Botetourt Farmers' Market, Saturday September 26, 2009

Saturday will be a lovely, rainy, cool day. Look for us up on the porch if it's raining hard.

We will have our freshly milled whole grain breads as well as some homemade honey and milk "white bread". We will have a good assortment of home canned fruits and vegetables. We will have extra quarts of tomatoes for those that find tomorrow to be a good "homemade Clilli day" great for the game! Earl and Linda

Rain or shine, Full Circle Farm plans to be at Ikenberry's tomorrow morning with Freshly Milled Milk and Honey Bread, Spelt Milk and Honey Bread, Pizza Crusts, Baguettes, Seedy Loaf and Spelt and
Rye Almond Raisin bread. We will also have some of our freshly milled whole grain pancake cornbread and brownie mixes.
Maybe you want to get some cornbread mix to go with Linda Ruggle's Chili! Perfect for fall! We will have our Locally Grown Wool Hiking Socks to keep your toes warm in the future months. Lamb and beef are at the butcher, aging as you read this email! Can't wait for some nice lamb curry and beef stew. Will keep you posted. Enjoy the wonderful soaking rains! We sure are glad to see water filling up the pond! Philip, Ginger, Thomas, Patrick, Maggie, Rose and Nora

White Oak Dairy will be there with goat cheese, goat milk ricotta cheesecake, and goat milk chocolate. -Anna

Better Batter Baking will be there with baked goods using wheat alternatives such as rice, millet and spelt flours, oats and flaxseed. Items use local dairy and produce, and include:
*Berry White Chocolate Scones
*Chocolate Muffins
*Apple Streusel Muffins
*Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Wendy Hayth-Perdue

Ed Collins is bringing gorgeous greens for cooking and tomatoes.

Brambleberry Farm believes that Equinox is the balance achieved when the winter squash and summer squash converge. We’ll have Hubbard squashes and those light green Costata summer squashes (which have decided they will just keep on producing, thank you.) Also on the table: sweet peppers and hot peppers, heritage tomatoes, beautiful mixed lettuces, chard, eggs, vinegars, and pickles. If you’re making chili, you’ll need plenty of red hot peppers, you can chop them up and add to cornbread. You can also buy some apple wine vinegar and some red hot peppers to make your own hot vinegar. Hot peppers can also be placed in good olive oil and aged for a week or two, then taken out to leave some really great oil for Asian stirfry. Another idea: string a bunch of red hot peppers and use as a garland for your Christmas tree! This could be a HOT new trend this holiday season.

Berry Ridge Farms will be there with Farm fresh free range eggs, Our Gluten Free Homemade Loaf, Gluten Free Banana Bread , Gluten Free Pound Cake. See you all there ! Thanks to all of those who have preordered your special items !!!!

Farming on A Few Acres

Hosted by
Virginia Cooperative Extension,
Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke counties

Do you have small acreage, 15 acres or less? Are you interested in learning about agricultural options for that land? Then join us for a five consecutive Monday night series targeted at individuals who have small acreage and are interested in landbased business opportunities.

Topics include economics and marketing; goats, sheep, and poultry; greenhouse and nursery crops; vegetable production; and nontimber
forest products. $10 per person for the 5-night series.

Monday nights, 6 – 9 pm
October 5, 12, 19, 26, and November 2
Roanoke Higher Education Center
Downtown Roanoke
(Directions and parking instructions available at
http://www.education.edu/directions-parking.html)

For a registration form or for more information contact Sheri Dorn in the Roanoke Office at:
3738 Brambleton Avenue, SW
Roanoke, Virginia 24018-3639
540/772-7524 FAX: 540/776-7136
sherid@vt.edu
http://offices.ext.vt.edu/roanoke

Cultivating Sustainability Conference

Local Foods Workshops

It’s not too late to register for the local foods workshop scheduled for

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Mountain Run Farm
2734 Charlemont Road, Big Island, VA 24526 - http://www.mountainrunfarm.com/

The program begins at 9:30 a.m. and concludes at noon.

