Jeff’s pumpkin bar recipe

2 cups whole wheat flower

2/3 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar; not packed

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon; heaping

1/8 tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ginger

1/3 cup oil

2/3 cup apple sauce

4 eggs

2 cups baked pie pumpkin (nistler farms pumpkins preferred)

½ cup baked squash (yes, nistler farms too)

large pan for bars

375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes

great vine crops this year and incredible demand right up to halloween(today).   at one point i thought we harvested way more than we could sell, however, the demand was so good right to the end that i think there isn't even one full bin out in the shed. 
   these two lovelys i could not part with at any price.  for a while i was bringing them to market just for people to look, maybe touch, maybe.  at one point, a fellow vendor, who shall remain nameless, sent a "customer" to offer me 50 dollars for the one on the right.  they were somewhat surprised that i didnt accept the offer.  certainly something we do and enjoy should be above, or maybe outside of, commerce.
  it was pretty funny at first, however, eventually, i had to hide them in the cab because there were so few pumpkins left to sell that people gravitated to these and then were sort of mad that they couldn't buy them.
  i won't carve them.  i suspect they'll last a few weeks on the kitchen table.
still have squash and pie pumpkins for november.
the season moves on; birch, dogwood, spruce tops, broom corn for a few weeks, then Christmas trees.
 

It's that time of year
 pumpkin emergencies abound

I must report, with a mix of sadness and relief, the sweet corn season has come to an end. Not enough rain and too many frosts have brought an end to any more ripening.
It was a great season. I'm grateful to have so many cheerful customers that make the work a lot of fun.
We have loads of squash, pie pumpkins, gourds and pumpkins. Maybe the best pumpkins in the history of the universe.
Saturdays at the Minneapolis Farmers Market and Mill City Farmers Market.
Sundays at the Minneapolis Farmers Market.

 

 

 

 Fall schedule
  Weds; UofMN farmers market, Church street
   Saturday; Mnpls farmers market
                    Mill City farmers market
  Sunday; Mnpls farmers market

 Sorry, no more Thursdays on Nicollet mall.   this time of year there is too much harvest and delivery and we had to cut out one day of market to get it all done.
   Its a great time of year; the squash and fall ornamental are ready and still plenty of good sweet corn.  We expect to have corn for 3 or 4 more weeks.

  Incredible pumpkin crop this year.
   Josh G. took this photo

Unfortunately, the next planting of sweet corn has not ripened enough for us to do the Thursday market on Nicollet Mall. I'm reasonably sure it will be ripe enough for the weekend markets.
we'll be back next thursday.

Honey

Last week we pulled the first honey; meaning, we'll have honey to sell starting this week at the University of Mn Farmers Market -- Church street, 11am to 2pm

White corn is here!!

We'll have white corn at the Mill City Farmers Market Saturday,
and the Mnpls Farmers Market Saturday and Sunday. It will be on the first load both days so come early.
Also, Sunday there will be some all yellow corn; our favorite.

a little bump in the road

Starting Thursday, August 15th, we're moving down the street on Nicollet mall to 9th and Nicollet. Look for our Nistler corn cob in the sky signs and a big pile of corn.
Great corn this week and melons too!!

Piles of excellent watermelon for the weekend.
Great corn too!!!

August 1, 2012

The yellow watermelon will be ripe by the weekend. We'll have them at all markets starting saturday.
The melon crop is the best ever; piles of watermelon and cantaloupe coming soon.
The corn is fantastic this week too and worthy of freezing.

July 24 update

There will be enough nice corn for us to start selling on Nicollet Mall this thursday, July 25th.
We're usually set up and ready to sell by about 9:45
Our intention is to sell corn on the Mall every thursday until the end of September.
The sweet corn is great this week!!

July 17th update

This week's market schedule

Weds - U of MN farmer's market
Saturday - Mnpls farmer's market and Mill City farmer's market
Sunday - Mnpls farmer's market

Sorry, not quite enough corn yet for the Thursday Nicollet mall market...next week for sure

the sweet corn is looking nice and healthy; about 2 weeks ahead of last season.
we're going to start selling Sunday, July 15th at the Minneapolis Farmers Market.

July 6th 2012

Adequate soil moisture has helped the crops thrive under the recent intense heat. Sweet corn and watermelon are at least 2 weeks ahead of last season. I expect to have corn to sell within the week and watermelon by August 1st.
Bees are doing well too. I'm expecting over 150 lbs of honey per hive.

vine crops are coming along nicely. this small squash field had excellent emergence. it'll start vining soon. we'll cultivate again in a week or so and that will be about it.
watermelon are already vining and setting blossoms.

June 15th crop report

Crops are well ahead of last year at this time. Plenty soggy out there right now. Emergence has been good. Its great to see pumpkins/squash/gourds emerge quickly and get a jump on the weeds. if it was dry enough we would rotary hoe them at this stage, but it is way way too wet. So, next week we'll start right in with cultivation.
The early corn, although very short, is healthy and beginning to show tassel. In a way, I really dont love to see it tassel this early, my back hurts just thinking about picking those cobs that will only be about a foot off the ground.
My guess is there will be little dabs of corn to sell around July 20th; maybe even earlier.
Transplants are doing well too; watermelon, cantaloupe, peppers, tomatoes.
Second photo is a small field of gourds. Lower photo is a field of pumpkins.

IH Super C

A very exciting day today. I bought this lovely machine last fall; brought it home today. Its a little older than myself. Runs well. It has a few issues that need addressing and will require some adjustment and modification for intended weed suppression tasks; I guess I wouldn't have it any other way. The belly-mount cultivator should make for nice close cultivation.

Spring;
New this year for anyone with South American cravings: Rocoto, Aji Amarillo and Huacatay.
Also, two new watermelon varieties, a few new squash and 5 new sweet corn varieties.
The weather is so nice that its pretty tempting to start working ground. I suppose we'll do a little this coming week, and start planting the following week. I don't like to get in too big a rush because if we get a cold hard rain it can really ruin early sweet corn plantings.
Transplanting will start around May 15th.
Planting is a little daunting at the start; I lose a little sleep. Gradually one develops a rhythm, and as the plants emerge and grow, the anxiety lessens.
I guess at this point its hard to imagine life without.

There are times, moments, when I have to move slowly. It helps me if I say to myself "self, one must be very strong to go slow". I suppose it is true, however, I have gradually discovered that I am not the strong one in that situation. And my role really is more like a partner in a dance that I do not know well, and the other knows all too well. I can only hope, in that moment, to move with some measure of grace so my partner is not embarrassed by my awkwardness.