WS Women Connect: Free Event February 23, 2013

February 23 will mark the third year for WS Women Connect, a wonderful FREE event that brings women together as they meet, mingle, shop, connect and learn.  The founders of Women Connect, Angela Levine and Beth Mack, created the event as a way for women to put a face to their business, talk one-on-one with potential customers and build mutually beneficial relationships.  WS Women Connect inspires and encourages the growth of small, local business.

All photos courtesy of Lisa Miller at Simply Southern Photography

This year's event will feature more than fifty businesses and partners... and still growing!  Ranging from service providers to retailers, this is an easy way for you to learn about, connect with and support women in the Triad.  You may be surprised to find out that your favorite business is woman owned!  Several businesses have participated every year, including Luxury Travel, Accessorize This, Reynolda Farm Market, A Step Ahead, Heavenly Cheesecakes by Becky and Winston-Salem Jazzercize.  There is a nice mix between service, selling and sampling, and there is only one business representing a business category.  Go here to see the full list of 2013 participants.

“When a woman is empowered to achieve success, she gives back exponentially to her employees, family and neighborhood. Supporting women-owned businesses not only improves our economy, it improves our community. ”  ~~ Hillary Peterson, owner of partner business Old Winston Social Club

There will be learning centers; small group workshops where you can get a little more in-depth.  Each free workshop will last 45 minutes and topics range from interior design to saving money to trying pilates to understanding social media.

Forsyth Medical Center is a natural partner for WS Women Connect, and they will be onsite with a Women's Health Center. There will be free health screenings available for blood pressure, cholesterol, bone density and body mass index.  You'll have a chance to talk about the results and get a referral if needed.    

There will be a whole room devoted to make-overs.  Whether you want a new look for your hair, your wardrobe, or your home, this room will be filled with experts ready to share their knowledge and suggest ways to make the most of your new look!

The  first 400 attendees will receive a goody bag and there will be door prizes all day.  The event will be from 9am-3pm and is taking place at The Village Inn in Clemmons.  Spend the day or spend an hour... your time will be well spent at this one-of-a-kind event.

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We'll be attending the event ourselves!  Look for a follow-up after the event!

Downtown Winston-Salem: The Big Eat 2013

The Big Eat is back!  

This is a great way to support local businesses, discover a new eatery, explore downtown,

and enjoy an otherwise boring Tuesday evening!

Click the picture to see a list of participating restaurants

and each restaurants signature dish.  

Wait!  Before you click the picture,

 you've got to see this ridiculously funny promo for The Big Eat.

Did you know that there are 62 restaurants in the Downtown Winston-Salem area?  Yes, SIXTY-TWO!  You can easily eat somewhere new every day for two months within a radius of just a few miles.  That is amazing!  In addition to that, there are fourteen clubs and bars in Downtown Winston-Salem.  

Click here to see a map of your dining options

Want to know a little about a restaurant before your first visit?  Click here for a link to reviews of hundreds of Triad restaurants!

Shop Local: Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery in Germanton, NC

Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery is an easy drive from Winston-Salem, just a few minutes down NC 8.

Buffalo Creek is a family run farm, ethically raising and direct marketing meats with no added hormones and no antibiotics. Their animals are being raised in a natural environment, enjoying winter hay produced right on the farm with no sprays or commercial fertilizers.

Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery recently became a Grade B Dairy, and their raw milk aged farmstead cheeses are made with milk only from their herd.    Their cheeses are aged from two to eight months in both natural rinds and wax rinds.

Take a peek inside the creamery!

In addition to their goat's milk cheeses, farm-fresh eggs, farmstead meats and goat milk soap, Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery offers an array of local foods from other local growers.  The onsite store is filled with country ham, jellies, candy and honey.  There are also handmade crafts and gifts available.

Be Loyal, Buy Local

Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery has made a commitment to purchase and use the services of locally owned businesses.

"Supporting Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery, LLC supports our family as well as other local farmers while also tantalizing your taste buds!

Our mission is to bring our farm's fresh meats, eggs and goat cheese, along with other local food, to the tables of families and restaurants throughout the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina. Not only do we provide delicious, healthful and flavorful food to consumers, but you provide us an opportunity for economic advancement in our rural community of Germanton, NC by supporting Piedmont agriculture."

We stopped by Buffalo Creek earlier this week with my girls and a young friend of ours.  Robin greeted us, talked to us about the animals on the farm and and let us enjoy the view for a few minutes.  (This is a working farm;  not a petting farm.  According to their website, they do have plans in the future for small tours.)  Here's a quick clip from our visit to the farm.

While we were there, we bought honey produced by Tyson's Farm from Madison, NC and apple butter made by Mother Holtz Farm in Germanton.  We were surrounded by so much local yumminess it was really hard to stick to my budget and just buy those two items. Each girl was also given a page of lamb themed stickers.  They had a great time!

Another wonderful thing about Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery is that they are the only public pick-up location in Forsyth County for Piedmont Local Food.  This virtual farmers market connects growers to chefs and individuals through buying clubs.  "Not only does it provide delicious, healthful and flavorful food to consumers, but it provides an opportunity for economic advancement in rural communities and supports the Piedmont agrarian tradition."-- PiedmontLocalFood.com

There are many great reasons to shop the Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery.  Be Loyal, Buy Local!