the end

NB - i wrote this post in november, but had trouble posting it...as if posting it made it more real. so pretend it is november while reading this.


seldom does one find a job that they are truly in love with. a job that they would happily pour their blood, sweat and tears into. a job that makes them so happy, so exhausted, so fulfilled. i was lucky enough to have found such a job.

lime valley mill, inc and its property and buildings was ours to love, work, cherish, enjoy and treat as our own. but it was not our own. the owner was a very generous man who let us do as we wished. build a successful business. grow produce and raise animals for meat of exceptional quality. we worked the land as we would our own. we treated the animals as our own. we built a reputation of our own. we had customers who thanked us for our work. but in the end, it was not ours.

the owner decided to sell the farm and with it all its possession - the tractors, the farming equipment, the produce supplies, the animals. it might have been his property to sell, but it was our time, our stress, our pain, our sweat, our plans, our love that went into making that property function.

i loved my job, and because i loved my job, i was good at it. of course, there is always room for improvement, and every year i had ideas of how to do things differently for the next year. this year was no exception. i already had plans in my head for next year so we could be better at what we already did well. every thing was set for winter market produce production. we picked up a third market for winter and we were excited about being one of a very few farms in lancaster county that even tries to grow produce in the winter. we had enough animals to keep our freezers fully stocked well through the winter months. we were a great team - we had fun, we worked well together and we all brought different expertise to the table.

the day i heard that the farm had been sold and we would soon be out of business was the day someone hit me with a ton of bricks. i didn't care that in two months i wouldn't have a job, i cared about all the hard work that i, and everyone else, had poured into this farm was going to be lost...was for nothing. i cared about having to tell our loyal customers that we would no longer be providing them with organically grown, fresh, local food. i cared about the future and well being of our animals.

but who do you get mad at? the owner? it was his property to do as he wished with. the people who bought it? they had a right to buy it. myself for being totally committed to something that was never even mine? i had no reason to think that it would be taken away from me so suddenly and so quickly. nor did i think when i took the job three years ago that i would fall so in love with it.

so...life goes on. you help clean up the property, liquidate the equipment, tell customers...all while harvesting produce, taking inventory of meat, coming to work like nothing has changed. it has been a tough month. most times it feels like nothing has changed. we are all still working our asses off. we have awesome product to sell and markets have been extremely successful this month. but then sometimes you remember that original conversation - 'John sold the farm' - and it hits you all over again.

organic v conventional growing

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/science/earth/study-questions-advantages-of-organic-meat-and-produce.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120904

let's talk about this article/study. 

first of all, ladies and gentlemen, certified organic produce does NOT mean chemical free. nowhere, in anyone's definition, does it say organic equals chemical free. this is a definition the public has given organic. certified organic farms are allowed to spray certain chemicals, ones that are less harmful, but nonetheless, chemicals. 

second of all, chemical sprays, or lack of, have NOTHING to do with the nutritional value of the produce. what gives produce a high nutritional value is two things - its freshness and its soil quality. as soon as produce is picked, it starts to lose its nutrients. so the sooner you consume that item, the more nutrition you will get. this is where buying locally and directly from the farmer comes in. soil quality also plays a major role in produce nutrition. if the soil on a farm is dead, void of organic matter and nutrients itself, it has nothing to give the produce plants, and therefore the produce. 

third of all, for everyone buying organic food for the health of themselves...shame on you. while i agree, i would prefer to go out into a field, pick a sugar pea off the plant and eat it without fear of what has been sprayed on it, this is not why i buy, and grow, organic. chemical farming does such harm to the environment it is a wonder we even still have an environment. industrialized farmers completely kill the soil, so nothing will grow (can't have a random thistle growing in the field, let alone an earthworm). then, in order to get their crop to grow (since the soil is dead), they have to add fertilizers. and what happens when it rains? you get runoff. since there is little in the field, but the crop, to keep the soil in place, it just runs away and with it much of that fertilizer. and where does it go? the streams, the lakes, the rivers. all those fish and other aquatic life don't appreciate the chemicals. and let's not forget all the herbicides and insecticides that are sprayed. some of that ends up on the plants, some in the air, some in the soil, some in the water. rachel carson would be so disappointed that we haven't improved our farming ways for the better of the environment and its wildlife. 

