Wednesday, September 30, 2009

EMERGENCY Wednesday (today) Picking!

A message from Jacquie....
 For those of you who get this message in time (we realize it's late) and are gracious enough to come help, we are on a picking tyraid! Jerry got word that there will be a FREEZE this Thursday, so we are rallying all members to drive on up to the farm, and anytime between 7am and 12pm, we will be picking what is left on the entire farm to prevent from freezing.

For some of you, you may be reading these words on the morning OF, but yes it is on. We are not cancelling. Wednesday distribution will be going on as usual, so come on up and start picking! Tomatoes, strawberries, and there is an entire laundry list of veggies that well need picking.

There is no need to call or email, just drive on out to the farm. You're help will be greatly appreciated and any extra produced that is collected (as opposed to destroyed by frost) will just mean more produce for you members! :)

Monday, September 28, 2009

9/28/09 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Well, we have a trying week ahead of us. Alaina found out last Friday afternoon that her eye is misbehaving and she will need emergency surgery this Tuesday. I will be out of commission along with my daughter for the rest of the week. Please keep her in your prayers!

Winter Share Sign-up is coming along nicely. We have approximately 100 members signed up and can accept another 50. You will find a Winter Sign-up form in your vegetable bag this week, just in case you need one! Please send that in just as soon as you can. We are looking for a new location in the Boulder area. I need someone that can help us unload the truck when we arrive during the day as well as help members with Distribution in the evening. You are considered a working member and will get $100 discount for volunteering. Or if someone would be willing to meet me at Kim Haines home to help me unload, that is an option too (with a smaller discount)! Please call me at the number above for more information!

Here is a list of confirmed Winter Distribution Centers:

Aurora - I-225 & Mississippi - Judy and Wally Soderquist
Centennial - County Line Rd & University - Peggy Walling
Lakewood - Union & Alameda - Sam Majeres
Central Denver - 38th & Tennyson - Barb Granica
Central Denver - 6th Avenue & Colfax - Brenda & Jeff Wright
Boulder - TBD
Ft. Collins - Drake & Lemay - Gayle Hemenway
Greeley - At The Farm - Jacquie Monroe

It has been a very interesting year raising animals. We have had problems with the weather and the predators this summer. The hog breeder also had problems with fertility too. Each customer who ordered either pork or lamb will be getting a letter within the next couple of weeks explaining the situation and your options. Both pork and lamb processing will begin the week of the 12th of Oct. and will continue well into December. Your specific processing date will be included in your confirmation letter.

This week the Fruit Share is getting a beautiful 10# bag of Honey Crisp apples. To reiterate; you have received three 5# bags of Bing cherries, 5# of Rainier cherries, two 20# boxes of peaches and one 10# bag of pears. After this week you will have received a total of 80# of fruit. There will be one more delivery of either 10# of apples or a combination of apples and pears. We hope this will be delivered Oct. 13th, 14th & 15th. This will give you your total of 90# for the summer!

Have a good week!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Autumn Arrival!


Perfect day, begin the season!
Cold and crisp with winter squash,
Gloves and sweaters, hats and rosy cheeks.
Chilly morning, harvesting a field of pie pumpkins.
Apple cider and pumpkin butter.
Happy Autumn!

Monday, September 21, 2009

9/21/09 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Farm,

We really couldn’t have picked a better day to have a party, especially when a rainy Monday follows such a terrific day! There was a total of 440 people (126 membership households) enjoyed the warm day at the farm. There was wonderful food shared at the picnic this year. Approximately five years ago we had a ton of potato dishes shared. This year, coleslaw was the dish of choice. To tell you the truth, I’m surprised we don’t have more years where the same dish is duplicated! I also didn’t realize there were so many ways to prepare coleslaw!!

The hayride to the pumpkin patch was a big hit for everyone. I didn’t realize there were so many huge pumpkins out there this year. It was amazing to watch wagon after wagon being unloaded with such big pumpkins!

