As I drive around the countryside I see combines harvesting wheat and the golden fields are now gone. In its place is a meadow of ugly stalks. It’s amazing when looking at the wheat in the fields and then the stubble and realize it can be transformed into so many things.

Today’s Terrific Tuesday sale is on Wheat Weaving Products. Nature Finds and Designs and High Plains Wheat Weaving can take ordinary wheat and turn it into a beautiful piece of art for your home. All day today you can save 30% on all wheat weaving products in the GROW Nebraska stores! These make wonderful gifts that definitely say Nebraska! What an excellent time to stock up on gifts, or get started on your Christmas list.

It’s definitely a hot day today and a good excuse to get out of the heat, do some shopping and save some money. Remember 30% off all day today!

From the Flavors of Nebraska Brochure – This one-man shop is a full service boot company specializing in handmade, custom footwear of unsurpassed quality, using many tried and true century-old techniques.

What sort of books do you like to read? I would like to say I’m always reading a book that broadens my intellect, but usually by the end of the day when I have time to read before I go to sleep I’m ready for a great novel. As a matter of fact, one of these days I plan to write my own novel where the tradition of Southern literature – characters who are, frankly, characters – meets the Great Plains.

When I write that novel, one of the characters I will weave into my narrative somewhere is Kyle Rosfeld of the Sandhills Boot Company. I believe he maybe should have lived a century ago, where the techniques he uses to build hand-made boots originated.

From the dramatic moustache to his high-top boots that would stop any rattlesnake out on the dusty cow trail, Kyle is pure cowboy. He left work on a ranch to establish his company that now boasts custom-made cowboy boots in eight states and one foreign country. When a recent client who called him from San Francisco insisted they didn’t need to use a mold to get his boots right, Kyle argued that the point of custom boots is, well, the custom fit.

“I’m a straight 9D. I just want the quality.”

So, if you’re looking for a quality pair of footwear, you might want to make the trip to Valentine to meet Kyle in person. He’ll have a great story to tell you, and you’ll leave Valentine knowing you just dealt with one of the nicest guys you’ll find on any dusty trail – or smooth highway.

I’ll keep working on that novel – how about if you send me a description of some of the characters you’ve encountered? I’m open to suggestions!

225 North Cherry Street
Valentine, NE 69201
(402)376-5960 | sandhillsboots.com
Mon-Fri: 9am to 12pm or by appointment

I had the opportunity to spend time with my family over the weekend. My husband and I drove out and arrived late Friday evening. Our family was waiting to greet us. Just as our family was excited to see each other, the GROW Nebraska family gets excited when new members join. During June GROW Nebraska welcomed 15 new businesses. Learn more about them here.

E-Ship Center Columbus Area – Columbus – Doris Lux
The E-Ship Center provides business owners and entrepreneurs business services. It is a great resource if you are just getting started or already in business.

TheRuralMall.com – Inavale – Sara Brownwood
TheRuralMall.com is a great online outlet for members to be listed on. In addition, TheRuralMall.com is donating a portion of sales to GROW Nebraska.

AwareCare – Blair – Holly Bonasera
Holly Bonasera is one of the very few Feldenkrais method practitioners in Nebraska. Feldenkrais is a learning method that can be applied to all aspects of your life and improves your sense of well-being. This method is appropriate for all ages and abilities. Holly Bonasera physical therapy style emphasizes manual therapy and improving awareness of habits that contribute to pain and disability.

Rocking Chair Inn Bed and Breakfast – Broken Bow – Cindy Nickle
The Rocking Chair Inn Bed and Breakfast is a wonderful location to stay in Broken Bow. Scooter and Cindy Nickle serve as your hosts for a relaxing stay.

Always in Bloom – Lexington – Valerie Dore
Always in Bloom features a wide variety of wreaths. Valerie also works in the Kearney GROW Nebraska store.

The Beverage Butler – Holdrege – Jan Fowler
The Beverage Butler is the perfect accessory to any water jug to avoid messes. The Beverage Butler sits underneath the cooler and catches all the accidental overfills and drips.

