I was looking at a set of scales in an antique store here and it brought back so many memories of the times and people of Bosse's Meat Market.
Back in the day the
Cowman & one of his brothers worked after school & weekends,
when they weren't needed on the ranch, in Bosse's Meat Market in Red
Bluff. Bosse's was a fixture in town, just across the street from
Blue's Barber shop (where all the guys went for haircuts and the news).
It was where my MIL and the Cowman's grandmother called in their meat & grocery orders. The order would be ready for pickup when who ever was sent to pick it up got there. Curbside service was the norm, and it was put on a running tab, that my FIL paid off monthly.
When my kids were little, I would go in and they would be given wieners straight out of the case to gnaw on, or a small ball of raw hamburger. My MIL had done it with all her kids, and not one of the seven suffered from it (or turned vegan), and neither did mine.
Bert Bosse's daughter Diane, and son in law, Jack Burgess worked in the shop. My father in law would later go in as a silent partner with Jack on a butcher shop & meat locker. Lots of elk, deer, hog, and cattle would be processed there.
Both Bosse's Market and Jack's Meat's are long gone now, but the memories remain of salt of the earth, good people.
I typed Jack's name in FB and his son, Jack Burgess came up. Low and behold, he has posted photos of his grandfather Bosse's ol family place and surrounds in Idaho.
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| trailing sheep Ketchum, Idaho |
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| Kueterville, Idaho |
Jack resides in Ketchum, Idaho where he has a woodcarving studio. To say he's talented is an understatement.
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| Western red cedar totem hand carved with chisels |
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| weathering nicely |
You can see more of his art at:
https://www.facebook.com/WoodCarvingSculpture/
LOL, once again I have wandered off the beaten path because of an item from another time and place...
I remember when nearly every town in NW Colorado had a meat locker/processing establishment. Until my parents bought a big chest freezer we had a rented space.
ReplyDeleteSome friends operating a three generation ranch will sell you a calf at a fixed price, raise it, have it butchered, and custom processed. It is a niche business, but adds to their overall ranch income.
WSF, The same was true in N Calif, not so much anymore.
DeleteThe latest, bestest beef in N Calif is from an old friends son: "We have lots of Waygu X beef, it’s cut, wrapped and for sale, USDA inspected. Message me for cuts and prices."
Matthew Griffith Located in Williams, Ca
Wandered off?
ReplyDeleteI'd say you re-traced some old steps and found a turn-out that wasn't there before.
The Camas I grew up in had a butcher/meat locker on the 500 block of 4th Avenue, across from what is now Lutz Hardware. The butcher was busy during hunting season.
scamorama, I do tend to wander... and do miss those ol butcher shops, where you could get your meat processed the way you wanted. The Cowman taught me that the best beef was allowed to hang on the rail til it was nearly ready to fall off. And not all the fat was cut off. Most people have no idea what properly processed beef tastes like, heavenly!
DeleteJack's was always super busy during hunting season. We and many others gave our extra meat to the sheriff's dept to help the county defray the cost of buying meat for the jail.
Now you have your RV, you might enjoy this. Several of my relatives belong.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.sistersonthefly.com/
WSF, Thanks, I've heard of that group. I prefer having guys around, and kids, and grandkids... just my way.
DeleteI seem to wander off all the time. It hasn't hurt all that much now that I've ditched some of the things that evoked some really painful memories.
ReplyDeleteHMS, What is that overused saying... "All who wander are not lost" or something like that.
DeleteWow, amazing sculptures. I admire woodcarving. I did sculpture with stone or clay for a number of years but never tried wood. I ended up scaring my fingers enough with the stone that wood might've been the end of them. :).
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, my parents rented space in a locker. They do still exist but most folks now have big chest freezers, I think-- although the one i still know of is in a small town.
Rain, I've never tried sculpting, did go through a stage where I was throwing lots of pottery on a heavy as hell kick wheel, it got to be too much with young kids and moving so much. At least that's my excuse.
DeleteThis is such a great post with memories of days and times gone by and what talent that man has!!
ReplyDeleteChanges, He is amazingly talented.
DeleteAmazing talent. What an artist! And your story of the store was such good reading, Brig.
ReplyDeleteGranny Sue, Yes he is. Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteWonderful memories, Brig
ReplyDeleteAdrienne, They were good people.
DeleteI love reading about your thoughts and travels. Keep em coming.
ReplyDeleteWoodsterman, Thanks, I will try.
DeleteI need that guy to carve a prow for my schooner!
ReplyDeleteRight after I buy a schooner!
Ed, LOL, you an me both!
DeleteIdaho looks good and so does the carving. Wish I could do that...
ReplyDeleteLSP, Have you been there? It's beautiful!
DeleteI wish someone would rescue that truck!
ReplyDeleteScott, That was my thought when I first say it. My youngest grandson has one like it, but has been busy farming (making a living) and hasn't restored it yet.
DeleteBeautiful work, and good memories. Your kids will carry those memories for ever!
ReplyDeleteOld NFO, Pretty cool huh! Yep, good memories of good people.
DeleteThat carving is absolutely fabulous. I can slap on varnish, but that sort of skill is well beyond me. As for the store -- I still have one. I grew up in a small town with a locker where we'd buy a half and have it hung, then custom cut. Now, I don't need that much beef myself, but there's a great meat market in Bellville, about two hours away, where I make occasional trips to get dry sausage, pork breakfast sausage that tastes like my grandma and I used to make, and all that. In season, I can get venison/pork tamales, and venison sausage. It's known as 'the' place for deer and hog processing. They're just so good, and responsible, too. When you take a deer, you know you'll be getting your meat, and not someone else's.
ReplyDeleteI'm down to a dozen sweet chipotle breakfast links and four pounds of breakfast sausage. It's going to be time for another trip soon!
shoreacres, Good that you have access to a great meat market. Bosse's & Jack's were both places you knew you were getting your own meat, too. One of my SIL's worked at Jack's for a few years, cutting and wrapping. I helped her a few times when we had a big order. Hard work, and standing on cold concrete all day...
Delete