Most of the members took advantage of picking extra produce such as basil, dill, carrots, beets, hot peppers and Banana peppers. The two most exciting things were the strawberries and watching the old fashioned potato digger dig up Banana Fingerling potatoes. I think most people haven’t seen this before. Picking up potatoes is really fun. As Adults, how many times do you get to play in the dirt! Sifting through the soft, warm, sandy dirt to find treasure is sure to please anyone! And the strawberry picking was a nice surprise. The new strawberry plants planted this spring are producing a few berries. This is unusual. Normally we will not see strawberries until next spring!

The kids were adorable in the Stick Horse Race. We saw many creative animals. Even though there were some special awards given for their creativity, everyone went home with a ribbon. The popcorn sheller and the apples press was kept busy most of the day. Fresh apple cider just can’t be beat! Thank you Schwarzeweller family for sharing your old fashioned apple press with everyone! We would like to also send out a special thank you to everyone who helped out and kept the Festival running smoothly.

Don’t forget! This Sunday at 1 p.m. we are getting together to harvest the sweet potatoes. We would like to see a large group of members participate in this function. “Many hands make light work,” my grandmother would say!

Winter Share sign-ups are due Oct 1st. Your Distribution Centers will have forms if you need them! Single Shareholders will need to split the share because they are based on a Half Share. Full Share members may need to purchase two shares to fill their needs. A discount of $150 will be applied if two shares are purchased.

This week you are getting French Fingerling potatoes, yellow cooking onions, carrots, golden beets, lemon cucumbers, Globe eggplant, orange, yellow & green or red peppers, Anaheim peppers, sweet corn, the regular tomatoes & an heirloom tomato, spaghetti squash and orange honeydew.

Thank you for the gifts Sunday. We appreciate your thoughtfulness. And thank you for participating in the Harvest Festival. It was nice seeing you all!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle

Monday, September 14, 2009

9/14/09 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Farm,

The countdown has begun for the Harvest Festival! It is a really fun day for you to get to know other members, eat great food, tour the farm, take a hayride to the pumpkin patch, watch the stick horse races, check out the apple press & taste fresh cider, shell your own popcorn, pick extra produce or just sit back and watch it all happen. No matter what you like to do, you can see it happen at the Farm this Sunday. We will start at 11 a.m. and start tearing down between 3 & 4 p.m. Guests will pay $10 per person ages 3 and up. Don't forget to bring apples for the apple press! The picnic is a potluck. Please bring a dish at least twice the amount you would serve your family. We provide the hot dogs and hamburgers; we need side dishes and desserts! When you arrive at the farm, please check in at the Check-in Station. They will give you a name tag. This helps us to know exactly how many folks came to experience the fun at the Harvest Festival!

This next week will be a busy one! Besides our daily activities, we will be sprucing up the farm for the festival. If you haven't RSVP your reservation for the Harvest Festival, this is the last week you can do so. Please call by the end of day on the 17th. Shopping will need to be done this weekend. The person, who first volunteered to do the shopping for me, unexpectedly had to cancel. Is there someone else out there that would be willing to do the shopping? You will need a Costco or Sam's Club membership because of the large amount of paper products we purchase for the event.

We will be having a workday for members on Sat. the 19th at 9 am. We still have a small field of winter squash to get into the barn and there will be other odd jobs to do around the farm for the festival. If you have even a couple of hours, we could sure use the help! Contact Lorna at 303-593-1754. You will get a confirmation email by Friday evening either saying the workday is still scheduled or it is cancelled. Thank you very much for helping us out like this!

Unfortunately, there will not be any extra tomatoes to pick. Everything we have is going to the membership! We do have peppers and we will have the chili roaster going! Be aware! There can be a long line for this service. The cost will be $5 per tray roasted (we will provide the trays, but you cannot take them home!). You do not have to have your chilis roasted here. You can take them home and roast them on your grill.

The chili roaster will be going all day. It is suggested that some of you attend the pot luck right away and some of you head out to the u-pick fields or go on a self tour of the farm. Either way, you will be standing in lines waiting for something! The popcorn sheller will also be going most of the day. We ask that each household only take one bag of popcorn. The apple press belongs to Paul Schwarzeweller and Linda Hellow. They have been members of the farm since 1996. It is such a privilege to have them set up and show us how an old fashioned apples press works. You can find them on the east side of the house from 12 to 2 or until we run out of apples!

