Bernice Duletski

Bernice Duletski, a Capital Electric Cooperative member, was raised on a farm in rural Belfield, where the love to cook, gather and eat ran deep.

In the farm kitchen with her mom and grandma is where Bernice and her sister, Lydia, learned the skills and patience required to master the family recipes. Those same family recipes were compiled into a family cookbook, “Cooking with the Duletski Daughters,” which is still heavily used and cherished.

Julie Garden-Robinson

“How long can you keep dried herbs in your cupboard?” the workshop participant asked.

I anticipated where this was going. I replied with a question.

“How long have your dried herbs been in your cupboard?” I asked.

“I got them for my wedding,” she replied.

After a dramatic pause, she added, “Forty years ago.”

Everyone laughed.

I’m quite sure her dried herbs added little flavor to foods at this point, although they are likely “safe.”

Meigan Cameron

Even in the depths of winter, Meigan Cameron finds the beauty in nature. She has mastered bringing the outside in, turning her home into a haven for plants and herbs. And, despite the Nanking cherry and apple trees in her yard being draped in white, she strives to include fruits and veggies in her family’s meals.

“In wintertime, fresh veggies are precious, so I like to make good use of what is readily available,” she says.