Your investment is $5 per person or $10 per family

To Register: Contact Bruce Jones at the Appomattox Extension office by calling 434-352-8244!

· The September 24 workshop will be held at Bedford County’s Mountain Run Farm which specializes in pasture-based meats. The session will focus on “Keeping you business and your customers safe.” The program includes:

o Dr. Martha Walker reviewing liability issues related to visitors on the farm.

o Bud Anderson, VDACS, will discuss rules and regulations governing direct marketing of food products.

o Dr. Rob Williams, VCE Specialist, will provide guidance on food safety and Good Agricultural Practices.

o Mountain Run Farm will share their experience in the local food business.

Remember another programs on Local Foods is planned for . . .

· October 29 at Black Eagle Farm in Nelson County where the discussion will relate to marketing and distribution models. Black Eagle has developed a diversified livestock operation that includes sheep, cattle, goats and organic eggs.

All workshops will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end around 12 noon.

A registration fee of $5 per person or $10 per family per workshop will be collected to help defray program expenses. For more information and to register, call Scott Baker, Bedford County Office, at 540-586-7675.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Scott Baker, Bedford County Office, at 540-586-7675 during business hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is (800) 828-1120.

September 12, 2009 Botetourt Farmers' Market

Greetings! Patrick will represent Full Circle Farm tomorrow with Freshly Milled Whole Grain breads and mixes. We plan to offer our Milk and Honey bread, Spelt Milk and Honey, Seedy Loaf, Baguette, Spelt and Rye Raisin Almond. Don't forget to check out our Locally Grown Wool Hiking socks!! Come check them out and pick out a pair for your eco-friendly hiker to stash for Christmas. Is it ever too early to shop for Christmas?? Beef, pork and lamb will be available next month. See you at the market! Ginger and the rest of the Full Circle Farm, Botetourt gang

Better Batter Baking will not be making it tomorrow (I forgot Virginia Tech plays tomorrow and so I didn't secure babysitting soon enough), but will make it next week.

White Eagle Ranch is in the rabbit business - both live and killed, freezer-packed - both are available right now. Alex & Nancy Kamwell

Earl and I will be at the market tomorrow with our freshly milled whole grain breads. We will have 14 Grain, Oatmeal, Flaxseed, and Cracked Wheat. We will also have some wonderful pumpkin bread with pecans and raisins. We will have a wide variety of jams and jelly's including Crab Apple Jelly and Grape and Black Cherry Jelly, and a good assortment of pickles, and tomatoes, and such. Looking forward to seeing you there tomorrow! Earl and Linda Ruggles

White Oak Dairy will be there with goat cheese and goat milk ricotta cheese cakes.

Little Wasprock Farms (formerly L and D Eggs - long story) will be there with fresh PEARS, pear honey, pear preserves, tomato pies, pound cake, pickles, jams and relishes!

Brambleberry Farm is getting time off for good behavior. If you need eggs, lettuces, chard or peppers, you can contact me at brambleberryfarm@gmail.com


Hillbilly Heaven is going to be there tomorrow. We will have our jams, pickles, Zucchini bread, Banana bread, Spiced pumpkin bread made with our first grown pumpkins, strawberry bulls eye, Oriental Peras Jam ( new ) ( I had too) : ), Fresh made hot pineapple jam ( thanks a bunch Donna for the sell out) of course our crumb buns and cinnamon buns if they raise. See you all there.

Hello All, Berry Ridge Farms will not be at the market on Saturday. We welcomed our 14th grandchild into the world,.so only special preorders and deliveries will be done Saturday, if you need something before next week please call 254-1689 or if you want something special for pick on the 19th let us know before Thursday. Thanks and have a great week !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-------------------------------

Congratulations, Berries!

