Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market

2006 Schedule of Events

2006-05-05T10:19:00.000-05:00

June 3 Opening Day
Music – Dennis Letterman & Country Line Dancers, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

June 10 Music – Steve Hazell, Folk, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

June 17 Health & Fitness Day
Fitness Testing, by Elite Fitness &
Physical Therapy
Nutritition Presentation-Sue Mc Ilraith,
Affinity Health
Blood Pressure Screening, etc.-Paula Stevens,
Oshkosh Senior Center
Diabetes Screening, Lions Club

Market Basket Drawing

June 24 Music – Straight Up, Bluegrass, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

July 1 Music – Tyler Ross, Folk, 9 a.m.-12 a.m.

July 4 Watch for us in the Oshkosh parade!

July 8 Music - High and Lonesome Boys, Bluegrass,
9 a.m.-12 p.m.

July 15 Music – Mueller Family Band, Variety,
9 a.m.–12 p.m.

July 22 Kids’ Day

Market Basket Drawing

July 29 Music – Geriatric Jazz Band, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Aug 5 Bring a Friend to the Market!

Music - High and Lonesome Boys, Bluegrass,
9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Aug 12 Cooking Demo-using market produce
with Ryan Nolan, Water City Grill, 9 a.m.

Aug 19 Music – Dennis Leatherman & Country Line
Dancers, 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.

Market Basket Drawing

Aug 26 Kids’ Day

Sept 2 Music – Stephen Ruby, DJ, Variety, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sept 9 Heritage Day – Vendor Contest

Music – Steve Hazell, Folk, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Ayse – International Artifacts

Sept 16 Music – Railroad Ron, Variety, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Market Basket Drawing

Sept 23 Music – Mark Bradish, Variety, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Sept 30 Vendor Appreciation Day

Oct 7 Kids’ Day
Pumpkin Decorating

Oct 14 TBA

Oct 21 Market Basket Drawing

Oct 28 Kids - Trick or Treat!

Final Day of the Market!

Quality comes naturally at Gills & Beaks Game Farm

2005-09-12T14:30:00.000-05:00

When Howard Dunham, a retired operations manager for the postal service, first established a farm in Wisconsin 30 years ago, he only had a handful of chickens on his farm. Now, decades later, flocks of people come to the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Markets to buy Dunham’s chickens.

Dunham’s farm is called Gills & Beaks Game Farm with the slogan “Where Quality Comes Naturally.” Along with chickens, Dunham also raises sheep, emus, guinea hens, ducks, geese, pheasants and five varieties of turkeys. The farm consists of 19 acres in Winneconne, situated on Lake Poygan.

“It’s just a little farm out in the country, what they call a gentleman’s farm,” Dunham explained.

Dunham doesn’t manage his gentleman’s farm completely by himself. He has five children who help. His helpers include two of his adult children from a previous marriage, a 21-year-old stepson and two kids aged 14 and 11.

Dunham said he’s always lived on a farm. He was born in Florida and his family raised birds for family use.

“But it’s a long story how I got to Wisconsin,” Dunham said. “My dad is retired from the Air Force and he flew for Western Airlines. When my parents got divorced, my dad asked me to come up for the summer to take care of his land by Lake Tomahawk. He had 160 acres, and there was no electricity and you had to pump your own water. And I loved it.”

At the time, Dunham wanted to be a forest ranger, and he decided to enroll at Stevens Point for its program. But he then transferred to Oshkosh to get a degree in archaeology. Dunham then went on to earn a business degree.

Dunham stresses the importance of quality and natural products on his farm, stemming from his studies at UWO.

“I had to write a term paper at UWO, and I chose to do it on the Food and Drug Administration, and it came to be an eye-opening experience,” Dunham explained.

But Dunham said he has always been a health nut. He’s been running for 20 years and has two gardens at home, where everything is organically grown.

This has been Dunham’s first year selling the products from his farm, and he only sells at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market.

“I started selling at the market because I wanted to generate more income and provide an alternative protein in which people do not have to worry about chemicals and additives,” said Dunham.

However, Dunham has been distributing his chickens for years.

“Before this year, I used to sell to my co-workers and I would always sell out. So before coming to the market here, I thought, ‘Gosh, what am I going to do if I don’t sell all these chickens?’”

