Friday, May 30, 2014

SPRINGTIME UPDATE!!!

We have hit the ground running, as the early summer crops are starting to produce. The blackberry pickers are finding some nice ripe berries to fill their boxes. The Farmer is spending time in the hay fields, making sure the girls are all set for the winter, when the green grass is no more. The CSA will be going into its second month after this next week. We will be adding a couple of shares as the harvest looks to be good. Contact us if you are interested in participating. The milk supply has been plentiful as the girls are enjoying the green grass and mild temperatures. As the summer heat approaches, we will enjoy the abundance knowing it will change. This weekend the Self Serve Produce tables will be set up in front of the market for those that are not able to visit during market hours. As of yet, we have not been disappointed in the basic honesty and goodness of mankind. The money box is always full at the end of the day and sometimes it seems that there is more than there should be. As for our policy, if anyone is not able to afford what they need to feed themselves and their family, we do not expect payment. No one should go hungry when we have been so blessed. The Farmers Son is keeping the corn and watermelons watered. The corn is almost as high as an elephants eye, albeit an elephant with stubby legs. The melons plants are loaded with baby melons. The first of the cherry tomatoes are ripening, soon the market will have fresh, home grown tomatoes. The eggplant is just blooming, so it will be a couple of weeks. The next daunting task will be picking green beans. UGH!!! If only they grew on trees! The U-Pick blackberry season is under way. The berries are coming on gradually. The early varieties are in production, with the later varieties waiting in the wings. Appointments are requested, as we want there to be berries for those that want to come pick. Due to the heat, picking is done in the mornings. Blackberry picking information is posted in the previous blog. MARKET HOURS: Friday and Saturday from noon until 4:00 PM. Special appointments can be made for dairy pick up throughout the week. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Saturday, May 24, 2014

THE FOLLOWING BLOG!!!

The blackberries are here! The first full box was picked today, hopefully many more will follow. Naturally the weather man predicts rain for opening week, but that is just par for the course. As there are early varieties and later varieties, the picking season should last for several weeks. Picking will be by appointment, as it is an established fact that visitors that come to the farm to pick berries have a tendency to be a bit disgruntled if they come all of this way, and go home with six berries in their box. Due to the very unpredictable weather, we will post each weeks picking schedule at the beginning of the week. Appointments can be made by phone or e-mail. HINT: Our farm schedule is pre dawn to post dusk. Answering e-mails after 10:00 pm are much more appreciated than returning a telephone call past most every ones bedtime. The guidelines for blackberry picking are very similar to the strawberry picking guidelines. Wear appropriate clothing, especially shoes. No sandals or thongs advised. A box of berries weighs approx. 7 lbs. the cost of the box is $20.00. Families with children are welcome, if there is one adult per each child under 8 for supervision. Yes, the electric fence will zap you, the rooster will chase you, the equipment will tempt you, as will the unripe peaches. If you bring your dog, our buck will jump the fence to chase it, as he has his territory established, and will make sure it is protected. And no matter how ridiculous  it sounds, he thinks that your dog is a threat. So unless you want to spend your visit rounding up a goat on the rampage, leave your pets at home. Since the berries are not familiar with a calendar, days of the week, or times of the day, we will be flexible with picking times. We understand that when they are ready, they need to be picked. There is a jaunt to the berry patch, so plan on a little exercise. If you have small children a stroller or wagon can be used. This week there will be a few spots open on Monday morning. Picking will start at 10:00 AM until around noon. The next picking day will be Thursday, and then Friday and Saturday, starting at the same time. Contact us with the number in your group, we will reply with a confirmation of your reservation. We suggest a cooler to put your berries in after picking, we supply the box for you to pick and take home, but if it is hot, they would appreciate cool. A port a potty is available. We will post updated information as needed. If a day is scheduled and there are no berries to pick we will announce on our Facebook page, the answering machine, and the blog. We look forward to seeing everyone! From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support!!!

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

BLACKBERRIES JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!!

After the very abbreviated strawberry season, the anticipation for blackberries is mounting. The early varieties are at the red, soon to be black stage in their development. Their will be a few blackberries to pick on Memorial Day Monday, so if you have a small group that would like to come pick, let us know.  All of the blackberry information will be posted on the following blog. The late spring produce is making a tentative appearance. The market will have carrots, beets, new potatoes, onions, garlic, a few straggler strawberries, some rhubarb, and making their debut soon will be green beans, summer squash, cucumbers. Lots of green tomatoes, so the tomato harvest looks promising.  CSA members, remember Thurs. afternoon pickup. 3:00 - 6:00 PM. MARKET HOURS: Friday and Saturday from noon until 4:00 PM. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Saturday, May 17, 2014

TRIBUTE TO A GREAT LADY!!!

