Intro to Kale
It’s finally time for cool-weather crops, a favorite time of year for many gardeners. Among the cool-weather crops are leafy greens, such as kale. Kale is packed with vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamin C. Learn more about growing preferences, planting tips, highly ranked kale varieties, and recipes that include kale in this month’s Garden-to-Kitchen blog.
Growing Preferences:
- Plant in the fall, kale prefers 25-75°F.
- Kale prefers neutral to alkaline soil.
- Transplant seedlings with generous spacing.
- Kale prefers full sun, but will tolerate partial shade.
Highly Ranked Kale Varieties:
- Plant kale six weeks before your first frost date in the fall for an autumn and early winter harvest.
- Seeds should be planted in rows 1 inch apart and can be thinned to 8-12 inches apart.
- Seedlings can be transplanted 12 inches apart.
- Kale will do better with fertilized soil, a thick layer of compost, and mulching.
Planting Tips:
- Dwarf Siberian: A Russian variety that produces 16-inch plants with slightly frilled leaves.
- True Siberian: Fast growing 24 to 30-inch plants with large, frilly, blue-green leaves. They are cold hardy and can be picked all winter in some areas.
- Red Ursa: A cross between ‘Red Russian’ and ‘True Siberian.’ They produce 24 to 30-inch plants that are bolt-resistant and heat-tolerant similar to ‘Red Russian,’ but the leaves are more rounded and curved at the ends.
- Premier: Bolt-resistant plants that produce smooth, deep green leaves with scalloped edges. This variety remains compact when over-wintered, while developing new growing points on the main stem.
- Redbor: Hybrid plant with curly, maroon-red leaves that grow to 2 feet. This variety is quite cold-hardy and does best in the fall. Plants can grow to 5 feet in long growing season conditions.
Note: Bolting is the term used when vegetable crops prematurely produce seed, which causes plant growth to stop. This can be caused by a cold spell.
To the Kitchen: Kale Recipes
Kale should be rinsed thoroughly to remove sand and dirt that has accumulated on the leaves and stems. Cleaning methods include running under water leaf-by-leaf, soaking in a clean sink basin, or even using a salad spinner.
Kick-off the fall season with one of these kale recipes:
Farm to School: Its Importance and How to Get Involved
Farm to School: Its Importance and How to Get Involved
In honor of upcoming National Farm to School (F2S) Month in October, we interviewed local F2S experts Remi Ham and Tracey Bates to showcase the importance of farm to school, and learn a little more about how to get involved.
Remi Ham, MLA
Assistant Teaching Professor
Cooperative Extension Farm to School Coordinator
Department of Horticultural Science
North Carolina State University
Tracey Bates, MPH, RDN, LDN, FAND
School Nutrition Promotion Specialist
Co-Chair for the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina
What is Farm to School?
Remi’s Answer
Farm to School connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities. These programs support local food procurement, school gardens, and nutrition education.
School nutrition professionals, teachers, administrators, school nurses, school health coordinators, local farmers, students, families, policymakers, and community organizations each have an important role in building capacity for and establishing a sustainable farm to school program.
For more information visit CEFS Farm to School.
Tracey’s Answer
Farm to School can vary across settings, but it always includes one or more of the following: purchasing, promoting, and serving local food as part of school meals, snacks or taste tests, interactive learning through gardening, and/or engaging educational activities related to agriculture, food, health, or nutrition.
What is your role with Farm to School?
Remi’s Answer
NC Cooperative Extension Farm to School Coordinator and Co-Lead of Cooperative Extension Local Food Farm to School Working Team.
Tracey’s Answer
Farm to school is woven into my work as a School Nutrition Promotion Specialist with the Office of School Nutrition, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. In this role, I develop resources and identify best practices to assist local education agencies (LEAs) in implementing, expanding, or enhancing farm to school activities and programming. This includes agriculture, nutrition and health place‐based education, school gardens, procurement of local agricultural products, and incorporation of local agricultural products into school menus.
