PROFILE: MeadowBrook Orchards & Farm

Bruce Gruber and Diana Paluy on their renovated farmer porch
at MeadowBrook Orchards and Farm in western Casey County.

It's not every day that someone can reclaim an old farm and make it their own––retrofitting a derelict farmhouse and clearing the landscape into once again useable acreage. In only a few years, former Georgians Diana Paluy and Bruce Gruber have revitalized the old house and landscape at their MeadowBrook Orchards and Farm in western Casey County. They have transformed its waterways and have established a working farmstead complete with several ponds, hayfields, a dam, a large growing orchard and many gardens. 

Prior to their back-to-the-land odyssey, Bruce once played minor league baseball and still works as a disaster housing inspector. Meanwhile, Diana was a vice-president at a contracting company and has lived all over the world––now infusing her excellent cooking with the varied culinary aspects of her travels. Like many who have moved to the region they have a ready answer to this question: 'How did you find Casey County?' The answer involves having just under a day's drive to Atlanta (where they still have family and friends), the picturesque rolling hills and open farmland of Casey County that are a reminder of Bruce's native Connecticut, and, of importance to any farmer: good and affordable land.

Soon after they moved here in 2008, house modifications and brush-clearing took first priority. Within two years the house was renovated and expanded to Bruce's design, allowing a wrap-around porch for shade from the southern sun, regular entertaining––and seedlings, of course. There is also a handy attached greenhouse in the southeast corner, with future plans to build a larger separate one.

Diana is a natural green thumb and brought many of her roses from Georgia and the couple is now growing apples, a variety of fruits, tomatoes, and vegetables––everything is an 'heirloom,' or antique variety: 'like Bruce,' she jokes. This year, MeadowBrook Orchards and Farm has an extensive offering of heirloom tomato seedlings, and other plants, all started from seed saved by Diana. Heirloom plants––certain varieties of which many Casey Countians have always grown––are true to seed and have better flavor, color and other qualities that make them unique and highly sought after by chefs and foodies and anyone who appreciates them. As heirlooms are not grown for shipping (or long-term storage, as are many hybrids), it is becoming easier to find them in local farm markets. And, perhaps best of all, you can save the seed (if it is grown in a protected place away from other like plants).

'The irony in all this is that I don't even like raw tomatoes...or peppers. How I've evolved into primarily a tomato-pepper 'farmer' is a mystery,' Diana said. Yet she grows, harvests and cans them like a fiend, despite herself, while admitting that the added lycopene to their diets has only benefited the couple. Meanwhile, Bruce has devised a tomato stake-trellis system used by many veteran 'mater planters in the county and taught to him by a local farmer. The couple puts out several hundred tomato plants and have started offering extra seedlings for sale and will be selling various produce, also, when in season.

Casey County, as well as a few other rural areas of Kentucky where farmland is both affordable and arable, is seeing a resurgence in sustenance farming among locals and newcomers, alike. Certain farmers are embracing the 'niche farming' market and farm or raise specific crops or livestock in smaller, more manageable practices and for specific markets. They're hanging out their farm signs and finding ways to market their crops in new ways on the Internet, at local venues like Marksbury Farm, regional farmer's markets or collaboratively (such as at the Casey County Produce Auction, organized by the Mennonite community but available to all who wish to sell or buy there). [NOTE: a group is actively forming to work on collaborative farm marketing for the county/region––more information soon!]

There are many loving, and well-loved, dogs to greet you at MeadowBrook.

In the next few weeks, Diana and Bruce may be at upcoming Casey County Produce Auctions (for 2012 schedule and information, click here) with some flats of tomato seedlings or you can call and/or stop by at their farm to choose and purchase plants (and later produce). They would welcome the opportunity to sell to anyone who would appreciate these delicious varieties and are currently offering the following tomato plants (with limited basil, pepper and other options):

Anna Russian, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Black Plum, Black Zebra, Bloody Butcher (an early 60 day tomato), Cherokee Purple, Chocolate Stripes, Costaluto Florentino, Jubilee, Pineapple, Pink Brandywine, Principe Borghese (a plum variety that Italians use for sun-drying), San Marzano (a Roma type), White Tomesol, and, Diana's Black Globe (her own variety brought up from Georgia). [There are also two indeterminate beefsteak varieties available: a pink-red and an orange-pink.]

MeadowBrook Orchards and Farm

680 Dug Hill Road

Elk Horn, KY 42733

606-787-4690

Open: Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm

Email: Diana.dughillrd@msn.com

[Click here to friend on Facebook]

Despite its Elk Horn address, the farm is located just north of Chicken Gizzard Ridge in western Casey County.

~ For more information on specific heirloom tomato varieties, check out Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

Calling all Gardeners & Farmers! PLEASE COME ~

Casey County Produce Auction is Up and Running

The first local strawberries went for $1.50 a pint as no one was expecting them.

The Casey County Auction, now in its third full year, is up and running and having auctions three times a week: Mondays and Wednesdays at 2pm and Fridays at 5pm from now until mid-October. The auctioneers have increased their April auctions already, from one to three a week, because of the unexpected boon of some local spring produce offerings (early) as well as the amount of flowers, plants and hanging baskets–and some vegetable flats–that have been coming in from area greenhouses.

Floribunda! The auction often takes on the appearance of a Dutch flower market.
There are hanging flowers, ferns, roses, various perennials, and flats. At this time of year
there are more plants and flowers than local produce–until about mid-May when produce is in.

On a typical day you might pay less than you thought or more than you want but most items go for wholesale prices (beautiful and abundant hanging baskets the other day, for example, were going for about $5-6 each). It is no wonder that plant buyers come from all over Kentucky–some as far as Lexington–to purchase quality plants for their greenhouses, shops or home use.

Local spring onions are abundant now at area farmstands and at auction.

Local produce is starting to come in: strawberries were a "wow" factor, even though they only sold for $1.50 a pint at the start of the season and local onions, and even some local eggs have been making an appearance. By mid-May and through the rest of the season, local produce offerings will gradually replace plant and flower options.

Milton Brubacker auctions off some roses from area greenhouses. 

The thrill of the auction is that you never know what will be there and you never know what you might have to pay for something you want. We've found deal after deal in the past few years (well, except for those Stanley plums that I dearly wanted for canning), but we've also walked away when bidding got too high for a particular item.

Also, anyone can sell their local goods––plants, flowers, starts, produce, eggs––via auction, no matter the size of the offering at auction. This is great for the large or small gardener who may want to get rid of their bumper crop and make a bit of extra money. Call 606-787-5158 for procedures.

Casey County Produce Auction is located at 524 South Fork Creek Road, approximately three miles from Hwy 127 and about ten minutes south of Liberty. To call the office: 606-787-5158; for Market/price info from previous sales: 606-787-0570. For a complete 2012 schedule, click here.

See you at the auction!

A flat of nicotiana, a lovely fragrant annual related to tobacco plants.
You'll never know what you'll find!

18th Annual Casey County Benefit Auction!

Don't forget that this Saturday––March 31st––will be the annual Casey County rite of Spring: the Benefit Consignment Auction run by the county's Old Order Mennonite community. It will be held in the usual spot at the junction of Hwy 127 and 510, from 9am-5pm.

There are flats of plants, larger landscape plants, lots of baked items (for sale), produce items (for sale), delicious cooked chicken and secret-recipe barbecue sauce, ice cream, snacks and all manner of livestock and assorted items at auction.

Every year there is something different but you can always count on finding something delicious or useful to take home with you. And all proceeds benefit certain charitable organizations and members in the Mennonite community with medical need.

See you at the auction!

Homemade pies of all sizes are always at the well-stocked (and affordable) bake sale!

Homemade preserves!

There is always a quilt auction of vintage and newer quilts
at very affordable prices. We admired these older ones a few years ago.

There are livestock available at auction including cattle, chickens, hogs and other fowl.

It's Time for the Casey County Produce Auction!

Just a note that the Casey County Produce Auction will begin its regular 2012 auction season on Wednesday, April 4 at their location on South Fork Creek in Liberty, Kentucky. Here you can buy local Casey County produce, eggs, plants and flowers at their freshest availability and often at wholesale prices (or even less and sometimes more: it's an auction, after all).

Click here for a full 2012 schedule of regular plant, flower and produce auctions, as well as special auctions, held mostly three times a week from April through mid-October.

Stay tuned for auction highlights throughout the season! And if you ever want a market report of how specific items sold, you can always call 1-606-787-0570 for a recorded message of the last auction results.

And remember that everyone in the region is welcome to sell their locally grown produce, eggs and plants (no matter how small the volume). If you wish to sell, contact Milton Brubacker or Paul Hoover at 1-606-787-5158 for particulars.

See you at the auction!

Housekeeping – or is that Farm-keeping?

We are currently gathering information and updating all events, and the Casey County Produce Auction schedule, for 2012. Plans are also in the works for an initial get-together in late February of all interested Casey County farmers and others for fellowship, possible regular programs and perhaps to organize a 'Farm Day' open house in Casey County for sometime this year. Let us know if you'd like to be on the mailing list. Details to follow!

In the meantime, check (and join!) our 'GROW Casey County' Facebook page for more regular updates (which are also always visible in the right sidebar if you're not on Facebook). Feel free to email us at info@CatherinePond.com if you need specific information sooner.

Have a Blessed Holiday Season!

We wish you all the joys of the holiday season
and the bounty that life offers you.

We are taking a bit of a break here for the holidays and will be posting any upcoming items of interest on our Facebook page: so make sure to friend us at "Grow Casey County" [our 150th and 200th Friends will also receive bountiful gift baskets of Casey County products, if before or during the holidays!]

We will certainly return in the New Year, if not before, with more on Casey County's agricultural and local offerings and stories of interest.

In the meantime if you need to reach us, please email at info@CatherinePond.com

Many thanks to you all for your support in our first year!