Friday, August 29, 2008

August 30th Market Offerings

Brambleberry Farm:

I'll be there with: Eggs, Fresh Figs, Heirloom Tomatoes, Pole Beans, Chard, Basils, Cherry Tomatoes, Cabbage, Potted Butterfly Bush

Blue Ridge Poultry Coop:

will be there with pasture raised, all natural frozen chickens, whole and quartered. We'll also have eggs from Arcadia Farm. Thanks!
Angie

L & D Eggs:

We will be there with cucumbers, pear honey, tomato pies, jams, fresh basil and eggs!


Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Canning Workshop



If you weren't there, you missed a nice time. Linda demonstrated water bath canning of tomatoes and everyone got their hands on experience.
The Mystery Canner showed up incognito. There was some smooching. We only tasted the tiniest bit of homemade wine.
While waiting for the tomatoes to cook up, the group graciously peeled and chopped apples for a batch of chutney.












Friday, August 22, 2008

What Will Be at the Farmers' Market on August 23?

Mini Blessings Farm:



Earl and I will be having "First of the Season" Apple Butter, Crab Apple Jelly, Crab Apple Grape Jelly, and Spiced Crab Apples. I have a new batch of Triple Berry Jam and Strawberry Rhubarb. We will have green tomatoes for frying and plenty of "Wonderful Red Ripe Tomatoes" for the table. I will be bringing some baked goods. I will also have Homemade Peanut Butter Fudge and Chocolate Fudge.



Brambleberry Farm:



Chard, pole beans, assorted heritage tomatoes, eggs, the first of the fresh figs, assorted fresh basils, two types of zucchini bread...

Friday, August 15, 2008

August 16th Market Offerings

The weather's nice and cool. If it is raining hard, look for us on the porch.

Full Circle Farm

Philip and the kids will be there with limited freshly ground whole wheat products, as we are waiting for our shipment of wheat and spelt to arrive on Tuesday next week. First come, first serve, and then we'll see you with a full load of wheat and spelt items next Saturday! They will have plenty ofhot banana peppers, jalapenos and Patrick's free-range eggs. Thanks!!!! Ginger

Brambleberry Farm

I'm bringing eggs, cherry tomatoes, chard, assorted pole beans, blackberries, and lots of fresh peach cakes! What, no asparagus?? There isn't enough -- maybe next week!

Mini Blessings Farm

A busy week! We will have a fresh batch of Triple Berry Jam, Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Freshly Canned Tomatoes, and Chow Chow, as well as Pickled Beet! We will also have many types of breads and some "Monster Blueberry Muffins". We will have the last of the cabbage, and some beautiful tomatoes. I am doing home canning of tomatoes right now for customers, just let me know how many and of what size jar, I will have them ready next week. Don't forget the aprons and totes, they make great gifts. Thanks, Earl and Linda

L & D Eggs

Greetings all!

We will be there with tomato pies, spelt zucchini bread, sugar free blackberry jam, blackberry and blueberry jam, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers and cabbage.

See you all in the morning!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Pasture-Finished Beef Field Day

Pasture-Finished Beef Field Day

Willow Bend Demonstration Farm

Union, WV

August 21, 2008

2:00 - 2:30 Registration

2:30 Welcome and Purpose of the Field Day

The Overall Research Effort - Economic Pasture-Based Beef Systems for Appalachia - Dr. Bill Clapham, USDA ARS

What We Learned in the First Phase

2:40 Highlights from the Cow Work at Steeles Tavern (weaning methods, warm season perennials, stocking rate vs hay needs) - David Fiske, Shenandoah Valley AREC and Holly Boland, PhD Candidate, Virginia Tech

3:00 Winter Stocker Results from Morgantown (forage types and quality, response to supplements, Residual Feed Intake) Dr. Gene Felton, Dept of Animal & Veterinary Science, West Virginia University

