Summer will be here before you know it and farmers are hard at work tending to their plants. There’s more than 40 farmers in the Duluth area alone and many are focusing on growing native plants here in the Northland. People are already picking up their pre-ordered plants at the Lande Farm this Memorial Day weekend.

Claire Lande says people are already getting their hands dirty growing plants. She says native sunflowers are a good plant for beginners to start with this gardening season.

“We have to have a heated greenhouse because it’s a short season. So, we start plants inside in March and there’s lots of native rain garden plants that are fairly easy to start,” Lande said. “Buying native plants, obviously, they’re locally adapted, they grow here. A lot of the insects that live here, the butterflies, bees, other beneficial insects, they all have special co-evolved relationships with native plants. So when you plant native, you support more biodiversity.”

Claire says the Farm Lande is having a plant sale this weekend and on June 2^nd. People can learn more about native plants and even meet some of their animals.

“So anybody who comes to the plant sale can come and look at the cute little sheep. We picked out names. I have a four year old son, so that was a real fun activity with him,” Lande said. “The first, the girl is Strawberry. Then there’s two boys. One is Sprout and then the other one is Garbanzo. We got some chickens. We actually have chicks now too, like five of them. So we’re going to have some feed so people, if they want to bring their kids. They can come and feed the chicks, try to get the sheep to come over. They’re pretty shy, since they’re new to the farm.”

Local farmers can maybe figure out what problems you might be facing this growing season. Rachel Wandrei the Marketing Manager with Minnesota Grown, which is part of Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture says supporting local farmers also helps to improve the environment.

“When you buy from a local grower, you’re supporting your community. The plants themselves are going to be just perfect for your specific climate. If you’re looking for annuals, for perennials, for native plants, woody, shrubs, these native producers, they really know what’s right, what’s growing well in the region,” Wandrei said. “So ask them lots of questions, they’ll help direct you for what your, you know, the shade, the sun, what is your situation and what you’re growing, they’ll be able to really help you do that.”

For more information about Farm Lande you can read more here. Also for other stories about the growing season you can read more here.