Dear Farm Friends,


We have had a great fall!  The spinach has been great!  The apples are good! The fall squash and pumpkins are good!  The Brussel Sprouts have been especially sweet this year and as always the cider is fantastic!

Oliver and Zach have been cleaning up all the fields and gardens, taking out the tomato stakes, removing the black plastic and mowing the weeds.  They will be spreading manure on the one field at the pond.  We are also going to be putting 500 lb of limestone on it as well.  We only bought that field 1 1/2 years ago.  It had been used for corn for at least the last 15 years.  That's as far back as I can remember.  The minerals in it are pretty depleted.  So we will do limestone this fall and again in the spring before we plant.  Then we will see how well it does.  We will continue to add limestone until the numbers look better.

  On the rented field we have already sown rye gass as a winter cover to plow under in the spring. 

The smaller gardens behind our house will get chicken manure in the spring and also compost from my composting operation. 


We will be having the NGS Market through November 26th.

We will be going to the DOT market through November 19.


We will be at the Columbia market through November 21. (This is the date for the Winter Delivery in Columbia.)


We will be at St. Luke's in Alexandria throught November 23.(This is the date for the Winter Delivery in Alexandria.)


We will be at the Westminster Farmer's market until November 23.(This is the date for the Winter Delivery in Westminster.)


We will also be having the Winter Delivery again this year.  The first one is on November 26.  You will be able to order vegetables, fruits, and other items AFTER November 11 for pick up or delivery on November 26.  Send us an email if you would like to have your name on the email list for the Winter Delivery.


I know most of the leaves have already fallen.  Everyone loves the beautiful yellows, scarlets, and reds, but my favorites are the brown oaks.  They are the solid base that makes everything look beautiful!


Enjoy the fall!


Gregg, Louise, Sarah, Viginia, and Oliver Keckler

Orchard Country Produce and fruit Farm, Inc

www.orchardcountryproduce.com

Dear Folks,


You folks have one more week, Tuesday, November 5th.  Thanks for hanging in there in spite of all the delivery issues this year.    


This week's shares will include:

Macoun Apples

Honey Crisp Apples

Applesauce - homemade - no sugar added

peppers

broccoli

daikon radishes

turnips


Personal shares:

Macoun apples/Honeycrisp apples

applesauce - homemade - no sugar added

daikon radishes

broccoli

turnips


The Macoun apples are a derivative of the MacIntosh.  Those of you from the New England area will really appreciate this apple.  It has the great taste of the Mac, but it is crisper and keeps better.  I know some folks can not believe that a Mac can be improved, but trust me these are great apples!


I made the applesauce myself from various kinds of apples, that is why the color will be so different from jar to jar - depending which apple I was using.  Enjoy.  The applesauce will keep from a long while since it is sealed. 

Daikon radishes are very good shredded and used in breads or cooked and eaten like a turnip.  



  


Have a great week!


Gregg, Louise, Sarah, Virginia, and Oliver Keckler

Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm

www.orchardcountryproduce.com

Dear Folks,
This is the last week of the fall session. 

If you would be interested in the Winter Delivery, please let us know. 

Here is how it works:  We will open the online store about 2 weeks before the delivery date each month - November, December, and January.  You may order anything you like and pay with paypal or send us a check.  We will deliver your items to your location on the delivery date. 

First deliver will be Tuesday, November 26. 

What you need to do to get a deliver to your location.  First let us know via email that you will be able to make the $50 minimum dollar amount for your location.  Several people can order from the same location just so that the total for the drop off spot is $50 or over.  Then we will deliver on the specified date. 

Let me know if you have any questions. 
 
We will also turkeys for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Email if you would like to reserve one.


This week's shares will include:

Roma tomatoes

Candy Crisp Apples

Bosc pears

bell peppers

Potatoes

Arugala

Neck Pumpkin


Personal shares


Candy Crisp apples

Bosc Pears

Arugala

Roma Tomatoes

Potatoes

Neck pumpkins

                          
We have enjoyed having everyone with us this year.  Thank you so much for your support and encouragement.
 
Please keep us in mind for next year's CSA season.  We will begin to take subscriptions for 2014 after January 1, 2014. 
If you would like to coordinate a new drop off spot for the CSA, please get in touch with us and we will work out the details.  

    Thanksgiving at the Kecklers!   If you aren't going anywhere and would like to come for dinner on Thanksgiving, November 28.  We will be having our traditional turkey dinner in the greenhouse!  We would love to have you come share some food, take a tour and visit with us!  Please send an email letting us know that you will be coming.  Meet the family - tour the farm - meet the animals, and enjoy the FOOD!  Don't be shy!  Others have braved the event and have actually enjoyed it!

Have a great week!

Gregg, Louise, Sarah, Virginia, and Oliver Keckler

Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm

www.orchardcountryproduce.com

Dear Folks,


This is the last week of the fall session.  If you would be interested in the Winter Delivery, please let us know. 

Here is how it works:  We will open the online store about 2 weeks before the delivery date each month - November, December, and January.  You may order anything you like and pay with paypal or send us a check.  We will deliver your items to your location on the delivery date. 

First deliver will be Tuesday, November 26. 


What you need to do to get a deliver to your location.  First let us know via email that you will be able to make the $50 minimum dollar amount for your location.  Several people can order from the same location just so that the total for the drop off spot is $50 or over.  Then we will deliver on the specified date. 

Let me know if you have any questions.  


We will also turkeys for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Email if you would like to reserve one.

This is PICK OFF THE TABLE WEEK!   So bring your bags and you get to pick your own shares!  Personal shares can get $12.00; half shares - $22.00 and full shares - $42 .


Please be sure to bring your boxes or coolers back this week.


If you would like to use your share money for extras - cheese, meat, eggs, please order items on the store or send me an email with what you would like, so that we make sure to bring these items to the market for you.  If you are in a hurry and do not want to shop, let us know and we can make up a box for you ahead of time.


We have enjoyed having everyone with us this year.  Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. 


Please keep us in mind for next year's CSA season.  We will begin to take subscriptions for 2014 after January 1, 2014.  If you would like to coordinate a new drop off spot for the CSA, please get in touch with us and we will work out the details.  
 
 
Thanksgiving at the Kecklers!   If you aren't going anywhere and would like to come for dinner on Thanksgiving, November 28.  We will be having our traditional turkey dinner in the greenhouse!  We would love to have you come share some food, take a tour and visit with us!  Please send an email letting us know that you will be coming.  Meet the family - tour the farm - meet the animals, and enjoy the FOOD!  Don't be shy!  Others have braved the event and have actually enjoyed it!


Have a great week!


Gregg, Louise, Sarah, Virginia, and Oliver Keckler

Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm

www.orchardcountryproduce.com

Dear Folks,
    

This week's shares will include:


Brussel Sprouts on the stalk

Roma tomatoes

Sweet potatoes

Cox Orange Pippins

Mutzu Crispins

Bell peppers

Apple cider 


Personal shares:


Brussel Sprouts on the stalk

Cox Orange Pippins

Mutzu Crispins

Bell pepper

Roma tomatoes

apple Cider          



The Brussel Sprouts are great!  We are giving them on the stalk.  Just pull off the amount you want to use at a time and let the rest on the stalk until you are ready to use them.  They will keep better that way. Be sure to keep them in refrigeration.   y

You are getting two different apple varieties this week.  Notice the difference in taste between the Cox Orange Pippins which are very popular in England and Europe and the Crispins.


Roma tomatoes are more fleshy and less juicy.  They make great sauce and they keep longer for use in sandwiches. 


The cider is unpastuerized.  it has a different flavor each week depending on which apple varieties we use.  See if you can taste the difference!


Don't forget to check out the online store.  If you need any items just place an order and we will deliver it with your share.


If you still have not paid for your share for the fall, please do so as soon as possible.  You can check if you have paid by going to the website and clicking on membership status.      

Have a great week! 

For those who have been displaced because of the government shutdown - We are assuming that you will be picking up at the same location as last week.  If you need to change, please let us know ASAP. 

Thanks.


Gregg, Louise, Sarah, Virginia, and Oliver Keckler

Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm

www.orchardcountryproduce.com

Dear Folks,


   This week's shares will include:

Cider

Fall squash


Cabbage


Jam or jelly


Macoun apples


Mystery item


Mystery item


Personal shares:


Cider

Macoun apples

Jam or jelly

Fall squash

mystery item


As you can see we have a little of this and a little of that.  That is why there are so many mystery items this week.  So BE SURPRISED!  The good thing about the fall things are that they keep so well.  Fall squash, cabbage and apples will last for weeks.  Cider, on the the other hand, will not especially in this warm weather.  So drink it soon.  You can also freeze cider for later use.  Make sure to leave some head space at the top of the jug or you will have a mess in your freezer!

Macoun apples are one of mine personal favorites.  As you can tell from the name - they are a derivative of the MacIntosh, but they are crisper and juicier.  I know those from New England may take offense at the thought that there could be an improvement on the Mac, but at least in OUR climate the MacIntosh is softer and does not keep as well.    Enjoy these apples!


ATTENTION DOT PICKUP - PLEASE respond to our email from yesterday regarding your pick up choice for this week and the rest of the session!  If you do not respond, we will assume that you want us to  donate your shares to the DC soup kitchen.


ATTENTION PEACE CORPS DELIVERY - Please respond to the email from last week regarding your pick up choice for the rest of the session!  Again , if you do not respond, we will assume that you want us to donate your share to the DC soup kitchen.       



Have a great week! 

I will be in touch about Winter Delivery and Turkeys for Thanksgiving later this week. 


Gregg, Louise, Sarah, Virginia, and Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm

www.orchardcountryproduce.com