The Good Earth

04/10/2025

Tomato friends, I will have a limited amount of heirloom and highly coveted cultivar tomato plants available at The Bryand Gallery starting Saturday, April 12th. I will have the following varieties for purchase:
1. Pink Berkley Tie-Dye
2. Cherokee Purple
3. Anna's Noire
4. German Johnson
5. Nepal
6. Brandywine
7. Black Brandywine
8. Black Cherry

Plants are $6 each or 4 plants for $20

01/20/2025

It has begun…

10/22/2024

"The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body but the soul." —Alfred Austin

This year presented me with many challenges outside of the garden. I found it necessary to step away from my true love, gardening, and focus on other matters. Lately, I have been able to once again return my attention to revitalizing my garden beds and nurturing the good earth. I will be posting my gardens journey from neglect to nurture and offer you tried and true methods, tips, and suggestions that you can apply to your existing garden or the one that you have been dreaming of. It is fall in South Eastern North Carolina, and it is the best time to grow some of my favorite cole crops and lettuces. I invite you to join me in my journey and let me know if you have any questions that I can help you find answers to. Let’s get our hands dirty!

04/28/2024

It was a good day.

04/23/2024

Most of you know that The Bryand Gallery showcases the work of North Carolina artists and craftsmen. Over my years of curating, I have come across a number of exceptional artists from outside North Carolina whose work has captivated me. Following their growth and talent has been nothing short of inspiring. Recognizing their uniqueness, we’ve decided to share their work with a wider audience through an online gallery. Introducing “The Brown Dog Gallery,” our virtual gallery dedicated to showcasing these extraordinary artists. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we share more about the artists and how to explore The Brown Dog Gallery. Wondering about the name? I’ll leave you with this image to unravel the mystery.

04/20/2024

🥦SECOND SATURDAYS are back!🥕

Our first Second Saturday of 2024 will be Saturday, February 10th! These workdays are a fun opportunity to get plugged in at Rise Up and knock out some big projects on the farm! Second Saturday Workdays take place on the second Saturday of each month from February through November. We offer a farm tour at 8:30 and work from 9-11:00AM. We welcome individuals and small groups of up to 7 people. You can sign up at: riseup.link/secondsaturday

04/20/2024

Tomorrow I will have a selection of dwarf tomato plants. These plants do well in a container, top out at about 3-4 feet and produce 6-12 ounce fruit. For more information on the Dwarf Tomato Project check out their website at :https://www.dwarftomatoproject.net/shop/

Then stop into The Bryand Gallery and pick up some plants! I will also have a good selection of open pollinated and heirloom plants.

04/18/2024

Open pollinated and heirloom tomato plants are available at The Bryand Gallery. I will be restocking plants daily. The following varieties are available today: Brandywine, Goldman’s Italian American, pink Berkeley Tie Dye, Green Berkeley Tie Dye, Green Doctors, Black from Tula, Afternoon Delight, Alice’s Dream, Hailey’s Purple Comet, Lucky Cross.

I also have dwarf varieties available from The Dwarf Tomato Project: Boronia, Fred’s Tie Dye, Black Angus. These plants top out at about 4 feet and can be grown in containers. They are very prolific and produce fruit between 6-12 ounces.

04/15/2024

It’s believed that tomatoes originally came from Peru. The Aztec called them xitomatl which means “plump thing with a navel.” The French originally called tomatoes the "apple of love.” The scientific term for an ordinary tomato is lycopersicon lycopersicum, which means “wolf peach.” The Italians called them pomodoro which means “golden apple.” Whatever you call them I will have the first selection of open-pollinated and heirloom tomato plants available at The Bryand Gallery on Thursday. I will also have a limited amount of Nicotiana “Fragrant Cloud” available. The following varieties will be available:

Open Pollinated and Heirloom Tomatoes:
Pink Berkley Tie Dye
Green Berkley Tie Dye
Goldman’s Italian American
Green Doctors
Lucky Cross
Afternoon Delight
Alice’s Dream
Paul Robeson
Cherokee Purple
Carbon
Black from Tula
Brandywine

Open Pollinated Dwarf Tomatoes:
Black Angus
Fred’s Tie-Dye
Tasmanian chocolate
Catidid
Borona

Nicotiana “Fragrant Cloud”

04/09/2024

Found this friend tucked into the parsley and fava beans.

04/05/2024

A great place to help the community grow.
https://riseupcommunityfarm.org/?fbclid=IwAR1gL5edH26H4G39ssoTmosLKF0H46axjdhXkbSO7FrcYSK4kCNdxE7pX5k_aem_AQWIbt9acAGJscohCQeE473s-nvd2Kaf3v4u3Vo1ba3dCz2OZRBUoclccFWatQx4gEtVPeRSS6kPgl29HV4TFB-K

Cultivating land & community. Nourishing our neighbors. Cultivate – Educate – Nourish – Empower Donate Now THE FIGHT AGAINST FOOD INSECURITY 31,600 people in New Hanover County don’t know where their next meal will come from. Rise Up Community Farm uses sustainable and chemical-free farming ...

04/05/2024

A Grappoli Corbarino is an open pollinated Italian heirloom not to be confused with a hybrid of the same name. This is one of the first known tomatoes in Italy dating back to the 1900’s. Italian farmers were known for hanging the fruit-covered vines so the fruit would stay fresh and could be harvested well into the winter. The name literally translates to winter grapes in Italian. Highly sought after compact indeterminate, regular leaf, bushy plant that produces generous clusters of beautiful little crimson grape size tomatoes. Photo credit thefarmerslamp.com.