Thursday, November 20, 2014

PRALINES AND PRETZELS!!!!!

The Christmas holidays are fast approaching. The lingering cold snap was just enough for that little nudge of inspiration to gear the goodie making towards the fast track. The market will be closed the Friday following Thanksgiving day, but will be open on Saturday at our normal hours from noon until 4:00 PM. This year we will have a wide assortment of sweets and treats, as well as unique food gifts fresh from the farm. Who would not like a basket overflowing with homemade preserves, honey, freshly baked bread, fruits and nuts, cookies and candies? We have a fruit cake that is actually edible, and will have the recipient standing guard over it, making sure no one else sneaks a bite. Starting the first weekend in December the market will be overflowing with plenty of choices for those special folks that warrant a personal gift from the heart. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

Thursday, November 13, 2014

I SCREAM...YOU SCREAM...WE ALL SCREAM....

Finally, enough sweet cream to make slow churned ice cream. Nothing so luscious will ever pass your lips, unless it is the gooey caramels or fudge made from the same cream. The girls have really come through for us. Buttermilk for the pecan pralines, yogurt for the fruit smoothies, cream for the butterballs and ice cream, even a little cottage and feta cheese. The Farmers Son takes some high tech music box called a turtle, or frog, or lizard, or something and plays his ipod music for all the ladies on the milk line to hear. While the guitars are strummin' the milk is a flowin'. As a matter of fact, you may hear the dairymans rendition of the Frozen theme song "Let it Go, Let it Flow" ..... as he serenades his charges, but you would have to be up at 5:00 in the morning for that little treat to your ears! The market has been bustling on Friday and Saturday, even with the waning of the produce selection. The added dairy items as well as other staples, ground beef, honey, jams and jellies, goat milk soap, bee wax candles, essential oil products, to name a few, take up the slack.  The tomato house is full of green tomatoes, but the sub freezing temperatures may take its toll, will know soon enough, like in the morning. As usual for this time of year, the bustle of farm life shifts to a lower gear. Most of the time is spent feeding and watering, as the pastures are dormant, and the troughs freeze over. The holidays are just around the corner, the Farmers Wife has drug out all of the Christmas goody recipes and is gathering up supplies to start making the contents of the treat boxes and the gift baskets available in the market for the discriminate shopper. As in years past at this time, the goat milk supply will be on the decline.The Spring Kidders will slowly decrease their supply as all of their energy will be used to make baby goats instead of producing goat milk. The few Fall Kidders will be left with the daunting task of producing milk for all. The goat milk will be limited, but we will try to make sure that all that will need milk will be able to get some. MARKET HOURS: Friday and Saturday from noon until 4 PM. It would be a good idea to call ahead for availability. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!