Thursday, July 10, 2025
Vol. 5, No. 47
PCMExplorer Local People. Local Stories.
More than a stand
Ashtyn Market, owned by Anissa Wood, provides a cute, tasty stop for travelers along Ashtyn Lane in Prairie City By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer A stroll down Ashtyn Lane in Prairie City can be for more than just exercise. Ashtyn Market, a self serve stand in front of home market 207, features a variety of baked goods from artisan breads, bars and mini cakes to snack mixes, pickles and puppy chow. “I wanted to be able to stay home this summer with my kids and still help provide,” owner Anissa Wood said. “We live on Ashtyn Lane and it seemed fitting and would hopefully make it easy for people in the community to find us. We decided market as we sell more than just sweet treats.” Wood has been baking off and on her entire life starting with cookies in her grandma’s kitchen. Kids and work kept
her busy for quite a while, but with a change in career she has some time freed up to follow her passion. “I love making the breads,” Wood said. “(There is) something about watching all your hard work rise up and turn into something so beautiful and tasty.” Her cute white stand with a tin roof gets filled on Saturdays and the occasional Thursday to coincide with the Prairie City Farmers’ Market. The business is just getting started but she hopes it will catch on and become a destination for community members and even those visiting Prairie City. “At this time we are just seeing how the stand goes, of course we would love for it to grow,” Wood said. “For being the first year open, we are happy for where we are at.” Feedback has been noth-
ing short of amazing for the market stand, with guests commenting on her Facebook page where she posts updates and information. She works hard to keep her quality at a high level and people have responded to the effort she puts in. “I think it has been great! People in the community have been great. Even if it’s a Facebook follow or like of the post, we appreciate it all,” Wood said. “I put my heart into it every week baking and making sure that everything I put out is of high quality. It started out as an idea of something to do over the summer and soon turned into a reality.” She is getting her kids involved, too, often working as taste testers for new product ideas. MARKET | 3
Submitted Photo Ashtyn Market, a self-serve, honor-based stand owned by Anissa Wood, features baked breads, sweets and snack mixes available each Saturday.
QUEEN OF THE CATTLE Meet the Jasper County Beef Queen Seriah Nolin By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer
Submitted Photo 2025 Jasper County Fair Beef Queen Seriah Nolin is a part of the Jasper County Farmhands 4H group and Diamond Trail FFA.
Tell us a little about yourself: I was born and raised outside of Monroe. My parents built a house on part of my grandparents’ farm when I was a baby. My aunt built a house just over a few hills on the same farm. We have all helped out with my grandparents’ cattle operation for as long as I can remember. I started helping show my grandparents’ cattle at the Iowa State Fair when I was seven or eight years old. I joined 4-H when I was nine and began showing cattle, static exhibits like photography and baked goods, and even tested out showing pics that first year at the Jasper County Fair. I have loved the fair ever since. I am currently a part of the Jasper County Farmhands led by my aunt, Jessica Barnett, and the Diamond Trail FFA led by Ms. Peterson and Mr. Warrick. I am heading into my senior year at PCM High School and I am currently 17 years old. My projects this year include a red angus heifer and two market
No horsing around here Meet the Jasper County Equine Senior Cowgirl Queen Addison Kerwin By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer Tell us a little about yourself: My name is Addison Kerwin, I’m from Melbourne and I just graduated from Baxter High School. I am currently a member of the Baxter FFA chapter. I’ve had horses since I was just three years old, through the years I’ve been lucky enough to have over 10 different horses. My current horse Iris Storm Cat aka Ruby is my latest purchase in 2024. What is your favorite part of caring for them? My favorite part of caring for my horses is how calming they are most the time. They really feed off your energy. How do you prepare them to show? Most the time when I’m preparing to show I run around like a chicken with my head cut off. We ride consistently every night to get them fit for fair and rodeo. Do you have any funny stories with your animal? My funniest sorry with Ruby is probably the time EQUINE | 3
BEEF | 3
Congregate meals contracts renewed for Monroe and Colfax sites Program director for Senior Nutrition says steady group of people attend meals By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer Two congregate meals sites have had their agreements with Jasper
A publication of est. 1851
County renewed for another year. Colfax Senior Citizens Center in Colfax and The Gathering Place in Monroe will continue hosting meals, which are
provided each weekday at 11:30 a.m. in their respective locations. Kelli Van Manen, program director of Jasper County Senior Nutrition, said there are no changes to the contracts from the previous year. Van Manen told the board of supervisors during the July 1 meeting that both sites
seem to be going well. She was hoping for more growth, but there is a steady group of people. “They really benefit from the programs being held there, so at this time I’d like to stay as is and reevaluate it every year,” Van Manen said. MEALS | 3
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Submitted Photo 2025 Jasper County Fair Equine Senior Cowgirl Queen Addison Kerwin is a part of the Baxter FFA and has been riding horses since she was three years old.
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