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dutchcountrygeneralstoreblog

Dutch Country General Store Expands to Winterset, Iowa

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Dutch Country General Store™ has announced plans to open a third brick-and-mortar retail location in Winterset, Iowa in the spring of 2023, renovating the recently closed Ben Franklin store.

Founder Levi Good says, “Madison County, and particularly Winterset, have been on our short list of possible locations for some time, and when the opportunity came for us to acquire the former Ben Franklin location on the town square after Dave & Judy Trask’s retirement, it was too good to pass up.”

Levi-Dave-and-Judy.jpeg
Dutch Country Founder, Levi Good, with Dave and Judy Trask, former Ben Franklin owners

Finding A Home In the Historic Ben Franklin Building

Dutch Country leadership first visited Madison County on a site selection visit a year ago.

“Madison County had many things that we were looking for, namely that small town feel but poised for growth in housing and tourism. We were very impressed with the community leadership and their love for their area,” notes Mary Wells, who was part of Dutch Country’s selection committee.

At that time, however, no location was readily available for the retail concept, which prefers historic locations in the heart of the communities they serve. Fast forward to late spring 2022 when Dave & Judy Trask, long-time local business owners first discussed their retirement plans from Ben Franklin.

“We met with the Trasks and right away knew this was the place for one of our stores. Not only were Dave and Judy wonderful to work with, the Ben Franklin location is a perfect fit for us. In what is historically referred to as a triple storefront, and right on the corner of John Wayne Drive and Court Avenue, we have room for all of our retail offerings, Dutch Country fresh baked goods, as well as our full-service deli, which is always a hit!”, explains Good.

The Store With Something For Everyone

Often referred to as a store that has “something for everyone”, Dutch Country General Store™ currently sees thousands of customers each day at its locations in Bloomfield, Iowa, and Hannibal, Missouri, as well as through its online store. Popular with locals and tourists alike, shoppers delight at the unique, nostalgic, and often handmade product lines which include a large selection of old-fashioned and retro toys, home decor, bulk foods, fresh baked goods, souvenirs, candy (including 4,000 lbs of saltwater taffy in each location), heirloom quilts, candles, jar goods, and more. Having launched a successful mail-order catalog business in 2020, which complements the in-store shopping experience, customers from across the country enjoy what Dutch Country General Store™ has to offer.

Excited for Growth

Dutch Country Living™, the parent company to a variety of companies including Dutch Country General Store™, Amish Made Poly™, and marketing firm, Hill Productions & Media Group, has grown significantly over the last 11 years when Good purchased the company from his then-employer. Inc. Magazine has recognized Good’s achievements by naming him among their annual Inc. 5000 list an unprecedented three times, most recently in 2022, recognizing the company with a growth ranking of #67 in retail nationwide.

More information regarding a grand opening date for the Winterset location of Dutch Country General Store™ will be forthcoming.

Dutch Country General Store™ provides patrons with fine, authentic goods and services, coupled with an inspired nostalgic experience, reminiscent of simpler days gone by.

Hannibal Candy Bins
Interior of Dutch Country General Store™ in the historic downtown of Hannibal, Missouri

Preserving the Season

Canning

Here at Dutch Country General Store, we are all about preserving the season. We’d like to share some of our team's favorite canning and freezer recipes to help you preserve your seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. There’s nothing better than enjoying the fruits of your labor (literally), all year long.

These family recipes have been lovingly gathered from the boxes and books treasured for generations by our team members. They have been utilized time and time again - that's how great they are!  We hope you love them just as much and are inspired to start preserving the season today!

Homemade Sauce

Spaghetti Sauce

Can also be used for lasagna and casseroles, with meat or meatless.

Canning & Freezer
  • 4-6 lbs. ground beef (optional)
  • 8 c. tomato juice OR 9 c. cooked or canned tomatoes with juice
  • 2 green peppers, chopped
  • 2 c. onions
  • 4  6 oz. cans of tomato paste
  • ¼ c. brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp. each of garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley
  • 1 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 3 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
METHOD:

Brown beef and drain off fat. Add onions and green peppers. Mix the remaining ingredients together and stir into the juice. Pour juice mixture into the beef mixture and stir. Bring just to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. TASTE!!! And adjust ingredients if needed. Simmer until it reaches desired thickness. Serve with choice of pasta! OR Can with pressure cooker.

Canning: Pour hot mixture into hot jars, leaving one-inch headspace. Tighten rings/caps on jars and process in pressure cooker. Process pints for 1 hr. and quarts for 1 hr. 15 min. at 10 lbs. pressure.

Kosher Dill Pickles

Canning
  • ½ lb - 4-inch pickling cucumbers
  • 4 heads fresh dill or 2 tbsp. dill seed
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Small piece of dried hot pepper
  • 2 ¼ c. water
  • ¾  c. vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. pickling salt
METHOD:

Pack cucumbers in hot, clean jars. Leave ½ inch head space. Add dill, garlic, and red pepper. Make brine and pour over contents in jars.

