Kraus Farm, Nokesville, VA (2026)

07/05/2026

Ok let’s talk about these guys: June Bugs. They’re the big, bumbly beetles flying around your yards right now—knocking into everything and hovering over your lawns. Fun fact: the reason they’re so bag at flying is because they have two sets of wings that don’t really talk to each other.

Yes, they’re annoying. But they don’t bite or sting; they can’t! Their roles in life right now are to reproduce and lay eggs, and to provide valuable protein to birds. That’s it. In the meantime, they’ll munch on some leaves and bark, but they’re native to the US and only last a few weeks. They spend most of their lives (3ish years) in the soil being grubs.

Being a native species that supports our food web, it’s important not to go around killing these guys. They’re a valuable food source for nesting birds who need the protein. Also, their grubs provide food for birds like robins and bluebirds later in the year, and they’ll forage for them in your yard. They also feed frogs, toads, lizards, bats, and small mammals.

Prevention:
💡 Porch lights are extremely attractive to them at night. Turn them off or switch to yellow LEDs made to deter bugs. They can’t see those wavelengths.
🐦 Attract birds to your yard. Natural predators are the best defense because they do the work for you—and not just with June bugs! Clean water sources, trees, shrubs, and native berry producers bring all the boys to the yard.
🌱 Keep grass mowed at 3” or taller. They prefer to lay eggs in short grass. Bonus: this also prevents weeds and keeps grass less prone to burning in the heat. It’s a general best practice. We aim for 3.5”.
🌼 Eliminate more lawn. It’s a dead zone for most wildlife. Start making beds and borders that support native plants and you’ll attract more pleasant types of wildlife while eliminating breeding grounds for June bugs.
🧤 Grab a pair of gloves and physically take the June bugs and put them in a container, and then release them into a wooded area away from your home. This is only temporary relief; there’s no study that could show it works to prevent future populations.
🌳 Cover any plants or trees you want to preserve from damage with insect netting. It’s the most effective way to prevent damage without harm to other beneficial insects.

I hope this helps!

07/04/2026

This is a Zebra Swallowtail butterfly, (Eurytides marcellus)— a close cousin to the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail we see so often in our gardens. But you’re less likely to see zebra swallowtails in most suburban spots because they’re a specialist butterfly, meaning they have a very specific plant that they lay eggs on to host their caterpillars. Their host plant is exclusively the PawPaw tree, and so if this native fruit tree isn’t present they’re not sticking around.

I got super excited when I saw one fluttering around my yard yesterday, enjoying the nectar from my hummingbird garden flowers. I may have geeked out a little bit.

So this is your PSA to plant PawPaws! They’re some of our favorite low-maintenance trees on the farm, with their clean habit and thick, peat-resistant leaves. And, of course, a ton of fruits!

07/03/2026

Japanese Beetles got you down?

I know. This is their time to emerge and they’re hungry. You’re probably starting to notice them on your ornamentals, and they’re quite a nuisance.

Japanese Beetles (Popillia japonica) are an invasive species that were first discovered in the US in 1916 and they’ve been annoying gardeners ever since.

But just remember: they’re short-lived. They’re only around in July and part of August, and your plants will likely recover. But until then, what can you do?

Immediate Solution: hand picking. Throw those suckers in a cup of soapy water as you inspect your garden each day. The females lay their eggs starting in mid-July so let’s disrupt that cycle while we still can. I love insects but don’t enjoy touching them, so I do it with my garden gloves on. No judgement here!

Other options: traps. They’re highly effective; too effective to use in suburban settings as they’ll draw in every beetle within a few miles. Literally. You’ll regret it. If you can set them super far away from your growing space, do so but remember to empty it out every few days.

Future Prevention: Entomophagous nematodes can be effective in controlling Japanese beetle larvae. Apply ones containing Heterorhabditis spp. on the soil of your lawn in mid-August. (Timing is important here!) Irrigate with about 1/4” inch of water both before and after applying the nematodes. They won’t hurt anything else in your soil.

Plant things they don’t like: ash, cedar, dogwood, euonymus, fir, holly, juniper, lilac, magnolia, pine, red oak, red and silver maple, red mulberry, spruce, clematis, milkweed, marigold, and redbud are all pretty resistant.

Things they love: roses, hibiscus, zinnia, grapes, fruit trees, corn, green beans, canna lily, raspberries, blackberries, Japanese maple, Crape Myrtle, and stone fruit trees. They prefer plants with thin, tender leaves and strong fragrance.

