June 1 Greer Farm News Update
June 01, 2009 - 06:53 PM
This is our June 1 update. the hot links will not work on this attachment.
This and That
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We know that it has been some time since we sent you a newsletter and our blog needs more attention. We promise that we will have a newsletter out shortly and start to add some very interesting blogs that we did not have time to write. This update is to give you the status of the berry and fruit orchard, our vegetables and share with those of you a very unique travel opportunity for those of you in the Dallas-fort Worth area.
Berry, Fruit and Vegetable Update
Mother Nature has been less than kind to us this spring. First we had two late Spring freezes and then we had enough rain over a month to float Noah's Ark. There was some damage to the early blooming blueberry and the thorn blackberry. It appears that we will have a very good thorn blackberry crop despite the freeze and the thornless blackberries are really loaded this year. The blueberry crop will be good, but the amount of berries on some bushes is less than normal. On the good side, the berries are larger due to the lack of competition and the bushes have grown a lot since last season. It should be a good year to pick berries at our farm.
We are going to re-plant some vegetables that rotted in the rain, but we will not do as many different types as we had anticipated we would be harvesting now. We do have a large onion crop of very sweet Candy and Candy Red Onions.
The figs lost their leaves to a frost, but have come back and we will have figs later in the summer. The rain knocked off the red leaf plums, but the green leaf ones are bearing now in limited quantities.
Berry Orchard Opening
We anticipate opening the berry patch no later than this Saturday June 6. Please call us in advance on availability. We will have a recording on our farm phone 903-645-3232 or you can call Sid's cell 903-452-9738. The thorn blackberries will be ripe first followed soon thereafter by blueberries. The thornless blackberry need a few more weeks. The price of u-pick berries is $3/pound. Onions (picked and pre-trimmed) are $1/pound.
Photos taken this weekend are in this
blog.
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Unique Visit To The Farm
On Saturday June 20 Food Roots will offer a bus tour from Dallas to our farm. This is a unique opportunity to get an insider's look at our farm, what we do, how we do it and what we want to do when we have 34 hour days and 9 day weeks to move to the next projects. There will be plenty of time to pick berries, walk around the flower gardens, and Chef Eva will provide a cooking demonstration as she prepares the lunch you will be served in the farmhouse 1850's dining room. This is an opportunity you should not miss if you want to see a "real" sustainable family farm, take home some sweet berries and have a wonderful gourmet farm lunch.
Food Roots can be reached Monday through Friday in the day at 214-455-1782 or by email
info@foodroots.com
. You can register for the tour on their website at
www.foodroots.com
. Seating is limited. Additional information is below.
The Fruits of Their Labor II
A one day tour to Greer Farm.
East Texas Berries and Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, June 20, 2009
9AM - 6PM Departing from Dallas
$130 per person.
Travel with Food Roots on Saturday, June 20 as we visit The Greer Farm in east Texas.
Located near Daingerfield, Texas,
Greer Farm
is a land of lush pastures and mixed pine and hardwood forests nestled in the slow moving world of Northeast Texas. The Greers raise hay, figs, plums and berries, pine timber and full-blood red and white Maine-Anjou cattle. Their cattle eat only fresh grass and forages and hay. The large pick-your-own berry patch features rows of beautiful blueberries and blackberries.
The Greers are pioneers of Texas agritourismo. Agritourismo started in Italy in the 1980s. Farms become tourist destinations where guests can immerse themselves in local farm culture and way of life. Agritourismo is an emerging idea for Texas but an important one that allows casual visitors to experience the unique, varied and vastly rich Texas farm and ranch culture. The Greers share the fruits of their labor by opening their farm to guests. Day guests can pick berries, tour the farm and buy farmstead produce. Overnight guests can rent one of the log cabins fronting their private lake.
The farm was established in the mid 1800s and still has many original buildings. Since owning the farm, the Greers have preserved many historic features while creating a modern working farm. Through hard work, good stewardship and a clear vision the Greers have created a working farm that is a comfortable, inviting and relaxing place to visit.
Sid and Eva Greer will welcome us to their home, a circa 1850 restored Texas Planters house. In the back you can enjoy the patio, the huge 200 year old pecan tree and the abundant rose and flower gardens designed by Eva. In the front you can sit in a rocking chair on the large wrap-around porch.
Sid will lead us on a tour and discussion of the farm and we will learn about the challenges and joys of farming in East Texas.
A working farm always means good hearty food. We will enjoy a Texas farm to table mid-day meal prepared by owner Eva Greer and have the opportunity to observe the food preparation in a casual interactive cooking demonstration. Eva is a trained culinarian and a graduate of the Art Institute in Houston. Chef Eva opens her chef's kitchen to share her culinary expertise with those that want to expand their culinary talents. Since this is a real working farm it is not difficult to get caught up in the "farm to table" spirit that prevails on this family farm. Her interesting three course seasonal menu will feature farm raised produce as well as homemade bread from a local baker and a creative dessert featuring berries directly from the patch. We will have lunch as a group in the home's historic dining room.
After lunch you have free time to enjoy the property and natural beauty of Northeast Texas. We timed our visit for berry season. In mid-June the Texas blackberries and blueberries are at their peak, ripe and succulent. You can pick blackberries and blueberries, walk to the lake, sit on the patio or porch and enjoy the gardens or visit the many farm animals including geese, goats, chickens, and sheep. You can also purchase pre-picked berries and homemade jams.
Space on this tour is limited. Please reserve early. Reservations are non-refundable after June 13, 2009. The tour will depart from the Mockingbird DART station at Central Expressway and Mockingbird Lane in Dallas at 9:00 AM and return at 6:00 PM. This tour includes roundtrip transportation from Dallas by chartered bus and lunch at the farm.
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Map to Farm
Greer Farm
1444 CR 1125
Daingerfield, TX 75638
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