Winter Fresh

It’s winter at the market, and our own fields lay dormant all around us. Our family defies the norm and we keep our market open throughout the winter. We get a lot of questions about why we stay open, but the main answer is for our customers—as well as our staff. Our customers rely on us to have the best of the best year round. But staying open in the off-season leads to the same question for many folks visiting us, “What can you sell in the winter?”

Here are some of our favorite winter items:

Orr’s Apples

Our apples have to be #1—of course! We have a nice selection of quality apples in our cold storages. They will stay in stock until around May or June when we sell out. We utilize regular cold storage and also controlled atmosphere (CA) storage to keep our apples in top shape. Read more about CA storage here. Don’t suffer through overpriced, and often less than tasty, supermarket apples!

Fresh Apple Cider

Apple cider gets us through the cold days, and we have it available all winter long! You can heat it up and add your signature blend of mulling spices for hot mulled cider. Click here for a recipe we like, or pick up some Wildwood Mulling Spice Blend teabags next time you’re in the farm market. These teabags make it quick and easy to heat a cup of hot mulled cider.

Local Greens

It’s hard to find local greens in the winter, so we’ve sourced some local lettuce from Cedar Ridge Hydroponics in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Our friend Jason Weber grows some of the best tasting Butter Lettuce we’ve ever eaten—and he delivers it weekly to our store! We’ve also begun sourcing local, farm fresh eggs from him as well. Try them…you won’t be disappointed!

Citrus Fruits

Fresh citrus is part of our winter MUST list. Who doesn’t love slicing into a juicy, flavorful orange in the middle of the bleak winter. There’s something refreshing, renewing, and revitalizing about the nutrients found in these fruits. Navel Oranges, Tangerines, Grapefruit, Honeybells, Blood Oranges, and Cara Cara Oranges are the current availability on citrus fruits.

We’ve sourced from Florida before Christmas in the past, and then switched to California citrus after the New Year. This year, due to Hurricane Irma, we’ve focused on just the California Citrus. Read More about Florida citrus crops here. As we move into late January, the Honeybell is the most sought after citrus fruit. Known for its incredibly sweet, juicy flavor, the Honeybell has limited availability—making it a hot item. My personal favorite is the Cara Cara Orange. It has a pink flesh and fantastic flavor for snacking. It also has high nutrient values and Lycopene, which make it a good addition to anyone’s winter diet. Read this interesting article about the Cara Cara Orange here.

Here are some recipes we’ve compiled on our Pinterest page for enjoying these delicious citrus fruits.

Florida Strawberries

Strawberries are just beginning for the season. There’s always special excitement for me when they first hit the shelves. We know our own strawberry crop is still months away, so it’s a treat to see the beginnings of another strawberry season heading our way. We get them in weekly and even cover them in chocolate for Valentine’s Day.

Trickling Springs Creamery

Trickling Springs Creamery has a loyal following in our area now. After years of carrying their products, a pattern has occurred to us. Every time the weatherman calls for snow, the community shows up at our door to purchase Trickling Springs milk and ice cream. How can you mind being snowed in when you’re holding a half gallon of their delicious ice cream?

Well, there’s lots more we could talk about, but you really should step out and see for yourself what’s at Orr’s Farm Market in the winter. It’s a wonderful time to stop, browse, and chat for a while. Orr’s Farm Market is peaceful this time of year, different from the hectic harvest season we often experience. The harvest is done and we are enjoying the fruits of our labor and the people around us!

Katy Orr-Dove, Market Manager