About Christina
Christina Dedora began her farming career working on a farm in France. What had originally begun as a way to extend her visa, had become a passion that would shape her life going forward.
Christina now knew that she wanted to attempt to make a career of growing flowers, herbs. and vegetables. While living in Massachusetts she continued, for several years, to work for other farmers but knew that she would love to have the opportunity to do it on her own.
In 2006 she had that opportunity and Blue Skys Farm was created. She returned to her home state and began renting land in beautiful Cranston, Rhode Island.
About Blue Skys Farm
The farmland that Blue Skys rents is owned and protected by the State of RI’s Department of Environmental Management and managed by Southside Community Land (SCLT).
This program, supported by SCLT, is very unique. Six other farmers also farm at this location and the group collaboratively manages the 50-acre property, including Scratch Farm, Pak Express Farm, Big Train Farm, and Zephyr Farm.
Christina and crew farm 2 acres of chemical free flowers, herbs, and vegetables. We grow all that we sell in farmers markets, through Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA), and through the FarmFreshRI Market Mobile.
Our Mission
- to provide the freshest flowers, herbs and vegetable to your table
- to practice chemical free farming while taking good care of the land
- to be creative in the field with variety selection
- to educate customers on what it means to be a local farmer and what to expect each growing season
One of the biggest challenges, as a small scale farmer (i.e. our 2 acres) is what to grow, how much to grow, and when to grow. Space is limited, which means you have to carefully plan your fields. There’s a pretty small window of time where you must sow that seed, otherwise, there may not be enough time to grow the crop.
Here’s a list of what we’re growing for 2016. It’s amazing!, ambitious!, and crazy! Last count: Over 75 different varieties! Talk about spreadsheets… I’ve got a lot of them.
Vegetables
Pole Beans: Yellow & Green • Beets: Red & Yellow • Cabbage • Carrots • Celeriac • Celtuce • Collards • Cucumbers: Lemon, Pickling, Slicing & Japanese • Eggplant • Greens: Escarole, Spinach, Mustards, Lettuce, Arugula, Dandelion, Kale, Swiss Chard • Head Lettuce: Skyphos, Ruby Sky, Blushed Butter, Sweet Valentine • Onions: Cippolini, Red Marble, Leeks, Shallot • Hot Peppers: Habanero, Serrano, Hot Portugal, Jalapeno, Fireball (we grow these for Terry’s Tasty Treasures) • Sweet Peppers: Yellow & Orange • Potatoes • Mini Pumpkins • Radish • Hakurei Turnip • Summer Squash • Winter Squash • Tomatoes: Amish Paste, Green Zebra, Brandywine, Juliet, Sungold, Supersweet 100, Black Prince, Geronimo, Rose de Berne • Purple Tomatillo • Husk Cherry
Flowers
Campanula • Celosia • Dahlia • Glads • Globe Amaranth • Globe Thistle • Goldenrod • Gypsophila • Lisianthus • Northern Sea Oats • Peony • Salvia • Statice • Strawflower • Sunflowers • Zinnia
Herbs
Ashwagandha Root • Basil • Calendula • Chamomile • Chives • French Tarragon • Anise Hyssop • Thyme • Lavender • Lemon Verbena • Lemon Balm • Patchouli • Parsley • Peppermint • Rosemary • Spearmint • Spilanthes • Tulsi • Oregano • Sweet Marjoram
Where do we buy our seeds?
Johnny’s Select Seeds • Fedco • Gloeckner • Germania Seeds • Strictly Medicinal
THANK YOU to all the customers who support Blue Skys Farm and here’s to another successful year of growing amazing flowers, herbs and vegetables!
Work Crew
Since 2010, Christina has been working with Kim Morin who has been a backyard farmer for many years. As a farmer, she has gone full circle in regards to food and nutrition as she was formerly a Registered Dietitian and has earned a Masters of Science degree in the field. Kim also built the original blueskysfarm.com, is an inspiring cook that shares great recipes at the farmers market each week, and brings amazing insight into the every day workings of vegetable growing.