MADISON, Wis.— Still looking for a Valentine's Day gift? How about a smattering of the best treats Wisconsin has to offer?
Something Special From Wisconsin is doing its Boxes of Fun program again for the holiday.
The idea started in November and December: It's a box full of products grown and made in Wisconsin. Now there are six different boxes available for Valentines Day.
“It really provides a unique way to sample a lot of projects from Wisconsin,” said Krista Kniggie, an agriculture development administrator with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
The Something Special From Wisconsin program runs through DATCP. During the Box of Fun pilot program last December, they sold more than 300 of them around the state and country.
“With that success, we decided to do another one for Valentines Day,” Kniggie said.
The boxes include things like dried cranberries, sheeps milk lotion, chocolate dipped potato chips, and a whole lot more. All from local businesses and with local agriculture.
“Each dollar that is spent, is an investment not only in a local business, but in Wisconsin's economy,” Kniggie said.
Dollars that go to businesses like Ugly Apple Cafe in Madison, which participated in the December Box of Fun and is making "Apple Straps" for this box.
“It was great, it really really helped,” said Laurel Burleson, Ugly Apple's owner.
Ugly Apple Cafe buys what's called 'seconds' from local apple orchards, they're the apple that don't look as pretty as the ones sold raw, but are still good to be baked into treats (like Paczk, a traditional Polish Mardis Gras treat).
Ugly Apple Cafe sells products at Christine's Kitchen, along with several other chefs — many of whom also participate in Boxes of Fun. Burleson said businesses and restaurants are particularly looking for customers this time of year.
“Early in the year January, February, is tough typically for food producers and especially restaurants, but having this kind of a little push really helps small businesses for sure,” Burleson said.
Especially as they can turn around and buy from local farms.
“You've got to keep supporting these farmers and growers and producers because if it goes away, it goes away forever and we need to keep it to keep what's special about this,” Burleson said.
The Valentines Day boxes of fun are available online until midnight on Saturday.