Garden
We have completed four decades on the farm and our garden reflects the years of change and growth. There has been a natural progression from annuals to perennials, to shrubs and trees. We now have a garden with good form and structure filled with plants that have proven themselves worthy from the border to the table. Our kitchen garden has filled our needs with herbs and greens, and we have plenty of flowers to fill our vases with some left to share.
Our hoop house additions have made our vegetable growing much more productive and give us a jump on our short growing season. The field crops are yet another layer and have to be fully integrated with the orchard systems.
We are thrilled when we have our daughters back on the farm. Rita, our youngest, has committed to many full seasons on the farm and is managing a very productive garden, with much help from her partner Jerzy. She has become Karen’s mainstay in arranging flowers weekly at the Boonville Hotel and also grows and arranges flowers for our gatherings. Sophia has become a very serious farmer, she got us started with farm animals many years ago and continues to help us with oversight. Integrating animals into our farming system is something we continue to do on a small scale. It just makes so much sense and brings everything full circle. It’s exciting to watch the property evolve and to have the generations working together to make it happen. Nothing stays still and as long as we are open to new (and new-old) ideas, we keep improving on what we’ve created. It’s a rewarding life and we enjoy sharing it with the guests who come through.