Last week I told you about our pilot WIC
program. How it helped expectant and new moms and their children under 5 buy
$10 worth of market fruits and vegetables, milk and eggs once a week. How the
moms were tremendously appreciative and how response was so robust that we
exhausted our funding from Empty Bowls in just two months.
Well, the market WIC program is back. Soroptimist
International of Joplin gave the market $2,000 yesterday to continue the
program. The grant will add $2,000 to our farmers’ sales while improving the
diets of young low-income families.
Since 1937, Soroptimist International of
Joplin has focused on improving the lives of women and girls in the community
and throughout the world. This group of businesswomen raises funds for their
projects by selling nuts and candies in the fall (want to order? Just come by the information desk, you’ll
likely see a Soroptimist member volunteering there) and by hosting a comedy
event in the spring. One of their biggest projects is Camp Soroptimist which is
a week-long summer camp for Jasper County foster children.
It’s been a funny year for corn. We were
buried in it Saturday. So much so that Fredrickson Farm donated some extra to
the market. We loaded the Free Kids Meal with fresh corn on the cob yesterday. My
friend Edna brought two of her grandchildren visiting from Lee Summit to supper
and as they left I asked how they liked it. The older granddaughter responded “I
loved it!” The younger grandson, “I
hated it!” “Oh,” I said, “you don’t like
corn on the cob.” “Yuck,” he responded. Then
Edna said, “Good thing you told me. I was just going to buy some to take home.” The grandson looked stricken. “I didn’t mean
it. I didn’t mean it!” Proving once
again that orneriness doesn’t also pay.
The melons have also been wonderful. I was at
KSN yesterday doing a live cooking segment and also taping one for next week. Both
featured melon recipes. One was a simple three melon dish, watermelon,
cantaloupe and honey dew, with chopped mint and tossed in lime juice. The
other, which will air next Tuesday, was fancier – honey dew and watermelon with
lemon juice, diced jalapeno and thinly sliced onion, drizzled with a lime and
honey dressing and topped with shrimp.
Carol and I admitted to each other as we set
up that we really preferred melon cut and chilled without all the fancy
additions, but I have to say both dishes were delicious. And I’m pretty sure I
wouldn’t be asked back if I tried to do one cooking segment that consisted of
just cutting up melons, much less two.
Don’t dally on picking your melons up. While
they will still be in season for over a month, the best ones are being harvested
now.
Tomorrow, the Free Kids Meal will be beef soft
tacos, lunch box pepper strips, cherry tomatoes, a slice of watermelon, and
milk.
The Webb City Police Department will hold
their last free fingerprinting session of the year from 11 to 1.
Stewart’s Bakery will have barbecued chicken,
potato salad and pasta salad for $6. The Pommerts will perform.
Big news for Saturday! Amos Apiaries will be at the market with honey and SO WILL Marlee's Creamery!
On Saturday, the Free Kids Meal is biscuit and gravy, market fruit, and milk.
On Saturday, the Free Kids Meal is biscuit and gravy, market fruit, and milk.
Stewart’s Bakery is taking the day off. The
Sassy Salad Gals will have smoked chicken on a green salad and fruit salad for
$5 each.
Cooking for a Cause benefits CROPwalk which is
a national hunger walk sponsored locally by area churches. One-quarter of the
money raised stays local, supporting such organizations as Crosslines,
Lafayette House and Children’s Haven. The rest of the funds go around the world
to assist refugees and areas suffering chronic poverty. The breakfast is served
from 9 to 11. As always, you can eat well while helping others.
Scott Eastman will play from 9 to 11.
Tuesday is the last day for the Free Kids Meal.
It will be beef nachos, market fruit and veggies and milk.
Stewart’s Bakery will serve something tasty. Just
Jake & Corky will be on the market stage.
The market will move to its fall schedule in
September which means that August 31 will be our last Thursday market. In the
meantime, we’ll have tons of good things for you, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday. See you at the market!
