As the end of the year draws to a close, its time to look back over 2011 and determine if it was a good year or a bad one. I really thought that 2011 would be better than 2010, after all we lost our Mother in 2010 and the weather wasn’t kind but I’m beginning to think 2011 hasn’t been so good. I lay awake at night and worry, not about the normal things like will my family and I have good health or will the economy get better or who might win the next Presidential election. I lay awake at night and worry if we can hold the bank off from foreclosure for a few more months but lately the thing that is keeping me up at night is the lawsuit our neighbors have filed against us. It doesn’t just keep me up at night but occupies lots of our time. Instead of spending time feeding animals and plowing the fields, we have to spend time with our attorney and work on paperwork for depositions. I’m amazed that city folks with unlimited resources can move to the country and start making new rules. So instead of using some of our Mother’s life insurance to pay off debts and hold the bank off a little longer, we are paying attorney fees. Life is never fair, I learned that at an early age but just once I’d like to catch a break and be looking back on the year as it ends and say “this has been a good year”.
When I have time to do farm work, we are still cleaning up the vegetable fields to get ready to plant next year’s crop. Feeding animals is an everyday job even on the weekends and Christmas. We’ll be gathering eggs then washing them and boxing them everyday regardless of the holidays. Pigs are smart but even they don’t know it’s Christmas day and wouldn’t care if they knew, they still need to eat and drink water.
We are still doing last minute gift boxes and have lots of eggs available so if you need that last minute gift, we have them. We have begun to sell CSA vegetable shares for next year, if you want to get in on that just let me know. We will actually be planting onions and potatoes in February. We are low on beef cuts but have 2 calves at the processor that will be available after the first of the year. We have lots of chicken both whole and parts. We also have most of the pork cuts available.
Our crew is still available to do odd jobs, rake leaves, clean houses, wash windows, cut back shrubbery, you name it and we’ll try to do it. Very little money coming in but we need to take care of our people so if you have that job you’ve been holding off on, call me and let’s see if we can knock it out for you.
Check out our updated and fresh website http://www.legarefarms.com. We’re still working on it and hope to continue to make it better all the time but it’s much better than it was. If you have any pictures from a visit to the farm and would like to share them either on the website or facebook, please send them to us.
Feature of the Month
Community Supported Agriculture vegetable program. This will be the 5th year for Legare Farms to offer a vegetable program. If you’re not familiar with how a CSA works, you buy a share in our vegetable crop and then we deliver vegetables to you for 15 weeks—9 weeks in spring/summer and then 6 weeks in the fall. Our CSA is a little different from others because we stay with the vegetables during pick up so that we can form that relationship with you. I can’t form a community with you unless I get to know you and you know get to know me and my family. More info is on our website http://www.legarefarms.com along with the form to complete to join.
Special of the Month
Not to be redundant but we have a lot of chicken in the freezer so I’m making the whole chickens the special again this month. Normal price is $4.50 per pound and on sale this month for $4.00 per pound. The chicken is anti-biotic and hormone free. Very healthy!!!
Calendar
March 23-25– Battle of Charleston
March and April– Chicken and Egg Field Trips
April–Rent A Chick
April– start of CSA vegetable deliveries
June 11-15 Summer Camp ages 6-8 years old
June 18-22 Summer Camp ages 9-11 year olds
July 18-22 Summer Camp ages 6-8 year old
July 23-27 Summer Camp 9-11 year olds
Volunteer of the Month
Arliene Sports
Arliene is our new webmaster. I think she will be a volunteer of the month for a long time. She is doing a bang up job.
Education Foundation
The Education Foundation still needs volunteers especially an electrician. We also have a Wish List of things we need. All are tax dedutible.
Recipe of the Month
There were lots of fruit cake recipes in my Momma’s and both Grandmother’s recipes. I think fruit cake is a crime against nature. Where else can you find green cherries. However because of the holiday season I decided to share this with you. I have no advice on making fruit cake since I’ve never made one and I don’t plan on ever making one.
This recipe came from Sharon Jenkins who was one of the most interesting neighbors we ever had. This is one of the few fruit cakes that I will eat.
Fruit Cake
1 lb. red and green candied cherries
1 lb. candied pineapple
1 lb. dates
2 ½ cups nuts
2 cans flaked coconut
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups condensed milk.
Chop all fruit and nuts, mix well and add flour. Then add sweetened condensed milk. Mix well. Bake in tube pan lined with was paper at 325 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Then 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn upside down and remove wax paper as soon as you take it out of the oven.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and Happy New Year from the Legare Family and all of our crew. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and have a fantastic New Year with no worries and you can always sleep at night.
Helen Legare-Floyd
Legare Farms
2620 Hanscombe Pt. Rd.
Johns Island, SC 29455
843-559-0788
https://www.legarefarms.com
legarefarms@bellsouth.net
www.facbook.com/legarefarms
Legare Farms