Breakfast benefits the charities of the Andy Brown Memorial Scholarship - served from 9 to 11.
Erik Brown plays from 9:30 to 11:30.
Produce:
Broken Wire
The Lee Family
Mai Lor
Nature Valley Farm
Shoal Creek Gardens
Bakers
Redings Mill
Hazel's Bakery
Raw Food Bars
Crafters -
Edith's kitchen linens
The Other Log Furniture
See you at the market!!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
At the Market tomorrow (Friday)
Lunch – Chicken Noodle Soup or Turkey with Wild Rice Soup, plus crackers and cobbler - $5
Music by Bailed Green and Wired Tight
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies (they're bringing lots of tomatoes & green beans!)Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Meats
Sunny Lane - lamb, beef & chicken
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Soups - Soup du Jour
Music by Bailed Green and Wired Tight
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies (they're bringing lots of tomatoes & green beans!)Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Meats
Sunny Lane - lamb, beef & chicken
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Soups - Soup du Jour
Webb City Sentinel column - 10-28-11
It’s hard for me to believe that this is the last weekend of the regular market season and that this is the last column for the year. We’ll still keep you posted about Winter Market happenings in the Sentinel’s Neighborhood section.
Perhaps the reason the season’s end has crept up on me is the fact that I was gone two months of the high season, enjoying my new granddaughter (how could that not be a pleasure? Just see the photo of Madeleine with me and my mother taken last month!). That’s also the reason I can’t go through my usual thank yous this year. So many people stepped in to help while I was gone that I’d surely miss someone. But you know who you are – how can our volunteers forget with their market experience seared into their memory by one of the hottest summers on records?
And a hot summer it was. June was over 6 degrees hotter than usual with an average high of 91 degrees. Then came July with an average high of 100, 11 degrees higher than normal. August cooled off with an average high of 96, some 5 degrees higher than normal. Amazingly our farmers and customers soldiered through the heat, presenting a remarkably full market when other markets, especially to the west, were withering and closing.
Of course, our total sales for the year will be impacted by the weather. Losing most of our corn crop dramatically reduced sales for a couple of our farms and almost every farm was touched by reduced tomato sales. (Tomatoes just won’t set their fruit in that much heat no matter how much water you pour on them, and I can tell you from our farm visits that our farmers were running their pumps constantly.) Still when the numbers are in, it looks like our total market sales will only be down about 6% from last year. We had less produce to sell, but market sales were boosted by the return of Hazel’s Bakery and the addition of LOMAH cheese.
What looks to be the most significant factor in sales in 2011 was not the heat and drought, but another weather event that we hope never ever comes again – the May 22 tornado.
Sales in June were down 25% over the previous June. That’s not a surprise with so many of our Joplin customers homeless or in severe distress and no doubt many others caring for friends and relatives and helping with the recovery efforts. So at the market, we tightened our belts and sent excess produce over to Joplin. Our farmers continued that effort through much of the summer and geared back up last week to help Suzanne’s health food store feed the vegetarians involved in the Extreme Build effort. The opportunity to help was a silver lining that we were glad to grasp in such hard times.
Lest you think the season is over because of all this review, let me tell you about this weekend. Today, lunch is a choice of chicken noodle soup or turkey with wild rice soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Bailed Green and Wired Tight play.
Tomorrow we’ll serve our last Saturday benefit breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs to order and juice or coffee. All the profits go to the Andy Brown Memorial Scholarship. His scholarship goes each year to a graduating senior in the Webb City school district who is in need of financial assistance to continue his or her schooling at a college, university or trade school. The scholarship is administered by the R-7 Foundation. Andy graduated from Webb City High and MSSC. He died in a motorcycle collision on September 26, 1998, at the age of 22. Andy was one of my kids at Central United Methodist and I really miss him. I’d consider it a personal favor if you’d support his scholarship by joining us for breakfast tomorrow.
Andy’s scholarship provides an apt end to this season which has been a time of joy, striving, generosity and success, tinged with great sadness. I hope you can join with us in celebrating this year despite the sadness. We look forward to a happy season of Winter Markets, supplying your needs for the table and for holiday giving.
The Winter Market begins next Friday at the Clubhouse, 115 North Madison. We’ll be open from 11 to 2, rain or shine.
Perhaps the reason the season’s end has crept up on me is the fact that I was gone two months of the high season, enjoying my new granddaughter (how could that not be a pleasure? Just see the photo of Madeleine with me and my mother taken last month!). That’s also the reason I can’t go through my usual thank yous this year. So many people stepped in to help while I was gone that I’d surely miss someone. But you know who you are – how can our volunteers forget with their market experience seared into their memory by one of the hottest summers on records?
