DEAR ‘CREEKNIKS:  This Saturday is International Eat an Apple Day.  You know what that means.  Time for tough love.  Let us dispense with any lingering delusions you may have about peach season in Upstate New York.  Here is the number of peaches you will find to pick:

Now you smartypantses are going to protest in unison, “That is not even a real number!”  And you are correct.  The square root of -1 is an imaginary number.  It does exist, but it is called “imaginary” by people who think about these things professionally.  So you can use your imagination and go pick pretend peaches.  We will not interrupt you.  But in real life peach picking season is over.  We do have beautiful peaches at the stand.  This is the final weekend.

Bartlett pears have been well picked, but you can still find them.  Last chance.  They will not last the weekend.  On Monday, pear picking season will become the square root of a negative number.  Choose any number you like, even the very special -42, but it won’t make the pears come back.  We will continue to have beautiful and exotic pears stocked at the farm stand for some weeks, but u-pick = bye bye.

Apples, by contrast, are very real.  They are hanging on the trees in big numbers; X > 5000.  But, as you know, when Farmketeers mobilize on a sunny weekend, big numbers become vanishingly small very fast.  Honeycrisp apples are calling to you.  They will become imaginary after the weekend.  Last chance to pick your own sweet specimens.  Rows 12, 13, 18, and the “Honeycrisp 2017” orchard on the farm map.

You can also pick Autumn Crisp, Jonamac, Early Fuji, and Elstar in the Dwarf Orchard.  All delicious varieties.  Visit Rows 8, 12, and 14.  See that funny nose on the Autumn Crisp?  We consulted Autumn Stoschek of Eve’s Cidery, one of our most trusted colleagues in practical pomology, about the anomalous protuberance.  Was it a frost ring?  Apple sawfly?  “It’s making a baby,” she texted back.  More on this enigmatic Autumn person and her dubious apple knowledge shortly.

New this week!  The Vintage Orchard is open!  You can pick McIntosh and Cortland apples!  These are classic fresh eaters that many people love from childhood or middle age in the 1980s.  You will find Macs on big old trees with ORANGE ribbons.  They are famously tender and tart with a “vinous” or winelike acidity.  They are petite in size and a refreshing snack on the run.

Cortland apples are famous for extraordinary bright white flesh, which they retain after biting or cutting.  They do not brown (oxidize) quickly.  Perfect in fruit salads and sliced in school lunchboxes.  But use appropriate eyewear.  Find the YELLOW ribbons round the old apple trees.

More apples means better cider.  Orchard Ambrosia expands its mind as things get complexified through fall semester.  You can drink it hot or cold at the stand and take jugs home.  Pressed fresh every week.  Freezes beautifully.  It is old-fashioned, unpasteurized juice.

Cider slushees for a hot September weekend.  Weather will be in the 80s.  We are serving slushees every day.  Here Dr. Robert the Bruce attempts to civilize our enterprise by drinking a proper slushee with Chestnut Crab apple perched on the rim.

Cider donuts.  Set em up and knock em down.  These are not big cakey donuts.  They are more like oversized vitamins that you pop into your mouth with a decisive pop and then you feel like life might turn out half-decent after all.  Served mostly fresh and usually hot Saturday and Sunday 10 to 6.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant.  The detailed tomato report from Farmer Steve:  “Molasses.”  In English that means the beefsteaks, cherries, heirlooms, Romas, and Marzanos have been plugging along, but unseasonably cold nights have allowed pickers to keep up with the crop.  Please come pick, but do not expect an ocean of red tomatoes.  Peppers:  Tons to pick, from sweet bells to the hot hots.  But they, too, have not reached full redness in large numbers.  Eggplants:  Same idea, you will find beauties, many on the smaller side but great for many recipes.  Please enjoy the veggie crops while they’re here.

Farmketeer of the Week, @chef_gregorymark, knows how to enjoy his veggies.  Greg directs the venerable Harlem nonprofit Westside Campaign Against Hunger.  He loves the farm and comes up every year for a picking session.  Check out his “ajvar” or Balkan ketchup, made from roasted peppers, roasted eggplant, roasted garlic cloves, lemon and olive oil.  A savory dip for flatbreads or spread on a meat dish.  How about on your weekend brunch home fries?  Thank you, Chef Greg, for teaching us to think outside the Heinz.

The sweet corn family had a relaxing week at the lake and they are ready for a busy weekend.  Get 2 dozen ears for only $10 – and don’t take corn season for granted.  Another week?  Two weeks?  Hard to say.  Load up now and enjoy.

Join us for a free puppet show Saturday 1:00 PM at the playground!  Bring the kids and kick back while Lily Silly puts on an original performance with handmade puppets and live guitar accompaniment.  No tickets required – just come relax and enjoy.  Here is the Facebook event.

Special Event!  Tickets now!  Only 30 seats available!

October 5, 2017 – “Cider Apples” – Tasting, orchard tour, and picnic dinner at the farm with Eve’s Cidery, Indian Creek Farm, and The Piggery!

Buy tickets and see event details on Eve’s Cidery web site.

With the American cider revival under way and hundreds of new ciders finding their way to market each year, folks are making cider with whatever apples they can get their hands on. But is it good cider?

In this interactive tour and tasting we’ll take a look at why it matters where and how a cider apple is grown using our noses and taste buds.

Autumn Stoschek of nationally acclaimed Eve’s Cidery will lead a tasting of apples and ciders produced at different locations with different methods.  Steve Cummins of The ‘Creek will give you a tour of the orchards and our fruit tree nursery.  Heather Sandford of The Piggery will feed you a family-style picnic dinner here on the farm.

Farm Fans, you can pay a jillion bucks a ticket to attend a shee shee farm-to-table hoo hah.  Or – for just $20! – you can share a pokey little outing with 3 loopy farmers who have put their hearts into local food and beverage to great effect.

Get tickets now – only 30 seats!

Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.