News and blog
National Geographic Society - Tuesday, June 23 from 9-2pm in the courtyard.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
STRAWBERRIES
Sweet Cherries
red raspberries
black raspberries
blueberries
apricots
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
spinach
snow peas
sugar snap peas
cucumbers
zucchini
yellow summer squash
Kohlrabi
French radishes
high tunnel tomatoes
red potatoes
cherry tomatoes
cabbage
pickling cucumbers
HERBS
mint tea
lovage
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef
pork
whole chickens
Bedding plants SPECIAL DEALS!
flowers
Bakery
Raised Breads
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blueberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Special deals on sauce apples
$15 half bushel or TWO half bushels for $20
email us if you would like to have Gregg bring some for you!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
Dear Folks,
Thanks to all for the boxes or at least the promise of boxes. You cannot imagine how much these kinds of things add up to in overhead which has nothing to do with actual farming. Please remember to bring them back each week.
This week's shares include:
half and full shares:
sweet cherries
hull peas
lettuce heads
summer squash
spring onions
pickling cucumbers
rhubarb
personal shares:
sweet cherries
lettuce heads
summer squash
spring onions
pickling cucumbers
rhubarb
Enjoy the rhubarb. This is the last time for this year.
We are trying to keep ahead of the weeds, but inevitably, especially with all the rain that is hard. We have a crew of men coming this week to weed and string up tomatoes. The tall weeds surrounding the lettuce heads invite the slugs to sneak in and feast without impunity. So if you run into a slug in the lettuce, be thankful that we do not spray and instead we hire real people to weed the lettuce.
hull peas are great, but you MUST hull them. You cannot eat the shells! These are sometimes called English peas. One quart of hull peas will usually yield about a pint of peas.
I have added many new vegetables, herbs and fruits to the store. Please check these out. if you were planning to purchase these items at the store any way. please consider adding them to your share. You will be supporting a local farmer and you will be helping us to sell our items without having to haul them to auction.
You can order and pay immediately with a credit card or you can keep a running total and pay with a check at the end of the session. If you choose to pay with a check you can take a 4% discount from the price listed on the store.
We have specials!
We are selling apples for apple sauce - $15.00 half bushel or two half bushel for $20. This is a mix of good apples - all sweet, just soft.
Our other specials!
$10 a half bushel ( tomato box) for large zucchini and summer squash
$20 half bushel for medium to small size zucchini and summer squash
$20 half bushel for snow peas
$20 half bushel for kohlrabi
$10.00 peck for pickling cukes
$20 banana boxes of kale all varieties - Green, red, Tuscan
$20 banana box of Swiss Chard
Let us know if you would be interest in any of these specials. Go together and buy as a group, Have a party! Plan a lot of canning, freezing or pickling.
thanks for being part of our farm. Let us know if you need anything else in bulk, we may have it!
See everyone this week.
Gregg, Louise, and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm ,Inc
Come out to check out the great spring vegetables and apples. The snow and sugar snap pease are GREAT! Get the asparagus now - because it is almost over for the year.
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
STRAWBERRIES!!!
Sweet cherries
apricots
blueberries
black raspberries
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus
Kale
lettuce
spinach
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
Snow peas
Snap peas
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
French radishes
pickling cucumbers
Meat - our own home grown
beef
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread and cinnamon bread
Sweet breads - banana, pumpkin and apple, zucchini
cookies
Homemade strawberry - rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
Tomorrow June 20
Oliver will be at St Luke's Episcopal Church from 8 - 1 pm.
Gregg will be at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on South King's Highway Alexandria on Saturdays from 8-1 pm
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market stands.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Sweet cherries - first of the season
apricots
blueberries
black raspberries
Vegetables
French Radishes
SNOW PEAS!
spring onions
Asparagus - the last week of asparagus!
Kale
lettuce
spinach
Swiss chard
Red Beets with tops
Snap peas
broccoli
cucumbers
zucchini
Yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
cabbage
shall peas
pickling cucumbers
high tunnel Tomatoes
Meat - our own home grown
beef
Fresh chicken - just butchered
pork - We have chops and ham steak
Bakery
Raised Breads - Honey Oatmeal and cinnamon bread
cinnamon rolls
Sweet breads - banana, zucchini, and apple
cookies
Homemade strawberry/rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Snow and Snap Peas are excellent. The red beet tops are a great source of natural vitamins and nutrients!
Strawberries are almost over! Enjoy!
Rhubarb is Tart! What a great mix!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
East Columbia Farmer's Market
East Columbia Library
Cradlerock Way
2-6 pm.
Rain or shine - We will be here to bring you fresh fruits and vegetables as they are picked!
Come out to check out the great spring vegetables and apples. The snow and sugar snap peas are GREAT! Get the asparagus now - because it is almost over for the year.
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
STRAWBERRIES!!!
Sweet Cherries
Apricots
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus Get it now!
Kale
lettuce
spinach
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
Snow peas
Snap peas
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
small red cabbage
pickling cucumbers
tomatoes from the high tunnel!!!
