It is here, our last official weekend market of 2011. We have had a tremendous first year thanks to you, our fantastic farm family! After Sunday, we will begin winterizing the barn and fields, taking up the old plants, resetting compost piles, and also, endeavoring to be ready for a good winter’s rest!

I have lots to tell you about, so chisel out a few minutes to get through all this !

Here we go!

Halloween is upon us! It is definitely one holiday that transports me to childhood! We always made our costumes, except for the one year my “city Aunt” brought me a Cinderella store-bought costume from Charlotte, where she lived. Dad was in charge of taking us “to visit the neighbors” and trick or treat. Let me tell you, it was surely different then. Folks today would hardly believe what “country trick or treating” was about. First of all, country people (mostly kin though) do not live close together, so driving is a must. Because gas was (is) expensive, you had to plan a route that made sense, and you had to pick folks that your parent would want to visit, because in the country, trick or treating wasn’t so much about take home loot, but more about a multi-stop tour of stopping in for cookies, cake, cider, hot chocolate, kettle corn and just about everything else fit for a consumable sugar high.

The Cline’s who ran “Clineland,” the horse show place up the road also had a pick your own strawberry patch and made all kinds of things from the extra berries. In addition to the popcorn balls she handed out, there was strawberry jam Mrs. Cline gave to Dad to take home for later AND we each got a penny there. I thought that was sooooooo extravagant!

Each stop was a minimum of 10 minutes, approximately long enough to politely as possible devour a snack and visit then move on. We started our journey right after we finished milking time so we were always on the early side. It made for warm fresh out of the oven cookies and the assurance of not being last and empty handed! My all time favorite Halloween stop, ever, bar none, was to see my Aunt Madeline. She was a truly amazing woman. She made the most amazing Halloween sugar cookies. Cut out by hand, no cookie cutters and they were precisely decorated… frosted with this orange pumpkin topping, they were amazing. I can still close my eyes and go way back to my sensory memories and taste those cookies. I never have had one like those since: it must have been the butter that she hand churned to make them or the love and care she put into each one. We would go visit her as our last stop and she always gave me one wrapped in paper to take home for the next day. It was important to get home by dark, and then the real fun began. Our house was at the end of a long country road, enveloped by woods and woodland creatures. Being an old farm house, it had a creaky worn manner that gave it character, and with the right rigging, quite a fright factor. We would take old sheets and attach them to clothes lines on zip cords, and light a big kettle of witches brew in the yard. We all would dress up quite scary, and dim all the lights. Imagine being invited in by the hunchback of Notre Dame , seeing a craggily old witch who is cooking up something, and there on the floor is my college age sister covered in ketchup with a fake knife poking out…. It was a miniature haunted house and so much fun! Of course for the real little ones we would just have them go to the kitchen door where my mom would greet them in June “leave it to Beaver” Cleaver mode, so no one got too scared unless they wanted to.

Very few kids went trick or treating after 8 PM then. Around 8:30 our neighbors from a couple miles away would come over. It was the only time my parents had an “adults” party. They would gather in the kitchen over popcorn and sweets and coffee, coco and whatever other adult beverages and play cards and tell stories and jokes and have a fun time with no kids allowed in the kitchen. . The Lavery’s and Willis’ came to see us Halloween night for my entire childhood. Looking back, it was actually remarkable to think of my folks relaxing with friends on a late evening. It only happened one night of the year, and of course late was 11 pm. 4 AM comes quick on November 1 when the cows need to be milked!

In honor of fun times Halloween past, we are going to be playing some games here on the farm on Saturday morning to get in the mood for Halloween present. the kids can pumpkin bowl, corn toss or participate in an egg toss as well! Kids of all ages can participate so come prepared! Games begin at 10 am and, and yes there will be prizes!

Also, we will have trick or treat candy out for any little ones that want to try out their costumes and have their picture taken by the pumpkin tower! For the adults, we will be tasting some cheeses and doing a little cider sipping!

The last hayride will load at 2:45 for the Saturday run. Sunday will be as usual.

(photo: marylindsayphoto.com)

This week we will not be doing CSA boxes as usual . Instead we’re offering a few different specials that will incorporate produce in them! 

