News and blog
February, 2018
What's going on at the Farm this month!
High Tunnel
We decided to try to use our high tunnel more efficiently. The high tunnel sits empty for a lot of the year. We wanted to use this space if possible to get some production from it during the winter months. So the high tunnel dirt was scraped, scooped and mixed with high level compost into raised beds within the high tunnel. There are now five long raised beds for greens, radishes and spring onions. We are hoping to get some things planted in there within the next week. Then hopefully they will be available at the market stands in March and April.
Our long term plan is to add a heat source to the high tunnel in September - possibly a woodburning furnace. Then we will be able to plant greens in the high tunnel for the whole of the fall and winter months. Thus making money on a structure that is already in place and adding green to the markets and CSA throughout the fall and winter months.
Processing Shed
The processing shed that we are working on is still being finished. The weather got extremely cold and we were not able to finish it just yet, because of possible frozen pipes and water lines. So that will be finished as soon as it can be done. We will keep you posted.
Jams and Jellies
The jam and jellies that you all love are coming along well. The flavors that are being made this month are blueberry, strawberry and black cherry, with occasional peach intermixed. Our storage room is beginning to fill up.
Orchards
The fruit trees are being pruned. We also had to take out about 40-50 apple trees that had gotten San Jose Scale last year because of the very wet, humid summer. This scale is VERY contagious to all fruit trees and is very hard to control so we felt it would be best to get rid of the trees and start again, since these were big, old trees. We will be letting the land set fallow this year and plan to replant this section next year. The trees have all been pulled out; now they need to be burnt.
The other fruit orchards looks good and the peaches look fine. We will be planting new plums, peaches and apples this spring that were ordered last year.
The berries are getting pruned right now. Raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, currants, and jostaberries are all looking fine. We are cleaning up the elderberries and redoing the posts on the grape vines.
Vehicles
We decided to put our old Chevy pick up back on the road. It had farm tags and could only be driven between the farms and only in the daytime. We decided that it would be more cost efficient to get the Chevy up to inspection quality than it would be to buy another truck. We did buy a second pickup with four-wheel drive that can haul the livestock trailer to the butcher shop and also could go to market if needed. The Chevy does not have enough power to haul the trailer when it is loaded. Now we have two road-worthy vehicles besides box trucks that can run on the roads.
Seeds/Plants
We are purchasing seeds and plants for the new growing season. We just took seeds to Miller's Plant Farm; they get our seeds started for us. We usually buy plants from them later for certain vegetables. We try not to start our greenhouse until March - it is not cost effective to pay for propane in January and February.
Markets in February
The two markets that are still going throughout the winter are doing very well- thanks to all our loyal customers who come out in some of the worst weather to buy from us.
If you can, come to visit one of these markets, we would love to see you.
National Geographic Society Courtyard Farm Stand - Tuesdays until February 27 7:30-1:30pm
St Luke's Episcopal Church Fort Hunt Rd, Alexandria, VA - every Saturday - all year 8-1pm
CSA
Our prices for the CSA will remain the same until the end of February.
Full season - fruit and vegetables $638
Full season - fruit and vegetables plus 1/2 doz eggs $698
Full season - fruit and vegetables plus dozen eggs $758
Half season - fruit and vegetables $320
If you have any questions about the CSA, please contact us.
Check out our website - www.orchardcountryproduce
email: ocp@orchardcountryproduce.com
Thank you to the 16 folks who have signed up for the CSA so far! That is a total of $12,824! We are continually amazed at your willingness to support us - many of you are new to us and are taking things sight unseen. Others of you have been with us for many years and yet you still trust us to provide the food for your tables. We have made mistakes and you have helped us during our learning curves. What a great relationship! We are enjoying growing, working and marketing our farm products.
Oliver and Elisabeth Keckler + Isabelle
Gregg and Louise Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Granny Smith apples
Gold Rush apples
Fuji apples
Cameo apples
Nittany apples
apple cider
Home Baked Goods
Great Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer!
Home Baked Goods
Great Farm Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Granny Smith apples
Gold Rush apples
Fuji apples
Cameo apples
Nittany apples
apple cider
Home Baked Goods
Great Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer!
Home Baked Goods
Great Farm Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Granny Smith apples
Gold Rush apples
Fuji apples
Cameo apples
Nittany apples
apple cider
Home Baked Goods
Great Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer!
Home Baked Goods
Great Farm Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Granny Smith apples
Gold Rush apples
Fuji apples
Braeburn apples
Cameo apples
Nittany apples
apple cider
Home Baked Goods
Great Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer!
Home Baked Goods
Great Farm Products
What's New at the Farm
Oliver and Juan have been working on a new cleaning, processing and packing room for all our vegetables. Before we were cleaning and prepping produce either in a shed with only half a roof (The rest of the roof was usually flapping in the wind or we were processing on the back of a pickup truck.) We now have a new addition for all the packing, cleaning, bunching, etc. It is attached to our larger cooler. (If you were here last spring - it is the building where we had all the food.) This addition not only has a new stainless steel sink and storage area, but it also has a restroom for field workers and an area for the water tank and pump. Now it will not freeze in the winter. Oliver and Juan are putting the finishing touches on it. This was our "capital improvement " project for the year.
Gregg has been making lots of jams and jellies. He was caring for the new batch of broiler chicks that we got around Thanksgiving. He has also been hauling wheelbarrow- loads of mulch to blackberries and boysenberries.
I have been pruning and generally cleaning up berries and currants.
The weather has been pretty good for winter time. We are still getting lettuce from the high tunnel. We have turnips and beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash stored in the big walk-in. We have apples in the cooler. The really cold weather killed the kale and parsley, but the cold is very needful. Last year we had too many bugs because last winter was not cold enough to kill them. Hopefully this year they will be eliminated.
Future plans for the rest of the winter
Oliver and Juan have already started on pruning fruit trees. They will finish by mid-February. Gregg and Oliver are buying seeds and ordering plants. All the guys will be butchering broilers in a couple weeks for winter sales at markets. They are also going to be butchering old layers so that we will have some stewing hens.
I will be trellising grapes and raspberries and rejuvenating gooseberries and elderberries and also taxes.
We are still going to 2 markets each week. Gregg is at NGS on Tuesdays and Oliver is at St Luke's on Saturdays. Oliver plans to continue each week with no breaks. Gregg will go until the end of February and then start up again in April.
CSA update
Thanks to all who have signed up for the 2018 CSA. We got more shares signed up and paid for in December then we ever had before. This is a testament to your faith in us. We are alternately humbled and proud of your confidence. Thanks so much! We plan to be worthy of your trust.
If you are interested in participating in the 2018 CSA, please check our website for information or you can email me and I will send you information.
Family news
We are hoping to get a new family photo with Oliver and Lizzie and Isabelle and Gregg and I on the website soon.
In other family news - In September of last year, Gregg had the unique opportunity to get his picture taken with five pregnant daughters at one time! Lydia had her baby in October, Katie in December; Martha is having twins in March, Sarah in April and Virginia in May. Wow! They are coming fast!
Isabelle is growing like a weed! If you went to St Luke's in December you had the opportunity to meet her and Lizzie. She loves smiling and "talking" - of course - she takes after her father.
Oliver,Lizzie and Isabelle Keckler
Gregg and Louise Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc