Open to the Public Week

Bundles - One Time Bag - Bakery Goodies

Order by Midnight Tonight

Share with a Friend. Celebrate the Harvest.

It's an open the the public week, so we have extra bags available!

Order online by tonight at midnight. This week's bag is a good highlight of fall, including:

Spicy Pork Chorizo

Pink Lady Apples

Acorn Squash

Carrots

Beets

Brussel Sprouts on the Stalk

Broccoli

The farm bakery went overboard this week with fall flavors, including:

Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie. A lush custard of sweet potato flesh, slightly sweetened with maple, spiced with fall spices, infused with a bit of bourbon, and finished with sea salt and a little cracked black pepper. This is an adult pie if there ever was one, and it's good! Lg - $18, Small $10

Pumpkin Bread. $5 . This is our weekly quick bread at a bargain!

Pumpkin Spice and Molasses Cookies. When Mother Nature gives you pumpkin, make everything. Cookies included. The warm notes of fall spices and Ohio sorghum mollasses make this a delicious cookie with depth of flavor. 6 pack for $6

New Apple Varieties - from Geig Orchard

Ludacrisp. A new variety with an awesome name! It's super crunchy, juicy, and sweet with a hint of lemon. This is a spectacular apple and I'm hoping it gains traction.

Evercrisp. The follow up to Honeycrisp - but crunchier and store longer.

Snap Dragon. Crunchy with a sweet-tart flavor. Very good.

Pink Lady. This is a perennial favorite, sweet and tart with a very floral nose to it.

Asian Pears. Not an apple, but more of an apple shape. Round and very crunchy, this is completely different than a bartlett or bosc. Good for cooking or enjoying with cheese or some crunch. Not as sweet as a bartlett.

Honeycrisp - Our friends at Quarry Hill continue to provide a good price on honeycrisp so we can pass it on to you.

Fresh Greens - Organic from Busy Bee in Baltic OH

Spinach. If you haven't had the leaf spinach yet this month, get it. It's clean, crunchy and full of flavor.

Asian Greens. A mixture of tatsoi, mizuna, and mustards. Tender, slightly spicy, and excellent for salads or garnish.

Last Call - tomatoes are out the door after this week...frost has arrived

Slicers. Just a few left this week from Maddie Hershberger Organics in Beach City.

Grape Tomatoes. A medley of snackable colors from Busy Bee in Baltic.

Other last calls. Peppers, green beans, and zucchini, all online.

I've had on my list since Oct 9 to send a Pizza Contest winner email. I wanted to put a lot of effort into it and make it really special...but I just can't catch up around here.

So we created a page on our website with what you all shared: Pizza Contest Page

We also have additional winners, because I couldn't decide.

1st Place: Anna S of Beachwood - $50 FFM/$50 OCP

Well done! Great flavor combinations, very professional looking pizzas.

2nd Place - Gina D of Lakewood. $25 FFM/$25 OCP. Best instructions with great pro tips like garlic confit, basil in oil. Oh..and your subtle humor made me laugh out loud.

3rd Place - Cher B of Westlake. $15 FFM/$15 OCP. Made me say Wow, why didn't I think of that before? Sausage Gravy Breakfast pizza! Very creative.

Honorable Mentions - $10 FFM Credits Each

Tori T - very nice looking deep dish

Carla F - great use of cast iron pan and starting stovetop

Stuart M - salting the crust and roasting the veggies for sauce to concentrate flavor! Good tips.

Shannon R- great use of hot hungarians in the sauce, funny and personable photos.

Thank you for everyone who participated. Credits are available on your account NOW to spend today. Your OCP gift card will come on the truck as a special order. Just tell the greeter that you have a special order and we'll find it on the truck.

You hear my voice and see my photo often, but I don't keep the wheels turning by myself. There are a lot of important people at Fresh Fork that I want to Thank for their hard work and dedication.

Sadly, I don't have photos of everyone...so I'll feature first those of which I have photos.

Here is Lauren. I can't say thank you enough for your dedication. Lauren has spent the last 10 years doing whatever needs done. She's a beast on the tow motor. She drives a 26 ft, 33k# box truck. Each week she spends hours in the freezer, runs the packing line, keeps the warehouse organized, hires the staff and makes the schedule, and even helps with order, the books, and more. She's seen the business grow and change of the years, and she knows how to just jump in and get it done.

She can think fast, has eyes in the back of her head, and knows how to prioritize. The perishables world is tough, and she is tough enough. You can thank her for getting trucks on the road, controlling quality, and so much more!

At home, she's a proud mother of two young girls, plays volleyball, and can slam an IPA or two.

Here is Allyson. We share an address. She never intended to be in the business, but in 2018 she quit her corporate job to grow flowers professionally. One thing led to the next, and as we needed help she stepped in and picked up the pieces. She's a master of all trades too, and I've seen her on a tractor, behind the wheel of a box truck, on the tow motor, and writing script for the website and more.

On a day to day basis, you probably all know Allyson from customer service. She's the one who answers the emails and phone calls. She also helps with all the data, from creating the truck packing sheets to organizing all the holiday orders. She's the computer expert at FFM and when there is a data question, there's fact (Allyson) and shooting from the hip (Trevor). I argue there is a time and place for each.

At home, Allyson enjoys yoga and palates, growing flowers, and spending time with our 5 Great Pyrenees. Here she is with her big buddy, Bo. He's a momma's boy and melts every time he sees Allyson. Here he came in for a hug.

Here is John. John is my Amish farmhand. He's taller and lankier than me, and we both move at near sprinting speeds at all times.

I can't be at the farm or outside all day every day, so John takes the lead on caring for the farm. Here, his son Gabrielle (6) trails behind trying to keep up. He comes to work with John about 1 day per week. For John (and the Amish community as a whole), it is important that from a young age the kids learn to work. Gabrielle enjoys moving the cattle, driving the tractor, and making hay. You know, your average 6 year old.

John has been with me 2 years and brings a lot of confidence and energy to the farm. There isn't anything he's afraid to try, and he can pick up the phone and call around to find solutions.

At home, he breeds mares and raises colts for a horse farm, enjoys riding his bike, and experimenting in the kitchen.

Then there is Connor. How do we all know Connor is at the warehouse? You hear him. Connor is our happy-go-lucky getter-doner, and you hear him on the horn or hollering across the warehouse.

Connor has been with me 10 years as well, and today he takes the most difficult routes we have, day in and day out.

On Mondays, Connor runs the "backhaul" route, returning produce to be processed at the farm, moving packaging around, and picking up supplies. On his way back, he picks up the carcasses for OCP each week.

Wed thru Saturday you can find Connor zipping around the warehouse on the tow motor loading trucks and hustling product around. He can move pallets and load a truck as fast as 3 men! He then goes on the routes and many of you who visit Brecksville, Thurs OCP, Cleveland Heights, and Mentor all know Connor. He's always happy and talkative!

I do have to tell a funny story about Connor. We all make fun of his outfits. He doesn't own a Fresh Fork short that he hasn't chopped up. They are all missing sleeves at this point, and even when the temp drops, you'll find him in a knit hat and cut off shirt. I bought him beef jerky a few weeks back and left it for him at Newswangers as he was 20 minutes behind me. He asked Gloria (cashier) which flavor he should get. She said the Hillbilly, as it matched his personality best. I told him it's because they didn't have a homeless man flavor to match his sleeveless and tattered clothes! He laughed with me!

At home, Connor is a settling into his first home with his wife Larissa. He's an avid gamer, loves sports cars, and enjoys going to concerts.

