Eating my way through the garden

Ahh August. Farmers markets are in full swing, festivals and BBQs are happening everywhere, and people are spending as much time as possible outside — myself included! Lush flowers have filled out my containers and hanging baskets, and, in between the captivating summer thunderstorms, long, sunny days encourage their continued growth. It’s also the month when gardens here in Ohio are teeming with fruit, and gardeners seemingly can’t pick the delectable harvest fast enough. In my case, I can't seem to keep enough pasta on hand for all the pesto I've been churning out using the basil from my garden. There’s nothing quite as good as cooking with edibles you've grown yourself! In fact, many new gardeners are getting their start with veggies for just that reason.

But do these gardeners consider themselves “gardeners,” or something else? Leslie Halleck addresses the identity shift happening in this “new generation of green thumbs” in this month’s article. If you play your cards right, you can attract in these “super customers,” whose year-round buying needs can be the boost your store needs. Intrigued? Turn to page 24 for more.

Once again we’ve featured different aspects of edibles in the State of the Edibles supplement — from food demos to pollinators, there’s something for everyone in this section. Jonathan Bardzik, who you may know through his role at AmericanHort, shares what he’s learned about doing food demonstrations at a local market over the past three years, and the impact it’s had on what customers buy while they’re there. Interestingly, he says that sales of the products he uses in his demo tend to be the best sellers at the market that day. Get the full story starting on page 48, and see how you can host stellar food demos in your store.

So I mentioned that homegrown fruits and veggies are the best. Have you ever wondered why that is? Check out Milo Shammas’, author of the book “Healthy Garden Healthy You,” take on the science behind it on page 52. Don’t miss The Flower Bin’s edibles success story on page 54, and everything you wanted to know about native pollinators and their effect on garden-grown produce on page 56.

Here’s to an enjoyable (and delicious) rest of the summer!

kvarga@gie.net