Dear Friends and CSA members,

    Thanks to all who have sent forms and checks in already.  This is by far the most checks received before January 1.  If you are planning to join our CSA this year, you may send us the forms and checks anytime between now and April 30.  We should have plenty of room for all.  The only day that has a serious limit is Tuesday.  So if you were planning to sign up for DOT pick up or delivery to Gangplank Marina, let us know.
    Businesses and neighborhoods in DC NW or Bethesda or locations along the 270 corridor wishing to organize delivery for Wednesdays, let us know as soon as possible.  You do not need to know exact numbers just a "yes, we want to participate"  will help us to organize and make room for new deliveries.
    We are also planning a Friday delivery to Alexandria, Arlington, DC SW and points along Rt 270.  Let us know if your business or neighborhood would like to get a delivery.  If you are new at organizing a CSA pickup at your location, send us an email and we can help you with sugggestions of how other groups have done it.
    We will still be having regualr individual pickups at:
 DOT - Tuesdays 7:30am-2:00pm
East Columbia Library - Thursdays 2:00-6:00pm
Westminster Farmers Market - Saturdays 8:00am - noon
Bethesda Farm market Stand - Saturdays 9:00am-1pm
Gaithersburg drop off - Saturdays 7:30am-1pm

     Farm update:   Our chickens stopped laying a couple of weeks ago because of the extreme cold and wind.  We are trying to keep their weight up so they will begin laying again.  Gregg is perusing catalogs,  planning what seeds to buy for this year.  He will also be buying new fruit trees for our second farm.  Gregg bought 2 milk goats which we are hoping  to milk for the spring and summer.  Goat milk isn't the most popular, but possibly some of you may wish to order it.  Goat milk makes excellent cheese.
     We are also purchasing some new calves (they are off milk.) since this year we will be butchering 4 big steers.  Toward the end of January Gregg and Oliver will begin pruning fruit trees, grapevines, raspberries, and blackberries.

   Family News:  Stuart and Tamara are expecting their first baby in January. Sarah got a great job which she enjoys in Alexandria, VA.  So she moved out and is living down there now.  Virginia is home from college in CA this month.  Martha and Daniel are getting married in October - so Katie is sewing dresses and Martha and Daniel are working on thei rold farm house that they recently purchased.  Gregg is making lots of jams and jellies for next summer.  Oliver and I are trudging through Trigonometry, biology and literature.

    Recommended readings:  Several years ago I recomended that CSA and Farmer's market folks might enjoy reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and The Ominvore's Dilemna by Mickael Pollan.  If you haven't read either of these books yet, please do.  This year I have read several books by Joel Salatin - owner of Polyface Farm in VA.  I first heard of him in Pollan's book.  He writes many books for would-be farmers, but two of his books would definitely be valuable reading for folks interested in local food and the fate of small farmers in America.  Everything I Want to do is Illegal - War Stories from the local food front and Holy Cows and Heavenly Hogs - The Food Buyers Guide to Farm Friendly Food.                 
    Salatin is a dramatic writer who doesn't take just one side of the political issues regarding local food, environmental issues, animal health, and prosperous farming.  Although he definitely writes from a socially conservative viewpoint, he describes himself as a environmentally conscious, morally conservative, liberatarian Christian.  His books will appeal to all of you regardless of political or religious persuasion because he is addressing an issue that binds all of us together: Local and Healthy Foods



Health update:  I (Louise) had my Clindamycin  IV for 5 days in December and I have gained back alot of strength.  I can stand up for almost 45 minutes at a time.  I do not take any naps throughout the day anymore.  I am able to type with all 10 fingers again.  Sometimes the little finger on the "a" key doesn't always work.  I am also doing a naturopathic Lyme protocol, since I have positive antibodies for Lyme's disease which are currently inactive.  In any case, I hope to be back at the markets again this summer.  I am still taking my anitbiotics faithfully.  Scleroderma is no joke!  If any of you are suffering from autoimmune diseases, be sure to get a Lyme test done as well.


     Let us know if you have any questions about our policies, practices or anything.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone again this year!   Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

Dear Folks,
      We hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to spending time with family and friends during this month.  We have our website updated with the new subscription form.  We would like to get some updated pictures of our new farmland and also better pictures of the fruit trees.  The ones on the site are at least six years old.  The trees are alot bigger and have way more fruit on them now.  All the information is the same as last year, only the dates are changed to reflect the new year.

