Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

With love from a small town meat market February 12, 2025

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A poem on a sign outside Kenyon Meats. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2024)

ROSES ARE RED/SO IS MEAT/POEMS ARE HARD/BACON.

It’s not exactly the most romantic version of the traditional ROSES ARE RED poem. But it’s certainly one of the most humorous spin-offs I’ve seen. I love this poem spotted last fall outside a small town southern Minnesota Meat Market, Kenyon Meats.

Roses my husband previously gifted to me. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

It seems appropriate to share this poem now, during Valentine’s week. Maybe your sweetheart would welcome a package of jerky from the meat locker. Or your poetic version of ROSES ARE RED with a side of bacon.

The unassuming building that houses Kenyon Meats. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

The market sits just off Minnesota State Highway 60, a major route running right through the heart of Kenyon’s several-block business district. The roadside messages posted on the meat market sign are enough to turn heads. And elicit laughter.

More humorous signage… (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

I’ve also read this on the two-sided Kenyon Meats sign: SMOKE MEAT/NOT METH.

And more words to make you laugh. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2024)

And then there’s this one: DON’T FRY/BACON NAKED.

Obvious good advice aside, I truly appreciate the attention-grabbing humorous writing. Short enough to read while driving by. Clever. Funny. What a great marketing tool, especially with a meat reference included in the wordage.

Randy grills meat and vegetables year-round, yes, even in the Minnesota winter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

The words drew me to photograph the scene while my husband, who likes home-grown meat markets, stepped inside to buy flavored brats. Randy loves meat (and grilling meats) as much as I love vegetables.

(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Ah, love. It’s in the air this week. From poetry to flowers to chocolate to dinner out, love prevails. Even at the meat market.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

More than free pears August 20, 2020

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I photographed this roadside sign in Northfield on Sunday.

 

PICK A PEAR. Or two. Or three.

The roadside invitation to pluck pears from two trees at 203 West Woodley Street, Northfield, proved a first for me.

First, I’ve never seen such an offer. And second, I’ve never seen a pear tree.

The pears I’ve eaten come from the grocery store. They are much larger, more golden and decidedly more perfect.

 

 

But there’s something about picking fruit directly from the tree that appeals to me. And I wasn’t about to pass on the opportunity.

So when Randy and I drove past the sign, we did a quick swing back around the block to check out the pears. Neither of us knows anything about home-grown pears. So the note about pushing on the top or picking hard ones and waiting a few days for them to ripen was particularly helpful.

 

 

Randy grabbed four pears—one yellow, the others green—while I grabbed my camera and took photos.

I ate the mini yellow pear for lunch the next day; it was too small to share. I found it dry, not at all juicy. Had there not been a browning blemish, I may have waited longer. The three remaining green pears are now inside a brown paper bag on the kitchen counter, hopefully ripening and not rotting.

 

This is the place, 203 West Woodley Street.

 

Whatever the outcome, I find the FREE PEARS offer such a fine example of kindness and generosity, something we all need right now. More than ever.

 

© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling