Featuring two specialty vendors

Meet Marcie Bishop Kates, owner and CEO of Incu-Bake. What's that? Incu-Bake is a kitchen (business)incubator. Being the creative person she is, Marcie was searching for a commercial kitchen to use for her catering business, didn't find one, so decided to create one herself! She's changed her focus a bit from running a catering business to helping other entrepreneurs start their own businesses. To date, 59 food businesses have used her commercial kitchen to prepare their food items and have been licensed to do so.  A number of these sell their items at the Holt Farmers' Market and have been featured in this blog e.g. The Golumbki Gal. In addition, Marcie sells items for Incu-Bake graduates at her market stall, including wonderful dips, sauces, granola and much more. Stop by and see why we're excited about this vendor!

Willow Blossom Farms is truly a family  affair. Lorrie and Shannon are beekeepers, and Willow is their daughter. Mom makes all the products: lip balms, lotions, soaps, honey sticks all made with honey of course. Then she offers many forms of honey: liquid honey in plastic or glass containers; 8oz.,  half-gallons, full gallons, creamed or whipped. She sells honey lolli-pops, honey-pecans (newest hot item) and honey in the comb. Last but not least are her two oz. baby bear containers of honey...which are airplane legal. Meanwhile, Dad works outdoors with the hives, and Willow helps Mom sell items at the HFM. Stop by! you can't miss their bright yellow shirts..  

 I loved the delicious Super Sweet corn from  Greenman's Farm booth, picked that morning. My husband did, too. My favorite apples, McIntosh, also made it to my table, and delicious Michigan peaches. THIS WEEK: Red Haven peaches will be available! The ones I had last week were delicious, I'd give them an A. Red Havens are the A+ of Michigan peaches, in my opinion. So stop by the Holt Farmers' Market, and revel in the tastes of a Michigan summer. 

 

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





August abundance

Another long list of wonderful, fresh food available tomorrow, August 10, much of it grown locally, some items from other locations in Michigan and some from out of state. Remember to ask the vendors!
Michigan apples, and Michigan peaches; locally grown green beans, beets, bell peppers, hot peppers, blueberries and blackberries, lettuces, three kinds of onions: red, sweet and Vidalias; new potatoes: red, golden and fingerlings; fresh herbs, sweet potatoes, grape tomatoes as well as their larger siblings, zucchini and summer squash, and last but certainly not least: sweet corn, including bi-color Super Sweet corn, at the Greenman's Farm stand.

Instead of pics this week, I thought I'd feature some FAQs:
1. Why should I buy fresh  Michigan produce from the Holt Farmer's Market when I can get the same item, grown in Michigan, at the supermarket, for less money?
I would suggest two reasons:
     - at the HFM your money goes directly to the farmer, not to some mega-corporation.
     - at the HFM you can ask all the questions you want, and get really good answers, from the people who grew the food, and take pride in their products. They can tell you how they grew the item, how to store the item, how to prepare it. Try that at Kroger!

2. Why is the food at the HFM so expensive? I can't afford it!
I would suggest that the affordability of the produce at the HFM is a matter of perspective and values. When I shop at the supermarket, I see carts loaded with bottled water, pop, lots of packaged food, and maybe a few items from the produce department. Those few items from the produce department may indeed be cheaper than those at the HFM. Folks who value their health could decide that they don't need those nutrition-lite items in their cart, or  could find less expensive ways to satisfy those needs, and buy their produce at the HFM, where the produce has all the advantages listed above, plus the advantage of not having been shipped hundred/thousands of miles to get in that cart, and so it hasn't been irradiated/processed/GMOd so it can travel all those miles and arrive looking fresh.
You can tell what my values are!!

