Rosetown auction shows community's spirit and ingenuity - TEAM Resources

The weather this month has proved to be as unpredictable as March can be. The snow is welcome though, for as farmers, we are always looking for moisture.

Recently at my hometown’s annual Goods and Services auction, I bought some used cross-country skis, so I will be trying them out in our newly fallen snow.

At the auction, we also bought a flapper pie for those at our table to consume as we sat around bidding on the items. This was a fun event. I found it interesting to see how the community pulls together, donating items, bidding on items and spending money when we all know there is limited cash flow. The money is used to support the local recreation board.

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Homemade baking sold from $35 to $140 (a tad above the cost of production), whereas higher priced items such as fertilizer, chemicals and other services usually sold a little higher than their retail value (perhaps also a tad above the cost of production).

Although we do not have grandchildren, I appreciated the love and warmth that must have gone into building a toy Quonset large enough for a small child to crawl through, and constructed much better than any you might buy in a store.

Another such item was a child-sized set of kitchen appliances, complete with wire racks in the fridge, actual taps in the sink and knobs on the stove.

Another big seller this year was the homemade mousetrap. There are hoards of mice in this area, enough that the cats turn up their noses at cat food or leftovers. To construct this mousetrap, string a wire through the top and bottom of an empty pop can and run it across the top of a five gallon pail, attaching it at the sides. Put a small amount of peanut butter on the top of one side of the can. Lean or attach a small slat, baseboard or other piece of wood from the ground to the top of the pail, creating a ramp for the mouse to run up.

When the mouse runs up the plank and out onto the pop can to get the peanut butter, the can will spin and the mouse with fall into the water in the pail.

These inventions sold from $40-$100 each. One fellow said he caught 26 mice outside his garage in one evening.

Home show

I attended the Saskatoon Home Show. I had not been there for a few years, and I appreciated seeing the new products and ideas. The large dryer with two side-by-side doors and one bottom drawer caught my interest. The top part housed shelving for laying items to dry and hangers to hang clothing to dry, while the bottom part looked like a traditional dryer.

The front-loading washers are popular, efficient, but more expensive than the older top-loading style. The refrigerators feature freezers with a pull-out drawer at the bottom, as well as the two-doored side-by-sides and wide-by-sides that allow for wider items, such as a pizza, to also fit into the freezer.

Different options suit different folks. The beauty at the home show is you see it all in one place.

As usual at the home show, there were booths of many different kinds of fudge that tempted me. I like chocolate and I like sweets, and when the craving hits, I often make unbaked chocolate macaroons. My sister-in-law recently introduced me to a quick snack that we adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe. It satisfies my sweet tooth, is lower in calories and has a higher fibre content than the slice of fudge that too often tempts me.

Chocolate peanut butter cookies

2 tablespoons 30 mL

peanut butter

1Ú4 cup milk chocolate, 60 mL

butterscotch or semi-sweet

chocolate chips

3Ú4 cup Fiber One 175 mL

or All-Bran cereal

Melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips together. Stir. Add the cereal. Mix well. Drop onto wax paper, cookie sheet or in mini-sized cupcake liners. This recipe makes 10 small bite-sized pieces that are just enough to satisfy a small craving.

The value of beans

Speaking of healthy eating, we have been eating more beans lately. I cook them and freeze them in small containers, so I can add the beans to soups, stews and casseroles.

Beans are high in fibre, excellent in folate, and good in iron and magnesium. In a half cup (125 mL) of beans, there are 319 milligrams of potassium, one mg sodium, 54 grams of fibre, 20 grams of carbohydrate and seven grams of protein, for a total of 111 calories. Beans eaten in combination with grains are a healthy alternative to meat. There are different beans grown in Canada, many in southwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. Here are some of the Canadian grown beans:

Black turtle are popular in salads and soups in Canada, and are also eaten in Mexico and Central and South American countries.
White kidney or cannelini have a subtle flavour that makes them an ideal low-fat base for dips and spreads or as an alternative to white or navy beans.
White or navy, also called pea bean, is a staple in British diets.
Cranberry or romano is a beige and deep red-speckled bean that is a traditional favourite in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese recipes.
White hylum soybeans, traditionally a Pacific Rim favourite, are good in processed foods.
Pinto is brown-speckled bean used in soups, salads and refried beans.
Dutch brown is a golden brown bean recently introduced to Canada.

Light red kidney is the most favoured bean in chili con carne and other Mexican-style dishes and salads.
Dark red kidney has a more intense flavour and is used in salads and casseroles.

Source: The Great Canadian Bean Company Inc., Ailsa Craig, Ont., 519-232-4449.

To make a volcano

Many of our readers may have youngsters around for the Easter holidays. When I was going through some of my old papers, I found this recipe that may entertain others as it did me. It should be made outdoors, or in a sink or bathtub, and with supervision. It looks colourful and delicious, but remember it is made up of cleaning materials.