I also have the honor of serving as Co-Chair for the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina, which is dedicated to connecting local agriculture with schools, engaging with students and communities, and advancing a more equitable and just food system.
Why do you think Farm to School is important for NC?
Remi’s Answer
Farm to School helps to support a healthier food system across North Carolina. This community driven effort is at the heart of improving both health and wellness for children and the school communities’ they are connected to.
F2School Programing Examples:
- School nutrition professionals and farmers can work together to increase the procurement of local food for school meals and snacks. This also helps tell the story of local food systems.
- Teachers and school nutrition professionals can teach and promote farm to school to students and their families to increase the consumption of healthy foods.
- Students, families, and community organizations can advocate for farm to school programming in their local school districts.
- School administrators and policymakers can establish policies and practices in support of farm to school.
Tracey’s Answer
Farm to School connects local agriculture, schools, and partners to benefit students, educators, farmers, families, and communities.
Experiential education offered through farm to school activities improves academic performance, supports social emotional learning, and helps students, school staff, and their families learn more about and appreciate how food is grown, harvested, distributed, prepared, and served. This knowledge can help kids and adults to make more informed food choices to support not only their health but also their local communities.
Purchasing of local food by schools for meals, snacks, and taste tests provide additional market opportunities for farmers.
What can we look forward to with Farm to School this coming year?
Remi’s Answer
In the upcoming year, we are developing an online training course – The NC Farm to School Training Initiative (NCFSTI). This initiative has three significant project goals.
First, is to develop an online educational training platform for individuals, groups, and entities seeking to implement and support more resilient food systems for our school communities. This goal is supported through an online certificate program featuring a diverse range of educational modules. Modules will include an introduction to farm to school, how to build farm to school teams, how to establish a school garden classroom, incorporating cooking in the classroom, racial equity, strengthening local food procurement, farm field trips, improving student engagement, and program evaluation. Participants can take all modules of this online training for course certification, or by choosing training modules of interest.
A second goal of the NCFSTI is to create free and easily accessible online tools for continuing education and outreach.
Last, the NCFSTI will work to provide partners mechanisms for developing communities of praxis and sharing in the advancement of farm to school in NC.
The North Carolina Farm to School Training Initiative is supported by the National Institution of Food and Agriculture Grant. We hope to launch this training in 2023.
Tracey’s Answer
Farm to School and Early Care and Education Month is celebrated in October. The North Carolina Crunch, hosted by the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina and the N.C. Farm to Preschool Network, is an opportunity for kids and adults to taste and learn about North Carolina-grown fruits and vegetables and honor all those involved in feeding our kids and communities.
The Farm to School Coalition of NC is currently offering a Racial Equity in Farm to School virtual workshop series that will run through the fall. Everyone can look forward to these and other professional development opportunities from the F2SCNC and our partners. Through the NC Jr. Chef Competition, high school students can work with their teachers and local School Nutrition Programs to create a school lunch entrée recipe that appeals to students, features North Carolina-grown ingredients, and adheres to federal nutrition regulations for a chance to win scholarships. Be on the lookout for the timeline, guidelines, and other details for the 2022-23 competition.
How can parents, teachers, or community members get involved?
Tracey’s Answer
Schools, early care and education centers, agencies, organizations, businesses, individuals, and families can participate in the N.C. Crunch. Folks can sign up to receive a free guide with tips, resources, and templates to promote farm to school and early care and education and celebrate the N.C. Crunch. Learn more and sign up for the N.C. Crunch.
Everyone can be involved with the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina. Check out our website at
https://www.farmtoschoolcoalitionnc.org to learn more, follow us on social media at @F2SCoalitionNC, and sign up for our listserv to receive the latest info on events, professional development opportunities, grants, resources, and more.
Remi’s Answer
Websites to connect with F2S activities, trainings, and events:
Follow our Garden to Kitchen blog each month for great tips
and insights on growing and cooking edible plants:
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Planning for Fall/Winter Gardening
If you are thinking about planning a fall/winter garden, August is a great time to establish many cool-weather crops – so let the planning start.
