Delicious Treats and Surprises at the HFM!

Hate ironing? I do, too, and so does Kay Johnson,  of Custom Made Ironing Board Covers, the lady smiling in the picture below. Yes, she's holding an ironing board and sells ironing board covers...but why is she SMILING? Because she has found a way to make ironing quicker and less of a chore. Seriously! Her story started in Traverse City some 10 years ago when she bought a ironing board cover touted to make ironing easy. Although skeptical, she tried it at home and loved it! The next summer she was back in Traverse City, wanting to buy another as a gift, but the vendor was gone. Since Kay has been sewing since childhood, she figured out a way to duplicate the pattern and started to make her own. The rest is history. She uses colorful fabric and her special design and the covers work wonders. "Once a customer buys one, they come back for more. The covers make wonderful gifts," Kay said. She also crochets unique, delicate necklaces. 

Here's another smiling vendor: Tom Sherwood is happy to be back at the HFM selling wonderful doughnuts and baked goods from Nana's Sweet Treats, Italian and American Bakery. Nana, Italian for Grandma, used to bake these goodies herself, but currently Nana's daughter, Roseanne, is the baker, while husband, Tom,  handles the selling. Their bakery is located at the corner of Cedar and Ash in Mason. Tom is smiling because of the delicious quality and popularity of his products. The first two Saturdays at the HFM this year, he sold out! So he brings more product now. His goal? "To have what the customers want," he told me. Nana's offers a full variety of baked goods: eight different breads and rolls; seven types of cake doughnuts as well as long-johns, apple fritters, cinnamon rolls, pecan sticky buns, as well as canolis, baklava and casata cake, "which is very rich." Nana's will take special orders, and does catering. Nana's will bake cakes and pies upon request, which is nice to know with Thanksgiving just around the corner. 

Both Tom and Kay are located in the smaller building. Stop by and chat. You'll leave with a smile on your face, too.
I left the HFM last Saturday just delighted with the fun I'd had. I sampled, and then bought, some honey fudge from Willow Blossom Farms. Delicious as it was, the best part for me was that Lorrie had put squash/pumpkin in the fudge!! This odd ingredient didn't affect the taste at all! It just made the fudge taste more substantial, more dense and less guilt-inducing for me, because now the treat was healthy! Okay, healthy-er, anyway.

Country Products was selling concord grapes; Anna, the jewelry lady, was selling scarves; Kay had necklaces she'd made; Carol, the card lady, had a fun Hallowe'en display with sticky notes in a seasonal wrapper, and small packages of Kleenex also in Hallowe'en wrap to put "your little 'boogies' in; Roots Farm (Lansing Food Bank) had lovely pumpkins and gourds and squash...some grown with seeds one of the refugees was able to bring even during their flight from Africa.

So the market is never the same from week to week. I find new, clever and fun things that the vendors have made each time I go. Which is one more reason I love the HFM!

 

REMEMBER, IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS MARKET!



Meet Cyle and Cyndi

Though totally unrelated, these two vendors work side by side at the Holt Farmers' Market, in the larger building. Coincidence that they both spell their names with a" C" ? Some people say there are no coincidences, but I'm not one of them. So, you decide! Cyle and his brothers bring their wonderful produce including the corn and tomatoes grown at  their home at Nightengale Family Farm. During the summer, the younger bro's are at the HFM while Cyle manages their farm-stand. He also manages their stand at the Charlotte farmer market. During the fall, the guys still in high school leave it up to Cyle to be at the HFM...plus everything else, I guess! He's been doing this for five years, and enjoys bringing quality produce to his customers at his various sites. Nightengale Family Farm will also sell items grown at other local farms, as do many of the vendors.

This year the blueberries and cherries were part of this arrangement, as are the apples currently in season. Nightengale FF may expand next year and offer more items. The photo shows Cyle holding a tray of peppers. Since I don't get to the market until 12:30, I didn't get a pic of the tray when it was full of the colorful veggies, because so many of them sold before I got there! 

   Cyndi Mendoza, owner of Cupcakes with Love, is a newcomer at the Holt Farmer's Market, and intends to keep coming back because she's "having such a great time!" While she's sold her delicious cupcakes at other venues, she likes the HFM the best (Yay! thanks, Cyndi!). She and her sister, Norma, love baking and have done this together for years, giving their goodies to family, friends and coworkers. They decided to become entrepreneurs and share their tasty product, hand- made with love, with customers at farmer's markets. They make two different cupcake flavors each week, alongside their standard ones. Last Saturday they featured pumpkin spice and cookies and cream.

