Kitchen Garden Heaven at Shelton Herb Farm
Home cooks, pro cooks, super star chefs all know the key to flavor is fresh herbs.
This summer, why don’t you grow your own kitchen garden herbs? Whether you have plenty of sunny space in your yard, or a shady corner on a brick patio, there are plenty of herbs that will produce a bountiful crop to augment your culinary efforts.
Herbs are generally easy to grow, will produce for a long season, and add color and fragrance to your kitchen garden. They also attract beneficial insects, including butterflies and honey bees.
Where do you start? Talk with an expert. Margaret Shelton, owner of Shelton Herb Farm in Leland, North Carolina, will guide you through literally hundreds of fragrant herb plants, edible flowers, and vegetables. Shelton Herb Farm started on a small section of Margaret’s family farm, and now includes multiple greenhouses, rows and rows of potted plants ready to transplant, and garden rows with happily bug-picking chickens.
When you get to the farm, grab one of the wagons at by the front and take your time wandering through the plant aisles. Say hello to the farm’s pigs. Herbs, trees, flowers, and vegetables are clearly marked with variety and optimum growing conditions. If you don’t see Margaret when you are ready to check out, ring the large dinner bell. She is also happy to wander the farm with you, making suggestions on the best kitchen garden herbs for your garden.
Shelton Herb Farm is at 340 Goodman Road, Leland North Carolina, and open Monday through Saturday, from 8 to 5.
What do you grow in your kitchen garden? Share your favorite herbs and flowers, and share a photo with fellow foodies, too.