Crossway Farms

This week I want to talk about our different heirloom tomato varieties including some of the cherry tomatoes. First of all a short lesson on what heirloom varieties are. Heirlooms are varieties of plants that are open-pollinated (non-hybrid) and that have been passed on from generation to generation. The plants are usually very unique in appearance as are the fruits they produce. Heirloom seeds can be saved, and will produce the same fruit type the next year.
Some of the varieties we have this year are Red and Pink Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Hillbilly, Black Krim, Marti-nos Roma, and many others. Each variety has it’s own unique flavor and look. We also have 5 different cherry tomato varieties, and although they may look “weird” they all are full of flavor: from low acid to some with bite, to fruity and sweet. If you are a tomato lover I encourage you to give the heirlooms a try, if you do, I guarantee you will never look at a tomato the same way again.

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This Week on the Square

Green Beans
Zucchini
Peppers
Squash
Sweet Corn
Many Tomatoes
Coffee Cakes
Homemade Jam

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

This week has been a busy one on and off the farm. We (the whole family) went to the Ohio State Fair on Tuesday to set up in the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture tent and represent the Sidney Farmers Market. We had a good time and met a lot of people, plus the kids got to ride the rides all day.
We have been weeding and pruning this week, plus preparing the soil for next years crops. The rain was very welcome as it has been dry for three weeks. Most of our strawberry plants are growing and you can see new leaves coming out every few days.
The tomatoes have finally come to maturity, and we have a good supply of “regular” as well as heirloom varieties. Our next planting of cabbage is ready to harvest, and we will have some downtown on Saturday. Cucumbers are in full swing, as are the bell peppers. We have a few hot peppers to offer for those of you wanting to make salsa.
We will start picking red raspberries next week, and will have them through the fall.  See you at the market!

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This Week on the Square

Green Beans
Coffee Cake
Peppers
Fudge
Sweet Corn
No Bake Cookies
Zucchini
Oatmeal Cookies
Squash
Caramels
Tomatoes
Homemade Jams
Cabbage
Carrot Cakes

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

The heat is on, the irrigation is running 24/7, and the crops are growing. With summer in full swing we have a good supply of green beans, squash, and sweet corn. You would think that I would have tomatoes and peppers in that list, but they are having a tough time ripening. We have more each day, and actually have a good supply of our multicolored cherry tomatoes and a few heirlooms ripening. The banana and green bell peppers are ready, but the jalapeno and other hot peppers are a little slower. Hopefully by the end of next week we will have more variety.

Our strawberry plants are doing well and we hope that they can take the heat wave we are going to get over the next few days. We will not have red raspberries for about 1 1/2 weeks, until the fall reds come on strong. The pumpkins are blooming and we actually have some fairly large pumpkins out there already.
Just to let you know that the Farm Market will be closed Tuesday August 5th. We have been invited to setup at the Ohio State Fair to represent the Sidney Farmers Market. It is an honor to represent Shelby County and we pray that all goes well.

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This Week on the Square

Green Beans
Coffee Cake
Peppers
Fudge
Sweet Corn
Crispy Treats
Zucchini
Cookies
Squash
Caramels
Cucumbers
Lemon Bars
Tomatoes
Homemade Jam

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

It has been a busy week on the farm. We received our strawberry plants last week via FedEx and started planting them Tuesday. We have about 1500 more to plant tomorrow and then we will be finished, but at least the weather has been nice, however there are some sunburns and sore muscles being nurtured in the evenings. If mother nature cooperates we will have 8500 new strawberry plants producing next spring for our u-pick patch.
I know I keep saying that the tomatoes are coming, however they are just slow to ripen this year. We do have bell, banana, and hot jalapeno peppers this week, plus all our other produce as well.
See you at the market!

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This Week on the Square

Green Beans
Coffee Cake
Pole Beans
Fudge
Sweet Corn
Cookies
Zucchini
Caramels
Squash
Rice Crispy Treats
Peppers
Banana Cakes
Red Potatoes
Homemade Jams

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

Sweet corn is here! We have Fulton Farm’s bi-color sweet corn every day at the market as well as downtown on Saturday’s. We also have green beans and will have new red potatoes at the Farmer’s Market.
Our tomatoes are just coming on and we are picking some everyday as well as a few peppers. Our heirloom tomatoes are filling out nicely, but it will be a few weeks until we have any of them ready.
The red raspberries are few and far between right now, but the fall varieties are blooming and we should have a better supply in a couple weeks. We are still picking some black raspberries, but that will come to an end sometime next week.
We are getting ready to plant our strawberries plants next week. We are doubling our acreage so that we can have more u-pick next year. It has been tough getting the soil prepared for planting with all the rain, plus trying to get the harvesting done as well.
Hope to see you at the market or out at the farm!

