To Contact Us

The Cumming Harvest
thecummingharvest@live.com
Facebook
Twitter

DIRT ROAD FARM

Welcome our newest farmer – DIRT ROAD FARM
Hilton Hobby talks about his farm:

I began farming three years ago when my wife and I moved into our first house. We started with laying chickens and a garden. Over time the numbers of chickens have steadily climbed and with them the number of eggs we collect. I created Dirt Road Farm in late winter/early spring of this year. My whole life I’ve always been drawn to animals, crops, and good food, so becoming a farmer was a good fit for me.

I decided to grow food sustainably because it makes since with this world God has created and it is healthier for us. Sustainable farming works with nature and the changing seasons, not against it. There is a reason why we have four seasons in a year and each one complements the others. When we are working with the seasons and nature as we produce food, we can produce healthy food without any chemical aids, and you never get bored of doing the same things everyday because your work changes with the weather and the seasons.

I currently raise laying and meat chickens, pigs, and turkeys. I have had ducks and goats in the past, and would like to have them again, among other animals, but that will have to wait until I can acquire some more land.

I enjoy raising chickens the most because they are relatively low maintenance and they are very enthusiastic animals.

My wife and I have three kids plus one on the way, and I live on 1.7 acres. We have a creek in the back yard and an open area perfect for our garden in the front yard. When the hens are mostly done with their laying for the day, they are given free reign of the woods and yards to forage all they want. The meat chickens are rotated around the front yard every day so they always have fresh grass to eat. The pigs start in the woods in the back and are rotated around to a fresh spot every one to two weeks.

The most challenging task on the farm is getting the work done with any one to three of my kids in tow. They are very enthusiastic and eager to help with everything, and it is a challenge to nurture this enthusiasm and helpfulness, but get the work done too.

One of the things I enjoy the most about farming is feeding time for the animals. They are always happy to see me, and I am always happy to make them happy. Another thing I really enjoy is harvest time. I enjoy seeing the end product that I have worked so long and hard for.

I don’t have help on the farm most of the time, besides my kids (ages 1-6), but I do have friends who are glad to help from time to time when big projects come my way or when I am out of town. It’s not too hard to get some extra help when I need it when fresh meat, eggs, and/or produce can be had as compensation.

My short term goals for the farm are to get better at the things I am currently doing, and learn how to make the most efficient use of space. Long term goals would be to acquire more land, add some more species to the farm (cows, sheep, ducks, goats), and eventually farm full time.

My favorite food to grow is a toss-up between tomatoes, sweet corn, and okra. Nothing tastes better than a vine ripe tomato, raw corn right off the stalk, or fresh fried okra!

RECIPE
My favorite recipe is the roasted chicken my wife fixes. We never have leftovers when roasted chicken is for dinner. One thing the recipe says that we do NOT do is trim the excess fat. The fat adds so much flavor to the chicken we wouldn’t dream of cutting it out. The juices that cook out of the chicken are used to dip the meat in (or anything else).

Alice Waters’s roast chicken
Adapted from The Art of Simple Food

1 chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: Garlic (stuff inside chicken cavity & under skin), herbs such as rosemary, thyme, &/or sage

One or two days in advance of cooking, remove giblets from cavity, and trim excess fat pads from chicken. Rub chicken all over, inside and out, with 1 1/2 tsp salt and a scant 1/4 tsp of pepper. Loosely wrap and refrigerate chicken for one or two days.

One hour before cooking, remove chicken from refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400 deg F. After chicken has been out of the refrigerator for an hour, place chicken in a roasting pan that is just big enough to hold it, breast side up. Tuck wing tips under thighs to keep them from burning. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn chicken breast side down. Roast another 20 minutes, then turn chicken breast side up again. Roast until fully cooked, another 10-20 minutes – when done, the skin should be separating from the meat, you should be able to wiggle the leg freely, juices should run clear, and a thermometer inserted into the leg (not too near the bone) should register 165 deg F. Let chicken rest 10-15 minutes before carving.

MY DAILY BREAD On SALE this week:
Organic Blueberry Jam Reg $6 this week $5
Sliced Non GMO Organic Sourdough bread sliced loaf Reg $7, sale $6.50

Upcoming Events Around Town

Organic Growing Course

August 29, 2015 – 9-4pm
Cane Creek Farm – Cumming, Georgia

Whether you’re interested in becoming an full-time organic farmer or you just want to produce delicious, healthy food in your backyard, Lynn Pugh’s legendary Organic Farming and Gardening course will teach you the basics so you can start growing sustainably.

Cane Creek Farm is the classroom, and you’ll engage in plenty of hands-on activities while you learn about everything from crop planning to soil biology. Its okay if you’re a total newbie!

And if you’re an experienced gardener, you’ll learn a lot too; Lynn teaches from the state’s first-ever organic curriculum, which she developed, and you’ll get a copy of this remarkable resource. You’ll also get to tour area farms and learn from other experienced farmers!

The course is offered in a series of 7 alternate Saturdays beginning August 29 and running every other week till November 21. To registration to to http://canecreekfarm.net/education/classes-and-workshops/. Cost is $475 or $450 for GO members.

Website: www.canecreekfarm.net
Address: 5110 Jekyll Road, Cumming, GA 30040
Phone: (770) 889-3793

Pick Up Options

COLONY PARK PICK-UP This is our main location and all orders will be prepared for you for pick up at this location, 10am-12pm, if you don’t choose another option below. You can order and pick up meat and seafood at this location.

VICKERY PICK-UP – Vickery Village Cherry Street Taproom pick up is between 1:00-1:30pm. If you would like to pick up at Vickery choose VICKERY PICK-UP item in the categories on the The Market page/tab. Customers choosing to pick up at Vickery should not order meat or seafood as we cannot transport meat and seafood due to Dept. of Ag regulations. Prefer payment online, will accept check or cc in person.

DELIVERY to Vickery/Polo Area – Please add this item to your order if you would like delivery to your home on Saturday between 1:30-3pm. Only prepaid orders will be accepted. Deliveries will be dropped off at your front door. If you are not going to be home, please leave a insulated bag or cooler for your order. The delivery person is not responsible for making sure your food is in the appropriate container once dropped off. Please plan for possible rain and make sure your order will be protected. The delivery person will travel with your orders in insulated bags with ice packs to protect it during travel. No Meat or Seafood will be able to be delivered.

Group Buys

Green Pastures – I’ll start taking orders for July on July 8th.
Cheese – We still have a good bit at the market. Cheese is available for order online.