Here are some dos and don’ts to follow with the u-pick crops. It is very important to bring your own boxes, bags or any other rigid containers. You cannot use ours, we need them for distribution! If you do not bring containers, you will not be allowed to pick produce and throw it into your trunk. Please be respectful of other members and of your farmers. There is a limit to what you can pick! Do not go into fields that are not designated as u-pick crops. You will find a list of crops at the Check-in Station along with directions to get there. Please do not drive off without directions. Everyone drives the same direction so we do not have cars nose to nose. (We don’t have two lane roads out here!)

Directions to the Farm
From Denver, the Western Slope or Pueblo:
I-25 North to I-76 East. As you continue east, don't panic, you will be driving for a while! Last town you will go through is Hudson. Very next exit is #34 or the Kersey Rd. Take this exit, turn left. Continue north for approximately 16 miles. Turn right at Co Rd 48. You are now on a dirt road. Travel 1 ½ miles. We are on the left or north side of road. Find house number on front of mailbox: 25525, our name is on the side of the box.
From Boulder, Longmont or Lyons:
I-25 North to highway 66. Take highway 66 east to highway 85. Highway 85 north through the towns of Platteville, then Gilcrest. At next grain elevator, Co Rd 44, turn right heading east. At Co Rd 49, turn left heading north. Travel 2 miles to Co Rd 48, turn right heading east. Another 1 ½ miles to the farm on left or north side of road. House number on the front of the mailbox: 25525, our name is on the side of the box.
From Loveland or Ft. Collins:
Take highway 34 east through the city of Greeley. Must take Fort Morgan exit to continue east on highway 34. Approximately 4 miles from this exit to Co Rd 49, turn right heading south. Travel 4 miles to Co Rd 48, turn left. 1 ½ miles to farm on the left or north side of road. House number is on the front of the mailbox: 25525, our name is on the side of the box.

There was a typo error on the Winter Sign-up form. It indicated that Distribution would start November 5th when in actuality we always deliver on Wednesdays, making the date November 4th. We need volunteers for the Central Denver Distribution points. We actually need two because this area is in high demand! I know the payment schedule for the Winter Share is Oct. 1st, Dec. 1st and Feb. 1st. Paying that Feb. payment may be difficult since renewals for current members are due for 2010 by Feb. 19th. You are welcome to make monthly payments in Oct. & Nov. of $135 making the Dec. payment $130 and paying your Winter Share in full. This way you have paid for everything you purchased in 2009; clearing the way to renew your Membership Fees in 2010!

Crops you will be getting this week are Yukon Gold potatoes, red onions, carrots, Chioggia beets, summer squash, green cabbage, lemon cucumbers, Daikon radish, bell peppers, Banana peppers, Pablano peppers, Jalapeño peppers, green beans and tomatoes.

We look forward to the Harvest Festival and welcoming all of you to your farm. Please take time to look around and get to know the place where your food is grown!

Thank you and we will see you there!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle Monroe

Friday, September 11, 2009

The Cost of a CSA

When we joined Monroe in 2008, we signed up for a working membership. To figure out if the cost of a CSA would be worth wile for our family, Rick and I sat down with our grocery store receipts from the months past, and added up just what we spent on produce alone. Then we figured out the mileage to drive to Monroe in Kersey once a week, and what that would cost us in gas.

The fuel costs combined with the membership and produce fees from Monroe were still FAR, and I mean FAR, less than what we’d been paying at the grocery store for often times non-organic, shipped across the country, under ripe produce from the previous summer.

About a week after we signed up (before things were really started for members on the farm), I got a call from another member who also lived South of Denver and was interested in car-pooling to the farm each week. That meant our fuel cost was cut in half from what we calculated it would be.

