Dear Folks,
    This week's shares will include: cantaloupe, peppers, tomatoes, plums, jam,. sweet corn, and a mystery item.

We like giving the mystery item because it really helps us give different things to each group.  This helps when we have just a few of some things.  The peppers this week could be bell peppers or sweet banana peppers, but no hot peppers, yet.  Use the tomatoes in everything.  I made a very good tomato, onion, cucumber, and pepper salad using red wine vinegar, sugar, dill and oregano.  These kinds of dishes don't require a lot of any one vegetable. 
  The jam is made from our own fruit.  Enjoy some of the mixed varieties that Gregg made this year.
  Our corn is a very good sweet corn.  We pay a neighbor to grow the corn for us.  We buy the seeds and he plants and maintains it for us.  We have Incredible (a yellow variety), Mira (a bi-color variety), and Argent (a white corn)  We love these variety.  The are great sweet corn and will keep their sweetness for several days.
  
Have a great week of good food.

Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

Extras list

parsley - $2.00/bunch
red heart plums - $3.50/pint
large bell peppers - 2 for $1.50
cherry tomatoes - $4.00/pint
peaches - $4.00/quart
1/2 bushel of tomatoes for canning - $15.00




BEEF

 $4.50/lb                                                              $6.99/lb                                                        $3.50/lb
Lean Ground Beef (1 lb pack)                                 Round Steak                                                 Beef liver (1 lb pk)

$11.99/lb                                                              $13.99/lb                                                      $15.99/lb
New York Strip (2 steaks/pk)                                 Flat Iron (2 steaks/pk)                            Filet Mignon (2 st/pk)
Sirloin Steak                                                          Delmonico (2 steaks/pk)  


PORK
7 inch sausage links $5.99/lb (4 per pack)
Pork chops $5.99/lb (2 per pack)
Smoked pork bologna $8.00/lb or $4.00/half lb

CHEESE

$9.99/lb                                                              $11.99/lb                                                       $14.99/lb
Farmers                                                               Smoked Cheddar                                           mild Goat Gouda
Cheddar                                                               Smoked Jalapeño
Baby Swiss                                                          Sharp
tomato/basil
dill/bacon
colby jack

CHICKEN
about 3 lb whole chickens    $5.99 /lb
chicken broth and stock     $4.00/quart


JAMS                                                                    EGGS                                                              BUTTER
$4.50/half pint jar                                                 $4.00/doz                                                     $3.50/half pound
Red Heart Plum
Strawberry
Raspberry
Black Cherry                                                          HONEY
Grape                                                                      $5.00/half pint jar
Orange Marmalade
Blackberry
Pink Lady and Pomegranate

Please forward this to any list serves in the Bethesda Area.  Thanks!

This week at the Farm Stand

Come out on Saturday morning 9 AM- 1 PM.
 
We are located in the upper parking lot of the UU Church   9601 Cedar La, Bethesda.  Check us out!

If you haven't been out yet this year, NOW is the time!
We are heading into the height of the harvesting season.  Come out and enjoy fresh, LOCAL produce.

SWEET CORN!  We have yellow and bi-color.  Very sweet! 

PLUMS!  We have MANY varieties of plums.  Santa Rosa, Red Heart, and Shiro!

PEACHES!  FREE STONE peaches.  Very Sweet!

Nectarines!

BLACKBERRIES!

Canteloupes!   Very sweet!   We have sugar baby WATERMELONS.

The first pears - KLAPP's Pears - Very nice pears!


GREEN BEANS! and YELLOW BEANS!

We will have HEIRLOOM TOMATOES -  Purple Cherokee, pink Branywine, Germanhead, Lemon Boy, Beefsteak, Black Tula, and many others.  
Taste them and see if they are not the best tomatoes of the year!

We have lots of cherry, grape, plum and SUN GOLD tomatoes!  perfect for salads or on the grill!

Email us if you would like to purchase large quanities of tomatoes for canning!


