Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

The above shot was taken a few weeks ago, and while the snow has since thawed (for now), there is some bitingly cold weather on the way - which means it's the end of the road for our field crops, even those under cover of plastic.  And while the greenhouse will provide us with nutritious, flavorful greens in February and March, it, too is slowing down.  We've entered what Eliot Coleman calls the "Persephone months" - where daylight is too weak for photosynthesis, and even plants warmed by a greenhouse cover stop growing. 

This week, we're busy harvesting the last of our carrots, kale, cabbage, and hardy survivors of late fall weather.  Many of these crops keep well in the cellar, and we're offering you a final chance to stock up on these storage crops before we take a two month break. 

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We'd like to thank you for all your support during the 2012 growing season.  Your purchases and kind words helped inspire us during the pounding spring rains, the sweltering summer days, and the freezing fall mornings.  See you next year!

Sincerely,

Jed, Emilia, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

When the snow flies, and the bitter cold bears down, kale reigns supreme.  When other, wimpier vegetables demand to be packed into a cozy root cellar lest they die of frost, kale laughs at snow and cold and scoffs at its weaker cruciferous cousins.  The weather only makes kale sweeter, as it fills its stems and foliage with sweet sap to act as antifreeze.  If you don't buy kale because you think it's bitter, try fall frosted kale before closing the book on this truly amazing vegetable.

Whether or not kale is your thing, we've also got plenty of rainbow carrots, beets, red onions, red and green cabbage, scallions, salad mix, and other hardy crops for sale this week.

Also, an important note: this is the last delivery before Thanksgiving, as we won't be taking orders next week.  So if you're looking to stock up on local veggies for the big feast day, don't miss your chance!

Click here to visit our online store.

Sincerely,

Emilia, Jed, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

Last week, we pulled the final tomatoes from our greenhouse and planted it with winter salad mix.  This was the final summer crop left in our fields.  But we are not sad, nor do we have  any time for nostalgia.  We're too busy filling our cooler and root cellar with sweet-as-can-be kale, carrots, beets, cabbage, and other fall goodies. 

Our son Ray has taken to gnawing on the stems of collard greens and kale in the field as we pick.  At first, we were puzzled, but then we followed his lead, and discovered to our delight that the crops were wonderfully sweet and crisp.

Click here to visit our online farmstand.

Sincerely,

Jed, Emilia, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

The storm this week provides us with a reminder that it's time to stock our root cellars and pantries with the fall's bounty before inclement weather drives us all inside.  That way, we can happily prepare soups and other tasty cold season meals while the wind whistles and the rain or snow comes down - without having to venture to the grocery store. 

So . . . time to stock up on carrots, beets, cabbage, kale, and other fall goodies from Ararat Farms, which we've got aplenty!

Click here to visit our online store.

Sincerely,

Emilia, Jed, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

The heavy frosts that hit inland growers hard just barely skimmed the top of our hillside fields, and our crops are still going strong.  Frost brings out the best flavors of fall in our opinion, as the kale, collards, beets, and carrots become sweet.  We've also got colored peppers, red onions, garlic, and all sorts of other veggies to fill your shopping bags this week.

Click here to visit our online farmstand.

Sincerely,

Jed, Emilia, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

Saturday morning's frost may have meant the end of peppers and other summer crops in the fields, but the fall harvest season hasn't even reached its peak at Ararat Farms!  Upon inspection, our beets, carrots, kale, salad mix, broccolini, and other fall crops weathered the light freeze just fine.  In fact, their flavors have only now started to reach full maturity, as they produce sweet sugars in their sap that act as antifreeze. 

But wait!  For those of you lamenting the passing of summer, we still have tomatoes in our greenhouse! 

Click here to visit our online store.

Sincerely,

Emilia, Jed, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

With potential frost on the horizon, it is time to bid adieu to the summer crops.  Before we all snuggle in to a pantry full of beets, cabbage, carrots, et. al., we are offering one final chance to taste the sweet crunch of colored peppers.  This week, we've got sweet carmen and golden bell peppers, as well as cauliflower, mixed saladette tomatoes, rainbow carrots, broccolini, and much more.

Click here to visit our online store.

Sincerely,

Jed, Emilia, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

The first week of October is here, and we are in the thick of of a very busy fall harvest season.  The broccoli is heading up left and right, and we've got some crowns more than 8" across - real county fair winners! 

Add that to a great lineup of beautiful rainbow carrots, mixed color beets, red and green cabbage, tomatoes, salad mix, and more, and we can definitely fill your shopping bags this week!

Click here to visit our online farmstand.

Sincerely,

Jed, Emilia, and Ray

Dear Online Farmstand Shopper,

"Summer's almost over, harvest drawing near, most of the cauliflower eaten by deer . . ." so reads one of Ray's favorite books.  So far, our cauliflower has escaped such a fate, and is starting to head up nicely.  Sweet and crunchy when eaten raw, tender when cooked - we're happy with this year's crop.  Add cauliflower to broccoli, scallions, rainbow carrots, peppers, and more this week, and we've got quite the lineup.

FYI - we've still got great tomatoes coming out of the greenhouse this week, but they won't last forever, so load up now if you've still got that tomato hankering!

Click here to visit our online store.

Sincerely,

Jed, Emilia, and Ray