For the whole summer’s worth of produce, including fuel costs, this is what we spent in 2008 (when gas prices were through the roof, remember??). And, it should be noted that we froze, stored and canned some of this produce and ate it all winter too.

2008 Membership Fee (working member): $100
2008 Produce Fee (half share): $135
Fuel (we got aprox. 20 miles/gallon): $497.07/2 = $248.54
Total for the summer: $483.54

That amount divided by the number of weeks we received produce from the farm (approx. 24 last year) is $20.14/week on about 25lbs of local, fresh, organic produce. This does not count all the corn that was not in the bags (and there was a ton last year); and the 2 flats of strawberries, asparagus, and roasted green chiles which were “pick your own” that I brought home in addition to the share; or factor in what we didn't have to buy this winter.

You have to remember that this number could change based on how far you drive to the farm (assuming you’re a working member), car pooling with more or less people, fuel costs, and how bountiful the harvest is. Or, it would obviously change if you are a non-working member as well, and of course the fees were a bit more this year (though gas is SO much less!).

The produce is so incredibly fresh. As in, picked just that morning! And you'll never get a white fleshed, pithy tomato from the Monroe's.

Last year, the half share was plenty for our family. We ate most of it in a week, and were able to store what was left. However, for 2009, we uped our share to a full size with plans to store/can/freeze much of the excess in order to ensure our grocery bills for winter produce are further reduced, and, well, we have become addicted to the veggies.

The savings is incredible! And the food is out of this world!

It should also be said, that we got a lot more out of the CSA last year then produce. We made new friends, Rick has a new hunting partner, Henry got to play in the dirt all summer, eat melons warm from the sun, pick strawberries, irreplaceable memories… it is so very very cool.

parts of this post were excepted from my personal blog: Schell Urban Homestead

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Harvest Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is a bit different then your traditional stuffed pepper.  It is one of those recipes that ends up catching all the random veggies in the kitchen that need using. It’s great with mushrooms, garlic, eggplant, celery, zucchini, extra peppers, even a tomato added at the end. It would also be great topped with grated cheese.

Harvest Stuffed Peppers

2 bell peppers that can stand on their ends
2 medium sized potatoes
1/2 white or yellow onion
1 or 2 peeled carrots
1 small or medium sized squash
1/2 to 3/4 cup protein of choice: left over diced ham is in the picture, but eggplant, eggs, ground beef or sausage works great too.
Fresh torn basil – to taste
Salt & pepper
2 TBS olive oil

Cut the tops off of the peppers, remove seeds and ribs and set peppers aside. Chop all other ingredients into a 1/4-inch dice. In a 12-inch skillet with a lid heat olive oil; add potatoes, onions and carrots. Season well with salt and pepper. Put on lid and let cook over medium, stirring to keep from sticking to bottom of the pan, until onions are soft and the potatoes and carrots are on their way to being cooked through.
Add squash (sometimes I add the pepper tops too). Let cook uncovered until potatoes are almost tender, stirring as needed to keep from sticking.
Add cooked meat (or raw eggplant), and basil. Mix well, taste and adjust for seasoning. Scoop mixture (which I call hash) into the peppers. Place peppers in a rimmed pan and bake at 375 until heated through and potatoes are done. They could also be finished on the grill instead of the oven.

This recipe makes enough hash to stuff four peppers (serve four people), but I only stuff two for Rick and I. The remaining hash gets divided into two portions – one for Henry, and one for Rick’s lunch the next day.  If you want to make it for four, just add two more bell peppers!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Supplimental Produce for the Fall

At the beginning of the summer, Jacquie sent out tips for what to plant in your home garden to supplement/compliment what we members receive from the farm. Included in her list were lettuces, since they like the cooler temperatures we get down here in town.

As fall is coming, I thought I'd send a little reminder about this, since lettuces, spinach, and many other greens can be planted as fall crops in Colorado. The farmer's almanac is predicting that Colorado's first frost will be October 8th (or there abouts). And many sources recommend planting your fall crops three to four weeks before that date. This works out to be early to mid-September, and some crops could have already been planted in August.

