Join us Saturday March 20 and Sunday March 21 for our seventh annual White House Weekend. Many of our vendors will be sampling their fine foods around our market. Have a blast eating your way through our market. We will also conduct some contests and giveaways for prizes. Go green with White House – if you purchase over $25 in merchandise on March 20 or 21, we will give you a free White House reusable bag! Join us for our spring fling!

New Crop Ohio Maple Syrup will be ready soon (as soon as Mother Nature cooperates). Our local maple syrup makers Dave and Nancy Hively of Misty Maple Farms are gearing up for the annual sap collection and boiling of pure Ohio maple syrup. Did you know that maple syrup was the only sweet foodstuff available to our pioneer ancestors in the 1700s and early 1800s. Honeybees had not yet arrived in America and sugar was too expensive for the average citizen. Imagine a diet with limited sweetness!

Don’t miss out in tasting the original sweetener of Ohio maple syrup.

Calling all Bakers! Our second annual apple dessert contest will be held Saturday March 27. Last year we had over 50 entries! Our panel of local celebrity judges will taste all desserts and select a first, second and third place winner. Our winner will receive a year’s supply of our apples and $100. Get the application HERE or stop in for an application blank. Entry donations will also benefit the Mahoning Valley Second Harvest Food Bank.

Finally, don’t forget that we have plenty of our Crisp, Juicy apples in store. Our storages open every few weeks and most varieties are available. Choose from Gala, Delicious, Melrose, Winesap, Cameo, Ida Red, Braeburn, Empire and Jonagold. We also make fresh apple cider every week.

Look for a coupon for our market good thru March 31 at the end of this newsletter. Until next month …

“Appely” yours,

Debbie Pifer
White House Fruit Farm

Crispy, tasty Apples from our orchard:
Fuji, Gala, Braeburn, Gold Rush, Melrose, Ida Red, Empire, Cameo, Red & Golden Delicious, Winesap, & Jonagold

Our special apple storages allow us to maintain the “crunch” throughout the winter and spring.

Craving comfort foods? Try making homemade applesauce or baked apples as a side dish to accompany dinner. Quarter apples and spread with peanut butter for a quick snack.

Did you miss our clear crisp “Gold Rush” apple cider over the holidays? We have had so many requests for more that we will continue to make it thru January. Don’t miss out on this unique drink!

January Product features:

• Bear Creek Soup Mixes- just add water and simmer. Clam chowder, potato, gumbo, and more.
• White House Granola Cereals- yummy and healthy cereals enjoyed with or without milk
• Cleveland’s Own Pasta Sauces- great tasting pasta, marinara, or spicy pasta sauces made right here in Ohio
• Mrs. Miller’s Noodles- many varieties of casserole & flavored noodles made in Fredericksburg, Ohio

Winter Market Hours:
Monday-Saturday 9-5 p.m. and Sunday 12-5p.m.

Christmas at the Farm
Saturday, December 12, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, December 13, from Noon -5:00 p.m.

Join us:

• Our annual Lionel holiday train layout featuring our Lionel amusement park accessories
• Our special “Gold Rush” Christmas white apple cider
• Food sample stations
• Blueberry the Christmas Elf
• Holiday fruit and food baskets and other seasonal gift ideas

Looking for gifts for family or friends?

• We ship our apples anywhere in the continental US.
• We deliver fruit and food baskets in the local area.
• Our market is a great place to make your own specialty food baskets – you pick the items and we package them.
• We take orders for cookies, pies, donuts, Kolachi, and dinner rolls.
• Give the gift of Ohio cheeses and trail bologna.
• Don’t forget to serve hot spiced apple cider at your holiday parties.

Our Holiday Market Hours:
Monday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday Noon – 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 24, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
We will be closed December 25 - 27
Thursday, December 31, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
We will be closed January 1 – January 7 for vacation
Reopen Friday, January 8

We love the Thanksgiving season as this holiday showcases the produce bounty we have harvested this year. We are truly thankful for our productive Ohio soils, our tireless staff, and our wonderful customers who make all of our efforts worthwhile. Happy Thanksgiving! The Hull family

Pies from our Bakery: order your favorites including pumpkin, apple, apple caramel walnut, pecan, cherry, mince, apple cranberry and many more. Pick up Wednesday, November 25, until 5:00 p.m. All pies are 10 inch and serve 6-8. Call 330-533-4161 ext. 230 to place orders. We take orders thru Tuesday, November 24.

Locally Grown Chestnuts: sweet local chestnuts for your homemade stuffing grown here in Ohio! We will have an ample supply. Store in the refrigerator until Christmas.

Our Own Apples: want to make your own pies? Choose from great pie apples such as Melrose, Ida Red, Empire, Winesap, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, or Braeburn.

