Monday, November 30, 2009

Training for growers & gardeners

Fertility and Weed Management Workshop, a workshop for professional and hobby growers, will be held from 9:30 to noon on Tuesday (December 1) at the Neosho Crowder campus.

The free workshop will cover preplant fertility management (how to build great soil), the use of poultry litter and compost, mulching for weed control and the effective use of herbicides.

The workshop is sponsored by the University of Missouri Extension and the Webb City Farmers Market. It will be held on the second floor of the Arnold Farber Building, 601 Laclede.

Hmong translation will be provided.

For information, call 417 483-8139.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Holiday Market

The Holiday Market is Wednesday, November 25th - that's this week!

We'll be at the Clubhouse, 115 North Madison, from 11 to 1. And we'll have a crowd of vendors there:

Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Bread Company
Black Forest House Pastries
Old World Staff of Life Breads
Amos Apiaries - local honey and honey products
Sunny Lane Farm - all-natural beef, lamb and chicken
Hillside Farm - garlic (all decked out for the holidays!)
Organic Way Farms - produce, jams, jellies
Shoal Creek Garden and Greenhouse - high tunnel tomatoes and cucumbers
Vang Farms - produce
Xiong Farms - produce
Fairhaven Farm - produce, jams, jellies, hand crafted furniture (& Carrole hopes to be there after a long illness)

Be sure to take this opportunity to truly celebrate the harvest at Thanksgiving with produce and products from your neighbors. & don't forget - keep an eye out for gifts.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

News from our vendors

Nancy Rasmussen of Sunny Lane Farms tells me they have raised some extra large roasting chickens for the holidays. If you want a 4+ pound pastured chicken, be sure to stop by her space during market on November 20 - or give her a call at 417 637-2001.

Marlee's Creamery has opened an on-farm store. It's open MONDAY - SUNDAY 6a.m. - 8a.m. AND 6p.m. - 8p.m. Those may seem like strange store hours, but since the store is in the dairy barn, it makes sense to be open while milking is going on. Get directions to the creamery by emailing: marleecreamery@live.com

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Can't wait two weeks til the next market?

You don't have to!

My mother was telling me tonight that she has already devoured almost the whole pie she bought from Hazel's Bakery on Friday. "It was the best apple pie I have ever eaten," she said. High praise coming from a lady with extensive pie eating experience. That pie must have been pretty darn tasty. (That's Kay above with one of her grandsons.)

Both Hazel's Bakery and Black Forest Pastries do special orders. And many of their products freeze well, so you can order enough to tide you over till next market on November 20. You'll find their phone numbers in the column at right.

Also, if you're running short of fresh veggies, try Fredrickson Farms over in Carl Junction. They have winter squash, kale, leeks and several other cool weather crops. They also have herbs plants. Call Tami at 417 439-6141 for a run down of what they're harvesting, their hours and directions.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Winter Market

What a wonderful winter market we had today - sunny, if windy, lots of vendors, lots of customers(That's Tim Green decked out in his winter wear selling tomatoes from his high tunnel).

Jamey Smith's toasted flat bread was delicious, Fairhaven Gardens quickly sold out of their handcrafted cedar benches, Sunny Lane Farms lamb sold like hot cakes, the music was wonderful, lots of fresh veggies and baked goods. Marlee's Creamery arrived in a delightful antique milk truck. Organic Way Farms tells me that their kitchen has been certified so look for pickled beets, pickles and sour kraut from them soon!

The next market is Friday, November 20. See you then!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Free Pinecones

We'll have free pine cones at the information table at the market on Friday. Bring a sack and help yourself. Thanks to Rae & Joan Letsinger for providing them.

Annual Market Awards

Each year, at our annual Vendor/Volunteer Harvest Dinner, the market presents two awards.

The first, the coveted Golden Washrag, recognizes a vendor who has made a signficant contri- bution to the market.

The name of the award refers to the help that vendors provide in set up and take down. The most noticeable of those tasks is the wiping off of tables and benches. The winner of this year's Golden Washrag is Nancy Rasmussen, our chicken, beef & lamb rancher. Nancy organized and managed our Winter Market last year. Perhaps, even more impressive is that she kept the restrooms at the market clean and stocked all year. Now that's going way beyond the call of duty!

The second award is the Market Champion of the Year, given to a non-market vendor who has made a significant contribution to the success of the market. Last year the recepient was Donna Krudwig who ramrods Cooking for a Cause for the market. This year the award went to parks director Tom Reeder for his role in facility improvements at the market. Tom recognized the need for safer and sounder pavilions and last winter encouraged the park board to undertake strengthening the structures, the addition of the center pavilion, new roofing (which was done by city workers) and the installation of concrete floors (the concrete material costs were funded by the Perry Foundation). Tom also arranged for and supervised all the work. These efforts were particularly noteworthy after the May windstorm that probably would have taken down the pavilions had they not been reinforced and by the dramatic increase in the number of wheel chairs, walkers and strollers in the pavilions this year.

Our thanks and congratulations to Nancy and Tom.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Wow - Winter Market has lots of good stuff!

This Friday, 11 to 2, under the pavilions will be our first Winter Market & the forecast is for warm and sunny! & we have some new products that folks have been wanting:

Marlee's Creamery will have raw milk. They are a Grade A dairy licensed by the state milk board.

Sunny Lane Farms has added lamb to their selection of grass fed beef and pastured poultry. It's available by the piece or whole.

Jamey Smith will be toasting up slices of Greek and cheese flat bread at the market for lunch during winter market.

Amos Apiaries will be at the market this Friday, as will many of our growers and bakers.

Fredrickson Farms will be back after taking a month off to run their pumpkin tours. They'll have pumpkins, leeks, winter squash, herb plants like thyme, oregano and parsley for your winter kitchen window. In honor of the pretty weather, Tami will have a pumpkin painting table for kids at her stand.

Since the weather is supposed to be nice, we've asked Lee Ann and Jack Sours to add music to the mix this Friday, so come enjoy a super Winter Market.