Vox Magazine 4.5 2018

0 4 . 0 5 . 1 8 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

VOX HOSTS ITS FIRST FARM-TO-TABLE EVENT SATURDAY

COLUMBIA ➸ GROWN ➸ MEET THE FARMERS AND CHEFS BEHIND THE CITY’S FRESH-FOOD MOVEMENT

THE FIELD-TO-PLATE TIMELINE PAGE 6

GETTING TO KNOW THE GROWERS PAGE 10

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PASTRY CHEF PAGE 28

IN THIS ISSUE

ONLINE

April 5, 2018 VOLUME 20 ISSUE 12 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN

FEATURE: DOWN ON THE FARMS Who grows your groceries? Put a face to the food with these profiles of four local producers, and learn their sustainable farming practices and the history behind farm-to-table. PAGE 10 WHAT TO GROW WHEN From what produce to plant in winter to what to harvest in spring, this calendar of crops will keep you more on track than the Farmer’s Almanac. PAGE 4 FARM-TO-TABLE PROCESS A week in the life of lettuce: It starts out in the dirt, gets harvested, takes two showers and dresses itself with seasoning to land on your plate. You should feel honored. PAGE 6 NEW AGRICULTURE PARK ON THE WAY A mix between a farmers market, a park and a community learning center, the agriculture park will be a one-of-a-kind piece of Columbia which will make sustainability the standard. PAGE 8 LOCAL FOOD IN LOCAL GROCERIES Fill your life with fresh fruitage from your favorite grocer. PAGE 20

SPRING FRAGRANCES Whether it’s calming lilac or eco-conscious honeysuckle that tickles your scent sense, we’ll guide you to smells that scream spring.

MEET AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR KATIE GANSHERT The author’s perspective of being a white mother with an adopted child of color inspired a dramatic novel called No One Ever Asked, which addresses institutional racism and education.

A SLICE OF BROADWAY If you qualify as dramatic, check out these local shows matched with Broadway hits that will play in Como this spring.

EDITOR’S LETTER

FROM FARM TO MENU Four CoMo chefs share how locally sourced ingredients play a role in their menu selections and restaurant narratives. PAGE 22 SHOW-ME SWEETS Melissa Poelling makes a life out of seeing the sugary side of work with her own sustainable baked goods. Get a firsthand taste of Poelling’s dishes at Vox’s upcoming farm-to-table dinner this weekend. PAGE 28 COVER DESIGN: MORGAN SEIBEL COVER PHOTO: ANNALISE NURENBERG

MADISON FLECK

320 LEE HILLS HALL, COLUMBIA, MO 65211 EDITORIAL: 573-884-6432 vox@missouri.edu ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714 CIRCULATION: 573-882-5700 TO SUBMIT A CALENDAR EVENT: email vox@missouri.edu or submit via online form at voxmagazine.com.

TO RECEIVE VOX IN YOUR INBOX: sign up for email newsletter at voxmagazine.com.

We’re social.

Vox Magazine

@VoxMag

Vox Mag

@VoxMagazine

Often, as members of the media, we spend so much time covering the stories of our community that we don’t partake in the lively culture we write about. Columbia is filled with amazing thinkers, creators and doers, and nothing brings a community together like a love for life, culture and, of course, food. For the first time ever, Vox is hosting a farm-to-table dinner to do just that, bringing the characteristics that make Columbia great to the same table.

This Saturday, local chefs, farmers and creatives will come together to put on a community event. Not only is the food itself locally cultivated but so is the creativity behind the menu — and the build-your-own dessert bar.

To accompany the event, this week’s issue is dedicated to covering the community members who contribute on a daily basis. Learn how local chefs have mastered their crafts as well as how you can grow your own plants to engage in a garden-to-table lifestyle every day. Find out how local farmers contribute to local restaurants and grocery stores, and follow the lines of how the Columbia food community is connected and cultivated within a 20-mile radius.

If you aren’t attending Saturday’s event, don’t worry. In true form, Vox will have coverage of the community and culture behind the event at voxmagazine.com. And there’s always next year!

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

VOX STAFF Editor: Madison Fleck Deputy Editor: Sten Spinella Managing Editor: Kelsie Schrader Digital Managing Editor: Brooke Vaughan Multimedia Editor: Meg Vatterott Online Editor: Brea Cubit Creative Director: Keegan Pope Art Directors: Corin Cesaric, Tong Li Photo Editor: Annaliese Nurnberg News & Insight Editors: Samantha Brown, Morgan Niezing, Erika Stark The Scene Editors: Alex Edwards, Annamarie Higley, Margaux Scott, Peyton Stableford Music Editors: Jessica Heim-Brouwer, Anna Maples, Hannah Turner, Chloe Wilt Arts & Books Editors: Kat Cua, Kayla McDowell, Rachel Phillips, Ashley Skokan Digital Editors: McKenna Blair, Amber Campbell, Michael Connolly, Brooke Kottmann, Lauren Lombardo, Megan Schaltegger, Rosemary Siefert, Micki Wagner, Bobbi Watts Designers: Corin Cesaric, Annamarie Higley, Tong Li, Jennifer Litherland, Lidia Moore, Morgan Seibel, Rebecca Smith Multimedia Producers: Zhongqi Cao, Zechang Fu, Emily Kummerfeld, Alex Li Contributing Writers: Allison Cho, Kori Clay, Emily Hannemann, Brooke Johnson, Ashley Jones, Caroline Kealy, Clare Roth, Grant Sharples, Madi Skahill, Savannah Walsh, Jing Yang Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Office Manager: Kim Townlain

2

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF JORDAN KODNER AND PIXABAY

RADAR

Vox’s take on the talk of the week

HOLIDAYS FOR DAYS There are FOUR holidays this week we know you’ll want to celebrate: World Health Day National Beer Day National Sibling Day National Pet Day If you want to commemorate all these days simultaneously, the Central Missouri Humane Society and Mid-Missouri Kickball are hosting Kick It for the K9s on Saturday from 1-6 p.m.

Play kickball, adopt a pet and take your sibling out for a beer afterward to round out your week of celebration.

What’s really dangerous to democracy?

Sinclair Broadcast Group has come under fire after a compilation of clips from its networks was published online by sports news site Deadspin.

Anchors were required to read the same script for a report calling fake news “extremely dangerous to our democracy.” Reporters have since spoken out about their concern with Sinclair requiring networks to run stories. Here are some facts to know.

I’M JUST A BILL As the Missouri legislature enters the second half of its 2018 legislative session, there still has not been a vote on any of the numerous bills introduced this year regarding gun control. Here are four that are either waiting for a vote to be scheduled or dead-in-committee.

The waiting game: HB1936: allows people to enter designated “gun-free zones,” including hospitals and churches, with concealed weapons HB1326: makes firearm safety and training courses tax-deductible Killed in committee: HB1733: removes and revises sections of Missouri’s “stand your ground” law HB1342: prohibits selling, delivering or giving firearms to someone under 18 •

•

•

Local station KRCG, Channel 13, is owned by Sinclair. It hasn’t commented on the script controversy.

Sinclair has proposed a deal to bring its network count from 193 to more than 220 by acquiring some of Tribune Media’s TV stations. This would put the company in 72 percent of American households.

As part of the deal’s opposition, U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif., posted a letter signed by 38 House Democrats urging the acquisition to be stopped.

TURNOUT TUESDAY • • • •

Columbia voters went to the polls Tuesday to vote in several city and county elections. Here are some numbers that help break down the results: 18,428: people who voted in Boone County, a 15.94 percent turnout 2020: the year a new middle school will open in southern Columbia thanks to a $30 million bond passed by voters on Tuesday 66: years of collective experience the two newly elected school board members, Susan Blackburn and Teresa Maledy, have as teachers, board members or in finance. $58,772.65: the amount of money raised by the two candidates running for Boone Hospital Center Board of Trustees

THE NUMBER ONE RADIO STATION IN COLUMBIA! LISTEN LIVE AT Q1061.COM • DOWNLOAD THE Q 106.1 MOBILE APP

/Q1061Hits @Q1061

Written by: Samantha Brown, Jessica Heim-Brouwer, Anna Maples, Kayla McDowell, Rachel Phillips PHOTOS COURTESY OF PIXABAY AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

3

ENHANCE YOUR HOME HARVEST

MAY

Make the most of backyard gardens with these helpful planting tips for each season BY GRANT SHARPLES

Br oc co li Pe Ca as rro ts O ni

MA R

LY JU

Blackberries rries wbe Stra

s on

age bb a Corn C

AUG

FEB

s

CROP CYCLES

Grapes

Plant your produce at the start of its stripe and harvest until the end of its stripe

N JA

SEP T T OC

NOV

DEC

SPRING In springtime, fruits make their debut.

