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Gold Stars
One of the best parts of being a “farm girl” is being connected with others… our customers, our neighbors, our friends. . It is wonderful when folks take the time to tell us how they have used and enjoyed our fruit. Of course, we love positive feedback. Recently a customer at the Scottsville Market shared “those strawberries made the best pie we’ve ever had.” Another said, “I just love all of your stuff!” At Clarence, someone stopped and said, “I just have to tell you, you always have the nicest display.” When I thanked him, he said, “you really do, it always looks great.” These comments are like gold stars for a farm girl.
While, it is not what we’d like to hear, we also appreciate when customers are comfortable and trust us enough to share if they found a product unsatisfactory. Fortunately these moments are rare, because they are like getting an “F!” We embrace the opportunity to fix the problem and learn from it.
We take pride in the quality of our product and if something doesn’t meet our standard, we don’t sell it! I would compare it to the way I nurture and protect my children. With fruit crops, there are many tasks to do throughout the year, so the plants, trees, vines, and bushes become like familiar friends. As I repeatedly walk the rows clipping runners, tying vines, picking fruit, pulling weeds, I almost feel like saying, “Hello.” There is the tree with the limb that bends into the row, the grapevine with the bird’s nest, and the strawberry plant that started slowly, but is now vigorous and producing many berries. As I tend these plants throughout the many seasons, I do take it personally when they get attacked by a new insect pest or stricken with a disease. Like my children, I want them to grow healthy and strong, and a lot of my heart and soul gets poured into nurturing them. So I protect them with a deer fence, walk the rows daily to check for injury, water and fertilize them, and so much more. When someone says, “your cherries are delicious,” I glow with happiness, knowing that my effort, my work, has produced fruit that has graced their table and delighted their taste buds.
We would love to hear from you! Tell us how you have used our produce, your favorite fruit, a tradition of selecting pumpkins with your kids, or any story about Panek’s Pickin’ Patch. Comment here, on Facebook, or email us from now until August 1st. We will randomly select someone who commented to receive a free quart of our everbearing strawberries.
Kathy made a wonderful strawberry shortcake for our family reunion over the 4th weekend. Sweetest strawberries ever. Yum yum!!
I took homemade jam (berries from Paneks of course) on our 4th of July Civil War reenactment at Genesee Country Museum. I took 5 jars and cam home with-nothing left. Many many many complements and believe or not many people had never hear of a CSA. Many were also surprised that people make their own jams and jellies and I had the opportunity to tell several the correct way to preserve,
Many times – most times actually – your fruit doesn’t even make it home. This week’s share was picked up by my daughter on her way to work. When she arrived at home in the evening and brought the fruit in, I asked her if Guin was giving us half containers of blueberries. She got an embarrassed look then confessed to having a blueberry. Then another. Then another . . . .
After a long shift as a lifeguard in the Batavia YMCA, she was again confronted with the (somewhat lighter) box of blueberries, whispering sweet things to her. She was wondering if the blueberries were as good as they were in the morning. At least that’s the excuse she used! She found the box of blueberries to be a welcome companion on the drive home from work.
We used the blueberries as a snack this week. Lookin’ forward to Tuesday!!
We use your fruit in our morning smoothies; nutritious and delicious! As a self-professed city boy, who never really thought of these things growing up, I love to hear, read, and see all the love and care that goes into all you do. Thank you.
I love strawberries. When strawberries are in season I eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and many times in between. I eat them plain, chocolate covered, on yogurt, on ice-cream, on shortcake, whole, sliced, smashed,….There hasn’t been a year when I felt I had eaten too many and was ready for the season to end. It’s always a sad day when the strawberries are done for the year….but now there are everbearing!!
We love the farmers market in Scottsville! We love the berries. Guin is so knowlegeable about her produce and truly takes pride in what she is doing. The fruit is amazing! It is sweet and perfect! We are bakers and cooks at my house and absolutely look forward to buying her products every week! We totally appreciate the beautiful berries and everything else as well.
Sincerely, Jan Pyle
Thanks, Jan. I enjoy going to the Scottsville market and getting to tell our story and share our produce!