Yes, we’re still in business!

Drew is still blending his wonderful herb seasoning and Karin is still packing them…she’s also still making her wonderful soaps!  Plus, she’s getting ready to start doing her fabulous holiday gift baskets!

 

Life at Caros has been soooooo busy!  We’ve remodeled, added new equipment and brightened “The Joint” up!   It’s funny how your life changes when you least expect it.  Drew swore he would never go back into the restaurant business and here is, partner in Caros!  Karin never thought she would be “running” the farm by herself and other than using the tractor she is managing!  All those years of selling at the Lexington Farmers’ Market have been put aside for the newest challange in their lives.  Well, sort of…we’re still setting up our booth each Saturday inside Caros.

 

Yup, we have the same great herb blends, the wonderful homemade soaps and even our gift holiday gift baskets will soon make an appearance!  You can find us each Saturday from 7am until 1pm inside Caros on So. Upper St.  It’s just around the corner from the Lexington Farmers’ Market!  And, don’t forget that you can always give us a call at (859) 548-3516 or email us at rubnseason@aol.com to place an order.  And, our website at www.herbnrenewal.com is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Guess I better explain my letter to the editor!

It appears as though my letter to the editor of the Herald-Leader newspaper has brought up some questions.

http://www.kentucky.com/595/story/466161.html

Many of the emails that I have received are asking me where I thought the problems the market had, came from. Here’s my reply, and yes…I am sending them out just as written to everyone who wants a reply.

“Well, in my opinion it started about 5 years ago when Janet Eaton with the Kentucky Ag. Dept. suggested that the board (I was on it at the time) use the services of Larry Snell, Kentucky Center for Cooperative Development, to show us how to better the market.  He made many suggestions one being that the market change the way the ByLaws were written.  The board worked almost an entire year trying to come up with new bylaws with his guidance.  There were only two of us, myself and Jane O’Tiernan, who thought they were going in a wrong direction.  The new bylaws gave the board the right to do anything without having to ask the farmer membership…including changing the rules at will.  The board was told that we had to put up a united front on the day of the general meeting in which the membership got to vote on the new bylaws.  I stood up and advised everyone to read them carefully.  Unfortunately, I think everyone was confused and befuddled at the time and when one, soon to be on the new board, person called for a point of order the vote went through and the farmers lost any rights they ever had.   In my opinion, it’s gone downhill ever since.

Farmers were not allowed to discuss market business amongst themselves.  In fact, Jane O’Tiernan was kicked out of the market after 18 years of selling there for voicing her opinion to a customer!  She was never even given the chance to defend herself.  Roger Postley was kicked out just two years ago for questioning the wording in the membership agreement.  The old rules supported farmers and I just don’t feel like the new ones…or the ones they write on the spur of the moment, aid the small farmer or producer.  It would have cost Drew and I $400 on January 1st to join the market and then $40 everyday that we set up.  Small farmers cannot afford that!  I know for a fact that the majority of the farmers would never have voted for that.

 

The market manager makes a very good salary for what little he does.  Volunteers used to do it all and in my opinion they did it better!  The atmosphere at the market has totally changed and there are “favorite” farmers who can do anything while other farmers are told they can’t do the same thing.  Each farmer is allowed only two booths yet two of the board members have three!  When I questioned it, I was basically told to mind my own business.

 

We just decided that the market was a “job” vs. a fun experience and it was time for us to move on.  I wrote the letter to the editor because Leo Keene should not have made those remarks about the head of the Mayor’s Task Force for the Farmers Market…you don’t bite the hand that gives you free space!  He should have been kicked out immediately just like Jane and Roger.  But, no…he’s a “favorite!”  I think customers need to know that the farmers just don’t pull up their trucks and sell…the market charges them quite a bit.

 

I loved the market and I am thankful that I still get to see my farmer friends each Saturday.  It used to be a great market and I’m hoping it will be again…one where the farmers are smiling and enjoying their day.  It makes the customers enjoy it all the more.

 

So, now you know why I wrote the letter,

Karin “

I can’t say any more or any less about my opinion and my reason for writing the letter. It’s simple…you do not bite the “knickers” of someone who has some control over who gets FREE space on a public road in downtown Lexington!!!

Here’s the link to the article that Beverly Fortune wrote in case you did not get to read it.

	http://www.kentucky.com/179/story/452097.html   I guess I just feel that the whole idea of a farmers market…some place where real farmers and actual producers go to sell their wares, is being lost at the Lexington Farmers’ Market.  A perfect example was the wonderful, and don’t get me wrong…they were wonderful, Cheddar Snaps from Nancy’s Fancy.  I sampled some, had to have them and paid $8.95 for a box of what I thought was homebaked snacks.  I got home and looked at the box and realized that they were manufactured “for” Nancy’s Fancy!  Okay, it might have been Nancy’s recipe but according to the package she did not make them.  They were wonderful and I would buy them again…just not what I expected at a farmers market.  Kentucky is lucky enough to have a law that allows farmers to use their homegrown items and bake/produce in their kitchens..it’s a hands on thing!  I love it and praise the state for allowing farmers to add value added products to their offerings.  I just don’t think that items that the actual vendor has no “hands on” belong at a farmers market. Maybe I am wrong, but I hope not.  Like I said, it’s only my opinion. Having said all of that I will once again say that you can’t beat a farmers market.  It’s the very best place in the world to meet folks, get to know the grower, buy local which really helps the economy and to just plain enjoy the flavor of real food!  I will continue to shop at the Lexington Farmers’ Market with gusto..in fact I even printed out customer review cards for farmers to display.  They told fellow customers just how wonderful those items that I purchased the previous week were. Yes, I support a real and honest farmers market.  The Lexington Farmers’ Market was a fun and exciting place to shop and sell.  I just think it’s lost that farmer feel and I apologize to Katie Kriegel for her years of work trying to make it the best market around..she succeeded and now that feeling is gone. BTW, this is just my honest opinion and I respect anyone who feels as though the Lexington Farmers’ Market is a place to find only local foods.  The great thing is we are all entitled to our opinions.  Please continue to support the “real” growers and producers…they depend on you for their living!

 

 

 

Life is getting better!

Drew is now helping Robin out at Caros restaurant each weekday and he’s finding out he can still be a pretty darn good fry cook! lol  On Saturday, I’ve been setting up our “wares” inside where it has been dry and warm vs. the outdoor market where Mother Nature has not been so good.  Robin fixes a mean omelet and Drew mans the grill for lunch, so stop by and say “howdy” and enjoy some really good “joint” food!

The clothes lines have been busy all week with this gorgeous sun and light winds.  I’m trying to get a jump on the spring laundry before the rain and cold temps hit us next week.  I wish you all could have heard us last night when we crawled into bed.  The ooooh’s and aaaah’s were quite loud…you’d think we were doing something other than snuggling into our fresh smelling clean sheets!!!  I’m telling you that I will never go back to drying them in a clothes dryer again.  That outdoor fresh scent cannot be duplicated.

I’m still baking a bunch only now it seems to be more cookies than bread.  Drew is the bread eater in our family and he’s so darn tired when he gets home he really doesn’t want much food but he sure can find space for a cookie or two!  It’s fun to play with recipes.  I found myself without any eggs and I really wanted to bake…that’s not an easy task but I did a search, asked a few friends and came up with a recipe that Drew said tasted like store bought “Pecan Sandies.”  Not a pecan one in the recipe, but what the heck, he enjoyed them.

Here’s the recipe…

I made the “egg” thingie before I started mixing the rest of the stuff.

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon flour

1 ½ tablespoons water

Then I semi stole the recipe posted on Frugal Friends, with a bit of modification, for cookies

1 1/3 c flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspon baking powder

½ cup butter, softened

¾ c sugar

egg stuff

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons peanut butter

½ c corn flakes, hand crushed

Preheat oven to 375. Mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream the sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg stuff, peanut butter and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Stir in corn flakes. It’s stiff dough!!! Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball them semi press flat; place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

They are not very peanut buttery…just a hint. They are more on the dry vs. moist side…crunchy!  If I had ice cream I would love to try them in a homemade ice cream sandwich. I liked them, but what do I know about cookies!

Once the cookies were baked I headed outdoors and studied the weeds for ahwile before I decided that they just would not go away on their own.    How come weeds can tolerate frost while my plants need to be covered?  I guess it must be those yard long roots that the buggers have.  I pulled, dug, cut, tugged and finally got two areas cleaned out and they look beautiful.  I had a “friend” helping me to get through the dreaded task!

 

See, weeding can be beautiful when friends help!

Remember, we are set up inside Caros each Saturday from 7 until 2 so stop by and say Hi! 

WOW, a new opportunity!

Boy oh boy, what a past few weeks it has been! My mom always told me not to say anything unless I could say something nice so I haven’t been updating the blog simply cause I really was having a hard time trying to find something really nice to say! We’ve had floods, the furnace broke, the clothes dryer died, the price of gas went up…again! It just hasn’t been a pleasant last few weeks, but that’s all behind us now.

I am enjoying the wonderful fresh smell of our sheets and clothes as they come off of the line. The aroma of the home baked bread that I have finely learned how to make is unbelievable! We’ve learned how to snuggle again when the temperatures drop…that’s a good thing after 14 years! Lol Unfortunately we can’t do much about the gas prices but we’re not alone with that.

Our little shop is not doing as well as we had hoped but the good thing is we have made some new friends and we have new customers! Drew had been looking for a job all winter and it’s difficult when your vehicle only gets 8 MPG. A friend of ours owns Caros, a local “joint” in Lexington and she offered to let us set up shop each Saturday during the Lexington Farmers’ Market. We were thrilled because that meant we would still have access to our regular Lexington customers. Then Drew got a call from her very early this morning asking if he could come in and help her man the grill. It appears that her partners did not want to work on Saturday so they walked out on her! It’s tough to cook and run the register at the same time, so Drew will be helping her out. Who knows where this will lead but Robin is a darling and as Drew always tells her “I’ve got your back!”

Of course that leaves me to do the packing for the “market.” YIKES!!!! I promise I’ll do a good job and I’ll remember to include all of the recipes. You can count your blessings…Drew had already blended all of the seasoning this week. Lol

So, this is me heading to the kitchen so we can be ready for opening day at the market. Remember that we will be inside at Caros on Upper St. It’s just across from where we used to set up on the corner of Vine and Upper. Robin and probably Drew, will be cooking a full breakfast and a light lunch menu from 7 until 2 so stop by and enjoy a “cuppa” with us.

Of course, this means that our little shop on the farm will be closed on Saturdays….sorry.

BTW, the gals are doing just fine!

 

Sunday’s Do’in!

It looks like it’s going to be a rainy Sunday but we’re ready for business no matter what the weather brings. Sharon Thompson, food editor, for the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper but a nice little blurb in today’s paper so maybe it will help get the word out that we’re open for business on our farm! We sure do thank her.

I’ve been thinking more about really promoting our custom labels. We did one for a teacher appreciation week this week and they turned out great. Maybe visit a few of the wedding planners in the area or tuxedo rental shops…maybe even bridal shops. Our packets of herb seasoning with a custom label and the words “marriage adds spice to your life” on the back have been big hits as wedding favors. Of course, I can do just about anything that the bride and groom want. We’ve even done them for special occasions like 50^th reunions and family gatherings. This might be the next thing I concentrate on. Just thinking out loud and trying to come up with yet another aspect of Herb’n Renewal! Lol

We enjoyed a bit of summer last night when Drew headed outside to barbeque some chicken breasts on the grill. We tried the Country Bob’s barbeque sauce and it was really good. Add some sweet tater fries and a macaroni salad and we had a summertime picnic in the middle of winter! Don’t forget that you can get a coupon for a free bottle of Country Bob’s wonderful sauce at www.countrybobs.com. I know, you’re thinking why the heck would we be promoting a seasoning when we blend our own. Well, this stuff is good and everyone needs a change now and again. Besides, it’s wonderful on a leftover pork loin that we grill with our Rub’n Season Pork! We’re hooked on the stuff so make sure you get your free bottle and give it a try.

Speaking of pork, how about having your own summer treat in the middle of winter with these great and good for you burgers.

Porkey Burgers

¼ cup minced onion

¼ cup minced green pepper

¼ tsp bacon drippings

1 egg, slightly beaten

¼ cup plain bread crumbs

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. Ketchup

1 ¼ lb. Ground pork

1 ¼ lb. Ground turkey

2 tbsp. Herb’n Cowboy

Saute onions and peppers in bacon drippings for 5 minutes. Meanwhile add bread crumbs to egg; add Worcestershire, Herb’n Cowboy and ketchup. Blend together. Add onion and pepper mix and blend in. Add ground meats and “squish” till well blended. Form patties and let sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Grill or pan fry till thoroughly cooked. Enjoy!

Well, time to open the shop for the day. Don’t forget that we are open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 until 6. We’re super easy to find and only a short drive from Lexington. Take RT 27 south past Nicholasville. Go over the Kentucky River and look for RT 1845 on the right just as you go up the hill. Turn and go 2.4 miles and you’ll find us on the left. Hope to see you all at the farm!

Am I the only one in a rut?

I don’t know about anyone else but this darn cold and snowy weather puts me in a rut! All I want to do is cuddle up with a soft quilt, a hot cocoa and peruse my seed catalogs. I guess it helps to look at all of those beautiful flowers and wonderful veggies. I’m trying to think spring but it just isn’t working. I’m beginning to think that I need to move to a warmer climate. I’m getting close to retirement age and those sunny states are starting to call my name. There’s only one problem. Just cause 65 is only a few short years down the road you have to have the $$$ to retire. Having a mom and pop herb business has not really added to my portfolio! lol Oh well, I love Kentucky and can’t imagine living anywhere else…I just wish that spring would hurry up and get here!

I going to try and talk Drew into fixing us a big pot of chili and cornbread for dinner tonight. I guess I could offer to do it but that would mean that I would have to put my catalogs aside and come out from under my quilt. I don’t think that’s gonna happen today. I let the dogs out early this morning and took one look at the snow and ice and quickly crawled back into my rut!

Even Drew decided to stay in bed a bit longer this morning and that’s very unusual for him. I did get a big giggle watching him. He had the covers pulled up over his head and the only thing peeping out was his nose and mouth and he was snoring so loud I thought it might start peeling off the wallpaper! Little LouLou, our newly neutered, cross-eyed darling was right up in his face moving his head from side to side. He looked like he was trying to figure out where that God awful noise was coming from!

Okay, Karin get your butt in gear and quit being such a lazy bones. The least I can do is take the pork out of the freezer so Drew can start creating. Here’s the recipe for one of my favorite ways to prepare a different chili.

Hog Wild Chili

3 lbs. pork loin, cubed

2 tbsp. Bacon drippings

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup diced green pepper

1 12 oz. can of beer

1 28 oz. Can diced tomatoes

1 29 oz. Can tomato sauce

3 tbsp. Chili Season’n

1 30 oz. Can chili beans

1 15.5 oz cans of Northern beans

Brown pork in bacon drippings until moisture is reduced and meat is lightly browned. Add peppers and onions; saute’ 5 minutes. Add beer, tomatoes, sauce and Chili Season’n. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add beans and return to a simmer and cook until meat is tender…approximately 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. If chili is not the desired thickness, add 1 tbsp. of cornmeal at a time to thicken …make sure you stir after adding each spoonful.

Stay warm all!

P.S. “Bernie” is doing better but he is still not 100%.

Poor “Bernie” is not well!

“Bernie” is our van and only form of transportation and he is not doing very well.   It’s times like this when you wished you lived in the big city. Drew’s friend was going to come help him install the new part but unfortunately he is sick.  

I have to share today with you.  We had to laugh cause it’s much better than crying which is what we both felt like doing.

Drew coaxed Bernie to the next town and picked up the part that we had to order.

Drew decides to do it himself…not a good thing when you are not really a mechanic! EEK

Drew comes in and asks me for some assistance…excuse me, where the heck do you see “mechanics assistant on my resume!” lol

Karin is trying to get her computer straightened out but what the heck, Bernie is more important.

Karin finds out that the job of assistant is not that hard…hold the light so said mechanic can see what the heck he is doing. Hope she doesn’t expect much pay for this job.

Oh my, Karin soon learns that holding the light is not the only task she will have to perform! She has to get her hands and arms greasy while trying to maneuver around stuff that seems to be important to the operation of Bernie…all that just to hold a wrench!

After disconnecting hoses, unscrewing things finally the BAD part is out!

Drew removes the connecting thingie and then goes to attach it to the new part…OOPS, forgot to see what direction it went on!

Karin is back to holding light and making comments about doing a diagram or labeling each piece as you remove/take it apart. She is not getting a very nice look from Drew.

New part is soon assembled in the correct position.

Karin is holding light in one hand and holding a wheel of some sort so it does not move while Drew tries to tighten bolts. Drew is trying to use a thingie with a handle to get the bolts tight…handle does not fit well and here comes the first knuckle boo boo.

Yes, it works and new piece is now in place and Karin is told that it’s a good thing that it is not too tight…Drew might have to adjust it.

