The History of Garden Valley

There’s always a story to every place, to every business that’s been built, and learning that journey is what reveals the heart and soul behind it. What started out as a small, quaint produce stand, has now turned into a beautiful and thriving farmers market that serves a good part of both Alamance and Guilford Counties of North Carolina. That business… is Garden Valley Farmers Market, and this is their story:

Nestled in the heart of Alamance County, there was a small produce stand that was owned and operated by Josh Readling (along his beautiful brown lab, Shelby). His desire was to provide fresh and local produce to a community that was in lack of healthier food options. Josh grew up in Alamance County, and his knack for business and desire to bless people was at the heart of starting Garden Valley, and has such, remained the core desire. To plant better, eat better, and live better.

Fast forward a few years, and along came two brothers who not only lived together, but decided it was a good idea to work together too (read that last line as sarcasm). Those brothers are Paul and Luke Laparra. Long story short, they went to church with Josh, had conversations, and wanted to expand Garden Valley to reach more people. Little did they know that this partnership would turn into a bond that would not only bless the outside community, but also provide a friendship filled with trust and understanding, something that not many businesses are blessed to have.

• Paul is a craftsman by heart. He loves working with his hands, is a former electrician, and loves carpentry work. But even with all of the time consuming work that he continues to do with Garden Valley, his main passion in life is his love for the Lord, and raising his beautiful family.

• Luke was already working for Garden Valley as an employee at the time, and wanted to continue to grow in the company. It was in this journey that he learned his passion for business, finances, and streamlining processes. But even with this new discovery, he still remains passionate about loving his family, and helping others simplify the stresses that can often come with finances.

While this partnership was being developed, Garden Valley was slowly growing from one location, at Chapel Hill Road, to FIVE locations in a span of ten years. What once was a modest produce stand, is now a farmers market that sells pottery, flowers, trees, shrubs, and so much more! And even though they have grown into a bigger company, the promise to provide quality product to the community is still one of their main goals.

The biggest season of growth for Garden Valley came during a very unexpected time… 2020. It was in the thick of this pandemic that Garden Valley was blessed with the most amazing outpour of support from their community. It was filled with hope, strength, and solace in a time that was focused on fear, hurt, and anxiety. The love shown by the community of Alamance/Guilford County brought a refreshed determination to Luke and Paul… this was the right direction for the company. This business was supposed to be here. Garden Valley was home for its community.

Through the good years, and not so good years, Garden Valley has always remained true to their identity: plant better, eat better, live better. They have continued to provide access to healthy vegetation so that the community can plant better. They always strive to provide quality produce so that the community can eat better. And they are a place where anyone can come, and be inspired to live better. This motto of theirs rings true, and it’s Garden Valley’s hope to continue to do so for many years to come.

3 Ways to Protect Your Plants from Frost

The beautiful season of spring is finally here for us in central North Carolina, but unfortunately, we do have an occasional frost that could cause devastation to our vegetable plants and delicate flowers. But don’t worry, Garden Valley has got you covered with 3 ways you can protect your plants from a cold frost:

A little information first- A frost would be considered to happen between 28 and 32 degrees F. And as a general rule, most plants (tomatoes, annual flowers, watermelon, etc) will need to be covered unless they are cold tolerant, especially if they are starting to bloom.

3 ways to protect plants from frost

1. Cover with a breathable fabric.

Covering your plants with a breathable cloth like material will allow moisture to escape and not suffocate your plant like a plastic material would. You could use blankets, bed sheets, and even pillow cases for those small plants.

HOW? Just place a tall stake or stick throughout the area and cover. This will help keep the plant in tact and allows for room between the material and the plant. After all, we don’t want to crush our plants in the process, do we?

2. Cover with mulch/straw/leaves

Covering the soil around your plants with a mulch-like substance will help to regulate the swinging temperatures of the soil and keep prevent “shocking” your root system from the bitter cold. At least 3” of mulch, straw, or leaves should suffice.

3. Cover seedlings/small plants with a glass or cloche

Covering your smaller plants with a glass like material will help to keep the heat in but also allow for the sun to shine through.

HOW? Just cover your plant right before the sun goes down, and then uncover them when the temperature finally raises above freezing.

FROM GARDEN VALLEY:

Hopefully these tips will help you and your plants make it through the next few weeks before the temperatures stay above freezing. And we hope that they also help keep you planting better, eating better, and living better.

We would love to see how you keep your plants safe during the frost! Don’t forget to tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! We can’t wait to see! @gardenvalleyfarmersmarket