Dunham had nothing to worry about. Although he only sold seven chickens the first week, his stand at the market has become increasingly more popular with many repeat customers. Since his first outing at the market, he has been selling out of eggs regularly and oftentimes he runs out of chickens too.

“Recently someone came to me to buy a chicken,” Dunham said. “She said she had been at a party and people started talking about my chickens and she had to come and get some.”

A customer who was nearby when Dunham told that story said she must have been at that party.

The roasting chickens Dunham sells are what he calls “two days fresh,” meaning that they are processed two days before the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market. The chickens are from four to five pounds.

Along with Dunham’s popular chickens and eggs, he also sells pheasants and turkey jerky at the market.

Many of Dunham’s customers have expressed interest in continuing to have a supply of his chickens throughout the winter, after the market closes.

“I’ve been handing out cards for when after the market closes if people still want things from the farm,” Dunham said. “But I don’t have chickens year-round. It’s too hard in the snow. However, I have anticipated people wanting chickens for the winter, so I will start bringing more to the market in September and October for people to freeze over the winter.”

Dunham expressed his desire to keep his business on a small-scale.

“I want to stay small, so I can control the quality. Chickens can be messy if you let them have their way,” he said.

Dunham will also be able to supply some of his customers with Thanksgiving turkeys, sold on a first come, first serve basis. The five varieties of turkeys he raises on his farm are all near extinction, including the breeds Narragansett, Royal Palm and Bourbon Reds.

“There are only hundreds left of these birds, and I have 20 or more in those varieties,” Dunham said.

Besides those turkeys, Dunham will also provide the traditional Thanksgiving turkey for customers, which is not a natural turkey.

“I just love turkeys,” Dunham said. “But the traditional ones are not as sharp as the natural turkeys. They just don’t have enough sense. The others are descendants of the wild turkey.”

Dunham is not only concerning himself with the birds. As the name Gills & Beaks Game Farm implies, Dunham is planning to start harvesting fish at his farm, including perch, blue gills and bait fish.

“I plan on digging a pond and using water from our spring,” Dunham said. “We have an artesian spring. It’s ice cold. When you put your feet in it, your feet turn blue. We’ve been drinking from it, and it’s safe."

Dunham then added with a laugh, “And no one’s keeled over yet.”

Dunham’s true love lies with the birds, however, from “their feathers to the way they act.”
When asked if it is hard to kill the chickens for market since he loves birds so much, Dunham replied, “It is hard, but they are all white and all look identical, so it’s hard to make pets out of them.”

But he has kept pets, ranging from a flock of geese he kept for 20 years to a wood duck he called Mrs. Woody to a chicken that survived being attacked by a weasel.

Dunham cares greatly about his customers and tries to provide the best product with the best service, which is apparent by his friendly attitude and popularity.

“The big thing is to make sure that I get people no run-of-the-mill product,” Dunham said.

Steve Hazell playing Sept. 10

2005-09-09T09:58:00.000-05:00

Folk singer Steve Hazell will be playing Saturday from 9:30 to 11:30.

Read more about Steve here.

Bluegrass music this week!

2005-08-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

The always popular High and Lonesome Boys will be playing 9 to 11 a.m.

Couple shares stand, serenity at market

2005-08-13T00:40:00.000-05:00

A customer at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market can’t help but notice Kathy Szente and Gerald Schubert’s stand.

In one half of the stand sits Szente, 43, demonstrating how to use a spinning wheel with wool, and in the other half is Schubert, 52, talking to customers about bonsai and Zen gardens.

Szente used to be a schoolteacher in Maine. She had a large farm then, and people gave her sheep and Anwar goats. Her flock grew from two to 33 over time, and she fell in love with spinning wool.

But 15 years ago, Szente found a different love, and she moved to Wisconsin to be with her companion, Schubert. Szente had to give up the farm, but she continues to spin wool. Szente can still be found at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market enjoying her hobby.

Since she no longer has the sheep farm, Szente purchases white wool, which she then dyes by herself. She spins the wool and sells the yarn at places like the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market.

"It’s very relaxing," said Szente. "Your mind can wander, and I have wonderful memories. When my two kids were young, they would sit in front of the wheel and watch me spin. They would start falling asleep and topple over, catching themselves with their hands."

