6 minute read
LOCAL COLOR
KREEKY TREE FARM FOLLOWS THE DREAM OF BUSINESS AND LIFE PARTNERS ALLAN SCHANBACHER AND CHRIS GANGI.
Incredibly diverse and productive, especially for its 7-acre footprint, this agricultural oasis is tucked into the woods at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Slatington.
Advertisement
Schanbacher is a classically trained chef who has worked at some of the top restaurants in New York and with pioneering farm-to-table foodie chefs such as Alice Waters. But the core of his training—and his passion for simple fresh ingredients lovingly prepared—began in his grandmother’s kitchen in rural Oklahoma.
Gangi has managed creative departments for top gardening publishers such as Rodale and Condé Nast. His passion for good food similarly took root preparing Old World recipes alongside his Italian grandmother.
After several years out West, the pair decided to move back to the Lehigh Valley to be closer to friends and family and fell in love with the little farmhouse in the woods—a lot of woods. They began clearing trees, built separated fenced areas and shelters for various farm animals, and took on new construction projects including a 24x36 two-story barn-style production building housing a commercial kitchen, storage, a washing area, and a kill room for slaughtering chickens, all capped by a hayloft.
Kreeky Tree Farm’s current product lineup includes classic organic chicken pot pies, custard-style quiche, free-range chicken eggs, organically raised whole chickens, organic peach and apricot jams, aged raw goat milk cheese, Hungarian paprika, and a variety of hot sauces. Items come and go, depending on the season. With the exception of a few added spices and flour, all value-added products are prepared with ingredients raised on the farm.
An evolution of marketing strategies now includes on-farm and restaurant sales, wholesale to other retailers and online sales as permitted and practical. Customers contact the farm through its
website at kreekytreefarm.com and through a variety of social media.
On a perfect Pennsylvania June afternoon, the initial discovery on a farm tour reveals these guys have some really big pets. First stop is a fenced enclosure containing a Belgian draft horse, a miniature horse, and four donkeys.
“It started out, I wanted a horse,” explains Gangi. He soon learned that a horse needs a companion “so I tried with a donkey because I didn’t want two horses.” That donkey turned out to be pregnant “so we got two for one.” Neither donkey took a shine to the horse, so Gangi rescued a mini horse and the two equines clicked. Finally, he obtained a rare French breed jack (male donkey) and bred it to one of his jennets (female donkeys) before having it gelded. “Those are the nonprofits.”
“Allan, in the meantime, wanted to get into goat cheese,” says Gangi as the tour meanders over to a multigenerational goat herd.
“We started with two and waited a year to have kids,” explains Schanbacher. “We had our first round of kids, then we lost one of our original moms that year, and then every year we’ve had one or two girls come out of each kidding and they’ve stayed so now we’re up to 11. The bucks are sold to restaurants, including the awardwinning Bolete in Bethlehem, one of the farm’s biggest customers.
“Right now, I’m milking five, intermittently if the kids are still on them,” says Schanbacher. “By the end of the month I’ll start weaning them off and get a good amount of milk to start cheese production. We make fresh chevre, we’re doing some aged raw milk, a brick style, a gouda style, and I’d like to try to get into maybe a blue this year.”
Around the next bend are the chickens. After experimenting with a variety of breeds, the partners settled on a red hybrid called Royal and a white Cornish cross for meat. Dressed whole chickens weigh in at 3 ½ to 4 pounds. “They’re not monster chickens, but they’re very tasty chickens,” quips Schanbacher. Layers include a variety of heritage breeds.
Best View IN THE VALLEY!
Large covered patio overlooks our beautiful golf course for a truly unique dining experience.
Contact Membership Services at 484-619-4382 or visit our website to learn more.
Located 1 mile off I-78 Hellertown exit www.steel.club 610.838.7018
Putting you first made us # 1.
Making you our #1 priority is what’s made State Farm #1* in auto insurance. I’m here to listen to your needs and to help life go right. ®
Call me today!
Fred Saracino, Agent 411 State Road Emmaus On the Lehigh Street Auto Mile 610.965.6520 | fredsaracino.com
Serving the Lehigh Valley for 45 years!
*Based on written premium as reported by SNL Financial 2014. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL State Farm County Mutual Insurance Comapny of Texas, Dallas, TX
NOTHING OUT OF
THANKS TO POWERVIEW ® MOTORIZATION
BLINDS • SHADES • SHUTTERS Ask about our free in-home consultation
1518 Union Blvd. Allentown 484.223.1818 richards-design.com The farm ramped up egg production to accommodate growing demand for fresh eggs when markets tanked due to the pandemic. With a surplus of eggs and goat milk, and plenty of chickens and goat cheese, the idea was born to make traditional potpies and quiches. They’ve been flying out the door.
A prolific 20x100-foot fence-enclosed garden managed by Gangi produces basil, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, cucumbers, garlic, asparagus, daikon radishes, gooseberries elderberries, strawberries, and culinary herbs. An orchard includes figs, peaches, Asian pears, plums, and apples.
The coronavirus has actually been a boon to the farm as people have begun to grasp the real value of local food production.
“People didn’t want to go the grocery store and started reaching out to the farm,” Schanbacher said. “More people are finally starting to understand what quality is and what it means to shop local.”
Gangi added he hopes the awareness continues to grow once the pandemic crisis has passed “and that it doesn’t go back to the way it was.”
KREEKY TREE FARM 8755 JONES RD SLATINGTON 610.442.2719 KREEKYTREEFARM.COM
Got Medicaid and Medicare? You could get more.
Additional benefits may include:
Health Products Benefit®
Up to $800 in credits to place catalog orders for health products you may need.
OTC Network Card
Up to $500 in credits to buy health-related items you may need.
Dental Coverage
$3,000 toward dental services.
Call today to enroll or get answers to your questions. 1-855-588-5662, TTY 711
Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a contract with the State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare. Y0066_190425_042411_M CST28975_H3113-009-000