Broccoli, Kohlrabi - great vegetables!

Sweet BANANA Peppers and bell peppers and HOT peppers.

We have ZUCCHINI, YELLOW SQUASH, and CUCUMBERS including lemon cucumbers.

RED BEETS!  Great size, Great taste

We  have salad mixes, fresh herbs including BASIL and DILL!

  KALE,  COLLARDS, SWISS CHARD! Lettuce mixes! 

New RED and white POTATOES! 

Good Summer SWEET ONIONS!  Spanish White onions, purple and red onions and Walla Walla onions

Nice green CABBAGE!

OKRA! EGGPLANT!  CARROTS!

BEEF -  Buy grass fed hormone- free beef for your cookouts!  Our own beef. 
       ground beef, round steak, sirloin, Delmonico steaks, fillet mignon,  flat iron and NY strip 

PORK -  We have free-range pork for all occasions.  Chops, 7 inch links for the grill,  and our own pork bologna.  This bologna is very smooth and deliciously sweet.

WE HAVE CHICKEN!  Oliver butchered a few chickens this week.  These chicken weigh in at about 3 lb.  Nice size for grilling or frying  

 CHEESE- including dill/bacon, cheddar, smoked cheddar, sharp cheddar, smoked jalapeño, farmers, baby Swiss, tomato/basil and goat Gouda. 
The list of ingredients for these cheeses is simple:  unpasturized milk, vegetable enymes, sea salt - refreshingly short.

Free range eggs!  Our own eggs from our own chickens.

BLUEBERRY PIE and Peach PIE - We have our own pies, sweet breads, honey and jams.

Gregg and Louise Keckler -Orchard Country Produce
 Gardners, PA

Dear Friends,
  August is here with sweet corn, canteloupes, tomatoes, and watermelon.  This summer is going quickly.  We are picking Clapp's pears and Summer Rambo apples this week.  Oliver is picking toms of tomatoes.  We hired two men to pick cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, and blackberries for us.  We are going to be digging carrots soon.  Gregg planted turnips last week for fall picking.  We have also planted another batch of green beans for late September picking.  The winter squash, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage look great.  We might even get some lima beans this year.  Tthey are always touchy.  Some years - good and other - bad)

     We hope you are enjoying the summer.

     The deadline to sign up of the fall session is September 2. 

     If your business or neighborhood community would like to arrange a delivery - just get 6 subscribers for the same location and we will make a delivery.  Let us know if you have any questions. 

Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

Please forward this to any list serves in the Bethesda Area.  Thanks!

This week at the Farm Stand

Come out on Saturday morning 9 AM- 1 PM.
 
We are located in the upper parking lot of the UU Church   9601 Cedar La, Bethesda.  Check us out!

If you haven't been out yet this year, NOW is the time!
We are heading into the height of the harvesting season.  Come out and enjoy fresh, LOCAL produce.

SWEET CORN!  We have yellow and bi-color.  Very sweet! 

PLUMS!  We have MANY varieties of plums.  Santa Rosa, Red Heart, and Methley!

PEACHES!  FREE STONE peaches.  Very Sweet!

BLUEBERRIES AND red, pink, and yellow RASPBERRIES- here now!

BLACKBERRIES!

APRICOTS!

The first pears - KLAPP's Pears - Very nice pears!


GREEN BEANS! and YELLOW BEANS!

We will have HEIRLOOM TOMATOES -  Purple Cherokee, pink Branywine, Germanhead, Lemon Boy, Beefsteak, Black Tula, and many others.  
Taste them and see if they are not the best tomatoes of the year!

Broccoli, Kohlrabie - great vegetables!

Cherry Grape, and plum tomatoes are here.

Sweet BANANA Peppers and bell peppers.

We have ZUCCHINI, YELLOW SQUASH, and CUCUMBERS including pickling cukes and lemon cucumbers.

RED BEETS!  Great size, Great taste

We  have salad mixes, fresh herbs including BASIL and DILL .  KALE,  COLLARDS, SWISS CHARD!