Although Szente is a certified teacher and social worker, she no longer works outside of the home. She is a full-time stay-at-home mom. One of her children has special needs. But with the free time she has left between taking care of her children and home, she spends spinning wool. She also offers spinning lessons from her home.

Schubert has a hobby of his own. He is an electrical engineer, but seven years ago, he started looking for a hobby. He had always been interested in bonsai, which can be translated into "pot tree." Schubert bought a few of the trees and began meeting people from the Fox Valley Bonsai Society. One of the members offered to be Schubert’s teacher.

"The first thing my teacher told me was, ‘Do not be afraid to have the trees die on you,’" Schubert recollected.

Schubert said it is inevitable to kill some trees along the way. He buys young Japanese Garden Juniper trees between two and ten years old from nurseries. He has never been successful growing the trees from seed. But he has learned that the soil is the most important element in keeping the trees alive, so he mixes his own soil.

The trees that Schubert sell are between four and 15 years old. When Schubert sells one of his bonsai trees, he gives the customer a pamphlet with care instructions, ranging on topics from light and water to insects and diseases.

Schubert also sells tabletop Zen gardens because of a request he received at the market to create small gardens. He has a larger-scale Zen garden at home.

"When the kids come home from school, they end up spending hours playing in our Zen garden at home," Schubert said. "It’s a good way for them to get rid of the stress from the school day."

Just as Szente finds peacefulness from spinning wool, Schubert finds that great serenity comes from raking ocean waves around the rocks in the Zen garden. He wrote in a pamphlet about Zen gardens that, "We find that time disappears as we rake, and our minds are still when our hand stops."

DJ's Poultry and Rabbit Farm

2005-08-04T20:15:00.000-05:00

Don Spoehr says his granddaughter Carol is the real boss.

No other vendor at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market sells exactly what Don Spoehr sells.

Spoehr, a retired man who worked for the city of New London, sells a variety of rabbit products, including cut up rabbit and rabbit summer sausage, at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market, along with the more ordinary meats of chicken, turkey, Cornish hen and duck.

Spoehr’s nephew owns the land that DJ’s Poultry and Rabbit Farm is on, but his nephew has stopped farming, and now Spoehr’s son has taken over the farm. The farm is based in Bear Creek.

Spoehr stresses that the farm is all-natural.

"There are no hormones, no MSGs, no preservatives," Spoehr said. "All natural."

The farm consists of between 300 and 400 rabbits, 200 chickens, and "a lot of ducks."

Spoehr said that when his son was growing up, he had pet rabbits.

"He took care of the rabbits as pets and just came into the business," Spoehr said.

Although Spoehr’s son has to put a lot of hours into a farm of such a large size, he does have a helper.

Spoehr said that the real boss is his granddaughter, Carol Spoehr. Even though she is only 11, she sometimes does the feeding on the farm by herself and wakes up at 5 a.m. to attend the markets. Like her father when he was younger, she also has a pet rabbit, whom she calls Buddy. Carol said that she wants to be a farmer like her dad when she gets older. Her enthusiasm and care are apparent in her cheerful attitude and bright smile when she talks about the farm.

Recently, Carol tried to rescue a duck on the farm.

"The duck got pecked on the head and it was bleeding," Carol said. "I tried to help it and take care of it, but it eventually died."

The Spoehrs also sell their products in De Pere, Green Bay and Appleton. Don and Carol Spoehr only recently started selling at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market, but Don Spoehr already likes the market, saying, "The business is picking up every week."

Mother-daughter team unites at market

2005-07-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

Mary Ellen Grahn and her daughter, Barb Tress, have been vendors at farmers markets for more than 20 years.

The mother-daughter team sells "anything in produce," according to Grahn, from beets to beans and kohlrabi to cucumbers.

The two own Grahn Arcade Gardens in Ripon, and both Grahn and Tress grew up on farming.

"We’ve always had farms," said Grahn. "And our family is all from Wisconsin, around this area."

When Grahn was younger, her family subsidized farming by catching frogs, and then they sold the frogs for money for school clothes.

Although Grahn’s family is full of farmers, Grahn first became interested in farming from the 4-H club, which she started participating in when she was nine years old. But being a 4-H leader in gardening finally convinced Grahn that she was meant to be a farmer.