Gosh, they looked so tempting, it made me regret that I have to eat gluten-free! Cyndi and Norma also make cookies and bars, with the lemon bars being a particular favorite with customers. They provide samples, so you can taste before you buy. They do cupcakes, etc. for baby and bridal showers, etc. and will do special orders on request. They also have a facebook page that is easily accessed from the Holt Farmer's Market web page, and can take orders/ answer questions from there. So stop by and enjoy. You'll be glad you did.

 

At tomorrow's market, look for: apples, green beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, fresh herbs,  two kinds of kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, fall-pick raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb only if ordered ahead (then pick up at the market), summer squash and zucchini, winter squash, green, red and hot peppers, tomatoes incl.  cherry, roman and other varieties. Vendors will also be selling Michigan jams, maple syrup, fall décor incl. corn stalks, pumpkins, possibly some sunflowers and other fall décor items.

 

REMEMBER IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS' MARKET!! 

 



Photos from the Past

This is the photo I wanted to include in last week's post. It's the photo of the Country Products stand. Cheryl is standing with her niece, Samantha, in the smaller building. They were featured last week because they are one of the two vendors who sell meat. Check last week's post for details.

Also featured last week was Dave, from Piedmontese Grass-fed Beef. He's in the larger building , near the corner flower shop. Check them both out.

Selling meat that is ready to eat, and  new in the last couple weeks, Big Daddies Big Dawgs. You'll find him in the front of the HFM, cooking up his tasty hot dogs, next to the carmel corn vendor. Both are delicious! Other ready-to-eat food vendors are Ming Dynasty, the Golumbki Gal, the Salsa Lady, Lu's Dessert Breads, and many more. My personal favorite, since I have to eat gluten free, is the French pastry shop. While not at HFM every Saturday, every once in a while they'll have a gf item. So I can have a delicate, crispy pastry/cookie with a delicious filling just as gluten people can. Desserts are a challenge to find gluten free, so it's a real treat when I find one. You'll find them in the larger building.

 

I bought zucchini last Saturday, stuffed it and cooked it last night. WOW! It was so yummy! I used the recipe in the Lansing State Journal, September 30, Zucchini Stuffed with Italian Sausage...for which I substituted ham, for lack of sausage in the house. Ham was good, but it was the rest of the ingredients that made it wonderful: onion, wine (I subbed red wine vinegar for lack of wine in the house) Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, fresh bread crumbs, garlic, tomatoes and capers. All of which sounds ho-hum, but trust me, the results were delicious. While not a quick recipe that I prefer, once in a while I don't mind fussing, especially when the results are so good. My husband loved it! I just didn't mention the word zucchini!

 

This Saturday, look for the following at the HFM (while looking for surprises as well, of course!)

Green beans are looking great and plentiful; it's a new picking, and as long as the frost holds off, they'll keep coming. Apples are plentiful, and lots of varieties, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, several varieties of kale, chard, lots of peppers, leeks, scallions, onions, pears, some raspberries (fall-picked variety), zucchini, both summer and winter squash, fresh herbs (no basil; it's done for the season)fall décor: pumpkins, (also pie pumpkins), corn stalks, probably sunflowers, gourds and probably some tomatoes.. Several vendors also sell locally produced, real maple syrup, Michigan jams, locally produced honey, all of which will be available during the winter market days as well (yes, this year we'll be open one Sat/month in winter. More on that later.).



 REMEMBER IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS MARKET!

Meat at the Market? Who knew??

(Apologies for the lack of photos; something's not working right. I will try to post them later today. Wish me luck!)
 While the Holt Farmers' Market is not a meat market, you can buy your meat there. If you are interested in grass fed beef, range-free chicken and eggs from those chickens, the HFM has what you want. Both vendors usually sell frozen products, but ask if you can order fresh items if that's what you prefer.
Country Products, one of the original vendors at HFM, while selling lots of produce, also carries wonderful, hormone-free chickens, eggs, beef and pork. And I'm told  the prices are not out of line with Kroger's beef stew meat, chuck roast etc. Their pork is nitrate-free! Even including their bacon! You can order fresh chicken, and Wilbur, the Amish farmer who runs the stand, usually takes orders for freshThanksgiving turkeys as well, so watch for that. You'll find Country Products in the smaller building.
Olmsted Farms sells Piedmontese Beef, a breed that originated in  Italy but now raised in Charlotte, Michigan. It's selling points are that it claims to be the leanest beef you could find anywhere. It has one-third the chloresterol, one-third the calories, is lower fat and "the highest protein of any beef you can buy," said Dave, vendor. "It is fast cooking and only needs to reach 120 degrees due to being so low fat,"  he added. Dave's friend, who raises the beef, uses no chemicals on his farm, and uses a select feed that contains no man-made chemicals either, so the beef is chemical-free. Dave also has  healthy pork  and will take orders for any of his products if he's out of what you want.
Interested? Visit the web-site: www.LeeLenaupiedmontesebeef.com. You'll find Dave in the larger building, near the flower shop...where you can get your free coffee...and sign up for free Wi-Fi. (but you knew that already, right? :)

New this week: Dicon radishes, a large white radish with a bit of a kick. Used in many Asian dishes and at restaurants. Also blue and red kale and  Stanley plums.
Bountiful and in season: winter squash of all varieties, apples (Ida Reds, wonderful in pies and snacking; Honey Crisp, Jonathons, MacIntosh, my personal favorite, plus more)corn stalks, mums, pumpkins and gourds for fall décor.
Get'em now, because they may be gone next week: Basil still available, but once the temp hits 30s, will be gone. Can be bought in quantity by calling Dennis Greenman, 204-4827. Oregano, sage are still available. Some tomatoes this week, lettuce, beets.

Last week I bought eggplant and zucchini (among many other items), some of which I grilled...delicious! and the rest I'm planning to make into vegetable crisps today. If they turn out, I'll post the recipe on the HFM bulletin board. Remember I get there at 12:30 :). I'm SO not an early bird.

Vacation #2

     Yes, I was in Cinncinati last Saturday; visited my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, age 2...and, of course, cute as a button. So, I didn't get to shop at the Holt Farmers' Market. Bummer!
Anyway, I do have tips that I've been wanting to share, and perhaps some recipes (though the main source for HFM recipes is at the market's bulletin board).

     It's not too late to grill! So grill up some vegetables: Grilling gives veggies that charcoal flavor we love. "Thick slices of eggplant grilled with garlic, herbs and olive oil can be as satisfying as a piece of meat," says chef Ming Tsai, but seasoning is critical. " Salt takes the bitterness out eggplant and accentuates the sweetness of tomatoes and other produce."

     I like to use my George Foreman Grilling Machine when it really is too cold to grill outdoors. So here's one of his recipes: 6 slices of eggplant, 1/2" thick (or two baby eggplants), 2 small onions, sliced 1/2" thick, 2 small tomatoes, diced; 2 small zucchini, sliced; 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced; 4-6 mushrooms, sliced; 1 tsp. olive oil, (optional). Preheat the Grilling Machine 3-5 min. while spreading  olive oil on veggies, if using. Add the sliced eggplant and garlic, close the lid and cook 3 min. Add the slices of onion, zucchini and mushrooms; cover and cook 3-5 min. Remove the eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms to a plate. Add tomatoes to the onion and garlic. Cover and cook for one min. Remove and serve over the eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms. Serves 2-4. Can be served with meat and/pasta, or stuffed in a pita or French bread for a great grilled vegetable sandwich.

Basil Tips: Using fresh basil means spending a little extra love and care with your most delicate ingredient: When using, it's best to SNIP it into pieces with scissors. Basil bruises easily and blackens when chopped, or if it gets too hot or too cold.
Basil will keep up to a week, stored in a plastic bag, or put into a cup of water and covered with a plastic bag. I have found basil and other herbs easy to dry if I can't use them up in a week. I keep the stems tied/banded together, and hang them upside down in a warm place, such as near my stove. Of course, another option is to buy a basil plant, keep it in a sunny window and snip the tops of the plant for cooking. BUT I've had no luck with growing herbs in my kitchen, so if it works for you, let me know how you did it! You can comment at the end of this blog.

     RECIPE FOR BASIL BUTTER:  1 cup shopped fresh basil, 1 pound of unsalted butter, pinch of salt. Blend ingredients in a food processor. Could make a nice gift when put in a glass jar tied with ribbon or raffia. 

NEXT WEEK: I plan to feature the vendors who sell meat at the HFM. Who knew??

REMEMBER IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY AT THE HOLT FARMERS' MARKET!