Karin gives Drew a “whatever” look!

Time for a break so that we can feed the tribe and Karin can attempt to wash off the grease.

Back to the garage to finish getting Bernie up and running.

Karin is back to light holding while Drew attempts to figure out where the belt goes…isn’t a belt something you wear around your waist? HaHa! So much for Karin being a mechanics assistant. She needs to learn the lingo!

Well, heck…the belt is much bigger than any round wheels that it might possibly go around. 

 Karin gives Drew that “are you sure” look…again!

Drews tells Karin to pull the belt up straight and hold it…why she asks, it’s not on the wheel thingie!!!

Karin, the assistant, is asked to go get a tape measure??? Okay, big boy, whatever you say.

Yup, the belt is 3″ too long for the wheels that it has to go around to function properly.

So, do you push Bernie outside and hope that you can push him back into half of the garage…remember, the rest is full of stuff!  Nope, you clip tarps everywhere semi protecting the garage. Then you make the sad mistake of listening to the weather report. Severe weather, high direct winds and loads of rain!

Guess who will not be sleeping tonight while we keep watch on the garage…that rain could seep into the shop!

If you have managed to read this far, know that a friend stopped by and brought us a bottle of vodka…do you smell martini tonight!  God bless her, we both could use one!

Tomorrow’s chore…find a friend or enemy that is willing to go get the correct belt so that we can get Bernie up and running.

 Good thing is the shop will be open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday!  Bernie doesn’t have to be running to open the shop.

 

Opening weekend thoughts!

We had the grand opening of our little shop this past weekend and while the crowds that we had hoped for did not flock to our farm, we did get to meet some new folks. That’s always a good thing! And, with the lack of customers we had plenty of free time to continue our de-cluttering the garage efforts. I can’t believe how much stuff “we” have accumulated. Actually it’s more of a “me” thing cause I swear I find stuff that I know I can use somewhere, sometime. Unfortunately that just hasn’t happened yet. What was I thinking when I saved those thousands of shells? Oh yeah, I was going to use them to decorate my gourd baskets. I don’t want you to think that I still have all of them left…I did use some of them! Lol My word, I guess I had also hoped I would get some major craft ideas to pop into my pea brain because I had bunches of magazines saved too! The great part is somebody else is going to either use them or save them just like I did..they went to a good home! And, did I mention baskets? Holy Mackerel where did they all come from!!! Again, they went to a good home and hopefully will raise some much needed funds for a local charity.

Now, about opening day. For the past 10 years I have only had to get fully dressed one day a week…maybe two. When I say “fully dressed” I mean the whole make-up, hair styling, the putting on of the dreaded “stop’em from flopp’in” thing and real shoes. I’m sure some of you gals know what I am talking about. Well, all of a sudden I am about to be in public view for three days straight! That’s another big EEK! What was I thinking when I got this brainstorm to open this shop? Must have been a case of dain bramage on my part. It actually felt kinda good to be clothed in something other than my sweats for a change. But, apparently those plaid flannel britches that they tout as “leisure” pants are not what one should wear when greeting customers. I had a lady tell me that I looked comfortable in my pajama’s! Next week I’ll wear jeans…maybe they’re more formal for my kind of work. I know that it’ll take a bit to get folks used to the fact that we’re now a business on the farm and not at the market. Let’s see what happens next weekend…we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

The lack of traffic did give us the opportunity to cook and bake too. I baked some bread and fried some of that wonderful Georgia Wild Caught shrimp that we had in our freezer. I tried something new with them this time. So simple and so good. For the shrimp just peel and devein them…a rinse in salted cold water will bring back that fresh caught flavor. I then gave them a toss in plain old flour, a dip in an egg and water wash and then finally into a mixture of smashed corn flakes and bread crumbs that I seasoned with our Good’n Garlicky. Make sure your oil (we use Canola) is 350-375 degrees and drop the shrimp in and fry for just a few minutes until golden brown. Do not over cook them! Drew made a new to me dipping sauce and it was wonderful. Of course I asked him for the recipe so I could pass it on and he said he just “winged it!” I’ll just tell you that it tasted like a tartare sauce with some ketchup thrown in but it didn’t taste like a Thousand Island dressing. I’ll have to see if I can get him to recreate it so I can write down the recipe.

I love freshly baked bread, who doesn’t! Problem is I am scared of it and from what I understand, I am not alone. I discovered this recipe quite sometime ago and it’s really easy and great!

Oatmeal Bread

3 cups flour
1 1/4 cup quick oats
1 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, meltedPreheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

Mix all dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl beat the egg, honey and milk. Add the liquid to the dry and mix well…it will be lumpy. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and about 10 minutes or until crusty. Place on a rack and brush with melted butter.

Happy baking!

Don’t forget that our little Herb’n Renewal shop is open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 until 6. We’re easy to find. Just take Rt. 27 south from Lexington around Nicholasville and to the Kentucky River. Once you go over the river you’ll go up a hill and you’ll notice that the road turns into two lanes…make a right onto Rt.1845. Go 2.4 miles and you’ll find us on the left. By the way, be careful on our road, folks think they are driving in England and they have a tendency to use the wrong side of the road! Hope to see you all flocking to our farm this weekend!

 

 

 

 

Friday is the day!

Well, it’s finally here…opening day of our shop on the farm. Herb’n Renewal has been renewed! It’s been a bit difficult trying to squish all of our stuff into such a small space but I think we’ve managed to do it quite well and still leave a table for me to load the baskets, get the packages ready for Drew, etc. We are really excited about our opening tomorrow.

We’ve had so many phone calls and emails asking us where to find our herb blends and my homemade soap now that we are no longer members of the Lexington Farmers’ Market. You have no idea how much we have appreciated the support from our customers and farmers friends. We hope that you all come visit our little bit of heaven…now with a store on it!

