John Brown House Kitchen Garden
The Franklin County Historical Society – Kittochtinny asked Master Gardeners in 2008 for help in designing and installing a demonstration kitchen garden authentic to the 1860 period when the boarding house on King Street was home to John Brown and where he planned the raid at Harpers Ferry. Working with Dr. Doris Goldman, curator of the Pennsylvania German Four Square Garden at Renfrew, we created a demonstration garden with seeds and plants appropriate to the period. It was on display on opening day of the museum in May of 2009. Each year Master Gardeners prepare and plant vegetable varieties, including heirloom cabbages, cardoons, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs and direct sown beans, beets and other root crops that were typically grown at the time. During the season, the garden is again maintained by Occupational Services, Inc.