   New Ideas:  We are getting about 500 new fruit trees: cherries, plums, apple (Honey Crisp) and apricots.  Gregg is going to plant a few nut trees as well.  We will be planting them in the Spring on our new farm land.   Gregg and Oliver plowed all our gardens, the rented fields, and new portions of the new farm.  Now they will be ready for Spring planting. We plan to plant more melons and cantelopes on the new land.   We are planting about 100 more gooseberries bushes at the new place.  Gregg will also be buying 3-4 more feeder steers for the new pasture area.  We can never get enough beef.  Greg is considering trying to raise some turkeys for Fall 2011.

    Repairs:  Gregg and Oliver have been trying to fix our old barn.  One of the main beams rotted off the foundation over the hay barn floor.  So they have been jacking up the floor in order to put a new beam in.  All the coolers, tables, baskets, etc have been washed and sanitized with bleach and stored in the garage attic till next year.
     All the apples, pears, winter squash, pumpkins, and potatoes have been stored in the cold storage for the winter.  We sold the last of the red beets to a neighbor.  Our rented property has 14 Asian pear trees on it.  The owner wants to get rid of them so we will be digging them out and transplanting them on our new land.  The nice thing about Asian pears is that they do not need sprayed.  They are about 5 years old.  It shouldn't be too tough to get them out if we get all the son-in-laws here.

     Next year:  We are planning to keep the same delivery sites: East Columbia Library, Westminster, Bethesda (Cedar Lane), Gaithersburg, DOT and Gangplank Marina and home delivery to the Carlisle area.  We will still do Wednesday deliveries to businesses and neighborhood  groups.  If your neighborhood or business is located in Washington, DC NW or Bethesda or anywhere along the 270 corridor, we would be glad to make a group delivery for at least 6 share/stop.  We are also contemplating a second delivery day on Fridays to Arlington and Alexandria, VA and Washington DC SW.  If you are in any of these areas and would like to get a group delivery, let us know.  
    We will begin accepting subscriptions after January 1, 2011.  You can downlaod the form fron the website:  www.orchcountry.com , fill it out and send it to us with a check.  You may also do a payment plan if you like.
   We are starting to get excited about planting new seeds, tryping new items and firing up the greenhouse again.

    I (Louise) will be goning to Philadelphia his month for some antibiotic IV treatments for the scleroderma.  Keep me in your thoughts.
  Let us know if you have any questions.
   We wish you all a wonderful Holiday!  Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

Dear Folks,
    
For Everyone:  We are offering some specials on certain things that we have in abundance.  You may order any of these items for pick up at any market or for drop on Wednesday or at Gangplank.

Red Beets - $3.00/quart
Fall eating apples (a mix of Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Stayman, and Yellow Delicious)   $3.00/quart
                                                                                                                    $14.00/peck
                                                                                                                    $22.00/half bushel
Winter Squash - Acorn Squash $.75
                       Butternut Squash $.75
Neck pumpkins -(These make the best pumpkin pies)  small $3.00
                                                                        large $5.00
Cushaw Pumpkin - $3.00
Turnips - $3.00/quart

All these items will keep until Thanksgiving.  Apples will stay firm if stored in a cool place or in the crisper of your refrigerator.

For Wednesday and Gangplank we will add these items to the extras orders and we will send out bills after Wednesday delivery. All other market pick ups can pay when you pick up your order.

 All Wednesday pickups please have your boxes at the pick up site.  Our driver will be around to pick up  the empty boxes on Wednesday.

  Have a great Thanksgiving!  Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce
 Let me know if you have any questions about anything.  Louise

Dear Folks,
    This is your last pick up for the DOT market and Gangplank Marina.   DOT pickups - Pick off the table week.  Please do not come before 8:30-9:00.  This will give us time to get the table set up.  Bring bags for your produce.  Half shares can pick $22.00 and full shares can pick $35.00.
     The DOT market will continue through November 16.  So stop back during the last weeks to stock up for winter and the holidays.

