A day with Turnip Claus

The farm team went on a field trip last week to Bob Due's Terraced Gardens Farm in New Tazewell. Despite the steady drizzle all day, we got a great tour of his farm and crammed as much of his knowledge into our young heads as possible.

Bob showing off his power harrow that he uses to prepare his terraces for planting. He custom built the T-shaped handle attachment as a way to move his many tractor accessories. In the background you can see the structure that functions as his primary living quarters. Built it himself, of course.

Bob uses metal conduit hoops to support his row covers. He built a custom pipe-bender to shape the conduit himself.

Because most of his property is on rolling hillsides, he had to devise a terracing system to prevent erosion and make the land workable and sustainable.

Bob uses breathable fabric called Agribon as row covers to protect his plants in cold weather. This is a variety of miniature cabbage that should be available at the Market Square Farmer's Market, come May.

While most gardeners abhor weeds and struggle to keep them out of their beds, Bob doesn't mind letting shallow-rooted weeds create a layer of living mulch over some of his crops. Bok choy in the foreground, carrots in the background.

Bob is famous at the Farmer's Market for his turnips (last year's farm team dubbed him "Turnip Claus"), and this is a turnip that he let grow to the size of a bowling ball before chopping it open with an ax for us to see. Didn't look very tasty.

Bob is 69, and as spry as any 20-year-old; bounding up hills, lugging haybales around the farm, and living sustainably on his own at the farm. Pretty damn inspiring. Go visit his stand next time you're at the Farmer's Market, and treat yourself to some of his delicious produce. You won't regret it.