Hi from the Ranch!

We had a great Saturday despite the shortages on some items.  Our apologies for that, but we really can’t make it happen any faster in the low daylight levels. There will continue to be short supplies of spinach, cherry tomatoes, and eggs (especially these 3), but other items as well. Deb and I both see a future with more greenhouse space and perhaps more gutsy winter farmers. Until then, please be patient and know that we both have plans to grow winter market. We appreciate your loyalty through the month of January. It is always the slowest and hardest month in which to produce.

Thanks for the cartons and bags! We put them to good use.

For everyone who is new to our market, please visit the winter market information page to read about the winter market program and learn how to subscribe to our mailing list. Our hours are 9:00am – NOON.

THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERING THIS WEEK WILL BE THURSDAY BY NOON. PLEASE PLACE ORDERS ON EVERY ITEM YOU DESIRE IN CASE DWIGHT AND I HAVE TO ACT AS ANOTHER VENDOR ON SOME WEEKS.
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HERE’S WHAT WE HAVE FOR ORDER THIS WEEK:

TIMMONS FARM – BOB TIMMONS – TONTITOWN:

Mr. Timmons has been fairly sick with his lungs. Many of you know that he is a dialysis patient and this has taken its toll on his tired body. Please be in prayer for him and we do hope that he can come each week.

Bob has an old family farm where he grows grapes and blueberries and this year sweet potatoes and winter squash. He and Mr. Horn collaborate on canning their products in Mr. Horn’s certified kitchen.

• Molasses:  $6.00 pint

The following products are priced at $5.00 per 8 oz. jar (1/2 pint):

• Sunbelt grape jelly with sugar
• Fredonia grape jelly with sugar
• Blackberry jam
• Blueberry jam
• Niagara grape jelly with sugar
• Concord grape jelly with sugar
• Mars grape jam
• Blackberry jelly
• 2-berry jam (blackberry & blueberry)
• Strawberry jam
• Berry peachy jam (blueberry/peach juice)
• Muscadine jelly (black or bronze to choose from. This product isn’t local, but is regional to Arkansas.)
• Yellow watermelon jelly

HORN FAMILY FARM – FAY HORN – ELM SPRINGS:

Mr. Horn operates a certified kitchen and uses a great deal of local and personally grown produce in his canned goods for winter use.

Young Mr. Horn is about to become a new papa and his wife may suddenly need him some weeks to care for their young son…please bear with us as his absence may be unexpected.  …”Old” :0) Mr. Horn will fill in when he can.

The following jams and jellies are priced at $5.00 per 8 oz. jar (1/2 pint):

• jellies:  plum, blackberry, watermelon, watermelon mango, elderberry, gooseberry, grape, muscadine
• jams:  strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, 2 berry, raspberry, raspberry/blueberry, strawberry/mango, strawberry/rhubarb

Honey: 16 oz. jars with comb $9.00, without comb $8.00, honey bears $6.00

The following canned vegetables and fruits are priced at $5.00 per 16 oz. jar (pint)

• apple butter (which I love)
• grape butter
• hot pickled peppers
• bread and butter squash
• pickled okra
• cucumber dill pickles
• corn relish
• squash relish (hot or sweet)
• salsa (also very good!)
• cucumber relish

A & A ORCHARD – JOHN AND BETH ASELAGE – BERRYVILLE:

• Arkansas Black apples- $5.00 per 1/4 peck

DICKEY FARM – DAVID AND DEANA DICKEY – TONTITOWN:

• 1.5 LB Bag Cornmeal (Green and Calico Mix) – $6.00
• Pie Pumpkins – $2.50 each
• Butternut, Acorn (white or carnival), Kabocha, and Delicata Squash – $.85/LB
• Large Squash includes: Blue Jarrahdale, Banana, Chioggia, Hubbard,Triamble, Thai Large Pumpkin – $.50/LB
• Sweet Potatoes – $1.00/LB
• Eggs – $3.00/Dozen
• Decorative Gourds – $1.00-$3.00 each
• Decorative Corn – $1.50/Ear

ACROSS THE CREEK FARM – SPENCE AND CARLA – WEST FORK:

NEW FARM FAMILY! We are adding a young family to our winter market: Spence & Carla. They are located in West Fork and operate Across the Creek Farm.  Many of you may have met them at the market this summer. They will help to beef up our egg production which are from hens grown naturally and definitely pastured with the help of a guard dog. This family is what winter market is all about, serving young families who want to farm, who want to raise their children in a lifestyle that is unfortunately disappearing quickly. For now, their offering is eggs only! I will collect egg orders this week; Mr Dickey’s eggs will be spoken for first and then Spence and Carla’s.

SYCAMORE VALLEY FARM – ALEX AND KIM KAPITY – OLD CINCINNATI (NEAR LINCOLN):

ANOTHER NEW FARM FAMILY! We are adding yet another family to our winter market: Alex and Kim Kapity of Sycamore Valley Farm. They are located in Old Cincinnati, not far from Lincoln. Kim’s hens are raised on a natural vegetarian diet. She also sells duck eggs for $3.50 per 1/2 dozen. Again, we hope this helps to meet the demand for farm fresh eggs from happy, healthy hens. I will collect egg orders this week; Mr. Dickey’s eggs will be spoken for first, then the Spencer’s, and then the Kapity’s.

ROUND MOUNTAIN FARM – JAMES MORGAN AND TERESA MAURER – FAYETTEVILLE:

Pasture-Raised Lamb. No Medicated Feeds or Meat By-Products. Selling lamb in Fayetteville, Arkansas for more than 11 years. Our lamb has been served by several local restaurants including Bordino’s, Greenhouse Grille, Brickhouse Kitchen and Ella’s. For questions contact Jim at 479-444-6075 or roundmtnfarm@earthlink.net.

• A roast with flavor. Add some garlic, pepper and rosemary and bake in the oven. For that truly memorable dinner, use indirect heat on your barbecue grill. You can keep the leg moist on the grill by spritzing with your favorite apple juice.
• Half Leg of Lamb / $8.30/lb / 1.5 to 2.5 lb roasts.
  The sirloin top of the leg. Cook the same as for the leg of lamb. You can also cook this as a roast in the oven or in in a slow cooker with red wine and stock.
• Sirloin Steak / $8.75/lb / 2-3 steaks/pack (Wt = 1-1.5 lbs/package)
  A great lamb steak with excellent flavor. Grill, pan fry or broil. You can use a marinade, but we recommend cooking it simply the first few times with salt and pepper (rubbing with garlic and rosemary are also excellent) before trying a marinade.
• Denver Style Ribs / $4.25/lb / (Wt = 1.0 to 1.5/package)
  This cut is comparable to spare ribs for smoking or slow grilling. Ask for our recipe to make the best smoked ribs in town. It can also be used in lamb stews and is one of our first choices to make lamb stew (ask us for a simple lamb stew recipe). While not a lean cut (ribs are never lean), meat from pasture raised animals has been shown to be lower in cholesterol and to be more balanced for the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (good fats, not bad fats).
• Lamb Loin Chops / $13.75/lb / 4-5 chops/pack (Wt = 1-1.5 lbs/package)
  Excellent on the Grill or in the Broiler Pan. The loin chop is a mini-T-bone steak with excellent flavor. Suggest 2-3 chops/person for a moderate portioned meal.
• Lamb Shank / $6.05/lb / 2 shanks/pack (Wt = 1.2-2.2 lbs/package)
  Excellent braised in wine and stock with citrus zest. Many consider this the most flavorful part of the lamb. We have lots of recipes.
• Leg of Lamb / $7.25/lb / 4-6.0 lb legs
• RMF Lamb Broth/Soup Bones / $2.00/lb / (Wt = 2-5 lbs/package).
  These bones make great stock for soups or stews. For those wanting flavor in a stew without the expense, these bones are great. Brown with onion and garlic, add a little red wine and barley and carrots for an excellent stew. We also use the stock made from lamb bones for cooking dried beans (black, pinto and kidney).
• RMF Lamb & Mutton Bones for Dogs / $1.00/lb / (Wt = 2-5 lbs/package).
  Raw frozen bones. A mix of bones (including rib, neck, shoulder, leg and arm) with a little meat and/or fat.

WREN THICKET GARDENS – DEBRA ELAM AND DARIN MCDONALD – GREENLAND:

PLEASE BE AWARE: AMOUNTS OF ALL LEAFY GREEN THINGS COULD BE LIMITED DUE TO SLOW GROWTH DURING THIS PAST COLD SPELL. Hopefully, they will do a lot of catching up this week! WE WILL TRY OUR BEST TO FILL EVERYONE’S WISH LIST!

• WREN THICKET GOURMET SALAD MIX – Includes 5 to 7 tender green, red and variegated lettuces, black kale, frilly kale, rainbow chard, mizuna, ruby streaks,endive,sorrel and various other gourmet greens as they are ready to harvest. Grown “naturally” without chemicals or pesticides. Carefully hand picked, mixed and packaged just before delivery to you!…..1/2 lb  $5.00
• LETTUCES ONLY MIX – Mixture of green, red, and variegated lettuces. 5 to 7  different kinds……1/2 lb. $5.00
• FENNEL – Feathery leaf type, sweet anise flavor…..$1.00 bunch
• SWEET CORN on the cob! Picked in July or August, fresh frozen with husks. Just thaw, shuck, rinse, and drop in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes. 6-9 ears depending on size per bag…..$5.00 bag
• SUNCHOKES (Jerusalem artichoke) – Tasty sliced raw in salads, steamed or boiled. Carbohydrates are in the form of inulin and are good for dieters and diabetics.…..$3.50 lb.
• SHALLOTS – Small-bulbed variety of onion, less hot and more intense flavor than regular onion. Wonderful roasted or used for flavoring soups, salad dressings and vegetable dishes……$3.50 pint
• “GRANDPA DALE’S KETTLE CORN” – Made in a kettle the old fashioned way! Lightly sweet popcorn with just a hint of salt. A real treat! …..$2.00 bag……$4.00 large bag
• SASSAFRAS ROOT – Use to make a great tasting old-time tea. Boil 2 to 3 pieces of root in water for 10 minutes, remove from heat, and let steep for 3-4 hours. Drink as is or add honey or sugar……$2.50 bundle (approx 9-10 pieces)

We will have some chard and kale bunches, lettuce heads, cooking greens, spinach, various root vegatables, and any other extras on the table. First come! Thanks!

WYNN’S TOMATO RANCH – DWIGHT & CANDYE WYNN – VINEY GROVE:

NO BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES YET! We are getting a few, but not enough to justify orders.

• Sweet Baby Girl Cherry Tomatoes:  $3.50/pint…probably very limited amounts!
• Green Cabbage:  $2.00…almost to the end!
• Black Spanish Winter Radish:  $2.00 per bunch. Much drier and heavier than spring types…great sautéed or roasted. I heard a great recipe with these on Saturday from one our customers who hails from Eastern Europe. Her family would grate these and add salt as well as any of the following for a great salad…sour cream or plain yogurt, lime or lemon juice, sugar or pepper, even minced onion. I plan to give it a try with grilled pork steak!
• Daikon Radish:  $1.00 each. Large, white, and yummy! Sweet with a spicy (not hot) finish
• Purple Top Turnip:  $4.00/quart just turnips or $3.00/pint just turnips
• Red Mustard:  $2.00/bunch
• Cooking Greens:  $3.50 per 1/2 lb. I can offer greens only from our Broccoli Raab plants and our Happy Rich sprouting broccoli plants.
• Fresh Dill: $1.50/bunch. Mostly fronds so it’s easy to use.
• Baby Lettuce Bags:  $4.00/roughly 1/2 lb bag. This is a mixture of young lettuce heads cut and packaged together for a mix of wonderful colors and textures.
• Greens Mix:  $5.00 per 1/2 lb bag. A colorful textures mix of chards, kales, beet greens, mustard, and others.

NEW ITEM!!!  POULTRY AVAILABLE!!!

Pasture-raised, no growth hormones or antibiotics used…ALL NATURAL on the label and in the bird. These were processed in a USDA facility and hand-cut. We are offering the whole cut-up bird, skin on, bone-in. They will come frozen and vacuumed packed. The average weight is 2.5 lbs. If you would like a great homemade “stock” recipe please let me know. This won’t be chicken broth like at the grocery. This will be energizing, life-giving, Granny-style stock. The kind that used to make chicken soup and heal any grievance.

• Whole cut-up: $3.15/lb  if weight is important please indicate and we will try to accommodate your request
• Gizzards: $1.00/lb
• Necks: $1.00/lb

FRESH PORK:

Our animals are given a stimulated, healthy, free life. They are never given antibiotics (they don’t need it our way) or hormones (we let nature work on its time table.) They are never caged. We give them cover and fodder for their nests (which is like a giant bird’s nest) and our children love them and care for them. They are processed in a USDA-inspected facility and come to you fresh. They will appear more like beef, but it’s all pork. You may have to add fat with some cuts! We received no cured products this year again to avoid adding back chemicals. We also requested no sausage to avoid the MSG. If you want to make sausage, though, our ground pork is perfect; and we will offer a sausage recipe if you are interested. I have been given several interesting sausage recipes (including breakfast sausage, sweet/spicy sausage, & Italian sausage); if someone would like to try, let me know!

• bone-in ham roast:  $5.35/lb – 2 pkgs – roughly 3.5 lbs per pkg
• pork cutlets NEW!:  $6.00/lb – 7 pkgs – roughly 1.5 lbs per pkg cuts from the ham
• ground pork NEW!:  $5.00/lb – 20 pkgs – roughly 1.4 lb per pkg
• ham hocks:  $3.50/lb – 9 pkgs – roughly 1.5 lb per pkg
• end cut chops:  $7.00/lb – 6 pkgs – roughly 2.0 lb per pkg
• center cut chop:  $7.50 /lb – 5 pkgs – roughly 2 lb per pkg
• loin cut chop:  $8.00/lb – 3 pkgs – roughly 2.0 lb per pkg
• pork steak:  $5.50/lb – 5 pkgs – roughly 1.5 lb per pkg
• country style boston butt ribs:  $4.75/lb – 6 pkgs – roughly 2.5 lb per pkg
• freshside:  $5.50/lb – 3 pkgs – roughly 1 lb per pkg – the healthier alternative to bacon
• neckbones:  $ .99/lb – 5 pkg – roughly 2 lbs per pkg
• feet:  $ .99/lb – roughly 3.00 per pkg
• kidney suet (fat from over the kidney):  $ 2.50/lb – roughly 3.5 lbs per pk

Sharing His Harvest,
the Wynn Family and the Gang