Why I Farm: Diane Kowallek of Adopt-A-Plant Greenhouse

What is the name of your farm? Does that have any special significance?

Adopt-a-Plant Greenhouses and Garden Center  is surrounded by Maimi white water park  close to the small little town of New Haven .  I am fortunate to be in an area surrounded by a lot of history.  We not only have the park  but we also have the only Shaker community that still has  many historical buildings,  with the Friends of Shaker to open the meeting house to the public in the Fall of 2015. 

Where is your farm?  

10856 Oxford Rd in Crosby Township in Southwestern Ohio.

Tell me about your farm.   

We grow a variety of annuals& perennials to sell at our place in the spring  and large variety of herbs through out  the year.  In the summer we grow a variety of cut flowers that we sell at the Oxford and Northside farmers market.  Fall through Spring, we grow mixed greens and Hydroponic lettuce

What do you grow or produce?    

Annuals, Perennials. Herbs. Vegetable Plants.   Mixed greens of Kale , spinach arugula, leaf lettuce,   Hydroponic Bibb lettuce  and mixed greens.  Cut flowers

Do you produce food year round?   

Summer I have a vegetable garden mostly for my own use. Fall - Spring  the mixed greens

Have you always been a farmer?      

I have worked in the greenhouse all my life. I grew up in the same place I live today.  We grew lettuce and cucumbers when I was a growing up

What do you wish more folks knew about farming in general?    

If you are doing truck farmering it is a lot of hard work you are up early in the morning and working longs days. The weather can be your friend or enemy.

What do you wish more people know about your farm, specifically?  

I grow as sustainably as possible. Our retail garden center tries to use as many recycled item  for our displays as possible.  Our garden center and greenhouses is a peaceful quiet place to come to buy your plants or to just enjoy the flowers and herbs we grow

What are your future plans for your farm?    

Maybe cut down more on the amount of annuals we are growing and grow more of my hydroponic lettuce and mixed gourmet salad mix

Where can people buy your products?     

• Northside Market 
• Oxford Market 
• Moon coop in Oxford
• And here at the greenhouses

Thank you for visiting our website, following us on facebook and checking out our pins on pinterest!

Cheers.