Zach. Zach started with us during the pandemic and is passionate about organic farming, polyculture, and more He's a talented home cook, gardener, and avid podcast listener. Zach is my helping hand on talking to the farmers, particularly in the Homerville settlement where phones are few and far between. He's a kind and empathetic person, and he can find a way to bridge the gap between what the customers want and the reality of what's going on in the fields with the crops.

Zach runs farm routes on Tues and Thursday, picking up fresh produce, and on Wed thru Saturday you'll also find him around the warehouse loading trucks and working the routes. He's the man behind the curtain in Lakewood, Beachwood, Hudson, and Saturday OCP.

Maddie and Pauline. I wish I had a photo here because this Mother Daughter team looks like twins. Many customers on the westside probably know Pauline as a long-time greeter in Westlake, Lakewood, and Rocky River. That was back in her "working days" as a speech pathologist. Since retiring, she has come to work part time at Fresh Fork in the warehouse doing special orders. Pauline keeps the staff happy by bringing homemade treats each Wed. She is the most generous of people.

Maddie, her daughter, has been an invaluable asset as well. Maddie is cool, calm, and collected. She keeps the cooler very organized and helps update the website each week and place orders. Each week I keep trying to convince Maddie to switch my 1 ton with her Bronco. I'm so jealous of how clean her truck is, and I'm hoping if she takes my truck home it comes back looking like her truck! This meticulous attention to detail represents Maddie's work ethic.

Each week, Maddie and Pauline pack nearly 700 special orders by themselves! They are a great team and we appreciate everything they do.

Those are our seasoned staff members. There are so many more people and I wish I could do everyone justice here. But I am grateful for everyone, including those not written up here: Dennis, Theo, Melissa, and Holly. Our college students - Christina, Celia, Corin, and India. Our greeters - Mary and Glenn, Gretchen, Andy, Sarah, Sam, Kate, Andrea, Kathy, Jenn, Lori, Marica, Janis, and Kim.

As you can see, it takes quite the team to make this all happen, and I thank everyone for their dedication!

Fresh Fork in the winter isn't all kale and turnips; it's a chance for us to show off how we have been planning ahead all year.

Our winter program is a bigger bag, and after Thanksgiving it is every-other-week. The season starts out with cold hardy crops, transitions to more meat and storage crops, and ends with more prepared items. We have fun over the winter with projects like our farm-made quiches, pepperoni rolls, ratatouille, soups and more.

Here are the winter highlights:

• Omnivore and Vegetarian Options available (vegetarian very limited). One size package, more similar to a summer large.
• Carnivore Share -- the meat lovers bundle
• 15 Pick Up Days November through May - Starts Nov 2, first 3 weeks in a row, then every other week until mid May
• Same vacation policy and guarantee. 4 weeks can be put on hold and cancel at anytime.
• Upfront & Weekly Payment Options available
• 13 area pickup locations, Wednesday thru Saturday

For full details on the winter program and samples of past bags, please visit this page: Winter Season Overview.

We hope to see you out there this winter!

Small Omnivore

Pork Chorizo

Carrots

Beets

Brussel Sprouts (on stalk)

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Onion

Pink Lady Apples

Large Omnivore

Pork Chorizo

Carrots

Beets

Brussel Sprouts (on stalk)

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Onion

Pink Lady Apples

Smoked Keilbasa

Raw Sauerkraut

Cauliflower

Kale

Mini

Carrots

Brussel Sprouts (on stalk)

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Onion

Small Vegetarian

Carrots

Beets

Brussel Sprouts (on stalk)

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Onion

Pink Lady Apples

Honeynut Squash

Romanesco

Large Vegetarian

Carrots

Beets

Brussel Sprouts (on stalk)

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Onion

Pink Lady Apples

Honeynut Squash

Romanesco

Raw Sauerkraut

Cauliflower

Kale

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

Vegan

Carrots

Beets

Brussel Sprouts (on stalk)

Broccoli

Acorn Squash

Onion

Pink Lady Apples

Honeynut Squash

Romanesco