Think about your location and how much sunlight you get. Most fruits and vegetables require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, although 8-10 hours is even better.
Get to know your soil. The ideal soil for vegetables is fertile, deep, well-draining, and within the pH range of 6-6.5. Do your best to create ideal conditions for your plants in advance. If you don’t have perfect conditions, don’t worry, give it a try and see what thrives.
Plant what you enjoy eating. Try to plan a variety of colors to encourage a wide range of vitamins and minerals – carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts, leafy greens such as kale, collards, or swiss chard, beetroot, cabbage, leeks, and cauliflower. If you select foods that match well with your specific growing conditions, you will be more likely to have a plentiful harvest.
For example, did you know leafy vegetables and root vegetables are better at tolerating shade? This includes lettuce, collards, kale, cabbage, spinach, carrots, beets, radishes, and more.
Consider timing before you begin to plant. Use Poe’s Vegetable Planting Guide for Central NC, or the Cooperative Extension Planting Guide for NC for details on what to plant and when.
- You may prefer to start seeds indoors to get a start on fall crops while your summer crops are still producing. This overlap can also help ensure your frost-sensitive crops will reach maturity before the freezing temperatures arrive. Be sure to check the seed packet for when to start seeds indoors for your area.
- If you’re looking for particularly hardy crops that will continue to produce food through the winter, a few favorites include: collards, mustard greens, kale, root veggies, and cilantro.
- You may think we forgot to mention some fall favorites like pumpkin and sweet potatoes. They are delicious in fall recipes and ready to harvest in the fall, however, need to be planted in the summer.
Time for planting. Make a map of your garden and mark off where you planted everything. This is not necessary, but it is a fun visual to keep as a reminder of plants that need your attention.
- Before planting your fall crops, it is often helpful to incorporate organic compost into the top 4 inches of soil. Leaving the deeper soil intact helps preserve a healthy soil structure that beneficial earthworms, bacteria, and fungi have worked hard to establish.
- You can incorporate compost in stages or all at once depending on your gardening style. By gently stirring compost in between late summer crops that are still producing, you can overlap the growing seasons and increase yield. If your summer crops are spent, you can remove them all and incorporate your compost all at once.
Bowl Ingredients:
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed well and patted dry (optional to replace with baked chicken)
- 1 small bunch of broccoli, cut into mini florets (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water or stock
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Dressing Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Pinch of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
- Garnish with extra parsley, sliced green onions, dried cranberries or raw pumpkin seeds
Directions for the Bowl:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Transfer chickpeas and broccoli to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until chickpeas are crispy and broccoli is browned and tender, being sure to stir the broccoli mixture half way through.
- While the veggies are roasting, make the quinoa. Add quinoa to a medium-sized pot over high heat with 2 cups of water or stock. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and let quinoa cook until all the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. If using brown rice, cook according to package instructions.
- Remove from heat and let quinoa or rice cool slightly.
Directions for the Dressing:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil, maple syrup, vinegar, mustard, salt and dill (if using) until smooth and consistent.
Assembling the Bowl:
- Set aside a small amount of the dressing.
- Fold the slightly cooled quinoa into the dressing in the large mixing bowl. Add in about 1/3 of the roasted broccoli and chickpea mixture along with the chopped parsley and mix until well combined.
- For serving, portion quinoa or rice into about 4 portions and top each portion with remaining roasted broccoli and chickpeas. Garnish with sliced green onion, more parsley, dried cranberries or raw pumpkin seeds. Drizzle remaining dressing on top.
Tart's Strawberry & Produce Farm
For this month’s Garden-to-Kitchen series on tomatoes, we visited the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, NC. Follow garden health educator, Catherine Wills, as she shares her experience learning how Tart’s Produce grows and sells tomatoes.
