A father's perspective

Los Endos - Pt. 2

2012-01-08T22:34:00.008-05:00

"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make."

Those who engage in local, sustainable, and organic farming are not, to borrow from Frank Zappa, in it for the money. This point is being restated in the context of an 'event' at Z Food Farm back on Labor Day. Labor Day was started as a day that 'celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers'. During the farm season, farmers labor on a daily basis and there is no time off. And too often there is more labor to be done than time and paid employees can get done; at times farming can be 'physically and personally unsustainable'. That's where volunteers come in. In the spirit of volunteerism something called a Crop Mob has taken root in various states. For a full description of this movement is go to http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/magazine/28food-t-000.html).

To quote from the article for this post, a "Crop Mob is a word-of-mouth (and Web) event in which landless farmers and the agricurious descend on a farm for an afternoon..." The volunteers assist the farmer in whatever tasks and chores need to be done on that particular day.

There were a few rows that had been planted with various berries, rhubarb, hops, and asparagus that got lost in the weeds. Despite David's good intentions this area remained under weeds and there was little anticipation that David with Greg and Oscar was going to get around to cleaning out this area. Well, Mary Jo, a friend and volunteer to David, upon hearing about David's needs, and about Crop Mobs, took the lead and helped to organize the first ever Z Food Farm Crop Mob. That the event took place on Labor Day, a supposed day of rest for workers, is a testament to the commitment of the people who volunteered their time. Weeding is not glamorous work, but it is essential; especially since organic farms are not allowed to use chemicals to kill weeds. So, great thanks and much appreciation to Hannah, Richie, Matt, and Piers. Their efforts were of great value as they helped to save most of what had been planted but had gotten overwhelmed by weeds. Without their efforts it is quite possible that all the plants would have been lost.

Why did Hannah, Richie, Matt, and Piers, why do others, volunteer their time in this manner? I can only guess that it is because they, as David and most others who farm in a local and sustainable manner, have a passion for what they do, a compassion for the land that provides some of their sustenance, and a love for the world in which they live.

Below are a few pictures commemorating the day.

On the left you can get a sense of the extent of the weeds. On right center you can see the results of the weeding.

This is what first year asparagus looks like. It takes three years for asparagus to reach the stage at which it can be productively harvested.

Here's David trying to hide behind a weed,

The next three pictures show the 'mob' weeding away. A strong back is a requisite of farming.

Peace, good health, and hopefulness to one and all.

Los Endos - Pt. 1

2011-12-29T20:15:00.006-05:00

“There’s an angel standing in the sun, free to get back home.”

Belatedly, with apologies…

The last market of the season was on Dec. 3 at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. The last New Amsterdam market, in NYC, was on Sunday, Nov. 20. The last on-site farm stand was Wednesday, Nov. 16. On behalf of all associated with Z Food Farm, a great shout out of thanks to all who supported the farm the 2011 farm season.

This was the second year that Z Food Farm participated in the Rittenhouse Square Farmers’ Market under the auspices of the Farm To City organization. Thanks to Kristen, the hands-on market manager, for all of her efforts. (If you are interested in more info about Farm To City and the various programs and markets that they run go to www.farmtocity.org/) The first year at the market (2010) was a huge success for the farm. This year was even better. To the residents of the Rittenhouse Square area, to those who may not live near the Square but still use the market as part of their regular shopping, and to those who just happen to wander by, thank you so much. Old friends and new, your patronage has been greatly appreciated.

This was the first year that Z Food Farm participated in the New Amsterdam Market in New York City. This is a relatively new market and it has the goal of “leading the redevelopment of the East River Market District in Lower Manhattan.” The manager of the market, Robert is striving to create a “Public Market” in the spirit of the historical nature of the Fulton Fish Market and surrounding district. For more information about the goals Robert has for the market, and about specific vendors, go to www.newamsterdammarket.org. The market is located in front of the Old Fulton Fish Market on South Street and Peck Slip in Lower Manhattan; it is just south of the Brooklyn Bridge. As a newcomer to the market Z Food Farm felt warmly welcomed by those who have previously shopped at the market and by those who were discovering the market for the first time. Becoming a part of the New Amsterdam Market family of vendors was a wonderful experience for Farmer David and the farm. To those who supported the farm by purchasing some of your produce us, thank you ever so much. Whether in Philly or NYC, you, the consumer, have many choices as to where you can buy your produce and Z Food Farm does not take your support for granted. The heartfelt thanks from David and company are extended to all.

As mentioned in an earlier posting, the Lawrenceville Farmers Market ceased operations during the course of the farm season. It is unfortunate that this happened. Whether the market makes a comeback is not known at this time. Regardless, the support of those who bought their produce at the L’ville Market this year and last is appreciated. In addition, thanks to all who have stopped by the farm on Wednesdays and Fridays these past two years to buy their produce.

At this time Z Food Farm will be returning to both the Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market and to the New Amsterdam Market for farm season 2012. In addition, the on site farm stand will return. We look forward to building on the successes of these first two years and learning from, and improving upon, those areas that fell short of our own expectations.

While the winter hiatus has only recently begun, the start of the next season is not that far down the road. Seeding for farm season 2012 will be starting late February/early March!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Hope the overall holiday season was a time of much enjoyment and peacefulness. And here’s hoping that the past year was a good one and that the coming year is one of peace, happiness, hopefulness, and good health to one and all.

STILL GOING

2011-09-26T21:39:00.002-04:00

‘Hot town, summer at the farm
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the fields’

‘I can't stop the rain
From falling down on you again
I can't stop the rain
But I will hold you’

The Sahara like conditions of July was followed by copious amounts of rain. The combined impact on all farms in the general Northeast area has been significant. And farms in upstate NY and Vermont have been especially devastated. Each season brings its own weather related challenges, and this year has been no exception. So, regardless of where you live, the next time you go to your local farmers’ market, give a shout out of appreciation to the farmer from whom you are buying your produce. It will most definitely be appreciated.

Specific to Z Food Farm: various plants in the ground were toasted. Germination in the green house was too often poor. With the passing of the heat the persistent rain of August has contributed to the early demise of tomatoes and a couple of other items. Last season David had a decent amount of various tomatoes through the end of September into early August. As of now, tomato season is over. This is simply part of the challenge faced by all farmers and is not specific to Z Food Farm.

There is much over which a farmer has control, but the critical factor of weather is something that no farmer can do anything about. With that said, some farmers have high tunnels (unheated green houses) in their fields. This allows the farmer to plant directly in the ground in a semi-protected environment thus providing the farmer an opportunity to minimize some of the effects of extreme weather. The high tunnel also allows a farmer to get some items into the ground a little sooner and to keep things in the ground a little later. David’s plan is to put up a high tunnel prior to the start of farm season 2012. The anticipation for next years season has already started.

Bits and pieces: Last season the last farm stand market was the Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. The last market at Rittenhouse Square was the first Saturday of December. That is the goal for this season as well, with the inclusion of the New Amsterdam Market. We’ll see if the weather cooperates.

News about the Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market- David has participated in the Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market since its inception in 2005- first as an intern with Cherry Grove Organic Farm, then as manager of Gravity Hill Farm, and currently as farmer/proprietor of Z Food Farm. It is sad to report that the Lawrenceville Market has come to an end. Attendance at the market has been dwindling the past few years and it reached a point where it was decided that maintaining the market was not in the best interests of the various vendors. Thanks to all who brought the market into existence, to those who worked to make the market a success, to the vendors who supported and encouraged each other, and, most importantly, to you who have supported David and the other vendors by doing some of your shopping at the market. We hope to see you at the farm on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Support your local farmer. Eat healthy.

Mother Nature's Bounty

2011-08-04T21:44:00.014-04:00

In case you hadn't noticed, it has been extremely hot of late. This puts undo stress on both the plants, those in the ground and those waiting to be planted, and those doing the farming. Both requires lots of water to prevent drying out and dehydration. And while most of us can relax in an air conditioned home or office, Farmer David and his merry band of warriors (Greg, Oscar, and Jose) and all small and large farms in the area and elsewhere, are at the mercy of the elements- extreme heat, rain, and cold. If you do shop at a farmers' market, take the time to thank the farmer for bringing fresh, local, and sustainable produce to you. On top of the challenges presented by weather Farmer David is experiencing a different type of challenge. For the first time at Z Food Farm some critter is eating the plants that are developing in the greenhouse! And the damage is quite significant. Lettuce, kohlrabi, kale, among others, have been eaten. As a result there is a chance that there will be a shortage of these items at the time they would otherwise have been getting harvested during the fall. There will be a reseeding of the items that have been eaten, but this will not make up for the loss. Once everything is reseeded and starts to germinate the new baby plants will be covered, in some manner, to protect them from whatever it is that is eating the current plants.

What follows are some pictures of some of the bounty that David has been bringing to the Philly (Sat) and New York (Sun) markets as well as selling at the farm (Wed and Fri) and at the Lawrenceville market (Sat). Enjoy.

A painter's palette of colors. As you enjoy the beauty, imagine how tasty they are! Happy and healthy eating to all.

WHEW!

2011-07-11T21:55:00.003-04:00

It has been a very busy and hectic month. However, with all that has been going on the biggest and most important news is that Z Food Farm is officially CERTIFIED ORGANIC!!! Yes indeed. It has been a long process, but this particular journey has been completed. Being certified isn't going to change anything about how David farms. David will continue to farm as he always has- using farming practices that convey a personal and abiding commitment to practices that are respectful of the soil and nature. All organic farmers are stewards of the ideals established by Sir Albert Howard about the critical importance of farming in a manner that nurtures the soil as a living organism. Healthy soil results in food that tastes good and is good for you.

Bits and pieces. Market season is in full swing. The market at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. The New Amsterdam Market in New York City. The Lawrenceville Farmers' Market and at the farm itself. Though things got off to a slow start due to weather considerations and the general challenges of farming, the availability of produce is picking up with more new items available on a weekly basis. Currently available is Swiss Chard, kale, cippolini onions, summer squash, cucumbers, basil, white and purple scallions, various lettuces, and cabbage. Coming up this week should be radishes, parsley, potatoes, and fresh garlic. Taking a hiatus are spinach, collards, and kohlrabi. It has been rewarding to have f'riends' from last year tell us how happy they are that Z Food Farm is back at old markets. And the response from new 'friends' at last years markets and the New Amsterdam Market (which is new for ZFF this year) is extremely gratifying. Much thanks to all who support David's efforts by buying some of their produce from Z Food Farm.

As always the weather plays a role in the ebb and flow of farming. While there have not been too many rainy days, the days of rain have a) come at inopportune times and b) dumped a lot of rain in a short period of time. This resulted in David falling behind in forming beds in order to plant, thus delaying the planting of certain items. (Putting the tractor on wet ground will compact the soil; compacted soil is not healthy soil.) The rain also resulted in the proliferation of weeds. The weeds overwhelmed the first planting of a couple of items, salad mix being one. This has meant that David has been unable to bring some produce to market. All farmers experience these types of challenges. Those who can adapt and keep pushing forward are those who ultimately succeed. Those who don't, stop. And so it goes.

An article by Mark Bittman ( June 14, 2011, "The True Cost of Tomatoes") that should be of interest for those who are interested and concerned about how their food is grown and about those who work for certain industrial farms can be found at this link http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/14/the-true-cost-of-tomatoes/

Here is one paragraph from the article- "Most of the big purchasers, like Wal-Mart and McDonald’s, want firm, “slicing” tomatoes, because their destination is a burger or a sandwich, so the tomatoes are picked at what is called “mature green,” which isn’t mature at all but bordering on it. Tomatoes with any color other than green are too ripe to ship, and left to rot; I’ve posted a couple of pictures I took of those on my blog. The green tomatoes are gassed — “de-greened” is the chosen euphemism — to “ripen” them; the plants themselves are often killed with an herbicide to hasten their demise and get ready for the next crop." In addition to exploring the manner in which tomatoes are grown and treated, the article discusses the harsh living conditions of the farm workers. Read this article and think about the tomatoes you eat at local restaurants when local tomatoes are not in season. Speaking of tomatoes, Z Food Farm should have some cherry tomatoes within the next couple of weeks. A couple of varities of 'regular' tomatoes could be ready by the very end of July, with the second week of August being when the main crop of tomatoes start to make their appearance. When all is said and done, David hopes to have upwards of 60 varieties of tomatoes, mostly heirloom, to tantalize your taste buds.

Looking forward the the weeks to come. Good health and happy eating to all.

And On and On It Goes

2011-06-13T21:47:00.011-04:00

The cycle of farming is a daily process.No matter how much gets done, and no matter how good you feel about any particular day, there is always something more that could have been done. That's why there is tomorrow. Having people you enjoy spending long days with is critical to the success of any farm, but it is especially true when you are working on such a small scale. David is very cognizant of his good fortune in having Greg and Oscar as his employees for the second year in a row. Here is a snapshot of some of the ongoing process of farming.

Preparing the soil for planting requires a few steps. The first is the use of a chisel plow. This plow does the initial breaking up of the soil. Next comes disc plowing which turns the soil over exposing the roots of the weeds which is intended to kill the weeds; then roto tilling which breaks up the large chunks of soil into softer consistency; and then an implement that forms the beds into which the plants will be planted. At the same time the beds are formed, plastic is placed on the beds which aids in the lessening of weeds.

Here is David using a disc plow.

On the seats are Oscar and Greg (foreground). They worked for David last year and are back for more fun and excitement this season. They are great young men and David is very appreciative of their efforts helping in the growth and development of the farm. In the background is Frank. Frank has been primarily involved with the bees at Z Food Farm. When he has the time he volunteers in the fields. Frank's involvement with the bees has been outstanding and his willingness to then spend time in the field is a great bonus. (Greg and Oscar are sitting on the water wheel. The water wheel pokes holes in the plastic/soil and puts water in the whole as it is pulled by the tractor. As it moves along the plants are placed in the hole by those on the seats- it is a process that speeds up the process of planting.)

A number of beds, covered in plastic, with tiny babies that were recently planted.

Some Red Russian kale. The netting covering the plant is intended to protect the kale from being eaten by a ground hog.

Lettuce, and various other veggies, are waiting their turn to be planted.

Happy and healthy eating to all. As best you can, eat local, eat organic. Peace and good health to all.

Be The Farmer

2011-06-04T22:13:00.001-04:00

“Dream the fisherman in his boat, he’s comin’ home empty. He’s barely afloat. Dream the logger in the great northwest, they’re runnin’ out of trees. They got to give it a rest. Dream the farmer in the old heartland, corporate greed and chemicals are killin’ the land… Save the Planet for another day, be the river as it rolls along. Be the rain. Be the rain. Be the rain.”

It’s been a very busy couple of weeks for Farmer David and his hard working crew of Greg and Oscar. With the rain creating a delay in planting, the workdays are long and the restful nights are short. There have been a couple of days that started at 5:30AM and more than a few days that didn’t end until dark. Long hours such as these are common to small, family type farms. Add to this the August type heat of last week, and you can better appreciate what it takes to commit oneself to farming. Whether you buy at farmers’ markets or your local grocery, take a few moments to appreciate the hard work that went into getting the food to you. If you do shop for your produce at a farmers’ market take a moment to thank the farmer. Take the time to learn more about the process of farming and you will better appreciate that you are getting great value for your hard earned money.

Despite the rain and the heat, a lot of planting has taken place. Lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, fennel, sweet and hot peppers, various onions and scallions, potatoes, and tomatoes, plus a few others, have all been planted. As of today the plants are doing well and some items should be ready for market within the next week. With all of this planting is still behind schedule and more long days are anticipated. A day in the life.

Ground hog news - there has been some damage done to lettuce by groundhogs. Hule has gotten one ground hog, but there are more to go. Between pests, disease, and ground hogs, keeping the plants in good shape is an ongoing challenge.

Long days and pleasant nights to one and all. Shop local. Eat healthy. Peace and hopefulness to all.

To Market To Market

2011-05-18T21:56:00.003-04:00

For David and Z Food Farm this years’ market season will start the first weekend/week of June. For the coming season David will again attend the Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market in Philadelphia, (9:30Am-4PM) a market that is organized by Farm To City. For more information about the market and the other markets supported by Farm to City go to www.farmtocity.org. Z Food Farm will also again sell produce at the farm itself. At this time the plan is to be open on Wednesdays and Fridays. The specific times will be posted on the Z Food Farm facebook page and on the Z Food Farm website (www.zfoodfarm.com). And Z Food Farm will once again be part of the Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market. New this year, the Lawrenceville Market will now be held on Saturdays; 10AM – 2PM. This is a change in day and time. Go to http://www.lawrencevillemainstreet.com/events/farmersmarket.htm to stay informed of what is happening.

The big market news for the coming season is that Z Food Farm will be attending the New Amsterdam Market in New York City (www.newamsterdammarket.org). The market is on Sundays from 11AM-4PM. On May 1 there was a special May Day market event that Z Food Farm attended. In addition to various potted plants (lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, snap peas, and basil), for those who want to ‘grow their own’, David had leeks, spring garlic, and kale as fresh produce. It was a wonderful experience and David and all of Z Food Farm are eagerly looking forward to being part of the New Amsterdam Market this coming farm season.

Z Food Farm looks forward to friends old and new at Rittenhouse Square, at the Lawrenceville Market, and at the farm and to the new friends we are about to make at the New Amsterdam Market.

Eat healthy and prosper.

Welcome to the Z Food Farm stand at the New Amsterdam Market.

Here are some of the potted plants that were available at the New Amsterdam Market. Potted plants will be available at all market sites come the beginning of June.

More potted plants.

The fresh produce. Spring garlic is a special treat and if you have a chance you should try some.

The market is located by the old Fulton Fish Market just below the Brooklyn Bridge. It is a beautiful sight.