 

Featuring Bread and Fresh Produce

 

 

Luanne Peeper loves baking, and loves the Holt Farmers' Market! She has always loved baking, but only came to love the HFM in the last year or so. She had been selling her wonderful  breads at another market, and changed because she found the atmosphere so much more friendly and fun at HFM (sound familiar? :) 

Her business is named Lu's Dessert Breads, because they are so delicious, they can be eaten for dessert! She features breads that coincide with the season, so now it's zucchini, but she's sold rhubarb, blueberry, raspberry and soon it will be pumpkin. She also bakes special orders; last Saturday it was apple turnovers. Lu loves to work with people, and immensely enjoys having her satisfied customers return for more.  Find her in the larger building. 

Lansing Roots Farm is actually located near Mason. A part of the Lansing Food Bank, this non-profit helps area refugees learn to garden and then sell their goods at farmers' markets. The goal is to help them learn viable skills, in gardening as well as in entrepreneurship, and selling their produce so they can become self-sufficient. I can tell you from experience that their produce is wonderfully fresh and is chemical-free i.e.as organic as they can make it without being certified as such. You will find them in the smaller building.

 

REMEMBER: IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS' MARKET!

What to do with all those tomatoes? (Scroll to answer)

If you haven't met the Rowe family at their  Rowe's Country Market booth at the Holt Farmers' Market, please do so at your next visit. You will enjoy them immensely. Gary Rowe is on the left in the pic, with his parents with him. They pride themselves on selling only excellent produce, grown on their family farm south of Holt. This year they planted over 3,000 tomato plants! When asked what "army" helps them harvest the juicy, red fruit (yes, I've finally given up on calling tomatoes a vegetable), the answer was that they recruit anyone available, and work from 8:00a.m.-8:00p.m. The  result is the plump, juicy and delicious fruit you see in the photo. " Our number one priority is selling only produce of excellent quality, " Gary told me. He also let me know that all their produce is grown as organically as possible, without any man-made chemicals. What keeps them in the produce business? "Repeat business from satisfied customers."

The Rowe's also operate a farmstand at their farm, located on Columbia Rd, near Schafers' Landscaping, and is open Mon-Sat, 12-7:00 Check out their other produce as well, and the Rowe's are able to take orders for large quantities of produce for those who want to can/freeze and put the sunshiny flavors of summer in a jar or baggie to savor in the dark winter months. 

 

Meet one of the sweetest, friendliest vendors at the HFM...and that's saying a lot! ( We've been complimented on the warm, friendly atmosphere at the HFM). Anna, of Anna's Creations, creates fabulous necklaces, earrings, foot jewelry  and bracelets, all of her own design. What's foot jewelry? Stop by and ask! You'll be delighted. Granddaughters? I loved the cute bracelet I got for my Eliana, two years old. Anna started making jewelry in  response to a fund raiser at her church, and loves creating, selling and wearing beautiful things. She believes she was meant to create beauty, and her jewelry shows this.

Anna also does jewelry parties, makes custom jewelry for weddings, and will do repairs as well. Check her out; you'll be glad you did. I always am.

 Lisa Stuccher is one of the newer vendors at HFM, and she can't be classified as only a produce vendor, although she sells her home-grown produce. Since she also sells homemade craft items such as ceramic refrigerator magnets from Peace Works, beautiful feathered/flowered hair clips and delightful "cute critters," I guess she falls somewhere in between categories! Which is totally fine with me. Unique to the market is a hand-bound, leather journal she made herself. The leather is soft and brown and very touchable. It looks like an antique, or a precious heirloom. Since the size is 5X7, it's just right to hold, perhaps to tuck in the tote bag and journal wherever you may be! She's already sold one, but would probably make one for you upon request.

 

What to do with all your tomatoes? Can 'em, freeze 'em and eat them raw. Want more? Try making a quick sauce: Cook tomatoes down to half their volume, then add enough water to restore the original volume. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper and fresh garlic, simmer for 30 minutes, then stir in herbs and olive oil.
Create a flavored salt: to season eggs, pasta or anything: Puree kosher salt with tomatoes in a blender, lays it on a sheet tray, and dehydrate for a couple nights (about six hours) in an oven with the pilot light on, or in a  100 degree oven until dry.
Cherry tomatoes? Roast 'em! This will give you cherry tomatoes that are about the size of raisins. You can stop short of the maximum cooking time, and have a juicier but still wonderful roasted taste.
Two pints of cherry or grape tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Oven at 250 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the oil; salt and pepper to taste.Line a baking sheet with a rack; place the tomatoes on the rack. Roast for 6 hours, until they look like big, red juicy raisins. Makes 1 pint.

REMEMBER IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN THE HOLT FARMERS' MARKET!!