March 28, 2024

Local Farms & Gardens

Get your produce and flowers locally!

Posted

Our little corner of New England is often overlooked, but there’s so much here that’s worth seeing. Though we’re known to live underneath the snow, we also thrive in the summer among the flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. Here, there’s an abundance of local farms selling their wares. During the spring and summer, a New Englander should know what their favorite places are selling and when. In-season vegetables for April and May include: Asparagus, Fiddleheads, Lettuces, Nettles, Onions, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Kale, Pease, Peppers, Spinach. Fruits are most active in August, save for blackberries, which are active mid-July. In good weather, the growing season can stretch to September and even the end of October.

For over 25 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share ( aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. Check with your local farms to see how you can participate in the CSA program.

Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts are in Zone 7a, 6a, and 6b. The average annual, extreme minimum winter temperature here is between 0 and -5 degrees F. Some zones have changed slightly since 1990, now being categorized as 5 degrees F higher (a half-zone higher.) These zones help farmers determine what crops and plants thrive best in their area, though a soil test is also necessary to determine what to grow where. The Local Cooperative Extension Service can help a farmer collect and interpret soil information in their county. From there, one can correct nutrient deficiencies and adjust soil pH.

Along with soil, insects can help or harm a crop. Our area has a variety of beetles, moths, caterpillars and other insects that can threaten a plant. A new threat is also on the move; the spotted lanternfly. It’s an invasive species of sap-feeding insect in the plant hopper family Fulgoridae. Though the insect hasn’t been spotted in Rhode Island yet, URI warns that this insect could spread to our local farms, invading “grape, tree fruit, hardwood, and nursery industries.”

However, not all insects are bad for your garden either. Spiders and wasps, though terrifying to most, offer a natural pest exterminator, feeding on harmful flea beetles, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and other insects. For smaller gardens, planting peppermint, spearmint, and pennyroyals which naturally deter pests like ants and aphids, can protect precious plants.

No matter how short or long our local growing season is, there are so many options for fresh produce, flowers and shrubs. Take advantage and visit our many local farms and garden shops!
Information for this article was taken from the following:
https://www.almanac.com/plants/hardiness/7
https://web.uri.edu/mastergardener https://www.providencejournal.com/entertainmentlife/20160603/henry-homeyer-poisons-not- necessary-to-rid-your-garden-of-pests-diseases
https://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Anawan Farm
Anawan Farm provides pesticide, herbicide and fungicide free vegetables and flowers. We grow over 50,000 commercial grade sunflowers, an assortment of zinnia’s and small amount of floral fillers that will make any occasion an instant success. Check out “Farm-to-Table Express” our new online pilot program. Order your veggies online BEFORE 10AM and pick up the same day AFTER 4pm Tuesday through Saturday.

We are committed to provide nutritious produce options to our entire community, to offer value-added products by collaborating with local area farms that grow (or create) responsibly diverse products, to educate the public by offering events, workshops and our work experience program.

Keep your eyes open for our famous yellow tent on Route 118. We accept cash, credit and HIP during the following hours of operation BEGINNING IN JUNE: Closed Mondays, Open Tuesday through Friday 1:00pm-6:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm. Please visit: https://www.anawanfarm.com for more information.

Kave Rock Alpaca Farm
The Kave Rock Alpaca Farm specializes in quality, alpaca fiber apparel made in the USA from USA grown alpacas. This includes gloves, hats, shawls, socks, and more!
An alpaca is not to be confused with a llama! These animals are about half the size of a llama and have a much softer coat. Alpacas come in 22 natural colors and yield about 5-10 pounds of wool. The wool is not itchy and doesn't contain lanolin which can irritate healthy skin. As well as being rather plush, the wool is very durable and is the second strongest animal fiber according to National Geographic. The alpacas are shorn only once a year and their wool is sustainable and soft as cashmere.

An alpaca baby is called a cria (cree-ya)! Alpacas have a gestation period of about 11 1/2 months and females give birth to a single offspring. Alpacas are herd animals and cannot be raised alone, and they live for about 15-25 years. They’re very gentle and docile, and yet curious. At our farm, Alpaca sales and breedings are also available.

Visit our alpacas on Sundays from 12-4. We love to show off our herd! Visit our website https://kaverockalpaca.com for more!

