Country Store Blog Series: Yoder's Country Market

 

    Country Store Blog  Series: Yoder's Country  Market,Country

Saturday 1/6/24

Yoder's Country Market 

  I'm trying to resume some of the fun, popular blog series I had been doing.  We had an opportunity to go to the Yoder's Country Market for a first visit this past Saturday.   My daughter needed to purchase new living room furniture.  We took her to Bull's Gap Furniture which is next door to Yoder's.  She got a sofa, love seat, and two recliners by Ashley Furniture at outlet prices!  She got four pieces of brand new, in the box furniture for what she planned to pay for two pieces!  Way worth the trip. Into the bargain we got to visit Yoder's to eat lunch and shop! 

    Below: Pulling up out front of the store on a Saturday. It was busy! 

 I don't mind taking photos in a business. I've done it many times. I don't like taking photos and getting wrapped up in picture taking when people are trying to navigate.  It is rude so I kept a low profile and was considerate and used my cell phone for convenience.   

  Below:  The line for ordering food at their deli. We arrived right at lunch time and were all hungry.  I gave my order to Kenny and got out of line to make the process a little shorter.  They have you write down your order to put your sandwich together on an easy order form they have at the counter.  You get the bread choice, and toppings and fixings you want.   I love pimento cheese so that's what I ordered. I don't often have it since it isn't always good.  Theirs was homemade and yummy!  On whole wheat bread. Kenny had a barbecue. Crystal had chicken salad.  I am not sure what the kids ordered.  

It was all tasty and we got served quickly.  You pay for your food at the register at the front of the store. This gives you a chance to finish shopping and get your drink of choice or chips and dessert.  

Above are their menu boards to give you an idea of what the choices are and pricing.   

    The desserts are pre-packaged in plastic go containers. Cutlery, napkins, straws, seasonings are all located at the front of the store near the door.  No place indoors to eat, but they have a covered porch with tables.   It was chilly and drizzling rain, but that didn't stop us.    We were prepared! 

    Yoder's staff were friendly, professional and quick.   My granddaughter bought a bottled Sprite with the old fashioned pop top.  I took it back in to the register for help and they had a bottle opener at the ready.   They carry sodas made with old fashioned cane sugar instead of corn syrup. This is excellent because Tessa has corn syrup as a food intolerance.    She tries to avoid it, and it is hard because it is in so many things. 

       I was impressed at the size of this country market and the huge selection of items they carry.

Fresh local produce, eggs, meats, and dairy.  All non GMO and organic.    Lots of treats as well as healthy options.  I was spoiled to going to The Cheese Shop in Stuarts Draft, Virginia run by the Beiler Family.   I have missed it since moving to Tennessee.  Now I have found an alternative!  

  I used to buy stuff in bulk living way out in the country on our farm.  I haven't done as much of that in Tennessee because I don't live on a farm anymore. I am close to stores now instead of 25 miles out in the boonies!    I remembered the way I used to do things.  I think it might be good to get back to some of that.    Just because I am handy to the store doesn't mean I should give up on that way of life completely.   

   Below are the photos I snapped while we were outside eating lunch.  It delighted me to hear my grandchildren exclaiming how good everything was and how this was a new favorite spot!  Telling us we'd have to come back again!  They wanted to be caught up to speed on the Amish and Mennonite way of life.  It was a good opportunity to talk to them about this.  The Koogler family in Virginia had quite a few Amish and Mennonites in their ranks.  They couldn't have been that way always because they were Hessians. They were mercenary gun smiths and munitions makers thus kügle... round balls... of shot or lead... bullets! They came to North America with the British army as their helpers.  

Below: eating outside on the tables with our lunch and purchases made. 

Kenny's people were  taken as POWs after the Revolutionary War and imprisoned for three years or so.

Once they had served their time in Greeneville, Virginia they were given the option to return to Germany or stay in the newly formed United States.   Several thousand Germans including the Koogler's stayed.  They avoided being involved in Nazi Germany.    I am not sure how some came to be Mennonites or Amish, but at some point they did.  Kenny's family was Presbyterian since his father was half Scottish and half German.     The kids got a history lesson.

      Back when I was a kid we were good friends with a big Mennonite family who we camped with on weekends.  We went swimming, had pot lucks, camp fires, and hymn sings and music on Saturday nights.  Sunday's we'd get up and go to church services. Sometimes to the Mennonite church. Sometimes our Baptist church. Sometimes both!    Very cool people who are fun, but love the Lord!

Below are some photos of the types of various merchandise they carry in store. 

They have every sort of spice or season you'd ever want and they have great prices and you can buy in bulk if you want. 

Above: They sell culinary items for baking, cake decorating and every sort of cooking and food prep. 

I was able to replace a wire mesh strainer of mine that went missing. 

Above: looking down the aisles at all the goodies and shoppers. 

Below: They sell Kunzler Bacon which I bought. I am not as fond of Benton's Bacon as it is a little too smoky to suit our family.   Kunzler is milder. They sell corn meal mush, scrapple, sausage, ham, hog jowl, braunschweiger, liverwurst, brats.  

Above: bulk sized spices of every type. I need to give some of these a try! 

Above: A good shot of the wide aisles and one of the few shots that wasn't jammed with people!  This is a popular place!

Above: All sorts of wonderful candles.  

Above: Mark downs on Christmas candy

Below: Some of the various neat toys they sell. 

Below: They carry Downey's honey butter and Amish butter rolls salted and unsalted

Above: a closer shot of the hams.  My Daddy still knows how to cure old timey country hams and butcher.   It is a dying art I'm afraid. 

Below is a rack of some of their fresh baked goods. 

Above: pottery mugs with Yoder's emblem. 

Above: Lodge cast iron cookware and bacon presses

Below: a huge selection of beverages many of them healthy juices, waters, and tea

Below: The coffee stand at the deli

Above: another shot of the aisles

Below: Dried fruits, nuts, veggies dehydrated, popcorn, all healthy options. 

Above: bulk dry goods like muffin mixes, flour, corn meal, etc. 

        

  It was a wonderful way to spend a rainy Saturday.   I felt good to be getting back into something I had started some time ago! 

 Last of all I purchased mill ground yellow corn meal.. self rising! It is ground at Linney's Water Mill in North Carolina.   I used to get my corn meal and flour at Kennedy Wade's Mill near my house in Virginia.    I made soup beans with ham and made from scratch cornbread using my newly purchased corn meal from Yoder's.  I baked it in a family hand me down cast iron skillet given me by my Aunt Katie.    It turned out perfect!  

   Above: Self rising yellow corn meal

Above:  unbaked corn meal batter in the skillet

Below: The finished corn bread!  Golden brown, tender inside, crispy outside.

      Corn Bread From Scratch Recipe

      

Eight Inch Cast Iron Skillet

1/2 stick butter

2 cups self rising yellow corn meal mix

1 cup sweet milk

1 Tbsp sugar* optional

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 large or 2 small eggs

Directions: Preheat oven to 400  °

Place 1/2 stick butter in skillet and place in oven to melt and coat skillet

Mix corn meal mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil and sugar if you use it... in a medium bowl stirring to mix well.  Don't over mix or your cornbread will be tough.

Once skillet is hot and butter melted remove from oven with a mitt and place on stove top.

Pour batter into skillet and return to preheated oven for twenty minutes. 

Corn bread is ready when golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean. 

Mine took about 22 minutes.  

Below is a quick video of a toy demo by my granddaughter Tessa done at Yoder's. I think it is a squirrel in a cup!