V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 0 4 . 2 3 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY
Behind the stands Meet the farmers market vendors who cultivate a community with healthy roots
Tossed and turned
Graze on these four spring salads before they’re gone PAGE 4
Act, too
From stage to sitcom, Flexy brings LA drama to his next act PAGE 6
This week
Online
APRIL 23, 2015 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 15 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN
STAND BY FOR FLYOVER CoMo’s newest eatery features brick-oven pizzas and speakeasy-inspired spirits that demand a Midwestern layover.
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320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714
V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 0 4 . 2 3 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY
It’s time to release your inner geek, or is it? Vox has the lowdown on which big titles are worthy of an Xbox Live renewal.
KENDRICK EXPLAINS IT ALL Anna Kendrick is hopping on the memoirwriting bus. Read up on the celebrities who have risen (and fallen) before her.
Feature Sunny yellow squash and razor-sharp knives sit side-by-side at the Columbia Farmers’ Market. This weekly artisanal gathering sets the stage for community musicians, family bonding and, of course, locally grown food. PAGE 7
Behind the stands Meet the farmers market vendors who cultivate a community with healthy roots
Tossed and turned
Graze on these four spring salads before they’re gone
We’re social.
PAGE 4
Act, too
From stage to sitcom, Flexy brings LA drama to his next act PAGE 6
CAN’T GET ENOUGH VOX? DOWNLOAD THE FREE IPAD APP
THE SCENE Dig into pickled radishes, grilled zucchini or crunchy pine nuts on some not-so-average salads. Four CoMo eateries toss aside ranch-soaked iceberg for a fresh take on spring greens. PAGE 4
FROM THE EDITOR
MU alum Flexy the Artist opens for Waka Flocka Flame at The Blue Note on Tuesday. The R&B artist returns with a West Coast attitude to revive his stage presence. PAGE 6
Q&A Traci Payne postponed the classroom for a sevenyear adventure in the clouds. This Air Force flight attendant talks pyramids, picky politicians and serving filet mignon at 30,000 feet. PAGE 15
BETH CASTLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
COVER DESIGN: ALLISON SHAPIRO COVER PHOTO: TIM TAI
VOX STAFF Editor: Beth Castle Deputy Editor: Laura Heck Managing Editor: Anna Seaman Creative Director: Tracee Tibbitts Digital Managing Editor: Bryan Bumgardner Art Directors: Alex Jacobi, Allison Lewis Photo Editor: Shannon Elliott iPad Art Director: Roselyn Adams VoxTalk Editor: Rachel Rowsey Multimedia Editor: Adam Harris Calendar Editor: Sean Morrison News & Insight Editors: Alaina Lancaster, Danielle Renton, Aditi Shrikant The Scene Editors: Miles Dobis, Nicole Eno, Lauren Rutherford Music Editors: Stephanie Bray, Tess Catlett Arts/Books Editors: Cecilia Meis, Ashley Szatala Contributing Writers: Elizabeth Brown, Reid Foster, Christine Jackson, Abby Kass, Sarah Kloepple, Makenzie Koch, Carson Kohler, Carolin Lehmann, Kara Quill Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Reporting Beat Leader: Joy Jenkins Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain
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VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.23.15
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF TIM TAI; J SCOT; FACEBOOK.COM/FLYOVERCOMO
MUSIC
The first time I saw my name in print was after a trip to my hometown farmers market. I was young, maybe 7 or 8, and a reporter asked my mom if she could interview my friend Rachel and me. Of the interview, I remember very little — the scratch of the reporter’s pencil on her notebook, my shy self balking when she asked me to spell my last name — but I know I was excited. It’s not every day that an adult asks you tough questions like, “Did you like the strawberries?” Nowadays, the novelty I felt toward interviews is gone, but that’s only because it has become part of my job. At Vox, we ask those questions about Columbia all the time. What do we like? What do we want to do? Where do we want to eat? Then we write stories and print our own names. Admittedly, that thrill has yet to wear off. Our goal is to give you a fresh perspective on some part of Columbia, which is why this week’s feature is such a textbook Vox topic. The Columbia Farmers’ Market is a Saturday-morning tradition, so we sent a group of writers to find the stories behind some of this year’s vendors. Goat gurus, traveling knife-sharpeners and family bakers made our roundup, but their stands are only a few of the highlights in the market scene. The real heart of the farmers market is the community it feeds, and we dig into that, too. No, I wasn’t interviewed for any of these stories. But for the record, I think this year’s medley is delicious.
Radar
Vox’s take on the talk of the week
TIRED AND AFRAID
MU ALERT FLOWCHART BOMB THREAT
ARMED ROBBERY
CASUAL TWEETS
SHOOTING
EMAILS, TEXTS, 3 A.M. PHONE CALLS
DELAYED EMAILS
VOX ASKS COLUMBIANS
MAY THE VIEWS BE WITH YOU
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Why do you go to the farmers market?
million and counting
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF FLICKR/FRITS AHLEFELDT-LAURVIG; MEREDITH MCGRATH; FACEBOOK/MOUSE FREAKS BLOGS; TWITTER/JEN MYERS; FLICKR/JOSHUA ROTHAAS
EMILY ADAMS, 27
The number of views of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer. Also, the amount of times people didn’t watch the Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Fantastic Four and Jurassic World trailers.
We like to eat healthy and shop local, and this is the best place to do it. Usually after we shop, we have a little picnic with our daughter over in the grass, and then we go about our day. It’s a super fun and friendly place to get food.