New RED and white POTATOES!  Good Summer SWEET ONIONS!  Spanish White onions, purple and red onions and Walla Walla onions

Nice green CABBAGE!

OKRA! EGGPLANT!

BEEF -  Buy grass fed hormone- free beef for your cookouts!  Our own beef. 
       ground beef, round steak, sirloin, Delmonico steaks, fillet mignon,  flat iron and NY strip 

PORK -  We have free-range pork for all occasions.  Chops, 7 inch links for the grill,  fresh pork steaks, chops, and our own pork bologna.  This bologna is very smooth and deliciously sweet.

WE HAVE CHICKEN!  Oliver butchered a few chickens this week.  These chicken weigh in at about 3 lb.  Nice size for grilling or frying  

 CHEESE- including dill/bacon, cheddar, smoked cheddar, sharp cheddar, smoked jalapeño, farmers, baby Swiss, tomato/basil and goat Gouda. 
The list of ingredients for these cheeses is simple:  unpasturized milk, vegetable enymes, sea salt - refreshingly short.

Free range eggs!  Our own eggs from our own chickens.

BLUEBERRY PIE and CHERRY PIE - We have our own pies, sweet breads, honey and jams.

Gregg and Louise Keckler -Orchard Country Produce
 Gardners, PA

Dear Folks,

Welcome to our summer CSA session.  I had a few errors on my "CSA extras and stuff" email that you received last week.
   1.  Wednesday deliveries begin on July 27.
   2. Add 7 inch sausage links @5.99/lb (4/pk) under pork extras
   3.  Add Colby Jack cheese @9.99/lb under cheese items.
  

I want to remind
GANGPLANK
WEDNESDAY deliveries
FRIDAY deliveries
 GAITHERSBURG
That you can order extras at any time to be included in your next delivery.  We will keep a running total and send you a bill at the end of the session and then you can send a check.
   
Tthis week's share will include:  peaches, plums/apricots, bell pepper, new potatoes, yellow squash, tomatoes, Swiss chard, and cucumber.

     The peaches are free stone and delicious.  If they are firm let them sit on your counter to soften them.  If they are soft refrigerate then.  The plums are Methley if they are light purple, Santa Rosa if they are red, and Shiro if they are yellow.
       New potatoes are perfect for the grill.  I put them in the microwave for about 7-10 minutes and then put them on skewers and grill them basting with a mayo, garlic, and oregano mixture.  I also did some creative grilling with squash.  Try new things or make a different marinade for the veggies.

   I know some of you balk at Swiss chard.  Try if in different ways - sautéed, steamed, put a leaf or two on a deli sandwich.  Remember Americans seem to have developed an aversion to greens.  Try to overcome it.  If you don't think you  or your children can handle a whole skillet full of Chard, just throw in a leaf or two in here and there.  Even if the chard goes limp, it is still usable.  Challenge yourself to use EVERY piece of it throughout the week.

    The cucumbers could be large pickling cucumbers or straight eights (the dark skinned ones).  With all the heat and no rain the skins could be getting bitter, if you find them too bitter just peel them.

   The tomatoes this week could be any kind.  We are picking heirloom tomatoes now as well as plum, grape, and cherry tomatoes.  Every tomato is ripe and ready to eat regardless of color.  We have purple Cherokee, black Tula, Germanhead, pink Brandywine, pineapple, Beefsteak, Pink girls and lemon boys big green giants and others.   So enjoy these.  DO NOT PUT TOMATOES IN THE FRIG unless you plan to make sauce with them.  The temperature of the refrigerator is too cold for them.
    We converted an old milk house (where the milk cans were kept in a trough of cold water until the truck could pick them up) into a tomato house.  We insulated the house (6x8) and installed an air conditioner set at about 60 degrees.  The tomatoes love it! and sometimes we sneak in there ourselves since our house is not air- conditioned.

