Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Apples, Pecans & Jam Make Great Christmas Gifts

   We still have many harvested 'GoldRush' apples for sale now and for the next 5 months or so.  'GoldRush' apples keep well for 8 to 10 months in a refrigerator, and get sweeter as the starches convert into sugars.  Fully-ripened 'GoldRush' apples have a taste similar to 'Honeycrisp', and 'GoldRush' is my favorite apple for fresh eating.  They're also wonderful for baking, making applesauce or apple butter, etc.
We still have many 'GoldRush' apples (front box) for sale, and many 'Scarlett O'Hara' apples (2nd box).  We still have a few #1 'Enterprise' apples (3rd box) and many #2 'Enterprise' and #2 'GoldRush' apples. 
   We also have many harvested 'Scarlett O'Hara' apples for sale for the next couple months (until they sell out).  'Scarlett O'Hara' apples are sweet-tart, with a strong unique flavor that some customers love, and keep well for about 4 months in a refrigerator.  We still have a few #1 'Enterprise' apples and many #2 'Enterprise' apples.  'Enterprise' apples are sweet-tart, great for both fresh eating and baking, and are a favorite of many customers.  Our #2 apples are great for economical holiday baking or making apple butter for Christmas gifts.
   Harvested apples are kept in top condition in our cooler, which now holds about 3500 pounds of apples.  We also still have a few bags each of a few selections from my apple breeding program.  I give taste samples of all of our apple varieties and selections, to those interested in buying them.  Apple prices are detailed in the previous post.
   Bill is now very busy harvesting, cleaning and cracking pecans.  We now have 5-lb. bags of cracked 'Kanza' pecans for sale, for $14.86 + tax per bag.  'Kanza' is a larger pecan variety, with excellent flavor.  Our Facebook page, Brendas Berries, has many recipes posted as Notes that feature apples and pecans.
This morning for breakfast I had 3 kinds of Bill's homemade jams and fruit butters on raisin bread toast.  Clockwise from top are sandhill plum jam, apple butter and red raspberry jam.
   We also have Bill's homemade jams and fruit butters for sale, all made from fruit we grow.  He uses low-sugar pectin, so our fruit products are made with more fruit and less sugar.  These make good Christmas gifts, for those who don't have the time or inclination to make their own jams or apple butter.  They cost $5.57 + tax per pint jar, and if you return the clean, empty jar to us after finishing the jam, you get $0.50 off your next jar of jam.
We now have 16 kinds of Bill's homemade jams and fruit butters for sale, all made from fruit we grow.
   From Dec. 1 to May 31 we're open by appointment, as the sidebar at left shows, so phone 620-597-2450 a day ahead (or at least a few hours ahead) and leave a message on the answering machine saying when you're coming.  (I don't need to call you back; I am here.  Don't wait to call until you get here, as I'm often out working on the farm and the phone rings in the house.)  If you drop by on a nice day and I don't see you come in, since I'm working elsewhere on the farm, ring the bell on the sales building.  If it's very cold or raining or snowing and I'm not in the sales building, phone 620-597-2450 or come up to the house.
   Have a joyful Christmas, as we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world!

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Many 'GoldRush' & 'Scarlett O'Hara' Apples & Pecans for Sale

    We have many harvested 'GoldRush' apples for sale, both #1's and #2's, now and for the next 6 to 7 months.  'GoldRush' apples keep well for 8 to 10 months in a refrigerator, and are best after at least 1 month in the fridge, as they get sweeter as the starches convert into sugars.  Fully-ripened 'GoldRush' apples have a taste similar to 'Honeycrisp', and 'GoldRush' is my favorite apple for fresh eating.  They're also wonderful for baking, making applesauce or apple butter, etc.
   We also still have many harvested #1 'Scarlett O'Hara' apples for sale for the next couple months (until they sell out).  'Scarlett O'Hara' apples are sweet-tart, with a strong unique flavor that some customers love, and keep well for 3 to 4 months in a refrigerator.
We have many harvested 'GoldRush' apples (front box) and 'Scarlett O'Hara' apples (2nd box) for sale.  We still have a couple boxes of #1 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples (3rd box), and many #2 'Enterprise' and 'GoldRush' apples.
   The 'Enterprise' apple crop was reduced this year by the April 15 freeze.  I delivered 100 lbs. of #1 'Enterprise' apples to Bartlett and Chetopa Schools yesterday, and customers have been buying many #1 'Enterprise', so we're getting low on those.  We still have a small amount of #1 'Enterprise' apples and many #2 'Enterprise' apples.  'Enterprise' apples are sweet-tart, great for both fresh eating and baking, stay crisp and juicy for 6 to 8 months in a refrigerator, and are a favorite of many customers.
   Prices are the same as last year: $1.21 per pound + tax for small amounts of harvested #1 apples (practically perfect) and $0.83 per pound + tax for small amounts of harvested #2 apples (with small cracks or other surface damage).  A box of 20 lbs. of harvested #1 apples costs $23.22 + tax, which saves $1.00.  A box of 20 lbs. of harvested #2 apples, great for economical holiday baking, costs $15.79 + tax, which also saves $1.00.  Buying 40 lb. of harvested apples (2 boxes) saves another $1.00 per box, for a total of $4.00 off the per-pound price.
   Harvested apples are kept in top condition in our cooler, which is now full of 4000 pounds of apples.  We also still have a few bags each of many selections from my apple breeding program.  I give taste samples of all of our apple varieties and selections, to those interested in buying them.
   Bill is now very busy harvesting, cleaning and cracking pecans.  We now have 5-lb. bags of cracked 'Kanza' pecans for sale, for $14.86 + tax per bag.  'Kanza' is a larger pecan variety, with excellent flavor.  Our Facebook page, Brendas Berries, has many recipes posted as Notes that feature apples and pecans.
   From Dec. 1 to May 31 we're open by appointment, so phone 620-597-2450 a day or so ahead and leave a message on the answering machine saying when you're coming.  If you drop by on a nice day and I don't see you come in, since I'm working elsewhere on the farm, ring the bell on the sales building.  If it's very cold or raining and I'm not in the sales building, phone 620-597-2450 or come up to the house.
Phone 620-597-2450 a day or so ahead and leave a message on the answering machine saying the day and approximate time you'll be coming.