Freshie’s… Donuts Made Right Before Your Eyes
By: Chelsea Cornwell AS the Glass door opens and I step into a vibrant and colorful shop with two dining tables, with four chairs each, and a bar to order from and physically watch as the donuts are being made. The aromas are a mixture of both sweet, as well as salty, with high notes of fruit, sweet icing, paired with the smell of the infamous fryer that is an assembly line of donuts being made, constantly, by a machine that drops the dough into a fryer as a mechanical spatula picks the timed, perfectly cooked donuts, up and flips them over into, yet, another fryer where the final spatula, finally, drops them onto a tray to be decorated and served. This magical invention makes the donut making process so much more precise and ensures the donuts are cooked perfectly. Along with the incredible donut as a base, there are an array of over ten icings and 12 toppings to choose from, making the possibilities endless. At this point, you are probably asking yourself, “Who on earth came up with this incredibly brilliant idea because not only does she do specialty donuts, but she caters and does weddings. This Super Woman of the donut creating world is Marion Mason of Inwood, WV. started out working for an Oral Surgeon from the age of 18. She did, however, always dreamed of having a bakery and has always made cakes on the side for friends and family and those who requested her services. “I just started to get burned out,” Marion explained. “I just want to do something different; something that no one else is doing. So, to get away, my husband and I went to the beach (Ocean City, MD), where I stumbled across a Fractured Prune (www.facebook.com/FracturedPruneDoughnuts) and I thought to myself, we do not have anything like that around here. “Originally she looked into a franchise store, to open a Fractured Prune, but found it to be a bit too expensive and decided to venture out on her own. She found the location in Inwood at 27 Hovater Drive, and loved it because there was nothing around that compares to what she does within a very large radius. Freshie’s has been open since February of this year and has had a tremendous turn out. When asked what her secret is to the overwhelming success so far, she claims that adapting to her environment and demographic is important. For example, she started doing Glazes only but realized that ButterCream is a much better seller in the Inwood area. Marion also has two wonderful daughters that live down the road...
It’s a Berry Good Season At Orr’s
Pick-your-own season at Orr’s Farm Market is fun the whole family can enjoy. Handpick the freshest fruits and berries at Orr’s pristine orchards in Martinsburg this spring where staying local stays in mind. Fruitful, flowing landscapes have been the site of Orr’s pick-your-own crop for years. This year, Orr’s provides a wide array of juicy fruits and pristine vegetables that showcase the benefits of local farming. With expanded offerings this season, Orr’s hopes to attract new visitors to the farm and keep options colorful for those who’ve been customers for years. “Pick-your own really draws a crowd because our customers want to be part of the behind- the- scenes process of what they eat. Plus, fruit always tastes the best when you pick it yourself.” said Katy Orr-Dove, retail market manager at Orr’s. A family-run farm in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Orr’s has been in business since 1954. From berry fields, to the market area filled with WV-made products, to educational outreach, it’s clear Orr’s wants to be an active part of the community. The friendly, knowledgeable staff is happy to guide visitors in the fields, answer questions, and provide suggestions. A goal of the Orr family is to help other families—children especially— learn more about agriculture and the benefits to buying local through their experiences at local farms. Orr family members and employees alike are dedicated to promoting the importance of being good stewards of the land and strong members of the surrounding community. That’s why the farm continues to grow into one of the area’s most enjoyable places and is a fine example of why buying local and eating local matters. Pick-your-own season brings people together to appreciate the bounty of nature. Visitors get hands-on experience with the foods they eat and they get to see the daily operations of a working farm. Sharing a love of the land and food with community members is a core value of farming, and the Orr family savors every opportunity to be up close and personal with customers. This time of year, cherries and blueberries are the talk of the farm. Orr’s sweet cherries are available around June 5th and last for 3-4 weeks. Tart cherries are available during pick-your-own season around June 11th and last for about two weeks. At only $2.99/pound, these farm-fresh cherries are not only a bargain but also a great opportunity to shop local. Plus, cherries help maintain healthy sleep patterns through melatonin— good for your taste buds and your health! Due to a cold spring, Orr’s lost many of their cherries, but a few have been salvaged. Mark your calendars to come pick before they’re...
