We were running late getting to The Quilt Shop in Chamberlain, South Dakota. I gave the owner a call and checked out directions. The ad in the Quilters Travel Companion, said they close at 5:30. Her ad in the book listed Beads, Native Art, Native themed fabric and lots more.
She said she would wait. Every corner was full of wonderful items to explore.
Had to carefully, check everything out. I even invited Ralph to come in. Something I don't always do. He usually reads his book in the car. But he enjoys items with an Indian theme, and we are short on White Sage at home. He put two large rolls on the table. Owner Sonya chatted with us as if we are old friends. Telling the story on how they started the quilt store. They bought the land, and someone they knew wanted an old house on their property taken away. So they moved the house to it's present location, and the house turned into a quilt store on Main Street.
Beads and more Beads, great addition to a wall quilt.
Fabrics line the walls, and are in every corner and in every room.
As I mentioned we had a great time chatting. Sonja's family own a farm in the area. I had lots of questions as I am always curious what is growing in the fields. Which type of corn do you grow? They grow seed corn. That is corn that has to be kept pure. A farmer does not want to have Sweet Corn growing in his fields, if what he needs is Corn for other Commercial use. There is Sweet corn, corn for our oils, cereals and other food uses. She told us there is a special corn that the Indians on the reservation grow for Pop Corn. They do the whole process on the reservation, even the packaging. Of course, in some areas there is blue corn. But for the most part we see Corn grown for our food products.
Times are hard for the farmer. She mentioned that many of our farms are being purchased by the Chinese. Something we don't hear about.( found out later, that many farms are coming back in the East, because they are being bought by the Amish and the Mennonites)
Look at the commercial products that you buy and you might just see corn used in them. I wanted to know what the product was that is low growing and between all the acres of Corn.. Turns out to be soy beans. I remember when I used to read Mother Earth. The suggestion was to rotate your crops, tomatoes one year, beans the next. But this is really in a big scale.
Found some lovely earrings, the sage and a post card with the Dignity Statue that is off the highway.
Sonja suggested going at dusk to get a photo of it.. But we were too tired after stopping at the Pizza Hut. Thankfully we had called ahead for reservations, because the motel was a bit busy.
This town is locate on the banks of the Missouri River.
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