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).
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.
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.
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.
Lion's Mane, Oyster, Shitake and Chestnut. These are some of the consumable mushrooms in production at HENOSIS near Nashville. Mushroom cultivation is quite different from growing garden vegetables. We follow the process from substrate mix to harvest and learn how truly sustainable it is.
Tammy Algood introduces us to Tyler Brown of Southall Farm & Inn. We gain insight into farming from his perspective as a chef who strives for great flavor coming straight from the field. It;s here where guests are encouraged to explore the various gardens and growing sites on the farm.
