It's Edamame Time In Potter County

We took a couple of days off for the Labor Day weekend and traveled to Annapolis, Md. for some spectacular Drum Corps competition. In our absence, fruits and vegetables continued ripening and we found loads of edamame ready for the harvest.
If you haven't yet tried these tasty storehouses of nutrition, I suggest you buy a pound and try them.
I took a dip made of edamames I had put in the freezer last fall to a potluck gathering recently and received rave reviews.
We have a very good supply and if they don't sell, I know what we'll be doing -- though the freezer space is waiting for the arrival of a moose ....

Look for this ad on the local "news" blog - www.solomonswords.blogspot.com

Just For Fun

When I ordered my seeds last winter, I couldn't resist buying a few packets of flowers. I plant them amid the rows and beds of vegetables. If you drive by the farm, you'll see these ... and many more.

I think all the growers would agree that Friday's Farmers' Market was the best yet. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to support local farmers!

Home Grown Tomatoes

A good friend stopped by our table at the Potter County Farmers' Market on Friday and, while filling his bag from our selection of red, ripe tomatoes, said with a grin, "There are two things that money can't buy, do you know what they are?" Any Guy Clark fan would respond:

Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes,
What'd life be without home grown tomatoes
There's only two things that money can't buy:
True love and home grown tomatoes

It really isn't stretching it to tell you that our tomatoes are truly homegrown, beginning life as carefully selected certified organic seeds planted in certified organic potting soil and carefully tended until their transplant into the high tunnel or garden. They were then staked, caged or trellised, fertilized with organic fertilizer, weeded, watered and tended. We've been harvesting tomatoes for about four weeks and we're at the peak right now. Enjoy these photos today and we'll see you at the Farmers' Market this Friday where you can choose your own.

Do You Want A Farmers' Market?

Since we've been participating as a grower in the 2012 edition of the Potter County Farmers' Market, I feel qualified to offer the following question:
Do you want a Farmers' Market in downtown Coudersport?
The growers are doing their best of offer you a nice selection of seasonal produce and more. This year vendors are offering baked goods, high quality crafts, fruit trees, fruiting vines, cut flowers and even organic potting soil.
The number of vendors has grown and continues to grow. The number of shoppers does not. I'm happy to come to the square on Friday with the best of the best from our fields and gardens if it provides an opportunity to offer our local folks fresh, nutritious and delicious vegetables and fruit. As a customer, you are spending your local dollars supporting the local economy.
So if you're interested in having a Farmers' Market on the square in Coudersport, come on down on Friday afternoon, introduce yourself, take a look at our wares and let us know what we can grow for you!
Here are a few pictures of what's growing now at Metzger Heritage Farm.

 Swiss Chard is at its absolute best these days.

 N'oreaster Pole Beans climbing to the sun.

Organic Roma paste tomatoes ripening on the vine.

 Preview planting of Edamame Soybeans close to harvest!

 A whole slew of hot peppers in the high tunnel - jalapenos here!

 These hot beauties are known as Ring Of Fire!

 For a little more color - organic calendula flowers.

Welcome Sunshine!

We are very fortunate to have escaped the brunt of the storm that passed through these hills on Thursday afternoon. A phone call from a friend alerted us to the possibility of a tornado and we took shelter in the cellar. We heard loud rumbles of thunder and pounding of the rain but, upon coming up above ground, all was well and the high tunnel was still standing. Even less than a half mile from here, trees were snapped and flattened.
It was decided to go ahead with the Farmers' Market on Friday afternoon even though Coudersport - and most of the farmers - did not have power. We all persevered despite numerous showers but didn't have a lot of customers for obvious reasons.
We have an abundance of produce - the second plants of peas is ready. Enjoy some with the amazing new potatoes. We also have tomatoes, Swiss chard, onions, hot and green peppers, some leaf lettuce and beets.  The second planting of beets is yielding perfect beet greens too. If you're interested and can't wait until Friday, send us an email or call 274-8004 to make arrangements. Thanks...
In case you have been missing the blog, we've been vacationing with our family in Montana. Here's a picture taken in Yellowstone National Park.

Tomatoes In Potter County

This is the first year for our high tunnel - an unheated greenhouse space. In early May - on the 4th to be exact – we planted the first of the certified organic tomato transplants in raised beds in the high tunnel. On the days that followed, we opened and closed the ends and/or the sides depending on the weather and watered and trellised the young plants.
They responded by developing thick stems, abundant foliage and loads of tomato blossoms. This is the plant that produced the first green tomatoes and yesterday I noticed the telltale change of color that heralds the ripening process.
This photo was taken yesterday.

And here's a photo of the same plant today ....

For those of you who have been seeking tomatoes at the Potter County Farmers' Market - hang on for a little longer - they're coming.
I'm delighted with the prospect of harvesting ripe tomatoes in July. Most years it's late August before we have that particular pleasure.
Also ripening are peppers - green and Espanola (a milder hot pepper) and I expect a small beginning harvest of string beans as well.
All of the peas harvested yesterday have been sold - thank you to all our loyal customers! I'm heading outside now to pick more. We'll have a fresh harvest from Friday morning to take to the Farmers' Market that afternoon.

Pea Harvest Has Begun!

Arthur in the pea patch

The old timers told us they planted peas by Good Friday to enjoy by the Fourth of July. While the peas were in the ground by that arbitrary date, we're about a week ahead of schedule. It's a beautiful morning to be in the garden and the peas are loving the cool weather of the past couple of days.
If you're ready for peas now, give us a call (814-274-8004) or send an email to metzgerfarm@gmail.com to make arrangements for pick up and delivery.
Of course, we'll have peas at the Farmers' Market on Friday.
Arthur just checked in to tell me that he's about halfway through the pea patch and has picked over seven pounds!