Christmas Eve Holiday Market - Tuesday!

The Christmas Eve Holiday Market at the Webb City Farmers Market will be from 11 to 1 on Tuesday, December 24, in the pavilion at the south end of Main Street in King Jack Park.

The following vendors will be at the market to provide fresh, local produce and products for holiday feasts:

• Black Forest House Pastries – American and European baked goods, with lots of German Christmas specialties
• Xiong Farm, Nature Valley Farm, green's Greenhouse and Gardens and Frederickson Farm - with tomatoes, radishes, lettuce and other greens, turnips, carrots and other produce. To quote Tami Frederickson “Beautiful produce at the market right now!”
• Fanning Egg Farm – with farm fresh eggs from happy hens
• Endless Bounty - energy bars
• Weather permitting – Edith Bayless – with sewn goods

The market will also be open next Saturday for the regular market from 9 to noon.

Now that the Christkindlmarket is finished for the year, we will be in the north section of the pavilion. Please come in the north door.

It's Christmastime at the Market

It’s Christmastime at the market. Saturday, from 9 to noon, the pavilion will be filled with fresh local foods and the Christkindlmarket with gifts for giving. Carolers will stroll through the pavilion filling it with Christmas cheer (Amanda Jones from Seneca. Sydney Shannon from Galena, Forrest Bunter from Neosho, Chris Tanksley from Baxter Springs, all students from MSSU).

We’ll have a wide variety of vegetables, as well as pecans, pork, beef, lamb, chicken, raw milk, honey, energy bars, baked goods, freshly roasted coffee beans, jams and jellies, and eggs. The Butcher Block will have ribs, tamales, brisket, hot coffee, and breakfast burritos and will take orders for cheese balls for pick up at the Christmas Eve Holiday Market (which will be at the pavilion from 11 to 1 on Tuesday, December 24).

In the Christkindlmarket, there will be plenty of Christmas specialties at Black Forest Pastry (they’re taking Christmas Eve orders as well). Jim Oxley returns with his remarkable dresses for girls, newborn through 12 years. Full of ruffles and lace or simple and sweet, these dresses are a bargain and often include matching socks and hair bows. (That's my (Eileen's) little Australian granddaughters modeling them in the photo.) Minerva’s Candy Co. returns with their handmade chocolates and candy canes. Other crafters will have glasswork, knitwear, jewelry, wood crafts, metalwork, and sewn items.

The pavilion is enclosed for the winter with supplementary heat (our thanks to the parks staff that operate the two massive heaters that keep it “jacket weather” inside the pavilion) so even when it’s frosty outside, it’s comfortable in the market.

Folks wanting to place orders for the Christmas Eve Holiday Market can order at Saturday’s market or see the sidebar at right for a list of the most commonly requested vendors and their phone numbers. They can call the market manager at 417 483-8139 for contact information.

How to Order for the Holidays

With the holidays coming up, folks are asking how to order items from the market vendors. You can stop by the market and place an order or just give them a call. I've listed the most often requested vendors below and on the sidebar but if you need numbers for other vendors, just email me at eileennichols@sbcglobal.net. Don't forget our Holiday Market - 11 to 1 at the pavilion on Tuesday, December 24, Christmas Eve, also 11 to 1 at the pavilion.

Amos Apiaries - honey - 417 529-3545
Edith Bayless - seamstress - 417 439-4292
Black Forest Pastry - 417 325-7506
The Butcher Block - tacos/ribs/pulled pork/brisket & other great meats, plus cheese balls - 417 624-1000
Fairhaven - pecans/jams & jelly - 417 432-3458
Hazel's Bakery - 417 529-2030
Minerva's Candy Co - 417 717-0042
Mohaska Farmhouse - artisan breads - 417 206-3473
Sunny Lane Farm - all-natural beef, chicken & lamb - 417 637-2991

Saturday at the Market

This Saturday the Webb City Farmers Market welcomes another new vendor to its Christkindlmarket – Jim Oxley of Mountain Grove.  Jim has close ties to the Webb City Market.  His granddaughter, Tami Fredrickson with Fredrickson Farms has sold at the market since it opened in 2000.  She’s also the market board president this year.  But Jim is joining the market on his own merit as the creator of lacey, fun dresses for girls, newborn through 12 years.  (You can see a photo of more of his dresses on the market’s Facebook page.) 

In Tami’s words, this is how her grandfather got into this unusual – for a man – line of work:  “My grandma made dresses for all of her granddaughters. She and Grandpa both worked at Brown Shoe factory in Mountain Grove.  Grandpa began helping my grandma after she was diagnosed & treated for breast cancer in the mid eighties.  Grandma would get calls from all over to make dresses like we wore.  After she passed away my grandpa began making the dresses like she did & now travels around to different events to sell them. He uses patterns that my grandma designed & drew.  His prices are affordable for the quality & complexity of each garment.  He tries to keep costs down so anyone can purchase. I am super proud of him!”