Take An Adventure With Conoco Kayak, LLC
by Becky Muth After 40+ inches of snow in February and over two weeks’ worth of consecutive rainy days in May, there’s no time like the present to enjoy the outdoors. Conoco Kayak, LLC in Greencastle, Pennsylvania offers a different perspective on outdoor activity – paddling creeks and rivers throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland. Conoco Kayak, LLC kicked things off on January 1, 2016 by launching their Facebook page. Just four months later they opened for the season, offering routes exploring the Conococheague, Antietam, and Licking Creeks and the Potomac and Juniata Rivers. A COLLEGE DEGREE, A CAREER, AND A BUSINESS BY AGE 25 Joshua Martin, owner of Conoco Kayak, LLC says when he was growing up his friends and family spent a lot of time enjoying the local creeks. Annual family reunions eventually turned into kayaking trips. “My sisters bought kayaks first, and then I had to get my own,” he shares. “I’m a huge outdoors person, always have been. Once I got a kayak, I was out there all the time.” Five years ago, at age 20, Martin took a job at a regional bank. Deep down he always dreamed of operating a local business and, after graduating from college with a degree in business, started his nest egg and laid the groundwork. Why kayaking tours? Martin explains, “It was about three years ago that I realized kayaking was a big deal. So many people have landscaping, painting, car shops, but nobody around Greencastle is doing this.” He performed heavy research on the popular pastime before launching the business, studying how kayaking tours take place both in the United States and on an international scale. Kayaking is more than a trendy way to kill an afternoon, however. TIME magazine named kayaking the fastest-growing sport in North America. In the last decade, the number of kayakers more than doubled from 3.5 million to 8 million in the United States alone. Kayakers enjoy the sport from the frigid waters surrounding Alaska, to the Zambezi River which winds through the tropical safaris of Africa, and everywhere in between. Although earning his college degree taught him about managing a business, there were things it didn’t teach, like registering his kayaking company as a boat livery or, his biggest challenge, finding the right transportation to to carry kayakers and equipment between the parking area and the drop off or pick up sites along their route. Martin required a vehicle that allowed him to transport groups without requiring a commercial driver’s license, also known as a CDL. Careful research resulted in his purchase of a previously owned bus and trailer, as well as new...
89th Annual Apple Blossom Festival
April 22 – May 1, 2016 – Winchester, VA Dear Readers, please get out your calendars for spring! It is time to start planning your Festival activities. Brochures with ticket form are being distributed listing the over 45 activities available – events ranging from traditional to family fun to the brand new. Oh, yes, there IS something for everyone. Actually, lots of “somethings.” This year’s theme of “Unforgettable” is another of the Festivals’ one word themes that embody feelings for the Festival and its long history. Stringing past themes together like “Timeless,” “Celebrate,” “The Land of Pink and Green,” the Festival feels these words will come together to describe the Festival as it heads towards 100 years! The Festival ranks as the largest of its type in Virginia and is one of the top ten Festivals east of the Mississippi. Festival honors include being in the top 100 Events of North America by the American Bus Association, Top 25 Small Town Events in the US by EventCrazy.com, one of the Top Ten Best Southern Cultural Events by USA Today, Top Ten Best Spring Flower Festivals by Fodor Travel, and second in “Best Southern Events” in USA Today’s Readers Poll. This reputation comes with enthusiasm and long, hard event planning and execution. We hope you will come enjoy what the 89th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival® has to offer. This year’s dates are April 22 through May 1, 2016. Ten days! The Bloom invites you to block out some time now to make the short trek to Winchester to celebrate spring. The festivities begin with the United Bank Bloomin’ Wine Fest on Friday evening April 22 and all day Saturday, April 23. The 10- day event is bookended with the Anthony’s Pizza Weekend in the Park along with a car show, crafts, entertainment, and Funday for children. The final event is the Sunday, May 1 – the Shenandoah Ford Blue Grass Festival with headliners Dailey & Vincent, known as the “new generation” of bluegrass stars. Ten days, two weekends and, along the way, the carnival, midway, luncheons, dinners, dances, and celebrities. If no brochure is handy, log on to www.thebloom.com for events, tickets, and Festival news. It’s updated almost daily as celebrities are named and details finalized. More questions? With the 45+ events and over 2000 volunteers, it’s an onerous task handled by a four-person fantastic office staff. The staff has enough knowledge in their collective brains to answer all your questions. If you can’t find it online, call 540-662-3863. A Little Bit of History Back in 1924 a group of some 1200 citizens from all the parts of the Shenandoah...
View Online
