Indian Creek Farm

Peach Pickers Needed Now!

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

THE FARM STAND is a no-holds-barred Battle Royale right now. It is standing room only and every piece of produce is fighting for your attention.

Andre the Giant Eggplant has Husk Hogan lifted high for a body slam. Fans are rocking mullets and talking trash like it’s 1989.

Jake the Snake Roberts is coiled around Rowdy Roddy Pepper in a dastardly cobra clutch. Come see for yourself. And now for this week’s u-pick report…

What’s Picking?

{ Come help harvest. }

Apples are picking. We are highlighting 3 varieties in the Dwarf Orchard: Sansa, Zestar, and Ginger Gold. Beautiful August apples, sweet to eat.

We have brought in artists from Complimenta, the installation space and residency, to be retrained in more practical matters such as farming.

But the big, juicy story this week is peaches. We need pickers NOW! The crop is abundant and days of sun are ticking the clock.

Peaches are ripe and hanging heavy. Please come this weekend and get a nice haul. Peach season won’t last much longer, and peaches don’t have a shelf life.

Pick now and eat soon! And don’t be mean. We are still finding lots of these. If you pick a peach, please take it home. Don’t just chuck it.

We have at least 16 vegetables to pick. Easy tomato picking, mostly Romas and Beefsteaks. Eggplant, peppers, and other goodies are prime time.

Down at the Stand

{ Ring the dinner bell. }

The farm stand is having its best days. No matter what you find in the fields, there is something delicious to add to your haul on the way out.

We have all the flavors, colors, and shapes of summer. You know that autumn is closing in—so please share these summer foods with us.

All kinds of odd apples that you won’t find in the grocery store. This one is named after a haunted castle. Come expand your palate.

The Sound of Signage

{ Get lost in the music. }

The signage squad was getting tired of being the butt of jokes. They made 19 new blank signs to install around the farm. Now who’s laughing?

Farm Buzz

{ Scuttlebutt. }

It’s a bad hour to follow farmers around with a camera. It is 3 PM and they’ve been up working since the crack of dawn. NOT! This dude started around noon and he’s got a chip on his shoulder nonetheless.

The photographer asks, “What kind of sticks are those?” The farmer says, “Wood.” The photographer says, “What kind of wood?” The farmer says, “Special wood.” The photographer asks, earnestly, “But what kind of special wood?”

The farmer quips, “Standard special wood.” The photographer continues, “But what kind of standard special wood?” Both farmers shout, “Just wood, dummy!” See what the photographer puts up with, just trying to get the news out?

It’s hard to get the straight scoop around here. Rather like chasing unicorns. Please come help us at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged apples, peaches, Photos, small farm, u-pick, vegetables | Leave a comment

How to Pick an Apple, and Something Kind of Amazing.

Posted on August 16, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

IN A SURPRISE MOVE that rattled stakeholders, the Tomato Council declined to issue a press release with details on the tardy tomato crop.

“No comment,” said Cherry Roma, VP for Heirloom Compliance. Roma had previously gone on record saying, “You say tomato, we say to-MAH-to.”

“We can neither confirm nor deny,” added the comptroller, Allie Saladette, who is known to have deep ties to the fried green tomato lobby.

“We will speak at a time of our choosing,” offered boss Tom Ato. Dr. Ato was Chief Lycopene Officer before assuming the top post in a spring coup.

The executive committee issued only this terse statement at press time: “There are a few pecks of ripe ones out there.”

Meanwhile, tomato fans were left reeling by allegations first reported on “The Farm O’Clock News with Eggder Furrow.” While pundits have suspected that cold nights are delaying the bulk of the crop, Furrow cited an anonymous source claiming that the tomatoes have been colluding with the pears—which are also expected to be ripe in the next few weeks—in a bid to upstage prime apple season and the Second Annual Pigs-n-Apples Party. Tune in next week for the rest of the story…

What’s Picking?

{ Come help harvest. }

It is peach season. Y’all have been picking like mad. This week the ripe batches include the Red Havens in Row 6. Ask which rows are hot when you arrive.

