A New Adventure: Growing Ginger!

This season, we’re embarking on an exciting new journey at Cedar Circle—growing ginger! It might sound surprising to cultivate this tropical crop in Vermont, but with the help of high tunnels, organic fertilizers and soil amendments, and a little experimentation, we’re eager to see how it thrives on our farm.

Why Ginger?

We’re always looking for interesting crops to grow, and ginger seemed like the perfect addition. It’s fun, unique, and adds diversity to our farm’s produce offerings. Plus, it allows us to make use of additional tunnel space for something new and experimental. The idea of harvesting our own young ginger—far superior in flavor and beauty to what’s found in supermarkets—was simply too good to pass up.

What Variety Are We Growing?

We sourced our ginger seed from Fedco, who offer a variety that has been successfully cultivated in the Northeast. According to their website, ginger has been gaining popularity among farms in this region—proving that with the right conditions, a tropical crop can flourish here. Young ginger is especially prized for its delicate, earthy flavor and striking appearance, making it a sought-after ingredient for chefs and home cooks alike!

Soil & Growing Conditions

Ginger is a heavy feeder, meaning it requires rich, well-amended soil to thrive. We’ll need to maintain higher humidity levels in our greenhouse to mimic its tropical origins while incorporating organic fertility practices to ensure healthy growth. The journey starts early—our seed ginger arrived as full tubers at the end of February, which we carefully cut into “seed-sized” chunks. Next, we bedded them down—or laid them in soil—in open seed trays, where they’ll begin to sprout before being transplanted into our greenhouse in mid to late May.

Sustainability & Organic Practices

One of the most exciting aspects of growing ginger at Cedar Circle is that we’re offering a locally-grown alternative to a crop that is typically imported from Brazil, China, and other distant locations. By cultivating ginger on our farm, we reduce the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation while ensuring our community has access to fresh, organically grown young ginger. And the best part? We can do this without burning fuel to heat an additional greenhouse—it fits seamlessly into our crop plan.

Will Ginger Be a Regular Crop for Us?

Like all new endeavors, this season is a learning experience. If our ginger crop thrives, we’ll consider scaling up production in future years. With 20 lbs of seed, we anticipate planting 250 bed feet of ginger, dedicating an entire greenhouse to this experiment. Our goal is to grow the ginger as long as possible to maximize yield and make young ginger available in our farmstand.

How to Use Fresh Ginger

Fresh ginger is a delight in the kitchen! Unlike the tough, fibrous ginger typically found in stores, young ginger is tender, juicy, and easy to use. Some of our favorite ways to enjoy it include:

• Pickled ginger – perfect for sushi or as a zesty condiment
• Stir-fries and curries – adding warmth and spice to any dish
• Ginger-infused mocktails and cocktails – think Ginger Margaritas!

We’re excited to bring this special crop to our farmstand and to share our journey of growing ginger in Vermont. If you’re curious about how to grow your own and want to try it out with us this season—we should have some for sale in our greenhouses in the spring! Check out this guide from Fedco for tips and insights.

Stay tuned for updates as our ginger experiment unfolds—we can’t wait to see what we learn from this little plant!