The Fourth of July is as sweet as peach pie

Independence Day is my favorite holiday. Since I was little, I have looked forward to the annual mid-summer celebration. I mean, what’s not to love? The weather is warm, the sun is bright, and there’s plenty to do and many people to see.

As a girl, I remember going to get firecrackers, smoke bombs and ground blooms from the local fireworks stand. Family barbecues, and the parades in New Rockford, Carrington and Sheyenne were often on the list for the holiday.

My aunt Carrie (Schimelfenig) Krause worked at KDAK Radio in Carrington, and I have this vivid summer memory of her riding an elephant down Main Street in Carrington. I thought it was for the Fourth of July parade, but in fact it was a friendly race between KDAK and the Independent to help promote the circus in town. Allen Stock’s son, Tim, represented the Independent, from what I’m told. Greg Grenz, if you’re reading this, I’m open to recreating this event (or something similar) in the future. What a great idea!

Now, more than 30 years later, I drove an entry in all three parades for the first time this Fourth of July. It was both exhilarating and exhausting. I may not have had an elephant to ride, but the Texas edition GMC truck I borrowed from Bessette Motors served me well.

Spectator turnout in New Rockford was better than I’ve seen in years, and both the quality and quantity of parade entries in Carrington was impressive.

Having a long weekend to celebrate provided plenty of opportunities for fun, and from what I could tell, people sure took advantage. New Rockford native Sam (Bennefeld) Ellingson reported that her band, Kissing Company, saw a record crowd at the Saturday night street dance outside Buck-it's Bar. In Sheyenne, the line was 2-blocks long to get into the annual open pit barbecue at Ostby Hall. The food and fellowship was well worth the wait. Thank goodness they have two serving lines!

The 1972 American Legion Class B Baseball state champion team, as well as the Black Sox of the late ‘90s that made three straight appearances at the state tournament, gathered at the Eagles Club Saturday to celebrate their 25 and 50-year anniversaries. You can find that story on the front page of the Transcript this week.

The Sunday night fireworks display, sponsored by the New Rockford Chamber, was made possible by over $5,000 in donations from local individuals, families, organizations and businesses who contributed to our first-ever “firecracker” promotion. No, there weren’t fireworks in Carrington this year, but plans are in the works to make sure they are part of the celebration next year.

Even though I took three power naps this weekend, and it still felt like Friday on Tuesday, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

For the next couple of years, the Fourth of July will fall in the middle of the week. That means we’ll have to get creative, and our celebration will be geared toward people who live within a reasonable driving distance for a day trip.

I’m willing to do my part to keep the tradition alive in our communities, and I am grateful to all the others who help plan and organize events each year. Together we can ensure that our warm summer days are chock full of things to do. After all, we get so few of them that we need to really make them count!

Inflation hits the Fourth of July Barbecue

Did you notice how much more expensive your July 4 barbecue was this year? According to an American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket survey, U.S. consumers paid an average of $69.68 for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream.

The average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $69.68, or less than $7 per person. However, that’s 17 percent more (or about $10 higher) than last year. The organization says the higher prices are a result of ongoing supply chain disruptions, inflation and the war in Ukraine.

Consumers took the biggest hit in the meat department, as survey results showed the retail price for 2 pounds of ground beef at $11.12, up 36 percent from last year. Meanwhile, the Agriculture Department’s Producer Price Index indicates that farmers are paying 17.5 percent more to raise and finish cattle, while the sale price of beef at the wholesale level is down 14 percent. This serves to highlight the differences between farm-level, wholesale and retail beef prices and how the events of the last few years have had significant impacts on the beef production and cattle pricing cycles, making them all hard to predict.

Readers, now is a great time to buy direct from local producers. There are producers right in our area with beef, eggs and soon produce for sale. You’ll likely see them at the The Market in Carrington on July 12, and at the Summer Street Market during 4-H Achievement Days in New Rockford on July 15. This is just one more way we can support each other, and keep our rural communities viable.

What’s more American than apple pie?

Kyrie Gray writes for Medium.com, “After some intense soul-searching, the apple pie decided to step down as America’s favorite dessert. Not only because there is more competition. No. Apple pie doesn’t feel like it wants to represent a country that no longer aligns with its ideals. Now, on the Fourth of July, which sweet will take its place?”

Her list contains several sweet desserts, with pun-y references to why each is more American than apple pie. My favorite: peach pie. Gray muses, “Peach pie wants you to know that everything is just fine! Don’t let negative apple get you down. Stick with the status quo, work hard, and you’ll always get to enjoy some peach pie, the new version of the American Dream.”

To see the full list, read her newsletter, Guffaw, https://guffaw.substack.com/welcome.