Time for apple warmups. There are a few trees of William’s Pride in the Dwarf Orchard. Note how Joanna uses two hands to pick apples—one to steady the branch and one to twist the apple. This keeps other apples from falling.

When you are picking one apple from a pair, hold them both. If you just tug on one, the other is likely to pop off. Imagine 500 pickers knocking a few apples off each time. It adds up to heartbreaking waste and unworkable farm finances.

Did you know? The shoulder of the apple, where the stem attaches, has tougher skin. Grab the apple like you are throwing a fast ball, with pressure on either side of the stem, but not much pressure on the bruisable bottom.

Once you get a grip, rock the apple with a twisting motion. A ripe apple won’t give you much resistance. You want to remove the apple, but not tear the foliage or rip the bark off the branch. Thank the tree and move along.

The popular Sansa apples are ready to pick. They are in Row 7 next to William’s Pride. Sansa is a Japanese apple with a juicy, sweet, and crisp flavor. Its parents are Gala and Akane, and Sansa brings the best of each.

Jump over to Row 8 for the Zestar trees. Professionals say “zeh-star,” but we say “zee-star.” It’s more zeeee sounding and nice. In England they call it “Flavar,” which is kind of cheap-sounding. Pick a few of these cold-climate beauties.

Finally, the Ginger Golds are resplendent and ready at the other end of Row 8. A law was proposed to make Ginger Golds the state fruit of Virginia. The bill was tabled but the apples are delicious. Lovely touch of blush on these specimens.

In the vegetable fields, tons of stuff to pick. Eggplant and peppers, including our favorite poblanos. A couple of you poblano enthusiasts have written to us. There are a bunch of medium size ones. Savory and smoky.

Down at the Stand

{ Ring the dinner bell. }

The farm stand is poppin’. It is hoppin’. It is croppin’, droppin’, and utterly bee-boppin’. One of our Facebook friends said, “It’s like the high holy days of August.” Amen, sister. There is much to be thankful for.

The word “cornucopia” relates to the phrase “horn of plenty.” See, corn = horn and copia = plenty (like copious). That’s Latin. Imagine a jazz band braying on their horns of plenty. Fruit flying all over the place and people dancing.

The Sound of Signage

{ Get lost in the music. }

By now you all know that our signs are challenging for even the smartypants in your picking party. We are aware of the situation and taking action. Tino is in the greenhouse painting like 25 signs right now. But we’re not stopping there.

We’ve called in the Van Valen boys! The bulldozer has arrived! Time to make the ‘Henge Highway. It will be a firm gravel road that leads from the bottom of the farm all the way to Stumphenge. It will be something kind of amazing.

It appears in bright yellow on the brochure map. It will remain a farmy road, dirty and full of little stones, but solid and level and free of bone-crunching potholes. We shouldn’t call it a highway. Drive slowly.

Zorro loves the cold, fresh dirt and we hope you will, too. Dan the Dozer Man is a real pro. He helped us build the barn last year and this road will be just as revolutionary. We’ll touch up other roads when we can afford it.

The road should be ready this weekend. If not, please bear with us. It’s gonna be great. Then Tino’s new signs will roll out and everyone will have even more ways to get lost on the farm. The adventure continues.

Farm Buzz

{ Scuttlebutt. }

Everyone, meet Sheila. She is your new parking model. We put her right near Stumphenge at just the correct angle. Please park next to her.

Someone left this weird and wonderful thing on the Big Big Table. Thank you, it was very kind. Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged apples, eggplant, peaches, peppers, Photos, small farm, tomatoes, u-pick | 4 Comments

Welding and Grinding in the Farm Shop, Making the Seats for a 32-Foot-Long Picnic Table.

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

Well by now you have probably heard about The Big Table—see the construction photos in this blog post.

We made it out of an oak tree that had fallen. The pièce de résistance was not the ginormity of the thing, but the spinning seats. Just like stools at a 1950s diner.

That was made possible by a metal contraption screwed onto the bottom of each seat, fabricated by these two lads in the shop one rainy day.

