As summer fades away, we are ready to welcome fall and a new school year full of promise, memories and smiles. The start of school can mean a lot of things for different families and let’s be honest, life gets busy!  One way to stay organized and energized, as you and your family find your new routine, is to nourish your body with healthy foods. The thought of eating healthy can be intimidating, but we’ve chosen 5 of our favorite Great Country Farms Farm Market snacks  to feature this Market Monday to help you feel confident in fueling your family as you take on new beginnings. Happy back to school!

Apples 

One of the great things about the change in seasons is the new harvest. At the Great Country Farms, we expect to have a bounty of pick your own apples available to our guests. Not only are they healthy, but apples are great to use in so many different ways. Slice them, bake them, mash them, they are a go-to staple in our farm family kitchen! Add an extra protein boost by pairing with OmMade Peanut Butter from the Farm Market, create your own apple sauce and use these *reusable pouches* to make it easy to grab on the go!  Get the kids excited by bringing them to pick their own apples at the farm, beginning with Honeycrisp apples, August 28th! You can learn more about our Apple Gala and pick your own apples at Great Country Farms and buy tickets here!

Fresh Veggies or Salad

The sayings go way back in time, but tried and true, veggies are an awesome snack choice. It is a proven fact that people are more likely to choose a healthy snack when it is already prepared and easy to grab. It can be tempting to go for that bag of Fritos if you’re feeling “hangry” and you know that you have to chop, bake and season the healthier option. Set yourself up for success by spending an hour or two preparing veggies for easy access for you and your family. Stock up at your favorite local farm markets and make Sunday meal prep night. 

 

Nuts or Granola

In our Farm Market, we carry a variety of nuts and granola options. High in protein, these are an easy grab and go option for the whole family! Choose from a variety of flavors and add to your favorite to yogurt, trail mix, or just enjoy them as they come! We are proud to sell Michele’s Granola in our market. It is handmade in Maryland, all natural, and comes in a lot of fun flavors! Check out the Michele’s Granola website to read their incredible story.

 

Jerky

Full of protein, vitamins and minerals, jerky is another great option for your active lifestyle. Although not all jerky is made equally, we can assure you that the brands found in our market are top notch and equally delicious without the extra add-ins. We also offer beef sticks, a great grab and go protein snack that are from our local neighbors at Audley Farm. Grab from the pantry and store these in your backpack, purse, diaper bag or briefcase for perfect on the go convenience.

 

Crackers

In our market, we carry a variety of different crackers. We love this option because it can be made difference in so many easy ways. We recommend pairing with Upperville’s local Village Cheese Works cheese, one of our many jellies, butters,  or preserves or OmMade Peanut Butter all available in the Great Country Farms Market.. Check out this blog we found with cracker inspiration to enhance your  snacks and keep them interesting and fun for everyone to enjoy!

We wish you and your family a happy year of learning, adventure and fun! We look forward to seeing you out on the farm. For information on our upcoming events, visit our GreatCountryFarms.com. Don’t forget to sign up for our latest U-pick alerts here to stay in touch!

It’s Market Monday and we are nuts about it!  Peanut Butter is an essential for many families for school lunches and back to work.  This week’s feature is one of our favorites!

We are always amazed at the stories that business owners share about the passion and love for their products. Radhika Murari, founder of OmMade Peanut Butter, was a motivated mother eager to find a better way to fuel her son’s sports lifestyle diet. Unable to find a healthy option that also matched her son’s preferences, she began creating peanut butter recipes at home. At a fundraiser one day, someone told her how amazing her peanut butter was. Eventually, Radhika began selling her product at the local farmer’s market in Fairfax, Virginia and now she is featured on platforms like The Today Show, NBC, Food & Wine, and many more. Her story is a truly inspiring one and proof that nothing can stop a determined mother!

Why do we love them?

It’s no secret that there are a lot of processed foods in the United States. As farmers, we are passionate about choosing products to sell in our market that uphold the importance of natural food and are created without all of the extra “add ins”. The problem with most peanut butters sold in stores today is that they contain added oils, conventional flavoring, and added sugars. OmMade is created by using Virginia peanuts that are roasted and salted. There are no added oils. Another great thing about OmMade is that all of their unique flavors are gluten free and vegan. Did you know that using peanuts even  helps the environment? Now that is something we are excited to support!

