Thanks for joining us on Think Outside the Barn - the Missouri Department of Agriculture's blog. We encourage you to visit often, tell us what you think and join the conversation of promoting Missouri agriculture.
September 02, 2010
Missouri's Home to Some Top Farmers' Markets!
The results are in for the America's Favorite Farmers' Market Contest and its no surprise that Missouri had quite a few winners! The Ferguson Farmers' Market located in Ferguson, Mo. placed 18th with 267 votes in the medium farmers' market category. Ferguson Farmers' Market also took 1st place as Missouri's Favorite Farmers' Market.
But that's not our only winner! The Cabool Area Farmers' Market from Cabool placed 12th with 178 votes and the North City Farmers' Market from St. Louis placed 19th with 118 votes in the Top 20 for a boutique market. The boutique market was classified as 15 or fewer vendors. Cabool also came in second for Missouri's Favorite Farmers' Market, with North City following close behind in third.
Congratulations to all our farmers' market winners! The Dept. of Ag is proud to live in a state with so many great markets. Missourians count on you to provide fresh, local foods for their families and from the looks of this contest, you have been doing just that.
To see a full list of the winners and the categories, visit the America's Favorite Farmers' Market website.
September 01, 2010
A World Event Right Here in Missouri
This Labor Day weekend, spend some quality family time in Bethel, Mo. for the World Sheep and Fiber Arts Festival held Sept. 4-5. Families from all over have been attending this festival for over 30 years and this year is bound to be one of the best. There are many vendors and tents to browse through as well as youth activities such as shows and sales. Many also attend just to taste the delicious cooked lamb!
Over the years, the World Sheep and Fiber Arts Festival has transitioned into a popular festival for the younger crowd. The exciting and very popular children's events include Mutton Busting, Lamb and Wool Queen Contest, Leadline Competition and Sheep Knowledge Contest. This is a great way to get your children involved in some friendly competition and shows, especially if they are still too young to participate in 4-H or FFA activities.
There is so much going on at the World Sheep and Fiber Arts Festival this year, so you will want to check out their website for a schedule of events. Here you can also find vendor information, camp site reservations and other general information.
Click here for the World Sheep and Fiber Arts Festival flyer.
Photo provided by the World Sheep and Fiber Arts Festival
August 31, 2010
Post-Dispatch's Benn Captures a Taste of the First Lady's Pie Contest
If you weren't just sitting there thinking about pie, you will after reading Evan Benn's latest in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "Pie fair ladies win Missouri First Lady's contest".
The First Lady's Pie Contest was held as part of the festivities at this year's Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Evan was so kind to join us as a judge for the competition - and what a competition it was. A feast of strawberry, lemon creme, apple, pies galore - whatever your favorite, it was most likley there.
If you missed the fun, don't miss Evan's recap. He says it perfectly when he says "When the biggest decision you have to make all day is whether to judge cream- or fruit-based pies, the day is bound to be a good one." I couldn't agree more - I will take any pie any day.
**Pictured: First Lady Georganne Nixon addresses the contest winners and audience at the First Lady's Pie Contest. Also pictured: Elizabeth Schleuter, State Fair Commissioner, and Barbara Hayden, State Fair Commissioner and sponsor of the First Lady's Pie Contest.
To view all of the results from the First Lady's Pie Contest, visit MOStateFair.com. To get the Best of Show winning recipe, see "Friday's Fixins - Granny's Strawberry Pie."
Taste & Learn at the Tomato Festival - Sept. 9th
Is there anything better than a fresh, garden tomato? No! Is there anything more frustrating than nuturing that tomato plant all summer to get that fresh, garden tomato only to find out it doesn't taste that good? Nothing!
This summer, our tomatoes at home were really bad. I'm told part of this is because of the weather but I think the other part is that I was totally overwhelmed at the greenhouse this spring and didn't get a good variety. Well, not so for next summer because I plan to attend the 2010 Tomato Festival at Bradford Farms on September 9 from 4-7:30 pm.
At the Tomato Festival, I can sample over 50 kinds of garden tomatoes, including heirlooms, so I can figure out which variety I like. It looks like all the attendees rate the tomato samples and then the results are published on their website. This list would have been helpful to me this past spring.
In addition to tomato tasting, several local restaurants and vendors will be sampling salsa. I do love fresh salsa. So, come join me at the Tomato Festival! The festival is September 9 at Bradford Farm in Columbia, Mo. from 4-7:30 pm.
Photo courtesy of Bradford Farm from a past Tomato Festival.
August 30, 2010
Know Local, Buy Local, Eat Local: Blue Heron Orchard
Our AgriMissouri feature member of the week is nestled on a bluff near the Mississippi River surrounded by a beautiful apple orchard. Sounds like the perfect scenic photograph! Dan Kelly and Cherie Sampson are the owners of Blue Heron Orchard in Hannibal, where the most delicious and juicy organic apples are grown. They have been practicing organic farming for over two decades, making Blue Heron Orchards the first certified organic apple orchard in Missouri.
If you get the opportunity to visit the orchard you will be amazed at the beauty. Dan and Cherie are committed to maintaining an environmentally friendly orchard that thrives off the well-nourished land the apple trees are planted on. If you would like to plan a visit check out the Blue Heron Orchard websiteto find apple varieties and their dates of ripening so you can purchase some of your favorite apples. Right now is the perfect time to pick most of their varieties, including freedom, empire and cortland. Other apple varieties will continue ripening throughout the month of September and into October.
Looking for a great internship or just a fun field trip for your class of students? Blue Heron Orchard has both programs! Dan and Cherie have hosted three-day orchard seminars for children as well as summer internship programs for college students. Both are great, hands-on learning experiences and fun ways to enjoy one of the most beautiful orchards in Missouri! Visit their website to see past internship and field trip programs.
Find driving directions to this AgriMissouri business here - 32974 220th Street, Canton, MO 63435
August 27, 2010
Friday Fixin's - Granny's Strawberry Pie
The winners of the fruit pie category in the First Lady's Pie Contest pose for a photo with Georganne Nixon. From left: 2010 Missouri State Fair Queen Megan Westhoff, State Fair Commissioner Barbara Hayden, second place pie baker Lorin Fahrmeier of Lexington, first place winner (and "Best of Show" recipient) Megan Roe of Cole Camp, third place pie baker Faye Hunton of Sedalia, First Lady Georganne Nixon and State Fair Commissioner Elizabeth Schlueter.
Last week, during the State Fair, I received the opportunity to assist with the First Lady's Pie Contest. I love to bake so this was a great break from my normal fair activities in the AgriMissouri Market. I cannot explain how beautiful and tasty all the pies entered looked. I learned I am going to have to be more decorative when baking pies. I never thought to bake leaves for the top or to garnish with a sugar cookie!
Thank you to everyone who entered the contest. The time they put into all the pies was tremendous. To give you a taste of the contest, this week's recipe received the Best of Show award and was the winner in the fruit category. Enjoy!
Granny's Strawberry Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup butter flavored Crisco
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1 to 2 teaspoons ice water
Filling
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 small package strawberry gelatin powder
1 quart fresh strawberries, washed & air dried
Topping
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Sugar Cookies (garnish)
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups butter flavored Crisco
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Pie Crust
Combine all dry ingredients together, then cut in Crisco and mix with a pastry blender. In a separate bowl, mix egg, vinegar, and ice water together and beat well. Then add liquid mixture to your dry ingredients. With a fork, toss the mixture well just until it comes together to form a ball. Roll out and press into a 9 inch pie shell. Line pricked shell with heavy duty foil, filled with pie weights. Bake 450 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove weights and bake 5- minutes longer or until golden brown. Let cool.
Filling
Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in water until smooth. Cook this mixture over medium heat, bring to a boil and continue stirring until thick. Remove from heat, stir in gelatin until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Reserve three strawberries, cut the remaining strawberries in halves and dip them individually in gel. Put into pie shell. With the remaining three strawberries, dip individually in gel and garnish in middle of pie.
Topping
Beat cream cheese, vanilla extract and powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use. Put in to a pastry bag and pipe around the edges of the pie crust.
Sugar Cookies
Sift flour, measure and sift again with the baking soda, salt and sugar. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until it is fine as corn meal. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, slightly beaten eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and mix with your hands. (No mixer!) Cover dough and chill overnight. Roll on floured board and cut with floured cookie cutter. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Once cookies have cooled crumble over cream cheese topping.