FRANK SCHMIDT, 67 It’s a beautiful Saturday. What else do I need?
www.THEBLUENOTE.com
APR. 24 - IRON & WINE APR. 25 - SLEATER-KINNEY APR. 28 - WAKA FLOCKA FLAME APR. 29 - M I S T E R W I V E S APR. 30 - BRANDY CLARK MAY 1 - LOS LOBOS MAY 2 - HOME FREE MAY 5 AER MAY 6 - CHERUB MAY 7 - THE ENGLISH BEAT MAY 8 - BREW ‘N VIEW: SALUTE TO BILL MURRAY MAY 9 - UPON A BURNING BODY MAY 14 - L E E A N N W O M A C K MAY 15 - COUNTRYFIED 3 MAY 16 - 80s VS 90s: MUSIC VIDEO BATTLE
JENNIFER THOMPSON, 34
WET BLANKET
I have recently been reading that raw, local honey is the best thing for you, so I knew I could get it here. Otherwise, I’ve just been here before to enjoy all of the local things.
Leave it to Mother Nature to rain on her own parade.
Turn to page 7 to find out more about the Columbia Farmers’ Market vendors. ABANDONED SHIPS
“What we are witnessing in the Mediterranean is a man-made tragedy of appalling proportions.” Columbia’s Earth Day festivities were put on hold until Sunday because of bad weather.
17. N 9TH STREET // COLUMBIA, MO
John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International’s director for Europe and Central Asia —
1013 PARK AVE // COLUMBIA MO www.ROSEMUSICHALL.com
4/23 LUSID + POLLUX + FILTH INFERNO & DJ SPECTRA + DETAILS 4/24 AL HOLLIDAY & THE EAST SIDE RHYTHM BAND 4/25 DECADENT NATION + DON’T MIND DYING + DRIVING WHEEL 4/27 RAMBLERS’ CLUB 4/28 KCOU’S FESTIVAL 88 4/30 MATTHEW CURRY 5/1 HOOTENANNY VIII: WILLIE NELSON BDAY BASH! 5/2 RUN FOR THE ROSE: KENTUCKY DERBY BASH! 5/2 77 JEFFERSON + ZACK MUFASA 5/5 CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRACION FEAT. DEL ALMA & LA MOVIDA SOCIAL CLUB 5/6 APOLLO GOING AWAY PARTY 5/7 DANIELLE NICOLE 5/8 DREW BALDRIDGE 5/9 MIDWEST FUNK & SOUL REVUE III
Written by: Stephanie Bray, Tess Catlett, Alaina Lancaster, Meredith McGrath, Cecilia Meis, Aditi Shrikant 04.23.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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THE SCENE
Season’s greenings These colorful, inventive salads produce fresh flavors BY CHEYENNE ROUNDTREE Pickled radishes and fermented redbuds. Pine nuts and mandarin oranges. Summer squash and fresh greens. Columbia restaurants are bringing the garden to the table with new springtime salad options, specially crafted for warm-weather months and available for a limited time. Ranging from the simple and traditional to the bold and inventive, they can be found all over downtown, and Vox has the scoop (should it be fork?) on these four seasonal salad selections.
Gather your friends for CAT 's
24-HOUR FILM COMPETITION Fri. April 24 @ 5 p.m. - Sat. April 25 @ 5 p.m. DSLR CAMERA KIT & More Rules, registration & more info: columbiaaccess.tv/24hourfilm
Entry fee: $20 per team for basic registration Columbia Access Television 23 N. Tenth Street, downtown Columbia (573) 442-4447
e Su n 5 gby Rth n i s a Ch hosted enew Missouri k
A walk-or-run clean energy fundraiser on Saturday, April 25 9am at Stephen’s Lake Park Registration fee: $35
Group rates also available! Register online at RenewMo.org
Dress your brightest! (573) 303-0394
Coley’s American Bistro—Grilled Summer Squash Salad Plating is pristine in this artistic salad array. Thick grilled and seasoned zucchini lies next to a bed of lettuce topped with pepper-crusted goat cheese. Hand-picked shallots add a contrasting sharpness to complement the meaty zucchini, and the dish is finished off with a lemon and herb vinaigrette. Freshsqueezed lemon juice adds more tangy flavor to the house-made dressing. Coley’s grilled summer squash Salad is all about contrasts: The creation came hot and cold, meaty and leafy, bitter and zesty. together within an afternoon, says owner and Photo by AMBER GARRETT chef Brian Coley. “I like it especially for this time of year because it is just light and fresh,” Coley says. “The palette, the greens, is cold. Then you have the grilled squash, which is warm. So it’s a nice combination.” Coley recommends a crisp, light white wine to accompany the salad. COLEY’S AMERICAN BISTRO 15 S. Sixth St. Sun., 4–9 p.m.; Mon.–Thurs., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4–10 p.m.; Fri., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4–11 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., 442-8887, coleysamericanbistro.com
Trey Bistro—Salad Greens Shredded parmesan cheese and pine nuts are sprinkled atop of the plate to finish off a light, simple salad. Mixed greens are paired with a dressing of homemade balsamic vinegar mixed with garlic oil to give the dish the ideal flavor. Make the appetizer salad a meaty entree by adding roasted chicken. Owner and executive chef Trey Quinlan recommends a riesling or pinot grigio to enhance the Organic greens and pine nuts add crunch to tangy balsamic vinegar in this simple and refreshing salad from Trey Bistro. salad’s tangy flavors. Photo by LOREN ELLIOTT
TREY BISTRO 21 N. Ninth St. Sun., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., 777-8654, treybistro.com
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The Wine Cellar & Bistro— Alaskan Halibut, Radishes and Redbuds The Wine Cellar & Bistro’s newest salad, on the menu until mid-June, features pan-seared halibut with a local radish-herb compound butter. The fish is garnished with pickled radish and fermented redbud blossoms, all placed on top of Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. If halibut and spuds seem out of place in the realm of lettuce and tomato, co-owner and executive chef Craig Cyr Ingredients preserved and grown locally, such as pickled says we shouldn’t have radishes and redbuds, feature in The Wine Cellar’s Alaskan strict boundaries about halibut salad. Photo by TIM NWACHUKWU what constitutes a salad. Cyr experiments with this dish’s pickled radish and redbud garnish. The kitchen pickles the vegetables, brought from its Cedar Lake garden on the south side of town, in a brine with spring herbs and homemade vinegar. “I wanted a way to preserve the radishes for the season,” Cyr says. “And nobody will have something like this on their menus.” Co-owner and sommelier Sarah Cyr also tinkers with white wine recommendations to complement the salad. She says that a Stolpman Vineyards roussanne/chardonnay blend from California brings out the flavor. THE WINE CELLAR & BISTRO 505 Cherry St. Sun., 5–9 p.m.; Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5–10 p.m., 442-7281, winecellarbistro.com
