Martha Stewart’s Farm: Animals and Organic Agriculture

Martha Stewart is one of the country’s most well-known farmland owners even though farming is only one aspect of her multi-layered financial empire that has included television shows, magazines, clothing lines, e-commerce, and books that have focused on entertaining, lifestyle, and cooking.

Stewart, 84, owns a 150-acre farm in Katonah, New York. Over the years, her property has allowed her to enjoy what a profile piece about her by NBC described as an “eclectic mix of dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, a pony, chickens, geese, and peafowl.”

Stewart is a prominent proponent of organic farming, something she stressed during her keynote address at the 12^th Annual Land Investment Expo in 2019. Stewart said that all food grown on her farm is organic.

“The whole organic food movement is terribly important,” she said. “As consumers, we are paying more attention to where our food comes from, what is good food, and how we can make it more affordable.”

RELATED: The organic food production and distribution system has looked for growth after inflation made cost-conscience consumers weigh purchase decisions.

The current “Make America Healthy Again” movement, among other things, has pushed producers to reduce use of artificial dyes in foods to combat the rise of chronic disease and obesity. Stewart has stressed for years the importance of a better understanding of how farmers grow food.

“Most Americans are really ignorant in knowing where our food comes from. There is room for more exploration and teaching in that area. All the farmers in this room should promote more about how it happens,” said Stewart during her 2019 keynote address.

How to Grow Brussels Sprouts

Six years later, Stewart’s call for more awareness for food production comes in various forms. For example, MarthaStewart.com shares tips for small producers and home gardeners to help grow brussels sprouts. 

The article states “Brussels sprouts taste best after a light frost, which makes them sweeter, but you can also pick them earlier.”

Patience could be important, but timing is key. “Start harvesting when sprouts reach about 1 inch wide, beginning from the bottom, and avoid waiting until they yellow or open,” the article advised.

Brussels Sprouts Production

California has historically led the way as the country’s top state for brussels sprouts production. Washington and Stewart’s state of New York also have a share in the country’s 32,000-ton annual production.

Part of the appeal of brussels sprouts could be their improved taste that Stewart has observed, especially over the past three decades. Credit a Dutch scientist named Hans Van Doom.

Van Doom identified two chemicals that previously gave the sprouts their bitter taste: sinigrin and progoitrin. Once he made that discovery, he worked to find seeds and varieties that contained lower levels of the chemicals.

“Well + Good” wrote about the research. “Then, Van Doorn bred out as much of the…ick factor…as possible (by using these less-bitter Brussels sprout seeds) and crossbred them with higher-producing varieties. The result? More Brussels sprouts that were less bitter. Genius,” the article stated.

RELATED: Find out here the emerging plans for the 2026 Land Investment Expo, keynote speakers, hot topics, and reserve a spot. The gathering takes place in person and online on January 13^th in Des Moines, Iowa.