Volume 20 Number 1 Winter Quarterly 2017

News from the Creek Friends of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm, Inc.

Visit our website at: www.marjoriekinnanrawlings.org

Be sure to visit us at www.marjoriekinnanrawlings.org and

www.floridastateparks.org/marjoriekinnanrawlings for updates and information on The Year of Cross Creek

Barbara Wingo as Marjorie Rawlings at the Ruffled

Rose Tea Room event in January

President’s Message By Barbara Wingo

I hope that you have been able to attend one or more of this year’s events

Celebrating 75 Years of Cross Creek and Cross Creek Cook Cookery. If not

(or if so), there are certainly many more events yet to come.

On January 21 we enjoyed introducing Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and her

writings at the Ruffled Rose Tea Room in Trenton. This included a discussion

of how Cross Creek Cookery came to be written and the reading of excerpts

from Rawlings’ short story, “Lord Bill of the Suwannee River,” based on Tren-

ton’s William E. Bell. Our opening event at the Matheson History Museum in

Gainesville followed that evening. Kevin McCarthy’s presentation on

“Hyacinth Drift,” was excellent and the desserts that followed delicious!

I encourage you to attend one of the library talks on Cross Creek and Cross Creek Cookery and related topics that are listed in our brochure. I had the

privilege of attending Anne Pierce’s very interesting talk at the Fort McCoy Pub-

lic Library. Reminiscences by Carol Fiddia Laxton preceded Anne’s presenta-

tion. Please read Anne’s article in this newsletter to learn more about Mrs.

Laxton’s memories of her life at Cross Creek and of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

The cooking and other presentations at the farm have been aided by the

weather -- pristine blue skies that set off the farm and its environs as well as mak-

ing a visit even more enjoyable. We have had large crowds with ample food.

Please see the article by Carrie Todd for more information on these events.

Our next special event is “A Writer’s Life: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Women Writers Today,” on Thursday, April

13, at 6:00 p.m. at the Matheson History Museum, Gainesville. The evening will feature award-winning authors Susan

Cerulean, Lola Haskin and Dr. Leslie Kemp Poole. The event is cosponsored by the Matheson History Museum and

the George Smathers Library, University of Florida.

In addition you may have noticed in our brochure the art exhibition entitled “Cross Creek Rising: The Consciousness of

Land and Water” that will be held at the Historic Thomas Center from September 29 through January 6. The Friends of

the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm is cosponsoring this event in conjunction with the Historic Thomas Center, City of

Gainesville. The call for artists to submit works has been issued, and artists will be visiting area to create works for the

exhibition. The primary criterion for submission is that the work has as its source of inspiration the natural environs of

North Central Florida, especially the Cross Creek area. Artists will have special access to the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Historic State Park for their work.

Again, I want to thank our board members, other volunteers and staff for making these events possible and the Alachua

County Tourist Development Tax Grant Program for funding. I hope to see you soon as we explore Cross Creek and

Cross Creek Cookery!

PAGE 2 NEWS FROM THE CREEK VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

MEMBERS OF THE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Officers: 2017-2018

President: Barbara Wingo

Vice President: Elaine Carson-Spencer

Treasurer: Anne Pierce

Secretary: Murray Laurie

CSO Board of Directors

Mickey Angell

Angel Kwolek-Folland

Murray Laurie

Anne Pierce

Neal and Elaine Spencer

Florence Turcotte

Barbara Wingo

Resource Advisory Members

Dan Cantliffe

Roy Hunt

Michaelyn Luttge

Jim Stephens

Kay Williams

The Year of Cross Creek Celebrating the

75th Anniversary of

Cross Creek

and

Cross Creek Cookery

1942 - 2017

Watch for Monthly Events

Cooking the Book By Ranger Carrie Todd

"I hold the theory that the serving of good food is the one certain way

of pleasing everybody. ... Love and liquor are admittedly fallible com-

forters … Conversation is fallible for not all want to talk about the

same things, and some do not want to talk at all, and some do not want to listen. But

short of dyspepsia or stomach ulcers, any man or woman may be pleased with well-

cooked and imaginative dishes.” (Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Cross Creek, "Our