Growing

2011-05-07T22:40:00.012-04:00

Last year the first planting, potatoes, took place on May 12. Today, May 7, marked the start of this seasons planting. First in the ground was kale and kohlrabi. Pictures to commemorate the event will be forthcoming. Though planting has started sooner than last season, things are behind where David would like them to be. Though there were a couple of glitches, the greenhouse was not heated as soon as desired being one, the wet weather was the biggest culprit. Over the past few days the weather has been glorious and David was able to work the soil, thus allowing for the start of planting. Planting will continue tomorrow and the cycle of the season is now well under way. More trays of plants will be moved from the greenhouse to the outside tables to 'harden' them in anticipation of planting and then there will be more seeding, germinating, growing, planting of the grown up plants and moving the now ready trays of plants outside; and so on for the duration of the season. There is a continuity and regularity to the farm season that is consistent and comforting.

The anticipation is that market season will start the beginning of June. With more specifics to come, Z Food Farm will be: at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market on Saturdays (yes, the market is moving from Sunday to Saturday), at the Rittenhouse Square Market in Philadelphia, also on Saturday mornings, at the New Amsterdam Market in NYC on Sunday mornings, and at the farm on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Whew! That should keep David and crew busy. David and Z Food Farm are looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones.

This shows how full the greenhouse was, and this picture was taken on April 6. Much of what you see here has grown up and was moved outside to be replaced by new trays.

These are the trays of plants that have been moved outside and are waiting to be planted.

These are hops rhizomes. Let's brew some beer! Actually is will be a couple of years before there will be enough hops to actually do some serious brewing.

"In botany a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes may also be referred to as creeping rootstalks or rootstocks.

If a rhizome is separated into pieces, each piece may be able to give rise to a new plant. This is a process known as vegetative reproduction and is used by farmers and gardeners to propagate certain plants. Examples of plants that are propagated this way include hops, asparagus, and ginger." (Wikipedia)

This is Red Russian Kale that survived the winter and was producing delicious baby sized leaves of kale. It was delicious.

This is David's 'new' tractor, a 1977 John Deere. The blue tractor from last year was not powerful enough to pull the various plows and other implements to work the field and plant the crops. David was in the position of borrowing Farmer Matt's tractor throughout last season. Matt was very generous with his tractor, but there were times when David was in need of a tractor at the same time that Matt was using it; David thus had to wait. While David will still need to be patient about when he borrows some of the implements (ie. a chisel plow), having his own tractor will minimize the amount of time that he will have to wait. And if you are concerned about the age of the tractor, have no fear, nothing runs like a Deere.

This is what the field looks like after being chiseled plowed. Chisel plowing is the first step in preparing the soil for planting. This type of plowing breaks apart the top layer of soil that has been compacted over the course of the winter.

This is what a chisel plow looks like.

Here is David using the disc plow. After the soil has been broken up by the chisel plow, the disc plow turns the soil and breaks it up even more. Following disc plowing the soil will be rototilled and then David will use an implement to lay the plastic 'mulch' that helps, somewhat, to minimize weeds. Just like rust, weeds never sleep.

And here's your hippy, dippy farmer wishing you all peace, love, and organic vegetables.

Moving Forward

2011-05-04T22:09:00.002-04:00

This seasons seeding started a little later than was planned, but was well ahead of last year. The germination was great and the seedlings have thrived. The seedlings grew up and, in anticipation of being planted, were moved outside to ‘harden’ them. The next round of seeding was accomplished and germination was again successful. These seedlings have also done well and the plants are close to being ready to be moved outside. There’s only one problem- it keeps raining and the ground has been too wet to do any plowing (driving heavy equipment on wet ground compacts the soil- compacted soil is unhealthy soil) and thus there has been no planting. Since the outside tables are full the plants ready to be moved outside have nowhere to go. However, on Monday, May 2 and Tuesday, May 3 David was finally able to do some plowing. First he did some chisel plowing to break up the soil and then he used a disc plow to turn the soil over. The next step would be to rototill the soil to prepare the beds into which the seedlings would be planted. Alas, Wednesday’s rain prevented this from happening. Fingers are crossed for dry weather so that planting can take place within the next few days. Last seasons first planting took place on May 12, so David is still ahead of where he was, but is behind where he would like to be. And so it goes.

Last season David bought a cultivating tractor. The advantage of such a tractor is that it would save labor when it came to weeding between the plant beds. Unfortunately the tractor was not strong enough to pull various attachments- such as the chisel plow. Farmer Matt, David’s mentor from his days as an intern at Cherry Grove Organic Farm, was generous with his tractor and equipment. While David will still benefit from Matt’s generosity with various attachments, David now has a tractor that is strong enough to pull the attachments; a good old John Deere. While David will still need to wait for Matt to be done with any particular attachment, having his own tractor will allow things to go much more smoothly. Better days ahead.

As was done last year, Z Food Farm will spend Saturday mornings/afternoons at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia (Go to http://www.farmtocity.org/ for more information about the market and the organization behind the market). The Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market will be moving from Sundays to Saturdays; yes, we will be in two places at once; more details to come. And the farm stand will be open on Wednesdays and Fridays; again, more information will be forthcoming. In addition to these locations, David will be adding the New Amsterdam Market to his schedule. The New Amsterdam Market is located in Manhattan, where the old Fulton Fish Market used to be. (Go to http://www.newamsterdammarket.org/ for more information about this market.). On Sunday, May 1, Z Food Farm made its inaugural appearance at a special edition of the market. All markets will start the first weekend of June. The opening of the farm stand has yet to be determined, but will be around the same time.

David and Z Food Farm are looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. Getting there.

Keep On Growing

2011-04-11T22:07:00.012-04:00

Most of the germinating seeds in the greenhouse continue to do well. In fact, lettuce and spinach that was seeded on 3/22 has been moved outside to 'toughen' up in preparation for being planted in the field. (Pictures of these plants will be posted in a couple of days.) The plan is to start planting in about two weeks. A break in the rain would be a very good thing. Will all friends of Z Food Farm please hope for the best. In addition to the excitement of moving the lettuce and spinach outside, there are two other bits of exciting news. The first is that the hops that were ordered have arrived! Yay hops! The other is that the second round of seeding has started. The next seeding of lettuce, Swiss Chard, and broccoli has been done. This process of seeding, germinating, moving outside, and planting will be continued throughout the season. In the next few weeks the pace of events will speed up. Greg and Oscar, while not back to work full time, have been integral parts of the ongoing process of getting things at the farm up and running and their efforts as things move forward are essential to the success of Z Food Farm. This is a very exciting, and anxious, time of the year. Actually, the entire season is full of excitement and anxiety:-)

The following pictures were taken a week ago. Compare them with pictures from the previous post to get a sense of how quickly things grow. Within the next couple of days more recent 'baby' pictures will be posted to again show the growth and development of the plants. Enjoy!

Here is the center row of the greenhouse. The green of the germinating plants is a beautiful thing.

Here is the left side of the greenhouse. Notice the green of the plants in the background of the picture and the newly seeded flats in the foreground.

Baby basil plants. There are 160 varieties of basil. Z Food Farm will have eight varieties including Italian, Lime, Lemon, and Cinnamon.

Baby Swiss Chard.

This is some of the lettuce. Within the past week there has been an amazing amount of growth. Within approximately two weeks the lettuce will be ready for planting in the fields.

If you look back at previous posts you will have an appreciation of how much growth there has been with these plants. What you see on the heating mats are tomatoes, eggplants, sweet peppers, hot peppers, and various herbs.

This picture should give you a better perspective of how much the seedlings have grown. Remember, seeding started on March 21. Nature is truly amazing.

As a frame of reference, at this time last year the greenhouse was still in the process of being put together. The end walls were still not complete, and most certainly nothing was germinating in the greenhouse. As was written about last year at about this time, David was able to start his seeding at Cherry Grove Organic Farm through the generosity of Farmer Matt. It is amazing how far things have progressed at Z Food Farm. Market season is just around the corner. Looking forward to seeing everyone at Rittenhouse Square and at the farm stand. Yay farm fresh produce!!

Germination

2011-03-31T19:50:00.011-04:00

A few days later than intended, here are some pictures to show a) how much the greenhouse has filled up in one week, and b) the amount of germination that has taken place. These pictures were taken on Tuesday, March 29. In the two days since, the range of plants germinating has increased and the growth of the seedlings has been dramatic. As the season progresses, and the cycle of seeding, germinating, growing, planting, growing, and harvesting speeds along, there is so much going on that there is less preoccupation about whether or not the newly seeded plants will germinate. But at this stage of the season, there is always nervous anticipation while waiting for, and then a great sense of relief when, the first sprouts start poking their head above the soil mix. Though it will still be some time before these plants are ready to be moved outside to be toughened up as prelude to planting, it would be nice if the weather would start to cooperate. There is much to be done to prepare the fields, and the wet conditions are not conducive to getting much done. The hope is that the current cool and wet conditions do not foreshadow a cool and wet farm season. If you recall, the 2009 season was marked by cool and wet conditions that led to a disastrous tomato crop for many of the areas organic farmers, and farmers throughout the Northeast. Let's hope for sunny, warm days and pleasant nights.

Okra- Seeded 3/22

Lettuce- Seeded 3/21

Spinach- Seeded 3/21

On the left- Red Russian Kale; On the right- Toscano Kale. Both seeded 3/21

The center tables of the greenhouse. Compare with the pictures in the prior posting.

The left side of the greenhouse.

The right side of the greenhouse. The seeding trays in the front part of the picture are on heating mats. The seeds of certain varieties require extra warmth to aid in their germination. Among the plants on the mats are okra, basil, sweet peppers, eggplant, and hot peppers.

There you have it, a quick trip through the greenhouse. Stay tuned for more pictures showing the rapid growth of the seedlings. Peace and healthy eating to one and all.

More Seeding

2011-03-27T13:37:00.002-04:00

The seeding has continued. What follows is the updated list of vegetables that have been seeded.

Hot Peppers- 19 varieties, plus the three specialty peppers that were previously written about- Padron, Shishito, and Piquilo.

Herbs- Lemon balm, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Lovage (its leaves can be used in salads or to make soup. Can be made into a tea. Its seeds can be used as a spice, similar to fennel seeds), Shiso (also known as Perilla), and Summer Savory.

Okra- two varieties

Eggplants- two of sixteen varieties were seeded. The remainder will be seeded this coming week.

Leeks and more onions. When all is said and done there will be four varieties of leeks and twelve varieties of onions (bulb onions, tropea, scallions, and chipollini), with one variety of shallots thrown in for good measure.

Fennel- six varieties

Swiss Chard

Basil- Italian, Thai, Cinnamon, Mrs. Burns' Lemon, Linme, Red Rubin, and a variety called Aroma 2. There are, in fact, 160 different varieties of basil. Who knew?

Along with the excitement of seeding, there is great news. Some of the seeds are starting to germinate!!! Every time there is seeding there is a certain level of anxiety. Is the soil mix correctly balanced? Are the seeds receiving enough water? Too much water? Is the greenhouse warm enough? Too cool? And then the first signs of germination. What a wonderful feeling. More details about this and pictures of the new babies will be coming within the next few days. As seeding continues, a list of the newly seeded of veggies will be available.

Warm days and gentle nights to all.

Seeding - Day 1

2011-03-25T22:20:00.005-04:00

The following pictures depict the first day of seeding.

The various components that make up the soil mix are combined in this 'pool'. The sieve helps sort out stems and other unwanted items from the final mix. The mix includes- peat moss, compost, limestone, greensand, kelp, blood meal (not human), and bone meal (also, not human), vermiculite, and perlite. These ingredients provide the nutrients that aid in the healthy germination of the seeds.

The center row of tables. Only the beginning.

The left side of the greenhouse; looking from the front door.

The right side of the greenhouse. Keep these pictures in mind. On Monday, March 28, one week after these pictures, pictures of each section of the greenhouse will be shown to allow for a comparison to illustrate how much has been accomplished in one week.

On the left is a flat of Toscano Kale; on the right, Red Russian Kale. On Monday, 3/28, another picture of these flats will be taken to see if there has been any germination. This will be done on a weekly basis until they plants are ready to be planted in the field.

In the late fall, cloves of garlic were planted. They were then covered with straw to provide some protection over the course of the winter. As can be seen, the garlic is sending forth shoots that indicate that they are growing and doing well. The visible shoots will become garlic scapes, which will then be harvested and available at market. The 'scapes' can be used like garlic or scallions. They have a milder and more delicate taste than the garlic. They can be used fresh, sauteed, or made into a pesto.

Let the seeding begin. Here David is intent on the task at hand. Seeding requires ones full attention and is very time consuming. Yet, it has a certain meditative quality to it. It is a question of balance to maintain ones full attention and move along at a steady pace.

Overseeing the operation is Maple. She wants to make sure that everything is being done to a high standard of excellence.

Further on down the road. Peace and healthy eating to all.

Seeding - The Beginning

2011-03-24T22:50:00.002-04:00

Monday, March 21 marked the start of this years seeding at Z Food Farm. The initial goal was to start the first week of March. Clearly, this date has come and gone. The reasons for the delay are varied, but there were circumstances beyond David’s control. However, though behind from the standpoint of the goal of starting on March 2, seeding is well ahead of last year. Last year at this time the greenhouse was still being built, with some seeding being started at Cherry Grove Organic Farm due to the graciousness of Farmer Matt. And it is a good thing that 2011 is not the first year of Z Food Farm as the current weather has been much cooler and wetter than last year at this time. If this were year 1 then seeding would end up being farther behind than it was last year. Thus, despite the cool, wet weather, full speed ahead.

What follows is the list of vegetables that have been seeded these first four days.

ESCAROLE (a hearty green whose leaves are less bitter than endive; high in folic acid and fiber; can be eaten raw or gently cooked)

KALE (Toscano and Red Russian)

CELTUCE (also called celery lettuce; grown primarily for its thick stem which is very crispy and tender; young leaves can be used as lettuce for salads and stir-fry; popular in China)

SPINACH

ONIONS (scallions, shallots, bulb onions, chippolini)

CHERVIL (used to season poultry, seafood; more delicate than parsley; has a subtle anise flavor)

RADICCHIO (very popular in Italy; it is eaten raw with olive oil and salt; can be mixed into a variety of salads; can be grilled or roasted)

MICHILI (Aka- Green Rocket) (type of Chinese cabbage known for its sweetness. More mild and tender than Western cabbages. Delicious in a salad or slaw. Can be boiled, stir-fried, steamed or braised.)

CELERY

LETTUCE (13 varieties)

LAVENDER

MITSUBA (native Japanese herb- Japanese parsley)

CHIVES (regular and garlic)

PARSLEY

KOHLRABI

BROCCOLI

BROCCOLI RAAB (Rapini) (the flavor has been described as nutty, bitter, and pungent. Sauté with garlic over low heat for 10-15 minutes)

BEETS (6 varieties)

CABBAGE (6 varieties)

It has indeed been a busy four days. If rust never sleeps, seeding never stops.

Welcome back to Gregg and Oscar as they start their second year at Z Food Farm. And, for the first day of seeding, a shout out of thanks to Betsy and Frank. Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated.

When possible and practical- eat local, eat sustainable, eat organic.

Winter Scenes

2011-03-13T21:34:00.010-04:00

"Time, time, time, see what's become of me
While I looked around
For my possibilities
I was so hard to please
But look around, leaves are brown
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter"

"The pursuit of quantity at all costs is dangerous in farming. Quantity should be aimed at only in strict conformity with natural law, especially must the law of the return of all wastes to the land be faithfully observed. In other words, a firm line needs to be drawn between a legitimate use of natural substance and exploitation." (Sir Albert Howard- "The Soil and Health"; pg. 66)

The tail end of winter means that spring is just around the corner. And with spring comes the start of seeding. As of this post seeding has not yet, despite noble intentions, started at Z Food Farm. The heating unit to keep the trays, with their newly imbedded seeds, and then the newly germinating plants, warm, has been installed. The next step will be to install a propane tank that will then be used to allow the heater to do its job. Once this has been accomplished, seeding shall commence. The reason for the delay in the installation of the propane tank has been, wet ground. Last season seeding was delayed by wet ground interfering with the building of the greenhouse. (The more things change the more they stay the same.) By the time the greenhouse was completed it was warm enough that the heating unit was not needed; thus last years delay, and the amount of work that needed to get done, has contributed to the current delay. Despite this years slight delay, David is ahead of last years schedule and anticipates rapidly catching up to where he would prefer to be with his seeding schedule.

Before things get into full swing, here are a few pictures of the farm and the snow. Getting closer and closer. Eat as healthy as possible. Support local and sustainable agriculture. Support organic farmers.

You Say Tomato, I Say Delicious

2011-02-19T23:02:00.002-05:00

“The soil is, as a matter of fact, full of live organisms. It is essential to conceive of it as something pulsating with life, not as a dead or inert mass. There could be no greater misconception than to regard the earth as dead: a handful of soil is teeming with life.” (“The Soil and Health- A Study of Organic Agriculture by Sir Albert Howard; pg. 22)

Here are more of the tomatoes to look forward to this coming season at Z Food Farm. And, there are plenty more to tell about. And speaking of more varieties that will be grown at Z Food Farm, there are approximately 7,500 varieties of tomatoes. Also, for your information, the tomato is native to South America. Some evidence indicates that tomatoes were used by the Aztecs by 500 BC. Some historians believe that Cortez (yes, THAT Cortez) may have been the first to bring the tomato to Europe. Others believe it may have been Columbus. (Wikipedia)

Is your mouth watering yet? Getting there. Happy and healthy eating to all.

Eva Purple Ball- Good taste. Good in salads and salsas and on sandwiches. A gorgeous tomato.

Rose- Very rich flavor. Good acid and sweetness. Really delicious.

Japanese Black Trifele- Very tasty flesh with a meaty core. Extraordinary rich and complex flavors. Great for fresh eating.

Paul Robeson- Very flavorful with luscious, earthy, exotic flavors and good acid/sweet balance. Best used for fresh eating.