And a hot summer it was. June was over 6 degrees hotter than usual with an average high of 91 degrees. Then came July with an average high of 100, 11 degrees higher than normal. August cooled off with an average high of 96, some 5 degrees higher than normal. Amazingly our farmers and customers soldiered through the heat, presenting a remarkably full market when other markets, especially to the west, were withering and closing.
Of course, our total sales for the year will be impacted by the weather. Losing most of our corn crop dramatically reduced sales for a couple of our farms and almost every farm was touched by reduced tomato sales. (Tomatoes just won’t set their fruit in that much heat no matter how much water you pour on them, and I can tell you from our farm visits that our farmers were running their pumps constantly.) Still when the numbers are in, it looks like our total market sales will only be down about 6% from last year. We had less produce to sell, but market sales were boosted by the return of Hazel’s Bakery and the addition of LOMAH cheese.
What looks to be the most significant factor in sales in 2011 was not the heat and drought, but another weather event that we hope never ever comes again – the May 22 tornado.
Sales in June were down 25% over the previous June. That’s not a surprise with so many of our Joplin customers homeless or in severe distress and no doubt many others caring for friends and relatives and helping with the recovery efforts. So at the market, we tightened our belts and sent excess produce over to Joplin. Our farmers continued that effort through much of the summer and geared back up last week to help Suzanne’s health food store feed the vegetarians involved in the Extreme Build effort. The opportunity to help was a silver lining that we were glad to grasp in such hard times.
Lest you think the season is over because of all this review, let me tell you about this weekend. Today, lunch is a choice of chicken noodle soup or turkey with wild rice soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Bailed Green and Wired Tight play.
Tomorrow we’ll serve our last Saturday benefit breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausage, eggs to order and juice or coffee. All the profits go to the Andy Brown Memorial Scholarship. His scholarship goes each year to a graduating senior in the Webb City school district who is in need of financial assistance to continue his or her schooling at a college, university or trade school. The scholarship is administered by the R-7 Foundation. Andy graduated from Webb City High and MSSC. He died in a motorcycle collision on September 26, 1998, at the age of 22. Andy was one of my kids at Central United Methodist and I really miss him. I’d consider it a personal favor if you’d support his scholarship by joining us for breakfast tomorrow.
Andy’s scholarship provides an apt end to this season which has been a time of joy, striving, generosity and success, tinged with great sadness. I hope you can join with us in celebrating this year despite the sadness. We look forward to a happy season of Winter Markets, supplying your needs for the table and for holiday giving.
The Winter Market begins next Friday at the Clubhouse, 115 North Madison. We’ll be open from 11 to 2, rain or shine.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Tomorrow - Saturday at the Market
Breakfast benefits the charities of the Carl Junction Order of the Eastern Star - served from 9 to 11.Bill Adkins plays from 9:30 to 11:30.
Produce:
Broken Wire
The Lee Family
Nhao Vue Hang
Mai Lor
Lucy Moua
Nature Valley Farm
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Hang Yang
Honey
Amos Apiaries - will not be at the market next week but will be here tomorrow (Saturday)
Bakers
Redings Mill
Hazel's Bakery
Raw Food Bars
Crafters -
The Shermans with birdhouses and crosses made from materials salvaged from the tornado fields - see photo for a sample.
Made of Clay pottery
two vendors with aprons, tea towels and other kitchen items
The Other Log Furniture
See you at the market!!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
What's at the Market Tomorrow (Friday)
Eileen will demonstrate a great boc choy recipe at 11:30 and noon.
Lunch – Choice of Irish Corn Beef Dinner soup or White Cheddar Chicken Leek soup, plus crackers and cobbler - $5
Music by the Gospel Strings
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Der Lor
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies (they're bringing 40 quarts of tomatoes!)
Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Honey
Amos Apiaries
Meats
Sunny Lane - lamb, beef & chicken
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Mums
Duvall Farm
Pumpkin Tent
Lunch – Choice of Irish Corn Beef Dinner soup or White Cheddar Chicken Leek soup, plus crackers and cobbler - $5
Music by the Gospel Strings
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Der Lor
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies (they're bringing 40 quarts of tomatoes!)
Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Honey
Amos Apiaries
Meats
Sunny Lane - lamb, beef & chicken
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Mums
Duvall Farm
Pumpkin Tent
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Webb City Sentinel column - 10-21-11
This time of year we are still doing a lot of marketing, but we’re also evaluating the year and planning for next year. So, first and foremost – we are OPEN on Fridays and Saturdays through October. And we have lots of produce. Of course, the melons and sweet corn are a fond memory but the green beans overfloweth, as do the peppers, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, radishes, greens and lots of other goodies.
In November we go to the winter market – first and third Fridays from 11 to 2 at a new location – the Clubhouse at 115 North Madison. On pretty days, we’ll be on the parking lot, but on not-so-pretty days we’ll retreat to the warmth and dryness of the Clubhouse. When we approached the Historical Society board about hosting the market, they responded enthusiastically. Julie Riley’s response was typical: “The Club House is ideal for the ‘Winter Market’ and it will provide an excellent service to the community and area towns. It is a yea vote!”
This is where planning earlier in the year pays off with a warm location that will allow us to sell and you to buy in comfort. And also thanks to that planning we expect to have fresh produce in addition to our baked goods, cheeses and meats.
Since beginning Winter Market three years ago, we have longed for fresh produce. After all, what is a market without that? And this year we have three farmers who planted specifically for winter. John Pate and Tim Green planted tomatoes in their high tunnels – we’re already seeing the Pate’s tomatoes in the market. (That's Tim's wife Vi in the photo above - drawfed by the high tunnel tomatoes.) Tim expects to bring tomatoes soon and to harvest through December. He’s already bringing huge bell peppers and two varieties of burpless cucumbers from his tunnels to the market and will have green beans next month. Tom Lewis of Broken Wire has tomatoes planted as well, plus some cool weather crops like broccoli. So when the frost decimates the field crops, we’ll still have fresh veggies for you at the market – thanks to our farmers’ planning and our pestering them into taking a chance and giving up some of their winter down time.
Until a hard freeze, of course, we’ll have a wide variety of fall produce including boc choy. You may not be familiar with this vegetable that is almost always available at the market. I started eating it regularly while visiting my daughter Cora in Australia this summer. She eats a lot of veggies (and fish – one of the bonuses of living in a coastal area). Boc choy is often on the menu. I find it makes a great side with sweet potatoes and salmon and works with almost any menu as a nice touch of green. Besides adding color to the plate and flavor to the palate, it’s packed with nutrients. In fact, “nutrient-dense” is how it’s often described in medical literature – it’s high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and calcium. And a cup of shredded boc choy contains nine calories! Count ‘em – nine calories!
And talk about easy to prepare. Slice off the end, rinse well, slice cross-ways into strips and prepare to your taste. I like to keep it simple and just steam it till tender. I put the stems in first and then add the leaves. When wilted to my taste I transfer it to the plate and season. If you want to go the extra mile, try the recipe below. Phil created this recipe for Cora while she was home last month and she declared it the best way she’d ever had it. Coming from someone who eats boc choy at least twice a week, that’s saying something.
Boc Choy
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices ginger root, about 1/8 inch each, minced
5 bunches baby boc choy, sliced across into strips 1 1/2 inches
La Choy Stir Fry sauce
Sauté garlic and ginger root in peanut or vegetable oil. Add boc choy. Sauté until the boc choy is reduced by one-half (about 5 minutes). Add sauce and sauté until cooked to your taste (one or two more minutes). This recipe serves 2 to 3 people depending on their enthusiasm. (Cora could eat the whole recipe by herself.)
Lunch today is your choice of Irish corn beef dinner soup or white cheddar chicken leek soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Webb City’s own Gospel Strings performs.
Tomorrow breakfast benefits the Webb City High School Band Boosters. Bill Adkins will play golden oldies.
I mentioned at the beginning of the column that we’ve begun our evaluation process so let me share the results of our survey that we conducted with our Tuesday and Saturday customers back in August.
That market day about a third of our customers planned to spend $5 to $10 and another third planned on spending $11 to $20. Most of the remaining planned to spend more than $20. Those numbers are probably a bit low because we all know from personal experience that we almost always spend more than we plan – which is why the market is happy to turn your checks and credit/debit cards into market tokens.
Most customers traveled nine miles or less to come to the market, though several folks came more than 20 miles on the days we surveyed.
Almost half the customers surveyed come to the market every week. Over 10% surveyed were at the market for the very first time – yes, there are lots of folks who haven’t visited the market yet, which brings me to the last statistic. The vast majority of customers said they first learned about the market through word of mouth which means that most new customers come because of recommendations from old customers – that would be you! So spread the word, the market is open now and through the winter.