Daily Bread,” p. 205. )

While we certainly hope that visitors will also turn to books, especially Cross Creek,

for inspiration, comfort, and pleasure, we are providing them ample opportunity to

experience Marjorie's imaginative dishes. This year we are "Cooking the Book,”

Cross Creek Cookery to be exact. Each month we will be highlighting several of

Marjorie's recipes during a special demonstration and tasting program. Stefanie Sam-

ara Hamblin of Hogtown Homegrown as well as our amazing volunteers have been

instrumental in making this program a success.

The year-long celebration started with a demonstra-

tion of "Campfire Cooking with Dutch Ovens.” Deb

and Fred Morgan took the lead to show us how

Marjorie would have cooked over the open fire on

her trip with Dessie down the St. Johns River. We

highlighted her recipes: "Guinea Hen in a Dutch

Oven” (We used chickens.), "Zelma's Ice Box Rolls"

and "Potato Apple Soufflé." The crowd of 65 people

watched as we dismantled the cooking tower of ovens

and then made short work of the delicacies within.

Our second program, "The Land of Hot Biscuits," had even better attendance with

80 people! It was a good thing we made enough biscuits to fill the ice box, which we

used temporarily as a warmer. We highlighted Marjorie's favorite "Mother's Biscuits"

and "Idella's Crisp Biscuits" following the recipes to a "T". But with the "Florida Back-

woods Biscuits," we did a little experimentation. Here we did every combination we

could manage of lard, butter and Crisco for fats with milk and buttermilk. We also

had two types of flour, traditional southern White

Lily All Purpose and King Arthur Unbleached All

Purpose, which is more common in kitchens to-

day. We topped them all with marmalade, honey,

cane syrup, country ham or just plain butter. Ste-

fanie Samara Hamblen and Mary Catherine Al-

ford shared biscuit lore to prime our taste buds.

The result of this was a feast of biscuits where we

compared the different variations and toppings

until only a few morsels remained.

Our future programs promise to be just as appetizing! In March we will highlight the

ripening fruits of the region: loquats, strawberries, blueberries and, of course, citrus.

In April, we will show how we do canning and preserving. If you haven't tasted our

marmalade, then this is your chance! May is all about local food. Hogtown Home-

grown launches the Eat Local Challenge this month, and our May 7th program will

show you how Marjorie's recipes can help you support the local food producers and

(Continued on page 3)

PAGE 3 NEWS FROM THE CREEK VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

Piety and Leonard Fiddia

Reflections by Carol Fiddia Laxton By Anne Pierce

On Saturday, March 11, 2017, I had the great privilege of hearing

Carol Fiddia Laxton talk about her childhood and her memories of

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. She is the daughter of Leonard Fiddia and

granddaughter of Piety Fiddia. You will recall that Rawlings stayed with

Leonard and his mother, Piety, August through October 1931 while

doing research for her first Florida novel, South Moon Under. Leo-

nard married in 1932 and Carol was born a few years later.

She recalls Marjorie visiting their home from time to time and the fam-

ily visiting the Cross Creek Farm. Carol vividly remembers the first

time she saw the ocean when she was five or six years old. Her father

was to do some carpentry work on Marjorie’s Crescent Beach house,

and Rawlings suggested that since she would be away the Fiddia family

might come and enjoy the week there.

Her father, Leonard, raised hogs, killed deer for meat, and sometimes sold moon-

shine (Rawlings was a customer.); however, his main source of livelihood was work-

ing as a carpenter and electrician. He worked on Rawlings’ Kohler generator as well

as doing repairs at the Cross Creek Farm. When electricity came to Cross Creek,

Marjorie gave the Fiddia family the generator.

One question from the audience was, “How did Rawlings meet your father?” Carol

said that she thought it must have been through Chet Crosby of Citra. Crosby had a

citrus packing house there, and Leonard kept the equipment in good repair.

