Houston Farmers Market Weekly News

by Glen Boudreaux, Jolie Vue Farms

I have the dubious distinction of being appointed president of Houston Farmers Market for the coming year. This task reminds me of the old west story about the horse thief who was tarred, feathered and ridden out of town on a rail, all to the applause of the local citizens. When asked what his reaction to his punishment was, he replied, "Except for the honor of it all, I would have preferred to stay home."

Seriously, I am glad to step into these shoes for a brief period and provide some thought to where we can improve our market for you. Besides just organizing our affairs a little better, I want to start by making our market an even more attractive place to shop. Freshly baked artisan breads will make their return next Tuesday. We have added music already, and have started the process of adding lighting to all of our booths. We will re-open the HFM Welcome Booth, where you can find information on our farmers, food artisans, and craftsmen, as well as books and literature on the benefits of locally-produced fruits, vegetables and meats. We will stage in discount coupons and gift certificates. And we continue to search out more farmers, shrimpers, and artisans to add to the already wide variety of offerings we have today.

I look forward to your reaction to our initiatives, and hope to hear from you on what you would like to see as a part of our farmers' market, where we put a face on your food.

From our farms, kitchens, and shops to your table and home, naturally,

Glen Boudreaux, Jolie Vue Farms

• 1/2 cup filtered water
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup cold pressed olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 basil leaves
• 1 tsp Nama Shoyu OR 1/2 tsp sea salt
• Dash of cayenne
• 4 cups sliced or shredded beets

Blend all except beets.  Pour mixture over beets and refrigerate. This will keep for 4 ˆ 5 days and is great over salads, in wraps, or by itself.