Trap plants: Japanese beetles love geraniums, but they’ll temporarily paralyze them and make them more susceptible to predators so many will use these as a trap crop.

Physical barriers: putting insect netting around plants in July and August are the only guaranteed way to protect your plants against them. This may be a good idea for newly planted trees and perennials, or prized roses. I put organza bags on my favorite dahlia blooms to keep them off. Just remember to take it back off or you could damage new growth as it comes in.

Pesticides: there are no insecticides on the market that only target this beetle. They’ll also harm the many beneficial, native living things in your garden.

Important note: many people are encouraging Japanese Beetles without knowing it. They require moist soil in the summer for egg viability, and so they’re particularly present in irrigated lawns. If you’re getting brown patches in your grass, it could be a sign of grubs eating the roots.

The good news: they rarely kill plants. The skeletonized leaves they leave behind trigger the plant to produce auxins, which tell the plant to put out new growth. It may get ugly for a minute, but it’s rarely fatal.

Sources: here are some great, research-based ways to learn more

https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-1101/2902-1101.html

https://fairfaxgardening.org/grubs-and-beetles/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/JBhandbook.pdf

06/23/2026

Did you know that if you handle raw garlic for several hours, you can get chemical burns?

Yup, me neither. I had a bunch of bulbs I harvested that I couldn’t cure and so instead of going on the curing rack, those ones got brought in to peel and dehydrate for garlic powder.

A few hours in, I was slicing them and thought I may have sliced all of my fingers at once. I was tired, and it was totally possible.

But no. I rinse them off and find several VERY painful blisters on each of my fingers.

Turns out the Allicin in garlic is a highly reactive sulfur compound that is released when they’re crushed or chopped. It’s a cytotoxic compound that is fine in limited contact, like regular cooking, but if it’s for an extended time (like the several hours I was separating, peeling, and chopping), it causes fluid filled blisters.

So… if you’re going to make garlic powder or you plan on prepping for long-term storage… wear gloves. I’ll spare you the gory photos, but the burns crisply run down my fingers as well. My hands are so swollen!

My nail tech is going to kill me.

04/03/2026

Just a look at some of the things blooming on our farm right now. We have only one acre (small for farm standards) but we’re very careful about the use of our space. So far, we have at least fifty varieties of fruits growing on the back of our property.

Pictured here:
1: Apple Tree, grafted with a few varieties
2: Pear Tree, also grafted with 3 types
3: Peach Tree: shares a tree with nectarines and plums
4: Virginia Bluebells, tucked into our shady grove
5: Sassafras Sapling
6: Paw Paw Tree (love their dark flowers)
7 & 8: Native Crab Apple tree
9: Red Maple
10: Blueberry blooms
11: Juneberry (serviceberry)

Not pictured but also popping out or blooming here: Redbuds, elderberries, cherry trees, Nanking cherry, figs, Golden Alexanders, tulips, all kinds of perennials, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, peonies, hellebores, ferns, lilies, garlic, onions, potatoes, and sweetspires.

I love this time of year!

03/08/2026

These warmer days have woken my garlic up!

In Northern VA, garlic is typically planted in late fall, and then it roots up over the winter. By early summer, you’ll have a brand new bulb beneath each set of leaves. 1 leaf=1 clove in the bulb, and different varieties produce a different number of cloves. But they all look like this when they first sprout, and then they’ll start to fill out as more cloves develop.

Our favorite varieties here are hard neck because they throw up “scapes” in the spring that are absolutely delicious.

This year we’re growing Chesnok Red and Idaho Silver varieties. I’ll keep some for fresh use, and I’ll preserve some and dehydrate some for garlic powder.

Since this spot will open up in early summer, this bed will be planted with beans and summer squashes when they’re harvested.

If you think you’d like to try planting some garlic this fall, order in spring to ensure you get your order on time and in the varieties you actually want. I prefer as they are virus tested and they have lots of fun organic options, including sampler packs. I always put in my calendar to check in early May to place my order, but you can peruse their options in the meantime.

03/03/2026

March is the perfect time to plant potatoes in Northern VA. We always aim to have ours in the soil by St. Patrick’s Day.

