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Meat Some New Faces in Farming

Three protein vendors represent changes in ranching business   In 2014, Rangelands magazine published a report evaluating 90 years of census data and predicting that the average age of American ranchers will be 60 years old by 2050.…
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Madewell and Made to Sell

Former science teacher now experiments with candles and soaps   After a decade with Alief Independent School District, eighth grade science teacher Jennifer Strong wanted to do something different with her life. Armed with a candle-making…
Chilesquiles sampler pack
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Family business brings traditional sauces to Farmers Market

Meet the Orozco Family For the Orozco family, Chilesquiles is a family business. Octavio Orozco and wife Romina wanted to make the special sauce for their favorite chilaquiles one weekend morning, only to discover they didn’t have any pre-made…
Chris Kohnke, Pure Texas Honey
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Honey: Made by bees, flowers and Mother Nature

Honey is a miracle of nature. Honey bees visit millions of blossoms in their lifetimes, pollinating plants and collecting nectar to bring back to the hive. Lucky for us, bees make more honey than their colony needs and beekeepers remove the…
Natural soaps, lotions and bath salts are all part of the farmers market.
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Skin care vendors rejuvenate customers' appearances

This fall, the Westchase District Farmers Market celebrates its fifth anniversary. Featuring nearly 30 vendors each week and special monthly appearances from the Harris County Master Gardeners, the market is as lively as ever. So just how do…
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Confectionery Delight Comes to the Market

Two vendors have purchased a cotton candy machine and now offer five flavors of “fairy floss” (as it’s known in Australia) at the weekly Westchase District Farmers Market. The entrepreneurial spirit shared between Karen Trekell…
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Salsa Vendor Stays True to Farmers Markets

Anyone who lives in Texas knows that Tex-Mex is the king of food. And what’s Tex-Mex without salsa? Nothing. That’s why Shane Nobles of Tomball-based Pain Train Salsa (www.paintrainsalsa.com) makes it his passion to produce and bring…
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No Loafing Around for Katy Bakers

Heidi Roark’s dream of opening a bakery came true in 2012 when she invested in a Great Harvest Bread Company franchise in Katy, TX. “Since I had never baked commercially, it made sense to partner with a brand that could provide a marketing…
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Home-based vendors grow microgreens in suburban environments

Smaller than baby greens and bigger than sprouts, microgreens are the tiny, edible greens grown from the seeds of vegetables and herbs. Harvested when they’re seven to 14 days old, their flavor is often more intense than that of mature greens…
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Cultivating a Sustainable Farmers Market

Since 2013, the average number of vendors in attendance each week has risen from the high teens to the mid-20s, yet also in that time more than 100 vendors have come and gone. Some of our “steady Eddies” weighed in about the cyclical nature…