Crabtree Farms’ 13th Annual Fall Plant Sale and Festival takes place on Sept. 12 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Fun for the whole family, the Fall Plant Sale features live music, local vendors, free classes, and sustainably grown plant starts for the upcoming fall season.
“Kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, lettuce, and cauliflower are among some of the edible crops that grow well in the cooler months of our region,” says Sara McIntyre, Crabtree Farms’ Executive Director. “In fact, we have over 100 varieties of sustainably grown vegetable, herb, fruit, and flower plant starts for you to choose from - cultivated right here in our greenhouses.”
Vegetables for sale include: Green Magic Broccoli, Bulldog Collards, Toscano Kale, Bloomsdale Spinach
Herbs for sale include: Zefa Fino Fennel, Midnight Ginger, Cascade Hops, Jasmine, St. John’s Wort
Fruits for sale include: Apache Thornless Blackberry, Brown Turkey Fig, Hardy Kiwi
Flowers for sale include: Buzz Dwarf Magenta Butterfly Bush, Tennessee Coneflower, Prairie Sage
In addition to plant starts, guests can shop for handcrafted goods from local artisans and craft vendors, including herbal tinctures and botanical skin care from Fireside Botanicals, culinary and medicinal herb plants from Down to Earth, handmade 100% soy candles from Chattanooga Candle Company, and fresh artisan juice popsicles from The Local Juicery. Seeds and soil amendments, including worm castings, will also be for sale at check out.
Free gardening classes will take place all day in the Evelyn Center, Crabtree Farms’ new educational facility. Beekeeper David Reed will lead a pollinators discussion from 10-11 a.m., Crabtree staff will teach the basics of fall gardening from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Fermentation Instructor Danielle Shelton will demonstrate how to make kimchi at home from 12-1 p.m., Master Gardener Bud Hines will explain how to build and maintain a successful compost pile from 1-2 p.m., and the Tennessee Valley Beekeepers Association will teach kids about bees from 2-3 p.m. No pre-registration is necessary to attend the sale or the classes and the cost is free.
“Many guests come for the plants and stay for the classes,” says Crabtree Farms’ Programs Coordinator, Andrea Jaeger. “Even if you are a seasoned gardener or just casually curious, the classes are fun and informative for all skill levels and interests.”
A list of available plants and more information about Crabtree Farms’ Fall Plant Sale and Festival can be found by calling 423-493-9155, x10.