We are a 4 generation small family owned and operated market farm growing mainly vegetables for our on-site vegetable stand and the local farmers market. We also grow vegetable bedding plants, herb plants, and mostly annual flowering plants.

Farmers market opens Saturday with Springfest
Charlie Hall
March 18, 2009 - 8:31PM
Julia McKeon gets excited this time of the year. She is a fourth-generation family farmer and a vendor at the New Bern Craven Area Farmers Market. The market on South Front Street in New Bern marks its annual opening Saturday with Springfest 2009. "We see ourselves as a service to the community," McKeon said. Along with being a vendor, she is on the market's nonprofit board of directors. "We provide a service for vendors to have a place to come and sell directly to the public. And the community is able to come and buy directly without the middle man." She said an important aspect of the farmers market is knowing the origin of the products. "We have a little rule of thumb - make it, bake it, grow it, sew it," she said. "We look for vendors who hand-craft, artists, writers, and gardeners and fishermen - the hands-on people." McKeon's Glenburnie Road farm is called ‘R Garden, featuring vegetable bedding plants, annual flowers and vegetables that are in season. "Right now we are planting all the ‘cool' crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, beets, spinach and spring onions," she said. She said the normal last-frost date is around April 15. The market opens Saturday at 8 a.m., with a 10 a.m. ceremonial opening, with remarks by Mary Ann Dunn, president of the nonprofit market. New Bern Alderman Julius Parham, a market board member, will provide the "blessing of the crops," with the national anthem by Bill Rust. Harbor Sounds from Stonewall will provide music until noon. The Pamlico County group is donating its proceeds to Havelock cancer victim Caleb Rowe. The group will also play at a benefit for the youngster Saturday night at the New Bern Shrine Club, beginning at 7. From 1 to 3 p.m., country, beach and pop music will be provided by the group Tim and Ken. At other times, there will be music by the market's official DJ, Ernest Patterson of New Bern, a designer T-shirt vendor. There are some other vendors with unusual interactive displays of particular interest to children. Ron West of Rocky Mount, owner of Carolina Grits, will have a portable meal-grinding machine. Kay Lannoye of Kay's Crafts in Cedar Point will have a spinning wheel and weaving loom.
‘R Garden and Sweet Woods will have small pots for children to plant a seed, take it home and watch it grow. Leather-crafter Brian Westscott will be on hand to make a leather bookmark or key holder. During the coming spring and summer, the market will feature fresh, locally grown vegetables; spring and fall bedding plants, container plants, herbs, flowers, annuals, perennials, houseplants, hanging baskets, fresh-cut and dried flower bouquets, wreaths and arrangements, fresh breads and pastries; home-baked items, North Carolina wine, free-range chicken and lamb, goat cheeses, jams, jellies, pickles, sauces, salsa, honey, and other canned items. Nonfood or plant items include crafts, glass and silver jewelry, bird houses, placemats, candles, baskets, notecards, and socks. The market will be open each Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 421 South Front St. On the Web: newbernfarmersmarket.com. For information, call 633-0043.
This is an excerpt from the Sun Journal, to read complete article go to www.newbernsj.com  Article date 01.04.09

Business steady at farmer’s market, even in cold months
Julie McKeon and her daughter, Kitty, are already planting lettuce and cabbage in a greenhouse. McKeon sold rutabagas, turnips and sweet potatoes, while Kitty sold things like sweet pepper jelly and cinnamon pear jam Saturday. "This is the last of the broccoli," McKeon said. "You take your chances at this time of the year. It's a gamble. You have to be a gambler to be a farmer." McKeon said her family has operated a garden off Glenburnie Road since she was little. She also said the farmer's market hopes to adopt a new practice this year of tagging produce with "locally grown," "North Carolina grown" and "other" labels to let customers know what towns the food comes from.
Matt Tessnear
Sun Journal staff