According to Grahn, Tress grew up on her farm and "was naturally drawn to farming."

"I started out by picking all three acres of cucumbers," said Tress, who then glanced at her mother and added, "every day."

Along with selling at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market, the two women also sell their produce in Berlin, Green Lake and Ripon. They initially started being vendors at the market in Oshkosh because of their large quantity of produce, and, as Grahn said, "Once you get going, you have to find a place to sell it."

But Grahn and Tress have now become regular vendors at the market and enjoy the farmers market in Oshkosh because of its variety of people and produce.

"We have very good business here," said Grahn. "Mostly all the people are friendly. You get your occasional grouch, but you have to take the good with the bad."

Bluegrass this week!

2005-07-15T12:37:00.000-05:00

The High and Lonesome Boys will be playing this week, from 9 to 11.

See ya then!

Pure Wisconsin honey sold at market

2005-07-15T11:02:00.000-05:00

Nick Thill, 24, has a message to share with everyone who comes to the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market: Support your local beekeeper.

Thill, who is from West Bend, was recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a journalism major and a focus in public relations. He is currently not working as a journalist, but his time is filled with supporting his swarms of bees, harvesting honey and working as a roofer.

"I went to college for a roofing degree," Thill joked.

Thill still has aspirations to enter the journalism field, but until then, he is happy to be working with bees, something he learned from his great aunt.

"I started helping my great aunt with her swarms after her hip replacement surgery because she couldn’t get around," said Thill. "I got interested from there, and she bought me six swarms of my own."

Thill’s swarms have since grown from six to 55, and he now owns his own business. Thill and his dad came up with their own label, but they have separate bees and separate honey.

Along with selling his honey at the farmers market in Oshkosh, Thill also sells at the Rubens County Market, does retail in Hartford, and does some wholesale.

But although Thill acknowledges that harvesting honey does not pay his bills, he hopes to be working with bees for the rest of his life.

"I love being outside and I love honey bees," said Thill. "Honey bees are so interesting and complex, and you wouldn’t necessarily think that…. Like their communication, they send out scouts, and those scouts look for flowers. Then they come back to the swarms, and through wiggles, they tell the other bees exactly how far and in what direction to go to get to the flowers. It’s amazing how smart they are."

Thill sells his 100 percent Wisconsin honey in quantities up to five pounds, and the honey can be bought at prices ranging from $2.25 to $11.

Lor sisters continue a family tradition

2005-07-07T13:55:00.000-05:00

Kaboa Lor, 17, and Pachear Lor, 14, are continuing a family tradition at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market.

The two sisters, who have been vendors in Oshkosh for three years, have a grandfather who also used to be a vendor at the market. He introduced the girls to the market, and since he lives elsewhere now, his two granddaughters and their uncle have taken his place.

The Lors sell a wide variety of vegetables and herbs, including lettuce, cilantro, dill, green onions, oyster mushrooms, beans, carrots, tomatoes, kohlrabi, cucumbers and zucchini, depending on the season.

The girls’ parents came to the United States around 1985, and since then, their parents have acquired a 40-acre farm in New London. Kaboa Lor, Pachear Lor, their two other siblings and their parents farm 10 acres of that lands for festivals and farmers markets. The other 30 acres are rented out and used for growing cabbages and corn.

But farming those acres in preparation for a market day is no longer a daunting task for Kaboa and Pachear Lor.

"We’re used to it," Kaboa Lor said. "It used to take us a whole day to get ready for the market, and now it only takes two or three hours."

The sisters are also vendors in Green Bay on Wednesdays, and their mother sells their produce in downtown Appleton. But the Lor sisters agree that they especially like the Oshkosh Farmers Market.

"There’s usually music here, and I like that," Pachear Lor said. "It’s fun."

The beans are coming!

2005-06-30T10:33:00.000-05:00

This Saturday you should start to see green and yellow beans at the market. Beets and zucchini should also be available. Check out the locally grown greenhouse tomatoes.

The Oshkosh market now has more than 40 vendors that have signed up with us. So look for more produce and some new crafts.

Look for us in the 4th of July parade on Monday!

