Why is the farm named after Thomas Jefferson?
Thomas Jefferson was a strong advocate for testing and developing new crops and incorporating them into crop rotations on American farms. In fact, Jefferson wrote in a memorandum about his own contributions to America (c. 1800), that “The greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add a useful plant to its [agri]culture.” The farm is named after Jefferson to honor his efforts to diversify and strengthen American agriculture. In addition to its name, Jefferson Farm & Gardens will recognize Thomas Jefferson’s ideas and efforts with both an indoor Jefferson exhibit and an outdoor “Jefferson Garden.” The Jefferson Garden will showcase over 100 varieties of vegetables, fruits, and specialty crops. This garden will reflect the spirit of Jefferson’s own 1000-foot long test garden at Monticello, where he evaluated a wide variety of vegetables and field crops (and fruits in adjacent orchards) with the hope of developing more crop options for American farmers.