Here are some tips from the Foodsafety.gov website:
Food storage: Store fresh fruits like strawberries, lettuce, and  herbs in the 'fridge at 40 degrees or less. Keep high ethylene fruits like apples separate from other fruits to help prevent over-ripeness.
Food Preparation: Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables. Produce that looks rotten should be discarded (and mention it to your vendor the next week!). Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate form other foods such as raw meat, or poultry and from kitchen utensils used for those products.
Wash cutting boards, dishes , utensils and counter tops with soap and hot water between the preparation of those products listed above and any produce that will not be cooked.
Using plastic cutting boards? or other non-porous boards?  You can run them through the dish washer after use.
I'm excited to tell you about my recent experience with storing fresh lettuce, of course from the HFM. Two weeks ago, I bought a bag of mixed greens from the Lansing Roots Farm, which is connected to the Lansing Food Bank. I put them in the 'fridge vegetable drawer just the way they came: in a plastic bag...to which I added a half- sheet of a paper towel. I made a salad of them yesterday, and it was as fresh and tasty as the day I brought it home!!!
So, thanks for shopping at the Holt Farmer's Market, and thanks for reading this blog!

It's always sunny at the Holt Farmers' Market! 

Did I mention FREE coffee and FREE WiFi ?

Yes, get your free coffee at the flower booth, and then ask Misty, the HFM assistant, how to access the free WiFi. Then sit back and enjoy the fun, positive ambience of the Holt Farmers' Market.
Here's the list of all the wonderful produce you can see at tomorrow's market, 8-3-13:
green beans, prossibly  yellow wax beans too; beets, bell peppers, blueberries, broccoli and cauliflower; cucumbers as well as the the smaller variety for making pickles ( remember to order these in advance if you want more than a quart), lettuces, sweet onions, peaches, new potatoes, including reds, whites, golden and fingerlings; a few raspberries; ever-bearing strawberries, gooseberries, summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, scallions and super sweet corn.
Featured today are two specialty vendors: 

Denise Brzozowski is the Golumbki Gal. She has made golumbkis, which are stuffed Polish cabbage rolls, from an old family recipe for years. So when the Great Recession hit and money got tight, she and husband, John, decided to take this delicious food to the next level, and make some money at the same time. They connected with Incubake (another HFM vendor) learned how to start their own business and moved forward, doing something they love doing. Their golumbki's come in three varieties: traditional, gluten-free and vegetarian, made with portobella mushrooms. While I was interviewing Denise last week, a customer came to the booth, someone who hesitantly had his first golumbki last week. This time, he bought 16 of them and said they were the "best ever!" Find Denise, John and niece, Rachel, in the larger HFM building.

Teresa Norton is the doggie-vendor at HFM. Her dog, Shayla, a Papillion, is the namesake of the business. Teresa has been making doggie treats for 15 years, and went commercial in 2012. She is licensed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture, a difficult license to obtain. In addition to treats, she makes doggie birthday cakes on order, and sells doggie toys made from re-cycled pop bottles, and doggie embellished bandannas. Teresa is located in the larger building.

 

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

Can You Believe It?!!

Michigan  corn already ripe and ready at the HFM ?? Yes, Sat. July 27, there will be Michigan corn available for you to purchase and enjoy. Locally grown new potatoes also will be there. And next week? Michigan apples and peaches. Unbelievable!  What with ever-bearing produce extending the season, and hoop houses bringing in the produce earlier than usual, we can eat healthy and delicious all market-season long.
So last week, I bought all fruits. We were having my husband's family over for a BBQ and swim, so I wanted to make a fruit salad of all Michigan fruit. I'm experimenting with gooseberries, not having had them as a child. Found them a bit tart, but the flavor is delicious, reminding me of plums.  I added them to the raspberries, blackberries, cherries and strawberries and people just raved.
What I've learned recently at the HFM:
     - raspberries soak up water whichr dilutes the flavor. So don't wash them...but ask the vendor if chemical pesticides were used on the berries. Several vendors don't use these.
     - cabbage rolls: FREEZE the cabbage first. This makes the outer leaves perfect for making cabbage rolls.
     -for easy raspberry jam: Using a 1:1 ratio of sugar to raspberries, boil the berries at medium heat, stirring constantly, for two minutes. Add the sugar and boil and stir for four minutes more. Cool at room temperature, and then refrigerate. Use within two weeks. or freeze. The cool thing is that no purchased pectin is needed; the berries have enough pectin of their own. Another cool thing: if the berries don't jell? Just re-do the process! How easy is that?

