LET THE PICKING BEGIN!!!!

The freezes, hail, straight line winds, cloudy days, were just slight bumps in the road for the determined strawberry plants. As the first of the season berries were picked, visitors were filling their boxes with an assortment of strawberries, big, little, fat, skinny, odd shapes and sizes, but none the less, still strawberries. In seasons past, the strawberries made their debut with a big hoorah for a couple of weeks, then gradually tapered off for the next couple of weeks, the season usually lasting about a month. This year, there are nearly as many blooms on the berries right now, as there are ripening berries in the field, indicating that with each setback from the assorted weather hits, some of  the strawberries have stumbled and then have picked themselves up and started over again, so there may be strawberries for several additional weeks, if the early summer heat holds off. Because of the gradual onset of the berries we will be picking most every afternoon for the next couple of weeks. To make sure there are sufficient berries for the number of visitors that want to pick, we will pick by appointment. Just let us know that you are coming, and the number. Call or e-mail your information.  The guidelines are posted in a previous post. To clarify the pricing, a heaping box is $25, price includes the box. This weighs approx. 7 plus pounds. If a full box is not picked, the price is $3.50 per lb. with a one time charge of $1.00 for the box that can be used again and again . Several calls have been received asking about large groups picking. Because of the amount of berries that are ripening each day at this time, and the loss of a bulk of the berries to the elements, we are not able to accommodate but several groups, families, and individuals each day. We want to make sure that if you come, you will leave with plenty of fruit. Updates will be posted and this may all change tomorrow, but for now, from our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

STRAWBERRY PICKING GUIDELINES !!!

We have learned lots and lots these past few years of growing berries for u- pickers. To make your visit enjoyable and safe, we have several guidelines that we ask for you and yours to follow. The hours are going to be more flexible, as the berries are very late in the season and are ripening slowly, we will pick as they are ready. Picking will be done by reservation, so call ahead and we will schedule a time for you to come. We do our milking and chores in the morning, so most of the picking will be done in the afternoons. This blog and Facebook will have updated information as the picking season starts.  Guidelines are as follows:* For each child under 8 years of age, an adult is required for supervision. We know that your children are very well behaved and would never disobey you, but we are a working farm with electric fences, roaming animals, equipment, beehives, among other things so we want to avoid any incidents that would make your visit unpleasant.* Wear appropriate clothing. Closed toe shoes, jackets, caps or hats.* No pets or outside animals allowed on the farm. No exceptions.* We do have restroom facilities, but do not have a picnic area. Lake Ray Roberts has several picnic areas, just a few miles to the South.* Each family group is asked to pick at least  of one box of berries. If there are not sufficient berries to pick, what you pick will be priced accordingly. We provide the picking boxes, included in the price if you pick a full box, or $1 if you pick a partial. * The price per box is $25, the box will hold approx. 7 lbs. of berries. If a full box is not picked, the price is $3.50 per lb.* We accept cash or checks in the form of payment.* We ask that you respect our farm and our efforts to provide you with a good experience of picking berries.* Do not walk on the plastic mulch beds that the berries are grown in. Underneath are the irrigation lines that are very delicate, as is the plastic. We would not come to your house and jump up and down on your bed! * Do not eat the berries that have not been washed, as you will get a mouth full of sand and grit and possibly a bug or two. Nasty! The grocery stores do not allow grazing in their produce department, and we sort of frown on it also. Our time is better much better spent socializing and schmoozing with our visitors, than picking up spit out berry bits, and half eaten strawberry stems from the ground, in an effort to deter the ants and field mice from overtaking the fields.* Pick the berries that are deep red all around. If there is green or white on them, they are not quite ripe, and the sugar has not set in them. * Be courteous to other pickers.* We do not pick in bad weather. We may pick before or after, but not during.* We do not pick on Sunday. * We are not able to give farm tours at this time, but will look forward to all coming to our Fall open house, where tours and demonstrations will be given.* There may or may not be picked strawberries in the Market for sale. This is a U-pick berry farm, not a Me-pick berry farm!  Call the farm for picking reservations, 903-429-2319 or e-mail us at info@ randcdairy.com leave your name and phone number, and the number in your group, we will contact you for confirmation. Friday, picking hours 1:00 PM until pick out. More information will follow, as needed. We look forward to a great picking season! From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

STRAWBERRY PROCLAMATION!!!!

HEAR YE, HEAR YE! As the winter freezes have come and gone, the pounding hail and the blustery winds have whipped across the fields, the strawberries have given it their all, trying again and again to make come back after come back. Our strawberry friends to the South, Fall Creek Farms lost all of their berry plants to the freeze and hungry deer, our other strawberry friends in Arlington, moved further south to warmer weather. We seem to be the Cheese that stands alone in the strawberry picking department in North Texas . This Friday afternoon will be the first day of strawberry picking at the farm. Reservations can be made on Thursday for any that would like to come and pick on Good Friday. There should be sufficient berries for 12 or 14 small groups. In the next post all of the guidelines will be posted, with additional information for pickers. This year will be reservation picking, as we want to make sure that their are sufficient berries for all those that come. Call the farm 903-429-2319 if you would like to make reservations for picking on Friday. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

STRAWBERRIES .......JUST AROUND THE CORNER!!!

