I'd say I’m pretty happy to see some spring sunshine!

How about you? What's your favorite sign of spring? I can never decide between the return of bird song at dawn, the peepers, or the daffodils pressing their snub little noses out of the warming soil. Actually, maybe it's that first morning I can step outside without wearing three layers of clothing...?
Last year I made up a joke about how if I had to have a pirate name, in the spring it would be "Long-Johns-Be-Gone".

Arrrrrr! And, um anyway... Just a quick hello from your farmer pirate to fill you in on a few things:

Summer Market Schedule. Outside markets start soon!
Easter Roasts, what's available and a few of our favorite recipes
A refresher on how to preserve local eggs during their most bountiful season, and
Spring Lamb orders

I'm heading back outside now, to help attend to the bazillion things spring throws our way. But feel free to get in touch if there is anything I can help you with. Be well and hope you get to soak up a little spring sunshine yourself!

Thank you for being here,
Kelly

1. QUARRY BROOK 2019 SPRING & SUMMER MARKET SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, APRIL 13
SATURDAY, APRIL 27
ONEIDA COUNTY PUBLIC MARKET-UTICA TRAIN STATION
9AM TO 1PM
**These are the last two train station markets we will attend until next November**
You can pre-order your food for these two final markets HERE

HAMILTON FARMERS MARKET-SATURDAYS
OPENS SATURDAY, MAY 4
8AM TO 1PM
Our booth will be across from the Hamilton Public Library

CLINTON FARMERS MARKET-THURSDAYS
OPENS THURSDAY, JUNE 6
10AM TO 4PM
We are on the Village Green across the street from Nola's

NEW HARTFORD FARMERS MARKET-TUESDAYS
OPENS IN JUNE (DATE TBD)
3PM TO 7PM
Sherrill Brook Park in conjunction with food truck night
Come get your local groceries and then get dinner from one of the food trucks!

Can't wait to see you! :)

2. EASTER ROASTS

If you need a roast for Easter we still have a few available:

Fresh Hams | uncured & unsmoked | fresh pork roast | boneless | approx 4 lbs | $14/lb
Lamb Leg Roast | boneless | approx 4 lbs | $16/lb
Mutton Leg Roast | don't laugh! they're really good and a good bargain for feeding a crowd | good mutton reminds me of extra buttery beef | boneless | approx 5 lbs | $10/lb

Please email me to reserve any of these roasts. I can also give you some ideas for less-traditional holiday fare if you aren't feeling like a roast. Lamb meatballs, spring stew, it's always ok to try something new.

Fresh Ham Roast Recipe
Honey Ginger Pork Roast Recipe

3. Here an egg, there an egg, EVERYWHERE an egg, egg… Old McDonald has lots of eggs! E-I-E-I-O!
How to stockpile this spring staple

It’s spring. Eggs are everywhere at farmers markets. It almost lets us forget that they will be much harder to find come fall. If you love your local eggs and don’t want to be without them come September, you might consider stocking up now and freezing them. It will be like nutritious, delicious money in the bank in a few months when all the local farms’ hens are on vacation and eggs almost disappear from markets. Read more...

4. SPRING LAMB ORDERS:
Everything is a cycle on the farm and we are just getting ready to complete the lambing cycle. That means we have just a few mature lambs ready for processing at the moment.

Now is a great time to stock up and have all sorts of great chops and kebabs in time for summer grilling season. After this the next lamb won't be ready until late fall.

**You select the cuts and we're happy to help walk you through it if needed**

WHOLE: 30+ lbs depending on cuts selected
Whole Lamb Price: $400 (includes processing)
Deposit: $200
Freezer space needed: A whole will fit into approximately 3 to plastic grocery bags.

HALF: Approx 15 + lbs depending on cuts selected
Half Lamb Price: $235 (includes processing)
Deposit: $100
Freezer space needed: A half will fit into 2 plastic grocery bags

Please send me an email to reserve your lamb. Please indicate size of lamb you would like (whole/half) and the best way to contact you. I will get back to you very soon to sort out the details.
Thank you!

"Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems"
-Rainer Maria Rilke

By now I'm sure you've heard that it's going to snow this weekend. Cue the scurry to prepare!

I spent most of yesterday getting ready for our first substantial snow of the season-stockpiling hay, bedding sheds, making sure our shovels are where we can find them...

Part of my storm-prep routine is to also contemplate what I'll cook while the weather does it's thing. Something easy and slow-cooking so that we can come in from chores to a house redolent with the smell of a warm winter favorite. Looking forward to the good meals helps take the edge off the extra work a snow storm creates for a farm.

Other folks must do this same thing because I've gotten a few requests for deliveries this weekend.
I need just a few more orders and then tomorrow morning I will head out to the villages of Clinton and Hamilton to make deliveries before the snow flies! Can I bring you anything?

We have lots of ground beef and lamb, pork sausage, pork chops, fresh bacon and hams, beef short ribs, lamb chops and roasts, fresh eggs and more.

I will be in Clinton at 9am in the Hannaford Parking lot-down by the entry end that is across from the liquor store.
I will be in Hamilton at 10am, parked near the front of the Hamilton Public Library (pretty much in front of where our Hamilton Market booth is during the summer).

Thank you for being here! I hope you have a warm and safe weekend and a thoughtful Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
-Kelly

Winter Markets Reminder:

Don't forget the Poolville Winter Farmers Market will only be held once a month from now through April. There is NO market there tomorrow and the next Poolville Market will be Saturday, February 2nd from 10am to 1pm.

The Oneida County Public Market's schedule does not change for the remainder of the winter season. It will continue to be held on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. We'll be there again NEXT Saturday, 1/26 from 9am to 1pm.

Have happy, healthy days until we see you next. :)

"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."
-Martin Luther King Jr.

Long Johns Be Gone!

Snow's coming, Ma!