Gardening is more than growing food for us to eat.

Planting flowers, herbs and trees that host beneficial insects, like this Red-spotted Purple butterfly is an essential step in creating an environment for an abundant harvest.

Those of you who are CSA Members will be getting plenty of chives in your baskets this coming week. Chives are an early bloomer, and when cut regularly, continuously bloom all season long. The Shaker’s valued the beautiful blossoms for ‘Shaker Omelettes’ where the onion flavored (or garlic in our fields!) flower of the plant is tossed right into scrambled eggs for a delicious, beautiful breakfast entree.

One of the teachings of our Kids Eco Camp is Butterly Gardening. Children learn what plants host the caterpillars and which plants feed the adults to keep them coming back to our gardens for their invaluable kiss of pollination for our vegetable garden.

Companion planting serves the same purpose: to attract beneficial insects that either pollinate a neighboring vegetable or devour the pests that eat up our veggies and herbs.

We are now accepting enrollment for Kids Eco Camp. The cost is $60 per child, per session or $100 to attend both sessions (or send two kids!) Click here to enroll