It was a tough growing season this summer but we’re looking forward to our best fall and winter markets yet. But it can only be the best if we have lots of customers, so see you (and your friends) soon at the market.
In November we go to the winter market – first and third Fridays from 11 to 2 at a new location – the Clubhouse at 115 North Madison. On pretty days, we’ll be on the parking lot, but on not-so-pretty days we’ll retreat to the warmth and dryness of the Clubhouse. When we approached the Historical Society board about hosting the market, they responded enthusiastically. Julie Riley’s response was typical: “The Club House is ideal for the ‘Winter Market’ and it will provide an excellent service to the community and area towns. It is a yea vote!”
This is where planning earlier in the year pays off with a warm location that will allow us to sell and you to buy in comfort. And also thanks to that planning we expect to have fresh produce in addition to our baked goods, cheeses and meats.
Since beginning Winter Market three years ago, we have longed for fresh produce. After all, what is a market without that? And this year we have three farmers who planted specifically for winter. John Pate and Tim Green planted tomatoes in their high tunnels – we’re already seeing the Pate’s tomatoes in the market. (That's Tim's wife Vi in the photo above - drawfed by the high tunnel tomatoes.) Tim expects to bring tomatoes soon and to harvest through December. He’s already bringing huge bell peppers and two varieties of burpless cucumbers from his tunnels to the market and will have green beans next month. Tom Lewis of Broken Wire has tomatoes planted as well, plus some cool weather crops like broccoli. So when the frost decimates the field crops, we’ll still have fresh veggies for you at the market – thanks to our farmers’ planning and our pestering them into taking a chance and giving up some of their winter down time.
Until a hard freeze, of course, we’ll have a wide variety of fall produce including boc choy. You may not be familiar with this vegetable that is almost always available at the market. I started eating it regularly while visiting my daughter Cora in Australia this summer. She eats a lot of veggies (and fish – one of the bonuses of living in a coastal area). Boc choy is often on the menu. I find it makes a great side with sweet potatoes and salmon and works with almost any menu as a nice touch of green. Besides adding color to the plate and flavor to the palate, it’s packed with nutrients. In fact, “nutrient-dense” is how it’s often described in medical literature – it’s high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate and calcium. And a cup of shredded boc choy contains nine calories! Count ‘em – nine calories!
And talk about easy to prepare. Slice off the end, rinse well, slice cross-ways into strips and prepare to your taste. I like to keep it simple and just steam it till tender. I put the stems in first and then add the leaves. When wilted to my taste I transfer it to the plate and season. If you want to go the extra mile, try the recipe below. Phil created this recipe for Cora while she was home last month and she declared it the best way she’d ever had it. Coming from someone who eats boc choy at least twice a week, that’s saying something.
Boc Choy
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices ginger root, about 1/8 inch each, minced
5 bunches baby boc choy, sliced across into strips 1 1/2 inches
La Choy Stir Fry sauce
Sauté garlic and ginger root in peanut or vegetable oil. Add boc choy. Sauté until the boc choy is reduced by one-half (about 5 minutes). Add sauce and sauté until cooked to your taste (one or two more minutes). This recipe serves 2 to 3 people depending on their enthusiasm. (Cora could eat the whole recipe by herself.)
Lunch today is your choice of Irish corn beef dinner soup or white cheddar chicken leek soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Webb City’s own Gospel Strings performs.
Tomorrow breakfast benefits the Webb City High School Band Boosters. Bill Adkins will play golden oldies.
I mentioned at the beginning of the column that we’ve begun our evaluation process so let me share the results of our survey that we conducted with our Tuesday and Saturday customers back in August.
That market day about a third of our customers planned to spend $5 to $10 and another third planned on spending $11 to $20. Most of the remaining planned to spend more than $20. Those numbers are probably a bit low because we all know from personal experience that we almost always spend more than we plan – which is why the market is happy to turn your checks and credit/debit cards into market tokens.
Most customers traveled nine miles or less to come to the market, though several folks came more than 20 miles on the days we surveyed.
Almost half the customers surveyed come to the market every week. Over 10% surveyed were at the market for the very first time – yes, there are lots of folks who haven’t visited the market yet, which brings me to the last statistic. The vast majority of customers said they first learned about the market through word of mouth which means that most new customers come because of recommendations from old customers – that would be you! So spread the word, the market is open now and through the winter.
