Melons, raspberries and more! ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Thorpe's Organic Family Farm

Gayle’s Field Notes- September 12, 2026

 * We have certainly gotten plenty of rain!  

   * The first planting of string beans is getting a little over mature, but the second planting is coming along beautifully and should be ready in about 1 week for u-pick and already picked.


    * The black raspberries are still pretty decent (weedy too) Some that were really ripe got slightly beat up in our recent heavy rains, but there are lots more coming for PYO and stand sales this coming week.

* The fall crop of red raspberries are in great shape now. When picking- gently lift up the canes and you’ll find many hidden berries! They are $8/lb. The raspberries will continue to ripen until we get the first frost, usually in mid-October. Please bring your own containers to pick into and have them weighed at the stand, or you can purchase quart baskets at the stand.

* The melon crop is very tasty! Get them before they’re gone :)

 * The PYO tomatoes are not loaded but there are some out there for u-pick!

* As we mentioned last week, with all of this rain the tomatoes tend to crack and split, especially the tasty heirlooms, so if you pick them a bit under ripe, but full size, and lay them out somewhere to finish ripening they will eventually be ripe and beautiful.  There are all sorts of organic tomato types and varieties:  paste, cherry, heirlooms like Brandywine and Striped German, and regular round red ones.

*u-pick price per lb. for organic tomatoes is $.50/lb.

* At this time, we are not able to take already picked tomato orders. We will update you all if we’re able to take orders as the season goes on. We will have small amounts of tomatoes for sale on the farm stand this week and next, but no canning quantities yet.

 * Please do not pick when wet, like after a heavy dew or rain.
 * The tomatoes are diagonally across the road from the farm store. We have a tomato sign up by the 2nd gas line orange marker post coming from our farm (if you’re heading to the tomatoes from our farm driveway, turn RIGHT out of the driveway and the field will be on your left 7 telephone poles down from the farm. Please pull into the driveway without the mailbox- look for the tomato sign!)
 * Please stop at the stand first for directions and a map showing where each kind of tomato is.
 * Every 8 rows there is a mowed section.
 * There will be a fluorescent streamer dividing the field. You may pick any tomatoes on your side of the streamer.  
  * The tomatoes for us to pick for the stand will be the ones on the farther side of that streamer, so please do not pick there.
  * There will be a mowed parking area, but the driveway is just a dirt farm driveway, so your car might object if it’s rained heavily recently.
  * Please bring your own picking containers.
  * Please do not pick when wet, like after a heavy dew or rain.

    * Yesterday we had our annual organic inspection, an all-day event where my whole family helps gather all the multitude of information an organic inspector needs; give him tours of all the fields, animals, buildings, and lots of paperwork!  

It all went very well.

 

    * I just planted another planting of late fall asian salad greens and radishes just before the rain, thankfully!  Now we are planning where to plant the garlic.  We will soon be breaking up the seed and planting each clove by hand.  It will set roots underground throughout the late fall and winter,  hide under the snow, and when next spring of 2027 comes it will be all ready to pop up above ground and grow vigorously.

    * Our organically fed chicken, in pieces or whole birds, will be ready in a couple of weeks.   Please email Naomi @ naomithorpe14@yahoo.com or text her at 716-341-3272 to place an order.  All preorders get 20% off by ordering now. Discounted prices are as follows: $6/lb for whole birds, $12/lb for breasts and tenders, $11/lb for thighs, $7/lb. legs/wings, $5/lb for stock bags, livers and hearts.
    * Thanksgiving turkeys are growing well on their organically fed outdoor lifestyle.  Get your order in now also on these if you want one.

For organic produce this week, we have the following:

Red and gold potatoes

Red and yellow onions

Shallots

Garlic

Sweet corn

Summer squash/zucchini

Cucumbers

Carrots

Sweet bell peppers

Sweet Italian peppers

Sweet banana peppers

Hot banana peppers

Jalapeños

Chili peppers

Shishitos

Poblanos

Tomatoes

Red and yellow Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Basil

Dill

Cilantro

Swiss chard

Arugula (slightly damaged by flea beetles but still delish)

Asian salad mix

Fennel

Coming soon:

Pumpkins already picked and pick your own

Corn stalk bundles

Mums

Non-organic produce:

Apples

Thank you for reading! We all look forward to are to seeing you at the stand and in the fields!

The Thorpe Family and Crew

Thorpe's Organic Family Farm
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Thorpe's Organic Family Farm
12866 Route 78
East Aurora
United States

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