Applewood Acres

09/09/2024

Help Oakbrook Cat Rescue reach their goal by donating or sharing with your friends.

06/19/2024

11/13/2023

Long overdue, but I had the best helper while planting garlic 😍🥰😍🥰

08/29/2023

I have had 2 elderberry trees, and no idea if they’re blue or black for a couple years!
Glad to know one of the two is black, the other hasn’t flowered yet!
I bought 4 of these in 1 gallon pots a few years ago. Since then, their tags have disappeared, they’ve moved into different pots, one died, and I gifted another. I had no idea what I was left with!
One flowered this year, and I’ve waited excitedly for fruit to appear. She is a York Elderberry, and will produce some of the largest elderberries!
I will probably freeze the berries I got this year in preparation for more next year!

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08/27/2023

Oh so much clean up to do! The end of the season is on its way, and so it’s time to get fall crops into the ground. First, we have to clean out all the beds we’re going to plant into!
This weekend was full of cleanup 😘

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08/27/2023

First corn harvest! Just a few for dinner, and to taste. Not complete pollination, but significantly more than I was expecting 😍

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08/22/2023

08/19/2023

Strangest tomato I’ve ever grown!!
Tomato donut?
Holy tomato?

08/11/2023

Today I received roving and wool back from my sheep!!

A few months ago, I met someone who was offering a barter for wool processing for the price of half the wool. I had no idea what I was even going to do with it all, so of course I agreed. I was so excited to see my sheep’s wool turned into something.

Today I received the final products.
About 800 yards of yarn, and 27ounces of roving.

We wanted to learn to spin our own yarn, so asked for about half in the form of roving so we could try it out ourselves. I’m so excited to be able to use this!!

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08/09/2023

🥚 Calling all egg lovers! 🥚
Our hens are happily producing some of the freshest eggs in town! 🐔🌞 Say goodbye to store-bought eggs and elevate your breakfast with our farm-fresh goodness! 🍳💛
Support local farmers and enjoy the taste of farm-to-table freshness. Get your hands on our eggs today! 📲

08/07/2023

✨Summer Harvests, Pesto, New Ducks, and Garden Pests✨

The tomatoes are in full production, and are ripening daily. So far our cherry tomatoes are the ones ripe! Sun Gold, Candyland Red, White Currant, and Spoon tomatoes are all present in this pint! They even made it into this weeks CSA box.

The basil has been loving the heat! I’ve harvested quite a few smaller bags of basil, but this week they were ready for a bulk harvesting. This large bag was combines with a bit from Jess, and pesto was made! Pesto is an easy and delicious way to preserve your basil harvest!! 🍃

We sold quite a few ducks this week, with the goal of breeding for specific colors of Muscovy. I was able to find two beautiful chocolate hens to add for ours colors. We are now down from 19 (6 drakes, 7 hens, and 6 ducklings) to 12 (1 Drake, 5 hens, and 6 babies) and the babies will all be sold once they grow up a bit. 🦆
Did you know: Muscovy are the only ducks in North America that are not descended from the Mallard.

I found a couple garden pests this weekend, and enjoyed taking photographs of them more than relocating them to the chicken run 🫣

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08/04/2023

I spy….. the first ripe cherry tomatoes and peppers of the season!!!

The basil is loving this heat, and even though I harvested big less than a week ago, those same plants were ready for more to come off!
The kohlrabi is nearing its end, which means I’ll be pulling and preserving the rest this weekend.
Cold season crops are all looking a little sad in the heat, but it’s already time to start them again for this fall and winter!

08/02/2023

A little garden progress this past week. It’s been a little chaotic with illness through the house, but things are getting done.
I weeded all the peppers again, and I was able to pick a pocket full of peppers, as well as find some peppers that I have no idea what they are. They were supposed to be poblanos… definitely not! Last photo is the mystery pepper.
The first of the Cherry Tomatoes are ripe, and so delicious! Hopefully we will see those in CSA’s this week.
We’re starting to plant for the fall and winter garden, so keep an eye out for that news!

07/30/2023

🥚🐣 Elevate your meals with the miniature marvels - Quail Eggs! 🐣🥚

🔸 Bite-sized and nutrient-packed, these little powerhouses are perfect for omelettes, pastries, and more!

🔸 Low in cholesterol, high in protein - indulge in guilt-free goodness!

