Webb City Sentinel column - 7/1/11

It’s Fourth of July weekend and that means the market will be extra busy. In fact, it’s usually our busiest weekend of the year because:

Folks are loading up for family eating. There’ll be barbecues and family meals galore for the next three days.

Most of the farms are producing large quantities of produce right now

And, our most popular produce – tomatoes, sweet corn and peaches – are coming in season. It’s the beginning of high season when the amount and variety of produce explodes at the market.

I’m still doing some catch up after having been gone for three weeks. I’ve been off in Australia welcoming my granddaughter, Madeleine Elise, to the world – and enjoying the mild winter weather of Perth. (You know it never gets very cold if five foot tall tree ferns are growing by the front door.) Coming back to a Missouri summer has been a bit of a shock.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the columns written by Carolyn Foate while I was away. I know that I did. Carolyn is a dedicated market customer and quite the cook, and, as it turns out, a very good writer as well.

We’ve had a number of farmers come in during my absence. Braker Farm, who originally came to us some years ago as a blueberry farm, has expanded in a big way to sweet corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Shanks Farms is back for the first time in many years with garden produce, including some gorgeous big onions. Marlee’s Creamery is back on Fridays after a brief absence due to family illness. Panhia Vang returned to the market after more than a year’s absence. Panhia was well-known in the past for her copious supply of beautiful green beans.

Agee’s will be at the market Friday with their flavored vinegars and herb blends.
Broken Wire Ranch will have the pepper roaster at the market today and tomorrow.
Sarah Becker, Extension horticulturist from Lincoln University will be at the market today to answer gardening questions. I know many of my growers will be glad to see her. Apparently the Japanese beetles have attacked in full force while I was gone.
Lunch today is just right for this hot weather: Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, macaroni salad, oriental Cole slaw, cake and drink for $6 with a vegetarian luncheon salad for $4. Jack and Lee Ann Sours play traditional music.

Tomorrow we open at 9 am with breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs to order and fresh local tomatoes. Central United Methodist Church is providing the volunteers and donating the profits to Crosslines.

The week of Fourth of July is the market’s week to support our regional food and clothing pantry so Cooking for a Cause on Tuesday will also benefit Crosslines. That day we have a combination of volunteers from Central UMC and from Pathways United Methodist in Alba.

Ron Brown (who has handled the faith page at the Joplin Globe for years) will be at the market Saturday morning selling the Globe. He’ll have Saturday’s edition for 75 cents and last Sunday’s for $1.75. Rich will also have copies of J magazine for sale. The magazine, which just came out, has an excellent review of the tornado and recovery. Part of the proceeds from Rich’s sales at the market will go towards the tornado recovery effort.

What could be better this weekend than homemade ice cream? Here’s a recipe from ehow.com especially for raw milk which it declares is perfect because the cream that rises to the top of the bottle can be skimmed and used in the ice cream.

3 cup raw milk
3 cups heavy cream
2 whole vanilla beans
4 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine the milk and cream in a 2-quart saucepan and mix well. With a paring knife, slice the vanilla beans in half lengthwise. Scrape out the inside of the beans and stir the insides and the pods into the cream mixture. Over medium heat bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.

Combine the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a small bowl. With a mixer, beat several minutes until smooth and pale yellow in color.

Remove and discard the vanilla bean pods from the milk/cream mixture. Remove one cup of the hot mixture. While mixing at low speed, very slowly add the one cup of hot milk/cream to the egg mixture. Once completely combined, pour the egg mixture into the cream mixture in the sauce pan and mix thoroughly.

Cook the combined mixture at medium-low heat stirring constantly. To test for readiness, take a stainless steel spoon and dip it inside the bowl. When the mixture is thick enough to coat the spoon, it is done. Place the cooked mixture into another bowl and chill completely.

Complete the ice cream in the ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Then call me and I’ll be right over.

Cash & Checks only at the market till further notice

Due to a malfunction of the machine which processes the credit/debit/EBT cards, the Market will only be able to do transactions with Cash until further notice. Tokens may be bought at the information table with checks. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Webb City Sentinel Column for 6/24/11

Shop and Be Merry!

