View this email in your browser
Farm News from Orchard Country Produce
Gardners, PA
We are a two generation family farm in rural Cumberland County, PA. We own approximately 57 acres; some of it in woodland, some in pasture, some in hay, most in vegetables and fruit trees. We have four greenhouses. One for propagation and two are unheated high tunnels and one is heated. We raise hogs and broiler chickens for meat and layer chickens for eggs. Our family consisted of Gregg and Louise Keckler (old people) and Oliver and Lizzie Keckler with their four children – Isabelle, 8; Remington, 6; Cassidee, 3 and Travis.
This is a review of what has happened in the last month on our fields, in our greenhouses and tunnels and around the farm.
We are taking orders for turkeys for Thanksgiving! These turkeys are from York Springs Turkey Farm. These birds are raised and butchered just 10 miles from our farm and we know what goes into them.
Talk to Oliver or
Gregg at the markets if you would like to pick one up at any of the markets on November 20 or 22.
The Field Crops
We are cleaning up the fields. They are being mowed off, the black plastic is being removed and the ground is getting ready either for an early spring planting or for the winter. We are still picking broccoli and cauliflower from the fields. We also have arugula and carrots. Oliver is still picking green beans and Gregg has been picking Lima beans.
We are picking a few red raspberries and hardy kiwis. The hard frost finished off the figs for this year.
We added a nice thick layer of mulch to the blueberries and the thorned blackberries have been trimmed for the year.
The Tunnels
Tunnel one is now empty. The last of the cherry tomatoes have been pulled out and the ground has been cleaned up. We are going to do some renovations to the wooden sideboards on this tunnel this winter.
Tunnel two is covered with ground cloth. We also intend to do some work on this tunnel as well. The big fans need to have the motors replaced or rebuild and this tunnel also needs some work on the wooden sideboards.
Tunnel three is filled with lettuce, spinach, chard and kale for the winter. Oliver has been cutting some of it now for the fall markets.
Greenhouse Seeding
The greenhouse is empty right now except for a few perennial spinach in big pots and a few weeds. All the windows and fans have been closed up for the winter and the gas has been turned off until March.
CSA
The CSA is in the 22th week. We are nearing the end of the CSA season. We are planning to make some changes to the CSA for next year. I will keep you posted once we get past the market season in November. Look for an email from me in December to explain some new ideas.
Canning, Gardening, Grilling and Preserving
I have been canning a lot of applesauce. I love applesauce. It is very mild for my stomach and can be very versatile – sweetened with honey or eaten with sharp cheddar cheese! Delicious! So far I have not canned any apple juice yet because Gregg keeps drinking it fresh. I have also been using it to sweeten a drink I have been making with fresh comfrey leaves. I blend them in a blender after the vein has been cut out. Then I blend up some fresh tea leaves – I have been using lemon balm or applemint and then I add apple juice and blend it very well for at least 5 minutes. Then it is ready to drink! Comfrey is a great herb for self-healing.
My flowering kale was being eaten by WORMS! I had to spray they with Dipel – an organic cabbage worm killer. Hopefully they will perk up a bit before Thanksgiving. They always look so well on the dinner table during the holiday.
Farm Stands and Markets
Saturdays
The St Luke’s Farm Stand is open on Saturdays from 8 – 1 pm. It will be closed on November 29, but reopen on December 6.
The Fairfax Community Market is open on Saturdays from 8 – 1 pm until November 22.
Thursdays
The Belle View Condos Farm Stand is open from 2 pm – 7 pm every Thursday until November 20.
The East Columbia Library Farm Stand is open from 12 noon until 6 pm every Thursday until November 20.
Have a Great Day!
Louise
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Gregg and Louise Keckler
Oliver and Lizzie Keckler with Isabelle, Remington and Cassidee, and Travis also.
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
1410 Goodyear Rd
Gardners, PA 17324
717-486-4653
www.orchardcountryproduce.com
Copyright © 2025 Orchard Country Produce, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you originally opted in at our website: www.orchardcountryproduce.com We have recently updated our email provider and had to resubscribe all users. Thank you for your business!
Add us to your address book
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
