Crop Rapport: Quail Hollow Farm

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

A is for Anise Hyssop
B is for Boneset
C is for Chinaberry
D is for Dusty Miller . . .

When it comes to herbs, you name it, and the odds are that Jaanine Glascock’s got it. If you aspire to create a Shakespearean garden, you are particularly in luck. Othello’s hyssop, Hamlet’s rosemary, Romeo & Juliet’s wormwood, as well as the lemon balm, calendula, rue, rosemary, tansy, wormwood (and much more) appearing in the bard’s other plays are here for the asking.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in this case, as Jaanine isn’t the only one in the family who has a green thumb. Jaanine’s son Mark has been farming for many years. He sells produce (including pitch perfect peaches—the best of summer for me—honey crisp apples, nectarines and peppers) year round at the Burke, Reston, Ashburn, Cascade, and Sterling markets.

It was after Jaanine quit her job working for an attorney that she began to assist Mark at the farmers markets. Her herb garden took root ten years ago when her husband Steve inherited a portion of his family’s West Virginian farm. “It was a total learning process,” she explained smilingly. She started by buying up all the herb varieties available at Lowe’s and reading catalogs. You’ll now find her selling well over 100 plants (a count that does not include the various varieties of herbs like mint, rosemary, and parsley) at the Leesburg Market, the Berkeley Springs West Virginia Farmers Market and Quail Hollow Farm itself from May through September.

Along with her herbs and plants, Glascock dispenses plant literature, recipes, and lots of plant care advice. The most frequently asked question? Customers want to know how they can keep their cilantro alive. She’s taken to giving out cilantro seeds and counsels them to replant every two weeks.

While basil is her best seller, I’ll bet on mint every time. If you are a tea lover, you will especially appreciate the multitude of mint varieties, with evocative names like chocolate, lemon, pineapple and orange. Glascock encourages customers to blend the herbs, in either their dried or fresh form. Lemon balm, for instance, pairs particularly well with any of the mint.

Some other notable plants you’ll find for sale beside your garden variety herbs include:
-Sorrel (rich in Vitamin C; used in soups, sauces and salads);

-Favorite condiments horseradish and wasabi; and

-The paw paw (think cross between banana and mango; rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants).

For the full alphabet of Jaanine’s herbs and plants (only the letters K, Q, U, and Z appear to be unrepresented) or for farm visiting hours, click here.

Quail Hollow Farm
5285 Highland Ridge Rd.
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-0584
www.qhfherbs.com

-Johnisha M. Levi

Northern Virginia’s Farmers Markets and Hours

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m.
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m.
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m.
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets

Tags: anise hyssop, basil, Berkeley Springs, calendula, chinaberry, Cilantro, dusty miller, flowers, Gut Check, herbs, hyssop, Jaanine Glascock, Johnisha M. Levi, Leesburg farmers market, lemon balm, lemon grass, mint, nectarines, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine, NoVA, paw paw, peaches, peppers, Quail Hollow Farm, rue, Shakespeare, Shakespearean garden, tansy, Tea, Wasabi, West Virginia, West Virginia farms