“Once you’ve been to the Webb City Market, every other market is a disappointment,” stated a gentleman at the market last Friday. So true—it’s a musical, edible, cross-cultural celebration, and the place to be! An adventure, an experience, a treat … right here in our own backyards!
The scope and quality of the Webb City Farmer’s Market is truly remarkable. Eat a delicious lunch or breakfast, sip on lemonade or a smoothie, listen to wonderful music, and shop for locally grown or produced products. The market offers an incredible array of vegetables, fruit, plants, bread, eggs, cheese, meat, pastries, coffee, honey and more.
Even the hours of our market are ideal! 11 a.m. -2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays. 9 a.m. – noon on Saturdays. Where I previously lived, the market opened at 6:30 a.m. and if you didn’t get there right away, the produce would be sold out! Factoring in the 30 minutes drive, I had to get up by 5:30 a.m. to enjoy this Saturday-only market.

Then there are our market’s extremely low prices --many bundles of vegetables are only $1 and those bundles are very generous! When you think about the time spent planting, weeding, watering, picking, churning or baking, you realize that market prices are a real steal.
On Friday, June 24, while enjoying the bluegrass music of Bailed Green and Wired Tight, you can have a lunch of oven-fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, brownies, a drink for $6 or a luncheon salad for $4.
On Saturday, June 25, while the Red Bridge Trio performs, the Temple Association will serve breakfast with proceeds going to the Webb City Cerebral Palsy Center.

Join us for Cooking for a Cause on Tuesday, June 28, and lunch will be provided by the Ronald McDonald house. Rob Pommert will again share his guitar virtuosity.

Peaches have arrived, and gorgeous tomatoes are plentiful!! Here are a couple of recipes that take advantage of the luscious fruit currently available at the market:

Peach Crumble
6 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced
¾ c packed light brown sugar
1 c coarsely crushed cinnamon graham crackers
3 tbsp softened butter
Preheat oven to 375 and coat an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine peaches and brown sugar in the baking dish.
Combine graham crackers and butter in a bowl.
Sprinkle graham cracker topping over peaches and bake 30-35 minutes or until peaches are hot and bubbly. Serve warm with ice cream.

Berry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup fresh or frozen Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries or a combination
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a Bundt pan, cake pan, or 10-inch springform pan; sprinkle pan lightly with sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter at medium speed until creamy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar, mixing well. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well, and then add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; mix thoroughly. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in several increments, mixing well after each addition. Gently stir in the pecans or walnuts and berries.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 40 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Saturday June 18

The repairs to the Trolley tracks have now been completed and the Trolley WILL be running on Saturday. :)

Sentinel column by Carol Foat - 6/17/11

"Half of all the foods you eat should be made up of real food. Food that comes out of the ground looking the way it looks when you eat it." This recent health advice is from TV’s Dr. Oz. Thanks to the Webb City Farmers’ Market, we have that suggestion covered and then some!! Our fabulous market is nothing but “real food” that is the absolute freshest – it’s only a few hours from coming out of the ground. There’s a big new word for farmers’ market shoppers – a locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced close to home. Being a locavore is a challenge in many parts of the country. It’s easy here, thanks to the Webb City Farmers’ Market.

Not only do we enjoy fresh vegetables very early in their season but we also have a selection that beats most markets. We are so fortunate that most every vegetable grows well in Missouri. Thanks to our talented market farmers , we have everything from tomatoes to kohlrabi, bok choy, cilantro, leeks, arugula, baby garlic, Swiss chard, and Asian mustard just to name a few. New items this week are cucumbers and green beans.

Locavores not only shop for vegetables but also eggs, cheese, meat, baked goods, fruit, honey and garden plants. Raspberries, blackberries, and blue berries are now starting to show up at the market.

Our market offers all-natural pork, beef, lamb, chicken and eggs from chickens that have access to grass. Amos Apiaries sells tasty honey and honey-based products. Pick up some cheddar curds, Neufchatel, Monterey Jack, Havarti or mild cheddar from Lomah Farmers. Marilee’s Dairy sells raw milk in pints, half gallons and gallons.

Fairhaven has eggs, jams and jellies while Black Forest House will tempt you with American and European pastries. The selection of artisan breads from Redings Mill and cakes, pies, and fruit breads from Freda Mae’s is fantastic. Pick up some freshly roasted coffee beans from Small Cottage Coffee and you will have completed your grocery shopping for the week!

It’s not too late to purchase lovely herb and vegetable plants for your own garden from Fredrikson’s Farms. While shopping, sip on a smoothie or lemonade from Stella Dolce.

On Friday, June 17, the Gospel Strings will perform. Treat yourself to lunch – meatloaf, au gratin potatoes, green beans, cheese cake, and a drink for only $6. Or have a Luncheon salad for $4.

On Saturday, June 18, Greyhound Pets of America will serve breakfast. Enjoy the music of Center Creek Bluegrass.

The Audubon Society will provide Cooking for a Cause on Tuesday, June 21. The talented Rob Pommert will perform contemporary classics, jazz and classical guitar.

Here are some of my favorite recipes with market ingredients in bold print:

Slow Cooker Tomato Minestrone Soup

3 heads of baby (green) garlic (also the light green part of the shoot) – chopped
6 green onions – chopped
6 c Swiss chard (include the stems) or fresh spinach (leaves only) – coarsely chopped
2 c. celery – chopped
2 tbsp parsley – chopped
1 c. uncooked pasta (any kind)
2 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
4 c. tomato juice
1 qt. water
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 can beans (red or white)

Cook everything in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese when serving.

Versatile Stir Fry

2-3 Tbsp Oil
1/3 c chopped green onion
1 bulb - finely chopped baby (green) garlic (head and light green of shoot)
2 c. coarsely chopped bok choy
1 c. broccoli florets
2-3 c. coarsely chopped Napa Cabbage
1 c. Snow peas (Optional)
2 c. leftover (fully cooked) chicken, pork or beef

1 pkg. Ramen noodles, broken up.

Soak noodles in 1 ½ c hot water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Start stir-frying with onions, garlic, broccoli, then bok choy, cabbage. Add snow peas. Add noodle seasoning packet, 1/8 c water and a splash of soy sauce. Add chunks of meat and Ramen noodles. Cook until meat and noodles are heated through. A super way to use (and stretch) leftover meat and a variety of fresh vegetables.

Remember market hours are 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. on Saturdays.

"Cooking for a Cause"

Thank you to Stone's Throw Dinner Theatre for stepping in to do the Cooking for a Cause on Tuesday June 7, 2011 when there was a cancellation. Volunteers will be making the usual lunch and proceeds will help support the local live dinner theatre venue in Carthage.

Webb City Sentinel Column for June 10, 2011 by Carolyn Foat

How about a taking a quick trip around the world on Friday, Saturday or next Tuesday? No airport hassles or cramped plane seat—just come on over to the Webb City Farmer’s Market! South American coffee beans, scrumptious German pastries, aged European-style cheese, tropical pond plants, breads baked in European-style wood-fired ovens and possibly the largest array of Asian vegetables outside of the West Coast. Add to that dozens of local regional specialties such as honey, raw milk, tomatoes, eggs, jams, pies, heirloom plants, fresh flowers and more…The most amazing part is that all of these international delights are made, grown or processed right here locally!

Enjoy lunch on Friday: lasagna, side salad, garlic bread, chocolate fluff and drink ($6) or a luncheon salad ($4) while enjoying the music of the Granny Chicks.

On Saturday, June 11, the Art Market is our special feature. WC Choir Boosters will serve breakfast. Music will be provided by the Red Bridge Trio from Ozark, MO.

Next Tuesday, June 14, Flag Day, NALA (the adult literacy group) will be providing Cooking for a Cause while Rob Pommert performs.

I’ll be at these markets gathering up a huge variety of vegetables that are so fresh, clean, and perfect they almost look artificial! Newest additions are green beans, summer squash, and celery. This week, I’ll be focusing on gathering the ingredients in the following recipes:

Carrot Soup with Mint
Sauté ½ medium onion, 3 c. sliced carrots, 1 bulb of green (baby) garlic in 2 tbsp of oil (preferably olive or canola) until the vegetables are slightly softened. Move vegetables to your crock pot. Stir in 2 tbsp. flour and slowly add 3 ¼ c. chicken or vegetable stock (bouillon cubes work fine). Mix in ½ c. orange juice. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour/ 2 hours on low, or until the vegetables are very soft. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the slow cooker, or transfer it in batches to a blender. Stir in 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint and salt and pepper to taste. Cook another hour on low. Sprinkle crumbled Lomah Dairy aged cheese on individual servings. Refrigerate leftovers without cheese topping. Delicious reheated.

Impossibly Easy Vegetable Pie
Sauté in a large skillet: 2 tbsp oil, 6 chopped green onions, ½ bulb of green (baby) garlic – finely chopped.
Add 6 c. coarsely chopped spinach leaves and as soon as the spinach wilts, remove from heat.
Mix 1 c. shredded Swiss cheese with the spinach mixture and put in the bottom of a 9” pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Mix together ½ c Bisquick, 1 c. milk, 2 eggs, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill.
Pour Bisquick mixture over the spinach in the pie plate. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Makes a wonderful appetizer, lunch, or breakfast dish. Leftovers taste even better when reheated.

