Save our Manor farmers

Hello Folks,

Katie and David have been friends of mine for years. Their oldest son and my youngest daughter went to school together and we would carpool. They got me hooked on locally grown, seasonal organic vegetables years ago. Manor Farmers' Market is the direct result.

These are hardworking folks growing great vegetables for Austin and Manor residents. They have approximately 300 Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions. This means they provide about three hundred local families with a basket of fresh produce every week.

We talk about going green, sustainability and food miles. Well, this is it. A thirteen minute drive from Tecolote Farm to my table.

Please take a minute to look at the information below and write your commissioner to support our local food system.

Thanks,

Denise

Denise LoSchiavo, DirectorManor Farmers' MarketP.O. Box 66Manor, Texas 78653www.manorfarmersmarket.org

Action Alert - Help Solve Tecolote Farm’s Water Crisis
Please Email or Call Your County Commissioner Now


Tecolote Farm has been providing locally-grown, organic vegetables to the Austin area since 1993. It is a vital part of and gives much value to our community. Recently they have suffered a water crisis. Water levels in Tecolote Farm’s well dropped dramatically, and then went completely dry, soon after Travis County installed nearby high-production wells used to water recreation fields a few miles away. At first, Travis County officials indicated that if they had caused the problem, they would help fix it. Since that time, several highly-qualified hydrogeologists, including ones with extensive experience in studying and working with the local aquifer at issue have confirmed what Tecolote has always known: that the high-volume pumping by the County was at least a significant contributor if not a major cause of what has happened to Tecolote’s water supply.

There is some hope. This coming Thursday, March 5th, the Travis County Commissioner’s Court will be considering whether to make good on the County’s promise to help solve a problem that they (at least in part) created. There are a number of workable options that have been mentioned. However, we are still facing an uphill battle. This is where your participation is needed.

Call to Action

Option 1. Email the Travis County Commissioners

Please send an email very soon – preferably by this coming Monday (3/1) – but by no later than Wednesday (3/4), letting your County Commissioner (or all of the Commissioners including the County Judge) know how important it is to you that the County step up to the plate and help solve Tecolote’s water crisis which they had a hand in causing. Below is a list of the names of the email addresses of the County Judge and the four Commissioners. Please send an email to your commissioner and a cc to the County Judge. If you don’t know who your county commissioner is, just send the email to all of them.

List of County Commissioners and their email addresses and telephone numbers:

County Judge - Samuel T. Biscoe - sam.biscoe@co.travis.tx.us – 854-9555
Commissioner, Precinct 1 - Ron Davis - ron.davis@co.travis.tx.us – 854-9111Commissioner, Precinct 2 – Sarah Eckhardt – Sarah.Eckhardt@co.travis.tx.us – 854-9222Commissioner, Precinct 3 - Karen Huber – kelly.darby@co.travis.tx.us – 854-9111Commissioner, Precinct 4 - Margaret Gómez – commissioner.gomez@co.travis.tx.us – 854-9444


Below is suggested text for such an email. Feel free to add to it by discussing your relationship with Tecolote or how important it is that our local governments support those within our community who produce local, healthy food, and that Travis County not contribute to the demise of Tecolote.

Suggested text:

Dear ___:

I am a supporter of local, sustainable agricultural in Travis County. It has come to my attention that the Travis County Commissioners Court is considering action to assist Tecolote Farm solve its water crisis.

I also understand that several scientists believe that recent heavy pumping by Travis County is at least a significant contributor to or cause of Tecolote Farm’s recent crisis.

It is very important to me that Travis County does what it takes to assure that we keep the local farm and not contribute to its demise.


Option 2. Call Your County Commissioners

You may call your commissioner’s office and let them know your views on this issue. See the list above.


Option 3. Attend Work Session/Show Support in Person

The meeting at which this issue will be considered is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2009, at 1:30 PM. The location will be: the Commissioners’ Courtroom, 1st Floor of the Ned Granger Administration Building, 314 West 11th Street, Austin. Feel free to attend and show and voice your support in person.


Thank you in advance for getting involved in this important issue

Manor Farmers' Market
is Back in the Saddle
Every Wednesday at Jennie Lane SmartPark in
Downtown Manor, free Wi-Fi and Fitness Zone
4-6PM
www.manorfarmersmarket.org

Live Music with Chrissy
Chrissy will be performing at the Lions Fish Fry Friday, March 6th


We have cabbage green or purple, green onions, green garlic, several varieties of kale, red and yellow Swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, mesclum, arugula, white and red radishes, chervil, parsley, endive, escarole, Italian dandelion greens, turnip greens, turnips, beets, a nice salad mix, broccoli, B&B pickles, pickled beets, chow chow, peach jam, granola, salsa and farm fresh eggs from healthy happy chickens

Richardson Farms humanely raised, all natural, anitbiotic and hormone free Beef, Pork and Poultry. Sausage, steak, ribs, chops, ground meats, roasts. You may order in advance at JRDVM72 at a o l . c o m (curses to spammers). To learn more about Richardson Farms' practices go to their website at richardsonfarms . c o m

Crafts by Manor Artisans

Bloorhouse Hand Crafted Necessities: Lotions, Lip Balm, Bath Bombs are exquisite. Hand soap, bath or liquid. Great all natural laundry soap.