Vegetables dominate this season in

ce ttu Le

ple Ap

WINTER Although winter is typically a fruitless season with no harvesting, you can always prepare for the summer with late winter planting. For starters, all Missouri farmers can plant vegetables such as broccoli and carrots in early or mid-March. They will both be available to harvest roughly 70 days after planting. Lettuce is a particularly winter-friendly vegetable. Loose leaf, butterhead and romaine lettuce can all be planted from early to mid-March in both the central and southern regions and can

be harvested about 35 days later. The ubiquitous onion can be planted in early March in southern Missouri, mid-March in the central region and late March in the northern area, and the same can be said for peas.

David Trinklein, an associate professor in the MU Division of Plant Sciences, says there are many benefits to growing your own vegetables. One of these is getting some healthy exercise.

“Gardening is good exercise,” Trinklein says. “It’s good for one’s sense of accomplishment; the psychological advantage of knowing you have done something worthwhile and something you know will be a reward to you financially.”

Winter might not be quite as productive as the other seasons, but there is always work to be done. Planting your vegetables is integral to growing an impressive and healthy garden.

li co uce oc ett s Br L as Carrot Pe

A

s planting season approaches, not all Missouri home growers know what produce to plant, when to plant and where to plant it. MU Extension helps us sort it all out. Make the most out of your efforts, and have some scrumptious fruits and veggies to show for it by using our handy produce calendar.

R AP

JUN E

Sources: ufseeds.com, MU Extension

The MU College of Agriculture Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR), where Food is our middle name, supports Columbia Grown: Farm-To-Table.

Come see us at the annual South Farm Showcase

where we will have everything from ice cream to insects to taste!

July 12 | 3pm - 6pm Gardening Field Day featuring Vegetables, Flowers, Pollinators, Honey Bees, Turf and more!

September 29 | 12th Annual South Farm Showcase featuring at Taste of Mizzou, Barnyard Animal Petting Zoo, Corn Maze, Hay Rides, Pumpkins, and much more!

4

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

ILLUSTRATION BY TONG LI, PHOTOS COURTESY OF PIXABAY, WIKIMEDIA

terms of harvesting, but some fruits will be ripe, as well. Blackberries ripen as early as May, but only in the later days of the month, as warmer temperatures are conducive to fruit formation. Strawberries and red raspberries are ready throughout May. Now is the time to harvest those vegetables you planted in the winter, including broccoli, lettuce and peas.

Similar to their sweeter, fruitier counterparts, they can also be picked in May.

IF YOU REALLY LIKE GOOD FRUIT, AS FAR AS THE PEAK OF QUALITY, YOU GET THE BEST QUALITY

BY GROWING IT AT HOME. — PATRICK BYERS, MU EXTENSION SPECIALIST “You want to harvest vegetables at the peak of their maturity,” Trinklein says. “Their maturity depends altogether on the vegetable species.”

Trinklein says cabbage is at its peak

maturity when it has formed a firm, but not an overly large, head. Broccoli is at its peak maturity when the head is still tight and the florets begin to show a yellow color. Onions can be harvested as soon as they’re large enough to use.

Missouri and early August in the southern region. Spinach is ready to plant again in late July in the northern area and early August in the central and southern regions.

WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH

SUMMER Step aside, vegetables; fruit is in the spotlight. Not only are blackberries and strawberries fresh for picking in the springtime, but they’re also available for harvest in the summer. Other juicy delectables ready to pluck include blueberries (June to early July), peaches (July through August), tart cherries (June), pears (late June through August) and apples (late July through August).

“If you really like good fruit, as far as the peak of quality, you get the best quality by growing it at home,” says Patrick Byers, an MU Extension specialist. “There’s a cost saving, too, from growing your own fruit, especially if you’re making jelly or jam.”

Make sure to plant some additional vegetables for a second harvest while you’re at it. Cabbage can be planted in late July in central and northern

FALL Many fruits are passing their peak ripeness, but there are still a few tasty ones that can be harvested. Apples are fresh in September and October, and grapes are ready throughout September.

Byers says growing apples at home allows you to try one of the more interesting varieties than those you find in grocery stores. “There is something very nurturing and very strengthening about planting a fruit plant and growing it and seeing it come into production,” Byers says.

Blackberries are also fresh during September and October. As far as vegetables go, corn is at its prime in the fall. Cauliflower is also popular in autumn, and Brussels sprouts are, too, because they thrive in cool temperatures.

Other crops at their best during this season include cabbage, broccoli and fruits with a veggie-esque flavor, such as pumpkins. ❦

Make sure that if you buy one-year-old crown plants, you don’t harvest the asparagus during the same year you planted the crowns.

You should only harvest in the next two years.

We’ve got you covered with five options: Asparagus

Endive Endive seeds planted by hand should have 18 inches between rows. If you use field equipment, increase that distance to 42 inches.

Romaine lettuce When planting romaine lettuce, you will want to plant the seeds roughly a quarter of an inch deep.

Parsnips If you’re trying to grow parsnips, take note that the seed takes a considerable amount of time to germinate. From plant to harvest, they can take about 150 days.

Spinach Spinach should be given three inches between plants. It does well in cool weather, so it can be planted again in the fall.

A p r i l 5 - 8 | A p r i l 1 2 -1 5 | A p r i l 1 9 -2 2

2018

“You are upsetting yourself over nothing. I shouldn’t think anyone’s even noticed. I’m wearing a lobster costume.”

BY D AV I D M C G I L L I V R AY & W A LT E R Z E R L I N J R .

Adults Seniors Students Thursdays

14 $ 12 $ 12 $ 10 $

* this production contains mature content and explicit language

1800 Nelwood Drive; Columbia, MO | 573.474.3699 | www.cectheatre.org 04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

5

FROM CROP TO KITCHEN

Follow the path locally sourced fruits and veggies take to get to your plate

R

estaurants in Columbia have embraced the farm-to-table movement, which is, well, exactly what it sounds like.

Farm-to-table is the process of food traveling from nearby farms to dining tables. The movement hit its stride in the early 2000s.

According to the Culinary Institute

of America, local production allows for higher quality varieties of produce than those shipped across the country because the short travel time keeps food fresh.

Current trends cited by the Institute include procuring meat, produce and greens from local farms, as well as adopting seasonal menus. Like many Columbia restaurants, Barred Owl

Happy Hollow Farm’s owner, Liz Graznak, follows specific steps in determining what the restaurant needs and how to get the produce to it when it needs it. Farm-to-table requires local farms to have good relationships with restaurants in their surrounding areas, and Columbia is no exception. ❦

Butcher & Table has proudly embraced all of those trends.

The owners of Barred Owl, Ben Parks, Brandy Hughes and Josh Smith, have been using locally grown produce and locally raised animals for dishes since the restaurant opened in 2016. Some produce comes from Happy Hollow Farm at the Columbia Farmers Market.

STEP ONE

STEP TWO

You’ve got mail

Order up

From late December through the first week of May, Liz Graznak of Happy Hollow Farm is in contact with Barred Owl Butcher & Table to let the owners know which vegetables she’ll have available for the upcoming week.

Barred Owl is also a member of Happy Hollow’s Community Supported Agriculture program, so from the first week of May throughout the rest of the year, the restaurant is provided with a box of fresh vegetables on a weekly basis. Each Sunday, Chef Ben Parks of Barred Owl knows what he can expect.

On Monday, Barred Owl’s owners respond to Graznak with the veggies they want from Happy Hollow Farm’s current availability. During the seasons in which they receive CSA boxes, the restaurant’s owners let Graznak know if they want any quantities increased. Graznak then creates an invoice based on the order.

STEP FOUR

STEP THREE

Squeaky clean

Happy harvest

Veggies are then transported to a shed, where Happy Hollow Farm has a large sink to wash the greens. Graznak says her crew uses antibacterials and high water pressure to ensure the food is completely clean.

For the lettuce, the mix is put in a strainer after washing and run through a salad spinner to rid it of excess water. The mix is then placed in a different bag and stored in a walk-in cooler until it’s ready for delivery.

