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.