3:30 Finishing Cattle Performance and Carcass Quality (Forage Type, ADG, Forage Available to Cattle, Etc) Dr. Jim Neel, Research Animal Scientist, USDA ARS
3:50 Meat Quality - Dr. Jim Neel

4:10 Fatty Acid Composition of the Product - Dr. Joe Fontenot, John W. Hancock Jr. Professor Emeritus of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Tech

4:30 Load up to Tour the Pastures and Cattle

4:40 Pasture Finishing at Willow Bend - Cattle and Pasture Management - Dr. Jim Neel

5:00 The Current Phase of Pasture-Based Research

Expanding the Harvest Window - Grazing Days and Cattle Age - Dr. Jim Neel

Frame Size of the Cattle - Dr. Gene Felton and Dr. Jim Neel

Teff and Triticale as Forage Crops - Dr. Ozzie Abaye, Dept. of Crop and Soil Environmental
Sciences, Virginia Tech, and Dr. Bill Clapham

5:45 How to Manage Rotationally-Grazed Pastures

Rest Period, Grazing Duration, Stocking Density, Residual Forage Height, Etc - Dr. Ed Rayburn, Extension Forage Agronomist, West Virginia University
Ideas for Fencing and Water

6:30 pm Back to the Headquarters for Dinner

A Message from our Sponsors

Local Producers of Pasture-Finished Livestock, Opportunities

We Look Forward to Having You Come to the 2009 Field Day at Steeles Tavern!

Directions to the Field Day

The Willow Bend Demonstration Farm is located 4.5 miles south of Union, West Virginia. Route 219 is the main road through Union.
Take the US 219 South exit at Lewisburg, West Virginia.
Travel south on US 219 approximately 25 miles to Union, West Virginia.
At the south end of Union there is a 4-way stop.
Continue straight thru the 4-way stop on the Willow Bend Road.
Willow Bend Farm is approximately 4.5 miles on the left.

From Southwest Virginia take Route 460 to Rich Creek. Take Route 219 north into West Virginia. Stay on Route 219 for approximately 27 miles to Union, WV. At the 4-way stop as you come into Union, turn right on to the Willow Bend Road. Willow Bend Farm is approximately 4.5 miles on the left.

Preregistration is required for the complimentary dinner. To preregister for the dinner call the Monroe Co. WVU-Extension Office at 304-772-3003.

The Pasture-Finished Beef Field Day is sponsored by USDA-ARS, the West Virginia University Extension Service, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, and Virginia Cooperative Extension along with a number of cooperating agencies and organizations.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Challenge to Eat Local for Virginia Farmers Market Week

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
COMMISSIONER’S COLUMN OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS,
P.O. BOX 1163, RICHMOND, VA 23218, http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/

August 3 - 9 2008
A CHALLENGE TO EAT LOCAL FOR VIRGINIA FARMERS MARKET WEEK By Todd P. Haymore, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Buy local. Eat local.

As the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), I am delighted that so many Virginians are taking these ideas to heart and putting them into practice. They make sense for a lot of very good reasons.

If you’re not already on board, Virginia Farmers Market Week is the perfect time to join the crowd. This is a time we set aside to emphasize the importance of farmers markets and all the reasons why buying directly from a farmer makes sense.

I’ll get to those usual reasons in a moment, but first, let me tell you what makes Farmers Market Week 2008 unique.

This year we have issued a challenge to all Virginians to Eat Local for a Day. Choose a day during Farmers Market Week, August 3 – 9, 2008, and on that day, consume only foods and beverages grown or produced in Virginia. Then show us how you did it.

Send us a video showing what you bought, where you bought it, how you cooked it and, of course, how much you enjoyed it.

The best video will win a full-to-bursting prize basket of Virginia foods, beverages, a Virginia Grown polo shirt, a logo cap or tote bag, and a host of other Virginia items.

In addition, we’ll post it on our Web site and on YouTube.

The deadline for submission is September 3, 2008, and your video must feature locally-grown and Virginia Grown or produced products.

