We grow 75 kinds of plant-based foods at the farm, with approximately 200 different varieties of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and berries. For example, we grow more than 30 varieties of heirloom, greenhouse, and cherry tomatoes. Lettuces may be green, red, bronze, butter, leaf, bibb, romaine, or iceberg. Carrots may be orange, white, yellow, purple, or red, long, short, hefty, thin. Potatoes – brown, red, purple – inside and out! Eggplant – dark purple, lavender, white, striped, small, large, round, long & skinny. Tomatoes may be pink, orange, red, yellow, black, green, striped, plum, cherry, slicers, saladettes. Beets – red, purple, golden or striped. You can eat a rainbow from what is produced at Many Forks Farm!
The color pigments in vegetables are phytonutrients (plant nutrients). While scientists are learning more all the time about the role these play in human health, there is ample evidence that eating a colorful diet with a diversity of these nutrients is important to optimal and resilient health.
While the farm does not raise any livestock at this time, we work towards a diverse farm ecosystem through the many varieties of vegetables, and incorporate flowers, herbs, and berries into the mix. There are wild edges of habitat surrounding the farm and all along the river. We have been planting native flowers, shrubs and trees that furnish food and habitat for insects, birds and wildlife. We think of our “livestock” as the pollinators we hope to attract, as well as birds of prey (we have a barred owl and a kestrel nesting box ), and other creatures who keep things in balance for overall biodiversity.
Many Forks Farm 