Back in October I attended a conference called “ShiftCon.”  ShiftCon is a great movement focusing on organic, non-gmo foods and environmentally friendly products.  The first night there, they held a mixer type of evening for attendees.  As people milled around visiting and getting to know each other, waiters walked around with appetizers.  I remember very clearly the waiters name: Alfredo

“Good Evening Ladies, my name is Alfredo, would you care for an appetizer?”

I looked at the little bundles on his tray, “what are they?”

“Goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.”

I popped one in my mouth, these little bundles of goodness were the best thing I had ever tasted!!

I had to try to recreate them, but let’s be honest, simply stuffing a date with goat cheese and wrapping it with ...

By Kassondra Hendricks

My little sister marches through the door into the garage, she wears my father’s black work bibs and they are large on her. The legs billow out at her hips and dangle over her boots so that they are unseen. She looks ridiculous, but then again, who looks beautiful when they ice fish? We trudge to the truck, giggling with amusement about our appearance. The drive to the lake is long and quiet. My father, sister and I squished into the front of the pickup as our gear had overtaken both the bed and back seat of the truck. Music plays, the windows fog up with our breath, and I watch the fields of snow pass by, day dreaming about tip-up flags, monster pike and crappie. Butterflies erupt in my stomach with excitement...

Magan Hebert, 15, poses with the young buck, or “spike,” that she shot in Waynesboro, Miss., in November. Magan has been hunting since she was in the fourth grade. ** Photo courtesy of NPR

Recently on an ordinary day running errands and listening to NPR, my husband and I heard a story on the radio that stopped us in our tracks.  The story was part of a series called “The Hidden Life of Girls” and hosted by none other than Tina Fey (don’t you love her?!?) 

During the episode, we heard stories from girls and women across the world on several different topics and then the interview started with 15-year old Magan Hebert.  Magan lives in Mississippi and sounds like a typical high school student – she loves cheerleading, pop music, texting and school...

 Survey results are in and Southwick has announced the top selling hunting and shooting brands for 2014. Did your favorite brands make the list?

• Top handgun brand: Smith & Wesson
• Top traditional rifle brand:  Remington / Ruger (Sturm, Ruger)
• Top rifle ammunition brand:  ATK
• Top handgun ammunition brand:  ATK
• Top boots brand:  Cabelas
• Top scopes:  Bushnell
• Top binoculars brand:  Bushnell
• Top game feeder brand:  Moultrie
• Top trail camera brand:  Moultrie
• Top tree stand brand: Big Game
• Top muzzleloader: Thompson Center / CVA
• Top crossbow:  Barnett
• Top shotgun ammunition brand:  Winchester
• Top blackpowder brand: Pyrodex
• Top arrow brand: Easton / Carbon Express
• Top broadhead brand:  Rage
• Top bow case brand:  Plano
• Top archery sight brand:  Trophy Ridge
• Top game call brand: Primos
• Top reloading...

By Jodi Stemler

It was a blustery day at the Jersey shore. Tomorrow a nor’easter would blow in, but today the surf was just annoyed, not the angry tempest it would be by morning. Though both my sister and I live in Colorado now, every year we head back to this beach for our annual family vacation. The tradition for me hit a milestone of 40 years this year – just like I did.

After many summers at this beach, the pre-storm blow meant one thing to my sister and I – stripers. Years of surf fishing with our dad during these summer trips told us that bass seem to particularly like to eat when the tide is high and the surf is rough...