News and blog
National Geographic Society - Tuesday, July 7 from 9-2pm in the courtyard.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
Rhubarb
Sweet Cherries
sour cherries
black raspberries
blueberries
apricots
pluots
gooseberries
red currants
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
sweet candy onions
okra
cucumbers
zucchini
yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
sweet corn!
tomatoes
red potatoes
cherry tomatoes
pickling cucumbers
green beans
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - we have steaks!
pork - we have chops!
whole chicken
Bakery
Raised Breads
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blueberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Special deals on sauce apples
$15 half bushel or TWO half bushels for $20
email us if you would like to have Gregg bring some for you!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
We will be at DOT for the Farmer's Market tomorrow from 10-2 pm
Come out and get fresh vegetables. We will have these items available for sale.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
Rhubarb
Sweet cherries
blueberries
sour cherries
black raspberries
apricots
pluots
gooseberries
currants
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
summer squash
red potatoes
cucumbers
pickling cucumbers
green beans
sweet corn!
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - We have steaks!
pork - We have chops!
chickens - whole
Bakery
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blueberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Speical deals on sauce apples!
half bushels of zucchini, summer squash and cucumbers.
email us for information if you would like some tomorrow at DOT!
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
Dear Folks,
We are doing some exciting things this week.
Now is the time to sign up for the summer session which begins on July 20 - September 5. You can go to the website and sign up and pay with a credit card or you can save 4% by sending us a check in the mail.
YOU CAN GET FREE STORE CREDIT BE SIGNING UP A FRIEND!
If you get a friend to sign up and they write your name in the box provided on the sign up page, you can get a $20 voucher for items from our online store or at the farm stands.
Help us get new members!
Help yourself to get fresh fruits, vegetables and meats!
Help a friend to get into good eating, local farming, and sustainable living
Second special contest of the week!
This week each CSA box will have a zinnia in it. If you get a yellow zinnia in your box, send us a picture of the flower next to your CSA box, and we will give you a FREE quart of peaches next week! They are delicious early peaches.
So get excited about your vegetables and fruits this week.
I am constantly changing items on the store.
Gregg is making zinnia bunches. Check them out on the store. These will brighten your day!
I just added a SPECIAL deal for blueberries. 2 pints for $10. Stock up on blueberries for the winter.
Special - two bunches of kale for $5.00.
We still have sauce apples available as well.
I just added steaks to the store. We are now stocked with various beef steaks. Check them out.
This week's shares will include:
half and Full shares:
blueberries
gooseberries
red beets
green beans
kale
summer squash/zucchini
slicing cucumbers
personal shares:
blueberries
kale
red beets
summer squash/ zucchini
slicing cucumbers
Gooseberries are a great tart summer berry. They are like a grape in texture, but more tart. Give them a try.
Red Beets are a great source of iron. Do not turn your nose up at them because of some old childhood memory. Give them a second chance. They are delicious.
I know we have been giving a lot of summer squash and zucchini.
Here is what happened. We have always planted our summer squash on zucchini on rented land. This year we purchased a farm, (which some of you got a chance to see at the spring workday) We planted the same amount of seeds, but the plants went crazy. They began producing and are still producing. We were actually hauling summer squash ahd zucchini to auction. The pigs and steers have been enjoying them and of course you are eating them and we are eating them too Obviously this new farm has great soil. Next year we will only plant half the seeds. So enjoy.
We are picking great looking green beans right now!
Cucumbers are great on any salad and also a good cucumber sandwich with mayo is just right for a lunch!
Have a great week! Enjoy the goldfinches and the lovely sunflowers!
Sometimes goldfinches one by one will drop
From low-hung branches; little space they stop,
but sip, and twitter, and their feathers sleek,
Then off at once, as in a wanton freak;
Or perhaps, to show their black and golden wings;
pausing upon their yellow flutterings.
John Keats
Gregg, Louise and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
Tomorrow JULY 4TH
Oliver will be at St Luke's Episcopal Church from 8 - 1 pm.
Gregg will be at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on South King's Highway Alexandria on Saturdays from 8-1 pm
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market stands.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
apples - Lodi
Rhubarb
red raspberries
Sweet cherries
apricots
blueberries
black raspberries
plumcots
gooseberries
currants
Vegetables
patty pan squash
SNOW PEAS!
spring onions
green beans
Kale
lettuce
red potaotes
Swiss chard
Red Beets with tops
Snap peas
broccoli
cucumbers
zucchini
Yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
cabbage
shall peas
pickling cucumbers
Tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
Meat - our own home grown
beef - WE HAVE STEAKS! Filets, NY strips, Rib steaks, sirloin, flat iron
Fresh chicken - just butchered
pork - We have chops and ham steak, bacon, breakfast links
Bakery
Raised Breads - Honey Oatmeal and cinnamon bread
cinnamon rolls
Sweet breads - banana, zucchini, and apple
cookies
Homemade strawberry/rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blackberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
We will be there on JULY 4TH!
Rain or shine - We will be here to bring you fresh fruits and vegetables as they are picked!
Come out to check out the vegetables and fruits. We have sweet corn! .