We also have some extra items for sale if you are interested.
  pickling cucumbers - $4.00/quart
  Basil
  Dill
  Sage - $2.00/bunch
  Blackberries - $3.50/half pint
  Plums - $3.50/pint


Have a great week eating healthy!  

Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce


Extras List:

CHEESE

$9.99/lb                                                              $11.99/lb                                                       $14.99/lb
Farmers                                                               Smoked Cheddar                                           mild Goat Gouda
Cheddar                                                               Smoked Jalapeño
Baby Swiss                                                          Sharp Cheddar
Dill and Bacon
Tomato and Basil
Colby Jack

BEEF

 $4.50/lb                                                              $6.99/lb                                                        $3.50/lb
Lean Ground Beef (1 lb pack)                                 Round Steak                                                 Beef liver (1 lb pk)

$11.99/lb                                                              $13.99/lb                                                      $15.99/lb
New York Strip (2 steaks/pk)                                 Flat Iron (2 steaks/pk)                            Filet Mignon (2 st/pk)
Sirloin Steak                                                          Delmonico (2 steaks/pk)  
Sirloin Tip (2 steaks/pk)



PORK
7 inch sausage links $5.99/lb (4 per pack)
Ribs $5.99/lb  (about 1.5 lbs/pack)  
Fresh pork steaks from the shoulder $5.99/lb (1 per pack)
Pork chops $5.99/lb (2 per pack)
Smoked pork bologna $8.00/lb or $4.00/half lb

CHICKEN
about 3 lb whole chickens    $5.99 /lb


JAMS                                                                    EGGS                                                              BUTTER
$4.50/half pint jar                                                 $4.00/doz                                                     $3.50/half pound
Red Heart Plum
Strawberry
Raspberry
Black Cherry                                                          HONEY
Grape                                                                      $5.00/half pint jar
Orange Marmalade
Blackberry
Pink Lady and Pomegranate

Curried Collard Greens with Lentils Recipe

 

Total: 1 hour

Active: 20 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1.5 tbsp ghee (or butter)

2 cloves garlic

1 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped

2 medium red onions

1 cup lentils

14oz can diced tomatoes

1.5 tbsp curry powder

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp mango powder (optional)

cayenne pepper (to taste)

3 carrots, thinly sliced

1 large bunch Collard Greens, chopped

Basmati Rice

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cover lentils with 2 cups of water, and boil 30 minutes, or until cooked.
2. Meanwhile, sautee the onion, garlic, and ginger in the ghee.
3. When the onion is soft, add the sliced carrots, and sautee for 5 minutes.
4. Add the spices, canned tomatoes, chopped collard greens and cooked lentils. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until collard greens are done. You may need to add a little water if there isn’t enough in the canned tomatoes.

 

Please forward this to any list serves in the Bethesda Area.  Thanks!

This week at the Farm Stand

Come out on Saturday morning 9 AM- 1 PM.
 
We are located in the upper parking lot of the UU Church   9601 Cedar La, Bethesda.  Check us out!

If you haven't been out yet this year, NOW is the time!
We are heading into the height of the harvesting season.  Come out and enjoy fresh, LOCAL produce.

We  have great SWEET CHERRIES! 

SOUR CHERRIES are here!  Get them now - remember they have a short season.

PLUMS!  Early Yellow and Methley!

PEACHES!  The first of the year.  Very Sweet!

BLUEBERRIES AND red, pink, and yellow RASPBERRIES- here now!

BLACKBERRIES!

APRICOTS!

GREEN BEANS!

We will have HEIRLOOM TOMATOES -  we just picked several flat of great BIG sweet tomatoes.  The kind you remember growing up.  Cherry tomatoes are here.

We have ZUCCHINI, YELLOW SQUASH, and CUCUMBERS including pickling cukes.

RED BEETS!  Great size, Great taste and GREAT greens. 

We  have salad mixes, fresh herbs including BASIL and DILL and spring onions.

New RED and white POTATOES!  Good Summer SWEET ONIONS!  Nice green CABBAGE!

