On the scene at White Rock Local Market’s Holiday Market

Be sure to come to the White Rock Local Market in March.

Photo by Staff

Alicia Colina-Ashby of La Alicia

It was a bright and beautiful winter day this past Saturday. If you missed the White Rock Local Market’s 3rd annual Holiday Market on Saturday, December 10, you will have to wait for March 2012 because it's is only open March through December. During the season, the market is held twice a month in the parking lot of Green Spot Market and Fuels on Buckner near White Rock Lake. One time it is food only and the next time it has food and other things. The Holiday Market had all the regular food vendors plus 50 arts and crafts vendors for holiday shoppers.

Here are some of the vendors we visited.

Texas Worm Ranch -- Worms are Heather Rinaldi's passion -- particularly Red Wiggler Worms. At the market, she sold Pre-made Worm Bins that are a great way for beginning composters. She was also selling vegetables grown in worm tailings. She says that she gets great production from this rich soil. One item that I don’t think she had at the market was Texas Worm Ranch--Worm Wine (TM), and do not attempt to drink this product. It is made of of high quality vermicompost, rainbarrel water, and molasses. Brewed when you order so that you can use it at its maximum microbial activity, it benefits your yard, vegetable garden, trees, containers, or flowerbeds.

Tough Cookie Vegan Bakery -- Nini and Jim McEwan are continuing a business started in Dallas by their son and daugher-in-law who are doing Tough Cookie in Austin. We bought one of their yummy cinammon buns with gooey cream cheese frosting. Nini and Jim do not look like tough cookies.

Good Earth Organic Farm -- Josh Baker grew the bok choy and other winter vegetables at the Good Earth Organic Farm in Celeste. They are grown organically and sold locally at farmer's markets or at the farm. They grow your basic garden fare without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Josh also teaches organic farming methods.

Eagle Mountain Farmhouse Cheese -- We bought the young Gouda from Corey Miller. We liked the young cheese aged three months because it was light and flavorful. The aged gouda aged for nine months had a more flavor and a greater complexity. This raw milk artisan cheese is made by hand by Dave and Matt Eagle.

La Alicia -- Who knew that last month’s magazines, wrapping paper, catalogs, and uninvited mail could be made into interesting jewelry and accessories. Alicia Colina-Ashby takes these pieces of paper and repurposes them. She patiently weaves the threads of folded paper into beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces of art.

Sanford's Vintage Bicycles -- Sanford Clay restores bicycles that he finds at garage sales, estate sales, and other places where used articles find their way into the market. A beautifully restored Schwinn shown above is a sample of what he does. One might think that the bicyles were new if you didn't note the diversity of styles and old brands that no longer exist. He regularly shows at the White Rock Local Market, so come to see him in March.

It was a great day. Be sure to come to the White Rock Local Market in March.