | Sanders West, DMD Serving Northeast MS since 1975 105 Parkgate Dr. Tupelo, MS | tupelodentalgroup.com

RECIPES Layered Chocolate Cake recipe on pg. 25

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RECIPES the meantime, in a blender or with an emulsion blender, pulse the fresh tomatoes until fairly smooth. Transfer to the pot, along with spicy vegetable juice, water and molasses, and the juice from both cans of beans (reserving the beans for later). Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape, and let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. About 20 minutes before serving, add in the kidney beans, stir and replace the lid. Serve with corn chips, cheese and diced onions.

STUFFED CRAPPIE AND MUSHROOMS

VENISON CHILI Ingredients: 1 pound ground venison (or beef) 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 large onion, diced 6 garlic cloves, minced 9 fresh tomatoes (stems removed) 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste 1 5-ounce can of spicy vegetable juice (such as Spicy Hot V8) 2 cups water 1 tablespoon molasses 2 15.5-ounce cans dark kidney beans Serving suggestions: Corn chips Diced onions Shredded cheese Directions: In a large pot over medium heat, preheat about a tablespoon of olive oil, then add the venison. Season with 2 tablespoons of chili powder, and remaining seasonings (saving half the salt for later). Stir occasionally to break up the meat until cooked, then transfer to a bowl. In the pot, add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic. Continue cooking until the onions are soft, then add in the tomato paste and remaining salt; c ook for about two minutes, stirring regularly. Add the meat back in, along with the remaining chili powder, and stir. In

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Ingredients: 12 ounces portobello mushrooms 8 large crappie fillets (or bass or tilapia) 8 ounces Muenster cheese For the stuffing: 2 tablespoons butter 2 large shallots 4 celery stalks 1 red bell pepper 2 6-ounce cans of crab meat, drained 1/2 pound raw shrimp, shells off and deveined 1 cup plain bread crumbs 3 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1/2 teaspoon Tony’s seasoning salt Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Use a damp paper towel to wipe down the mushrooms, and set on a dry dish towel. For the stuffing: Finely dice the shallots, celery and bell pepper. In a medium pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the shallots, celery and pepper to the pan, season with the spices and cook until softened. Transfer to a large bowl. Finely mince the stems of the mushrooms, and transfer to the bowl. Dice the raw shrimp, then add to the bowl, followed by the crab and bread crumbs.

Mix, and begin adding the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition until fully incorporated. Assembly: Divide the remaining tablespoon butter between a 9x11 and a 9x9 baking dish, then place in the oven to melt for about 3-5 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside. Pat the fish dry, then transfer half the fillets to the larger baking dish. Sprinkle with more Old Bay, then use a spoon to scoop the stuffing onto the fillets (about 2-3 scoops), making sure it is spread evenly on the fillets. Place the remaining fillets on top of the stuffing, and sprinkle again with Old Bay. Use a spoon to stuff the mushrooms with the remaining stuffing, and place in the 9x9 baking dish.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.

Remove both dishes from the oven, and turn on the broiler. Tear the Muenster cheese as needed, and evenly cover the fish fillets with a single layer of cheese, along with the mushrooms. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Serve immediately.

CRAWFISH CHOWDER Ingredients: 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1/4 cup butter, unsalted 2 10.5-ounce cans cream of potato soup 1 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup 1 15-ounce can whole-kernel corn (and juice) 2 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon Tony’s seasoning 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 3/4 teaspoon shrimp boil seasoning 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed 12 ounces prepared crawfish tails 1 pound shrimp, shells off and deveined Serving suggestions: Freshly ground black pepper Diced green onions Tabasco sauce Oyster crackers Directions: In a large stock pot on medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the onions and sautée until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the mushroom and potato soups, along with the corn. Stir until combined.

Add in all the seasoning, followed by the milk, whisking continually. Reduce the heat to a low, and let it lightly simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning. After 30 minutes, increase heat to a medium-low, add in the cream cheese and stir. Once the cream cheese has melted, taste and add more shrimp boil to make it spicier, if desired. Add in the crawfish and shrimp, and cook for about 5 more minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Serve immediately, and top as desired.

GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED DUCK POPPERS Ingredients: 6 duck breasts (or 10 dove breasts, or 2 large turkey breasts) 1 pound bacon 1 can sliced water chestnuts 1 ounce cream cheese 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños For the marinade: 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 1 cup water 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons rice vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1-inch piece of ginger, skin removed and diced 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch of green onions, chopped 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

RECIPES 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed 4 sprigs of rosemary 4 sprigs of thyme 2 1/2 cups chicken stock Directions: Place a large, deep sided cast iron skillet (or dutch oven) on the stove over medium-high heat, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and peel all the vegetables, then roughly cut into about 2-inch cubes and spears.

Once the vegetables are chopped and the pan is very hot, add the oil, followed by all the vegetables. Try to spread them out on the bottom of the pan as much as possible, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and allow it to cook for about 5 minutes before stirring. Repeat this process for about 15 minutes, stirring every 5, then add the garlic, and continue to let the vegetables caramelize over the next 20-25 minutes. Most of the vegetables should have at least one side that is caramelized. Then, add the rosemary and thyme sprigs, followed by the chicken stock. Transfer to the oven, and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove the large sprigs of herbs, and serve immediately.

