NEWS FROM TWIN SPRINGS FRUIT FARM

Save 10%
This week there is both a continuing tomato sale and the 10% discount. This will obviously make those tomatoes even cheaper for our readers. Just tell the clerk, at check out, that you read the newsletter; no need to print anything.

Offer Expires: September 26th, 2014
Eddie picking the first of the Crimson Crisp
For what's at market this week please see below (Click here for locations and time).

Please see the coupon above, indicating that this is the week for our 10% discount. 

  TWIN SPRINGS' TOMATO SALE CONTINUES, AND IMPROVES A BIT

     We are still a bit "long" on beautiful #1 tomatoes, including some heirlooms, and will continue the sale which was begun last week. The only difference being that we have decided to add that if you purchase 10 or more tomatoes we will charge only $1.99 per pound. So the deal is:
  • Purchase 1 to 4 tomatoes (Bad decision!) and we charge the regular $2.99 per pound.
  • Buy 5 to 9 tomatoes and the price will drop to $2.49 per pound (So-So decision)
  • Grab 10 or more and you will be charged only $1.99 per pound (Good decision)
  • The sale price of a half bushel of these #1 tomatoes is still $30.00 (Best decision!) 

     I want to point out that because this is the week of our 10% off everything, at least for those of you who put up with this newsletter. If you should actually remember to ask for the discount for your tomato purchase, as well as everything else, then you will have a better deal, making a half bushel only $27, and 10 or more to be had for $1.79/lb.

     I'm going to insert a link HERE to a Roasted Tomato Soup recipe which has rave reviews, and coincidentally uses a number of things which Twin Springs is currently offering, including tomatoes, of course, calling for a mix of heirlooms, cherry, vine and plum tomatoes. The recipe also calls for garlic, onions and 1/2 cup of basil - We've got it covered. Of course there are other ingredients, so please take a look; it's a fantastic recipe.


 

Melons 

     Jesse just harvested a whole bunch of Honeylopes, obviously coming in a bit later than our Canary and Christmas Melons. They will be at all locations starting this weekend and are truly vine ripened. When harvesting for a local farmers' market it is possible to pick them truly ready to eat, just giving the vine a shake will tell what is ripe, as the melon will drop off. When picking commercially, as with many things, size and color are the main "cues" as to whether they are ready for wholesale marketing; they can't deal with truly ripe melons. 

     As with our other melons these are most like a Honeydew in flavor and sweetness. They will be featured this weekend, and hopefully there will be time to get out a few samples. It is, perhaps, the busiest time of year, what with the overlap of peaches, tomatoes and the first cider, not to mention a number of wonderful apple varieties newly ripe enough to be picked. Speaking of which:

 

APPLE UPDATE

     As you can see above we are currently harvesting the first "spot pickings" of the fairly new variety many of you came to love in the last season or two. Eddie is out there getting some Crimson Crisp off the dwarf planting, only just a few years old. This variety was started on it's road to success way back in 1971 as a part of a program by a consortium of Universities to develop apples at least somewhat resistant to certain diseases, in an effort to cut down on sprays. This variety is especially hardy with respect to a condition called Apple Scab, lovely name don't you think.

     The trees are under a patent as "Coop 39" but the decision was made to market it as Crimson Crisp as it is a truly crimson purple/red apple with a crisp texture and a delicious sweet/tart flavor. The ancestry of the variety includes: Crandal, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Melba, Edgewood and Rome, among many others. Like HoneyCrisp it was a long time in development, with a complex past and didn't get released until quite recently, in 2005. We purchased our first trees just a few years ago and are now harvesting pretty large crops.

     The first of the Red Cortland are starting to come off at this time and will not only be at markets but will find it's way to our cider mill to both go into cider but also to make the Apple Sauce which so many customers are fond of. You are encouraged to try your hand at making your own sauce; it is a relatively simple process, and my only recommendation is that you invest in a good food mill. If you decide to peel apples for things like pies and cobblers a simple hand cranked peeler is invaluable.

     Please see below for the full list of current varieties being offered.

     

Celery and Watercress 

     Two new crops, one from the field and one from the new greenhouse, are showing up this week. Below is a picture Jesse just sent of the first mature Celery, obviously a field crop, one which can be quite difficult to "pull off", starting with sprouting the seeds. The crop looks beautiful, however, and we will be cutting it a couple of times a week to keep it fresh. I guess I'm about to start eating lots of peanut butter! as I always do when we have a fine crop of celery.

     The other new veggie crop is Watercress, also a difficult crop at times as it's water and site requirements are pretty stringent. The new greenhouse, our fourth, is a perfect environment for it and I found that it went well at Mt. Vernon. There will be lots available this weekend.
 

