living our sweet midwest life

From “too much social talking” to podcast host.

Welcome to Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens podcast, a show for people who embrace the warm and cozy spirit of everyday living in the Midwest. Whether you cook, bake, or have food delivery on speed dial, everyone has a comforting recipe or story to share. We bake cookies for our kids’ hockey teams and bring cheesy hash browns to funerals. Lefse and krumkake are in our DNA. Candy bars and apples make a salad. We’ll ditch work for a lake day, drive an hour for an old-fashioned bakery, and don wool mittens at -20°F and shorts once it’s 50°F. 

Junking Angels and Vintage Finds: Meet Sharon Hohler of Homeless Treasures, Tracy, MN Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens

If you’ve ever found joy in a perfectly rusted garden gate, an old Pyrex bowl like Grandma’s, or the thrill of repurposing a forgotten item into something useful again—this episode is for you.In Season 3, Episode 9 of Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens, I head to rural Tracy, Minnesota, to visit with Sharon Hohler, the creative and kind-hearted owner of ⁠Homeless Treasures⁠. Tucked away on an acreage just south of town, Homeless Treasures is a vintage wonderland filled with antiques, oddities, DIY-ready furniture, and Sharon’s signature charm.Sharon shares how her passion for old things—and the people who love them—turned a simple Father’s Day weekend yard sale into a thriving seasonal business that’s now in its 14th year. She talks about the “junking angels” who helped her along the way, the stories that shoppers bring with them, and the magic of seeing an old item reimagined in a brand-new way.We also chat about our emotional attachments to belongings and the one item her husband says she cannot bring home anymore. And, of course, Sharon shares three of her favorite recipes, including the giant banana muffins she perfected after giving up on banana bread.Whether you're a DIY enthusiast, a vintage collector, or just someone who appreciates a good story and a quirky treasure, you’ll love this heartwarming conversation with Sharon Hohler of Homeless Treasures in Tracy, MN.Homeless Treasures, Sharon Hohler ownerFacebook: ⁠Homeless Treasures⁠ 1964 230th Ave., rural Tracy/Currie507-227-1198antiques, vintage, furniture, unique treasuresHost and Producer, Staci Mergenthal⁠RandomSweets.com⁠#ourSweetMidwestLifeWebsite ⁠randomsweets.com⁠Instagram ⁠@potatoesandmittens⁠Instagram ⁠@randomsweets⁠Facebook: ⁠Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens⁠Facebook ⁠Random Sweets⁠Pinterest ⁠@staciperry⁠Email: ⁠staci@randomsweets.com⁠ 
  1. Junking Angels and Vintage Finds: Meet Sharon Hohler of Homeless Treasures, Tracy, MN
  2. Fishing, Foraging and Exploring: Midwestern Alice’s Alaskan Adventures
  3. Leah Rodriguez’s Magical Oven and How Joy, Faith, and Family Rise Together
  4. Whirlygigs and Watermelon Pickles: Keeping Family Traditions Alive with Stacy Brallier
  5. Cooking Without Loving It: Inherited Recipes from the Heart with Amanda Runia
  6. Sweet Generosity: Local Impact of the Lake Campbell Lutheran Church Cookie Walk
  7. Harvesting Holiday Spirit: 70 Seasons of Traditions at Krueger’s Christmas Tree Farm
  8. The Meatery MN: Connecting Meathusiasts Directly with Farmers
  9. Vineyard Visionary: Jim Schade of Schadé Vineyard & Winery on Pouring Connections and Pioneering a State Industry
  10. Frosting the Heart: For Goodness Cakes Twin Cities Chapter