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This is the first of a two-part series about local farming.
GARRISON Starting a business can be daunting, and starting a farm can be even more intimidating. There’s hard work and a vast amount of knowledge needed, plus how does the farmer ensure all that work will pay off?
There are no promises, but one local farmer is putting his years of experience to good use at Phoenix Farmacy.
“It’s a big undertaking, but you have to be realistic about things,” owner Shane Fields said. “You have to stop and prioritize and make realistic goals and work toward those goals.”
With about $8,000, Fields started the farm this spring on 27 acres in Greenup County, with plans to use a small amount of space for growing unusual plants and vegetables, as well as a variety of cooking herbs.
“We’re going to maintain a lot of it as native land, so a section already is cleared off, so we’re working that,” Fields said.
Using galvanized steel watering troughs for raised beds, Fields is growing Thai bitter melons and Kiwano, or horned, melons.
He also grows Purple Hyacinth beans, also called Jefferson beans because they were first planted at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in 1804 and are still featured in the kitchen garden. He has the highly unusual unicorn plant, native to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
“Sometimes, you just want to grow something for fun,” he said.
Shoppers can find plants like white zucchini, mini butternut squash, pineapple squash and stevia.
But the main goal of the farm is to grow healthy food naturally for use at home.
“If we’re more mindful of what we eat, we’re physically better,” he said. “If you’re buying plants to grow, you’re outside, being physical, getting fresh air and sunshine. If you’re learning something and spending time with people, family, it’s good for your mental health. There’s pride in growing your own food. There are a lot of different aspects of health you can get from raising plants.”
He pointed out the use of fresh herbs in cooking can replace some of the less healthy items we cook with, such as salt and butter.
But Fields is a presence at the Greenup County Farmers Market, too, selling herbs and plants, and eventually bringing vegetables.
“We’re still going to be very small scale,” he said. “We can’t compete with the big boys, anyway, but we’re going to have a good variety.”
No pesticides are used, Fields said, noting he relies on a couple of dogs, Rembrandt and Ghost, to scare away some wildlife that might try to dine on his plants. He also uses beneficial insects, which means encouraging insects that eat those that would eat the crops.
Plans for Phoenix Farmacy’s future include the addition of chickens and a high tunnel for growing winter vegetables. He also hopes to sell fruit and value-added products, meaning products for sale made with items he’s grown.
An accomplished apiarist, Fields is looking into keeping bees on the property, too.
As for promotions, Fields said he hopes to have a YouTube channel and to continue to be active in the local farming community; he also has been a speaker at various events, including Herb Day, the Eastern Kentucky Farmers Conference and the Kentucky State Farm, where he presented a cooking demonstration.
“I’ve been very fortunate as I have been participating in these things,” he said. “I’ve been lucky and blessed to participate at different levels, and it’s very exciting.”
(606) 326-2661 |
lward@dailyindependent.com
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