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.