Serve either of the above dishes with a fresh green salad with tomatoes and a big slice of Redings Mill Artisan bread. Top it off with some pie from Freda Mae’s Bakery and a cup of coffee made with beans from Small Cottage Roasters. You'll love it!!

Webb City Sentinel column - 6-3-11

It was comforting on Tuesday when our customers flocked back to the market. I was happy for my vendors who had the first relatively normal day since the tornado, but I was also happy for my customers who were able to recover some normality in their lives.

It will be a long time before life is truly normal, but little by little homes are being repaired or replaced, businesses are relocating or rebuilding. It is the loss of life that leaves the deepest sorrow. As we at the market resume our activities and celebrate the seasons, we are acutely mindful that for many, celebration is impossible. In the midst of the market’s abundance, we know the pain and grief remain.

We will continue to collect donations at the Donation Station at the market through tomorrow. Then the funds will be sent to the appropriate organizations involved in recovery.

Our farmers continue to respond generously with both cash and product donations. Since the tornado, they have supplied produce, baked goods and eggs to the Salvation Army and Ignite Church which is running a shelter. Yesterday one of our customers came by with another opportunity. The Americorp team came in Sunday night and is based at MSSU. Not surprisingly for a group of young people with a heart for service, most of the team is vegetarian – might we have some produce for them? Our farmers were happy to oblige.

I say this every year, but it’s true, each week brings something new at the market. One of our farmers took a chance and planted very early squash and we had the first young squash at market on Tuesday - about a month earlier than normal. It was so early that I thought it best to make sure it met our producer-only requirement and asked board president Tim Green to make an inspection for me. He reported back to me just now that not only was everything in order, but that the farm and all its plantings looked very good, including the squash.

Of course, it’s always good news to know our farmers are following the market rules (especially since breaking the producer-only rule results in permanent banning from the market), but what makes his report especially satisfying is that the particular farmer Tim inspected has been part of our training program for the last five years. Five years ago Tim would have found a farm with many poor agricultural practices resulting in low production and poor quality. Not so now. The training has paid off in a well-run farm. How perfect that Tim, who has served as our main mentor for new farmers, was the one to make the inspection and find such good results.

We have two special activities at the market today. Tammy Roberts with University of Missouri Extension will do food preservation demonstrations at 11:30 and 12:30 showing how to make strawberry jam for freezing and how to use a canner.

Sarah Becker with Lincoln University Extension will have her garden/farm advice table to help our farmers and customers solve pest/disease or other plant problems. With so much rain this spring, plants may have blight or fungus issues or a myriad of other problems. Bring a photo or a sample in a sealed clear bag.

Lunch today is Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, peas, peanut butter cookies and drink for $6. A luncheon salad (so our vegetarians and those Americorp kids can join us for lunch) is $4. Jack and Lee Ann Sours play from 11 to 1.

Tomorrow we welcome back two favorite groups. Christians’ Haven will serve breakfast from 9 to 11. Profits will go to support their group homes in the Philippines for street children. The Southwest Missouri Suzuki Strings will perform from 9:30 to 11:30. We were especially pleased they could come as scheduled. Several of the children lost not only their violins, but their homes in the tornado. Director Christy Paxton has worked to replace those violins and felt it was important for the children to be together and to do what they love. We’ll be applauding loudly tomorrow, I’m sure.

Next Tuesday, Cooking for a Cause is run by the Webb City Police Department Explorers Club – and once again we see people going the extra mile. Sponsor and WCPD officer Jeremiah Woolverton has been working in Joplin since the tornado but he’ll still organize and run the effort at the market. This is another group we love working with. The young people in the club, who have aspirations of being police officers, make a great team. They are highly skilled when it comes to service, politeness and ability to follow directions. I’d recommend them to any employer, including the police.

Rob Pommert will perform from 11 to 1 on Tuesday.

Next Tuesday is also the second of a series of classes the market is sponsoring on food preservation. The classes cost $15 each and run from 6 to 8 pm at Central United Methodist Church in Webb City. Reservations are required by the Friday before the Tuesday class - call 417-358-2158. Next week the topic is jams and jellies with pickling, salsa, freezing and drying to follow. If we have enough interest, we'll add an afternoon class.