I toured Rocky Mountain Seed Company in Denver last week, and learned about some of the best crops for Colorado in the fall. If you've saved seed from the springtime, or are making a trip to the garden center, be sure to add some of these varieties to your planting list:
  • Beets
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Collard Greens 
  • Kale 
  • Kohlrabi
  • Lettuce
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Swiss Chard
We put in some extra beets, spinach, radishes and lettuce this weekend. Also, we've been growing Swiss chard and kale through out the summer. These greens make great additions to our farm share.

What about you?  Are you gardening?  Have you ever planted crops for the fall?  What do you plant?

Monday, September 7, 2009

September 7 Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Farm,

New crops this week are French Fingerling potatoes, a long red radish, orange bell peppers and yellow tomatoes. The radish is from China and is both spicy and sweet. I have eaten them raw or in stir-frys. They store well placed directly in the crisper drawer.

In addition to this you are also getting yellow cooking onions, carrots, lemon cucumbers, patty pan squash, , green bell peppers, anaheim peppers, globe eggplant, broccoli, fennel, celery, red tomatoes and one melon of any kind.

It is time to sign up for the Winter Share. I will need your deposit by October 1st. If you decide to split your Winter Share with another household, all payments must be made by the member signing up for the share. Please do not send me two checks in two different names. It is very difficult for us to keep track of who is sharing with whom! You are welcome to add the second person's name on the form, but everything will be set up under the current Member's name or the first name on the form if two members are signing up together. Also keep in mind, when there is a household with two last names, we will be using the last name of the person who is listed first on the check. We usually sell out on these shares pretty fast, so get your sign up form in soon!

I need to keep this letter short this week. I have hurt my upper back and cannot be in any position for very long! Here is a recipe I think you will like!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle

Basil & Summer Squash

1 med. to large summer squash of any kind, cubed
1 clove garlic
1/4 onion, chopped
1 8 oz package of cream cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp fresh basil (if using dried, 1 Tbsp)
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute squash, onion and garlic with salt and pepper until squash and onion are soft. Reduce heat to low and add cheese & basil. Keep stirring until cheese has melted and has combined with squash. Allow to sit for a minute or two before serving.

Winter Storage Share

Produce should be distributed every two weeks, November through February. Crops you could expect to see: potatoes, onions, carrots, winter squash, cabbage, celery root, red beets, garlic, leeks, pumpkins, popcorn and possibly sweet potatoes. There will also be some lettuce that will come from cold frames until a very hard freeze occurs. Plus any produce that can still be harvested from the previous summer will also be included.

If you just can't stand the thought of going back to grocery store produce, this is a great way to extend the summer season into winter! Distribution will start November 5th and produce should be delivered every other week through February.

The total cost of the Winter Share is $400. $150 of that is non-refundable and due at sign-up. The remainder can be paid in two equal installments on December 1st and February 1st. Deadline for sign-up is October 1st.


Tear off bottom portion and return with your check to:

MONROE ORGANIC FARMS
25525 WCR 48
Kersey, CO 80644



Name

Phone Number
_________________________________
Address
____________________________________



Eggs

Free-Ranged organic eggs can be delivered every other week along with the Winter Share. By filling out this form, you understand that the distribution center will keep track of how many eggs you have received over the winter and will charge you for those eggs at the end of the season. A check will need to be made out to Monroe Organic Farms and given to the distribution center the last day of distribution. I will need a phone call by 7 p.m. on Monday to cancel your egg order. If we deliver eggs and you do not pick them up, you will still be charged for them. They will then be donated to a place of need.


Beef

Not available at this time.


Honey

Not available at this time.


____dozen eggs a month
($5.00 a dozen)
____Winter Storage Share:
$400
($150 is non-refundable and due at sign up.)


Distribution Center Circle one:

Aurora Boulder Centennial Central Denver
Ft. Collins Lakewood
Greeley, at the farm

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

So You Want to be a Farmer

hoeing the fields closeupOf course it's no secret that I want to be a farmer. Rick and I joke about it almost daily, and, very un-jokingly, we work hard putting up produce from the CSA, growing our own in the garden, raising the chickens and generally learning all we can about living on the land.