Some things just couldn’t change so we had to hang our trusty farmers market sign right next to the front entrance. Heck, we’ve been unpacking and hanging it every Saturday for 10 years and we decided that it deserved a permanent location.

I just have to share a few pictures to show you how you can set up a shop and keep the “renewal” theme going. That tall shelf is an old metal utility thing that I covered in our market tablecloths and added a few bows. Who knew you could do that with a hunk of junk! And, by the way that piggy that you see peeking out from the bottom shelf was a gift from a dear friend of mine and I look at him as though he is my darling Buckwheat watching out for me! Thank you Sherry and Macaw for thinking of me. For those of you who don’t know about Buckwheat, I’ll have to tell you his story another day. Just let it be known that he was mommas piggy and I miss him bunches. 

I’m darn proud to say that the only thing that we purchased to set up our shop were the navy bandannas that I used for the curtains! I was going to use some of the ones Drew had but I thought better of it after I looked at them. I doubt that they would have blocked any sun…appears like they have seen their share of farm sweat!! HaHa!

Well, we hope you will all come visit us and take a peek at our new venture. It’s been fun and we can’t wait to open the doors tomorrow. We’re easy to find and really not a hard drive from Lexington. In fact it’s four lane 99% of the way! Just take Rt. 27 (Nicholasville Rd.) south around Nicholasville and continue until you go over the Kentucky River. When you get to the top of the hill you’ll find Rt. 1845 on the right. That’s our road! If you happen to drive by it you will see the Rocky Top Shell gas station on the right…you went too far so you better turn around. Once you get onto Rt. 1845 (better known as Rogers Rd. but no sign) just go 2.4 miles and you’ll see our sign on the left. Please drive carefully on our road because folks around here think they are in England and they all drive on the wrong side of the road! lol

We’ll be open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10AM until 6PM until we decide what else we want to do with our new found venture. I’m hoping that you’ll be able to come to our farm and we’ll harvest fresh cut herbs while you wait…can’t get much fresher than that! I’m also going to try a new way of gardening and we’ll probably have fresh vegetables all spring and summer. We’re taking baby steps but I can see it all in my dreams each night. Have to admit that it’s fun to wake up with a smile and a purpose.

Geez, almost forgot. We’re giving away a gift basket filled with our herb blends this weekend. Just come on in and sign up and if you are the lucky winner we’ll let you know!

If you have any problems finding us please give us a call at (859) 548-3516. See ya down on the farm!

 

 

Meet My “Mater” Friend!

I’m having a hard time trying to find a word to describe my “mater ” friend. He’s just someone you really need to meet in person and then you’ll understand what I mean.  And, from what I have been told, a telephone conversation about “maters” with him is about the same as a face to face meeting.  Believe me if you love tomatoes this is the guy for you!  He can chew your ear off talking about them…but, take my word for it you’ll come away knowing more than you ever thought your brain could hold. HaHa!

Let me introduce you to my friend, Roger Postley of Tomatoes, Etc.  This guy knows his “maters!”  He ain’t too bad on the pepper end either.  I met Roger at the Lexington Farmers’ Market a few years back and since he no longer sells there either I thought I would share his 2008 list on heirloom tomato and pepper seeds.  Grab a cup of coffe and get comfortable, cause this is a long list.  After you read through it you’ll begin to understand why I say he’s hard to describe!  Each and every seed comes with a description that rivals the best of commercial catalogs…he even includes his own ordering codes!  If you haven’t enjoyed yourself enough just reading through the list you can give him a call at (859) 278-4846 or email him at RPostley@aol.com.  Be forewarned…he really loves to talk heirlooms! I’m not joking but it’s well worth your time and energy if you are a true tomato or pepper lover.  He’s got more knowledge when it comes to “maters” than any person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing and his passion for them is unbelievable.

Here’s his 2008 list…

AN Ananas Noire-Medium to large smooth tri-color beefsteak fruits. Greenish when ripe, yet have internal streaks of “black” and red. Weigh about 1.5 pounds. Superb flavor that is both sweet and ‘smoky’ with a hint of citrus. Heavy yields. Indeterminate. Regular leaf. 85 days..

AH Australian Heart (Thieneman family)-Brought to Louisville, KY by a returning WW II Navy veteran. Produces a medium to large red heart-shaped, extremely tasty, juicy fruit. Indeterminate. Regular leaf. Mid-season.

AZ Azoychka-This lovely Russian heirloom is a bright lemon yellow 7-8 ounce, 3” slightly flattened tomato. It has a delightful full rich sweetness with just a touch of acidity. Very good production. 6’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 70 days.

BA Bali-Heirloom from the island of Bali in Indonesia. It has small (2-3”) ruffled/ribbed and flattened 2-3″ fruit in bright raspberry pink. It has an unusual sweet fruity yet spicy flavor and sweet fragrance. Greatly worth trying! Perfect for cutting into halves on a salad. 4’ short indeterminate. Regular leaf. Early-season.

BY Barnes Mountain Yellow-productive yellow one pound juicy beefsteak fruits. Good flavor. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. Mid to late season.

BC Black Cherry-A wonderful 1” round cherry with a burgundy-black color. These cherries are irresistibly delicious! A tall, vigorous plant that produces abundant crops of 1″ fruits with sweet and complex full flavors, characteristic of the Russian “blacks”. 9’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 65 days.

BE Black Early-Typical growth and high production of most Russian ‘black’ tomatoes, but 1-2 weeks earlier than most others, with very good production of medium to large fruits. Has the typical great ‘black’ flavor! Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. Early to mid-season.

BM Black Mountain Pink-A KY heirloom Productive medium pink, one pound juicy beefsteak fruits. Good flavor. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. Mid to late season.

