News and blog
Dear Folks,
This week's shares will include:
Half and full shares
blueberries
cabbage
zucchini/summer squash
Swiss chard
slicing cucumbers
sweet cherries
hull peas
Personal shares:
blueberries
cabbage
zucchini/summer squash
Swiss Chard
slicing cucumbers
We are truly into the summer fruits and vegetables now. Enjoy the squash! Gregg loves it steamed with just a bit of Old Bay seasoning. He says it is almost as good as crabs!
The blueberries are sweet. I had some this morning for breakfast. Delicious! They also make great blueberries muffins.
If the cabbage has some rot on the outside - just peel it down a bit. We are trying to keep it, but it is rotting in the field because of the rain. Cucumbers are great sliced in sandwiches or in salads.
Enjoy the hull peas now. They are nearing the end of their season.
What's Coming.
We should be picking sour cherries by the end of the week. We are also picking a few green beans for markets this week. We are getting a lot more cherries tomatoes and we are beginning to pick them from the field now.
The Store
I have added new items from to the store. Check these out. I will also be adding steaks to the store by the end of the week. We had a beef butchered and will be back in steaks soon!
Thanks to all for supporting our farm. You make our work worthwhile not just financially, but also meaningful. When people want what you grow and sell it makes it worthwhile.
Have a great holiday.
Vacations
Remember if you cannot pick up at your usual site, you may change your location by sending me an email and arranging to pick up at another site. You can also have a friend pick up for you. Or if all else fails - you can donate your share to the DC soup kitchen by letting us know and we will arrange for the donation on Tuesdays.
Gregg, Louise and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
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 vegetables and berries. The snow and sugar snap peas are GREAT! We have lots of summer produce.
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
Rhubarb
Sweet Cherries
Apricots
blueberries
black raspberries
red raspberries
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
Snow peas
Snap peas
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
red and green cabbage
pickling cucumbers
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
English shell peas
Meat - our own home grown
beef
pork
chickens - whole
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread
Sweet breads - banana,and apple and zucchini
cookies
Homemade strawberry - rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blackberry 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
blueberries
red raspberries
black raspberries
apricots
Vegetables
spring onions
Asparagus
Kale
lettuce
spinach
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
summer squash
red potatoes
cabbage
snow peas
snap peas
English peas
cucumbers
pickling cucumbers
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
lovage
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef
pork
chickens - whole
Bedding plants SPEACIAL DEALS
flowers
Bakery
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
Speical deals on sauce apples!
half bushels of zucchini, summer squash and cucumbers.
email us for information if you would like some tomorrow at DOT!
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
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