organic meat - i don't even know what that is, do you? what does grass fed beef mean? most people think grass fed means the animals eat grass and it is healthier for them. while it is true that grass fed meat has less saturated fat, many grass fed beef farms give their animals grain at some point. and does anyone think to ask if the grass the animals are eating is unsprayed? no, not usually. and does anyone think to ask how long mothers and calves are kept together? no... sheep and lambs? no... grass fed also doesn't mean pastured raised. the animals might be stuck in a barn somewhere eating hay, not roaming free on green pastures. my point is, you have to be able to talk with the farmer and ask them questions about their practices. the factory farms have given grain feed a bad name. and it is a bad thing, if that is all the animal is getting. they need a balanced diet, just like people. buy local and know your farmer. ask questions. most farmers like to talk about their practices.

while on the subject of meat, i am going to talk about our animal production. i don't very much since i deal mostly with the produce, but i sell our meat at market and i see the animals all around. we raise all the sheep, the ram, all the cows and the bull on the farm. lambs are with their moms for a couple of months, calves are with their moms for almost six months. lambs and calves are out on pasture almost from birth (depending on the weather and when they are born). they have grass in the pasture or hay in barn. they also have access to grain - corn, soy, wheat, etc - that is all grown organically on our farm. oh and the hay is grown organically on the farm, also the straw used for bedding. our pastures are never sprayed with chemicals. and we never grow GMOs. pigs and chicks are bought at a very young age and raised naturally and humanely from then on. most of our chickens are raised on pasture, but again it depends on the weather. pigs are not on pasture because, anyone who knows pigs, knows how destructive they can be. they are raised in a protected area...plenty of access to fresh air, sunlight and lots of our leftover produce. i always say, they eat better than many people in lancaster county. they LOVE tomatoes, melons, winter squash and pumpkins and sweet corn, but they will eat just about anything. you want to talk about organic meat...i think what we do is pretty organic. 

what this article did was point out many facts that most people had forgotten. many consumers make assumptions and don't get to know the truth. they forget that what is important is the health of the environment, the health of the meat animals while they are alive and where their money is going. support local farms. ask questions. know what your money is going to support. you have at least three food votes a day. make them count.

autumn

the season has officially changed, and i'm not just saying that because the calendar told me so. 

there is less sun, less light outside which slows down plant growth - not just for our crops' growth, but also weed growth. we are all thankful for the latter. 

bug pressure on plants also changes. there are less flea beetles, even less harlequin bugs, but caterpillars and grasshoppers are in abundance. they can do a good job chewing our leafy greens.

the days are cooler and the nights even more so. this effects different plants differently. crops like tomatoes, summer squashes and okra do not enjoy anything below 50-55 degrees F. the plants start to produce less and more slowly. it doesn't take long for the plants to start dying off. but cooler temperatures also mean greens, greens and more greens. cooking greens like kale, mustard, collards, broccoli raab and swiss chard grow wonderfully in the fall weather. the plants are healthier, they produce large quantities and their flavor is great. i need laundry baskets to pick greens into now, our dish pan size tubs don't cut it anymore. salad greens also do well in cooler temperatures. our head lettuces in the field are beautiful. arugula is flavorful. there is an abundance of mesclun mix and leaf lettuce - so tender, so tasty. 

the cooler temperatures also seem to have an effect on the color things. the colors are more vibrant. the red mustard is such a beautiful burgundy. you can truly see the difference in colors of the swiss chard stems - the bright yellow, magenta, deep red, orange, peach. the variety name of 'bright lights' has new meaning. the color of the peppers seems stronger, too - the lime green, cream, dark purple, dark green. they stand out so beautifully in a basket on the market table. even the different shades of green of all the leaves and stems of other greens and herbs is just more brilliant in the fall.

other signs of the season changing is what we wear to work everyday. we start wearing thicker socks and more layers. many days, the layers don't come off. we start really feeling the chill when we stick our hands in the cold sink water. sorting through produce that has been in the refrigerator really gets to our fingers. and forget getting meat out the freezers - we handle one steak and our fingers are frozen. there are no more t-shirts and sandals at market, but now shoes and sweatshirts.