I recently took a trip to the State Farmers Market to learn more about how NC farmers sell tomatoes. Of course, I also bought some produce – I couldn’t resist! When I walked into the market, my attention was immediately caught by a display of bright, beautiful tomatoes, and I made my way over to Tart’s Strawberry and Produce. At the stand, I met an employee of Tart’s and had a conversation all about tomatoes.
Tart’s Strawberry and Produce, owned by Charles Tart, is a family-owned business located in Dunn, NC. They are primarily known for growing strawberries, but their tomato selection is equally impressive. They also sell other produce, such as corn, squash, okra, and cucumbers.
They recently expanded their retail area at their Dunn location to include a gift shop with a bakery and a variety of homemade jams, jellies, and preserves. Find out what’s available now on Tart’s Produce Facebook page.
Let’s talk tomatoes. Tart’s had a diverse variety of tomatoes including Trust, BetterBoy, Heirloom, Roma, Grape, and Cherry. We discussed that Tart’s has perfected their selection of varieties over the years based on what grows best and what the customers request. Tart’s typically sells tomatoes from May-July/August and will have more varieties later in the season.
I asked about Tart’s process of storing and transporting their tomatoes. Tart’s tomatoes are picked fresh and stored at room temperature until ready for transport. I browsed their selection of tomatoes and asked how to pick the perfect tomato. It’s all about the senses! To pick the ripest tomato, aim for a deep, vibrant color and make sure it’s somewhat firm but not too hard. I was let in on a secret: Don’t skip the imperfect or misfit tomatoes, they’re usually the best ones.
With that good advice in mind, I confidently bought a BetterBoy tomato. When I got home, I knew exactly how I wanted to enjoy my fresh tomato. I simply sliced the tomato with cucumbers and seasoned it with salt and pepper. I added a splash of apple cider vinegar and voila! I enjoyed a refreshing summer salad.
Tart’s Strawberry and Produce
100 North Powell Avenue
Dunn, NC 28334
910-892-1324
https://tartsstrawberryproduce.net/
Tartsproduce@gmail.com
Tomato Harvest and Uses
Tomato Harvest and Uses
Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) range in color from yellow and red to purple when fully ripe. They originate from western South America and have been spread worldwide with Spanish colonization. Read below to learn about harvesting, cooking, and storing tomatoes.
Harvesting Tips:
- Be ready! Tomatoes can be harvested mid to late summer, sometimes on a daily basis, depending on the variety.
- Harvest individual tomatoes right away once they are fully ripe to achieve ideal flavor and to beat any pests that might enjoy your ripe tomato.
- The best tomato quality results from temperatures averaging around 75°F. Harvest every 1-2 days when air temps hit 90°F. Extreme heat softens the fruit and diminishes flavor.
- If you have trouble staying ahead of the heat and/or pests, try harvesting tomatoes when they have just a touch of color, and allow them to continue ripening indoors.
- If a killing freeze is expected, harvest all tomatoes (greens included) and bring inside to continue ripening.
- Store freshly harvested unwashed tomatoes on the counter around 60-70°F and watch them ripen.
- Learn 4 indoor ripening strategies that include the bag, box, window sill, and upside down methods.
Warning: The leaves, stems, and green unripe fruits contain small amounts of toxin alkaloids known as tomatine and solanine. The tomato plants are toxic to dogs if a significant amount of the fruits or foliage are eaten.
Nutritional Benefits of Tomatoes:
Tomatoes are delicious and nutritious. In addition to keeping you hydrated, just one tomato can provide 57% of your daily vitamin C, 25% of your daily vitamin A, and 8% of your daily iron.
Storage:
- Fresh: Tomatoes can be stored fresh on the counter, out of the sun. Refrigerating them will change the texture and the flavor.
- Frozen: Fresh tomatoes can be frozen if you have extras. Core tomatoes and put them in a freezer bag or container. Remove air, seal, label, and freeze. Pull them out of the freezer in the dead of winter for a fresh summer flavor! The skins will slip right off when they thaw, and they are great for sauces and soups.