Flat Branch Pub & Brewing—Summertime Brewhouse Salad Color is chef Matt Arnall’s favorite element in this salad. Three cups of wild arugula make up the dish’s leafy bed. Fresh mozzarella, mandarin oranges, grape tomatoes and red onions all contribute to its vivid color. “It’s really pretty,” Arnall says. “The red onions are actually kind of purple in color, so it’s a nice backdrop of the green.” Arnall drizzles the salad with balsamic vinaigrette and serves it with a grain roll and honey butter. Spent Flat Branch’s summer salad incorporates new ingredients every year, but the dish’s color and playful preparation are grain, leftover malt from constant. Photo by TIM NWACHUKWU the restaurant’s brewing process, gives the freshly baked bread a slightly bitter, hoppy taste. The salad will remain on the menu until October, when it’s retired until the following summer with new ingredients. If you want to experiment before then, meat or salmon can always be added for extra protein. FLAT BRANCH PUB & BREWING 115 S. Fifth St. Sun.–Thurs., 11 a.m. to midnight; Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., 449-0400, flatbranch.com
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MUSIC
Straight flexin’ Flexy the Artist brings his R&B sound back to Columbia and opens for Waka Flocka Flame BY KATELYN LUNDERS
Flexy has shared the stage with artists such as G-Eazy, Hoodie Allen and Aaron Carter.
For Josh Teasley, or Flexy the Artist, leaving Columbia in hopes of “making it” in Los Angeles was a risky move. But it’s paying off. While searching for a job that would allow him to support his music career, Flexy tried his luck on the small screen. The musician-turned-actor booked a small role as a bartender on ABC’s primetime comedy Cristela and has gone on to play other roles as a TV extra. Over the past few months, he’s developed a passion for acting that he says improves his stage presence. The MU alum returns to Columbia for the first time in a year when he opens for Waka Flocka Flame at The Blue Note on Tuesday. “I’m looking forward to getting on stage and seeing a thousand people smile and just showcasing my progress,” Flexy says.
VINYLREN.COM 6
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Music is definitely still my passion, but as a musician, you’re a walking brand. I’m basically acting all the time. I go onstage, and I have to look a certain way. When I interview, I have to look a certain way. Whether it’s me or not, I’ve got to keep that consistent. With acting, you’re basically doing the same thing, so I feel they work hand in hand.
When I write songs, I get most of my inspiration from emotions and feelings. I’ll just take it to another place in time. I want to make people feel happy. That’s my biggest thing. Everything I do, all my art, I just want to see people smile. And I always want to impress myself. I know if I impress myself and do the best I can do and become the best musician, then I will leave a lasting impression on other people.
When did you realize you wanted a music career?
What are you working on now?
MON-FRI 11AM - 7PM SAT 11AM - 6PM SUN 12PM - 5PM
/VINYLRENCOMO
Before I left Columbia, I recorded a song called “Passion” with an EDM artist, DELLA, who lives in Italy. That song is coming out May 5. I am working on another collaboration with a pop-soul singer out of Los Angeles that will drop sometime this summer. I’m now starting to write my next project, so all those things are going while I’m balancing acting as well. I spend time on different sets, and I’ve been on a couple TV shows. Just being creative.
WAKA FLOCKA FLAME The Blue Note, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. doors, 8:30 p.m. show, $22.50 in advance; $25 day of, 874-1944, thebluenote.com
Flexy has shared the stage with Drake. Sort of. See how the R&B artist is connected to the rapper in this week’s iPad edition.
PHOTOS BY J SCOT
ALABAMA SHAKES - SOUND & COLOR BJORK - VULNICURA MAT KEARNEY - JUST KIDS (LP) • PASSION PIT - KINDRED
Where do you find inspiration for your songs?
When I was a kid, my parents played Michael Jackson everywhere they went. I would watch his concerts and see people actually going crazy. I don’t think they (the audience) knew why they were going crazy, but they knew how they felt. They knew when they saw him and heard his music, how that made them feel. I wanted to do that even when I was a kid.
NEW RELEASES NOW AVAILABLE!
•
How does your interest in acting affect your work as a musician?
PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF
Market made
For the past 35 years, the Columbia Farmers’ Market has been a hub for the homegrown. Each week, Columbians of all ages peruse the farmer and artisan stalls. From fresh spinach to homemade pies, the market offers the essentials for healthy eating and living. This community exchange is not only a service to those who frequent the market, but also a livelihood for those who operate the stands. In 2013, Missouri was ninth in number of community farmers markets — 246 total, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Vendors spend hours preparing for the market, and this week, we pair faces to their products.
