Tag Archives: pearl farmers market

Life Gets Sweeter with Local Honey

Holdman Honey

Holdman Honey

Local beekeeper, Gary Rankin of The Bee Place, teaches us that bees can do far more for us than make delicious honey. Gary’s primary focus is on supplying new beekeepers with the education and tools to help take care of the bees. Perhaps more importantly to homeowners or property owners, Gary can show you how bees can save you a substantial amount on property taxes. He offers a service for folks who want to lease honey bees from him for the purpose of qualifying for ag valuation on their property. To qualify, you must have 5 to 20 acres of land (minus a house). With a house, you must have 6 to 21 acres of property. Gary was able to save one of his customers in Lockhart over $10,000 in taxes a year. While there is a fee for Gary’s services, you can bet it’s worth it! Still, there’s no denying that there’s nothing sweeter than Texas honey. Although Gary’s mission isn’t to harvest and sell honey, he works with a guy who does! Introducing David Holdman of Holdman Honey. Located in Seguin, David and his family manage 800 hives around Texas. He sells several different kinds of honey, which are named after the counties the bees live and thrive in: Guadalupe, Bexar, Wilson, Medina, Gonzales and Atascosa. “Our honey is local, raw honey, which means it’s just pure honey God gives us through the bees,” said David, humbly. The flavor of the honey depends upon the types of blooming plants and trees in the area, and interestingly, there are seven different colors of honey. “Out in Medina, the honey is a lot lighter and has a smoother finish versus the Atascosa and Bexar county honey, which are a little stronger,” explained David. Perhaps one of the best things about eating local honey is the benefits it offers people who suffer from seasonal allergies. It’s no myth that eating honey on a regular basis that is harvested (not processed) from bees within approximately a 100-mile radius will help those who suffer from dreaded allergies, such as cedar fever. David’s own son, who had allergies when he was quite young, kicked those allergies by eating delicious peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch every day. Although you can find Holdman Honey in stores all over Texas (see their website for details), our favorite place to find them is at the Pearl Farmers Market on the weekends. You can meet the beekeeper himself and learn all sorts of sweet stuff! For more information on beekeeping classes and “bee leasing,” email Gary at beekeeper@thebeeplace.com. Of course, if you’re looking to build a gorgeous custom home to make your bees happy, call us a call at 210-494-5400.

Gems at the Pearl

Jackie Treehorn Burger at Boiler House

Jackie Treehorn Burger at Boiler House

The Pearl Brewery is THE place to visit in San Antonio whether you’re a resident or a visitor. With an endless list of fantastic restaurants, bars and shops, not to mention the farmers market on the weekends and access to the north extension of the Riverwalk, you could go here just about every day and never get bored. Here are some of our favorite things to do:

Boiler House

Boiler House is a cornerstone restaurant at the Pearl and one of the best places to go to dine on an array of yummy cuisine from fun appetizers like Texas Whiskey Bacon Caramel Kettle Corn and House Chicharrones to a juicy 32 oz. Tomahawk Ribeye with bone marrow butter. Our favorite may be the Jackie Treehorn Burger – this bad boy comes with foie gras peanut butter, bacon and melted cheese. So good you’ll be dreaming about it! They also have a terrific happy hour.

Melissa Guerra

Melissa Guerra is a culinary-centric shop that sells the most stunning wares from provincial Mexico and various regions of Latin America. Here you’ll find everything from tortilla presses to vibrantly-colored ceramic dishes.

Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery

Beer lovers will delight in the fact that you can get craft brews in this historic brewery. Southerleigh, along with Hotel Emma, and Supper have brilliantly repurposed the space, utilizing items from the original brewery in new and clever ways. We recommend trying a flight of beers. Right now they’re featuring a Gold Export Lager, Texas Uncommon Ale, Darwinian IPA and Godzilla Go Juice Sake Style Beer.