STEP FIVE Ready to go

6

BY EMILY HANNEMANN

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

Happy Hollow Farm wastes no time getting orders prepared. “The reason I need their order on Monday is because first thing Tuesday, we’re in the field harvesting,” Graznak says.

The harvesting process is different for every vegetable. In the case of a lettuce mix order, one of the vegetables Parks gets from the farm, Graznak and her crew cut the lettuce heads with scissors and put them in specific totes.

On Wednesday afternoon, Happy Hollow Farm delivers orders to its customers, such as Barred Owl. The restaurant takes over from there. Though the owners appreciate the farm going the extra mile to wash their veggies, they do another washing. “A lot of times farmers drive (the produce), and it gets dusty,” Parks says.

After the produce is washed, Parks says it’s stored in a cooler. In the case of lettuce mix, the greens are put in a plastic bin to absorb any excess water and then placed in Barred Owl’s walk-in cooler until it’s used in a customer’s turkey sandwich, mixed greens salad or gyro.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY TONG LI

CHANCELLOR’S ART SHOWCASE Monday, April 9 | 7 P.M. Missouri Theatre

Thursday, April 19 | 7 P.M. Jesse Auditorium

MU CHORAL UNION: CHICHESTER PSALMS & MISSA SOLEMNIS

MOSCOW FESTIVAL BALLET: CINDERELLA

Tuesday, April 24 | 7 P.M. Jesse Auditorium

Saturday, April 28 | 3 P.M. & 6 P.M. Jesse Auditorium Audtions will be Monday, April 23 at 4 P.M. Open to local children of all ages.

(573) 882-3781 | concertseries.org 04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

7

COMMUNITY CREATION

How Build This Town is transforming the Clary-Shy Park market location into a robust agriculture park BY ALLISON CHO

VOX Magazine is pleased to announce Columbia Grown, a farm-to-table dinner hosted by Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture (CCUA).

The VOX farm-to-table event gathers community members and farmers for a dinner prepared with local ingredients that highlights the importance of eating local while connecting the community to nearby food resources.

C

rowds line up to buy fresh fruit at the farmers market, and children run toward the nearby playground. Not far away, visitors learn about the importance of locally grown produce from a speaker.

This is the vision of Build This Town, a campaign for a new agriculture park at 1701 W. Ash St. With construction beginning in April, this project seeks to better the community’s exercise and eating habits. Wondering what this revitalization means for Columbia? Allow those involved in the project to explain it all.

What is Build This Town?

Without the project, creating a new agriculture park would not be possible.

Established in 2015, the campaign has driven the entire project, from planning to funding to legislative approval. The four major organizations involved are the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department, Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture, Columbia Farmers Market, and Sustainable Farms and Communities.

Being a public-private partnership makes this project stand out, says Adam Saunders, campaign director for Build This Town and development director for the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture. It allows the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department to create a “dynamic place for people to go to,” he says.

Date: Saturday, April 7, 2018 Time: 5:30pm - 8pm Location: Reynolds Journalism Institute 401 S Ninth St | Columbia, MO 65201 VoxMagazine

8

@VoxMagazine

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

@VoxMag

How is the agriculture park being funded?

Funding for the project comes from various locations, such as MU Health Care and the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department.

Adam Saunders has been involved in community organizing since he was a member of Sustain Mizzou as a student.

opposed to the current Parkade Plaza winter market. Corrina Smith, executive director at Columbia Farmers Market, says this will help increase the number of vendors and customers. “Our customers and vendors will be able to be out of the weather and have a more enjoyable experience,” she says.

What features will be included in the agriculture park?

Besides the pavilion, the park will boast an outdoor playground and educational facilities, such as outdoor classrooms and a place for live demonstrations.

Saunders says there will be a large urban farm where produce will be donated to food banks. Dining and multipurpose facilities are included in later phases of construction, he says.

Why was Clary-Shy Park chosen?

Simply put, Clary-Shy Park is a central location and the home of the existing outdoor market. There’s also no better way to promote a healthy lifestyle than having the Activity and Recreation Center near the park. “It can really transform the broader neighborhood,” Saunders says.

How will this affect Columbia residents?

Residents can foster healthy habits while getting involved with local groups.

Groups can rent out the pavilion through Columbia Parks and Recreation to host field days and workshops.

Saunders says this is “an opportunity for rural and urban communities to work together in a really positive and fun way.”

How will the farmers market change?

Local farmers will be pleased to hear about the new farmers market pavilion, which houses 98 stalls, a roof and a storage area. Vendors can sell their products year-round at one location as

Why should you get involved?

“Everybody eats,” Saunders says.

“Everybody has a connection to this project and park somehow.” He advises visiting buildthistown.org, signing up for the monthly newsletter or attending farmers markets. ❦ PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN ASHER

CHANCELLOR’S ART SHOWCASE Monday, April 9 | 7 P.M. Missouri Theatre

Thursday, April 19 | 7 P.M. Jesse Auditorium

MU CHORAL UNION: CHICHESTER PSALMS & MISSA SOLEMNIS

MOSCOW FESTIVAL BALLET: CINDERELLA

Tuesday, April 24 | 7 P.M. Jesse Auditorium

Saturday, April 28 | 3 P.M. & 6 P.M. Jesse Auditorium Audtions will be Monday, April 23 at 4 P.M. Open to local children of all ages.

(573) 882-3781 | concertseries.org 04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

9

FACES OF THE FA FOR THESE FARMERS, THE SECRET TO DELICIOUS FOOD ISN’T CLOSE TO HOME— IT IS HOME

BY MADI SKAHILL PHOTOS BY JORDAN KODNER, OLIVIA LIU, JENNIFER MOSBRUCKER AND PHU NGUYEN

10

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

PHOTO BY JENNIFER MOSBRUCKER PHOTOS

BY OR COURTESY OF

RMS

GOOD FEED AND ROOM TO BREATHE ALTAI MEADOWS CARES FOR CATTLE THROUGH GRASS FEEDING

T

he words “grass-fed” on a package of beef might sound promising, but the label alone doesn’t guarantee that grass was the only thing the herd munched on. That said, the cattle raised at Altai Meadows in Higbee, Missouri, are 100-percent grass-fed and grass-finished, and the difference can be found in the flavor.

Jeff Cook, owner of Altai Meadows, says different producers often feed their cattle grass in the early part of their lifespans but then switch them over to grain. Grass-finished means grain is never introduced into the cattle’s diet.

“Grain changes the fatty acid profiles, and it’s just not the real thing,” Cook says. Cook rotates his mob of cattle across 310 acres, where he ensures the herd always has fresh greens to feed on.

In the commercial industry, it is common to raise cattle for roughly a year and a half, Cook says. Instead, Cook raises his cattle for about twoand-a-half years, rotating them among 30 different paddocks on the farm every other day. This creates constant growth on the pasture and also helps avoid trouble with worms or illness among the cattle. When worms crawl up through the grass but don’t have a host take them in within a certain amount of time, these parasites naturally die off.

“People who aren’t moving cattle around much, and they’re just in this pasture, their animals are exposed to that parasite constantly,” Cook says.

He compares his own process with producers who might use chemical dewormers, saying it is important to keep in mind that while chemical dewormers might solve the internal problem, the chemicals still have to go through the animal’s muscles. His method of rotational grazing poses a natural solution to the hassle of parasites and also means less stress for the cattle.

“I think it just makes for a healthy product and a healthy animal,” Cook says. “Just keep ’em moving. It’s really simple.” ❦

12

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER MOSBRUCKER

ABOVE: The chicken pens at Altai Meadows are moved daily so the birds have a clean and fresh environment.

LEFT: Altai Meadows uses rotational grazing to ensure the cattle have fresh greens to eat and don’t pick up parasites.

Altai Meadows Located Higbee, Missouri Contact 660-651-9189 Website altaimeadows.com What it brings to the table Eggs, grass-finished beef and pasture-raised chicken

FAR LEFT: Raising cattle is a difficult task, and owner Jeff Cook says he admires anyone willing to take on the challenge.

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF

04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

13

Cover crops such as buckwheat and winter rye help protect soil in the winter and enrich it with nutrients.

THEY’VE GOT YOU COVERED HAPPY HOLLOW FARM FOCUSES ON HEALTHY SOIL

A

t USDA-certified organic Happy Hollow Farm in Jamestown, Missouri, robust soil is the key to nourishing food. Nearly every decision that Liz Graznak, owner of Happy Hollow Farm, makes is focused on ensuring that her soil is healthy.

