News and Blog

Information for October 29:

   Hay rides are planned for the morning. Pumpkin patch is still not certain. The hay maze, corn stalk tipi, straw house, barnyard, scarecrows are open. I believe there will be some pig races in the morning and around 2:30 or 3 pm. Check the blogs about Thursday to see more specific details and Pumpkin patch.

 See the Blog for STOCKPIG RACING update.
There are plenty of mums, flowers, Fall decor, apple cider and apples , a good time for beans, look for some fresh cool season vegetables soon. diakon and sweet potatoes, honey, etc. Heirloom tomaotes are starting to come in also.

NASPIG NEWS from the STOCKYARD 600

A new point leader gets a hard earned victory and the nickname " Marathon Pig"on the Naspig circuit. Number 8, "Jack Be Quick" showed his colors while battling back from the brunt of the worst manners ever seen in STOCKPIG racing. After running at high form during the practices early and mid week he found himself being the target of not one but two pigs who would rather fight than race. It was a real consternation for STOCKPIG officials as they debated the possibility of disqualifying the number 6 pig, One Too Many. But One Too Many was dealt a blow as some of the pigs found a way to get by the terror of tactics. A case in point was the number 4 pig, Muchkin, who delighted in getting by number 6, running away then turning around and running past him again only to get by him a third time before crossing the finish line. This seem to put number 6 in his place. But then came Friday and it was as if number 6 and number 7, Little Boo, decided to get number 8, Jack Be Quick. By the end of Friday, Jack Be Quick was only too quick to get on the track afraid of the two track bullies. You could see the nervousness even before he went into he first turn.

Then came the next morning, Pumpkin Day, and Jack had to face the challenge of racing in the most important race of the season. Being second in the points race and with a possible 120 points to be won it would take his best effort to accomplish that. From the first race to the last, Jack Be Quick kept his cool, but not without being tested. The pigs run two times each scheduled race. The first run is three pigs and the last is all nine pigs running together. Three of the runs had Jack Be Quick running against the number 6 and 7 pigs. On Friday that would have been a complete wreck for Jack Be Quick. But the pig stayed focused and managed to ignore their tactics and in one case got free to come from way behind for the win. It is very rare for a pig to win every race on Pumpkin Day. That is hard to do but the marathon pig did it!

Magic Lantern #2 held on and is now in second. That is not bad for a pig that is not that fast. Finishing has been her strength all season. Gold Rush #1 did an outstanding job of sorting through races to get to third in the points race.

The point lead is as follows:

Jack Be Quick #8 leads with 202,

Magic Lantern #2 has 150,

Gold Rush #1 has 113,

One Too Many #6 has 90,

Ironsides #3 has 72,

Merlin #5 has 62,

Little Boo #7 has 60,

Happy Jack #9 has 58,

Information for October 22 & 29

Be sure to bring cash for pick your own pumpkins. The place for pumpkin patch ride is behind the market near the hay maze or as you might go to the barnyard. We are not able to take credit cards for PYO pumpkins.

 Also please do not park in front of the garden center. It makes shopping difficult for those who want to shop there. Please use the spaces  near the sign.

Pick Your Own Pumpkins for Saturday, October 22, 2011.

Pumpkin Patch will be open from 10 am to 2 pm. The hay maze, corn stalk tipi and straw house will be open as well as the barnyard. Prices for Pumpkin patch is $16/ whole family to ride and pick one pumpkin. If you want to pick more they are priced by size, $9 large, $6 med, $3 small.  I think there may be a couple of pig races around 11 am and possibly 3 pm? There may be only pumpkin patch hay rides. If there is a regular hay ride it will likely run only at set times.

For October 29, 2011

There should be some pumpkins left to pick. It would be good to call before coming to make sure. The picking may be early and not in the afternoon past 1 pm. The hay maze, corn stalk tipi , straw house, barnyard and animals will be open. I think there may be a  of pig race around 11 am .

Notice on Pumpkin Patch Hay Rides

     Please be aware that purchases for the pumpkin patch are made at the wagon loading area, not in the market. The farm does not have a means of accepting credit cards so you will need to bring cash for this and pumpkin painting. Thank you for understanding.

The market has lots of pumpkins, decor , flowers and other items.  This a good time for beans and peas from the farm. Apple cider and grape juice are still available. We are harvesting chestnuts and some persimmons now. It is not too early to check with the bakery about ordering pies,  cakes for the Holidays.


Pumpkin Day information: Oct 15 9-4:30

    There is no admission cost. Lots of activities are free so a family can come and enjoy the day without blowing a budget. Some activities do have fees, hay rides $1/person, pumpkin painting $8/pumpkin ( you select a pumpkin and paint it,usually they are med sized, there should be some blue pumpkins as well),pony rides are by someone else $5/ride (I think), Pick your own Pumpkin Patch is $16/ whole family to ride and pick one pumpkin. If you want to pick more they are priced by size, $ 9 large, $6mid, $3small. Face painting is $1 ( I think). The pig races, hay maze and games are free. Games include pumpkin archery, stilts, sack races, seed spitting, hog calling contest, apple eating on a string,etc. There is a little people's village for small kids only. It has a box "train" that kids seem to really like. This is something that parents need to do with their kids. Parents help kids in and out , not ride with them !  Normally there is a lot of corn shelling but not this year due to the extreme drought in the entire area. Bring cameras or a way to take pictures, lots of places made for that. The market has apple cider and grape juice both made here on the farm. You can get things to eat from the snack wagon or the bakery. 

