News and blog
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
Peaches!!!
blueberries
sour cherries
plums - yellow, Methley, Wizard
apricots
pluots
gooseberries
currants
Vegetables
Kale
lettuce
red beets
Swiss chard
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
summer squash
red potatoes
cucumbers
green beans
sweet corn!
kohlrabi
mild peppers
bell peppers
eggplant
spaghetti squash
okra
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - We have steaks!
pork - We have chops!
chickens - whole
Bakery
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade blackberry 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!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
National Geographic Society - Tuesday, July 21 from 9-2pm in the courtyard.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
sour cherries
blueberries
apricots
pluots
gooseberries
red currants
yellow plums
wizard plums
peaches
Methley plums
blackberries
red raspberries
Vegetables
Kale
lettuce
red beets
Swiss chard
sweet candy onions
okra
cucumbers
zucchini
yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
sweet corn!
tomatoes
red potatoes
cherry tomatoes
green beans
mild peppers
eggplant
red shallots
red beets
cabbage
bell peppers
fennel
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - we have steaks!
pork - we have chops!
whole chicken
Bakery
Raised Breads
Sweet breads
cookies
blackberry 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!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
Dear Folks,
Welcome to our session CSA session for 2015. We are very glad for the hot, drier weather.
Just a remind for folks who are new to the CSA.
If you pick up at one of the stands or markets - Please bring your box plus all the smaller quarts, pints, half pints, rubber bands, etc every week. You can exchange an empty box for a full box or you can transfer your items from our box to your bags.
PLEASE RETURN THE BOXES!
If you get a delivery on Wednesday or Friday - please remember to return your boxes to the designated spot each week.
If you are not able to pick up at your normal location - here are your options.
1. Change your location to one of our Farm Stands or Market locations or The Wyoming on Wednesdays for the week that you will be missing.
2. Get a friend to pick up for you.
3. Let us know and we will donate your share to the DC Soup Kitchen for the week that you will miss. We can provide you with a receipt for your donation if you like.
Please remember that we are trying to pick fruits and vegetables fresh and ready to eat. Do not let them sit of long periods of time without refrigeration. We are doing the best we can, please try to help by putting your vegetable and fruits in a cooler, refrigerator or at the very least air-conditioning until you can eat them.
We love to farm. We love to meet our customers, and we love knowing that we are part of a large "local" community of farmers and supporters of farmers.
Than you for letting us provide your food for you.
A word about our online store.
You can order items from the online store at any time. You can pay immediately with a credit card or you can wait until the end of the summer session and pay with a check. We would love to have you check out the store. If you were going to get any of these items from the store anyway, we would love to have you support our farm by buying them from us. We will include all items in your share for the week.
if you have any questions or if you have a friend who forgot to sign up after they see your first box, please tell them to sign up, but DO NOT PAY with a credit card. When I see the subscription come through I will pro-rate the share and send an updated balance due email.
The shares this week will include;
Half and Full shares:
Fennel
Spaghetti squash
cherry tomatoes
lettuce mix
apricots
jam
basil
Personal shares:
Fennel
spaghetti squash
cherry tomatoes
lettuce
apricots
Fennel is a fun items to cook with. I love the smell of the anise. I grilled some last week with some other vegetables and it was delicious. Give fennel a try!
The spaghetti squash was planted early so that we would have an early harvest. This is a great versatile squash. - not a summer squash not a winter squash.
We love basil lemonade. add lemonade mix, water, and a half cup of basil leaves in the blender; blend until well combined. Add 6-8 ice cubes and crush them. It is delicious!
I have added the Extended Fall session to the CSA sign up page on the website. This is a short session that will begin at the end of October and run through the week before Thanksgiving. It is four weeks long. Please keep it in mind and if you like the fall crops of winter squash, apples, pears, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips, potatoes, carrots, and other fall vegetables, please consider it.
We will make all the same stops EXCEPT all FRIDAY stops will go to WEDNESDAYS for the EXTENDED FALL SESSION. if you have any questions, please let me know.
Have a great week!
Gregg, Louise and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Tomorrow JULY 18TH
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 - Lodi
plums
apricots
blueberries
plumcots
gooseberries
currants
peaches
sour cherries
Vegetables
patty pan squash
Sweet onions
peppers
fennel
green beans
Kale
lettuce
red potatoes
Swiss chard
Red Beets with tops
cauliflower
cucumbers
zucchini
Yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
cabbage
bell peppers
Tomatoes - heirloom!!!
cherry tomatoes
Sweet Corn!
Meat - our own home grown
beef - WE HAVE STEAKS! Filets, NY strips, Rib steaks, sirloin, flat iron
Fresh chicken - just butchered
pork - We have chops and ham steak, bacon, breakfast links
Bakery
Raised Breads - Honey Oatmeal and cinnamon bread
cinnamon rolls
Sweet breads - banana, zucchini, and apple
cookies
Homemade 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
Rain or shine - We will be here to bring you fresh fruits and vegetables as they are picked!
Come out to check out the vegetables and fruits. We have sweet corn! .
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
Fruit
apples - Lodi
plumcots
apricots
blueberries
gooseberries
currants
Peaches!!
plums
Vegetables
sweet corn!!
green beans
Kale
lettuce
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
cauliflower
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
patty pan squash
tomatoes - heirloom
cherry tomatoes
sweet onions
peppers
Meat - our own home grown
beef -
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread and cinnamon bread
Sweet breads - banana, and apple, zucchini
cookies
Homemade pies
Cherry pies
Blackberry 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
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. We have great green beans and sweet corn!!!
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
Fruit
Sweet Cherries
Apricots
blueberries
red raspberries
gooseberries
plumcots
PEACHES
Early yellow plums
Wizard plums
methley plums
Vegetables
Kale
lettuce
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
kohlrabi
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
red and green cabbage
pickling cucumbers
Heirloom tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
green beans
bell peppers
sweet peppers
Meat - our own home grown
beef - We have steaks - rib steaks, NY strip, sirloin, filets !
pork- We have chops, fresh ham steaks, 7 in grillers and breakfast links
chickens - whole
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread
Sweet breads - banana,and apple and zucchini
cookies
Homemade Pies
Cherry pies
blackberry pies
peach pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone 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
Peaches!!!
Sweet cherries
blueberries
sour cherries
plums
apricots
pluots
gooseberries
currants
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
summer squash
red potatoes
cucumbers
pickling cucumbers
green beans
sweet corn!
kohlrabi
mild peppers
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - We have steaks!
pork - We have chops!
chickens - whole
Bakery
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade blackberry 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, July 14 from 9-2pm in the courtyard.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
Sweet Cherries
sour cherries
blueberries
apricots
pluots
gooseberries
red currants
yellow plums
wizard plums
peaches
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
sweet candy onions
okra
cucumbers
zucchini
yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
sweet corn!
tomatoes
red potatoes
cherry tomatoes
pickling cucumbers
green beans
mild peppers
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - we have steaks!
pork - we have chops!
whole chicken
Bakery
Raised Breads
Sweet breads
cookies
blackberry 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,
We have finished our spring session. We will be starting our summer CSA session next week. The summer is flying. We are planting broccoli, cauliflower and sweet corn for late September and October. We are also beginning to harvest lots of heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. The high tunnel did a great job of giving us early tomatoes for sales at the markets, but nothing can beat those great old field tomatoes. We also began harvesting our first sweet corn last week. It is very good and tender. We have been struggling with powdery mildew on cucumbers and squash. It has been a very wet, humid June and early July.
We are just beginning to harvest the second patch of zucchini and squash. These are looking better than the first. Oliver, Julie and Juan are also planting cabbages and squash for the fall.
If you would like to get into the summer or fall session of the CSA now is the time. We will also be having an Extended Fall session again this year. I will be getting that up and running this week. This is a short session of four weeks beginning October 26 and ending November 21.
let us know fi you would like to buy any items in large quanity for canning or preserving.
Gregg, Louise and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm , Inc
Dear Folks,
This week's shares will include:
Full and Half shares:
green beans
parsley
sour cherries
blueberries
kohlrabi
Sweet Candy Onions
Swiss chard
Personal shares:
Sour cherries
green beans
parsley
Sweet Candy onion
Swiss chard
Sour cherries are sour. they are meant for pies, cobblers, etc. Parsley is a great addition to any dish cold and hot. If you cannot think of enough ways to use it at the moment, dry it. then crush it and you will have parsley for your soups and stews in the winter. We are now digging our good candy sweet onions. These are great onions for raw salads. you can use them in sautés, but do not over cook them, they will cook away til there is nothing left! I love creating different combinations either on the grill or in stir fries. yesterday, I grilled a combo of sweet onions, fennel, zucchini, and kohlrabi with garlic scapes and olive oil and salt. It was delicious! Be adventurous!
This is the last week of the spring session. if you want to sign up for the summer session now is the time. The summer session begins next week.
Sign up deadline is Friday for summer session. We have added a flower share for the summer session. Check it out!
Looking forward to seeing everyone this week!
Gregg, Louise, and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc