Last regular weekend

Well it seems that we have come to the last regular weekend that the Farm Stand will be open. On Thursday there was still a lot of fresh items to choose from, and even two new things: senposa and vivid choi.

I have never heard of senposa, and I'm not even certain I'm spelling it correctly, but Ana tells me it's like collard greens. I love collard greens, so I got some senposa. I haven't had time to cook it yet though! Ana told me the vivid choi is similar to pac choi.

I also noticed there were some smaller poblano peppers! And, don't forget about the awesome apple cider.


Friday (today) is the last day for early sign up for the 2014 season. If you sign up and pay the deposit by today, you'll receive a Thanksgiving share next week. If you don't sign up and pay the deposit, you can still shop on Tuesday 11/26, but as a non-member.

This is the last regular week. There will be no farm stand hours for Nov 21-23 but the farm stand will be open on Tuesday November 26 from 8am-5pm. The farm stand will be open to the public that day for folks who want to shop for their Thanksgiving meal. If you've paid your deposit for 2014, you'll receive a share (or half share) that day. Please come to get any pre-ordered items like Thanksgiving turkeys and pies.

I'm a little behind in my work this week, so I won't write about the Grain Drill this time. I haven't forgotten about it; I will share the great photos and story that Pete told me soon.  In the meantime, here are other photos around the farm:

Visitors

Sue's home made ricotta cheese

Jessica choosing some apples

Workers

Alternative pest controller

I think this is Claudette with a colleague.

They are harvesting sweet potatoes.

There are other workers in the cold too.

Technically, these chickens are working too.

But they're a little cold and want to stay indoors!

Paul says this is his new office this week.
Actually, he's temporarily storing some winter squash.

Don't forget

Delaney is in a play! There are still a few days to go see it. It's entertainment worth the price of admission! See the link here.

And, even though the farm stand is coming to an end for the season, there are still goodies in the freezers and refrigerators.

Well, that's all for this blog post. Thanks for reading! Watch for the post about the grain drill and monitor this space for chicken photos. Here's a picture of Ana hard at work:

Pushing Towards Winter

Where to start this week? There are still plenty of items to choose from, even though it's starting to get quite chilly at night. Here's what was available Thursday. (Remember that availability changes from day to day.)

• Apple Cider!!
• Turnips!!
• Vates Curly Kale!!
• potatoes, sweet potatoes
• tender greens, kale, broccoli raab
• arugula, french crisp, frisee
• beets, carrots, radish, garlic, hot peppers, green peppers
• big butternut squash, spaghetti squash
• apples -- Stark King, Empire, Macintosh

I was a bit cold yesterday so I didn't walk down to the flowers. I apologize that I don't know if any have survived the recent cool weather.

There are still plenty of vendor products to buy and bring home -- much Mor bread is back, milk, yogurt, cheeses, butter, mushrooms, pickled (fermented) pickles and sauerkraut, Full Moon Farm beef and meat, quiche, Sarah's chicken, honey, and maple syrup. It appears the egg-laying chickens have gone on strike because there haven't been many eggs lately. There are still plenty of items to round out your pantry and fridge. And, if you want to wet your whistle while you are shopping, try some fermented Ombucha.

If  you're interested in a pie for Thanksgiving, there's a signup for Mor pies: Pumpkin, Apple, Cranberry Apple, Pecan Tart, Harvest Fruit & Nut Holiday loaf.

The End Is Near

There is just one more pick-up left for the season. Pete reports that he expects Thursday Nov 14 - Saturday Nov 16 to be the last Farm Stand days for this season. 

Sign Up for Next Season Now

The yellow flyers are right next to the sign-in sheets at the Farm Stand counter. If you put down a 50% deposit before November 15th you can pick up a Thanksgiving share on Tuesday, November 26th (one day only) 8am-5pm. 

I've gotten the Thanksgiving share before and it's always been a big contributor to my Thanksgiving table, so it's worth taking the time to write that check, click the pay now button, or bring your money to Ana or Delaney at the farm stand. It really helps the Taliaferros plan for next year and gives them the capital to prepare the land for wintertime, repair worn out items, and purchase seed.

...And now, some Pictures!

This anonymous young-en was too cute for words!

The turnips look so good! I can't wait to cook something with them. Of course, turnips are a staple for soup making, but if you want something really interesting, make mashed turnips. Cook them and mash them just like you would potatoes. And if your turnips have tops, don't forget to boil and eat them too. They are similar to mustard greens and vinegar is a nice complement to their flavor.

The leaves are so perfect on this Vates kale it reminds me of a bouquet.

Here are Pete and Paul bringing the cider in. They are putting it into the case where the mushrooms, goat cheese, and butter are kept. Be sure to get your unit as one of your share items. It's very rich tasting!

Winter is Approaching

As I walked up the farm, I passed this field that was completely harvested:

 And then I passed this field that was protected:

And then this other field that was "protected" as well (!?!):

Tractor Obsession

Paul was moving this tractor and he put it in reverse. I think it moved faster than my first car!

But here's the real story. Pete spent time with me today and told me all about a Grain Drill that he's just started using on the farm. I have about a half-dozen photos and explanations. This blog post is already a bit long, so I am going to make a separate blog post so folks who are interested in this kind of technical nitty-gritty can get their fix, and everyone else can skip it. So, watch for that next.

My Other Obsession

Really, I'm not obsessed...but here's the weekly photo of energetic Ana. This time she's accentuating the French Crisp lettuce.