The Feed Barn will be closing it's doors July 3rd!

You can see the original post on the Feed Barn blog http://www.thefeedbarn.com/ We posted this on the old Gravel Knolls blog so that the notification would go out to all the old members...

The Feed Barn is closing the retail doors July 3. Until then please enjoy perusing the reduced priced products in the store. Check out the inventory on this page, stock up and save on your lawn, garden and livestock needs. Credit cards will be honored until June 15. After that, only cash will be accepted. Click here to view the inventory and prices as of May 31st.

25% off everything

A big Thank You to the best customers ever, your support and conversations helped so much through this very tough year.

The farm will continue. But instead of cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes and squash, it will grow rye for straw for your lawn and garden needs, hay for your livestock needs.

If you have been curious about the where-a bouts of the horses; they have found a very good home a few miles from here. Big family, lots of attention and an owner with a desire to drive them. They are in a wonderful place.

The chickens will be going to a farm in Kentucky and laying eggs for a farmers market across the river. Mid June is their approximate departure time.

As for me and the kids, all is well. Morgan will continue to train and find work in law enforcement. Erin is working toward a registered nursing degree. Lane, my 6'6" baby, is practicing his driving skills and finishing up high school the next 2 years at Lakota. I will start a college career coarse in medical coding & billing, in the fall and become employable sometime next summer.


Fondly,

Linda Rosselot

Last Pick Up

Hi All,

This year has taken its toll on both the farm and the family.  As hard as Linda and the boys are trying to keep the drought at bay Mother Nature is faster -  almost all the lettuce that was recently transplanted has died, the pumpkin plants are small and yellow and the winter squash isn't gaining much size at all.

This weeks pickup will have tomatoes, cucumbers and swiss chard.  Please take advantage of the herb garden - the basil is going to seed but there is plenty of it.  Time to make some pesto and freeze for a summer treat in the middle of winter!

After this weeks pick up Linda will be opening the fields up to u-pick rather then having anymore pick-ups - it will just be too hit and miss about things coming in - i.e there may be beans but there may not.  I will still try to keep you advised about what there is but it will be open to you to harvest if you want.

I would like to ask that you only come to harvest during the times that the Feed Barn is open monday thru friday, Thanks


Looking forward to seeing you
The Farm Foodie

Tomatoes, Eggplant, Potatoes Oh My!

Its a lean week for your pick up this week we've got ripening tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and maybe just maybe cukes.

Everyone is hard at work transplanting lettuces back into the fields for the fall harvest and of course doing mother natures work and irrigating every chance we get.  If anyone out there knows a raindance that works now sure would be the time to give it a try - lol- this heat and draught is giving farmers from one end of the country to another a hard time.

Speaking of hard times the broccoli has gone the way of the dodo bird and will be bushhoged this week to become green manure - it fought the good fight but its time to give it up!  Hope you all enjoyed it while you could!

Let us know how the draught is effecting things around your house - here in our woods we have a number of large trees that will have to be removed this year as they died a slow death this summer.  While that wasn't from the draught this year its from the big one five years ago - the lack of rain sure hasn't helped.  I've also noticed I'm not getting great blooms on my flowers and even the understory in the woods hasn't been as lush and as thick as it normally is.  You know its bad when even the weeds are struggling!


See you soon,

Farm Foodie

Hello Food People!

How is everyone surviving this hot hot summer?  At our house we have been spending lots of time looking longingly out the window dreaming of cooler weather.  Anybody remember those fantastic days in December when it was gorgeous out?  For the first time ever I think I'm actually looking forward to winter - and I never say that!

So pick up this week has got some yummiest  goodies-

     broccoli
     green cabbage
     few garlics
     fingerling and regular potatoes
     the Zinnias and the herbs have been cleaned up for easier cutting

Eggplants are starting to come in but those naughty tomatoes are still shy - keep your fingers crossed!

One of the new experiences that has come with having kids has been a change in the way I cook.  I love to cook and used to spend lots of time creating elaborate meals and trying out intricate recipes and I was always trying to find as much of our food as possible locally.  Then last year we had our first child and I had to learn to go at things a little simpler but I was still able to take the time needed to hunt down local foods and I was still able to can and preserve lots of our food as well as making lots of homemade baby food.  This year we have had our second child and we have joined the two under two club.  After figuring out how the basics of having two was going to work (you know showering, laundry etc) I started to think about the kitchen - and I was really frustrated trying to figure out how to do all that I normally do.  While cooking with fresh food is easy -the less you do the better!- finding local fresh food isn't always easy.  It takes time not only to track things down but add in travel time etc and two kids under two, well you get the idea.  And yes I do go to farmers markets but you cant always find everything you want or the best deal.  But the truth is good food is worth the extra effort!  Theres nothing better then having my 16 month old soon devour some fresh peaches.  So while I'm learning to let go of some of my expectations about what I would normally be doing right now (canning a bushel of peaches) I'm still enjoying as much local fresh seasonal food as possible!  And next year I'll get back to canning!

See you soon
The Farm Foodie

Whats happening this week?

Hi All,

I've been away for a few weeks (having a baby!) but I'm back and there's lots happening in and around the farm.

So its a week off for the farm - no pick ups.  But veggies are starting to make appearances - eggplant, frying peppers, cherry tomatoes yum - yum!!  Everyone is working hard to recover and uncover the fields from the thriving crop of weeds but as you might have learned last week - a weed is usually a misunderstood plant.  So many of them are good for food and or medicine and quite often the foods we eat are one of the first forms of medicine.  Healthy foods in and a healthy body, mind and soul!

Hmmm...... I'm thinking we might need to explore this a little more later in the week - food as medicine better then a spoon full of sugar!

One other reminder - when your stopping by for your pick- up take the opportunity to harvest some herbs.  Herbs grow best with regular harvesting (as a wild plant they would be nibbled on by animals regularly - this causes them to grow fuller an lusher)  So play they part of nibbling animal and take home some tasty herbs to cook with and enjoy.

Talk to you soon,
The Farm Foodie

Jim passed away June 19 at The Hamilton Hospice. Visitation and funeral arrangements can be found at in The Enquirer, or:

http://www.hodappfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1511758&fh_id=12306

Thank you to all those who have kept us in your prayers.

As for next week I will need to ask that you come only on Thursday 1-7 or Friday 1-6, during store hours. Wednesday is the funeral.

Garlic has been harvested and cured ready to go home with you next week. There will be Swiss chard, hopefully lettuce and potatoes. I will try to update again Wednesday if more harvest comes available.

Tomatoes are starting to appear on the vines, and egg plants are blooming as is the summer squash. Sweet corn was planted at the last minute two weeks ago by a friend. There should be enough for 2 CSA pick ups near the end of the September.

Start walking through the herb garden and snip what you need to flavor your meals through the week. The zinnia patch is blooming but needs another 2 weeks before you can start cutting for your table arrangement.

Thank you so much for your understanding and support this year. We here on the farm will continue to plant, work hard, and harvest for you through the coming months.

Linda

Pick Up Alert

Hi,

Just a quick note to let everyone know that there will be no CSA pick up this week - Linda and family are spending as much time as possiable with Jim.  Your understanding is greatly appriciated.
Please keep them all in your prayers as they go through this difficult time and know that all of your expressions of sympathy and concern have been greatly appriciated.

Thanks
The Farm Foodie