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

HUNTSMAN’S COCKTAIL

Directions: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade, and set aside. Fillet the breasts horizontally, to create layers roughly 1/4 inch thick (about 3-4 layers for the duck; if using turkey, cut in half first, then begin horizontally filleting). Transfer the meat to the marinade, and let it sit covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Before assembling, preheat the grill to about 400-450 degrees. Cut the bacon in half lengthwise, and begin assembling. Remove a filet from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then place on top of a piece of bacon, top with either one to two water chestnuts, or a dollop of cream cheese and one or two pickled jalapeño slices; roll, then use a toothpick to skewer and place in a grilling basket (or skip the toothpicks and use a metal skewer if you do not have a grilling basket). Repeat with remaining fillets and bacon. Place the basket on the grill and close the lid for about 5-6 minutes. Flip the basket, close the lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Check the poppers to see if they’re evenly charred, rotate as necessary and cook longer until the bacon is done; serve immediately.

Ingredients: 1.5 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream 1.5 ounces Kahlúa, or other coffee liqueur .75 ounces praline pecan liqueur .5 ounce half & half Cracked ice Whipped cream, as desired

FONDANT ROOT VEGETABLES Ingredients: 3 beets 3 parsnips 4 carrots 2 sweet potatoes 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions: Fill an old fashioned glass 3/4 full with cracked ice. To the glass, add the Bailey’s, Kahlua and liqueur, then stir. Pour the half and half over the ice, allowing it to seep down. Serve with a cocktail stirrer, and top with whipped cream if desired.

For the frosting: 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup cocoa powder 5-7 cups powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup milk, more as needed Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray three nine-inch cake pans with non-stick cooking spray, then line the bottom of each pan with a cut-out circle of parchment paper. In a bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and whisk to ensure it’s well combined; sift any remaining clumps. Freshly brew the coffee. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar until pale and fluffy. In the meantime, place 4 ounces of chocolate in the coffee, stirring continuously until completely melted; set aside. To the sugar and oil, add in the eggs and yolks one at a time, followed by the buttermilk, vanilla and Greek yogurt. Once well combined, use a rubber spatula to fold in one third of the dry ingredients until barely combined, followed by one third of the hot coffee/chocolate – and repeat with the remaining amounts. Once all the ingredients have been added, do not over-mix; the batter may be slightly clumpy. Evenly pour the batter among the three pans (filling each about 2/3 full). Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely. For the frosting: Beat the butter and vanilla extract until creamy. Add in the cocoa powder and salt, and mix until well incorporated. Add in 5 cups of powdered sugar and the milk, and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix again to ensure it’s well incorporated. If too dry, add more milk; if too runny (or if more is needed for decorating), add more powdered sugar.

Assemble as desired. M

LAYERED CHOCOLATE CAKE Ingredients: 3 cups AP flour 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 cups sugar 4 eggs + 2 egg yolks 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/3 cup Greek yogurt 1 1/2 cups hot coffee 4 ounces 100% cacao chocolate bar

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THE COOPERS' GETAWAY CABIN

RIGHT OUTSIDE OF JP COLEMAN STATE PARK IS A CABIN WITH A GRAVEL DRIVE. WHEN THE COOPERS BOUGHT THE CABIN –– WHICH WAS INCOMPLETE, ABANDONED AND VANDALIZED –– THEY NEVER IMAGINED IT WOULD TURN INTO WHAT IT HAS: THEIR FAMILY’S MEETING GROUNDS.

by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

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ary and Sharon Cooper weren’t necessarily looking for a new home or a lake house, but their family were regulars to the area, as they would take their boys to JP Coleman State Park just about every year when they were growing up. When they saw the incomplete and vacant cabin up for sale, they bought it, thinking they would complete it, and be done with it.

“We just kind of fell in love with the process,” she said.

“We purchased in ‘09, and we haven’t sold yet.”

The cabin’s initial structure was laid in 2005, or at least that’s the engraving the Coopers found in the concrete.

There wasn’t much history to the house, as the construction had essentially screeched to a halt after the shell of the home was built. At the time of the Coopers’ purchase, there was the outside framing of the home, and that was about it, there were no interior walls, windows or doors.

“We had a little sketch of what the previous owner had in mind, just kind of a sketch drawing,” she said. “We didn’t have much to go on, so we basically went with our own.”

With the help of a constructor there in Iuka, the Coopers took the rough sketch and a few ideas of their own, and one month after buying it, in January 2010, started building it out from there.

What started out as a vandalized, bat-filled shell of structure, the Coopers turned into a two-story cabin with seven bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, spanning over about 5,500 square feet. Gary and their two sons, Darren and Chase, installed all the plumbing, electrical, cable and “numerous, naturally, miscellaneous things because it was a work in progress.”

Once they established the inside layout, next came the interior designing. While Sharon says the cabin’s interior is not something she would pick naturally, after a little nudging from her family, she leaned into the rustic aesthetic.

“It is very rustic,” she said. “Very, very good for family gatherings and boys and kids. Maintenance on it is easier sometimes.”

The couple now has three grandchildren, so when their immediate family convenes, there’s plenty of room. Their extended family often joins too, bringing it to about 14 guests, all comfortably accommodated.

Previous page: A glimpse into the Coopers’ treehouse. A panel of windows allows for ample natural light, which is reflected by off-white walls. Connie Morgan at Staggs Interiors decorated both the cabin and treehouse. This spread, from left: A row of rocking chairs lines one side of a wrap-around porch; the cabin sitting room is made unique by the decor and velvet upholstery.

