Fields of Plenty

We have a long history of going to Farmers Markets, primarily the King Street Farmers Market in Wilmington, Delaware. Generations of Websters, Connells, Talleys, and Rotthouses have loaded produce into wagons or trucks to take to the market 2 or more times each week. John Webster took truckloads of produce in season. A truckload of cabbage: in the Depression, everyone made soup. A load of lilacs in May—and those sold, also. Peaches in the summer, apples in the fall. Rachel Webster made sausage and cottage cheese, as she had learned from her mother. Because farmers believe in utilizing available labor, their own children, the Webster girls went to market with their parents. Just as John had gone to market with his father, John Sr.   And John Sr. remembered going to market with his father, Isaac. And John Sr. told stories of Isaac falling asleep in the back of the wagon in the early morning hours as he went to market with his father, Clark (1786-1871) in the 1820s. It took a lot ...

 Alright, dedicated grower, here are some more tips on growing for winter. Remember, patience is key! As you already know, every growing area has its own micro-climate and ecosystem, so what works in one place may not grow in another. We struggle with our clay soil, and add compost on a regular basis. You may have a different kind of soil with different needs. Swiss Chard 1)    What grows best in the winter : cold hardy plants! Many of the herbs, leafy greens, root crops, some of the brassicas. Here is a partial list; depending on your particular circumstances, you will add or subtract from the list:  Parsley, cilantro, sorrel, romaine, green or red leaf lettuce, kale, chard, collards, mizuna, mustard greens, sprouting broccoli and cauliflower, spinach, beets, carrots, radishes, daikon, turnips, rutabagas, scallions, brussel sprouts, cabbage. 2)      Growing times —even with heat, everything takes a little longer. About 25-40% longer. Without heat, i...

Are you a dedicated vegetable gardener?   If so, I know you thrive on growing plants. Do you marvel at   tiny seeds sprouting and growing to vegetables? Nothing better for the soul or our stomachs! 20 years ago, I embarked on the journey of winter growing. I wanted to extend our harvest seasons and to have vegetables over the winter. I wanted to have early spring crops. I wanted—nature laughed! So here are some tips and strategies based on what I have learned (and continue to learn) about growing in the winter months. Winter is a challenge for us here in Delaware, because our days are shorter, and the night-time temperatures are below freezing. Look for cold-hardy varieties that can handle the level of protection that you can provide. Adjust your expectations of how quickly things will grow. Supplemental heat makes a huge difference, but you have to evaluate the cost of heating compared to what you get out of it. Here are some strategies to start: 1.   ...

 Of course it is—August is when peaches are at peak flavor and abundance. Peaches are a favorite crop of ours for many reasons, the most important of which is the fabulous flavor!   We are grateful for those long-ago explorers who brought peaches from China, where they have been cultivated for over 6000 years. From China to Persia to Rome to Africa and Europe, to South America to England to North America, the peach has gotten around!   So glad peaches wound up in our area.   Peaches are part of our family lore, symbolizing determination and overcoming difficulties. When my grandfather, John Webster, had peach crop failures 3 years in a row during the Depression in the 1930s, he continued to farm. He renovated the orchards, tended the trees, and finally had a good crop in the 4 th year. But what a difficult time that must have been for the whole family.   We still love peaches! But peaches are a big reason why we have a variety of crops, because we k...

(This was supposed to be done in June. Oops.)   Happy July!  I admit, I blinked and we went from June 1 to July 1. I think it was the intensity of the hot weather for the last week of June that melted my brain. This year, the calendar marking of summer marked the beginning of summer crops as well. We started picking tomatoes mid-June, then peppers and eggplant followed, and we were excited to have corn shortly thereafter. And then peaches! June saw the full transition from spring to summer in just a few weeks. Strawberries graced us with their presence till June 21. A 6-week season! Longest strawberry season that we can recall in decades. Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries have been abundant  as well. And the flavor is outstanding this year. We hope that all the fruit continues to be superb in flavor. Overall, the cycle of planting and harvesting continues. The new tunnel, which hosted romaine, mustard greens and scallions, has given way to plantings of...

  " Horticulturally, the month of May is opening night, Homecoming, and Graduation Day all rolled into one ." —Tam Mossman Every year is different, and isn’t that a good thing? Most of us do not care to repeat 2020!  This year, May has been beautiful day after day, with no rain for weeks! Makes me glad we have irrigation available. Strawberries started May 8, and they have continued in good form since then. The dry, and now hot and dry, weather makes for sweet and super delicious berries. So far, no one has ever complained of having too many strawberries or that the season is too long. Now we cross our fingers and hope that we do not have a thunderstorm or several hot days in a row—those events will bring strawberry season to a quick end. In the meantime, we have finished up the cool weather crops, like peas and lettuce in the tunnels, and have begun harvest outside for lettuce, broccoli rabe, fava beans, and other crops. Starting to harvest cucumbers and zucchini always make...

“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” – Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of The Secret Garden In many ways, I think my family has always seen the farm as a large flower garden. And they have expressed their love of the ground and love of life through flowers. “If you look the right way…” I have always found it fascinating that my very practical and frugal family has had a spot, always, for flowers in the mix of growing to feed the family and growing for the extra cash to pay the taxes.   My mother remembers cutting lilacs and selling them at the King Street Farmers Market in the 1930s. We still grow lilacs. The oldest varieties have a wonderful sweet scent.  My mother has told stories of her mother, cutting and arranging flowers, and then selling the bouquets for 35 cents. When my grandmother no longer could tend the flowers, my mother took over that job. Without hesitating. And she...