The Big Reveal - Christmas in the County 2015

For the second year, I participated in the Christmas in the Country Blogger Exchange.  This is a fun gift exchange program organized by Laurie Link of Country LINKed, Jamie Rhoades of This Uncharted Rhoade, Kirby Lineback of 15009 Farm House and Lara Durben of My Other More Exciting Self.  The gift exchange is for agriculture bloggers and is a great opportunity to get to know other women in agriculture.

This year I received my "Secret Santa" gift from Lisa of Cow Spots and Tales.  She is from Minnesota and blogs about life on her family's century old dairy farm, running, and family.  (Which by the way, her family will be growing in the New Year, as her and her husband will be welcoming their first born in April!)

My box of goodies from Lisa of Cow Spots and Tales as part of the
Christmas in the Country 2015 Gift Exchange

I had so much fun opening up my box of goodies from Lisa at the beginning of December.  She included a cute dairy cow Christmas card, snowman photo holder, homemade sauerkraut, a jar of Minnesota cranberry jelly, caramels and chapstick.

I have to admit, my favorite thing from the box was the jar of her homemade sauerkraut!  This fall Lisa and one of her friends made almost 90 pounds of sauerkraut!  This was the first time they used real fermenting crocks to make the sauerkraut in.  I don't know if it was their fermenting crocks, or the homegrown cabbage from Lisa's garden, or the Minnesota sauerkraut magic - but it was delicious!  As soon as I saw the sauerkraut I automatically started craving some of our pork brats.  So lucky for me, I just pulled some brats out of the freezer and we had brats and kraut later that week!

Besides receiving a gift, I also had a lot of fun making and sending a gift.  This year I was the "Secret Santa" for Leann from The Purple Martin.  Leann is from Missouri.  Her and her husband love the rodeo and just welcomed their first little cowboy to their family earlier this year.  They are also first time farmers and have dreams of making farming their livelihood.  I had a lot of fun making a wreath for them to hang up on the door of their new farmhouse.  I used some craft supplies that I had on hand and some I bought from the craft store, as well as some neat "accents" from one of my local gift shops to complete the wreath.  You'll have to check out Leann's blog to see the big reveal.

Do you participate in any "Secret Santa" or gift exchanges?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

It's Never Too Late To Say Thanks

I was raised to always be thankful and to write thank you cards.  And even though I might be a little late or more belated than I'd prefer to be, today I'm writing a letter of thanks to Lindsay from Agricultural with Dr. Lindsay for the thoughtful gifts she sent me through the Christmas in the Country blogger/agvocate gift exchange.

Lindsay did her research - or as she referred to it, stocking ;)  First thing she gave me was a bacon cookbook!  I am proud to be a hog farmer.  My Farmer and I actually make our own bacon, so this cookbook has been fun to go through and pick out new recipes to try with our bacon.  Second, she gave be a beautiful cross.  I love the colors of it!  And third, she made my entire family ornaments.  She made hot chocolate ornaments for LP and MP and made ornaments with confetti in them for My Farmer and I.  My favorite ornament was one that says "Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids" on it!  They were all very thoughtful and fun to receive.  So thank you Lindsay for the beautiful gifts that brought a smile to my entire family's faces.

Besides receiving a gift, I also sent a gift.  It was a lot of fun to be partnered with an agvocate from Hawaii!  Now I have to admit, when I first saw the name and address of Rhonda, I thought what could a person from Iowa possibly give a person from Hawaii!  But then low and behold I discovered Rhonda calls Iowa home, so I thought what better than giving her some Iowa foods.  She told me that it hit the spot, as her family was feeling home sick.

I had never participated in a gift exchange like this before and I had such a great time doing it, that I'll be sure to do it again next year!  Have you participated in an online "Secret Santa" gift exchange?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!