Osamequin Farm
You may know Osamequin Farm for our longstanding Pick Your Own organically-grown blueberries, but now we are so much more than that! Come visit Osamequin Farm, at the corner of Prospect St and Walnut St in Seekonk, this summer and you'll find PYO blueberries, PYO sunflowers, free range duck eggs, PLUS a Farm Stand stocked with chemical-free vegetables all grown by the farmers on our land! Starting this year, we are home to the Osamequin Cooperative Farming Project - you'll meet five different farmers growing veggies and herbs on their own plots and sharing resources and infrastructure. Also new this year, Flower Hill at Osamequin Farm will offer a Build Your Own Bouquet bar at the Farm Stand, weekly bouquet subscriptions, and more! All organically raised, all grown right on our farm in Seekonk.

THERE'S MORE! Osamequin Farm is a 501c3 nonprofit and will be hosting educational workshops and seasonal gatherings for the community. Follow us on social media @osamequinfarm, and subscribe to our newsletter at www.osamequinfarm.com for all the announcements.

Souza Family Farm
The Souza Family Farm stand is open Father’s day through Halloween and will have more and more vegetables as the season changes. Our large variety of vegetables in-season includes: 40 varieties of tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, winter squash, peppers, onions, cucumbers, pickling cukes, cauliflower, broccoli, large variety of beans, blueberries, corn, lettuces and more!

The Greenhouse is open now with a large variety of flowering plants, vegetable plants, hangers and herbs. Come by and see what is ready and what is growing!

We accept Farmer’s Market coupons at the Farm Stand as well as SNAP/HIP.

Tranquil Lake Nursery
Tranquil Lake Nursery is a farm specializing in ornamental perennials, featuring two acres of display gardens and eight acres of daylily and iris fields surrounded by meadows, ponds and the Palmer River. Excellence in horticulture, landscape design and environmental stewardship are exemplified.

We offer a choice selection of container grown perennials, shrubs and small trees. More than 2000 cultivars of daylilies and 300 different Siberian & Japanese iris are field grown. Owners Warren Leach and Debi Hogan invite visitors to wander through the gardens and growing fields, where they will see distinctive plants as well as native wildlife, from nesting bluebirds, orioles and hummingbirds to butterflies, dragonflies and a population of rare turtles.
Warren has been creating gardens since he purchased the nursery in 1986. In 2012, with assistance from Rehoboth Land Trust and town, the property was preserved. Visit at 45 River Street or on the web at www.tranquil-lake.com.

Under the Sun Farm
Under the Sun Farm is now open seven days a week! The owner, farmer, and Rehoboth native, Milton Teixeira, proudly runs our diversified, family farm year-round. We’re growing a wide variety of year-round produce using organic practices to provide healthy, fresh and flavorful food for his family, friends and community! Under the Sun farm’s greenhouse is full of beautiful proven winner annual flowers, bountiful perennials, and a wide variety of vegetable plants and herbs. Shop at our farmstand too which offers breakfast muffins, coffee, bagels, lunch sandwiches and soups, and all the fixings for dinner including fresh salad greens, a delicious variety of produce, eggs, and local non-GMO meats. Fill your pantry with locally-sourced grocery, bread, milk, and more!
Under the Sun Farm is open Monday-Friday 5am-6pm and Saturday-Sunday 6am-5pm. We’re located at 1050 Williams Street, North Dighton. We hope to see you on the farm!

Ventura Grain
Ventura Grain Co., Inc, has been serving the Southeastern MA area for over 90 years! We are your one stop shop for all your lawn, garden, farm, & pet needs. Our retail store is where you will find everything you need for the seasons for your lawn, garden, and home.

We carry a variety of premium bark mulches*, professional and organic fertilizers as well as professional grass seed mixes, planting loam*, organic soils and compost, and crushed stone*. We also stock vegetable and flower seeds in small and large packages, seed potatoes (10 varieties) and onion sets and a complete line of organic and chemical bug & pest control. Wholesale pricing is available for professional landscapers on grass seed, fertilizer, mulch, & loam. Please inquire at the store.

We offer custom premium and choice wild bird seed mixes and a variety of sunflower seeds, a huge selection of suet cakes, and a great assortment of wild bird and hummingbird feeders! Sign-up for our Frequent Buyer Bird Feeding Program and see the savings add up!
*Delivery available Spring – Fall

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