(Note, column was originally written to run two months ago… forgive the snow!)
Winter Brings Tulip Mania To Salisbury
This is not a column paying tribute to the speculative bubble of 1634: it is a respite from this especially harsh winter for us, but not for Rijk and Maura at Anything Grows organic farm.
I caught up with Rijk once the roads were clear after Snowmageddon (Jan 2026) to discover how a series of unfortunate and unexpected events rock a local farm. The snow was persisting due to the the brutally cold temperatures and was responsible for the collapse of the retail high tunnel (greenhouse) just as the propane for the farm and house ran critically low despite a contingency plan with the supplier to prevent that catastrophe. And then there were the skilled hawks and hapless chickens that were snowed in and could not be fed until a path could be established through the snow. As a result, I learned about chicken cannibalism and developed a higher regard for hawk hunting prowess and their dedication to common purpose. Apparently, the youngster in training did his hawk mommy proud. There are fewer chickens, but hunger was abated.
We are supposed to be celebrating tulip abundance and the new self service farmstand that had eggs, garlic and fun “merch” available. There are additional products for sale when available as listed on their pricing chart (including lettuce, ginger, celery, carrots, scallions and beets).
The tulips are available as a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and there are seven pick-up locations for your convenience (check the website, below). The tulips are provided for 8 weeks, 8 stems each week, and 16 varieties beginning in late January through March.
So, how do they manage to grow and supply fresh tulips each week for two months? They repurpose growing medium and plastic crates and plant the tulip bulbs close together, The tulips require consistent soil moisture and a mandatory chilling period (vernalization) of 35°-40°F for 12 to 16 weeks to break dormancy. This cold period triggers the hormonal change in the bulb from inhibiting growth to stimulating growth. Once this cold period is satisfied, the bulb pushes shoots up through the growth medium. Rijk cold treats the bulbs in his walk-in refrigerator and then moves the crated bulbs into his dark and warmer (50°F) cellar. After ~1 week, the shoots elongate to ~2” and then the crates are moved to a high tunnel (greenhouse) and into sunlight and higher temperatures. This process is staggered over 8 weeks to provide budded tulips that are cut and assembled into 8-stem bouquets.
Please support local agriculture and buy yourself a tulip bouquet!
Anything Grows
Web: www.anythinggrows-farm.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anythinggrows.farm/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/anythinggrowsfarm
Email: anythinggrowsllc@gmail.com
