Our Gardens
Seasonal Produce
Windy Hill has 2-3 acres of intensively managed fields that we use to grow our produce. We grow over 30 different types of seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as a variety of cut-flowers. One of the key ways we seek to build soil health is by keeping living plants in our soil at all times. We do this not only during the season when we intentionally cultivate produce and flowers, but also by constantly keeping the soil cover cropped before and after.
Many types of produce do not store well and in many cases can lose their nutrients quickly once picked. When eating fresh and in season, most produce is more delicious and nutritious. When you buy produce from our farm, you are often getting something that has been picked within just a few days (sometimes even that day!).
Flowers
The flowers at Windy Hill bring such beauty to our farm and each year we eagerly anticipate the first blooms of spring. Our main goal in growing flowers is to provide natural beauty to the homes of our customers and to the Camp DeSoto dining hall. Growing flowers has also given our farmers and campers alike an opportunity to learn about picking and arranging bouquets. Windy Hill’s flowers are grown in the same soil and with the same intention as all of our seasonal produce, using regenerative farming practices to increase the fertility of our soil all while allowing our community to enjoy fresh cut seasonal flowers.
Orchard
Windy Hill’s young, emerging orchard was started with the goal of adding perennial fruit to our harvest. The orchard is primarily focused on summer fruit production: blueberries, blackberries, and “old-southern” apple varieties all chosen for their summer fruiting. In addition, we have cultivated muscadines/scuppernongs, asian pears, native persimmons, and wild plums. Our “first fruits” during the establishment phase have us excited, and we think it’s one of the most beautiful locations on the Farm too!