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
Fruit
apples - Lodi
Rhubarb
plumcots
Sweet cherries
apricots
blueberries
black raspberries
red raspberries
gooseberries
currants
Vegetables
spring onions
green beans
Kale
lettuce
sweet corn
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
Snow peas
Snap peas
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
patty pan squash
pickling cucumbers
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
Meat - our own home grown
beef -
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread and cinnamon bread
Sweet breads - banana, pumpkin and apple, zucchini
cookies
Homemade strawberry - rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
Blackberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
East Columbia Farmer's Market
East Columbia Library
Cradlerock Way
2-6 pm.
Rain or shine - We will be here to bring you fresh fruits and vegetables as they are picked!
Stock up for the 4th of July!
Come out to check out the great vegetables and berries. We have great green beans!
These are some of the items that we will have tomorrow at the market.
Fruit
Rhubarb
Sweet Cherries
Apricots
blueberries
black raspberries
red raspberries
gooseberries
plumcots
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets in the bunch!
Swiss chard
Snap peas
kohlrabi
broccoli
zucchini
yellow summer squash
cucumbers
red and green cabbage
pickling cucumbers
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
English shell peas
green beans
Meat - our own home grown
beef - We have steaks - rib steaks, NY strip, sirloin flat iron, filets - Get for your holiday grilling!
pork- We have chops, fresh ham steaks, 7 in grillers and breakfast links
chickens - whole
Bakery
Raised Breads - honey oatmeal bread and cinnamon
Sweet breads - banana,and apple and zucchini
cookies
Homemade strawberry - rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blackberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
Dear Folks,
We are back in the beef again. We have filets, rib steaks, and NY strips again. We also have pork breakfast sausage links. Check them out!
Sour cherries are on the store. We will also have them at the markets on Thursday and Saturday.
Louise
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc
We will be at DOT for the Farmer's Market tomorrow from 10-2 pm
Come out and get fresh vegetables. We will have these items available for sale.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
Rhubarb
Sweet cherries
blueberries
red raspberries
black raspberries
apricots
pluots
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
summer squash
red potatoes
cabbage
snow peas
snap peas
English peas
cucumbers
pickling cucumbers
green beans
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - We have steaks!
pork - We have chops!
chickens - whole
Bakery
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blueberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Speical deals on sauce apples!
half bushels of zucchini, summer squash and cucumbers.
email us for information if you would like some tomorrow at DOT!
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
National Geographic Society - Tuesday, June 30 from 9-2pm in the courtyard.
We will have jellies, honey, Shagbark hickory syrup
Fruit
Rhubarb
Sweet Cherries
red raspberries
black raspberries
blueberries
apricots
pluots
Vegetables
spring onions
Kale
lettuce
red beets with the tops
Swiss chard
snow peas
sugar snap peas
cucumbers
zucchini
yellow summer squash
kohlrabi
French radishes
high tunnel tomatoes
red potatoes
cherry tomatoes
cabbage
pickling cucumbers
green beans
HERBS
mint tea
catnip
cut basil
dill
parsley
Meat - our own home grown
beef - we have steaks!
pork - we have chops!
whole chicken
Bakery
Raised Breads
Sweet breads
cookies
Homemade strawberry-rhubarb pies
Cherry pies
blueberry pies
Home grown eggs
Homemade jellies and jams
HONEY
Shagbark Hickory Syrup
Cheese from Whispering Brook Cheese Haus
Looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at the stand!
Special deals on sauce apples
$15 half bushel or TWO half bushels for $20
email us if you would like to have Gregg bring some for you!
Gregg, Louise, Oliver Keckler - Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm
Dear Folks,
This week's shares will include:
Half and full shares
blueberries
cabbage
zucchini/summer squash
Swiss chard
slicing cucumbers
sweet cherries
hull peas
Personal shares:
blueberries
cabbage
zucchini/summer squash
Swiss Chard
slicing cucumbers
We are truly into the summer fruits and vegetables now. Enjoy the squash! Gregg loves it steamed with just a bit of Old Bay seasoning. He says it is almost as good as crabs!
The blueberries are sweet. I had some this morning for breakfast. Delicious! They also make great blueberries muffins.
If the cabbage has some rot on the outside - just peel it down a bit. We are trying to keep it, but it is rotting in the field because of the rain. Cucumbers are great sliced in sandwiches or in salads.
Enjoy the hull peas now. They are nearing the end of their season.
What's Coming.
We should be picking sour cherries by the end of the week. We are also picking a few green beans for markets this week. We are getting a lot more cherries tomatoes and we are beginning to pick them from the field now.
The Store
I have added new items from to the store. Check these out. I will also be adding steaks to the store by the end of the week. We had a beef butchered and will be back in steaks soon!
Thanks to all for supporting our farm. You make our work worthwhile not just financially, but also meaningful. When people want what you grow and sell it makes it worthwhile.
Have a great holiday.
Vacations
Remember if you cannot pick up at your usual site, you may change your location by sending me an email and arranging to pick up at another site. You can also have a friend pick up for you. Or if all else fails - you can donate your share to the DC soup kitchen by letting us know and we will arrange for the donation on Tuesdays.
Gregg, Louise and Oliver Keckler
Orchard Country Produce and Fruit Farm, Inc