# 1. Italian Feast $35

Italian beef Sausage from Walnut hills farm

Pickled asparagus from Green Door Gourmet

Herb infused olives

Kenny’s Bleu Gouda (remarkably gorgonzola like)

Peach or Scuppernong (white grape) cider ( both excellent with prosecco!)

Eggplant, tomatoes and peppers, herbs and kale to accompany your goodies!

Bongo Java coffee

# 2. The Big Cheese $30

Three Kenny’s cheeses, one blue, one cheddar, one flavor ( perfect to do a cheese tasting )

One Noble Springs chevre log

Green Door Fig Jam (large jar)

Green Door peach preserves (small jar)

Fresh apples accompany this special

#3. Southern Sampler $60

Green Door chow chow, Moonshine Jelly, Frog Jam and Muscadine salsa

Walnut hills bacon

Noble springs pimento cheese

Fresh jolly barnyard eggs

Riverview mills grits

Sunday Beef Roast From Gourmet Pasture Beef

Green Tomatoes, collard and mustard greens, pie apples and sweet potatoes come with this special.

# 4. Salad Spectacular $42

Field Fresh Green Door Gourmet Blend lettuces

Blackberry, Strawberry and Raspberry Vinaigrettes from GDG

Noble Springs goat cheese

Kenny’s Barren County Blue (stilton like) or Bleu Gouda (gorgonzola like)

Cocktail tomatoes, apples, radishes, carrots and more salad fixin’s from the harvest in this offering

#5. Ultimate Gourmet $150 A veritable smorgasbord of delights from our co-op members..

Bongo Java Coffee

Lamb from Sequatchie cove

Syrups from Bang Candy

Gourmet items from Green door

Shelton Farms Grains

Bathtub Gin preserves

Gourmet Pasture Beef

West Wind farms ground pork

Link 41 sausage

Miel Granola

Jolly barnyard chicken

and SOOOOO much more. We will work with you to put together the items that best suit your needs and taste buds. Please allow extra time to pick out your perfect items with our farm team!

Please email us at info@greendoorgourmet.com to reserve your specials. Just type in the number special you want, and also specify any additional items or quantities in the email.

(photo: marylindsayphoto.com )

Remember to special order any addition items from vendors before noon on Thursday to assure they will be here for you this week. Certain usual supply items will be limited so order to make sure we have it here for your order. Remember we are not packing the usual CSA boxes, but will have lots of fresh veggies here for you to take home, including cabbage, kale, collards, swiss chard, radishes turnips, lettuce, apples, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, round zucchini, tomatoes, pie pumpkins, beans and carrots!

Don’t forget to order your Jolly barnyard turkey for thanksgiving! EMail us at info@greendoorgourmet.com for more info! Deposits are being taken at the market Saturday and Sunday

This is the weekend to stock up on everything! We will be offering our bread 2 for $10 as well! Can’t wait to see you!

 Can you believe it? Just two more weeks of adventures to the farm! The cold nights ahead will make for crisp turnip and mustard greens, and sweeten the collards and the cabbage. The pansies and mums are thankful that the weather has broken and are blooming up nicely!

Lots of folks have said how very sad they will be not to journey out each weekend to see us. It seems summer has barely gone and we are already thinking of next year’s ripe tomatoes and sweet corn! 

There ARE a couple of chances to come out to the farm after the season is technically over. We are hoping that the weather cooperates to host the Silly Goose restaurant for a fall farm dinner on Sunday, November 3. Roderick is a dynamic young chef who is totally into the local movement and is a great supporter of Green Door. If you are interested, we will have more info next week as we finalize plans, so watch for “Dishing the Dirt” and sign up quick there will only be thirty seats available.

Also, many folks have asked about turkeys for Thanksgiving. Green Door Gourmet is pleased to announce the Jolly Barnyard has all natural pasture raised turkeys available for order for pickup HERE the weekend before Thanksgiving. The birds will average 15-17 pounds and will be $4.95 per pound. You may REQUEST a smaller or larger bird as well, and we will TRY to accommodate your request, but you must be an early bird to get your bird size for sure! If you have never had a truly natural bird, with absolute no hormones and such, you will be in for a treat. If you have tried the chicken from the Jolly Barnyard you already know how delicious their products are, so why not get your turkey from them this year? 

