Farm Products
One of the joys of growing plants and trees are the many products that can be made from the produce. Some years are better than others depending upon the weather conditions. The area of Santa Fe normally has from 9 to 12 inches of precipitation each year coming in the form of rain, most of which comes during the months of July and August and snow during the winter months. The temperatures usually range from the mid 90s in the summer to -10 in the winter. Years when there is less precipitation or colder temperatures the amount of produce is diminished. In good years when the temperatures are moderate and the rainfall plentiful, there is a bounty which can be converted into many additional products for home use or to sell at the local Farmer's Market. I have sold my lavender at the Eldorado Farmers' Market which is held on Friday evenings from 4-7pm from the spring until the fall.
2021
This was the best year we have had in a long time. Everything was grown in raised beds using Pop Net Screen Mesh over the plants to protect them from the mice, rats and quail. We planted Shuko pac choi, tatsoi, arugula and Density Bibb/Romaine lettuce seeds directly into the raised beds. The Oceanside Spinach, shishitos, Vates Collard, Nero di Tuscana Lacinato Kale, Scarlet Nantes Carrots, banana peppers, eggplants, tomatoes and zucchini plants were also planted as small plants that we started from seeds in our sun room.
2012 Preparaton
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These were the first fruit of the year to ripen (June 1) We ate all of them fresh off the tree. |
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All three sour cherry trees produced fruit this year. Fruit from the new trees ripened about 2 weeks before the old tree. We got enough to put up 120 1/2 pt. jars of preserves. |
Sour Cherries |
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This was the first time since 2006 that we had apricots. I put up 62 1/2 pt. jars of preserves. |
Apricots |
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These are the products from the apricot and sour cherry trees. The jar in the center is Kirsch made with gin that should be ready by Christmas. |
Various products |
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Picked all of the types of lavender this year to dry and sell at the Eldorado Farmer's Market |
Drying Lavender |
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Picked 6.5 lbs.of crabapples for making into jelly on July 3. It made 9 1/2 pts. |
"Century" Crabapples |
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The Redhaven and Reliance peaches were the first peaches to ripen on August 7, 2012. Only got enough to make a half dozen 1/2 pt. jars of preserves. |
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The Garden peaches began to ripen on August 15, 2012. As you can see many of them had been pecked on by birds. I put up 18 1/2 pt. jars of preserves. |
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The Greengage plums ripened by August 26, 2012. |
6 1/2 pt. jars of jam and 6 pts. of preserves were made. |
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The plums were cut in half and added goat cheese with honey topped with lime zest. |
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7 trays of the Greengage plums were also dried. |
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The European plums ripened by August 28, 2012. I canned 11 pints of preserves with a few left over to eat off the tree. |
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About 1 1/2 dozen Luscious Pears were picked by September 10 and were eaten off the tree. |
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All of the Gala apples were dried. Some with cinnamon and some plain. |
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Four bags of Granny Smith apples were frozen frozen in 6 cup bags for later use. |
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The Asian pears were eaten off the tree and preserved in medium sugar syrup. To some jars I added cinnamon and cloves. |
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Most of the Fuji apples will be dried, but some were stuffed with goat cheese. |
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October 16 - This is the last of the Banana peppers. They produced all summer into the fall. |
2010 - 2011
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Drying lavender |
Removing lavender buds |
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Drying thyme |
Drying tarragon |
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Preparing honey and wax from the comb
Selling products at the Eldorado Farmer's Market
Here are the products and prices for the 2012 season.
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Lavender Bouquets Small $3 Large $5 |
Sachets (1.5 oz.) Large $6 |
Sachets(.35 oz.) Small $3 |
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Fire Starter Bundles $2 |
Bug Candles $3 |
(1/2 lb.) Bags of Beeswax $7 |
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Dried Tarragon $4 |
Culinary Lavender Tins $5 |
There are several factors to take into account if you are interested in selling home products at your local farmer's market.
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Honey tasting at the Sangre de Cristo Beekeepers Assn. potluck in 2010.