If your coming for the workshop tomorrow – dress warm as part of our time will be spent in the barn.
We will have some alpaca products and our first batch of lotion bars available for sale prior to the workshop – from 8:30 until 9:30. Cindy plans to be here around 9:15. So, if you would like to get more information on what the workshop is about or would just like to shop, come out during that time. We will be starting the workshop at 10:00. If you choose to stay, the fee is $65.00 – payable to Cindy.
Come join us for a day of fun and learning!
Creekside Natural Farm will be hosting Cindy Myers for a day of learning how to communicate with animals of all species.
We first learned of Cindy from an article in an alpaca magazine and were impressed with her methods and use of energy work to help the animals she was working with. So, when I sent her an e-mail and she said she would be in the area this spring and would be happy to come to our farm – I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!
Click on the link below to reserve your spot. There will be an option for an individual purchase. You will also have an option to get the discount for each friend you bring.
Creekside Natural Farm will be hosting Cindy Myers for a day of learning how to communicate with animals of all species.
We first learned of Cindy from an article in an alpaca magazine and were impressed with her methods and use of energy work to help the animals she was working with. So, when I sent her an e-mail and she said she would be in the area this spring and would be happy to come to our farm – I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!
We will have a “shopping cart” option within the next few days and will add that as soon as it’s available.
Today we started our “New Year” ordering with our first 2 batches of chicks – 1 heritage and 1 broiler. Next up was our Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds order. Lots of old favorites as well as a few new varieties including Dr. Wyche’s Yellow tomato.
Our new project for the coming season will be a medicinal herb garden. Please feel free to share any requests for the coming season!
We currently have eggs, stone ground heirloom cornmeal and Turkey Red wheat flour available by prior arrangement. You can either call us at 815-467-5259, email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com or send a message on Facebook
In an effort to give Thomas as much “eating time” as possible, I’ve been leaving the barn lights on for a couple of hours after dark. When I go out to turn them off, I offer Thomas some feed before bed time. Tonight he wasn’t that interested in the feed but when Chukilla (who’s 175 pounds) got too close to the bowl, Thomas (all 51 pounds of him) would turn around and make a little spit at him.
Today was a perfect day to do some “bread lab” work. This was the result!
I used our own stone ground Turkey Red wheat flour that I sifted once.
We grow our heirloom wheat with minimal natural fertilizer (horse manure) and no insecticides , herbicides, or fungicides. It’s stone ground in small batches.
Turkey Red is a hard red winter wheat from Ukrain that has not been altered. it makes a fabulous bread.
Flour is available in a 3 pound bag for $6.00. Please call 815-467-5259 or email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
Thomas has his coat on, everyone (alpacas,chickens and Tiger) has lots of fresh straw, the alpacas have high value hay , all the heated water has electrolytes and the heater is running in the barn just long enough to take the extreme chill off. I think that’s everything we can do short of packing up the farm and moving to Hawaii!
Posted in2013 Harvest|Comments Off on Ready for the cold-we hope
It is officially too cold to keep eggs in the cooler so we are now on the “Winter egg program”.
We still have plenty of eggs, but you will need to either call or send a message before you come out. We hate to have you come out in the cold to find no one home. For insurance reasons, we will limit pick-up to daylight hours.
You can call us @ 815-467-5259
email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
send a message on Facebook
Our eggs are $5.00 per dozen and Animal Welfare Approved certified – That means our hens live like a hen was meant to live – free access to grass pasture (when it’s not covered in snow), organic (Non GMO) feed and no antibiotics in their feed, water or given directly. You can check out the Animal Welfare Approved website for more information on the long list of requirements we follow. AWA has the most rigorous standards for farm animal welfare in the U.S.
The hens are finished growing their winter feathers and are laying eggs again! And, it’s still warm enough to keep them in the stand. We also have some young hens who are just starting to lay so will have the medium eggs for a few weeks.
We did take the garlic out because of the cold weather but still have it available on request. We are selling the soft neck garlic for $1.00 per bulb. Soft neck garlic will keep through the winter if you store it in a cool and dark place.
The veggie season is just about over. We will have a limited amount of brussel sprouts, kale and radishes in the stand for the next week or two – unless the real cold gets here sooner.
Uncle.Smoky is happy when the alpacas are out of his way and he can eat out of their bowls. He doesn’t care to eat off the floor like a “common” rooster.
Posted in2013 Harvest|Comments Off on Yay! The alpacas are outside!
Yay! We are now the proud owners of a New Idea 1 row corn picker! It’s a great improvement over picking by hand. 7 minutes for for rows compared to 2 hours for 4 rows! Now on to shelling and grinding our heirloom organic corn.
We picked all of our peppers yesterday in anticipation of the frost. LOTS of nice poblanos, jalapenos, sweet frying peppers, sweet Melrose and sweet minis.
The poblanos are the most abundant so we are selling them by the half bushel for the fantastic price of $10.00! They can be used fresh, dehydrated, canned, frozen or my favorite – roasted and canned.
If you would like a half or full bushel, contact us ahead of coming out at 815-715-3590 or pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
We also have potatoes, garlic, kale, Turkey Red wheat berries and a variety of herbs.
New in the stand – Lovely bundles of Glass Gem Corn
$2.00 per bunch
We also have sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, kale, potatoes, garlic, Turkey Red wheat berries, a few tomatoes and eggs.
We also have frozen heritage chicken available. It is not in the stand, so you will need to call 815-467-5259 or email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com to make arrangements for pict-up.
Some of our harvest of Glass Gem corn. This is our first year growing it so most of it will be saved as seed for next year.
This spectacular flint corn was developed by Carl Barnes who was half Cherokee and half Scotch/Irish. He passed away in April.
“I stand in a radiant Glory.
My roots in the heart of Mother Earth.
My crown in the clouds of Father Sky.
The Four Winds encircle me in spirals of Love.
One going up, then down,
One going down, then up.
They meet in the Center of Complete Perfection–
The Human Stalk of Corn.”
–Carl Barnes
We are starting to pick the poblano peppers and tomatillios and continuing with the jalapeno and sweet peppers.
We have a half bushel of Melrose peppers available this week for $20.00. They are the peppers that were used on the beef sandwiches at the Melrose Market in Chicago and are fantastic. I have frozen and canned them and love them both ways!
Kale is back in the stand and we have swiss chard that I will pick on request. It wilts pretty quickly in the cooler so if you would like some, please call 815-715-3590 or
email pam@ creeksidenaturalfarm.com
We also have lemon squash, eggplant, a variety of colors and sizes of sweet peppers (including Melrose), jalapeno peppers, green beans, potatoes, garlic, cherry tomatoes and eggs.
Our frozen heritage chicken is also available by request. Raised outside with full pasture access and organic feed (no GMO’s). Makes a fabulous stock! $4.00 per pound
Luna Lu says Come out and see us on September 25th from 9 am till 3 pm!
We are having an “Open Farm” as part of national Alpaca Farm Days. In addition to our beautiful Suri alpacas, you will see our laying hens, our handsome Uncle Smoky, our very small herd of Katahdin sheep, our greenhouse and vegetable beds and you can take a walk over the bridge, past all of our newly planted trees and shrubs and back to our new 20 acre pollinator habitat!
We will have fiber and yarn from our alpacas and finished alpaca products, a variety of vegetables, frozen whole chicken and Turkey Red wheat for sale. We will also have hay available in small amounts tomorrow – or you can reserve a larger order for later pick-up.
Most people like to wear something that looks good and pleasing. Apart from trending custom t shirts and fashion outfits, what’s important in clothing is the comfort and chance to express oneself. When visiting a farm, it shouldn’t be the case, find great shoes at vessi.com.
Whatever kind of farm it is, it’s expected to get dirt, stains, and other reasons that can cause damage to the clothes. However, the farm shouldn’t be something that limits in wearing fashion staples. You may wear any custom T-shirts if you want, but be sure to wear in the proper way.
There are clothes that are intended for the farm. Aside from them being especially useful on the farm, they are also made for a reason. Visiting a farm could be an exciting adventure.
This beautiful half-bushel of sweet peppers is available for $12.00. There are about 40 peppers and they would be great for roasting and canning or freezing. You can also core and blanch the whole for stuffing during the winter. I freeze them whole on a cookie sheet then transfer them to a freezer bag after they’re frozen.
Call 815-715-3590 or e-mail pam@creeksidenaturalfarm
Here is what mine look like without roasting but otherwise following this recipe.
Marinated Roasted Ripe Sweet Peppers Recipe
Ingredients
4 pounds firm, fresh, clean ripe sweet peppers
1 cup bottled lemon juice*
2 cups white vinegar (5%)
1 cup olive oil + additional for roasting the peppers
2 cloves garlic, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 pint canning jars
*Bottle lemon juice has a consistent level of acidity which you need for this canning recipe.
1 If you are canning for shelf storage (and not just chilling in the refrigerator), place a steaming rack at the bottom of a large (12-qt) pot, fill half way with water, bring to a boil. It takes a while to get a large pot of water to boil, so while the water is heating, proceed with the recipe.
2a Broiler Method Position rack in oven so that the top surface of bell peppers placed in the oven will be 4-5 inches from the broiler heat element. Rub the surface of the peppers with a little olive oil (this will help them blister faster). Preheat broiler on high. Place peppers either directly on the top oven rack, with a pan to catch the drippings on a rack beneath, or place on a aluminum-foil or Silpat lined broiler pan (a cookie sheet will warp). As the surface of the peppers blister and blacken, turn them with tongs so that they will blacken on all sides.
2b Stovetop Method If you have a gas range (or grill) you can place the peppers directly on the range top so that the flames lick the peppers. Work carefully so that as soon as one section of a pepper is blackened, you turn it to work on a fresh side. If you have an electric stove, heat a cast iron pan on high and place the peppers in the pan, allowing the peel to blister and blacken, turning so that all sides get blackened.
3 When the peppers are all well blistered and blackened, place in a non-reactive bowl and cover. (The steam from the hot peppers will help dislodge the skins.) Once the peppers have cooled enough to handle, work with them one by one over a plate, gently peel off the blackened skins. Cut the peppers in half and remove and discard the seed pods, stems and all seeds.
4 Heat lemon juice, white vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and salt, in a saucepan until boiling.
5 Dip canning jars and lids in the boiling water from step 1. Distribute the peppers evenly among the jars. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the peppers to cover (try to make sure some garlic gets in each jar). Leave 1/2-inch head space on the jars. Wipe the rims with a clean, dampened paper towel. Place on lids and rings (do not tighten rings tight).
At this point you can store in the refrigerator for several weeks. If you want longer storage, or shelf storage, proceed.
6 Place filled jars in boiling water on a rack (from step 1). (Helps to use tongs and wear thick rubber gloves). Water should cover jars by at least an inch. Boil for 15 minutes. Let cool in pot for several minutes, remove. Let cool completely. You should hear the jars “pop” as the lids seal. If a jar does not seal, store it in the refrigerator and use up within a few weeks. Otherwise the jars should last a year.
Yield:Makes 3 pint jars
My Tips: Roasting works best for large peppers.
You can skip the roasting but the peppers will have a different flavor.
I have also used this recipe for small peppers like the mini-bells and Melrose peppers without roasting.
Recipe adapted from Eugenia Bone’s fabulous canning book Well-Preserved and a marinated pepper recipe from Michigan State University Extension.
We have an abundance of lovely peppers – mostly sweet except for the jalapenos. They include Melrose, yellow Italian fryers, colored bells and sweet little mini peppers.
We also have okra, beans, lemon squash, eggplant, a variety of potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, eggs and frozen chickens.
Posted in2013 Harvest|Comments Off on Beautiful and bountiful peppers
Today we had our last batch or meat chickens of the season processed. These are a Sagitta chicken and are available as a whole chicken for $4.00 per pound. They were raised on a combination of certified organic feed and our own oats, peas and wheat (plus all the vegetable scraps and “good stuff” they could find in the pasture).
The Sagitta is a cross between a Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red and Cornish Cross. They are a heavy breed that will provide a nice size bird on the table. Because they are a slower growing breed that is also a great forager, they require a lower temperature for roasting. This also makes them a much more flavorful chicken than the typical grocery store chicken that lived 5 weeks inside a building.
I roast them for 30 minutes per pound at 325 degrees with a light coating or olive oil, salt and pepper and some garlic cloves and rosemary in the cavity. They also make great stock.
We will have some available fresh tomorrow and Wednesday. After that, they will all be frozen.
Please call 815-467-5259 (leave a message if no answer) or e-mail pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com before coming out and I will have them ready for you to pick up. I will be home all day but will be busy picking veggies so will only be near the stand when I’m expecting a pick-up.
We have bushel or half bushel quantities of heirloom tomatoes and potatoes available. The potatoes will store for several months in a cool/dark place and the tomatoes can be used for canning, freezing, sauce, salsa – mixed with peppers, onions and garlic for a chili, soup or stew base.
Tomatoes are $1.00 per pound for a bushel (53 lbs.) and $1.25 per pound for a half
Potatoes are $1.25 per pound for a bushel (60 lbs.) and $1.50 per pound for a half
We currently have Nicola and Purple Viking available and there are many more varieties still waiting to be dug!
Please call 815-467-5259 or e-mail pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com to check on availability
Bill picked lots of sweet corn this morning! It’s bagged and in the cooler for $6.00 per dz.
And, this is what you get when you don’t spray poison – lady bugs on the sweet corn
We also have peaches this year! We have one tree and it has lots of lovely peaches.
They are bagged and in the cooler for $3.00 per pound
In addition, we have plenty of heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, several types of summer squash, sweet peppers, jalapeo peppers, garlic and cucumbers.
We Have lots of beautiful heirloom tomatoes and have started a new program for them today.
In an effort to please as many people as possible – we will not be boxing the tomatoes in cartons. That means you get to pick the size, color, ripeness and pint or quart quantity. If you want to mix colors, sizes or ripeness in one carton – that’s OK too. You can even get really crazy and mix some cherry tomatoes with regular tomatoes!
We have empty pint and quart cartons in the stand so you can use them to measure.
$2.50 per pint and $4.00 per quart
We can re-use clean cartons from non-smoking homes so please feel free to return them if you take them home.
We are picking sweet corn daily and should have plenty by Sunday. Non-GMO and no insecticide, herbicide or fungicide.
$6.00 per dozen
We also have green beans, several types of summer squash, kale, pickle cucumbers, eggplant, several types of sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic and potatoes.
We started picking our later variety of sweet corn and it lives up to its name – Delectable! It is also a larger ear than the earlier corn so you get 12 ears in a bag for $6.00.
Non GMO, no herbicides, insecticides or fungicides
We also have beautiful heirloom tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, 3 types of squash (lemon, patty pan and 3 varieties of zucchini), cucumbers, eggplant, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, kale, and eggs.
Lots going on this past week at Creekside Natural Farm!
We’re picking my favorite summer Squash -Lemon squash. It’s so yummy I sometimes eat it raw. And, the alpacas love to too. We started picking sweet corn and sold out every day. Our next variety should be ready early this week. Another new tomato variety for us Is Black Beauty and it’s fabulous. Thomas and Uncle Smoky share breakfast Eclipse rebuffed her prospective date (the handsome HB) so it apears her first date with him was successful.