“There’s a huge difference in the flavor of vegetables that have grown in soil like around here, in healthy soil,” Graznak says.

Planting vegetables back-to-back is detrimental to the health of the soil, Graznak says. The soil will be depleted of nutrients if nothing is planted in it, and poor soil health threatens the nutritional value of vegetables. To avoid this issue, Graznak intentionally grows plants that people won’t eat, known as cover crops, before she plants the

14

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

actual crops that she plans to sell. These crops provide cover for the soil in the winter, and then Graznak tills them back into the dirt before season so the microorganisms can feed on them and, in turn, provide nutrients for future vegetables. Examples of some common cover crops include oats, buckwheat and winter rye.

Applying synthetic fertilizers to the soil is one method of trying to boost the nutrients in soil, but Graznak says she believes cover crops are a much better and simpler method than using chemicals.

Growing a variety of over 100 veggies, fruits and flowers on seven acres throughout the year sounds like a lot of work, but Graznak gets a little help from some eager hands. Happy Hollow

Happy Hollow Farm Located Jamestown, Missouri Contact 660-849-2430 Website happyhollowfarm-mo.com What it brings to the table Vegetables, eggs, flowers and fruits

Happy Hollow Farm transfers snapdragon seedlings into the ground for further growth.

Farm operates under a Community Supported Agriculture system. This means people interested in her produce buy shares, guaranteeing they will get mixed boxes of her produce every week, while also committing to helping with the harvesting and distribution of the produce once or twice a season. ❦

PHOTOS BY JORDAN KODNER

LEFT: Employee Erin Grueneberg and Sylvia Graznak work to plant seedlings in the ground.

BELOW: Liz Graznak and her daughter Sylvia spend time working on the farm, along with employees and apprentices.

04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

15

OUT OF THE COOP BUTTONWOOD FARM GIVES ITS POULTRY ROOM TO MOVE

Buttonwood Farm Located California, Missouri Contact 314-402-6756 Website buttonwoodfarms.com What it brings to the table Eggs, pasture-raised chickens and turkeys Buttonwood Farm rotates its poultry pens regularly to keep the turkeys’ environment clean.

Matt Tiefenbrun doesn’t use antibiotics or hormones and keeps the poultry on an all-natural diet.

16

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

A

t Buttonwood Farm in California, Missouri, Matt Tiefenbrun, owner of the 160-acre farm, says he believes in real-deal, pasture-raised poultry. Tiefenbrun sells pasture-raised poultry and eggs to restaurants and stores across Missouri. Rather than caging his broiler chickens and laying hens or confining them to a single building, Tiefenbrun gives them free rein over the land, with access to all the grass and crickets their hearts desire.

The farm hosts roughly 5,500 chickens, and each bird gets about 120 square feet of living space. In typical commercial farms, chickens usually have less than one square foot to themselves, according to an article from The New York Times.

“

If something is sick, you can treat it. But if (the animals) are in a crummy environment to begin with, and they’re just prone to getting sick, so you always have to treat them, that’s not cool.

— Matt Tiefenbrun

”

Along with raising chickens and turkeys in a humane way, Tiefenbrun feeds the birds an all-natural diet of corn-soybean meal without any added antibiotics or hormones. “It’s not a very good practice to rely on antibiotics,” Tiefenbrun says. “If something is sick, you can treat it. But if (the animals) are in a crummy environment to begin with, and they’re just prone to getting sick, so you always have to treat them, that’s not cool.”

By feeding the birds a simple diet and rotating them in 40-by-50 foot shelters on the farm to live off the pasture, Tiefenbrun is able to raise healthier birds — and the difference shows for the consumer, too. “The biggest thing for me, I think, is the texture of the meat, and I’ve had people say that the flavor of the meat is different,” Tiefenbrun says. “I think that just a slower-growing bird helps, and it’s not just sitting in its own poop all the time; it’s out on actual grass.” ❦

PHOTOS BY JORDAN KODNER AND OLIVIA LIU

HEALTHY DIET, HEALTHY COMMUNITY

LOCAL PRODUCE MOVEMENT HELPS BOLSTER COMMUNITY ECONOMIES BY CAROLINE KEALY

S

itting amid the ranks of food trends such as the ketogenic diet and Whole30, the farm-to-table movement has gained traction for people in all pockets of the nation. However, unlike with other “trendy” diets, there is little reason to believe that the fascination with organic and local food will die down anytime soon.

There is more to the farm-to-table trend than roadside stands selling fresh produce. The trend centers on an appetite for food that’s fresh, free of additives and produced or grown locally.

Its seemingly newfound popularity can be understood by a shift in nutritional knowledge across the country since the early 2000s. This has coupled with a heightened interest in animal rights, as farmers are rethinking the use of cages and antibiotics in livestock practices.

Many consumers commend participants of the trend for their ability to provide fresher and healthier food.

Evidence of the farm-to-table movement has also blossomed in and around Columbia. One of the “founding fathers” of the farm-to-table shift in Columbia is the Columbia Farmers Market. Started in 1980 by a group of farmers who had been selling their produce from pickup trucks, it has since grown in both size and reach in the community. However, what remains at the core of the market is the organization’s mission statement: “to provide both the local farmer and the consumer a reliable, regulated marketplace for the direct exchange of high-quality and safe food.”

In 2015, Missouri had over 300 farmers markets up and running. In the 2015 edition of the AgriMissouri Farmers’ Market Handbook, Missouri was dubbed “one of the top states for farmers’ markets in the nation.”

Columbia is just one of the many Missouri cities that has embraced this trend. The farm-to-table shift not only promotes food that is fresher and better-

tasting — its impact goes much deeper.

Although farmers markets seem to be an obvious reflection of the change, the farm-to-table movement has also been adopted by some of the nation’s most acclaimed restaurants. Chefs adjust the menus to fit what’s available and fresh. A handful of Columbia restaurants have adopted these seasonal menu adjustments. Sycamore, an upscale restaurant on Broadway, boasts a menu derived from locally grown ingredients.

Columbia is also home to a handful of local gardens, providing yet another avenue to access fresh food.

Organizations such as the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture and farms such as Honey Creek Farm strive to provide natural, locally grown produce to mid-Missouri. Dan Pugh, owner and founder of Honey Creek Farm, left his job of 15 years and purchased 50 acres of land with hopes to jump-start the farmto-table movement in Columbia by taking the responsibility into his own hands.

In an article on the Columbia Farmers Market website, Pugh says he took the job of plowing himself to confirm that the food he grew for his community was made with quality and health as a top priority, something he believed corporate producers often overlooked. One of the largest benefits of the farm-to-table trend is the financial boost it can provide to a community. Studies conducted by Iowa State University and Project for Public Spaces, a New York-based nonprofit, indicate that a local focus on food acts as a crutch to the economic well-being of small communities. Farmers markets bolster interest for surrounding local businesses by up to 60 percent, according to the New Economics Foundation.

Twice as many jobs are created in a market atmosphere relative to the space of traditional retail, and an 80 percent increase in economic impact has been found in market sales, according to the AgriMissouri Farmers’ Market Handbook. ❦

04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

17

Seth Allen from LP Urban Farm sells his microgreens at the Columbia Farmers Market.

LP Urban Farm Located Columbia, Missouri Contact 424-8121 Website lpurbanfarm.com What it brings to the table Microgreens

18

MICRO VEGGIES PACK MACRO NUTRIENTS LP URBAN FARM SAVES WATER AND SOIL BY GROWING IN A GARAGE

S

ustainability isn’t just something that can be practiced across acres of land. At LP Urban Farm in Columbia, owner Seth Allen is proving that conscious farming can exist on a smaller but equally productive scale.

LP Urban Farm specializes in microgreens, a vegetable green such as radish or broccoli, that is harvested early in the growth process before any vegetable fully forms. But these tiny shoots are not to be confused with sprouts. “A microgreen is just the big brother of a traditional sprout,” Allen says. “But a microgreen is grown in soil, opposed to a sprout, which is grown in a hydroponic environment, where you eat the whole root and stem and little leaf and often the seed skin, too.”

Microgreens are picked after only seven to 15 days of growing; Allen then removes the greens from the root, so consumers are only getting the stem and

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

the first two leaves of a plant to eat.

Although they’re small, they are mighty. Microgreens typically have several times the nutrient density of their intended vegetables, or “big brothers,” as Allen calls them. “So think of eating a giant salad, and imagine just a quarter of that salad is really what you can get with the microgreens,” Allen says. “What you’re getting otherwise is a lot of fiber and a lot of water in the larger greens.”

Allen points out that growing microgreens is sustainable in its nature because of the small amount of physical space it requires. Compared to farming that takes up many acres of land, Allen is able to grow all of his microgreens in his garage, which he converted to his in-home farm two years ago with vertical shelves of trays where the plants grow.

Because the microgreens reach their prime so quickly and are harvested within such a short time frame, Allen admits that he uses more seeds and a

lot of electricity to produce at that rate.

However, growing the microgreens means much less waste of soil substrate.

Allen also finds other ways to reduce his business’ footprint. For example, he composts all of his leftover materials and recycles the plastic bins he uses.

Contributing to the local food market also means less expenditure for distribution. “To some of my customers, I can deliver greens on foot,” Allen says about the benefit of selling in the community. “I can literally walk it next door or across the street.”

By keeping the business close to home, consumers can also know more about the food they’re buying and feel confident that the proper nutrients are going into it. Allen says that when your food has gone through seven to 10 sets of hands, it’s harder to pin down clear information on how something was grown. “The best thing you can do is get to know a farmer,” Allen says. ❦

PHOTO BY PHU NGUYEN

Taste.

Tour.

Shop.

missouriwine.com 04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

19

EAT FARM-FRESH AT HOME

Enjoy cooking your own farm-to-table meal with products from these grocery stores

F

arm-to-table isn’t all about the restaurants. Grocery store owners take pride in selling organic products so customers can choose from healthier options. They understand that some shoppers are particular about what they cook up at home because the store owners are also consumers in search of the same resources. If you’re looking for some healthy shopping spots, Columbia has plenty of options.

Clovers Natural Market 2100 Chapel Plaza Court and 2012 E. Broadway; Mon.–Sat., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sundays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Clovers Natural Market works with over 70 vendors throughout Missouri. Being local has been the store’s mission since it was founded in 1965.

Through its buyers, who purchase products for the store, Clovers has created connections with the vendors it buys from. Clovers employee Katie Epstein writes in an email that because the owners and employees care about where the store’s food comes from, they will actually visit the farms to see the way they operate. They want to ensure

20

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

that these vendors meet their standards.

“Our customers look to buy locally grown and crafted products because oftentimes the less miles a product has to travel to get from the farm to your table, the higher the quality, the more fresh the taste, and even the more nutritious it will be,” she writes.

While picking out products, Clovers makes sure its foods don’t contain ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, antibiotics, growth hormones, MSG, aspartame, anabolic steroids, hydrogenated oils or artificial coloring with the exception of certain non-food items such as vitamins or supplements.

“For a new product to be bought into the store and sold to customers, one of our buyers will sample the product and carefully consider factors such as its taste, ingredients, where it was sourced, and how it was produced,” Epstein writes.

One of the store’s vendors, Askinosie Chocolate, originates from Springfield, Missouri. Owner Shawn Askinosie travels to Ecuador, Tanzania and the Philippines to source cocoa beans for the candy. This allows the chocolate to be traced back to the source and labeled “authentic.”

BY ASHLEY JONES

Columbia residents looking for healthier food options can find them at stores such as Lucky’s Market. Lucky’s was founded to be both convenient and healthy.

Lucky’s Market 111 S. Providence Road; every day, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

At Lucky’s Market, it’s not just the food

that’s organic. As seen on its Instagram, @luckysmarketcolumbia, Lucky’s carries organic natural products all the way down to its bath and body section; the Seaweed

PHOTO BY ERIKA STARK

Bath Company is a Lucky’s Market supplier that picks its own seaweed directly from the ocean.

Lucky’s founders, Trish and Bo Sharon, got the inspiration for creating a healthy food market because they cared about what they were putting in their bodies as consumers. The couple, who were chefs, shopped at health food stores because they didn’t want pesticides and growth hormones in their meals. They explored weekend farmers markets for fresh produce and shopped at gourmet stores to find their flavors. They were always searching for wholesome food for themselves and their kids. Yet the two still shopped at convenience stores for the traditional ingredients their grandmothers used to cook with.

The Sharons wanted a single destination that was both convenient and promoted health. Therefore, they started Lucky’s in Boulder, Colorado, which then expanded to include locations in 11 states.

Natural Grocers 400 N. Stadium Blvd.; Mon.–Sat., 8:30 a.m. to 9:05 p.m.; Sundays, 9 a.m. to 8:05 p.m.

Natural Grocers is more than just a grocery store — it also offers free, science-based educational nutrition programs to help customers make informed health choices.

“Our customers expect the highest

it comes to produce, Natural Grocers makes sure regions that shine in the production of certain fruits or vegetables have those products — grown by organic producers, of course — featured in their Natural Grocers stores.

Natural Grocers’ principles are providing nutrition education, having the highest quality products, offering affordable pricing, and committing to its community and its employees.

Natural Grocers carries only organic-certified produce. It also examines how suppliers treat their animals when choosing products on its shelves.

quality food, so we prioritize organic over local,” Amber Dutra, director of public relations, writes in an email. “However, we do our best to provide regionally available products when they meet our standards.”

Natural Grocers takes product vetting to a whole new level with its vendor submission process. The products are screened for GMOs and certain

unhealthy ingredients and then taste tested, Dutra writes.

Sometimes the team at Natural Grocers identifies products that it wants in order to make sure that the store has a nice variety, Dutra writes. “In this scenario, our purchasing team will look for vendors who are quality leaders in these categories and work with them to bring in products,” she writes. And, when

Hy-Vee 25 Conley Road, 405 E. Nifong Blvd. and 3100 W. Broadway; every day, 24 hours With its more than 240 stores across eight states, the name Hy-Vee might conjure images of mass-produced products shipped from afar, but its local products, Hy-Vee Homegrown, are produced or grown within 200 miles of that store.

In CoMo, the closest local grower is White Oak Farms. Founded on “hardwork and honest living,” the family farm has been operating in the cattle and row crop industry for the past 65 years and says its mission is all about a strict dedication to the customers’ needs.

For further information about Hy-Vee’s homegrown food products, you can visit the store’s YouTube channel, which features mini documentaries highlighting its process. ❦

HELP US ATTACK CANCER IN OUR COMMUNITY

MIZZOU CANCER

Beating our biggest rival takes more than breakthrough research. It takes things like our 24/7 cancer help line and free rides to chemo.

Most of all, it takes you. Join Relay For Life.

And help us attack cancer from every angle.

RELAY FOR LIFE OF MIZZOU APRIL, 21, 2018 | 12:00 PM - 12:00 AM CARNAHAN QUAD RelayForLife.org/mizzoumo

PHOTO BY DERRICK HO

04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

21

ROOTED IN PASSION FOR THESE LOCAL RESTAURANTS, THE ROAD TO FLAVOR BEGINS IN THE GROUND

BY SAVANNAH WALSH

In support of locally sourced ingredients, Cafe Berlin hosted a “table to farm” event at Three Creeks Produce. Attendees paid for tickets and, in return, enjoyed a three-course meal.

22

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

PHOTO BY MEGAN MCBRIDE

➸ A

t first glance, the grilled steak and arugula salad at Broadway Brewery masquerades as your standard salad. But if you inquire about the dish, you’ll discover that the base of arugula and radishes is grown at Terra Bella outside of Auxvasse, Missouri, the garnish of blue cheese is from Goatsbeard Farm in Harrisburg, and the beef itself comes from Nuener Farms of Westphalia, Missouri — one of the only American Kobe Beef providers in the country. Even the beer filling your glass is a Blue Heron Organic Apple Cider, brewed with organic apples from the Canton, Missouri-based Blue Heron Orchards. The plate is rooted in local land. It’s also just one of the many dishes from Columbia restaurants that work to support a community movement to keep this locality throughout the city.

SOME MAJOR PLAYERS

Broadway Brewery has integrated the farm-to-table movement into its identity since its 2009 opening. The restaurant puts a large emphasis on cultivation, whether it’s about the land the food is grown on or the tastes and ingredients in each dish. For example, two of the restaurant’s major produce purveyors, Terra Bella Farm in Auxvasse, Missouri and Duzan Farms just north of Columbia, are also owned and operated by two of Broadway Brewery’s owners. In any given meal at the eatery, you could be biting into some bread from Uprise Bakery, trout from Westover Farms in Steelville or cheese curds from Hemme Brothers Creamery in Sweet Springs.