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Previous page, top to bottom: The bed in the treehouse; Tony Smith Construction in Counce, Tennessee, remodeled the treehouse, while Verna Harbin assisted in the outside design, and worked with Sharon “more than anyone else planning and dreaming.� This page: The treehouse functions as a studio apartment, complete with a seating area and coffee cart for cozy mornings. The bathroom to the right of the bed features a sliding barn door.

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“It has been a blessing, we’re so thankful to have it and have enjoyed it in what time we’ve been privileged to have it,” she said. “It has been very useful for great fun (with) family and friends.”

Over the years, the cabin has been modified, to the point where it’s almost a running joke.

“The first thing when they come in the door, they’ll say, “What has mother done this time?’” Sharon said laughing.

One ever-changing area is the kitchen. In addition to the Coca-Cola bottles Sharon collected when she was a little girl, guests will see framed puzzles. For her family, who assembles the puzzles together, they’re practically a talking point. “‘Hey, we remember we did that when––’ ‘You remember we lost that piece and we had to make a piece?’” she said chuckling.

But one part of the property has changed significantly, and that’s the treehouse in the backyard. Sharon had the treehouse built as a Christmas present to her first grandchild, back in 2016.

Back then, it was a simple treehouse, though she did have the showers installed down below, for easily rinsing off when returning from the lake. But last year, since the grandkids weren’t using it too much,

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she and Gary decided to close it in, basically turning it into an apartment. The initial plan was to leave the tree going up through it, but a particularly wet season proved it wasn’t a feasible option.

“A dream doesn’t mean it has to be,” she said.

As a part of the renovations, they decided to install a full bathroom, to avoid having to go in and out of the cabin. Inside the window-lined room, there’s a microwave and a little coffee bar for the mornings.

Sharon joked that her kids practically fight over who gets to stay in the treehouse.

“They fight back and forth,” she said laughing.

“They always ask when they’re calling, ‘Who all’s coming?’ for strategizing.”

While her kids’ favorite part of the Iuka cabin may clearly be the treehouse, Sharon’s is the front porch. Though the couple lives in New Albany and rarely visit the cabin just themselves, Sharon said even when she goes to the cabin to clean or make some adjustments, she often finds herself sitting on the porch for a stint before getting in her car to leave.

“We don’t get a lot of quiet time in today’s world,” she said. “I just figured if I could get that, that’s what I’d do. … Just go and enjoy nature in the summer.” M

This spread, clockwise from left: Exiting the porch toward the treehouse is a deck, where lattice is decorated with potted plants and ironwork; The cabin features intricate exterior work. Ray Jones Contractors in Iuka completed construction of the cabin after the couple bought the house; Warm and simple touches, like pottery, are found throughout the cabin, as well as touches of gold. Next page: A swinging chair and lights hangs below the treehouse. Opposite the chair is an outdoor shower, often used after trips to the lake.

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“WE DON’T GET A LOT OF QUIET TIME IN TODAY’S WORLD. I JUST FIGURED IF I COULD GET THAT, THAT’S WHAT I’D DO.” 28

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WOODCARVINGS by

MI KE

Mike Bailey has been practicing his craft since the early 2000s. Since then, he has become a member of the Mississippi Craftsmen’s Guild, and his pieces can be found scattered about Mississippi, sold from stores in the Smokies and sitting in homes as far as Italy and Spain.

by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

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This page: Bailey’s hatchet, which he uses to make spoons from start to finish.

The blade was once his grandfather’s; Bailey fashioned the leather sheath himself, using skills he learned from his grandfather. Bailey also made the handle. Next page: He chops wood for spoons on a small worktable he made.

rowing up, Mike Bailey, 57, remembers watching and helping his grandfather, a leatherworker, as he would craft saddles and bridles, “stuff like that.”

“I loved my granddaddy dearly,” Bailey said. “I didn’t care what my granny was doing, I was there with him. I loved working with him.”

He remembers being baffled when customers –– who found his grandfather’s works through word of mouth or stumbling upon acquaintances who vouched for the quality –– some from all over Mississippi, but plenty of out-of-staters, too, would come to his shop in small-town Stewart, Mississippi.

“One of the things that always fascinated me, and of course this was way, way pre-internet or anything,” he said, “was the fact that people would come to his shop from all over.”

Now, especially with the help of the internet, Bailey is seeing the same pattern rings true with his own clients, and his work can be found in homes reaching all the way into Italy and Spain.

But his work differs slightly, as Bailey’s a woodcarver. The need to craft and the satisfaction he feels through completing a piece, Bailey traces back to watching his grandfather work with tools.

“That connection, making something with my hands –– just going from a raw chunk of wood, to a man’s face,” he said. “That connection, more of like my granddaddy, as far as people are now seeking me out … It’s almost the same thing, so it kind of keeps that alive for me.”

For a while, as a young man in his early 20s, Bailey swore he’d leave his hometown, Columbus. For a stint, he did, and he was a biker. He rode around on his ‘67 Triumph Bonneville Chopper, and looking back, he noticed he was always surrounded by artists. From one of his buddies he rode with carving “the coolest looking face” into a cedar post with a pocket knife, to tattoo artists, “writers, singers, players,” he was constantly surrounded by talent. Bailey’s talent extends past woodcarving, too, as he used to be the lead vocalist and lyricist in a band after he stopped riding. Once he fully came in off the road, he settled back down in Columbus and started his craft, which started in the early 2000s, when his parents gifted him a beginner’s woodcarving kit for Chritsmas, and his love affair for the craft grew from there.