RCK Creations and More – Alda – Connie Kirkpatrick
RCK Creations and More can personalize items by etching or sandblasting anything that has a smooth surface. Connie Kirkpatrick also does alterations and custom sewing.

Weeping Creek Creations – Weeping Water – Jeannie Nickels
Weeping Creek Creations does fused glass jewelry, wine toppers, and stained glass sun catchers.

Bob Country Sales – Holdrege – Bob Larson
Bob’s Country Sales features photographs primarily of the Nebraska landscape. Enjoy postcards and enlargements of the beautiful scenery of the state.

Art Horizons Studio – Lincoln – Kathy Frank
Kathy Frank creates hand formed paper-mache and epoxy sculptures, painted stones, acrylic paintings, epoxy jewelry, and note card prints.

Prairie Barn – Bennington – Janet Olson- Finken
Prairie Barn produces natural handmade soap that uses over 50% olive oil. Enjoy this quality product from a simple recipe.

Please help the GROW staff in welcoming these great additions to our family. We are excited for all of them to be joining GROW!

Are you in need of a wedding present but just can’t find the perfect gift? What about name tags for your business? Well, GROW Nebraska has a perfect solution for you. We have a couple of members who can engrave on almost anything. Grafted Tree Engraving and Schweitzer’s Custom Engraving can personalize mugs, lighters, cake pans, coasters, magnets, frames and even scrapbook pages. Or personalize your message and laser engrave in wood, glass or stone. I bet they can even put it on a tea cup.

Today’s Terrific Tuesday sale is 30% off anything engraved. Yes, that is correct and not a typo. We are making it 30% off! We have a nice selection available at the GROW stores in Kearney and Grand Island. This is a perfect opportunity to find something a little bit unique and even on sale. For one day only you can buy it for 30% off!

So, get out of the heat for awhile and shop away. Both stores are open from 10 am to 9 pm, and the helpful staff is ready to assist you in any way they can! Until next week-happy shopping!

From the Flavors of Nebraska Brochure – See original photos of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, antique cars and implements, and the world famous WWII German POW
Interpretive Center.

Hello, my name is Sara, and I am a museum addict. It’s hard for me to choose a favorite, I love them all. What is your favorite Nebraska museum?

For me, it started in childhood. My father was a history buff who drug me to enough museums around the state of Nebraska that in my first summer as a Nebraska Vacation Guide the veteran guides were amazed that I had visited all but one of the museums on our ten-day training tour.

My childhood adventures in appreciation of history are no match for today’s Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege. This Flavor of Nebraska is truly a hidden treasure – the unassuming entrance does not foretell the amazing collection of artifacts contained inside. The facility is very well named – if you are looking to understand the history of the prairie, particularly since the arrival of pale-faced pioneers, this is the place.

An outreach of the Phelps County Historical Society, the exhibits profile the immigrant communities of the county. This rural county intersects world history with an amazing exhibit from the WW II prisoner of war camp that was located near the community of Atlanta. A replica of the guard tower has been constructed on site and the original architect’s model of the camp provides an overview of how the prisoner’s lived. One of the highlights is the exhibit of paintings by Thomas F. Naegele, who served as a liaison between the German prisoners and their American captors.

Words simply can’t do justice to the variety of exhibits and opportunities for historical and genealogical research. You just need to get in your car, head down I-80 to exit 257, go south on Highway 183, and as you’re about to ease into Holdrege, hang a right into the entrance of the Nebraska Prairie Museum. It’s pure pleasure on the prairie.

Let me know which museum YOU plan to visit this summer! I’m a museum addict. If I can’t get to them all this summer I can live vicariously through you!

2701 Burlington
Holdrege, NE 68949
(308)995-5015 | nebraskaprairie.org
Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun: 1pm-5pm

For more info on other Flavors of Nebraska locations check out www.flavorsofnebraska.org