This week we’re featuring 3 unique berry bushes that you’ve probably never heard of! Sea berry, goumi, and goji are the trio you’ll read about in this email, so scroll down for more details and a special sea berry sale! 🍒

And don’t forget that we still have some spots available in our Duck Egg CSA (which begins tomorrow) and our Chicken CSA programs, so if you’ve been thinking about getting more eggs and chicken in your life, there’s no time like now! 🐓

This newsletter finds you a bit late this week, and we have a pretty good reason why… Of course it’s been busy on the farm but we also have an exciting (and shocking) announcement to make that may just surprise you! Scroll to bottom of this email for a peek at the surprise! 😉

As usual, you can find us at the Corner Farmers Market every Saturday morning from 9am-12pm, both operating our table and sending out items through the free drive-thru. If you’d like to preorder any products (either poultry products or plants) please do so via email by 5pm today. Also include your pickup choice (table or drive-thru pickup), your phone number, and your full name. Thanks! We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Sweet and Ornamental Goumi!

Goumi is a semi evergreen shrub that can grow to be quite large, and has nitrogen fixing qualities in almost all soil types. Not only can it be considered ornamental, but it yields lots of small and juicy sweet-tart fruits as well! The goumi is partially self-fertile, but when two varieties are planted together the fruit yield is higher for both. They’re excellent when eaten fresh but they also stand out in jams and jellies! Plants are $28 each.

Here We Goji!

Goji berries are another unique fruiting plant, which are both cold and drought tolerant. They’re really popular in Chinese medicine and the berries can be eaten fresh but are usually dried, and leaves are used for tea. Fruits are sweet-tart and have have more carotene than carrots! The plants grow to be 5-6 feet tall and wide and have a long ripening and harvest period during midsummer. They’re self-fertile and $12 each.

The Amazing Sea Berry!

The fruit that Emma is the most excited about is the sea berry! They can grow to be quite large and grow lots of golden/orange fruits which are pretty tart/sour! Some folks like eating them fresh and others do not. The most amazing thing about sea berry (also called sea buckthorn) is how unique the plant is—providing unique nutrients and health benefits found in no other fruit. They’re nitrogen-fixing and high in essential fatty acids (which is unheard of among fruits). The fruit is used for unique anti-cancer and anti-radiation purposes and used in some skin products. Also, the leaves are leaves are high in protein and can be used for animal forage or made into teas. They’re really the superfood you’ve never heard of! Sea berry plants need both a male and a female for pollination, and the male does not make fruit. Each plant is $30 or you can grab 3 sea berries for $75 ($15  off).

Duck Egg CSA Spots Are Still Available!

Don’t forget that we’re accepting new CSA members for our Summer Duck Egg CSA which begins Tomorrow, on May 2! Duck Egg CSAs are offered for both dozens and half-dozens, and mean that you’re guaranteed eggs every week for 6 months (26 weeks). CSAs make picking up your weekly eggs super easy and convenient for everyone. Space is limited, so sign up now! Once available CSA spots are filled, no more will be available until next year!

Dozen and Half-Dozen CSA members save a dollar each week, and Dozen CSA members save 11% during the CSA period, while Half-Dozen CSA members save 18%! Plus, all CSA members get first dibs on our Winter Duck Egg CSA which runs from late fall through early spring when the ducks lay more infrequently.

If you’d like more info about our CSAs, swing by the Corner Farmers Market this Saturday to talk to us about sign up or go ahead and sign up for your CSA right now via our website! You can select the Dozen CSA or the Half-Dozen CSA.

A Special Homestead Surprise!

You may or may not know, but we’ve been expecting our second kid in August of this year. 🌱

Earlier this week we learned that instead of one kid, we’re getting two! Yes, it’s twins! It’s quite a shock since Emma doesn’t have any twins in her family (a variable which makes twins much more likely) and because we just never imagined two babies at once. 🦃 🦃

Also, what a funny time in our world to hear this news, right? It’s going to be a wild ride, and we’re pretty stoked. We’ll be continuing business as usual, except now both of us will have a baby strapped on our backs throughout all of it! 😆