Jim joins glass artists, weavers, knitters, potters and others in the Christkindlmarket this Saturday in the south end of the market pavilion.

On Saturday, the market is open from 9 to noon in the pavilion (which is sheltered from the weather by sides now) just southeast of the Main Street entrance to King Jack Park. The Butcher Block will offer breakfast tacos and coffee.  Bill Adkins takes the market stage with contemporary classics. We’re expecting eight farms with fresh local produce like tomatoes, peppers, onions, lettuce, spinach and other greens, winter squash and more, plus a rancher with pork, and lots of baked goods, raw milk, honey, energy bars, tamales, bbq ribs, and farm fresh eggs.

This Saturday at the Market

      

This Saturday, the Webb City Farmers Market welcomes its newest vendor who also happens to be one of Webb City’s oldest merchants – The Minerva Candy Company. The company was founded in 1905 and was famous for its handcrafted candy canes until it closed in 2005. The business was reopened in 2012 by current owners Tom and Mary Hamsher, but candy cane making had to wait on careful restoration of the huge copper pots and burners, as well as availability of former owner and candy cane maestro Duke Mallos.  It all came together in late October with the creation of 2,000 two-foot candy canes, some of which will be on sale at this Saturday’s Christkindlmarket in the Farmers Market.  (that's their photo in the candy store - notice the big copper pots hanging on the wall - want to see the candy store in person?  & enjoy lunch, breakfast or dinner Tuesday through Saturday?  You'll find them at 12 South Main in Webb City.)

On Saturday, the market is open from 9 to noon in the pavilion (which is sheltered from the weather by sides now). Mark Berger will take center stage, playing his large collection of Native American flutes. We’re expecting nine farms with fresh local produce and two pork ranchers, plus baked goods, raw milk, honey, energy bars, tamales, bbq ribs, and farm fresh eggs. The Christkindlmarket will fill the south end of the pavilion with locally made art, crafts and knitted and sewn goods.

This Saturday at the Farmers Market

You might think the market would be winding down this time of year – but not so! We’re actually gearing up for our best Winter Market season ever. The Webb City Farmers Market will be open this Saturday from 9 to noon in the pavilion just southeast of the Main Street entrance to King Jack Park. (Notice that “in” the pavilion instead of the usual “under”?  That’s because the pavilion has sides now to keep us warmer and out of the wind.)   And this Saturday is the premier of our Christkindlmarket featuring artists, crafters and artisans selling their locally-made goods. The whole south section of the pavilion will be filled with pottery, glass work, art, knitware, sewn items, even locally made vanilla extract, all sold by the persons who made them.

And despite the hard freeze of last week, we’ll have lots of produce – the cool weather crops like spinach, broccoli, and cabbage that laugh at the cold and the tender crops like tomatoes, green beans, lettuce and peppers that are protected in the high tunnels and the storage crops like onions, butternut, sweet potatoes and spaghetti squash. In fact, we’re welcoming a brand new winter grower Saturday, Karen Scott of Granby, with eggs, bell peppers, beets, turnips, radishes, sweet potatoes, potatoes and winter squash. Broken Wire Ranch is bringing their pepper roaster.  (the photos are both from Braker Farm's high tunnels)

We’ll have a lot of farm fresh eggs – cool weather really gets those hens laying! Marlee’s Creamery will have fresh raw milk – hormone and antibiotic free. Black Forest Pastries will have their European and American baked goods and at Hazel’s Bakery you’ll find pies, cakes, fruit breads and cookies. There’ll be local honey, freshly roasted coffee beans, bbq ribs and tamales and energy bars. Sunny Lane Farms will sell their all-natural beef, lamb and chicken and Lumen Farms will have Berkshire pork.

Saturday is our last Cooking for a Cause breakfast for this year. It benefits Crimestoppers and is served till 11. (But not our last breakfast - expect warm cinnamon rolls, coffee and hot chocolate this winter.)  The Pommerts take the market stage with light contemporary music, jazz and classical guitar.

This Friday and Saturday at the Market

This is the last Friday of the season. 

Starting in November, we will be open every Saturday from 9 to noon in the pavilion – and, in addition, to the farmers market we’ll have our Christkindlmarket featuring artists and artisans selling their locally-made goods.  

We’ll be glad of the sidings on the pavilion with the cool weather moving in this weekend.  Our farmers have been busy placing row covers in the fields to save the crops from freeze damage.  High tunnel crops are protected as well.  We should have a LOT of produce, including pumpkins, at the market this weekend.

On Friday the Webb City Farmers Market is open from 11 to 2 under the pavilion at the Main Street entrance to King Jack Park.    Lunch, served from 11 to 1, is all-you-can-eat chili, plus one drink and a brownie for $5.  Friday’s Cooking for a Cause will benefit the Tri-County Cerebral Palsy Center.   The Granny Chicks perform Friday.  Marlee's Creamery will be here Friday after an absence of almost a month!