Green Grape- Sweet and fruity. Best used for fresh eating or in a salad.

Tomatoberry (non-heirloom)- Excellent, sweet flavor. Looks like a strawberry. Great in a salad or fresh eating.

San Marzano- Takes garlic like a dream. Great for tomato sauce.

Black Cherry- Excellent taste. Fruity and well balanced. Best for fresh eating.

Sungold (non-heirloom)- Very sweet. Tastes very fruity and delicious. Best for fresh eating as a snack.

Green Zebra- On the acidic side. Scrumptious sweet rich flavor with a bit of a bite at the back end. Good for slicing and salads.

Jaune Flamee- Excellent. Perfect blend of sweet and tart. Fruity. Can be eaten out of hand, sliced for a sandwich, grilled with eggs. Can be roasted in a slow oven with salt and thyme.

Golden Sunray- Richly flavored. Made for juicing. Easy to peel.

Kellogg’s Breakfast- Rich scrumptious. A blockbuster. Delicious rich flavor. Fresh eating by itself or in a salad.

Support organic farmers. Support local and sustainable agriculture. Support farmers who respect the land.

Fruit Or Vegetable?

2011-02-17T23:12:00.003-05:00

Tomato- Fruit Or A Vegetable?

If it has seeds, it is a fruit.

Thus tomatoes are, botanically speaking, fruit. As are, for that matter, cucumbers and squash, among others. Here is the first installment of the list of tomatoes that will be grown at Z Food Farm this coming season. The early tomatoes should be available at the beginning of August; as always this is predicated upon favorable weather. Let the countdown begin.

Black Krim- Excellent tasted. Described as very intense, smoky, salty. Like downing a good single malt scotch. Best for fresh eating.

Black Plum- Uniques sweet tangy flavor. Low acid. Some prefer this variety for sauce because of the nice rich color.

Black Prince- Full of juice and incredible rich fruity flavor. Perfect for eating fresh.

Black Zebra- Exceptionally rich, complex, really delightful tomato flavors that contain hints of smoke and sweetness.

Cherokee Chocolate- Deep, rich, smoky, sweet. Best for fresh eating.

Cherokee Purple- Deep, rich, smoky, sweet. Best for fresh eating.

Beam’s Yellow Pear- Great taste. Ideal for salads.

Black Cherry non-heirloom- Excellent taste. Fruity and well balanced. Best for fresh eating.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green- Excellent taste. A perfect balance of acid and sugar. Fruity, grapey, and spicy.

Aunt Gertie’s Gold- Excellent taste. Sumptuous, rich flavor. Best for fresh eating.

Amish Paste- excellent taste; rich and sweet; firm, meaty, and juicy. Is listed on Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste. Makes a delicious tomato sauce.

Cosmonaut Volkov- Full, rich flavor. Perfect blend of sweet and tart. A rich complexity.

Big Beef (non-heirloom)- Flavor is full and hearty with lots of sweet juice balanced with that wonderful tomato acidity. Large and juicy.

The following are the seed companies where the tomato seeds were purchased.

Fedco, Tomatofest, Seed Savers Exchange, Johnny's, Uprising, High Mowing, Gourment seed, Rutgers.

Until August may visions of juicy tomatoes get you through the next few months. Support organic farmers. Support local and sustainable farming. Happy and healthy eating to all.

Heirloom Tomatoes- An Intro

2011-02-09T22:03:00.002-05:00

This season David will be growing upwards of 60 varieties of tomatoes!! At least fifty of these are identified as being an heirloom tomato. What, you might wonder, makes a tomato, or any vegetable (and certain animals) an heirloom. This question has been answered in an earlier post, but for purposes of thoroughness and review, here is an explanation. (This information comes from the Tomatofest website, where David ordered some of his tomatoes. http://www.tomatofest.com/what-is-heirloom-tomato.html)

Coming soon- a list of the tomatoes that will be grown at Z Food Farm during the 2011 farm season. Spring is right around the corner. Happy and healthy eating to one and all.

“What Is An Heirloom Tomato?

Heirloom

An heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it's valued characteristics. Since 'heirloom' varieties have become popular in the past few years there have been liberties taken with the use of this term for commercial purposes. At TomatoFest Garden Seeds we chose to adopt the definition used by tomato experts, Craig LeHoullier and Carolyn Male, who have classified down heirlooms into four categories:

1. Commercial Heirlooms: Open-pollinated varieties introduced before 1940, or tomato varieties more than 50 years in circulation.

2. Family Heirlooms: Seeds that have been passed down for several generations through a family.

3. Created Heirlooms: Crossing two known parents (either two heirlooms or an heirloom and a hybrid) and dehybridizing the resulting seeds for how ever many years/generations it takes to eliminate the undesirable characteristics and stabilize the desired characteristics, perhaps as many as 8 years or more.

4. Mystery Heirlooms: Varieties that are a product of natural cross-pollination of other heirloom varieties.

(Note: All heirloom varieties are open-pollinated but not all open-pollinated varieties are heirloom varieties.)

Where did the term "Heirloom" plants begin?

The term "Heirloom" applied to plants was apparently first used by Kent Whealy of Seed Savers Exchange, who first used "heirloom" in relation to plants in a speech he gave in Tucson in 1981. He had asked permission to use the term "heirloom" from John Withee, who had used the term on the cover of his bean catalog. John said sure, that he had taken it from Prof. William Hepler at the University of New Hampshire, who first used the term "heirloom" to describe some beans that friends had given him back in the 1940s.

The Importance of "Heirloom" Tomatoes.

In the past 40 years, we've lost many of our heirloom varieties, along with the many smaller family farms that supported heirlooms. The multitude of heirlooms that had adapted to survive well for hundreds of years were lost or replaced by fewer hybrid tomatoes, bred for their commercially attractive characteristics.

In the process we have also lost much of the ownership of foods typically grown by family gardeners and small farms, and we are loosing the genetic diversity at an accelerating and alarming rate.

Every heirloom variety is genetically unique and inherent in this uniqueness is an evolved resistance to pests and diseases and an adaptation to specific growing conditions and climates. With the reduction in genetic diversity, food production is drastically at risk from plant epidemics and infestation by pests. Call this genetic erosion.

The late Jack Harlan, world-renowned plant collector who wrote the classic Crops and Man while Professor of Plant Genetics at University of Illinois at Urbana, wrote, "These resources stand between us and catastrophic starvation on a scale we cannot imagine. In a very real sense, the future of the human race rides on these materials. The line between abundance and disaster is becoming thinner and thinner, and the public is unaware and unconcerned. Must we wait for disaster to be real before we are heard? Will people listen only after it is too late."

It is up to us as gardeners and responsible stewards of the earth to assure that we sustain the diversity afforded us through heirloom varieties.”

Greens Day

2011-01-31T19:32:00.002-05:00

Lettuce

“The resources of the earth should be used as God’s gifts to the whole human race and used with due consideration for the needs of the present and future generations.” (From- The Soil and Health – A Study of Organic Agriculture; Sir Albert Howard, pg 13)

Lettuce falls into six specific categories or groups. These include: Butterhead, Chinese Lettuce, Crisphead, Looseleaf, Romaine, and Summer Crisp. From these six categories there are hundreds of different distinct breeds and hybrids of lettuce. Below are the lettuces that will be grown at Z Food Farm this coming season. Lettuce does best in the spring and the fall, when the weather is relatively cooler. However, by following a program of continuous seeding, germinating, and planting David’s goal is to have head lettuce and/or salad mix (a combination of baby lettuce greens) on a weekly basis throughout the entire season. As with most things related to farming, success in this matter will be greatly influenced by the weather.

Adriana (Johnny’s) – Heads are full and dense with good taste. A butterhead.

Baby Oakleaf (Johnny’s) – Just the right size for a “mini-head”. Oak-shaped leaves.

Black Seeded Simpson (High Mowing) – Large, loosely packed bright green leaves are juicy, crisp and slightly crumpled. Tender and sweet.

Bronze Arrowhead (Fedco) – Scores a bullseye for form and color, developing a gorgeous oakleaf rosette in a dance of green and bronze.

Deer Tongue (Johnny’s) – Highly rated for baby leaf. Toungue-shaped outer leaves. A nice heirloom specialty. Dates back to the early 1740’s. Good texture and wonderful flavor that is pleasantly sharp.

Devil’s Ears (Fedco) – One of the lovely rare treasures once maintained by the Abundant Life Seed Foundation. Starlike rosettes of tasty glossy leaves are deeply tinged with burgundy for a shimmery appearance. Nutty texture and bitter-free flavor.

Forellenschluss (Fedco) – Also known as Speckled-Troutback due to its similarity to the patterns of a trout. An old variety that has been a favorite of lettuce collectors for many years; dates back to 1793.Originated in Austria. Leaves are very crispy. Excellent flavor. A Romaine type lettuce with the delicate taste and texture of a butterhead.

Lovelock (Seeds of Change) – Beautiful, thick, bright green leaves edged with maroon.

Magenta (High Mowing) - Good taste. Red-tinged leaves form a whorled, conical head with a crispy, green heart.

Nevada (High Mowing) – Excellent summer variety. “French crisp” type that forms large, open heads. Vibrant green leaves are glossy, thick, and beautifuuly ruffled with a satisfying combination of crunchy texture and buttery smoothness.

New Red Fire (Johnny’s) – A terrific full-sized red summer lettuce. Crisp and sweet. Ruffled red leaves.

Ridgeline (Johnny’s) – Tall, upright plants produce long, dense hearts with good flavor. A Romaine lettuce.

Royal Oakleaf (Fedco) – Darker, larger, and fancier than most other green oakleaf types. The “Rolls Royce of oakleaf lettuce.”

Skyphos (Johnny’s) – Beautiful, large dark red heads with nicely contrasting green centers. Excellent flavor and texture. A butterhead.

Speckled Amish (Fedco) – Origins date back to 1660 in Holland. In the late 1790’s it was brought to North America. A bibb lettuce. Has a pleasant, muddy flavor which is similar to watercress. Its apple-green leaves are splashed with maroon flecks.

Tropicana (Johnny’s) – A standard Greenleaf lettuce with heavy leaves and full heads.

Crispino (Johnny’s) – Medium-sized, glossy green, firm heads. Juicy and mild.

Red Iceberg (Seeds of Change) – A gorgeous iceberg with copper-head outer leaves surrounding the green-to-white inner head. Delicious sweet flavor and crispy texture.

Good health through healthy eating to one and all. Support organic agriculture. Support local and sustainable agriculture. Long days and pleasant nights.

SPUDS - PART 2

2011-01-19T20:59:00.002-05:00

“4. The widespread vegetable and animal pests and diseases, which are such a bane to modern agriculture, are evidence of a great failure of health in the plant and animal links of the chain.

5. The impaired health of human populations in modern civilized countries is a consequence of this failure in the plant and animal links.

6. The general failure in the last three links is to be attributed to failure in the first link, the soil: the undernourishment of the soil is at the root of all. The failure to maintain a healthy agriculture has largely cancelled out all the advantages we have gained from our improvement in hygiene, in housing, and our medical discoveries.” (Sir Albert Howard- The Soil and Health – A Study of Organic Agriculture; pg. 12)

Here is part two of the list of potatoes that will be available from Z Food Farm this coming season. As with part 1 most of the information comes from www.mainepotatolady.com.

Fingerling potatoes are a family of heritage potatoes that naturally grow much smaller than conventional potatoes. They can be used just like regular potatoes in an assortment of roasted, broiled, baked, grilled, or boiled dishes. Fingerlings tend to have a smoother and creamery texture and taste.

French Fingerling – Though plumper than most, this potato is still considered a fingerling. Radiant rose-red skin and deep yellow flesh with an occasional red ring. Creamy, smooth texture with exceptional flavor lends itself well to salad with thinly sliced red onions and chunks of crisp cucumbers.

Banana Fingerling – Probably the best known of the fingerlings. Tan skin with dark yellow flesh. Steamed and tossed with butter and parsley, these make a tasty late-summer dish.

Rose Finn Apple Fingerling – Rose-blushed beige skin and deep yellow flesh. Exquisite flavor and cooking qualities set it apart. Matures mid to late season.

Laratte Fingerling – From France. In appearance Laratte is similar to the Banana fingerling. A nutty flavor to the dark yellow flesh set it apart. Smooth and firm texture. Fine chefs love this gourmet morsel, and the demand is high.

Purple Peruvian Fingerling – Deep dark purple inside and out, with a rather earthy flavor that some really love. A late season potato. Truly a specialty potato. To maintain the color boil with 1 tablespoon of vinegar added to the cooking water.

As always, happy and healthy eating to one and all. Support local, sustainable agriculture. Support organic farming.

SPUDS - Part 1

2011-01-15T21:49:00.002-05:00

“1. The birthright of all living things is health.

2. This law is true for soil, plant, animal, and man: the health of these four is one connected chain.

3. Any weakness or defect in the health of any earlier link in the chain is carried on to the next and succeeding links, until it reaches the last, namely, man.” (Sir Albert Howard- The Soil and Health - A Study of Organic Agriculture; Pg. 12)

Last seasons potato harvest was a bit on the disappointing side. There was a delay in getting the potatoes into the ground. This was due to the overall business and delays in getting Z Food Farm up and running. Another factor, as it was with other plants, was the heat. While there is no way to control the heat this coming season, getting the potato ‘eyes’ planted on time this year should be ‘easily’ accomplished. (Keep in mind that nothing in farming is ever easily accomplished.)

Here then is part one of the potatoes that will be grown at Z Food Farm this coming season. This spuds for you. (Note: Most of the information about the potatoes comes from the website www.mainepotatolady.com)

Dark Red Norland – A good early season potato. Excellent boiled, mashed, and in potato salads. When baked, they will be moist (waxy). Beautiful round red skinned spuds. White flesh. Good flavor with a moist, waxy, firm texture.

Satina – A good early season potato. Satiny yellow skin and yellow flesh. An exceptional eating experience. Smooth texture and great flavor. Very good storage.

Adirondack Blue – A mid season potato. Glstening blue skin with a deep blue flesh without a white ring. The moist, flavorful flesh is superb for mashing or salads. It is a favorite in taste tests. Very high in antioxicants.

Adirondack Red – A mid season potato. Has a lightly netted purplish-red skin and a pink-red flesh. Flavorful and moist. Tast for roasting and salads. Good storage. Contains naturally occurring anthrocyanin, a powerful antioxidant.

Kennebec – A mid season potato. Was released in 1948. One of the top-ten varieties grown in Maine. Can be cooked any way you choose, boiled, mashed, or baked, and enjoy a superb meal every time. Excellent storage. White fleshed.

Carola – A mid season potato. Golden yellow color. The color of its sunny flesh is reminiscent of butter from cows fresh on pasture. The creamy texture and exquisite flavor is a pleasure whether steamed, boiled, baked, or fried. Originally from Germany.

Bintje – A late season potato. A classic Dutch variety released in 1910 and still widely grown in Europe. Smooth yellow skin and creamy golden flesh.

One announcement- seeding for the coming season will start March 2. This is exciting news. Good health and happy eating to all.

Sgt. Pepper's Happy Hot Peppers Club

2011-01-09T13:11:00.003-05:00

“…the foundations of all good cultivation lie not so much in the plant as in the soil itself. There is so intimate a connection between the state of soil, i.e. its fertility, and the growth and health of the plant as to outweigh every other factor.” (Sir Albert Howard; The Soil and Health – A Study of Organic Agriculture)

Hot Peppers – Part 2

Hungarian Hot Wax - (Reimer Seeds) Excellent for pickling, frying, stuffing. Can also be used fresh in salads, marinades, and dressings. (Scoville Scale 5,000-10,000)

Camino Real – (Seeds of Change) Most often used green when pickling. A Serrano pepper with pungent flavor.Serrano type peppers are usually 3 on a scale of 5.

Jamaican Hot Chocolate – (Tomato Grower’s) Originated in a market in Port Antonio, Jamaica. Deep chocolate-brown when ripe and ribbed. Resemble large dates or prunes. Extremely hot Caribbean flavor that is strong and smoky. Makes a great hot sauce. 200,000 – 300,000 on the Scoville Scale.

Red Savina – (Reimers Seeds) A habanero pepper. Developed by Frank Garcia in Walnut, Ca. From 1994 – 2006 was listed in the Guinness World Records as the hottest chili in the world. 350,000 – 580,000 on the Scoville Scale.

The following three peppers can be viewed as special peppers rather than what might be routinely thought of as hot peppers. Farmer David is hoping that you will be as excited about trying these peppers as he is about growing them.

Shishito – (Kitazawa Seed Co.) Small, sweet-hot, thin-walled glossy green pepper is popular in Japan. Can be grilled, toaster-oven broiled, pan or deep fried.

Padron – (Johnny’s Seeds) Named after the town in Spain where they originated. About 1 out of 20 fruits will be hot, and the rest mild. All the fruits become hot if allowed to grow 2-3” long. Padrons are served sautéed in olive oil with a little sea salt, and eaten as tapas (appetizer) in Spain.

Piquillo (Cook’s Garden) – A variety of chili pepper traditionally grown in Northern Spain. Can be roasted over embers, which gives them a distinct sweet, spicy flavor, more akin to bell peppers than chili peppers. Can be stuffed with meat, seafood or cheese, and served as tapas.

As David finalizes the seed order, there may be a couple of additions the list of peppers. For now, these are the hot peppers you can look forward to this coming season.

Happy and healthy eating to all.

Time Passages

2011-01-03T23:19:00.002-05:00

"It was late in December, the sky turned to snow. All round the day was going down slow, night like a river beginning to flow. I felt the beat of my mind go drifting into time passages. Years go falling in the fading light, time passages, buy me a ticket on the last train home tonight."