It was a tough growing season this summer but we’re looking forward to our best fall and winter markets yet. But it can only be the best if we have lots of customers, so see you (and your friends) soon at the market.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Tomorrow - Saturday at the Market
The market is open tomorrow from 9 to noon.
Breakfast benefits Walk Now for Autism Speakes - served from 9 to 11.
Cathy Barton & Dave Para play from 9:30 to 11:30.
Produce:
Broken Wire
The Lee Family
Nhao Vue Hang
Der Lor
Mai Lor
Lucy Moua
Nature Valley Farm
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Hang Yang
Mums - Pumpkin tent
Crafters -
two vendors with aprons, tea towels and other kitchen items
The Other Log Furniture
Walk Now for Autism Speaks will have handcrafted items for sale
See you at the market!!
Breakfast benefits Walk Now for Autism Speakes - served from 9 to 11.
Cathy Barton & Dave Para play from 9:30 to 11:30.
Produce:
Broken Wire
The Lee Family
Nhao Vue Hang
Der Lor
Mai Lor
Lucy Moua
Nature Valley Farm
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Hang Yang
Mums - Pumpkin tent
Crafters -
two vendors with aprons, tea towels and other kitchen items
The Other Log Furniture
Walk Now for Autism Speaks will have handcrafted items for sale
See you at the market!!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
At the Market tomorrow (Friday)
Tomorrow (Friday) The Granny Chicks play. Lunch is a choice of bacon and white corn chowder or buffalo chicken soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Pates and Fairhaven will be sampling their jams and jellies.
Mums - 2 vendors
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Der Lor
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies (they'll have tomatoes!!!)
Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Cheese
LOMAH Dairy
Roasted Coffee Beans
Small Cottage Coffee
Meats
Sunny Lane
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Raw Food Bars
Mums - 2 vendors
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Der Lor
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies (they'll have tomatoes!!!)
Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Cheese
LOMAH Dairy
Roasted Coffee Beans
Small Cottage Coffee
Meats
Sunny Lane
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Raw Food Bars
Webb City Sentinel column - 10-14-11
We have some jim-dandy entertainment this weekend at the market, plus today is Jam and Jelly Day at the market (more about that later).
The Granny Chicks play today. They are always fun and with their accordions are especially appropriate for October. Who knows? With a little prodding they might even play the Chicken Dance.
In case you need instructions (and, yes, if they play it for you, you have to dance):
Begin in a circle with everybody facing one another (this is hard to do in the University of Wisconsin football stadium where the chicken dance is a regular part of the event)
When the music starts, shape each hand like the beak of a chicken and open and close them for four counts.
Tuck your thumb under each arm and flap like a chicken for four counts.
Place your hands on your backside with fingers imitating the tail of a chicken and wiggle yourself down during the next four beats.
Stand back up and clap four times.
The whole thing is repeated four times and then there is an interlude during which you can swing your partner or the whole circle can turn or, in some places, everyone pretends to be an airplane flying around the room. In other words – improvise!
Tomorrow Cathy Barton and Dave Parra play at the market. Cathy and Dave live in central Missouri in Booneville and don’t often make it to our part of the state. But when they do, we always try to bring them to the market because they are such a perfect fit. Like our crops, their roots are deep in Missouri soil. They specialize in Missouri’s traditional music and have developed many programs exploring Missouri’s history. Tomorrow at the market you may hear a French paddling song or a steamboat song or any number of Ozarkian songs. You will certainly hear Cathy’s frailing banjo style (Roy Acuff called Cathy his favorite banjo player.) and Dave might even play a leaf!
In the afternoon, they’ll be at the Webb City Public Library opening the exhibit “Divided Loyalties: Missouri in the Civil War”. At 2 pm Cathy and Dave will do a musical program of Civil War on the Western Frontier.
Pates Orchard and Fairhaven Gardens will be sampling their jams and jellies today. Both are on the west side of the pavilion, Fairhaven all the way south and Pates just north of the center. Jams and jellies are a lovely way to preserve the taste of our local bounty for the winter and also make wonderful local gifts for the holidays.
Just like the weather, the produce at the market is beautiful. And the flowers are too. You’ll find lots of bouquets of flowers both days. Something new and perfect for the season will be chrysanthemum bouquets at Duvall Valley Farms. The small bouquets are $2 and the large are $4. They also have huge mum plants.
