Not Far From the Tree: This family-owned West Virginia farm is fun for everyone

Since 1927, Gritt’s Farm has worked to maintain its mission and vision: “to preserve and advance our families commitment to our community as a provider of high quality products and services to our customers that emphasize family, good, and education.”

Today, the farm continues to thrive with the family’s fourth generation growing up on the farm. The combined 400 acres of land provides beauty, open space, healthy food options and employees over 80 individuals. Throughout the year, the farm grows incredible vegetables and fruits like green beans, tomatoes, okra, squash, peaches, cantaloupe, strawberries, watermelon and more.

Gritt’s Farm also holds amazing farm-to-table dinners where their chef or featured guest chef creates a delicious dining experience using the best of the farms seasonal harvest as well as other ingredients from fellow local farmers. The sample menu for the farm-to-table dinners includes squash toast, corn and potato chowder, apple cider-brined pork chops and a mouthwatering cider donut. You can also attend one of the farm’s garden workshops where you can pick up a new skill and bring home a beautiful creation made by you.

In the fall, get ready for the “Fun Farm.” It’s the perfect time to bring the whole family to explore the farm and play. At the Fun Farm, visit the pumpkin patch, take a wagon ride, pet the goats and more. While at the Fun Farm indulge on hand-squeezed lemonade, homemade pork rinds, kettle corn and caramel corn. No matter what time of year it is there is always something exciting going on at Gritt’s Farm.

Gritt’s Farm also has incredible recipes that help you get the most out of your fresh local produce. Here are some of our favorite recipes they have shared:

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups strawberries
  • 4 cups sugar
  • 1.75 oz pectin
  • 1 cup water

Instructions:

  • De-stem strawberries by pulling off leaf with fingers and coring out stem with knife
  • In bowl, mash strawberries with masher or fork until mostly liquid, add sugar, and mix until smooth
  • In pot, mix 1 cup water with pectin, bring to boil, remove from heat, mix, pour hot pectin into bowl with strawberries, and mix constantly for about 3 minutes.
  • Pour jam into mason jars, seal, and set in cool place for 24 hours, then refrigerate

Note: Best eaten before 3 weeks and can be frozen for up to a year.

Cantaloupe Sorbet

Ingredients:

  • 1 cantaloupe
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water

Instructions:

  • Bring water and sugar to boil, remove from heat, and stir until dissolved
  • Peel and large dice cantaloupe, and blend until smooth
  • Pour cantaloupe in a large bowl or airtight container, stir in simple syrup, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour
  • Remove cantaloupe from fridge, stir, cover, and place in freezer for 5 hours, removing to stir after the first 3hrs, and again after another hour
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This post was last updated on July 31, 2020