Be sure to check out the Fall Event days!!! Farm Heritage day is October 2 and Pumpkin Day is October 16. If you know of anyone interested in Picking pumpkins or night time hay rides we have that also.

But cooler weather still means good things from the garden. It is getting better for some crops like peas and beans. The season has been difficult for beans but perhaps this fall will help bring more beans in. Cooler season vegetables are being sown. We hope to have more and even later this year.

Grapes, grape juice and apple cider are really good in the fall. Look for persimmons, chestnuts in early October. Now is a good time to think of the Holidays.

The Garden center has lots of Fall decor, mums, flowers and ideas for Holiday gifts as well. Ask them for ideas.

     Fall is a highlight at Indigo Farms. For many people it is a place where special memories bring smiles and warm thoughts even years after their experience here. The fall event days and other farm activities are made for just such times.                  

Thank You for being a part of our farm's fall events. we hope you value the time you had even more as the years go by. If you are interested in helping with the event days in 2010 you may contact us to see if there is a way to do so. We look forward to next year and hope to make next year's even better.

Headlines from the NASPIG race track

  The season is very young but this year's racers seem very eager to get on the NASPIG circuit. Nine pigs are battling for the 2010 championship. The early buzz is that one pig reminds the experts of a young pig many years ago that went on to become the legendary "OLLIE". Ollie remains one of NASPIG's most famous racers.

Farm Heritage Day (October 2) is our effort to bring together the many new people who move into the area, The many people whose roots are deep in the area together with the generations that have never known our rural heritage. The result is a rare opportunity to learn from one another, to interact with knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced people. The kind of people we have been participated in past years truly makes this day special.

Look for horse drawn demonstrations   Exhibits of basket making, indigo dyeing, weaving, spinning, paper making, old tools, artifacts from the 1800's, old tool exhibit, blacksmithing, needle work and more. The Horry County museum will be running a 1915 vertical hit and miss engine turning a 1920's grist mill. Antique tractors and engines, old farm equipment, special music is planned by one of the most favorite bands in the area. It is a a real display of talent from a musically rich part of the area. Special additions include pony rides, hay rides, pick your own pumpkins, hay maze, corn stalk tepe, lots of photo opportunities and one of the event's most popular attraction - Stockpig Racing!  Keep posted for more added details.

Pumpkin Day  October 16 is a day focused on farm fun from yesteryear. This year we focus on more pumpkin activites such as painting , pick your own. Pumpkin Day is the crown jewel of Naspig. It is usually the day that determines who will win the championship. With the point system all the races throughout the season count and add up to determine the eventual winner. We are looking forward to music, cloggers and some farm games for all ages. Our hope is that this day could be one of those rare days where families can all have fun together, doing the same things. There is something wonderful that happens when parents can share their youthful side with their own kids. It is great when fathers and mothers come along side their children to "show" them that they can "do" this game or participate like everyone else. It is a great opportunity to laugh, be yourself and count your many blessings.  Keep posted for details.

Night time hay rides are an opportunity for small groups to have some special time together. Unlike most night time hay rides in the fall the focus is not on a wild scary time. It is in fact intended to be a quiet evening savoring the early evening or night. Tuning in to the wonderful reality that exist but is often ignored.

 Fall 2010Tour          

Welcome to Indigo Farms! This tour is designed to provide an interactive and educational experience for children of all ages. Come enjoy Fall on the farm!

Enjoy a guided educational tour of the barnyard. You will see and learn about our horses, geese, peacock,  turkeys, goats, sheep, pigs and Hershey the hinny . We usually have baby goats,  chicks, and/or goslings.

 One of the highlights of the Fall tour are the many scarecrows and fall decorations. The hay maze is really a big hit. Be sure to point out to the students the intelligence of the farm animals. This is especially true for the pigs. You will see the farm race track where pigs are trained to race. Pigs are very smart animals and learn to race rather well creating many fun moments during the Fall events. We have quite a collection of old farm equipment for older people to see. If you are particularly interested ask a guide about it .

