David, Kathy, Anna and Autumn Blackburn live in Ashe County in North Carolina and can be found at Watauga County Farmers' Market with their fresh Kandy Korn and a variety of heirloom vegetables. David grows the plants from seed that he saves from the best selections of the previous year's crop, enabeling customers to enjoy the full flavors of time-honored favorites.

David also grows flowering trees and shrubs and wholesales them to nurseries. He plans to bring flowering shrubs to the market nest year, including his specialty, Wigelia. Look for cut flowers next year, too.

Much of David's farming efforts are directed toward growing Fraser firs for sales as Christmas trees. He is able to ship the trees individually in sizes from table top up to six feet in height. Customers can also mail order Fraser fir wreathes, these are shipped one per box and are available either decorated or undecorated and make excellent gifts. The deadline for orders of trees and wreathes is November 10.

David uses various techniques for growing vegetables in our sometimes difficult climate. He avoids blossom-end rot in tomatoes by adding calcium to the soil around the plants. Beans are grown on wire supports to improve air circulation, and also to speed up picking.

Some of the heirloom varieties that David has success with and brings to the market are:

Tomatoes

• Brandywine
• German Johnson
• Mortgage Lifter

Snap Beans

• Frost Beans
• Doubleback Beans
• Big Red
• Greasyback
• Pink Tips
• Half-runners

Contact the Blackburns at (336) 846-5249 or send an e-mail.