Getting chickens was a baby step. We started with four and moved up to seven. They eat a lot. And they poop a lot. And for the first year, we didn't get a lot of eggs, but spent a lot of money on building them a coop. Now we know more, and we're getting lots of eggs, and though they're messy and dig holes, we are glad to have them, and thinking of better ways to do things with them.

Part of the reason why we decided to be working members on Monroe's farm, was so that I could get a taste of what went into this pipe dream. Every week last year, Rick sent me off to Kersey with the admonition to pay close attention to what Jerry said, and to ask him about ______. He wanted me to pick Jerry's brain weekly. Did he grow Brussels sprouts? When did he plant potatoes? How do you know corn is ready to harvest?

A week or so ago, a working member friend, Tracy, posted an article about taking A Farm Vacation on her Facebook page. At the moment I first saw it, I was tired from processing food and working, and thought, "Vacation! What? Farming's hard work!" And it is. But after the trip to Palisade last weekend, I've changed my mind. I want to take this vacation myself.

Henry in the orchard 2I really love having Henry (and now Emmett too) out there on the farm. While his biggest thrill is playing with the other kids, catching toads and feeding the pigs, I have the opportunity to remind him that those pigs will become pork chops, and those toads eat the bugs that destroy crops. He gets excited when we move from the barn to the fields, and he plays behind us in the rows, eating melons, catching "buggies" and pulling weeds. He is gaining an understanding of where food comes from. And this means so much to me.

A few months ago, I read a blog post called This Place We Know by Sharon Astyk. Sharon is a beautiful writer, and the post is quite long, but it really captures something. I want my children to understand where their food comes from and what happens on a farm. That a farm is more then a cutesy place where cows say moo and pigs say oink.

And I know, now days, I'm not the only one who feels this way.  Here are a couple of articles that have appeared recently on people dreaming of the simple life:

Utne Reader: The Organic Farm Fantasy Meets Reality
Mother Earth News: Skills for Farming

What about you?  Do you dream of the simple life?  Do you garden at home?  Why did you join the farm?

An excerpt from my personal blog: Schell Urban Homestead

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Seed Saving and Help for the Harvest Festival!

How sweet it is!  This week's share brought the much-talked-about Moon and Stars watermelon!  I'm so excited to dive into this beautiful heirloom melon!  This is my second year on the farm, and although we didn't have these last year, the Monroe's have grown them before and I've heard a lot about them.  This melon is B-E-A-utiful!  With a perfect thump!  I can't wait to cut it up to get our first taste! 

Jerry and Jacquie ask that you save seeds from this dark green (flecked with yellow "stars") beauty.  The best way to do that is to rinse the seeds and let them dry on a paper towel.  Then put them in an envelope and seal (not in a plastic bag - lest they mold!).  You can then send the seeds back to the Monroe's for next year's crop!  Delish!

The Harvest Festival is about two and a half weeks away, and there are quite a few spots left to volunteer to help with!  Jacquie mentioned that we specifically need help in the morning with setting up at 8am, and we need some "Master Grillers" to take on the grill station.  The morning volunteers would be in charge of helping set up tables & tents with Jerry, as well as chopping produce for all of the members to nosh on.  The Grillers will take on shifts cooking meat (burgers and dogs).  If you are the man or woman for one of these jobs, please call Jacquie directly at the farm: (970) 284-7941

Also, as a reminder, Jacquie needs your RSVP for the Festival so she can get a good count on burgers, hot dogs and other goodies for the Festival.  Please call her and let her know how many adults and kids are coming!  RSVP by the 15th please! 

Jacquie also mentioned today, that the Saturday volunteer opportunities would be available again in September.  Please watch for the exact dates in this week's newsletter! 

September 1st Newsletter

Dear Members,

New crops this week are Banana Fingerling potatoes, Patty Pan summer squash, Moon & Stars watermelon, white sweet corn, honeydew melon (green or orange flesh) and with the possibility of either Zebra, Roma or our regular tomatoes. In addition to this you will also receive red onions, lemon cucumbers, carrots, green & purple bell peppers, Banana peppers, cinnamon basil, green beans and muskmelon.

