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Growing Edibles At Home

Sustainable Small Market Farming

Julie Berbiglia visits with a self-taught farmer who gathered knowledge during the COVID era, and started farming in his urban backyard. In addition to that farm, he now leases an additional 2 acres. Alex Bice uses sustainable agriculture methods to grow high quality vegetables and herbs which he offers for sale at Nashville farmer markets.

Strawberry Farming

Strawberries are the primary crop at Lester Farms in Lebanon TN. They are considered an 11 month crop that requires work to be done by hand: planting, weeding, harvesting. Each year brings its challenges because that large time frame encompasses a wide range of weather conditions. The main variety grown is 'Ruby June' as it produces consistently sweet, large, tasty berries. An optimal growing year in middle Tennessee will have strawberries ripening well into June.

Farming in raised beds

Jeff Poppen, market farmer, tours a vegetable garden that's very different from his own. This farmer grows in 35 raised beds situated in seven long rows. Cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes...it's unbelievable how much is grown and harvested here.

Growing Lettuce in Fall

Lettuce is a cool-season crop, so it grows well in autumn. Tammy Algood checks out the beautiful rows of Salanova head lettuce at Red Thread Farm in Franklin TN. Here, they direct sow it in October. Its a cut and come again type that produces until the Persephone Period (when daylight falls below 10 hours/day).

Regenerative gardening practices

We learn about healthy fertile soil on a visit to Red Thread Farm, a micro family farm in Franklin TN. There's no mechanized tillage that happens here, just a liberal use of broadforks. Keeping the soil covered is a priority, either with a thick mulch or cover crops. And there's no commercial pesticide use on the premises. All methods used are meant to enhance microbial activity in the soil, and in turn, produce nutrient-rich vegetables.

Growing Cherry Tomatoes for Market

Jeff Poppen learns the methods necessary for growing a successful crop of cherry tomatoes in a market garden greenhouse. Bloomsbury Farm in Smyrna TN uses mulched leaves as compost to improve the soil structure. They use the Florida weave trellising system for some varieties, while with others the Lower and Lean Method is used.

Evolution of a Garden

Gardens are constantly evolving. Tammy Algood takes us on a stroll through one such garden where there's always room for another plant. In this case, there's room for a new way to grow vegetables.

Fall Greens

In autumn, the display garden beds at the entrance to Andrew Jackson's Hermitage are planted in heirloom varieties of greens. These tasty greens are plants that you can cut continually until first frost, and beyond.

Thornless Blackberry

Marty DeHart recommends Prime-Ark Freedom Primo cane blackberry plants for homeowners that want to try growing fruit. The attributes of this hybrid are many: the fruit is large, firm and sweet, the canes are upright and thornless, and it is ever-bearing.

Propagating blueberries

Jeff Poppen harvests blueberries from Southern highbush plants that are 5th generation from ones he purchased 40 years ago. He demonstrates how to propagate from root runners, and how to plant for the best chance of success.

Fall/Winter crops for the home garden

No doubt that the summer harvest in Tennessee is plentiful. There are so many vegetables that grow well here. But a fall garden can produce a big bounty too. Tammy Algood is at Red Thread Farm in Franklin Tennessee to learn what varieties of carrot, radish, and kale they grow in their high-yielding garden.

Planning a Late Summer Garden

Biodynamic farmer Jeff Poppen underscores the importance of planning when it comes to a late summer garden. He plants beans, squash and cucumbers in June and July to harvest in September and October.