         NASPIG NEWS

    This weekend saw some more rough racing from the 2011 crop of pigs. The Natural Assortment of Speedy Pigs (NASPIG) association is left shaking their heads. The number 4 ( Muchkin) pig is a fairly fast pig but is ranked dead last in the standings. The number 6 ( One too Many )pig is in third but is known to be a horrible racer. He wrecks other pigs with his constant contact on the track and argues with them intently about anything and everything. As a group they have been slow and unfocused although some have shown some real racing qualities. The Number 2( Magic Lantern) pig continues her unlikely lead by somehow finishing first. The number 1 ( Gold Rush) pig moved up in the point standings and is getting stronger as a racer. The number 8 ( Jack Be Quick ) pig is 10 points closer to the leader and has earned tremendous respect from everyone except number 6 ( One Too Many).

At the October 8 mark the point standings are:

Magic Lantern 104

Jack BE Quick 82

One Too Many 52

Gold Rush 46

Ironsides 44

Little Boo 33

Merlin 29

Happy Jack 27

Muchins 23

STOCKPIG racing sponsored by

Corn Field Fine Dining Corn Field Fine Dining

A-Maize-ingly good

 Night Time Hay  Rides and Birthday Parties are still available. Call for more information or email.

      We hope you enjoyed Farm Heritage Day. It was the first day of the NASPIG season and the pigs were a little distracted by the new faces and strange sounds. But perhaps the experts in pig racing were surprised the most. All during the September training and pre season hype the #2 Magic Lantern pig was no where on the radar screen to be a points leader. Pigs such as Jack be Quick #8 and Gold Rush #1were the talk of the track, sprinkled with a late round of Muchkins #4. The season is young and it will be interesting to see how the pigs respond to the experience. No one questions the speed and stretch of Jack Be Quick. Out front in the open he has demonstrated remarkable speed and the heart to go with it. But Naspig racing includes such things as getting a bad start or being blocked in by other pigs. Sometimes you will see pigs fight through that to get to the front, others tend to just go with the flow. Keep in mind Pumpkin Day ,Ocotber 15, will be key for determining a champion! Watch for more updates on pumpkin day later this week.
Pick Your Own Pumpkins will be open Saturday mornings ( 10-12 ). Call about Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

At the end of October 1 the point leaders are:

Magic Lantern 84

Jack BE Quick 52

One Too Many 37

Ironsides 35

Gold Rush 29

Little Boo 19

Merlin 17

Happy Jack 17

Muchins 14

Farm Heritage Day is October 1. That means the whole month of October is under way. I must say it begins with full momentum.

Please help spread the word by telling your neighbors, by face book or twittering your friends.

The schedule for Farm Heritage Day looks like this.
9am hay rides begin when enough people fill the wagon.The exhibits will be available during most of the day.

Exhibits include;
Basket making, Mrs. Helen Cashwell is one of those rare personalities that you don’t easily forget. Her spirit and love for helping people know how to "do" inspires a "can do" spirit. Check out her basket work but ask her about life. She has lots of good things to share .
 Indigo dyeing, Crystal Walters is young but she has learned from a good mentor, Cathy Perry. Being young is good in this case because her enthusiasm has inspired her to extend her indigo dyeing into useful ideas. Be sure to check this exhibit out. I am confident she can tell you much about indigo and if she can’t answer questions about the local history ask Cathy Perry. Indigo syeing and the history of indigo are particularly interesting for this area.
Paper making, Barbara Fyre has been making paper for quite some time. Some of her work may interest you as stationary, cards, etc.

Weaving

, Beth Miller , Barbara and Cathy have encouraged each other for many past event days. So when you check out the spinning be sure to check out the weaving and paper making also.

Spinning

, by Cathy Perry is a rare treat to learn from someone who lives as a long time spinner. Her interest goes back many years and includes college level studies. Her experience and knowledge of fabrics is excellent. A dyer herself, she has worked and experimented with natural dyes, creating some nice hues of surprising colors.

Old tools display by Mr. Horace Butler. Mr. Butler is a bit of a living legend. A man whose life is tied closely with the trees and woods of southeast NC. He and his dad were on the last of the logs to be sent down the Cape Fear river. His first hand knowledge of the history of timber, logging trams and the network of rails feeding virgin trees to large lumber mills is something to learn about. Such timber companies as the Jackson Brothers and the Hammer Lumber Mill in Little River neck.. After ninety years his experiences and his strong faith are quite worth hearing.

The

1920's grist mill being demonstrated by the Horry County Museum. This grist mill was owned by Mr. Otha Plowden Bellamy who milled grain for the community.