After he started dabbling in the craft on his own, he saw that a woodcarver by the name George Berry was going to be visiting Columbus, to host a live demonstration “mainly for the kids” at the public library. Bailey went and chatted with Berry after the presentation, and “he offered me some tips.” The two struck up an acquaintanceship, and over time and at various shows, they would catch up and Berry would continue to give tips and insight. Eventually, about five or six years after taking up the craft, Bailey showed Berry an example of his work: a Native American face carved into a cypress knee (a spurt or spike of wood, that grows up through the water, above the tree’s hidden roots, often in swampy conditions). Berry was silent while he was looking over Bailey’s work, who had started to get nervous at this point.

“He reached down in his toolbox, he pulled out paperwork for the Craftsmen’s Guild,” Bailey said. “He said, ‘I want you to fill this stuff out, and send it to the Craftsmen’s Guild.’”

At the time, Bailey didn’t think anything of it, and stuffed the paper away somewhere in his shop, thinking there was no way he was good enough. Little did he know, George Berry was a founding member of the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, so his recommendation was sound.

A year later, Bailey set up at another show, with a couple set up in the booths next to him, both members of the Craftsmen’s Guild. They recommended he apply, and Bailey again deferred, saying he has the application from George Berry.

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“He said, ‘George Berry is one of the founding members of the Guild,’” Bailey remembers. “He said, ‘If he gives you the green light, you need to do it.’”

With the newfound information and even more encouragement, Bailey filled out the application. He learned that to become a member of the Guild, artists have to fill out the application, send in three examples of work along with photos of more pieces. Then, the artist’s work is presented to a jury, which decides whether the work “reflects a high degree of competence, professional standards, and artistry in their medium and category,” according to the Guild. Once an artist gets “a green light from them,” then they must complete certain requirements, along with repeating the jury process every three years. In the ninth year of the process, if the jury approves the work again, the artist is considered a journeyman. Bailey said he completed the process about five or six years ago.

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“That connection, making something with my hands –– just going from a raw chunk of wood, to a man’s face. That connection, more of like my granddaddy, as far as people are now seeking me out …

It’s almost the same thing, so it kind of keeps that alive for me.”

This page, clockwise from top: Mike Bailey; Bailey’s skills range from large carvings to miniscule faces on pencils.

Since children seem to love them, he sells them at a child-friendly price point of about $5. Next page, top to bottom: A small figurine he carved. The chicken measures only a few inches. He makes these from the same wood as the walking sticks. Once the branches become too thin, they’ll begin to fork, which creates the chicken’s legs.; Bailey often carves designs into spoon handles, like on these coffee spoons.

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“(That was) kind of one of the highlights for me,” he said. “I didn’t think I was good at all.

It’s really fun when people kind of validate what you thought was more like a hobby.”

Bailey’s work spans from what he calls his wood spirits, to Native American face carvings, commissioned custom pieces, various figurines, hiking sticks, Christmas-themed pieces, as well as his recent adventure, using a hatchet to carve out spoons, in addition to teaching himself blacksmithing to add certain elements to his pieces and figurines. He used to make some larger pieces, but after winning a bout of cancer in his leg, he’s settled on smaller, more manageable pieces that don’t require going outside and cranking up a chainsaw. Now, his shop is inside his home where he can enjoy the AC, directly to the right of the entrance. He said he and his wife have to clean up the woodchips regularly, but neither one seems to mind.

“She’s just glad she can look over here and see me, isn’t worried about where I’m at,” he said smiling, referring back to his biking days and when he was in a band.

Bailey’s known best for his face carvings, from the wood spirits to Native Americans, to, of course, bikers. His faces –– which he will say every woodcarver has their own face, though each one will be different, as no two faces can ever be the same –– are more on the haggard side; Bailey doesn’t skimp on wrinkles and character, making the faces “craggly,” as he

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calls it. “‘Guy’s had a hard life,’” he once said to his friend about carving faces. “I said, ‘It wasn’t no easy life ahead. That’s kind of the roadmap to your face.’”

Aside from the wrinkles, and the inevitably “long, flowy beard” that wisps down from the face, Bailey said people know his work by his faces’ eyes, as they’re telling. Sometimes, he will even write up a narrative of a carving’s life, which he said his customers seem to be big fans of, and it uses another of his artistic talents, going back to his writing abilities when he would write songs for his band.

His pieces, whether cedar, basswood, cottonwood, fruit tree woods (like apple and plum), sweetgum he cuts down himself, or pretty much whatever he can get his hands on, var y in price, any where from about five dollars, up to several hundred. Bailey grew up vacationing in the mountains with his family, and he remembers going into shops wanting to buy something, but pieces being too expensive; for his work, he wants to make it “accessible to ever yone.”

“It blows my mind, people want to spend their hardearned money, and I get it, I work for mine,” he said. “I’m ver y humbled when they’re going to buy my face, and I’m like, ‘Look, man, just the fact that you spent your money, just that means a lot to me, because I know how hard it is to come (by).” M

Honey, I’ll be

Humming with the Bees Darrell Cunningham walks out of his home dressed in white beekeeper’s equipment. He waltzes over to his hives. He may use smoke to calm the hives, but his bees are so gentle that he may forgo this step. He starts singing, belting in his backyard, “I’d start walking your way, you’d start walking mine, we’d meet in the middle, ‘neath that old Georgia pine,” by Diamond Rio; or maybe singing one of his own singles, like his song, “Bee Man.” When he reaches for the lid on the hive, his voice softens as he greets his bees with a, “Hey, Babies! How y’all doin’?” before continuing his gentle work, chatting with the bees in a tone that can only be described as having been dipped in honey.