- Canned: Tomatoes are also a great candidate for being canned. Make sure to use fresh tomatoes, sterilized materials, a clean kitchen, and always follow a canning recipe from a reliable source.
- Resources for Home Preserving Tomatoes.
Chopping Tips
Tomatoes have a very slick skin and require a very sharp knife for slicing or dicing. A serrated knife is also a great option. Grip your knife with your dominant hand. Your palm should be on the handle of the knife, and your thumb and index finger should hold the top of the blade.
Your helping hand will stabilize the tomato, using the “bear claw” method to keep your fingers safe. Move the knife slowly in a rocking motion.
Slice vs. Dice
Slicing a tomato works best with a very sharp knife or a serrated knife.
-
- Wash and dry the tomato, first. Then, place it on a clean cutting board.
- Use your helping hand to hold the tomato firmly and your dominant hand to firmly hold your knife.
- Gently cut off the top of the tomato. Continue slicing the tomato, each time parallel to the last slice.
If you need your tomatoes diced, stack a few slices on top of each other and make parallel cuts in one direction first, and then the other.
Try these fun kabobs as an afternoon snack or a compliment to go with your dinner. These are great for getting kids involved.
Nothing pairs better than pasta and tomatoes. This salad makes a perfect side dish, and with the addition of cheese and/or beans it can be a great main dish too.
Follow our Garden to Kitchen blog each month for great tips
and insights on growing and cooking edible plants:
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Subscribe to our monthly nutrition email newsletter.
Tomato Maintenance
Tomato Maintenance, Problems, & Companions
Here in the South, tomatoes feel right at home in the warmth of the summer. With this extended heat and humidity, tomato-loving insects, diseases, and other growing challenges are likely to emerge. Do not fret, the benefits of tomatoes far outweigh the challenges. Below you can learn simple ways to set your plants up for success and mitigate common tomato problems.
If you are just getting started with tomato-planting, be sure to first read our April 2022 post about preparing your planting site and choosing tomato varieties.
Support:
Physically supporting your tomato plants in an upright position maximizes sun exposure, fruit yield, and airflow. Increasing airflow is one of the most effective ways to reduce disease and pests. Plus, tomatoes are vines that need to climb.
Set up supports as soon as possible after planting. You can use wood stakes, tall wire cages, steel mesh sheets arranged in a cylinder, a nearby fence for draping, or even a deck railing. Use soft string or strips of old cloth to attach tomato stems to the rigid supports. These flex with growth and prevent damage to stems.
Pruning:
There are many reasons to prune, or strategically remove branches, as your tomato plant grows. This practice will improve airflow, reduce humidity, decrease disease problems, help encourage flower/fruit growth, and can help produce larger fruit.
Pruning Tips:
- Find out if your tomato variety is determinant or indeterminant.
- Indeterminate vining varieties (that keep growing) should be pruned all season.
- Determinant bush or dwarf varieties (that stop growing after fruiting) should be pruned sparingly if at all.
- When cutting out branches, aim to maintain 1-3 main stems. Enjoy the following energy experiment:
- One main stem will make less, but larger tomatoes.
- Three main stems will make more, but smaller tomatoes.
- Cut out “suckers” (small shoots growing between the main stem and a branch) when they are 4 inches or less.
- Once 4 feet tall, remove the lowest 12 inches of leafy branches to decrease soil-borne diseases from splashing up during a rain.
- Prune in a way that keeps tomato fruit in the shade of its leaves. Sudden sun exposure can cause sun scald.
Video depicting tomato pruning in action:
Watering:
Water regularly and evenly throughout the season but especially during drought periods. This helps reduce your tomato fruit from splitting open, called growth cracks. The best time to water is in the morning as the plant is gearing up for a day of photosynthesis. Be sure to aim watering towards the roots and not the leaves to reduce disease issues. A great way to retain moisture and decrease soil splash is to add 2-4 inches of organic mulch around the base of the plant.
