Calling all asparagus lovers, the time is here!  We just picked the first batch of homegrown asparagus from our gardens.  We grow both green, and purple asparagus.  What’s the difference you may ask?  Purple asparagus tends to taste a tad bit sweeter than the green.  Some people say they can’t tell the difference between the flavors of the two.  I personally like the green best, but, to each their own.  We usually pick asparagus through May.  

We harvest our asparagus spears when they reach about 8 to 10 inches in height.  You also want them to be at least a half inch thick.  When they’ve reached the perfect height, we hand cut each spear.  Once brought into the farm market, we cut them all to be about the same size, and bundle them by weight.  We’ve found it’s best to keep asparagus in water to help preserve it.  Once you take it home, simply place it in a measuring cup, or bowl, and fill about a half inch of water for it to sit in.  It can last up to a week this way.  Asparagus is both low in calories, and a great source of nutrients.  Research shows that it may make the best food for preventing osteoporosis, as it’s high in vitamin K.    

Ready to cook that bundle you just brought home?  Here are a few ideas of things to do with your asparagus. You can find a wealth of recipes on our Pinterest page»

• Oven roasted 
• Steamed 
• Bacon wrapped 
• Pan fried 
• Add to stir fries, scrambled eggs, or pasta dishes
• Try it on your Blackstone Grill!

Follow this link for a tasty recipe of baked asparagus fries.

Halloween is looking a little different this year, but there are still tons of fun ways to celebrate! Whether your favorite part of Halloween is the candy, costumes, or movies we wanted to make sure you wouldn’t miss out on that spooky feeling this Halloween. Here are a few ideas to make Halloween special.

• Have a zoom costume contest. Zoom is a great way to connect with other friends who you can’t celebrate Halloween with. Schedule a meeting when everyone can get together and show off your costumes. You can get real fancy and have judges and prizes!
• Have a game night with Halloween themed games. Take your average game night up to the next level with the Halloween edition. Play games like candy jenga or wrap the mummy, where you see who can wrap the mummy in toilet paper first (be sure to keep the toilet paper, we do not want to wasteit!) Or bring back a classic like bobbing for apples. There are so many at-home Halloween games to try!
• Carve or paint pumpkins. A classic way to get in the Halloween spirit is to carve pumpkins. Or for something a little less messy (maybe) painting pumpkins! Decorate your house and give everyone the opportunity to be creative.
• Bake cookies and other spooky treats. Even though trick or treating may not be happening in a lot of neighborhoods you can still make sure you and your family get that sugar fix. Try making a new sweet that your whole family will love! Like Reece’s bats, candy corn cobs, or pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Find the recipes for all these treats here with Delish’s 50 Halloween treats.
• Watch a Halloween themed tv show or movie. Ending the night with a Halloween movie or tv show will put a cherry on top of the whole evening. Pick a classic like the Charlie Brown’s Halloween Special or the Adamms Family!

Halloween can still be spooky during the pandemic! Take a few of our ideas and make this Halloween one your family will remember!

If you’re short on ingredients, pumpkins or treats for this Halloween, check out our online ordering system and see what we have in stock. Please remember that you do need to make a reservation before coming to the pumpkin patch. We’re open Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Happy Halloween!

Coming up with social distancing dates this fall may not be easy, but we are here to help. We came up with some of our favorite activities that you can do while staying safe.

Here are 5 fall date ideas:

1. Go to a pumpkin patch and then carve the pumpkins. Going to a pumpkin patch gives you a great opportunity to take cute couple pictures and find the perfect pumpkin! Or maybe you already found them? Then once you get home nothing says I love you like a handful of pumpkin guts.
2. Go on a nice fall day hike. As the leaves begin to change and the weather gets cooler there will be opportunities to go on hikes where you won’t get sweaty and will have great fall foliage pictures to share.
3. Have a scary movie marathon. Get the popcorn and candy ready then cuddle under a cozy blanket while having a scary movie marathon! Or if your partner does not like scary movies go for a fall aesthetic movie like When Harry Met Sally.
4. Go on a picnic and jump in some leaves. Picnic under the changing leaves will make for a perfect date. Even if you are just in your backyard this date can be memorable. Grab a rack and make the biggest pile of leaves you can and then jump in just like you are kids!
5. Bake a pie. Every fall day has a great opportunity to stay inside and bake! Harvest season offers many different opportunities for unique flavors.

If your fall date needs a pumpkin patch or fall-themed treats, we’re open Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Please remember that you do need to make a reservation before coming to the pumpkin patch. Stop by and we can help make your fall date special!

School has been out for much longer than usual and this fall is going to be anything but ordinary. We love our kids, but let’s face it, sometimes we need a little bit of quiet to focus on work, cleaning, and even ourselves. Here are 5 different nature-inspired craft ideas to keep your kids busy so you don’t have to be!

1. I remember loving making a bird feeder as a kid. I used the classic pinecone and peanut butter method, but here’s a great list of ideas from Non-Toy Gifts that involve repurposing common household items.
2. Try out these DIY Twig Triangle Wreaths from A Pretty Fix if you’re looking for a new seasonal decoration. They’re cute, easy, and only take a few minutes to make!
3. These DIY Dreamcatchers from The Upcycled Family are a great way to make art from nature. You can find most of the supplies right in your backyard. This would be a great  craft idea to share with young kids or college students looking for dorm decor.
4. Everybody loves playdough! Instead of using artificial colorings, try using dandelions to dye the dough. We learned how to make this nature-inspired playdough from Parenting Chaos. Click here to try it out!
5. Sustain My Craft Habit shared this gorgeous idea for a maple leaf paperweight! This project doesn’t seem too hard, but you might want to supervise the kids in case it gets messy. Once you’re finished, the kids won’t be able to walk by without picking it up!

Here at Orr’s we feel lucky to spend so much time outdoors. We’re inspired by nature every day and, whether it’s a recipe or a craft, we love to see what you come up with. If you don’t have time to make a craft, check out our online ordering system and see what nature-inspired gifts we have at the market. We’re open Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday. Happiness grows here!

We understand the last few months of school were unconventional to say the least. At the drop of a hat, parents and teachers had to transition lifestyles and lesson plans to ensure students could learn from home. School may be out of session, but there’s always room to learn. Why not schedule a family outing to teach your kids about some barnyard animals? Orr’s provides a safe way for you to interact with all types of animals, all while social distancing.

The Barnyard at Orr’s Farm Market is open, so reserve your spot now. We will be booking 25 spots for time slots of 1.5 hours. You can bring the family and see all the animals up close. We even have some new babies that you can interact with!

Things you should know:

• Reserve a spot online.
• $5/person. Children under 12 months are free and no reservation is needed.
• Park at The Barnyard and pay at the entry gate there.
• We provide goody bags for kids.
• No smoking.
• No pets allowed.

Due to COVID-19 the play area, corn maze, and tractor rides have not started for the season. For the time being, this is only a reservation to see the animals.

We’re excited to be able to continue to slowly reopen. Stop by Orr’s to visit our barnyard, pick your own berries, or check out our market. We’re open from 10am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday. Happiness grows here!