The Veggie Gazette
News from the Emporia Farmers Market

January & February 2015

Volume 9, Number 1

  

 

Here I am, already looking ahead to our summer market plan when we've barely

A goal when we started indoor, year-round markets was to give our growers an incentive to extend the growing season. We are pleased to say that we have had fresh produce throughout the winter at every market since our 2nd indoor season began. This, our 4th season indoor, is the first time we have had winter tomatoes!
gotten the 2014 market books under wrap. Thanks to

you and the rest of our loyal shoppers, the Emporia Farmers Market experienced our biggest season of sales yet, beating the 2012 market record by $1400.

 

We also started the new year with the good news that a 2015-16 Winter Market season is a sure thing! The Emil Babinger Charitable Trust will continue to sponsor our indoor market season, as well as providing funds for matching dollars for state of Kansas Vision cardholders. We are currently in our fourth year of being a year-round farmers market. This is quite an accomplishment for a community our size. If you have not yet had the chance to attend an indoor winter market, please join us. 

 

We are open the first and third Saturdays of each month, from 10am till noon, at the Emporia Humanitarian Center, 215 W. 6th Avenue. Remember, we only continue to grow through your encouragement. The more markets you attend, letting the vendors know that their hard efforts are appreciated, the more they will work to provide you with the fresh and local vegetables and home baked goodness that you enjoy. A farmers market is the perfect opportunity to get to know the growers, to really understand where your food comes from. 

 

I have shared several details below in this newsletter, including an introduction to our new and returning vendors. Please take a moment to browse and feel free, as always, to contact me if you have questions or feedback.

 

As well, I am working on the 2015 market calendar right now. If you have a business or organization that would like to be involved as a market sponsor, an event coordinator, or if you need a locale for a hot food fundraiser, please give me a call. Phone 620-343-6555 or email emporiaFM@gmail.com.

 

See you at the market!

Tracy 

Kolaches! Yum.

 

January Market Radishes.
    
A January Market Monkey!
    

  

 

 
 February Market Schedule
Saturday, February 7 - 10am-Noon, EHC
Music provided by Sue Claridge


Saturday, February 21 - 10am-Noon, EHC
Music provided by Jane McCoy

 

 

New Vendor ~ 2015
Treaty Treats, by Alicia Tolbert

From Alicia:

Let me help spoil your 4-legged friends. Homemade dog treats in a range of flavors and sizes. All treats are made from natural ingredients and can be made gluten free upon request. Flavors may vary slightly by week. Flavors include peanut butter, sweet potato, banana and carrot, and beef.

All baking of the treats is done under supervision of my own dogs and all flavors are taste-tested and approved to ensure yummy quality.



Alicia also plans to bring hand-knitted & crochet scarves, hats and headbands to the market. 



New Vendor ~ 2015
Maria's Homemade Tortillas

We are so excited to announce that we have homemade corn and flour tortillas coming to the Emporia Farmers Market in February!

Please take a moment to welcome Maria Hernandez and try out this new item at our market. Maria will have a selection of baked breads, as well.

T
ORTILLAS!
I don't have an image yet, but I wanted to get your attention!





Returning Vendors ~ 2015

The following Vendors have already registered for our 2015 market season. You can learn more about 2015 Registered Vendors on our website. 
  
The Country Flower Shed: The Brenzikofers, Harold and Naomi, are regular features at EFM, come winter, spring, summer or fall. Harold is our primary "greens" grower during the winter months. Last market, his table featured radishes, carrots, romaine lettuce, spinach, kale and mustard greens.
  
Graze the Prairie: All Natural Grass Fed & Grass Finished Beef. No hormones, no GMO's, no antibiotics. Graze the Prairie joined EFM in 2014 and we are looking forward to their 2nd year with us.
  
Delmer Hinrichs: Another smiling face that we see year-round.
Delmer Hinrichs adds yard ornaments and wood crafts to his table in the winter months. Delmer has been selling with EFM since 1994! 
  
Interdependent Web: Ben & Jessie Stallings have been selling with EFM since 2009. Ben's specialty is permaculture. Click here for a tour of their Urban Farm, right here in Emporia, KS. Jessie is an area artist and art therapist who focuses on recycled and repurposed crafts.
 
The Karr Orchard: We can count on Bob for our apple a day (and more) when we shop at the Emporia Farmers Market. In the winter months, Bob's selection includes apple cider, apple butters, and local honey.
 
Daryl Klumpe: Daryl was a new face at the market in 2014. His winter products--very popular--have included fresh farm eggs and pecans.

Baked Goods by Linda Simmons and Katherine Holtmeyer: Linda, known for her sweets and gourmet cookies at the market, has been a vendor since 2010. Her daughter, Katherine, also a baker, joined us in 2014. Try a kolache for a Saturday treat! Baked goods include cinnamon rolls, yeast breads and cookies. Sugar free cookie varieties are also available.

The Late Tomato: How late is the late tomato? We've seen tomatoes at December AND January markets! What a treat. They may be slower to ripen in these short winter days, but they are delicious (tested and approved by market manager, Tracy Simmons)

Piece Makers Perennials - Quilting & Crafts: Lyndah Wallin has been a vendor with EFM for more than 20 years! We welcome Lyndah to the market again this season.



Grass Fed Beef
Q: What does that mean, grass fed beef? 

A: One of our market vendors in 2014, a returning vendor in 2015, was Graze the Prairie who advertises "All Natural Grass Fed & Grass Finished Beef. No Hormones, No GMO's, No Antibiotics."

Several shoppers have asked, "What exactly does that mean?"

"Farmers use a variety of systems to raise healthy animals. One new trend in meats is really a return to the way farm animals like cows, sheep, goats and bison were historically raised. Described as ruminants, these animals have a four-chambered stomach. Ruminant animals eat and digest grasses and other plants, like alfalfa--something that humans can't do with their one-chambered stomachs. Humans domesticated these valuable animals because their unique design allows them to convert grass into flavorful meat and milk!" Read more here. (from Environmental and health benefits of grass-fed beef, a consumer's guide.)





Farmers Market Series
Community Connections

 

 

Farmers Market 101: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Farmers Market Vending

Instructor: Tracy Simmons

Cost: $5

Schedule: Tuesday, March 24, 6:00-8:00 PM

 

If you've ever considered selling produce, baked goods, or homemade crafts at a farmers market, this is the place for you. Emporia Farmers Market manager, Tracy Simmons, will cover the ins and outs of selling at the market, state and local regulations, creating a niche, and tips and strategies for successful vending. As well, you will learn about the Emporia Farmers Market history, operations and guidelines for selling. If you already know your product, or you've just had an idea that selling at the market is something you might like to do, sign up for this presentation.    Sponsored in part by the Emil Babinger Charitable Trust.

 

 

If you have ideas for growing our Farmers Market Series of Classes, please contact Amy at FHTC or Tracy at EFM. We are looking for course offerings with a focus on both vendors and shoppers. How to grow it, make it, sell it, bake it!

 

Share ideas for classes you'd like to take and for any you would like to teach!

 

 

To enroll in any of Community Connections classes please visit http://flinthills.augusoft.net or call 620-341-1392.

 

Thank you to our Market Farmhands & Musicians
            
December Farmhands:
Mary McGaw, Ruthann Resch, Becky Smith

Musicians: Three Old Men, Jane McCoy

    

If you have interest in participating in the market as a volunteer or as a musician, please contact Tracy! emporiaFM@gmail.com
Thank you!
 

Contact Information
Market Manager
Tracy Simmons
620-343-6555
  
   Member of:      
 
 
Thanks to the Emil Babinger Charitable Trust - Winter Market Sponsor 

 

 

                 

The Emporia Farmers Market fulfills a central role in the community's grand equation, offering a place of fellowship throughout the year, moving produce, producer, and consumer closer to a kindred realm, bridging lives with local growth, local arts, local writers and musicians, creating rhythms of seasons and relationship so well maintained as to seem always new and continuing together.
 
~Wendy Crowley Devilbiss
    

 

 

               
     ESB Financial

lead sponsor - summer market season     

Helpful Harvesters
               
Janet Brassart  

Scott & Rhonda Gordon

Ellen Hansen
  
Lyon County Master Gardeners
  
James & Theresa Muckenthaler
  

Don & Ruth Wise
  
  
2 for 1 - Kansas Vision Cardholders     

 

  EBT

EFM is matching dollars again for EBT customers! Remember that you can shop at the market with your Vision card. Visit with a kiosk volunteer for details.

 

Gift of:

The Emil Babinger Charitable Trust

 

  

 Market Sponsors

               

Winter Market & Vision Card Enhancement Sponsor:

The Emil Babinger Charitable Trust

 

Facilities Sponsors:

The City of Emporia

 

Lyon County K-State Research & Extension

 

Elbert Liquor Store

 

Mark II Lumber

 

Media Sponsors:

KVOE

 

The Emporia Gazette

 

The Flint Hills Shopper

 

Community Partner & Event Sponsors:

 

 Country Mart North

 

Community Connections

 

Dirty Kanza Promotions Team

 

  Emporia Subways

 

Emporia Area Local Food Network

 

Murphy's Menu

 

Thurston's Plus

BeefFest

PraireLand Partners

  
  Friends of the Market

               

James Bordonaro
Harold & Naomi Brenzikofer
Ele Browning
Betty Campbell & Margaret
   Davidson

Travis Carmichael
Laura Clawson
Coffelt Sign Company
Tyler Curtis
Carla R. Davis
John Dougherty
Paul DuToit
Emporia Gardeners of America

Colby Fuller

Jon Geitz

Rachel Haag

Becky Hadicke 

Joyce Hanlin (Arizings)

Fannie Harrell

Millard Harrell
Dr. Stephen Haught
Roger Heineken
Jessica Hopkins
June Hubert
Bill & Dianne Ihling
Janice Jaggard

Marcia Lawrence
Rachael LeClear
Logan Ave. 4-H Club
Max McCoy

Mary McGaw
Regina Murphy
Wanda Myers
Bobbi Mylnar
Ruthann Resch

Gretchen Russell

Jamie Roberts

Barb Say 

Carol Schoeck

 Mark Schondelmaier

Anna Sharenburg

Mark Sherman

Dr. Michael Shonrock

Evie Simmons

Kaman Simmons

Maddie Simmons

Rand Simmons

Becky Smith

Brandi Smith

Karen Sommers

Ben & Jessie Stallings

Pam Thuma

Cheryl Unruh

Jesse & Beth Wilson

Casey & Erin Woods

Jennifer Youngblood

Barbara Younger

 

 

 

and Market Musicians
Kenji Bolden
Kendra Briggs
Savanna Chestnut
Lance Fahy
Tracy Freeze
Bob Haselhun
Matthew Hope 

Dr. Brent Hrabik

Bill Ihling

Matt Kosinski
Eric Martin

Eric Murphy
Jane McCoy
Lee C. Muller
The Neighborly Brothers

Three Old Men: Ric Garcia, Nick Dikin & Sam Bland
Brandi Smith

Ben Stallings

Fran Stallings
P.J. Stephenson

Glen Woolard
Tony Zouplna
Anton Zouplna, Sr.
Anton Zouplna, III

Winter Market Tour
            

 
Did you know?

The Emporia Farmers Market is guided by a 12-member, volunteer board of directors. The market is a project of The Learning Connection of the Flint Hills, a 501(c)3 organization. The organization has one, part-time employee.

We want you to know more about our market. Is there something you've been curious about? Send an email with your question to emporiaFM@gmail.com and we will share our answer in the next e-newsletter.
  

EFM Board Members

Janet Brassart - Treasurer
Harold Brenzikofer
Travis Carmichael
Jessica Hopkins - Secretary
Marcia Lawrence - Music Manager, 2015 
Ben Stallings
Ellen Hansen
Fannie Harrell
Wanda Myers
Ruthann Resch - President
Becky Smith - Vice President
Brandi Smith - Music Manager. 2014
  

Bottom of the Newsletter Bonus! Did you make it all the way to the bottom? Tell market manager, Tracy Simmons, on February 7th that you enjoyed the market e-newsletter and you can earn Star Market Shopper status! What's a Star Market Shopper? The question is more like, who? You won't know unless you shop and take a moment to visit!

 
Emporia Farmers' Market