Lots of calls inquiring about strawberry picking, Are you picking? When will you start picking? Will there be plenty of berries for picking? Will you have room for lots of pickers? Will the berries be big again this year? The answer to all of these questions is quite simply..... we haven't got the foggiest idea! This is a new one for us. We are usually well under way with the picking season, at this time of the year. Our last examination of the berry patch yielded lots of bitty berries on the developing plants, as the transition is being made from bloom to berry. As it usually takes 30 days from start to finish, our guestimation puts the berry harvest to begin the last week end of April. We will monitor the progress of the strawberries closely, and as we near the projected opening weekend, more information will be posted. Why, might you ask, is everything delayed this year? Taking into account the continuous sub freezing weather, the drought, the night stalkers, (rabbits, deer, coons,) not to mention the battering wind and hail, it is next to a miracle that there will be any berries at all this year. But alas, never say none. There may be only one weekend of berry picking, and if that is the case it will be a blow out!!!!. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!!!! FINALLY

Starts ready to plant in the fields, soap ready to be put in the market, Spring is finally here! We awake every morning behind before we ever get out of bed. The never ending winter put us far behind. Taking it all in stride, the Farmer and Son just plug along, checking projects off the to do list. It will be any ones guess when the first harvest of the crops will be. We are usually picking strawberries at this time, but they are just now setting blooms in the field. The potatoes, carrots and beets are just poking from the soil. The melon and tomato plants in the growing house are already blooming, not yet in the ground. Katy Bar the Door, they are going into the irrigated fields this week. There is still the niggling question if there will be one more freeze before Easter as the "oldtimers" predict. We are just going to kiss the dice and roll! All of the goat babies are here, waiting for a calf in the next month. The fruit blooms were spared, a good chance of a stellar peach crop this year. The asparagus patch has kicked it up a notch, should have a little in the market this weekend. Plenty of pantry items and baked goods in the market. Fresh batch of Cow Cream Caramel. DELICIOUS !!!! As we sold out last week, several fresh vials of Thieves Oil were made. Still cleaning out the freezers, so the jams and jellies will be restocked. Found several bags of sweet corn, so some corn relish will be on the shelves this week. The beef went to the processors this past week, so meat freezers will be restocked next week, if all goes according to schedule. Information on the U-Pick season will be posted as we get a little closer. Goat milk and cow milk supply are good, but call ahead for weekend availability, as the weekends are busy. From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

MAGNIFICENT MEN AND THEIR WATERING MACHINES !!!!!

The carrots and beets are planted, preparing to germinate under the gentle pulsing of the sprinklers on the newly developed watering contraption. It was suggested that maybe a couple of propellers be attached to the top, and a remote control motor, to fly it across the fields from one spot to another, but not so sure that idea will catch hold! Most of our irrigation is under ground, but the Farmer thought he needed a "floater", one that could be moved from field to field.  The fruit trees continue to bloom, with close attention paid to the dusk to dawn temperatures and a nighttime ritual of an evening prayer that the frost will be held at bay. The strawberries are continuing to set blooms, as the count down to the u-pick season begins. It usually takes 30 days from bloom to berry. This week will be spent planting the transplants in the grow house. The Farmer is also preparing the soil for the corn, green beans, black eyed peas. It will still be a few days until we dare plant some of the seeds in the ground, as the Farmers Almanac predicts more cold weather. All of the CSA shares have been spoken for, thank your for the quick response. We are so excited for the new harvest season to start.  From our farmstead to your table, thank you for all of your support!!!

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!!!!!

In this case asparagus! It was thought that all was lost, and that the freeze took its toll on the newly planted asparagus patch. Shouts of jubilation were heard across the farm when this first stalk appeared. The Farmers son should have asparagus for Farmstead Market here, and the Denton Community Farmers Market coming in April. If this happens to be the only stalk that appears, we will relish it in a tasty dish, and be thankful for small blessings. The farm is bustling playing catch up on all of the Spring preparations. Feeding 21 baby goats on bottles takes a little time. The better part of them are little girls that we will use as replacement milkers in the future. The strawberries in the field are finally setting blooms, as warmer weather and sunshine give them what they need to emerge from hibernation. The u-pick season will be start later than usual, but there should be plenty of berries this year. The grow house is overflowing with transplants that will be put in the hoop house and in the fields. The tiny sprigs of grass are teasing the goats and cows with a little taste of what is to come when the rains come, hopefully in the next few weeks. The goat milk supply steadily increases, the cow milk supply has kept sufficient for the demand. Call ahead if a volume is needed. The Farmer has had his inventors cap on and has scrounged for bits of this and parts of that, and has come up with a watering contraption that can be seen in the beet, carrot, sweet pea field in the next few days . He must be a descendant of Da Vinci. MARKET HOURS: FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FROM NOON UNTIL 4:00 PM.  From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support !!!