The Collard Patch — Attraction in Wake Forest

OK, so two weeks ago my fiancé and I were shopping for furniture and met a couple of ladies carrying big leafy plants into the building. We asked them where they got such pretty plants (that looked so familiar to me...). They laughed and told us they got them from the Collard Patch, up in Rolesville. Me and my lady were surprised that the football-size juicy green leaves were not ornamental, but grown for the table.

Over the next few weeks I would tease my fiancé that, instead of a holly wreath for the door or a Christmas tree in the living room, we should wrap lights around a huge collard plant for our Christmas decorations. Poinsettas drop their leaves too fast, right? Well today I decided to make good on my threat one day, and surprise her when she came back from work.

I arrived at the patch in the late morning (Collard Patch, or CP time is 8a-5p) and was greeted warmly by Tootie, a tall, wiry silver-haired brotha working the stand. He shook my hand and showed me into the shed where boxes of cooking and baking sweet potatoes, bags of peanuts, corn, and other items were displayed. I thought $12 for a 15-lb. box of sweet potatoes was a pretty good deal.

But I couldn't be distracted from my mission, so we hopped in Tootie's golf cart for a tour of the patch itself. We spied a proud green specimen towering over its rowmates at a healthy 12". I thought he might need a chainsaw, but Tootie was able to manage cutting the base of Green Giant with his hacksaw. I paid the man, and rolled on to a hardware store for a pot, soil and tinsel.

My lady is close to her cuntry roots, so I bet I'll get a laugh outta her when she gets home. And since she's the Head Chef, I'll bring her back to The Patch with me to pick out what's actually going in the pot for Christmas dinner.

Glad there's such a neat little roadside farm so close to the shopping areas in Wake Forest and Rolesville. Other families pick Douglas Firs, but maybe this'll become our new...

We drove 30 minutes to visit this strawberry picking farm, but unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience. There were no signs indicating where to go, what to do, or even if the farm was open. No staff were outside to provide direction, and the hours listed online may be outdated; there was no clear indication of open or closed status anywhere on site. It would be really helpful if the farm updated their hours on Google and added some basic signage...

The Collard Patch is (almost) in my backyard, and the convenience is awesome, just like the strawberries we pick every spring/summer. The owner/manager Hal Gurley is so friendly, he even gives free berries to the staff at the local chamber of commerce! I love seeing families in the fields, picking berries during season, and the sweet potatoes can't be beat. Want some collards for Thanksgiving? Head for the Collard Patch. You won't be...