Wednesday, June 27, 2012

IT'S SUMMERTIME ON THE FARM!!!

I am rekindling my love/hate relationship with Okra. Every year, I tell the Farmer, 3, T,H,R,E,E, rows of okra will feed the world. His reply is "Well, I have all of this extra seed, might as well plant it". Knowing he will not have to pick it. (That responsibility is the Farmers Wife and the Farmers son's). By the end of the first picking, I am grumbling and scratching. This year we got the hairbrained idea to plant Dwarf Okra. Now, I am having to bend over to pick it. If it weren't for the fact that I could eat my weight in fried okra, I would pass it by. As Okra is one of the only crops that thrives in the heat, there is an abundance in the summertime. I will not fail to mention my passion for gumbo...... seafood, chicken, sausage, any way it is cooked. So, the Farmer will keep planting, and I will keep picking, begrudgingly, but I will keep picking. The watermelons are coming on, and we have picked a few cantaloupe.  The peaches are ripening tree by tree. The tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, squash, are still making. The Farmer planted a second round of potatoes, not sure if they would make, as they were planted much later than normal. We dug them up this week, they made more than the first round. WHO KNEW!!! The heat is taking a toll, but we are irrigating what we can. We have had some new kids born this week, some of our doelings were bred late in the Spring. The canner has been going nonstop with pickles, tomatoes, corn, jam, getting the harvest put up for the winter. My favorite day in summer is June 21, not because it is the first day of summer, but because after that day, the days start getting shorter! MARKET HOURS:Saturday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Special appointiments can be made throughout the week for dairy pickup. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Friday, June 15, 2012

SAD TO SAY, THE END OF BLACKBERRIES!!

The u-pick season came and went! We were just getting used to the throngs of visitors and the anticipation of buckets of fresh berries as the zealous crops gave their all, and quit! We are already looking forward to next year. We are preparing the farm for the oncoming summer. So far the weather has been surprisingly pleasant. We have had some lovely rains that have helped the crops. The only drawback to a mild winter/spring is the infestation of bugs, bugs, and more bugs. We are trying to keep a handle on them. If you buy some of the sweet corn, and the top is chopped off, the Farmers Son wanted to save you from looking into the eyes of a corn worm as you peeled back the husk. We are swimming in black eyed peas, thankfully, they are a great nitrogen producer for the soil, we can just till them back in.  In the market this week, we should have cucumbers, squash, black eyed peas, sweet corn, lots of tomatoes and sweet onions... and whatever else we can find to pick. The okra is starting to make, and the melons are growing. We are hoping to have watermelon by the fourth of July. The MARKET HOURS: Saturday from 10:00AM until 4:00 PM. Dairy can be picked up throughout the week, just call ahead for an appointment. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

WE KNOW YOU ARE OUT THERE!!!

WANTED: Newly established sustainable farmstead that has been blessed with lots of growth and a bit of prosperity is seeking a special person to add to it's farm family. Just a few basic requirements would be helpful if you think this would be something for you or someone you know. #1: Know the difference between a cow, a goat, a chicken, and a duck and whether it is male or female. # 2: Be an early bird, not a night owl. #3: Dirt on your clothes and body does not bother you #4: Aren't squeamish at the sight of poo and goo. #5: Love to watch things grow  #6: Realize that farms aren't run according to a clock #7: Can recognize the difference in bored tired and hard work tired, and appreciate the latter. #8: Want to have a basic knowlege of how to sustain yourself completely, when times get tough( and they will get tough) # 9: Have a basic sense of honor and honesty....and a good dose of plain common sense. # 10: Understand that rewards are not always monetary. If you know of someone that has the characteristics listed, contact me, the Farmers Wife, and we shall discuss this in more detail! From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

BARN BUDDIES!!!

Our two orphans have found each other, each morning Bitty Kit is found snoozing on top of Sasha. She awaits her share of the bottle at breakfast and supper time. Nature is amazing! This has been a whirlwind week with the end of blackberry season, the beginning of tomato and sweet corn season. The Farmers son picks corn and tomatoes for our honor system, serve yourself table, in front of the market. He is having a hard time keeping up with the demand. The sweet corn this year is superb. It is an old hybrid (Not GMO) that is as sweet as candy..... just ask the worm that sits atop every ear.(we don't spray)There are still a few blackberries, but picking will be by appointment only this last couple of weeks, to assure there will be berries to pick. The black eyed peas are exploding on the vines. They are the last U-Pick crop available. We will pick on the halves, you pick one for you and one for me, yours is free! Or you can pick for $25 a bushel. If I pick them, you will have to wait until you see wings on your bacon! The Farmers son will pick them for $40 a bushel. Summer is rolling in, with the rain we have been blessed with and the cooler temperatures, the crops may last a little longer before being decimated by the heat. It is almost time to plant pumpkins for fall. MARKET HOURS: Saturday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Call ahead for an appointment for dairy pickup throughout the week. The CSA is still at capacity, thank you to all of you who are participating. We will have several more weeks of the Spring/Summer crops. During the heat of mid July and early August, there will be a lull, then we will continue preparing the shares through the fall and into winter. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!