The Celebration of a New Season

Blackberry Farm has always looked forward to April and the renewal of another green season.

For a number of years now, April has been Earth Awareness Month, focused on the awareness and celebration of our natural resources and the efforts to conserve them. In the fields and meadows here at the Farm, Spring announces its arrival not only in terms of flowers that are beginning to bloom, but in the vivid shades of green that appear everywhere as the grass in the fields celebrate warm days and nights. Each blade of grass seems to be in a race as they reach upward towards the warm Spring sun.

Our philosophy on the Farm and the forests is to work with nature and its cycles in a way that promotes a healthy environment for the land, farm, fields and soil that we raise our crops on. When guests asks us what type of farming methods and philosophy we practice, our response will often be “sustainable agriculture.” Sustainable agriculture means that we do not have to go to seed companies to purchase seed for this year’s crops. We have over 500 of our own heirloom seeds to choose from. There is no need to buy commercial fertilizer; our sheep and horse barns, along with bins of green kitchen scraps, provide all of the composting material that we need. When it comes to pesticides, we make some of our own and, when necessary, we purchase organic sprays.

During the month of April, our guests enjoy walking through the gardens and looking at spinach, Swiss chard, lettuce, salad greens, green onions and many others. They love the experience of knowing that what they are looking at will appear on their plates a short time later for lunch or dinner. One of most rewarding experiences here at the Farm is working with guests who are interested in learning more about the way of sustainable farming. On many occasions, a number of guests on return visits to Blackberry come down to visit with us and are very excited to relate their experiences of planting their first heirloom seeds, using compost from their bins as fertilizer and then enjoying fresh produce from their own gardens.

There is a special joy and feeling of satisfaction when you experience the rewards of something that you have grown yourself, especially when it was grown using “green” practices that are in harmony with nature.

– John Coykendall, Master Gardener