BP Black Pear-Good producer. Very beautiful 2-5 oz. (2-3”), mahogany-red, green shouldered, pear shaped-fruits with outstanding spicy and sweet flavor. Likes it hot and sunny. Produces a prolific and steady crop until frost. This one is outstanding eaten fresh, or cut in a salad. Firm enough to hold its shape when cut, but soft enough to be delicious! Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 82 days.

BH Bull’s Heart-Old Russian variety from that yields ½-1 pound, oxheart-shaped, pink fruits with few seeds and great full rich sweet taste. Sometimes grows 2 fruits together to look like a double heart. 5’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 84 days.

BF Burkina-Faso-a slightly rounded somewhat juicy red paste tomato, from Burkina-Faso. Huge production and very good taste. Good for fresh eating or cooking/canning. Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. Mid season.

BU Burracker’s-A wonderful 1-2 pound red/gold bicolor beefsteak tomato that is extremely sweet and juicy. I had poor early season production, but it flourished later on. 6’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 80 days.

BS Butler Skinner- A Clark Co., KY family heirloom. The seeds, plants, and fruits were used as ‘political gifts’ during his local campaigning! 12 ounce, round pink fruits. A full and balanced, rather sweet flavor. 7’ indet. Regular leaf

CC Chadwick Cherry-Heirloom named after the late British master gardener, Alan Chadwick, originator of the biointensive method of gardening. Flavorful, not just sweet, 1-inch, red fruits borne in vigorous clusters. 8’ indeterminate. Super-productive all season. Regular leaf. 70 days.

CG Cherokee Green-This may be a mutation of Cherokee Purple. Huge vigorous plant with 12-18 oz, light green, beefsteak type fruit with slight pinkish blush on blossom end and the skin takes on a yellowish hue when ripe. Inside is light green with bright green gel. Excellent flavor and juicy texture. Great production. 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days.

CY Crnkovic Yugoslavian-A prolific, disease resistant heirloom that produces large 1+ pound red-pink beefsteak fruits that are meaty, juicy, and have a robust, complex tomato flavor. 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 80 days.

CB Csikös Bötermö-This produces beautiful round fruit, which are red with gold veins. Csikös means” horse herders near the Balaton Lake in Hungary” and Bötermö means “early”. . 5’ short indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days

DB Debarao-Heavy production of 3-4 ounce oval deep red, fruit with green shoulders. They have the wonderful sweet complex flavor of ‘black’ tomatoes. Perfect for snacking, salads, and sauces. Very heavy producer. Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. 72 days.

PF Depp’s Pink Firefly-A Glasgow, KY family heirloom. It produces numerous large pink w/light ‘spots’ flattened beefsteak fruits with a fantastic flavor. 6’ indeterminate. Potato leaf. Mid to late season.

DR Druzba-This densely foliaged Bulgarian heirloom bears plenty of 12 ounce bright red fruit throughout the season. Very heavy set of perfect bright red 1⁄2 to 1lb. fruit with a high acid content – giving it that robust “real tomato” flavor. Produces a large percentage of uniform ripening, high quality blemish-free fruit. 6’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days.

EIo El Ifino (orange)-Discovered by me! (The name comes from the old joke: “What do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhinoceros?”) This was a mutation of a Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom tomato. The seeds produced plants that yielded large orange or red, lobed, juicy, very flavorful beefsteak fruits. Regular leaf. 6+’ indeterminate. Mid to late season.

EIr El Ifino (red)-Discovered by me! (The name comes from the old joke: “What do you get when you cross an elephant with a rhinoceros?”) This was a mutation of a Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom tomato. The seeds produced plants that yielded large orange or red, lobed, juicy, extremely flavorful beefsteak fruits. Regular leaf. 6+’ indeterminate. Mid to late season.

FW Ferris Wheel-a pink/red medium-sized fruit. Very good flavor, appearance and productivity. One pound juicy beefsteak fruits. Good flavor. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. Mid to late season.

FL Frank’s Large Red-A Eastern KY heirloom that produces huge 1½-2 pound red flattened slightly lobed fruits that are very juicy and have a fantastic flavor. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. Late season.

GB Giant Belgium-The 1 ½-3 pound dark pink fruit on this fine tomato plant has a delicious sweet, mild, low acid taste with solid flesh. The variety, which was developed in Ohio, produces a large solid flattened beefsteak with a smooth blossom end. 6’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 80 days.

GS Golden Sunrise-This Australian heirloom produces huge quantities of 1½-2” gorgeous spherical bright red/ orange striped fruits. The leaves look as if they are covered with a light frost! 5’ indeterminate. ‘Fuzzy’ potato leaf. 75 days.

GL Grace Lahman-This variety produces large amounts of medium-sized rose-pink globes with fruits good ‘old time’ flavor. Very mild and sweet. This is a prolific producer with huge fall crops. Indeterminate. Regular leaf. 80 days.

GZ Green Zebra-The 2 to 4 ounce elongated fruits are bright green with light green/gold stripes and emerald green flesh with a delicious ‘spicy/tangy’ real tomato flavor. The vines are very vigorous and extremely productive. A choice tomato for colorful salads. 5’ short indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days.

IS Illini Star-It produces heavy crops of 6-8 oz. deep-red tomatoes. They have an excellent flavor and strong disease and split resistance. Developed by Merlyn & Mary Ann Neidens

BT Japanese Black Trifele-Giant ’black’ fruit, shape is more spacecraft-like than plum, strongly recommended, great taste. Actually, it is from Russia. Huge production! Unusual, but outstanding taste! 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. Mid to late season.

KB Kellogg’s Breakfast-This WV heirloom is a gorgeous orange beefsteak tomato with truly outstanding sweet tangy taste and few seeds! This productive variety bears fruits of 1 pound or more and have few seeds. Juice and inside flesh have the same bright orange color as orange juice. 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days.