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by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

rowing up, Darrell Cunningham’s grandmother’s backyard was filled with fruit trees. When he bought his home that sits on two acres, he wanted to take a page from her book and plant fruit trees.

“I didn’t want a tree growing in my yard if I can’t eat from it,” he said.

When a friend asked how he planned to pollinate the trees, he realized he hadn’t seen any bees on his property. After some research, he purchased two beehives to maintain in order to pollinate his fruit trees. Four years later, and those two hives have grown tenfold.

Cunningham’s first two hives were Russian and Italian bees. He chose the Russian bees because of their resistance to disease, plus their longer tongues for gathering nectar make them ideal; and the Italian variety because they are known to be more gentle, while still being good honey producers. Over the years, he’s added a few bee varieties to his backyard, including buckfast bees (bred by a monk in England, Brother Adam, to be all-around tougher bees), mite maulers (these bees will bite the legs off of mites on other bees, to prevent the mites from spreading, as they’re very harmful to hives) and saskatraz bees (which are disease, mite and fungal resistant). Aside from those, Cunningham also has “freebees,” as he likes to call them. These bees are collected in “swarm traps” he built, which are essentially smaller boxes mounted on tree trunks around his property. These are beneficial for two reasons: First, they will attract wild or feral bees, which he can then transfer to a beekeeping box as a new hive; secondly, when his beehives swarm (a process of a colony moving hives), the hope is they will move into one of these boxes, so Cunningham doesn’t lose any bees. He likes to joke that between all of his bee varieties and the feral bees he keeps (plus those around the area, too), after they’re done mating, he’s left with “pedigree bees” in return. And he rewards them as such.

“They take care of me, and I take care of them,” he said. “They’re really special creatures. If it weren’t for bees, we’d be dead for sure.”

Aside from the fruit trees, including plums, peaches and nectarines, he has set up the perfect little bee paradise: He plants clover in his grass for the bees in the springtime, but he also has elderberries, hibiscus flowers, a loquat tree that is the bee’s knees of trees for bees (not to mention its leaves make an amazingly beneficial herbal tea, according to Cunningham), and he even dug a pond on his property so the bees can stay hydrated. He laughed that on particularly hot days, he finds amusement in watching the bees “zoom zoom zoom” back and forth from the pond to bring water to the hives.

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Previous page: Darrell Cunningham in a beekeeper’s suit and a white t-shirt, as he said lighter colors keep the bees calmer because it’s less reminiscent of predators, such as bears; Above: Bees gather at the entrance to one of Cunningham’s swarm traps he built himself.

Eventually, Cunningham will open the trap from the top, and transfer the bees into a hive near the others.

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The Nitty Gritty of Beekeeping Cunningham became the first certified Black beekeeper in north Mississippi in 2017. In order for a beekeeper to become certified –– which grants certain services, like breeding queens to sell over state lines –– their hives must be inspected for diseases and pests, and bees have quite a few enemies. Aside from birds, bees face threats like mites and hive beetles (both of which can ruin a hive if they’re not caught in time), but also fungal and viral infections.

One disease, foulbrood, is so dangerous and easily spread, that if one hive is infected, Cunningham said they will have to burn all the other hives as well.

“I pray to God that never happens,” he said. “Which is why I’m getting bees with good genetics, these pest- and disease-free, disease-resistant, pest-resistant –– that’s always the best kind of bees, so that’s what I’m doing.”

Once a certified beekeeper reaches 50 hives, they are classified as a commercial beekeeper. This classification would bump the beekeeper up into a different tax bracket. Due to his work schedule being readjusted this season because of COVID-19, Cunningham said he was able to increase his beehives from eight to 22.

Though the weekly upkeep is only about 10 hours for all of his hives, he said he finds himself spending time keeping his bees longer than that sometimes.

“You go into a whole new time zone. You just lose track of time,” he said. “It’s like a whole world just opens up, and you just

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enter.”

Cunningham collects honey about every three or four weeks, and he staggers the hives so he doesn’t strip his bees of all their honey all at once; he only collects four or five trays from all his bees at a time. He said there’s a balance that a beekeeper has to keep in the hive to make the bees most productive. His bees produce about 200 pounds of honey throughout the season, which, for him, runs from about March to October.

“They give me honey, and I give them a good house to live,” he said. “So they pay rent.”

Cunningham said there are about 80,000 bees per hive (which means he has over 1.5 million bees total). This figure includes the queen, the drones (male bees that mate with the queen and other hives’ queens) and worker bees whose sole job is to make honey. The hive boxes are built to allow collectable honeycomb structures to be on the upper extensions, as it gets more and more narrow the further up the bees go. This is to prevent the queen from going too far up into the hive, “because she’s fat and juicy,” and the beekeepers don’t want her laying eggs in collectable honeycombs. Instead, the hive is built to trap the queen toward the bottom, to lay eggs there. This is called the brood. In the brood, Cunningham said the worker bees will feed the larvae with royal jelly, a special secretion for the larvae to live off of. Every larva will receive the royal jelly, but those selected to become queens will be fed the royal jelly even longer.

