June 2013

The Greer Farm Blog: Farmers Don't BLOG | July 2013 | May 2013

Onions, Garlic and Shallots

30 June, 2013 - 19:03 Filed in: Vegetables

We have harvested a decent crop of garlic, red and white onions and shallots this year. They are in the cool room next to the many jars of jam Eva has made.

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How Farm Dogs Stay Cool

30 June, 2013 - 18:58

Lobo knows what to do with it's 104 degrees

Confused Barn Kittens

30 June, 2013 - 18:53

I went out to feed today and after tossing in some corn for a lamb, two of the barn kittens ran over and started to eat the corn. I have never seen this before as they normally wait to be fed kitten chow.

Farm to Fork Cooking Class: Salads July 13

30 June, 2013 - 09:38

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July13, 2013
Cooking with an Array of Salads
$80 11:00 am at the farm in Daingerfield
A salad goes with almost any meal and in many cases a salad is the meal itself. Your will find that some of these are quiet hardy. It’s mid-summer and the heat is starting to takes its toll on fresh greens from the garden, but there is still a great variety available in the market to make some interesting salads for this class.

Farm products used in this class, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, potatoes, blueberries.

Tomato and okra cornmeal cakes with BLT salad
Fingerling potato salad
Grilled steak salad with tomato vinaigrette
Buffalo chicken salad
Watermelon and blueberry salad
Chamomile honey sorbet
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Website Changes

30 June, 2013 - 07:49

This week we will be making changes to our website and taking care of problems such as the wrong photo on blogs showing up. Hopefully this will make our site easier to use.

June Greer Farm Newsletter

20 June, 2013 - 06:24

This is our June newletter. To subscribe please click on this link.

The Berry Season Has Started
This is the time of the year many of you await with as much anticipation as we do. In May, we start to get calls and emails asking when the berries will be ready. Will there be blackberries this year? Did the freeze hurt the berries? We are pleased to say that despite two freezes during bloom, we have a good crop of blueberries and for the first time in several years a very good crop of blackberries.
The weather has affected lots of things on the farm and threw off the normal planting and growing cycle. Two hard freezes while the blueberries were in bloom eleminate our early variety of berries and cooler nights led to the berry patch opening only this past Saturday instead of late May. On the other hand, the weather was good for the blackberries and the bushes set a heavy crop that started to ripen last week. These photos tell the story.
Both types of berries are much larger than in the past. This is especially true for the blueberries that are currently ripening. We anticipate having blackberries for a few more weeks and blueberries until mid-July or a bit later. We are open every day from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. The price is the same as last year; $3.25/pound pick-your-own. We have not done any pre-picked allowing our pick-your-own customers to have full access to all of the berries. This may change over time and you can call and place an order and if we can fill it we will call you.
Berry Season Cabin Special
Except for one night June 21, this Friday, our cabins and the loft barn apartment are fully booked all weekends until mid-July. Many Sunday through Thursday nights are available. To celebrate actually having a berry crop after those freezes and to give our customers a price break, we are offering cabin/loft stays on the farm at 2012 prices. There is a three night minimum stay. This is for now through the end of July. With berry picking, lake activities, hiking and nearby side trips, it is not hard to fill three days of activities and get away from your daily routine at a place not that far away from home. We think it's an affordable mini vacation.
The many kids that have been on the farm the past weeks seemed to really have a good time. We no longer charge for water craft and on some days the lake is covered with canoes, paddle boats and kayaks. Our bicycles for kids and adult mountain bikes have been popular for those that like hilly back country roads or our rough, but mowed farm trails. The birding season is wonderful and many different birds can be seen in the day and the late evening song birds are as sweet as ever. Whether its a romantic few days or family time, a farm stay is a very unique get-a-way.
Re-Stocking the Lake
We will add more bass to our lake next week and the genetics are different than what we have. Earlier in the spring we added sun fish, blue gill and minnows. Conditions should be at there best for these little bass to quickly become big bass. In the last month, several large fish have been caught. One was a carp that weighed in at 25 lbs and the other was an 8 lb. catfish. Photos Every year we add Talapia to the lake to control moss and lake weeds and last year we added 15 sterile Grass Carp. Judging from the number we saw in the spring, they were all not sterile, so we will be happy for you to catch a few. For the catfish and carp, bread rolled up with canned corn on a floater is the best way to catch them. Most everyone that tries to catch fish in our lake is successful. The Talapia die off when the water cools in October and someone needs to figure out how to catch these very tasty big fish.
Farm to Fork Cooking Classes
Chef Eva's cooking classes are as popular as ever. The June 8 class was featured in the Dallas Morning News. This is the class where you go out and collect vegetables and herbs from the garden then use them in the class menu. Most all of her classes are participative with teams preparing the dishes. The class this Saturday is fully booked using our farm raised blackberries and blueberries. If there is enough interest, it can be repeated in July before the berry season is over.
On Saturday June 29, to celebrate the July 4th Independence Day holiday, Chef Eva has a very special class: Independence Day Celebration. It evolved from our watching a CBS program on the writing of the Declaration of Independence and what the delegates dinned on. There is a tavern near Independence Hall that was there in 1776 and it is still serving period meals. She found the most popular dishes of the day and those of Washington, Jefferson and Franklin. Washington got his recipe for West Indies Pepperpot Soup during a visit to the west iondes where his brother lived. I find it hard it hard to imagine George Washington as a tourist prior to the war for independence. The class is $85 and starts at 11:00 am at the farm house. There are a few slots available first come , first serve.

Cornmeal Fried oysters with herb Remoulade

George Washington's West Indies Pepperpot Soup (Served to the soldiers at Valley Forge)
Anadama Bread with French butter (a Jefferson favorite)
Benjamin Franklin’s Romaine lettuce with burgundy wine Dijon vinaigrette
Beef & Pork pie with quick puff pastry
Thomas Jefferson’s favorite floating islands
Complementary ale (from Texas)

Greer Farm Meats

We have been selling grass-fed beef by the split quarter or larger portions for years. A few years ago we offered individual cuts here at the farm (roasts, ground beef, steaks, etc). We then started to pasture raise Red Ranger French chickens and we have those available also. This last fall we added pasture raised pork. We also offer the port more economically by the quarter, half or a whole pig. It is always more economical to make a bulk purchase versus than buying by the individual cut. You can do this and share with friends or family. Our pigs and chickens, as well as our egg layers, are fed a non-soy, non-gmo feed. This is obtained at a mill west of Waco. None of our animals or poultry are given any artificial substances.
We will shortly be harvesting a set of pigs and are offering these by the quarter, half or a whole pig. Our Yorkshire/Hampshire pigs are free ranging on pasture. You can taste the difference in our pork versus the grocery store pork from pigs raised in a huge barn on a concrete floors never touching a blade of grass. Estimating the live weight of our pigs, we anticipate the price of a quarter to be $300 for about 40 pounds of all natural pork. You select the cuts, but they can include ham, pork chops, ribs, bacon, ground pork, breakfast sausage, link and other cuts. The price of bulk pork is $6/lb. and we pay for normal harvest and processing/packaging. Please call us at 903-645-3232 if you have questions are wish to make an order.
Our chickens are Red Rangers and are derived from French breeds imported into Canada years ago. These chickens mature slowly on grass and take up to 11 weeks to reach harvest weight. As a result, the meat has a lot more flavor than you are used to. Whole chickens are $4.25/lb.
We are taking orders for delivery of late summer bulk beef (split quarter, half, whole) at this time. Price is $4/lb. hanging weight plus harvest and processing/packaging. This works out to about $4.70/lb. hanging weight. Depending on the live weight of the steer, a split quarter is $550-$650 for the beef portion. Packaged beef will be about 120 pounds. Call us if you have question or wish place an order. We believe our price for beef is very competitive.
Jams and Sauces
Eva is still making different variations of strawberry jam from teh hundreds of pounds picked a tthe end of the season. My favorite is firey habanero. She will soon will be making peach, blueberry and fig jams as these fruits become available locally or on the farm. Habanero and Jalapeno variations will come later as these become available in our garden. Jams and sauces are $6 for an 8 oz. jar at the farm.
Farmers Don't Blog
Since February 5, 2006 we have written a blog on farm life, our activities and any other subject that we wanted to blog about. Karl, our son, started the blog and was a very good writer. I took over when he went to medical school five years ago and I am not as good a writer, but I try. We invite you to look into this window on our life from time to time at this link. Please be aware we have a serious glitch in our website program that will be corrected in July. The photos in the blogs often are not the ones we selected, but are ones the program randomy selected from our photo files. This can be amusing and at the same time very frustrating to me.
A few years ago a national publication wrote about non-traditional blogs written by farmers and found ours to one of the most interesting in the country. It could be we were one of the few that styayed with it. Our readership varies from a few hundred at any given time to over 20,000. I have not figured out what causes the wide swings in readership.
Facebook
We are getting a lot better at updating our Facebook page and adding photos to albums there. This is a good source of current information on the farm and activities in addition to our website. Take and look and follow us by liking our page or whatever it is you do to link to a page you wish to see again. Over 15,000 folks saw our recent posting on the availability of blueberries and blackberries. I have given up on Twitter. A farmer/rancher/jack-of-many trades does not have enough time for this social outlet.
From Our Farm to Your Home
This newsletter is long enough and items we missed or wanted to include will be included in our July newsleter. We are encouraged by the comments made based on our indication that we will consider having weddings at the farm. If anyone wants a wedding in this setting, we are available. Time will determine if this is a good idea.
Over the next four to sixweeks we will be consumed by the berry season. It is also a great opportunity for us to meet many interesting people and share a small part of our life with them. We are never so busy as not to answer your questions and perhaps show you some of the farm.
We appreciate your comments, your visits to the farm and most of all your support of our family farm through your purchases of our products or staying on the farm in a cabin or the loft.
We want you to make our farm your farm. All of us we wish you the berry best,
Sid, Eva and everyone on the farm