Marjorie, of course, knew Chet Crosby.

Mrs. Laxton said that the she was very close to her grandmother, Piety. When read-

ing about Piety in South Moon Under, the description and language WAS her

grandmother. Carol indicated that the description of Lant in the novel was not so

close to that of her father.

What a treat it was to have this chance to get a firsthand account of the Fiddia family

and Rawlings’ relationship with them!

eat fresh seasonally. As the weather warms, we will highlight okra, the Cinderella of vegetables,

in June and then have an "Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social" in July. We even saved some tan-

gerine juice to make Marjorie's famous "Tangerine Sherbet.” We celebrate Marjorie's birthday

August 5th with a fish fry sponsored by Northwest Seafood. If you like holiday desserts, don't

miss November's pie contest featuring "Utterly Deadly Southern Pecan Pie," Marjorie's most

famous recipe, or "Cookie Decorating" in December.

Most of our food events are out at the Farm, but we will be having a few in Gainesville

too. On April 8-9, two Gainesville restaurants, Public and General, and East End Eatery will

feature Marjorie's recipes as part of a special menu. In September, we will have a Food Truck

Rally at the Matheson History Museum. Again, local chefs will offer dishes from Cross Creek

Cookery or inspired by it. It will be fun to see how the hip Gainesville food scene will present

Marjorie's recipes for a modern audience and reminds us that, even 75 years later, Marjorie

still has a big impact on the world.

(Continued from page 2)

Carol Fiddia Laxton and Anne Pierce

Ye old ice box on back porch full

of goodies

PAGE 4 NEWS FROM THE CREEK

VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1

Alachua and Marion County Library Talks All talks are on “Cross Creek” and “Cross Creek Cookery”

unless otherwise noted.

April 13 A Year of Cross Creek, More

Stories, Archer Branch, ACLD,

5:30pm

May 25 Alachua Branch, ACLD, 6pm

June 20 Year of Cross Creek -- The Secret

River, Waldo Branch, ACLD, at

the Community Center, 2pm

August 1 Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and

The Secret River, Alachua Branch,

ACLD, 2pm

September 10 Waldo Branch, ACLD at the

Yerkes Center, 2pm

September 17 Headquarters Library, Marion

County Public Library, 2pm

Cooking with Cross Creek Cookery and Beyond Cooking Demonstrations and Programs

All events are at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park

with cooking from 10-2 and program at 2:30 pm unless otherwise noted.

April 8, and Cross Creek Cookery Recipes at

April 9 Public & General Restaurant,

Gainesville (Saturday), and East

End Eatery, Gainesville (Sunday

brunch) Recipes from Cross Creek

Cookery will be on their menu!

April 22 Canning with Marjorie Kinnan

Rawlings

May 7 Eating Local: Then and Now

June 17 Okra a la Cross Creek

July 9 Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social

August 5 *Happy 121st Birthday, Marjorie,

with a Fish Fry at the Marjorie

Kinnan Rawlings Historic State

Park, 5 - 7pm (Call 352-466-3672

for reservations)

April 13 A Writer’s Life: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Women Writers Today

Matheson History Museum, Gainesville, 6 - 8pm

July 21 *Tea with Marjorie and Zora, a play by Barbara Speisman,

Matheson History Museum, Gainesville, 7pm (Call 352-378-2280 for information)

August 5 *Happy 121st Birthday, Marjorie with a Fish Fry at the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Historic State Park, 5 - 7pm. (Call 352-466-3672 for reservations)

*Tickets reservations and/or fees required.

