Farmers Market vendor provides nutritional classes

[caption id="attachment_2075" align="img-wrapright" width="459"] Photo provided by Kushal Sapkota[/caption]

By Kushal Sapkota

For Lindy Suze, giving up aviation to start a culinary career was the biggest shift in her life.

Suze, 33, a vendor at the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market, offers homemade organic products like peach salsa, nitrate free chicken jerky and whole wheat beer bread—all of which she makes from scratch.

Owner of UnHinged Homestead—a farmhouse in Mansfield that grows arugula, giant purple mustard and Japanese climbing cucumbers—Suze spends most of her time gardening and cooking.

“I was tired of working for other people,” she said. “I don’t make enough money now, but I have more time to spend with my daughter. It’s more fulfilling.”

Her daughter Kyla, 11, is designing a flier for the upcoming Spring Art and Craft Fair at the Downtown Arlington Farmers Market. The fair will feature local bands, crafters and bakers.

Suze also offers gardening, nutritional and cooking lectures at the Farmers Market. The lecture is usually an hour long and covers a wide range of topics, such as genetically modified foods, food labels and food additives.

Joe Bruner, Downtown Arlington Farmers Market owner, said Suze’s lectures help bring back customers. Her “winter gardening” lesson had a big turnout last year.

Suze likes the Arlington Farmers Market because it focuses more on organic foods than other markets in the Metroplex. She said 80 percent of the Market’s craft and food offerings are now locally produced.

Tina Harris of Arlington shops at the Market several times a year to support the local farmers and downtown Arlington. She said she is impressed with the fresh farm products and friendly service.

Harris added that she likes the Market’s Facebook page, which constantly updates her about new products and offerings.

The Downtown Arlington Farmers Market is open throughout the year on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.