What do we do in the winter?

We are often asked "What do you do in the winter. It is cold out and there is snow on the ground so does the activity on the farm come to a halt?" No it does not. We are almost as busy during the winter months as we are during the summer.

• We review the previous year and decide what we can do to improve the coming year.
• We order seed, plants, bushes, supplies and equipment.
• We fix equipment.
• We attend all different types of meetings and conventions.
• We trim and/or remove trees and bushes.
• We tend to our honeybees.
• We plow snow.
• We enroll members in the CSA.
• We sift through mounds of paperwork for education, filing and government regulations.  

Most importantly we reconnect with family and friends joining them for lunch, dinner and parties that are often missed during the busy season.

Fall is a great time on our real working farm!

We are busy all of the time at G and S Orchards but Fall is when we really ramp it up. We have so many things going on that keep us busy during the summer: You Pick, CSA, Farm Stand, Fairport Farmers Market that is seems like we can't add one more thing but this is the main season for Pear, Pumpkin and Apple picking. We have acres and acres of picking that needs to be done in a very short window of time. The days will get shorter and the weather will deteriorate so it is a rush to beat mother natures clock. You can come out and pick your own on weekends or stop at the Farm Stand and purchase already picked produce grown right here every day of the week. We look forward to seeing you soon!

You Pick - be ready at a moments notice!

This season may be a struggle for those who intend to You Pick. The rainy weather causes challenges with fruit picking. We will try to be open every day but if it is raining we can not.


Why not? Fruit should not be picked when it is wet. It is tender so it crushes plus it will not keep.


Have an action plan. Watch the weather forecast, be ready when it breaks, pile in the car, gear in hand and hit the fields. Refrigerate and process your fruit as soon as you are able.


We will have a good supply of already picked fruit on the Farm Stand. If you need large quantities contact us to place an order. As always we appreciate your patronage.


The old timers have a saying "a dry year will scare you but a wet year will kill you".

The 2015 Season has Started!

After a very long winter and what seemed like an even longer spring the season has started. The Farm Stand is open every day, the CSA pick ups have started, the You pick will open for the summer starting Saturday June 27th. Please refer to www.gandsorchards.com for added information. We hope to see you soon.
Gary and Stephanie

2015 CSA - Excepting a limited number of new members.

What makes G and S Orchards CSA different than all of the other CSAs?

1. The only all Fruit Options in the area.
2. Half Shares and Full Share options.
3. Produce is grown by a full time farm family with over 66 years agricultural experience.
4. Friendly staff dedicated to the production and processing of your weekly shares.
5. Produce of the highest quality is grown on dedicated farm land.
6. A high member retention rate.

If you would like to be part of our outstanding CSA please send an e-mail via the contact us page.

The season has started....take full advantage of it!

This year California is under one of the severest droughts in history. What does that have to do with us here in New York. A great deal. California is the main supplier of almonds, walnuts, fruits and vegetables for the entire country. They are under severe water restrictions. Land is being left empty. Fruit and nut trees are being cut down or de-fruited because they don't have the water to make a crop.


What does this mean? Increased expense for all food in the stores now and through the winter.


What can you do about it? Buy what you need locally and preserve it:  freeze, can and dry.


If you don't know how to do this ask a relative, neighbor, friend. Cornell Cooperative Extension has educational programs. Go on line.


If you don't own a freezer buy one. Make jam. Dry fruit and vegetables for snacks and soups. There are lots of options to fill your "larder" now so you will have plenty of nutritious food in the months ahead.

G and S Orchards CSA....different than the others!

What makes G and S Orchards CSA different than all of the other CSAs?

1. The only all Fruit Options in the area.
2. The most diverse combination of Fruit & Vegetable Options.
3. A You Pick Option.
4. Produce is grown by a full time farm family with over 65 years combined agricultural experience.
5. Friendly staff dedicated to the production and processing of your weekly shares.
6. Produce of the highest quality is grown on dedicated farm land.
7. A high member retention rate.

If you would like to be part of our outstanding CSA please send an e-mail via the contact us page.

 

Merry Christmas to all of our Friends, Family, Customers and Business Associates. We wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

Only 2 weekends left in the 2013 You Pick Season!

Columbus Day Weekend marks the half way point for the October You Pick season. We are picking a wide assortment of Apples, Pumpkins and the last of the Raspberries. Sunday the 27th will be the last day of the 2013 You Pick season. The Farm Stand will remain open through Wednesday November 27th (weather permitting).

Back to School means Pear time!

When school is in session the Bartlett Pears are ready. Soon after that will be the Seckle Pear, a small firm sweet treat. Then the brown beautiful Bosc pears will be here. We pick all of our Pear varieties at the peak of perfection and store them in our cooler. That way you can enjoy them all fall. Purchase them at the Farm Stand or Fairport Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Strawberries Really!