Lunch today is a choice of bacon and white corn chowder or buffalo chicken soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Tomorrow breakfast benefits Walk Now for Autism Speaks. The volunteers will also have a table of crafts for sale to benefit Autism.
I recently enjoyed a cucumber salad in a tea room in Stillwater, Minnesota. It was refreshing and tasty.
Cucumber Yogurt Salad
2 cups thin cucumber slices (cut in half or quarters lengthwise if not using small English cucumbers)
1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Paprika for garnishing.
If the yogurt is soupy, drain in paper towel-lined sieve over a bowl for one hour. Discard the liquid.
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
You can also add diced green onions or dill or mint to this salad. This is particularly pretty served on a leaf of lettuce.
The Granny Chicks play today. They are always fun and with their accordions are especially appropriate for October. Who knows? With a little prodding they might even play the Chicken Dance.
In case you need instructions (and, yes, if they play it for you, you have to dance):
Begin in a circle with everybody facing one another (this is hard to do in the University of Wisconsin football stadium where the chicken dance is a regular part of the event)
When the music starts, shape each hand like the beak of a chicken and open and close them for four counts.
Tuck your thumb under each arm and flap like a chicken for four counts.
Place your hands on your backside with fingers imitating the tail of a chicken and wiggle yourself down during the next four beats.
Stand back up and clap four times.
The whole thing is repeated four times and then there is an interlude during which you can swing your partner or the whole circle can turn or, in some places, everyone pretends to be an airplane flying around the room. In other words – improvise!
Tomorrow Cathy Barton and Dave Parra play at the market. Cathy and Dave live in central Missouri in Booneville and don’t often make it to our part of the state. But when they do, we always try to bring them to the market because they are such a perfect fit. Like our crops, their roots are deep in Missouri soil. They specialize in Missouri’s traditional music and have developed many programs exploring Missouri’s history. Tomorrow at the market you may hear a French paddling song or a steamboat song or any number of Ozarkian songs. You will certainly hear Cathy’s frailing banjo style (Roy Acuff called Cathy his favorite banjo player.) and Dave might even play a leaf!
In the afternoon, they’ll be at the Webb City Public Library opening the exhibit “Divided Loyalties: Missouri in the Civil War”. At 2 pm Cathy and Dave will do a musical program of Civil War on the Western Frontier.
Pates Orchard and Fairhaven Gardens will be sampling their jams and jellies today. Both are on the west side of the pavilion, Fairhaven all the way south and Pates just north of the center. Jams and jellies are a lovely way to preserve the taste of our local bounty for the winter and also make wonderful local gifts for the holidays.
Just like the weather, the produce at the market is beautiful. And the flowers are too. You’ll find lots of bouquets of flowers both days. Something new and perfect for the season will be chrysanthemum bouquets at Duvall Valley Farms. The small bouquets are $2 and the large are $4. They also have huge mum plants.
Lunch today is a choice of bacon and white corn chowder or buffalo chicken soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5. Tomorrow breakfast benefits Walk Now for Autism Speaks. The volunteers will also have a table of crafts for sale to benefit Autism.
I recently enjoyed a cucumber salad in a tea room in Stillwater, Minnesota. It was refreshing and tasty.
Cucumber Yogurt Salad
2 cups thin cucumber slices (cut in half or quarters lengthwise if not using small English cucumbers)
1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Paprika for garnishing.
If the yogurt is soupy, drain in paper towel-lined sieve over a bowl for one hour. Discard the liquid.
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
You can also add diced green onions or dill or mint to this salad. This is particularly pretty served on a leaf of lettuce.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tomorrow - Saturday at the Market
The market is open tomorrow from 9 to noon.
Free Streetcar rides from 9 to 11 just west of the market.
Breakfast benefits Crime Stoppers - served from 9 to 11.
The Loose Notes play from 9:30 to 11:30.
Mai's Chinese & Thai Food serves lunch and takeaway from 9 to noon. Their menu is on the blog.
Art Market - 9 to noon
Fall portraits by Bob Foos - $6 for 1 5x7 and 8 wallets
Produce:
Broken Wire
The Lee Family
Mai Lor
Lucy Mauo
Nature Valley Farm
Shoal Creek Gardens
Baked goods:
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill
Honey:
Amos Apiaries (will not be at the market next week)
Mums - 2 vendors
Artists - 3
Crafters -
two vendors with aprons, tea towels and other kitchen items
The Other Log Furniture
Raw food bars - Endless Bounty
See you at the market!!
Free Streetcar rides from 9 to 11 just west of the market.
