Blueberries are here!

Good morning all, Seems like the month of July flies by way, way too quickly, here we are already mid month. I hope that you have all been enjoying the great weather (taking a bit of time to put on the rubber boots and splash in the puddles) and lovely state we are so lucky to live in. And how about the rain we have finally received? The field have begun to regenerate and the weeds!!! Oh the weeds !

This week, high bush blueberries have been added to the list , next week should see the beginning of the abundance of zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes . Local produce is so much tastier and fresher . I have found more shelling peas, sugar snap peas and a very limited amount of asparagus. The rain has reinvigorated the rhubarb and I am in hopes of finding the last of the early strawberries. It is my delight and pleasure to help provide you and your families with fresh local foods delivered to your home or office on Friday, please take a moment from your day to visit one of the many great local farmers’ markets, the Maine Federation of Farmers’ markets offer a full listing of all our markets in the state. Diversity of products and vendors are a true adventure in eating and shopping …….. Stay well, I look forward to hearing from you, and I am grateful for your support of local foods and excellent small Maine farms ! Kath

Happy Summer All!

Happy summer All,

These 3 day weekends throw me for a loop ! I always enjoy them, but it sets my schedule way, way behind….

Welcome rain this weekend, and while we might ASK Mother Nature to be gentle we can only accept what she sends us, so a deluge of rain filled my ponds, made my ducks and geese deliriously happy, soaked the turkeys and meat birds in their covered pens and made the grass and weeds explode out of the ground !

And ultimately, the rain fully damaged the strawberries and raspberries ( that were looking soooo delicious) and probably wiped those crops out for the season or at least the next week. So those of you that did grab the strawberries while you could, lucky you!

This week we add local white spine pickling cukes, a scrumptious white salad turnip, and small tender head lettuces. Shell peas are pretty much over for the season but I do have the sugar snap peas in a limited amount, so grab ‘em while you can!

Always grateful for my foodie friends and your continued support of our awesome local foods and farms, we appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to hearing from you every week…

Take care and I hope you are able to enjoy this great summer in Maine !

Kath

Peas, please?

Good Morning all!

The list keeps growing and growing! We have a very limited supply of pickling cukes this week (yummy) and shell peas. The shell peas will not last long, they are one of the crops in our fine state that do not hold up well in the heat. Grab ‘em while you can!

We still have asparagus for a bit longer, strawberrries are amazing and gorgeous, garlic scapes are being cut ( so good grilled or turned in to a savory butter), and cute colorful multi colored beets. I hope to irrigate the rhubarb and have that hold on for another week, and beet greens will be available for another week or so. The last of the winter storage potatoes went to the piggies and chickens last week. We were culling out so many that it was becoming counter productive. However, the fingerlings continue to be firm and delicious, and I have a good many of those still to go through.

Available by preorder for your July 4th holiday get together will be fresh Valley View Farm turkeys ! Small birds 5- 11 pounds, just right for deep frying or slow cooking on the grill.

Our farm animals endure this heat by disappearing into the deep shade of the field pines. My Anatolian puppies (now almost 75 pounds each )beat the heat by dashing in and out of the farm ponds and then rolling gleefully in the compost piles. So these great large white dogs of mine with the smiling dark faces turn into glorious deep dark chocolate mud balls, so happy , just like kids in mud puddles…. But , in their minds, best of all is the thrill of dashing to me covered in this mud and sharing the “wealth”. Now I am not afraid of getting dirty every day of my life but REALLY boys? This is a different kind of dirty. Oh well, farm life, I sure do love it!

I hope that you all are getting out to the markets or into your gardens , this is the time of year we dream about in the depths of winter.. enjoy……. The seasons will turn soon enough….

As always, it is my great pleasure to offer up excellent products and produce from our amazing small Maine farms, I appreciate all of you…..

Stay cool,

Kath