In addition to tables loaded with fresh local produce, there will be farm fresh eggs, baked goods, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, freshly roasted coffee beans, energy bars.  The Joplin Business Women will sell Rada utensils as a fundraiser for their MSSU scholarship program on both Friday and Saturday.  

On Saturday, the market is open from 9 to noon under the pavilion.  Breakfast benefits the Webb City R-7 Foundation’s Latimer Scholarship and features pancakes, ham, and farm fresh eggs cooked to order.   Jim and Karen Latimer, honored by the Foundation as this year’s Distinguished Citizens, will be serving breakfast.  Marshall Mitchell takes the market stage Saturday.  He always gets the kids dancing!  

On Saturday we expect local produce, energy bars, farm fresh eggs, freshly roasted coffee beans, bbq ribs, and tamales.  Green’s Greenhouse and Gardens is back on Saturday after a several month absence preparing for winter market production.  They will have bell peppers, spinach, green beans, onions, butternut squash and spaghetti squash. 

This weekend at the market - 10/11 & 12

            It’s a Bright Futures weekend at the market with Cooking for a Cause benefiting Carl Junction’s Bright Futures program.  Plus we have Fall Foos Fotos on Saturday!  The Webb City Farmers Market is open on Friday and Saturday this week.

            On Friday the Webb City Farmers Market is open from 11 to 2 under the pavilion at the Main Street entrance to King Jack Park.

            Friday lunch, served from 11 to 1, is all-you-can-eat chili, plus drink and a brownie for $5 and will benefit Carl Junction’s Bright Futures program.   William Adkins will perform Friday.

In addition to tables loaded with fresh local produce, there will be honey, jams and jellies (including this season’s apple butter), farm fresh eggs, baked goods, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, freshly roasted coffee beans, energy bars and mums.  The Joplin Business Women will sell Rada utensils as a fundraiser for their MSSU scholarship program.  

            On Saturday, the market is open from 9 to noon under the pavilion.  Breakfast benefits the Carl Junction Bright Futures program and features pancakes, ham, and farm fresh eggs cooked to order.  John Henry & Friends, a great young bluegrass/folk group from Fayetteville, Arkansas, take the market stage on Saturday.  On Saturday we expect local produce, honey, baked goods, energy bars, farm fresh eggs, bbq ribs, tamales and mums.  

            On Saturday, Bob Foos (who is honored in the Missouri Photojournalism Hall of Fame) will take fall portraits in a setting of market mums and pumpkins.  Photo package prices are:  8 wallets with two 4x5s - $15; 8 wallets with one 5x7 - $15; Either of the previous plus an 8x10 - $20;  Extras:   two 4x5s - $6; 4 wallets - $6; 5x7 - $6; 8 wallets - $8; 8x10 - $8.  Bob calls this annual event “Photos for a Cause” because he donates all profits to the market’s music program.

Last market column of the year!

I hope you get your paper in the morning – otherwise you may miss our first ever Friday Cooking for a Cause today. During October, the Friday meal, served from 11 to 1, will benefit a local non-profit. Today Webb City’s Bright Futures program receives the profit and to make it even better, it’s being served up by the R-7 Foundation’s 2013 Distinguished Citizens, Jim and Karen Latimer. For a mere $5 you get all-you-can-eat ham and brown beans, plus cornbread, a brownie and a drink. (And since it was prepared by my husband, Phil Richardson, who is a carnivore of the first order, it will have LOTS of ham.)

It’s a Bright Futures weekend at the market because the Cooking for a Cause breakfast tomorrow also benefits the Webb City program. Bright Futures fans Emily Wade and Cheryl Moreland will help market volunteers serve up pancakes, grilled ham and farm fresh eggs from 9 to 11.

Bright Futures was started last year by the school district to build partnerships between the community and the school district to ensure that every child has his or her needs met and is successful. It’s a great program that involves individuals, businesses and churches in the schools. 

Next week, you can support the Carl Junction Bright Futures program. Same menu on Saturday, but Friday will be all-you-can-eat chili!

And on that Saturday, October 12, Bob Foos will be at the market taking fall portraits. The prices and packages available will be in next week’s Sentinel, but make plans now to bring the family in their fall glory to the market between 9:30 and 11 to make a memory amid the mums and pumpkins.

This is the last week for the market column. Market news will appear in the Neighborhood section of the paper. Be sure to check there because the market will be going all winter long. Plus we have some exciting plans for our farmers and area growers. We’ve teamed up with Lincoln University Extension to bring in Dr. Betsy Bihn of Cornell University to lead a Food Safety on the Farm conference in November. She’s the national expert in the field and we’re super excited to have her come train our farmers. For more information, you can go to our web site:  webbcityfarmersmarket.com.

Today we have Jack and Lee Ann Sours playing traditional music on the market stage. Our wonderful Extension ladies are serving and sampling Herbed Baby Eggplant. This recipe uses the small Asian eggplants grown by several of our farmers.

Tomorrow William Adkins takes the stage.

And don’t forget, no Tuesday markets until next spring!  

See you at the market!