June 11th, 2015

Destination? Black Hog Farm, Lewes, Delaware, Duck Eggs, Open Porch Sunday Dinners, A Rural Tradition, B & B, All Things Local, Southern Delaware, Delaware Beaches, Sussex County

In search again for fresh Duck Eggs, I arrived late afternoon to Black Hog Farm, located at 16371 New Rd., Lewes, DE 19958.  This farm is located about 7 minutes from Lewes Beach and 20 minutes, depending on the traffic from Rehoboth Beach.  Website?  http://www.blackhogfarmstead.com.

Back to our roots.  Farm to table, is one of the biggest trends in the culinary world today.  Less processed foods and more environmentally friendly alternatives.  It really is a refreshing trend that I hope gets better and better.  It was about time.

As I started to drive into the farm, I saw Helen working away.  The temperature was pretty nice yesterday.  John, her husband, told me that they get up early and work up until 11 a.m., then, lunch.  Maybe, if they feel like it, they will come back out at around 3 or so in the afternoon and continue working.

Black Hog Farm has about 4.19 acres with 60 kinds of vegetables and flowers.  The farm uses sustainable growing practices.  They have hazelnut trees, fig trees, persimmons, apples, pears, a (sour pie) cherry tree, and some paw-paws.  Pawpaw trees, are the largest edible fruit trees native to North America.  The fruit is greenish-blackish, 3 to 6 inches long  The flesh is pale to bright yellow.  Very tropical.

John and Helen Feliciano are the owners.   They are passionate about what they do.  If you are passionate about what you do, you will never work a day in your life.  To know about them, please visit the website.

Helen told me that she just had a dozen fresh duck eggs, but she needed to wash them.  So, I decided to walk around.  There is a refrigerator on the porch…..self service, and honor system.  The duck eggs are usually found there, just put your $5/dozen inside the box.

The ducks were out back in the yard at the end of the property.

The moment they saw me they started to get close.  Sorry, I was not feeding them.  They were pretty vocal.

Helen came out with my eggs.  Look how gorgeous they looked.

Casual visits to the farm are preferred on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2 and 5 p.m.  You can always call them ahead of time any day and see if you can come by.  Tel. 302-236-2437.  I, actually, showed up late in the day on Wednesday.

From May to October Black Hog Farmstead offers Open Porch Dinners, from the Farm to the Table. A once a month event.  Coming up on Sunday June 28th is the next Sunday dinner.  These dinners start at 1 p.m. to stay with the rural tradition of years past.

A 4-course Midday Sunday Dinner, featuring everything fresh from the garden.  Long table on the porch, family-style.  After dinner, tours of the farm will be available so that you can appreciate the veggie beds, fruits and nut orchard….and even visit the ducks.  They are already taking reservations for the June dinner.  To view the menu please go to the above mentioned website.  The dinners are $60/person….BYOB!!

Black Hog Farmstead is also a B & B.  In season, rates are 185/night.  Once again, please visit the website for more information.

John and Helen are so friendly and always happy and proud to talk about their farm.

In my own house…..the raspberries are ripening, the basil is growing, the mint…a weed, is getting thicker.  I was always so proud of my fig tree.  After the 2 cold winters we have had, it has been growing from the ground.  Miss getting all those 900 plus figs.  Oh, well, we will see what it does this year.

It is a beautiful out there…Enjoy it!!

January 11th, 2015

All Things Local!! Fresh Free Range & Pasture Grown Duck Eggs, Black Hog Farm, Lewes, Milton Sausage!!, Milton, Delaware, Southern Delaware

The trend continues….but to tell you the truth, it has always been there.  Eating, buying, shopping and immersing ourselves in our local communities.  We are emphasizing the fact that it is all good, so, I am promoting “All Things Local” in 2015.

It is Sunday morning.  Fresh Duck eggs and sausage.  Bread?  Yum!!

It started when my son picked up duck eggs from Black Hog Farm, located at 16371 New Rd., Lewes, Delaware 19958.  Black Hog Farm has very visible signs on New Rd.

You might see Pepper, the dog, running and barking like saying “don’t even try it”.  It is just a show. Pepper is 9 years old and it is the family pet.  The name Pepper comes from Pepper Greenhouses in Milton, just up the road.  That’s near where he was found.

The farm is about 4.19 acres with a beautiful home, barn, ornamental and cutting gardens, including fig trees.  The proprietors are Helen Waite and John Feliciani.  Website?  http://www.blackhogfarmstead.com. Tel. 302-236-2437.  This is a self sustaining farm.

The sign…..

On their porch there is a refrigerator.  If they have duck eggs that day, all you have to do is put the money in the jar.  That simple and that trusting.  $5/dozen.

Free range and pasture grown duck eggs are the best you can get.  They are larger in  size.  The shells are tougher than a chicken egg.  They are also higher in fat content, a bit more protein and cholesterol, more vitamins and minerals than chicken eggs, as well.  These eggs were laid on 1/8/15 and I got them Saturday, the 10th.

I met Helen and John which by the way they were waiting for guests for dinner.  They graciously invited me into their home and after a few pleasantries, I went to check out the ducks.  It is a small flock, with a few geese, as well.

Mr. Cat was trying to get into the barn….seemed like he was allowed to, but I did not dare to open the door.

Black Hog Farm is also a B & B.  Only 3 miles from the beach it is the perfect get-away.  It is open from Mid-March through October.

Sunday dinners, once a month, on the porch, at Black Hog Farm is another event I did not know anything about.  On the porch, a mid-day Sunday dinner following the rural tradition of dinner at 1 p.m.  Check the website above mentioned as in the next few months they will start putting the schedules.

Leaving the farm until next time, I went home to see what I was going to do with my fresh duck eggs.

The duck eggs have been a total success in my household.  First we ate them with Milton Sausage.  This sausage is local, as well, and it is found in the grocery stores in Southern Delaware.  Milton sausage had a delicious taste….I just added pepper and sage.

I usually do not eat many eggs….I love them as egg salad, deviled and at times in other ways….so, today, Sunday, I decided to fry a duck egg.  I definitely felt how the shell was definitely tougher, and how big the yolk was.  My son said the yolks are creamier and have a richer taste.

Then, I made myself a duck egg sandwich with sliced tomatoes on rosemary ciabatta bread from another local…..Old World Breads from Lewes, Delaware…another post in the making.  Delish.

All Things Taste Better Local!! Have a great day!