Celebrating woman vendors at the Beaverton Farmers Market

March is Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” For the entire month, we’ve celebrated the women behind our small businesses and farms. We are fortunate to have a lot of female-owned or co-owned businesses and we have enjoyed shining a light on them.

Farming is not for the faintest of hearts, but Emma Rollins faces the challenges without a second thought. Emma is charming and always brings the brightest smile to the market. It’s no coincidence that Sun Feast Farm’s booth is always busy. Combining efforts with her fiance, Eric Hvidsen of Black Dirt Farm, this Sauvie island couple is making a difference in sustainable farming by utilizing local fertilizer producers to build healthy soil, increase the biodiversity of their farm with respect for the local traditions and the land on which the farm is now operating.

Feeding people is one of the things that women do best, and we were excited to welcome Papas831 to the market this month. Owned by Briana Orozco, Papas 831 specializes in baked potatoes with a huge assortment of decadent toppings and their crunchy, spiraled potatoes on a stick made fresh at the market with an array of toppings to choose from.

Dawn Houser, who started her career as a private chef and a specialty baker, has been on the community food scene for many years. She developed, executed, and delivered individualized menus for countless events. She is also one of the founders of Forest Grove’s UnCorked community event where you can taste and buy great bottles of wine from the Oregon Wine Country. Her husband, Gary, is that strong shoulder every partner needs. “If Dawn dreams it up, I make it happen!” – he says. As a business owner, Dawn is always looking for fun ways to serve food. “Freeze-drying food is a great way to preserve it at its full potential,” – she says. In their booth, you will find plenty of freeze-dried fruits and veggies for a healthy crunch. If you are feeling a little naughty, Sundial Baking’s array of freeze-dried candy brings a fun surprise to the table.

For the lovers of baked goods, visit Milk Money. Since 1983, baking has been Jessica da Silva’s passion, giving her a chance to spend time in the kitchen with her Grandma and Oma. This time with them sparked a life-long love for pastry arts, which she perfected at the California Culinary Academy, and then in the kitchen of the legendary Fog City Diner and Red Herring restaurants in San Francisco. Later came a catering business and managing food services for major tech companies among other projects. Then she decided to take time away from the steam of the ovens to raise her daughters and move closer to her family in Oregon. Today, Jess bakes for farmers market goers who love her desserts which are always made from scratch and locally sourced ingredients.

For the unexpectedly juicy momos, head over to Tenzin Yeshi aka Kyikyi, who brings the Himalayan tradition of dumpling-making to the BFM. She shares her Tibetan heritage recipes with us in a desperate attempt to preserve the little-known at-risk cuisine. She explains: “For displaced Tibetans like me; momo is more than food; this hallmark Tibetan dish is also about cultural representation and preservation of our at-risk Tibetan heritage and culture.” Like many similar stories, hers had a humble beginning. “I’m honored that you’re here today to get a taste of my culture. My recipes have traveled a long journey from Tibet through the Himalayan countries of Nepal & India and into the US making the refugee journey that began with my late grandparents.” She started in a small tent, cooking at the markets with borrowed cookware, and with immense support from the community and her closest people, she grew to sell her delicious momos to open her factory and a storefront at 16755 SW Baseline Rd Suite 103, Beaverton.

London Fog Recipe

For a sip of warming tea in the morning, follow this popular recipe from Hannah Sandau, the founder of Yerba Buena Tea Co. “It’s just as popular as my chai,” she shared. It is a perfect mixture of creaminess, spice, and flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Earl Grey tea
• 2/3 cup of water
• 1/2 cup milk of choice
• 2 Tbsp vanilla syrup

Instructions

1. Place the loose-leaf tea in a tea infuser and place it in a mug.
2. Heat the water to a boil, then pour over the tea infuser and steep for 5 minutes. Once steeping is done, remove the tea infuser and discard the loose-leaf tea.
3. Meanwhile, pour the milk and vanilla syrup into a small saucepan and stir. Heat until steaming, then remove from heat and froth with a milk frother.
4. Pour the frothed milk into your tea (froth and all) and drink up!