Z Food Farm's final market of the 2010 farm season was December 4 at Rittenhouse Square. Though the temperature was a bit brisk, it was a lovely late fall day. It was a great opportunity to offer a personal thank you to those who came on that day and who have supported Z Food Farm throughout the season. This last market also provided David a chance to make some new friends in anticipation of the 2011 farm season. As we look forward to the coming season the next few postings will be used to introduce you to some of the produce that will be, weather permitting, coming your way. The hope is that writing about the summer bounty will help ease the chill of winter and give everyone something warming to think about. So, while we move through the passage of winter into spring and spring into summer, here is the first of the posts about what you can expect at the farm stand and at the farmers markets.

Hot Peppers - Part 1

BLACK HUNGARIAN - (Seed Savers Exchange) Similar in shape to jalapenos, but shiny black ripening to red. Medium hot.

FISH - (Seed Savers Exchange) Heat 3. This pepper is an African-American heirloom that predates the 1870's. The Fish Pepper is bright in color and crunchy, with a hot and bold flavor. In the late 1800's, the Fish Pepper was widely grown in the Philadelphia and Baltimore area. Traditionally, the Fish Pepper was used in oyster and crab houses around the Chesapeake Bay.Rated as 3 on a heat scale of 1-5. Is on Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste.

HINKELHATZ - (Seed Savers Exchange) Cultivated by the Pennsylvania Dutch since the 1880's. The name translates as chicken heart. Traditionally used for pickling and making pepper vinegar. It is considered to be quite hot. It is a rare heirloom pepper. The Hinkelhatz is part of the US Ark of Taste of Slow Food USA.

FATALI - (Seed Savers Exchange) Scalding hot. Excellent citrus flavor, but very hot. The Scoville Food Institute lists the Fatalii as the sixth hottest pepper with Scolville units ranging from 125,000-325,000 units.

JOE'S LONG CAYENNE - (Seed Savers Exchange) Originally from Calabria, Italy. Introduce to SSE in 1996 by Dr. Carolyn Male. Great for fresh eating or drying. Hot.

TRIUNFO JALAPENO - (Seeds of Change) Extra large fruits are very dark green and pungent. Most jalapenos are between 3,000-6,000 on the Scoville Scale.

NUMEX JOE E. PARKER (Johnny's Seeds) ripen from bright green to mahogany to red, but are mostly consumed green. Southwest favorite for stuffing, grilling, and roasting. The flesh is thick and crisp with a delicious mild heat and richly satisfying Chile flavor.

ANCHO/PABLANO - (Seed Savers Exchange) Heat 2. Called Poblano when fresh and green and Ancho when red and dried. The standard Mexican variety for sauces and stuffing. Distinctive rich flavor.

This is a partial list of the hot peppers that will be available from Z Food Farm this coming season. Next post will provide the rest of the list. Support local farmers. Support sustainable farming. Buy organic when possible and practical. Here's hoping that you had a wonderful holiday season. May the coming year bring you good health, happiness, hopefulness, and peace.

The End ... Or Not

2010-11-29T20:43:00.010-05:00

"This is the end, beautiful friend."

As was previously mentioned, Oct. 30th marked the end of the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market. Wednesday, November 34th marked the last farm stand at Z Food Farm. Saturday, November 20 marked Z Food Farms final market of the season at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market. Or so it was anticipated. Though the progression of fall has brought much cooler temperatures, the weather has mostly been cooperative for the continued survival of much of the fall produce. This will allow David to continue to sell to elements Restaurant and the Blue Bottle Cafe. This will also allow David to make at least one more appearance at the Rittenhouse Square Market!! Z Food Farm will be at the market on Saturday, Dec. 4th. Essentially the end is not yet at hand. David will have most things that he had at the last market- lettuce, Swiss Chard, kale, Asian greens, various root vegetables, and carrots.

In addition to some final harvesting for restaurants and market, there still remain a few odds and ends. The field still needs some final cleaning up. The inside of the barn needs cleaning and organizing. The truck used to go to market needs its annual maintenance. The tractor needs its own measure of TLC. Then David can take a well-deserved rest. Then again, not for too long. Though David will take a break from farming activities for a few days, there are a number of items that will take up a fair amount of his time. He will tackle the paperwork that will lead to official organic certification. He will peruse the seed catalogs and make decisions about new things to grow to compliment what was grown this year. He needs to determine how much additional land to put into production and how to organize the fields. This year he farmed four-five acres. Next year he will possibly go to eight to ten acres. David will also need to determine the quantity of other necessary supplies- drip tape, row cover, peat moss, seeding trays, and vermiculite. And then the process of seeding for next years crops will, weather permitting, begin towards the end of February. Whew! That break from farming went by quickly.

David is well aware of those instances where things did not go as he would have wanted. There are various reasons for this and David knows what to do to avoid these problems next season. Yet when all is said and done, this was a most successful first year for Z Food Farm. There was definitely blood, sweat, and tears but when all was said and done, David, Gregg, and Oscar have much about which to be proud. Once again, thanks and appreciation to all who supported the farm over the course of the inaugural growing season.

If you check earlier posting you will see the greenhouse bursting at the seams with tray upon tray of both newly planted seeds and plants in various stages of germination. And look at it now, empty and waiting for spring to arrive.

Couldn't resist one last picture of a beautiful tomato. This was harvested shortly before Halloween. Striped Germans are a beautiful tomato. And delicious.

David doing one last mowing of the front field. And it's just a beautiful fall day in the neighborhood.

One of the last tasks of the fall is to get the garlic planted. Cloves of garlic are broken apart from bulbs of garlic that are specifically used for 'seed' garlic. Once the cloves have been pushed into the soil they will be covered with compost to provide important nutrients. After this task is completed the beds will be covered with straw. The straw will help suppress weed growth in the spring and to provide the cloves with some protection from the elements over the course of the winter.

David and Oscar are pushing the cloves into the soil. This position of bending over is one that was repeated on virtually a daily basis for either planting, weeding, or harvesting. Farming is indeed back breaking work. Though not pictured Gregg is actively engaged in this process.

During the warmer months the white row cover provides the plants growing beneath with some measure of protection from insects and some warmth to help promote growth. As the weather chills the cover provides the plants with some measure of protection against frost and freeze damage.

Hule and Maple, on behalf of David, Gregg, and Oscar, want to wish everyone a belated Happy Thanksgiving as well as a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year. May the coming holiday season be one of health, happiness, and hopefulness to you and yours.

Support local, sustainable farmers. Eat healthy. Eat organic. Peace and well being to one and all.

And Miles To Go Before I Sleep

2010-10-29T22:32:00.009-04:00

As the beginning of November approaches things at Z Food Farm are starting to slow down. Despite the lessening of the pace, much is still happening. The field where the produce was grown is being cleaned of weed cover and drip tape. The rows where the tomatoes were growing have had the tomato stakes removed and put away. And produce continues to grow which means it needs to be harvested so that it can be brought to market. In regards to markets, October 31 will be the last market of the season at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market. Despite the end of this market, you can still enjoy Z Food Farm produce at the farm stand on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to seven. David will keep the stand open until the Wednesday immediately preceding Thanksgiving. Thus, while Davids wants to thank you for your support throughout the season at the L'ville Market, he wishes to extend everyone in the area a cordial invitation to the farm for the next few weeks. For directions on how to get to the farm go to www.zfoodfarm.com. Once there, click on the link that says 'visit'.

David will be continuing at the Rittenhouse Square Market through the Saturday immediately preceding Thanksgiving. As always, your Support of Z Food Farm is greatly appreciated. It has been a long season with far more ups than downs and thus an over all great success. Those of you who have bought produce from Z Food Farm are part of the success of the farm.

With the fall in full swing there are a number of vegetables that are specific to the fall season to accompany some of the crops that have been available throughout the season. Lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, kale, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsley, cilantro, celery and others are still available. Some that you might not be as familiar with include the following. Enjoy.

Celeraic- Also known as celery root. May be used raw or cooked. It's tough outer surface is usually sliced off before use because it is too rough to peel. Has a celery flavor and is often used as a flavoring in soups and stews. Can also be used on its own, usually mashed or in casseroles, gratings, and baked dishes. Keeps well and should last three to four months if stored between 32º and 41º and not allowed to dry out.

Daikon- A mild-flavored, very large, white East ASian radish. Is used in Chnese, Korean, Japanese cuisine. Can be eaten raw, added to salads and are commonly used in stir-fries. Can be pickled. Can be stored for some weeks without the leaves if kept in a cool dry place.

Hakurei Turnip- Known for its excellent flavor. Mild and sweet flavor makes it a favorite salad ingredient. The freen tops are mild enough to eat fresh. Both can be lightly sauteed.

Leeks- The edible portions of the leek are the white onion base and light green stalk. The whites and light green stalks are most often used for adding flavor to stock. Has a mild onion-like taste and are less bitter than a scallion. Boiled, it is soft and mild in taste. Fried, it is is crunchy and preserves the taste. Can be used raw in salads.

Lemon Verbena- Used to add a elmony flavor to fish and poultry dishes, vegetable marinages, salad marinades, salad dressings, jams, puddings, and beverages. The following web site provides various recipes and uses- http://oldfashionedliving.com/lemonverbena.html

Rutabaga- Roo vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip. The leaves can also be eaten. Can be roasted, baked, or boiled. Can be mashed with potatoes.

Watermelon Radish- Can be cooked like a turnip, creamed and served as a side dish, sauteed andbraised to be served as a vegetable dish, or added to stir-fry dishes. Store without the tops and place in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic to keep fresh for several weeks. (On the right side of the picture.)

Happy and healthy eating to all. Support organic farmers. Support local farmers. Support sustainable farmers.

Outstanding In The Field

2010-09-23T21:07:00.010-04:00

"What is an heirloom tomato;? A thorough answer to this question can be found at www.tomatofest.com/what-is-heirloom-tomato.html. (Note: This is an excellent site for information about tomatoes as well as for ordering seeds.) A partial answer, from Tomatofest, is "an heirloom is generally considered to be a variety that has been passed down, through several enerations of a family because of it's valued characteristics." Another aspect of a definition is the notion of open-pollination. "When heirloom gardeners refer to open-pollination, they mean that a particular cultivar can be grown from seed and will come back 'true to type'. In other words, the next generation will look just like its parent. For example, plant a Brandywine tomato, let some of the fruit mature and collect the seed, process it properly, and store it well. The next year, plant the seed and it will grow another Brandywine tomato." (www.halcyon.com/tmend/define.htm) In comparison, if seeds are saved from a hybrid tomato, or other begetable, when grown the following season, the "young plants will probably not have many of the characteristics that made its parent noteworthy." There are plenty of wonderful hybrid tomatoes to compliment the wonderful bounty of heirlooms. Talk with your local farmer about the various tomatoes that they have. David had 50+ varieties of tomatoes this season, including six varieties of cherry tomatoes. Enjoy.

Originating from California there is a group called Outstanding In The Field. Their mission is to "re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it." Go to their site to learn more about who they are and what they do.(www.outstandinginthefield.com/about/) On Sept. 4 Outstanding In The Field hosted a dinner at Mosefund Farm (www.mosefund.com/about.html), home of the Mangalitsa Pig; a specialty pig known for its exquisite flavor. The invited chef for the event was elements Restuarant's (Princeton, NJ) Scott Anderson. Farmer David was asked by Chef Anderson to provide most of the vegetables for this prestigious event. This was a great opportunity for Chef Anderson to showcase his skills. It was also a great opportunity for Farmer David to gain exposure for his produce. The event also served as a birthday present from David to his mom. What a great way to celebrate mother's birthday.

Things at the farm continue to move along. Though it is now fall, Z Food Farm is still in full operating mode. David and his crew of Gregg, Oscar, and sometimes Mario, continue to put in full days. Weeding, harvesting, and planting continue on a steady basis. Currently, and to come, are kale, arugula, lettuce, salad mix, celery, kolrabi, leeks, celery root, parsnips, brussel sprouts, and more, including many varieties of winter squash. To obtain the bounty Z Food Farm will continue at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market through the end of October. Produce will continue to be sold at the farm stand on Wednesdays and Fridays, noon to seven for the next few weeks. Any changes will be noted as soon as possible. David will continue at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market at least until the end of October; hopefully until Thanksgiving. The bottom line is that David will sell produce for as long as the weather permits.

By the way, Hule has now accounted for ten ground hogs. Considering that ground hogs have continued to eat various crops, their removal is a matter of great importance. Thanks Hule!!

Eat healthy. Eat local produce. Eat organic. Support local farmers. Support local artisans of meat, cheese, and bread.

The following four pictures show some of the variety of tomatoes that are being grown at Z Food Farm. Without exaggeration, there are thousands of tomatoes that are available- different sizes, shapes, colors, and tastes. Yum!!!
Green zebra, Black zebra, Kellogg's Breakfast, Cherokee Chocolate and Purple, Paul Robeson, Cream Sausage, Roman Candle, and on and on.

Cherry tomatoes- Green Grape, Tomatoberries, Sungolds, Sweetie, Black Cherry, and Dr. Caroline.

Decorative gourds come in various sizes and shapes. They are not edible.

Here are some of the winter squash that is available.

And we'll close with Red Rubin basil.

See you all at the farm, in Phillie, or at the L'ville Market. Peace, good health, and hopefulness to all.

Pictures At An Exhibition

2010-08-25T22:41:00.010-04:00

Meet Peanut and Maple. They are Z Food Farm's cats. As kittens they are social and loving. Hopefully they will turn into 'mousers' and keep the barn and greenhouse as mouse free as possible. Earlier in the season mice ate two seedings of one variety of sunflower and one variety of winter squash. Also, having mice in the barn is not a good thing. We look forward to a decrease in the local mouse population.

Garlic is a one time harvest. It is then place on the tables you see below to 'cure'; that is to keep it dry so that moisture does not cause it to go bad. Not seen in this picture are a couple of fans that are used to aid in keeping the garlic dry. The variety David has is a hard neck garlic; "Hardneck garlics have fewer, larger cloves then the softnecks. They also have less of an outer bulb wrapper, sometimes none at all. This makes them more sensitive and reduces their shelf life." Most garlic found in stores is 'softneck'; "Almost all supermarket garlic is a softneck variety. This is because softneck garlic is easier to grow and plant mechanically and also keeps for longer than hardneck. garlic." (http://www.garlic-central.com/varieties.html). the specific variety that David has is musik. It is a wonderful tasting garlic. If you like garlic you won't need to worry about its shelf life. As it is, if you don't immediately use it, it will still last 3-4 months or more. Keep it in a cool, dry place and you should have no trouble with it lasting.

A bed of salad mix. David has four varieties of lettuce in his mix. Both salad mix and head lettuce are currently on hiatus. Both will return within the next two-three weeks.

elements Restaurant of Princeton has an appetizer on their menu called- Z-Food Farm vegetables. Thank you Scott, Joe, and staff of elements!!

Here it is, David's walk-in cooler. It is 10x40. A 25,000 btu air conditioner is being used to cool it. Heavy duty plastic has been taped up in two places to divide the cooler into thirds. The back third at about 41º. The middle part is a little warmer and the front end is warmer yet. A sturdier plastic barrier will eventually be installed to make the whole thing more efficient. For now the system is working out just fine and life is much improved.

This is what the truck looks like after being loaded up on the way to Rittenhouse Square. As you can see, the truck is quite packed. Ah, the fresh goodness of locally grown organic produce.

Happy and healthy eating to all.

Summertime Blues

2010-08-23T20:10:00.003-04:00

'I'm gonna raise a fuss, I'm gonna raise a holler about workin' all summer just to try to earn a dollar. Sometimes I wonder what I'm a gonna do, but there ain't no cure for the summertime blues'.

These words have been used before in this space, but late August of a very hot and dry summer makes it an appropriate repetition.

As mentioned in the most recent post, David finally has his walk-in cooler in place. This is critical part of the continued success of what David is striving to accomplish this first year of Z Food Farm. Not having a cooler has been a source of David having a serious case of the summertime blues. Walk-in coolers are an essential component of a farm- once the produce is harvested it needs to be kept fresh. Left in the sun and heat the produce will wilt and lose its freshness. (That is why David uses coolers and cold water at market- he is keeping his produce as fresh as possible. Produce is put out for display and purchase. If it is not quickly sold it is put in a nice cold tub of water and fresh produce is taken out of the portable cooler for display and sale. The goal/intent of course is to sell the produce as quickly as possible.) In the absence of having a cooler at Z Food Farm David has been, once again, greatly aided by the generosity of Farmer Matt at Cherry Grove Organic Farm. Matt has allowed David to use space in his walk-in cooler. This has been inconvenient for both David and Matt. For David it has meant multiple trips to CGOF to put produce in the cooler. For Matt it meant having to work around David's crates of produce. For David it also meant going back to CGOF on market days to get the produce that was being kept there. This added to the amount of time required to get ready to leave for market. And when time is tight, every minute counts. Matt has been a gracious host, but it is a great relief for both now that David does have his own cooler.

The daily grind continues for David, as it does for all farmers. Weed. Seed. Plant. Harvest. Mow. Repeat. One trait/shill/attitude that allows farmers and their workers and volunteers to survive is a sense of humor. Not just any humor, but MASH humor. If you have seen the movie MASH, or the TV show, you know what is being referred to. IF you have seen neither, then let it be said that the humor that helps one to survive an extremely challenging environment can be referred to as irreverent. In general, farm humor is not for the faint of heart. If you can't find some means of having fun while grinding away in extremely hot and humid conditions you aren't going to last very long as a farmer.

As always, thanks to all who support David, his workers, and his volunteers by purchasing your produce either at the farm stand, at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market, and at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market. Also, your kind words about the produce David brings to market are a great source of encouragement to keep on keeping on.

Happy and healthy eating to all. Eat local. Eat sustainably. Eat organically.

Keep On Working

2010-08-16T19:57:00.004-04:00

I was digging in the yard today when a letter came from Southampton way, keep on working, keep on working. I must admit I was a bit in the red, but if you never have pleasure then you could be dead. Keep on working.

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." With all respect to Mr. Franklin, farmers, especially small organic farmers, might not buy all of what is being said. Yes, the physical labor is invigorating and helps build strength and endurance and aids in weight loss. But all that sun, despite regular use of sunscreen, and all that bending over to weed and plant, and all that lifting of heavy crates, are not the best ingredients for great health; if not in the short term, then in the long term. Dry skin, cracked hands, and aching backs are the farmers' lot in life. As far as wealth goes, well a farmer can, in time, make a decent wage. Yet, if you take into account the number of hours a farmer works on a daily basis from mid-March through the end of November, the hourly wage is minimal. And as far as being wise, there are a lot easier ways in which to make a living. This leads to the question for the farmer, 'why put yourself through this day in and day out for the better (worser) part of eight months'? The answer to this will vary from farmer to farmer, but in all likelihood a common theme will emerge- a love, a commitment, a passion for what they are doing. Farmers who are growing to a local community, farmers who grow organically and sustainably, are in fact wise in that they are striving to preserve the land and the environment. These farmers are wealthy, not necessarily in monetary rewards but in the responses their produce elicits from consumers. When a customer tells David that she and her husband attribute an improvement in their overall health to what David is making available to them, then David, and farmers with similar experiences, is indeed wealthy.

As of this posting the fullness of the bounty has arrived. Lettuce, carrots (purple, orange, and yellow), beets (four varieties) fennel, basil (four varieties0, parsley, cilantro, summer squash (a variety shapes and colors), cucumbers (including Suyo long and Striped Armenian), tropea and cipollini onions (both very sweet), scallions (white and purple), garlic, melons, and on and on, have all hit their stride. Most wonderfully the heirloom tomatoes have arrived. For those not familiar with heirloom tomatoes, this will be explained int he next posting. For now, believe the following- Run, don't wlak to your nearest farmers' market and buy yourself some heirloom tomatoes; if you like tomatoes you won't be sorry and you will then have a hard time going back to what is sold in stores. They come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. A painter's palate won't have more colors than these tomatoes. (OK, there aren't any blue tomatoes, that that's about it.) And the flavor, ah, the flavor. Once you have enjoyed the wondrous flavors of heirlooms (or even 'regular'), grown locally, organically, and sustainably, you will be challenged to enjoy the tomatoes that you find at your local store once local tomatoes are out of season. (This is probably true of most of the produce you will find at markets.) And when you get your tomatoes home, please, do not put them in the fridge.

People who come to the Lawrenceville (NJ) Farmers' Market, thank you. People who come to the Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market in Philadelphia, than you. Thanks to one and all who come to the on site Z Food Farm stand. Thanks also to the chefs of Rouge (Philly), Pumpkin (Philly), Blue Bottle (Hopewell, NJ), Palate (Newtown, Pa), and elements (Princeton, NJ). David is well aware that there are multiple options as to where produce can be purchased. David is greatly appreciative and grateful to all who obtain their vegetables from Z Food Farm. Many who come to market comment on the multiple colors of the various vegetables that are offered. Many indicate their appreciation of the attractiveness of what David is offering. Your kind words mean a great deal to David. Again, thanks to one and all.

Late breaking news- David finally has his walk-in cooler up and running. This is a huge part of putting together the puzzle that is Z Food Farm. More details about the cooler coming soon.

One final note- Currently, elements restaurant in Princeton, NJ is presenting an appetizer named: z-food farm vegetables. With a couple of exceptions the ingredients for the dish are vegetables grown by Farmer David. The support shown to Z Food Farm by elements is greatly appreciated. Great food, great cocktails, and great people are waiting to provide you with a wonderful dining experience. If you are interested in checking out elements head on over to http://elementsprinceton.com

Good, healthy eating to one and all. Eat local. Eat sustainably. Eat organically. Support local farmers. Keep on working.

Summer In The City

2010-07-14T22:15:00.007-04:00

"Hot town, summer in the city, back of my neck getting dirty and gritty, been down, isn't it a pity, doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city. All Around, people looking half dead, walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head".
The past few weeks have seen temperatures in the Z Food Farm area in the 90's. And dry. (It did finally rain July 13/14.) This year's weather is in stark contrast to last year's weather. Last year, for most of the month of June, it was wet, cool, and breezy. This had a devastating impact on most organic farmers throughout the Northeast; the early onslaught of late blight which wiped out tomato crops of many organic farmers and severely limited the abundance of the harvest for those who did manage to have some. While the current dry conditions in the Z Food Farm area of NJ, and elsewhere, are not great, in fact damaging, for many farmers, David has been able to avoid significant drought related problems. The well at Z Food Farm has, to date, been up to the task of keeping the crops adequately watered. And, from this, David is anticipating a good tomato crop. The first tomatoes are expected by the beginning of August. As with a couple of other varieties of produce, David's tomatoes are a couple of weeks behind where he would like them to be. This delay goes back to the beginning of Z Food Farm when there were weather delays in building the green house and then a delay while waiting for the deer fence to be put up. Still waiting to have their first harvest are carrots and sweet peppers, among others. Despite the delays, there is a great abundance of various crops including- summer squash, cucumbers, Swiss chard, kale, lettuce, salad mix, basil, parsley, radishes, red tropea onions, cipollini onions (both varieties are just wonderful- sweet, delicious and multi-purposed), and beets. The bounty is here. For much of the spring the catch phrase that helped David plug away was, 'getting there'. Now the helpful phrase is, 'getting closer'. Once the tomatoes and potatoes are available David will 'be there'.

Being at the markets has been a wonderful experience. The support of friends old and new at both Lawrenceville and Rittenhouse Square is greatly appreciated. Bringing fresh produce, both the usual and the different, is an essential part of Farmer David's approach to farming. David looks forward to seeing everyone in the weeks to come.

David's dog, Hule, has been at it again. As of July 11 ground hog number five has been dispatched. This one was caught as it was in the process of eating lettuce. It is hoped that this is the one that had been doing the most recent damage to the lettuce bed.

Another word about the recent heat wave. As much as the heat has the potential to be problematic for the crops, the impact on those working the fields can also be severe. There is no shade. There is no relief from the relentlessness of the sun and the heat. To be a farmer, or a farm employee, requires a task commitment regardless of the weather conditions. Weeding, planting, harvesting need to be done; the rhythm of the plants isn't going to wait on whether of not the conditions are convenient for those working the fields. With this in mind, please keep in mind all of the hard work in miserable conditions that are part of the process of bringing you fresh farm produce, especially if you are shopping at your local farmers' market. In this context please know that the produce that David brings to market is invariably brought to market within 24-48 hours of being harvested.

Eat healthy. Eat local. Eat sustainable. Eat organic!

Happy and healthy eating to all.

Here's David embracing the bounty of his labor at the Rittenhouse Square Market. This is from earlier in the market season. At this time there is much more available for market.

This is version 1.0 of the sign that is put up in front of the farm for the Wednesday farm stand. There is a newer sign that will be posted the next time.

This is Z Food Farm Friend, Mary Jo. Her assistance in helping get everything arranged for the first farm stand was invaluable.

In addition to produce, various plants were available for sale.

The summer squash comes in all sorts of sizes and shapes. In regards to the squash, David believes that the smaller the better. At a smaller size the squash is more tender, less seedy, and more tasty. Do a taste test comparison on your own and see how it turns out.

That's all for now. Enjoy your fresh, sustainable produce.

Pictures At An Exhibition

2010-06-27T21:34:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Z Food Farm. We hope to see you and get to meet you at either of our two farmers' markets or at the farm itself.

Here is David doing the first harvest at Z Food Farm. Swiss Chard had the 'honor' of being the first pick.

A big thumbs up for the first bunch. You can see some of the other crops growing on either side of David.

Here David is dunking the Swiss Chard in cold water. This serves two purposes- The first is to clean off as much of the soil from the produce as possible. The second is to rehydrate the chard. When it is cut, especially during the excessive heat we've been experiencing, the chard, as does other produce, can begin to wilt. Putting the produce in the cold water helps to revitalize the produce. Following this step the produce is then put in crates and then placed in a walk-in cooler. At this time David does not yet have a walk-in cooler. Once again Farmer Matt has come to David's aid by allowing David to utilize space in his cooler.

David is growing 14 varieties of lettuce. Some are better suited to the warmer weather than others. While it is challenging to have lettuce throughout the summer, David does seeding on a regular basis and is thus able to put new plants into the field on a steady basis. Thus, even if some of the lettuce does not do well, enough is planted to allow him to always have a supply to bring to market.

David grows two types of kale (one of those super nutritious greens). Pictured is Red Russian Kale. Not pictured is a variety named Toscano. Both varieties are crisper and creamier to taste than the traditional kale that most kale eaters are most familiar with.

The sign says it all- these are various types of summer squash. The round ones are a variety called 8-Ball. A few of Z Food Farms customers have found these to be particularly tasty. David harvests his summer squash on the smaller side. Smaller sized summer squash tend to be less seedy, more tender, and more tasty. Big is not always better. Over sized squash will be available for those who like to make bread or other baked goods.

And here's the Swiss Chard all bunched up and ready to be cooked and eaten. Pretty as a picture.

This is a picture on the building across the street in Philadelphia where the Rittenhouse Square Market is located. This saying sums up Farmer David and Z Food Farm.

Happy and healthy eating to one and all.

From Farm to Market to Market to Farm Stand

2010-06-27T18:54:00.003-04:00

To restate the obvious, farming is hard work. Just ask a farmer. Or they just might tell you without waiting to be asked. Farmers put in long hours in weather conditions that try the souls of men/women. Farmers, be they small and organic, or large and conventional, must have a passion and love for what they do. To be successful farmers need to have an outlook that what they are doing is a reflection of who they are as a person; that farming is not just a job. (To be a farmer also requires a high tolerance for uncertainty and a willingness to take risks. To put it another way, farmers make high stakes poker players look risk aversive.) Planting and then watching as the seeds germinate is a rewarding feeling. (Waiting for the germination is a time of anxiety- will the seeds germinate and provide seedlings that will make it into the fields or is there some problem with the seed/soil mix/watering that will impede germination?) Watching the seedlings survive to be planted in the fields is a rewarding feeling. Watching the plants grow to a size ready to harvest is a rewarding feeling. (Will the deer jump the deer fence and destroy the crops? Will the ground hogs do incalculable damage?) And from that harvest comes the next step, selling the produce. While farming has various esoteric and intrinsic rewards, if there wasn't a financial payoff the farmer wouldn't long be a farmer. Some farmers have a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). A CSA is where the farmer sells shares to people who pay for a seasons worth of produce up front. The members go the the farm (some farmers have a delivery mechanism) to pick up their share for the week. In the course of the season people will get more for their money than if they paid for their produce on a weekly basis either at a farmers market or at a store. By belonging to a CSA the members are supporting local farmers. The farmer has an assured income and the consumer gets locally grown and fresh produce on a weekly basis. The consumer is making an investment that the farm season will provide them with a bounty of produce. By getting their money up front, CSA farmers are given a buffer in case of bad weather or some other calamity (such as last years Late Blight that attacked tomatoes). Some farmers do a CSA and a farmers' market. A farmers' market, for those who may not know, is where the farmers will participate with other vendors (produce, prepared food, crafts, baked goods, cheese, eggs, and so on) and sell their produce directly to the consumer. Some farmers do a weekly market only, or they may do more. In the case of Farmer David and Z Food Farm, he is doing two markets plus selling from the farm one day a week.

As previously written, David sells his produce at the Lawrenceville (NJ) Farmers' Market on Sundays from 9-1, Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia on Saturdays from 9:30-3:00, and at the farm on Wednesdays from noon-7:00. There have now been four markets at Lawrenceville, three at Rittenhouse Square, and three at the farm. Apart from the need to make enough money to survive and to have some financial security, the markets are where the farmer gets to share their joy and passion for what they are doing. At the Lawrenceville market David has found it enjoyable and rewarding to reconnect with people who have been enjoying the fruits of his labor over the past five years. It has been exciting to tell Lawrenceville friends old and new about David's great adventure of going out on his own. For those who have known David they recognize that his sense of personal satisfaction has increased now that he is his own 'boss'. David is appreciative of the opportunity he had the past three years, but he does have a greater sense of accomplishent, joy, and overall satisfaction in a job well done being on his own.

In adding the market at Rittenhouse Square, David is bringing his produce to a new environment, a big city. The first three weeks have been exciting as David is getting to convey his enthusiasm for farming, and his produce, to a whole new audience. Each week has seen an increase in what David has had available to bring to market. Though a couple of weeks behind where he would like to be, David is catching up to where he would like to be. And more, much more, is on the way.

Things have gotten off to a slow start at the on site farm stand. The word is being spread and there was an improvement fro week one to week two. He is looking forward to better days ahead.

Bits and pieces:

Gregg the intern and Oscar the hourly worker continue to work their butts off. They are both great and David is extremely gratified, satisfied, and relieved to have them working at Z Food Farm. For a brief time Gregg had a fellow intern. Paul, finishing his junior year in high school, joined the team a couple of weeks ago. However, this coming week will be Paul's last. He is a water polo player and the practices for his club team are going to significantly increase. Thus his schedule does not allow for a full time farm job and training for water polo. So, to borrow from the Beatles, Paul, hello, goodbye. In addition, Angela, Malaika, Mary Jo, and Frank the bee guy continue to provide invaluable assistance as their schedules allow. Thanks also to Emma and another David for spending some time helping out. Laugh if you choose, but when it comes to farming, it does take a village in order to succeed.
As of today Hule has now caught four groundhogs. (She almost got another one on Friday but it reached its hole in time. Darn!) The Have-A-Heart traps have caught none. (A possum was caught, but possums don't pose a threat to a farmer; he was released and living, we assume, a happy and grateful life.) As much as a dog is man's best friend,for a farmer a dog is both a friend and an invaluable member of the teams. The most recent groundhog was caught in the act of wreaking havoc on a bed of lettuce. The lettuce had been previously attacked, much to David's annoyance and frustration.
Organic status- David is farming in accordance with all USDA guidlines. He farmed organically while doing his internship at Cherry Grove Organic Farm. At Gravity Hill all standards were honored the first year and certification was attained the last two years David was there. The land on which David is currently farming at Z Food Farm is eligible for certification. The paperwork required for certification is extensive and this has taken something of a backseat to the process of getting the farm up and running. Being officially certified is very important to David, it is the only way he knows how to farm. He is aware that official certification is important to many and it is his full intent to obtain his certification as he goes along. So, to those for whom official certification is important, please be patient and know that all standards are being honored. If you have any questions about this, or anything, please contact him at zfoodfarm@gmail.com

In wrapping up David wishes to extend his heartfelt appreciation to 'old' friends who have been supporting him over the years. While it is a new farm, it is the same high quality product. To new friends he would like to say, welcome. While selling quality produce is David's main goal, providing quality service is just as important. He is willing to take whatever time is necessary to answer your questions about anything he is selling. From David and Z Food Farm you get high quality product and high quality service.

Eat local. Eat organic. Eat healthy. Peace, good health, and happy eating to all.

Bits And Pieces

2010-06-12T22:24:00.001-04:00

There are many things that take place on small farms, as well as large farms, that most people don't think about. This is not a critique. It is simply a reflection of not knowing what goes on behind the scenes. We might be familiar with the outcome of a particular vocation, but have no awareness of the day to day tasks of a particular line of work. When it come to food, we eat food, we might even have a family garden, but what a farmer actually has to do in order to bring food to your table is not something that most do not pay much attention to. In that knowledge is power, knowing how your food gets from farm to table might enable you to better appreciate and enjoy what you are consuming; especially if what you are eating comes from a local farm. The bias here is that organic produce is the best way to go. Local and sustainable agriculture, even if not organic, is a great way to go.

Before showing some of the details that go into a farm operation there is some flattering news about Farmer David and Z Food Farm. In the June 2 issue of U.S. 1 (a weekly 'newspaper' that identifies itself as "Princeton's Business and Entertainment Newspaper) there was an article by Pat Tanner (pg. 19) about David and Z Food Farm. It's a very nice article about David and how he has reached this stage of his life. If you are interested in reading the article go to www.princetoninfo.com, click on the archives tab to locate the June 2 edition and then go to page 19. (One correction- David does go to Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, but the market is on Saturday [9:30-3:00], not Sunday as mentioned in the article.) As has been mentioned previously, David has benefited from the assistance and support of other local farmers, especially Farmer Matt of Cherry Grove Organic Farm; also in Lawrenceville, NJ. The farm community in the broad, general area in which David lives (Mercer County, NJ) is comprised of some pretty great people. To be repetitive, if you go to a farmers' market far more often than not the farmer will be there and will be quite happy to answer your questions about the food you are buying from them. Here's to farmers and farming. Without them you would get pretty hungry.

Previously you've seen a picture of the posts. Here are the posts that have been wired. The wires are hooked up to electricity. You might think to yourself, why? Simply answer- deer; lots of them. Without a deer fence the farmer would be feeding the deer, not you. Each wire that you see was placed where you see it with one person going all the way around the field- one strand at a time. Another one of those tasks that seems (and does) to take for ever.

It's a BLUE SNAKE!!!! No, it is the tubing that carries the water from the well head next to the barn out to the field. This blue tubing is connected to black tubing- into this black tubing 'faucets' are punched into the sides and attached to the 'faucets' is the drip tubing which delivers the water to the rows of plants. Ah, drink my little hearty's.

A single piece of the blue tubing is not used. There are a number of sections which are attached by the connectors that you see.

Here is a picture of the field. Some plants are covered by the 'white cloth' that you see. This is intended to keep out at least some of the insects. It also provides a little extra warmth to the plants as they get started on their journey from seed to field to harvest to being eaten.

Weeds are pernicious and combating them is an ongoing endeavor. One weapon in David's arsenal is a flame weeder. It is used to burn weeds in planting beds prior to seeds being directly seeded into the bed. Getting to the weeds early gives the newly planted seeds a better opportunit to germinate and to not be over matched by the weeds. In the second picture you can see intern Gregg having way to much fun burning the weeds.

A quick word- today, June 12, marked David's initial appearance at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers' Market in Philadelphia, Pa. There will be more about this in the next post. For now Farmer David wants to extend his thanks to all who stopped by, whether a purchase was made or not. He looks forward to spending the months ahead getting to meet people and to bring his high quality produce to Philadelphia.

Good health and happy eating to one and all.
Peace and hopefulness to one and all.

Bees and Market

2010-06-06T22:04:00.012-04:00

Since last time a great deal has been taking place at Z Food Farm. Prior to providing an update on various events there is an issue of importance to mention- Bees. Over the course of the past few years there have been reports about a collapse in bee colonies in the United States. To quote from an article, written by Alison Benjamin, that was posted on Alternet.org- "Disturbing evidence that honeybees are in terminal decline has emerged from the United States where, for the fourth year in a row, more than a third of colonies have failed to survive the winter." Considering the significant importance of bees to the cycle of farming and bring food to your table this is an issue that can not be overlooked. To read the full article go to- http://www.alternet.org/story/146701/ At this time Z Food Farm is now home to five bee hives. One is left over from last year. One is a 'rescue' hive- bees were swarming at a construction site and were close to being 'forcibly' removed. Through the intervention of someone who knew that David's friend Gab had an interest in bees, David was brought in to constructively move the bees to a safe location, Z Food Farm. At this time the hive is doing well. And there are three hives that belong to a new friend of Z Food Farm, Frank. Frank has a strong passion and commitment to bees and in addition to caring for his hives has been a valued asset in helping to tend to the needs of David's two hives. He is a good do-bee (a reference to those old enough to remember Romper Room). Here are some pictures showing the bees being buzzy.

It is not too much of a stretch to say, no bees, no food.

Jumping ahead of some events, today, June 6, was a new first for Z Food Farm- the first farmers' market. And it was only appropriate that David's first market was at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market since that is the market David has been at for the past five years. As previously mentioned, getting the farm operation up and running took longer than anticipated. Building the greenhouse and putting up the deer fence delayed both the seeding of new plants and then the planting of those plants. The meaning of this is that David is running behind in his having produce available for sale at market. But, not to be deterred, David did have potted tomatoes, lettuce, basil, other herbs, and Swiss Chard plus garlic scapes available for sale. It was great to renew contact with customers (friends) who have been buying produce from David over the past few years and to make new customers (friends). Markets provide David, and other farmers, the opportunity to showcase the fruits (the vegetables) of their labor of love. In addition to selling at the Lawrenceville Market this year (Sundays, 9-2), Z Food Farm will be selling its produce at two other locations- Saturdays at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia (Rittenhouse Farmers' Market Hours: 9:30 am to 3 pm. Location: Walnut Street (south sidewalk), west of 18th Street) and Wednesdays at Z Food Farm!!! (Noon to 7). Go to www.zfoodfarm.com for directions). Sales at the farm will officially start Wednesday, June 16. The date that Z Food Farm will make its initial appearance at the Rittenhouse Square Market will be announced as soon as that decision is made.

Here are pictures from Z Food Farms first market day.

The truck is loaded and ready to go.

All is ready and good to go.

The inaugural debut of Z Food Farm. The sign is not the final version of the farm logo. To the left of the sign you can see some of the lettuce. To the right of the sign, lying on the table, are the garlic scapes. (Scapes are the foliage that grows from the bulb of garlic as it grows under the surface of the ground. The taste of scapes is milder and more mellow than garlic; saute them up with just about anything you can think of.

Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. If you are going to grow your own tomatoes, it is strongly encouraged that you purchase your plants from a local farmer. Not to disparage large commercial sellers, buying local enhances the odds that you are getting a plant that is in good health and free of disease. This can't be guaranteed, but it is increasing your odds. Local conventional is better than box stores. Local organic is better yet. Not sure what you want, you'll get better answers from the farmer growing the tomatoes than you will from someone at a box store. And if you have any questions as your plant is growing you can stay in touch with the farmer who sold you the plant. Purrrfect!!

Let-uce help you pick the specific type of lettuce you would like to grow. When you buy plants or produce at your favorite local farmers' market you have the opportunity to try new varieties of all sorts of produce, including lettuce and tomatoes.

Yes, you too can grow your very own Swiss Chard in your home garden. Swiss Chard is one of those leafy veggies that are wonderfully healthy for you.

Herbs- chives, spearmint, lemon verbena, basil, lemon thyme. Again, growing your own can be great fun. If you have a dehydrator you can grow your own herbs, dry them, and enjoy your very own herbs throughout the year.

That's it for now. Regardless of where you live I'm confident that you can find a farmers' market nearby. This is the time of year when you can purchase your veggies locally and have them fresh to your table from the nearby field from whence they came. While Z Food Farm will be certified organic (David is in the process of obtaining his certification), if organic isn't of critical importance to you, please still make the effort to shop a the local farmers' market close to you. Today, more than has occurred for a long time, the consumer has more alternative options in where to purchase their produce. Conventional local is great. Conventional organic is even better.

Good health and good eating to one and all.

Further

2010-05-25T00:11:00.009-04:00

Further- a sense of always moving forward. Further- accepting obstacles as part of the process and not letting them get in your way. Further- knowing that there are places to be, but being part of the process in the moment. Further- accepting too much rain/too little rain. Further- accepting bugs and beasts that strive to eat what you are growing. Further- persevering regardless. Further- loving what you do, doing what you love.

Farmers have to live in the moment. On a daily basis there is much that needs to be accomplished and it seems that no matter how much time is allotted a particular task, that task always takes longer than anticipated. Think something is going to take an hour, anticipate a glitch and plan for two hours and then the task takes three. And on and on. A flat tire. Mice eating seeds. A broken belt on a lawn mower. A mistake on the electric bill. Reports of late blight already being seen along the East Coast. Why do 'old timers' stay in farming? Why do 'newbies' get into farming? A sense of commitment to the soil. A feeling of passion for the act of making things grow. The feeling of joy upon seeing a seed start to germinate. The sense of oneness with nature. The sense of satisfaction of succeeding in spite of the obstacles. All farmers experience these feelings. The smaller the operation the more personal the relationship the farmer has with the land. To succeed in farming there needs to be a complete and total commitment to the ongoing process of the tasks at hand, regardless of obstacles.

May 12 marked a milestone day at Z Food Farm- it was the first day of planting. The honor of being the first crop into the ground was, drum roll, ............ potatoes!! Since then lettuce, beets, kale, Swiss Chard, salad mix, carrots, summer squash, and on and on have been planted. Farmer David, with the help of his crew of paid workers and volunteers, has been busily trying to catch up having been delayed in getting everything moving further along. In terms of staff there is Gregg the intern and Oscar the hourly farm hand; both are young men and both are extremely diligent in their efforts. They are friendly, personable, and committed to helping make Z Food Farm a great success. David is fortunate to have both of them. David has also benefited from the assistance of volunteers. Old friends helping out include Mary Jo and Malaika- much thanks to them for their assistance. One new friend is Anthony who has helped out a few times with seeding, table building, and planting. To date the most consistent helper has been Angela. She has been coming on a weekly basis since shortly after the farm was up and running. Much thanks and gratitude to all who are involved in helping to make Z Food Farm a great success. (Pictures of staff and volunteers will appear shortly on this blog. There are a couple pictures on the web site. Sorry to be running behind on this and other items of interest.)

Following are some other bits of news about the happenings at the farm.

Here David is using Farmer Matt's tractor and roto tiller. The roto tiller breaks up the soil to enable the farmer to next form beds into which either seeds will be directly sowed or plants planted.

Here David is using Farmer Matt's plant bed former and plastic layer. The discs along the side of the attachment help form the beds and lays down both the plastic mulch and the drip tape. Black plastic keeps in more heat and provides some of the crops with needed added warmth. Regardless of color the mulch is intended to aid in weed suppression.

An organized farmer is a happy farmer. Part of the process is knowing where your tools of the trade are 'living'. Organization of tools, seeds, and supplies is of critical importance.

With mom making use of Craig's list, David was able to obtain this lawn mower. Sadly, it now has a flat tire and a frayed belt. It has been used extensively; probably excessively. But it sure did a good job.

Not sure what the official name of this is, but it will be called the post thumper. It was used to put all of the posts for the deer fence into the ground. By hand it would have taken hours/days to dig all the post holes by hand (some 80 posts). In about four hours David, with the help of Lee Hendrickson, whose machine this is, was able to put all of the posts into the ground in about four hours. At the front end is a hydraulic 'thumper' into which the post is placed and then pounded into the ground. What a wonderful time saver.
And here are the posts. Along the side of the posts, which surrounds the field, as you can easily see in the front post conductors. There are seven on each post. Seven strands of wire were then placed around the field, attached to the posts by the conductors. The wires are then electrified with the goal being to keep deer out of the fields. The purpose of farming is to grow vegetables to bring to the people, not to feed the deer.

To borrow from Simon and Garfunkle, it's all happening at the farm, I do believe it, I do believe it's true. Markets are right around the corner. Hope to see you there soon.

Peace and good eating to all.

Building Tables

2010-05-09T13:36:00.008-04:00

"Architects may come, and architects may go, and never change your point of view. When I run dry I stop awhile and think of you."

In previous posts you've seen the seeding trays resting on 'tables'. While these tables do not need an architects expertise to design and build, they do need to get built. The following pictures will show how this is accomplished.

Step 1. First you need lumber. In this case the frame is made of 2x3 studs, 8 feet in length. The goal is to find pieces of wood that are as straight as possible. This is not as easy a task as you might imagine. For every piece of wood that was selected at least 5, if not more, were rejected. David is using 2x3's to make the tables lighter in weight. They are held together using deckmate screws. Clamps made screwing the pieces of wood together much simpler than using one's hands. Notice that produce crates make a great work table. Farmers are very resourceful at using what is at hand.

Step 2. After the outside frame has been assembled a 2x3 stud is connected to provide strength and support. Again, clamps are used to hold the wood in place as the screws are inserted. At the top of the photo you can see the clamp holding the wood in place. In the right front of the picture, on the produce crate you can also see the clamp.

Step 3. Again using 2x3 pieces of wood, support braces are screwed into place. The top picture shows one brace being put into place. The second picture shows all four braces in place. As with the center brace, the purpose of these braces is to provide stability and strength to the table as a whole.

Step 4. Additional support braces are placed the length of the table. For this step 1x2 pieces of wood were used. As with the 2x3's finding straight pieces of wood is important and was quite challenging. It took about ten pieces of wood to find one usable piece. These braces do not lend much to the overall stability of the table itself. It will provide support for the wire that will now be stapled onto the completed frame of the table. To assemble this frame takes approximately one hour.

Step 5. Here is David using a staple gun to stable the wire onto frame of the table. At the top of the table is the roll of wire that is used. Chicken mesh wire is then stapled over this wire. This allows for a more stable surface on which to place the seeding flats. In the second photo you can see the completed table. It takes approximately 30 minutes to staple both pieces of wiring to the table.

And there you have it. At this time there are currently 29 completed tables. Most of them will be place in the greenhouse. The rest will stay outside the greenhouse where plants will go to be 'conditioned' prior to going into the field. (More about this in a future post.)

The dog days of summer. Here Hule is resting under a tree escaping the oppressive summer heat. Oops! It is only the first week of May. Hmmm? What does that imply about how the summer weather is going to be?

Things are moving along at Z Food Farm but much work remains to be done. Stay tuned for ongoing updates. And don't forget to check out the website (www.zfoodfarm.com). The site is still in its developmental stages but should be up to date by the beginning of June. Until next time, peace and healthy eating to all.

Fixing a Hole Where the Rain Gets In

2010-04-23T01:12:00.007-04:00

"I'm fixing a hole where the rain gets in and stops my mind from wandering, where it will go. I'm filling the cracks that ran through the door and kept my mind from wandering, where it will go."

The greenhouse is an essential component of a farm. It is where the newly seeded plants are placed and where they will germinate and begin to sprout. The greenhouse provides a warm and secure environment for the newly developing plants. Though certain crops are directly seeded into the soil in prepared beds, most plants start their life in a greenhouse. In addition to protection from the elements, in the greenhouse the farmer can control how much water the plants will receive. The greenhouse provides the new plants with the warmth that enhances their growth and development. As a new farm, Z Food Farm needed a greenhouse. Over the course of a couple of weeks, and with help from Farmer Matt, David erected his greenhouse. A few pictures were presented in the previous posting. In this post are pictures showing the process of building the greenhouse.

In the previous post it was mentioned that the posts needed to be hammered into the ground. This is that process. David is using a spacing board that was sent by the manufacturer of the greenhouse. This ensures that the posts are evenly spaced.

Also mentioned previously was that the hoops came in three parts and had to be assembled. Here are the pieces of the hoops.

Here is the completed frame of the greenhouse. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you will see the cross bars running along the top, corner braces, and wood running along the bottom of the posts. This is all intended to provide support to the structure to help hold the greenhouse together.

In this picture David is digging a hole into which will be place a post. Four posts are embedded in the ground. 2x4 lumber will then be placed on top of the posts. These 2x4's provide the foundation upon which the end walls will be built. Along the ground you can see heavy duty landscaping fabric- this will suppress the growth of weeds.

Here you can see the frame one of the end walls. You can see the 2x4's along the bottom and how the top pieces are attached to the metal of the last hoop. You can also see rock that has been placed on top of the fabric. This was done to help, somewhat, level the ground.

After receiving assistance from Farmer Matt in framing one end wall, Farmer David is beginning the process of putting up the frame for the other end wall.

Having completed the second frame, the next step in the process was putting plywood onto the frame. In this picture David is using a reciprocating saw to cut off and round off the plywood. The shiny, metal object that you also see are vents that will open up when the heating unit and fan are in operation.

In this picture the end wall has been primed in preparation of being painted. Also, on the left side of the picture, about half way up you can see some wood that is running the length of the greenhouse. This will be used to help secure the plastic to the greenhouse.

And here you can see the truly green, greenhouse. You can also see the fan that will be used to help with both the heating and the cooling of the greenhouse, depending on what is needed. You can also see that the door has been put in place. In some ways getting the door situated so that it would close and stay latched was one of the more frustrating aspects of the entire process.

Here it is, one greenhouse. Actually, at this stage there are still a number of tasks yet to be completed, but you have a general sense of what the finished project looks like.

Here is a picture of the interior of the greenhouse.

In this shot David, with the help of Farmer Dean (he no longer farms, but once a farmer, always a farmer), is beginning the first of various final stages. Here he is putting on pieces of wood that will help hold the plastic on the end walls.

Putting the greenhouse up was a long and arduous process. Actually, the notion of long and arduous sums up most aspects of the life and lifestyle of a farmer. To be a farmer, in particular a small scale, independent family farmer requires commitment, dedication, and a love for what you are doing. It's been said here before, and will be said again, when you go to a farmers' market take the time to get to know the farmer you are buying from. Ask them questions about the food you are buying. And remember to thank them.

Peace, hopefulness, and healthy eating to all.

GETTIN' THERE

2010-04-17T21:36:00.003-04:00

"Well there's just a little bit of magic in the country, music we're singin' so let's begin. We're bringin' you back down home where the folks are happy. Sittin', pickin', and a-grinnin' casually, you and me. We'll pick up the pieces, uh huh."

Since the last post a great deal has been taking place at Z Food Farm. There will be time to sit and sing later on, but for now Farmer David is more putting the pieces together rather than picking up the pieces. This point was mentioned in the previous post, but the truth of the matter is that despite how much time David has allowed himself to get things done, such as putting together the greenhouse, things still take longer than anticipated. But day by day David is gettin' there. One important item to mention is that the website is, sort of, up and running. 'Sort of'- the site is still a work in progress with much yet to do (there is an ongoing theme here). Thanks to David's friend Gab, with assistance from brother Peter, for getting the site moving towards excellence. To visit the site go to www.zfoodfarm.com.

The following is paraphrased from the book "Bringing It To The Table", by Wendell Berry- "People live for quitting time, for weekends, for vacations, and for retirement. One works not because the work is necessary, valuable, useful to a desirable end, or because one loves to do it, but only to be able to quit. This is explained, of course, by the dullness of the work, by the loss of responsibility for, or credit for, or knowledge of the thing made." The reader can decide for them self the extent to which this statement is true for them. For Farmer David, and the farmers within his local farming community, as well most small family farmers, this is simply not the case. Small farmers, and even some who are part of the large agri business farm system, couldn't do what they do if they did not have a passion and commitment to what they do. For the most part 'quitting time' for a farmer is when the sun goes down and there is very little that is dull about the process of farming. When you go to your local farmers' market, get to know the farmer and learn about their love for what they do. Peace, happiness, hopefulness, and healthy eating to all.

And now to bring you a little up to date with some of what's been going on at Z Food Farm.

It might be a little thing, but appearances are important. On the left is the before, on the right is the after. The color of the newly painted door is Miso.

Greenhouse construction- Part 1: The first step in constructing the greenhouse is to pound the posts into the ground, in as straight a line as possible and to as an equal depth as possible. A surveyors transit is used to get the posts to the same height, relative to the level of the ground.

While the posts are being pounded into the ground, the hoops are being put together. Each hoop consists of three pieces that are connected with a bolt and a nut. Both of these steps is very time consuming and took the better part of six hours.

To install the hoops one end is placed in one of the posts. Then it requires team work with one person pushing the hoop to get it in line while the other person pushes the end of the hoop into the post. A vice grip is put on the end of the hoop end to make sure it doesn't go to far into the post. A nail is then inserted through the pre-drilled holes that are now lined up in the post and the hoop end.

After the hoops are in place one cross beam is attached to the top of the of the hoops and two are attached along the upper sides. In the picture you can see Farmer David pointing to the top beam and around waist high you can see one of the side beams.