Meat - our own home grown
beef
pork
chickens - whole
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread
Sweet breads - banana, pumpkin and apple and zucchini
cookies
Homemade strawberry - rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
We will be at DOT for the Farmer's Market tomorrow from 10-2 pm
Come out and get fresh vegetables. We will have these items available for sale.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
STRAWBERRIES
Sweet cherries
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus
Kale
lettuce
spinach
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
snow peas
sugar snap peas
cucumbers
zucchini
Yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
tomatoes ( from the high tunnel)
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
lovage
cut basil
Meat - our own home grown
beef
pork
chickens - whole
Bedding plants SPEACIAL DEALS
flowers
Bakery
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
National Geographic Society - Tuesday, June 16 from 9-2pm in the courtyard.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
STRAWBERRIES
Sweet Cherries
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
spinach
snow peas
sugar snap peas
cucumbers
zucchini
yellow summer squash
Kohlrabi
French radishes
high tunnel tomatoes
HERBS
mint tea
lovage
catnip
cut basil
Meat - our own home grown
beef
pork
whole chickens
Bedding plants SPECIAL DEALS!
flowers
Bakery
Raised Breads
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand! The asparagus is great! The Pink apples are still very sweet and crisp!
The strawberries are sweet!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
I just updated the store for this week. We are selling Gold Rush apples by larger volume so you can make sauce. These are great sauce apples for the spring.
We also have loads of snow peas, zucchini and summer squash. Let us know if you would like to buy in larger quantity- say half bushel or peck. We can give you a better price. Go together with friend and buy in bulk or have a big party and celebrate summer!
Let me know if you have any questions about the store.
Gregg, Louise and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Dear Folks,
This week's shares will include:
Half and full shares:
Kale
Jam
Sweet cherries
Snow peas
Sugar snap peas
zucchini/yellow squash
pickling cucumber
Personal shares:
Kale
Sweet cherries
snow peas
sugar snap peas
zucchini/yellow squash
Kale is a great addition to any smoothie. Just add a leaf or two and increase your nutrients without even realizing it! Kale chips are also great. Just toss the leaves with olive oil and garlic salt. Put them in the oven for a few minutes until they are crisp and enjoy! Delicious! This is the only way that Oliver will eat kale.
We have lots of snow peas right now. We are also getting a lot of sugar snap peas. Remember that snow peas are the flat pod peas and sugar snap peas are full pod peas. You can eat the pods of both of these varieties without hulling them. They are great raw as a snack or lightly steamed or in a stir fry.
The jam is some mix of our own fruits from last year. Last summer Julie cut up and froze all the fruit that was not sellable. Gregg used that fruit during the winter to create great jams.
The pickling cucumbers are smaller than the typical straight eights that you buy for your salad. You can use them the same as you would a regular cucumber. But these are also great for pickling as well. If you are afraid to try making pickles, here is a easy lazy way to give it a try. Buy a pickle variety that you really like - dill, bread and butter, etc. use the pickles and keep the brine. Fill the jar of brine with your little pickling cukes and put them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks or even a month ( the longer they sit in the brine, the more flavorful they will be.) Most things kept in a vinegar brine will keep in refrigeration for years.
OK- folks - now for the bad news - the box inspector has been at work. Personal shares are ruining us financially by not returning the boxes. Each personal share box costs us $1.25 each, the pint boxes are 4 1/2 cents each. The half pint boxes are 4 1/2 cents each. The quart boxes are 6 cents each. Rrubber bands are 7 for 3 cents.
Folks - Personal shares are not sustainable unless we can get the boxes back!
I am going to publicly mention all the stops that do not return the boxes -
NGS Farm Stand
Peace Corps
Cannondesign
AWEA
2800 Woodley Rd
Flats 1430
Senate Square Towers
77H
River Park
Gangplank Marina
Folks - PLEASE RETRUN YOUR BOXES - Do it now! Put in the designated spot before you forget. If you know that you will trash it or others will, do not even take it away from the spot, just bring your cloth reusable bags - I know that you have tons of them- transfer your items into the bags and leave the box in its spot. Then you will not be the guilty victim. I am sure that many will write me emails apologizing after the fact for trashing them or forgetting them.
Do not be one of those folks - instead be empowered to take responsibiltiy for your boxes NOW.
Ok - now I've given my persuasive speech.
Now for the punitive measures - If we do not see boxes coming back, we will keep a record of not just each guilty stop, but each guilty person and ask you to pay a box fee. So now that I have threatened you and made you feel guilty, hopefully you will bring back the boxes. You do not need to feel that you will be called out if you would happen to sneak two boxes back in the same week. We would be grateful!
Please remember to bring back your jam jars as well. There is no rush, just remember when you finish with it to return it.
Have a great week!
We are beginning to pick raspberries and I ate a blueberry yesterday. It was blue, but sour. So I am sure that blueberries will be here soon!
Gregg, Louise, and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Come out to check out the great spring vegetables and apples. The snow and sugar snap pease are GREAT! Get the asparagus now - because it is almost over for the year.
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples
Rhubarb
STRAWBERRIES!!!
Sweet cherries
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus
Kale
lettuce
spinach
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
Snow peas
Snap peas
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
French radishes
Meat - our own home grown
beef
Bedding plants --Special deals on all plants!!!!
herbs
flowers
vegetable plants
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread and raisin bread
Sweet breads - banana, pumpkin and apple
cookies
Homemade strawberry - rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm