Our honey is re-stocked and available for easy pick-up at Minooka Grain & Lumber.
You can get our honey without a trip to the farm!
They have the basket on their counter. Glass jars only at this time.
1 pound for $14. Cash only
Our next Creekside Market Day will be on Saturday, July 9th from 8 until 1
We will be in our farmstand with our own seasonal produce, fresh flowers, raw Creekside honey, handmade goat milk soap & body products & plants (succulent & herbs).
This is your best opportunity to check out the different soap scents & pick up some honey since we don’t keep soap or honey in our self-service farmstand.
We will make an update of available produce as we get closer to the date.
Our Farmstand will continue to be closed until July 9th. We hope to have summer vegetables at that time and will keep the stand open through the summer.
During the break, we will have honey available by appointment.
You can contact us ahead of coming out at 815-467-5259
pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
or message us on our Facebook page
Aloe plants in small – $10.00, medium – $15.00 or large – $20.00. All sizes in terra cotta pots with decorative gravel
We also have a selection of one-of-a-kind succulent gardens. Priced from $15. to $50.
These will all be available on May 7th at our Creekside market Day.
We are taking orders for mixed herb containers only.
All of our herbs are grown in our organic greenhouse – either from seed or from our own plants that we propagated.
We will also have a few larger plants that will be available on Creekside Market Day.
Send us an email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
Send us a message on our Facebook page
Call us 815-467-5259 (leave a message)
Mini washtub planter holds either 2 or 3 plants. They make a great indoor planter for a sunny window. We have 4 combinations available – Oregano/rosemary/sweet basil, Mojito mint/Chocolate mint, Oregano/sweet basil/chives & lemongrass/lemon basil/opal basil $15. each
Herb Bowls are back! We have a Culinary bowl has Oregano/rosemary/sweet basil/cinnamon basil/chives. The Cocktail bowl has Mojito & chocolate mint/lemongrass/sweet basil/cinnamon basil. Both have a pansy plant. These planters can live outside or inside. $20. each
We also have individual herb plants in 3.5 inch containers for $3.50 each
All of these plus – Lemongrass, Cilantro, French Tarragon, Garden sage, thyme & chamomile.
We will be taking orders for our organic plants & potato sets this year.
We have listed all of the available varieties on both our Facebook page and at www.creeksidenaturalfarm.com. We currently have a list of tomatoes, a list of peppers & a list of our potato varieties. These are all available for pre-ordering and we strongly recommend that since some of the items are very limited.
Tomato and pepper plants will be ready for our Creekside Market Day on May 7th.
You can pick up your potato order starting today
To order – email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
Send us a message on our FB page
Or call 815-467-5259 (leave a message if we don’t answer)
Graig’s Grande jalapeno is a large jalapeno that can be used green or allowed to ripen to a more flavorful and hot pepper. It’s large size makes it a great stuffer.
Lemon Spice jalapeno can be used green or allowed to ripen to yellow. In it’s ripe stage, it is hotter than the average jalapeno. It is also a beautiful addition to your salsa or canned jalapeños.
Poblano peppers can be picked green or allowed to ripen from brown to red. Ripe poblanos have a wonderful rich flavor.
Carmen is a sweet Italian frying style pepper. Perfect for sautéing and adding to a sandwich or raw as a snack or added to a salad.
Lunchbox yellow pepper is a sweet snacking pepper. It also works well stuffed with your favorite cheesy filling.
We will have a very limited number of pepper plants available this year. We’ve chosen our favorites based of flavor and their productivity.
$3.50 each
Our plants are still happily hanging out in our warm greenhouse but will be ready to go to their new home on May 7th. Just because you see plants for sale in the big box stores does not mean it’s time to plant them in our zone (5b). Our last average frost date is May 11th.
When You Bring your Seed Home
Store the seed potatoes in a cool, dark place with some humidity.
