We've been getting quite a few inquiries about late season signups. Yes, there is still room to get in on the fall harvest!

Our summer season, including this week, is 9 weeks more! The season runs thru Oct 28.

Late signups are automatically pro-rated when you register online.

Don't miss out on fall favorites like apples, butternut squash, pears, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and more!

Peach and Blackberry Pie with Lattice Top

I know I promised a new flavor this week, but the peach and blackberry is my favorite so far this summer. The intense acidity of the blackberries lights up the pie, and they hold their shape and color for a great presentation.

Small Pie - $10

Large Pie - $18

Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns

I've been working all summer on improving the shelf life of our burger buns. Baking with local, organic and whole wheat flours has its challenges, particularly in regards to structure.

After about 20 different samples, I found one I like and seems to work with the varying changes in temperature and humidity in our barn kitchen.

The hot dog and hamburger buns are now milk and potato doughs. Many potato buns start with a commercial potato flour. We actually start with our organic, locally grown potatoes. The potatoes are cooked and mashed, and added to the proof to feed the yeast. The potato boiling water - which contains valuable starches - is used to supplement the milk in the recipe. With the extra protein from the milk and the extra starch from the potatoes, and a little extra proof and mix, we were able to improve the structure of the bread and still keep it delicious and healthy.

Try our hot dog and hamburger buns this week with your grilled items.

Other Notable Baked Goods this Week

Zucchini Bread - $5

Sloppy Joe Kit - $20

Includes:

2# grassfed ground beef

1 pint sloppy joe sauce

Last week Allyson and I were late getting home. We divided up evening chores. She ran out to feed the dogs and I said I'd finish dinner - which was supposed to be the pork stroganoff kit from last week.

I looked in the fridge and changed my mind. I turned the skillet on and grabbed the ground beef. I quickly chopped some onion and garlic, and started browning the beef with it. In a separate pan, I whipped up a Sloppy Joe Sauce - slightly sweet, acidic, and with a background of paprika, red pepper, mustard, and the unique savory notes of Worcestershire.

We crushed dinner. Fast. It was so rewarding and I figured I'd share.

So this week we made a new canned good in the kitchen - Sloppy Joe Sauce. It started with ripe Ohio tomatoes, cider vinegar, local honey and sorghum syrups. No white sugar or preservatives.

Cooking Instructions

1) Chop up 1 onion, about 2 or 3 cloves of garlic. Brown 2# of ground beef over medium high heat with the onion and garlic.

2) Remove ground beef with slotted spoon. Drain off any excess water or grease from pan.

3) Add meat back to pan with 1 pint sloppy joe sauce. Bring to a simmer.

Don't forget to toast your bun, and think about condiments. Pickles, smoked cheddar, coleslaw, sauerkraut, and even some crunchy chips would go great on a sloppy joe.

We have had an excellent fruit year despite early struggles. Right now we are enjoying summer flavors but also starting to get a taste of fall.

This will likely be the last week for blackberries, cantaloupe, and nectarines. Peaches and plums are winding down, and apples and pears are starting to come in strong. We expect in the near future some table grapes followed by a lot more apples!

Watermelons

Ruby Red Seedless Watermelon - large, super sweet and dark red flesh. A family and party favorite. $7 each.

Crimson Sweet Seeded Watermelon (pictured) - and old fashioned watermelon, with seeds and tender pink flesh. As for seeds, simply cut out, swallow, or have fun spitting them as far as you can!

Stone Fruits



Nectarines - 2# bags - $7

Peaches - 2# bags - $5

Santa Rosa Plums - 1.5# bags - $4

Cantaloupe



One of my favorite things is when I can time it right with my drivers. This photo is courtesy of Zach, who is presently at Mose' farm where he is waiting on the cantaloupe harvest!

Delicious, organic cantaloupes, just $4.5

Bartlett Pears

I've been waiting on these for a while. Pears are hard to come by anymore. The saying in the orchard world is, "Pears for Your Heirs." In today's world of fast turn around and instant gratification, the slow maturing pear tree isn't a popular investment on an orchard.

