*Update Policies*

We hope that this letter finds everyone doing well and enjoying their summer. This letter is to inform you of some important changes to the farm's policies. We have had to change certain aspects of the policies due to the growing number of customers we have visiting the farm on a daily basis. These new policies will be implemented immediately and we ask that you observe these new policies on all future visits to the farm in order to keep the farm safe and enjoyable for everyone.

1. The farm has changed the hours of operation to 9am - 7pm Monday - Saturday and 12pm - 4pm on Sunday. The driveway is gated and the farm will only be accessible during the farm's hours of operation. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. If you need to make a pick-up after closing, we ask that you make prior arrangements at least 24 hours in advance. In addition, if you call the farm after hours, please leave a message and your call will be returned the following day. 
2.  Please observe the 10mph speed limit and keeps vehicles on the driveway. This helps Mr. Wisecarver to maintain the road & ditches for water control, and helps keep the dust down.  The farm is providing a safe place- sometimes there are children walking in the driveway. Please keep in mind that we have several animals that are not fenced in and have access to the driveway that we do not wish to be hit.
3. We ask that you keep your children with you at arms length at all times. This is to ensure their safety. We have many pieces of farm equipment out in the open that pose a possible threat to their safety and we are  finding that some of the pieces of equipment are missing important parts. We also have a variety of animals and some of these animals do not cope very well with strangers. Contact with strangers negatively affects their health.  We depend on our animals as a source of income and we don't want their health affected. While in the farm shop, we ask that you not allow your little ones to touch the times we have on consignment from other businesses. This will help to ensure that the farm will not have to pay for any damages.
4. Everyone, when signing for the Cow Share Program, was given 3 sets of milk jars per share. This is to ensure that there is a set of jars per share at the farm every week.   We  are currently having a problem with jars not being returned, and missing lids on returned jars. If lids are not on the jars, there is always a possibility of dirt and contamination prior to filling the jar with milk .In the past, Pine Grove Farm has supplied extra jars to the Cow Share Owner when the owners have not returned their weekly jars. We have done so in order that the full quantity of the share can be filled for the Cow Share Owner the following week. We will no longer be able to provide this free service of the extra, free, jars due to the increase of cost. Pine Grove Farm will only fill the jars returned for the following week, unless the share owner continues to have their 3rd set of jars here at the farm.  The third set is to ensure that, if the jars are not returned for that week, the following week your share will be filled per the contract.  Every Cow Share Owner should have an extra set of jars here at the farm per share at all times. 

We  understand that there are many exciting things to see here at the farm, but we ask that you respect our time as we are very busy here  everyday and rarely have a moment to spare. We don't want to offend anyone, or come across as being rude, so we are in the process of finalizing a calendar of events with specific days that well allow  you and your family to spend some times here at the farm and get to know us and our farm hands better. We are not trying to ignore anyone; we are just extremely busy trying to make Pine Grove Farm more productive.

Please keep your eyes open for the calendar of events and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call. We appreciate your understanding and compliance with the new policies.

Sincerely,
Jeff & Teresa
aka
The Farmer & The Farmer's Wife

                     
   

Auntie Em!!

Although we  never quite felt the need to run for the storm cellar,  (and we never did see that woman flying by on a bike.. . ) , the storm that hit our area last week was freakish to say the least, and reminded us all of the fact that God is on His throne and in control, to say the most.

Storm warnings went out on the radio and telly. But that is something we get a few times a season, so no big worry there. The Farmer was working on his  Loader  down near the creek bottom and the Farmer's Wife was in the house.

The storm hit. It was the strangest storm in our memory. First the rain would come in from the left and hit the windows, then it would swirl around and come in from the right, THEN it would change direction once again and hit us straight on. Some parts in the area look as if a tornado touched down, ripped up the trees, and went away. Once things began to look dangerous, the Farmer's Wife thought it'd be most prudent to position herself in the most structurally sound area of the house. She figured SURELY The Farmer would be coming in any minute. He didn't.

The Farmer was in the creek bottom. It has very narrow, steep walls and most of the storm was going right over his head. He was just working away on the loader.
The Wife calls the Farmer on his cell "Are you alright???"
"What do you mean, 'am I alright?' " he asks

Just at about that point the storm hit him. Hard. He immediately lifted the tracks off of the ground so that he'd stop being a conductor. (That whole lightening thing) Once that was done, he still had to wait out the storm because he was under the trees and debris was falling all over and on top of the loader. Large branches were falling from trees and some of our oldest trees snapped right off near the base.

Once the storm appeared to be letting up. The Farmer decided to make  a run for the house. He didn't get far. When he was in  the open field, the Storm came back with all of it's ferocity. He made a bee line to the barn, and there he waited out the rest of the Storm. At least there, he was in view of the house and The Wife could see he was, indeed, safe.

