At least, that’s what his new hat and coffee cup proclaim.
“I just got these in the mail,” he said, showing off his new gear, a gift from a relative.
He’s standing in the back of his IGA grocery story in Rock Cave, and there’s a life-size stuffed groundhog staring in his direction from the top of a refrigerator case across the room. Then there are all the images of the cute little critters on his store website and weekly ads.
Clearly, he’s fascinated with them. So any confusion from visitors might be understandable.
But Hawkins said his famous “ground hog” sausage, and the huge annual “ground hog” sale timed to run through — you guessed it — Groundhog Day — is simply a play on words.
It’s “ground hog,” as in pig, not “groundhog.”
Get it? Apparently, many don’t.
“We had one guy two years ago that came up from Braxton County about two weeks after the sale was over, and he said ‘You got any more of that groundhog sausage?’ I said, ‘Yes, right there in the case, just like you bought on Groundhog Day, and he said, ‘Boy, I’m glad because this is the only store you can find it in.’”
The name even sparked the interest of television host Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods, who visited Hawkins in 2012.
“I took him groundhog hunting,” Hawkins said.
The experience was a bit of a throwback to Hawkins’ childhood.
“When I was growing up, any time we’d kill a groundhog my mother would fix it,” he said. “She’d boil it, roll it in flour and fry it like chicken.”
This year, the annual Ground “Hog” Sausage sale is scheduled to start today and run through Feb. 7. Hawkins has ordered 26,000 pounds of ground pork, a ton and a half more than last year, for the occasion.
“Last year, we sold 23,488 pounds and ran out at 10 [in the morning] on Saturday,” Hawkins said.
—
--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.
So today was pretty spectacular on Hartwell. Hope you all had an equally great, or greater, day on Lanier ~~~
This is from near the boat ramp at Green Pond Landing
Awesome! We have a policy of never measuring fun. Anyway, how could we outdo "pretty spectacular"?
Thanks for sharing the stoke (and pic) with us.
We live in the age of analytics. Measuring and quantifying fun, that is to say putting a number on it is important. After all, numbers are the only thing we can count on.
—
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
I'm in, Old Federal, Sunday, maybe Saturday and Monday too.
Gene
Gene Mathis
I'll be down the road Sunday. Saturday may have conflict
I’ll be at Old Fed either Sat or Sun
PM me if you want to try a board you can stand on instead of the Flow.
Haha I’ve got my longboard as well. The flow was more of an uphauling experiment.. I won’t be bringing it this time
Who's bringing the sausage biscuits? It's Ground Hog Day!
Apparently I lead a sheltered life unaware of the many things going on Sunday for which I care little
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/life/rock-cave-grocer-gets-grinding-for-ground-hog-day/article_92697e66-3aa7-5bed-ada6-304ddd14da26.html
--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.
Dot forecast just kicked up for Sat and Sun. That's interesting... Of course, as soon as the janitor kicks the NWS server, it'll all go away.
I hear the wind sirens calling. It looks like I'll have to try to get out of a Sunday event. NW 15-25 & warm - that hard to resist.
Barrett
--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.
With wind at 260º, I'm going to LLSC at ~2. Gate should open when you pull up to it or use 0152
Thanks! I was just pondering where to launch.
Barrett
I'm in! Thanks, Chris!
Langdon and I are in at the SAILING CLUB, Thanks Chris.
Gene
Gene Mathis
So today was pretty spectacular on Hartwell. Hope you all had an equally great, or greater, day on Lanier ~~~
This is from near the boat ramp at Green Pond Landing
Langdon
Awesome! We have a policy of never measuring fun. Anyway, how could we outdo "pretty spectacular"?
Thanks for sharing the stoke (and pic) with us.
could I get away with “spectacularly pretty” ? That’s what I really meant.
Good day
zzholt
Love the pic! That's a funny looking sail but it works.
I was totally foxed on how my front foot could be so forward but I guess I was jibing?
We live in the age of analytics. Measuring and quantifying fun, that is to say putting a number on it is important. After all, numbers are the only thing we can count on.
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
webguy
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