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The Resilience Garden is a space at the Kate Farm devoted to cultivating conversation about food and freedom; a chance to reflect on female Maryland farmers traditionally and systemically forgotten. This garden features a curated collection of plants once grown and harvested by historically marginalized female communities such as the Piscataway, the Yacocomico, early American women, Appalachian folx, and the enslaved peoples of Southern Maryland. Growing these plants in community helps us gain a deeper understanding of our history as Marylanders and our place on the land which we now inhabit.
Produce grown will be donated to St. Mary's Caring.
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What's Growing?
What's Growing?
Read below to find out what crops and conversation our garden is growing!
Green Striped Cushaw Squash
This was first farmed by Indigenous people in the South but made its way to Appalachia in the early 20th century. Stories have been passed down through Appalachian families of their grandmothers and mothers making pumpkin pie out of the Cushaw, as well as family recipes for Cushaw butter
Yellow Crookneck Squash
This is one of the oldest varieties of squash and dates back to colonial America. There are records of Thomas Jefferson being given seeds, then them being planted by enslaved women and other female servants in his garden.
Seven Top Turnip
There are records of this turnip being passed down through families by women since the 1830s in southern states, including Southern Maryland.
Succotash Bean
This is the pole bean that is found in succotash. While we do not know about many of the dishes eaten when Europeans and Indigenous people began interacting during colonization, this was one of the dishes that was shared between the two groups’ women. This bean would have been eaten and prepared by the women in St. Mary’s City.
Beets and Swiss Chard
Beets were brought from Europe by settlers and quickly introduced to early American gardens. They were popular by the early 1800's and were even experimented with by George Washington. Since they were an easily grown root vegetable, they were grown by enslaved Americans in small gardens they tended to on the weekends. European-American women who grew them in personal gardens used them for rogue. Fun fact: Swiss chard is part of the beet family! Both beets and rainbow chard were grown this Fall.
If you are interested in volunteering with the Resilience Garden or would like more information, reach out to Lily Riesett @lmriesett@smcm.edu
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