This land has nurtured six generations of our family since 1913 when Sheila’s great-great-grandparents bought it and three generations moved into the old farmhouse (still in the family). We built on the back acreage in 2007, and the garden quickly grew to supply more than the family needed. So in 2011 Sheila took a USDA-sponsored Beginning Women Farmers course and started Briarwoods Farm.
We have always wanted to feed our kids the freshest, healthiest foods, and now that we are stewards of this land, we want to do what’s best for the environment as well. That means growing the best-tasting varieties of vegetables we can find that grow well in this area, without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides. We use sustainable methods and materials to build the soil year after year. Seeds are chosen from certified organic sources when possible, and are usually heirloom varieties selected for taste. We occasionally plant hybrids, but no GMOs ever! All seeds are started right here on the farm.
We concentrate on growing foods that are consistently on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list each year, so that we can avoid the toxic “cides” found on those foods. They also happen to be our favorites! Our grow list always includes loose-leaf lettuce, kale, mustard, and Asian greens, usually a dozen varieties of tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, 2-3 different types of cucumbers, summer squash, green beans and some years potatoes. Fruits include apples, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
We have always wanted to feed our kids the freshest, healthiest foods, and now that we are stewards of this land, we want to do what’s best for the environment as well. That means growing the best-tasting varieties of vegetables we can find that grow well in this area, without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides. We use sustainable methods and materials to build the soil year after year. Seeds are chosen from certified organic sources when possible, and are usually heirloom varieties selected for taste. We occasionally plant hybrids, but no GMOs ever! All seeds are started right here on the farm.
We concentrate on growing foods that are consistently on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list each year, so that we can avoid the toxic “cides” found on those foods. They also happen to be our favorites! Our grow list always includes loose-leaf lettuce, kale, mustard, and Asian greens, usually a dozen varieties of tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, 2-3 different types of cucumbers, summer squash, green beans and some years potatoes. Fruits include apples, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.