Cunningham said bees will make a new queen when they are ready to swarm. Sometimes the colony will swarm because they are too crowded, the queen is too old, if the queen isn’t laying eggs properly or if the colony gets honey-bound, which means “they have no more space to put honey, and they start backfilling the brood area where the queen’s laying, so that stops her from laying and restricts them.” To move out, the queen, either the newly chosen queen or a preexisting queen, has to slim down in order to fly because she is too fat. Then, the bees will collect as much honey as they can (they have special honey sacs to hold it), and move to a new hive. This is when his swarm traps come in. Hopefully, they will swarm to a trap, so he can eventually move them into a new hive box, and continue to repeat the cycle. But once a colony moves out, they’re gone for good.

“It’s like going off to college,” he joked.

Aside from being the sole bee producing eggs, the queen adds drive to the colony, otherwise the bees become lazy.

“If they can’t make another queen, then the babies, they have no type of direction,” Cunningham said. “They will still do the normal stuff, gather honey, but they won’t do it as well as they did with the passion they did it with, and they don’t defend the hive with that passion.”

Left: The hives are built vertically, with the bottom two boxes typically being the brood area. Cunningham usually covers his hives with a plastic lid, held down with a water-filled Mason jar or a brick. Above: Bees gather near the entrance of a hive – this particular hive is painted a bright aqua, but Cunningham said the hives’ color is irrelevant to the bees. In the left portion of the photo, a bee carrying pollen in its legs’ pollen baskets (corbicula) can be seen flying back to the hive, where the worker bees will put the pollen in an awaiting cell.

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Misconceptions & Sweet Tips Cunningham said one of the most common questions he gets is if he keeps killer bees. He quickly dispels this, as he says West Point is too far north for killer bees to survive, and those can mostly be found in Texas or Louisiana.

Another misconception he faces is people thinking bees die during the winter. He said there are a few ways beekeepers will go about it, but he prefers to leave the bees a whole box of honey connected to the hive.

“That’s why they gather honey,” he said. “They gather honey, so they can have something to eat during the winter.”

The honey’s sugar content keeps the bees going, which is good because bees vibrate a lot. Their vibration creates friction, which in turn creates heat, so the bees can heat the hive to a cozy 72 degrees during the winter. In fact, Cunningham says the bees can keep the hive around that temperature all year round, even during the hot summer months.

Then there’s the most frequently asked question, or rather most frequent presumption: If Cunningham gets stung regularly. He says he researched a lot to choose the most docile bee species, so he says his bees are actually very kind. In fact, sometimes he won’t even bother using a smoking device –– which is used to trick the bees into thinking the hive is on fire, so they will get busy gathering honey to swarm, giving the beekeeper optimal conditions to work while the

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bees are distracted –– when he’s checking on his bees. He said over his four years of beekeeping, he guesses he has only been stung about 14 times.

He did say that some bees’ venom is more potent than others, so if a sting hurts noticeably more, he will try to figure out what hive that bee came from, and be more cautious when handling those bees. His neighbors all know about his bees, and so far, he said none of them have faced any challenges with them.

The medicinal benefits of honey are no question, as it’s proven to be packed full of antibacterial properties. But Cunningham says there are a few things people should never do to a jar of honey: Put it in the microwave or the refrigerator. Microwaving honey will kill off the good qualities honey is known for, and keeping it in the refrigerator will cause it to crystalize quickly. If it’s crystallized or needs to be warmed, he said to place the jar in a container of warm water.

Interestingly enough, the color of honey is a gradient throughout the season: It’s lighter in the spring, and darkens into fall, when its medicinal qualities are at an all-time high. The darker honey starts around the end of August, when the goldenrods are in bloom. “(The) yellow flowers you see on the side of the road,” he said.

“Yellow flowers like weeds popping up, that’s called Goldenrod.

That’s where all the really strong medicine in the honey comes from, which is healthy; the darker honey has got in it a lot of medicine.”

Left page, left: Cunningham places burning pieces of cardboard into the bee smoker, which has an accordion-like pump called the bellows to stoke the embers. Right: He smokes a hive before checking on the bees. While many people think smoke makes the bees tired, the bees actually think the hive is on fire, so they will busy themselves trying to collect the honey to swarm to a new home. Top: Cunningham holding a tray of honey – he will only collect about four or five of these every three weeks. Above: Bees on a tray gathered from the brood area, where the queen lays eggs. The queen, identified with by the arrow, can be found by her width and length (her abdomen extends past her wings, making her wings look small in comparison to the worker bees’ wings), different coloring on her abdomen, her hairless back (thorax) and typically lighter colored legs.

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Point B Naturals Through learning the medicinal properties of honey for himself, Cunningham created a line of products that use honey. After suffering from razor burn for nearly his whole life, Cunningham’s doctor finally prescribed something that seemed to work. He looked at the ingredients, and saw they were all natural; so, he procured things like shea butter and apricot oil for himself, and started mixing things together with the honey to create a salve. When he did, he shared some with his mother, who gave feedback: It worked, but it was too stiff. Cunningham went back to the drawing board to adjust measurements, and created the ideal salve.

Then, when he had carpal tunnel surgery, his physical therapist said he would have a gnarly scar. Cunningham decided to apply his own salves to the area, and watched as the wound practically faded away over time. Impressed, the director at Magnolia Rehab in West Point placed an order.

“He said, ‘Darrell, I want to buy something from you.’ So he got several cans from me and they use it,” he said. “They give it to their clients who come to have surgery scars and stuff.”

In addition to the salve, he also creates lotions and soaps, all containing honey. Cunningham says his mother has even had success lightening dark spots by using his products.

Because he has his ServSafe certification, he can sell his honey products and baked goods, along with treats like jams, honey-teriyaki jerky and honey-pecan pies, to name just a few. He said he mostly uses local flea markets and farmers markets to get his products out there.

