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Most
Recent Update -
04/19/2007
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Farm Store Now Open Daily from 8
to 6 |
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We should have our own strawberries
in the farm store about June 15th. U-Pick strawberries will start on about
the 20th. Cool weather will slow everything down while very warm weather
will make it all happen sooner, so stay in touch. |
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Welcome
to the Cider Hill Farm update page. If we can stay on top of everything,
this is where you will find the scoop on all of the current happenings
at the farm. Check for fresh photos, picking updates, and anything
else going on that we think you should know. You might even find
a picture of someone you recognize! |
| It is amazing to think that the Mother's Day deluge of 2006 is less than two weeks behind us, but the transformation is amazing. The photos below show the farm as it was at the height of the storm. | |
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| Today the farm is back to normal and, in fact, even better than normal because the flood washed out the down stream beaver dams and lowered the stream height and water table to their pre-beaver levels of 20 years ago. The week prior to the storm, our peach orchard was in full bloom under a blue sky and perfect bee-flight conditions, so we are expecting a great peach crop. The apples bloomed equally well but their timing was a bit off as peak bloom coincided with the Mother's Day weekend. (Note the colorless sky over the apple bloom versus the beautiful blue sky over the peaches.) However, we believe that there was just enough favorable bee weather at the very beginning and the very end of the apple bloom so that we should be OK. In addition, our bees are a particularly hard working and loyal crew, so we know they were out there trying their best in spite of the weather. |
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Greeting everyone this year
on their arrival to the farm is a new welcoming sign that Eleanor designed
and created this past winter. A smaller version will soon take its place
up closer to the farm store. |
| Visitors
to the farm this spring will get to see our newest residents, as yet un-named.
We think they have some bulldozer genes in their ancestry as they spent
most of their days plowing up the ground. Every now and then, though,
they stop to remind us that its dinner time.
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This is the
horticulture season and Grigore and his crew have done wonders again with
their wide range of decorative pots and hangers as well as every kind
of annual bedding plant you might need. The herb, vegetable and perennial
plant selection is also outstanding. The outside display continues to
see daily additions and the sales greenhouse is packed |
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Gail, Barbara, and Cailin, ably assisted by
Cindy, Anne Marie, and Heather have transformed the farm store with new
displays and the addition of a wide range of enticing gift, deli, and
gourmet items (including frozen chicken and turkey pies, marinated meats
from the Danvers and Newburyport Butchery, new Boston Salad items and
a wonderful selection of smoked cheeses). The photos below provide just
a sampling of their work. |
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| Fresh fruits and vegetable have always been the cornerstone of our farm store offerings and we are pleased to continue that tradition this spring. The photos below show the current display, a range of items that will rapidly expand in number as we move through our farm harvest seasons. | |
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| Last, but certainly not least, we want to call attention to our bakery and the work that Regina is doing to offer our customers a wide rang of new items, along with her justly famous fresh fruit muffins. And of course we'll keep those cider donuts rolling off the assembly line. It wouldn't be fair to deny any of our donut lovers their daily treat. The fellow on the right was spotted a week ago heading for the farm store, We think he is coming for a donut too, but we'll have to post an update when he arrives in another week or two. | |
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| We
would love to receive your comments or questions on this update page and
would welcome suggestions on information that you would like to see presented
here. Email us at CONTACT@CIDERHILL.COM |
