They're not just produce from California anymore. Vermont growers are taking interest in trying to grow crops not typically associated with the cool, short growing season in northern New England, reports Montpelier, Vermont's Times-Argus newspaper.
The article reports that more farmers are able to take risks with experimental produce these days because of the micro scale of many farm operations, and the growing opportunity for direct sales to farmers markets and restaurants. Plums, cherries, okra, tomatillos, and artichokes - Vermont farmers are expanding their horizons. Do you notice this trend in your area? Are you trying something new - and why? Is it a conversation starter, or do you have a demand for a specific vegetable from a certain market?
Comments
You’re in my head again! My DH and I were talking about trying to grow artichokes in the Pacific Northwest next year. A neighbor in Seattle has a plant in their front yard, so I’m hoping we can do it. I love artichokes!
Artichokes are easy to grow in the desert southwest. We also do okra, tomatillos and rhubard. Like our northern counterparts, we have experimented with crops that supposedly don’t do well here, and have found ways to tweak the season so that they do. Now we plant broccoli, cabbage and other brassica super early with covers, and get a first crop by early June. The traditional fall season is too short. There is always a way to get things growing, no matter the climate and season.