At Maggie Valley, years are ordered in accordance with the strawberry Story by Jacquelyn Hall Photos by David Moore
O
ne might think winter is the time that farmers get some much deserved rest. One would, however, be wrong in that assumption. While it is their least busy season, it is by no means a vacation. David and Margaret Cox of Maggie Valley Berry Patch and Gardens in Grant are busy nearly every day preparing for spring. From getting their supplies in order, to checking inventory and equipment, there always seems to be something to do. Due to the pandemic, their plants for this year were late in arriving, as availability and shipping were affected by the limitations that Covid-19 has imposed upon the world. The plants did not go into the fields until October. In November, when they start to see the true cold settle in, the Coxes place plasticlooking fabric sheet covers over the newly planted strawberries. The covers not only protect the plants from the frost, but trap the warmth from the soil, creating a sort of greenhouse for the plants. From late December to January, depending upon weather and plant needs, they remove the frost covers that also ensure the strawberries do not bloom prematurely. This year they should have their greatest variety of strawberries ever. That’s also due to the impact of Covid-19, particularly in Canada, which is where the starter plants originate. Normally the Coxes plant three or four varieties, but in order to meet the number of plants they need, this year they expanded to eight varieties.
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avid and Margaret – Maggie to most people – have an ingenious way of fertilizing and irrigating their plants. From their two 50
FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL 2021
ponds they pump water to designated spigots. At the pump, they can add the fertilizer which is custom mixed per each field’s needs. Their method is not only cost efficient, but incredibly effective. David calls it “ferti-
gating” combining fertilize and irrigate, an apt name if there ever was one. Going into their 11th year of farming, Margaret reflects on their beginnings as “a hobby that grew out of hand.” Margaret is tied to the land through