Grow Your Own Mushrooms

2005-06-29T20:12:00.000-05:00

John Hoogland and his daughter Becca at the Oshkosh farmers market June 25.

John Hoogland sells mushrooms, but not the way you might expect.

Hoogland’s product is logs inoculated with shiitake mushroom spores. The logs sell anywhere from $5 to $40, depending on the size of the log and the number of spores. Hoogland says that the logs will produce mushrooms for at least two to three years.

"I got the idea to sell logs inoculated with mushroom spores one beautiful January day," Hoogland said with a smile. "I was wandering in my yard and saw a cedar grove with mushrooms growing. After that, I went to seminars to learn more about growing mushrooms, and the product really took off."

Hoogland uses the shiitake mushroom because of its reputation as "the most prized mushroom in all of Asia," he said. The shiitake mushroom is used in much of Chinese and Japanese cuisine, especially in soup and steamed and simmered dishes.

Hoogland’s sign at any farmers markets he attends reads "Grow/Pick Your Own Mushrooms." Once someone buys a log, Hoogland instructs the person to submerge the logs in cold water for one to two days. After that, logs are to be placed in a shaded area, and fruiting begins about four weeks later, according to Hoogland. After six weeks of fruiting, the logs go dormant for about eight to 12 weeks, and then the cycle continues.

Hoogland, who lives in Cecil, close to Shawano Lake, hasn’t always been a mushroom farmer. Until three years ago, he worked as an electrician on jet engines. Although he said that being an electrician paid better than farming mushrooms, he gave up his job as an electrician because it took him away from home and family for long periods of a time.

"I had been living in motel rooms, and I came home three years ago, and it really hit me," Hoogland said. "I had a chance to catch my breath, and I didn’t want to go back."

To attend the Oshkosh farmers market, Hoogland wakes up at 6 a.m. and drives two hours. But he said the drive is worthwhile, and by the end of the morning, many people who first wander over to Hoogland’s stand out of curiosity, end up going home with a log that will produce mushrooms for years.

Tips for handling home grown herbs

2005-06-26T09:49:00.000-05:00

Many herbs will freeze or dry beautifully to extend their shelf life. For best flavor, use fresh out of the garden when possible. Always pinch back basil, thyme, oregano and chives so that you get the fullest production out of the season. Plants like rosemary need a good cutting now and then to keep them from getting too woody. If you haven't planned a meal around your pruning, try some of these ideas to preserve your herbs.

Drying Fresh Herbs:
One thing to remember when using dried herbs as compared to fresh, is that you want to use 1/3 teaspoon powdered or V2 teaspoon crushed for every tablespoon fresh.

Air drying is the simplest method requiring only rubber bands to secure the stems of herbs together. Just hang upside down in a dark, airy area with good air circulation until dry. This method takes the longest time.

Try this simple microwave drying method with herbs such as parsley, basil, thyme and oregano. Wash and gently pat dry herbs picked in the morning just after the dew has dried. This is when your herbs will have the most oils in the leaves. Spread them out on a microwave safe dish in a single layer between two paper towels. Place in microwave and cook on high for One minute, then check them. Continue cooking 20 seconds at a time until herbs are just crisp.

When drying with a conventional oven, begin by placing the clean herbs on a shallow tray in oven, leaving door ajar and turning the heat to the lowest setting (150 degrees). Allow the herbs to dry, testing after each hour. A small electric fan placed to circulate air into the oven cavity will speed the drying time.

Storing Fresh Herbs:
When storing, place herbs in airtight jars, out of direct sunlight.

Freezing Herbs:
Wash herbs very well and gently pat dry with paper towels. Wrap leaves or sprigs in freezer paper or place in freezer proof Ziplock bags, seal and freeze. These herbs can be chopped and thawed for use in cooking, but are not suitable for garnish as they will become limp when thawed. Flavor is best if herbs are used within a few months.

Herb Cubes:
This is a very convenient way of storing herbs. Put the clean dry herbs into the bottom of an ice cube tray and fill the compartments with water or stock. Then when you need herbs just pop them into soups, stews or sauces. You can mix and match to make combinations that you use in your recipes.

Saturday is Health Day!

2005-06-23T15:36:00.000-05:00

Eating fresh from the farm is eating healthy.

And to help you stay healthy in other ways, we will have a variety of special activities this week.

