Annual Tomato Tasting!

April Showers bring icicles?!?

Apples & Ice

No this is not from December! The latest storm to move through brought rain, hail, winds and freezing temperatures. This is April, right?? We turned the orchard irrigation on in the night to help prevent any damage since the water comes out at 80 degrees, helping keep the overall temp up a bit. The water did freeze on the branches and grass, creating a winter wonderland.



Blossom Icicles

The cats seemed to be the smartest of us all, curled into little fur balls safe inside. So for the next few days it looks like we will have to be extra careful not forget it is not summer yet!



Fur Balls

The lambs were taking advantage of the breif bit of sunbathing that was available, just waiting for the next round to move in this afternoon.



Ethan and Buddie



The next round coming 

 Can't wait to see what this storm brings today! Raining frogs???


Produce Availability - April 4, 2011

Loose Greens - LOTS THIS WEEK!

Chicory - red & green Dandelion - loose leaf, tender & not bitter!

Endive - Super fine and tender leaves 

Escarole - little leaves, sweet as lettuce

Mizuna Green & Purple - spicy mustard, delicate & frilly loose leaf

Mibuna - mild sweet green for salad & saute 

Russian Kale - medium size leaves for salads and saute

Red Russian Kale - medium size leaves for salads and saute, hardier flavor 

Siberian Kale - medium size leaves for salads & saute 

Tatsoi Leaves - salad or saute, super sweet

Barbara's Garden Mix - endive, radicchio, golden chard & kale

Spicy Oriental Mix - tatsoi, curly green mustard, mizuna, purple mizuna

Baby Lettuces


Green Garlic - small, tender, and pungent.  LAST WEEK!
Bay Leaves - still on the branch!
Marjoram - sweet spring growth 4" size

Winter Squash

Spaghetti - firm and storing well!

TOMATO PLANTS - all kinds - plant some Windrose Farm at home!

Thanking you for your support and encouragement through the years and wishing you and yours a great week!   Barbara & Bill Spencer and all the crew at Windrose Farm.

Produce Availability - March 28, 2011

GREENS 

Delicious Mibuna

Loose Greens

Chicory - red & green Dandelion - loose leaf, tender & not bitter!
Endive - Super fine and tender leaves 

Escarole - little leaves, sweet as lettuce

Mibuna - mild sweet green for salad & saute 

Siberian Kale - medium size leaves for salads & saute 
Spicy Oriental Mix - tatsoi, curly green mustard, mizuna, purple mizuna
Baby Lettuces

Green Garlic - small, tender, and pungent 

Bay Leaves - still on the branch!

Marjoram -sweet spring growth 4" size

Winter Savory - peppery thyme flavor, use in place of rosemary - beans!

Winter Squash

Winter Squash

Delicata, Zepplin - still sweet!

Spaghetti - firm and storing well!

CRABAPPLE BLOSSOMS - use ice cubes in the water to make them last longer

Thanking you for your support and encouragement through the years and wishing you and yours a great week!   Barbara & Bill Spencer and all the crew at Windrose Farm.

High water

Bill and Barbara on the way to Artisan for the Monday night dinner.

This last rain storm that came through this weekend only brought about 3" of rain, but on top of the 14"+ we've has this season it was more than the land could take! So for the first time since 1995, the river has made the road into the farm impassable by normal means. Luckily Farmer Bill has not only excellent tractor skills but also nautical ones as well! And nothing was going to stop us from getting to Artisan for their Monday night dinner featuring our produce along with Denner wines!

View from the tractor taxi

We are up to 46 baby lambs, 4 sets of triplets, only two singles and the rest are all twins. We think everyone is done, but there might be one more mom. All the rain has made the grass sweet, and the lambs are growing by leaps and bounds.

Last set of triplets and mom

So the only thing that remains is to figure out how we are getting to the Santa Monica Farmers market tomorrow!!!



I am new to Windrose!

One of our first lambs seems outnumbered by  large mothers- to -be.
The best times now are checking the north pasture early morning for new babies and then at sunset to see them all ready to bed down.
 
There are always a few little guys still "boinking" around!  Like all kids, they are just not quite ready for sleep.

Baby Lambs are here!

As of 10:00 this morning we have 17 baby lambs on the ground!
And at least 17 more on the way!

Santa Monica Market

it is a beautiful sunny day! greens are selling well and I am learning about this website. looking forward to being able to post and add new photos regularly.

This Week's Market Report

Today was especially busy. Farmer Bill came down to Santa Monica with Gael in assistance. Great peaches, greens, chard, basil, strawberries, potatoes, and of course, those tropea onions! Here are some pictures from today's Santa Monica Farmer's Market.

Tropea Onions.

Try an onion anchovy pizza. Cook onions over low heat for about ten minutes. Spread over pizza dough with anchovy fillets.

