Spring Update

Things are rolling along here at the Savage house. The vegetables that can be started indoors are well on their way. Hopefully will have enough to provide to Wagon Wheel Orchard for their gardens as well.

As far as my return to competition BBQ, things are not looking very promising. The non-profit group that was going to be receiving the funds to disperse to the family is no longer part of the operation. So it looks like I will not be competing this year, which may be a good thing with my family responsibilities and work responsibilities.

But regardless, we are still prepping for the upcoming orchard season and will be ready to roll as long as mother nature cooperates and produces a bountiful harvest at the orchard!

I look forward to seeing everyone come out to the orchard to enjoy the experience. It will be one to remember for sure!!!

Spring Fever???

Well, the 2009 planting season has started here around the house. This afternoon, Maggie and Darby helped me start our crop of pepper plants from seed. We have started Maggie's Champion Award winning Sweet banana peppers, new Anaheim peppers, Green Bell peppers, and of course, everyone's favorite spicy Jalapeno peppers!

Not only does this first planting help us decide what we will be offering at Wagon Wheel Orchard for sale every weekend, but it also lets the girls get excited for the Johnson County Fair. Last year, Maggie's Sweet Banana peppers earned a very distinguished Champion Ribbon at the fair. We will see if she is able to repeat this year with her peppers. Every year, there is VERY stiff competition from the Godsil's in the vegetable and herbs divisions. Anymore, we can always expect there to be a Savage or a Godsil earning high marks at the fair.

Here in a few weeks, we will get our tomato plants going, in hopes of earning the judges' blessings again this year. It is such a thrill to teach the kids about organic gardening, and instill the pleasures of growing the food that they love to eat.

We will be expanding the garden again this year. Now we will be including an old flower bed near the house to grow zucchini, cucumbers, melons and peppers. This will leave more room in the main gardens for tomatoes, beans, lettuce, carrots, radishes, and the girls' favorites...strawberries!!!!

Make sure you come out to Wagon Wheel Orchard this summer to enjoy the fruits of our labor! We will be selling our produce, as well as our Bar-B-Que each weekend that they are open. It is always a great thing to be able to offer organic locally grown produce to you!!!

See you in the summer!!!!

Hope to add pictures of the produce soon as it starts to grow!

Possible Return to Competition

My friends,

I have been contacted by a fellow KCBS Competitor, and have been asked to come out of retirement from the BBQ competition circuit. Currently in the works is a benefit BBQ competition in July of 2009. Although this may interfere with Wagon Wheel Orchard, this competition is being presented as an opportunity to support the family of Lt. Mark Hartman of the Johnson County Sheriff's Office who passed from this world suddenly this fall.

If I am able to rebuild a team and add some financial resources to my venture, I hope to be able to compete in this competition to help the family of one of my own.

If you are interested in a sponsorship or providing aid, please let me know. It is intended to make this competition an annual event to help the family.

Congratulations Wagon Wheel Orchard

Wagon Wheel Orchard closed up shop for the 2008 picking season this past weekend. It was such a success for Prairie Fire BBQ, as well as the orchard. Prairie Fire was there with Wagon Wheel every day they were open. I could not be so proud to see the success that the orchard has become.

I want to thank everyone who visited the orchard and enjoyed the food I was able to provide for your visit. The plans for Prairie Fire BBQ will be to expand our menu and provide more options for your visits to the orchard.

The pulled pork that we had this weekend as well as Wagon Wheel's very own Axle Grease BBQ sauce was a complete success. I promise to provide this again next year on selected weekends. Wagon Wheel Orchard is planning to open again in June 2009 for another opportunity to bring your families out to the orchard.

Prairie Fire will also be working to expand the garden to continue to provide organic farm fresh Tomatoes, Green Peppers, Sweet Banana Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Cucumbers, Pickling Cucumbers, Green Beans and Strawberries for the next season. If you have any requests of what produce you would like to see, let me know before we start growing our veggies in January of 2009!!!

Again, my thanks to all of our customers and I look forward to seeing you again next year!!!