* Oshkosh Senior Center - Health Screening
* Blood Pressure, etc., 8-10 a.m.
* Nutrition Presentation - Sue McIlraith, 8-10 a.m.
* Lion’s Club - Eye Health 9-11 a.m.
* Elite Health & Fitness, 9-11 a.m.

We're also expecting to have some more good Wisconsin strawberries!

Strawberries!!!

2005-06-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

It looks like there will be two or three vendors with strawberries on Saturday, maybe more.

It's best to get there early--they sell out fast.

More vendors & more produce

2005-06-10T11:29:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all of the customers who made our opening day a wonderful success!

We've signed up three more vendors for the season, and it looks like we will have lots more produce coming in. This week's heat and rain have been good for the crops.

This Saturday is History Day, and the Winnebago County Historical & Archaeological Society will be at the market from 9 to noon. Also Bob Fick will be there for Basket Weaving.

We've also posted a few more recipes.

Last but not least, we got a nice mention in today's letters to the editor in the Northwestern (scroll down).

Rhubarb-Cherry Crunch

2005-06-08T20:36:00.000-05:00

Check the recipe page for this great recipe!

Market opens under blue skies

2005-06-04T14:45:00.000-05:00

Howard Dunham (center), of Gills & Beaks Game Farm in Winneconne, is a new vendor this year at the Farmers Market. This week he was selling Cornish Cross Rock chickens. Turkeys and pheasants will be available later in the season.

Saturday Farmers Market Opens June 4

2005-05-29T15:07:00.000-05:00

The Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market as of today has 30 vendors signed up for the season.

The season will start off with the early vegetables such as asparagus, radishes, lettuces, rhubarb and spinach and as the season progresses we will see strawberries, beets, beans, and many more vegetables and fruits as they become available.

There will be vendors selling herbs, plants-annuals and perennials, cut flowers, dressed poultry, eggs and honey, a variety of breads and cookies, cheese, sausage, and fudge.

We have several craft vendors that will sell their wares including dried flower wreaths, painted wooden items, country dolls, handcrafted crystal jewelry, handmade clothing, folk art painting on vintage window frames, emu oil products and decorative emu eggs, handspun and dyed yarn, bonsai and zen gardens, hand painted glassware and gourmet dog treats.

Crop calendar

2005-05-29T14:42:00.000-05:00

Availability may change due to weather.

June

Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Bunch Onions, Flowers, Herbs, Lettuce, Parsley, Peas, Plants, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries.

July

Beans, green & wax (yellow), Cabbage, Cucumbers, Dill, Herbs, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Onions, Okra, Peas (snow), Peppers, Potatoes, Raspberries, Rhubarb, Spinach, Squash (summer), Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Zucchini.

August

Apples, Beans, green & wax (yellow), Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Herbs, Kohlrabi, Melons, Onions, Okra, Peppers, Potatoes, Spinach, Squash (summer),
Squash (acorn), Tomatoes, Zucchini.

September/October

Apples, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Corn Shocks, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Gourds, Grapes, Herbs, Indian Corn, Melons, Okra, Peppers, Pumpkins, Squash (winter), Tomatoes.

Calendar of events

2005-05-29T14:28:00.000-05:00

The market opens at 8 a.m. and runs till 12:30 p.m.

June

4 Opening Day
Music - Dennis Leatherman, DJ, 9:30-Noon

11 History Day
Winnebago County Historical & Archaeological
Society 9-Noon
Bob Fick-Basket Weaving

18 Music - Eagle Street Jazz Combo, 9-11 a.m.
Basket drawing

25 Health Day
Oshkosh Senior Center - Health Screening
Blood Pressure, etc., 8-10 a.m.
Nutrition Presentation - Sue McIlraith, 8-10 a.m.
Lion’s Club - Eye Health 9-11 a.m.
Elite Health & Fitness, 9-11 a.m.