🔸 Limited stock available, so don't miss out on this healthy and delicious treat. We will have 18 packs available at limited quantities, and for a one time fee, we can include a pair of egg scissors to make opening them easier! Swipe to see how they cut.

🔸 DM us to order your Quail Eggs now and get ready to savor the flavor!

07/26/2023

🌿 Discover the Enchanting Dragon Tongue Beans! 🌿

🐉 Introducing Dragon Tongue beans, also known as Dutch wax beans or Horticultural beans! These captivating beans get their name from their mesmerizing and vibrant appearance! 🐲

🍽️ Not only are Dragon Tongue beans visually stunning, but they also boast a delicate and sweet flavor. Add them to your favorite dishes for a delightful crunch in salads, stir-fries, or as a colorful side dish! 🥗🍛

🥦 Packed with essential nutrients like vitamins A and C, potassium, and dietary fiber, Dragon Tongue beans offer a nutritious boost to your diet. They are good raw, cooked, shelled, and even pickled!🌽🥕

🔍 Are you ready to add some magic to your garden and culinary adventures? Embrace the allure of Dragon Tongue beans and experience their unique charm firsthand! Available for purchase from our farm🌟😍

07/23/2023

French filet beans are looking excellent!!

07/21/2023

The tomato Jungle got weeded, pruned, and trained today.
I did this to all the plants before we left on a trip 2 weeks ago, and the plants have grown over a foot since then!
The weeds this year have been absolutely horrible. I probably spend half my day just pulling weeds.
When I was putting in the beds, I was specifically asked if I thought we should use the woven landscape fabric like we did last year. I said no, not wanting to do the extra work. Well Jess… you were right 😂😭😂 definitely needed to use the cover.

07/05/2023

I think it might be my favorite CSA box so far 😍😍😍

06/27/2023

🥕🌱 The First of the Carrots Have Shown Their Shoulders 🙊 🌱🥕

Exciting news on the farm – the first of the carrots have started showing above the soil! It feels like yesterday that I pulled a tester and it was still so tiny!!🌞🌱

We can't wait until they are ready to harvest, and we can start enjoying their sweet, crunchy goodness. Did you know that carrots are not only delicious but also packed with nutrients like fiber, Vitamin A, and potassium? 🥕👨‍⚕️

Carrots are not only an excellent snack, but they are also a versatile vegetable in the kitchen. You can enjoy them raw with hummus or salsa, roasted with garlic and herbs, or in soups and stews.

Stay tuned for more updates on our carrot harvest, and get ready to see them in our CSA in the coming weeks!

06/05/2023

The expansion is complete and planted!
It is about 48’X48’ after leaving a lane to be fenced for sheep. We have planted corn and cover crop in this space, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

06/05/2023

Beautiful growth here on the farm this week!
The purple broccoli is starting to get ready to harvest. They don’t appear to get incredibly large. I wonder if it is because of the fluctuating temps.
The snow peas and Strawberries are coming in regularly!
The green broccoli looks like it could get larger before being ready to harvest.
I also can’t wait to watch these cranberry beans grow!

06/03/2023

One of the things that I learned during my farm internship at school was single leaders for tomato plants. It allows me to plant the tomatoes much closer, and still allow excellent airflow.
1–> the tomato plant before trimming.
2–> the “sucker” of the plant. This would turn into an entire new main stalk. It would make the plant bushier, and require more space for airflow.
3–> another view of the suckers. By pinching these, we keep a single main stalk that can focus on putting on vertical growth to produce more fruit.
4–> early flower clusters. I pinch these to allow the plants to get larger before fruiting, so they produce more!
5–> the same tomato plant after pruning and training.
6–> No more suckers!

05/29/2023

This week on the farm has been nothing short of exhilarating.
We've been busy weeding and ensuring our crops are growing up strong and healthy. To my surprise, I stumbled across parsley I’d forgotten we’d planted there!
And oh, the snow peas are in full bloom, adding some excitement to the harvest list.
Lastly, the purple broccoli crowns have really stolen the show with their magnificent hues.
Can't wait to share more updates soon!

05/24/2023

Hey everyone! Don't miss out on this opportunity to get your garden started with some delicious cherry, slicer, or even paste tomato, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, Italian sweet pepper, and castelfranco radicchio starts. These plants are ready for a quick sale and can be yours in no time! Let's get planting and enjoy the fresh and healthy produce from our own gardens. 🌱🍅🌶️🥬