OKRA!

Don't forget Swiss Chard, Collards, and Kale!


BEEF -  Buy grass fed hormone- free beef for your cookouts!  Our own beef. 
       ground beef, round steak, sirloin and sirloin tip steaks, Delmonico steaks, fillet mignon, 

PORK -  We have free-range pork for all occasions.  Chops, 7 inch links for the grill, breakfast links, fresh pork steaks, and our own pork bologna.  This bologna is very smooth and deliciously sweet.  

 CHEESE- including dill/bacon, cheddar, smoked cheddar, sharp cheddar, smoked jalapeño, farmers, baby Swiss, tomato/basil and goat Gouda. 
The list of ingredients for these cheeses is simple:  unpasturized milk, vegetable enymes, sea salt - refreshingly short.

Free range eggs!  Our own eggs from our own chickens.

BLUEBERRY PIE and CHERRY PIE - We have our own pies, sweet breads, honey and jams.

Gregg and Louise Keckler -Orchard Country Produce
 Gardners, PA

Dear Folks,
   This week's shares will include:  plums, new potatoes, red beets or Swiss chard, green beans, shallots, blueberries, summer squash or cucumber.

    There are so many different kinds of plums right now that I can not tell you what kind you will be getting.  The two varieties that we have the most of are Shiro (yellow) and Methley (purple), but there are also Ozarks, Red Hearts, and Santa Rosa.  So you could get anything.  These are not cling-free plums so just eat them and enjoy.  Do not try to cook with them.

    The new potatoes are red or white.  They are so good.  You do not need to cook them long or peel them.
    The red beets still have the tops .  The Swiss Chard is the rainbow variety.  Chard is great in stir-fries. 
    The green beans are very tender. 
    We have never had great sucess with shallots, but we still grow them every year.  ( a sign of insanity.  We have to pull them early (now) because if we let them in the ground until Fall they always rot.  So the shallots are small.  Use them with beans, squash or Chard for a delicious taste.

     Think about making some pickles.  I made a sweet dill pickle last week that was heavenly.  One bunch of dill would be enough to pickle about 2 quarts of cucumbers.  Use dill with beans or potatoes for a great taste.  The dill weed (the fern-looking part)  is great in salads.  I even cut up the stems when I made the pickles.
  
    The basil is a very sweet green variety.  I use basil with potatoes and tomatoes.  I made pesto last week.  A bunch of basil will make about a cup of pesto.  I used sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts and the result was great.
    I have been making everything blueberry this week from muffins, to smoothies and even a trifle. 

    Be Creative!  If you come up with any great recipes (especially fast and easy ones. )  send them to me and I will post them on the blog so others can benefit.

      Deadline to sign up for summer session beginning the week of July 25 is this FRIDAY-JULY 12.  If you procrastinated, but still want in, send me an email and I will sign you up. Then you can send the check before the session starts.
  Happy Eating! 

Gregg and Louise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce

pickling cucumbers- $4.00/quart (about 10)
extra blueberries - $5.00/pint
extra plums - $3.50/pint
1 bunch dill - $2.00
1 bunch basil - $2.00
  
Extras List:

CHEESE
$9.99/lb                                                              $11.99/lb                                                       $14.99/lb
Farmers                                                               Smoked Cheddar                                          Mild Goat Gouda
Cheddar                                                              Smoked Jalapeño
Baby Swiss                                                          Sharp Cheddar
Dill and Bacon
Tomato and Basil


BEEF

 $4.50/lb                                                              $6.99/lb                                                        $7.99/lb
Lean Ground Beef (1 lb pack)                                 Round Steak                                                 Flank Steak

$11.99/lb                                                              $13.99/lb                                                      $15.99/lb
New York Strip (2 steaks/pk)                                 Flat Iron (2 steaks/pk)                            Fillet Mignon (2 st/pk)
Sirloin Steak                                                          Delmonico (2 steaks/pk)  
Sirloin Tip (2 steaks/pk)

