What a fun day I had today. For one thing the weather was beautiful and the route I was driving was very scenic. I traveled in a big loop starting in Leeton, Mo and ending up in Rockville, MO.
I have a new vendor who has been waiting very patiently for me to get to his farm. Glenn Varner, A & B Homecoming Beef, will be a contracted Sunday vendor who plans to be at the Market every week starting in May. Glenn will be selling frozen beef which he and his wife Jane Ann raise on their 80 acre farm. All their cattle are grass fed/grass finished and processed in a USDA plant in Clinton, MO. Glenn took me out to the paddock (a small grassy enclosed field used for grazing) closest to his house where he had about five cows that would be giving birth soon. Accompanying the mothers to be was the proud father, a bull named Jethro. I could not believe I was standing in a field just a few feet from all these cows and a bull, it was so cool. The Varner’s have a 6 month old shepherd who is pretty comfortable around the cattle and very friendly. We then went to another nearby field to move the cows to a paddock with fresh grass. I couldn’t believe they all just followed us and waited while Glenn opened the electric fence so they could enter. Glenn explained that the orange tags on the cow’s ears let him know which cows will be processed first. Glenn raises the cows for three years before they are taken to the processor. His cows are shorter and thicker than other cows because they are not fattened up quickly like commercially raised beef. For more information about A & B Homecoming Beef visit their web site at www.a&bhomecomingbeef.com
I went to Cole Camp next so I drove east on Hwy 2 through the Amish community of Windsor. Tim and Carol Holdeman started coming to the Market last season. They operate a commercial kitchen in their home where they make casseroles, pizza rolls and soup which are sold frozen. They make wonderful Greek olive bread which is a great accompaniment with the soups and casseroles. This year they will also be selling tortilla chips and a salsa which is made with Brazilian pumpkin peppers which Tim grows himself. They were busy working on projects when I arrived but took time out from their busy day to give me a tour of their walk-in freezer, dry storage area and beautiful kitchen, all of which were designed and custom made by Tim. I was very envious when I saw the kitchen, especially when I saw the pull out draws that had another drawer within that draw. The kitchen was designed so there is a place for everything, and there was. Tim and Carol will start coming to the Market on Saturday starting in May. For additional information visit their web site at www.southernriograndesalsa.com
I must be visiting with everyone too much so probably won’t be able to get all of the vendors checked that I had hoped to. I am going to Osceola, MO next so will be winding around the arms of Table Rock Lake as I drive. Michael Goth has been a vendor for many years and is the owner of White Oak Berry Farm. I found Michael out in the field on his tractor. He was super busy so after visiting a bit and talking about all the fish he caught earlier in the week I just strolled through the fields. The blueberry bushes were thick with berries that were already starting to turn a little blue on the edges. The raspberry bushes were blooming and looked very healthy. Michael has had issues with Mother Nature for the past few years and this year is no exception. Last week he had to till under all his potatoes after receiving
four inches of rain. Michael will be back at the market on Saturday with asparagus, for those of you looking for berries you will have to wait a bit.
Last stop for the day is Country Blooms Greenhouse in Rockville, owned and operated by Linferd and Judith Klassen. The Klassen’s have been vendors at the Market since 2010 and have really expanded their operation. When I first visited their farm they had one greenhouse, they now have three. Linferd was busy loading his trailer with a large wholesale order. His son was on watering duty since the wind and heat can dry the plants out very quickly. Everyone’s greenhouses are bursting at the seams with plants; the Klassen’s greenhouses were no exception. Everything looked beautiful and healthy. Linferd and Judith will be at the Market this coming Saturday. For more information visit their web site at www.countrybloomsgreenhouse.com
Not sure where I will be heading next week, maybe Joplin or Iowa.
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