Inside News

The Troyers will be back at the market Friday.

Hillside Farms from Carthage has been selling elephant garlic on Saturdays.

The food and nutrition classes from Carl Junction High School have been visiting the market this week. They are learning to cook fresh produce, so shop at the market and then prepare it in school.








My, my. What a downpour we had Friday! Our performer Kelly Lee James had to ditch his electronics and go back to his roots - acoustic guitar. All those electrical cords didn't seem like such a good idea.

Meanwhile, volunteer manager Donna Krudwig (aka Darth Vadar on right) adapted as well. Yes, that's a trash bag draped artistically around her shoulders.

It's great to have the concrete, but we still need to work on drainage on the east side.

Pat Walls wrote on my wall today - "You'll be happy to know that we take our WC Farmers' Market canvas bag with us every time we go to the local markets here in Sarajevo. Hope all is well back home. Cheers...".

Chris Pistole with the Audubon Center was at the market Tuesday filming a couple of segments for KODE's "Together Green Moment". Chris thought the market was a good place to talk about buying locally (as in produce grown within 70 miles rather than trucked in 1,500 miles) and growing chemical free (of which we have several farm and garden examples).

Webb City Sentinel - 9/11/09

I get a lot of undue credit for how beautiful the market often is, so I’m expecting a lot of compliments today. Everywhere you look, the market will be filled with beauty.

Bob McLaughlin called yesterday to say that he’s coming to market today even though he’d planned to be on vacation. His flowers are just too lovely to stay home in his garden. The dahlias are always gorgeous in the fall and with this cool, wet weather, they are glorious. So expect a fabulous display of color at the Urban Gardners’ stand next to the information table today.

Heidi Stoller will be at the market with her beautiful mums – a big one is only $8. Heidi has been raising mums for our market since she was a young teenager. She will soon be joined by two other growers, Alexandria’s and Countryside View Greenhouse. Both nurseries had at least 800 mums when we dropped by on inspections last month.

Shoal Creek Gardens and Greenhouse are bringing pumpkins, both the large orange ones and smaller decorative ones with pale skin and orange and green ribs. The Agees have decorative Indian corn and other fall decorations. They also have wonderful flavored vinegars which will make great presents as the holiday season nears.

Of course, the produce is also beautiful – Broken Wire’s brilliant hot and sweet peppers (above), Der and Mai Lor’s lush lettuce, the piles of corn at Circle E and Fairhaven’s stands, John Pate’s baskets of apples, the Troyer’s table loaded with onions, tomatoes, and winter squash, the Vang’s potatoes and green beans.

In fact, we’ll celebrate beautiful stands next week by having a voting station on each market day so customers can vote for the vendor with the most beautiful display. Stop by the information table for your ballot.

Next Tuesday we have our new baker for the first time. Kay McLaughlin of Hazel’s Bakery is cutting down to just Friday, so we advertised for a new Tuesday baker, received some applications and did some tasting trials. I know, it’s a tough job but someone had to try the samples. Our Tuesday baker is Lorraine Yoder. If you’ve ever enjoyed the baked goods from the Stark City Bakery, then you have already tasted her wares. She plans to bring pies, cinnamon bread and country white and honey wheat breads.

Lunch today is Baked chicken, stuffing, mixed vegetables, banana pudding & drink for $6. The Plainsfolk play Irish tunes between 11 and 1.

Tomorrow (Saturday), the always-popular Ninth Hour Quartet performs. The Benefit Breakfast supports the Friends of the Webb City Public Library. Biscuit, gravy, sausage and drink cost $3. Two eggs, fried or scrambled, is $1. You get a free refill on the biscuit and gravy is you’re feeling especially hungry. And there’s butter and jelly if you’re not the gravy type.

Next Tuesday, Cooking for a Cause benefits Healing the Family. The Joplin Exchange Club provides the workers and always match their Cooking for a Cause profits, so the good cause receives twice the benefit when the Exchange Club is involved. Gary Kyger will play and sing during lunch.