The reality of life on a farm is that ground hogs are not the farmers friend. They are very destructive of crops. While traps can be effective at capturing ground hogs, the best weapon against them is man's best friend, the dog. Here Hule has dispatched her first ground hog at Z Food Farm.

At the end of a busy day, Hule enjoys a well deserved nap.

There will be more pictures of the construction of the greenhouse in the next post. Until then, happy and healthy eating to all.

Doing It Again

2010-03-25T21:36:00.008-04:00

"Standing in the middle of nowhere, wondering how to begin, lost between tomorrow and yesterday, between now and then. And now we're back where we started. Here we go 'round again, day after day I get up and I say, "I better do it again""

Each spring brings the beginning of a new farm season. Tasks from previous years need to be repeated. The wheel turns and events repeat themselves. There is a sense of stability in the repetitive nature of farming, a sense of reassurance in the renewed beginning of a new season. And while all of this is true for Farmer David there is a different sense of anticipation, excitement, and trepidation in that Farmer David is establishing a brand new farm. Just as you plant the seeds that will grow into plants, David is 'planting' and establishing his own roots with Z Food Farm.

As it is in other endeavors, getting things accomplished at a farm always seems to take longer than one would like. This has been especially true in putting the parts together for the green house (more details and pictures about the green house will be in the next posting). Be that as it may, there has been movement forward at Z Food Farm. A tractor has been purchased. Seeding has started. A mail box has been posted. And there has been progress in the building of the green house. There is a little over two months to go before market season starts and there seems to be so much that still needs to be done. In the spirit of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, there is only one way to go, 'Further'.

If you are going to grow stuff you need to plant the seed in seeding trays with the proper soil mix. Here David is mixing up a batch of soil. There are various components that go into the soil mix- peat moss, vermiculite, lime, greensand, and a couple of other things.While traditional fertilizers can not be used in organic farming, the basic peat moss can be enhanced to provide good growing conditions for the newly planted seeds.

(NOTE- A big shout out of thanks to Farmer Matt at Cherry Grove Organic Farm. Matt, knowing that David's green house would not be finished in time for the beginning of seeding, offered David space in his green house. Also, in a variety of other ways Matt has provided David with assistance. David is greatly appreciative of all that Matt has done for him.)

Once the seeds have been placed in the trays and covered with the soil mix they need to be watered. It sounds obvious, and it is, but the process of watering can not be taken for granted. At all stages of growth, from the initial seeding to the time when the seedlings are planted in the ground, the trays need to be thoroughly watered. While David is doing this initial watering by hand, Farmer Matt has a watering system within his green house that saves an amazing amount of time. David will be installing a similar system in his green house.

This is the first days seeding. While this may not seem to be all that much, these trays are full of bunching onions. Each cell contains 5-6 seeds. One reason for so many seeds per cell is that not all of the seeds will germinate. Another reason is that these are onions that will be harvested and sold in bunches rather than individually.

Here it is, Farmer David's first tractor. It is a Ford 1710. This particular tractor was built in 1986. The tractor was refurbished and is in great condition. Long may you run.

And here is Farmer David peering into the future, contemplating what adventures lie ahead. Needless to say the hope is that the adventures, while challenging, will be surmountable. Go forth young farmer.

That's all for now. Next posting will detail the putting up of the green house. Until then healthy eating and peace to all.

Prairie Wind

2010-03-07T21:47:00.008-05:00

I tried to tell the people but they never heard a word I say
They say there's nothing out there but wheat fields anyway
Just a farmer's wife hanging laundry in her back yard
Out on the prairie where the winds blow long and hard

Z Food Farm may not be on a prairie, it is in Lawrenceville NJ, but wheat fields and a farmer's wife hanging laundry does convey a pretty picture. At this time things at Z Food Farm are moving along at a steady pace, but in truth it is the calm before the storm. In the calm Farmer David has been making some purchases. Among them- produce crates, components for his soil mix, the various parts of what will be his irrigation system, a green house (hoop house) and a tractor. David has also ordered his seeds (which took an extensive amount of time to do) and they have started to arrive. He's also been working on the paperwork for organic certification. The approaching storm is the green house needs to be built, a deer fence needs to be put up, and seeding needs to start. At this time the putting together of the components of the green house has been somewhat delayed by (dramatic pause) the weather. Yes fans of farming, it is early March and already the weather has had an impact on things. Those of you in New Jersey might have vague recall of those snow storms that dumped record amounts of snow on the area. Well, when you have snow on the ground it is challenging to get into the fields to build anything. However, within the next week construction of the green house will commence and once that has been accomplished it will be full speed ahead. It is hoped that the snow is not a harbinger of weather challenges in the coming months. If you recall from last farm season the rainy weather of June had a significant impact on the entire season. Hopefully the coming weather will be kinder to all farmers.

Michael Pollan, in his book, "In Defense of Food" offered a rule to those interested in healthy eating and the importance of healthy sources of food, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants." Well, Mr. Pollan has expanded on his rule in his most recent book, "Food Rules - An Eater's Manual". If you are interested in reading more about this, apart from buying the book, you can go to an article/interview in the New York Times (Jan. 8, 2010) by Tara Parker-Pope:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/michael-pollan-offers-64-ways-to-eat-food/?scp=1&sq=Michael Pollan Offers 64 Ways to Eat Food&st=cse

An influence on the work of Mr. Pollan is the work of Wendell Berry. To close today here is a quote from an essay of Mr. Berry's from the most recent book containing his essay's "Bringing It To The Table - On Farming and Food", "Eaters must understand that eating takes place inescapable in the world, that it is inescapably an agricultural act, and that how we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used."

Mindful, happy, and healthy eating to all.

Here's Hule exploring her new farm. It is her farm. She allows Farmer David to think it is his.

Before the snows came, Farmer David borrowed a tractor with a mowing attachment. Cutting the growth will make it easier for the soil to be turned as part of the seeding process once spring finally rolls around. Thanks to Farmer Kelly of Cherry Grove Farm for the loan of the tractor.

In this picture you can see how high things had grown.

This is what the field looked like after the mowing.

The moss will be combined with compost, a soil, and other ingredients to make up the soil mix in which the seeds will germinate in the seeding trays.

On the left side of the picture are 'hoops' that will support cloth that will be placed over the plants in the field. The cloth will create a 'hot house' effect to help promote the growth of the plants. Center front you can see some ground cover- this plastic will be placed on the raised beds and once the plants are in the ground will aid in the suppression of weeds. Center back and right are components of the irrigation system. Think of a dripper hose that you might use to water flowers or shrubs in your home garden.

Peace and good eating to all.

Hello, Goodbye

2010-01-11T19:28:00.008-05:00

To borrow from and paraphrase from the Beatles, goodbye, hello. Farmer David is bidding a fond farewell to Gravity Hill Farm and Hello to Z Food Farm. WHAT? Yes, you read that correctly. Here's the a summary and update.

During farm seasons 2004, 2005, and 2006 David was an intern for Farmer Matt at Cherry Grove Organic Farm; Lawrenceville, NJ. This was, in a manner of speaking, Farmer David's undergraduate degree in farming. For farm seasons 2007,2008, and 2009 Farmer David was the farm manager for David Earling and his wife Maria Nicolo at Gravity Hill Organic Farm; Titusville, NJ. This was, in a manner of speaking, Farmer David;s graduate degree in farming. And now for the big news- as of Tuesday, December 22, 2009 Farmer David has a lease for land to establish his own organic farm- Z Food Farm. To continue the educational theme, Farmer David is now pursuing his post doc in farming. As David takes his 'leap of faith' in starting a new farm operation, he wishes to express gratitude and appreciation to a) Farmer Matt for providing him knowledge, support, and encouragemnt during the three years of his internship and continuing over the course of the past three years, and b) David and Maria for providing him the opportunity to manage their family farm and for their support and encouragement.

Though this is being posted rather late in the relation to the past farm season much thanks to the crew who worked at Gravity Hill Farm this past season. Thanks also to those of you who have purchased your produce through the farm markets where Gravity Hill sells its produce. As many of you know, this past season presented very unique challenges with all the wet weather, particularly during the month of June. The rain caused a ripple effect of problems with various diseases and pests throughout the rest of the season. The biggest disappoint being the limited time that those wonderful heirloom tomatoes were available. Sigh of sorrow even now.

So now, in the spirit of an adventurous spirit, onwards and upwards. Though it might seem early, there is much that needs to be done starting now to get ready for the upcoming season, especially for a new farming operation. There is a deer fence to put up. Supplies and equipment to be purchased. A greenhouse to build. This in addition to the routine business of prepping for a new season. So, stayed tuned for the further adventures of Farmer David and the brand new Z Food Farm. In addition to this blog there is going to be a website (www.zfoodfarm.com), a Farcbook page, and a twitter. Once everything is organized and up and running there will be announcements about which farmers' markets Farmer David will be selling his produce.

A new article with Michael Pollan appeared in the Jan. 8, 2o1o NY Times. The article is a brief interview with Mr. Pollan that discusses Here is a link to the article http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/michael-pollan-offers-64-ways-to-eat-food/?scp=2&sq=tara%20parker-pope&st=cse.
In the article, which is a brief interview, Mr. Pollan is asked about his new book, "Food Rules: An Eater's Manual". The book provides 64 rules that are intended to encourage people to eat in a healthier manner. The book uses Mr. Pollan's quote, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." as a foundation. The book has three sections, with each part of the quote representing a section of the book.

In the spirit of the New Year, good health, happiness, peace, hopefulness, and healthy eating to one and all.

Below are some pictures of Z Food Farm. Stayed tuned.

The frame of the greenhouse to the right of the building is no longer there.

In the recent past there was a farm stand on the land, Little Acres Farm Market Too. To accommodate Farmer David's needs, the inside of the building will need some modifications- most importantly the installing of sinks and running tubing into the building to get water to the sinks.

Farmer David will have about 20 acres of land to use. There are 'two' fields, each about 10 acres. The front field will not be used this first year. It was last farmed, conventionally, within the past two years and would not qualify for organic certification. The back field has not been farmed for an extended period of time and will qualify to be organically certified.

On the right side of the picture the white square is a walk-in cooler. As with the frame of the green house it too has been removed. A new walk-in cooler will take its place.

That's it for now. Happy New Year. Good health, happiness, hopefulness, and peace to one and all.

Good Day Sunshine

2009-09-12T18:12:00.009-04:00

Good day sunshine, Good day sunshine, Good day sunshine
I need to laugh, and when the sun is out
I've got something I can laugh about
I feel good, in a special way
I'm in love and it's a sunny day
Good day sunshine, Good day sunshine,Good day sunshine

While the sun may have been out more recently than not, Farmer David, and other organic farmers, are still reaping the adverse consequences of all of the rain from previous months. Whether it is disease (basil downy mildew, late blight for tomatoes) or pests (bugs eating carrots or broccoli) or the rain, this has been a very challenging season. One of the consequences of the earlier rains is that certain crops are not presently available, or available in less quantity than would otherwise be the case. People might think that the current drier weather means that all produce should be available. The reality is that the earlier rain wiped out plantings of certain things or prevented the planting of others. So, sadly, just because it is drier now, the damage has been done.
Despite all of this, Farmer David, and other local organic farmers, persevere. While they are obviously not thrilled with what Mother Nature has thrown at them, they accept that the various conditions come with their chosen profession. Perhaps profession is the wrong word. People who choose to go into farming, particularly those who have chosen to be in organic farming, don't view what they do as a job. It is who they are. The reasons that bring a person to farming are many and varied, but the bottom line is that they believe in what they are doing. They have a commitment to what they are doing. Farming is not the type of 'job' that a person can just show up for, go through the motions, and go home at the end of the day. Farming requires a passion for a lifestyle that continually challenges a farmer's resolve. It has been said in this blog before, and it will be said again in the future, when you go to a farmers' market, thank the farmer at whose stand you shop.

The term 'local' has been used frequently in this blog. The context of this has been to promote the notion of the smaller scale farmer who sells their produce within a relatively short distance from where the food is grown. The implication of this is that the closer to home the produce is the fresher it will be for the consumer and the less the carbon footprint will be in bringing the produce to market. This is a concept that over the past few years has become increasingly popular. An article by Kim Severson in the NY Times (May 13, 2009) addresses the issue of what happens when large companies start to promote themselves as embracing the notion of 'local'. It is an interesting article the examines what it does mean to be local and how large companies are trying to use people's belief in the concept to promote their own interests. To read the article go to- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=When Local Makes It Big - Kim Severson&st=cse

Another suggested article, this one by Michael Pollan. The article is adapted from his introduction to Bringing It to the Table, a collection of Wendell Berry's writings. Wendell Berry is someone who, in the early 1970's, began to write about the importance of food and agriculture in American culture. To read the article go to- http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090921/pollan

Regardless of your thoughts about the meaning of 'local', there is a difference between those farmers who are connected to large corporations and those farmers who operate on a much smaller and much more local level. When possible support your smaller, local, sustainable, and organic farmer. And if the notion of organic is not of large importance to you, buying from local farmers is still a great thing to do.

Peace and good, healthy eating to all.

While the late blight was devastating to the tomato plants, Farmer David was able, for a brief period, to bring an array of tomatoes to market. While the variety may not have matched what was available last season, they were wonderful and colorful. Here's to a better season next year.

Ah, the beauty of nature.

Asian eggplant- less seedy, more creamy, and with less of the traditional eggplant bitterness. And they are gorgeous.

Just your basic, traditional red onion. Tasty raw, wonderful sweet when sauteed.

This is what happens when a farmer spends too much time under the hot sun.

Better watch out for those speeding tractors.

Hope to see you at market. And if unable to come to one of Gravity Hill's markets, run, don't walk to the farmers' market closest to you. Peace to all.

Shelter From The Storm

2009-08-22T17:31:00.012-04:00

twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form.
Come in, she said,
Ill give you shelter from the storm.

Whether it be storms or droughts, insects or disease, oppressive heat and humidity, bitter cold with bone chilling wind, farmers have been at the mercy of the elements throughout the course of time. Over the course of time farming changed from small farms that used methods of farming that was conducive to good taste and colorful appearance to large, industrial type farms whose main goal was to make food as inexpensive as possible even at the risk of decreasing the flavor of some of the produce. Farming changed to include the use of chemicals to prevent and treat disease, to protect the plants from bugs, and to allow the produce to be shipped many, many miles and to have a long shelf life. In the process people lost contact with the people who were producing their food and took their food for granted. In recent times, things have started to change back to 'the good old days'; food increasingly grown in a manner that is local, sustainable, and abstains from using chemicals that are less than healthy for the plants, the soil, and the consumer. Organic farmers are thus more vulnerable to the elements. During the current growing season many/most/all organic crops throughout the northeast, including Pennsylvania and areas as far west as Ohio, are being afflicted by various ailments. Two in particular are particularly devastating to organic farmers- late blight and downy mildew. In the previous posting links to two articles were offered to provide information about tomato blight. Another article that addresses the issue of blight and its impact can be reached through the following link- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/opinion/09barber.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Dan Barber&st=cse

One suggestion from the article to mention- if you are going to do home gardening and you don't want to start your own plants from seed, buy your plants from local farmers or local nursery's who have started their plants from scratch. This point is being made due to the blight being partially the result of diseased plants that were started elsewhere being sold at 'box' stores where the disease went unrecognized. If you are supportive of local, sustainable, organic agriculture and want your own garden, buy your plants from a local supplier of plants. With this in mind the problem with late blight and downy mildew has been exacerbated by the wet weather conditions throughout this farm season. Farmer David is not alone in having his crops effected by disease; this is particularly true for all organic farmers. While there are some substances that are organically approved to combat pests and disease, conventional farmers are much better able to protect their plants from disease. For Farmer David, in addition to the tomato plants being struck by late blight, downy mildew has had a stark impact on cucumbers and summer squash. Basil and winter squash have also been damaged.

Last season Farmer David had head lettuce for sale at the farmers' markets every week but one. He had salad mix almost as often. This season due to wet ground lettuce plants did not get planted, some that were planted were unable to be harvested and salad mix and arugula were unable to be directly seeded into the ground. As you consider the impact of weather and disease on small, local, organic farmers, please make it a point to buy your produce at farmers' market and help local, organic farmers remain a viable alternative to the traditional chain supermarkets. Yes, these stores have a role to play in providing us with food throughout the year when local produce is unavailable and providing a wider diversity of food in an area whose climate is not conducive to certain items.

Remember- Shop at farmers' markets. Buy organic. Get to know your farmer. Ask questions about your food. Enjoying good food is at your finger tips. To all who have enjoyed Gravity Hill produce at the New Hope Market, the Pennington Market, the Lawrenceville Market, and from the farm stand, thank you for your support. Your use of Gravity Hill Organic Farm for your produce needs is greatly appreciated.

Happy and healthy eating to all.

Seeding, germinating, and planting continue. To borrow from the wisdom of Yogi, 'the growing season ain't over 'til it's over'.

From germinating seed into the field. The process is ongoing. From the fields of Gravity Hill to a farmers' market near you.

Now, if can only stop raining all of this wonderful stuff will make it to your table.

This is what downy mildew does to plants. As goes the plants, so goes the fruit being produced by the plant.

Here it is, tomato plants with late blight.

As you can see in this picture, the plants are, despite all odds, attempting to continue to produce fruit. To date David has been able to bring an abundance of tomatoes to market. Not as many as would have been available. Not as many varieties as had been planted. And certainly not lasting as long into the season as they otherwise would have been available. However, plenty of tomatoes nonetheless. In this David and Gravity Hill have been far more fortunate than many other farms throughout the afflicted area.

Pretty as a picture. Oh, it is a picture. It is even prettier in person.

Again, thanks to all who come to market. Remember, farming is hard work and it takes a total effort on the part of Farmer David, David E. and Maria as well as all the people who work at the farm. Thank a farmer, any farmer, for their hard work.

