Lazaro Aleman: Greene Publishing, Inc.
Looking for something fun and natural to do? The 11th annual farm tour -- set this year for Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 13-14 -- is being billed as "the perfect family weekend, a great outdoor escape and a regional tradition."
Hosted for the second year by the Millstone Plantation, which describes itself as a folk school and agricultural/sustainability education center in Leon County, the event features 29 operations, several of them new, and three in Madison County.
Following, in alphabetical order, are the three local participating farms and agricultural-related businesses in Madison County, along with a brief description of each and their offerings.
Deep Roots Meat, located at 11061 West US Hwy. 90, in Greenville, is owned and operated by the Platt family and sells all grass (forage) fed nutrient dense beef from their ranch straight to your dinner table in individual USDA-inspected packages. During the farm tour, Deep Roots Meat will be selling ground beef, New York strip, rib-eye, sirloin, tenderloins, old fashioned bologna, sausage and other delicious treats. Hay-ride farm tours will be given on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 14, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Samples of their beef will be given before and/or after the tours. For more information, call the Platt family at (850) 948-6202. You may also go online to deeprootsmeat.com, facebook.com/deeprootsmeat or email them at deeprootsmeat@yahoo.com.
Earthshine Acres Farm, owned and operated by Jessie Nowak, is a small farm dedicated to raising endangered Gloucestershire Old Spot and Ossabaw Island pigs. Located at 12150 Ben Eakins Lane, in Eridu, Farm tours will be given on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the tours, pulled pork sandwhiches and sides will be served for a small donation. Earthshine Acres Farm will also have plenty of pork, chicken, duck eggs and goat's milk fudge for sale. On Sunday, Oct. 14, friends from the Frenchtown Farmer's Market will be available for your shopping pleasure. For more information, you may call Nowak at (850) 303-4810 or email her at jessi.nowak@gmail.com. You may also go online to earthsineacresfarm.com or facebook.com/earthsinearcesfarm.
Serenity Acres Farm, located at 438 NE English Ivy Trail, in Pinetta, is home to dairy goats, a herd of black Angus cattle, chickens and seven Pyrenees livestock protection dogs. The wholesome family farm produces goat milk, yogurt and other products like cheese, soaps and body cremes. On Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., enjoy a narrated hay-ride while visting the lovable goats, the milking parlor and other parts of the farm. You are asked to leave your pets at home as they are not allowed on the farm. You are also asked to wear comfortable clothing and closed toe shoes. For more information, call Julia Shewchuk at (850) 464-2115 or log onto serenitygoats.com. You may also log onto facebook.com/serenitygoats or email Shewchuk at info@serenitygoats.com.
Following, in alphabetical order, are the 11 participating farms and agricultural-related businesses in Jefferson County, along with a brief description of each and their offerings.
A&B Produce Farm is a family-owned and operated five-acre farm located at 1959 Freeman Rd., in Jefferson County. The farm grows a variety of fresh and organic vegetables, including broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, butternut squash and carrots, to name a few. "Our motto is proud to provide fresh produce from our garden to your table," say owners Allen and Bonnie Baasch. The two encourage people to come by, buy produce and get acquainted. "We love to meet new people who enjoy healthy food," the Baasches say. The farm will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. Contact Allen or Bonnie Baasch at (850) 519-0092 or email them at baaschdee@aol.com for more information or directions.
Clear Lake Farm is located at 15824 U.S. Hwy. 19, in Jefferson County. Visitors can see the various farm animals that assist in the operation, including goats, geese, pigs, chickens, turkeys and rabbits. Farm products available for purchase include chicken broilers, ground turkey breasts, free-range eggs, Boston butts, sausages, cutlets and more. Goat milk, cheese, yogurt and soap will also be sold, and lunches will be available for purchase, including chicken pot pie, white bean chili and pulled pork, plus other homemade treats. The farm will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. For more information, contact Christine Smith at (850) 251-5492, email her at christinefair4@gmail.com, or visit www.clearlakefarm.com.
Dickerson Farms is a sustainable farm and nursery located at 12 Hayfield Spur, in Jefferson County. It is described as being bucolic, surrounded by rolling hayfields and pinewoods. The operation grows a variety of vegetables, as well as raising chickens, rabbits, goats and donkeys; not to mention worms that serve in an agricultural practice known as vermiculture, whereby the worms break down vegetative waste and convert it into a natural fertilizer. The operation will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m Saturday, Oct. 13 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. Contact William Dickerson at (850) 422-3001, extension 4, or email him at accounting@dickersonlandscape.com.
Dyed 'N Wool Homestead is located at 291 Green Meadow Dr., in Jefferson County. It is described as a small, diversified "farmette" with woods, fruit trees, a vegetable-herb-dye garden, a small pasture and a small family of Shetland sheep that provide long-fibered, soft wool. The operation offers ongoing fiber arts demos on the weaving deck with looms and spinning wheel, paper-making tent and natural dye baths. "Visit the sheep, follow the natural dye scavenger trail, and help contribute to a handmade paper collage," says Alice Cappa. The farmette will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. For more information, contact Cappa at (850) 997-5505, or email her at acappa@alicacappa.com.
