Wolf Creek

   

 With our freezer breaking down a week ago and a new one coming into the house I have been working all week to get it filled up.

I had to make a special trip for Chicken and the best place

 I know to score awesome chicken is the

Wolf Creek Colony.

Photo below are of the eggs I picked up at the same time...

 So why the heck is she sharing this you ask?

When I travel to the colony I pass the family homestead

and this story comes to mind:

"One winter the snow was very deep all winter.  It was impossible to make a trip to Yankton by ox team.  They (Peter Adrian family)  ran out of flour, so Jacob Adrian and his brother (possibly Heinrich or Peter) tied three feet boards to their shoes and pulling a hand sled, they started across the prairie to the colony 18 miles away.  Wolf Creek Colony.  This trip took two days."

From Sarah Adrian Ratzlaff

2 days, 18 miles in deep snow.  I am worn out just thinking about that trek.

In 2013 I  hopped in my truck and arrived at the colony about 20 minutes later.

Truthfully if I had to strap boards on my feet and pull a sled through deep snow I would not make it to the end of our driveway;)

I am so blessed to have strong ancestors that paved the way for my generation and beyond.

If you are in the area and have not tried the colony chickens, eggs and Watermelon
you must take the adventure to 

Wolf Creek.

 I guarantee you will enjoy.

Photo below is an immigrant couple using a hand sled

Directions to Wolf Creek from Sioux Falls SD and Monroe SD.

Follow the purple path if you are coming from Sioux Falls.

The blue path is from my home in Monroe to the colony.  

However, I do not go through Marion  as the computer plotted

I take the Dolton/Monroe oil road, 269th Street to 81.

My GG Grandfathers homestead talked about in the family history snippet is located 1/2 mile North of Silver Lake (marked by the star on the map).

The Adrian Family cemetery is located 1/2 mile north from the house.

During the said tough winter in the story above this photo below shows the homestead claim house.

Second photo shows the house that was built in 1894.

A few more views:

Address,  phone numbers and directions to
Wolf Creek Colony:

Wolf Creek

42906 Colony Rd, Olivet, SD 57052
Industry: 605 925-4868 
Switchboard: 605 925-4850
**If you are making a special trip that does not coordinate with butchering days call ahead.

 Hudderite fashion today:

 Mennonite fashion today:

Wolf Creek Colony is a Hudderite Colony.

The main difference in Hudderite and Mennonite is Hudders live communally while my ancestors of Mennonite faith

independently owned homesteads and secured their own individual wealth. 

Gott Saajne!

Wareneki (Cottage Cheese Pockets)

Photo credit

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Wareneki

Also known as:

Varenikje (Cottage Cheese Dumplings)

Shootenkruflin

Pierogi (Russian)

 

Here is some history on this little treat from 
Mennonite Foods and Folkways from South Russia by Norma Jost Voth.

(Link is in my sidebar.)

Often the words Varenikje, Perogi and Phrohy are used interchangeably among Mennonites.  However, there is a difference as both Mary Dirks Janzen and Gerhard Lohrenz point out.

Varenikje comes from the word varitj (Russian), which means to boil, and Perogi means to bake.

Varenikje are boiled and fried in butter or bacon drippings.
I have yet to uncover Shootenkruflin.  If anyone knows the history of this word I would love to know.

In Herman Rempel's Low German Dictionary and in many Russian Mennonite cookbooks, varenyky or Varenikje has been Low Germanized to Wrenikje or Wreninkje and Wareneki.

 Dough:

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 cups flour

1 egg white

1 cup sour cream

Combine all dry ingredients, stir in egg white and sour cream, knead until smooth, refrigerate for 1 hour, roll out onto slightly floured surface, cut into circles.

Cottage Cheese Filling:

2 cups dry cottage cheese

1 egg  yolk

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix well.

Bierock Filling (Runza) with mushrooms and Swiss cheese

2 pounds ground beef

1 large onion finely chopped

1 can sour kraut

finely chopped mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon pepper

shredded Swiss cheese

Here is a pic of my version runza style with mushrooms and swiss cheese...

Frying in bacon drippings.

I prefer to use this over butter for the meat filled Wareneki.

However, butter rules for the cheese pockets...

Assembly:

Take your filling of choice and place on one side of your circle.

If you are using my Bierock version top the filling with Swiss Cheese.

Fold dough over the filling and pinch the edges closed.

Boil in salted water until the Wareneki float to the top.

Remove and drain.

Fry the boiled pockets in butter or bacon drippings until golden brown.

You can eat them right out of the fry pan or top them with gravy.  Either way you are in for some YUMMY goodness;)

Wareneki Gravy Topping

1/4 cup butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Crispy fried bacon

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt butter and stir in the whipping cream, bacon and pepper.

Bring to a low boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Works best for boiling if the Wareneki is chilled.

These freeze wonderfully in a non cooked state.

My go to cookbook on my Family Heritage recipes.

I own all of these if you are in the area and wish to borrow one that would be great.

However, if you are not the links are posted in my sidebar...

Mennonite Girls can cook is a great website for ethnic GMR foods.

 I HIGHLY recommend these cookbooks.  They are the best of the best out there.