Pests and Problems:
Tomato diseases and pests are quite numerous, but do not let this deter you. Many varieties have been made resistant to common infections. Additionally, a lot of tomato types grow aggressively enough to outpace tomato troubles. Despite diseases and pests, growing tomatoes are a worthwhile experience.
Below are some common tomato pests and problems in North Carolina and what to do about them:
- Aphids: Tiny, pear-shaped, green/pink insects. They pierce and suck sap, and can spread viral diseases.
- Water punch them off with the jet stream setting on your hose nozzle.
- Spray an environmentally safe insecticidal soap (such as diluted Dr. Bronner Pure Castile Soap) directly onto the leaves with aphids.
- Tomato hornworm: Two inch green caterpillars with diagonal white stripes and a horn-like structure. They eat tomato leaves.
- Hand pick them off unless it has white cocoons on its back.
- If it has white cocoons, leave it on your tomato plant! These are the pupae of the beneficial Braconid wasps that will not sting unless abused. The wasps will emerge and help control the next generation of hornworms.
- Bacterial wilt (aka. Southern bacterial blight): Caused by soil-borne bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum that thrives in hot, moist conditions. It enters through microscopic wounds and causes rapid wilt and decline.
- Remove infected plants immediately. Discard in a garbage bag to reduce spread.
- Practice crop rotation by planting non susceptible crops like corn, beans, or cabbage.
- Blossom-end rot: The fruit has a brown decayed area opposite the stem. It’s caused by a lack of calcium in the soil often due to uneven watering.
- Leaf sprays with calcium nitrate can restore calcium. Always follow the label.
- Easy to prevent next year by following lime/fertilizer recommendations from a soil sample well before planting.
Here are a few resources to help troubleshoot other tomato diseases and pests.
Companion Plants:
Companion planting is a fun way to garden. These are plants that are beneficial to grow together. Consider planting some of these tomato companions for the benefits they bring to your garden and kitchen.
- Garlic, onion, chives: Repel some pests like aphids.
- Basil: May improve tomato yield. Compliments tomatoes in recipes.
- Peas: Legumes which add nitrogen back to soil.
- Lettuce: Acts as living mulch keeping soil cool and moist for tomatoes.
- Carrots: Loosen soil for tomato roots.
- Cucumber: Has similar soil, water, and sunlight needs. Fill in well along the ground under tomato plants.
Recipes
To the Kitchen:
Want to try eating your tomatoes before they are fully ripe? Try tasting green tomatoes. Green tomatoes are not fully ripe yet, and are pale green in color. They taste more tart than ripe tomatoes, and can be ripened in a brown paper bag on your kitchen counter. Try out green tomatoes with the following recipe.
Crunchy Baked Green Tomatoes:
Ingredients:
-
- 4 large firm green tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ cup bread crumbs
- Cooking spray or olive oil
Instructions:
- Slice tomatoes ⅛ inch thick. On a large plate mix flour, salt, and pepper. Place yogurt and buttermilk on a second plate, and Panko Bread Crumbs on a third plate. Coat tomatoes with the flour mixture, then the yogurt – buttermilk mixture (you may want to put the yogurt in a small bowl so that dipping them is easier), then the Panko bread crumbs.
- Place coated tomatoes on a cookie sheet and spray with Pam cooking spray liberally on both sides or drizzle them on both sides with olive oil. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 7 minutes on one side then flip them over and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with extra salt and serve warm.
Want more recipes or to learn more about green tomatoes? Check out this link from NC Cooperative Extension.
Follow our Garden to Kitchen blog each month for great tips
and insights on growing and cooking edible plants:
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Tomatoes
It's Tomato Time!
Get excited for tomato season, it’s just around the corner. Tomatoes are one of the most popular summer crops amongst NC gardeners. They are fun to grow, highly productive, and diverse in size, color, and taste. Now is a great time to prepare your planting site and choose the tomato varieties that will best suit the needs of your family.
