Small Landowners

The great gardener and visionary Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The earth is given as common stock for men to labor and live on . . . The small landowners are the most precious part of the State." It's been my dream for years to be a small farmer and my .33 acres has been a little too small. So, we are buying 4 acres of land nearby and are hoping to move there soon. Just a few thousand things to do before we move out of this house and move into a not-yet-existing house. It's seems a little overwhelming, but so does weeding a row of cucumbers that you ignored for a few too many days. And then you do it, it's done, you look back with satisfaction and wait in hope for a pile of cukes. And hope you beat the groundhogs and beetles. Our plan for next year is to turn the fenced gardens at the Heritage Center into almost entirely you-pick rows of peas, bush and pole beans, cherry and paste tomatoes, scallions, pickling cucumbers, hot peppers, flowers and a few other things that are enjoyable to pick (especially for children). We will grow a majority of the other crops on our land in Oley and bring the harvest for pick-up to the Center on harvest days. Thanks for all of your support this year and last!