Watch this video—and turn up the volume—if you are in need of a fix of pure macho.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Leave a comment

Peach Pecks, Mystery Apples, and Summer’s First Cider.

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

THE SLOW FOOD MOVEMENT is based on a fallacy—that farming happens slowly. Sure, there are months of waiting for the crops, when you don’t know whether to scratch your watch or wind your butt. Then… Bam! You gotta lotta food and only a few days to move it. Happens real fast.

That’s what will happen with U-pick tomatoes. They’re not ready yet. Looks like a beautiful crop and the plants are healthy. The tomatoes are firm but mostly green—taking their sweet time. Our Tomato Whisperer, Allie, saw a good sign last night. A conclave at Stumphenge. Maybe the day is coming. Another week?

Eggder R. Furrow is on the scene. You might remember Eggder from his rock-n-roll years, when he was the hero of Veggiestock. He has since put away childish things and made a name for himself as a field reporter. Stay tuned for his exclusive on the tomatoes in next week’s crop alert.

WHAT’S PICKING NOW?

It is pecking season—peach pecking. You all did a wonderful job last weekend. Most of you got an ‘A’ for following the peach picking tutorial. Some of you have asked about Red Haven peaches. They should be ready next week, a few days after our original August 10 projection. If you are a Red Haven fetishist, you can call the stand at (607) 227-8248 to stay on top of the game. But lots of peaches now!

It is time to pick Ezmerelda. She is a gnarled old gal in the morning mist—and her apples are a mystery. We don’t know what kind they are. First reds of the year.

You will find her in the Vintage Orchard. We will pick the high apples and leave the low ones for you. Don’t miss this delicious enigma. There is only one tree.

Steps from Ezmerelda, you’ll get easy picking in the Pristine block. A true apple lover tries all kinds. The Dwarf Orchard gives you 60 varieties of adventure.

The Pristines are at the very western end of Row 7. Go into the Pristines with an open mind about apple sweetness—these early fruits have an invigorating tartness.

Rounding out the week’s apples are Yellow Transparents. We picked the trees pretty clean, but you can get a half-bushel for $10 at the stand! Sauce time.

And we’re using these first apples to make Orchard Ambrosia—first cider of the year! Cold-pressed at Indian Creek. Nothing but fruit. Ready Saturday afternoon.

FOODSTUFFS @ FARMSTAND.

Gorgeous food at the stand these days. August is high time. Peaches, apples, plums, blueberries, apricots, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, corn, squash, taters…

Here it is from the other side…

And looking down…

And zoomed in close! Come pick. Fill in the gaps with “stuff at the stand.”

PHOTOFARMIC MOMENTS.

There were candles hanging in the trees.

Guitars on the stumps.

The Big Big Table was set.

Party favors were planted.

The food was piled high.

And Josh and Liz were married!

Congratulations to Liz, Josh, and their families. Thanks for using the ‘Henge.

FUNNY OLD WORLD.

Thanks to the anonymous customer who left us the weird and wonderful eggplant specimen that became Eggder R. Furrow. You left it at the stand, saying it was for a crop alert. Sweet! You know who you are, but we don’t!

Well, that’s a wrap. It’s a funny old world we live in, where apples are ready before tomatoes. Where slow food is fast, and fast food slows you down. But what are you gonna do? Cry about it? Nothing like a good cry to irrigate your shirt. Maybe if we all have a cry-in, the tomatoes will “get a move on.” That’s farmese for giddyup. Giddyup, Jasper. Get a move on, boy. Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged apples, cider, crops, eggplant, market, peaches, peppers, Photos, small farm, summer, tomatoes | 4 Comments

How to Pick a Peach, and How to Avert Another Cold War.

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

PEACH SEASON BEGINS not with a bang or a whimper, but with the dressing-room rustlings of our summer stars. While a bunch of peaches have stepped onto center stage—and are ready to pick!—many of the cast are still backstage preening.

The eggplants of Indian Creek have seen so much time in the limelight; they coach the peaches through fashion crises and pre-show jitters.

A solitary moment of reflection, in a greenroom cranking the Rolling Stone Fruits, encourages each nervous peach to say, “Let’s do this thing.”

HOW TO PICK A PEACH.

It is not always easy to pick a peach, because there is variation across varieties, and even within a single tree. A green, grassy hue says, “Come back later.”

Some old pros will tell you, Look for a deep gold in the shoulder of the peach, where the stem attaches and redness creeps in. Maybe this one is red-dy?

Well, on the underside of that very specimen, you see plenty of grassy green. Definitely not ready for prime time. Good idea to look at all sides.

This batch looks ready to eat! Gorgeous and tempting, but your instinct is to make one more check, to see if it has a little “give.” So you squeeze the fruit, right?

DUDE! DON’T SQUEEZE THE FARMIN’! Peaches are delicate, which is what makes them wonderful. Even slight pressure of a human paw can bruise the fruit, even if the bruise doesn’t show til a day later—and that will prevent someone else from picking it. Once you grab a peach, take it home. The natural starches will convert to sugars after you take it off the tree. A day or two in a serving bowl—like a Renaissance still life—and each chosen peach will be snackable.

AND DON’T BE SO MEAN! Please do not bite a peach and throw it on the ground. That is the surest way to find out that a farmer’s mouth ain’t no prayer book. A lot of work goes into raising a peach. If you pick it, take it home. It will sweeten off the vine. As the old saying goes, “Everybody cries when peach season is over,” so let’s make the best of it. Tune into Facebook or ring the stand for daily updates on picking status. Peaches are popular; frequent visitors get the goodies.

WHERE DO I FIND THE PEACH ORCHARD?

The great thing about peach season: It is the first time of the year when our signs take on that special quality of being accurate. Follow the sign that says, “Orchard.”

Disregard the sign for Row 4. It is a trick. It moves every time it gets run over. Kick it down the road if you want to feel the thrill of elected office.

Best thing to do is report to the farm stand before your adventure. The crew will direct you to the ripest rows—and they’ll hand you our brand new booklet.

It is full of maps to guide you around the farm, as well as tips on picking and a primer on the K-9 department. Take a copy home with you.

The main farm map will do nothing if not confuse you more than the road signs alone. Now you have even more ways to get lost.

Use the Dwarf Orchard map as follows: Ask the stand worker to circle which varieties are ready to pick. There are over 60 types, all ripening at different times.

The first trees to produce pickable apples? The Pristines at the west end of Row 7. They are ready right now! Please pick these beauties ASAP.

The Dwarf Orchard rows are all numbered, but you have to multiply the numbers by a factor of 10. This is not row 0.7, but rather row 7.0.

WARMING GLOBAL RELATIONS.

Originating in Russia, and prized there ever since, the Yellow Transparent apple could play a pivotal role in averting a second Cold War.

Things haven’t been this chilly since today’s soccer moms were in kindercare. So we are making a contribution to global warming—thawing out relations with Russia.

We are making apple butter. It is a show of solidarity. An homage to Old-World love of fresh food and homemade things—jams, jellies, preserves, and conserves.

Yellow Transparent apples, with their supreme sauce-ability, just stewing away in a pot. Stewing and stirring—and making the place smell great.

We only made a few jars for farmers’ dessert. But you can get Yellow Transparents at the stand now for a short time. We’ve picked them and packed them for you.

CORNUCOPIA TIME. BIG TIME.

The farm stand is just plain popping. Leave the hallucinogenics at home. Viewing the cornucopia in an altered state could cause your brain to runneth over.

Crops come and go. Crops ebb and flow. We can’t give many guarantees, so call ahead if you are looking for something specific. Or stop by and surprise yourself.

We get surprises every day. Yesterday’s fun involved donning a funny white suit, borrowed from our neighborhood bee guy, who of course didn’t wear a suit at all!

And today we are out counting 30,000 trees. Surprise, surprise—our counts are off by 2. Let’s do it all over again!

Bzzzz. Well, that’s the farm buzz for today. Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged apples, bees, farm stand, fruit, peaches, Photos, small farm, vegetables | 4 Comments

A Big Eggplant Sale, a Rare Plum Batch, and a Morning Hasselhoff.