 

How to indulge and enjoy:

OmMade has a delicious collection of tried and true recipes. Here are a few that we are excited to try! Pro Tip: It is almost apple picking season at Great Country Farms, pair this peanut butter with farm fresh apples for the perfect fall snack. 

OmMade Hors D’oeuvres: A quick and easy late night snack to pair with your favorite Bluemont Vineyard wine.

OmMade Vibrant Turmeric Peanut Butter Dip: The perfect dip for your farm fresh fruits and veggies.

OmMade Peanut Butter “Lilypad” Shake: The best way to fuel up before chasing your kids around the play area at GCF.

 

But wait, where can I get my hands on OmMade?

We are proud to sell OmMade in the market at Great Country Farms. OmMade is also sold at Whole Foods Markets in the local DMV area. To find OmMade near you, check out their website. They ship to 48 states in the United States!  Show the love by following them on social media to stay up to date on their latest happenings.

Instagram: @OMmadePB

 

Wait…what is Kombucha and can it be Mad Magic?

Have you heard the buzz over kombucha? People all around the world are taking note and trying these drinks, but their benefits were first discovered many years ago. Kombucha is a fermented tea that is full of amazing health benefits. Kombucha contains probiotics which promote gut health. The word probiotic means “promoting life” and kombucha does exactly that! When your gut health is boosted, the rest of your body benefits as well. Recent studies have shown a strong connection between gut health and overall well-being. Kombucha also contains antioxidants which have been shown to help the body fight certain diseases and help cleanse the body of toxins. Another great benefit to kombucha is that it is delicious and refreshing to drink! To learn more about Kombucha and why it is good for you, check out the FAQ  on Mad Magic’s site.

Why do we love Mad Magic?

Drinking kombucha is becoming a popular go-to for people all over the world, so why did we choose Mad Magic for our farm market? One thing that caught our attention about Mad Magic is that its “SCOBY” which stands for symbiotic culture of bacteria yeast (what gives kombucha life) is brewed in an organic environment and only once to create a strong brewed taste. This means, no artificial flavorings or ingredients and no added sugar. Their kombucha is hand brewed in Northern VA to ensure the highest quality drink possible. Mad Magic claims, this is why you’ll be drinking “ purely magic” and we agree!

 

What are their different flavors?

Mad Magic brews a total of over 15 flavors of kombucha and we proudly sell 7 of the most popular ones in the Great Country Farms market. For a new kombucha fan, this can feel overwhelming. We found this fun personalized quiz on their site to help you narrow down the choices and find the flavor that fits your personality and taste. Mad Magic also created a page to help describe each of their delicious fermented flavors.

How can I try their products?

We are proud to offer a selection of Mad Magic in our farm market so you can pick some up on your next visit and lucky for us, Mad Magic is locally distributed! They also share their products at Farmers markets, local breweries like Vanish Brewery in Leesburg and House 6 Brewing located in Ashburn and several other pop up locations all around Northern Virginia. One of the most exciting things about Mad Magic is that they also have a tasting room, a one stop shop for all of your kombucha desires, now that’s magic!

Contact:

Website:https://www.madmagickombucha.com/ 

Phone: 540-364-2639

IG: @Madmagickombucha

Tasting Room Hours: Monday-Friday 11AM-5PM, Saturday 1PM-5PM

 

If you’re planning your next outing to Bluemont, leave room for cheese! We are excited to  feature Loudoun’s newest  local, natural, (and delicious) cheese from Village Cheesworks in our Farm Market and at Henway Hard Cider on their local menu.  Their products are a perfect compliment to your favorite summer beverage on the porch, charcuterie board for a night in, or grilled cheese dinner for the kids. 

 

Why do we love them?

When Eric Hilgartener walked into our Farm Market this spring with a small cooler and a cutting board, we were blown away by his passion and energy for the newly formed Village Cheeseworks.  We have known this Loudoun Family for years as Eric’s dad used to coach our boys in wrestling and Eric was an amazing wrestler at Loudoun Valley in his day. Now that discipline and energy is focused on making fine cheese and actively engaged in supporting and preserving family farms. Their attitude is that it “takes a village,” and we couldn’t agree more! All of their milk comes from the last Loudoun Dairy Family Farm, Potts Dairy, outside of Purcellville.  The dairy has been in operation for 5 generations and produces some of the highest quality milk for cheesemaking (think butterfat) found on the east coast.   