JAMS                                                                    EGGS                                                              BUTTER
$4.50/half pint jar                                                 $4.00/doz                                                     $3.50/half pound
Red Heart Plum
Strawberry
Raspberry
Black Cherry                                                          HONEY
Grape                                                                     $5.00/half pint jar
Orange Marmalade
Blackberry
Pink Lady and Pomegranate

Pork
7 inch sausage links   $4.99/lb (pack of 3- 4)
Breakfast links    $5.99/lb   (about 3/4 lb per pack)
Fresh pork steaks from the shoulder $5.99/lb (2 per pack)
Pork chops $5.99/lb (2 per pack)
Smoked pork bologna $8.00/lb or $4.00/half lb

Please forward this to any list serves in the Bethesda Area.  Thanks!

This week at the Farm Stand

Come out on Saturday morning 9 AM- 1 PM.
 
We are located in the upper parking lot of the UU Church   9601 Cedar La, Bethesda.  Check us out!


We are heading into the height of the harvesting season.  Come out and enjoy fresh, LOCAL produce.

We  have great SWEET CHERRIES! 

SOUR CHERRIES are here!  Get them now - remember they have a short season.

PLUMS!

PEACHES!  The first of the year.  Very Sweet!

BLUEBERRIES AND red, pink, and yellow RASPBERRIES- here now!

APRICOTS!

GREEN BEANS!

We will have early TOMATOES -Red Alert and the Fourth of July - great tomatoes for sandwiches and salads! 

We will have ZUCCHINI, YELLOW SQUASH, and CUCUMBERS including pickling cukes.

RED BEETS!  Great size, Great taste and GREAT greens. 

We  have salad mixes, fresh herbs including BASIL and DILL and spring onions.

New RED POTATOES!  Good Summer SWEET ONIONS!  Nice green CABBAGE!

Don't forget Swiss Chard, Collards, Fennel and Kale!


CHICKEN - free-range chicken.   These chickens are fresh, local, grown on grass, no hormones or growth enhancers.  Try it!

BEEF -  Buy grass fed hormone- free beef for your cookouts!  Our own beef. 
       ground beef, round steak, sirloin and sirloin tip steaks, Delmonico steaks, fillet mignon, 

PORK -  We have free-range pork for all occasions.  Chops, 7 inch links for the grill, breakfast links, fresh pork steaks, and our own pork bologna.  This bologna is very smooth and deliciously sweet.  

 CHEESE- including dill/bacon, cheddar, smoked cheddar, sharp cheddar, smoked jalapeño, farmers, baby Swiss, tomato/basil and goat Gouda. 
The list of ingredients for these cheeses is simple:  unpasturized milk, vegetable enymes, sea salt - refreshingly short.

Free range eggs!  Our own eggs from our own chickens.

BLUEBERRY PIE and CHERRY PIE - We have our own pies, sweet breads, honey and jams.

Gregg and Louise Keckler -Orchard Country Produce
 Gardners, PA

Dear Folks,
   Our summer is going great!  We are staking tomato vines, picking raspberries and blueberries, early tomatoes, early peaches, and lots of squash.  We are irrigating the tomatoes since it has been dry lately.  We are planting green beans now for a fall crop.  Everything is getting weeded from the carrots, red beets, tomatoes, winter squash, Swiss chard, etc.  The lettuce is about finished.  It is getting bitter with all the heat. Everything is looking good. 
   We butchered 3 hogs in June.  So we have some great sausage and pork bologna.  We will be butchering chickens at the end of July.  The laying chickens are laying eggs every day.  The young turkeys look good.

   If you haven't signed up for the summer session, the deadline is July 15.  The session starts the week of July 25. 

If you are already signed up you will get an email around July 19 with details about pickup and buying extras. 

If you have any questions send us an email.  Thanks for your interest and support of our farm.  Gregg andnLOuise Keckler - Orchard Country Produce