If the gardens we saw planted during our second round of inspections last month are any indications, the market will soon be overflowing with green beans. It will be a great time to buy in bulk for preserving. If, however, you want to sit down to green beans now, here is a recipe that I’ll be doing on KOAM-TV next Tuesday morning.

Green Bean Salad with Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan in Lemon Dressing

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 pound green beans
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved (about 1/2 cup)

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots & become fragrant. (Take care not to overtoast them, as they will burn very quickly once toasted.) Immediately transfer nuts to a dish to cool.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and salt; cook until tender but still firm, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the beans to a colander in the sink and run cold water over them. Trim the beans if necessary.

4. Toss the beans and walnuts in a large bowl & season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil until well combined. Pour this mixture over the beans and toss until well coated. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or to individual plates. Scatter the Parmesan shavings on top.
From: Farmer John’s Cookbook

All right, I’ll confess it. I’ll be sound asleep when this recipe airs on Tuesday. KOAM is kind enough to let me tape several recipes at a go so I only have to do one early morning for a whole month of segments. Bless ‘em.

Don’t forget to check the blog for the latest news – like the visits to market by the Carl Junction high school food and nutrition class, the elephant garlic on Saturdays, the note I received today about our Farmers Market bag in regular use for shopping in Sarajevo, and the TV segments filmed at the market Tuesday.

Sentinel Column - 9/4/09

It’s Labor Day weekend, and we don’t know whether to expect a big or a sparse crowd. We’re going to be optimists and hope for a big crowd, even though rain is forecast.

So, why come to the market today, Saturday and Tuesday? Because our farmers are bringing in loads of produce which you’ll want on your table for the holiday. Because the pavilions are covered and high and dry even in wet weather. Because we have good meals and good causes. Because you’ll enjoy the music and see friends. And you probably have other reasons as well. If so, tell us about them at the information table.

Produce at the market now includes tomatoes, sweet corn, lots of peppers of many varieties, onions, okra, potatoes, green beans, boc choy, lettuce, radishes, beets, sweet potatoes, apples, melons, summer and winter squash . . . well you get the idea. We’re also seeing fresh ginger, many fresh herbs and, on Saturdays, elephant garlic.

The market will look a lot like fall today. Tim Green plans to bring pumpkins and Heidi Stoller will have mums.

Everyone is raving about the flat bread of Jamey Smith of Redings Mill Bakery (above). Dee Agee, one of our growers who specializes in chemical free heirloom produce, buys a “loaf” at every market, loaded with herbs and cheese and other goodies. Then she takes it home, adds some of her own veggies, reheats it and says it’s heaven. I’d come early for Jamey’s flat bread. It’s developing quite a following.

Lunch today is all-you-can-eat ham and beans, plus plain or jalapeno cornbread, chocolate cake and a drink for $5. Kelly Lee James performs between 11 and 1.

Tomorrow’s (Saturday) breakfast benefits the R-7 Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation provides scholarships to Webb City High School seniors pursuing continuing education. We have a great crew volunteering on their holiday weekend to bring you biscuits and gravy, sausages, and coffee or orange juice between 9 and 11 tomorrow. You can also order eggs, fried or scrambled. Good food, at a good price, for a good cause. With music, no less. How can you beat it?

And you’ll love the music. The musicians of the Now or Never Gang are making their once-a-year appearance at the market tomorrow. The bluegrass and gospel group has been playing together for about seven years, but mother Dee has performed since she was 10 years old with Johnson Family Bluegrass. Dee plays banjo and guitar, her husband, Rick, plays dobro. Their daughters, Lacey, Brianna, and Leah, play guitar, bass fiddle, and fiddle and mandolin respectively. All the girls do vocals as well.

On Tuesday (don’t forget it’s Tuesday, even if you didn’t have a regular weekday on Monday!!), the Friends of the Webb City Library host Cooking for a Cause. Gary Kyger will play and sing between 11 and 1.

As the weather turns a bit cooler, you may be ready for a hearty stew. The following recipe is one that I did on KOAM-TV this week. Of the ingredients, we have the chicken, onions, tomatoes, okra, potatoes, and corn at the market.

Brunswick Stew

1 stewing chicken
2 cubes chicken bouillon or 1 cup chicken stock
2 large onions, sliced
4 cups fresh or 2 cans (1 lb each) tomatoes
2 cups lima beans
3 medium potatoes, diced
4 cups corn cut from cob or 2 cans (1 lb each) corn – drain liquid from cans
2 cups okra (optional)
3 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Cut chicken in pieces. In a large pot, add bouillon cubes or stock, then fill with water until chicken is covered. Stew until meat can be easily removed from bone, about 2.5 hours. Remove chicken, bone, skin and dice.

Strain broth and return to pot. Sauté onions in 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Place all ingredients, except chicken, in broth and simmer on low heat until potatoes are tender. Add chicken.

Brunswick Stew benefits from long, slow cooking. The flavor improves if the stew is refrigerated overnight and reheated the next day.

Adapted from The Williamsburg Cookbook

Inside News

John Pate tells us that he expects Tuesday to be the last day for peaches until the Parade variety are ready about 10 days later. The good news is that he thinks his apples will be ready for market on Friday.

Webb City Sentinel - 8-28-09

Last Friday, the irises donated by the Letsingers flew out of the market so Jo and Rae got busy and thinned out another two borders. Those irises will be at the market tomorrow (Saturday). The catalog says “Tall German Bearded Iris … various color in solids and bicolors … these orchid-like flowers are the ‘iristocrats’ of the last spring garden … need at least 1/2 day of sun and the rhizome needs to be covered with no more than an inch of soil … height will vary from 30 to 40 inches.”

After the bell rings at 9 am, the irises will be available for free at the market information table.

We’re expecting lots of watermelon today and tomorrow. Frank Runyon’s melons have been delicious this year. I haven’t gotten a single one that wasn’t just right. Tim Green plans to bring a bunch of melons this weekend and we have several other growers bringing melons.

We will soon be transitioning into the fall gardens. Most of our growers have done a good job of sequential planting. Ervin Eicher has been planting sweet corn all season and hopes to have plenty through September. On our farm inspections, we’re seeing lots of new green bean plantings. In fact, I predict that in the next three weeks we’ll be buried in green beans, so if you’re thinking of canning or freezing it will be a great time to buy in bulk. We’ve also seen a lot of snow peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes and beets going into the ground. And, of course, the pumpkins and apples are ripening.

It’s the time of year that people begin to ask when the market is closing. We will have our regular schedule of three markets a week through September, unless we get a hard freeze earlier. Then we go to Fridays during the hours of 11 to 2 in October. In November the winter market begins – 11 to 2 every first and third Friday of the month.

Last year was our first for winter market. It was mainly meats, baked goods and jams and jellies. And, given that there was little produce, it turned out to be a very succesful first year. However, we have several growers already lined up to provide winter produce. Marilyn and I visited Shoal Creek Greenhouse and Gardens Wednesday on a midseason farm inspection and saw one high tunnel planted in young tomatoes and the other just planted in green beans, squash and cucumbers. The Fredricksons in Carl Junction are considering growing salad greens this winter in their greenhouse and we’ve had inquiries from three other farms about growing for the winter market.

So the answer to “when is the market closing” is that it is not. Happily for the market volunteers, the winter market is very low maintenance and managed by Nancy Rasmussen, our beef and chicken vendor. That way we volunteers get a break. Or should I say, we take on different responsibilities.

I received word this week that our grant request to do grower training this winter will be approved by the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) soon. That grant will fund a food safety from field to market workshop, as well as a series of workshops on high tunnel technology. We are the lead market in organizing this training program and have invited the markets in Joplin, Neosho, Monett, MacDonald County and Pittsburg to participate. Any area farmers are welcome to attend. All the workshops will be conducted in English and in Hmong. Most of our immigrant farmers speak English fairly well, but when it comes to food safety we want them to understand completely and, of course, technical matters can be difficult to understand in any language.

Speaking of language, we had our last English as a Second Language class last Friday. Our instructor, Jared Zamouski,is back at MSSU now that summer is over. Jared did a wonderful job with his students, helping them improve their ability to interact with customers. He brought photos of the different vegetables sold at the market and the students took turns playing the seller and the customer talking about the produce, how it is grown and prepared, explaining prices and so forth. NALA (Neighborhood Adult Literacy Agency) connected us with Jared who volunteered his time. It was a good experience which we hope to repeat next summer.

We were taken aback this summer at a customer’s response to English as a Second Language. He seemed to think that we were denigrating English. So just in case others think we’re putting English in second place, let me explain that linguists consider the language that you grow up speaking your first language. Languages that you learn subsequently, are considered a second language. When we say English as a Second Language, it simply means that it is a class for people who did not grow up speaking English, as opposed to an English grammar or literary class like one might attend in high school.

What’s happening at the market this weekend? Today lunch is all-you-can-eat chili with fixin’s, plus sugar cookies and drink for $6. The Granny Chicks will play between 11 and 1. Tomorrow on Saturay, PEO is serving breakfast. All profits will go to their scholarship fund. Drywood Bluegrass will play.

On Tuesday, the Civil Air Patrol will serve Cooking for a Cause. I had to do a little reseach on the Patrol. It’s a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force. It’s an all-volunteer organization that performs three congressionally assigned key missions: emergency services, including search and rescue and disaster relief operations; aerospace education for youth and the general public; and cadet programs for teenage youth. Our local chapter is primarily for cadets ranging from 12 to 21 years.

Our music Tuesday will be by Willaim Adkins. He was a big hit at last Saturday’s market and I encourage you to make time between 11 and 1 to hear him.

More irises coming!

On Saturday, August 29, we'll have more irises from Jo and Rae Letsinger. They're free & they'll be gorgeous next spring. Gather some up at the information table after the bell rings at 9.

From the catalog:

Tall German Bearded Iris....various colors in solids and bicolors....these orchid-like flowers are the "iristocrats" of the late spring garden...need at least 1/2 day of sun and the rhizome needs to be covered with no more than an inch of soil....height will vary from 30-40 inches due to various factors.

Saturday at the Market

We couldn't have asked for a nicer day today. The weather was great, the produce was top notch and folks were in a good mood - as they usually are at the market.

William Adkins played at the market for the first time and he was a big hit, with folks filling the benches throughout the market. He'll be back on Tuesday, September 1st.

The weather is more like late September than August and we are beginning to see fall produce like the huge pumpkin at little Nicole Courdin's stand. The winter squash has arrived - butternut, spaghetti & acorn (the photo of acorn squash below was taken on a market inspection this week at Troyer Farm).

Frank Runyan tells us that he should have watermelons for another week. Get them while you can, they've been delicious

Sentinel column - 8/21/09

Life is good.

I am surrounded by good and gifted people. For example, Jo & Rae Letsinger, who are dear friends in Sarcoxie, are giving away more than 200 iris plants at the market today. Rae is a masterful gardener and deeply interested in plants. Every year he adds new specimens to his collection, each marked with a stake denoting their botanical name. Rae’s iris beds have thrived. Since thriving irises multiply and must be thinned out periodically to maintain their vigor, Rae did some major thinning this week. His sister Jo will bring the plants to the market today. The catalog describes the plants as “early blooming clumps with flower stalks 8” to 16” tall, extremely vigorous, fantastic edger for front of the border.” Rae always buys top quality, so being free, these are a real bargain. Bring a sack to the information table and gather some up for your garden. We’ll start handing them out at 11 after the bell rings.

Mike Moore was at the information table Tuesday when Bill Perry stopped by to say that Childrens’ Haven has a newsletter coming out with information on the market’s support. Childrens’ Haven did a Cooking for a Cause last month and growers have donated food to Childrens’ Haven several times during the high season. With an average of 12 children, plus staff to feed, free fresh produce can really stretch the food budget. Mike was surprised, he didn’t know about the market’s gleaning program, and if Mike didn’t know, lots of others may not know either, so let me tell you about our generous growers. Typically on Tuesdays and Saturdays, they load us down with donations of sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes and lots of other produce. Black Forest Pastry almost always has two or three boxes of pastries to donate. We make arrangements for the gleanings to be picked up, or deliver them ourselves to various feeding programs, including the Damascus House rehab program, Crosslines, Childrens’ Haven, City of Refuge and Salvation Army. Tuesday I dropped some produce by the Cerebral Palsy Center in Webb City.

We have also been blessed by people we don’t know this week. A debit card was found in the parking lot on Tuesday and turned in by a kind customer. I couldn’t find a phone number for the card holder on the internet so called the issuing bank – US Bank. They tried calling the card holder, but the number they had was outdated. The bank said they would cancel the card. I said, “oh please don’t. Let us hold it for the rest of the day and if the customer doesn’t contact us we’ll drop it by the bank”. Within an hour, the customer came to retreive the card. The bank had somehow gotten hold of her. Since she was from Pittsburg and I was looking for a Missouri number, I would never have found her so kudos to the US Bank employee that went the extra mile.

Another good thing at the market has been the conversion of our Saturday morning breakfast to a benefit. Customers have been great supporters, the profits have been maximized by the generous donation of biscuits by General Mills, and nonprofits are calling in to reserve days. We had been seriously overbooked on Cooking for a Cause, having to turn down numerous organizations that wanted to participate. Now with the Saturday Benefit Breakfast we’ll have 16 more groups we can support.

This Saturday, the breakfast supports CROPwalk, which is supported by many churches in the Joplin area including Sacred Heart and Central United Methodist, as well as Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Missionary Baptists, Lutherans and several schools. The money raised goes to Lafayette House, the Salvation Army and Crosslines, as well as to other US and international hunger projects. Breakfast is served from 9 to 11 (& I’m still looking for a few workers. If you long to start Saturday early cooking sausage at 7 am, stop by the information table today and we’ll sign you up). Biscuits, gravy, sausage and eggs is $3. Two eggs your way is $1.

We have a new musician on Saturday – William Adkins who plays the guitar and sings. Expect a lot of John Denver and other mellow tunes from the 70’s and 80’s. I hope you’ll make him welcome.

Today Gospel Strings graces us with their music. Lunch is a BLT sandwich, macaroni salad, spinach salad, cake & drink for $6.

Next Tuesday, Cooking for a Cause benefits the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Much of their funding goes to help local families who have suffered a major fire in their home. Disasters come in all sizes and, in our area, it often comes in the form of a house fire.

The market is loaded with green beans, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, squash, cucumbers, okra, greens, onions, and melons. We have some fabulous peppers, including bells in many colors. For a wide variety of sweet and hot peppers, try Broken Wire Ranch. Grower Tom Lewis has some beauties, and can roast them for you right on the spot. It smells delicious,and tastes even better.

Yes, life is good.

(Photos - top: Mor Xiong's stand, bottom: the Troyer stand)

Free Iris on Friday

My friends Rae & Jo Letsinger are bringing 200+ standard dwarf bearded iris of various colors (catalogue says "early blooming clumps with flower stalks 8" to 16" tall, extremely vigorous, fantastic edger for front of the border")to the market Friday. Rae is a plant enthusiast and uses top quality material so these will be nice iris. Bring a sack to the information table to carry home some free iris.

We're looking for a great baker

The Webb City Farmers Market has been blessed with a wonderful pie and cake baker in Hazel’s Bakery, but Hazel is hoping to cut down to just Friday markets soon. That means that the market has an opening on Tuesdays, and possibly on Saturdays, for an excellent baker. Pies and cakes, as well as dinner rolls and other baked goods are in demand at the market.

Applications are available at the market or by calling 417 483-8139 or by emailing the address above. The market requires that baked goods be produced in a kitchen inspected by the health department. Hazel’s plans to continue providing the market with baked goods on Tuesdays until a new baker is in place.