July
2

9 Kids’ Day
Oshkosh Fire Dept-Safe House, Fire Truck 9-11 a.m.
Oshkosh Public Museum – “Pirate’s Treasure,”
Crafts for kids, 9-11 a.m.
Bean Bag Toss, 9-11 a.m.
Face Painting

16 Music - High and Lonesome Boys,
Bluegrass, 9-11 a.m.

23 Basket Drawing

30 Music - Railroad Ron Fisher, variety,
9:30-11:30 a.m.

August

6 Kids’ Day
“Hats,” Crafts for Kids, 9-11 a.m.
Little Professor Book Store-story time, 9-11 a.m.
Bean Bag Toss, 9-11 a.m.
Face Painting

13 Cooking Demo-using market produce
with Ryan Nolan, Water City Grill, 9-11 a.m.

20 Ayse Takes You International – Artifacts, story
Story telling
Basket Drawing

27 Music - High and Lonesome Boys,
Bluegrass, 9-11 a.m.

September
3

10 Music - Steve Hazell, Folk, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

17 Basket Drawing

24 Sponsor Appreciation Day
Music - Dennis Leatherman, DJ, 9:30–Noon

October

1 Kids’ Day
Pumpkin Decorating

8

15

22 Market Basket Drawing

29 Kids - Trick or Treat

Recipes

2005-05-29T14:24:00.000-05:00

Raspberry-Rhubarb Pie
Rhubarb-Cherry Crunch
Seared Asparagus with Lemon & Parmesan Curls
Spinach with White Wine
Tomato-peach chutney
Tomato tart
Zucchini carrot cake
Zucchini lemon bars
Zucchini muffins
Zucchini relish

Fresh Tomato Tart

½ package (15 oz.) pie crust, refrigerated

2 Cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3 TBL chopped fresh basil

1 ½ TBL olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

3 medium-size ripe tomatoes, cut into ½ slices

Fit one pie crust into a 9inch tart pan according to directions. (Freeze remaining crust for future use.) Trim pastry allowing 1 inch over-hang to double the side crust by folding it back to the tart pan. Press side crust together firrffly. Discard any excess pastry trimmings. Generously prick the bottom and sides of the tart pastry with fork.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese evenly into partially baked pastry shell and top with 2 TBL of basil. Arrange tomato slices on top, overlapping as needed; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place tart on baking sheet; place baking sheet on bottom rack of oven.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining I TBL of basil. Let stand 5 minutes, cut into wedges.

Tomato-Peach Chutney

15 Tomatoes peeled and chopped

5 peaches peeled, pitted and chopped

5 red apples peeled, cored, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 TBL salt

1 ½ cups golden raisins

1 ½ cups distilled vinegar

4 med onions, diced

1 cup pickling spice, wrapped in cheese cloth

Combine the tomatoes, peaches, apples, onions, celery, raisins, vinegar, salt and pickling spice in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 2 hours or until thickened. Store in the refrigerator, or freeze in plastic containers. Makes 8 cups.

Raspberry-Rhubarb Pie

1 pkg. pie cmst mix

24 ounces raspberries

1 2/3 cups + 2 tsp sugar

3 tbs minced crystallized ginger

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/4fresh rhubarb, ffimmed and cut into I" pieces

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 tsp grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare mix according to direction for 2 crust pie, adding 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Form two discs. Between 2 sheets plastic wrap, roll one disc into 11" circle. Fit into 9" pie pan.

Combine raspberries, rhubarb, sugar (1 2/3 cup), cornstarch, ginger, zest, and remaining cinnamon. Spoon into pie shell.

Between 2 sheets plastic wrap roll remaining dough into 11" circle. Using a 1 1/4 " cookie cutter cut out 5 shapes. Place dough over filling; seal, tim and flute edge. Brush crust with egg. Arrange cutouts over crust: brush with egg. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake on hot baking sheet 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden; cool on rack.

Rhubarb-Cherry Crunch

1 cup granulated Sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup water

1 21 -ounce can cherry pie filling

1/2teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Ice cream or whipped topping

In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water. Cook and stir 'til thick and bubbly; cook and stir for 1 more min. Stir in cherry pie filling and almond extract. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter 'til mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press 2 cups of the mix onto the bottom of a greased 13x9x2" baking dish Spoon the rhubarb evenly over crust. Spread with cherry mixture. Combine remaining crumbs and nuts; sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 degree oven 40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whip topping

Seared Asparazus with Lemon & Parmesan Curls

1/4teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 1/2tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. asparagus, peeled and cut in half