Banana Fingerling potatoes are elongated and small. They are very easy to cook; boiled or roasted is the most commonly way it is served. Patty Pan summer squash looks like a flying saucer! It can be white, yellow or pale green in color. Cut them lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and bake for half an hour. Fry up some thinly sliced carrots, garlic, onion, bell peppers & basil. Stuff the squash and bake another 15 to 30 minutes. This squash can also be used the same way you use the others. Moon & Stars watermelon is a very old heirloom watermelon. It has a dark green skin with yellow flecks throughout. If you are lucky, you will see one or two large yellow spots; these are the moon & stars. We would love it if you could save the seed of this watermelon. Rinse the seeds, dry them on a paper towel and seal them in an envelope. Do not put them in a plastic bag, they will mold and be unusable!

Jerry and I really do not know what to expect from our fields anymore. This has been such an unusual summer! It feels like we went from spring to fall…no summer at all! We were taking our normal spin around the farm this morning. Stopping at the watermelon patch, we were eating different kinds of melon. We have discovered that the melons, (watermelon, honeydew and muskmelon) just don’t seem as sweet this year. Much to Jerry’s chagrin; the rain seems to have washed out the sweetness! Needless to say, this has made Jerry very unhappy. He only wants the best for his members!

It is less than a month from the Harvest Festival! We are already getting started mowing around the farm getting it ready for the big day. I still need RSVP’s from everyone planning on attending the festival. I need to know how many adults and how many kids will be attending. I need this more for the ordering of beef patties and hot dogs. So if you are vegetarian or your children will not be eating from the grill, please let me know! You may place your RSVP up to the date of September 15th.

I still need Master Grillers from 11 to 1 and 1 to 3; someone to clear off the buffet table, rinse the dishes and put them back under the buffet table from 11 to 1 and 2 to 3; there is also a need for a bathroom checker to make sure we have tata paper & paper towels available and take out the trash. I expect everyone to help keep the bathrooms neat and tidy!

This is such a fun day! There will be extra produce to pick and a self tour of the premises. You are welcome to bring popped popcorn to feed to the chickens (it’s their favorite snack!) or pick the weeds and grasses around the pens for them. Everyone needs to see how popcorn is taken off the cob and the popcorn sheller is the place to see it. We will have the popcorn sheller working in the barn and the apple press on the East side of the house. Please bring half a dozen apples to add to the mix; that way everyone could get a small sample of fresh apple cider! Hay rides will start just as soon as Jerry has eaten his lunch and has regained some energy!

Attention all horse breeders and trainers! There will be stick horse races at 1pm the day of the festival. Bring your best bred stick horse. Ribbons will be awarded for most original breed as well as for 1st, 2nd and 3rd race places. There will be several races with multiple age groups mixed together. This was so much fun to watch last year and we have decided it is a keeper! There were many wonderful homemade creatures! I think this year we will have a parade too so that everyone sitting down can see them!

It is time to start up the weekend workdays again. If you have not put in your four hours volunteering at the farm, now is a great time to do it! We will be gathering at the barn at 1 pm on Monday the 7th; Saturday the 12th at 9 am; Saturday the 19th at 9 am and Sunday the 27th at 1 pm. As we were taking our spin around the farm, we discovered the winter squash vines have collapsed and are now ready to pick and get into storage. We will be doing this until all of it has been harvested; which may take a few weeks! More than likely, we will continue to have workdays into October. Please contact Lorna Carnahan and let her know when you are coming. This way, if there is a cancellation for some reason, we can email you and let you know. Lorna's phone number is 303-593-1754 and her email address is lornacarnahan@gmail.com.

Thank you for helping us during this busy time of year!

Jacquie, Jerry, Alaina and Kyle

Do It Yourself Produce Rinse (similar to Fit)

1 quart water
2 Tbsp baking soda
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cream of tartar

Mix and keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks!