Heirloom Vegetables
Vegetables are the best way to obtain the nutrients your body needs in order to function properly. For example asparagus has more vitamin K than your average multi-vitamin. We are a small sustainable farm that does not spray fertilizers or insecticides and practices no till. We believe the soil to be our most valuable asset along with the abundance of life that exist in it. There is more organisms in a single teaspoon of soil than there are humans on this planet. (1) This abundance of life is what provides our fruits and vegetables with minerals and vitamins. By destroying the soil, you are destroying the nutritional quality of the food you ingest. We farm by hand with a passion for high quality produce which we feel cannot be achieved by farming on large acreage, over 2 acres.
We have the greatest admiration for chefs and it is for us and for them that we grow this way. We are the extremely rare alternative to large scale tractor farming.
Radical Practices and Outsider Agriculture
Our farming practices may be radical but they have resulted in our farm being one of the highest production farms per square foot in the country.
What can be more radical than removing the symbol of vegetable farming; the tractor? We practice farming by hand; replacing the tractor with hand tools. All planting, cultivation, and harvesting is done manually, though we use modern tools and techniques that keep us efficient and competitive. We find that farming this way is easier, more productive, and can produce vegetables of a higher quality.
Deep and Intensive
We then move beyond the minimum of certifying our farm as organic and practice intensive planting and growing techniques. Our beds are replanted constantly through the season from early April through late fall. Our hoop houses produce vegetables year round. We do this by maintaining extremely fertile soil. We believe that farming this way creates healthy vegetables resistant to diseases and pests.
Soil
It is the soil that imparts flavor to produce. Thus we never grow hydroponically nor do we use plastic mulch or fish meal. We are constantly working to make sure the soil is rich in organic matter, life and nutrient balanced. We then protect that hard work by never tilling or driving machinery over it.
No Till
Tilling destroys soils and burns up organic matter. We practice no till and use permanent beds that minimize soil disturbance. Instead of tilling our fields we let the pigs do the work for us. We plant cover crops to restore nutrients back into the ground and then allow our pigs and chickens to eat and till it up for planting. While doing this they apply a free and natural layer of fertilizer. This maintains soil structure, reduces our weed pressure and helps keep our soil fertile. It an integral part of growing intensively without tractors. We feel it is also a requirement to grow the best tasting produce. Vegetables need complex soil that is alive to reach their potential.
Sustainability
We are redefining what sustainability means to our farm all the time. We started with the premise that the farm must sustain our family financially. Within that framework we try to employ more sustainable practices as our farm evolves and grows. Our system for growing veggies creates topsoil, nourishes our animals and therefore ourselves.
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Pick-Your-Own Vegetables
We offer a pick-your-own vegetable garden at Hidden Forest Farm where guests can pick an assortment of vegetables, including tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, kale, onions and peppers.
Before Visiting
Check availability by contacting Morgan ( via email or 618-580-6158) to make sure pick-your-own vegetables are available the day you are planning to visit; availability will vary day to day. We recommend that guests bring a pair of gardening gloves because some of the vegetables have prickly vines and to wear closed-toe shoes, such as tennis shoes or boots. The patch is in an open area with no shade, so wearing sunscreen, a hat or visor and sunglasses also is advisable. We will provide containers for the produce guests pick.
2016 Prices(Pick-Your-Own Veggies May Be Mixed and Matched into a Container)
- $15 for 5lbs
- $25 for 10lbs
- $35 for 20lbs
Pick-Your-Own Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium. Tomatoes can be eaten raw or cooked for a variety of dishes, including sauces, soups and stews. They also may be canned or frozen for future recipes.
Harvesting
Choose tomatoes with skins that are very red and have a firm flesh.
Storing
Tomatoes are stored best at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, and can be used within 1 week of ripening. Refrigeration of tomatoes is discouraged because cold temperatures result in a loss of flavor and a mushy flesh.
RIPENS: Early July – Mid August
Pick-Your-Own Squash, Zucchini & Cucumbers
Squash and Zucchini
Zucchini is a type of summer squash and is high in vitamin C.
Harvesting
Choose squash that are small, glossy, and tender—about 6 to 8 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter. The skins should be free of soft spots and cuts. Handle with care because squash bruises and scratches easily. Also, use caution and wear gloves when picking because the leaf stalks and stems are prickly and may scratch and irritate unprotected hands.
Storing
Fresh squash should be stored in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Wash when ready to use.
Cucumbers
Slicing cucumbers are a vine crop that are high in vitamin C.
Harvesting
Select cucumbers that are about 6 to 8 inches long, firm and with skins that are a consistent green. Avoid cucumbers that are yellow or dull in color.
Storing
Since cucumbers are more than 90 percent water, it is best store them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a plastic bag to retain their moisture. Cucumbers may be store in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.
RIPENS: Early July – Mid August
Pick-Your-Own Kale& Lettuce
Kale is a nutrient-dense, leafy green vegetable that is part of the cabbage family. Kale is rich in vitamins A and C and is a good source of calcium and iron.
Harvesting
Select kale that is dark green with small to medium leaves (about the size of an adult hand). Avoid brown or yellow and wilted leaves.
Storing
Wash and refrigerate or use immediately for recipes. Smaller, tender leaves can be eaten raw, uncooked in salads; larger leaves should be cut and cooked (remove the ribs before cooking). Kale may be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for about 1 week.
RIPENS: Early July – Mid August
Pick-Your-Own Onions and Peppers
Onions
Onions are high in vitamin C and a good source of fiber.
Harvesting
Choose onions with tops that are about 6 inches tall and when the tops have begun to fall over. Gently pull from the ground to prevent bruising.
Storing
Spring onions may be placed on the counter top for a couple of days or may be placed in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. If using the tops, wrap them in a damp paper towel before refrigerating.
Peppers
Eckert’s will offer bell (aristotle [red] and orange varieties), snacking (yummy mix variety) and hot (jalapeno variety) peppers.
Harvesting
Peppers should be harvested when they are firm and free of soft spots and wrinkles. They can be any size. When peppers are fully ripe, they will break easily from the plant. Red and orange bell peppers may be harvested immature and green or when they are fully mature at full color.
Jalapeno peppers can be harvested when red or green. Use caution and wear plastic or rubber gloves when handling jalapeno peppers and avoid contact with the eyes and nose and even shins because they can become painfully irritated.
Storing
All peppers may be placed on the counter top for a couple of days or may be placed in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
RIPENS: Early July – Mid August
Pick-Your-Own Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is bi-color (yellow and white) and a great source of vitamin C and fiber.
Harvesting
Choose ears with tassels that are brown and dry and kernels that are full. The cob should feel firm. To remove ears from the stalk, quickly and firmly pull them downward and twist.
Storing
Sweet corn is best when eaten, canned or frozen immediately after harvesting; it can be refrigerated with husks on just 1 to 2 days.
RIPENS: Early July – Mid August
Pick-Your-Own Beets
Beets are a good source of folate; the beet tops are great sources of vitamin A and their roots are a good source of vitamin C. Beet tops can be cooked or eaten fresh as greens and provide more nutrition than the roots. Roots can be pickled or cooked.
Harvesting
Choose beets with firm, smooth skins and leaves that have not wilted. Beets are best when harvested at 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. Greens should be 6 inches or less.
Storing
Fresh beets may stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator for a week or longer. Trimming the tops offto about 1 inch above the roots helps keep beets fresher longer. Store the greens separately.
RIPENS: Early July – Mid August
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