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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, 7; Remington, 5; Cassidee, 2 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.
The Field Crops
We are picking spring onions, French breakfast radishes, fresh garlic and sugar snap peas from the field. We are also bunching kale and Swiss chard from the field. Oliver is planting lots of field crops right now. The first two plantings of sweet corn were plug planted and transplanted into the field this month. They are covered with row cover and growing in a nice comfortable atmosphere without the win The first batch of cucumbers and zucchini/yellow squash are also in the field under row cover. The first zucchini should be ready to pick soon. The peppers and eggplant are planted and the third batch of sweet corn has been direct seeded. The carrots have germinated. We are picking red beets from the first batch that was planted. The first tomatoes are in the ground. The first cabbage is in and all the spring broccoli are planted.The first sugar cubes and watermelon are ready to be transplanted. There has been so much rain and cold weather that it has set back some of the plantings.
We now have strawberries! They are being picked every third day. The raspberries have berries on them. The black raspberries are a bit ahead of the red. They all look very good. The blackberries are in flower right now and the first tiny grape clusters are on the vines. Unfortunately the cold spring has set back the figs. We will not have any figs until fall.
The peaches, cherries, plums and nectarines all look very good. The cold weather did not effect their timing because it stayed constantly cold. The fruit trees are troubled when it gets warm for 3 -4 days and then gets very cold again. That did not happen this spring.
The asparagus has had a bumper crop year. Asparagus sure likes the cooler, wetter weather.
The Tunnels
Tunnel one is full of cherry tomatoes. I am presently stringing and pruning them. We actually picked a handful of them already. They are sweet, but thick-skinned right now. Tunnel two is half cleaned out. The kale is gone. We are still picking spinach from the other half. We will keep picking it until it bolts. That will probably happen as soon as the temperatures go up and we have lots of sunny days in a row. Tunnel three has lots of great tomatoes in it. Oliver is still heating it because of the cold. The tomatoes are doing very well, but we need a lot of sunny days!
Greenhouse Seeding
The greenhouse is emptying out. I put all the sale pots away for the year. We still have some herbs, tomato and pepper plants and zinnias, marigolds, gomphrenias, and nasturtiums for sale. We have lots of basil plants and parsley and lavender for sale too.
There are sugar cubes, cucumbers, squash and zucchini seeded and growing in the greenhouse as well as kohlrobi, cabbage and believe it or not -Delicata and spaghetti squash for eating in September!
CSA
Thank you to all who have signed up the CSA for 2025. i will be sending out an email early next week to let you know how it works and what will be in the first share.
The first pickup dates for the CSA is June 5 and 7.
Canning, Gardening, Grilling and Preserving
We are eating more asparagus! We are about asparagused out! We love sauteed spinach, spring onions, snow and snap peas.We are having cut strawberries right now. I haven’t made a shortcake yet, but that will be next. We love making iced tea with mint leaves. We have peppermint (my favorite), spearmint and apple mint.
The irises have been beautiful! The peonies are blooming right now and I have the most fragrant white roses blooming too. They smell heavenly. The purple and yellow flags are brightening up the pink Columbine. I have so many violas and Johnny-Jump-Ups blooming everywhere. Every year I plant all the left over ones that do not sell. Some of them look absolutely horrible, but they usually grow and bloom the following year. I have orange poppies blooming, too. The ducks have not bothered them, but I have one chicken….I keep chasing her back into the pen, but somehow she is always getting out! Pretty soon she will become stewed chicken if she does not learn to stay away from the flowers.
I am trying a new project this year. In the front of tunnel one and two, I laid strips of cardboard about two feet wide and the length of the tunnel (100 ft.) Then I put compost on top of the cardboard about 5 -6 in deep. Now I am planting marigolds along both tunnels. I want to see if the marigolds will cause us to have less trouble with white flies and tomato horn worms in the tunnel. Even if it does not work, it will make it look beautiful and bright.
I hope that you are planting a few herbs and potted flowers and enjoying the end of spring and the beginning of summer! Yea!
Farm Stands and Markets
The St Luke’s Farm Stand is open every Saturday from 8 – 1 pm.
The Belle View Condos Farm Stand is open from 2 pm – 7 pm every Thursday until November.
The East Columbia Library Farm Stand is open from 12 noon until 6 pm every Thursday until November.
The Fairfax Community Market is open on Saturdays from 8 – 1 pm.
Come out and support our farm at all the markets this spring get fresh strawberries and great asparagus!.
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
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Orchard Country Produce
1410 Goodyear Road
Gardners, PA 17324
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