Garden Party Daze: Manor Elementary vegetable garden raised bed building day has been moved to Saturday Feb 28th. Volunteer and meet your neighbors and fellow Manorites. For more information please contact Kris Lloyd at Manor Elementary.


5-Minute Cauliflower (This recipe works just fine with broccoli, DL)
Enjoy the extra flavor and health benefits from combining cauliflower with turmeric for this easy-to-prepare great tasting side dish that will complement almost any meal. Turmeric has long been recognized as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both Chinese and Indian systems of medicine and modern scientific research continues to reinforce the benefits of this tasty spice. One serving of this dish also provides 181% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, 46% DV for vitamin K, and 33% DV for folate. Enjoy!

Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes Ingredients:
1 lb cauliflower
5 TBS low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp turmeric
Mediterranean Dressing
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
2 medium cloves garlic
sea salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cut cauliflower florets into quarters and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
Press or chop garlic and let for 5 minutes.
Heat 5 TBS broth in a stainless steel skillet on medium heat.
When broth begins to steam, add cauliflower and turmeric and cover. For al dente cauliflower, cook for no more than 5 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl. For more flavor toss cauliflower with the remaining ingredients while it is still hot. (Mediterranean Dressing does not need to be made separately.) Research shows that carotenoids found in foods are best absorbed when consumed with oils. (Vitamins A & D need oil or fat to be absorbed also, may be carotenoids? DL)
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. or parslyServes 2
Healthy Cooking Tips:
To mellow the flavor of garlic, add garlic to cauliflower for the last 2 minutes of sautéing. You may need to add a little more liquid to keep garlic from sticking to the pan.
Nutritional Profile

Introduction to Recipe Rating System ChartIn order to better help you identify recipes that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Recipe Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the recipes that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which 5-Minute Cauliflower is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the recipe doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this recipe's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance back up to see the ingredients used in the recipe and the number of serving sizes provided by the recipe. Our nutrient ratings are based on a single serving. For example, if a recipe makes 4 servings, you would be receiving the nutrient amounts listed in the chart by eating 1/4th of the combined ingredients found in the recipe. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this recipe and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system.
Curried Cauliflower1.00 serving256.98 grams246.33 calories
Nutrient
Amount
%DV
NutrientDensity
World's HealthiestFoods Rating
vitamin C
108.79 mg
181.3
13.2
excellent
vitamin K
36.44 mcg
45.5
3.3
good
folate
130.46 mcg
32.6
2.4
good
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
0.56 mg
28.0
2.0
good
manganese
0.49 mg
24.5
1.8
good
dietary fiber
5.99 g
24.0
1.8
good
potassium
733.31 mg
21.0
1.5
good
World's HealthiestFoods Rating
Rule
excellent
DV>=75%
OR
Density>=7.6
AND
DV>=10%
very good
DV>=50%
OR
Density>=3.4
AND
DV>=5%
good
DV>=25%
OR
Density>=1.5
AND
DV>=2.5%Used with permission from Worlds Healthiest Foods www.whfoods.com

Manor Farmers' Market
is Back in the Saddle
Every Wednesday at Jennie Lane SmartPark in
Downtown Manor, free Wi-Fi and Fitness Zone
4-7PM
www.manorfarmersmarket.org

Live Music with Chrissy Beck
Chrissy will be performing at the Lions Fish Fry Friday, March 6th

This week we have pickled beets, bread and butter pickles, dill, Manor grown chard, brocolli, cabbage red or green, several kinds of kale radishes, turnips, parsely, spinach, oregano, cauliflower, mustard greens, turnip greens, homemade granola & fresh farm eggs

Richardson Farms will have pasture raised hormone and antibiotic free beef, pork and poultry

Bloorhouse Hand Crafted Necessities

Cheese lady started making cheese again night before last and will be at the market towards the end of the month

Dirt Man Cometh: You may remember vermiculturalist Pat McKay from last spring. James McKay, his brother, will be coming to the market starting mid-month with worm castings for your garden

Tis the season to be planting your onions, potatoes, turnips, beets, asparagus, artichokes, cole crops, lettuces, berries, greens, fruit and nut trees. Be sure to add a little worm castings to the soil

Garden Party Daze coming up: Garden Party building day at Manor Elementary Feb 21st or 28th contact Kris Lloyd at MES. MES vegetable gardens have been adopted by Knights of Columbus from St. Joseph's Church here in Manor. Late March fruit tree planting Garden Party at Presidential Meadows Elementary. Not to worry holes will be pre-dug. East Rural Community Center Garden Party to be announced this spring.

Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté

Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 cup + 1 TBS chicken, or vegetable broth
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cardamom
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed or you may use any winter squash DL
6 oz frozen spinach, thawed or two bunches fresh DL
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Chop onions and mince garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
Heat 1 TBS broth in a large stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
Add seasonings and stir to mix thoroughly. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Press water out of spinach (if using frozen, just add fresh spinach at this point DL) and add to sweet potatoes. Cook uncovered to allow sauce to thicken and cook another couple minutes. Add cilantro, salt & pepper to taste.
Serves 4
Used by permission from World's Healthiest Foods www.whfoods.org
Manor Farmers' Market is a 501(c)3 non-profit project of the East Rural Community Center, The Manor Chamber of Commerce and appreiciates the support of Steps to a Healthier Austin