As we tarry on, drawing closer to our market finales, we're pleased to announce more bulk deals should you want to stock up to last through the offseason.  The baseball offseason came too soon to Phillies and Yankee haters alike.  As someone who's passion has been continuously crushed by this sports team, I urge all like-minded folks not to be bitter, enraged, or philosophically downtrodden.  I've experienced all of these - it's really best to re-double the pride you have in your team since any person can be/likely is a Yankees fan.  For the rest of us, there's pride in not being front runners or bandwagoners.  Read on to check out some pics from an awesome orchard tour I attended Thursday in this week's Three Springs Market update.

 Schedule - just 3 weeks remain!

• Saturday - Harbor East Farmers Market 8am-12noon
  
• Sunday - Headhouse Farmers Market 10am-2pm
  
• Sunday - Greenbelt Farmers Market 10am-2pm
  
• Tuesday - Kenilworth Farmers Market 3:30-6:30pm now extended through Nov
  

Market Produce

• Honeycrisp - likely last call!  Sorry!
  
• Gala - If we're out of Honeycrisp, Gala and the next five varieties should "take the edge off"
  
• Jonagold - My personal quasi Honeycrisp replacement
  
• Fuji - great storage apples if you need to stock up
  
• Staymen/Winesap - the tartest of the "pick 6" Honeycrisp subs
  
• Nittany - We've got big time Nittany pride this week!
  
• Mutsu - Big, sweet, tangy
  
• Golden Delicious - STILL NOT MUSHY!
  
• Red Delicious - sweet. red. apples
  
• Empire - I think it's just one more week after this one
  
• Rome Beauty - pie makers delight
  
• Cameo - officially Ben's new favorite apple.  Probably the only one I'm eating regularly right now
  
• Bartlett Pears - don't blink!
  
• Bosc Pears - sweeter yet, closest in texture to asian pears

• Onions - Only 'Candy' yellow remain
  
• Potatoes - 'Eva' is the white and 'Villetta Rose' is the red.  Very versatile for baked, fried, and mashed!
  
• Winter Squash - finally getting picked!!!!
  

"YGA Tour: Milburn Orchards and Adams County Nursery"


I'll cut to the chase on weekly specials and follow that up with my fun day on the road this week.

Starting this week and for the remainder of market season, you can take a case of any of our canned products home with you for a big bulk discount!  Canned Peaches are available at $75/24 can case, a savings of 30% off our regular price.  Apple Sauce is sold in cases of 12 jars for $35 bulk, a savings of 17%.  Twelve jars of apple and pear butter at the same price gives you a 27% discount.  We'd prefer these bulk sales be preordered by simply replying to this email or by contacting us through our website, though if you forget, it never hurts to ask at market.  We can split up mixed cases of apple butter, if you wanted a few different recipes, mix in some pear butter too!  Great gifts for the foodies and locavores on your shopping list!

Now, on to the tour!  I'm very fortunate as a young person in the fruit business to be able to travel and network with an inspiring organization called the Mid Atlantic Young Growers Alliance.  Those of you with whom I've spoken about my love of travelling have heard me talk about a trip we made to New Zealand in 2008 under the guidance of the awesome folks at Chesley Vegetable Farm in Smithsburg, MD.  This past Thursday, our group of young growers travelled to a top drawer U-Pick and retail operation in Elkton, MD and to the production site of Adams County Nursery.

Nathan Milburn (pic, right) of Milburn Orchards is not only certain to blow you away with enthusiasm and honesty when you talk to him, he's also likely to downplay what a great grower he truly is.  He and his father Evan, in addition to the numerous other family members operating the farm, farmstand, restaurant etc. have attracted an incredible following of loyal customers.  In 2008, Evan and Nathan were honored as Apple Grower of the Year and having seen this farm, I can see the hard work they have both put into making Milburn Orchards what it is now.  Definately a destination for pick-your-own folks.

From the PA/DE/MD tri-state area to a little south of Dover, DE our group of 20+ young growers and University personnel trekked to the sandy soils of the Adams County Nursery Delaware production site to see where and how the trees we plant are grown.  The Baugher Family (pictured below John, Jen Baugher Snavely - 3Springs alum!) has owned and operated their commerical tree fruit nursery since 1905.  It's digging season at the nursery and we were there to see the trees being dug up, cleaned, wetted down and stacked by the thousands on wagons (pic) and put into storage until we can plant them this spring.  At a mere eighteen inches between trees and only "20-couple" (pardon my local vernacular) between rows, they're growing over 8,000 trees in every acre (production orchards are between 110 - 600 trees per acre on the east coast, approximately).  Very neat for me to check out how all this is done. 

From Our Farm, to Your Home,

Farmer Ben














Go!  State!  Beat!  The Buckeyes!

• Spaghetti