It's June and on the farm summer has arrived. We went from pleasant days in the 80's to a humid 98 last week. This is the way it is supposed to be. That allowed us to get our first cutting of hay (40,000 lbs.), the vegetable garden is finally responding and growing, calving and lambing is over and we will soon wean fall calves still on their moms, and best of all its berry season. Summer may be hot on the farm, but there is a quarantee of cooler mornings to sit on the veranda with coffee (5:30 am is best) and plan the day and end it at dark in the same place with a glass of ice tea, listening to the evening birds, and being thankful for all that happened in the day.

Some Big Fish in Gos Lake on Greer Farm

19 June, 2013 - 10:37

The carp below was caught late late May on bread and canned corn with a floater. 25 pounds
The 8 pound catfish was caught mid June on bread can corn with a bobber in 2 foot of water

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Map to Farm Berry Parch

19 June, 2013 - 09:31

Click on link below for map
Physical GPS Address: 1444 County Road 1125, Daingerfield, TX 75638
GPS Address for some phones: 1444 South Sewell Road, Daingerfield, TX 75638

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Rakar Speak

18 June, 2013 - 19:03

"May the bridges I burn light the way"
Marko Rakar

T Bone Walker Blues Festival

18 June, 2013 - 16:36

If you like real blues, Don't miss the T-BoneWalker Blues Fest in nearby Linden June 21-22.
Click on "pasted graphic" for flyer

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Blueberries & Blackberries Ready

18 June, 2013 - 14:44

These photos of berries were taken recently from our pick-your-own berry patch. You cannot find sweeter and larger berries any place that compare to these raised naturally on our farm. The price is $3.25/lb. and is the same as last year. We are open 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM every day and can be available earlier or later by appointment. Call on availability or if you have any questions.: 903-645-3232 or 903-452-9738.

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Dallas Morning News: GF Berries

18 June, 2013 - 13:01

Food and wine calendar: Greer Farm offers blueberries and blackberries for picking as well as a cooking class focused on the berries

By STAFF
food@dallasnews.com
Published: 11 June 2013 09:03 PM
Updated: 11 June 2013 09:03 PM
Berry harvest
Greer Farm offers blueberries and blackberries for picking beginning Saturday. The farm also offers a cooking class focused on the berries, with a menu that includes pickled blueberries and fresh corn salad, blackberry prosciutto crostini, mushroom and blueberry balsamic pot roast, and mixed berry coleslaw. 11 a.m. June 22; $80. Off County Road 1125 outside Daingerfield, check website for specific directions; 903-645-3232 or greerfarm.com.

New: Greer Farm T-Shirts

15 June, 2013 - 21:23

Just in time for berry season we have two styles of Greer Farm T-Shirts. Sized for adults ($12), youth and children ($10). Available at the farm or we can also ship for $5.

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The Blueberries are Ready

11 June, 2013 - 11:17

These blueberries were picked this morning. Across the field are some of the largest berries we have ever raised. Perhaps the freeze cut the number and those that survived grew big. Opening Saturday at 7:30 am. prior to that by appointment.

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Farm to Fork Cooking Class: Independence Day Celebration

10 June, 2013 - 11:25

Farm to Fork Cooking Class - Independence Day Celebration

June 29, 2013
Farm to Fork Cooking Class - Independence Day Celebration
$85 - 11:00 am at the farm house at Greer Farm

Reservations: 903-645-3232

Imagine yourself having been a delegate to the convention writing the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, July 1776. It was a hot, humid summer. The meetings were so secret the windows in the meeting hall were closed and covered, making the heat inside almost unbearable. Many of the delegates had their meals at the nearby City Tavern, which still operates in its original location. Some of this class menu items were served at the City Tavern during that summer. Others were ones that Washington, Franklin and Jefferson came to favor. Celebrate our nation’s independence by learning to prepare these special selections.

Cornmeal Fried oysters with herb Remoulade
George Washington's West Indies Pepperpot Soup
(Served to the soldiers at Valley Forge)
Anadama Bread with French butter (a Jefferson favorite)
Benjamin Franklin’s Romaine lettuce with burgundy wine -Dijon vinaigrette
Beef & Pork pie with quick puff pastry
Thomas Jefferson’s favorite floating islands
Complementary ale
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Pasture Raised Pork Available

10 June, 2013 - 09:49

Pasture Raised Pork

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Pasture raised on The Greer Farm
Daingerfield, Texas

We have Hampshire/Yorkshire cross Pasture raised pork for sale by the whole, half or quarter Our Pigs are naturally raised with NON GMO and NON SOY all natural feed.
They are on lush green pasture and woods from weaning to harvest.
No injections, hormones, antibiotics: ALL NATURAL non-refundable $75 deposit per quarter is required on all purchases.
The total cost of the pork which includes basic processing and harvest is $6.00 per pound hanging weight. Smoking hams and bacon or other cuts is at your expense.
The meat is vacuum packed and last over a year in a freezer. Our meat is processed under full-time state inspection. You can make your own selections on how your pork will be cut. Bacon, sausage, ground pork, pork chops bone in/out, hams, spare ribs, etc.
Yield depends on live weight of the pig. Example of 250 lb. live weight is hanging weight of about 200 lbs. Cost per quarter is $300 (includes basic processing). Packaged weight is 35-40 lbs. depending on your selection of cuts.
For more information
Call the Greer Farm at 903-645-3232
or
info@greerfarm.com

Native Passion Flower

04 June, 2013 - 21:26

We have planted and enjoyed Passion Flowers (passiflora) in Eva's garden for years. Some of the varieties came from Russia. To our surprise and pleasure we found that the pasture we converted into a berry patch had Texas native Passion Flowers growing wild. The went away after we plowed, but some spread into the bull paddock across the road. The photos below are of our special flowers growning on vines with the blackberries. They are hardy and survived all we did to establish the berry patch. The Passion Flower is an easy to grow vine, comes back every year, and has the most unusual of flowers.

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Blackberries are Ready

02 June, 2013 - 21:12

These very sweet and large blackberries were picked this afternoon. We are not opening all the time yet, but you can call and pick by apointment until more of the berries are ripe. The blueberries are still several weeks away from being ready.

Greer Farm Pick-Your-Own. Home of the best berries in northeast Texas.

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Truck Wreck Coming to the Farm

02 June, 2013 - 18:18

A friend was coming to the farm to fish today and had our 4 year old grandson Sidney in the truck with him (in a car seat). A young lady did not notice they were stopped to turn left and hit them full force knocking the truck perhaps 200 feet and it rolled over once. Lucky with sest belts no one was injured.

The Daingerfield police, State trooper and EMS were all very helpful and professional.

Her car is in the upper left photo. The Ford Ranger in the other photos is totaled.

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How do you stop a calf blood flow: Keep trying

02 June, 2013 - 10:41

We weaned and dehorned a few calves this week. Some of our cattle are polled, but most have horns that are nipped off at 6-7 months. This prevents them from using their adult horns to hurt another animal or us.

The process is pressy standard and seldom any issue arises. This time we had a calf that had a blood vessel erupt into a constant tiny flow of blood. Its head was a bloody mess by the time we saw it.

When I removed the bandage I got covered in a spray of blood. The process to stop it is to place a finger over the vein and see if it stops. It did not. Then I used a small pointed pliers and pulled out the vein. That worked to the most part. We packed the hole with a compound called blood stop and sprayed on a silver liquid bandage.

Instantly the calf was good as new; as soon as we gave its head a bath.

All in the day of a rancher.

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Yes, We Did Grow Garlic

01 June, 2013 - 20:18

We have talked about growing garlic for years and since you plant it in the early fall we never seem to remember to order the bulbs in time. By the time we get around to making an order, all the stocks have been sold. This year was different and we have a nice harvest drying in the barn. In a few weeks, it will be dry and mature and ready to use.

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