Hello Dear Readers,

We’re back in action in the store and we have so many fun things coming down the pipeline. Our goal is to support you in making life as healthy and easy as possible, we are always looking for feedback!

Most of the rigid and crispy winter days were spent planning the “Wayside Garden” of 2023. As we jump into spring here on our North Fork we’ve started some of our cool crops to get into the planting mood! 

If you’re like me, maybe you spent some of these mild winter days cleaning out the garden, organizing your tools, and figuring out the water situation (I’m still tweaking mine). One of the major things I’m shifting this year is taking the garden a little more perennial and adding LANDSCAPE FABRIC. Bye, bye, weeding! (Hopefully).

I’m messing around with a few different varieties of poppies this year which I have yet to successfully grow. I’m also readjusting the amount of my vegetable plants and increasing the amount of my cut flowers, so some of our customers who enjoy flowers as much as I can enjoy also. I have a personal “problem” (not a problem) with over preparing, which then puts me in a spacing debacle. So, needless to say, it’s all a cycle and it’s all a learning process which I feel is the most beloved thing about gardening for me. Nature has such a beautiful way of speaking to us and teaching us.

Many of my old time farmers will probably grumble at me and will lovingly tell me to plant my peas in the ground and to not start seedlings but I like to start early and I also LOVE peas. They NEVER make it into the house, they’re almost always a very welcomed garden snack after a very long day of cutting meat and slaying sandwiches. So, I always start a couple of them before Saint Paddy’s Day. They’re very cute but we’ll see if they last.

Another new variety I’m trying this year is the violet artichoke. I have tried artichokes for several years to no avail but I always try and adjust, I’m determined this is the year! If we can grow grapes, we can grow artichokes!

Finally, I’m a little late to the game on Mother’s day but I’m beginning to plant my favorite flower-the dahlia. From café au lait to those beautiful blushes and those hot passion colors of reds and pinks! I can envision the July garden now swaying in the sunset of golden hour.  

If you’re on the north fork, there’s a couple of phenomenal flower farmers who are now starting to offer their freshly cut floral arrangements.

The Latham’s have been growing flowers and vegetables for generations, just like us, they’ve been here for a long time. You might even be able to pick up some of their dahlia tubers if they’re still available here. 

Sow and Grow's , Cara Maggio is one of my personal favorites, since I moved home several years ago. She offers fun workshops right in her flower patch in Southold and a delivery every week. She offers an edgy hunting vibe to anything that she does! She’s also a great photographer if you’re looking for someone in the area. 

Kim from @backyardbloomsnorthfork , has a beautiful arrangement of gorgeous flowers and always holds pop-ups! She also has a delivery service as well. Find her on her website here. 

Last but not least our friends from the North Fork Flower Farm right down the road from us has flowers roadside ready to sell. They also offer workshops and personal flower ordering for events as well. Visit them here. 

If you’re looking for transplants because you’re like me and you just can’t get enough of planting, these are some of my personal favorites not in any specific order:

Beds and Borders, Mattituck. Great for annuals, some perennials, and anything you’re looking for companion plant for fruits and vegetables. 

KK's Farm, biodynamic farm,  Southold. Great for medicinals, herbals, leafy greens, and companion friends for our vegi’s. 

Deep Roots Farm, Southold. Great for medicinals, herbals, leafy greens, and companion friends for vegetables.

Sang Lee Farms, Peconic. Great for herbs, medicinals, melons, and overall crops you’re looking to grow! 

This week is supposed to be great weather so get out there and garden! It’s good for your soul. 

From behind the block in health, 

Isabella