PHOTOS BY TIM TAI 04.23.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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Jen Muno and her husband, Ken, own one of the few dairy farms in the state that makes cheese from goat milk. They have about 100 goats on their estate.
A dairy lifestyle
Goatsbeard Farm owners value quality cheese and their customers BY CASEY NIGHBOR
I
n the heart of farmland outside Columbia lies a winding gravel road that leads to Goatsbeard Farm. A small house, reminiscent of a log cabin, sits next to a dairy building among various cheese-making equipment. Bleating goats can be heard throughout the grounds. Jen Muno and her husband, Ken, spend their livelihood making farmstead cheese. The Munos work and live off the profits of their small sustainable farm. “One hundred percent of our living that we earn is here on the farm,” Jen Muno says. “We don’t have an outside job doing anything else, so that’s a pretty big deal.” The Munos make fresh and aged cheeses from goat’s milk on their Harrisburg property. They sell their products wholesale to restaurants, stores and also at the Columbia Farmers’ Market. The couple first sold flowers at the farmers market before switching to cheese in 2001. The Munos are a
part of a dwindling breed of farmstead customers. “We’re always exhausted by dairies in Missouri, says Jen Muno, and the end of it, but it’s rewarding,” Jen is one of two Muno says. cheesemakers at Goatsbeard the market. The has many loyal other, Golden customers who L Creamery, buy each week, sells cow’s milk and she says cheese. they’ve made Goatsbeard many friends, participates in including all of the spring other vendors. and summer “It’s nice to markets and see the same about half the faces each week, winter ones. The Jen Muno and her husband, Ken, work full-time and it’s also really Munos produce making cheese. They sell their products to restau- nice to see new fresh cheese faces,” she says. rants, stores and at the farmers market. from March until Jen Muno December. In January, February and has high hopes that a permanent market early March, they sell a smaller selection structure will eventually be built. The of hard aged cheese. Munos, along with other vendors, Although preparing and selling at have been working on convincing the market each week is difficult, it’s the Columbia to create a central space best way for the Munos to connect with for the community to attend farmers
markets because the venue changes between seasons. Currently, Columbia’s Sustainable Farms and Communities organization is fundraising to construct a permanent pavilion. “We think it would benefit the whole community to have a market year-round at the same place, and we could have things like classes,” she says. With or without a set venue for the Columbia Farmers’ Market, Goatsbeard Farm remains a fixture at it.
GOATSBEARD FARM 11351 CALLAHAN CREEK ROAD HARRISBURG 65256 875-0706, GOATSBEARDFARM.COM WHERE TO BUY: COLUMBIA FARMERS’ MARKET, GOATSBEARD FARM
The woodland baker
Hungry patrons travel by foot or wheels for Mulberry Grill and Bakery’s homemade goods BY BROOKE BURCHILL
M
ulberry Grill and Bakery daughter; it’s her turn to laugh. Opening saved owner Bruce a restaurant was perhaps too successful at Henson’s life. At least, keeping her father’s Mind active. that’s what Mulberry Grill his daughter says. and Bakery is a family Henson was business. The restaurant approaching retirement sits just off the Katy Trail in 2010 when his in Rocheport and serves daughter, Tahna Long, as a place of refuge and began to worry about refueling for joggers and what he would do when foodies alike. Known for his last day of work its homemade bread and finally came. She had traditional Italian pizzas, heard about a correlation the restaurant sets itself between idle minds and apart from Columbia’s declining health. bevy of pizzerias with “She looked at an element of Italian the statistics and said cooking uncommon in they weren’t good,” he mid-Missouri: A custom says. “So she conspired wood-fire brick oven with my wife to get that can cook a pie in Bruce Henson meant for Mulberry Grill and Bakery me into this low-stress two minutes or less. For to be a part-time job during occupation.” His voice customers who arrive retirement. But the popularity rises as he emphasizes tired from exercising, of baked breads and pizzas those penultimate drawn off from the path has made the business a words and glances at his by the tantalizing aroma full-time endeavor.
of baked dough, cheese and basil, that quick turnaround from order to entree is a satiating blessing. “There aren’t that many outdoor restaurants that allow sweaty people to come and dump their bikes and eat, so we’re perfect for them,” Long says. Henson runs the restaurant fulltime. His daughter helps part-time while teaching English at MU. Henson’s wife, Janice, also works when needed, and his son, Joel, is the man behind the restaurant’s fare. He creates the recipes and dishes for Mulberry’s menu, including the hearty bread that his father sells at the Columbia Farmers’ Market year-round. When the restaurant shuts down for the winter, Henson keeps himself occupied by preparing massive, 2-pound loaves of preservative-free potato and wheat bread to sell at the farmers market. The wheat is his favorite. The sweetness and density of the bread make the perfect bookends for a nourishing sandwich, and a single slice served warm with melted
butter and jelly is a delicious breakfast. For this summer’s farmers market season, Henson has added sorghum oat bread and banana bread to his table. He’ll kindly peer over his wide wirerimmed glasses as they slide down the crook of his nose and speak plainly about Mulberry’s products. If his daughter is there, he may show his softer side — that of a man who knows the importance of food and family, even when those things push retirement back a few years.
