Smith Family Farm

News from Smith Family Farm

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:53:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter December, 2010 Friends: Howdy! Wow, is it December already? The mercury has been dipping down into the teens for past week or so and there's already snow on the ground! Eeeek!! How have you guys been? Thanks soooooo much for stopping by on this year's farm tour! It was a blast! We've been doing great here on the farm. Almost all of our turkey/chicken processing is done for the season ... which brings me to my next point: Christmas Turkeys! You guys are best, as usual, and we've had such a tremendous demand for our turkeys that we're offering them again for Christmas. We're taking turkey orders right now - so be sure to reserve yours ASAP! :) One more quick thing. We're on Foursquare: <a href="http://foursquare.com/venue/9846395">http://foursquare.com/venue/9846395</a> Be sure to "check in" whenever you stop by the farm! Also, be sure to stop by and "like" us on Facebook: <a href="http://bit.ly/ccNUDR">http://bit.ly/ccNUDR</a> As always, if you have questions, comments, or concerns (or special requests!) we encourage you to contact us at any time. Again, we sincerely thank you for your continued patronage. See you soon, bring a cooler! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms. No Food. Smith Family Farm is social! Follow us on Twitter: <a href="http://bit.ly/awaoHk">http://bit.ly/awaoHk</a> and Facebook: <a href="http://bit.ly/ccNUDR">http://bit.ly/ccNUDR</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:42:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter August, 2010 Friends: Hi ya'll! Summer is nearly over - can you believe it? Even though we enjoy the antics and excitement of summer, our animals will surely welcome the cooler days of fall. On the other hand, the heat is a perfect excuse to do some porch sittin' with a bowl of raspberry-ginger ice cream made from local, raw milk. Yum! Right out of the gate, I want to discuss our annual farm tour in September! Everyone's invited to come out to the farm for a fun-filled weekend during the 2010 "Wild Western" Prince William County Farm Tour. Dates are: Saturday, September 25 from 10AM-4PM; and Sunday, September 26 from 10AM-4PM. Rain or shine! Bring the whole family, friends and a camera! This is a perfect opportunity to stop by and see how the animals are raised and cared for. Lunch will be available to purchase. The farm store will be open to purchase our grass-fed, all-natural meats, poultry products, and home goods. There will be guided tours, hay rides, pony rides, children's activities, etc. Restroom facilities available. Sorry, no pets allowed! So, grab some lunch, have a seat on a hay bale and relax in the country. We'd love to see you! Another big thing to talk about is our new "home delivery" marketing venue - an idea we've been toying with for a few years now. At this juncture, this is how it works: basically, if you can muster up 5 families in one neighborhood ($50 minimum per family), we'll traipse out to your neck of the woods and make a delivery. Or, if you can't come up with 5 families, we'll deliver to individual homes for a minimum order of $150. So ... what do you guys think? None of this is set in stone - we're still working everything out. We need your feedback! Also! If you haven't pre-ordered your pastured Thanksgiving turkey, be sure to do so ASAP - spots are quickly running out! Our turkeys are absolutely delicious! As always, if you have questions, comments, or concerns (or special requests!) we encourage you to contact us at any time. Again, we sincerely thank you for your continued patronage. See you soon, bring a cooler! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms. No Food. Smith Family Farm on twitter: <a href="http://bit.ly/awaoHk">http://bit.ly/awaoHk</a> and Facebook: <a href="http://bit.ly/ccNUDR">http://bit.ly/ccNUDR</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:19:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter April 2010 Friends: Hi there! A great big, howdy! is coming your way from us here at Smith Family Farm. How has 2010 been treating you so far? We've been busy gearing up for another great season. Spring might possibly be our favorite season. Life is everywhere. Puppies, calves, lambs, chicks it's truly amazing. Grass is growing steadily. Geese swim about in the pond with their goslings. The smell of lilacs and apricot blossoms fill the air. A stray honeybee lands on your shoulder, checks you out, and then wanders on it's way. Speaking of babies, our first lamb was born this Monday (4/19)! So exciting! We've been working extra hard this spring to bulk up our tiny flock and begin offering sheep and lamb at our market venues. Our pasture raised lamb should be available sometime in late June. We're also scheduled to have Thanksgiving turkeys again this year, and we're currently taking orders for November. Also, our first batch of baby chicks are