Borden Road Farm Market

You won’t want to miss this one. The farm is open everyday from 10 to 6 for guests, but on Saturday at 10:30 we will have a free seminar on “The history of, how to grow, and how to cook with herbs.” It will be a fast paced seminar with time for questions. Herbs covered will include: Basil(s), cilantro, thyme, oregano, marjorum, sage, rosemary and more. Complimentary “egg coffee” from the old kitchen wood stove served during seminar. After the seminar you can tour gardens, the greenhouse, take the path to the pond visit the geese and wild ducks or take the “Bamboo Trail” to the chicken house with the roosters, and more. Picnic tables next to the garden if you like to bring your lunch. Great perennial and annual vegetable, flower, and herb plants for sale at great prices. Call us if you have questions. Win Borden 218-232-0848.

For directions to the farm, click on “Find us” at the upper right on your screen.

On Saturdays we offer free seminars at the farm on gardening issues. We gather at the picnic tables garden side at 10:30 for a 45 minute discussion on gardening subjects. In bad weather we meet under the sales stand or in the greenhouse. Questions welcome. Join us for these seminars:

Saturday May 12th…”Plants for Mother’s Day” We will discuss plants that survive for decades. Included among them lilacs, hydrangeas, roses and others. We will have other perennials and annuals for your garden and hanging baskets for Mother’s Day. Prices discounted this day with the top price just $10.00.

Saturday May 19th…”Herbs. The history of, how to grow, and how to cook with all the herbs that can be grown in Minnesota.” You won’t want to miss it.

Now open daily through the end of October. Join us at your convenience. Special free seminars most Saturdays. Come tour the farm. Plants and produce available will be periodically posted. Questions call Win Borden at 218-232-0848.

Located just north of Brainerd on the way to Cross Lake. Go north from Merrifield to the “Y store” turn right towards Cross Lake and go 3 miles to the state blue sign that says “Borden Farm Market,” turn right on Borden Rd for 1/2 mile and at the intersection with Old Mill Road, turn right, go 200′ and turn left into the parking lot. Take paths to greenhouse, gardens, sales stand, and duck pond. Bring kids. It would be great to have you at the farm.

For information on “Tips for Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardens” scroll down one item. For information on “Grow your own garden plots” scroll down 2 items. To learn more click on pictures and other items on home page.

Scroll down one item. Questions call Win Borden at 218-232-0848.

Plan now for the arrival of the hummingbirds and butterflies. They are already winging thier way north–the hummers from Costa Rica and the monarchs from Mexico.

Soon the birds & butterflies will “fly by” your yards and gardens. If they find good things to eat they will stay with you spring, summer, and fall. How neat that is.

Here are some easy tips:

1. Select a sunny location for your garden. Best if it can be out of the wind or you have tall plants to protect your guests from prevailing winds.

2. Provide a source of water and some small rocks on which the butterflies can land. The water can be a small basin pound, a drip line, or a soaker hose.

3. Cut down or preferably eliminate pesticides and herbicides. They can be deadly for your visitors.

4. Hummers like nectar from plants and from feeders. Make a syrup with plain sugar. One part sugar to five parts water. Simmer the water to dissolve the sugar & cool it before placing in feeders. Do not add food coloring or use honey or corn syrup.

5. Hummers as well as butterflies like plants. They seem to have a preference for pink, red, and purple colors. Among the perennials that you will soon be able to plant that appeal to the hummers and butterflies are: Astilbe, Asters, Bee Balm, Black Eyed Susan, Coral Bells, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Delphinium, Gaillardia, Joe Pye Weed, Liatris, Milkweed, Pin Cushion flower (Scabiosa), Purple Coneflower, Thyme, Sedum, and Yarrow.

Among the annuals they like and you can plant after all danger of frost are: Alyssum, Black Eyed Susans (most Black Eye’s are annuals-a few perennial), Cosmos, Nasturtium, Petunias, Tithonia, and Zinnia.

6. Try to have something always blooming. We can help advise you as to what blooms when or how to visually arrange your garden so you get full view of the blooming flowers as well as your winged guests.

7. If you like monarchs be sure to plant some milkweed at the back of the garden. It is a rangy plant, but monarchs must have it as a place to lay their eggs. The young larvae eat only milkweed. Similarily the karna blue must have lupines.

It is great fun to build the butterfly and hummer garden with your kids or grandkids. Then sit at the picnic table with the kids and watch your friends feed. Your camera can capture the mysteries and beauty of these wonderful creatures.

Want plants or have question on how to do it? We have the plants and are always happy to share our experience with you. Questions? Visit the farm. We are open every day from May through October from 10 to 6 or call us at 218-232-0848.

We have reserved family garden plots for you at the farm. The plots are all in full sun, will be tilled and ready to plant come spring, behind a 10′ fence around our 7 acres garden to keep the deer out, and furnished with four drip lines across each plot. If it doesn’t rain one inch a week, we will water your garden for you just as we water ours. You plant, weed, harvest and enjoy. Your plot is open to you from sunrise to sunset seven days a week during the growing season. Plots are set out in various sizes–20 by 50 ($50), 20 by 100 ($90) or 20 by 225 ($125).

Other amenities include: We are open to the public 7 days a week from 10 to 6. During our open hours you have the opportunity to tour our gardens on 1,000 feet of mulched paths that will take you past our growing herbs, annual and perennial flowers, and our vegetable production facilities. You can take the paths to the pond to see the ducks and geese, or the path to the chicken house. When you travel the Beaver Trail you will see rabbit hutches and be able to feed the rabbits. You can lunch at our picnic tables located under century old pine trees in the farm yard.

If you have an interest in learning more about our rental gardens, send us email at Win@BordenFarmMarket.com and we will send you a complete packet of information. In the subject line of your email note “garden plot rentals” and in the body include your full name and your email address. Or call me at 218-232-0848.

For the best read scroll down one item. For some grat summer seminars at the farm, read below.