Whew.

This picture was taken after the storm had passed. Can you see the rainbow?)

In the quiet of the Storm's passing, we realized it was TOO quiet. You know, the kind of no-electrical-motors-running kind of quiet. Yup, you guessed it. We were without power.
                                              For NINE hours.
We lost over 35 gallons of milk along with everything else.
But.
On the good side? We have some of the best cow share holders who were all very understanding and concerned. Everyone was quite understanding to the problem.







These next ones all happened to the same tree, right where most of our animals either live, or are worked. This tree just split in areas and dropped a few large limbs







Here is where the cows line up to be milked, and to hang out in general. Although you can't get too good of a scope, it really is a large branch:





Just a small amount of the debris we had to deal with:


Thank you for all of you concern, understanding, and patience during the power outage folks!

Just a final reminder from God that He keeps His promises:

*All in a Day's Work*

Did you know that The Farmer also has his own excavation business?

 Yes-sir-eee-bob.



Why, for years now, he's been helping people by digging their home's foundations,


Or dig their pond, excavate a hillside, or re-crown their driveway.


Why, The Farmer has helped dig, plow, or otherwise move earth just about anyhow and anywhere for any reason.

 He'll even take time out to take this silly photo shoot. Yup, nothin' but
work
work
 work.

Reserve Your Space Now!

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

It seems that we have had  a few seats come available in our Cheese Making 101 class set for August 7. Our space is still very limited, so we wanted to offer these few openings to everyone. You can register right here on  the blog! Just click on EMAIL on the right column. Once we've responded to you, then you'll be able to pay your $15 deposit through paypal at pastymes@visuallink.com . Or, if you're old fashioned just pop us a check in the mail or leave it in the shop. Easy-peazy!

We're super excited about this class, and there will be more classes and doings on The Farm in the months to come! Stay tuned everyone!

 

~Cheese Making 101 part 2~

It is our pleasure to RE-announce our Cheese Making 101! The new date for the class is Aug. 7.  from 10-12. Now, due to the overwhelming response and interest in this class, we are offering it on a first-come-first-served basis. Space is limited, so sign up early. ($15 deposit due @ registration) The price is still $35 (this means remaining $20 due day of class) 

Interest is SO large for this class, that we are working now to get the next class scheduled with the teacher. However, because we don't know when this will be, you shouldn't Provolone signing up for this class. (Sorry, couldn't help myself)

Just drop an email, or give the Farm a call!

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We also want to announce our new Farm Hours. (For Cow Share Owners only)

Mon- Sat. 9am- 7pm

Sunday 12-4pm

(If you are interested in becoming a Cow Share Owner, or if you want information on the other services we provide- then by appointment only at this time.)

Thanks for making a note of this change.

~To Bless Another~

So, Saturday begins with chores- just like any other farm day. But then we get a call from Sis up in Michigan. It appears that a friend's son from her church is in need of some help. Can we possibly give it to him?

http://www.80daysacrossamerica.com/

It appears that Ben's bike is having some mechanical problems and we are the closest folk with the ability to help. So The Farmer hops into his truck at 9:30 pm and drives out to Jefferson, MD where Ben is stranded. Together they loaded the bike and all of his gear into the truck and drive back to the Farm. Ben sleeps here and it is so wondreful to be able to share what we have with him. It's amazing how God brings us all together in times of need.

Sunday morning dawns and the Farmer and Ben drive into Winchester. They take the bike and Ben into Element Sports to see about getting the bike fixed. The folk there are so much more than helpful, going over every inch of Ben's bike plus fixing the broken small gear thingy for a very nominal fee.

After the bike is fixed, the Farmer returns Ben to Jefferson, MD. so that he can resume his trek across America.

Good luck, Ben. Our prayers are with you.

Please Don't be Bleu...

Cheese accept our apolocheese. 
Our much anticipated  Cheese Making 101 class has been Provoloned.

Back in the late 1800's, Fromage when the farm house was being built, I doubt there was much interest in electricity.But our wiring is old and sometimes life intervenes. How wonderful it would be if, when things did happen around here, we could fix them immediately....

So our Cheese Class is being set back, and as soon as we get things up and running here in the kitchen again, we'll give everyone advanced notice.  There's Stilton's of interest for this class so much so that all of  you couldn't fit into one time slot. (How wonderful is that?!!?) So if our new date (when we get it) isn't Gouda for your schedule, we'll be able to put you in the following class. After all, everyone will then be able to make their own cheese and Edam up!

Ok, OK, I think I've milked this cheese-pun thing for long enough now..seriously, I'm Feta up..