Blueberry season is upon us and we’re in the mood to bake with some delicious berries. Not only are blueberries good for you, but they taste great and add a punch of flavor to any recipe. Plus, did you know July is National Blueberry month? That makes it the perfect time to celebrate this superfruit!

What’s a better way to start the day than with some Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls? This amazingly tasty recipe by Crazy for Crust gives you the perfect chance to change up how you bake with blueberries.

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH:

• 2/3 cup warm non-fat milk, about 45 seconds in the microwave
• 1 package active dry yeast, about 2 1/4 teaspoons
• 1/3 cup + 1/2 teaspoon sugar divided
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1 medium lemon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 medium lemon
• 3 – 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• Paddle attachment & dough hook for your mixer

FOR THE FILLING:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest from 1-2 medium lemons
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen (if frozen, make sure they are thawed and drained), see note

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 2 ounces cream cheese very soft
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Pinch salt
• 3-4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions 

MAKE THE DOUGH:

1. Place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 45 seconds in the microwave, until it’s about 120°F, think of a hot bath. (The time you heat it will need to be adjusted depending on your microwave. You can use a candy or a meat thermometer to test the temperature.) Add yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes until frothy.
2. Place sugar, butter, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
3. Add 3 cups flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle. Then replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl. The dough will be slightly sticky and elastic. There will be minimal transfer to your finger if you poke it. If it’s still very wet, add up to 1/4 cup more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in it. Spray the top of the dough ball with cooking spray (lightly) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 2-4 hours until it doubles in size. Note on rising: if your house is warm, it should rise no problem. If it’s cold in your house, it may take longer for the dough to rise.

PREPARE YOUR ROLLS:

1. Stir together butter, sugar, lemon zest, salt and flour until it forms a paste.
2. Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 10” by 14”. Spread the filling as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling. Sprinkle with blueberries. I used 1 cup of mini (or “wild”) blueberries that were defrosted and drained. If you’re using regular sized berries, you might want to use more of them.
3. Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Slice it into 12 equal rounds. Place the rolls into a 9×13” pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Or, if you want to make them the same day, cover with plastic wrap and let them sit for 1 hour until they’ve puffed up a little, then continue as directed below.)
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them warm up to room temperature while the oven is preheating. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 23-28 minutes, or until they are golden brown. (Mine took 24, be careful not to over bake. The bottoms will turn golden before the tops do.) Note: the blueberries will drain to the bottom of the pan overnight. That’s not a problem.

MAKE THE FROSTING:

1. Whisk the melted butter and softened cream cheese until mostly smooth. If your cream cheese is too stiff, you can use a hand mixer. Whisk/beat in powdered sugar and 3 teaspoons lemon juice, adding more as desired for thickness. Pour over warm rolls and serve.

Step outside for some much needed fresh air and reserve your time slot for a socially distanced pick-your-own experience! Now you can enjoy the experience of picking your own crops without the crowds. We’re open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Happiness grows here!

There are tons of fun ways to celebrate Father’s Day, but the most important part of any plan is to show him how much he means to you. Whether your dad likes movies, hiking, cooking, or games, there’s a creative way to make sure he feels valued even during quarantine! Here are some ideas that we came up with to make sure this Father’s Day is special.

• Surprise him with a hike, even if it’s just through the woods in your backyard. This is a great idea for people who haven’t been quarantining with their dad because you can keep an appropriate distance.
• Have a family game night. Whether it’s cards or sports, most dads love to play games. Let your dad pick the game or spend some time outside passing a ball between the two of you. This can be fun for the two of you or the whole family.
• Write him a nice card. Telling your dad that he’s appreciated might be worth more to him than any present you could pick out. Write him a note or draw him a picture and he will most likely cherish it forever.
• Order his favorite meal. If your dad typically cooks, give him a break from the kitchen and order something you know he likes. This will show him you’ve been paying attention, and is also a great opportunity to support local businesses!
• Throw him a party over Zoom. Zoom is a great way to connect with the people you weren’t able to quarantine with. Schedule a meeting when the whole family can get together. You can also get creative and play games over zoom, like trivia.
• Prepare his favorite meal. Everyone loves a home-cooked meal. Show your dad how much he means to you by cooking his favorite meal. This can also be applied to families that aren’t quarantining together. If you want to do something for your dad, but need to social distance, cook for him and drop it off at his door with a loving note.