Tip: Try cutting your cucumbers in different ways. Slices are great for sandwiches, wedges are great as a side dish or snack, and whole pickles work great too!

Pickles
Homemade Applesauce

Ann’s Applesauce

Freezer
  • Honeycrisp Apples - as many as desired
  • Water
  • Sugar, if desired
METHOD:

Wash, don’t peel, quarter, and remove seeds from Honeycrisp Apples. Add to pan with a little water and cook on low heat until soft and mushy.  Put through strainer and add a little sugar, to taste. Put applesauce in freezer-safe containers and put in freezer.

Tip: If you love cinnamon applesauce, try adding a dash of cinnamon - as much as you desire. But remember, a little goes a long way! A dash of brown sugar is a sweet addition also!

Note: For a brighter, more yellow applesauce, peel your apples before cooking. Leaving the skins on your apples while cooking will add a slight pink tint to your applesauce.

Grandma Pearl’s Vegetable Soup

Canning
  • 8 c. tomatoes, chopped, peeled & cored 
  • 4 c. potatoes, cubed & peeled 
  • 5 c. carrots, 3/4-inch sliced 
  • 4 c. lima beans, cooked 
  • 3 c. uncooked corn kernels
  • 2 c. green peas, cooked 
  • 2 c. onions, chopped
  • 1-2 tsp. minced garlic 
  • 6 c. chicken broth or stalk
  • 1 tsp. canning salt
  • 1-2 tsp. ground pepper
  • 2-3 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped 
  • 1-2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1-2 tsp. dried parsley
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste concentrate
  • 2 tbsp. bottled or fresh lemon juice, for flavor only
  • 6 quart or 12 pints glass preserving jars with lids and bands
METHOD:

Prepare pressure canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

Combine all vegetables in a very large stainless steel stock pot. Add broth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Season with spices, salt, and pepper, and let simmer 5 mins more - taste for any spice adjustments.

Using a slotted large spoon, ladle hot vegetable solids into hot jars (to half full) with a non-slotted spoon, ladle liquid into each jar over solids, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

Process filled jars in a weighted Pressure Canner (vented for 10 mins) at 10 pounds pressure 60 minutes for pints and 85 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude and canner type. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed. Remove bands, wash jars, label and store in a cool/dry place. 

Vegetable Soup
Salsa

Salsa

Canning
  • 6 c. bell peppers
  • 4 c. banana peppers, opt.
  • 4 c. onions
  • 9 jalapeno peppers
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 18 lbs tomatoes
  • 3 pkg. Mrs. Wages salsa seasoning
METHOD:

Blanche tomatoes 3 minutes in boiling water, then put them in cold water to easily remove skins. Put onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and a few tomatoes in blender.  Dice other peppers and tomatoes. Add Mrs. Wages seasoning. Cold pack 25 minutes. Put jars in canner and add water until the top of the jars. Bring water to a boil, leave for 25 minutes.

Tip: For a sweeter salsa, try adding a dash of sugar, or a fruit ingredient, such as peaches! Simply fine-dice your peaches and add them to your salsa mix - no need to peel!

Green Beans

Canning & Freezer
  • Green beans - as many as desired
  • Salt - 1 tsp. per jar
  • Water
  • 1 tbsp. vinegar
METHOD:

Cut up green beans. Put in jar with 1 tsp salt. Fill with water. Process 3 hours for water bath. (Start timing when water boils.) Pressure can 25 minutes for quart-sized jars, 20 minutes for pint-sized jars at 10lbs pressure. Start timing after control jiggles. Put 2 quarts water and 1 tablespoon vinegar in a 12-quart pressure cooker.  Keep control jiggling at least 3-4 times per minute. When you’ve processed it 25 minutes, take off heat and let set until pressure drops.

How to blanch for freezing: Prep green beans. Boil water in large pot. Place green beans in boiling water for 3 minutes. Start timing as soon as you put them in. Keep water level ¾ full for all batches. After 3 minutes, pour green beans into cold sink of water to cool. Put in freezer bags to freeze.

Canned Green Beans
Pickled Beets

Pickled Red Beets

Canning
  • 2 c. white vinegar
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • 2 c. water
  • 1 tsp. pickling spice per quart
METHOD:

Use vinegar, sugar, salt, and water to make brine. Cook and peel beets and put into jars. Add pickling spice to each jar and cover with boiling hot brine. Bring to a boil to cold pack; turn off heat and let set 10 minutes.

Fruit Slush

Freezer
  • 2 cans crushed pineapple
  • 1 lemonade concentrate, frozen
  • 1 can pineapple juice
  • 1 orange juice concentrate, frozen
  • At least 1 pack tropical punch kool-aid
  • Sugar, to taste
  • Grapes or blueberries, as desired
  • 1-2 bananas
  • 20-30 c. peaches
METHOD:

Mix all ingredients and freeze.

Peach Drink

Which recipe will you try? If you find one you love, we invite you to share your outcome on social media and tag us (Dutch Country General Store). We’d love to see what you create!

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