See the previous October 1st update for full farm store deets + add on the update below...
Apple season is keeping us busy!! Picking mid and late season varieties, bringing in the harvest, sorting and packing fresh eating apples, as well as seconds for customers processing. The temperature fluctuations have made harvest funny, and we are seeing more drops from the trees. Cool temps would be welcome!!
The garden is wrapping up for farm store goods and the deep winter greenhouse is not started yet, so we are at a little in-between spot for Organic produce other than apples. BUT you'll see 5-10 varieties gracing farm store shelves and the market table. Read on...
Find us at the Saturday Mankato Farmers' Market from 8am - 12:00pm the following Saturdays"
All of these are great fresh eating varieties, all with their own unique profile. Many are also good for cooking!
MAKE THIS - Apple Fritters - we are enjoying about once a week for breakfasts!
If you are interested in picking up a Bushel of baking apples (seconds) for processing, give us a holler! $35/bushel seconds organic apples.
**Sweet apple cider - watch for our next pressing date!
Mid-Late Season • Sweet
Main apple season is cracking and there are around 10 apple varieties on the shelf in the farm store, as well as gracing the Market table on Saturdays!!! Apple Share members are receiving their third week of apples this week. :)
Expect to see the best of what's in season!! Varieties are always changing in the farm store. Some varieties have lots of quantity, some are here and gone, showcasing harvest from only a couple trees. Harvest runs from the end of July (with a trickle), into September's main harvest, wrapping up with late season varieties in October (and hauling in to fill the coolers!). Apple sales end when the inventory runs out, varying with the season - through the holidays or even into the New Year! On good year's apples make it to Winter Markets with me (looking good this year).
Our Fall Apple Shares start the first week of September, running 6 or 8 weeks showcasing the best of what's in season.
All of these are great fresh eating varieties, all with their own unique profile. Many are also good for cooking!
If you are interested in picking up a Bushel of baking apples (seconds) for processing, give us a holler! $40/bushel seconds organic apples.
**Sweet apple cider in stock 9/23!! Fresh and delicious. Half gallons.
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| Look for the LIME green tents at Market! |
The Farm Store will always showcase what is available during the season, currently that looks like some fresh garden produce, seasonal apples, canned goods, eggs and herbal wellness items.
The Market table will hold seasonal apple varieties (12+ during peak in September!), applesauce, apple butter and seasonal jams, as well as some herbal wellness items.
Fresh items from the garden in season: cucumbers (green & white), kale, celery. The first tomato ripened this week; this year I should have tomatoes and maybe peppers for sale. No bulk produce quantities.
Now Picking: Zestar!, Centennial and Chestnut Crabapples.
In the Farm Store: Centennial Crab (great lunch box littles!), Pristine, Zestar!
Market Apples this Saturday: Pristine, Paula Red, Centennial Crabapples, State Fair. Always our best guess leading up to market, subject to the whims of the orchard and orchardist. ;)
3lb bags of Organic Apples are $8 and quarts of Crabs are $4. More Farm Store deets.
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| Centennial Crabapples |
Centennial Crabapples - Great apple flavor in a
small package! Sprightly and juicy. Fresh eating and cooking. Stores 2-3 weeks.
Released by the UMN in 1957.
A couple items that are popular for back to school time are our Elderberry Syrup Kits and our herbal Sore Throat Spray.
Elderberry Syrup Kits - immune boosting tonic you can make at home.
Herbal Tinctures - half a dozen home remedies to work with in your holistic medicine cabinet, from pain to seasonal allergy relief and more.
Sore Throat Spray - spray back of throat 2-3x several times a day for a sore throat, or when you get that little tickle in the back of your throat, like you are going to get something.
For the Bugs -> Herbal Bug Spray, Tick Away EO Spray, Bug Bite Salve.
Bruise Salve - stop a bruise in it's tracks and bring relief to existing bruises, hemerroids.
Knitbone Salve - muskuloskeletal remedy for sprains, strains, broken bones, sore muscles, etc.
Cottonwood Wound Relief Salve - essential for all those minor wounds, burns, think of it like a natural neosporin, without the junk.
Calendula Lotion Bar - solid lotion bar, rub on for soothing moisture that isn't greasy, travel everywhere tin.
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| Making salves is probably my fav. |
Our market season is a little different than other folks! We start main season Mankato Farmers Market mid-August, with apples! We'll be at the summer market location through mid-October, then every Winter Market November - March. Apples are available until we run out for the season, which can look like October, November or January! Depending on the year. Season looks pretty good this year.
I take the last two weekends of October off for personal time after a busy apple season and before a busy winter greenhouse season!! Winter greens run about September to March!!
Sign up is open for 2025!
Watch for 2025 Apple Shares CSA updates! Sign up starting for returning members and wait list folks ASAP!
Grab tickets for the 2025 3rd Annual Sowing Seeds: Celebrating Local Foods & Lost Skills event happening July 13th! Located right here at our farm.
Coming soon: zucchini, celery, cucumbers.
Eggs
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| Stinging Nettles for seasonal allergies. |
The apples trees are just starting to bloom! It's a beautiful time to visit the farm store! Garden plants are starting to show up and Mother's Day is just around the corner.
Swing by and enjoy the beauty and take advantage of a few Farm Store Deals!! **Sales prices are available in the farm store only.**
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| Happy garden harvest! |
Here is our list of bedding plants we'll be growing this year, so you can plan them into your gardens!! Select items will be available at the farm store come early spring, the majority will be available at the Greenhouse at Total Landscape Supply, in Madelia and a NEW site at Bluestem Gardenworks, Comfrey!!
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| Brooke with tomato |
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| Amish Paste |
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| Ready to process tomatoes! |
Popping up in New Ulm this Saturday at The 507 Outskirt, 2232 S Broadway St, New Ulm.
Find out about our Organic garden transplants, applesauce and jams made with Organic ingredients, herbal wellness and how we can keep you in Certified Organic fruit throughout the year!!
See you 9-Noon along with all these vendors
Schaefer Sweets & Treats
Mrs. B's Bakery
Cravings Corner
Ribizli Seed Co.
Alternative Roots Farm
Gertzski Bees
Flour Cottage
E5 Livestock
This class fills up fast every year and space is limited!
Saturday, March 22
Minnesota New Country School
210 Main Street, Henderson
MN 56044
Time: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Cost: $70 / participant
In this class we will teach you how to propagate your own apple trees. We will discuss the time-tested techniques of fruit tree grafting including grafting tools, timing, proper scions and rootstocks. Attendees will practice what they learn by “Whip & Tongue” grafting different varieties of apple trees using modern day rootstocks.
Each participant will take home 3 newly grafted apple trees to be planted on your own property. Additional rootstocks available for purchase at class. All materials and tools will be provided for the workshop. You can bring your own grafting knife if you prefer. We will bring a variety of apple tree scions to the workshop for grafting. We will graft to semi-dwarfing rootstock.
Optional: Bring scions of your favorite old apple tree if you
would like to graft these at the class. We will send out tips for this as
we get closer to class, as you don't want to do this too much ahead of time.
You Bring:
Registration & Payment:
Learn from John
Knisley, of Alternative Roots Farm, a Certified Organic orchardist with 14
years of experience in the orchard. John is passionate about farming and the
great outdoors. At the farm he is most often found working at the orchard
or with the herd of pigs. In his spare time he is a forager, who enjoys
fishing, hunting, canoeing and pretty much anything out of doors and hands-on.
As a Master Naturalist he is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about environmental
education, preserving and promoting our natural environment, and environmental
stewardship.
