Market Spotlight: Munkebo Farm's Legacy

Munkebo is the village in Sweden where my great grandmother was from. I recently went to Sweden for a month and found my relatives (3rd cousins). The last communication was in 1907 between my great grandfather and his brother through a letter. The saved letters dating from 1884 are how I was able to find them. They still live on the family farm in a village called Basthult. The older folks are retired from a small dairy business (18 cows) and their children and grandchildren help with the timber business. They wait 100 years from the time they plant to harvest. The older lady, Sigrid, has a loom and made her own Swedish folk dress out of flax that her mother grew and wool for the skirt and vest. She hand hammered the sterling broach that holds the purse to her skirt and also hammered the decorations for her shoes. She likes to cook and has a special talent for cookies and pastries. Some of the family belong to a hunting club that splits the take of moose and deer, which they butcher themselves.

Throughout Sweden most homes are heated with radiant heat produced from running hot water through radiators in the rooms and pipes in or under the floor. My cousins use wood chips from their woods to feed their furnace twice a day (the hopper looked like it holds a feed sack's worth of chips). I noticed no soot coming out the stack, but of course there is CO2. The houses are built with very thick walls. They all have super efficient windows and because the sills are so deep; they always have plants on them.

The people that I met in Sweden and other places in my travels have one thing in common, most are not big consumers and keep appliances long periods of time through repair and proper maintenance. They don't redecorate or change out their furniture or car every few years either. They are frugal compared to most people in America. The cities have a definite delineation between them and the countryside, no sprawl or billboards. There are no big box stores, mostly family businesses. They have an excellent train system and in the cities most walk, ride the bus or bicycle.

I know that world travel isn't green, but when you look at the educational opportunities and cultural exchange it becomes acceptable to me in moderation.

Germaine
Munkebo Farm, Owner & Founder

Local Farms Provide Veggies for Thanksgiving Luncheon

The East Rural Community Center Thanksgiving Giving Luncheon will be on Fri., Nov. 13th from 11 to 2 at 600 Carrie Manor Street in Manor, TX, next to the library. Everyone is welcome. The luncheon features a savory turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Decorative placemats for the feast were made by the talented students of Anita De La Cruz at Manor's Decker Middle School. This year we are excited to be serving vegetables grown right here from Burt's Texas Garden and Hands of the Earth Farm! Many thanks to all of the volunteers and contributors who make this special community event possible.

Spicy Stir-Fried Radish Greens and/or Swiss Chard

(Makes 2 servings, can easily be doubled. Recipe created by Kalyn with some chard-cooking inspiration from Vegetables Every Day.)

8-10 ounces radish greens and/or swiss chard, washed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2-3 tsp. peanut oil
2 large garlic cloves (for seasoning the oil)

sauce mixture:
1 T soy sauce (I like Kikkomans)
1 tsp. rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tsp. Agave nectar
1/4 tsp. (or less) Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce

Wash and dry radish greens and/or swiss chard. (I used a salad spinner.) If desired, soak greens for about 30 minutes in very cold water. (This makes sure they're crisp for the quick stir-frying.) Working in batches, cut greens crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.

Mix together sauce ingredients and set aside. Preheat the wok or large, heavy frying pan until it feels very hot when you hold your hand there, then add the oil. When oil looks shimmery, add the garlic cloves and cook about 30 seconds, making sure garlic doesn't start to brown. Remove garlic and discard.

Add chopped radish greens and/or swiss chard all at once and immediately begin to stir-fry, turning greens over and over just until they are almost all wilted. (For me this was only one minute, but I have a great gas stove with a burner with really high heat.) When greens are almost all wilted, add sauce ingredients, stir, and cook 30 seconds more. Serve hot.

Market Offerings for Nov. 11

Burt's Texas Garden: We'll have BROCCOLI this week! You can also stock up on Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash, Tatuma Squash, Turnip Greens, Turnips, Canola Greens, Collards, Mustard Greens, Lettuce, Radishes, and Hot Peppers. In addition, we'll have Dill Pickles, Pickled Beets, Chow Chow, and Farm Fresh Eggs.Sorry, we are still sold out of Bread & Butter Pickles, and Jalapeno Jelly for the time being.

Munkebo Farm is bringing mild hatch green chili's, garlic, bell peppers, spinach, parsley, oregano, basil, mixed heirloom lettuce, Indian mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, kale, dandelion greens, blue cheese salad dressing, basil walnut pesto, apple pie, berry pie and bread

Laverne's Vegetable Patch will have salsa, eggs, yellow squash and some cherry tomatoes.

Goodwin Homestead: extra collards , peppers, and green beans. Stained glass mosaics and felted bags.

Ray the Noodle Man: with Texas Wendish Heritage Society Noodles made the old fashioned way with eggs, flour and salt. Just like his Mom, known all over Central Texas as The Noodle Lady, started making some sixty years ago in Giddings.

NEW Kala's Kuisine- Exotic & Nepalese food as sold at Whole Foods, Greenling and now Manor Farmers Market including: Curry Chipotle Salsa, Chutney Salsa, Mango Chutney, Cilantro Chutney, Peak O’De Gallo, Curry Sauce, Alu Tama Salad, Nepali Pasta Salad, Saag Pasta Salad, Chole, Pulau, Saag Paneer, Samosas, Saag Lunch, Chole Lunch, Saag Wrap, Roti Wrap

NEW Spud Pancakes, Inc.- Volkmar Helmenstein with his mobile pancake wagon will be at the market making homemade potatoe pancakes to order. Served with apple sauce or sour cream. He came by my house today so I could try them, delicious Eat up!

Bloor House handcrafted necessities has lovely Bath Milks for the entire family, Texas Beer Soap, fresh Body Cremes, All Natural Laundry Soap that's great for sensitive skin AND safe for grey water systems, Liquid and Gel Soaps, Healing Lip Balms, and more! New for November: Bath Bombs have returned! Gift baskets created for any budget! Bloor House products are great for stocking stuffers as well as holiday gifts for teachers, co-workers, and clients... Order early and have hostess gifts ready in time for Thanksgiving!

A Wild Soap Bar LLC: Located on Union Lee Church Rd. Serving up truly natural native Texas soaps, body balms, and eco-friendly gift sets. Take advantage of their discounted Farmers Market prices! Use the contact form at http://www.awildsoapbar.com by 10am Wed. morning to order anything on the website for delivery to the Market or browse their fragrant weekly selection when you get there. Stamp out fake evil commercial soap....lather up with a wild soap bar!

Have You Heard The News?

The Manor Farmers Market has a brand new website! Please visit today and sign up for our email list to receive important market updates and news of our special events. Each week the market reaches new heights as we slowly but surely build upon our prior successes. The Manor Farmers Market is growing! Yes...pun intended.

Market Offerings for Nov. 4

Lavern's Vegetable Patch, Munkebo Farm, and Burt's Texas Garden: This week we should have Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash, Turnip Greens, Turnips, Canola Greens, Collards, Radishes, and Hot Peppers. In addition, we'll have Dill Pickles, Pickled Beets, Chow Chow, Farm Fresh Eggs, and Jalapeno Jelly. Also bell peppers, mild hatch green chili, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, lemon thyme, basil-walnut pesto, blue cheese dressing, apple crumble pie, berry crumble pie and bread, greens, salsa, and cucumbers. Plus a couple of bouquets of flowers! PRETTY!

Richardson Farms will not be at the Farmer's Market on Wed. Nov. 4th. as we will be loading the last 60 of our turkeys into the trailer to be taken to the processor. We leave at 3:30 AM....so, it is a must to load them late in the evening before. Thanks for your interest in Richardson Farms Meats.

Ray the Noodle Man: with Texas Wendish Heritage Society Noodles made the old fashioned way with eggs, flour and salt. Just like his Mom, known all over Central Texas as The Noodle Lady, started making some sixty years ago in Giddings.

Laura with gourmet Tamales: Green Chili Turkey, Red Chili Pork or Chicken with vegetables. Hot from the steamer and ready to eat with some home-made salsa from the market.

A Wild Soap Bar LLC: Located on Union Lee Church Rd. Serving up truly natural native soaps, body balms, and eco-friendly gift sets. Take advantage of their discounted Farmers Market prices! Use the contact form at http://www.awildsoapbar.com by 10am Wed. morning to order anything on the website for delivery to the Market or browse their fragrant weekly selection when you get there.

Goodwin Homestead: Stained glass mosaics for home and garden, and 100% wool, hand dyed, felted, and embellished bags.

Manor Farmers' Market is sponsored by: the East Rural Community Center, a non profit 501c3 organization, Manor Veterinarian Hospital & the Manor Chamber of Commerce.