ENTERPRISE STORY: As snow falls, summer veggies sprout in Middleboro

By Alice Elwell,
ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT

MIDDLEBORO — While others were shoveling snow this week, two local farmers were starting their seedlings of onions, spinach, leeks and broccoli to get a jump on spring and be ready to offer up home-grown vegetables when the weather breaks.

Dave Purpura of Plato’s Harvest Organic Farm has already potted his onions and spinach plants, while James Reynolds of The Dahlia Farm is germinating his broccoli this week...

Reynolds grew more than 4,000 tomatoes plants last year with one German heirloom that weighed in at 3 pounds. There’s also basil, parsley, dill and cilantro for those gourmet cooks who seek the freshest herbs...

Laurie and Dean Rantz tried a half-share in Reynolds farm last year and said they were very happy with the produce. “It was something to look forward to every week,” said Laurie Rantz.

Dean Rantz said Reynolds would fill baskets each week with vegetables, herbs and flowers, sometimes with things the couple had never tried. One week they were given kohlrabi, something Dean Rantz described as looking like an alien, but turned out to be tasty. “Hey, I’ll try anything,” he said.

Rantz said another bonus is supporting local business. He said with all the talk of living green, he decided to do what he can for the environment and invested in a local farmer.

Read the complete story HERE.






Bumpkin says:
I had a half share last season from The Dahlia Farm and was very happy with it. Fresh, no chemicals, and a variety of stuff that you just won't see in the supermarkets. The eggs are 2nd to none with amazing orange yokes and texture. I wrote about the experience several times on my blog - nemasket.net
http://nemasket.net/new-csa/
http://nemasket.net/podcast-csa-middleboro/
http://nemasket.net/csa-update/

2010: NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED

A new year and a new decade begin!

The 10th anniversary of our website marks a new beginning in our ecommerce with the launching of ReynoldsFlowersOnline.com.

Most obvious is the new look, but most importantly is the added shopping cart feature, previously unavailable.

If you ever found yourself a customer of ours, but occasionally ordered online at a national site (teleflora.com, ftd.com, proflowers.com, 800flowers.com) for ease of operation or after-hours purchasing convenience we now have an alternative for you.

Another major improvement is the "My Account" feature. You can now shop online and later return to your own unique account and retrieve previous shopping information such as addresses of people you have sent flowers to in the past as well as the dates of birthdays, anniversaries and the like.

The next time you need to send flowers in Middleboro, the surrounding area or anywhere else in the USA or Canada, please visit us at www.ReynoldsFlowers.com

LOCAL, HAND-MADE SOAPS now available at the GIFT SHOP

We are proud to offer The Dahlia Farm hand-craft soaps this Christmas season here at Reynolds Flowers.

Once you have experienced the gentle, fragrant emolience of Dahlia Soaps, you will find it difficult to go back to the same old hard bar.

Made with olive oil, shea butter, and essential oils these quality soaps are an affordable luxury that will bring joy and comfort to anyone on your Christmas list. Stocking stuffer individual bars are only $5, and the stand-alone, cheerfully gift wrapped 3-pak is a wonderful value at $14.

Be sure to stop in this week and receive a free sample. You'll be merrily pleased.

Attention OAK POINT residents:

Is "15% off" music to your ears...?

Just bring in your Oak Point Gold Card and receive a 15% discount on flowers, gifts, plants & gourmet fruit baskets at REYNOLDS FLOWERS. This offer is valid on any IN-STORE, CASH & CARRY purchases (credit card & wire-service sales prohibited).

We are right around the corner and look forward to seeing you soon.

CRANBERRY COUNTRY JOURNAL

Be sure to see us this weekend on local-access "Cranberry Country Journal" (Comcast channel 9, Verizon channels 31 & 32).

Showtimes are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights at 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday mornings at 10 am.

8th INNING FLOWERS

NEW YOU-TUBE VIDEO: Massachusetts florist demonstrates a knack for floral sculptures. Flags, corporate logos, military insignia, music, Harleys, animals and other objects find representation in flowers. Featured here, Sweet Caroline's Boston Red Sox.

The Dahlia Farm, Middleboro

Middleboro Gazette columnist and blogger Michael Maddigan, visits Middleboro's floral history this week in his "Recollecting Nemasket." Specifically featured: DAHLIAS!

One of the flower farms featured in his article is that of present-day Reynolds Flowers.

Continually cultivated since the first building of record in 1839, this site has produced sweet corn, potatoes, gladioli, seeds, herbs, blueberries, holiday crops such as Easter lilies & poinsettias, hardy mums, dent corn, and perrenial cutflowers. But it was EASTVALE FARMS (1920's-1950's) which made this site historic, when at their zenith they became the largest dahlia farm in New England.

Flower farming continues here today including even, yes, dahlias!

Be sure to read Mr. Maddigan's column (which can be linked to from this blog). His series has been one that is not only historically fascinating, but painstakingly researched and archivally unique in its focus.