Fresh Apple Cider: Serve at Thanksgiving dinner or at any party. Try cider simmered with our mulling spices for a great healthy drink.

Bakery Treats: Don’t forget our pumpkin logs, dinner rolls, or pumpkin fudge to delight all your guests.

November Market Hours: Monday – Saturday 9-5p.m. Sunday 12-5p.m.

Closed Thanksgiving Day

Dates to Remember:
Saturday, Sept. 19 from 10-5 and Sunday, Sept. 20 from noon-5
White House 27th Annual Craft Show and Harvest Festival!!

• Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides through the orchard
• Outdoor Food
• Pumpkin Pavilion
• Outdoor Craft Show
• Children’s Petting Zoo
• Children’s Crawl-Thru Caterpillar
• Plenty of our own apples, apple cider, donuts, fudge and farm market specialties

Weekends from September 19-20 through October 24-25 horse-drawn wagon rides, children’s petting zoo, outdoor food and our pumpkin pavilion.

September Produce Picks:

Honeycrisp and Gala apples mid September
Peppers, squash, tomatoes, peaches,& sweet corn as long as the season lasts!

Plenty of our famous donuts, pies, apple cider and fudge

September Hours:
Mon-Friday 9-6 Sat 9-5 and Sunday 12-5
White House Fruit Farm

Our delicious homegrown peaches are now ripe from our orchards. We grow over 12 varieties of luscious yellow and white freestone varieties bursting with sweetness and juiciness. Can or freeze peaches to enjoy through the year or slice up for tonight’s dinner. If you eat peaches out of hand make sure to stand over the sink – the juice will drip down your chin!

White-fleshed peaches are a true treat as they are very sweet and mild with a low acid content. We also grow nectarines (a peach without the fuzz), which are great eaten out of hand.

Our market bursts at the seams with our homegrown produce in August. Crops in season include:

Sweet corn
Green beans
Round and plum tomatoes
Hot and sweet peppers
Pickles
Zucchini
Beets
Red potatoes
Sweet candy onions
Eggplant
Cucumbers
Cabbage
Apples
Cantaloupe

Peach Crisp

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:

· 4-5 cups fresh peaches sliced

· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· 3 tablespoons sugar

· 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour, divided

· 1 cup old fashioned oats

· 1 cup brown sugar, packed

· 1 cup butter, cold

· Optional: Whipped or ice cream

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 9 x 13 glass pan. Mix peaches, cinnamon, sugar and 3 tablespoons flour. Add to pan.

Mix rest of flour, oats and brown sugar. Cut in butter. Sprinkle butter mixture over peaches. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Best served warm with whipped or ice cream.

Dates to Remember

White House Craft Show and Harvest Festival September 19 and September 20, 2009

Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides, Children’s Petting Zoo, Pumpkin Pavilion, Outdoor Food Sept. 19-20, Sept. 26-27, Oct. 3-4, Oct. 10-11, Oct. 17-18, Oct. 24-25

10lb. tubs of Freshly Pitted Tart Cherries for Pies
Available July 18 thru July 28
$21.95 per tub

July Homegrown Crops (available when ripe)

Try making your own pickles with our pickle mixes. Choose from bread & butter, kosher, sweet, or dill. Some mixes do not require canning! Stock up when small pickling cucumbers come into season and let the kids help make your favorite kind of pickle!

Pick Your Own Berries Approximately June 10-early July (weather and enough ripe berries permitting)

Monday-Friday 7a.m.-7p.m. Saturday 8a.m.-5p.m. and Sunday 12p.m.-5p.m.

Call 330-533-4161 for updates

How to enjoy Homegrown Strawberries

• Snack in front of TV
• Crush and serve over ice cream
• Make strawberry shortcake
• Strawberry smoothies
• Make freezer jam
• In pies and tarts
• Make homemade strawberry ice cream
• Make homemade jelly or preserves
• Mix into yogurt
• Serve over cereal

Our strawberries are in season until the first week of July

It’s time to order our famous 10 lb. tubs of freshly pitted tart cherries to pick up in mid July.

Our cherries take just minutes to freeze for great pies all year – no pitting – tastes great. Call now to place your order – this is the only time of year for fresh sour cherries – approximately $20-$22 per tub (final price set in early July by the Michigan cherry growers).

Call 330-533-4161 to place your order.

First Homegrown Vegetable of the Season

Asparagus – all tender – hand snapped

Available through end of May** weather permitting

To Freeze Asparagus:

· Cut asparagus into sections

· Blanch 3 minutes

· Plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process

· Put into freezer bags

· Use within one year

Featured Product from our Market

Our own freshly ground natural peanut butter – honey-roasted peanut butter – almond butter

· Our nut butters do not contain added sugars, salt or hydrogenated oils

· They taste fresh and natural and are better for you than commercial butters

· We grind our butters several times per week

· Try apples dipped in peanut butter – yummy!!

Enjoy an afternoon on the Farm

· Feed the fish in our lake

· Grab an ice cream cone (we carry Hershey’s ice cream)

· Sit a spell, on the deck, and absorb the scenery

· Play catch with Bonnie our Border Collie

· Picnic at the playhouse with the children

First Place

Carol Sudzina
Campbell, Ohio

Apple Bars
2 cups flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup margarine
2 beaten egg yolks (save the whites0
6 baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 lightly beaten egg whites just till foamy
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Combine the 2 cups of flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in the margarine as for pie crust.  Stir in egg yolks.  Mixture will be crumbly.  Divide mixture.  Press half into the bottom only of a 9×13x2 inch pan.  Set aside.  Combine apples, the remaining sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Arrange apples over bottom crust.  Crumble remaining dough over top of apples.  Drizzle egg whites over top of crumbs.  Bake @350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Cool.  Run a knife around the outer edges then cut into 24 bars.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over top.  Place in cupcake liners or picnics or parties.

Second Place

Barbara Sannes
Salem, Ohio

Sour Cream-Apple Pie

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust from 15 oz box), softened as directed on box
Filling
1 ¼ cups sour cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
6 cups ¼ inch slices peeled baking apples

Topping
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Dash salt
3 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Heat oven to 400F.  Unroll pie crust in 9” glass pie plate as directed on box for one crust filled pie.  In large bowl beat sour cream, granulated sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and egg with wire whisk until well blended.  Stir in apples.  Pour into crust lined pie plate.
Bake 15 minutes.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and bake 30 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix all topping ingredients except butter.  With pastry blender or fork cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
Sprinkle topping over pie.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown.  Cool completely on cooling rack, about 2 hours.  Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Third Place

Rochelle Masteller
Killeen, Texas

Caramel Apple Ice Cream Treats

1 ½ cups half & half
6 egg yolks
¾ cup white sugar
½ tsp vanilla
¾ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ to 2 cups applesauce** see below

Applesauce
5 Gala apples, peeled, quartered, and cored
½ cup water
½ cup white sugar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Heat apples and water to boiling with lid on.  Cook 5-10 minutes until soft.  Add rest of ingredients and return to boil.  Cook 3-5 minutes and mash to desired consistency.  Makes 1 ½ - 2 cups applesauce, depending on size of apples.

To make Ice Cream
Scald half & half in saucepan.  (Do not boil).  In separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla.  Gradually whisk in scalded cream, slowly to yolks don’t scramble.  Add spice and return to saucepan.  Heat and continue to stir until thick. (10 minutes)  Do not boil.  Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream and applesauce.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Once chilled, add mixture to freezer bowl and stir for 15-20 minutes.  Place in freezer.
When frozen, scoop ice cream and roll in crushed walnuts.  Top with caramel ice cream topping.

Thank you you to the 40+ entrants in our first ever Apple Dessert Contest.  What diversity!  All of our entrants were very worthy!

 Congratulations to our top three!

First Place

Carole Sudzina

Cambell, Ohio

Second Place

Barbara Sannes

Salem, Ohio
Third Place

Rochelle Masteller

Killeen, Texas

White House Weekend is Saturday and Sunday, March 21st and 22nd.    The annual event features a unique blend of fun and food that the entire family can enjoy.  This weekend has become a sure sign that spring is definitely on the way.  Hours of the event are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday the 21st, and from Noon to 5 on Sunday the 22nd.

Our First Annual Apple Recipe Contest will take place on Saturday, March 28th. A panel of celebrity judges will determine the three top winners of apple-based desserts brought in on the day of the event.  Judging starts at 1:00 p.m.  Entry forms, printed recipes, and the entry fee are due by March 23rd.  CLICK HERE for the entry form.

Prizes include: cash for first place along with apples for a year.  White House gift certificates and a bushel of apples will be awarded for 2nd and 3rd place winners. The $5 entry fee will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank.   70 bushels of fresh White House apples will also be given to the Food Bank following the event.  White House will also be collecting non-perishable food for the Food Bank at the start of the weekend celebration on March 21st and will collect until end of day March 28th.

Completed entries can be mailed and received by White House Fruit Farm no later than March 23, 2009.  Please mail or deliver entry information to:  White House Fruit Farm, Apple Dessert Recipe Contest, 9249 State Route 62, Canfield, OH 44406. CLICK HERE for the entry form.

Second Harvest Food Bank provides food to 155 hunger relief organizations in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties. They include church pantries, homeless shelters and soup kitchens, shelters for battered women and after school programs.  In 2008, the Food Bank distributed 6.2 million pounds of food.