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

JUST LAST NIGHT around the campfire, one of us farmers was asked, “If you could have your brain implanted into someone else’s body, whose would it be?” That farmer said without missing a beat, “David Hasselhoff.”

Incredibly, the Hoff Himself appeared in the Japanese eggplant field this morning. Farmers abroad have seen the Virgin Mother in mountainsides and riverbanks, but we take our blessings where we can get them. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you; you don’t mess around with Jim; and, you don’t hassel the Hoff.

To celebrate this most unexpected fortune, we are having a big sale. Get 50% off Japanese eggplant when you pick a peck. Today through Sunday (July 28), pay only $6 instead of $12. It is a delicious variety with many cooking options. Comment on the blog to share your favorite uses—not everyone knows this variety well.

The little Fairytale eggplants are picking, too, but they aren’t part of the sale. That’s because we really need your help with the Japanese eggplants, to clear the stems and allow the babies to grow. Meanwhile, the classic eggplants, the familiar type, aren’t ready to pick yet. We’ll let you know on Facebook and the crop alerts.

The eggplant fields are in the back. Just walk up Stumphenge Boulevard past the row markers of the Dwarf Orchard. At 16, you’re almost there.

Pass by this sign. Can’t miss it.

On the hilltop, across from the strawberry field, you will see the slingshot. That is the official marker of the eggplant field. Don’t fire the weapon yet. Not until the 2nd Annual Pigs-n-Apples Party at harvest time!

The eggplant rows look kind of plain at first sight. Might look like there is no produce, just a few purple flowers. But have faith. Trust the Hoff.

Tucked underneath the foliage are pendulous specimens of Japanese eggplant. They are sweet, succulent, and awesome for grilling and roasting. Whom do you see?

COME PICK PLUMS.

Same urgency with the plums! They need picking now. We have only a half dozen trees and they are beautifully appointed this year! They’ll be gone by weekend’s end.

The trail begins at the raspberry patch, where you will see a dangling orange ribbon.

Another ribbon dangles over a pile of stuff.

And another flies over the irrigation valve.

Eventually you’ll wind around to the greenhouse.

And that’s where you’ll see beauties like these in small trees. We need your help picking them, but if that is too much work, get a box at the stand.

THE RASPBERRY RACER.

Our modest raspberry patch made the cover of the Ithaca Journal this week. The “Little Berry Patch That Could” still can… and still is. Clever hunters can find plenty despite heavy picking this year. Michelle, Missy, and Morgan cruised down from Cornell in their dune buggy—and left with weekend brunch toppings…

…while the summer interns labored through a massive downpour. Which looks more fun, college or farming? Ahh, they both have their ups and downs. Nothing like the wind in your hair as you tractor a freshly fitted field.

THE FARM STAND IS SINGING.

Well, that’s the picking report. Down at the farm stand, it really feels like summer.

You can check the chalkboard for seasonal status.

We have Pennsylvania peaches as an appetizer—our peaches will be ready REALLY soon. Stay tuned, and please don’t pick the peaches til the green light.

Gobs of goodies are flowing into the stand now.

Culinary staples like onions and garlic, plus blueberries, apricots, sweet cherries, sour cherries, and sweet yellow plums.

THE FRUIT PHONE IS RINGING.

You don’t have to leave a message on the piano anymore. We got a new phone at the farm stand! Here is the number: 607-227-8248. Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged apples, crop, eggplant, fresh, peaches, Photos, plums, raspberries, small farm | 1 Comment

Crazy Early Apples to Pick, and a Review of the Babies’ Progress.

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

NEVER THOUGHT WE’D SAY THIS, but Zorro had the right idea. Dug himself a hole to expose the cool soil, and hunkered beneath the orchard office.

Poor guy is built for cooler climes, high up in Basque country, bred to guard sheep on steep mountain slopes. We don’t have sheep, but we do have apples.

In fact, we already have apples for you to pick! They are our earliest variety, called Yellow Transparent. There are a few such trees in the Vintage Orchard.

