Summer Share Week 6 Welcomes Blueberries

Good Afternoon

Today, farmers are rejoicing. It has been a really dry last couple weeks, pretty much nothing since the big June 14 storm. And when it did come down, it came too hard and ran off.

Now, it's currently raining on and off in Holmes County and across central Ohio. This slow rain is desperately needed for not just the produce, but the hay fields, pastures, corn, and other crops that aren't irrigated. Potatoes, for example, are quite stressed right now. They are wilted and browning while the weeds are coming on strong.

This week, we have a few exciting items in the bag: blueberries, cherries, and a new feta spinach chicken bratwurst!

For this week's newsletter:

learn about this week's blueberries
order a lattice top blueberry pie
Bent and Dent is back

Enjoy!

Trevor and the FFM Staff

Late Signups

If you or a friend are still considering joining, we would love to have you!

Late signups are pro-rated, you'll only pay for the weeks you receive (full upfront rates will adjust automatically). Weekly payment also available.

For full details, including pricing and pickup locations, visit here: Summer Season Info Page

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Blueberry Season is Here

One of the biggest hurdles facing agriculture today is getting young people into it. While many may be interested, few have access to the capital or knowledge to buy a farm and be successful.

For the last decade, we had been working with Gary Vogley for blueberries. His orchard had been established for over 30 years, and Gary was getting older. Two years ago he was in his early 80s and was thinking about retiring. His children were not interested in the farm and his listing found no buyers, so to the auction block it went.

Auctions are very typical in the country. In fact, around me real estate rarely lists for sale. It's often held at a no-reserve auction. When a farm goes for sale, it rarely is sold as one parcel - instead divided up into small pieces to fetch a higher price.

This parceling of farm land is detrimental to farming and our food security. Further, it drives up land prices and taxes, further compounding the woes of the small farmer.

When Gary decided to auction his farm, he sold it as one parcel. And, we were lucky that a young couple bought it and are motivated, innovative farmers.

Meet Matthew and Michael. In 2020, Michael and Matthew took the leap. They bought Vogley's farm and put their green thumbs to work.

Prior to buying the farm, they had owned and operated a landscape design business. Their experience with plants and the understanding of managing a plant was certainly valuable experience. Further, their previous operations included a retail presence in Akron; again, experience that we critical for a direct to consumer operation.

With Gary's guidance, the new owners were able to make the transition. They started pruning the bushes, fertilizing, and mulching. Gary provided contacts for more information and labor to help them get the berries off of the plants.

Bringing new life to the blueberries

Michael and Matthew spent their off season visiting other berry farms and learning. They picked up tricks for cultivation including new fertilizer programs and even new varietals. With their new management techniques, they were able to increase yields by 20% in 2021, and this year's crop looks like a bumper.

Even you can help.

At Blossom Creek, they have over 4,000 berry bushes. A mature bush can yield up to 5 lbs of berries per year. There are about 200 blueberries per lb, so that's a lot of berries to pick! In fact, it took 64 hours to pick the blueberries we're picking up today (that's just half the order for the week).

The biggest challenge that Matthew and Michael face is getting the berries off of the bushes. It's highly seasonal labor and hard work. Few people have the speed and stamina to pick blueberries all day. In fact, last year, literally tons of berries were left on the bushes to rot because the labor was not available to harvest them.

This year, they have invested in a semi-automated harvester that will shake berries from the bush.

But the best way for them to get the berries off is for you to pick them. They off U-Pick throughout the week and I highly encourage you to attend.

Blossom Creek Farm is just an hour south of Cleveland. To learn more about their U-Pick dates, visit blossomcreek.farm

Place a Special Order

Lattice Top Blueberry Pie

Last week, these quietly hit the scene just in time for Independence Day. We didn't want to promote them too much as we were short on time to make many.

This week, the kitchen is fully staffed and cranking out pies.

This week's pie starts with our signature pie crust, made from Stutzman's organic flour, Minerva butter, and house rendered lard. The flaky crust is bursting with juicy blueberries and topped with a beautiful lattice pattern, dusted with organic cane sugar.

Our filling is simple and reflects the quality of the blueberries. It is simply blueberries, sugar, flour, butter, and a splash of lemon juice. The sugar is dialed back - enough to play well with the blueberries but not stick to your teeth. I think you'll really enjoy this pie - without too much guilt!

Order Blueberry Pie Here

Bent and Dent is Back

Two weeks ago, we introduced the "bent and dent" category. It is a way for us to keep our limited freezer space from getting cluttered. The product listed falls in three categories:

not picked up from special orders
damaged packages
generic misfits - items that might be inconsistent in size, one offs, etc. Places that don't have a good permanent spot in the freezer.

When we introduced this last time, I think the products lasted less than 30 minutes. Then the phone started ringing. Customers couldn't find it.

That's because when it sells out, the listing and the category disappear from the website. If you don't see the Bent and Dent online, that means it is gone for the week.