Breakfast benefits Crime Stoppers - served from 9 to 11.
The Loose Notes play from 9:30 to 11:30.
Mai's Chinese & Thai Food serves lunch and takeaway from 9 to noon. Their menu is on the blog.
Art Market - 9 to noon
Fall portraits by Bob Foos - $6 for 1 5x7 and 8 wallets
Produce:
Broken Wire
The Lee Family
Mai Lor
Lucy Mauo
Nature Valley Farm
Shoal Creek Gardens
Baked goods:
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill
Honey:
Amos Apiaries (will not be at the market next week)
Mums - 2 vendors
Artists - 3
Crafters -
two vendors with aprons, tea towels and other kitchen items
The Other Log Furniture
Raw food bars - Endless Bounty
See you at the market!!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Who we're expecting at Friday's market
Tomorrow (Friday) The Sours play traditional music. Soup du Jour serves our lunch – a choice of Chicken Pot Pie Soup or Braised Spinach with Swiss Cheese Soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5.
Mums - 2 vendors
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Der Lor
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
A Mouchoupao
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies
Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Cheese
LOMAH Dairy
Honey
Amos Apiaries
Roasted Coffee Beans
Small Cottage Coffee
Meats
Sunny Lane
Flintrock + eggs
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Raw Food Bars
Don't forget, on Saturday the streetcar will give free rides from 9 to 11 & Bob Foos will take fall portraits - package of one 5x7 and eight wallets for $6.
Mums - 2 vendors
Produce:
Broken Wire + roasted peppers
Fairhaven Gardens + jams & jellies + eggs
Nhao Hang
The Lee Family
Der Lor
Mai Ker Lor
Lucy Moua
A Mouchoupao
Pates Orchard + jams & jellies
Maria Vang
Nhai Xiong
Nature Valley
Shoal Creek Gardens
Zoua Yang
Cheese
LOMAH Dairy
Honey
Amos Apiaries
Roasted Coffee Beans
Small Cottage Coffee
Meats
Sunny Lane
Flintrock + eggs
Bakeries
Arma Bakery
Black Forest
Hazel's Bakery
Redings Mill Breads
Raw Food Bars
Don't forget, on Saturday the streetcar will give free rides from 9 to 11 & Bob Foos will take fall portraits - package of one 5x7 and eight wallets for $6.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Webb City Sentinel column - 10-7-11
Now that the market is open only on Fridays and Saturdays, and my visiting family has left (boo hoo), I was able to catch up on the Kerr Center’s fall issue of Field Notes. The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture is in Poteau, Oklahoma, and their lead story sounds familiar. “Blizzards and record cold, tornadoes, gale force winds, flooding rains, drought and record heat…” What a year. But they also had some good news, as do we. It turns out that sweet potatoes thrive in the heat, which is lucky because demand is up for sweet potatoes.Until 2007 annual per capita consumption of sweet potatoes hadn’t changed in 40 years, holding steady at four pounds per person. It even trailed consumption of celery! In 1943 we averaged almost 22 pounds per person.
But the sweet potato has been rediscovered. It began showing up on the top ten lists of “super foods” that we should make a part of our regular diet. It’s high in vitamins A and C, potassium, antioxidants and fiber. Though sweet, it’s low on the glycemic index, making it a good choice for diabetics (unless like me you cook it with loads of sugar).
Broken Wire, who come on both Friday and Saturday, and Fair Haven, who usually only come on Friday, have sweet potatoes – and butternut squash. And they say demand will overcome their supply soon. They thought they had planted enough to last through November. Not so, but they’re planning to double their plantings next year. Pates Orchard often comes on Fridays with sweet potatoes.
I’d recommend buying both sweet potatoes and butternut. A few weeks ago I included a very easy butternut squash recipe in this column. I made that dish, as well as a sweet potato recipe. What a good combination. The sweet potato was a big hit, it’s almost like dessert and the squash toned the meal down with a milder flavor. Add some steamed boc choy and a meat dish and you have a nutritious, tasty market meal.
And what a versatile vegetable, the sweet potato is. Foodnetwork.com lists 100 recipes from soups to pies to casseroles to fries and chips to salads to ice cream! I’ve included a sample recipe below.
You may find two different vegetables labeled as sweet potatoes at the market - the kind we’re used to, as well as an Asian variety. The latter is generally smaller around and not orange. It’s also much starchier and not nearly as sweet as the North American version. It’s actually much more like a regular potato.