MULBERRY GRILL AND BAKERY 101 HOWARD ST. ROCHEPORT 65279 289-5748, MULBERRYGRILL. WEEBLY.COM WHERE TO BUY: COLUMBIA FARMERS’ MARKET, MULBERRY GRILL AND BAKERY
04.23.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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Corby Roberts specializes in commercial kitchen sharpening, but he also sharpens knives for individuals at the farmers market.
A cut above
Blade Runner Sharpening LLC can make any knife slice like new BY CECILIA MEIS
C
orby Roberts’ booth stands out against the honey and homemade bread stalls at the Columbia Farmers’ Market, but he doesn’t notice. His eyes stay focused as he deftly lays the edge of a blade against the ceramic belt grinder. His noisy machine whirs against the buzz of families looking for fresh produce to place in their reusable bags. When he left his sales position in 2008 to open Blade Runner Sharpening LLC, he didn’t expect the community response he received. “You’ll be surprised how happy it makes people when I come into a kitchen,” he says. Roberts specializes in large commercial kitchen sharpening, but about 10 percent of his business are individuals looking to sharpen knives. Because his shop is in the back of a Dodge van, Roberts is able to offer same-day service directly inside a restaurant’s kitchen or pick up individual knives from one of his six Columbia drop-off locations. Although there is no license or official training required to become a sharpener, Roberts was lucky to have his friend Mike Solaegui, a blade sharpening business owner from California, mentor him. It was Solaegui who first got him interested in the business. “I feel extremely comfortable with the training I’ve received from Mike,” he says. “I would argue that the edge I put on a knife will outlast anyone else’s.” The market generates the majority of Roberts’ individual customers. “I have about six to seven people come by my booth every weekend and say ‘Oh, I forgot my knives again,’” he says. Roberts says some clients come to the farmers market just to bring their knives to him, while others happen to be there and end up becoming interested in his work. Blade Runner Sharpening LLC recently expanded to Sedalia, and Roberts says he has so many appointments that he hopes to hire and train a second employee by the end of the year.
Columbia has a thriving restaurant community, and more locally owned eateries seem to pop up every day. Many of these chefs spend years learning and perfecting their skills. A sharp knife becomes not just a tool but an extension of their arm. Roberts says his attention to detail guarantees a sharper cut that can result in more income for the restaurant. “If you can get three more slices off a tomato or six more slices of prime rib, that can almost pay for the cost of your knife sharpening,” he says. Roberts’ business continues to expand as more restaurants take advantage of his housecall service. Roberts also sells knives, cases, non-slip kitchen shoes and other kitchen utensils from the truck, and he wants to one day open a chef supply store. “I want to become a one-stop shop for restaurants,” he says. “Whether it’s a dull knife or utensils, I can keep that restaurant from skipping a beat.” Even with his busy days, Roberts says he loves what he does. For him, his business is about making people’s lives easier and making restaurants more profitable. Since launching nearly seven years ago, he’s never turned down a rusted, chipped or broken blade. “You don’t have a knife that I can’t sharpen,” he says.
“I want to become a one-stop shop for restaurants. Whether it’s a dull knife or utensils, I can keep that restaurant from skipping a beat.” — Corby Roberts
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BLADE RUNNER SHARPENING LLC P.O. BOX 30859 COLUMBIA 65205 268-2460, BLADERUNNERSHARPENING.COM WHERE TO DROP OFF: COLUMBIA FARMERS’ MARKET, TALLULAH’S, COBBLER BROTHER’S, POWDER HORN GUNS AND ARCHERY, APPLETREE QUILTING, LINDSAY RENTALS, U.S. RENTS-IT, SK KITCHEN STORE, CARL’S VILLAGE HARDWARE
In addition to lamb chops, Susie Everhart also makes Moroccan Merguez and rosemary garlic sausages as well as crowdpleasing gyro burgers.
From the soil up Grass-fed lambs make for healthy pastures and nutritious eats BY SHANNON ELLIOTT
S
farmers market, and she admits she usie Everhart crouches over a wouldn’t have a business without it. She field of newly offers 14 different lamb green grass on cuts, ranging from the first day of racks of lamb to their spring. She pushes away bones for stock. She some hay, exposing also makes and sells bright-green blades three different kinds of reaching up to the sausages and ready-tocloudy sky. Sheep graze cook gyro burgers, a in a pasture behind her, customer favorite. chewing up the first Everhart’s farm is bites of the new season. located in Madison, “I’m all about the Missouri, and she is the grass,” she says with third generation of her pride. “The sheep are family to be involved just ways to harvest my with agriculture. She grass.” now focuses on raising Everhart is the the healthiest sheep owner of Susie’s Grass possible thanks to her Fed Meats and a grass farming. regular vendor at the Everhart feeds her Columbia Farmers’ Market. She sells whole According to the USDA, in order to livestock grass instead be certified as grass-fed, animals of the grass-and-grain and half lambs on her can’t have grain or grain byproducts. mixtures used by larger own and through the
farms. She includes an assortment of grass species to give her sheep a diverse diet, and uses a system called rotational grazing to help the health of the soil, grass and sheep. The grass keeps the sheep in tip-top shape, but it also impacts the taste of the meat. Similar to seasoning a cut before cooking, different kinds of grass flavor the meat differently, Everhart says. “Diversity is the key to making the meat taste good,” she says. In addition to the grass, Everhart pays great attention to the ground it’s growing out of. She describes herself as a student of soil, and she works daily to make sure her soil has the proper amounts of nutrients for her sheep to grow healthy. “Everything important for our health comes from the soil up,” she says. She manages the nutrients in her soil and also uses natural fertilizers and sheep manure. Since healthy soils are the foundation
for food, fuel and even medicine, the U.N. General Assembly has designated 2015 as the International Year of Soils. Everhart hopes to educate her customers about the value of good soil and how it yields a great grass crop for her sheep. “If you have healthy soil, it means you have healthy plants; if you have healthy plants, then the sheep will be healthy,” she says. “And if you eat my lamb, well, healthy lamb makes healthy people.”