We will be taking deposits for orders starting this weekend and will take orders for the next two weeks. Deposits will be $30 (approximately half of the order cost). Deposits are NON refundable because we are reserving the bird for YOU .  You may pick up your turkey from our freezer on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. That will give you plenty of time to have it oven ready for the big day! You can also preorder our cranberry walnut jam and spiced pumpkin butter, not to mention great side dishes to pick up here from Miel at the same time. Don’t miss out on the chance to make your Thanksgiving a Green Door Gourmet one too!

We have a new shipment of hardy mums as well as the decorative ones, and there are a few lavender plants, rosemary plants, and evergreens to take home to brighten up the barren spots that always seem to appear once the leaves drop! The mums come from our pals at Riverdale nursery and they are the Ryan Gainey heirloom ones… Ryan’s Pink, Thanksgiving and more!

Our spectacular Fall continues with hayrides and pumpkins, great fall produce and crafts, not to mention some great deals… The DEAL OF the WEEK for Oct 22/23 is a meat lover’s dream!

You Get:

2 lbs of Sequatchie Cove Ground Beef

1 rack of Gourmet Pasture Beef Ribs

1 Whole Chicken  from the Jolly Barnyard

1 pound of Beef Brats from Walnut Hills Farm

1 pound Sequatchie Cove lamb chops of steaks

One dozen eggs

Green Door Gourmet BBQ sauce, & Bread and Butter or Dill pickles and Cheese Bread

PLUS a small pie pumpkin all for $70!!

Email us at info@greendoorgourmet.com to reserve a meat lover’s special and start stocking your freezer for the winter with wonderful local all natural and organic meats.

Don’t forget to come get your mums and pumpkins and take your family’s photo by our pumpkin tower!

This week we have baby lettuce, radishes, turnips, sweet potatoes, acorn and butternut squash, collards and kale, green (plus some ripe) tomatoes and apples. Doesn’t fried green tomatoes with Noble Springs goat cheese served on top of baby farm lettuce drizzled with Miel Dijon vinaigrette sound delightful!

YUM!

Click Here to order your box. Remember to email us at info@greendoorgourmet.com if you would like to pick up on Sunday during our fall extended hours from noon to 4. 

Thanks everyone for a great October!

The leaves are finally falling! The nice cool weather has made for some enjoyable times on the farm. We loved seeing so many of you at Fall Fest as well as last weekends  potluck. We are only open til the end of October folks so come out and pick up some fall veggies, pumpkins, or hay bales while you can!

Join us this weekend at 11am for Bluegrass & BBQ featuring live music from the Hill Toppers. Bring a picnic or get a BBQ plate right here on the farm.  Hayrides are still in full swing for our last 3 weekends so come enjoy this scenic ride!

photo: The bonfire we had at last weeks farm potluck

Don’t forget to order your breakfast special! Email us at info@greendoorgourmet.com to get all this for $50:

A pound of Walnut Hills Hickory smoked thick cut bacon.

One pound of our customer’s favorite Sequatchie Cove breakfast sausage.

A dozen pasture raised Jolly Barnyard eggs.

A bag of River view mills stone ground white organic grits.

A batch of Green Door Gourmet whole wheat pancake mix with blueberry, blackberry peach, or strawberry syrup.

A jar of breakfast preserves.

A loaf of Green Door gourmet breakfast bread.

and A package of fair trade coffee from the fine roasters at Bongo java.

photo: a foggy sunrise at the farm!

I divulged a fact to my pal Juliana today that surely surprised her and may surprise you…this farmer is NOT an easy early riser. As a matter of fact, I hate getting up in the early morning. I always have. I am definitely the kind of person who requires time to get going, often with the assistance of a large cup of coffee which my husband has brewed and brought a cup to me. He knows that coherent conversation can take place approximately 20 minutes AFTER the first cup has made it into my veins. Maybe this sorry state of waking has something to do with the time of day you were born. At least I will claim that is it, and since I was born at 7 pm… I think if I could be a night farmer it might be easier for me! Now that you know that little tidbit of trivia, it should come as no surprise that even though I love to cook, I don’t particularly care to make breakfast. Brunch I can do, but breakfast? I would much rather make a 9 course dinner than grace the kitchen in the cold hard light of morning. Shocking news isn’t it?

