Squash Harvest is Ready!

Most of our specialty squash is pictured here in the barn.
Left to right: Delicata, Acorn, Red Kuri, Hooligan, Buttercup, and Spaghetti
Not pictured: Butternuts (see previous post for picture), Green Kabocha, and Red Kabocha

Winter Squash are Now Available

We have completed harvesting our several tons of butternuts, and they are now in storage waiting on orders!  We also have smaller crops of other winter squash available too.  So far we have also stored our spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and some of our kuri.  Up next is delicata, red kabocha and grey kabocha, and acorn squash.


Cheers!
Mollie and crew

July. This is from one end of the butternut field - yes, those rows go all the way to the trees in the back!

Butternuts anyone?  Anyone???? 

What has been going on lately...

Over the last few years, we welcomed Simon, and then our second child, Carina last year, to the farm.  We are currently not attending any tailgate markets due to practicality.  This has been a good year for us though, and we have been going strong and actually keeping up pretty well, mainly thanks to  Anthony's help, and the help of our tractor!  The kids are a big part of our operation - working hours are limited by heat and naps :)

The kids doing well largely growing up outside.  We don't have a television or fancy phones (except daddy's).  Their screen time is behind an etch-a-sketch.  But they can show you where the box turtle lays its eggs, where the indigo buntings and the wrens nested this year, which heirloom apple trees are strong enough to climb, and he could probably get up to the game camera by themselves to retrieve the card and see what's been up on the old logging road.  Simon has taught himself how to catch butterflies, and is successful pretty much anytime he wants.  Carina loves her dog and her brother, possibly in that order, and likes to keep up with all of us.  She has a good grasshopper snatching hand and can pick up butternuts in the field and put them in the bag with the best of them.

We are currently selling wholesale through the Manna Cabana here in Saluda.  We pull up every Wednesday morning, sometimes a little later on than other times  - depending on how muddy or wet the kids got while they waited on me to process the greens.  Currently, we are providing shiitake mushrooms, blueberries, three types of kale (curly, red Russian, and dinosaur), and fresh-cut basil.  We still have some summer crops lined up and have also just harvested several tons of butternut, and smaller crops of acorn and spaghetti squash.  We are in the midst of collecting other winter squash varieties and getting ready to plant our fall crops soon.

The Crew

Looking Forward to the Coming Season!

As several folks have mentioned, we haven't posted in quite some time!!
Well, we are still here and are looking forward to the market season opening this week.  You can find us this year at the Flat Rock Tailgate Market on Thursdays from 3-6, and at the Saluda Tailgate Market on Fridays from 4:30-6:30.

Yes, so much has changed since last year's post!  Among them...

*Simon is so much bigger!  He catches on very quickly to many things.  I think some of his favorite things are  weeding, watering, dropping rocks into the creek, and getting to play anywhere around water or mud!  It will be very interesting to see how the markets go this year with him a whole year older.  Did his market career really begin at 4 months?   Wow!

*We bought a nice little used tractor this spring, and have been enjoying getting it going and using it to till, mow, grade and...we've got so many more plans for it!

*of note...We will be able to accept debit/credit payments this year at the market!  I will be using the Square Register, a little white card reader you may have seen at some fine local shops.  We are pretty excited - I have tested it out on our own debit cards for a trial run...Anthony will be glad when I can take it to the market and quit using it on his (heheh).

Our latest addition, the Tractor!!!

This year's early spring garden

For many small farmers, it is necessary for one or more family members to hold other jobs in order to make ends meet.  Here is Simon taking a break from planting to wear his 'Hole Inspections' hat, and he is doing an awesome job of supervising!

Simon, walking through the blueberries this spring. 

It just wouldn't be possible without our friends and volunteers!  Here, Phyllis is helping inoculate poplar logs with oyster mushroom spawn one rainy day on the porch.  Should be ready for harvest in a few months! 

Now Introducing Simon!

It's been a quiet winter at Forest Creek Farm .... but we are headed into spring with a new farmhand this year! Simon joined us in January, and we are enjoying the new perspective and insights he brings to the farm! But for right now, he's got some serious growing and sleeping to do!

We are still determining how active we will be able to be at the market this year, but we do know that if we aren't selling in a given week, we'll still be there! Come on out and support your local farmers!

The Flat Rock Tailgate Market "pre-season" opens April 19th, from 3 to 6,, and the "official" opening date is May 3rd. See you there!