KT Krasnodar Titan-This Ukrainian heirloom was ‘smuggled’ here! The large red fruit have rich, full-bodied, old-fashioned flavor and a firm texture, which is perfect for salsas! This is a highly productive full season tomato. 5’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. Mid season.

LG Lennie & Gracie-Yellow with pink interior striping. Extremely large production. Very good taste. 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days.

LM Limmony-A bright yellow beefsteak which is decidedly citrus-tart! It produces 10-16 ounce, 4-5″, light-yellow fruits with lots of luscious, big sweet tangy flavors. It has a bold taste! 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75 days.

LR Lumpy Red-This is a Corbin, KY family heirloom. It is highly productive and yields heavily fluted medium to large red fruits which are very tasty. 6’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 80 days.

MJ Majtato-This Hungarian heirloom produces a firm dense red 3”-4” spherical cooking tomato with a good flavor. It has dark green rugose regular leaves on a very stocky plant. 3’ dwarf indeterminate. Very early with huge full season production. Good in containers.

MP Marianna’s Peace-This is the world’s most over-hyped tomato. Despite that, is well worth raising! It is one of the finest tasting tomatoes with moderate yields of 1-2 pound beautiful, pink-red very meaty beefsteaks with luscious, full tomato flavor that features a good balance of acidity and sweetness. Potato leaf. Vigorous vines are very productive, 7’ indeterminate. 85 days.

MG Max’s Large Green-This is a family heirloom from Hardin Co., KY. It has a delicious tangy full flavor with firm juicy bright green flesh in a 16-20 ounce flattened beefsteak shape. The skin has a predominant amber tinge when ripe. It makes a lovely sandwich slicer. 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. Medium-late season. A (different) BLT – just waiting to happen!

MN Monk-A family heirloom from Nicholasville, KY. It produces slightly irregular, very large, and extremely tasty beefsteak fruits on large strong vines. It is highly productive. Indeterminate. Regular leaf. Mid to late season.

SB Moon’s Superbush-This heirloom produces 3” medium-size solid red round fruits with good full flavor. Super productive. Early season. 3’-4’ dwarf indeterminate. Grows very well in containers.

MLy Mortgage Lifter (yellow)-An impressive cousin of the pink Mortgage Lifter with heavy yields of 1 pound, 4″, yellow beefsteak fruit with red/pink streaks in center and similar great rich taste. Slightly flattened, with mild, fruity flavor. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 80 days.

MR Mr. Slaybaugh’s Oxheart- middle Ohio family heirloom, 1+ pound. Bright red. Delicious and juicy. Tall indet. Regular leaf. Very productive.

MB Mrs. Benson’s Pink- 70 days Indet., potato-leaf, old family variety from Mrs. Benson, (Oswego IL.), large yields, bright pink, not many seeds, averages 1 lb., satisfying old-time flavor, good acid/sugar balance. Well worth trying!

NW Nebraska Wedding- Orange-Medium size round fruits, Short indeterminate. 76 days. Regular leaf

OK Old Kentucky- a Southeastern KY heirloom. Large yellow beefsteak with great flavor. Even better than KY Beefsteak! 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75-90 days.

OG Oleyar’s German Red Oxheart- Large red fruit with great flavor. 7’ indeterminate. Regular leaf. 75-90 days.

OL Omar’s Lebanese-A huge dark pink beefsteak tomato with fruits typically weighing 1 to 1-1/2 pounds. It has a full sweet complex flavor that is delicious on sandwiches. It is very productive. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. 80 days.

OC Outhouse Cherry-From Lakeland, FL, this ½” tiny bright red cherry tomato is terrific for snacking – particularly by kids! Super prolific and delicious. Guess where it grew best? 10’ to 12’ indeterminate huge vine. Regular leaf. Early season.

PL Palestinian-This mid-Eastern variety produces loads of light red/pink 8-32 ounce firm tasty fruits and few seeds. The size is extremely variable! Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. Early to mid-season.

PR Paul Robeson-This Russian heirloom was named in honor of the American operatic star and equal rights advocate. It is an absolutely delicious 6-10 ounce round ‘black’ tomato with an intensely sweet smoky taste with a hint of tanginess and has dark red skin with dark green dusky shoulders. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. 70 days.

PS Persimmon-This is a beautiful dusky persimmon-colored variety that produces 1-2 pound, 5” fruits. Vines are vigorous, well branched and bear heavily. Its rich distinctive sweetness and few seeds make it one of the best tasting orange heirloom tomatoes. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 75 days.

PA Pineapple-This beautiful Mid-West bicolor heirloom grows large beefsteak fruit, some weighing up to 2 pounds! The yellow skin with red streaks are a delight, while the mild sweet, tropical, fruity flavor makes it a favorite. Very productive. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 75-90 days

GF Pink Grapefruit-A very high producer of lovely light yellow 4-6 oz. globes, tinged with a pink blush that continues into the core. They are sweet, juicy, mild and really do have a hint of citrus. Regular leaf. 4’ dwarf indeterminate. 80 days.

PG Polish Giant-This heirloom produces numerous red large 4-6” semi heart-shaped pointed-end fruits. The flavor is full and balanced in the solid meaty fruits. Very prolific. Regular leaf. 5’ indet.. 85 days.

PP PURPLE PASSION - huge, meaty, crimson-red fruits-almost a ‘black’, relatively early for a large tomato, flavor is excellent – rich, mild, and fruity, moderately firm, an old Utah heirloom. indet., 78 days.

RM Ramapo (OP)-This is a discontinued “hybrid commercial heirloom” that is now open-pollinated. It bears large numbers of medium-sized round red fruits that are excellent fresh or canned. Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. Mid-season.