We have lots going on at the market this weekend. Today, the Sours play traditional music. Soup du Jour serves our lunch – a choice of Chicken Pot Pie Soup or Braised Spinach with Swiss Cheese Soup, plus crackers and cobbler for $5.
Tomorrow, the Loose Notes play. Crime Stoppers will be serving breakfast – biscuits and gravy, sausage and orange juice or coffee for $3.50. Add a dollar for two market fresh eggs cooked to order.
Mai’s Chinese and Thai Food will serve lunch and takeaway from 9 to noon.
The streetcar makes its last market runs for the season Saturday from 9 to 11. The rides are free. And we’ll have the last Art Market of the season.
Bob Foos will take portraits at the market Saturday so bring the kids out for a memorable photo. A package of one 5x7 and eight wallet-sized photos will cost $6.
So come on out and stock up on honey, jams and jellies, meats and lots of fresh produce. We are practically buried in green beans right now and the greens are wonderful. There are radishes, green onions, eggplant, peppers and loads of other local crops coming in. Get it while you can – it’s harvest season.
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
4 tablespoons of butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
Cut each of the sweet potatoes into 88 evenly shaped wedges (or if you end up with differently sized potatoes which is likely at the market, you can simply slice into about 1/2-inch “coins” across). Lay them out in the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Mix in syrup and cook until smooth. Pour the glaze over the sweet potatoes and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for about 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork but still hold their shape.
If you have any left-overs, which is unlikely unless you make a ton, you can serve them again in a different form. Simply mashed the potatoes until fairly smooth, put in a baking dish to reheat and top with mini-marshmallows about 10 minutes prior to serving. Don’t overdo the marshmallows. They’ll puff up to twice or triple their original size.
Yum, yum - Chinese & Thai food at the Saturday market
On Saturdays you'll find lunch and takeaway at the market in the center of the pavilion from 9 to noon:
Mai’s Chinese and Thai Food
SMALL PORTION -
Combo 1:
Fried Rice, 2 mini Egg Rolls and drink
With ONE small entrée………………...$4.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
With TWO small entrées………………..$4.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
LARGE PORTION -
Combo 2:
Fried Rice, 2 mini Egg Rolls and drink
With ONE large entré…………………...$5.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
With THREE large entrées……………..$6.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
With a little of ALL entrées……………..$7.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
A La Carte Small Large
Rice $2.00 $4.00
General Chicken $3.00 $5.00
Sweet Sour Chicken $3.00 $5.00
Lomein Vegetable $3.00 $5.00
Chicken Green Bean $3.00 $5.00
Vegetable & Chicken $3.00 $5.00
Chicken Broccoli $3.00 $5.00
Appetizers
Chicken Egg Roll (1 piece) …………………....$1.00
Mini Chicken Egg Rolls (4 pieces)……………$2.00
Appetizer Special Combo* …………………...$5.00
*3 Regular Egg Rolls & 7 Mini Egg Rolls
Drinks
Peach Tea……………………………………. $1.00
Thai ice coffee………………………………… $1.00
Raspberry Tea………………………………… $1.00
Have a Beautiful Day!
Mai’s Chinese and Thai Food
SMALL PORTION -
Combo 1:
Fried Rice, 2 mini Egg Rolls and drink
With ONE small entrée………………...$4.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
With TWO small entrées………………..$4.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
LARGE PORTION -
Combo 2:
Fried Rice, 2 mini Egg Rolls and drink
With ONE large entré…………………...$5.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
With THREE large entrées……………..$6.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
With a little of ALL entrées……………..$7.00
• General Chicken
• Sweet Sour Chicken
• Lomein Veg
• Chicken Curry Potato
• Chicken Broccoli
• Vegetable and Chicken
A La Carte Small Large
Rice $2.00 $4.00
General Chicken $3.00 $5.00
Sweet Sour Chicken $3.00 $5.00
Lomein Vegetable $3.00 $5.00
Chicken Green Bean $3.00 $5.00
Vegetable & Chicken $3.00 $5.00
Chicken Broccoli $3.00 $5.00
Appetizers
Chicken Egg Roll (1 piece) …………………....$1.00
Mini Chicken Egg Rolls (4 pieces)……………$2.00
Appetizer Special Combo* …………………...$5.00
*3 Regular Egg Rolls & 7 Mini Egg Rolls
Drinks
Peach Tea……………………………………. $1.00
Thai ice coffee………………………………… $1.00
Raspberry Tea………………………………… $1.00
Have a Beautiful Day!
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