Living and writing in a circa 1840 New England Farmhouse with three generations of my family
Purple Calabash Heirloom Tomatoes have been in the 1840 Farm vegetable gardens since our first summer living here in 2006. Every year, we look forward to that first slice of Purple Calabash still warm from the sunshine. If I had to choose just one tomato Read More
This tomato comes with a story the likes of which legends are made. It all starts with a man named M.C. Byles who friends affectionately called Charlie in West Virginia. He ran his own radiator repair business and was struggling to make it through the Read More
2006 was the first summer we lived at 1840 Farm. That year, we planted a small garden with a handful of heirloom tomato varieties. We were new to heirloom gardening and selected the varieties for that year’s garden in a very non-scientific manner. We simply Read More
Of all the tomatoes we grow here at 1840 Farm, the Green Zebra is perhaps the most striking. When fully ripe, each tomato is a fabulous bright green color with beautiful bright stripes. In a garden full of red, pink, purple, orange, and yellow, the Read More
If you’re looking for a tomato to thrive in the summer heat, look no further. The Costoluto Genovese variety hails from the Mediterranean. For centuries, gardeners living along the Mediterranean found that this tomato loved the intense summer heat and sunshine. The gardeners loved the Read More
We love cherry tomatoes here. It just wouldn’t be summer, or tomato season as we like to call it, without enjoying the experience of strolling through the raised bed garden and plucking a warm cherry tomato directly from the vine before popping it into your Read More
The Blondkopfchen Heirloom Cherry Tomato originated in Germany. In German, the word “blondkopfchen” translates to “little blonde girl”. My daughter was a little blond girl when we first began growing this tomato here at 1840 Farm. In fact, she was the reason that I first Read More
When it comes to simple summer dinners, this heirloom tomato bruschetta pasta is as good as it gets. It’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
During the height of heirloom tomato season, we harvest several pounds of cherry tomatoes every day. It’s intentional: we plant two dozen cherry tomato plants every summer in our garden. We have found that they store amazingly well in the freezer, allowing us to make Read More
This Creamy Summer Squash is my favorite way to add fresh summer squash to nearly any dinner. It’s simple and tastes great with sandwiches, burgers, or something hot off the grill.
In the early days of writing this blog, I shared a recipe for traditional tomato bruschetta. It’s a family favorite during heirloom tomato season here at 1840 Farm. On days that we come back to the kitchen with pounds of freshly picked tomatoes, this is Read More
I adore fresh pie. I love to make it as much as I love to enjoy a slice with my family. One bite of a freshly baked berry pie and I am magically transformed to a time and place deeply embedded in my childhood. I Read More