You will visit the cider press. We have a limited of times when we make cider or grape juice so it may be idle when you are there. Should you happen on a date when we are making cider it is interesting to see.

   On the hayride you will see our blueberry, peach, grape, asparagus, and pumpkin fields as well as various other seasonal crops. At frequent stops along the way your guide will tell you which crops you are seeing and some of their uses. As you ride around the farm you will learn about some of the native plants that we protect and why they are important.  You may see our bee hives and learn the reason honey bees are important to farms.  You should see indigo , sugar cane and possibly some cotton. the cotton did not do well this year.

The instructional part of the tour will take 1 to 1.5 hours. Please allow extra time if you plan to eat lunch or a snack. PLEASE let us know if you plan to eat lunch or a snack. We have picnic tables available and an on site bakery serving lunch and assorted baked goods. If you would like to place an order with the bakery, please call the week before your tour. See numbers below.

What you will take home:

Each student will receive an Indigo Farms Fall coloring book that reinforces the information presented during the tour.  They will also take home a  mini-pumpkin . Each one will have a sample of apple cider. Each class will take home a pumpkin for the class.

Price:

The cost is $6.75 per person. This includes all parents and siblings over one year old. One teacher and assistant are free per class. Special ed. classes may qualify to have additional adults free.

Weather:

If the weather is questionable please call to inquire about the weather here, or to reschedule. Should you cancel for any other reason it is important that you let us know a week in advance of our tour date.

Parking:

We encourage you to car pool as we have limited parking. Please park behind the Farm Market. Park with your group. We like to keep groups together so that no one gets blocked in. Please try to be at the farm 5 - 10 minutes early. It usually takes that long to get everyone paid and ready to start. We want your tour to be relaxing and enjoyable, not rushed. If you arrive late your tour may be shortened.

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: 910-287-6794 or 843-399-6902 and ask for tour reservations.

                           "Good times make great Memories"

If you love baby roma and mini cherry tomatoes now is a great time to stock up.

Heirloom tomato crop is beginning to come through stronger as the season continues.

For the bean and pea lovers you have waited a long time but we are beginning to get in the Fall crop. Beans have had a tough time everywhrer this year so we are glad to have them.

We will likely be making grape juice this week or next. You may be wise to buy enough early to save some for the Holidays.

Squash and cucumbers are real nice now! Watermelons and cantaloupes look good now as well.

the chestnut trees and persimmon trees look good for October. the pumpkins are looking pretty good as well.

The garden center should have lots of Fall decor this year. Straw bales are in great supply.

The grape season is starting. Grape juice will not be far away!

This week looks better or figs.

The peaches have been very good. We should have some great deals on peaches the first of this week.

The figs have been slower than I thought but this week should be better.

 By the end of the week we should have some really good watermelons and cantaloupes. We will start harvesting a new field.

The heirloom tomatoes are coming in again so you don't want to miss them.

The fig season has begun.

The Peaches are fantastic. If you like white peaches , especially Georgia Belle then you want to act fast this week. It will be the end of the season on them this week. Sun Prince is winning more people over as the favorite peach this year. Jefferson will likely begin this week as well. If you like Elberta peaches they are coming soon. Many people pay little attention to varieties but we purposely grow varieties that people have expressed interest in. Many are old varieties that are not commonly grown due to the pursuit of newer "bigger & better" varieties.

  The figs are beginning to turn. The Celeste crop looks a little light but the Alma crop should follow closely behind the Celeste variety. For those who really love figs know that we have another crop of yellow figs that ripens in September.