Eventually, Cunningham, 56, plans to retire from his job at Toyota in Blue Springs. He says he wants to go back to school to study natural medicine so he can grow Point B Naturals’ product line, and know how to help people if they come to him with a specific condition. Then, he also plans on increasing his hives to right under 50, staying just below the commercial classification set by the state. Until then, he can probably be found with his bees, singing, “I’d start walking your way, you’d start walking mine.” M

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Left: Point B Naturals honey-immersed honeycomb in a Mason jar, while the squeeze bottles show the progression of honey harvested earlier in the season, and how it darkens heading into fall. Top: Cunningham inspecting his elderberries, which he will use in jams and other various goods. Above: Some of the products offered through Point B Naturals: Hand-poured soap bars, King B shaving salve, ENK (elbow, neck and knee) salve, along with body lotion and foot lotion (not pictured).

Men’s Fashion photos by LINDSAY PACE

CORE Cycle + Outdoor Tupelo

The North Face Down Jacket, $229; Garmin Venu Smartwatch, $349; Prana Stretch Zion pant, $79; Patagonia Men’s Fezzman shirt, regular fit, $59.

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City Mercantile Pontotoc

Bird Dog Bay seasonal sport shirt, $74.50.

Classic leather belt, $59.50.

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MLM Clothiers Tupelo

Peter Millar vest; Peter Millar five-pocket jeans.

johnnie-O sport shirt; Martin Dingman belt.

Please call for pricing.

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City Mercantile

Pontotoc

Freedom Dallas polo, $69.50.

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North Fork Rambler graham outdoor boot, $190.

CORE Cycle + Outdoor Tupelo

Ray-ban Sunglasses Classic Wayfarers, $154; ICEMULE Pro Coolers large backpack cooler, $114.95.

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For the Love of the C atch

by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photos by LINDSAY PACE

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ichard Tucker was born and raised in Tupelo, and grew up fishing in nearby areas. This pastime turned into a passion, which soon spiralled into tying his own flies.

“It was just kind of a natural progression from getting into fly fishing and trying to learn more about the sport,” he said.

“Especially trout fishing, because the flies were not readily available, and so I just tried to figure out how to do it.”

Tucker prefers fishing for white bass in the spring, and sometimes he’ll head over to Arkansas for trout. At one point, a friend told him gar couldn’t be caught by fly fishing, so he took it as a personal challenge to prove him wrong (which of course he did); “it’s so fun to catch something For his flies, he typically that big.” sticks to fly-tying threads For these river fish, Tucker ou put all the materials that are coated in wax finds that natural colors tend (having tried normal thread, on this hook, and created which proved ineffective), to be more effective, so most of his flies are pretty straight- that (fly), and then your dyed animal hair (usually forward (think: browns, deer or rabbit), chicken or artistry has enabled you rooster feathers, a set of whites, a few chartreuse colors and sometimes orange). to catch a fish. eyes, occasionally a plastic To make these flies, he tries or shiny element, or another to imitate minnows, larvae, synthetic material in case insects and other creatures he can’t get his hands on the that fish feed on. For Tucker, real deal. Through the years, it’s all about how realistic he’s also learned some tricks each fly is, so he pays special of the trade, tying a knot attention to his flies’ proportions, trying to nail each one. in a hair or feather to create legs for terrestrial insects like To make a fly, he has to first determine if it should sink or grasshoppers. float on top of the water. If it floats, it’s what’s called a dry Fly tying can be as simple or as complicated as desired, fly, and he’ll use hollow elements, like hair from the neck of and Tucker has tried both sides of the spectrum. When he a deer, to make it lighter. If it should be submerged in the was visiting family in Montana, he decided to try his hands water, a wet fly, he will use heavier elements, like hair that at salmon flies. isn’t hollow from the tail of a deer, to weigh it down.

“Salmon fishing and fly fishing was made for royalty and kings,” Tucker said. “So a lot of these feathers are no longer available because the species of birds are extinct and endangered.”

Salmon flies presented a new challenge to Tucker, and he said they took longer and required starting over a few times. These flies need to be brightly colored and elaborate, because he was fishing for salmon when their sole goal was to spawn, not to eat. In order to get the salmon to bite the bait, it would have to look so tantalizing that it “elicits an aggressive response.”

For Tucker, an artist who owns a graphic design company

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Previous page: Small tackle boxes containing Tucker’s flies stuck in foam to prevent damage and tangling. This page, clockwise, starting left: One of Tucker’s fly fishing reels, this one with a gold tint, spooled with a hollow line with a thin, almost-foam filling to float on the water’s surface; A tackle box filled with trout flies in varying sizes and colors, all immitating different insects called nymphs in terms of fly fishing classification; Tucker designed Arkansas’ Trout fishing permit for 1990; Tucker uses a bobbin – a device that holds a spool of waxed thread taught and at a distance, allowing a more precise and tight wrapping – to tie a fly onto a hook held by the vise. This fly has eyes, red thread and chartreuse-colored deer hair.

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Left: Tucker trims deer hair before tying it onto the fly, after using a hair stacking tool to align the hairs so the fly will be made properly and will have a more natural appearance. Below: Drawers of fly-tying supplies, from rooster feathers, dyed animal hairs, eyes, paints, various different colors of thread and synthetic shining elements. Next page: Two very brightly colored salmon flies made by Tucker, framed.