in (hurray for baby chicks! :) ), and will be ready to harvest in mid to late May. So be sure to look for our pastured chicken when you ride out to the farm or stop by one of our farmers markets. Farmers Markets! Another reason why we love spring! It's so great to see everyone's faces and chat. Wondering which markets we'll be attending? Click here: <a href="http://bit.ly/cojJoC">http://bit.ly/cojJoC</a> We'll be coming out with a concise list soon. Have you heard about the Smith Family Farm "Locavore" giveaway? You would if you followed us on twitter (@smithfamilyfarm). The contest ends May 1, 2010 so there's only a few more days to enter! We're giving away 5 brand new copies of The Locavore Way by Amy Cotler. Interested? Click here for details on how to enter: <a href="http://bit.ly/locavore2010">http://bit.ly/locavore2010</a> Stay tuned to our twitter page. Who knows maybe another promotion is right around the corner! :) A couple small items to discuss our brand new farm store is open for business! It's a little rough around the edges, but our new store is certainly operational. Come by and see it some weekend. Remember, we're open on Saturdays from 9AM to 4PM (please call beforehand). Also, we'll be hosting a couple school field trips this year something we actively encourage. If you're a teacher or know of a someone who'd like to bring their class out for a great learning experience, give us a holler! That should do it for now. Oh I almost forgot. We have a friends of the farm page on our website: <a href="http://bit.ly/aZtrJv">http://bit.ly/aZtrJv</a> If you'd like to partner with us or have a link exchange, get at us with your thoughts and suggestions. As always, we'd like to thank all you guys for your continued patience, support, and cooperation with us. We wouldn't be here without you. See you soon, bring your cooler! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms. No Food. Smith Family Farm on twitter: <a href="http://bit.ly/awaoHk">http://bit.ly/awaoHk</a> and Facebook: <a href="http://bit.ly/ccNUDR">http://bit.ly/ccNUDR</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:10:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter December 2009 Friends: 2009 is quickly coming to a close. It amazes me how quickly the year has gone by. The fields are turning golden. Brilliant red berries are developing on the dogwoods--it's so fun to watch the cardinals swoop in and feast on them. Syronizing with the droping temps, the farm activity begins to slow down and heel in for the winter ahead. It's a period of quiescence that's richly welcomed by our animals--and us! :) As is typical, our laying hens slow in their egg-laying occupation, due to the lack of sunlight. We avoid forcing our hens to lay through the winter via chemical or other means. We feel that this places too much stress on the animal. We believe that everything needs a time of rest every once and a while. Chickens included. At the end of the year, we like to sit back, possibly in front of the woodstove with a mug of mulled cider, and reflect on the mistakes (and advances) of the prior year. We constantly try to refine and tweak our farming practices to better steward the land and produce a higher-quality product for each one of you. Input from you, our patrons, has been so helpful to us through the years. We greatly appreciate it. First off, we'd like to thank everyone who braved the rain and the wind back in September to come out and visit us during the PWC Farm tour. Inspite of the adverse weather conditions during the weekend, we had a great turnout. Those in attendence toured the farm, met our animals, and had a great time. Lunch featured our signature meats, locally grown corn, and locally produced ice-cream. Yum! We'd also like to thank the local beekeeping club (The Prince William Regional Beekeepers Association) for bringing an observation hive to the farm for the tour and giving people some great info on the importance of honeybees, and of polinators in general (check them out at: <a href="http://pwrbeekeepers.com">http://pwrbeekeepers.com</a>). All in all, this year's farm tour was a blast! Thanks so much! The number of farmers markets we're attending has dwindled somewhat, although we're still at a couple. Let me go over the markets we'll be at for the near term: The Palisades Farmers Market: we'll continue to attend the Palisades market year round on Sundays, from 9am to 1pm. This market takes place at 48th Pl NW @ MacArthur Blvd in Washington, DC. For more information please visit: <a href="http://www.palisadesfarmersmarket.com/">http://www.palisadesfarmersmarket.com/</a> The Gainesville Farmers Market: we're attending a new farmers market through the winter. This market will take place on Thursdays from 1pm to 7pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm. This new market is located off of Route 29 just south of Gainesville, next to the VDOT yard. If you're headed southbound on 29, the market is on the left just past the traffic light at Sommerset Crossing. Currently, producers are selling seasonal produce, all natural meats and eggs (of course), fresh-cut Christmas trees, wreaths, baked goods, jellies, pickles, and much more! Come see us! If you need detailed directions please visit us online: <a href="http://www.beefandhayproducer.com">http://www.beefandhayproducer.com</a>, or give us a call: 571-220-0017. We still have some really nice, barn kept, chemical free, horse quality hay. Get a bale or two before we run out! We're also having a sale on our cattle/mulch hay, effective immediately. We're selling this year's cattle hay (large square bales) for $10/bale and last year's for $5/bale. This is a major markdown. Be sure to reserve a bale or two! If you're wanting to stock up for the winter, time is running out! If you know anyone that needs cattle hay or mulch hay, now's the time to invest! Call for pricing/availability. Delivery is available. The farm is always open to visitors every Saturday from 9AM to 4PM. We are open year round, and regularly stock beef and pork items. Poultry items (except for eggs!) are available seasonally. Remember to bring your cooler/ice packs. If you'd like to know if we have an item in stock before you come out, don't hesitate to call. As always, we'd like to thank each of you for your continued patience, support, and cooperation with us. You're the best! If you have any questions or comments, feel very free to give us a holler! See you soon! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms No Food PS - Be sure to follow us on twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/">http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:53:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter September 2009 Friends: Is it September already? Wow - how quickly time flies! The early days of September are always so beautiful here in Virginia. As we plod on towards the fall, I'm sure everyone has noticed the mornings getting a little more nippy. During this cooling trend, the animals get a little frisky -- it's always fun to watch them run around and frolic. While we love the productivity we experience during the summer months, we also look forward to the leaves turning from green into those wonderful hues, fresh apple cider, harvest festivals, etc. Right off the bat, we'd like to invite everyone to come out to the farm for a fun-filled weekend! We're the second stop on the 2009 "Wild Western" Prince William County Farm Tour. Dates are: Saturday, September 26 from 10AM-4PM; and Sunday, September 27 from Noon-4PM. Rain or shine! Bring the whole family, friends and a camera! This is a perfect opportunity to stop by and see how the animals are raised and cared for. Lunch will be available to purchase. The farm store will be open to purchase our grass-fed, all-natural meats, poultry products, and home goods. There will be guided tours, hay rides, pony rides, children's activities, etc. Restroom facilities available. Sorry, no pets allowed on premises. So, grab some lunch, have a seat on a hay bale and relax in a country setting. We'd love to see you! Directions: From I-66 east or west take the US-29 N exit near Gainesville. Merge onto US-29 N. After approximately 1 mile, turn left at the light onto Pageland Lane. After approximately 1 mile take the first left onto Artemus Road. Stay on Artemus for another mile and farm will be on the left (5770 Artemus Road). More information on the farm tour: <a href="http://www.pwcfarmtour.com/">http://www.pwcfarmtour.com/</a> We're also having a sale on our cattle hay, effective immediately. We're selling this year's cattle hay (large square bales) for $10/bale and last year's for $5/bale. This is a major markdown. Be sure to reserve a bale or two! If you're wanting to stock up for the winter, now is the time! We have some really nice horse quality hay as well. Call for pricing/availability. Delivery is available. The farm is always open to visitors every Saturday from 9AM to 4PM. We are open year round, and regularly stock beef and pork items. Poultry items (except for eggs!) are available seasonally. Remember to bring your cooler/ice packs. We'd like to thank everyone for their continued patience, patronage, and cooperation with us. If you have any questions or comments, feel very free to give us a holler! See you soon! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms No Food PS - Be sure to follow us on twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/">http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 02:03:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter July 2009 Friends: Summer is now in full swing at Smith Family Farm. As is typical of the summer months in Virginia, the weather is beautiful, the grass is growing, and the animals are thriving. After implementing a rotational grazing system here on the farm, we've noticed some very positive changes. The grass grows taller and healthier, shading the ground, helping to retain moisture in the soil. The topsoil is deeper. And we've seen an explosion of grassland habitats, and native insect and bird populations. It's truly wonderful to see and experience firsthand. Speaking of rotational grazing -- a popular item on our menu has been our pastured chicken -- and they're selling out every week, so be sure to reserve yours! Likewise, our pullets (a young female chicken) are maturing wonderfully. Haymaking season is upon us as well. There's plenty of chemical-free horse-quality hay to go around! Feel free to inquire about the specifics (grass types and blends, prices, etc). Delivery is available. We have a couple news items that need to be addressed, so let's take care of those ASAP. First off, we'll be leaving the Heritage Hunt Farmers Market (The Marque at Heritage Hunt, Gainesville, VA) indefinitely. Second, we'll be doing two new farmers markets, effective immediately (very excited!). The first new market we'll be attending is the Crystal City Farmers Market. This market is located in the 1800 Block of Crystal Dr (along the sidewalk of Crystal Drive between 18th and 20th streets). We'll be there on Tuesdays from 3PM-7PM. Approximate address: 1850 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202. More info: <a href="http://www.crystalcity.org/events/473/Farmers'-Market">http://www.crystalcity.org/events/473/Farmers'-Market</a> The second new market is located at the Merrifield Garden Center in Gainesville, VA (near Nissan Pavilion). We'll be at this market on Fridays from 3PM-7PM. Approximate address: 6895 Wellington Road, Gainesville, VA 20156. Garden Center phone: 703-368-1919. Other vendors will be selling coffee, fresh produce, pastries, pies, cookies, canned goods, salsa, baskets, and so much more! Our fledgling home goods and canning endeavor (Hog Branch Cannery) is taking off, and we're selling out each week. Check it out online for more info: <a href="http://www.beefandhayproducer.com/hogbranchcannery">http://www.beefandhayproducer.com/hogbranchcannery</a>. We're working really hard on the on-farm store and it's coming along great! Please keep in mind that the farm is open to visitors every Saturday from 9AM to 4PM. You are more than welcome to come any other day of the week--we just ask that you call beforehand to make sure someone is there to assist you. Bring a cooler! As always, if you have questions, comments, or concerns (or special requests!) we encourage you to contact us at any time. Again, we sincerely thank you for your continued patronage. See you soon! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms No Food PS - Be sure to follow us on twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/">http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:47:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter June 2009 Friends: With the days of winter now far behind us, we excitedly look forward to the days of summer. Here at the farm we are surrounded by life and activity (understatement?). Calves are being born on a daily basis. Our new hens are starting to lay. Baby chicks arrive in monthly intervals. The piglets provide a large percentage of our entertainment for the day--we love to watch them romp and play and get into all sorts of shenanigans. Those of you who are familiar with us know that we are more interested in good stewardship than the proverbial bottom line. We try our best to extend this policy into every facet of our operation. The eventual goal of this stewardship is to become as self-sustaining as possible. This includes reducing our dependence on industrial corn, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and, of course, petroleum. Although we don't always meet these goals perfectly, we are steadily working towards them. In hopes of reducing our petroleum footprint in 2009 and beyond, we've begun researching bio-diesel technology for use in our trucks and tractors. If anyone has advice or experience with using bio-diesel, please contact us. Since our last correspondence, there have been some new developments that we're excited to mention. First, our website has received a new design (still in it's beta stages), with hopes that it will enhance your browsing experience. Navigation has improved and we've integrated our farmer's market schedule in a more streamlined fashion. Speaking of farmers markets, take a look at which ones we're currently attending this year: <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com/farmers-markets/">http://beefandhayproducer.com/farmers-markets/</a> Something new is cookin' here at Smith Family Farm. We've begun to add a couple items to our product list. Effective immediately, we are offering home canned fruits and veggies, home made pies, breads, casseroles and lots more. We hope you like them! The pies and breads are selling fast! If you'd like to see something that we currently don't offer, feel free to give us a holler. For more information, or for a partial list of these new offerings visit us online: <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com/hogbranchcannery/">http://beefandhayproducer.com/hogbranchcannery/</a> For those living near the Gainesville, VA area, we encourage you to visit us. To relieve some confusion we've decided to establish regular farm hours where you can come out to purchase meats, baked and canned goods, or just to visit and see how the animals are raised. We will be open every Saturday from 9AM to 4PM. You are more than welcome to come any other day of the week--we just ask that you call beforehand to make sure someone is there to assist you. A couple things are coming up in the near term, so let me address them quickly. Very shortly we will begin haying--so we encourage our hay customers to contact us as soon as you can. The early bird gets the worm! Likewise, we still have plenty of mulch hay--please inquire about discounts. Also, we'll be butchering our 1st set of meat birds this week, so be sure to look for our fresh chickens, giblets, chicken feet, etc., at the farmers market. We'd like to thank everyone for your patience, patronage, and cooperation with us in 2008. It was a fruitful year, complete with both it's trials and blessings. If you have a special request, comment, question or concern we encourage you to contact us any time. Again, we sincerely thank you for your continued patronage. See you soon! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 <a href="http://beefandhayproducer.com">http://beefandhayproducer.com</a> No Farms No Food PS - Be sure to follow us on twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/">http://twitter.com/smithfamilyfarm/</a>

News from Smith Family Farm

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter December 2008 Hi all: We hope everyone enjoyed their holiday last week. Just a quick note concerning the Christmas/New Year turkeys. We will be processing turkeys on December 18 and 19. You're more than welcome to come out to the farm (see address below) on those dates, between 2PM and 4PM to pick up your turkeys, beef cuts, and pork cuts. Alternatively, for those of you who can't make it out to the farm, I'm going to be at the Vienna farmer's market on Saturday, December 20, from 11AM to 12 Noon (1 hour only), to deliver turkeys, along with the usual beef cuts, pork cuts, etc: Vienna Farmers Market 131 Church St NE Vienna, VA 22180 www.viennafarmersmarket.com The Vienna Farmers Market takes place in the Caboose Parking Lot (corner of Church Street and Dominion Road, NE). If these dates and times don't work for you, you can come to the farm Sunday (12/21), Monday (12/22), or Tuesday (12/23) between 2PM and 4PM to pick up your turkeys. We are selling these turkeys on a first come, first served basis--unless you've made a deposit, or have made other prior arrangements. We will try our best to accommodate everyone, but if you haven't made a deposit, please call for availability. Thanks for bearing with us as this was our first year raising turkeys. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call. On a side note, we still have a good supply of hay left (horse-quality hay & cattle hay, large square bales), although it's quickly dwindling. These last couple weeks have been seasonally cold, so if you're needing to stock up for the winter, now would be a good time. Delivery can be arranged. Also, we're getting a lot of positive feedback concerning the prospective buying clubs. We'd like to thank all of the folks willing to be club leaders and offer insight and help organize this thing. We are still in the process of drafting a buying protocol, and we'll let you guys know of the drop points/club leaders as soon as we can. Ideally, we'd like to start making drops by February, 2009, if not sooner. If you need any additional info per the buying club, please contact Jason at beefandhayproducer ( at ) gmail ( dot ) com. Here at the farm, we get a lot of voicemail and email--we sincerely appreciate all the support! Customer service is one of our priorities--we try our best to be prompt and considerate in each of our replies. But, we are full-time farmers. As much as we'd like to have a P.R. department, we simply don't have the personnel to respond to every email and voicemail. We love all the calls and email, and we want you to feel free to contact us, but please don't take it personally if we don't respond in a timely manner. We appreciate your consideration. See you soon! Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 beefandhayproducer.com No Farms No Food

News from Smith Family Farm

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter November 2008 Hi all: We want to thank you folks for being so patient with us this year regarding fall turkeys. I wanted to let everyone know that I'm going to be at a couple locations this next week to deliver turkeys, along with the usual beef cuts, pork cuts, etc. This next Tuesday, November 25, from 11AM to 12 Noon (1 hour only), I'll be at the Palisades' farmers market: Palisades' Farmers Market 48th Place NW @ MacArthur Blvd Washington, DC 20007 palisadesfarmersmarket.com Then, this next Wednesday, November 26, from 11AM to 12 Noon (1 hour only), I'll be at the Vienna farmer's market: Vienna Farmers Market 131 Church St NE Vienna, VA 22180 viennafarmersmarket.com The Vienna Farmers Market takes place in the Caboose Parking Lot (corner of Church Street and Dominion Road, NE). If you can't make it to any of these markets to pick up your turkey(s), you can come to the farm (see address below) this next Monday (11/24), Tuesday (11/25), or Wednesday (11/26) between 2PM and 4PM. If these times aren't good, please call and we'll set something up. Again, we'd like to apologize for the short notice, and the delay in getting back with you guys. This being our first year raising turkeys--we've just been so overwhelmed with the demand. Remember to bring your cooler/ice packs. Our desire at Smith Family Farm is to make our all-natural, grass-fed meats easily available to our neighbors here in Northern Virginia and beyond. Keeping this principle in mind, we're exploring new possibilities for 2009. In lieu of an eventual on-farm store, still slated for 2009, we want to remind everyone that you are very welcome to visit the farm anytime. We have no trade secrets, we have nothing to hide. All we ask is that you call beforehand to make sure someone is there to assist you. Another project we're working on is the concept of regional buying clubs. The goal of these buying clubs is to consolidate orders from a number of customers and deliver them to a central location, typically a customers home. Each buying club is organized by a club leader who will host each drop-off, and will be awarded a bonus for organizing the club, etc. The club leader enlists members of their community to join them in the buying club. Depending upon the size of each club deliveries can be made monthly, bi-monthly, or whatever the club leader deems appropriate. Initially we're wanting to start out small and limit our drops to within 40 miles of the farm until we get the hang of things. In this newsletter we wanted to put out feelers and see what you guys think. If anyone is interested in creating or participating in these prospective buying clubs, or if you want to weigh in and give any general advice, please contact Jason Caldwell, who will be managing this project, at beefandhayproducer ( at ) gmail ( dot ) com. As always, we're very appreciative of all the support you folks give us. My best, Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 beefandhayproducer.com No Farms No Food

News from Smith Family Farm

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:00:00 GMT

Smith Family Farm Newsletter November 2008 Friends: I hope you're doing well so far this fall. Another bountiful season is coming to a close here in Northern Virginia. It's truly a beautiful time of the year. A crisp northwestern breeze cooling you off after a long day. The leaves are turning--the scarlet maples were a brilliant shade of red this year. Fragile calves, knees buckling, learning to walk. Apple cider. The smell of hay--still green--silently poised with an air of expectation surrounding them. Just letting you all know of some news of note. I'm going to be at the Palisades' farmers market this Sunday, November 16, 9AM1PM, sorry for the short notice! Palisades' Farmers Market 48th Place NW @ MacArthur Blvd Washington, DC 20007 palisadesfarmersmarket.com The Palisades market is officially over for the 2008 season, but I'm going to try to come in every other week or so, until the market launches back up in the spring. I'll keep you posted on that. I will have a full truck of fresh Angus beef cuts, pork cuts, whole roasters, etc. Oh and eggs plenty of eggs ... email me with any special requests before I head out on Sunday. On Tuesday, November 18th, we hope to start processing our turkeys. I will be in touch, this week, with those who've made deposits. We also have a fair amount of hay left (horse-quality hay & cattle hay, large square bales). As always, we encourage you to stock up early in the winter, because as soon as the cold weather settles in, we run out quickly. Also, I want to let you know that at any time throughout the year you're more than welcome to come out the farm and pick up your order, just remember to call first. Lots of ideas are still in the works. By next year (or sooner!), we hope to have an on-farm store up and operational. We have a lot of friends in toward the DC Metro area, who can't make it out to the Gainesville area all that often, so with them in mind, next year we're scheduled to continue our participation in the usual farmers markets around the DC area. We're very appreciative of all the support you've given us throughout the years. As always, we also appreciate any questions, comments, or concerns, etc. We'd also like some feedback regarding the on-farm store; which hours of operation are good, etc. Stay tuned. Leigh Smith Smith Family Farm 5770 Artemus Road Gainesville, VA 20155 Cell: 571-220-0017 beefandhayproducer.com No Farms No Food