Tomato Plant Preferences:
- 70-80°F daytime temps
- Full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight)
- Well-draining soil with a pH of 5.5-7.0
- 2 inches of water per square foot each week
- Generous spacing for airflow
- Physical supports
Site Prep:
Tomatoes do well in traditional garden beds, raised beds, and containers. Choose the sunniest spot near a water source, and if possible, conduct a soil test to determine soil pH. Add lime to raise the pH of your soil as needed.
Two weeks before planting, most gardens will benefit from 1-2 inches of compost incorporated into the top 6 inches of soil. When able, grow tomatoes where members of the nightshade family (tomato, pepper, eggplant, potato) have not grown in the last 3 years. This will help reduce soil-borne tomato disease and pest issues.
Planting:
While you can start tomato seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before transplanting, most gardeners prefer to buy transplants from a nursery and plant them directly outside after the danger of frost. This ideal planting time will be mid-April for Eastern/Central, NC and May for Western, NC.
Planting Tips:
- Space plants 2-3 feet apart depending on variety. Airflow reduces disease.
- Bury tomato plants up to their first leaves. Roots grow from the buried stem, which creates a stronger base. If you don’t have enough depth, dig a 4 inch trench and cover the stem sideways.
- Place tomato cages or stakes in the soil at the time you plant. This will keep the fruit off the ground, and is much easier to do at the start.
- Water generously, aiming for the roots and avoiding the leaves.
Tomato Varieties:
There are thousands of tomato types to choose from. It can feel overwhelming so start by trying 3-5 varieties that do well in NC, and that are different in size and growth style. This diversity will provide an ongoing harvest and more recipe options.
Below are a few favorites.
- Sungold Cherry Tomatoes: Sweet, orange, bear many small fruits early and all season. Great for kids and salads.
- Cherokee Purple: Heirloom, large, rich sweet flavor, dusky purple-pink. Great in caprese.
- Red Brandywine: Large, beefsteak shape, red, meaty, juicy. Great for sandwich slices.
- Dwarf Blazing Beauty: Shorter plant, medium size fruit, orange, a bit tart. Nice for smaller gardens or pots.
- Lemon Boy Hybrid: Mild flavor, yellow, medium size fruit, thrives in the ground.
- Better Bush: Strong, compact plant, medium size fruit, red. Great for containers.
Learn more about tomato varieties and return next month to learn about tomato plant maintenance, pests, and companion plants.
To the Kitchen:
Tomatoes make the perfect summertime kitchen companion. They complement a variety of other summer herbs and vegetables, and can be added into any cuisine. Freshly grown tomatoes picked ripe off the vine offer a burst of flavor for your summer kitchen. Thanks to the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes have a bright red color and help protect the body against both heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes are also full of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin K.
Try your freshly grown tomatoes in these delicious recipes:
Farmers Markets
Farmers Market Kickoff
Get ready to get local! Many farmers markets around the state kickoff their produce-selling season in April or May. Other year-round markets tend to increase their hours during these months to accommodate more farmers and larger harvests.
Why choose the farmers market over the grocery store?
- Health Benefits: The fruits, veggies, meats, and many other goods that are often available at farmers markets tend to stay fresh longer because they have not had to travel as far. Fresh local foods are often more colorful, more delicious, more nutritious, and are not loaded with preservatives. This makes these foods better for your health and the environment.
- Better Deals: You often can get more bang for your buck at farmers markets. In times of plenty, small-scale farmers need to sell their product directly to individuals because they lack large-scale distribution ability. This means, in-season high-quality produce can cost less than its supermarket equivalent.
- Double EBT Dollars: An increasing number of markets are accepting, matching, and even doubling EBT dollars. For example, spend $5 of EBT and get $10 worth of food. Find which markets take EBT.
- WIC & Seniors Coupons: The Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FNMP) is also issuing coupons to eligible low-income participants to increase access to locally grown products. Learn more about WIC coupons and Senior coupons.
- Family Fun: Farmers markets tend to be a lively community event bringing people of all ages together. You can enjoy live music, playgrounds, arts and crafts, and grassy patches for picnicking. Take the whole family and make a day of it.