But Broadway Brewery isn’t alone.

Another path-paver for Columbia is Cafe Berlin. The restaurant’s engagement with the movement also extends far beyond simply buying local.

Jessica Bowman, chef at Cafe Berlin, says the symbiotic relationship between the restaurant and its main produce purveyor, Three Creeks Produce, sets the establishment apart. “We’ll go to the farm, help harvest, cook dinner with them, they’ll come here and hang out,” Bowman says. “I don’t know that many other places or cities that have time for that kind of thing, so it feels really special.” The collaboration with Three Creeks has yielded an annual summer dinner and an upcoming Three Creeks spring produce menu at Cafe Berlin.

NOT ALL FUN & GARDENS

One of the distinct challenges of a community-crafted menu is the often rocky but sometimes harmonious marriage between seasonality and availability. Barred Owl’s menu is so stacked with farm-fresh offerings, it doesn’t bother to notate when something is locally sourced. “We like to take it as a matter-of-fact that we’re making things from scratch and it’s a local product,” says chef Ben Parks. “If we say something is locally sourced, it’s an implication that everything else isn’t.”

Parks says freshness is his top priority, as he aims to find farmers who use as few pesticides as possible. The restaurant and farm collaborate, then a process of harvesting the desired food begins — all before cleaning, washing and bagging the products. The food is delivered a day or two after ordering and is then packaged and stored. By the end of the week, the ingredients make their final stop: a customer’s plate. Parks says the faster the food can be brought from “field to customer,” the higher quality the whole experience will be.

The Broadway Brewery process is also predicated on the cyclical nature of farming. “It starts conceptually,” Marketing Director Harry Katz says.

“We change our menu seasonally, starting with spring into summer. If tomatoes are in season, they might feature a BLT — finding other spots the red veg could be wedged into before following up on availability.”

Katz says that the farm-to-table life has its struggles, particularly on high-traffic weekends such as True/False, when items can sell out completely.

“There’s all the trappings that come with trying to be as hyper-local as possible,” Katz says. “We’ve had to pull menu items that were popular because of issues with weather. A certain crop might not be as good as expected. Availability is the biggest thing. It’s not like a food truck where you can just place an order.”

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Despite the pre-plate problems, each establishment firmly sticks to the ideals behind every scoop, serving and sprinkling. “We think it’s important from a community perspective,” Parks says. “You’re keeping the money in the community, and it’s not going to a multinational corporation. There’s an economic and social benefit to keeping everything here and keeping it local.”

For Bowman, each ingredient’s story — such as maple syrup from a Vermont family stuck in a snowstorm or a lack of kale because an animal ate a portion of the crop — is felt in every bite. “When I’m eating out at restaurants, I can tell just like where there’s energy and where people are really excited about the food,” Bowman says. “It makes the biggest difference.”

For now, the crew at Cafe Berlin is cooking Latin-American style pork butts from Columbia-based Patchwork Family Farms in a china box. They hope their commitment to flavor makes a difference in upcoming dishes. “No one is doing that in town,” Bowman laughs. ❦

04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

23

RESTAURANT ROUNDUP HOW FOUR COMO EATERIES PLAY THE LOCALLY SOURCED GAME STORIES BY KORI CLAY

For a vegan-friendly dish at Cafe Berlin, try the Anonymous Tacos, which are full of tofu, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos and black beans.

SEASONS OF LOVE

SEASONALITY IS A SPECIALTY AT CAFE BERLIN

C

hef Jessica Bowman of Cafe Berlin says she believes that a deep love for food and a lot of excited customers are what keep people rolling into the restaurant. Using farms such as Patchwork Family Farms and Show Me Farms helps to create a consistent flow of fresh food into Cafe Berlin. Deliveries sometimes occur two to three times per week in order to ensure the freshest ingredients possible.

This close-to-home quality is key for Bowman; that’s why seafood isn’t a star of any of the plates. Essentially, if an ingredient is not locally grown or caught, it doesn’t make the menu.

Bowman says her favorite season is spring because it’s a chance to use warm and bright produce. The restaurant plans to capitalize on this time as a chance to mix up its menu and switch around its specials. Try the weekly changes for just a taste of what local ingredients the restaurant shares with the Columbia community. ❦

24

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF MEGAN MCBRIDE, JESSI DODGE AND BROADWAY BREWERY

COME HARVEST OR HIGH WATER

NO MATTER THE WEATHER, BROADWAY BREWERY KEEPS IT LOCAL

F

or Broadway Brewery, change is another word for a new challenge. Co-owner Walker Claridge and marketing director Harry Katz both play major roles in menu decisions, with Katz helping to shape the story told by the menu. Since the beginning, the restaurant has used local ingredients even with the challenges of food seasonality. If weather damages a crop, the menu shifts. It’s almost like clockwork. Week after week, Broadway Brewery looks for a high volume of products to form its menu, which is reliant on the positive relationships the restaurant has with farmers and wineries. Broadway Brewery carries a local selection of the Les Bourgeois St. James wine, as well as a harvest squash bowl made entirely from local ingredients. ❦

ABOVE: Walter Claridge, owner of Broadway Brewery, has emphasized local ingredients since the restaurant’s 2009 conception.

LEFT: Broadway Brewery has four different menus­­—brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night—to satisfy your cravings around the clock.

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF

FROM FRIENDS TO FLAVOR THE DEEPER THE CONNECTION, THE BETTER THE TASTE AT BARRED OWL

Adam Wells-Morgan opened Flyover along with his partner, Dan Dethrow, two years ago this July. They rely upon the harvests of area farmers to craft dishes for the menu such as these Midwestern “carnitas,” which use braised Patchwork Family Farms pork.

THE APPLE OF THEIR RIBEYE

FOR FLYOVER, THE MENU CHANGES, BUT THE MEAT DOESN’T

U

tilizing local artisans is a must for Flyover, a restaurant that relies heavily on Columbia farms for its meat and produce. Adam Wells-Morgan, executive chef and co-owner of Flyover, says the menu is determined by whatever ingredients come through the door, which can change daily. However, the quality of the meat from Patchwork Family Farms remains the same. One of the menu’s main highlights are the Midwestern “carnitas.” After the pork shoulder from Patchwork is braised and cooked for almost 24 hours, it’s paired with a smoked sweet potato puree and rosemary and bacon-fat hominy, among other components. To continue to grow and provide for the community, Wells-Morgan believes that when you start with the best ingredients, the dish you receive will be the best, as well. ❦

26

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

Adam Wells-Morgan, executive chef at Flyover, has extensive experience in the food and bartending industries.

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF ERIN ACHENBACH, STEPHANIE MUELLER AND TOM HELLAUER

Barred Owl co-owner Josh Smith also acts as the restaurant’s sommelier, as drink pairings are just as important as the dishes.

C

hef at Barred Owl Butcher & Table Ben Parks says the menu is filled with fresh ingredients inspired by the local community. Parks, a co-owner of the restaurant with Josh Smith and Brandy Hughes, says quality and price are always his concern, but flavor remains at the top of the list.

Choosing what goes in each dish is similar to a game of 20 Questions. Is it sweet? Does it have texture? Does it look pretty? All are factors when choosing dishes to form a menu. If an ingredient isn’t at its peak during the season, the restaurant won’t serve it. Using only in-season ingredients challenges the chefs to become creative when adding to a flavorful menu. Parks’ favorites are the sweetness of tomatoes and of sweet corn. When choosing a farmer to deliver the food, Parks says it’s always a plus to have a personal connection. The knowledge of where your food is coming from makes for a positive relationship between owner and farmer. ❦

Show-Me Farms BORN TENDER OMEGA BEEF

Beef • Pork • Chicken Steaks • Ground Beef • Roasts Beef Jerky • Freezer Ready Beef No Added Hormones or Steroids No Growth Enhancing Implants 600% Higher Omega-3 Fatty Acids Find us at Columbia’s fantastic Farmer’s Market each Saturday from 8 am to Noon.

