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Steve & Lucinda
2771 Paradise Road
Reynoldsville, PA 15851
ParadiseGardensandFarm@Comcast.Net Click to email us.
(814) 568-1207 Farmhouse (814) 932-6761 Cell
(Up Kramer Rd from Rte 119 in Stump Creek)
Home Who We Are What We Offer What is "Organic"?
Spring 2006
The snow is
gone... Our restoration and refurbishing of the old farm
is coming along and we're gearing up for the summer.
 Planting the Garden
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THE GARDEN In early Spring, Stephen and his
brother Ron spent a backbreaking week building 15 collared beds
and another 28 three-sided, terraced beds of concrete block. They
mounded the rest of the beds and set out the rest of the block.
In all there are 65 beds and a final row the length of 11 beds.
Since then, Lucinda has planted 22 of the beds in spinach, kale, lettuce, endive, arugula, broccoli, beets, and onions and potatoes. The warm season "tenders" including corn, beans, peppers, melons, squash, and tomatoes need to wait another month, but there are several dozen tomato plants and some peppers in the greenhouse ready to move when the final frost surrenders for the year. |
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WYATT
This May 6, our puppy turned one year old! He's a watchdog and a constant companion. We have yet to find good herd dog training anywhere near us, but we're trying. If he is in the right position in relation to the chickens, he can now Bring 'em In! by chasing them into the chicken house yard. The thing is ... they don't need chasing because they come home to roost anyway and he scares the dickens out of them. So instead, he's learning to Stay and watch them come in. Learning to Stay in different places and contexts is a good thing, too. |
| Goats have had to
wait because of the fencing. Our fencepost delivery fell through and
trying to explain to goats where the fenceline was supposed to go was not an option... With the pastures
growing, we are anxious
to get them soon! The pastures are too hilly to be mowed easily, but
mow we must if there are no goats yet to do it for us! (And no goat
milk or goat milk fudge or goat milk ice cream or cheese...) |
NO GOATS YET
:-( )-: |
| 2006 ORGANIC SYSTEM PLAN Submitted to:  Submitted by:  |
The BIG winter project was the detailing and submission of our organic plan for certification. The final plan was 55 pages long... The PCO certification specialists are very careful in their perusal of the plan. After several detailed questions, so far so good! The inspection is the main thing. It seems we talk the talk. The inspection will show if we walk the walk. Stay tuned! |
We are now PA PREFERRED, a BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL partner, promoting the nutritional and social benefits of fresh local foods supporting a thriving local economy. We support local businesses, too. |
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| OUR EGGS are fresh from the hens, who are very happy birds. Visitors to the farm remark on how healthy and friendly they are. The egg shells are strong and the yolks are so deep in color that they're almost orange, a sign of the well-rounded diet of healthy pastured poultry. All day they wander the fields (except when the hens come in to lay) and in the evening they come home to roost.   |
NEW BIRDS! We like our chickens so much that we got another 2 dozen chicks, all female. They will go out to the chicken house around Memorial Day and should be providing eggs by early fall for all our new Farmers Market customers. 
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We
are proud that we have been inspected and approved by the PA Dept of
Agriculture for the FARMERS
MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM (FMNP)! This is a
wonderful program that supports and encourages the purchase of fresh,
whole fruits and vegetables by those who might not otherwise afford
or buy them. Look for us at the Dubois and Reynoldsville Farmers
Markets come
summer! Did you know that even without FMNP checks, fresh fruits and vegetables are always a better value for your money than processed foods? This is true both in quantity and in nutrition. |
In the NEWS again! This time, the raised beds caught the eye of photographer Paul A. Wilson of the Tri-County (Clearfield, Elk, and Jefferson) Courier-Express. |
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