The mill is turned by a 1915 Morse-Fairbanks hit & miss vertical "t" engine. Learn about the history of this engine from the Horry County Museum. Mr. Walter Hill is an incredible source of experience and knowledge for his age. Not only is he the director of the Museum but a first class blacksmith whose work graces many of the plantations such as Brookgreen Gardens and Weymouth plantation in Georgetown. But that is not all, his roots tie into some of the most interesting histories of the Horry and Georgetown Counties. From knowing people who ran barges of fertilizer up the Waccamaw River, to hunting wild hogs, to working tobacco, to local lore and interesting individuals that have given the area it’s flavor; there is much you can learn from him.The area is very fortunate to have a passionate museum director whose roots go hand in hand with the history of the area.
The Waccamaw Tractor club will be exhibiting some of their restored tractors. More important than their tractors are the stories they can tell that go with the tractors. Along with the time and energy to restore these tractors are the memories of using tractors like these. As a club they enjoy sharing their experiences with one another. But you will find new interesting things as you talk with them.

Wayne Skipper and his mother, Mrs. Skipper will be doing horse drawn demonstrations and making sugar cane syrup, respectively. He will be turning the sugar cane mill part of the time as well. Wayne’s experience with horses has taught him many life lessons. He shares a strong belief as Walter Hill does that young people miss out so much because they don’t have this kind of relationship with "real life" interactions. Learning the "how to" from a mentor and then learning to respect and learn from horse or mule to create a harmonious working relationship changes a person. Just ask Wayne Skipper or Sam Bellamy. Sam Bellamy hopes to be able to do some Horse demos as well, hopefully, enabling some youngsters to put their hands to the plow themselves.

Music, Randy Hawes and the Bluegrass Boys will be performing about 10 am to noon. This group is new to me but their reputation speaks very well of them. They will be followed by The Flat Land Ramblers, one of the best loved local groups around. The music alone should be reason to make this heritage day more than special.

Master Gardeners of Brunswick County will be giving information on and about native plants. Be sure to check them out. If you have questions about wild plants here is an opportunity to get some answers.

NASPIG Racing, Stockpigs racing series at the STOCKYARD 500 will be getting the season off to the 2011 start. This year’s racers are the offspring of the all time NASPIG champion, February Heart. Heart was in the 2008 group of racers. This is her second racing litter. Look for updates on the series and learn a little about the inside life of a naspig racer and how the point system works. The races are scheduled throughout the day. Most likely 10:00, 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:00 .

Hay rides, pony rides, Pick Your Own Pumpkins, Hay maze will be on going throughout the day.Many thanks go out to these folks and many others who have volunteered to help. Special recognition to the Horry County Museum, the N C Forestry Museum, The NC Cooperative Extension. We encourage you to visit and be involved in helping bring out the history of the area by discovering the ways local museums are seeking to do this.

Indigo Farms update. August 25

   There are still some blueberries left for PYO. You need to check in and check out at the produce market during market hours ( 8:30 am -5:00 pm ). We still do have some peaches which is a very good peaches. These were grown upstate by a grower we know that does a good job. Our cantaloupes are coming in ,as well as watermelons. Although we don’t have the quantity there are some good melons. Heirloom tomatoes, beans are not as plentiful as we desire we soon will be in a new field.

    August is a tough month, typically, high temps and high humidity, highest insect counts and weeds are the type that love these conditions growing fast and towering high. It is also the transition month from summer going into fall. Although Fall is still a way off, it is this time that Fall and winter crops are planted. Strawberry beds have to be prepared which takes about a full week, just to prepare them. Now is the time for putting in cover crops. Plans and set up for Fall event days happens now through September. Everything from repairs , clean up , creating tipi, straw houses, hay maze, scarecrows and pumpkins on roofs, etc is in the works. This year’s Naspigs are gradually making the adjustments to begin training for the race season. Meanwhile preparations for Fall tours and night time hay rides are taking place.
   If that isn’t enough August is the beginning of making grape juice. Now that is a pleasant thought! The season of dry summer has affected the fig crop but we still have figs. The grapes are not 100% but still are fairly plentiful. We will be pressing Noble and Carlos soon. Apple cider will follow in late September. We will see about some PYO grapes later in September.

Obviously, if you are interested in volunteering to help with the Fall events or tours please let us know.

 Blueberry picking is still available! Wednesday, Friday ands Saturday are the mornings for PYO.

  This is really is the peak of peaches. We have a special on peaches when you buy 10 lbs or more. Currently we are picking Sun Prince, Jefferson, Georgia Belle and Alberta. They are all sweet and tasty. You can sample them before you buy, just ask. If you want to enjoy the peach season in other ways try our peach milkshakes, peach pies, peach cobbler or one of my favorites, peach pound cake! We have had people comment on how good the peaches are.

  We are getting some figs with this rain we hope that the Alma figs will begin to come around.

  The Dixie Lee peas and other peas are coming in well. Watermelons continue to be very good. The Mickey Lees are especially sweet.

 Don’t forget the spinning demo this Saturday. Cathy will giving 2 or 3 free lessons on the drop spindle around 2 :00pm. Barbara will be playing the dulcimer so if you have interest or you know of families that would like to do something fun and enjoy a learning experience let them know.