Airlie's Corn Maze

As we head into September, the Local Food Project crew is excited to open Airlie's Organic Corn Maze, located just two hundred yards from the main Airlie House, and right in the LFP garden.

The one acre maze of towering heirloom field corn provides an amazing platform for a variety of group challenges. Four flag stations within the maze each await discovery by competing participants. A hidden gathering place in the middle of the maze is a perfect location for appetizers and local wines. Groups can incorporate their own riddles and challenges into the maze for a customized experience, and enjoy a harvest dinner right next to the maze with views of the organic garden and Piedmont foothills. The Organic Corn Maze is open September through early November, and it's a great way for guests at Airlie to have some fun while learning about sustainable agriculture. Our plan is to rotate the corn maze plot each year, and build in educational experience components. Come check it out!

June Update

Hello faithful readers! Ben here. It's hard to believe we're already half way through June--the month is passing by like an afternoon shower!

The past month has been full of activity here at the Local Food Project. So full, in fact, that we haven't kept up with this blog as much as we would like. Since so much has happened, let's lean on this writer's favorite crutch: bullet points. Here's a smattering of what we've been up to at the LFP.

• We attended another great CRAFT program event at The Farm at Sunnyside. A great turnout and a lot of great food! See this post for more about the CRAFT program.
• Pablo contributed an article to Flavor Magazine, describing the CRAFT program its value to aspiring farmers.
• We planted 30 beds (2700 sq ft) of squash, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce mix, and beets...in one day!

• Filled the hoop house with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
• Completed various infrastructure projects such as reinforcing our deer fence and cutting new row cover.
• Humanely trapped a family of groundhogs whose home was not even ten feet from our squash beds. We dropped them off far away from the garden. I believe a groundhog is born with the right to look for his shadow, as long as that shadow is not cast on our crops.
• Hosted several tours and a team building dinner with guests at the Airlie Center.
• Last, but certainly not least, we acquired two interns to (do all of the) work for us during the next 6-8 weeks. Welcome Shaina and Yuka!

Now you're up to speed. We have another CRAFT event this week and plants growing quickly, so we'll have more to report soon.

Tomatoes, Start Your Engines!

As temperatures begin to climb, the Local Food Project hoophouse is becoming a hot, humid environment—perfect for tomatoes eager to get out of their flats and into the ground. Last week the LFP crew planted three hoophouse sections (about 100 square feet each) of different kinds of tomatoes. We gave our favorite from last year—Sun Gold—center stage in the wide bed right inside the main door. Other varieties we’re looking forward to harvesting include Pineapple, Brandywine, Geronimo, Glacier, and Cobra. With basil interplanted between the tomatoes, the hoophouse truly has the aroma of summer!

H.O.E.—Hands-on Organic Education

Last week, the Local Food Project crew led a fun team building workshop from our new menu of garden activities for groups staying at Airlie. In addition to tours, the LFP now offers interactive gardening projects we fondly call “H.O.E”—Hands-on Organic Education. Guests not only learn about the project and its role at Airlie and in the community, they also have the chance to experience the garden up close, try out our favorite handtools, and collaborate with their co-workers.

Our first H.O.E. activity was a great success with the two teams—who named themselves “The Double Diggers” (after our Parking Space plot) and “The Earthworms”—quickly getting into the rhythm of using broadforks to loosen the soil. They worked together to weed, spread compost, and rake the beds smooth, then planted Mei Qing pac choi in 12-inch triangles. For the finishing touch, they protected their neatly planted beds with fabric row cover draped over wire hoops. The new gardeners were rewarded with the knowledge that the crops they planted would eventually take their place on the Airlie Center buffet, feeding future guests like themselves. And after an afternoon of hard work, they relaxed in the garden with locally-sourced treats. We’re looking forward to our next opportunity to break out the H.O.E.!