1 clove garlic peeled and smashed

1 large shallot, cut into 1/4 " disks

pinch dried red chile flakes

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

1/4cup water, more if needed

10 shavings Parmigiano Reggiano

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

Turn on the exhaust fan, and heat a heavy pan over high heat for 2 min. When the pan is hot, pour in the remaining 2 Thl olive oil. A few seconds later add the asparagus, garlic, shallot, and chile flakes. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook shaking the pan often, until the asparagus begins to brown and starts to shrivel slightly, 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low carefully add the water (it will steam), and cover the pan wit the lid ajar. Cook until the asparagus is just tender, 3 -4 minutes. (if the water evaporates before the asparagus is done, add more one Tbl at a time). Drizzle the lemon mixture over the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the asparagus to a small seving dish and top with the Parmesan Curls. Serve immediately.

Spinach with White Wine

1 Tbl olive oil

1 Tbl unsalted butter

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup frozen peas

1/4cup kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 teaspoon lemon juice

12 cups spinach, washed and dried well

Heat the oil and butter in large skillet over med. Heat.

Add the scallions and sugar, cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, peas, salt, pepper, lemon juice and spinach. Cook until wilted and heated through.

Zucchini Muffins

1 1/3 cups sugar

3 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup orange juice

1 tsp. almond extract

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. ground cloves

1 ½ cups shredded zucchini

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice and almond extract until smooth. In a. separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, soft and cloves. Add to the egg mixture. Mix well. Stir in zucchini. Fill greased muffin cups two-thirds full with batter. Sake for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned.

Zucchini Relish

10 cups chopped zucchini

4 cups chopped onions

3 green bell peppers, seeded

2 red bell peppers, seeded

5 tsp. salt

5 cups sugar

2¼ cups apple cider
vinegar

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. ground tumeric

Grind the zucchini, onions and bell peppers. Sprinkle mixture with salt and let stand overnight. Rinse and drain. In a large pot, combine vegetable mixture with remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Seal relish in hot jars.

Zucchini lemon bars

3 eggs

2 cups unsifted flour

1¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon zest

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 ¾ cup zucchini, finely shredded, unpeeled (3 medium)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Combine eggs, sugar, oil, lemon juice, and zest. Beat by hand until well blended. Add the zucchini and mix well. Sift flour baking soda, salt, and baking powder together and stir into zucchini mixture. Fold in nuts.
Pre-heat oven to 350. Pour mixture into greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting. (Recipe below)

Zucchini carrot cake

2 eggs

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

2/3 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cups flour

1 cup grated zucchini

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup grated carrots

1 tsp. baking soda

½ cup chopped nuts

Beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in oil. Add dry ingredients. Beat at high speed 4 minutes. Stir in carrots, zucchini and nuts. Put in your favorite cake pan(or cookie sheet to make into bars). Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients. Beat until smooth enough for spreading.

Vendors

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This year we have 30 vendors, selling produce, crafts and specialty items.

From time to time over the summer, we will publish profiles of our vendors so that you can learn more about them.

Grahn Arcade Gardens, "anything in produce."

John Hoogland (mushroom logs).

Lor sisters (vegetables).

Nick Thill, honey.

Check back often!

How to find us

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The Oshkosh Saturday Farmers Market operates out of the City Hall parking lot, at 215 Church Avenue.

From the North, follow Jackson Street approximately 5 miles south from US-41 and turn left onto Church for about one-tenth of a mile.

From the West, follow Highway 21 across the Fox River and turn right at first light onto High Avenue. Take High about one mile to Wisconsin Street, WI-44, and turn left. Go three-tenths of mile and turn right onto Church, and proceed for about three tenths of a mile to the Farmers Market.

From the South, follow WI-44 (West South Park Avenue) approximately 1.8 miles north from US-41. Turn left onto Ohio Street for about 1.3 miles. Turn right onto Church, and proceed for about three tenths of a mile to the Farmers Market.

Banner photos

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Welcome to the Farmers Market Web Log

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Welcome to the Farmers Market Web Log.

We will be using this site to keep you informed about upcoming events. We'll let you know who our special performers will be and what produce will be available in any given week.

Over the next few weeks, we will also be introducing you to our vendors.

This will also be a place where you can tell us what you would like to see at the market.

Please check back often!