the fall always seems to bring a lot of rain. it turns the fields muddy and makes for some fun driving experiences. forget sliding on ice, have you ever tried sliding on mud? we just kind of glide around turns. we can only avoid working in the rain so much. if we have to pick produce for market, we have to pick produce for market. today would have been a good day to be inside doing chores, but alas, we have market tomorrow. it was pouring rain pretty much all day and we were out in it for several hours picking produce for market. our tubs and baskets were filled, not only with produce, but water. our clothes were soaked down to our underwear and bras. sometimes we want to give up and just say, maybe we should just go back and finish later. but it gets to a point when we are already soaked, so we might as well finish. 

so many people think fall is the end of the season. well, it isn't. it is true that many crops come to an end in september and october. for example, our leeks are done, as is our sweet corn and string beans. our tomatoes are coming to an end. but many things, as i have just mentioned are growing better than ever right now. and there are many crops we are still waiting for - broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are all growing beautifully in the field, but it will be several weeks before they are pickable. many things will do well until frost hits, which isn't until late october or even november. we will cover what we can, but the frost will put an end to many crops. so don't forget your local farmer and farmers markets in the fall. the selection is still bountiful, not to mention beautiful. 

it's august?!

not only is it august, but it is the end of august. i have no idea where the summer has gone. i think the heat of july really threw us off. of course you expect summer to be hot, sometimes humid and sometimes dry. but you also expect a break every once in awhile. well, this july provided no breaks, no relief. it was hot, humid and dry for just about every day in july. we tried to plant, but things would just shrivel up under the sun and heat. nothing wanted to grow. forget greens like lettuce and kale. even the cucumber plants wilted to nothing. and speaking of wilting...how do you think we felt working in that heat and humidity. even going to market was hard. standing in the shade of the tents and the sweat was still just pouring off of us. as if produce farming isn't tiring enough, but when you are out there in such extreme heat and humidity for days on end, it completely drains you. it is hard to breathe at times. your body is working so hard just to keep cool and hydrated, it takes any extra energy away from you. you get home from work, take a shower and want to crawl into bed. you can't even think straight. you take cold showers, but still come out sweating. it is physically and mentally exhausting.
i know, there i go talking about the weather again. but you can't be a farmer and not talk about the weather. it effects everything you do and grow on a daily basis. the sweet corn didn't grow well, and what did grow didn't pollinate right because it was too dry. like i said, we had no greens in july and no hope of even planting them. no point in planting anything - too hot and too dry. some things that were planted before the heat did okay...summer squashes produced well, tomatoes did (and are doing) well, potatoes did very well this year, garlic did great, onions are looking very good. 
besides the weather, we have had other battles, too. the critters, mainly rabbits, love to chew on any newly planted crops. so we finally get a cloudy, cooler day to plant, but by the next day half the plants are gone because someone needed a snack last night. and the bugs...we knew the bugs were going to be bad this year because of the warmer winter we had. even with hand picking the harlequin bugs, they are on more crops than last year. the caterpillars, flea beetles and grasshoppers also love our greens, just like our customers. someone at market complained to me last week about our arugula being hole-ly and that she didn't want to eat it. i wanted to say, you try farming, or evening gardening, organically - and by organically i mean you don't spray anything on your crops - and then come back to me to complain. but i bit my tongue and said 'sorry.' 
needless to say, it has been a tough growing year, but fortunately, august has been considerably cooler...and wetter. plants are actually growing again. we are already harvesting some winter squash. we are up to our necks in tomatoes. greens are growing again - arugula, lettuce, chard, broccoli raab. inside seed starts are done for the year. everything we are trying to plant outside now is for fall and winter harvest - cabbages, cauliflowers, broccolis, kales, collards, chards, brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, radishes, beets.
another year under my belt. another year of experience as a farmer. another year of saying 'i am going to so this differently next year.'

april showers bring...

