Cut Flowers

Fog Likely Farm

Fog Likely Farm — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:12:24 -0600

Fog Likely Farm

James Wilkes

Karen — Mon, 08 May 2006 18:08:57 -0600

James Wilkes owns Faith Mountain Farm in Creston, NC.

He can be reached at:

489 Big Laurel Road

Creston, NC, 28615

336-385-3510

Mildred and Gene Greene

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:33:16 -0600

The Greenes have been a special part of the Watauga County Farmers' Market since 1995. Each week they present an abundant display of fresh produce, garden plants, and domestic items. Shoppers are quick to buy up their supply of fresh farm eggs each week, knowing the unrivaled quality of fresh farm eggs.

Gene's boundless garden yields a variety of vegetables throughout the growing season. Lettuce and other greens, strawberries, and broccoli usher in the season. An amazing variety of beans follow, Tenderette, White Half Runner, Pink Tip, Peanut, and October Bean are some of the choices.

Mid-July is the time to anticipate the sweet corn harvest, and home grown popcorn will also be available. Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, blueberries, potatoes and sweet potatoes, and other staples are popular in season. Ultimately, pumpkins steal the show, and the Greenes have a large selection.

Reba and Fred Greene

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:32:52 -0600

Reba and Fred Greene have been coming to Watauga County Farmers' Market since 1975, the second year the market was open. Daughter Cindy grows many of the watermelons, pumpkins, tomatoes and cucumbers for the Greenes, and granddaughter Ashley grows flowers for cutting.

The Greene's have a vegetable garden of around 2 acres. Because different corn varieties will cross-pollinate if grown too closely together, the field corn is grown at Reba's dad's house, about 3 miles away. The Indian corn is grown in yet another field. Early sweet corn is very popular at Watauga County Farmers' Market and the Greenes often sell between 50 and 60 dozen ears before 9AM.

Reba prefers to grow white sweet potatoes because of their different texture. She and Fred regularly fix them for breakfast, with gravy. The Greenes also grow 8 varieties of blueberries, which in a year with normal rainfall will provide fresh blueberries from June to October.

Other vegetables to look for in season are okra, squash, beans, greens, and rhubarb that tastes like apples. Ask a week in advance and the Greenes will bring you a 50 pound bag of potatoes for storage. They also have field corn to feed to the squirrels over the winter.

Sandi Henry

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:27:01 -0600

Sandi Henry has been making baskets for 22 years. Her sister taught her how to make her first basket and she later studied books to learn additional techniques. She has been selling baskets at Watauga County Farmers' Market for twelve years, and is an art teacher at Appalachian Christian School.

Sandi makes her baskets from hand dyed reed and often uses grapevine to make free form handles. One of her most popular baskets is a biscuit basket that is used for serving bread at the table.

Sandi added decorative mosaic items to her inventory about five years ago. She applies hand made tiles or broken pottery to chairs, tables, vases and planters.

Sandy also offers perennial plants and bouquets from her garden.

Sandi welcomes special orders, call her at (828) 264-5549 or send an e-mail.

Brad Hinckley

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:22:37 -0600

Hinckley Family Farm has taken organic growing to another level. The farm has been certified organic by the North Carolina Crop Improvement Association. Customers can be sure that the vegetables and herbs they buy here are free of any chemical residues and additives.

Brad Hinckley supplies shoppers at Watauga County Farmers' Market with vegetable starts at planting time and later brings the produce from what has been planted at the farm. The harvest will be a little bit of everything, including squash, zucchini, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, collards, kohlrabi, Swiss chard, peppers and tomatoes. Brad will also sell organic broccoli and cabbage by the acre. If gardeners want to grow a crop that is not among the transplants that Brad offers, he will start anything for anybody at any time. The edible fare is rounded off with eggs from free range chickens that are antibiotic and hormone free.

Brad also has organic cutflowers for the table, including snapdragons in a rainbow of colors.

Visitors are welcome at Hinckley Family Farm. The farm is located in Vilas, North Carolina. Take Highway 421 west toward Mountain City past the Highway 321 split. Go 2 miles and turn left on to Walls Road. Take a right at the stop sign on to Joe Shoemaker Road. The driveway to Hinckley Family Farm is at the crest of the hill on the left. Look for the blue mailbox surrounded by welded metal flowers. The address is 1381 Joe Shoemaker Road, Vilas, NC 28692. You may also phone Brad at (828) 297-LILY (5459).

Jeff Thomas

creeksong — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 14:49:49 -0600

Jeff Thomas has been selling organic produce at the Watauga County Farmers' Market since 1979. At that time, few people were concerned about the presence of chemicals in their food. We now consider Jeff a strategist for foreseeing the current focus on healthy food, but 22 years ago organic produce could be risky to market. Determined to make Creeksong Farm healthy and profitable, Jeff has mastered the art of growing food that is both attractive and wholesome.

Jeff can be found at Watauga County Farmers' Market every Saturday morning, and every Wednesday morning in July and August. He also supplies Bare Essentials Natural Market in Boone with organic produce.

Jeff grows lettuce and spinach most of the summer using shade cloths to keep the plants cool. He grows fingerling and purple "new" potatoes, peppers, beets, and many other familiar and unexpected vegetables. In the spring he has standard and uncommon herbs and companion plants, many with wonderfully scented leaves. In late summer and fall you will find sunflowers for dramatic bouquets and brightly colored everlastings for dried arrangements all winter.

Send Jeff an e-mail, or visit the Creeksong Farm website. Read more about Creeksong Farm on the The Mountain Times website.