I’ve been growing veggies in my urban farm (aka, my patio) for twelve years, but even as an experienced farmer, I still have a tough time getting started in the garden after a long winter. After months of neglect, the garden looks as hopeless as I feel, so taking baby steps makes it more manageable.
Book Recommendation: A Time to Plant
A friend who knows of my interest in urban farming recently gave me a great stack of garden & farming books — I love dear friends who introduce me to new books, and even better when they loan them to me!
Farm Day: Pumpkinfest at Ticonderoga
My son and I love to explore our local farms, and one of our favorites is Ticonderoga Farms in Chantilly, VA.
Farm Day: Pick Your Own at Butler’s Orchard
If you’re like me and don’t have space for an orchard in your backyard, there are some great local farms that will be glad to grow your fruit for you. Yesterday we visited one of our favorite farms –Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, MD — to pick our own produce.
The 2014 Locavore Index
Among the growing trends in food these days is the desire to eat locally-grown food, also known as locavorism. Locavores choose to eat locally for a variety of reasons, including lessening the impact on the environment, supporting small farms, boosting the local economy, and improving the taste and nutritional value of the food they consume.
Book Recommendation: Gaining Ground
I recently read Gaining Ground, an excellent memoir about a small family farm and their foray into the world of sustainable agriculture.
Our favorite local farms
One of our favorite summer/fall activities is visiting local farms to pick our own fruits, veggies & flowers. Below are a few of the farms we’ve visited this year — we give each of these our highest marks.