It was a good walk and I had a good work out walking up a 1 mile long grade. I passed through the town of Historic Hollister, MO. where they have this nice colorful caboose at their train station.
It was about 2.7 miles to the Farmers Market. I had my nice canvas insulated grocery bag with an ice block in it. My friend Fannie and the staff at the RV park, told me about the Farmers Market at the College of the Ozarks.
I was blown away when I walked to the C of O as everyone calls the college. It looked like it should be on the cover of a top landscape and building magazine. I loved the waterfalls, stone walls, trees, shrubs and flowers.
For right now, I will touch just a little on the history, but I want to save most of the history information along with pictures for when Ralph and I go on a self guided tour next week along with having made a late lunch reservation in their beautiful culinary restaurant.
One thing I noticed right off the bat was the teenagers I encountered while walking were nicely dressed, clean cut, no tattoos, body piercings, outrages hair color or hair styles and even before I spoke to them, they were looking at me in the eye and saying good morning!
Then I found out why. This is a Christian College. It is a fully accredited, four-year college founded by the Reverend James Forsythe in 1906.
For right now, I will just talk about the fabulous farmers market and the farming and agriculture part of the college with the help of their Farmers Market brochure.
Farming and the use of farm raised products have been a part of the College's 106 year heritage that allows students to work instead of pay for their education.
The colleges nickname is "Hard Work U" and that was given by the Wall Street Journal. All full time students participate in the "Work Education Program", where they work a certain number of hours in over 80 campus workstations. Job assignments range from the fruitcake and jelly kitchen to the campus dairy farm.
The Diary barn is called the W. Alton Jones Diary. Here the students milk 60 Holstein, Guernsey and Jersey cows at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. They sell the milk and I am going to buy a quart before we leave.
Whittaker's Pride is where the beef and pork are raised. There is a USDA certified campus plant where another group of students turn the beef and pork into Grade-A smoked meats. They have many flavors of summer sausage and the one flavor we love is jalapeno cheddar sausage. I will buy some before we leave Branson.
There is the Kranzush Garden where students cultivate bumper crops of broccoli, cauliflower, onions, cabbage, beets, green beans, tomatoes, okra and numerous tasty other veggies available at seasonal times. Farmers Market is every Friday at 7 am.
The college provides a Christian education for those found worthy. Upon completion of their work assignment, the College guarantees to meet the entire cost of education of institutional scholarships and grants. Debt is openly discouraged, work ethic and the development of Christ-like character encouraged.
There is the Hoge Greenhouse where students grow a number of trees, shrubs, annuals and vegetables start and are for sale. The beautiful landscape, ponds and water gardens are all over the 1,000 acre campus.
It was nice that the college has feeders for the ducks and swans.
I loved watching the ducks and this momma swan. Here she is calling her babies and they soon answer her call.
Here is a nice large pond with a water fountain and a duck house in the middle. The college was getting ready for July 4th celebration as you can tell by the banners. They actually are celebrating it on June 28th.
Edwards Mill is where the lost art of stone-ground milling and hand woven goods are made. They ground and sell all types of flour, corn meal, biscuit, pancake and waffle mixes.
In the Fruitcake, jam and jellies kitchen they make and sell about 30,000 jars of jellies and apple butter each years along with 25,000 fruitcakes. The fruitcakes are shipped all over the world and yes I love fruitcakes and I am going to buy one.
There is Stanley's Stained Glass and Home Accents are where students meticulously craft stained glass pieces and fragrant candles.
All these goodies can be purchased at the Farmers Market and also at the Keeter Center. I will write more about the Keeter Center later in the week when we come back and do a tour. It will blow your mind.
If I ever find the "Fountain of Youth", I am going to come back here as an 18 year old student and go to college here. For me to say that is something else because I have always hated school with a passion. I told my parents exactly that when I came home from my first day of school!
C of O offers a liberal arts program with majors and minors in 45 areas that include: Accounting, agriculture, art, biology business administration, chemistry, science, conservation and wildlife management, culinary arts, criminal justice, history, hotel and restaurant mgmt., mathematics, music nursing, religion, psychology and etc.
This was the wonderful Farmers Market. The chalk board is welcoming everyone and letting us know of the "featured item" will be "the potato". They are going to make A la dauphinoise, which is gratin potatoes.
Students made these homemade muffins, cookies, breads, sweet breads, pottery, candles and stained glass that are for sale.
I had a nice chat with these 2 lovely students, Paytience and Alichia. When you talk to any student here, their eyes light up. They love their school and education they are getting!
Fresh stoned ground 2 lb. and 5 lb. sacks of white and wheat flour, corn meal, biscuit, waffle and pancake mix can be bought. I did not get pictures of the mile and meat case.
There was a nice checker board game outside for anyone who wanted to play. The checkers were made from tree limbs and the board out of wood. I am sure a student made it.
Here are Culinary students, Maalek and Annisa. Maalek is studying to be a chef and is in the Culinary Arts Program. Annisa is just starting and was his helper. Maalek was very well spoken and engaged very well with the audience. He explained every step and gave good pointers and hints as he was cooking. When he graduates he will be a Certified Sous Chef and that is the "under chef". They are also taught managerial skills.
He had one that was already baked and everyone got to try a sample. Oh my was it delish and we all got a copy of the recipe.
I loaded up my bag with veggies and headed home. It was a fun morning!
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