MISC MARKET NOTES

Two weeks ago we were enjoying a blessed warm day and and today well . . . blessed COLD! May as well try to be positive about it! It seemed like a good time to check in to see what some of our Market vendors are doing these winter days:

Steve of 3LC Apiaries has been giving his bees supplemental syrup to help them get through the winter. He always leaves ample honey on his hives to accomplish this but they’ve consumed so much during previous cold snaps this winter that they risk starvation without intervention. This food will be consumed during cold weather and not stored as honey.

Amanda at Casablanca Ranch reports that their cattle have been eating extra during the cold weather which means giving them extra hay. They also have to make sure pipes don’t freeze so the animals have plenty of water. Sometimes this means busting up ice in water tanks as well.

Dianne, D’s Jellies, is busy in the kitchen. Today she’s making Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream and Butter Pecan Ice Cream from her cookbook, D’s Farmhouse Kitchen Recipes! She will be making Blackberry and Mahaw jelly in the near future from frozen produce grown on her farm. They are looking forward to growing more peppers this year as their famous Pepper Jelly is completely sold out.

Duck Nugget Farm reports that they have to be more diligent to protect their birds from predators in winter. They feed crows year round (did you know crows keep hawks away?) to protect their ducks, geese, and guineas, but with less crows around in wintertime those pesky hawks and owls still sometimes manage to steal a meal. Another protection measure has been to add wind blocks and structural integrity to the shelters where the animals are locked up at night. Besides the added security, they have planted clover and winter rye so their animals can forage on fresh food during the winter months.

Grows in Rows has seedlings going in the hot house!

Hortons Farm has been preparing to move bee hives to a more favorable location. The trees surrounding the original bee yard have grown so that the shade is affecting bee health. It’s too early to attempt relocating right now but we are preparing the new site.

Kathy’s Churpers has been working on rotating their chickens. They report seeing a LOT of deer close by their property including a doe with triplets recently.

Special shout out to Mia at Mount Moriah for the cutest photo (below) this week. No explanation needed about how she cares for her goats!

MT MORIAH FARMS:  Hello Winter! We currently have 9 does in milk and lots of little babies running around. Our first rabbit to have babies “kindled” out a couple days ago. I’m very excited to see what they look like. We have been busy working with troy university’s Small business division and i’m so excited about the opportunities this year will bring. We hope y’all have set some goals for this year and are working towards fulfilling them. Thank you for supporting local! 

AVALON FARMS: Due to life circumstances, I have put all of Avalon Farm’s products on hold. That means none of our products will be available for now. I hate doing that but I hate even more canceling your orders last week and don’t want to have to do it again.

Starting in mid December I started experiencing pain in my left leg when I walk or stand for more than a couple minutes. Have not been able to get a diagnosis so far and we’re just doing the best we can. 

Looking forward to a better Spring,
Wendy

Grows In Rows wanted to share some recent photos:

We look forward to seeing you next Friday at one of our pickup locations. Thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!