Another way that this cheese is uniquely local is that the Blue Cheese, aptly named, Bluemont,  is washed with our own cider from Henway Hard Cider Company. This washing process keeps the blue marbling inside the cheese rind rather and is a natural approach to creating this blue cheese rather than using a chemical wash.   

What are the different cheese varieties?

Bluemont

The Bluemont is tried and true to its name! This blue cheese pairs well with red or sparkling wine. It also pairs well with dried fruits, pears, figs, and whole grain crackers. When it comes to meat, this flavor tastes best with beef, especially steak. Uniquely cider washed with our own Henway Hard Cider.

 

Round Hill

The Round Hill is a beautiful example of the Brie/Camembert style of cheeses. It makes a great compliment to farm fresh plums or sweet jams and crackers. When choosing food with this cheese, think of a rich brie style flavoring.

 

Zulla

The Zulla is a French Muenster inspired washed rind cheese with a little bit of complex ripening for the real cheese lovers. Due to its slightly salty nature, Zulla is great on sandwiches and has excellent melting properties. This cheese is rich and designed for the true connoisseur. 

 

How can I try their products ?

At Great Country Farms, we carry Village Cheeseworks in our farm market for purchase. Village Cheeseworks strives to create strong relationships with the local community by offering their products at local farmer’s markets and events. They are passionate about making their products available to customers in the area. To find out more about where to try their cheese, give them a follow on Instagram!

 

Instagram: @villagecheeseworks

Peach Picking Perfection

We’re starting to feel the heat this summer which means one thing- it’s finally peach season at Great Country Farms! Our peach trees are loaded with some of the biggest, juiciest peaches we’ve seen in years at the farm. We want our guests to have the best peach picking experience, so we sat down with Orchard Manager, Andrew Taylor, to get the inside scoop on all things peach as we approach our Peach Fuzztival Weekend July 31- August 1, 7 & 8! 

 

5 Steps to Picking the Perfect Peach

 

1. Determine the plan for your peaches.

Peaches can be used in a variety of different ways! Determining your plan for the peaches you pick before you pick them will help you decide how ripe you’ll need them to be. If you plan on enjoying them as soon as you leave the parking lot, you will want to search for a riper, softer, peach. If you’d like to use your peaches further in the future choosing a firmer peach will be a better option for you.

2. Choose your variety.

Once you arrive in the orchards, decide which peaches you’d like to try. Will you pick both white and yellow or will you only stick to one variety? We’ve got the rest covered! Simply check in with a GCF employee and they will be happy to help guide you!

• Yellow vs. White Peaches

At Great Country Farms, we are proud to grow 20 different varieties of peaches. It’s almost hard to believe that there are so many different peaches out there!  It might seem overwhelming, When you are picking your perfect peaches, you will see that there are both white and yellow peaches to choose from. People have preferences on which they think could be sweeter based on their palette, but the sweetness is actually more determined by how long they hang on the tree. We agree that both are equally delicious.

• Donut Peaches

If you have little ones in your picking crew or are looking for a less messy peach, a donut peach may be the way to go! Donut peaches are small in size, sweet, and they make an easy, healthy snack! Donut peaches are great for the whole family to enjoy because of their small size and sweet taste. These peaches will be available for u-pick in the coming weeks. Be sure to sign up for our U-pick alerts on our website and to follow it on social media to be notified when these delicious treats are available for picking.

3. Give the perfect twist & pull.

Once you’ve spotted the perfect peach (yay!), gently grab it and pull down, removing it from the tree. Keep it safe in a bag or box from home or provided to you at the U-pick station. Now that you’ve got the hang of it, have fun and pick as many as your heart desires!

4. Store gently to prevent bruising.

We recommend picking peaches toward the end of your visit to avoid adding extra weight to your farm visit if you plan on roaming the play area and visiting our adorable animals. On a hot summer day, it is best to avoid leaving them in your car for a prolonged period of time. 

5. Take home and enjoy!

If you can resist eating them all on your drive home, peaches are best stored at room temperature on your counter top until they reach your desired ripeness. If you are looking to keep your peaches longer, you may want to learn how to can or freeze them for later use. If you can’t make it to our orchards this year, visit our farm market from 9AM-5PM daily to purchase fresh picked peaches at your convenience. You don’t want to miss this harvest!

 

Bonus Tip:  Plan your visit for extra family for on the farm and mark your calendar for our Peach Fuzztival (July 31-August 1,7 & 8, 2021). It’s going to be peachy!