The four-day MEA weekend is a Minnesota tradition. A holiday without the stress and busy schedule of an actual holiday. By the time everyone rolled out of bed Thursday morning, I was heavily gauging interest in a day trip. Two of my boys took the bait. Joseph, David and I loaded up and headed west.

By mid-morning, we pulled into the market at Malmo on the northeast side of Mille Lacs. I topped off the gas tank in the Big Blue Lund as Joseph and David ran inside to gather armfuls of sugar- and meat-based products to get them through the day.

I made my way into the store and headed straight...