SUSIE’S GRASS FED MEATS 11001 MONROE ROAD #959 MADISON 65263 682-3275 GRASSFEDMEATS@GMAIL.COM WHERE TO BUY: COLUMBIA FARMERS’ MARKET
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Passing on the Patch
See more farmers market stories at VoxMagazine.com.
Two decades after the company’s creation, Jim Thies cultivates the business his daughters started BY KATIE YAEGER
T
wenty years ago, work was scarce in the small town of Glasgow, Missouri. So two teenage sisters created jobs that bumped up their business skills and earned money for college. Deanna Thies and Jana Thies Porter used their experience in the National Future Farmers of America Organization and advice from their father, then Glasgow High School’s agriculture teacher, to establish The Veggie Patch. The business has been a regular at the Columbia Farmers’ Market since its inception in 1995. The girls maintained lots around Glasgow and gave vegetables to the landowners in exchange for using their plots. They also employed their family’s garden and land on the family’s farm a few miles outside of town. After they began their own careers in education and administration, they left the company to their father, Jim Thies, who is now retired from teaching and runs the business. Even though
his daughters are adults now, they occasionally still help with marketing and production efforts. “It’s something I enjoy doing, so I still classify it as a hobby, but unlike most hobbies, it actually pays dividends,” says Thies. To help expand The Veggie Patch’s farm fresh offerings, Thies and his wife, Paula, bought six acres in Boonville in 2008. The additional space allowed them to build a shop, install a walk-in cooler, construct a hoop house and create a warmer area for plants to grow. This winter’s low temperatures delayed the growth of spring crops. The coldweather selection includes spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes, with spinach
emerging toward the end of March. Bridget Caddell, a customer, took advantage of this option during the last indoor market of the season and purchased some spinach from Thies’ table. “It’s pretty early in the season still, so there’s not a ton of produce, but greens are good this time of year,” she says. As the season continues, The Veggie Patch’s produce offerings will expand to include over 75 fruits and vegetables such as lettuce, radishes, asparagus, strawberries and blackberries. “At one time, we had about 80 different types of vegetables we were raising, if you’re figuring cherry tomatoes versus regular tomatoes and paste tomatoes versus plum tomatoes,” Thies says.
This year, he plans to increase his blueberry crops so that in a few years, production will be triple what it is now. This is also the second year he’s offered community-supported agriculture packages. Customers can sign up to receive a batch of produce each week, which they can pick up at the farmers market. Inspired by his hobby, Thies sees selling produce as an art form, and enjoys his interactions with market customers. “You work with nature to create something, and every Saturday morning at 8 o’clock, you’re showcasing with pride what you’ve produced,” he says.
started helping, Barbara Nobis spent covered in cherry pie.” countless Saturdays making the trek A few years ago, she decided she to Columbia to sell at the market. She wanted the freedom to take Saturdays started Grandma Barb’s off and focus on hobbies more than eight years that she enjoys. “I love ago, when she and her to camp,” Barbara Nobis husband, Dennis, decided says. “When you bake, to open their own you are busy, busy, busy, business after visiting the and there is certainly no market in Mexico. They time to do any camping.” began making only bread When Jeannie Nobis and cinnamon rolls, not joined her at Grandma pies. “Someone asked Barb’s Pies, Barbara was me if I made pies and I finally able to take some said, ‘yes, well… I can,’” time for herself. Barbara Nobis says. Today, the two are The menu has since working to continue expanded to include making crowd-pleasing pies, cakes, cake balls, products that appeal to Before the Saturday market, jams, fudge and pickled all types of taste buds. Jeannie Nobis makes jams by combining pieces of fruit with vegetables. Many of Even with a sound pectin and sugar. those recipes came from foundation of sweet Barb’s mother. “She was treats, they still add a wonderful baker,” Barbara Nobis says. new options. “We’re constantly trying “I still have visions of coming home from to think of new things,” Barbara Nobis school. We had one of those enamel says. “People get accustomed to items, kitchen counter tops, and it would be and you’re always looking for something
new.” Some come from Jeannie Nobis’ spontaneity to try a different recipe. The cake balls, for example, were something she made just for fun. The collaboration between the two also helps create more menu items. “I would start adding things to mine and (Barb) would add something to hers, and I would say, ‘I could do that.’” Jeannie Nobis says. Barbara Nobis says this will be her last year, but she hasn’t quite hung up her apron. Although she hasn’t left just yet, Barbara knows the business will be in more than capable hands when she does. “The future for Grandma Barb’s Pies is good,” she says.