Enjoy these while you can!

Apples

Honeycrisp - 6 ct, $5. The crowd pleasing, extra crunchy and sweet honeycrisp.

Ginger Gold - 6 ct, approx 2.5# - $3.5

Early season green apple, sweet-tart apple great for fresh eating or baking. I always enjoy this apple sliced thinly and on a salad. Pairs well with roasted beets and goat feta!

Paula Red - 6 ct, approx 2.5# - $3.5

Early, sweet apple that cooks down great for sauce and pies, but also a decent eater. A dusty, dull skin gives it a distinctive look.

"Foxtrot" Gala - 6 ct, approx 2.5# - $4

Earlier maturing sub-variety of Gala. It's sweet, crunchy, and very good eater.

NEW

Sweet and Spicy Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

New recipes require us to get recipe and label approval from the state inspection, and this recipe is back just in time for grilling season.

We start with our meaty pasture raised chicken drumsticks, then vacuum tumble them in a sweet and spicy brine of cider vinegar, sugar, jalapenos, turmeric and spices. The result is a tender drumstick that grills up with the perfect balance of flavor and color.

These are super easy on the grill and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

4 drumsticks per package, approximately 1.5#. $7

This week we are keeping it simple - discounts on items for your grill.  

Hot Dogs - Reg $8.5 Sale $7

Ground Beef Burger Patties - Reg $9. Sale $8

Steak Burgers Reg $13.75. Sale $12

Cheddar Jalapeno Brat Burgers - Reg $9. Sale $7

Italian Links Reg $9.25. Sale $8.25

Green Onion Brats Reg $9.25  Sale $8.50

Chips and Salsa Sale - 1 bag corn tortilla chips, 1 pint mild salsa - $7

It's a harmless worm or douse it in chemicals

This year, we haven't had heavy worm pressure, and in the 600 dozen ears we peeled last week for frozen sweet corn, we only saw a worm or two. But it is possible...so I figured I should enlighten you on the harmless corn earworm.

Corn is prone, particularly late season, to corn earworm. It's a caterpillar that starts at the tip of the corn and works its way down into the ear.

Often times in grocery stores you will find corn on a styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic. It has no husk and the ear is "squared up" with no tip. The reason why? 1) It's convenient for the customer. 2) It hides how dried out and old the corn husk is. 3) They cut off the wormy tip.

As an organic grower, we have few options for controlling the earworm. The best option is a product called Dipel, which is contains beneficial bacteria derived from soil and flowers. The bacteria (bacillus thuringiensis, aka bt) is effective against the larvae and prevents the worms from growing and becoming a pest. However, pesticides are not a guarantee – applying at the perfect time is everything, and hoping the rain doesn’t wash it away.

As a result, you may have a corn earworm. We have tried checking for it, but we can not open every tip of every corn. In general, the damage is limited to the tip and is harmless. Please just cut off the tip of the corn and say good bye to the earworm. Think of it as a sign that your corn is clean and healthy without harmful chemicals!

(photo right: dent corn stored in a corn crib to be ground as "ear corn" for livestock, including dairy cows, hogs, and chickens

Sweet Corn, Dent Corn, and Flint Corn

Most corn you see grown around Ohio is not intended for direct human consumption. It is field corn, a form of "dent corn," that is harvested when the ear is dried down and falls over. It's kind of cool how nature protects the cob. When it is mature, the cob falls forward and rain runs off of the ear allowing it to be dried down. When the kernel dries down, often to about 15% to 20% moisture, the kernels display a "dent."

Dent corn can be processed for human consumption, including cornmeal, cereals, popcorn, etc.

However, most dent corn is grown either for processing into animal feed or ethanol production. The byproducts of corn are then used in industry for countless uses from making plastics to carpet dies, among literally countless uses.  

Flint corn is more commonly referred to as Indian corn and is used as decorations in the fall.

Sweet corn is a species of corn where the cob can be harvested "fresh" and the sugars are still present (not converted to starch). Sweet corn plants are generally much smaller and harvest is done by hand. A very small percentage of roadside corn is sweet corn.