Dinner Bell celebrates second anniversary with new products

The farm-to-table movement has been growing in popularity over the last decade. The mission is to provide families with more healthy choices and the knowledge of where their food was raised and processed.

Leon Esh, owner of The Dinner Bell in Flemingsburg, has entered into an agreement with two area farmers to supply such products to his store.

"I have been interested for awhile in bringing local meats to the store," said Esh.

That opportunity recently became available.

"At this time we are only going to offer sausage, bacon, chops and loins," Esh said. "These will be frozen products."

Esh explained that it is not feasible to offer fresh meats at The Dinner Bell all the time as meats have a "sell by" date which limits their shelf life.

"However, we will get feedback from our customers and periodically offer fresh," said Esh, who added that patrons can ask about the next fresh order or check for signs posted in the store.

To give customers a "taste" of the new offerings and to celebrate the store's second anniversary, The Dinner Bell will be grilling sausage on the porch of the store on Friday, April 16. Breakfast sandwiches will be available to the first 100 customers.

"After that we will offer a taste (of the sausage) until lunch or until we run out," Esh added.

In time sausage choices will be varied. Customers will be able to select from mild, hot, sage or traditional blends.

In case potential customers are interested, the first two groups involved in this farm-to-table partnership are Sunny Pastures of Mercer County and Misty Morn Farm of Fleming County. Sunny Pastures, owned by David Sensenig, offers free-range, grass-fed pork with no GMOs. Misty Morn's hogs are raised in a conventional method, corn-fed, no GMOs, antibody and hormone-free. Ben Peachey owns Misty Morn farm.

"They (the farms) are offering leaner meat with superb taste," said Esh. "Both farms use USDA facilities for processing but use the farms' own recipes."

The introduction of local meat products to The Dinner Bell's inventory is part of the business' second anniversary celebration.

"It's been an exciting two years," Esh said. "I've learned a lot."

Esh was drawn to the retail business. Six brothers and sisters were already "in the business" and "the business" was a constant topic of discussion in the family.

When it was decided that Fleming County "needed a bulk food store," Esh began to look at property, check land prices and investigate traffic patterns and flows. The research led him to 1532 Maysville Road in Flemingsburg where he built his store.

It was easy for Esh to address the question of his store's strengths.

"We have a good deli. It is our strongest strength," Esh replied.

Also listed as draws to The Dinner Bell were reasonable prices for flour, sugar, spices and other bulk foods.

Many visitors to the store would also list the Amish-made breads, pies, cakes and cookies as the reason they make the trip to The Dinner Bell.

And the store is ever-changing. Esh mentioned the addition of gluten-free and organic items as well as house wares and poly furniture. The future might also provide the opportunity for grass-fed beef products.

The Anniversary Celebration is set for April 15-16. There will be specials throughout the store including a deli sale and five percent off the front porch furniture.

Since April 16 is also Little League Day, the Dinner Bell will sell Little League players two bologna sandwiches for $4 and give a free ice cream sandwich with that purchase.

The Dinner Bell is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.