fall on the farm

Gold rush are almost ready to pick.
New Strawberries have taken well in the tunnel.. next year they'll be protected from the weather.

Pretty view past the blackberries and apples to the back of the farm.

Jamming

I finally did a good batch of Sour Cherry Jam. mmmmm.

Now what to do with the runny batch...I'm thinking ice cream topping?

If you're waiting, wait no more.

It's going to be fun coming up with the seedless blackberry, I think I'll put some apples into the mix for added pectin. Then onto seedless Black Raspberry. Keep checking in the next few weeks as we work out the kinks!

BIG APPLE NEWS!!

Our applesauce is finally ready! All those people who are asking and ready to stock up for the holiday and the winter....it's time!

Buzz got cider from our first pressing!

Lucky guy.

We immediately sold out, so keep checking back

we'll make it a couple times a week.

busy, rainy week

Wow. We jumped ship last Sat and went to GA to visit my brother Doug and his family.
It's amazingly nice to leave town! We returned just as the rains arrived at the farm and managed to get some apples picked: the sun crisp, winesap, stayman and fuji.
We had the boys pick raspberries on Sat. while Gary drove to the Gettysburg area with our applesauce apples. 150 bushels of apples made the trek out and we hope to pick up our applesauce before the week is out. I know people are planning to get their applesauce as soon as it's in because we sold out last year. So don't be the last one!!
Today we finally got all the parts for the cider press and set up a trial pressing. Stop by for a sample and to get your fresh pressed juice! It's amazing how something so simple can take so long to do...it's only been on the list for 5 years now. But we're ready to move forward and I know Chris is planning some Hard Cider for the holidays...
I'll have pictures soon, couldn't find the connection this evening or maybe I'm just too tired.

Family Portrait

Well, we managed to get everyone out in the orchard at the same time. Of course we had picked the apples off the trees so you can't see them, but that's OK.

What a week. We're sorting and washing apples for applesauce. The pressing date is Monday, but we'll have to drive back out to the cannery and pick everything up later in the week. We need 150 bushels for a batch so all those people who want to buy cases this year are in luck! Kimes' is out in Biglersville, apple country for sure.

The new cider making equipment arrived this week and after a few phone calls we got the missing parts. Soooo, coming soon, our own cider. Yeah!!