Young Harvests
When you think of salad greens, most people think of iceberg lettuce, romaine, or any other items you can find on the salad bar! However, the world of greens is not limited to those things you can find on the shelves of big box stores. Right here in Jefferson County, Young Harvests Farm grows a variety of salad greens, including arugula, butter crunch, red leaf, and more!
Starting nearly twenty-five years ago, Rob began with a dream and a long-term lease to get his hands dirty, create a healthy environment for growing, and the strong spirit to figure it out as he went. The journey from then to now is one that Rob is passionate about, as he began with just an idea all those years ago. He had a passion for taking care of the land and the soil and believed that taking good care of his dirt would reflect in the product that he produces, and it does. Rob’s customers rave about how great his products taste and are amazed at the shelf life of the greens as well. Rob believes that “food is medicine”, and that good medicine starts with healthy soil. Young Harvests strives to recycle as much as possible on the farm, promote good disease and pest resistance as organically as possible, and create a biodiverse ecosystem surrounding the production plants.
Young Harvests uses a variety of practices that increase soil health, fertility, and the strength of the microbiome underneath. They believe these factors help create a stronger, healthier plant, and now science is available to back it up. Utilizing new data and soil testing techniques, they can fine-tune their compost and other organic material mix to create the best environment for each plant.
Young Harvests not only has a great variety of products to attract customers from around the region, but they also rely on the taste and health of their products and having a personal connection with their customers. According to Rob, “Our connection with our customers has shaped who we are.” The entire staff at Young Harvests Farm strives to create a personal relationship with each customer they meet, especially at the farmer’s market. To many, this relationship with the farmer is just as important as the value and quality of the product they are selling. In fact, Rob describes that relationship as “nourishing and fulfilling.”
Looking to try a tasty, new variety of green from Young Harvests, or maybe some raspberries, blueberries, or carrots? You can meet Rob, his family, and staff at the Rockville and Bethesda Farmers Markets. More locally, Young Harvests products are sold at Bushel and Peck in Charles Town, available online at youngharvestsfarm.com, and their greens are used in the kitchen at Bistro 112 in Shepherdstown.
Check out Young Harvest Farm online as well!
https://www.facebook.com/YoungHarvestsFarm