“You work with nature to create something, and every Saturday morning at 8 o’clock, you’re showcasing with pride what you’ve produced.” — Jim Thies
THE VEGGIE PATCH 16542 KACEY COURT BOONVILLE 65233 228-5000 JIMHTHIES@GMAIL.COM FACEBOOK.COM/VEGGIEPATCHMO WHERE TO BUY: COLUMBIA FARMERS’ MARKET
All in the family
As Grandma Barb takes time for herself, her daughter-in-law takes control BY RACHEL TRUJILLO
W
hen Jeannie Nobis returned to Paris, Missouri, from Iowa, she began looking for a job, unaware she would eventually find one close to home. She and her husband moved next door to her in-laws, owners of Grandma Barb’s Pies and vendors at Columbia Farmers’ Market. A passionate baker eager for a job, Jeannie Nobis found herself lending a helping hand in more ways than she expected. She decided to join the team. Her love for dessert-making didn’t start with Grandma Barb’s pies, though. She cultivated her passion for baking at the age of 17, when she worked at a restaurant making pies every morning. “Everyone thinks grandma taught me to make pies, but she didn’t,” Jeannie Nobis says about Barb. It wasn’t until she was laid off from her job at an automotive supplier in Mexico, Missouri, that she decided to make Grandma Barb’s her full-time work. However, before her daughter-in-law 12
VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 04.23.15
GRANDMA BARB’S PIES 13357 MONROE ROAD 611 PARIS 65275 685-2348 FACEBOOK.COM/GRANDMA-BARBSPIES-AND-PRODUCE WHERE TO BUY: COLUMBIA FARMERS’ MARKET
“We get good feedback at the farmers market,” Jim Thies says. “It makes a vendor grow with the market and stay with market.”
THIS WEEK IN COLUMBIA
The to-do list ARTS & CULTURE What Matters Film Screening
Three friends attempt to travel across three continents while only spending $1.25 per day. Stay after the screening for a Q&A with the filmmakers. Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Middlebush Auditorium, Free, 882-3780
Trainwreck Screening
A magazine writer named Amy (Amy Schumer) has a problem with commitment until she meets a sports doctor, Aaron (Bill Hader). Pick up a free ticket to the film from the MSA/GPC Box Office located in the MU Student Center. Thursday, 7 p.m., Regal Columbia Stadium 14, Free, 882-4640
Moon Over Buffalo
Central Methodist University alum Bill Chott, from Galaxy Quest, returns to his theatrical roots in this hilarious farce. Chott plays a struggling actor who gets a callback from film director Frank Capra — only he starts reading from the wrong script. Thurs.–Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 p.m., Swinney Conservatory, Central Methodist University, $8; $5, university faculty and staff; $2, students, 660-248-6238
Greg Warren
St. Louis native and MU alum Greg Warren returns for a three-night homecoming. The funny man has been on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Last Comic Standing. Warren uses material from his past as a Jif and Pringles salesman in his show. Thursday, 9:30 p.m.; Fri. and Sat., 8 and 10 p.m., Déjà Vu, $10, 443-3216
24-Hour Film Competition
Participating filmmakers receive a genre, line of dialogue and an object to roam the city and create a short film in 24 hours. Prizes include a DSLR camera kit, gift cards and more. A public screening and judging of the mini movies will follow. 5 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, The Bridge, $20 entrance fee; $5 screening, 442-4447
Eighteen students from Stephens College give their creations a runway debut at the annual fashion show. This year’s theme features European architecture fused with industrial elements. Saturday, 2, 4 and 7 p.m., Windsor Auditorium, Stephens College, $25, reserved seating; $15 general admission; $10 student ID, 443-3111
Central Methodist University Chorale and Conservatory Singers These vocal groups perform several songs, including Gabriel Faure’s
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Mizzou New Play Series Festival
Watch MU’s talented playwrights debut their newest works. The plays were created during MU’s award-winning Missouri Playwrights Workshop. Wed.–Sat., 7:30 p.m., Rhynsburger Theatre, $12, 882-2021
CIVIC Hickman High School Trunk Sale
This community shopping event benefits the Hickman chapters of the Gay-Straight Alliance and The Center Project. Rent a space, and bring used goods to sell. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Hickman High School, $10, advance; $15 day of, 449-1188
MUMC Mercy and Justice Summit
Learn about Columbia mission groups and how to volunteer for local and international programs. All the workshops focus on learning and serving the community. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Missouri United Methodist Church, Free, 443-3111
Are You Smarter Than a Junior Achiever?
Support the Junior Achievement program with a night of food, games and a silent auction. See Columbia business people square off against Junior Achievement students in the trivia challenge. Company sponsorships can be purchased. Tuesday, 5:45–7:45 p.m., Elks Lodge, $200 per table; $25 per ticket, CallBritton@JASTL.org
DON’T MISS: WAKA FLOCKA FLAME Go hard with Waka Flocka Flame. Hailing from Atlanta, the reluctant rapper will release his third studio album, Flockveli 2, this summer. The Pound Game and MU alum Flexy the Artist will open. The Blue Note, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. doors, 8:30 p.m. show, $22.50 advance; $25 day of, 874-1944
MUSIC Happy Hour with Jordan Thomas
Jordan Thomas, formerly of the Columbiabased band The Mojo Roots, performs during happy hour. Take advantage of the Logboat can specials. Friday, 5–7 p.m., Rose Music Hall, Free, 874-1944
cardboard regatta, and admire a variety of themed boats and costumes. All proceeds go to The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Bass Pro Shop, Free, 474-1020
SCREEN The Age of Adaline (PG-13)
Influenced by R&B and classic soul, this St. Louis-based band is ready to bring the house down. Friday, 9 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $6, 874-1944
After a car accident in 1933, Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) stops aging. She withdraws from everyone to keep her secret. But when Bowman falls in love with Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), she must make a decision that changes everything. F RUNTIME = 1:50
Open Mic
Decadent Nation
Still playing
FOOD & DRINK
Festival 88
Showcase your talent at Tuesday’s open mic night. The Bridge encourages all musicians, dancers, poets and performers to participate. Come sign up beforehand from 5–7 p.m. Tuesday, 8–11 p.m., The Bridge, Free, 442-9645
