The Real Housewives of New Jersey: Early American Women and Their Kitchen Gardens

Kitchen gardens in the 1700s fed, healed, and clothed Early American families. The 18th century "huswife" skill set included "physicke, cookery, distillation, perfumery, the making of wool, hemp, flax, dayries, brewing, baking," and, of course - gardening.  Growing plants both native to North America and from their European homelands, these women turned their soup pots into the "melting pot" that is America and exemplified all the best qualities of plantswomen and patriots.

Lesley Parness is the former Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, where she oversaw education, programming and interpretation at various sites for fifteen years. She is a founding member and past President of Garden State Gardens.

This program is co-hosted with the Historical Society of Plainfield / Drake House Museum

This program is made possible in part by an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State, additionally through a grant administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, Department of Parks and Recreation; and by a 2024 HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of County Commissioners.