...wait, what april showers? it didn't rain in april until the last week. at a high point in the planting and growing season and there is no water. plants need warmth, sun and water to grow. if you are missing one part, growth slows down.

yes, i am talking about the weather again. why? because farming, the business i work for and my job are completely dependent on the weather. no rain, no plant growth. too much rain, mold and fungus issues. rain, no customers at market. too hot, some plants don't grow or go to seed very quickly. too cold, some plants die. the list goes on and on. you need such a balance in weather, just the right amount of heat, sun, rain, wind, cloud cover, etc, to grow produce to it's fullest potential, that it is practically impossible. 

last year, we had a dry spring and our root crops showed it. we had a hot and dry summer and our okra did so well, we were cutting it almost every day. then, the fall was cool and wet. cucumbers, summer and winter squash plants molded and died. but we had enough sweet potatoes to sell all winter. this shows you how important it is for a produce farm to be diverse. if we relied solely on pumpkins and winter squash for our income, we might not still be in business this year. but we don't and we are...we had many other crops to fall back on. 

the weather in 2012 continues to be odd. we had some warm spells in march that encouraged plants to grow. then we had quite a few cool nights in april. those cool nights told plants to stop growing. it also damaged some plants - like asparagus and strawberry blossoms. the asparagus has been slow to continue growing. peas have been growing well, but slow to blossom. potatoes were taking so long to sprout in the fields that we thought they might have all rotted. (fortunately, the potato plants look really good right now and so far no potato beetles.) when i planted the second planting of spring root crops (turnips, carrots, beets and radishes), the first planting had still not germinated. spring onions were growing better in the house, in a dark room, with no water, than they did when i first planted them out in the field. the dryness and coolness of april was hard on plants. 

but now, give plants and seeds a little warmth and sun and some water and BOOM! we have swiss chard, kale, mustard, head lettuce and broccoli raab that we harvested today (for market tomorrow). we pulled spring onions and radishes. we cut mesclun mix and arugula. we cut asparagus. our quantity numbers vary greatly from what they were at this time last year. but we still have nice looking, high quality product to sell. 

spring is here!

the past couple of weeks, there has been many signs that spring is here. here are some examples -

i've been wearing less layers to work, no more wool sweaters and long underwear

snow and snap peas were planted in the field

450lbs of potatoes (yukon gold, red norland and kennebec) were planted in the fields

transplanted in field from seeds i started inside - several varieties of head lettuce, 3 varieties of kale and collards

the greenhouse door is left open during the day, otherwise it gets to be 90 degrees in there!

there have been many sunny, warm days that make you almost break a sweat working outside

i cleaned out the farm stand, put out a few products for sale and made it officially open for the year!

there are still cool nights to remind us that it is not summer yet, but warm days to remind that it is almost here

the greenhouse is getting very full with seedlings to be planted in the fields

there are over 30 lambs running and jumping all around!

my days go by faster and faster and my to do list keeps growing. now is the time of year when i take advantage of any 'free' time and complete tasks that i know, if they don't get done, they won't until next winter. now is the time to stay on top of to do lists, especially planting schedules, because if i fall behind now, i will be behind all year. now is also a time to enjoy the warmth of the sun and getting my hands dirty planting in the fields.

professionalism

why is being a farmer not considered being a professional? i recently took a survey that asked for my profession. it had several things listed, one choice being a working professional and one choice being farmer/agricultural industry (among other choices). well...what the hell?

just because i don't wear a suit and heels everyday and work in a stuffy office and sit behind a desk and computer from 9-5 monday-friday...this makes me a non-professional??

i work my 40 hours a week, if not more. i work on the weekends and evenings, too, when the so called professionals are on vacation or at happy hour. i attend conferences and exchange experience and knowledge with others in my field. i have to make sure my actions don't directly cause harm to others (ie - food safety issues). i deal with customers on an almost daily basis and if i am not providing customer service in a professional manner, that will directly affect the company i work for. i have to keep up to date with social networking and make sure our name is always out there. i have to keep up with local and regional news to know what might affect this business. i have to know what our competitors are doing and what we need to do to stay on top of our game. i have to do research to know what is going to work best for us and save us time and money, while providing a good product. i have to know our customer base to know what varieties of produce will sell and what won't. i have to know our soil to know what varieties will do best for us and what potential problems we may run into. i have to figure out ways to deal with weeds and harmful insects - what is going to be most effective on the weeds and insects, but least harmful to the environment and humans. there is little passing off of jobs to others and a lot of okay, let's all go out and tackle this task.

how is my job, being a farmer, not professional? how is saying, 'my job is to grow your food,' not professional? the service i provide to society is huge...how is that not professional?