Other Events

Throughout the year, we will publish a quarterly update of the events we have planned for The Year of Cross Creek

Upcoming Events for Year of Cross Creek

PAGE 5 VOLUME 20 NUMBER 1 NEWS FROM THE CREEK

LIFETIME MEMBERS

Ginny and Gunter Arndt

Danny and Judy Baker

Sheila Barnes

Catherine Beazley

Diane E. Beck

Roger and Linda Blackburn

Sybil Ann Brennan

Mary W. Bridgman

Dan Cantliffe

Ginger Carter

Norma Davis

Patricia Ann Davis

Sheila Dickison

John and Balinda Ferree

Sue Gaintner

Ordy Greenly

Robert E. Haines

J. C. Harrell

Judith Harris

Candace Henderson

John and Phyllis Holmgren

Roy Hunt

Deanne Clark & William H. Jeter, Jr.

Brenda Keith

Shirley Kiser

Richard Knellinger, P.A.

Angel Kwolek-Folland

Murray Laurie

Shirley Lucas

Michaelyn Luttge

Colleen, Frank and Lana Mahoney

Janet Matthews

Ruth Maughan

Philip S. May, Jr.

Judith McFadden and Ilene Nathanson

Mary Lisa McGaughran

Robert D. McReynolds

Eleanor and Andy Merritt

Elinor N. Midgette

W.L. Miller

James R. Nici

Rebecca Nullier

Alan Palmer

Spence Perry

John Henry & Margaret Anne Pierce

Liz Pooley

Dana Preu

A.L. Rhinehart

Art & Edda Ross

Shirley and Pierre Thompson

M. List Underwood, Jr.

Pamela Lydick Whiting

Colleen Whitlock

Barbara Wingo

Corporate Members

Alachua Conservation Trust

Blue Highway Restaurant

Horseless Carriage Club of America

Mansbridge Editing & Transcription

Flo Turcotte and Dr. Kevin McCarthy at his presentation at our kick-off event in January

A Writers Life:

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and

Women Writers Today

Thursday, April 13, 2017 - Matheson History Museum - 6pm

The Matheson History Museum, Friends of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm,

and The University of Florida’s George A. Smathers Libraries are honored to wel-

come an esteemed group of women authors to discuss Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’s

impact on women writers today. This free event will take place on Thursday, April

13, and will be held at the Matheson. The evening will feature award-winning authors

Susan Cerulean, Lola Haskins and Dr. Leslie Kemp Poole. This program coincides

with the Matheson’s current exhibition, “River of Dreams: The St. Johns and its

Springs,” which runs until June 24, 2017. Florence Turcotte, Friends board member

and Literary Manuscripts Archivist at UF’s George A. Smathers Libraries, noted,

“We all find solace, insight, and inspiration in Rawlings’s writing. I’m looking forward

to hearing from these three women about how they found their own voices by listen-

ing to Rawlings.”

Susan Cerulean is an award-winning writer, naturalist, and activist. Her works

include Coming to Pass: Florida’s Coastal Islands in a Gulf of Change, Tracking Desire: A Journey after Swallow-tailed Kites, Unspoiled: Writers Speak for Flor-

ida’s Coast, and Between Two Rivers: Stories from the Red Hills to the Gulf.

Lola Haskins is an award-winning author and poet. Her works include How Small, Confronting Morning, The Grace to Leave, and Strange Tales Unearthed.

She often collaborates with musicians, dancers, and visual artists. Her poetry has

been published widely, including in The Atlantic, London Review of Books, and

The New York Quarterly.

Dr. Leslie Kemp Poole is an award-winning historian, Assistant Professor of En-

vironmental Studies at Rollins College, and the author of Maitland and Saving

Florida: Women’s Fight for the Environment in the Twentieth Century. In 2008

she appeared in the PBS documentary In Marjorie's Wake which retraced a

1933 trip on the St. Johns River taken by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

Presort

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Membership Information Membership in the Friends of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Farm, Inc.

We invite you to join or renew your membership in the Citizen Support Organiza-

tion (CSO) for the MKR Historic State Park. Friends of the Marjorie Kinnan

Rawlings Farm, Inc., is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax

deductible. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be

obtained from the Florida Division of Consumer Services by calling 1-800-435-

7352 (toll-free within Florida). Registration does not imply endorsement, ap-

proval, or recommendation by the State.

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