What You Need To Know

• Janelle Soja grew up on a farm and said it brings back fond memories


• She said life on the farm has a lot to do with gardening


• She said this spring, prices of gardening tools and supplies are higher than usual


• She also said supply chain issues are making it harder to find some items

“It wasn’t like a big commercial farm, but I loved it as a kid. We had a lot of space to run,” she said. 

When she and her husband built their home three years ago, they raised at least 75% of the food they eat on their farm. She said this has a lot to do with gardening. 

“So, there are vegetables that like cold weather and vegetables like hot weather,” she said. “So, I plant, you know, things in the early spring like peas. All the brassicas, which are like cabbage and broccoli. They’re all kind of in the same family. They love cold weather kale and then once the weather starts to warm up, I’ll plant tomatoes and peppers. A lot of herbs like basil and sage. They all like really warm weather.” 

She said this spring, prices of gardening tools are higher than usual. 

“Fertilizer, a lot of the fertilizers that are made are made out of petroleum products. So, the price of that is obviously gone up and then even just things like, you know, as a seed starter, you use grow lights. Prices of those things have gone up,” she said. 

She also said supply chain issues are proving inconvenient.  

“You go to the grocery, you know, to your store, Home Depot or wherever to try to buy seed starter, mixed soil, even seeds themselves, and you can’t find them on the shelves,” she said. 

Soja said while current times are hard, she remains determined. 

“As a mom, my primary concern is putting food on the table and you’re looking at grocery stores and seeing those empty shelves and so, I think a lot of people have turned to gardening over the last few years just as a way to supply their family’s food,” she said. 

She said she encourages people interested in gardening this season to try it. 

“All you need is space somewhere in a flower bed or some exposed soil and then you just need seeds,” she said. “Beets and spinach, lettuce, greens, those kinds of things. You can just throw them right in the open soil. Even herbs are great for sowing right on the open soil.” 

More information on the Royal Fare Farm is online.