You Pick Farms - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

davidmash · #1 06-04-2009, 10:50 AM

We went to one for the first time yesterday. I forgot what naturally grown food actually tastes like. We picked Blackberries and Strawberries. They have a rich sweet taste to them that you just can't get with the big farm foods. The Zucchini we bought .... holy crap bat man. First off, I have never seen them that big in a store ... ever. We got some medium size ones that were about 8 inches long and the diameter of a base ball bat. They almost tasted sweet. Not even a hint of the bitter taste that a lot of the store bought ones have. They have all types of different vegies and fruit. I have no intention of going to a grocery store for that stuff ever again. OH yea, the prices are great. Blackberries were $4/lb, Strawberries $2/lb, Zucchini $2/lb, Tomatoes $2/lb and this is for all organic food.

For those of you in TX area, here is a link for local farms

http://www.pickyourown.org/TX.htm

WVOtoGO · #2 06-04-2009, 11:13 AM

And isn’t it great to know what you’re eating?

Or should I say: Know what you’re not eating.

Most of those places stay pretty (if not totally) organic.

Squabble · #3 06-04-2009, 11:32 AM

glad to hear it! i love those u-picks, we have a ton of them around the ithaca area. peaches, apples, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. some more too.

now you should considering growing this stuff yourself in your own backyard. that's the ultimate cheap, tasty, low cost option!

R Leo · #4 06-04-2009, 11:46 AM

We have a 'you pick it' farm....you can pick the steer; I have him processed and a little later on, you take him (or some part of him) home to your freezer in nice white packages.

So, what do you get? Authentic beef taste from animals that were all pasture-raised, grass-fed. Beef without growth hormones. Without feedlots or grain, The way the Maker intended cattle to eat and grow.

Anyone interested? I have six wonderful-looking steers that will be ready to harvest between late July and September.

PM for more info or details.

aklim · #5 06-04-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squabble

now you should considering growing this stuff yourself in your own backyard. that's the ultimate cheap, tasty, low cost option!

After the labor involved, I doubt it is that cheap. We have tried growing our own tomatoes before. When blindfolded, the wife couldn't consistantly pick out what she grew from the store bought ones when they were about the same ripeness.

As to the beef, not sure. Had New Zealand grass fed beef and it was tougher than the US corn fed stuff.

Edit: Got a great deal on some private farmed beef that brought the cost down to the good stuff at the supermarket. Not much real difference when grilled. Grilled a Steak and a patty. Tested it against the regular stuff but I doubt that if blindfolded, I could tell the difference. I suppose if the price were more than the store stuff, I'd go with the store. Less than store stuff, I'll buy it.

SwampYankee · #6 06-04-2009, 02:00 PM

Tomatoes are probably a wash ROI-wise, except if you grow it yourself at least you know what has (or hasn't been) sprayed on it. Most of the flavor has been bred out of production tomatoes in favor of uniform growth, maturation time and ability to withstand the rigors of shipping. There is a drastic taste difference between heirloom tomatoes and store bought.

I've got a several EarthBoxes that I put my tomatoes, peppers & eggplants in and those require vitually no maintenance and you just fill the water reservoir and they essentially water themselves (fill them once a week). My brother successfully grew pumpkins and cucumbers in EarthBoxes with trellises for them to grow on in his driveway so I'm going to experiment with squashes this year. I've always just thrown wood chips or composted leaves between the rows which drastically cuts down on the weeding.

A lot of people make gardening a lot more difficult than it needs to be.

junqueyardjim · #7 06-04-2009, 04:29 PM

I have just a little fruit farm. It is on the south side of my garage and measures 30 x 8 feet. It is i/3 blueberries, (3 plants and I am going to put in three more), 2/3 raspberries. The raspberries are going on the third year and I plan to get a bumper crop from that patch and now I am going to have to dig some up early next spring because they want to take over the place. I also have two cherry trees, to small to produce yet and a grape vine that is four years old and I finally found out, (figured out) that you have to spend a little time with the grape and give it a good arbor. Have that done now, thanks to "You Tube" and it looks like we will get several baskets of grapes this fall. Love all that home ground fruit. Also have tomatoes in grow boxes and four types of peppers hanging upsidedown on the deck in those topsyturvy grow baskets. The peppers don't look real happy upsidedown, but they are putting on little peppers. I also plan to put in two peach trees next spring. We have some "you pick" in the area, but not very much, though it is not much of a drive to go the the fruit area of Michigan to get about anything you want.

R Leo · #8 06-04-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

As to the beef, not sure. Had New Zealand grass fed beef and it was tougher than the US corn fed stuff.

..and I've had plenty of high $$ corn fed out of US feedlots that was tough as a boot. It's not just about the grass, you have to know when to harvest, insist on proper handling on the way to the plant and before slaughter and getting enough hang time after the kill.

Oh, and there's that little thing about their low-stress treatment too.

Squabble · #9 06-04-2009, 09:50 PM

man i love good garden pictures! very cool.

i guess initial start up cost is high if you're digging out a new garden, but once started, the labor really is nothing. we have a little farm stand nearby that sells started veggies as well as seed, super cheap. we get tons of veggies each year and freeze/can them so the money saving lasts well into the winter and next spring. just this past tuesday i planted 10 tomato plants (16 total), and 12 green & red peppers. we've got a 20 ft. row each of string beans, snap peas, and onions. pumpkins and squash go in next, watermelon too. cabbage, carrots, spinach, lettuce, beets, potatoes, that's not all of it, you name it chances are we put it in our garden. and if you keep up with weeding and use a stirrup hoe, there's barely any work after planting.

the blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and grapes we have are all taking care of themselves, with a little trimming back here and there. the apple trees, peach tree, pear trees, and cherry tree take care of themselves as well, with a little trim and prune here and there. anything we don't just walk out and eat off the tree gets frozen and eaten later or cooked/baking into something to freeze (home made apple sauce!).

it's easier and cheaper than you think.

R Leo, that's a great service to provide, and healthier and better for the environment.

aklim · #10 06-04-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Leo

..and I've had plenty of high $$ corn fed out of US feedlots that was tough as a boot. It's not just about the grass, you have to know when to harvest, insist on proper handling on the way to the plant and before slaughter and getting enough hang time after the kill.

Oh, and there's that little thing about their low-stress treatment too.

When I was in Asia, beef was quite often air flown New Zealand beef and I mostly had tough meet. Here, I have had some meat where I swear they substituted with shoe leather. Not very often though. I would say that on the whole, the corn fed beef out of the feedlots have been good for the most part.

What would change in that case?

davidmash · #11 06-04-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squabble

glad to hear it! i love those u-picks, we have a ton of them around the ithaca area. peaches, apples, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. some more too.

now you should considering growing this stuff yourself in your own backyard. that's the ultimate cheap, tasty, low cost option!

Got it covered.