Al Holliday & The East Side Rhythm Band
Hard rockin’ Decadent Nation headlines this local show with opening acts Don’t Mind Dying, Driving Wheel and Down Side Up. Arrive early to chow down on Pepe’s tacos before the show. Saturday, 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show, Rose Music Hall, $6, 874-1944
Grab lunch from Columbia’s favorite mealson-wheels. Local food trucks gather in the Lucky’s Market parking lot for one-stop-shop snacking. Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lucky’s Market, Free, 442-2310
Join KCOU for its annual Festival 88, featuring Enemy Airship, Ray Wild, The Rollups and DNA. Donate to MU Tiger Pantry’s canned food drive and get inventive with MU Craft Studio. Wednesday, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show, Rose Music Hall, $5, 874-1944
Earth Day Rescheduled
SPORTS
Food Truck Friday
After a rainy weekend, Columbia’s Earth Day moves ahead with over 200 food, artisanal and live-music vendors. Sunday, 12–7 p.m., Peace Park, Free, 875-0539
Float Your Boat for The Food Bank
Cheer on the teams at Mid-Missouri’s only
Cinderella (PG) R The Divergent Series: Insurgent (PG-13) R Furious 7 (PG-13) F, R Get Hard (R) R Home (PG) F, R The Longest Ride (PG-13) F, R Monkey Kingdom (G) F Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (PG) F True Story (R) F Two Days, One Night (PG-13) RT Unfriended (R) F What We Do in the Shadows (Unrated) RT While We’re Young (R) RT Woman in Gold (PG-13) R
Theaters F = Forum
RT = Ragtag
R = Regal
Check out movie reviews on VoxMagazine.com.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BROOKLYN BOWL LAS VEGAS/FLICKR
71st Annual Student Designer Fashion Show
“Requiem.” Don’t miss out on the last concert of the season for both groups. Sunday, 4–7 p.m., Linn Memorial United Methodist Church, Free, 660-248-6391
Q&A A CONVERSATION WITH TRACI PAYNE She traveled the skies alongside America’s top political figures
BY CHEYENNE ROUNDTREE PHOTO BY ADITI SHRIKANT For seven years, Traci Payne, 34, traveled around the globe to places such as Israel, Japan and Australia. She also had the chance to fly with notable U.S. politicians such as Sen. John McCain and first ladies Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. Need another reason to envy her? She was paid to. Payne, now an MU journalism undergraduate student, says she took a backward route to college. After graduating high school in 1999, she enlisted in the Air Force to save money for school. Four years into her service, she earned the opportunity to interview for a position as an Air Force flight attendant. With about 120 positions available and numerous eligibility requirements to meet, landing the gig was a feat. Two weeks later, Payne went from being stationed in Oklahoma to working out of Washington, D.C. “I had my heart set on this job, so if I say I was thrilled, I don’t even think that captures everything I was feeling,” she says. Payne flew on aircraft such as a Gulfstream III, a Navy-operated jet, where she was the only flight attendant on board. She prepared everything from filet mignon to grilled cheese sandwiches and served the country’s most high-profile leaders. But in 2012, she left her dream job to finish her education and raise her daughter, Haylie. Even with rigorous training and workdays as long as 20 hours, Payne says the experience was priceless. How was your training different from that of a typical flight attendant’s? Our training was a lot more intense. We went through additional survival training in case the airplane went down. We had interview training to be able to withstand interrogations. We were trained to react to hijacking procedures. We were also responsible for added security of the airplane, as far as checking the bags. What kind of cooking instruction did you receive? They sent us through a five-week training that ended with culinary techniques. It wasn’t chef level; they teach you the basics — how to make simple things look really nice. Then the rest of the training is on your own. When I started this job, I was a Lean Cuisine queen. If you want to get better, you have to practice. Were there any strange food requests? We had one passenger who would only eat peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, burritos or a burger. Every now and then, he would throw in a turkey sandwich. So when I would fly with this person, I would make something very nice for the whole airplane, but I would have enough stuff to pull a rabbit out of my hat in the back of the airplane. You traveled to a lot of places. What was that like? It was surreal. I really liked Athens, Greece. In Australia, we went to a wine tasting, and I thought that was incredible. Italy was amazing. The food is so good. I got to ride a camel around a pyramid in Egypt, and going to the Great Wall of China was awesome. How is the transition back into civilian life? If I said I didn’t miss it, I would be lying. I think once you have flying and traveling in your blood, you never get it out. I will always miss it, but I am happy with the decision I made to pursue my education. I did join a National Guard unit here. I wasn’t ready to give up the military entirely. 04.23.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM
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LIFE IN PLASTIC
Columbia’s most durable tradition stacks up decades of souvenirs
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Where
dead go?
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THE NEW CLASSIC
Strange Donuts is here, and its hometown recipe bucks custom from the doughy inside, out
do the
DOWN-HOME DELICACY
Kim Perry’s fried Southern fare will practically leap onto your plate
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MIXING IT UP
One writer’s search for answers SPEAKING IN TONGUES takes her to a crematorium and
Food presentation is only one of Teller’s chefs’ creative talents
A coach with an ear for accents a closet of unclaimed ashes trains thespians in distinct dialects
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WEDNESDAYS ON PROVIDENCE
COOKIE COCKTAIL
Discover the drive behind these peaceful demonstrators and their street-corner antics
The Roof’s newest drink brings a crumbled sugar rush to your happy hour
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Stoking the flame Bladesmith O.J. Stone heats up an age-old craft with plans to pass the torch PAGE 6
IT’S VOX WITHOUT THE NEWSPRINT Same Vox vibe. Tasty new format. MUSIC. DINING. NEWS. MOVIES. EVENTS.
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