Two weeks before planting, bring the tubers into a warm area (65˚-
70˚ F) out of direct light to let them wake up. This will make it easier to cut your potatoes into planting size chunks because the “eyes” will start to sprout.
Preparing the Soil
Potatoes like any well-drained fertile soil. Prepare the soil by spreading
and working in compost or aged manure. You can also add some balanced granular fertilizer.
Planting Your Potatoes
Seed potatoes are subject to decay when they are exposed to hot, dry
soil or cold, wet soil. The soil temperature should have reached a temperature of about 50°F-70°F, or when the dandelions bloom.
You may either plant whole seed pieces about the size of a hen’s egg,
or you may cut larger tubers into pieces with 2-3 eyes each. Plant
fresh-cut seed pieces immediately into warm moist soil, 10”-12” apart
in furrows 4”-6” deep. Space the rows 32”-36” apart. Cover the seed
pieces with 2” of soil. If your soil is on the cool side, allow your freshly cut pieces to heal for about 24 hours before planting.
Use one pound of seed potato to plant 5-8 row feet, 2.5 pounds per
12-15 row feet, 5 pounds per 25 row feet, and 20 pounds per 100
row feet.
Hilling and Weed Control
Cultivate shallowly to prevent root damage. Create a hill of soil or
mulch around the potato plant where the new tubers can develop
between the seed piece and the soil surface. The potatoes will form above the original set so hilling is a very important part of getting a good harvest. When the plants are 6”-8”
tall, gently gather the soil or mulch up around the plant until just the
top of the plant is showing. When the plant again reaches 6”-8”, hill
again, building up a total of 12”-18” of soil or mulch around the
plant. Mulching thickly with hay after hilling will keep the soil cool
and weed-free.
Watering Your Crop
Potatoes are shallow-rooted and susceptible to water stress, especially
when they are bulking. Water plants adequately to ensure even soil
moisture throughout the growing season. Stop watering 2-4 weeks before harvest.
Controlling Pests and Disease
The insect that most affects potatoes is the Colorado Potato Beetle
(CPB). Several strategies are effective in controlling these pests:
• Plant your potatoes late enough to miss the emergence of the
beetles in the spring.
• Pick beetles from plants and destroy egg masses (yellow groups of eggs on the underside of leaves), beginning two weeks after they emerge.
• Watch for larvae; brush them into a container of soapy water.
Repeat daily.
• Entrust or Monterey Garden Spray – Contains a spinosad which is
effective on a wide range of insects including Lepidoptera caterpillars.
Both products are OMRI-approved for organic culture.
The most serious disease threat for potatoes is late blight, Phytophthora infestans, a fungus that thrives in moist conditions (50˚F-60˚F
and 95% humidity). This disease is aptly named, as it strikes in late
summer when the nights are cool and dewy and when the gardens and
crops are almost done. Late blight, which thrives on live plant material of the Solanaceae family (potato, tomato, eggplant, pepper, and
nightshade), can become firmly established very quickly, destroying a
crop in just 3 to 5 days. To control late blight:
• Plant clean, disease-free seed. Infected seed is a prime source
of inoculation, enabling the disease to get established early in
the season.
Do not plant your potatoes where you grew potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant or peppers last year.
Harvesting Your Crop
You may begin harvesting any time after the plants bloom, about 60
days after planting. To find the delectable early tubers, gently rummage around under the plant, being careful not to disturb the roots.
These “babies” are your new potatoes; they’re not very big, but they
are delicious! Remember, though, that whatever spuds you steal
now will diminish your final harvest. When the tops start to die back
(senesce), the potatoes are mature. Allow the plants to finish dying
on their own, or mow or burn the tops to hurry the process along. In
about two weeks, when the tops are dead and the skins are set, dig
your potatoes.
Storing Your Potatoes
After harvesting, allow the potatoes to dry thoroughly. Gently brush
off dirt, but do not wash tubers intended for storage. Discard green
potatoes. Damaged spuds are not suitable for storage, but they are
fine for the table when eaten right away. Store your crop in wooden
crates, baskets, or burlap bags where air can circulate freely. Place
the potatoes in a dark place in your root cellar. Potatoes store best
and longest at 38˚F-40˚F with 80%-90% humidity. Under the right
conditions, you can expect six months’ storage. Save your best storage
varieties for last. Enjoy your harvest!
We will have our organic tomato plants available for sale at our Creekside Market Day on May 7th. We have cut back on some varieties based on their performance (or lack of) in the past few years. We’ve also added a few new varieties to our list of favorites. Most are heirloom varieties. Sungold, Estiva & Jet Star (new this year by request) are hybrids that we grow because they are customer favorites. FYI – a hybridizing is not the same in any way as a genetic modification.
Although some of our varieties have changed – our price has not. Still $3.50 for a plant that’s grown from seed in our organic greenhouse!
Our plants are still happily hanging out in our warm greenhouse but will be ready to go to their new home on May 7th. Just because you see plants for sale in the big box stores does not mean it’s time to plant them in our zone (5b). Our last average frost date is May 11th.
Any medium size container that holds at least two or three gallons of soil can be used. Examples include baskets, 5 gallon FOOD GRADE buckets (drill plenty of holes in the bottom and lower sides & fill the bottom inch or two with gravel), Grow Bags or large plant containers/nursery pots. Make sure there are adequate holes for excess water to drain.
Fill the bottom of each container with a few inches of potting soil, which will be where potato roots will grow. The potatoes will grow upward from the level of your original potato piece (seed). That is the reason for adding more soil as your plants grow. Do not use soil from your yard in a container. It will become compacted and hard – 2 things potatoes hate. Mix in a scant handful of all-purpose or organic fertilizer. Place the container where it will get sunlight but not too much radiated heat from a wall or patio.
Cut your seed potatoes into chunks with at least 2 sprouts/eyes on each chunk. Smaller potatoes can be planted whole.
Plant your potato seed pieces in the soil. How many pieces you plant will depend on the size of your container. You can plant 4-6 seed potato pieces in a 10 gallon container or 2-3 in a 5 gallon container. Water well to get the plants started. Continue to water as needed to keep plants moist, not wet.
Once plants begin to grow, gently pile new soil around the lower stems to keep them in total darkness. Continue weekly until the containers are almost filled. Continue to water down deep around roots, but do not keep the plants wet.
When the leaves and stems start to turn yellow its time to cut back on the water. Your plants are finished growing. You could also move your containers to a more shaded spot – especially it they are in full sun and it’s hot outside. When the stems are totally yellow, you can harvest your potatoes!
Sriracha (Red Rooster) Sauce
1 pound ripe jalapeno peppers, stems cut off , ½ pound ripe serrano peppers – stems cut off, 4 large cloves of garlic- peeled,
3 tbl. Of brown sugar or honey, 1/3 cup of water, ½ cup or white vinegar
Chop jalapeno and serrano peppers, retaining seeds and membranes, and place into a blender with garlic, brown sugar, salt, and water. Blend until smooth, pulsing several times to start. Transfer puree into a large glass container such as a large jar or pitcher. Cover container with plastic wrap and place into a cool dark location for 3 to 5 days, stirring once a day. The mixture will begin to bubble and ferment. Scrape down the sides during each stirring. Rewrap after every stirring and return to a cool, dark place until mixture is bubbly. Pour fermented mixture back into blender with vinegar; blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan, pushing as much of the pulp as possible through the strainer into the sauce. Discard remaining pulp, seeds, and skin left in strainer. Place saucepan on a burner and bring sauce to a boil, stirring often, until reduced to your desired thickness, 5 to 10 minutes. Skim foam if desired. Remove saucepan from heat and let sauce cool to room temperature. Sauce will thicken a little when cooled. Transfer sauce to jars or bottles and refrigerate.