COCHECTON, NY — Driving from our small Poconos town across the Delaware River, we find ourselves in the Catskill Mountains. The world around us is green and lush. The altitude makes us feel like we’re in the clouds. Few sights are as beautiful as this endless view of rolling green hills. The air is deliciously fragrant and we breathe it in deeply.

We’re on our way to the Wild Yarrow Farm in Cochecton, NY, to see the beginning of Jeff Rose’s sunflower spiral creation. The spiral will commemorate new land acquired to expand the 45-acre farm.

We are not disappointed as we approach several greenhouses brimming with greenery. The spiral is surrounded by two electric fences that serve as its lines of defense. As any gardener knows, all manner of creatures will be drawn to the delectable sunflowers that will soon appear.

Rose used a sod roller to lift the soil for use in pumpkin and flower beds. The flowers will be a mix of 10-foot-high sunflowers and smaller varieties. Sometime in late August or early September, visitors will be able to walk the 120-foot-wide grass spiral and rest in the center on a couch made of sod.

Established in 2016, Wild Yarrow Farm specializes in rare and unusual varieties of heirloom and open-pollinated vegetables, flowers and herbs. It follows strict organic practices and does not use any harmful chemicals. The farm uses only products approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) and natural biological controls like lady beetles and other beneficial insects. No genetically modified or patented plant varieties grow on this farm.

The farm promotes genetic diversity, offering more than 800 varieties of plants, including many varieties of tomatoes and vegetables, along with a broad selection of native flowers and medicinal and culinary herbs. Wild Yarrow is a must-see for anyone wishing to grow heirloom plants. 

You can visit the farm at 321 New Turnpike Road from Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

For more information email contact.wildyarrow@gmail.com or call 914-799-1112.