Thank God for GOOD Help !!!!

The season this year started with just Nancy and I with our daughters working at the farmer's markets. Then we had a family event ....we can't miss the market...we can't miss the girls show at the 4H fair. How do you do it ???

You get Linda!!!..........who? Linda is a customer at our Roxoborough Farmer's market who said"if you guys ever need any help....let me know. I work for peaches !!!"

Little did she know she now had a job for the rest of her summer. Through the 100 degree heat she came and worked for her peaches......she is a great cook who evidently even makes peach brandy !!! But being a professor we lost her to her higher calling in September. We were sad that she had to go back to her "real job"....but thankful we had her as long as we did.

Just when we were loosing our minds one Friday afternoon......in came KELLY!!!! She of course asked the same silly question..."can I help you guys?"

Nancy joking said "Yea fill all those quarts with apples."

Unknowing to us Kelly's family in New York does weekly farmer's markets so she knew just what we needed done.

6 weeks later Kelly still shows up for our markets in the cold, rain, wind.........thank God not the 100 degree heat anymore.

I guess what I am trying to say is THANK YOU to my great helpers !!!!

Pumpkin Patch

Well as the season is coming to an end we are really enjoying all of the children (and adults) visiting the pumpkin patch. This week we have had Kindergarten classes every day.

I had a great time watching the little faces as Nancy explains that broccoli does not "grow" at the grocery store.

We had one very bright girl who knew how broccoli grows !!!! Isn't that sad there was only 1 kidwho knew !!!

Jess talked to them about the animals and I ran through he corn maze with them. It has been a great week. Hopefully that snow will stay away tomorrow so we can continue the fun !!!!

RAIN !!!

We have needed rain for quite a while but if I can chose I will always prefer it not come on a market day.

This Friday we set our tents up at Gorgas Park - just as we were loading the tables with our Jersey Fresh Produce - the sky opened up. A very nice construction worked who happened to be working in the area took shelter from the rain with us under the tent. He helped hold the tent during the blowing wind !!!

To our surprise the sky turned clear just long enough for us to set up. Then it opened up again and poured sown on us. We had scores of customers in rain gear, toting umbrellas or just getting wet.

Had to keep our credit card machine wrapped in a rain coat but nothing can keep the Roxborough residents from the freshness of our produce.

It was a damp and great day !!!!!!

Blow Out !!!!

Well this week has been busy enough that it may require 2 posts !!!

Thursday - Jefferson Farmer's Market Day.

Picking, packing, sweating, etc.....

Finally we got it all in the truck. Anyone who knows us can tell you our truck is packed with the precision of a vacationing woman. Every last nook is filled.

The truck has no A/C so we make the best of it with the windows down - hot air blowing.....then BAM !!!! THUMP THUMP THUMP.........tire blew. Of course we are in the left lane. Nancy moves the truck to the side of the road with skills I never knew she had.

All 3 of us get out to survey the damage...........you of course just want to cry but we all stay strong.

OK where is the spare ? Behind 15 bushel of CORN !!!!

I got in and slowly handed bushel at a time to Nancy she passed it to Tori and we stacked it on the side of the road. Got to the tire ...YAY !!!!!n Where is the jack ? Of course it is not with the tire !!!! In the side door - boxes of peaches are unloaded, cases of tomatoes - all stacked on the side of the road.

Tire...check, Jack..........Check - no lug wrench !!!!

The man who saved the day NJ DOT !!!!! Thank God for the one program Christie left in tact !!!

After refusing every piece of produce we offered with a "no thank you I cannot accept anything" off we went to make it with 10 minutes to set up. Its all good !!!!

Farmer's Markets

Where are we ? and when ?

It is a common question lately so here is our run down:

Monday - HollyDell School. We take our produce to this school for special needs children. Nancy works with the kids to set up and run a farmer's market for the staff and family of the students. A portion of the sales goes to the children's activity fund

Tuesday - Camden County WIC office - right behind the DePierro building at the Lakeland site. Here we accept the Sr Vouchers and WIC checks while offering a variety of Jersey Fresh Produce.

We usually go to a senior citizen program in Gloucester County NJ on Monday or Tuesday twice a month. We do not have a permanent schedule for this - it is on an as needed basis.

Wednesday - University City....this market does not start for us until mid August

Thursday - Jefferson Hospital Market - right on Chestnut St between 9 th and 10 th. We team with the Farm to City Program to offer fresh produce to the city of Philadelphia

Friday - Gorgas Park , Ridge Ave, Roxborough. Again we partner with Farm to City in Philadelphia

Saturday and Sunday - we are open here at the farm for visiting and produce....stop by anytime Sat 9 am till 7 pm , Sunday noon till 7 pm.

1 st Day of Summer

It is here....the season we wait for all year. The tomatoes are turing red, the corn is almost ready....the pigs really stink !!!!! Summer is finally upon us.

Though is rained a little this morning we were able to pick a few zucchini and blueberries. The crops are coming in on time and even a little early which is always a welcomed surprise.

I think we need to find another farmer's market so we can keep moving the produce out as we pick. I spoke to a very nice woman from the Food Trust last night. She will see if she can find something for us in Philly.