(LURE Creative, its playful slogan states it can help clients catch more business), these flies were particularly fun for him, because of the visual interest.

Usually, the average fly takes Tucker about 10 minutes to make, but the salmon flies took closer to three hours.

Flies don’t last for a fisher’s life, “well, if you’re not catching fish they can,” he joked. Usually, one fishing trip will put a fly out of commission, sometimes even just one fish’s bite, depending on the angle and how hard they go after the bait. This will send a fisher back to the drawing board –– or rather, the vise (a tool used to hold the fly as it’s being assembled). But Tucker doesn’t seem to mind, because for him, catching a fish on a fly he tied is the best feeling.

“You put all the materials on this hook, and created that (fly), and then your artistry has enabled you to catch a fish,” he said. “It’s crazy.” M

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DIY WATCH BOX 678

Display favorite timepieces in this polished organizer. Multiple compartments offer room for wrist or pocket watches, keys, a wallet or sunglasses.

by KRISTINA DOMITROVICH photo by LINDSAY PACE

MATERIALS: One 1-inch x 4-inch x 96-inch pine board Wood glue Dark wood stain Two watch pillows TOOLS: Two ratcheting bar clamp/ spreaders A saw (hand, jig or circular will do) Sandpaper (150-grit and 240-grit) Barely damp rag Foam paintbrush MEASUREMENTS: Three cuts off the board, measuring 13 inches each (sides and base) Two cuts off the board, measuring 4 13/16 inches each (end caps) Two cuts off the board, measuring 2 5/8 inches each (partitions)

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PROCESS: Cut the board into the directed sizes. Use the 150-grit sandpaper to sand each piece smooth, and use the rag to clean up any sawdust.

Apply wood glue to the edges of the base, and attach the two sides (standing vertically along the edge).

Use the clamps to fasten in place along the glued pieces, and dry completely according to packaging.

Once dried, remove clamps. Apply glue to the three exposed edges on both ends, and then clamp the end caps into place. Glue three sides of each partition, then put into the box glue-side down, allowing enough space for the watch pillows (about 3 inches) between each partition. Allow the glue to dry completely before removing the clamps. Use the 240-grit to go over the whole watch box, paying special attention to any glue that may have spilled out, then wipe down again with the damp rag.

Use the brush and rag to apply the wood stain, and allow it to dry completely. Place watch pillows in their allotted slots, and use the bigger portion to hold a set of keys, a wallet and/or sunglasses. M

practical tip

STAINING WOOD Since wood stain is nearly impossible to remove, don’t use a standard paintbrush.

Instead, opt for a foam paintbrush you can throw out later. Be sure to wear plastic gloves when staining your watch box to make cleanup even easier.

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BUYER ’S GUIDE

2020

Winners announced in the November PublishingNovember6

pumpkin

PATCH farms

For the past 24 years, September and October have been the busiest months for Clay Meeks and his family at Pumpkin Patch Farms.

by DENNIS SEID photos by LINDSAY PACE

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hat started as a small pumpkin patch has grown into a 200-acre operation, drawing visitors from not only surrounding counties in Northeast Mississippi, but surrounding states, too.

“The pumpkin patch itself is about 50 acres,” Meeks said. “Well, for the tourists it’s about 50 acres, but we really grow pumpkins all across the farm.”

When Meeks planted his first pumpkin seeds in the early 1990s, it didn’t work out very well, and they failed to sprout. But he found another patch of land to plant seeds a couple years later, and it turned out to be one of his best crops ever.

Meeks expanded his assortment of pumpkins to 10 varieties, and has added on ever since. This year, when visitors come by for the first time on opening day in September, they will see 25 varieties.

“We got plenty of rain this year, and they’re growing well,” he said.

But visitors and tourists will have more than pumpkins to pick. Pumpkin Patch Farms offers hay rides, pony rides, a petting barn, Pumpkin Patch Express train rides, a giant jumping pillow and pedal cars.

“We’ve also redone our store and opened it up,” Meeks said. “We took the ceiling out and made it a vaulted ceiling, and added exhaust fans to pull air into it. We’ve also added two outdoor eating venues.”

With all the activities available, as well as food – kettle corn, fudge, ice cream, breads and their famous and most-popular caramel apples – Meeks said it’s not unusual for a family to stay all day, from 9 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m.

“We want to make it an experience where everyone can enjoy themselves,” he said.

New this year are pancakes for breakfast on Saturdays, starting at 8 a.m.

Meeks said Pumpkin Patch Farms has turned into the place he always dreamed of having. With relatives in Birmingham offering advice and help from their own pumpkin farm, Meeks took it all to heart, and it’s paid off. M Previous page: Pumpkin Patch Farms offers homegrown produce for sale, mostly a variety of gourds and pumpkins. This spread, from left: Pumpkin Patch Farms has several reconfigured, tractor-pulled “hayrides,” to take multiple groups out into the fields at a time. Patrons can embark on a hayride, which includes a chance to navigate a corn maze and pick their own pumpkin; Fall vignettes are placed across the farm to welcome the season.

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Pumpkin spice on your mind? Head to mudandmag.com for new fall recipes inspired by our visit to the farm.

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“We want to make it an

experience

where everyone can enjoy themselves.�

This page, from top: The farm offers a petting barn, where visitors can pet friendly animals like lambs, donkeys, horses and goats. Patrons can also take pony rides; A classic red barn, the centerpoint of the farm, is also a general store, where homemade treats like marble-slab fudge, breads, brownies, cookies and caramel apples are sold, to name a few.

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