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This Week on the Square

Green Beans
Coffee Cake
Peppers
Jam
Sweet Corn
Fudge
Zucchini
Cookies
Squash
Caramels
Red Potatoes
Banana Cakes
Black Raspberries
Rice Crispy Treat

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

Our summer red and black raspberries are starting to slow down (especially the red) but we will have some through next week. We have started to pick fresh green beans and should have some new red potatoes next week.
Today was the first day that we had Fulton Farm’s sweet corn. It is very good and we will have it on a daily basis as well as downtown on Saturday’s.
The tomatoes are coming slowly. We should have a few next week, but I’m afraid it will be very few. But then as we know all good things come with time.

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This Week on the Square

Sweet Corn
Coffee Cake
Lettuce
Fudge
Zucchini
Rice Crispy Treats
Radishes
Cookies
Black Raspberries
Caramels
Summer Squash
Green Beans
Cabbage
Onions

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

Black Raspberries are here! Our u-pick patch is in full production. Give us a call before you come to make sure it isn’t picked out, but they are quick to ripen so you won’t have to wait long. We will have more pre-picked berries next week as more varieties come on. The red raspberries are producing well and we are picking them daily.
We have some beautiful romaine and leaf lettuce, as well as cabbage. Our radishes and green onions are about finished for the spring, we will have more this fall when it cools down.
The zucchini and squash are coming quickly and we will have heavier pickings come next week. We may have some green beans to sell next week along side some new red potatoes.
Our tomatoes have a lot of fruit on them and it looks like we will have a good supply. It will be a week or two before we have any ripe tomatoes but it is always worth the wait. The peppers are a little slower than usual due to the lack of heat, but they are flowering and look good.
See you at the market!

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This Week on the Square

Red Raspberries
Coffee Cake
Lettuce
Fudge
Zucchini
Cookies
Radishes
Homemade Jam
Black Raspberries
Rice Crispy Treats
Summer Squash
Caramels
Cabbage
Onions

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

We have been picking red raspberries this week, and the black raspberries are just starting to ripen. It looks like we will open the u-pick patch next Monday. I encourage you to call to find out how the picking will be for that day before you drive out to the farm. There may be days the patch is closed so that more berries have a chance to ripen. We will open at nine instead of ten during this time of u-pick so that the heat won’t be as bad.
We are still harvesting leaf lettuce, radishes, and green onions. Our cabbage is ready as well but the snow peas are about fin-ished until the next planting is ready in two weeks. We have been picking a little summer squash and zucchini but will not have a good supply until late next week.
The tomatoes are doing well with all the heat we have had, and the greenhouse tomatoes are about the size of baseballs. I can’t wait till that first homegrown tomato!

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This Week on the Square

Red Raspberries
Cabbage
Lettuce
Fudge
Onions
Cookies
Radishes
Coffee Cakes

Jason and Angie Frantom
Crossway Farms
937-210-1590

What beautiful weather we have had this week! It has been great growing and picking weather. Our strawberries are coming to an end, but we will still be scouring the patch for those last few berries, however they will be few and far be-tween.
Our red raspberries are just starting to ripen and the black raspberries are about 1 1/2 weeks away from ripening. Due to some plant disease issues we lost some of our red raspberry plants and will not have the supply that we have had in the past. Since this is the case, we have decided to pick all the red raspberries ourselves and not allow u-pick of red raspberries. We will be allow-ing u-pick of black raspberries when they are ready.
We have a great supply of snow peas, leaf let-tuce, radishes, and green onions. Our zucchini and squash is blooming and will be ready soon.
Have a great weekend !

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This Week on the Square

Leaf Lettuce
Snow Peas
Radishes
Green Onions
Coffee Cakes
Cookies
No Bake Cookies
Caramels
Rice Crispy Treats
Fudge
Homemade Strawberry Jam

Jason and Angie Frantom

Crossway Farms

937-210-1590

Well, it is hard to believe that we have been picking strawberries for three weeks now, but then again my knees and back are telling me that it is so. The strawberries are past peak production and I look for us to have them for a week more but it will be less and less production each day.
The red raspberries will be coming on in about two weeks and the black raspberries in three weeks. With all the rain we have had the berries are filling out nicely and we should have an abundant supply in our u-pick patch.
We have plenty of leaf lettuce this week, as well as radishes and green onions. Our snow peas are now ready as well and we will have some at the farm and downtown.
(If the weather is bad Saturday, all products will be at the Farm Market)

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This Week on the Square

Strawberries
Coffee Cake
Lettuce
Lemon Bars
Radishes
Pecan Bars
Snow Peas
Cookies
Green Onions
Fudge
Homemade Jam
Banana Cakes

Jason and Angie Frantom

Crossway Farms

937-210-1590