Spring Break
How to: keep your money in Kansas City
Hilary Hedges, Alexia Lang, Kelley Kates, Jesus Butler
Issue date: 6/1/09 Section: Culture
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When founder John McDonald won a trip to Europe more than 20 years ago, no one knew it would lead him to open a brewery.
When he returned to Kansas City and could not find ale that tasted as good as those he drank abroad, he started making his own.
After encouragement from his friends, he decided to sell his homemade brew to the public. Eighteen years later, the Boulevard Brewery is a Kansas City icon.
It sits on Southwest Boulevard next to Ponak's, the first restaurant to serve the local favorite. The first keg tapped was Pale Ale. McDonald delivered it himself in the back of his pick-up.
Today, the Brewery produces nearly 20 different styles of beer. Some are seasonal and others haven't been released yet.
They have also been exploring wine production, with three types only available at the brewery gift shop. All of their year-round beers are available on draft and are sold at several retailers around the city.
They ship to 18 states, mostly in the mid-west. Everything used in production comes from the United States, with the exception of certain hops from Bavaria.
Anyone can tour the brewery. Visitors learn the process of brewing, the history behind the product and get to sample beer at the end. It's a great way to put a story behind your beer and recognize the importance of supporting local businesses.
The brewers take pride in their work, and it shows in each pint poured. This summer look for their new pilsner, rumored to be coming out around Independence Day.
Tours are free, but reservations are required. Call (816) 474-7095 or visit www.blvdbeer.com/tours/ for more information.
- Hilary Hedges
Shatto Milk Company
Got fresh milk? Well, Shatto Milk Company certainly does, and they are bottling it up for you.
The slogan, "This milk is so fresh. There's a good chance that you passed the cow on your way to the store," gives a little insight to the business model of the family-owned-and-run business.
With a passion for providing fresh, wholesome dairy products, Leroy Shatto and 36 employees milk their 280 cows every day, twice a day at the farm in Osborn, Mo.
Approximately 3,000 gallons of milk arrive daily at stores in St. Joseph and Kansas City in the form of five flavored milks, creams, regular milk varieties and two flavors of ice cream.
The signature glass bottles the milk comes in have set Shatto apart since the company's inception in 2003. A deposit is charged on the bottle and returned when the bottle is returned. They have an 80 percent return rate.
New developments for the company include the addition of a new building on the farm which currently has four buildings.
Also, Shatto cheeses will be heading to stores soon. While they are currently experimenting with different flavors, the initial launch will only include fresh cheddar.
Tours are available at the farm for $5 per person or you can stop in for a visit at their country store. Call ahead at (816) 930-3862.
To purchase Shatto products, check local grocery stores or head down to City Market.
- Alexia Stout-Lang
City Market
If you want to buy local food, the City Market is the place to be.
Although all of the food available at the City Market isn't local, the center section is filled with local farmers and bakers.
Local honey is available from the Busy Bee Acres farm in Odessa, Mo., and Lost Creek farms out of King City, Mo. offers a ready supply of delicious cookies and pies.
Goode Acres, out of Wathena, Kan., has a large variety of flowers and plants on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Adam Jones, who works for John Goode, said they have 10 different varieties of tomatoes, all grown in hoop houses instead of green houses.
Jones said they also make the best wood for smoked barbeque. Who doesn't love that?
Varieties range from cherry, apple and peach wood among many others.
He said they offer only fresh produce, that they are all local and all seasonal and their produce advances through the year.
Jones said they have great melons in the fall including six kinds of watermelon and 8-10 varieties of squash and pumpkins.
All of those vendors participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides tokens for seniors throughout the state of Missouri to purchase locally grown food.
Many interesting walks of life are all thrown together at this marketplace. It almost feels like being in a mixture of a foreign market and New Orleans. Wonderful sounds and smells as well as people fill the area.
Vendor John Bryson out of Hale, Mo., said he grows using organic methods. His farm offers onions, beets, pesticide-free tomatoes and other veggies.
The Bread of Life Bakery offers numerous baked breads such as banana pecan and blueberry pecan, all made from organic ingredients.
The bakery was established by a restorationist community out of Stewartsville, Mo.
The two girls selling the breads said they use organic wheat, purchase some of their ingredients from local farmers in Kansas and buy their honey from the local Busy Bee farm.
An array of items are available at this market.
Bebo's from Raytown, Mo. was selling salsa and I even tested out some incredible jalapeno jams, syrups and jellies that were absolutely delicious. It's not just veggies here.
No doubt you can spend an entire afternoon at the City Market buying fresh, local food and enjoying the sights and sounds.
- Kelley Kates
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