Yes, we have Strawberries now. These are Day Neutral or Ever bearing Strawberries. The plants are grown on raised beds of soil covered with plastic. They start producing fruit in the summer and will continue to produce fruit throughout the fall. The berries are sweet and juicy. Some people think they taste better than June Strawberries. Stop by the Farm Stand, purchase a quart or two and decide for yourself. Delicious!

Why is the You Pick Closed?

It is back to school time! We close the You Pick for several weeks the end of August and the beginning of September because it is time to go back to school! Our customers have children and there are many things that need to be done in this time frame. Take a last minute vacation. Finish house projects. Finish yard chores. Buy School clothes. Buy School supplies. Drive the children to college. Attend fall sports practices and games. The list goes on...........

In the mean time if you need fruits and vegetables stop by the Farm Stand. We are open daily.

The You Pick Apples, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Tomatoes, Potatoes and Pumpkins will be waiting for your return. See you Saturday September 7th.

Sad day at G and S Orchards.

 

                                          

Our faithful dog Thunder was put down this morning. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (bone cancer) a year ago.  Thunder was able to enjoy an additional year on the farm thanks to the wonderful staff at Cornell University and Walworth Animal Hospital. Here he is ready to go for his final ice cream trip. We will miss you Big Dog!

                                        

Blueberries loved the rain!

The Sweet Cherries and Late Strawberries were not happy with all the summer rains but the Blueberries were! The timing of the rain (or should we say rains) was perfect for making the Blueberries plump and juicy. The sun came at just the right time to add natural sugar to the mix. These big berries are easy to pick and your bucket will fast because of it. We anticipate the season lasting approximately 4 weeks. Don't forget to freeze some. They taste great in the cold winter months on hot cereal like oatmeal, in muffins, pancakes, yogurt and smoothies.

The Sweet Cherries are coming.........Finally!

Yes, it has been a long time coming. 2 years since our last You Pick Sweet Cherry Season. Yikes, it seems hard to believe that it has been that long. This spring was kinder than 2012 but the weather lately has been cooler and wetter than normal so the Cherries are taking longer to ripen. We anticipate You Pick will start Thursday the 4th of July. The season should last 2 to 3 weeks depending on the amount of rain and the duration of the heat that comes once the Cherries are ripe. Please take the opportunity to experience fresh Cherries picked right from the tree..no ladders needed.

The Strawberry Season is coming!

The 2013 Strawberry season should start by mid June. Of course this all depends on the weather - temperatures during the day and at night and the amount of rain. But overall this looks like an "average year" so look for those delicious juicy red ripe goodies by Father's Day weekend.

New Member CSA sign up time is here!

Thanks to Karen Miltner and the D&C for the listing in Friday's paper. Here is a picture of our CSA Fair booth. There are examples of the fruits and vegetables you receive (Apples, Pears, Blueberries, Strawberries, Cherries, Tomatoes, Beans, Squash and Pumpkins to name a few). Also included in the booth are pictures representing our growing practices and the positive results of the use of IPM and Organic methods (deer sheds, bluebirds, toads, wild turkeys and large fish in our pond). Bonus items include flowers and our very own raw honey. For information on enrollment please e-mail:  gcraft@rochester.rr.com
We look forward to adding you to our family of members.
Gary and Stephanie Craft

After all is said and done how did 2012 turn out?

That is a good question and one we have been asked many times. The answer is as bad as we had feared. The crop insurance payments covered about 35% of our losses. Thankfully we had receivables from 2011 (an outstanding year) to carry us through. The good news is so far the weather for 2013 has been great...cold and snowy. The long term forecast is for a "normal" growing season. We are busy ordering trees, bushes and seeds for planting this spring. We are excited to be facing a new season with all of the challenges the year will offer and we hope never to see a year like 2012 again.

Thank you for all your support in 2012 and we look forward to seeing you in 2013.

October You Pick Offerings.

G and S Orchards offers many different items to You Pick during the month of October. We have Red and Yellow Raspberries, Tomatoes and You Dig Potatoes available until the 1st hard frost or while supplies last (which ever comes first).

We also have lots and lots of Pumpkins. Over 14 different varieties of all shapes, sizes and colors for you to choose from and the prices are very reasonable!

Cortland, Crispin, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Ida Red, Macoun, McIntosh and Spy Gold Apples are available for picking. If the apples are limited on the trees already picked bins of apples will be available for you to "Pick" from. The inclement weather this spring reduced the apple crop so we are trying to make your experience the best possible under the circumstances by supplying already picked apples.

We thank you for your understanding and continued patronage.

September is Bartlett Pear time.

September marks the return of school and with that comes the Bartlett Pear season. These are the "green" pears that turn yellow when ripe. They are smooth and sweet. This pear is the preferred variety for canning. We have these and plenty of other fruits and vegetables on the Farm Stand.