Florida/Georgia Citrus is located at 5314 Boston Hwy., in Jefferson County. The operation grows satsuma oranges as well as other varieties of citrus fruits. "We pick, juice and pack our fruit," say owners Kim and Angela Jones. "We will be providing tours of our packing shed and juicing rooms, videos of our citrus fields and live demonstrations on growing citrus." Citrus products will be available for purchase, as will products from other local producers. The operation will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. Contact the Joneses at (229) 224-7698, email them at agjones62@hotmail.com or visit www.floridageorgiacitrus.com.
Glendowner Farms is located at 12617 Ashville Hwy., in Jefferson County. This operation features pastured Iberian pigs, sustainably grown on one of Florida's oldest family farms. Grown in Spain for centuries, the meat of Iberian pigs is highly prized and costly, and Glendowner is one of a handful of operations raising these pigs in the U.S. The farm has contained as many as 600 pigs at one time, but has a more limited population presently. Still, there are plenty of piglets to enjoy and watch as they explore and root in the woods for insects, worms and acorns. "You will see the sows with the young piglets in their natural outdoor environment where they explore, root, wallow, nap and graze on high-quality forage," says owner Hines Boyd. For more information, call Boyd at (850) 570-8989, email glendownerfarms@gmail.com or visit www.glendownerfarms.com.
Golden Acres Ranch, LLC is a family-owned and operated small farm located at 704 Barnes Rd., in Jefferson County. Here visitors can see goats, sheep, chickens, guineas and Great Pyrenees dogs. The farm will also offer hayride tours and have a petting place where some of the animals can be fed and petted. Plus the farm has a country store that offers meats, eggs, jams and jellies, honey and soaps and other unique items, like Mayhaw products. Featured this year will be fiber products, including wool hand-felted dryer balls and woven rag rugs. Other area farmers and producers will also be there with their produce and products. The farm will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14. Contact Bobbie Golden at (850) 508-2607, email her at Bobbie.golden@gmail.com, or visit www.goldenacresranchflorida.com.
Johnston's Old Fashioned Meat Market is just what its name says, an old-timey meat market at 1480 West Washington St., in Monticello. Farmers from Florida and Georgia bring their animals to Johnston's to be processed. Visitors can get behind-the-scenes views of how meat is processed and packaged plus buy a selection of meats and other products. Johnston's, established in 1926, specializes in hickory smoked meats and homemade fresh sausages. A workshop on how to make sausage will be offered at 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, oct. 13, and 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sunday. Beef, chicken and pork products will be available for purchase. The market will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. For more information, call (850) 509-0926, email info@johnstons.com or visit www.johnstonsmeatmarket.com.
McClellan Family Farm is a small family farm located at 6151 Waukeenah Hwy., in Jefferson County. The farm specializes in cane syrup making, a practice it has been carrying on for six generations. "Come see the farm animals and syrup making," says Steve McClellan. "Take a ride on the cane harvest trailer and help harvest sugarcane." The farm will have bottles of cane syrup and cane vinegar for sale at $5 each, as well as seedling cane plants for $2 each. "We will be demonstrating making syrup and vinegar all day," McClellan says. The farm will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13. For more information, call (850) 792-5187 or email themcclellanfarm@gmail.com.
Monticello Vineyards and Winery is a farm/winery located at 1211 Waukeenah Hwy., in Jefferson County. A small winery that is encompassed by a 50-acre farm known as Ladybird Organics, the operation features batches of handcrafted wines made from organic Muscadine grapes. The wines are available to visitors for tasting and come in both semi-sweet and dry versions. Bottles of the wines are also available for purchase, as are worms, worm casting, starter worm bedding, grapes, grape vines and more. The winery will be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14. Contact Cynthia Connolly at (850) 294-WINE (9463), email her at CLCFARM@aol.com, or visit www.monticellowinery.com or www.ladybirdorganics.com.
Timber Bamboo Nursery is a farm/nursery located at 2181 Government Farm Rd., in Jefferson County. Bamboo has many uses, from ornamental to landscaping to poles, flooring and construction, according to owner David Harvey. "At Timber Bamboo we teach people not only how to raise this versatile plant, but we teach them how to grow it for profit," Harvey says. He promises to have ongoing discussions and presentations on how to grow and profit from bamboo, as well as offering plants and bamboo poles for sale. The presentations will even feature one on how to make bamboo vinegar, which Harvey claims makes a natural insect repellant. The nursery will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14. Contact Harvey at (850) 841-0459, email him at bambooplants@timberbamboonursery.com, or visit www.timberbamboonursery.com.