"While scouring social media in search of stories of Yooper hospitality, a number of people responded and asked if I was aware of what Elmer's County Market (a grocery store in Escanaba) does for visiting high school football teams when they travel to Escanaba for a game or match. Apparently, Elmer's feeds the entire team and coaching staff food from their deli. Obviously, this is incredibly hospitable and generous of the folks at Elmer's, and very worthy of mention here.

Elmer Dagenais opened his first grocery store in 1945. Since then, Elmer's has remained a family owned business dedicated to serving the community of Escanaba. Mike Dagenais, the current President of Elmer's began feeding long distance opposing football teams eleven years ago and is proud to continue that today. Elmer's is able to do this with the help of the Escanaba Fan Club.

Dagenais said he began doing this over a decade ago when his son was a freshman on the Escanaba football team. The 'Eskymos' had played a game out of town and the team wasn't able to get any food after the game. Dagenais was not happy about his son and his son's teammates having to go hungry, so he decided he would not let that happen to teams who traveled long distances to play his son's team.

A new tradition was bom in Escanaba. One that Eskymo opponents are sure to appreciate for years to come, thanks to Elmer's County Market and the Escanaba Fan Club."

“Joey and I have chickens and ducks. We live on the outskirts of town, so that's allowed where we are. Joey works pretty much all day, so I'm here with the babe. There is a man who has been pulling into our driveway, not knocking or anything, but dropping off a bag each time. It's always food for our chickens in the bags. Never got a chance to get his name or phone number to really thank him. But people do that kind of thing around here.”

Based and barter-pilled:

"Most of us are familiar with the concept of bartering. In the U.P., it's oftentimes a way of life. In fact, my wife and I have done far more bartering in our time here than we have in our entire lives in Florida. Again, we've been here less than three years."

This book was truly a joy to read.

If you enjoyed any of these stories, please consider picking up a copy.

"Whenever you see another person exercising authority in a public post, set against that the fact that you can do without a public post; when you see another person living in wealth, look to what you have instead of that. For if you have nothing in place of it, you’re wretched indeed; but if you’re capable of not having need of wealth, know that you have more than he does, and something of much greater value. Another man has a beautiful wife; you have the power not to wish for a beautiful wife. Do you think these are small matters? And yet how much would those very men who are rich and powerful, and have beautiful wives, give to be able to despise riches and power, and those women whom they love and win? Don’t you know what kind of thirst one feels when one has a fever? It bears no resemblance to that of a healthy person. A healthy person takes a drink and his thirst is quenched, but the other, after some short relief, feels sick, turns the water into bile, vomits, suffers from colic, and feels much thirstier than before. It is much the same to have wealth and yet feel a strong desire for that very thing, or have power and yet desire it, or pass one’s nights with a beautiful woman and yet lust for her. To which may be added jealousy, and the fear of losing what one has, and shameful words, shameful thoughts, and improper deeds."

Epictetus, Discourses

Nice try, fed