This Week's Featured Market Vendors

When Philip Hillery graduated from Roanoke College, little did he expect that life's twists and turns would one day bring him back to the area. Hillery met his wife Ginger at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Life then offered missionary work in Japan, a stint as a jail chaplain and five children. Seeking a simpler, more self-sufficient life, the Hillerys moved back to the area about five years ago, buying land in the Catawba Valley and creating "Full Circle Farm".

Joining Botetourt Family Farmers, Ginger brought baked goods made from freshly-milled, non-GMO wheat to the Botetourt Farmer's Market (held every Saturday from 8am-1pm or sell-out in Ikenberry's parking lot on US 220 north of Daleville) . Assisted by the children, she sold baguettes, milk and honey bread, pizza crusts and chocolate brioches, as well as meat from their own livestock. Daughter Rose even sold iced mint tea to thirsty vendors!

This year, Roanoke Natural Foods decided to create the 'Grandin Village Community Market' and Ginger was asked to bring her special baked goods there. This created a dilemma for her since she is a committed member of Botetourt Family Farmers. So, the rest of the Hillery family pitched in to help at the market here with son Patrick designated as the manager of their Botetourt 'operation'.

The baking process begins with son Thomas, 16 years old, rising at 3am on Fridays to mill the 80+ pounds of wheat, spelt and rye that Ginger uses for her bread baking. Even though he is not often seen at the market, Thomas is a very integral part of the operation. All of the children have learned responsibility and life skills by participating in the market. With fall approaching, the Hillerys will soon have their homegrown beef, pork and lamb available for sale at the market.

-- Genevieve Goss

Hello from the Blue Ridge Poultry Coop!

This season has flown by and the last of the chickens are ready to be processed! We will process on Friday, September 11. Chickens will be ready for pick up between 4:00-6:00pm on Friday. They will be sold whole for $3/lb. If you'd like to reserve chickens, email or call and let us know how many you'd like. Directions to the farm are below.

This has been a wonderful year for us and we thank you for your suport! We will begin processing again in the spring and will have turkeys for Thanksgiving next year! Keep an eye on your email for information about a winter farm buying club, and we'll send out an email in the spring letting you know when we'll have chicken again.

Thank you!
Angie and Patricia
www.blueridgepoultrycoop.com
540-966-0158

Directions to the farm:
Heading South on I-81

Take exit 162 (Buchanan)
Turn left onto Route 11 toward Troutville.
Go 3.2 miles to Route 606 (Blue Ridge Turnpike). Mill Creek Garage will be on the left.
Turn left onto Route 606, Blue Ridge Turnpike.
Go 1.6 miles to stop sign.
Turn right onto Nace Road and go less than 1/10th of a mile to bridge on left.
Turn left onto bridge at Bethel Road. Drive under rail-road trestle.
Entrance to Camp Bethel is .3 of a mile straight ahead. Drive straight past camp entrance.
Turn right into next driveway. We are the two story brick house on the left, 568. Drive around back.


Heading North on I-81

Take Exit 156
At end of ramp turn right onto Route 640, Brugh’s Mill Road, and go .2 mile to stop sign at Route 11.
Turn left onto Route 11..
Go approximately 2 miles.
Mill Creek Baptist Church will be on your left. Just across from the church turn right onto Route 606, Blue Ridge Turnpike.
Go 1.6 miles to stop sign.
Turn right onto Nace Road and go 1/10th of a mile to bridge on left.
Turn left onto bridge at Bethel Road. Drive under rail-road trestle.
Entrance to Camp Bethel is .3 mile straight ahead. Drive straight past camp entrance.
Turn right into next driveway. We are the two story brick house on the left, 568. Drive around back.

