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ON THE MARK: Mark Stevens at the Vaughn garden, a fruitful plot since the 1930s.
National security means more than
opulations can eat food that doesn’t
stopping terrorists. It’s being sure local
have to be flown in from other continents.
- Mark Stevens
Local gardeners prep for fall
BY \
L
BY WILL DAVIS
ooks like Monroe
County will have
an early fall this
year.
At least that’s what Mark
Stevens, who’s getting
ready to plant his autumn
crops, thinks. Why?
“We’re seeing furry cater
pillars earlier,” says
Stevens in his matter-of-
fact way Besides that, he
adds, they’ve also noticed
that local squirrels are
wearing longer fur than
usual. Of course.
Before you laugh, know
that Stevens, owner of the
William Hite Collection in
Forsyth, has a pretty good
record as a gardener. He
helps friends James and
Beth Vaughn and James’
sister Brenda Caldwell
tend a small plot at the
Vaughns’ farm off of Ga.
Hwy. 41, and have already
reaped an abundant har
vest of summer crops this
year.
“It was a banner year,”
says Stevens.
And even this spring,
Stevens used quirky signs
(cynics might call them old
wives’ tales) to know at
which time to plant corn.
When the walnut leaves
get as big as a squirrel’s
ear, says Stevens, the corn
goes in the ground. Along
with the corn, Stevens also
grew cucumbers, yellow
squash, zucchini, tomatoes,
okra, eggplant, cantelope,
watermelon and ground
cherries.
For Stevens, the garden
is more than just a hobby
to pass time. Rather, it’s an
opportunity to eat healthi
er and be more self-suffi
cient.
“It’s about local self-
reliance,” says Stevens.
“National security means
more than stopping terror
ists. It’s being sure local
populations can eat food
that doesn’t have to be
flown in from other conti
nents.”
Stevens says several fam
ilies are able to feed them
selves from the garden,
and they have plenty left
over to give away or to
leave for the deer and the
rabbits. They planted 100
tomato plants this spring.
Stevens says having the
garden lets them enjoy
tasty home-grown vegeta
bles rather than wolfing
down a drive-through meal
loaded with salt and fat.
This past year, Stevens
and friends tried new heir
loom varieties whose seeds
can be re-planted each
year. He said they’re also
tastier. Stevens also noted
that some hybrid plants
are more insect resistant
and have greater yields.
Stevens saves water by
using drip irrigation, which
allows them to water a 100
foot row of crops with just
20 gallons per week. He
also uses 10-10-10 fertiliz
er from Forsyth Feed &
Seed and when soil tests
show its needed, lime to
control the pH balance. He
says he minimizes the use
of pesticides as much as
possible.
The formula appears to
be working.
Stevens says now it’s
time to plant fall crops:
kale, turnip greens, col-
lards and spinach. If it
goes anything like the
summer, Stevens says
they’ll not only have plenty
to eat but we will be able
to give away massive
amounts of it.
Stevens joked that they
gave away so much squash
people started locking their
car doors so they wouldn’t
return to find a bag of
squash in their car.
The Vaughn garden has a
history of productivity. Its
been used by the family
since the 1930s. By using
new-fangled techniques
and old-time farm wisdom,
Stevens and Co. are keep
ing that tradition going
strong.
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