According to our fellow apple fanatics in England, Yellow Transparents are crisp, light, and juicy—and ideal for drying, freezing, saucing, and juicing.

Raspberry picking continues apace. We give our Farmer’s Commendation to all you brave pickers who worked the raspberry patch despite the withering heat.

That includes Emily of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, who writes, “The best ones are down underneath, so all the squats I do in the winter come in handy. You have to be brave and stick your hand through the stickers to get the fattest and juiciest.”

And our Facebook friend, Katie, whose brother Mike snapped this cool photo of baby robins nested in the raspberry patch.

Zucchini, cucumbers, and summer squash are all picking, too! There is a small field next to the farm stand—time to pick summer veggies.

Down at the stand we have peppers, eggplant, blueberries, and squash. And Pennsylvania peaches to hold you over til ours are ready—real soon!

NOW ABOUT THE BABIES.

It is that quiet time in July, just before everything comes bursting forth. So we are checking on all the babies’ progress. The little pears are looking great.

Donut peaches are showing just a touch of color.

Nectarines have that sunkissed patina.

And peaches proper are coming into their own.

Now let’s see how the Dwarf Orchard babies are growing.

According to our new map and brochure—coming any day now—these are the “Mixed Pears” in Row 16. Looking good, looking fine.

And the Honeycrisps are right on schedule. We’ll have these available for you at the stand as soon as they are ready to pick.

This tree shoots up like a rocket. We call it the Tower of Bapple.

Next to the Dwarf Orchard, the Mutsu Orchard is looking brilliant. Healthy, robust apples—and no marmorated stink bug! Evil scourge of Mutsu!

Finally let’s see how the baby vegetables are doing. Tomatoes are green and firm and soaking up the sunshine.

Some of our green peppers are expressing their purpleness.

And tiny eggplants are biding their time in the shade.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

We know that our signs sometimes throw you for a loop. But we guarantee that everything on this signpost is true… or was true… or will be true.

And better yet, we have some pretty new signs on the farm—row markers in the Dwarf Orchard. Thanks to Alice, Allie, and Tino.

Incredibly, the numbers on these markers match the numbers on our new map. It isn’t printed yet, so you’ll have to use your “imapination.”

Please note that there IS a row 13. But not in this crop alert—too creepy!

CHIRP.

So, nothing too fancy this week. Some delicious things to pick, and a preview of what’s to come. These little birds are chirping in the rafters of the farm stand, “Gonna be a great year. Gonna be a great year. Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.”

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged apples, peaches, pears, peppers, Photos, raspberries, small farm, squash, tomatoes, zucchini | 7 Comments

Happy Berrythday, America, and Au Revoir, Les Strawbs.

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

FOR PAGANS AND ASTRONOMERS, summer begins on the solstice. For us fruit farmers, it starts on the Fourth of July.

That’s when the strawberries pull up stakes and head for the ferry, trumpeting the end of spring’s labor and the dawn of lazier days.

Sweet cherries always give the strawberries a lift down to the boatdocks. They bid “fair winds and following seas” to dear old friends.

When the Pepper Fitzgerald shoves off, you hear an exuberant rendition of “Anchors Aweigh.” There are no dry eyes on land or sea.

The green peppers were never known for their boatbuilding; this vessel sits a little low in the water. But the Pepper Fitz is stalwart and seaworthy.

No one knows where the strawberries go. Some folks have guessed the verdant highlands of Strawbistan; others surmise snowy Strawbania.

We are sad to see them leave—but the raspberries aren’t. Before the Pepper is out of earshot, they blast “Raspberry Beret” and launch their own party barge.

It is their time to shine after a long spring of hearing, “When are the strawberries ready?” “The strawberries are so good, Mommy!” And a lot more besides.

Independence Day means freedom from the incidental tyranny of the “in” crowd. Once Dad hooks his first trophy bass, everyone can giggle at ease.

The youngsters know not to swim past the buoy, but the chance to steal a first kiss draws these two teens into risky business.