Father’s Day can still be special during the pandemic! We wouldn’t be where we are today without the men who raised us, so make sure to do something that’s as special as they are. If you need help coming up with a recipe, here’s one for Maple Bacon Double Cheese Burgers that we found from Food Network that sounds delicious!

If you’re short on ingredients for dinner this Father’s Day, check out our online ordering system and see what we have in stock. We’re open Monday through Saturday 10am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm.  Happy Father’s Day!

Each year parents, students, and employees look forward to their favorite three-day weekend. It gives us a glimpse into warm weather, summer activities, and fresh meals off the grill. Memorial Day is usually celebrated with cook-outs, beach trips, parades, and 5k’s, but it’s also a time to wave your American flags with pride for our country and remembrance of the people who have fought and sacrificed for our freedom. We might not be able to host our typical Memorial Day events this year, but we can still take time to appreciate those who served.

 

Here is a simple, festive recipe we found from the blog “Dessert Now Dinner Later” to help you showcase your patriotic pride!

 

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ – 2lbs (24) fresh strawberries
• ½ cup of blueberries
• Cheesecake filling
• *Optional* 2 graham crackers – crushed

For the filling:

• 1 8oz package of Cream cheese
• ½ cup of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Cut off the stems of the strawberries so they can sit nicely.
2. Cut a deep “X” from the tip of the strawberry to the bottom. Make sure not to cut all the way through!
3. Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract into a bowl. Beat together until fluffy.
4. Gently open the strawberry and pipe the filling in using a pastry bag.  If you don’t have piping utensils, cutting the edge of a plastic bag works just as well!
5. Top each strawberry with a fresh blueberry.
6. *Optional* Sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top as a final touch.

 

These strawberries are best served after they have been refrigerated for at least one hour and can be stored for up to 3 days in an airtight container! If you need to purchase fresh fruit in order to make this red, white, and blue ensemble, check out our online ordering system. We grow strawberries on site!

 

Order online at https://orrsfarmmarket.com/store/ or stop by our drive thru. We’re open from 10am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

As employees at Orr’s, we feel fortunate to be able to spend so much of our time outdoors.  We work many hours each day to keep our land in its best condition. We get to breathe fresh air, smell the sweet scents of nature, and feel the sun and wind against our skin. Every day spend working is a day we appreciate our planet— but it’s not every day that we get to celebrate it with others.

Earth Day is one of the easiest holidays to celebrate! Small actions, like taking shorter showers or turning off lights, can make a big difference. Here are a few of our favorite tips for living an environmentally responsible lifestyle that we found from a website dedicated to this special day, https://www.earthday.org/.

1. Join a local park, beach, or river clean up group. Once the stay at home order is lifted and it’s safe to be around others, a clean up group would be a great way to get some fresh air and meet new people. This link explains how to find groups like this near you!
2. Carpool, ride a bike, or use public transportation and reduce your carbon footprint by every mile you don’t spend behind the wheel. Currently, millions of people are working from home, which has reduced the amount of driving and improved air quality. Now is the perfect time to rethink your usual habits and find a carpool buddy for once work returns to normal.
3. Donate old clothes and home goods. Consider buying used products instead of new products. You can also reuse your shipping boxes by donating to Give Back Box. Learn more here!
4. Instead of getting paper bills in the mail each month, switch to online services.
5. Buy local food to reduce the distance from farm to fork.

If you don’t have your own garden, we have tons of locally sourced food options that you can purchase by using the online ordering system on our website.  Just go to https://orrsfarmmarket.com/store/, place your order, and after a few hours we’ll have it ready for you to pick up curbside. Don’t forget to stop and smell the hydrangeas! We’re open 10am-5pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Happiness grows here!