Here's a delicious way to create curb appeal. A burgeoning Ridgefield-based business called Homefront Farmers is on the cutting edge of at-home gardens that feature all the pleasures and none of the hassle of taking care of a vegetable garden. Not only do Homefront Farmers founders John Carlson and Vonne Whittleton design and build custom gardens with visually pleasing raised beds and fencing, they maintain it for the homeowner who is too busy to have a garden. Homefront Farmers uses organic methods with the healthiest soil and natural wood for the raised beds, fencing, posts, and gates. It’s a novel approach to having the freshest vegetables every day straight from the garden to the table.
After nearly two decades in corporate America, John Carlson sold his successful marketing company and began researching organic gardening methods. His wife Claire was already busy building edible gardens for schools in Ridgefield when John discovered Vonne Whittleton’s Victory Garden business in Westport, and decided it was exactly what he wanted to do. The merger of a MBA and horticulturist enriched the Homefront Farmers vision and led them to the current “Design–Build–Maintain” model.
As Carlson explains, “Since my passion for gardening was growing, I got my certification as an Accredited Organic Land Care Professional with the Northeast Organic Farmers Association. Vonne was already certified and had a lot of experience setting up frontyard organic gardens, so our partnership was born. Designing, building, and maintaining home gardens is part artistry, part hard work. Home owners can feel good seeing their yards transformed into garden sanctuaries, watching the growing process and eating the best quality. There’s a lot of satisfaction in that.”
Homefront Farmers has the expertise. They start with nutrient-rich organic soil and strategic planting to deter squirrels and the like. They focus on succession planting so that there is always something ripening. The design fits the property site and size with a layout that is aesthetically pleasing in every season. There are even cool weather crops, so it’s possible to have veggies ten months of the year. Even if the spring planting season has passed, Homefront Farmers can build a garden.
Vonne comes from a line of family farmers and has a background in commercial real estate. Homefront Farmers customers are often people whose parents or grandparents had gardens, and they want to bring that same lifestyle to their families. It’s a one-stop shop for edible gardens that not only nourish families but enhance properties. An additional benefit is that kids can see first-hand where vegetables come from. A basic Homefront Farmers garden might include peas, beans, lettuces, vitamin-rich greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, herbs and some fruits.
To sum up the benefits, Carlson explains that food is grown without chemicals, couldn’t be fresher or tastier, and has environmental benefits. Locally grown produce cuts down on gas consumption and emissions. “When you realize that a head of lettuce can travel 1,500 miles to get to your refrigerator, having your own garden is good for the planet.”
Some people have a personal trainer. Some have a personal chef. Now, it’s possible to have a personal gardener and reap all the benefits. For those busy folks who want to get their hands dirty after a day at the office, the maintenance part can be left to the homeowner, with a little help from the pros. For more information, visit www.homefrontfarmers.com, or call John Carlson at (203) 470-3655.