  The peach crop will begin to feature Sun Price and Georgia Belle peaches. The Sun Prince is a very flavorful rich textured freestone peach similar to Winblo. It is lighter in appearance but is an excellent peach. Georgia Belle is the famous white peach sometimes called Belle of Georgia. Don’t let the color mislead you. It will often have a green cast of color. Georgia Belle bruises extremely easy when fully ripe ( full yellow skin). To counter the bruising you just about have to pick it a bit on the firm side. The flavor of Georgia Belle is really good if you like white peaches. We sometimes have ice cream peaches ( extra soft) at a real bargain.

  Heirloom tomatoes are al ittle on short supply at the moment but that will not stay this way. We have several more plantings.

It is the time for watermelons! The flavor of our seedless watermelons has been excellent. However there are some who have told me that about the seeded varieties as well. If you have kids let them practice for the seed spitting contest October 16 during Pumpkin day.

Have fun this summer, especially with family.

       Maude's Country Delights   is the name of the Bakery. It is actually named after a mule. Not any ordianry mule, but that is a story you need to find out about at the end of this page.                                                

     The bakery has become well known for some of the pies and baked goods. It really gives us a lot of satisfaction to hear people's comments about certain items from the bakery. The girls who work in the bakery do a very good job to make those baked goods consistently outstanding. Nancy Bellamy and Angie Gore are an important part of what makes the bakery so good! The creamy  blackberry, blueberry, and apple pies are all well reputed. The apple taffy pie is good also. One of the most popular favorites is the peach pound cake. The only draw back is that we have it only during peach season. The bakery really follows the season for certain fruits, strawberry and peach in particular.

   The eclairs have their faithful fans too. We actually make full size eclairs and mini-eclairs. So if you are watching how much you eat then the mini will still allow you to enjoy a real treat.

    The bakery also offers fruit slushies. We are known for our strawberry , peach, apple cider and grape slushies.

    During the strawberry season we have 15 different ways for you to enjoy strawberries. the bakery has strawberry shortcake, strawberry slushies, strawberry milkshakes ( really good!), strawberry pie, strawberry /rhubarb pie.

 The bakery has sandwiches and lite lunches. 

  During the hot summer months ice cream and milkshakes are really satisfying. Many people find the cookies very tasty and since they are big cookies they definitely fill the hunger spot.

  Cakes and breads are also prized treats.

     The story of Maude the mule is one that shows how influence can affect generations. Otha P Bellamy owned a big , well-built mule named Maude. She was the one that  my father learned to plow with. She must have been a good teacher because my Dad can still plow. My grandfather eventually retired Maude but when we boys were old enough to want a horse we were fortunate to have two. There were more of us than there were horses. So one day it occurred to us that there was this big dark horse-looking thing that could function like a horse. Maude was brought into the barn and pasture of the two mares and quickly seemed to like being with them. We boys began to ride Maude and found she was a truly neat mount.

    Maude was good. She did almost everything well. Through three generations she impacted us all. Her long life of forty years gave us rich memories filled with good times and life long lessons. We desire that your time at the farm be like that.

                               " Good Times Make Great Memories"

 Pie List:

Key Lime Meringue, Lemon Meringue, Chocolate Meringue, Caramel Apple, Blackberry Creamy, Blueberry Creamy, Apple Creamy, Peach Creamy, Strawberry Creamy, Fruits of Indigo, Sugarfree Fruits of Indigo, Strawberry Rhubarb, Mapple Apple, Peach, Apple, Blueberry, Cherry, Banana Cream, Coconut Cream, Blueberry Cream, Strawberry Cream, Chocolate Cream, Pecan. (Availability of certain fruit pies is seasonal.)

It is a fantastic time for peaches, watermelons, cantaloupes as well. Good prices and excellent fruit. The fig season is seemingly slow but will be here soon. Heirloom tomatoes are currently slowed down but the next crop will be producing soon. Check the market for other produce such as corn, beans, squash ,etc. 

 The bakery has some really good pies, cakes, desserts as well. It is definitley the season for real farm goodness.

If you have questions or needs with plants and yards check the Garden Center.