Look for complete details at http://www.virginiagrown.com/.

We’ve already heard from a variety of people who want to know more about the contest: Moms, teenagers, heads of food service at educational institutions, and shoppers who already frequent their local farmers markets.

Now we want YOU.

Teenagers, if you’ve never thought about where your food comes from and where to find local products, ask your Mom or Dad, or ask us at EatLocalVa@vdacs.virginia.gov.

Parents, if you make it a point to scout out local farmers markets and roadside stands but aren’t too sure how to make a video, ask your kids.

And for those of you who don’t do either, well, there’s no better time to start than now.

First, let me give you some suggestions about finding and buying Virginia products. You’ll find a list of farmers markets in your area at http://www.virginiagrown.com/.

You’ll also find locations to purchase or pick-your-own Virginia Grown fruits and vegetables, an availability chart, great recipes and much more. In addition to farmers markets and pick-your-own farms, you’ll find Virginia Grown products at roadside stands, flea markets, food festivals – there’s a list at http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/news/festival.shtml - and in your local grocery store.

I was in a grocery store here in Richmond recently that had a farmers market inside the store, complete with photos of the farmers who grew each product.

Now let’s discuss why buying local make sense for Virginians, besides the chance to win a fabulous prize and see your video on YouTube.

Great taste is one of the main reasons people are flocking to buy field-fresh, ripe and ready Virginia Grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, cheese and more. In addition to exceptional taste, you’ll find richer colors, firmer textures and better nutrition with local produce because it’s harvested while flavor, form and nutrition are at their peak.

Fruits and vegetables from distant locations are often harvested well in advance and diminish overall when shipped or stored for several days. When you select fruits and vegetables grown on nearby farms, you are choosing produce that was on the vine, in the field or on the tree just a short time before you get to enjoy it. The only way to get it any fresher is to pick it yourself. And a lot of people are doing that, too, and having a great time in the process at Virginia’s many pick-your-own farms and orchards.

Buying local is environmentally responsible because it reduces food miles, the distance food travels from the farm to your table. It also has food safety implications because purchasers get the chance to find out where their food comes from, who grew it and the production practices used to keep it safe to eat.

Don’t forget that when you buy Virginia Grown, you’re also enhancing your local economy, helping Virginia’s 46,000 farms continue to generate annual sales of approximately $36 billion and maintain about 388,000 jobs statewide and you are doing your part to maintain agriculture as Virginia’s number one industry.

You are also lending a hand to protect the state’s green and open spaces which provide habitats for wildlife, offer visual appeal and help keep the air clean.

Buying Virginia Grown and Virginia produced helps keep farmers farming and lessens the dependence on imported food.

Have I convinced you yet? If so, take the Eat-Local-For-A-Day Challenge and send us your video. But don’t stop there. Once you discover how easy it is to find Virginia products, you can establish a new lifelong habit, Buying and Eating Locally.

Botetourt Community Partnership

QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE BOTETOURT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14

FINCASTLE LIBRARY MEETING ROOM

Complimentary Continental Breakfast available at
8:45am, meeting begins at 9am

Agenda:
1) Botetourt Conservation Update
2) Upcoming workshops
3) Fall festivals
4) VCC's annual meeting
5) Membership event

Genevieve Goss
Donna Henderson, Co-Chairs

Please let us know if you will attend, so that we can have enough breakfast and
coffee for your enjoyment. ecoacres@rbnet.com or 966-4606

Friday, August 1, 2008

August 2, 2008 Market Offerings

Full Circle Farm:

'Am back full steam ahead and will have pastured pork sausage, freshlyground whole wheat and spelt items, hot peppers, fresh herbs, potatoes, Maggie's bags and bouquets, Rose's freshmint tea.

L & D Eggs:

I will be there with eggs, peppers, cucumbers, tomaotes, spelt zucchini bread, blackberry and blueberry jam, dill pickle relish, lime pickles and whatever else I find in the am! See you all there!