News and blog
Farm News for May
We are planting everywhere! Gregg has been planting lots of new blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry plants this month. Juan and Oliver began the month by planting tons of new peach trees. They also planted apples trees as well. Now they are on the trans planter - planting vegetables from the greenhouse. Gregg planted a few early tomatoes in the field by hand, hoping that the nice weather will give us some early cherry tomatoes.
We are picking asparagus! Oliver, Elisabeth, Gregg, Juan, Me and others are picking and bunching night and day! This is a good crop year for asparagus.
We are also picking rhubarb. They are looking nice and very good.
We have early kale, spring onions and lettuce and some radishes from the high tunnel.
We have had to make some major repairs on a tractor and several box trucks this spring. These have been MAJOR bills. So needless to say, we are anious to get to market this spring.
Farm Markets
We are excited about our markets this year. We have made a switch from CSA to more market locations and longer market seasons. Some markets have already begun.
Tuesdays
DOT Market on Third and M St SW from 10 - 2 pm Open NOW
NGS Farm Stand in the Courtyard from 8-2pm Open NOW
Thursdays
Government Center - Parking Lot B, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA from 3-7pm Open NOW
The Following Farm markets will be starting soon.
Saturdays
St Luke's Episcopal Church Fort HUnt Rd, Alexandria, VA from 8-1pm Begins Saturday, May 5 RAIN OR SHINE
Westminster Farmers' Market - Conway Parking Lot from 8-12noon Begins Saturday May 13
Rhode Island Row Farmer's Market - 2300 Washington Pl, NE from 10-2pm Begins Saturday, May 13
Tuesday Farm Stands opening soon
River Towers- 6621 Wakefield Dr, Alexandria, VA from 4-7pm Begins Tuesday, May 16
Woodlake Towers - 3100 S Manchester St, Falls Church, VA from 4-7pm Begins June 20
Thursday Farm Stand opening soon.
East Columbia Library Cradlerock Way, Columbia MD from 12 noon- 6pm Begins Thursday, May 11
CSA
We still have a few slots open for CSA subscribers for this year. All deliveries will be on Tuesdays this year. May 15 is the deadline to sign up for the spring session. We have no more subscriptions available for personal shares for this year, but we are recommending that folks get to gether with a friend and share a half share.
Farm Party
Our farm party went off even if it was cold, damp and raining. We enjoyed meeting everyone and giving tours. Juan's steaks were great and Lizzie's pies were a hit! We will have another, hopefully during the fall and apple picking. We are planning more activites and hopefully better weather!
We are enjoying the lovely spring weather. We have a pair of Indigo Buntings nesting in the lilacs. We also have a pair of House Wrens building a nest on the side porch. These are very entertaining to watch while eating meals and their songs are beautiful! I (Louise) have been cleaning out the lilacs. This job has been neglected for many years. Cutting maple saplings four inches in diameter, tearing down monkey vines and getting rid of dead branches. The lilacs are appreciating it. They have been so fragrant and lovely this year. I hope that you are getting outside and noticing the wonderful creation and nature's handiwork are it's finest!
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Home Baked Goods
Great Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Home Baked Goods
Great Products
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
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
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!
Home Baked Goods
Great Farm Products
Big event coming up!
You are invited!
April 22 - Farm Party!
RSVP to this email if you would like to come to the Party!
We would like to have an idea of how many folks will be coming by April 8.
Farm News
Juan finished trimming all the trees today. Tomorrow he and Oliver will begin to repair crates. Oliver has been working on the Mahindra tractor for a couple of weeks. The pigs are doing great! We have 8 pigs - growing and eating! We sent two steers to the butcher last week.
Gregg is making jam and applesauce. He started to plant kale seeds in the greenhouse this week. The season is beginning early!
I am doing the taxes:(
Markets and CSA News
Gregg and Oliver are stilling going to two markets every week until the end of February. Oliver is at St Luke's in Alexandria on Fridays and Gregg is at NGS on 16th St on Tuesdays.
Now is the time to sign up for the 2017 CSA. We are making decisions about whether to accept new stops for Wednesday so if you intend to get a drop off at your business on Wednesday throughout the summer, email us ASAP.
If you know of a good location for a farm stand on Saturdays, please let us know. It would need to be on private property - business, church, store, etc and have great visibility and potential for foot or car traffic.
Here is our current market schedule for the spring.
Saturdays - St Luke's, Bush Hill and Westminster
Thursdays - East Columbia Library
Tuesdays - DOT, NGS, River Towers, and Woodlake Towers
Wednesdays - So far we have deliveries scheduled for River Park, Senate Square Towers, Navy League Building,
You can go to the website and sign up now! www.orchardcountryproduce.com You can pay with a credit card, arrange scheduled payments or pay with a check in the mail.
Discount of 6% are automatically counted in if you sign up for all three main seasons, spring, summer and fall.
If you send a check you can take an additional 4% discount.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Don't forget the Farm Party - April 22
Come out and buy local farm products from the real farmer
FRUIT
Home Baked Goods
Great Products