We are finally getting a nice variety of vegetables!
Beautiful Dragon Tongue beans are in the Farmstand
Along with, green and purple beans, zucchini and Lemon squash, bags of mixed color bell and sweet peppers, pints of Shishito and red Lunch Box peppers, calico sweet corn, garlic, tomatoes and plenty of eggs.
Fresh flowers are in the cooler for Fresh Flower Friday! We also picked calico sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, sweet peppers, bell peppers, zucchini and yellow squash, green and Dragon Tongue beans, and have plenty of eggs from our organic and pasture raised hens.
We are finally starting to pick a larger variety of vegetables! YAY!!!
We will have a limited quantity of a few new items – sweet corn, potatoes & tomatoes.
Calico sweet corn
Lemon Squash
Renee will be cutting flowers this morning and making up some beautiful bouquets.
We will have plenty of eggs from our pasture raised hens, raw honey from hives on our farm and hand made soap.
Raw honey from hives on our farm
Comp Honey
Our featured soap is Aleppo soap. It is a combination or olive and laurel berry oils. It takes an extra long cure time (it’s been curing since early January) because of the liquid oils. The longer cure time makes a harder bar and also improves the lather and mildness of the soap.
Aleppo style soap – olive and laurel berry oil -no milk
We will also have yarn and fiber from our small herd of Suri alpacas
Suri alpaca yarn and roving
Our original nest. This nest has been in use for several years.
One of the new nests that were built this year. 2nd round of babies for this nest!
The bees were hanging out in the squash blossoms this morning while I picked in the rain.
We have Lemon squash, zucchini, bell peppers, sweet peppers, Shishitto peppers, garlic and tomatoes.
We also have fresh flower boquets and plenty of eggs.
Fresh Flower Boquets are in the cooler.
$7.00 each
We also have plenty of eggs from our free pasture raised hens 5.00 per dz
Zucchini, lemon squash, sweet peppers, hard neck garlic, and a few tomatoes.
So, this is what we decided to do with our free time this morning. Plant some swamp milkweed in our new Monarch Habitat.
(The stand is open and stocked with eggs and available vegetables every day)
Hard neck garlic
Aleppo style soap
Our Aleppo style soap has been curing since early January and is ready to use! It’s a combination of olive and laurel berry oil and has a wonderful mild lather. Aleppo soap has no goat milk so is suitable for anyone looking for a vegan option. It requires a much longer cure time because it has only liquid oils – but is well worth the wait!
Raw honey from hives on our farm
Eggs from our pasture raised and organically fed hens
Yarn and roving from our Suri alpacas
email pam@creeksidenaturalfarm.com
call 815-467-5259
send a PM on our Facebook page
Our stand is open every day for your convenience and is stocked with products that are raised on our farm. That means we will have seasonal produce. It also means that we are able to offer super fresh produce, herbs and flowers – often within a few minutes of picking.
Our stand is not always staffed so we have a place for you to leave your money. Please bring smaller bills in case there is no one to make change. We are usually busy planting, picking, weeding, feeding and cleaning up.
Thank you for taking the time to shop with us.
Pam and Bill
We have some fresh flower bouquets and sunflowers in the Farmstand cooler. The mixed bouquets come in a mason jar for $7.00 and the sunflowers are $1.00 each.
We also have eggs from our pasture raised and organically fed hens, beets, zucchini, fresh hard neck garlic and a couple of bags of mini cucumbers.
Our Farmstand is located in our driveway. You will see it on your right as you pull into the drive – before you reach the other buildings.
(The stand is open and stocked with eggs and available vegetables every day)
Raw honey from hives on our farm
Suri alpaca yarn and roving
Curing soap
In between playing assistant to the hay machinery mechanic – I managed to pick wash and bunch some beautiful beets. $3.00 per bunch
I also found time to share a few small beets and some greens with the alpacas and chickens. Chikillia (the tan alpaca in front) is normally our least pushy boy. Except when he knows his person is cleaning beets LOL
We also have plenty of eggs and a few beautiful flower bouquets in the cooler.
We have started harvesting our Cylindra beets. Their sweet flavor a d buttery texture makes them a favorite. They are bunched with their green attached for $3.00 per bunch.
We also have plenty of eggs in the cooler
Tiger was keeping me company today while I was digging a little garlic. He was also looking for protection from the barn swallows. They don’t care for his company.
We managed to get lettuce picked ahead of the “rain event”.
Washed and bagged – $3.00 per bag
Our hens have full pasture access and organic feed.
Goatsmilk, oatmeal and honey soap with lavender, ylang ylang and dark patchouli
Yesterday I was re organizing my soap and noticed a couple of the lavender bars didn’t have much scent. After testing (by washing my hands with one of the lightly scented bars) I discovered that the scent comes back to full strength. I actually could smell the lavender as I walked past the bathroom! I have found this to be the case with many of the essential oils in soap. You will get a stronger scent on the cured soap with fragrance oils, but I prefer to use EO’s whenever possible.
All of our soaps are $5.00 per bar
They are not stocked in the farmstand but are available on our Creekside Market Day or by contacting us ahead of coming out to the farm.
The good news is that Renee and I got some seeds in before the rain. Including some we didn’t plan to plant – LOL That’s what happens when the person handing out the seeds doesn’t read the package. The result was more sweet corn planted and it just happened to be my favorite variety. Hopefully, the rain will soften the concrete like lumps.
We also picked some strawberries and there is broccoli and plenty of eggs in the cooler.
Saturday – June 8th from 9 am until 2 pm
Raw honey from hives on our farm
We will have plenty of eggs from our pasture raised and organic fed hens, seasonal
produce (right now looks like lettuce mix and broccoli), raw honey from hives on our farm, hand-made soap made with goat milk from Staudacher Farm in Yorkville, stone ground Turkey Red flour and cornmeal (raised here with organic methods) and alpaca fiber items from our Suri alpacas (yarn, roving and nesting ball kits)
We will be available in the stand from 9 till 2
The stand will continue to be open after 2 and will be stocked with our regular items (produce and eggs).
We still have a nice selection of organic vegetable and herb plants available – including Sungold cherry tomatoes and several container tomato varieties. We have moved everything out of the stand and on to the wagon so they can get some sun. The wagon will be parked next to the stand (unless there’s a storm coming). The succulent plants are still in the stand and are $4.00 each.
We also have plenty of eggs from our pasture raised hens (also organic) in the farmstand cooler !
2018 Chicago Area Pollinators Report[6017]
Last year we were included in a pollinator study and the U of I student who collected data here shared the report with us. She also asked if they could continue to collect data here this year!
Click on the link to read the report
The storms are forcing us to move our tomato plants back inside on an almost daily basis. So, if you plan to come out for tomato plants and we have storms in the forecast, contact us ahead of coming out. If you know what varieties you want, we can put those in the farmstand for you. There is a complete list of varieties at the end of this post.
Sweet Lunchbok pepper plants
All of our transplants are grown in our organic soil in our organic greenhouse. Almost all of our plants are heirloom varieties. That means they will have a fabulous flavor! We do grow a few non-heirlooms (Sungold cherry tomatoes and our bell peppers). We are also growing several varieties of “container” tomatoes this year. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and some of the herbs are grown in biodegradable fiber pots.
We have bags of the same organic potting soil that we use available for sale in the stand. $8.00 per bag
Here is a list of what we will have available for sale:
Lunchbox, Round of Hungary, Jimmy Nardello, Sweet Sunrise and Islander
These are all sweet peppers. Our hot peppers had to be re planted due to their need for warmth and our super sold winter. We may have a few ready for sale by the end of May.
Rosita, Ping Tung, Little Fingers, Diamond, Pandora Striped and Prosperosa
Sweet basil, lemon basil, lime basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, chives,
lemon thyme and rosemary
Cherry and salad type
Sungold, Black Cherry, Pink Bumblebee, Sunrise Bumblebee,Sweetie, Golden Current, Tommy Toe, Piglet Willie, Mountain Magic, Sweet Cherriette
Roma/paste type
Comstock
Slicing/beefsteak type
Mortgage Lifter, Manyel yellow, Nepal,Arkansas Traveler, Barns Mountain Yellow, Woodle Orange, German Pink, Moskovich, Marglobe, Blue beauty, True black brandywine, Big Rainbow, Gold medal, Copia, Manzana, Carbon, Raspberry Lyanna
Container type
Gendula, Cyril’s Choice, Amber, Urlansiky
Varieties in red are all good for container growing
Sweet Lunchbok pepper plants
We also have plenty of herb plants, broccoli, cauliflower & cabbage plants, potato sets and organic potting soil.
And – lots of eggs from our organic & pastured hens
We have a fresh batch or flyers from our friends who raise beef and lamb. We have visited their farm many times and are pleased with their methods and their new holland tractors. Their animals live on pasture and are never fed grain. They have chosen specific breeds based on that breeds ability to grow well on pasture and produce flavorful meat.
If you’re looking for beef or lamb, pick up a flyer when you’re in our stand
Here is a list of plants we will have available for sale:
Lunchbox, Sweet Chocolate, Round of Hungary, Cubanelle, Jimmy Nardello, Shishito, Sweet Sunrise and Islander
These are all sweet peppers. Our hot peppers had to be re planted due to their need for warmth and our super sold winter. We may have a few ready for sale by the end of May.
Rosita, Ping Tung, Little Fingers, Diamond, Pandora Striped and Prosperosa
Sweet basil, lemon basil, lime basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, chives,
lemon thyme and rosemary
Cherry and salad type
Sungold, Black Cherry, Pink Bumblebee, Sunrise Bumblebee,Sweetie, Golden Current, Tommy Toe, Piglet Willie, Mountain Magic, Sweet Cherriette
Roma/paste type
San Marzano, Comstock
Slicing/beefsteak type
Mortgage Lifter, Manyel yellow, Nepal,Arkansas Traveler, Barns Mountain Yellow, Woodle Orange, German Pink, Moskovich, Marglobe, Blue beauty, True black brandywine, Big Rainbow, Gold medal, Copia, Manzana, Carbon, Raspberry Lyanna
Container type
Gundula, Cyril’s Choice, Amber, Uralskiy
*Varieties in red are all suitable for container growing
All of our transplants are grown in our organic soil in our organic greenhouse. Almost all of our plants are heirloom varieties. That means they will have a fabulous flavor! We do grow a few non-heirlooms (Sungold cherry tomatoes and our bell peppers). We are also growing several varieties of “container” tomatoes this year. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and some of the herbs are grown in biodegradable fiber pots. We also thought about getting some bird feeders that spins squirrels on https://ballachy.com/blogs/reviews/squirrel-proof-bird-feeder where you can find many similar products.
You can find a list of varieties at creeksidenaturalfarm.com
We have bags of the same organic potting soil that we use available for sale in the stand. $8.00 per bag
We are also cutting some lilacs and will have some bouquets available in the stand today.
We will be moving the warm season plants inside at night and probably on Wednesday when we have another 2 inches of rain in the forecast.
Pet/ Gardeners neem soap bar
The smooth bar will be available without the muslin bag for $5.00
This soap makes a great lather thanks to the goats milk, honey and Greek yogurt.
The other ingredients are, coconut oil, tallow, shea butter, sweet almond, olive and castor oils, neem seed oil and marshmallow powder with a fresh mix of EO’s that are loved by us but not by insects – rosemary, lemon eucalyptus, lemongrass and lavander. The neem oil is also an insect repellent.
Even with all of the cool weather transplants out, our greenhouse is full. Our smaller peppers will keep their covers on through the weekend and HOPEFULLY – this will be the last few days of running the greenhouse heaters!
We will have a selection of our favorite veggie transplant plus a few container friendly varieties.
One of our “container” tomatoes in front of a standard tomato plant
Eggplant
Sweet Lunchbox pepper plants
We hope to start selling our warm weather plants next weekend – if the weather cooperates. We use organic soil and no chemical fertilizers or sprays in our greenhouse. The plants that we start from seed are growing in Fertilpots – less plastic in our lives and less work to transplant! There are a couple of herbs and our succulents that are growing in plastic pots. The Fertilpots won’t hold up for the extended time these slower growing plants need in the greenhouse.
Here is a list of what we will have available for sale:
Lunchbox, Sweet Chocolate, Round of Hungary, Cubanelle, Jimmy Nardello, Sweet Sunrise and Islander
These are all sweet peppers. Our hot peppers had to be re planted due to their need for warmth and our super sold winter. We may have a few ready for sale by the end of May.
Rosita, Ping Tung, Little Fingers, Diamond, Pandora Striped and Prosperosa
Sweet basil, lemon basil, lime basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, chives,
lemon thyme and rosemary
Cherry and salad type
Sungold, Black Cherry, Pink Bumblebee, Sunrise Bumblebee,Sweetie, Golden Current, Tommy Toe, Piglet Willie, Mountain Magic, Sweet Cherriette
Roma/paste type
San Marzano, Comstock
Slicing/beefsteak type
Mortgage Lifter, Manyel yellow, Nepal,Arkansas Traveler, Barns Mountain Yellow, Woodle Orange, German Pink, Moskovich, Marglobe, Blue beauty, True black brandywine, Big Rainbow, Gold medal, Copia, Manzana, Carbon, Raspberry Lyanna
Container type
Gendula, Cyril’s Choice, Amber, Urlansiky
Our cool weather transplants are available now in the farmstand and include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and pansies
