Rudy Moyer plucks a blossom off a flowering, bright orange bush.
“They’re very tasty. ... It’ll remind you of tangerines when you taste it,” he says, as he pops the flower into his mouth.
Marigold gems, like most of what sprouts at GentleBrook Farms, aren’t your everyday flowers. And Moyer isn’t your typical farmer. He, like several other area farmers, focuses on speciality crops. Niche produce that’s rare or a bit out of the ordinary.
In and around Stark County, speciality crops are distributed through community support agriculture (CSA) programs, sold at farmers markets, and found on local restaurant menus.
Demand for those crops will likely continue to grow, said Heather Neikirk, agriculture and natural resources educator at Ohio State University’s Stark County Extension Office.