Locally Grown Beef For 26 Years Store Location: 7750 E Highway AB Columbia, MO 65201 Call for an appointment: 573-881-0835 www.showmefarms.com 04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

27

EASY LIKE SUNDAY MORNING

For 44 Canteen pastry chef, Melissa Poelling, life is always pretty sweet

BY MICKI WAGNER

S

weet dreams are made of a job like Melissa Poelling’s. After creating confections at Harold’s Doughnuts for three years, she made the move to 44 Canteen, where she now spends four days each week ensuring the restaurant is stocked with sumptuous desserts. “I speak butter, flour and sugar; that’s the language that I speak,” Poelling says. On Sunday, her favorite workday of the week, she gave us our first lesson in the linguistics of pastry. And let’s just say, we have a whole new respect for cheesecake.

4 a.m. I don’t even need an alarm clock. I wake up, and my feet hit the floor between 4 and 5 every day. The first cup of coffee, the first cup of the day, is my fancy cup of coffee. That’s where my favorite creamer is, and heavy cream — because why use anything else? And then I gather my — I call it my Mary Poppins bag — it’s a giant green and white polka-dotted duffel bag. If I have to bring cake spinners, offsets, scoopers, dishers, anything that’s specific, I just toss it in my bag and bring it with me.

7 a.m. I have a pretty easy morning.

I like “to coffee,” get out my plan, figure it out, play some Candy Crush, check on my Plants vs. Zombies — kind of get in a relaxed, happy, nonstressful headspace.

And when I get to work, I’m excited to be there. I’m looking forward to it; I’ve planned for it. I’ve got it all written out in my head. I’m ready for whatever the day is going to bring. So I’m usually lightly steppin’ when I get in there, happy, make coffee, kick on the ovens, turn on the jams. They’re necessary. I have the worst taste in music probably ever, and I’m completely okay with that.

It ends up being a whole lot of Pitbull, so we are always in the club in Miami.

Then I go and get my whole sort of set up. The place is empty and spotless when I walk in, so I have to move equipment and go get all of my supplies. I get a flat of eggs, gallon of buttermilk, at least two pounds of butter, at least two quarts of cream, and then I gather all of my bowls, scrapers, whisks, measuring spoons. Next is the Robot Coupe and the KitchenAid. I create my station. Then I’ll flip to the page in my notebook where I not only have everything listed, but I also have the order in which they get done, and then I just begin sort of pounding through it.

7:30 a.m. If I get there at 7, then something is probably working by 7:30 or 7:45. It might be a custard, or it might 28

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

be a sauce, or it might be a caramel, or it might be the cakes. If it’s a cheesecake day, a cheesecake in and of itself is a three-hour minimum. And I can’t mess with the oven. That can turn a regular day into a six- or seven-hour day pretty quickly if you don’t get your timing right.

It takes a half an hour to put together.

It takes an hour and a half at one temp, and then you have to turn the oven off and open the door for another hour.

Then you have to let it cool at room temperature again for another hour, so you don’t put it in the refrigerator to keep it from cracking. That’s a whole lot of work. Once the thing — whatever that might be — is in the oven, then I can go to the things that are a little bit more detail-oriented.

Pastry chef Melissa Poelling will don a slightly different hat than usual this Saturday as coordinating chef for Columbia Grown, Vox’s first ever farm-to-table event.

9:00 a.m. I like to do sugar work.

I like to make candy. And then I’ll also shift gears and make all of the sauces for the week. So we have a peanut butter sauce, hot fudge, and we have a wonderful, thick, buttery salted caramel.

I also make the ice cream there, so

When Poelling makes pastries, music is a necessity. She gets in the zone to ‘90s pop cardio and occasionally puts “Cha-Cha Slide” on repeat to have her own dance party.

PHOTOS BY PHU NGUYEN

that’s something that I can do while the cheesecake is in the oven. The ice cream is also a two-part process. I make the base in advance, and then I spin it down, and then I mix it with what appears to be an equal part of whipped cream, pipe that into molds and put it in the freezer.

10 or 10:30 a.m. My goal every

time is to try for everything to come out at the same time so I can be done all at once so that when the cheesecake is done, I can peace out. That’s ideally the whole scenario. I’ve made ice cream; I’ve made sauces; I’ve made any candies that we’re going to make; I’ve made the garnish, whatever that’s going to be. Sometimes it’s candy; sometimes it’s cookies; sometimes it’s crunchy bits.

I like to work with chocolate a lot, so I have crisp pearls, I have feuilletine and lots of other chocolate-makers’ trick things. I’ve also been making a homemade Cool Whip variant, which is shelf-stable like a boss. That probably takes an hour start to finish, and that

one’s incredibly precise. I have another cup of coffee.

11 or 11:30 a.m. I tidy up my space. Then I try to do something for the rest of the team every day that I’m there. Whatever I can do, just as a kindness. I do my best to try to take care of my team. Then I make my list, get ready, pull anything I need left out, pull any butter I need left out at room temperature. Nobody comes in that space between Sunday and Monday when I come in; I’m the last person, so I can leave my station set. I also do any bread support, pasta support and then event support, though they (the rest of the team) don’t ask for it very often. I love talking to people.

12 p.m. If it goes off the rails, then I could be there substantially longer. Off the rails as in utter failure — if I should drop anything, drop a hot pan. Then I go back home to #momlife. ❦

BRUNCH LUNCH DINNER LATE NIGHT In light of the #MeToo movement, Poelling assembled an all-female team for the Columbia Grown event to show that when women work together, they’re a force.

PHOTO BY PHU NGUYEN

816 EAST BROADWAY • COLUMBIA, MO 04.05.18

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

29

THE TO-DO LIST

this week in Columbia

ARTS & CULTURE One Act Festival

The One Act Festival is back with four one-act plays. At this year’s event, the Warehouse Theatre Company will present Barefoot in Nightgown by Candlelight

by Don Nigro, The Donahue Sisters by Geraldine Aron, Hold for Three by Sherry Kramer and Horrors by Don Nigro. Today through Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m., Warehouse Theatre, $8; $6, seniors and students, 876-7199

We Found Love and an Exquisite Set of Porcelain Figurines Aboard the SS Farndale Avenue In this comedy by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jr., the women of the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society mount their original show on the SS Farndale Avenue. But to put on their performance, they must overcome the dangerous and dramatic obstacles that threaten to ruin their production.

Through April 22, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m., Columbia Entertainment Company, $14; $12, seniors and students; $10, Thursday shows, 474-3699

Cuban Contemporary Exhibit

The staff at Sager Braudis Gallery traveled to Cuba to acquire the artwork that will be featured in this exhibit. Created by 15 artists

working in Havana, the art spans a variety of mediums, including paintings, sculptures and prints. A reception will be held on April 6 at 6 p.m. Through April 28, Tuesday– Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sager Braudis Gallery, Free, 442-4831

Chinese Youth Film Festival MU’s Confucius Institute hosts this festival for the second year. The Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon will be shown on Friday, and Young Style, a look at modern Chinese schools,will play on Saturday. The films will play with Mandarin audio and English subtitles, and Chinese teachers will introduce them. Friday, 7 p.m., MU Student Center, Leadership Auditorium, Free, 882-9061

Madagascar: A Musical Adventure

See one of your favorite animated movies come to life in this musical presented by the children’s theatre TRYPS. Join Alex and Marty as they escape from their zoo to Madagascar. Friday, 7 p.m., Macklanburg Playhouse, $12; $7, children, 449-4536

“Flora: Depiction of Plants in Art and Their Symbolism” Explore the galleries of the Museum of Art and Archaeology in this docent-led theme tour. Docent J. Wayne Merrill will talk about how plants are represented in art and what they symbolize within the artwork and

humanities scholars Phillip Lancaster and Alison Moore will present a multimedia experience featuring archival photos, survivor interviews and live music. Friday, 1–2:30 p.m. and 7–8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2–3:30 p.m., Columbia Public Library, Friends Room, Free, 443-3161

society. Sunday, 2–3 p.m., Museum of Art and Archaeology, Free, 882-3591

Frankenstein

Celebrate Frankenstein’s 200th birthday by enjoying Greenhouse Theatre Project’s production of the classic. The audience will move through the performance space during this immersive live-action work.

Wednesdays through April 15, Silver Box Photography Studio/Hoot Design Co., $16; $12, students; $10, members, greenhousetheatreproject@gmail.com

Science Cafe Columbia Discover the techniques used to disentangle puzzles of mystery, intrigue, murder and mayhem with Robert Hall, MU professor emeritus of entomology. Monday, 6–7:30 p.m., Broadway Brewery, Free, 443-5054

Proposal Writing Workshop Proposal writing is a necessary skill for artists who are interested in pursuing grant funds, commissions and government contracts. In this workshop, artists will learn about the basic components of a proposal and how to format their ideas to compete for further funds and projects. The workshop will be taught by Madeleine LeMieux.

