Brenda Carus

I cannot believe that it is mid-June already. Somehow I missed doing the market report so far this month. 

First, the number of single family homes that sold in Green County in May of 2008:

• 33 homes sold in May of 2009,
• The average sale price was $189,363,
• The median sale price was $155,700,
• The highest priced property sold was $765,000,
• The lowest priced property sold was $20,500.

Things have dropped a little bit since April of 2008:

• 30 homes sold in April of 2008,
• The average sale price was $1148,946,
• The median sale price was $127,250,
• The highest priced property sold was $395,000,
• The lowest priced property sold was $54,000.

The median home price and average home prices both jumped up from the April numbers, and the number of homes sold increased dramatically too.

I find it very interesting how the numbers compared to this time last year. The number of homes selling is about the same, 10% different, but the average and median prices are dramatically different. This is not just a reflection of the $765,000 home selling. There were homes that closed in every single price range, including the $200-300K, $300-400K, $400-500K and $600-700K ranges. This is is big improvement in the local market, which has seen homes over $200K moving slowly in the last year.

Things are also moving more quickly. The average days on market for the homes that closed in May was 97, down from 109 in May of 2008.

All in all, these are very positive numbers for our area.

M.A.S.E. (MONROE AREA SKATEPARK ENTHUSIASTS) has qualified Honeycreek Skatepark to be one of 50 skateparks in the U.S. that are eligible to participate in a contest that is giving away (2) $5,000 grants.

During the Balloon Rally, M.A.S.E. will have a booth set up handing out Mattel’s X-Games fingerboards to ages 8 -13. (Mattel’s X-Games Fingerboards are not recommended for children under 6 years of age.) Also available will be fingerboard skatepark equipment for you to use to try out your fingerboard skills.

The 2 skateparks that can advertise for ESPN, Mattel, and X-games the best, will each win a $5,000.00 grant for skatepark improvements. During both evenings, MASE will ask all kids who are approximately 8-13 year olds to help them by being in a group pictures for the contest. All participants in the evening photo event will be eligible for door prizes, X-game skateboards with helmet and pads, fingerboard skate park equipment that was used for the event, X-games fingerboard T-shirts, and more.

MASE needs 8 - 13 year olds to participate and help them win the contest. For more information on Mattel’s line of X Games Fingerboards, please visit www.xgamesfingersports.com

All Rights Reserved, photographed in Monroe, WI in June of 2008

Good food.  Good conversation.  Good music.  Any regular reader know that I love all three, so I am excited about the community picnic series beginning this week.

This week starts the first of a three-part series of free community picnics. “Stirring the Pot: Dialogue, Discussion and Dinner in the Dairyland,” is sure to be an engaging and fun forum for area residents to gather and learn more about creating a healthy, green and sustainable local food system.

Come sit on the Monroe Arts Center lawn on a blanket and enjoying your picnic. Watch area chefs share secrets for cooking fresh, tasty dishes. Wander over to the MAC parking lot area enjoy local music and various activities to prompt discussion about food.

This first picnic on Wednesday, June 17 features a spring theme, with discussion focused on the theme “Roots and Seeds of Spring,” prompting discussion around how our food experiences and memories shape our attitudes today. On July 15, the second picnic will take place with a “Summer Abundance” theme. The final picnic is on August 19 and turns to fall harvest perspectives. National humanities experts Dr. Steve Stevenson and Kathy Ruf will be on hand to share their perspectives working in the areas of preserving family farms and encouraging local food systems.

The “Stirring the Pot” picnics all start at 5:30 pm, following the Wednesday Monroe Farmers’ Market. The upcoming June 17 event will kick-off with demonstrations by Blackhawk Technical College’s Chef Mark Olson, who will be demonstrating Goat Cheese and Oven-Dried Tomato Strudel showcasing local Green County raised and produced items. Steph Culberson of The Goosechaser Farm in Blanchardville will then share her technique and tips for making spätzli, the traditional Swiss egg noodle dish.

No reservation is needed. For those with disabilities who need table seating, call Cara Carper, UW-Extension (608-328-9441, cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu). Please bring your own picnic and blanket or lawn chairs and help reduce waste at this event by bringing reusable dishware. The event will be held inside the Monroe Arts Center in case of rain. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer and help with these events, please contact Cara as well.

If you are still looking for something fun and different to do this weekend, may I suggest tomorrow's Lambs and Lettuces Festival at Circle M Farm?

Circle M is a sustainable market farm about thirty minutes northwest of Monroe. The owner, Kriss Marion, has become well known for her blog on farm life. Honest, frank and frankly funny sometimes, the blog features everything from "pigwatch" for a birthing sow to CSA share updates.

Circle M offers CSA shares (though they are full for the 2009 season), sustainable meats, and Maid Marion woolen goods. If you want a taste of farm life itself, they will arrange for you to spend a day or two on their farm, working and learning.

If you would rather just come hang out on a farm for a while and see the animals and fields, consider attending their Lambs and Lettuces Festival tomorrow, Saturday. Many of our area market farmers know that people like to come out, visit and ask questions. The farmers enjoy it, as a general rule, but unexpected visits are hard to accommodate due to the realities of farm life and the work involved. For this reason, many of these farmers offer open houses days like the Lambs and Lettuces Festival. (Stay tuned for more information on an open house day at Inn Serendipity on July 11, coming in a future blog post.)

The festival begins at noon. Throughout the afternoon there will be demonstrations and activities. Learn about horse grooming or felting, watch a demonstration of shearing or spinning. MooGrass, a local bluegrass band, takes the stage about 4:30 pm, and there will be a community potluck dinner around 7, so bring your favorite local foods dish to pass. Stay for a bonfire and knitting circle after dinner as night falls. The stars look different out in the country, so come, sit and dance and enjoy an afternoon and evening on the farm.

The farm store will also be open. They offer yarns along with wool for felting and spinning. Bring the cooler along and pick up some sustainably raised meat.

Circle M is about 40 minutes southwest of Madison or about 45 minutes northwest of Monroe at 1784 County Road H, Blanchardville, WI. RSVP is not necessary, but feel free to call 608-523-4341 for directions or more information.

Good times don't need to cost anything, and Lambs and Lettuces is a free festival. Donations are accepted if you wish, but Circle M is also giving back with a 10% discount on their meats in the farm store. Come and spend some time in an old fashioned way - talking with people and enjoying the outdoors. Community is a good thing.