STRAWBERRY PICKING COUNTDOWN!!!

Despite the relentless Spring winds and the Sahara Dessert like sand storms blowing over the strawberries, they are valiantly holding their own. There may not be a green leaf left on the plant, but there are sure enough some really nice berries. Tomorrow,Thursday, is the first date of open picking. We will start at 9:00 AM. and pick until we want to quit! The containers will be provided: $3.00pt. (approx 1lb.) $6.00qt. and $20.00 for 7pt. box. A brief synopsis of the farm guidelines. One adult for each child under 8: Wear appropriate shoes and clothing: Do not eat the unwashed berries: Please be respectful of our fields and crops: Keep what you pick and only pick the completely ripe, all the way around, berries, red does not necessarily mean READY. We will not be able to give farm tours during picking season, but invite all to our family farm open house on June 4, ( more on that later).Picking will resume on Friday 9:00AM and then again on Sat. 9:00AM .Our market will be open for regular hours, Thurs. Friday, and Saturday, from noon until 4:00pm.  We look forward to seeing everyone, contact us if there are any questions. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

UPDATE TO THE UPDATES ON BERRIES!!!

The Strawberries are coming on strong, we are going to move the U-Pick opening day for all to Thurs. April 7. We will pick Thurs. Fri. and Sat. at 9:00 AM. until around noon.  Special appointments may be made in the early evening or on Sundays if there are strawberries that are ready. Picked berries will be available at a slightly higher price. The price of the berries are by the container, which we provide. $3.00 per pt. $6.00 per qt. and a larger picking box  that holds about 7 pts. is $20.00. Check the Strawberry Updates page(the first one) that will tell the guidlines and information. Our Market will be open on the regular days and hours, Thurs. Fri. and Sat. from noon until 4:00 pm. Call or e-mail if you have any questions. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!

PICKING PREVIEW MON.,TUES., & WED EVE.

The berries are starting to ripen, the spell of warm weather did it's magic,  so we are going to start picking! We are going to take appointments for  Mon. Tues and Wed. as there will be berries for some, but not for everyone, yet. We will start at 3:00pm and pick until whenever. Call if you are interested,  let us know if you are coming and about what time.  Check the Strawberry Updates page for guidlines and information. The main date for open picking is still April 11, at 9:00 AM. So excited to have you visit ! From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support!!

HEADED FOR THE HONEYMOON!!!!

All of the young "SISTER WIVES" are preparing for their honeymoon this week. There are 28 of them! If Romeo survives, we will have winter milk! Goats breed in the cool weather months, we are taking a gamble with our last year doelings( we let them reach maturity before we breed them), to see if any of them will get a hankerin' this late in the year. As it is still a might nippy at night, there is a good chance we may have babies again in the fall. Romeo is a young buck we raised  that will be introduced to his first females for a whirlwind of fun and frolic, that is unless the girls gang up on him and emasculate him before he has a chance to prove how macho he his. That has been known to happen! The Doe Motto: WE ARE READY WHEN WE SAY WE ARE READY, NOT WHEN YOU SAY WE ARE READY!!! Gotta love those goats! Coco Puff (pictured above) has that look of  breathless anticipation, actually more like borderline curiosity and shear boredom as her fate awaits her. Will keep you posted on the pasture paramours!  Still on target for the April 11 U-Pick date for strawberries, will post updated information. From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support!!!

Strawberry U-Pick Update!!!

The daily strawberry field inspection finds the berries right on schedule,...... as far as we can tell. The projected date for the picking season to begin will be Monday, April 11, the time will be 9:00am. Throughout that first week we will also pick Tues, Thurs. Fri. Sat. morning at 9:00 am. Depending upon the amount of ripe berries, we will determine the number of days open each week the following weeks.  Most likely it will be Mondays,Wednesdays, and Saturdays. We planted more strawberries this year, so we are not requiring reservations. We want to make sure that your trip to the farm is fruitfull! We will provide the containers for you to pick and take home . We have several sizes to choose from, the price of the berries will be $3.00 lb. As we are a working farm and have farm equipment and animals thereabout, we have some guidelines for your visit to make sure that it will be a pleasant experience, with no mishaps. #1. Wear clothing and shoes for walking and picking. The berry field is a short walking distance from the market. Sun hats or caps if needed, as well as close toed boots or shoes.  Our fields are in sand, and there may possibly be mud. Jackets if it is cool. We will not pick if it is raining. #2. Keep what you pick, only pick the all the way around RED berries as they will not ripen after being picked. #3.We fertilize with old, broken down poop. We suggest not eating the berries until WASHED for it is a sure fire guarantee you will have a mouth full of sand that has blown onto the berries, not to mention what may have splashed up on them in the rain. We do not spray for bugs, so a thorough rinsing would  be a good idea in case any critters are hiding undetected.  We will have a big bowl of washed berries for you to taste to your hearts content  # 4.We ask that there be one adult for each child under 8 years of age, for supervision. #5. No matter how tempting it is we ask that you not walk on the beds that the strawberries are grown in. One tear in the plastic mulch will require hours of extra work for us. We will not be able to give tours during picking times, but welcome visitors to attend our Open House on June 4 for a complete run down of the farm and its activities. More on that will be posted later. #6. We will show you how to pick the berries from the plants, and provide a place for you to wash them. We welcome all to our farm and hope that you would respect our home and our livelihood, as we would respect yours.  Snacks and beverages will be available to purchase from the market. We have a new canopy with picnic tables provided. As picking time approaches, we will continue to post updates and information . If there are questions, call or e-mail and we will answer them for you, From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support !!

CURING THE CURE!!!

If you haven't tried goats milk soap it is a sure bet that your skin has not been soft as a babies bum, since, well, you were a baby. I am here to tell you it is the answer to what ever ails your epidermis. Dry skin? Excema? Zits? Wrinkles? well maybe not wrinkles, but your skin will be forever grateful if you bathe it in an all natural bar of Goat Milk Soap! When making the soap, I use the old fashion cold process method. The soap cures for several weeks. There is a list of ingredients sheet available with every bar of soap. Each bar has the purest base oils, coconut, palm, palm kernal, olive, almond, avacodo, with coco butter, shea butter, and honey added.  I only use essential oils and herbs for fragrance. There are various scent combinations. Oatmeal and Honey, Tea Tree Oil, Vanilla, Eucalyptus/Mint, Citrus, Lavender, are just some of the varieties we make. For all of you manly men, we have just the soap for you. Timber/Musk. Your mate will not be able to resist the woodsy, earthy smell!! When the farmer uses it, he kind of reminds me of what it might be like to be married to Paul Bunyan,..... without the Ox.  The bars sell for $3.50. What a bargain! Next week the update on the Strawberries and whatever else is happening. From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support!!!

Honeybee Heaven!!!

"When I grow up I want to be a big juicy peach!" We dodged the freezes and the frost, we survived the blustery winds and unless we get a hail storm or a wildfire, we should have some luscious peaches this season. If we can decide on an ice cream machine, the fresh peach ice cream will be a welcome treat on a hot summer day. The Farmer has had a busy week preparing the ground for the okra, corn and the melons. The next two weeks will be busy getting the rest of the crops in the ground, as the last frost date has passed. The old timers claim that there is usually one last frost before Easter, but as Easter is so late this year, we are going to throw caution to the wind and get it all in the ground. The potatoes are popping out of the soil, the broccoli is starting to head and the asparagus plants are giving it their all. Since nature has a way of doing things her way, we are only a little surprised at a variety of blackberry bushes that are already starting to bloom. The strawberries are looking sooooo fine. Next week picking information will be posted, our guidlines, prices, hours, etc. The market will have plenty of kefir, goat cheese, buttermilk etc. this weekend. Sorry we were so short last weekend, it was necessary to fill goat milk orders first, now the milk line has plenty of contributors, so there is plenty of milk for the other goodies. The cow milk is going to be a little slight for a little while, as LuLu is taking a sabatical while preparing to calve again. Poppy still has several weeks before she calves, so Godiva is trying to feed the masses with her daily offerings.  MARKET HOURS: Thurs. Fri. Sat. from noon until 4PM. We are available through the week if milk is needed, just call and we will set up a convenient time. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!