It is worth knowing that raspberries are marvelous swimmers. We try to make each Crop Alert educational, and there’s your fact of the week.

They can freedive for 22 minutes at a time. The Sunny Goldens, in particular, have an otherwordly quality, an aquatic insouciance as they gambol undersea.

You can see their evolutionary cousins, the Jamfish and Jellyfish, in their luminous, effortless pulsations.

Meanwhile the blueberries sit on the shore. They are a more serious lot. Too much revelry undermines their equipoise. A quiet dip at dusk will do.

AND NOW FOR THE ACTUAL CROP ALERT.

If you’ve read this far, you deserve a Crop Alert in plain English. Strawberries—done. Raspberries—picking. Cherries and blueberries—at the stand.

Aside from raspberries, the picking scene will be quiet for a few weeks. These sweet cherries are prepicked and prepacked for you at the farmstand.

Same deal with the yellow sweet cherries. Juicy little sunbursts.

Blueberries are prepicked and prepacked for you, too. They are full of anti-oxidants. No, not anti-occidents! They do not oppose the West.

HAPPY BERRYTHDAY, AMERICA.

Finally, let’s take a look at how people around here celebrated America’s 236th. Our neighbors picked a last haul of strawberries and got chopping.

What could be more American than a melting pot? A kettle of strawberries just bubbling away.

More American than that, of course, is the sugar! But we’re not supersizing, just a dollop to help the jelly gel.

“Put up or shut up,” as Grandma always said. So we’re putting up jars and jars of strawberry jam!

Most American of all, perhaps, is that one person stirs the jam while the other orders pizza for dinner!

These fit lads, Robert and Peter, got the customer-of-the-week award. They biked miles from Cornell to pick strawberries—and then biked back.

And our summer interns celebrated like most Americans: With their heads under the hood of a hotrod in the yard.

What could be more American than roadtripping from Tennessee to California in a baby blue vintage Benz, with a stop at Uncle’s farm to earn gas money for the next leg on the open road?

Holiday greetings to you all from The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged blueberries, cherries, fruit, Photos, raspberries, small farm, strawberries, u-pick | 2 Comments

Strawberries, Raspberries, and How the Horn of Plenty Works.

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

A FARM IS A STUDY in timing. Sometimes we have nothing but dirt—messy dirt, dusty dirt, and dirty old dirt. A bumper crop of dirt.

Nobody ever asks, How much for a pint of dirt? Do you have good dirt for making pies? Can we come pick your dirt?

Then, all of sudden, we have a whole mess of strawberries. Handsome berries as big as train cars with Botox perma-smiles.

And that’s when we sound the Horn of Plenty. We send out a Fresh Crop Alert. Within a few hours, there is a crop mob in the berry patch.

Gentle and kind Ithacans play bumper cars. They tussle over the ripest specimens. They covet their neighbors’ berry boxes.

Some late arrivals, alas, leave empty-handed. The field can get picked pretty clean—but new berries ripen through the day and the field recharges.

Same deal with raspberries. We got berries as big as turtles. We sound the horn. Pickers come out of the woodwork.

Some families pick a snack. Others stock up for jams, jellies, pies, and smoothies. Some pick in the morning, some in the evening.

It’s a tricky timing game, life on a small farm. Patience and persistence are your most valuable virtues. One sneaky tip is to come out on the rainy days. We’ll keep you notified with this weekly newsletter and our daily Facebook updates.

Soon the farm stand will be open with a bounty of new crops. Nobody will leave empty-handed. We’ll even have—gasp!—a phone. Til then, strawberries and raspberries are on the scene. Thanks for picking at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged raspberries, small farm, strawberries | Leave a comment

9 Rows of Strawberries, 28 Spinning Toasters, and 1 Italian Wedding.

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Indian Creek Farm

YOU BERRY MONSTERS are a wonderful site each morning, vacuuming up the ripest specimens, vanishing by the sleepy afternoon, and reappearing for a final sunset sweep. Bravo and thank you, friends.

Strawberry season continues this week. Successive waves of berries ripen with each sunny spell. All 9 rows, about 10,000 plants, are producing.

Lots of berries, but hordes of pickers, too. Your best bet is the morning after a sunny day. Weekends are a scramble—to the early birds go the spoils!

You can score totally legal insider tips at our Facebook page. We update it daily with strawberry status.

Well that is the picking news. Stay tuned for a raspberry alert. The early varieties are fast-tracking and the bees are working double shifts.

ABOUT THOSE SPINNING TOASTERS

There once was a log named The Log. An old oak tree, fallen but not forgotten. It was bigger than Zorro and worked almost as hard.

We picked up The Log one day with our picker-upper. Just to have a look-see. Just to dream a little and wonder aloud.

Hauled it down to a petite country sawmill. A mom-and-pop joint down in Alpine Junction. Down in the valley between old glacial hillocks.

They have a quicker picker-upper than we have. A handsome buggy with Dutch doors and a grabber claw. A household item in Logville.

While The Log was down in Logville, we strung up this doodad. The tape measure is just for looks. You can tell we were “eyeballing.”

Mom-and-pop gave us a jingle and we retrieved the planks. Sanded them down, stained them up, and screwed them into our dubious T-frame.

Some of you may remember this table from the Pigs-n-Apples Party last fall. The big table with no chairs, where everybody painted pumpkins.

Winter came and went. Our brains thawed and we realized that a table without chairs is a wagon without wheels. So we set the factory a-rolling.

Decided that round was a good shape. Basically, you got round or square. Flipped a coin and when it came out square we decided round anyway.

Started looking like a pizza shop. Maybe we were just hungry.

When the wood part was done, we called in the metalheads. They started doing what they do. Noise and sparks and testosterone galore.

Hey, little brother, hold this plate while I torch it at 6,000 degrees.

OK, now hold this one, the glowing orange part.

Some assembly was required, then we dumped the seats into the Subaru.

Tried one on for size before the final approach.

And bingo! A picnic spot for the whole family—all 28 of you. A place to be Chairman of the Board of your life, with your 27 imaginary assistants.

A cozy country wedding spot, where nobody will be seated at the “wrong” table. No family schisms here, just one blue-green blob of humanity. A toast!

Note to parents: THE SEATS ACTUALLY SPIN. It helps with comfort and usability. But if you have trained your kids to jump on chairs and tables, they will need to know.

IT’S A WORKING FARM

In fact we’ll remind everyone generally to take care while visiting the farm. It is a working farm. Not that anything actually WORKS right now.

But seriously, it is a working farm with tractors and machines going round. There could be rusty screws on the ground and holes to twist your ankle.

There are pets and bees and bugs and chickens. Falling apples could plunk you on the head. We try to secure everything with duct tape, but be smart.

SPEAKING OF COUNTRY WEDDINGS

All of us at Indian Creek send our love and felicitations to Simon and Gaia, dear friends of the farm who have volunteered so many hours here. They are married as of today in rural Spoletto, Italy. Hip hip hooray. Thanks for reading. Hope to see you at The ‘Creek.

Posted in Crop Alerts & Farm Buzz | Tagged country life, farm, Photos, picnics, raspberries, small farm, strawberries, weddings, welding, woodwork | 1 Comment

Indian Creek Farm

Peach Pickers Needed Now!

What’s Picking?

{ Come help harvest. }

Down at the Stand

{ Ring the dinner bell. }

The Sound of Signage

{ Get lost in the music. }

Farm Buzz

{ Scuttlebutt. }

How to Pick an Apple, and Something Kind of Amazing.

What’s Picking?

{ Come help harvest. }

Down at the Stand

{ Ring the dinner bell. }

The Sound of Signage

{ Get lost in the music. }

Farm Buzz

{ Scuttlebutt. }

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Crazy Early Apples to Pick, and a Review of the Babies’ Progress.

Happy Berrythday, America, and Au Revoir, Les Strawbs.

Strawberries, Raspberries, and How the Horn of Plenty Works.

9 Rows of Strawberries, 28 Spinning Toasters, and 1 Italian Wedding.

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