 

Fred Long of Fred's Jerky Products, LLC is the featured specialty food vendor featured today. Fred has been making his wonderful, preservative-free, no-additives, just beef and seasoning jerky for many years. His secret mix was created by his wife, who now brings in tasty no-bake cookies and two kinds of fudge for his booth. Fred has been selling his jerky for several years, and enjoys meeting his customers at farmers' markets, and having them visit him on facebook, which he updates daily.

Contact him: 517-543-7597; fredsjerky@yahoo.com.

 

Meet produce vendor, Deepa Iyer aka The Greens Lady because she truly LOVES eating greens. Kale is her fave. Deepa and Gwen Kato raise their produce at Rainbows End Farm, Fowlerville. They use only natural fertilizers, etc. because they are dedicated to building healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people (their slogan). Find them in the smaller building, and at: 517-223-1079 for info about raspberry picking; cell : 517-294-4014; rainbowsendfarm2004@gmail.com; and www.TheRainbowsEndFarm.com . New this year, in addition to fall U-Pick raspberries, hoop-house greens and Healthy Living classes, they are offering a Kids' Camp, where the kids will participate in growing food, picking ripe produce, making their lunches from their "pickings" and much more. Stop by their booth for more info.

 

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

Michigan's Abundance at the Holt Farmers Market, July 20, 2013

   The abundance of Michigan's produce will be flowing into the Holt Farmers' Market this Saturday: Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to see the list of locally/Michigan grown goodies you can expect to see this Saturday.

 As for last Saturday, I may have bought a little more than usual, because there was so much to buy! My checkbook is safe when I shop at Kohl's or Younkers, but not so much at the market!  But I'm getting quite good at handling the fresh produce, and I'm happy to say I didn't have to throw anything out due my slowness in processing the items.  I froze some items  and happily ate the rest.

Sold-out: Rowe's Farm sold out of virtually everything again! So if you get there later in the day, as I usually do, feel free to stop and talk to Gary Rowe. Ask him about his kohlrabi. He's great to talk to.

Another sold-out: Rainbow's End farm sold out of carrots unexpectedly. They'll have more this Saturday, as well as lots of other chemical-free goods. I eyed their large cabbages, didn't get one, but will this week. Ask Gwen or Deepa how to make easy sauerkraut (tip: they don't use crocks anymore).

FEATURED CRAFTER: Elaine Ernst of

AUNT LAIN'S QUILTS 







Elaine's love of quilting emanates from the beautiful colors of her creations. " I have a GREAT time sewing my quilts. It is just  pure joy for me." It must be so, for she's been known to awake at 2:00a.m. with a great idea and get up and sew for hours to finish the inspiration. Elaine creates all her own designs, and all are sold ready-to-hang. She makes little wall quilts,  purses, and the utterly charming, all cotton dolls in the photo. Elaine has been sewing since childhood, when she learned how to sew on a treadle sewing machine. Her legs were tooshort to reach the treadle, so her father had to make an adjustment for her. You'll find her in the smaller building on the north side of the market.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS SATURDAY:

Swiss chard, cabbage, cauliflower (from Michigan's thumb) pickling cucumbers and "regular" cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash, Mich sweet cherries and blueberries, a few strawberries and red raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb and fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, mint, oregano, onion chives, garlic chives, AND at long last: candy onions, the sweetest onion grown in Mich.

TIP from Dennis Greenman of Greenman Farms: to order items in quantity, please order in advance. Pick up vendors' business cards for contact information.

 

 

More Surprises and Featured Vendors

Surprises: Curly-cued garlic? Yes, there is such a thing!It is green, curly-cued and milder than regular garlic. Also is easier to chop for recipes. Strawberries? Still? Dennis Greenman of Greenman Farms will continue to have a few pints of ever-bearing strawberries throughout the summer. Rowe's Farm, returning for the first time Sat. July 6, was SOLD OUT by noon, before I even arrived at the market! And the French pastry vendors were sold out of their wonderful, gluten-free, delicate and delicious pastry-type cookies when I arrived, though they had plenty of their other pastries. I may have to get to the market earlier than my usual 12:30 time!

 

Country Products, owned by  Wilbur and Susie Hochstetler, Amish farmers of Charlotte (517) 543-2973, is one of the four produce vendors. They stock a wonderful variety of items, including fresh produce, organic grains, range-free chicken and eggs, honey, jams, maple syrup, butter and cheese, homemade noodles, grass-fed beef and more. Stop by and see Samantha Lass and Sherrie Siemon who work the booth and they will happily answer any questions you may have about the products. You will find them in the smaller building.  

  

                         

 

 The  HFM Salsa Lady is Sherrie Schenk, of Schenk's Salsa. Her award-winning, home-made personal recipe is a labor of love. She uses it for soups, chili's and many more items. "My salsa is not just for chips. I use it for marinades, stir fries and lots more, " she told me. Her booth features recipes she is happy to share with customers, and yes, her "Ghostly Hot Salsa" won the Board of Water and Light's  contest in 2012. You will find Sherrie and husband Mike in the larger HFM building, next to the Golumbki Gal, who, by the way, sells the salsa if  Sherrie can't be there. Pictured with Sherrie is her loyal helper, son Donovan.  

Schenk'sSalsa: Sherrie Schenk c. 420-6860 Mike Schenk c. 420-6883, shenkssalsa.com
 

 

 

 

 The Card Lady, Originals by Carol (Nevins) makes beautiful cards for all occasions, and sells them for practically nothing! Which translates to $2.00/practically nothing. As with all the crafters, she loves what she does, and will take special orders for just about anything. If she doesn't have exactly what you want, she'll happily make it for you and have it ready the next Saturday. So far, I have purchased birthday cards, Father's Day cards and graduation cards from Carol. She's located in the smaller building, usually next to Anna's Creations, although the craft booths are sometimes located in the tents outdoors. Carol is helped by her efficient, cute-as-a-button granddaughter, Olivia. 

 

Produce at the HFM, Sat July 13: New: Michigan blueberries, zucchini and summer squash, swiss chard. Continuing: gooseberries, ever-bearing strawberries, green beans, fresh herbs, lettuces, rhubarb and more. Expect to enjoy, and try something new.

 

REMEMBER ITS ALWAYS SUNNY AT THE HOLT FARMERS MARKET



 

 



July 6, 2013

 

 FRESH RASPBERRIES

(and other surprises, too)

 

... were available last Sat, which took me by surprise since it's a little early.There were plenty of lovely strawberries last week, too. So seldom the two berries are available at the same time. I also bought some delicious blackberries, which my husband just loved.

 

 Also good salad-making stuff: sure, fresh lettuce...but also fresh radishes. Their bright red color, and gentle, tangy taste add color and crunch to a salad. Plus additional greens: spinach and kale, and perhaps some Swiss chard and collard greens. If you're a newbie to greens, start slow. Although a bag of spinach looks like a HUGE amount, the bag actually cooks down to about two servings. Don't let the size of the bag intimidate you!

To put in salads: add some spinach leaves to your iceberg lettuce and you'll enjoy the taste, and before too long will be eating the salad without the iceberg lettuce at all.

To cook the spinach: put some oil in your non-stick pan, heat to medium heat, put in a handful of spinach leaves, stir a few times until the leaves are wilted. Then add more leaves and repeat the process. It's surprising how many leaves you can put in the pan to get a single serving! 

Kale tips: Try beating it up before adding to salads or cooking. Seriously! After washing the leaves, and before using them, take a leaf in hand, roll it, punch it, pound it until the leaves soften, and are pliable. You'll see a BIG DIFFERENCE in the kale leaves, and this process helps release the nutrients, and makes the kale easy to work with.

 

TIPS for shopping at the HFM:

 ASK THE VENDOR: how to handle the item, how to store it, how to cook it, and for recipes. Not all vendors will have recipes, so  check the HFM Bulletin Board. I try to put up new recipes each week.

ASK THE VENDOR: whether the item is locally grown (hint: the limes and lemons are not :) ), ask if the item is organic. They will happily answer any question you have!

Remember: It's always sunny in the Holt Farmers' Market!