Spring has arrived to the inner banks and you know what that means. Days are longer, temps are warmer, pine pollen is covering everything, afternoon storms are brewing, birds are chirping… life is returning all around us from a brief winter slumber.
Afternoon thunderstorms rolling in over grain bins in Arapahoe, NC. A sure sign that spring has arrived.
Spring has been one of my favorite seasons primarily because it’s when the Spring Classics of cycling begin in Northern Europe. Paris-Roubaix, Ronde van Vlaanderen, Amstel Gold and Liege-Bastogne-Liege are my favorites and if you think Duke has wild fans you should see the Dutchies lining the Belgium street of the famously steep climb the Mur De Huy (English: Wall of Huy).
Paris-Roubaix streaming live into our kitchen at the 35 North Cottage.
I’ll still be glued to the TV this year, tapping into my Danish roots and sharing my love of bike racing with Bishop, but we’ll also be embracing a relatively newfound family passion, gardening. And with our long growing season and bountiful sunshine there’s no better place than to turn that brown thumb green than Pamlico County!
Growing up there were few things I detested more than tomatoes. That sentiment stuck with me through college and early adulthood. Just the thought of eating a tomato would make me queasy.
But as a got older and became more interested in being self sufficient I recognized I needed to revisit some foods I’d previously shunned. I figured if I could embrace eating a tomato then anything was possible.
Many people had told me about the wonders of fresh veggies, that they barely resemble their store bought relatives, and boy were they right. One slice of a fresh Cherokee Purple plucked straight from the garden and I was converted. Bring on the maters!
This is the tomato that forever changed how I look at vegetables. Delicious on its own but I prefer a dash of salt & pepper with a light drizzle of Olive Oil.
(Side note: Gary Hardison, namesake, founder and former owner of Gary’s Downeast Seafood, bought locally sourced tomatoes in season and gave me an excellent tip. Never refrigerate your tomatoes. The cold temps kill the natural flavor.)
Growth opportunities
Gardens provide more than food. They’re an opportunity to share knowledge, teach patience, respect for the land, and the joys of sharing with others.
I cherish spending time in our garden, working with the soil, getting dirt under my nails, and watching our daughter learn more about where food comes from.
There’s also a deep sense of satisfaction sharing the fruits of our labor with family and friends.
Couple a garden with a crab pot and some fishing and hunting skills and we could feed ourselves throughout even the worst supply chain disruptions.
Pamlico County has deep roots in farming. Even though most farms you see are large scale commercial operations there are plenty of people maintaining small food producing plots.
Several farmers sell their produce locally too so if you’re not quite ready or able to commit to your own garden you can purchase theirs from the Inland Waterway Provision Company in Oriental or from Paul’s Produce stand on Highway 55 between Oriental and Bayboro.
The flavor of store bought tomatoes can’t compete with fresh ones from the garden or from ones like you see here at Paul’s Produce Stand.
Not all the produce at Paul’s in grown in the county but most (if not all) is grown in NC. If you haven’t yet discovered Paul’s Produce please do so this year. You won’t be disappointed.
When you are ready to start tending your own plot be sure to stop in and see Rachel at Harbourside Garden Company. They’re located along Highway 55 in Stonewall just outside of Bayboro. In addition to being a wealth of knowledge about what grows best in the local soil they offer a great selection of plants and landscaping supplies.
Plants that grow in Pamlico County
Need some inspiration to get outside and start growing? Take a look through the slideshow below or click here to view them in an image gallery. Not all of these plants were grown inside AP but they were all grown in Pamlico County.
The ancient Romans called the plant "Persian apple", and then later changed Persian into peche, from old French. Gradually, it has become known as the peach. Peach trees symbolize longevity, health and good fortune.
The highbush blueberry is the most commonly cultivated blueberry in North America. Its blue fruit is popular with many species of birds including bluebirds, robins, cedar waxwings, veeries, thrushes, and scarlet tanagers. it’s larger than other blueberry varieties and can grow up to 12 feet tall. As such it is often used for nesting and roosting by some birds such as robins, warblers, brown thrashers, indigo buntings, and gray catbirds.
Carolina jasmine is a tropical vine native to Central America and the southern United States and is not to be confused with Honeysuckle. Despite being commonly kept as a houseplant, Carolina jasmine is toxic when consumed and causes skin irritation.
Cabbage grows well in cool weather and full sun. It can be eaten raw, shredded in salads, or in soup, and is fermented to make sauerkraut. It is super easy to take care of, with resistance to almost all pests and diseases. It is a perfect option for gardeners with brown thumbs.
Spearmint is a member of the mint family and is a common flavor in breath mints and gum. The leaves of spearmint are edible and can be added to salads, smoothies, certain desserts, and even as a flavoring agent for water.Spearmint contains essential oils that are highly toxic to many animals. However, their concentrations are quite low in both raw and dried plant material, so ingestion of spearmint commonly causes only mild stomach upset in animals.
Coriander is well-known in many countries and is most commonly used for cooking. The dried seeds of the coriander plant are ground and used to season dishes, while the leaves and stems can be eaten cooked or raw. In the United States, the leaves and stems of this plant are called cilantro.
Oregano, also known as wild marjoram, is a herbaceous perennial plant closely related to marjoram. Ancient Greeks and Romans considered it a symbol of happiness and believed that cows that grazed on fields of oregano had tastier meat, contributing to why they referred to the herb as the joy of the mountain. The ancient Greeks also believed that if a person anointed themselves with oregano they would dream of their future husband or future wife.
A symbol of spring and rebirth, Parsley is a popular herb and is used extensively in American and Middle Eastern cuisines. It is a nutritious ingredient that adds flavor to soups and stews and is also used raw as a garnish. Gardeners like Parsley because it attracts swallowtail butterflies and bees to its flowers, and birds feed on its seeds.
Fresh veggies growing in a garden at AP.
Japanese maple is a small tree that boasts brilliantly colored fall foliage that serves as excellent shelter for many songbirds. Japanese maple can be grown in the garden or as a potted plant. They show beautiful changes in leaf color and have an elegant shape.
The butterfly-like flowers of aphrodite's phalaenopsis can add vivid color to your home, making this a perfect indoor potted plant. Each flower blooms for 2-3 months and requires only simple daily care.
Bitter orange, or Seville Oranges, are an ornamental citrus frequently used as root stock for other types of orange trees. Bitter orange trees are more cold hardy than their edible cousins and can be grown in large containers outdoors. The fruit and rind are bitter and sour compared to traditional oranges, but can be used to make marmalade.
The dog rose is a pale pink type of rose and can be found climbing up different trees. References to dog rose date back at least to ancient Rome, and it is featured in many European riddles and even Shakespearian quotes as well.
The Canna orchioides is a large subtropical and tropical perennial herb with flat, alternate leaves that are usually solid green. Its flowers are asymmetric and usually red, orange, yellow or a combination of these colors. The wild species of this plant normally grows to at least 7-10 feet tall. The starchy root of the orchid canna is edible.
Rhododendron indicum is a small semi-evergreen flowering shrub native to East Asia, colloquially known as southern Indian azalea. It produces a great number of lovely pink flowers during the blooming time, which is why southern Indian azalea is often used for ornamental purposes. There are many cultivars of this gorgeous plant and some are used for bonsai.
Callery pear, also known as Bradford pear, is one of the earliest blossoms in spring, and is widely appreciated for its delicate flowers. Requiring little maintenance, this beautiful and hardy plant is popular in gardens.
Helpful gardening links
There’s so much information about growing stuff online it can be overwhelming at times. Here are some resources we’ve found particularly useful and entertaining.
Self Sufficient Me: This YouTube channel is produced by an Aussie gent named Mark. His love of gardening is totally infectious and guaranteed to make you smile. Highly recommend checking this one out.
