When my husband, infant daughter and I moved onto our northern Minnesota farm in 1972, we didn't know much about organic farming or gardening, but we were determined to live off the land. I planted a garden, which was immediately ravaged by a woodchuck. We bought a cow, and after she gave birth to twins, we milked her by hand. We survived a winter.
Each year we made progress. My garden grew larger and more productive. I taught myself to preserve its bounty. Once I learned the basics of dehydrating, I created soup mixes that I could toss into a slow cooker before I set off on my morning school bus route.
Some mixes were so tasty, I sent them as holiday gifts for relatives, then decided to market them. My husband built a starter commercial kitchen that we still call 'the soup building.'
Next, I tackled pancakes and quick breads. Too many store mixes have dough conditioners and chemical additives—and lack nutrient density. I wanted quick convenience without sacrificing homemade wholesomeness.
Breads need spreads, so I planted raspberries, strawberries and blueberries in my garden and made small batches of jam. I found a recipe for pumpkin butter in an old church cookbook My husband gathered native chokecherries and wild plums. After reading about hors d'oeuvre jams in a New York Times clipping sent by my mom, I added chopped jalapeño peppers to the fruit jams. Wonderful!
Everything I make has to be wholesome. No artificial ingredients or preservatives, no MSG or aspartame. I don't want my kids and grandkids eating that stuff--and I don't want yours to, either.
My mission is to make delicious, nutritious, value-conscious mixes that you'll enjoy preparing, and your family (and friends) will enjoy eating.
Click on the product categories that interest you. It will be my pleasure to serve you.
What Folks Are Saying...
“I have bought or been given many soup mixes over the years. Many get dumped out or doctored to change it. Most taste like dehydrated soup, which is not good. Your Northwoods Hearty Chili is AWESOME. I have added tomatoes and topped with a dollop of sour cream/yogurt and a little cheese.”
“I received my order yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see the shipping charge was a lot less-thank you very much for that. The products are great and I look forward to trying the beer cheese soup. My whole family loves the wild rice seasoning. I was glad I could order it online.”