Gangplank:  Your shares this week will include:  baby lima beans, apples (Fuji, pink lady, and sun crisp), Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, Swiss chard, turnips, and finger potatoes.

For Everyone:  We are offering some specials on certain things that we have in abundance.  You may order any of these items for pick up at any market or for drop on Wednesday or at Gangplank.

Red Beets - $3.00/quart
Fall eating apples (a mix of Fuji, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Stayman, and Yellow Delicious)   $3.00/quart
                                                                                                                    $14.00/peck
                                                                                                                    $22.00/half bushel
Winter Squash - Acorn Squash $.75
                       Butternut Squash $.75
Neck pumpkins -(These make the best pumpkin pies)  small $3.00
                                                                        large $5.00
Cushaw Pumpkin - $3.00
Turnips - $3.00/quart

All these items will keep until Tanksgiving.  Apples will stay firm if stored in a cool place or in the crisper of your refrigerator.

For Wednesday and Gangplank we will add these items to the extras orders and we will send out bills after Wednesday delivery. All other market pick ups can pay when you pick up your order.

 All Wednesday pickups please have your boxes at the pick up site.  Our driver will be around to pick up  the empty boxes on Wednesday.

  Have a great Thanksgiving!  Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce
 Let me know if you have any questions about anything.  Louise

This is the last week of the Fall session and the last week of the CSA for 2010.  This year has had some good and bad returns.  Most of our ups and downs were totally related to weather patterns.  We hope you have enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables this year.  We are already thinking about next year.  We are planing to plant several hundred more fruit trees particularly cherries, plums, pears, and apricots on our newly purchased farm.  We also plan to raise more beef and better chicken next year.  On our new property we will have more pasture land and more hay fields next year.  We also plan top grow more and different melons, lopes, pumpkins, and winter squash.  It is great to have plans!


I wish you would remember me (Louise) throughout the winter months.  I have been ill for about a year with an auto-immune disease called scleroderma.  I am taking antibiotics and other supplements and vitamins.  The healing process for this disease is very slow.  I am aiming to see positive changes for next spring.  Considering that I have been out of the farming and marketing loop this entire summer, Gregg, Oliver, Sarah, and Virginia did a great job with help from Lydia, Martha, and Mark occasionally.  Katie and Ryan helped by supplementing our kale, chard, and peaches with theirs when we were running low!


We are doing things differently this week.  Bring back your empty coolers or boxes. BRING YOUR OWN BAGS!  Cloth bags are best.  It is your turn to pick off the table and make your own share.  If you have a half share, you can pick $22.00.  If you have a full share you can pick $35.00 of produce, fruit, bakery, honey, jam, etc.  If you wish you can use your share money for extras - bologna, cheese, eggs, butter,   If you do plan to get extras, please email us with your order.  



Folks have been inquiring about signing up for next year.  We need a few weeks to regroup, clean up, and redo our subscription form and reveal new dates.  By the 1st of December we should have our new information up on the website.  We will accept checks after January 1, 2011.  We will be in touch with everyone as the year progresses. 
      Keep in mind that the DOT market on Tuesday will continue through November 16th, Columbia market on Thursday will continues through November 18th, and Westminster and Bethesda Cedar Lane markets will continue through November 20th.  So make sure to drop in to visit and stock up on produce for Thanksgiving!!  Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

This is the last week of the Fall session and the last week of the CSA for 2010.  This year has had some good and bad returns.  Most of our ups and downs were totally related to weather patterns.  We hope you have enjoyed the fresh fruits and vegetables this year.  We are already thinking about next year.  We are planing to plant several hundred more fruit trees particularly cherries, plums, pears, and apricots on our newly purchased farm.  We also plan to raise more beef and better chicken next year.  On our new property we will have more pasture land and more hay fields next year.  We also plan top grow more and different melons, lopes, pumpkins, and winter squash.  It is great to have plans!


I wish you would remember me (Louise) throughout the winter months.  I have been ill for about a year with an auto-immune disease called scleroderma.  I am taking antibiotics and other supplements and vitamins.  The healing process for this disease is very slow.  I am aiming to see positive changes for next spring.  Considering that I have been out of the farming and marketing loop this entire summer, Gregg, Oliver, Sarah, and Virginia did a great job with help from Lydia, Martha, and Mark occasionally.  Katie and Ryan helped by supplementing our kale, chard, and peaches with theirs when we were running low!

ATTENTION TUESDAY deliveries and DOT pick-up: There will be one more week, October 26th.

ATTENTION GAITHERSBURG:  Please bring a bag to transfer produce so you can leave the coolers this week.

This week's share will include apples (Fuji, Braeburn, Nittany, Broccoli, Kale (hopefully no bugs- if so, they wash off very easily!), beets, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cabbage.

Folks have been inquiring about signing up for next year.  We need a few weeks to regroup, clean up, and redo our subscription form and reveal new dates.  By the 1st of December we should have our new information up on the website.  We will accept checks after January 1, 2011.  We will be in touch with everyone as the year progresses. 
      Keep in mind that the DOT market on Tuesday will continue through November 16th, Columbia market on Thursday will continues through November 18th, and Westminster and Bethesda Cedar Lane markets will continue through November 20th.  So make sure to drop in to visit and stock up on produce for Thanksgiving!!  Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

Dear Friends,

     Its hard to believe this year is flying by so fast!  The fall plantings are now coming in . . . such as fall lettuces, late cucumbers, red beets, kale, string beans, & squash.  Hopefully the sugar snap peas and the snow peas will be ready before we get hit with a frost.  Its always a gamble trying to time things with the late summer plantings.  Peas for example will not germinate properly when the soil is too warm but you must have enough days left in the season for the plants to mature or you'll never reach production. Sometimes you win & then again. . . :(   

    Its now Fuji & Braeburn time with apples.  We just started picking this week.  This weeks apples in your shares will be a mixture of  Grimes Golden (Heirloom), Nittany (Sweet), & Honeycrisp.

     We also have some deals available this week if you wish to order any.  Red Beets are $3.00 a quart box.  Northern Spy apples are $3.00 a quart or $6.00 a 1/2 peck.  These are great baking apples.  We also have some processed horseradish in the same sized containers as they were several weeks ago for $2.00.  Let us know if you want any of these in addition to your usual share.

     Regarding the "mystery items",  we are not inferring that they are mysterious.  Simply that we aren't sure how many of a certain crop will be available.  For example we have cushaw pumpkins but not enough to go around so you may get another item(s) instead.  Some of the items may be a mystery to you and if so just drop us a line & we'll try to help you with what it is and how to prepare it.
 
    This weeks share should include the following:

                                                                  Roma Tomatos                                                   
                                                                  Lettuce
                                                                  Homemade Applesauce (Unsweetened)
                                                                  3 Varieties of apples
                                                                  Cucumber
                                                                  Mystery vegetable
                                                                  Unpasteurized Apple cider
                                                                         

Dear Folks,
      This week you will be getting York Imperial apples - the classic baking and pie apple.  York apples are the apples of choice for all the pie fill companies. The factory farms in our neck of the woods have row upon row of York apples destined for apple pies.  So you will get a chance to try your hand at baking these old heirloom apples.
   We are doing mystery items this week because we have a little of this and a little of that - so be surprised!
  
    Attention DOT, Gang Plank Marina, and all Tuesday deliveries:  There will NOT be a market or any deliveries next Tuesday, Oct 5.  We will add on the last Tuesday in October, October 26 instead.

     Oliver has some chickens ready to go.  They are free range, veggie fed chickens.  You can order them as extras.  They are $5.99/lb and they weigh about 2- 2 1/2 lbs.  He still has about 30 more to butcher, but they are just not quite up to weight.

     This week's shares will include:  Concord grapes, Kale, York apples, Sweet onions, Asian Pears, Winter Squash, String beans and Mystery vegetable/herb.
   Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce 


Extras:

Eggs $4.00/dozen
Butter $3.50 for a 1/2 lb block

Honey Butcher Bologna $7.99/lb Sold in 1/2 and 1/4 lb packs
Sweet Butcher Bologna  $7.49/lb sold in 1/2 and 1/4 lb packs

Following items sold in packs approx wieght 4-8 oz each weight varies
smoked Cheddar $9.49/lb
Smoked jalapeno  $9.49/lb
Cheddar  $8.48/lb
Farmers $8.49/lb
Italian  $8.49/lb