Meet the Farmers
Oaxacan Tamaleo and Angela Woods-Meyer, Creatlery Jewelry
Leonor Banos-Stoute and Bill Stoute, Oaxacan Tamaleo
You'll see in the picture Bill and Leonor's son Ben, and their niece Liliana selling the Oaxacan Tamaleo tamales. It's a family affair--dating back thousands of years. It's because Leonor, a native of Oaxaca, Mexico, is practicing an authentic recipe and method of cooking tamales that has been going on since it was discovered that corn digests better if cooked and mashed into a masa. Ancestors added a few peppers and maybe turkey from the countryside and wrapped it up with available banana leaves--a nice intact meal. Leonor came about being the head of a highly acclaimed tamale-making business pretty much in the same way--just taking advantage of the situation at hand.
Last October (2002) she was laid off and decided to go to Mexico to visit family since she had time off. Before she went, Leonor made dozens and dozens of tamales for Bill to eat and enjoy. He shared them with friends, they shared it with their family and friends, and soon there was a buzz around Leonor when she came back. She was making Christmas orders as fast as she could, and when the first opportunity came open to present her tamales at First Thursday on South Congress, she did. Publicity followed and Bill helped her get rolling as a steady business with the introduction of the tamales at the Austin Farmers' Market. They have chicken, pork and black bean with goat cheese tamales, with a custom-made salsa to accompany these meals in a leaf using peppers from the Market. Available now for the holidays are sweet tamales and the authentic turkey tamales with red masa. In addition to direct sales at the Austin Farmers' Market, they sell at Westlake Farmers Market and always at First Thursdays, near the El Sol y La Luna restaurant. They also have the tamales at El Sol y La Luna, Habana and Wild Wood Art Café. They can take orders direct too. Just call them at 447-3345 or make an order on-line through www.tamaleo.com.
Angela Woods-Meyer, Creatlery Jewelry
Angela has turned her love for 'growing' conceptual designs into a beautiful business at the Austin Farmers' Market. She works with her customers to design jewelry to especially fit the wearer's vision as well as creating pieces that use as much indigenous rock and gems as possible. She makes her business a family affair too, as you'll often see her husband, David, out at the Market with their two lovely children. Angela first started the jewelry-making as a way to relax in her off time from her 'day job'. Then she really started getting interested into the intricacies of the gems themselves, what did they signify, their geographic origin, etc. She's had many comments at the Austin Farmers' Market about the uniqueness of the colors that she chooses. One couple recently bought a neckalace for their niece's graduation gift because the main stone exactly matched her eyes. And another doting aunt is having necklaces made by Angela to match the personal colors of her five nieces. She has also had several customers bring in broken, beloved jewelry that she then recreates into a new design with the old treasured beads. "I really like the market and the interaction with the customers," Angela said. "There are so many walks of life that come here and everybody likes everything that I create, even though the pieces are all different." Still need that special Christmas gift? Get over to Angela's Creatlry. And contact her at creatlery@aol.com or call her at 517-2845 if it is after the market season.
posted October 29, 2003 | permanent link to this article
Kurten Produce and Thunderheart Bison
Glen Bond, Kurten Produce
Glen Bond paid his way through college at nearby A & M by growing okra--tons of it. "They called it the 'Aggie Okra'," Glen laughingly recounts. A fourth-generation farmer, Glen was growing on land that had been granted to his great-grandfather by Steven F. Austin, in Kurten, Texas; nearly 500 acres back then. Now there is only 20 acres that Glen owns of the rich sandy loam, and he actually had to buy it back after the family farm was sold in the farm loss era of the 70s. With his A & M degree he went into the local gas company, but after more than 20 years there he was let go. Glen found his calling in getting back to the land and growing this time not just okra, but the fresh, delicious crops of vegetables that everyone loves--squash, greens, spinach, turnips, onions, green beans, peas and cucumbers. He is steadily converting his land to less chemical use (right now he uses fertilizers) with cover crops and natural soil enrichment like compost. Look out for this farmer in the summer next year, because he will have some great 'Aggie' corn!
Hugh Fitzsimmons, Thunderheart Bison
Bison naturally have powerful immune systems and carry more protein, iron and nutrients in their bodies. Consumers will find the meat is less fatty and has fewer calories while the flavor is sweet and robust, but not gamey. Hugh and his Native American partner field-harvest only a small proportion of the herd with a ceremony and under the supervision of a Texas Department of Health inspector. They are one of the few ranchers that raise grass-fed buffalo in the country, preserving a breed that now only numbers about 250,000 in the world.
posted October 21, 2003 | permanent link to this article
Veldhuizen Farm and Angelica's Teas
Connie and Stuart Veldhuizen, and their seven children, Veldhuizen Farm
Wonder how the cow's cheese at the Austin Farmers' Market gets to be so good from the Veldhuizen Farm? Start off with Stuart and Connie, who grew up in the middle of dairy land in Minnesota. Then follow them as they move to Dublin, Texas in 1990. They chose this spot in Eratz County because it is the largest dairy county in Texas. As far as we know, the Veldhuiszen's ar the only raw milk cow cheese makers in the state of Texas. This is evident in the excellent taste of their cheeses offered at the market. Stuart is the cheese-maker and he actually went to school for cheese-making study in Wisconsin in 2000. The family realized that just selling milk to huge processors was not going to be sufficient for keeping the farm vital and thriving, so they decided to 'add value' to their milk and produce cheese. Lucky for us that they did!
Angelica Cortez, Angelica's Teas
Ever meet Angelica at the Market? She has wonderful skin, a beautiful smile and is youthful and pleasant. Good testament to her products, Angelica's Teas. The line includes her hand-made blendings of body balms, lip balms, salt scrubs, massage oils, herbal teas and hydrosols. She has artfully packaged them in ready-to-give containers and bags that sport such charming names as, "He's so Chai" (a chai based tea), and "I am Mint for You" (lip balm). No wonder, her namesake plant, the Angelica, has an ancient history of use as a charm against contagion, spells and enchantments and as a cure-all.
posted October 14, 2003 | permanent link to this article
Groovy Greens
Todd Oyler, Groovy Greens
Todd and Erin Oyler of San Marcos have been filling a niche for some mightily packed food that not many of us venture to try to grow ourselves--sprouts. There are most times at least three or four kinds to choose, from sunflower to radish. Todd also took a special interest in the ways in which farmers might be using their left over produce that were either culled out because of bruises or what was not sold by the market closing bell. He organized a pick up and donation system with the farmers and just after 8 weeks, more than 1700 pounds have been delivered to Caritas for their soup kitchen! Lots of fantastic gumbo going to those in need! Thanks, Todd!
posted October 7, 2003 | permanent link to this article
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