In the area of Peary in Mathews on Potato Neck Road, you will see a roadside stand Quiet Pine Farm. Be sure to pull in. You will be pleased if you do.
First, you find what specialty baked goods Kayla Scott has made for the day (cookies, fudge brownies, blueberry and pumpkin cream cheese muffins) and the list goes on; all are made from scratch. Other choices include two types of hot sauce made from the farm-grown peppers, organic free-range eggs, garden vegetables when in season and farm-grown wild flowers when in season.
For the children there are small containers of animal food. They can visit the farm critters, feed them and enjoy the adventure. “All of our animals are friendly,” assures Bill Scott, the farmer. There are pigs, the original residents; goats, turkeys, peacock and free-range chickens that come up to greet you as if to say hello.
The home in which they live was once Kayla’s home. Her parents sold the property to the Scotts, who have been Mathews residents for “almost four years.” With in this rather short time the farm has grown from seven to 25 acres.
The population of chickens has grown. The 200 chickens which were hatched in the farm’s private hatchery have been joined with 450 new chickens shipped in. Besides its animals, the farm has strawberry and blueberry patches, apple orchard, and a beehive coming soon. In the making is a country store filled with farm products and baked goods. “We will be going from a 12-foot shed to a 30-foot-square store with plenty of parking.”
Kayla says she learned to cook from practice. “I just love to bake.” Her baking is done early in the morning while caring for their two children, Billy, two years old, and Allison, six months. If sold out more is prepared in the afternoon.
Bill is from Florida and met Kayla while she was there. Coming to Virginia and seeing where Kayla had lived, he realized that he had found the place to fulfill his longtime desire. “I had always wanted to live in the country and live off the land.” Every day, Bill says he is learning.
The Quiet Pine Farm stand is open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Find the farm on Facebook, as well.
PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
Wet Ingredients
½ c. oil with
¾ c. granulated sugar added to
¾ c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
15 oz. pumpkin purée
Dry Ingredients
1¾ c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
Sifted dry together. Fold wet and dry ingredients together. Fill muffin pan.
Cream Cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Bake at 350℉. 20 to 25 minutes.
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
Blueberry Syrup
1 c. blueberries
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
Crumb Topping
4 Tbs. melted butter
1/3 c. sugar
½ c. flour
3 Tbs. brown sugar
Pinch of salt
Lemon zest
Muffins
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ c. sugar
8 Tbs. butter
2 eggs
2 Tbs. vanilla extract
½ c. milk
1½ c. blueberries
Bake at 450℉. for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350℉. for 10 minutes.
MY COWBOY COOKIES
1 c. packed brown sugar
½ c. granulated sugar
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. chocolate chips
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. salted butter
Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Fold wet and dry ingredients together. Bake at 350℉. for 8-10 minutes.
MY BANANA BREAD
3 overripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1-c.)
½ c. unsalted butter, melted
¾ c. granulated sugar
¼ c. packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ c. Greek yogurt (or sour cream!)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1¼ c. all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Fold wet and dry ingredients together. Bake at 350℉. for 45-50 minutes.