Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season. Be sure to give thanks for what you and your family have. Many are not so lucky.

CSA enrollment will start in February.

If you are interested in becoming a new member of the CSA please send us an e-mail. We will send the enrollment information to existing members in February. New members will be contacted in March. Thank you.

Giving Thanks.

We would like to thank all of our faithful customers for your support this season. We would also like to thank all of our employees. Both are an important part of G and S Orchards' success. We couldn't do this without you. Happy Thanksgiving.

Back home for the winter.

It is with mixed emotions I write this blog. I just returned from the Rochester airport. Our faithful H2A employees are returning home for the winter months. Although we are happy for the season to be over we are sad to see them go. Both Gary and I enjoy their company and really appreciate everything they do for us. We would not be able to provide the outstanding quality produce and service without them. They are our friends as well as our employees. I look forward to the spring when they will return with their smiling faces ready to tackle another season. Adios amigos!

Mom, how about this one?

The weekend of October 23rd and 24th will be the last weekend for the 2010 You Pick Season. As mentioned in earlier blogs the season is ahead of last year by 10 to 14 days. The rain, wind and frosts have helped ripen and drop the apples on the ground. There is a good supply of pumpkins in the field. The Farm Stand will remain open for as long as the weather allows and offers a wide variety of apples, pears, leeks, peppers, eggplant, winter squash, pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks.

Pumpkins, Gourds and Winter Sqaush!

This summer was a great growing season for pumpkins, gourds and winter squash. The weather was hot and dry with rains at just the right time. The Honeybees from our hives did a wonderful job pollinating the many blossoms. This makes the pumpkins big and plentiful. Come and pick yours while the supply is good. Pre-picked pumpkins, gourds and winter squash are available at the Farm Stand.

How long will the 2010 You Pick Apple season last?

The apple season like the rest of the summer is 10 to 14 days ahead of "normal". If you add 10 to 14 days to today you arrive at the middle of October. So that means we have about 2 weeks left for the apple season. If the apples stay on the trees we will be open until Sunday the 31st of October. Keep in mind the longer you wait the fewer varieties there will be to choose from and the fewer apples there will be on the trees. So don't wait!

Where does the time go!

Has it really been a month since my last blog. Yikes! Once we start apple harvest things go all ca-flewie. Why is that? Well apples are the largest single crop that we grow and it requires lots of time and coordination to get the crop sold, picked, sorted and delivered. Plus we have to continue with the harvest of the other fruits and veggies. Not to mention the Farm Stand, Fairport Farmers Market, You Pick and CSA. But as the saying goes make hay while the sun shines. So we will continue in high gear until the end of the season.

The Farm Stand is Open Daily.

The Farm Stand is open everyday Monday thru Friday 8:30AM to 6:30PM & Saturday and Sunday 8:00AM to 6:00PM. We offer a wide assortment of seasonal Fruits and Vegetables. The week of August 16th we have Blueberries, Peaches, Blackberries, Melons, Tomatoes including "Ramapo", grape, pink, yellow, red round & paste) Green & Jalapeno peppers, Green Beans, Eggplant, Tomatillos and Fresh Onions.

Do your canning tomatoes and peaches now. Don't wait the season will not last.

You Pick Blueberries and Blackberries by appointment-call or e-mail us. The official reopening of the You Pick will be Saturday September 11th with Apples, Red Raspberries and Pumpkins.

The Blackberries are ready!

The Blackberry season has started. As with everything else the season is 10 to 14 days earlier than in a normal year. They are big and beautiful. Plus they are really sweet (a benefit of the July heat). If you have picked Blackberries out in the wild or remember picking Blackberries as a child you will be pleasantly surprised with G and S Orchard’s Blackberry bushes.....they are THORNLESS. Yes, that is correct.....THORNLESS! You will not be attacked by prickers in these bushes. No scratched arms or hair being pulled out of your head. It will be a truly enjoyable experience. Hurry out to get them while they last. We also have picked Blackberries on the Farm Stand. See you soon.

What’s next?

While the Sweet Cherries, Gooseberries, Currants, Fava beans and Raspberries are winding down the Blueberries are at the peak of their season. You will be able to pick Blueberries and Blackberries until Sunday August 15th. The You Pick will close on the 16th of August and reopen on Saturday the 11th of September for the Fall Season. You will be able to pick Apples, Blackberries and Fall Red Raspberries. Pumpkins will be ready later in the month.
If you don’t have the time or the energy to pick, check out the Farm Stand which is open everyday with a great variety of fruits and vegetables. Call or e-mail to place an order for larger quantities. We hope to see you soon. Gary and Stephanie

How long will the You Pick season last????????

That is a very good question. The answer varies with each season and each crop.

1st check the Fruit Picking Schedules chart for estimated times, and then check the Twitter box (in red on the home page) this will give you the crops that are in peak season. For further confirmation call 315-524-3823 and listen to the message. You will hear detailed picking information as well as the Farm Stand availability.

This year everything is ahead of schedule by 10 to 14 days which generally means it will also end sooner. Here are the tentative ending dates for the You Pick crops. Please note we do have and will have already picked fruit on the Farm Stand located at 4570 Lincoln Road for longer than the You Pick season. This fruit was harvested at its peak and held in our cooling facility. There we are able to maintain the quality and freshness our customers expect.

Gooseberries-7/18
Red Raspberries-7/18 for summer crop-fall crop starts September 11th.
White Sweet Cherries-7/18
Black Currants-8/8
Black Raspberries-7/25
Dark Sweet Cherries-7/25
Purple Raspberries-8/1
Blueberries-8/15
Blackberries-until frost

Blueberries, Blueberries, Blueberries!

We have the sweetest Blueberries on 6 undulating acres overlooking the surrounding orchards. Our Blueberries are high in vitamin C and anti-oxidants. They are great for just about everything. Remember they are super easy to freeze. Be sure to check out the Blueberry crisp recipe on our website.

Note: already picked Blueberries are available at the Farm Stand.

The Raspberries are awesome this year!

Thanks to the mild winter and the warm spring weather the raspberries this summer are awesome. They are sweet and plentiful but we are running 10 to 14 days ahead of last year so don't wait. You pick is at the peak now. Make that special batch of jam or freeze some for a wonderful treat this Christmas in filled cookies or as a sauce over cake for Valentine's Day. The aroma will fill the house with the scent of summer and they will be delicious.
We hope to see you soon. Gary and Stephanie

Sweet Cherries are Ready!

The Sweet Cherry season is 2 weeks early this year thanks to the very warm weather in April and May. We have Dark and White Sweet Cherries and boy are they sweet. The sun has really made a difference in the taste and flavor. You are able to purchase these at the Farm Stand on Lincoln Road or Pick them right from the trees in the 2 acre orchard. One of the best features of our You Pick is NO LADDERS. Everything is from the ground and the branches are even low enough for the children to reach. See you soon!

Strawberries?

Yes, we do have Strawberries for You Pick and already Picked. They are getting smaller as the season progresses but at the same time they are getting sweeter. But please remember the season will be short so don't wait! The You Pick fields are open Monday thru Friday 7:30am to 11:30am, Saturday and Sunday 7:30am to 2:00pm. We will have picked Strawberries on the Farm Stand as long as the season lasts.

The Strawberry season is in full swing...don’t wait too long!

The Strawberry season is in full swing. Berries are red, ripe, juicy and tasty. Be sure to visit the You Pick 7:30am to 11:30am as soon as you are able. If you don’t have time to pick your own contact us to place an order for pick up at the Farm Stand. The season will not last long so don’t wait!

The 2010 Strawberry Season has started!

This years Strawberry season will be an unusual one. The early warm weather of April and Early May brought the plants into bloom sooner than is typical. Then the long hours of freezing temperatures during several nights in Mid-May froze many of the blossoms (despite the row covers that were used to protect them). What did this do? It caused all the early blossoms and any baby berries to fall off. So most of the strawberries available will be from the later blossoms.

So what started as a bountiful very early season is now going to be a short later season.

On a positive note the fruit is really sweet because of all the sun and heat we have had.

But don’t wait too long ……… the season will be over before you know it!

Sorry for the long absence!

In April, Stephanie’s Mom suffered a massive stroke and died. We have been consumed with all that goes along with the sudden death of a loved one. Thank you for your patience & understanding.
Gary and Stephanie

Spring is in the air!

March is here and you can smell spring in the air. The birds are up and singing earlier every day. And check out how yellow the willow trees are.

Spring also means CSA sign ups. Interested in the 2010 season? Just send us an e-mail. Returning members don’t miss out on the discount opportunities, get your enrollments in.

How about all that snow in February? It might be a hassle for some but it really helps keep the ground cold and the fruit dormant. This reduces the risk of flowering too soon and the new crop freezing if there is a cold snap.

Enjoy the increasing sunshine and keep a look out for other signs of spring.

2010 CSA sign up is here! Where did January go?

2010 CSA sign ups have started. Please check out the CSA page and e-mail us if you are interested in learning more or signing up. It is a great opportunity to support your local farmer and receive great produce during the season.

How about all this snow! When not plowing to keep the driveways open Gary has been busy getting the equipment ready and trimming the fruit trees. Stephanie is submerged in paper work. We both have meetings, meetings, meetings!

Is it Spring yet?