Participants can register at residentarts.org/ classes_workshops. Saturday, 3–6 p.m., Resident Arts, $49, 303-7195

CIVIC Riders on the Orphan Train Between 1852 and 1929, more than 250,000 orphans and unwanted children were sent away from New York City on trains and picked up at stations all across America. Learn why at this event, where

Presentation and Book Signing

by Barry Bergey Bergey is the co-author of Folk Masters: A Portrait of America, which peeks into the art and cultures of the recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. It includes photographs from Tom Pich. Bergey’s talk will focus on the stories behind the pictures, as well as how he chose the images and wrote about the artists. Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., 707 Mizzou North, Free, 882-3591

FOOD & DRINK Battle of the Breweries: Dogfish Head vs Stone Pick a side, and battle against the opposing team in a good ol’ fashioned game of Mario Kart. There will be a West and East Coast

KOPN 89.5fm...Where Else?

good food co.

It’s not just radio, it’s community radio.

naturally simple. simply good.

Custom Cakes • Breakfast Pastries • Dessert Bar 1023 E Walnut St, Suite 7 | Columbia jillbakes@yahoo.com

HOURS:

Thurs - Sun | Morning Bakery | 7am - 1pm Fri & Sat | Evening Dessert Bar | 6 - 9pm

@jillbakeslove @Good Food Co. 30

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

Jill Rostine, Owner & Pastry Chef

On your radio dial at 89.5 fm or live streaming at kopn.org

tap takeover with special release beers, as well as prizes for the winners of each round. Tonight, 6–9 p.m., International Tap House, Free, 443-1401

VFW Post 280 Wine Tasting Fundraising Event

This event features a variety of Missouri wines, as well as a silent auction and door prizes. The price of admission includes a souvenir glass, three samples from each winery and hors d’oeuvres. Sunday, 2–5 p.m., VFW Post 280, $20, 442-8413

Asian Night Market 2018

In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, MU’s Asian American Association is opening a free Asian market for a night that will mirror open-air markets that are popular in Asia. There will be food and activities for attendees to enjoy.

Tuesday, 7–9 p.m., Stotler Lounge, Free, kclwcc@mail.missouri.edu

Hopped Up: Anthropological Explorations of Alcoholic Brews

Join Christine Boston from Lincoln University’s social and behavioral sciences department as she discusses the origins and significance of all things brewed.

Wednesday, 6–7 p.m., Craft Beer Cellar, Free, 449-0242

MUSIC Julien Baker

This young alt-rocker, who recorded her debut solo album in a matter of days, will bring

SPORTS

her versatility and vulnerability to the stage.

Tonight, 8:30 p.m., The Blue Note, $15, 874-1944

Cameron Carpenter: International Touring Organ Cameron Carpenter is getting unprecedented acclaim for an organist. He launched his International Touring Organ in 2014. Now, he’s embarking on a national tour and playing multiple genres on his digital organ, including Bach, film scores and original music. Friday, 7–9 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $38–48, 882-3781

27th Annual Big Muddy Folk Festival & BBQ

Enjoy folk and food at this two-day music festival in Boonville. There will be performances on the main stage, as well as workshops, demonstrations, contra dancing and plenty of BBQ. Tickets can be purchased online at friendsofhistoricboonville.org. Friday and Saturday, 7–10 p.m., Thespian Hall, Boonville, $25, single night; $45, series, 660-882-7977

Chancellor’s Arts Showcase

Mizzou Men’s Golf Tiger Invitational

Mizzou Men’s golf team hosts the Tiger Invitational, the team’s first home tournament since 2014, at The Club at Old Hawthorne.

Monday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Club at Old Hawthorne, Free, 882-6501

Mizzou Softball vs. Omaha

The Tigers look to stay above .500 against the Mavericks in head coach Gina Vogue’s first year on the job. Wednesday, 4 p.m., Mizzou Softball Stadium, Price varies, 882-6501

A Quiet Place (PG-13)

John Krasinski directs and stars in this horror film alongside his wife, Emily Blunt. The couple and their children are forced to live in silence to evade creatures who hunt by sound. F, R RUNTIME = 1:30

The Miracle Season (PG)

SCREEN

After the tragic death of a teammate, a girl’s volleyball team has to find new strength to win the state championship in its teammate’s honor. This film is based on the true story of the Iowa City West High School team. R RUNTIME = 1:39

Blockers (R)

Still playing

Three parents, played by Leslie Mann, John Cena and Ike Barinholtz, set out to stop their teenage daughters from losing their virginities on prom night in this comedy.

F, R RUNTIME = 1:42

Chappaquiddick (PG-13)

Celebrate the School of Music’s Centennial at this year’s Chancellor’s Arts Showcase.

The event will feature performances of music from notable alumni, composers and faculty.

Special guests, including retired faculty and administrators, will be in attendance. Monday, 7–9 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $13; $11.70, MU students, 882-3781

after the death of Joseph Stalin. The film, based on the French graphic novel La mort de Staline, follows the dictator’s power-hungry friends as they feud over who will become the next Soviet leader. RT RUNTIME = 1:47

In 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy drove into a lake on Chappaquiddick Island. The accident, which was deemed as negligence, resulted in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, a campaign strategist. This film follows the political and social fallout of what became a national scandal. R RUNTIME = 1:41

The Death of Stalin (R)

This political satire is set in 1950s Moscow

Annihilation (R) RT Black Panther (PG-13) F, R A Fantastic Woman (R) RT Game Night (R) R God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness (PG) R I Can Only Imagine (PG) F, R Pacific Rim: Uprising (PG-13) F, R Ready Player One (PG-13) F, R Tomb Raider (PG-13) R Tyler Perry’s Acrimony (R) F, R A Wrinkle in Time (PG) F, R Theaters F = Forum R = Regal

RT = Ragtag = 3D

Avoiding an expensive healthcare visit?

Introducing Medical Discount Programs

Cash Pay Advantage ValueCare Plan Fee

_____

Visit Fee

Approx. $160/ visit

$35/visit

$80/visit

Visit Fee w/tests

Approx. $275/ visit

$35/visit

$135/visit

$35/month $65/year

3 Convenient Locations 1-573-303-9617 | ProvidenceUrgentCare.com 04.05.18 PUC Discount Programs Ad - 0218.indd 1

|

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

31

2/14/2018 12:00:07 PM

t o H Spot

the Name & Location thursday

friday

saturday

sunday

monday

tuesday wednesday

FREE WI-FI AVAILABLE!!

www.addisonsophias.com

FREE WI-FI AVAILABLE!!

New Late Night Happy Hour Specials

709 Cherry St. • 256-1995

Established 2006

3700 Monterey Dr. (573) 443-4350 • www.deucepub.com

LONGNECK NIGHT!

BACARDI DOUBLES & SHOT SPECIALS!

Late Night

Happy Hour 10pm to Midnight

DOMESTIC DRAFTS & SHOT

FEATURES !

Late Night Snack?

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.05.18

VODKAS & SHOTS LOCAL BREW NIGHT!

ALL DAY!

$

25 TAPS

6 PIZZA 50¢ BONELESS WINGS!

9" 2-TOPPING

JOIN US ate Night BEFORE & LHappy Hour Our Kitchen AFTER THE 8pm to is Open GAME!!

11pm until Midnight

ON SPECIAL!

ALL DAY!

www.addisonsophias.com

MICRO & IMPORTS

BOTTLES, SKYY DOUBLES & SHOTS! 1/2 OFF ALL

PIZZAS!

ALL WHEAT TAPS! DOUBLE WELLS & SHOTS

ON SPECIAL!

HAPPY HOUR 3:30 - 7 • Buy one, get one FREE Apps Specials on all Draft Beer, House Drinks, Long Island Tea, Long Beach Tea, Sweet Tarts

Late Night

Happy Hour 10pm to Midnight

Kitchen open until Midnight (11pm Sundays) • CHECK OUT OUR ROOF-TOP PATIO •www.theheidelberg.com

For more info on how to make your business The Hot Spot, call 882-5714

32

DRAFT & SHOT SPECIALS!

DOMESTIC

Happy Hour 3:30pm to 7pm

410 S. 9th St • 449-6927

9 pm until midnight • Sunday through Thursday Features $2 Pints and $5 Nachos