🥔 Certified Organic Seed Potatoes are available for pre-order now in our online store for local pickup. Remember: seed potatoes are harvested at Ed and stored differently and at different times than grocery store potatoes, and they’re tested for viruses (unlike food potatoes).

🥔 Fun Fact: grocery store potatoes use generic names for potatoes to be able to interchange different varieties that look similar. Grow your own to ensure you’re getting the variety you want!

🥔 Don’t know where to start? We have workshops for that! I’ll go over the “cheap and lazy” method we use for all gardening consultations. The best, most balanced gardens require less money and energy than most people would expect. We will cover research-based, bio-friendly practices for selecting varieties, prepping soil, preparing a space or containers, planting, maintaining, harvesting, and storing your potatoes. Not only will you have access to the recording later, but you’ll also have lifetime access to an online vault of resources that go along with it!

🥔 Kids love growing potatoes because the seed potatoes are nice and big, the grow quickly, and they’re fun to harvest. Yukon Golds even grow flowers!

🥔 Many clients assume you need a ton of space to grow potatoes, but in fact you can grow them in a container on your porch if you wanted.

🥔 Our Certified Organic Yukon Gold potatoes are a yellow fleshed potato renowned for outstanding flavor and dry texture. Perfect baked, boiled, mashed or fried and they keep really well in storage.

Join our workshop! It’s designed for people everywhere, so share with friends and family and let’s grow together ❤️🥔

02/26/2026

Kraus Farm is offering a series of virtual workshops--check it out! I'll be offering some of my most popular topics covered in our private consultations as part of a public offering. Sign up for any one (or all!) of our workshops, and you'll get access to the live link, the virtual recording, and several relevant resources to help guide you long after we meet. These interactive workshops are designed with YOU in mind--no matter where you live! Share with a friend; these workshops are relevant to all types of gardening spaces and locations.

Our topics include:
• Garden Planning
• Seed Starting
• Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes
• Productive, Pest-Resilient Gardens
• Darling Dahlias
• Tomatoes: The Juicy Details
• Planting for Pollinators

Looking forward to seeing you!
https://www.krausfarmva.com/collections/gardening-workshops

02/19/2026

Northern VA People:
Check out the Native Seedling Sale happening now through the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District. They sell bundles of 4 native plants for $20--that's only $5 per shrub/tree!

This year they're offering my four favorite plants! They are offering two bundled options, each including (2) of both plants.

"Pick of the Patch" (Small Trees) 2 each of:
• American Plum: (Prunus americana) - super hardy small tree (20-35') with beautiful clusters of white flowers in the spring. Considered a "keystone" species, it supports a huge amount of wildlife and works great for a hedgerow or privacy as well. These trees are fast growing and low maintenance, and native bees LOVE it.
• Paw Paw: (Asimina triloba) - a native tree that produces fruit similar to a custardy cross between a banana and a mango with a hint of vanilla sweetness. They're only 12-20' high, so they're manageable and very easy to grow. Deer, pest, and disease resistant. Very pretty canopies. Tolerates shade well. You'll need at least 2 if you want fruit. This is the only host of the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly!

"Berry Bonanza" (Shrubs) 2 each of:
• Canadian Serviceberry: (Amelanchier canadensis) - fantastic for a showy shrub or even privacy at 15-30' tall. Early spring brings SO many clusters of tiny white flowers. Gorgeous and firey in the fall. Brings in the birds and the bees; can be easily pruned for a neat (Read: HOA friendly) appearance. As a keystone species, it provides more wildlife value than most plants
• American Elderberry: (Sambucus canadensis) - my personal fav. Gorgeous umbels of white flowers turn into delicious berries in late summer on a 6-12' shrub, usable for jellies, syrups, pies, or even just feeding the birds. Grows in partial shade best, but mine are fine in the full sun. The hollow stems provide nesting spaces for native bees, and it's a great nectar source for butterflies too. Very fast growing.

Any one of these plants will provide beauty, wildlife benefits, and landscape appeal to your outdoor space. I've purchased seedlings from them every year, and they never disappoint. Pre-order before they run out. The link below will take you to the storefront to pre-order. Pickup is in late March.

https://nvswcdevents.myrec.com/info/products/default.aspx?CategoryID=101

01/12/2026

Somebody walked into my garage where I had a pile of my divided dahlia bundles ready for checking and said, “Oh my gosh, I thought that was drugs for a second.”

I mean… same difference. IFKYK 🤪

Kraus Farm

07/05/2026

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