The Red York apple is a bud mutation of York Imperial, the quintessential Eastern sauce-making apple. The Red York apple was discovered around 1945 in the orchard of John L. Hevener in Roanoke, West Virginia. In fact, the Hevener’s property was where Stonewall Resort is located today.
Lawn, Gardening & Pests News
The Historied Mortgage Lifter Tomato
One of West Virginia gardeners’ favorite tomato is the Mortgage Lifter, a pink to red beefsteak variety. But, did you know that the Mortgage Lifter has more than a meaty fruit and an interesting name? Originating from Logan, West Virginia, one popular Mortgage Lifter was developed by Marshall Cletis Byles, aka Radiator Charlie.
Fat Man Pole Beans – An Heirloom Favorite
The snap bean is a hardy subsistence crop that has helped to sustain families in the mountains for hundreds of years. This crop, which has origins in Central and South America, is now cultivated throughout the world and is represented by over 130 varieties. These beans are divided into three categories: bush beans, pole beans and half-runners.
The Classic West Virginia '63 Tomato
Plant Appalachian Garden Staple Hickory King Corn
If you are thinking of raising corn for homemade cornmeal, grits, flour, roasting or hominy, look no further than Hickory King, a variety that has been a staple for more than 100 years in gardens throughout Appalachia.
Reviving the Heirloom Rutabaga
Highland grassy sites in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia were popular sites for potato and rutabaga farming in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rutabagas (Brassica napus) are a cool season root crop in the Brassica family and, in many ways, are a larger version of a turnip.
Forage for Wild Creasy Greens
Creasy greens are cold-hardy edible plants that grow wild throughout Appalachia. The traditional telltale sign of spring in the Appalachian Mountains is when greasy greens start emerging from the soil.
Growing Traditional Winter Potato Onions
Onions are a staple crop in central Appalachia. Before the popular green bunching scallions and bulb onion, multiplier onions were widely grown in gardens throughout West Virginia.
Gardening is a Way to Connect to Your Appalachian Roots
Dear Friends and Garden Enthusiasts,
Grow a Colorful Potato Patch
Growing Irish potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum) is a family tradition here in the Mountain State. Potatoes are a staple food across the world due to their adaptability, yield, nutritional value and storage quality. Irish potatoes are not roots, but specialized underground storage stems called “tubers.”