Botetourt Farmers' Market, Sept, 5, 2009

Hillbilly Heaven will be there with Pickles, Jams, Canned Tomatoes (New), crumb buns, cinnamon buns, bulls eye, and zucchini bread. I also have some garden beans, pineapple grape tomatoes, some spaghetti squash and basil. See you there! Toni Weaver

Berry Ridge Farms will be there till noon, as UVA football starts tomorrow !!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Wahoos!!!!!!!!!! We have our Gluten Free Homemade Loaf, Gluten Free Brownies, GF Cornbread, GF Banana
Bread, and GF applesauce bread. Come out and talk with us about our sugar free and alternative baked good items available. See you soon !!!!!!!! Teresa

Brambleberry Farm is bringing eggs, the last of the summer squashes (boo hoo), Kuri and Blue Hubbard winter squash, hot peppers, sweet bell peppers, chard, tender lettuce mix, green hops, pickles, vinegars, chocolate zucchini bread, pumpkin bread made with Kuri squash.

Greetings! Patrick is back in town (whew!) and will represent Full Circle Farm tomorrow with Freshly Milled Whole Grain breads and mixes.
Locally Grown Wool Hiking socks are in this week! Come check them out and pick out a pair for your eco-friendly hiker to stash for Christmas. Is it ever too early to shop for Christmas??
We have a new stone burr mill made by Meadows Mills! It uses pink balfour granite and mills at a very low temperature to preserve the nutrients of the whole grain. If you are interested in having flour or cornmeal milled to order, please let Patrick know. We will be happy to offer you freshly milled flours for your own wonderful recipes! And let me know if you would like some of our recipes to try for yourself!
Beef, pork and lamb will be available next month. See you at the market!
Ginger and the rest of the Full Circle Farm, Botetourt gang

White Oak Dairy will be there with regular are wasabi goat cheese.
-Anna Bedell

L and D will be there with pear honey, pear preserves, hopefully fresh pears, tomato pies, jelly and pickles!

Better Batter Baking will be bringing:
*Cappuccino Muffins made with local dairy and eggs
*Blackberry Buckwheat Quinoa Muffins made with local sorghum molasses and blackberries
*Teff Pumpkin Raisin Muffins made with local pumpkin (these are vegan)
*Peach Scones made with local peaches and dairy

*Apple Streusel Muffins - made with local Shenandoah apples, a variety I understand is not commonly grown anymore.

This Week's Featured Market Vendors

Familiar faces at the Botetourt Farmers' Market are Earl and Linda Ruggles, who sell seasonal produce, home canned goods, freshly-baked breads and handmade aprons and woodcrafts. Linda Ruggles comes from a family of 15 with parents who always had a garden and canned what they grew. Earl was raised in a gardening and canning family too. They've been married for 36 years and, not surprisingly, have been gardening for nearly that long. They find that working in the garden together gives them a chance to talk about what has happened during the day, to solve all kinds of problems and to share a good laugh.

The Ruggles joined the Botetourt Family Farmers at its inception and began selling at the first market with apple butter, baked goods and herbs. They have continued to expand their offerings and arrive early at the Farmers' Market, which is held each Saturday from 8am-1pm (or sell-out) in the parking lot of Ikenberry's on US 220 north of Daleville. Linda now has a USDA-inspected food license which allows her to sell in other businesses as well. She orders grains such as rye, barley, kamut, and spelt to mill into flour at home. She bakes specialty breads using local eggs and produce for sale at the market and, after the market ends in October, by special order at her home. Linda and Earl can be reached at 992-4579 or by email: countrycrafters@gmail.com.

Although this year's garden started out well, the Ruggles have been challenged by deer, ground hogs, and too-plentiful rain. In addition, they've had to travel due to the illness and death of loved ones. Still, with the incurable optimism of true gardeners, they've returned to the garden and market, willing to use what they have available and planning for an even better garden next year. Linda describes the Farmers' Market as vital to our community, benefitting both the vendors and those wishing to purchase fresh produce, local meats, unique items like soaps and candles, home-canned fruits and vegetables and specialty baked goods. She adds: "The market is also a fantastic meeting place for all of us to get to know each other and become neighbors and friends!"