 

 


Fall is upon us, apples and cider!
Aubrey
Here is a list of what we expect to carry at all locations this coming week.
  • Our field grown Beefsteak tomatoes are still coming in strong, and as I say above we are continuing, as well as improving, our sale. Help us get out from under some of these wonderful tomatoes - Why not buy some for a shelter or something. If you get a 1/2 bushel at the sale price, along with the 10% off, they will cost you $27.00, which at 25 pounds is only a bit over $1.00 per pound! Be creative. Can some as presents at Christmas! Make the above soup and freeze for the winter - The perfect "Comfort Food"
  • Honeylopes - See above. Don't miss these as it is a short season.
  • The first batch of Cider will appear this weekend. It hasn't been picked up yet so I can't give an honest opinion but come on out and get a sample.
  • Celery - As noted above the first is being harvested this week.
  • Zephyr Nectarines - Just a few of these left for this weekend
  • Freestone Yellow Peaches - Arturo tells me that they are picking the last of the Victoria, meaning that the last few days of peaches is upon us. If I were into emoticons there would be a "frowny face" here. So sorry to see them go, but it has been a good run, don't you think?
  • Watercress - Please see above. The plants are harvested with the roots left on so that, as with our Basil, it may be kept fresh, indeed still alive, by simply placing it in an inch or so of water, either in or out of the refrigerator, though the basil is best left out on a windowsill perhaps.
  • Bok Choy - It's back, and plenty of it! Great stir fried or steamed; it can be added to soups and stews for a flavor and nutrition boost. 
  • Red Raspberries - Numbers being picked are now starting to drop off but there will be some at all locations. This wonderful, to me at least, cool weather is slowing them down. 
  • Blackberries - Very few left, hit or miss at any given location
  • White Peaches - There will be some of the final variety, Snow Giant - sweet beauties at all locations; as with many varieties this year they are large and fantastic.
  • Apples HoneyCrisp, CrimsonCrisp, Red CortlandDaybreak FujiJonamacI consider the Jonamac, and Red Cortland to be the best for any cooking purposes, whether in a pie or cobbler or as sauce, or merely fried in butter as a side dish, one of my favorites. Perhaps it will catch on now that butter is good for us again.
  • Vivaldi Potatoes (a Weight Watcher's Club pick) We advise a simple wash but not a hard scrub or peel, many nutrients, especially minerals, are in or just below the skin. We are now bagging some of the medium Vivaldi, but "1sts" rather than "2nds". They are priced at $7.50 for a 5 pound bag, which is approximately $1.50 per pound.
  • Canary Melons and Christmas Melons - Super sweet with a melting, soft greenish-white flesh. We are harvesting the last and they will be around for at least the coming week, but not much beyond that.
  • Shallots & Garlic
  • Manar Cucumbers - A good, but not excessive supply, meaning some locations could run out a bit early.
  • Arugula: There is plenty for all markets. It seems to be extra spicy at this time; don't be afraid to take a leaf and try it!
  • Basil - Arturo tells me there is plenty for all markets. It now has the roots left on and may be placed in an inch or so of water and be kept as a living plant until needed.
  • Sweet Peppers - picked fully ripe, are delicious and sweet - red, yellow and orange; we have a good supply at this time.
  • White Carrots and Orange Carrots - Always bagged to maintain quality.
  • Heirloom Tomatoes - We have some of both the German Stripers and Purple Cherokee, and they are still included in the sale.
  • Sungold, sweet orange cherry tomatoes and the very "tomatoey" Dasher red pear tomatoes are in good supply and have come down in price lately; we never, though, seem to have quite enough of the Sungold.
  • Pink Lady Dried Apples - "Apple Snitz" as the Amish call it
  • A limited supply of Green Buttercrunch Lettuce for the time being.
  • Twin Spring's Hot Pepper Jelly, *Chipotle Ketchup (temporarily out of stock), Marinara SauceApple Butter and Apple Sauce. All may be purchased individually or by the 12 jar case, for 10% off. You may hit "reply" to this email to let me know to have a case reserved for you.
In addition to the above we will carry at 
OUR OWN Market Locations:
  • Joe's Sweet Corn, remember only at "Twin Spring Own Markets" and the three 
    Central Markets we attend (Pike Central, Bethesda Central and the new Mosaic Market).
  • Our HoneylopesCanary and Christmas melons along with a few of the remaining local Cantaloupes and Red Watermelons
  • Broccolini, Cauliflower, Radishes, Broccoli, Cabbage, both Sweet and Green Peppers, Sweet Mini-Peppers, Lima Beans, Green Zucchini and Golden Zucchini, Cabbage, small Cucumbers, Green Beans and Golden Beans and Eggplant & mini-eggplant 
  • Field Lettuce, Asian Eggplant, Herbs (Basil, Mint, Thyme, Rosemary and Parsley)Beets and Kale.
  • We carry Kime's Tart Cherry Juice, a very powerful natural anti-oxidant.
  • Fresh Hard Pretzels, both regular and whole wheat, baked right down the road in Gettysburg, so they are always fresh
  • Michelle's Granola, handmade and baked fresh in DC
  • Allen's fresh Eggs, both brown and white, from "free walking hens"
  • Twin Springs carries Ed's fresh local Artisanal Cheeses: sharp cheddar (especially tasty at this time, tasting similar to Cabot's Sharp Cheddar), cheddar, smoked cheddar as well as smoked jalape�o; also available are his goat gouda and goat cheddar.
  • Jim Small's Local Wildflower Honey 
  • Maple Syrup and Maple Sugar - tapped and bottled on the Patterson Farm in Pennsylvania.
  • McCutcheon's: Jams, some fruit sweetened, ie. no cane sugar or corn syrup, and jellies as well as many other great products created right in Frederick Maryland
  • Baked Goods from the Stonehearth Bakery, also in Frederick, all items are baked "that" morning.                                                                                                        
 
or add a friend's email address to bug them about going to market to buy local stuff!