There are not many people in the world today that can boast of a perfect childhood. One that is full of all of the ingredients that make life full of pure Joy. Yesterday, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease, and all of its complications, one of the persons instrumental in creating that perfection, left this world and passed through the veil into the joyful arms of all of her loved ones that had passed before her. There is not a Mother on the face of this earth that was more loving, generous, patient, full of wisdom and wit, making life with her an adventure. Fond memories of days past, bring to mind, a home that was open to all who needed a safe haven..... foreign exchange students, unwed mothers, missionaries, a pit stop for weary travelers, always plenty of room, and a full refrigerator. Her relationship to the Lord was one on one, always seeking spiritual guidance in her everyday decisions. Her energy during her healthy years was endless. She raised seven children and taught them all to live righteously, and raise there own children in the ways of the Lord. As she knew that her days on this earth were coming to an end, and she made preparations for her final arrangements, she would joke about giving door prizes at her memorial service, to entice people to come. " Sis, go to Sam's and buy a bunch of smoked hams, then put stickers under some of the seats, at the end of the service have everyone check under their seat, to see if they won a ham!" Because of all of the lives that she touched, it is very doubtful that we will have to give away a ham for people to remember her. To the Wheat and Beet day Queen of Tremonton Utah, you were the best Mother a girl could ask for!

Friday, May 9, 2014

PRESS FORWARD AND DON'T LOOK BACK!!!

Well the strawberry season was a bit short, but we are not hesitating one twit, and are moving forward to what is just over the horizon. Namely, carrots, beets, rhubarb, peaches, which are just the tip of the harvest iceberg. The much needed rain put everything in the fields in a very good mood, crops and animals alike. With the green beans, cucumbers and melons starting to bloom, it looks like a very promising spring. With the strawberry stragglers, we will have some berries in the market for a couple of weeks. The gleaners are going to come in and work on the rest, as they are not too particular of the shapes and sizes of the berries. The upcoming week is the first week of shares for the CSA. All members will be notified directly to make sure that your are aware of the day and time. The market is bustling with weekend activity, as the milk supply is keeping up. The blackberries seemed to sustain very little damage, so we anticipate a great blackberry crop that should be ready for u-pick the first week of June. From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support!!!

Saturday, May 3, 2014

SHORT BUT SWEET!!!

Alas, relating to the adage that you cannot get blood from a turnip, we have realized that you cannot harvest boxes and boxes of strawberries from damaged and dying strawberry plants. We give them credit for their struggle to produce what they could, and accept that sometimes you cannot beat the elements. 900 lbs. seems like a lot of strawberries, which is about what we have taken from the field in the last couple of weeks, but the number should be around 3,000. What the freezes and hail did not destroy, are now being attacked by leaf beetles and choked out by fast growing weeds, brought on by the warm weather. Since we do not use chemicals on our crops, it is difficult to treat each plant by hand. The Farmer is already planning next years planting agenda, which will include a large hoop house with grow bag rows and sterile soil. We cannot control the weather, but we may be able to protect our strawberry plants a little better. For those who have made appointments to come pick, the berry selection will be very light. There will still be berries for a few more weeks, but just a smattering here and there. There will be room for a few pickers throughout this time, but we will wait until there are sufficient berries so that those that make the trek will get enough to make it worth while. If walking through a strawberry field just for relaxation and ambiance, is your forte', this is the place to come. Turning the page to the chapter on blackberries, the prognosis is much more hopeful. The blackberries sustained very little damage during the harsh winter. The blooms are numerous on the bushes, we look forward to a great blackberry harvest this year, which should begin around the first week in June. MARKET HOURS: Friday and Saturday from noon until 4:00 PM. The spring produce is starting to trickle in. This week we had a little spinach, lettuce, asparagus, onions, spring garlic, rhubarb. The milk and meat supply has been sufficient, as is the honey. The Farmers Wife goes on her daily hunting trip down to the potato patch, armed with a tin can and a wooden spoon, whopping the potato bugs into the can, to be given later, as a snack to the laying hens..... all the while muttering to herself, that she hopes that the people wanting pesticide free produce, understand all that it entails. The potato plants are starting to bloom, so there should be new potatoes in a couple of weeks. The cucumbers, squash, melons, corn, are all doing well, fortified by frequent watering and irrigation, due to the lack of rain. We will be glad when the drought is over, and are forever grateful that we put in the water wells. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!