BUT, if I don’t have to COOK it, I LOVE to EAT breakfast and almost as important, I adore the smell of breakfast cooking. The wafting fragrance of bacon and biscuits inching their way to the bedroom, gently coaxing me from a deep morning sleep say around 7, knowing that by the time I am up and dressed it would be just about the time everything was ready to be devoured. One of my favorite parts of traveling is staying in hotels that have GOOD breakfast. Cooked to order, BIG farm breakfasts with runny eggs and perfect toast served piping hot with soft whipped butter and berry preserves. Breakfast is not a difficult meal to cook, but when it is done well it is a show stopper! The French have entire classes at le Cordon Blue on omelet making alone!

My Dad was an early riser. Maybe it was just encoded in his dairy farming DNA to get up at 4 and hit the ground running. My husband can do the same thing… me, no way. Daddy always made breakfast. Bacon and eggs, toast with jam and butter, and coffee and fresh milk. He was a good cook and knew how to get the eggs just right and the bacon crisp but not burnt. He made fig jam in the summer and always kept a jar in the fridge. I still use his recipe to make fig jam and hope that at least some of the fig trees I moved here this year from our family farm will be as bountiful as they were there. He made breakfast for us all every day, even my Mom. Maybe that is why breakfast is a special meal for me. I know I will never make a better spread than he did. and that REAL breakfast should be made with love AND good ingredients to hit the spot for those of us who grapple with the daunting task of prying our eyelids open pre 6 AM.

Fall days make me yearn for hearty breakfasts. Maybe it is the cooler weather that makes me want the stove to be invoked to start the day with something warm from its belly to mine. This week I am hoping to inspire some labors of love in the breakfast arena by offering an AWESOME breakfast package. This deal is so good, even I might even give in and give breakfast a go!

This week you can get:

A pound of Walnut Hills Hickory smoked thick cut bacon.

One pound of our customer’s favorite Sequatchie Cove breakfast sausage.

A dozen pasture raised Jolly Barnyard eggs.

A bag of River view mills stone ground white organic grits.

A batch of Green Door Gourmet whole wheat pancake mix with blueberry, blackberry peach, or strawberry syrup.

A jar of breakfast preserves.

A loaf of Green Door gourmet breakfast bread.

and A package of fair trade coffee from the fine roasters at Bongo java.

All this for $50!!  email us at info@greendoorgourmet.com and put Reserve Breakfast Special in the title to reserve yours today!

What a fun time at our potluck on Saturday!

Thanks to the boys in the band Kansas Bible College for rocking the farm for two sets in the afternoon and evening. Everyone was bouncing to the music. Our farm long bed trailer served as the stage…it hasn’t bounced that much in years. The guys brought fun and energy to the place with their originals and a few cover tunes. The 11 guys filled the entire trailer from end to end !

This week on the farm we are excited to have BBQ and Bluegrass! Starting at 11 am on Saturday we have a great bluegrass group The Hill Toppers playing at the farm for your listening pleasure. You can bring a picnic, or get a BBQ plate or sandwich here! Bluegrass is a perfect backdrop to get set for a fun hayride to the river, or paint a pumpkin, or just take a nice stroll around the farm. Come on out and enjoy!

We only have a few more weeks left in our season, so don’t miss out on the last of the season savings as well as the fall bounty. Sweet potatoes and winter squash, apples and fall greens, baby lettuces and peppers and more! Click Here to order your box

Don’t forget we also have pumpkins, corn stalks, hay bales, mums and pansies for your fall décor!

A couple of recipes we shared for the fall, both sweet potato pies! One is a classic–you’ve already got all the ingredients, the other is new: a gluten-free tart that’s delicious AND nutritious. Try them both and be the judge: which is better?? Let us know!