Its all good !!!!!

Quick Zucchini Side Dish

2 Medium Zucchini sliced
1 Small Onion
1 teaspoon of garlic powder or 1 minced clove of fresh garlic
1 tablespoon Olive oil

Heat Olive oil in non stick pan. Add the vegetables and garlic. Salt and Pepper to taste cook until tender.

For a "whole meal" add a green pepper and 2 small tomatoes (seeds and juice). It will make a "sauce" that can be poured over pasta. Top with lots of Pecorino or your favorite Cheese !!!!

Basic Pickle Brine

Pickle Brine

2/3 c. Salt - I used Kosher salt but you could use pickling salt
4 c. Vinegar - I like to use white vinegar but I have used red and cider on occassion
12 c. Water

Mix in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

Pack pickles in clean sterilized jars. Pour boiling hot brine over pickles.

You can be creative here too....I like to put a few (3 or 4 ) whole peppercorns, a clove of garlic and a few slices of onion.

On occassion I put a few hot peppers to make them spicey.

You could also add dill for a "dill pickle".

Note : It is easier to add all the "extras" with the pickles rather than at the end.
You can also use this brine to pickle hot or sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, string beans and probably more that I have never tried.

Good Luck.............let me know how you make out with them !!!!

Crazy Hot

It has been like 100 degrees for the past 2 days. The kids, the animals, the plants are all going nuts !!!

Peanut spooked and broke away from Nancy.....she broke a finger and needs hand surgery.

The strawberries just seemed to "melt" into the dirt.

The children are trying to spend as much time as possible in the house sucking up the A/C.

I am going to try to post recipes in this blog each week for the produce we sell.

Stay tuned for more info !!!!!

Escapees !!!!

Today we had several people u pick strawberries at the farm so I was rather busy. Prepping the stand, getting animals "ready for company" , things like that.

I took the Scooter and Peanut to the large pasture to enjoy the grass (and keep it trimmed so I don't have to do it). I let Scooter in the pen and off his lead - I turned to get Peanut off her lead and Jack brayed - oh so loudly !!!!! Scooter spooked and bolted past Peanut and me - heading for the road. I finally got hold of him , calmed him and got him back to the pen.

A few minutes ago I drove the small tractor past the rabbit pen......empty !!!!! Our VERY SMALL black rabbit had escaped. I walked around very quietly and finally he hopped right up to me. I don't know who had a more fearful look - the bunny who was scared to be out or ME - the one who would have to tell my niece I lost her bunny !!!!

All in a days work at the farm !!!!!

Market start !!!

We started a few our our farm markets this week.
Nice to see all of our old friends from Jefferson and make new ones at Gorgas Park.
Have lots of produce starting this week and I hurt my back. What good is a farm worked who can't pick?
Thabnk God for my husband who helps my sister get it all done.
Nice thing about it is I got to rcatch up my blog !!!

Spring Chores

It is always early April when the chore of getting the animals ready for the summer begin.

Today the piglets arrived from a friend's farm. In all their stink and squeal they looked so afraid. After the excitement of their arrival faded everyone went about the other chores. I stayed with the pigs....checking them out. That one has a cut on his head, this one has a really curly tail, the other one is a runt. All the little things you notice about them.

Then I realized that they were not eating............weird for pigs. We have a automatic waterer and feeder. They came from a farm without them. It took us about an hour to teach them how to use them. Almost lost a finger but I was able to get them to catch on. The waterer has to be pushed with their tongue - they caught onto that pretty well. The feeder has to be opened with their nose - I ended up tying it open with a bungee cause they just couldn't grasp it. I will work on it more tomorrow.

I went to help the girls with the goats. Immunization shots for all babies, cleaned hooves on the big goats, wormer all around and neutered the boys!!!! Somehow the girls think that is funny.

Cleaned the old hay out of the pens and scrubbed out the water pails.

Tomorrow..............I tackle the donkey......he needs some TLC.............

Stay tuned cause that is sure to be a memorable chore as well !!!

Wind !!!!

Yes it has been so very windy here lately. When working on the greenhouse I often feel like Dorothy waiting for the house to blow away. This afternoon our little black chicken was on top of the fence. She gets up there so that she can hop into the goat pen and steal their food.

The wind blew her right off !!!!

She is fine....a little shaken..........but after she stood and ran away I had to laugh. Even the goats stopped and looked at her laying there like to say "you dumb chicken !!!"

But then she got up and they chased her out of the pen.

Having a great time watching the barnyard as I work !!!!

Spring

Well although the calendar says tomorrow is the 1 st day of April.....it is darn cold out today. When I opened the greenhouse door I was hit in the face by the 90 degrees of the heated house.......then came out and froze. I ran straight to the house...........for a blanket and cup of tea.

My good friend , Justin, on channel 3 says it will be warmer on Sunday....I hope he is right.

Any weather man is a good friend in my book.

Hopefully I can work outside tomorrow without a coat and gloves. I hate when you have to break the ice in the water barrel.

I just keep thinking ....soon I will pick Asparagus and Strawberries !!!!