Jim Pfitzer, a weekly work share volunteer, prunes tomato plants in the hoop house at Crabtree Farms early Tuesday morning. This is Pfitzer’s second season working at Crabtree Farms.
Staff photo by Dan Henry/Chattanooga Times Free PressAndrea Jaeger first started gardening as a child, planting vegetables with her parents back home in Ohio. Now, Jaeger, a transplanted Chattanooga resident, has her own small vegetable garden, mostly featuring greens and okra.
“I just kind of tore [the ground] up and put it in,” she said of her backyard. If she had her druthers, she would plant a lot more.
Fortunately, Jaeger has the opportunity to do more planting as an intern at Crabtree Farms. This weekend, Crabtree is having a plant sale for people who, like Jaeger, want to spend time gardening at home.
There are many benefits of growing at home, said farm manager Joel Houser.
“It’s certainly cheaper to grow at home than to buy it, and it’s also better food, with higher nutrient content. And it’s a good family interaction and a good way to get a little outside time and some exercise.”