Spring is my favorite time of year. We suffer through the remaining days of cold, but we know it won’t last. The world around us is about to change, and we ache for it. Many gardeners have been thinking about spring planting all winter, and the anticipation is overwhelming.
On our family farm, we try to grow things you might not see in the supermarket. Favorites have been red carrots, indigo potatoes, and black cherry tomatoes. In the garden, there’s always more to learn, always an opportunity to discover the world as a child might. Everyone experiences this the first time they see an enormous snake gourd or a bright purple pepper.
Challenge yourself to grow something new this spring. The world hosts an enormous and delicious rainbow of edible varieties – more than we could ever taste. Get your hands dirty. The rich, black earth of the Minnesota prairie requires so little even from the most amateur gardener. Find your new favorite tomato, one you can eat like an apple. Discover your new passion for ground cherries. Find a sweeter cucumber and celebrate in its cool, simple goodness. As it turns out, there’s adventure all around us.
This season, I hope you do some of your adventuring in the Arboretum as well. It’s an exciting place to watch the seasons change, and there’s always something new to witness. Stop in and tell us all about your adventure and your new favorite tomato.
-Sam Warburton ’14