Ten Thousand Villages

If you’re looking for a unique gift for that picky friend, Ten Thousand Villages is a good bet. They sell a variety of handcrafted imported goods from around the world. You’ll find jewelry, wall decorations, scarves, ceramics and even toys for the kiddos. Expect to find delights your friends will treasure forever, that is, unless you decide to keep them for yourself!

Cured

Cured is easily a local’s favorite for their housemade charcuterie. When you walk into this historic building the curing meats are showcased right next to the front door. They source locally and feature a daily farmer’s market dish made with the freshest veggies procured from the market that takes place right outside the restaurant. They also offer brunch on Sundays so don’t miss out.

Riverwalk

The north extension of the Riverwalk that abuts the Pearl is beautifully-landscaped, and the ideal place to take a stroll morning, noon or night. Head south towards the San Antonio Museum of Art, where you can pop in for a beer at The Luxury before heading back. You can also hop on a riverboat or simply sit in the mini amphitheater outside of Hotel Emma and watch the tourists. They also hold concerts and events here.

Botika

Botika is the newest restaurant to make its debut at the Pearl and has already received a four-star review from the Express-News for their inventive Peruvian-Asian restaurant created by a former chef at the Culinary Institute of America.

After your excursion at the Pearl, call us at 210-494-5400 to discuss your new custom home ideas! If you wish to be added to our private email list for our newsletter, please sign up here.

 

Photo Courtesy of Corey Leopold

Photo Courtesy of Corey Leopold

Whether you live in San Antonio already or are considering moving here, it’s undeniable that this once best kept secret of South Texas is a secret no longer. The word is spreading around the country, so much so, that it seems like sometimes we see more out-of-state plates than local ones. As one of the top custom home builders in Texas, we’re proud of our city and are happy to help build homes for people who love it as much as we do. If you’re wondering what all the buzz is about – read on!

The Culinary Scene

To say the culinary scene is exploding in San Antonio is an understatement. Restaurants are popping up faster than you can make a reservation. Even for foodies, it’s hard to keep up. Thanks to the influence of the CIA, talented chefs have found their own voice through food and are showing San Antonio what good food is all about. Many work with local farms and ranchers to utilize the freshest, highest quality ingredients. Some great new restaurants on our radar include Pharm Table, Rebelle, Grazye, and Brigid.

The Mission Trails

We are not going to include the Alamo on our list, although certainly the several historic missions throughout San Antonio are worth a visit. What we’re excited about are the gorgeous winding hike and bike trails – eight miles long – as a result of the recent river walk expansion. The river now connects to four of the missions, including Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan and Espada, allowing locals and visitors to see a unique, green and beautiful side of San Antonio. It’s also the perfect way for San Antonio to get in shape for the 2020 goal of a healthier SA! For more information, go here.

The Pearl Farmers Market

The Pearl Brewery community, with its apartments, restaurants and shops, is one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the downtown area, we think, largely because of the success of the Pearl Farmers Market. Every Saturday from 9-1 and Sunday from 10-2, you can enjoy a fresh, yummy breakfast/brunch from one of the vendors, shop for locally-sourced produce, meats and handmade edibles and other goods, as well as listen to live music and participate in a variety of activities they usually have going on. The Children’s Museum If you have kids, any age from 3 to 10, then make sure to visit San Antonio’s newly-built children’s museum, call the DoSeum. This 3-story state-of-the-art hub of learning and creativity has been a fantastic addition to the city. With a variety of interactive exhibits, such as theatrical games, engineering and design workshops, a spy academy, innovation station and story-making tools, the kids will never want to leave. It’s also a great place to host a birthday party!

Winter Weather

It should go without saying that the weather is one of THE best reasons to live in San Antonio. This year may be one of the warmest winters on record. While other cities around the country freeze, San Antonio has been enjoying temperate 70 to 80 degree weather – perfect for outdoor activities and a second round of home-grown vegetables!

If you’re looking to set down roots here, and we think you should, give us a call at 210-494-5400. To be added to our private email list to receive the newsletter, please sign up here.