Spinach, Basil, and Kale.

Gael

Onaway Potatoes

strawberries and kale

Fresh produce Availabilty 8/9/2010

WINDROSE FARM    

 

THIS WEEKS FAVORITES – PEACHES-  & APPLES  2.00/LB

 

BABY CRAWFORD – heirloom yellow, medium size

Saved by andy Mariani up near San Jose

 

PERIGRINE – English white 1906, deep flavor- very easy to bruise, but flesh inside  incredible flavor

(Yes, they have some fuzz on the skin!)

 

 

   APPLES – GRAVENSTEIN, RED GRAV., NEW JERSEY, GOLDEN DORSETT, TRANSCENDENT CRAB

 

CARROTS – Nantes and Parisian Rounds – 1.50 /bu

CHIOGGA BEETS – mediums - $1.50 / bu

 

 

FRESH ONIONS – $2.00 / LB

        TropeaTonda- legendary fresh market violet-red  

       Tonda Musona Bianca – sweet white Spanish type

      TORPEDOS – GRILL, ROAST AND CARAMELIZE   
                   

 

NEW POTATOES – $2.00 / lb, large onaway - $1.00

CAROLA, ONAWAY,  ROSE GOLD, ALL BLUE, CRANBERRY RED

 

Tomatillos

GREENS-

BABIES IN A BOX –yes for this week!

Barbara’s Garden Greens – $6.00 / lb.

White & yellow chard, Tuscan kale,  spigariello, red dandelion, Chiogga & golden beet greens

 

HERBS- flowering marjoram and oreganos, thyme, chives,  rosemary,, lemon thyme, mixed mints, SWEET BASIL, LEMON BASIL

SMOKED TOMATOES - $40 / lb.
can be purchased in smaller amounts.

Thank you,

Barbara & Bill  Spencer

 Market staff – Frank, Beth, Amanda, Janice, Lincoln & Ronald

 Farm crew – Miguel, Manny, Edita, Rosa,  Ismael  Uba & Paula

Our wonderful Intern from cal poly – casey jo howard

Fresh produce Availabilty 8/2/2010

_ Peregrine white peaches –very limited

-          Tomatillos starting

-          Possible chile peppersJ

_ TORPEDOES ARE IN!! medium size

_ First apples- golden Dorset, New Jersey and Red Gravenstein

   And green Gravenstein.

 

 

FAVORITES  FOR THE WEEK–

 

 

1)FRESH ONIONS – $2.00 / LB

        TropeaTonda- legendary fresh market violet-red  

       Tonda Musona Bianca – sweet white Spanish type

      TORPEDOS – GRILL, ROAST AND CARAMELIZE

                      

2)FRESH POTATOES – $2.00 / lb, large onaway - $1.00

CAROLA, ONAWAY & ROSE GOLD

 

 

           3) SANTA ROSA PLUMS – STILL ON !! - $3.00 / lb.

 

4) BABY AGRETTI –- #8.00 / lb.

 

5)RED DANDELION GREENS – BUNCHED 1.50 A BUNCH

(Actually a chicory!)

 

      

GREENS-no babies this week – next week should be good

Baby butter – 2 weeks more for this set.

Barbara’s Garden Greens – $6.00 / lb.

White and yellow chard, Tuscan kale,  spigareillo

All greens  - but dandelions - are loose leaf this week.

 

HERBS- flowering marjoram and oreganos, thyme, chives,  rosemary,, lemon thyme, mixed mints, SWEET BASIL, LEMON BASIL

SMOKED TOMATOES - $40 / lb.
can be purchased in smaller amounts.

Thank you,

Barbara & Bill  Spencer

 Market staff – Frank, Beth, Amanda, Janice, Lincoln & Ronald

 Farm crew – Miguel, Manny, Edita, Rosa,  Ismael  Uba & Paula

Our wonderful Intern from cal poly – casey jo howard

Fresh organic produce 4/26/2010

This week's favorites

1) French style leeks  $4 / lb

2) Green garlic – sweet enough to eat raw!!!  2.00 / bunch ~ 6 oz  or $5 / lb

3) Baby agretti – still coming on yeah! $6 / lb

4) New onions – mostly reds. $1-2 / lb

5) New mache - first harvest of the true "Verte de Cambria", tiny and sweet   $12.00 / lb

Greens

• Babies in a box – $ 26 / box of 100 ct
• Mixed lettuces - $1.00 each
• Bloomsdale spinach - $6 / lb
• Giant Noble Spinach - $6 / lb
• Barbara’s Garden Greens – $6 / lb
• Chard, kale, escarole, red and green chicories, rustic arugula and some mizuna.

Fresh lilacs available this week

$1 / stem

Also don't forget the smoked tomatoes, 
amazing flavor at $40 / lb
can be purchased in smaller amounts