Tangerines are on the tables this weekend.

Hear ye! Hear ye!  I have really great news!  I am excited to announce there has been a change on pricing for the Farm Dinner "Dine under the Stars". The farm has received unexpected funding and with all of the donations from the Stage Line Ranch, Scottsdale Beer Company and Arizona Culinary Institute (ACI), the price of the dinner will cost only 75.00 dollars per ticket.  All whom have paid the higher ticket price has two choices, they may request a refund or leave it alone and donate it to the farm, it's up to them.  It's a screaming deal…oh my!! I just heard someone scream "75.00 dollars, that's a screaming deal"!  That's right, the high quality dinner, the grass-fed beef and Doug Ledger, managing partner of the Scottsdale Beer Company is going to make a special ale just for the dinner.  It's going to be a fantastic event.

Andrea, the event coordinator has a beautiful plan for the farm stand which includes elegant lighting, fabulous table settings, a cool parting gift and much more.  Doug, will be setting up his tables with three maybe four ale varieties including a special ale for the event.  Stage Line Ranch is donating the brisket and or baron of beef.  ACI will be serving up a beautiful five-star dinner with all of the fixin's from the farm.

Tentatively the menu will have several different dishes prepared with beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, broccoli and cauliflower and of course the tangelo sorbet ice cream and tangelo pound cake.

The owners of the business will be attending the meal and will speak about their business and how they farm or make their products.  I will narrate the bee story, "The Queen's Journey", it's an interesting event about apis mellifera.

Of course, after dessert if you would like to stay awhile and drink a few spirits and spin the night's event, it's always a fun time to get to know each other a little better and make plans for the next year's dinner.

I will be a guest speaker on one of the valley's popular radio show called "Into the Soup". Talk radio host Heidi Lee has invited me to speak about the farm and the dinner.  The show airs each Saturday from 12 noon to 1 p.m. and on February 20, 2016 I will be a guest on her show.  KWSS Radio dial 93.9   FM.

For the farm dinner and into the future I have partnered with a non-profit organization named UMOM.  A percentage of the proceeds from the dinner will be donated to UMOM.   They provide shelter and training in the culinary arts to those less fortunate. It's a spectacular program and they are highly regarded here in AZ. Their web address is www.umom.org.  Jon Woodgate is the executive head chef for this non-profit.  This is a way I can give back to help those whom are in need and it's my way of paying it forward.  I have been blessed to have wonderful support from so many caring people, so now it's my turn to give back.  The dinner capacity for this years event is offering 100/125 seats and all of us involved are looking forward to a night filled with fresh country air, delicious food, nights sounds from the hoot owls, crickets, Tarzan calling Jane and awesome people laughing, cheering and toasting to a successful delectable dinner under the stars.

This old gal is the beginning of spring on the farm, Ye old Almond Tree.  She is nearly 50 years old and still going strong. She has many an earthworm under her canopy keeping the soil fertile for her roots to stay strong and healthy.

Here are the market locations this weekend:

The Farm Stand in Tonopah, AZ – Saturday from 8 to noon

Penlina Farmers Market – Saturday from 9 to 1 p.m. Please note there is a location change beginning this weekend.  The new location for the market is 14120 N. 79th Ave.  Peoria, AZ 85382  It's just north of Thunderbird on 79th Avenue.  This will be a permanent move.  

St. Philip's Farmers Market – Sunday from 9 to 1 p.m. in Tucson, AZ

A side note.  Many people are asking where are the eggs.  There are not very many eggs being laid right now.  The laying hens are old and they are coming to the end of their cycle.  As daylight increases and the cold disappears, more hens will lay but not all of them.  The flock size has dwindled down to about 150.  About one in a half to two dozen eggs are laid a day, 18 to 24 eggs out of 150 is not a good ratio. If you want eggs, the farm stand is the only place to purchase them.  Now, it's possible eggs could go on a rotational basis meaning one week at Penlina, the next week at CLF market if there are more to share other than the farm stand.  Sorry, if you didn't get eggs but farmer Rob doesn't lay eggs for the chickens. There are no promises to have eggs at other markets, it's just the way it is.  Until new chicks are ordered and raised to laying age, this is what the farm has to offer right now. You can think of it as a partial crop failure like freezing temperatures crushed the salad greens or a bug infestation eating the sweet potato vines…with that said, here is the veggie list.

Broccoli

Napa Cabbage

Swiss Chard

Spinach

Baby Kale

Tonopah Salad Mix

Watermelon Radishes

Red Stem Turnips

French Turnips

Beets

Green Cabbage

Brussels Sprouts

Lemons

Grapefruit

Tangerines

Carrots

maybe a surprise or two

two over grown fat cats named Cerrah and Shelbie

Help Wanted:

Position is part and can be full time. Tobacco/drug free environment.  Must be able to lift 75/100lbs.  A multitude of duties include preparing and selling at farmers markets, weed pulling, tending of animals, aquaponic greenhouse work, harvesting vegetables, tractor and forklift driving and anything else that needs to be done on the farm. Wage is determined on experience.  Most hourly work begins around 8.50/hr. Sometimes there is an abundance of produce that is shared and taken home during the week.  Please send an email or call 623 386 3033.