What’s at the market now?
Right now at your local farmers market you will find collards, spinach, herbs, sweet potatoes, peanuts, asparagus, and other cold season crops. Use this chart to see what will be in season for each month. For example, strawberries are just a month away and will be available in mid-April.
Beyond fruits and vegetables, you can also purchase locally sourced honey, eggs, meats, brews, baked goods, jewelry, dog treats, flowers, soaps, and so much more. Most market websites give you a good idea of what’s available through a list of vendors.
What is a CSA? Should I join?
CSA stands for Community-Supported Agriculture. Some farms at the market offer CSA membership options in which you pay a certain amount regularly and get a pre-packed box of produce on a weekly or monthly basis. This is a great way to simplify shopping, save money, try new recipes, and help sustain small-scale farms. Some even offer delivery options.
Check out your market website or talk to farmers directly on market day to learn more.
Find a Market Near You
Download the Visit NC Farms app to locate nearby farms, markets, fisheries, and activities for the whole family.
Farmer's Spotlight: Richardson Herbal Farm
This month, Poe’s Garden to Kitchen highlights Richardson Herbal Farm in Bladen County, NC. We spoke with lead farmer Linda Tyndall to get her insights on growing herbs.
At her family farm, Tyndall grows a variety of herbs including rosemary, thyme, sage, chamomile, mint, and mullein. In addition to herbs, they also grow produce and have a growing beehive. Containers, box gardens, and repurposed old tires are used to create garden beds.
Tyndall makes tinctures, soaps, and teas from the herbs she grows and sells them on-site at her farm and at the Robeson County Farmers’ Market. She also travels to the Black Farmers’ Market in Raleigh and Durham.
Herbal farming has been instrumental in Tyndall’s life since birth. She grew up on a farm, and her family always used herbal remedies for illness. Tyndall believes that everyone has natural and spiritual connections to plants. This connection drives her passion to share her gifts with the community.
Richardson Herbal Farms has generously provided community members with extra produce during the pandemic. Additionally, they plan to do community outreach and workshops in the near future. Tyndall would like to continue helping people from the inside out to become whole, and encourage youth to recognize that food helps healing.
Favorite Herb: Mullein
Tyndall favors mullein because it has small, fuzzy hairs that are similar to the cilia in our airways. This herb is traditionally used to support the respiratory system.
Tips on Herbs/Favorite Recipes:
Tyndall’s favorite way to eat herbs is to mix fresh herbs into salads for added flavor. She loves mixing cilantro, basil, sage, and oregano together in salads.
For more information on how you can purchase items from Richardson Herbal Farms, e-mail richardsonherbalfarm@gmail.com.
Guest Author: Catherine Wills, Assistant Garden Specialist
All About Chives
You may find that chives are the last herb standing in your herb garden. This is because chives are surprisingly tough. They are cold and drought tolerant.
Read below for more fun facts, tips, and uses for chives.
Chives Facts:
- Chives are a perennial herb meaning they come back year after year.
- Chives are in the onion family. They grow from underground bulbs in clumps.
- Chives have long hollow leaves and produce edible purple flowers in the spring. You can eat the whole plant!
- Eating chives can help improve heart and bone health, as well as boost your immune system.
Chives Tips:
- How to harvest – regularly cut leaves 1-2 inches from the base.
- How to store – best when fresh, but store in a ziplock back in the fridge or freezer to make them last longer.
- How to divide – in the spring, dig down to the bulbs of your outdoor chive plant and pull a clump of 10+ bulbs away from the group. Plant this bunch in a new spot. Repeat every 2-3 years.
Chives Uses:
- Create a chive border outside – divide chives over the years and transplant along the edge of a garden bed. The border will be edible, beautiful, and may even deter some pests.
- Clip chive flowers in the spring to make a lovely bouquet.
Now that you’ve learned all about chives, experiment with chives in these fun recipes!
