Debra Mazankowski brings her love of gardening to Maz’s Produce each week. They are a first-year vendor at the Lenexa Farmers Market on Saturdays. 

The Mazankowski family finds success growing potatoes, onions, garlic, snow peas, peppers, and tomatoes on their farm in LeRoy, Kansas (approximately an hour southwest of Kansas City). Debra most enjoys watching her green beans thrive while her husband, Mark, competes against himself to grow larger and larger Texas Sweet onions and Red Candy Apple onions each year. 

Debra comes from a farming family in Nebraska, where she sold extra produce at local farmers markets when her children were young. After her husband’s job brought them to Kansas, Debra returned to her love of gardening to feed her family, which now includes grandchildren. The food that feeds her family is the same food she brings to the farmers market each week. 

One of their favorite recipes that uses sweet onions is so simple:

1. Cut one raw onion in a blooming onion-style.
2. Place on a microwave-safe plate and put in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.
3. The onion will be cooked when translucent.
4. Serve with ranch dressing. It’s delicious!

Debra is excited to bring her sweet onions and freshly harvested produce to the Lenexa Farmer’s Market. “Working in the garden is peace...I feel fulfilled,” she said. “I am proud of what I grow and much love goes into it. I love sharing and being able to put quality items on other’s tables. But the best is when they return and let me know how much they enjoyed the veggie. That makes me smile and keeps me going.”