RA Raphael-This outstanding heirloom red plum was found on an abandoned SW Florida farm. Unlike ROMA tomatoes (which it resembles), this actually has great flavor, both fresh and cooked! It is highly productive over an extended season. Regular leaf. 3’ dwarf indeterminate. Early season.

RT Reisentraube-This German heirloom bears huge clusters of 1″ red fruit with a distinctive pointed end. The robust flavor is similar to large red beefsteak varieties. One of its outstanding features is the large number of flowers produced per cluster (up to 350)! An excellent salad tomato that is great for snacks! Regular leaf. 8’ indeterminate. 70-80 days.

RC Roman Candle-This produces beautiful neon yellow banana-shaped fruits that are bursting with intense sweetness and flavor. A wonderful new tomato that originated as a ‘sport’ from Mr. John Swenson’s Striped (Speckled) Roman. Fruits are about 2″ wide by 4″ long and are quite meaty. Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. 85 days

SP St. Pierre-A French heirloom variety that is the epitome of fine taste! It produces a large quantity of medium-sized red round fruits with outstanding flavor. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 74 days.

SD Scoresby Dwarf-My plants do not fit the description of the New Zealand heirloom! There is nothing ‘dwarf’ about them! They produce very large numbers of round 3-4” firm red tomatoes that have a very good flavor that are great for salsa or cut in salads. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. Mid-season.

SF Silvery Fir-This is a extremely early dwarf Russian heirloom that bears many deep orange to red, 3″-4″ flattened fruits that have a good flavor. It has unusual lacy fern-like foliage with a silvery-grey color and grows very well in container or flowerbed. Regular leaf. 2’ determinate. 58 days.

SO Sophie’s Choice-This Canadian family heirloom is a compact plant that bears loads of sweet refreshing 6-8 ounce orange-red tomatoes. Unlike other extra-early varieties, the fruits are flavorful and large, averaging 6 to 8 ounces. It does not handle heat or drought well and needs water and support! Regular leaf. 1 ½-2’ determinate. 50 days. Good in containers.

SR Striped (Speckled) Roman-These long, pointed red fruit have wavy orange stripes that are absolutely gorgeous! It’s a perfect midsize fruit with meaty flesh, excellent sweet flavor and few seeds. Heavy fruit production until frost. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 75 days.

TO Tomesol-This heirloom produces medium to large, slightly flattened round, white to ’khaki’ , thin-skinned and delicious mild and sweet fruits that are perfect cut up in salads. Very good production! Regular leaf. 5’ indeterminate. 75 days.

UM Uncle Mark Bagby- KY heirloom. Very large pink fruits. Huge production. Excellent flavor. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 85 days.

VW Vinson Watts-Large 1-2 pound, flattened, pink fruit with excellent flavor. It is an old heirloom that was grown in the Morehead, Kentucky area, but originated in Lee County, Virginia. Late season. Regular leaf. Indeterminate. Juicy and full of flavor. Great on sandwiches!

WB Watermelon Beefsteak- Very, very, good, From Gleckler’s Seedsman, over 100 years ago, a true classic heirloom, very large indet. red/pink beefsteak with great flavor, slightly scalloped shape. New for me this season – I will know more once I raised and tasted it!

WC Weeping Charlie- This is a ‘very fat’ red with green shoulders roma-type tomato. Quite juicy with good flavor. Regular leaf. 7’ indeterminate. 75 days.

WE Wes-This USA heirloom is best known for its wonderful aroma! It produces large numbers of medium-sized heart-shaped red fruits that have a delightful mildly sweet flavor. Regular leaf. 6’ indeterminate. Mid to late season. (Fruits were small, in 2007…)

YP Yellow Perfection-This heirloom , originally from an old British seed company, produces 1 ½-2” inch, round, brilliant-yellow, thin-skinned and delicious fruits that are perfect cut up in salads. Fantastic production! Potato leaf. 5’ indeterminate. 75 days.

 

PEPPERS:

AF Aji floro (Orchid)- sweet Scotch Bonnet, flower shaped sweet ‘citrusy’ green small pepper – in my opinion, it is better green then at orange-red full ripe! Outstanding flavor and prolific! About 5’ tall!

JN Jimmy Nardello-Heirloom sweet Italian frying pepper logged in at Ellis Island in 1897! Outstanding flavor fresh, fried, or used in Italian foods! Enormous yields of long, flattened, curly, green to dark crimson fruits with pointed ends and some twisting (1″ x 6-8”). Looks like a “cayenne-on-steroids”!

JB Jingle Bell (OP, not hybrid)-Produces a miniature green bell pepper (about 1 1/2”) that is perfect split /stuffed with cheese or meat salads for appetizers or used whole in kabobs. They ripen to bright red. Extremely productive. The OP version is new. Good in containers.

TR Topepo Rosso-This Italian heirloom Italian sweet red pimento pepper produces tasty, blood red, round pimento peppers the size of small apples. The flesh is very thick, crisp, and sweet and is great fresh or cooked. Three-foot compact plants produce huge yields. Although they set fruit early, they are very slow to ripen – but it is worth the wait!

TP Trinidad Perfume- sweet yellow habanero!, found as a ‘sport’ in a field of H O T habaneros!, Use for seasoning or munching – has no fire! A super-prolific bright yellow pepper about 4’ tall.

OKRA:

AR Alabama Red-This very large (both plant and pod) cultivar produced huge amounts of delicious red-and–green very tasty okra. The plants are ‘almost’ scratch-free! The large pods remain tender while large! Expect 6’+ plants

If you haven’t read enough, give him a holler at (859) 278-4846  RPostley@aol.com  You won’t be sorry, I promise.  I know we certainly enjoy the plants we buy from him!  And, no…we don’t bother with the seeds, we let him do the hard part cause we’re usually busy trying to get our herbs out! 

I hope you enjoyed today’s special edition as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you.  We’re headed back out to the shop so we can get it ready to open..hopefully…next week!