Peace and healthy eating to all.

Here Comes The Sun

2009-08-02T16:35:00.011-04:00

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it's all right

Here it is the beginning of August and for all practical purposes, we are still waiting for the sun in New Jersey and most the the northeast. Records for rainfall were set for the month of June and by all reports the weather has been wetter by 50%-100% in some areas. This is contrasted by the excessive heat in the Pacific Northwest which is having an amazing dry spell. Texas is also beset by excessive heat and cattle farmers are having to sell off their herds due to grazing land drying up. Regardless of the region of the country, farmers are struggling to achieve success. The cool and wet weather in the northeast has contributed to a tomato disease called late blight. In brief this disease is killing tomato plants and, in some cases, potato plants. The blight in question is not all that uncommon late in the season, but the 'normal' hot weather of August is usually able to prevent the disease to spread to the extent that it has. And, considering that as of this date it is still rainy and cool, it is more than likely that the disease will continue to flourish. (A historical side note- the blight in question is the one that ravaged Ireland in the early 1800's and contributed to what was called the Potato Famine and led to the mass exodus of many people out of Ireland.)

As two recent articles in the NY Times indicates, the impact of late blight on some farmers has been depressing. While it is encouraged that you read the articles, the articles report that many farmers are losing their entire crop of tomatoes and some/all of their potatoes. The economic impact on these farmers is quite severe as many of these farmers depend on the tomatoes as the major source of their yearly incomes. The articles also discuss that there is not that much that organic farmers are able to do to combat the blight. Here are the links to the two articles- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/nyregion/18tomatoes.html?scp=1&sq=tomato%20blight&st=cse and http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/29/dining/29toma.html?scp=3&sq=tomato%20blight&st=cse.

At Gravity Hill there have been some tomatoes at market the past couple of weeks. How long Farmer David is able to bring tomatoes to market remains to be seen. Thus, if you want local, fresh, delicious organic heirloom tomatoes you are strongly encouraged to get to market (New Hope, Pa. (Thursdays, 3:30-7:00), Pennington NJ. (Saturdays, 9am-1pm), or Lawrenceville, NJ (9am-1pm) or at the farm itself on Tuesdays, 1-7, as soon as possible.

In these times of stress for farmers, please do your best to support any and all local farmers.They are an integral part of your local community and these small farms are part of the history of America and help to sustain a sense of community. Though these are difficult economic times for many, you will find the prices of most produce at farmers markets to be comparable to what you will find in large chain stores. The window for you to buy fresh, local produce is fairly small, you are encouraged to take advantage of the produce that is available.

The following are pictures of some of the wonderful produce Farmer David, with the help of his merry band of helpers, has been bringing to market.The pictures will speak for themselves.

(yes, purple broccoli)

(New Jersey Gothic- Emma, Malaika, Val, Farmer David)

Support your local farmer. Support sustainable agriculture. Eat healthy. Thank a farmer.

Rainy Days

2009-06-03T23:09:00.011-04:00

" Rainy day, rain all day, Ain't no use gettin' uptight, just let it groove its own way. Let it drain your worries away yeah, lay back and groove on a rainy day hey, lay back and dream on a rainy day."

Ah, rain. A farmer's best friend and a most vexing foe. Too much rain and the fields can't be plowed or prepared for planting. The weight of the tractor would compact the soil, which is not a good thing. And weeding in wet ground is not a fun task. Yet rain is the lifeblood of both the newly planted and the established plants. Yes, Farmer David does have an irrigation system, but rain, a nice steady rain, is a beautiful thing. This type ofo rain allows the water to take its time to soak into the ground thus nurturing the root system of the plants. Too hard a rain can damage the plants and the water tends to not soak in as efficiently. Too little rain and everything gets too dry (duh!) and the need to continually monitor the irrigation system becomes an ongoing challenge. Ultimately the issue of whether or not it rains is an unmanageable and all the farmer can do is the best he/she can. So far this spring the rain ahs been both friend and foe. At times the rain has set back both planting and weeding. At times the rain has been nurturing. And unfortunately on days when it does rain Farmer David and his merry band of gypsies don't have the luxury of layin' back and groovin'. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow stops the oft challenged farmer from completing necessary tasks, indoors or out.

A coule of news articles for your interest. On March 21, 200r the NY Times had an article about sugar in our foods. The article compares and contrast the use of 'real' sugar and high-fructose corn syrup in the foods we eat. The promoters of each are pushing their respective arguments as to which is best/worst for the consumer. However, as Michael Pollan has conveyed (though not in this article, the less processed food you eat the better for your health it owuld be. To read the article go to the online NY Times and search for the article entitled "Sugar Is Back on Food Labels, This Time as a Selling Point", by Kim Severson.

A second article, in case you missed it, pertains to the new White House garden that the Obama's are having place on the grounds of the White House. The hope is that the garden will continue to be publicized as time goes by so that the value and importane of home gardens can be promoted. To read the article go to the NY Times online and search for the article entitled "Obamas to Plant Vegetable Garden at White House", by Marian Burros.

The issues pertaining to organic, local, sustainable food are many and varied. Each individual needs to be as informed as possible and make decisions that they believe to be in their best interests. Whether the debate is what constitutes local, organic food that is sustainable vs. food that is shipped in from hundreds, if not thousands of miles, become informed and make an educated decision about what you believe to be in your best interests.

Peace and healthy eating to all.

Rows of garlic. The straw is intended to assist in keeping weeds at bay. Garlic is planted in late fall and develops its 'root' over the course of the winter. In the spring the greens you see start to show themselves. Soon there will be garlic scapes, shoots that come out of the garlic that can be used just like garlic.

This is a picture of some lettuce that was planted in the 'long house', a green house where the plants are planted directly into the soil. This allows for early planting which allows Farmer David to have crops ready for the first markets.

These are beets that are also growing in the 'long house'. In addition to beets and lettuce, onions, carrots, tomatoes, and spinach are growing there.

This is one of the alpacas after its 'spring cleaning'. Shaving of their coat is an annual event. This year their fleece will be made into hats that will be given to those in need of assistance.

Various plants on the tables outside of the greenhouse. After germinating and developing, the plants are put on the outside table to toughen them up prior to planting them. This allows the plants to adapt to being in the ground.

Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. Last year Farmer David planted 50 varieties of tomatoes. This year there will be 40.

This gives some perspective of the table and plants outside of the green house.

Farmer David is trying a new type of row cover this year. The shiny effect is intended to help keep various bugs and pests away. The theory is that the reflective nature of this cover discourages bugs from coming too close to realize that a good meal is waiting for them.

Knowing how much to seed is a science and an art. Seeds do not germinate at a 100% of what is seeded. And once seeds germinate, not all plants survive. Thus you need to seed more than you need. With this in mind the farmer will often times end up with more plants than will go into the ground. This is the remains of some seedlings that were not needed. A moment of silence for those who did not make it into the ground.

First New Hope Market- Thursday June 4 (3PM-&PM). First Pennington Market- Saturday June 6 (9AM-1PM). First Lawrenceville Market- Sunday June 7 (9AM-1PM). First on site at Gravity Hill Market- Tuesday June 9 (1PM-7PM).

May the force be with you to enjoy healthy foods.

Good To See You

2009-05-04T20:40:00.013-04:00

"Good to see you. Good to see you again. Good to see your face again. Good to see you."

The winter is over. There is the scent of spring in the air. There is the whole process of getting ready- get your compost, get your soil. Mix together the compost, the soil, and various other ingredients to have your organic soil mixture. Get the greenhouse cleaned up (sort of), get it organized (for the most part), and then start seeding. And then cross your fingers while waiting for the seeds to start germinating and then start poking their heads through the soil. Ah, so good to see you, so good to see your face again. This is David's third year at Gravity Hill, and the start of his sixth year as a farmer. (Where has the time gone?) And there is still that apprehension, a bit of anxiety about whether or not the seeds will germinate and grow strong and healthy. What a relief when it all works out. Then the new plants need the right balance of warmth and water. To much of one, and too little of the other is not a good combination. Then you kick yourself, reseed, and pick up the pieces and move forward.

As April has moved into May there has been, there still is, a lot of raining going on. Fortunately there were enough dry days and Farmer David was able to do a significant amount of planting the past few days and he is on par to have produce available for the upcoming markets. Speaking of markets- for the coming season Gravity Hill will offer its produce in the following locations: Sunday mornings will be the same as last year at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market (9AM-1PM). Tuesday afternoons AT THE FARM (1PM-7PM). This is a new addition. Thursdays in New Hope at the high school parking lot. This too is the same as last year (3PM-7PM). And another new addition- Saturday mornings at the Pennington Supermarket parking lot. Last year there was a one off 'green market' in Pennington towards the end of the year. This event turned out to be very popular and it was decided by those who decide these things to have a weekly market. More info about the Gravity Hill farm stand and the Pennington market will be forthcoming.

As you might be aware, Michelle Obama is converting part of the White House lawn into a garden. Michael Pollan (author of "Omnivors Dilemma" among other books pertaining to our relationship with food) wrote an op-ed piece pertaining to this topic in 1991. If you are interested in what Mr. Pollan had to say go to: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/22op-classic.html?scp=1&sq=Abolish%20the%20White%20House%20Lawn&st=cse

Greetings this posting from Edward la Gatta. She has proved proficient in catching mice. While Edward is a pet as well as a hunter, there are a couple of other cats that are roaming around the farm. If they are ever spotted pictures will be taken. For now they are elusive.

On the left is the ever present Hule. On the right is the latest addition to the menagerie at Gravity Hill, Mia Bella the miniature donkey.

As you can see, the green house rapidly filled up. Once the plants have become firmly established they will be moved outside to adapt to 'real' weather. Once the plants have acclimated to the outdoors they will be planted.

This shows plants at various stages of growth and development.

There would be no plants if there was no one to seed them. Below you see David, Marily (Mare), and Val busily placing the seeds in the seeding trays. Last year Valerie was an intern at the farm; this year she is working as a 'regular' employee. Welcome Back! Mare is part of the extended Earling/Nicolo family. Welcome Aboard! Seeding is very time consuming and requires patience and determination. And until you see how small some of the seeds are you can't appreciate the challenges of seeding.

The first picture below shows the pile of compost that gets added with various other soil components and ingredients to make an enriched environment in which to place the seeds. Within the compost are twigs and clumps that would make seeding even more of a challenge. To sort out these impediments the compost is placed in the 'wheel' that is shown in the second picture. The wheel gets spun around, the sifted compost falls through the openings of the wheel leaving behind the clumps and stuff, and falls into the wheelbarrow. As you can see in the third picture the compost is mostly smooth and ready for mixing.

Well, that's all for now. To date the farm season has gotten off to a good start. The rain is somewhat impeding weeding, but then again the newly planted seedlings are happy. In farming there are things which can be controlled; the weather isn't one of them. Peace to all. Happy and healthy eating to all.

Feeling Good-Beginning Again

2009-03-29T17:08:00.017-04:00

"Birds flyin' high you know how I feel. Sun in the sky, you know how I feel. Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me yeah. It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me, And I'm Feeling Good."

Thus begins Farmer David's third year at Gravity Hill Farm. The months since the end of last farm season have passed and once again it is time to gear up and get going. Do maintenance on the tractors and equipment. Clean out the barn. Get things organized in the green house. Arrange for an intern and hourly workers. Plan for what you are going to grow. Order the seeds. Organize where things are going to get planted. And start seeding. And keep seeding. And keep seeding. Oh, and keep seeding. On Wednesday, March 4 the seeding began and has continued with regularity. To date other seeders have included Maria and Marilyn (a member of the extended Earling/Nicolo) family. Seeding is a time consuming process, as is so much of farming. Yet there is a certain meditative, soothing groove that a person can reach while seeding; something that is present in many of the other aspects of farming. Yes, farming is hard work but there is an intrinsic reward to the time and labor that is part of the process. And, if the weather cooperates, and the pests aren't too destructive, you achieve success and have a crop of local, sustainable, and in this case, organic produce to offer at market and to local restaurants. In addition to this reward Farmer David and Gravity Hill Farm have been recognized by the general public for their efforts.

There is a magazine entitled "Edible Jersey". To quote from its website it is "a new quarterly magazine that celebrates the local, seasonal, food of the Garden State. Edible Jersey tells the story of food, from source to table, spotlighting the growers, producers, fishermen, retailers, chefs, home cooks, and others who energize our culinary community." Last fall readers of the magazine were asked "to vote for the farm, restaurant, food artisan, beverage artisan, and nonprofit organization who, they felt, are making a major contribution to the Garden State's food community." Gravity Hill Farm was voted the Local Hero Farm. (Thanks to Farmer David's friend Mary Jo for nominating him and the farm.) To read the article you can find a copy of Edible Jersey or go to the website, http://www.ediblejersey.com/content/ When you get to the website click on the current issue, and then where it says Features on the right side of the page, click on 2009 Local Hero Awards. Congrats to Farmer David and David E. and Maria. Also, congrats to all those who worked and volunteered their time to help make Gravity Hill Farm a 'Local Hero'. Success like this requires teamwork and commitment.

In the March 22, 2009 NY Times there was an article entitled "Eating Food That's Better for You Organic or Not". For those of you interested in the ongoing discussion about the foods you are eating, this article is suggested. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/weekinreview/22bittman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Eating%20Food%20That%27s%20Better%20for%20You&st=cse (If this doesn't work simply go to the NY Times front page and enter the title of the article in their search engine.)

This is a new 'road'. It will make it easier to drive the tractors down to the lower fields.

At the end of last season, there were three bee hives. As this season got started it seemed as if all three had survived. Sadly, shortly after the hives had awakened, one of them died off. Of the remaining two, one is going strong while the other appears weak. We will hope for the best.

A new addition to the farm this year will be two long greenhouses. One will be used to grow tomatoes, the other, flowers. Once these tunnel greenhouses are completed they will be covered with plastic and the tomatoes and flowers will be planted directly into the ground. The advantage of this is that the length of the growing season can be extended and the conditions in which the plants are grown (how much water they receive) can be better controlled.

At the end of the season the plastic 'tape' and tubes that were used for irrigation were pulled out of the fields. Some of this will be able to be recycled. Some of it, sadly, will end up being thrown away.

Most of these trays that were used for seeding last season will be able to be reused. They will be cleaned and while not as good as new, will still be able to be used.

Garlic was planted last fall and has been quietly biding its time throughout the winter patiently waiting for the spring.

Here's Farmer David getting ready to begin seeding. Hip! Hip! Hooray! for seeding.

This picture was taken on March 4, the first day that seeding was done. While it might not look as if much was accomplished, these are trays of onions and scallions. Depending on the variety of onion, each cell of the tray, and there are 128 cells in each tray, has 4-6 seeds. These 14 trays represents a lot of time and patience.

Within two weeks seeds are germinating and starting to grow. The emergence of the first sprouts is truly an awesome experience. Once the seeds are planted there is a sense of uncertainty about whether or not the seeds will in fact germinate, even if in past seasons there were no problems with germination. And this sense of the unknown and then wonderment when germination has been achieved continues throughout the entire season. Farming is not for the faint of heart.

A few days before the above picture was taken, below was the scene at the farm. What a beautiful sight.

Farmer David giving a big thumbs up for a good days work.

If you have a chance, thank a farmer. Peace and happy and healthy eating to all.

(Belatedly) The End

2009-03-20T18:03:00.004-04:00

"Oh yeah, all right. Are you going to be in my dreams Tonight? And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make."

Well, all good things come to a stopping point. In farming this end is usually when it gets too cold for the plants and for the farmer. Yes, some farmers might have hoop houses that can prolong their season, but for Farmer David and Gravity Hill Farm, the conclusion to farm season 2008 came at Thanksgiving time. It was a great season by any measure. Happy consumers of fresh, organic, sustainable produce from a local farm. And at a reasonable cost. What more could healthy eaters want! Farmer David would like to thank all who have supported his efforts at the Lawrenceville and New Hope Farmers' markets. Farmer David would also like to thank the restaurants who supported Gravity Hill Farm by including its produce in some of their meals-
Blue Bottle Cafe, Brother's Moon, One 53, and Elements. Thanks also to all those who visited the farm and lent a helping hand in one capacity or another. Farmer David, David Earling, and Maria Nicolo look forward to another great season in 2009.

Peace, good health, hopefulness, and good eating to all.

The winter squash crop was bountiful and varied. When all was said and done all the tables in the green house were full.

The winter squash were very popular at both the New Hope and the Lawrenceville Farmers' Markets. The variety in sizes, shapes, and colors is an amazing display.

After the hustle and bustle of the summer, the fields seem serene and quiet as winter starts to settle in.

And in the end, all is quiet. Looking forward to seeing you all at markets next season.

Summertime Blues

2008-11-28T20:16:00.012-05:00

"I'm gonna raise a fuss, I'm gonna raise a holler about a workin' all summer just to try to earn a dollar. Every time I call my baby, and ask to get a date my boss says, 'No dice son, you gotta work late'. Sometimes I wonder what I'm gonna do, but there ain't no cure for the summertime blues."

Whether it is Farmer David, or his merry band of workers and volunteers, working on a farm is hard work. Whether it is working in 100 degree heat, or rain, or wind, or when it is dark to the point of not being able to see what you are doing, or come the late fall in freezing temperatures, the work needs to get done. To persevere requires commitment and dedication. To persevere requires more than just a sense of professionalism and a sense of obligation to completion of task. To be a farmer requires a love for what you are doing. The proof of Farmer David's love for what he does reflects the notion of the expression, the proof is in the pudding. The pudding in this case are the people who come to both the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market and the New Hope Market. Week in and week out people consistently compliment Farmer David for both the beauty and the quality of the produce he brings to market. The following pictures are a sample of the produce that was brought to market over the course of the 2008 farm season.

This shows the set up at the Lawrenceville Market. All the produce that is sold at market is grown at the farm.

Fennel, and chard, and beets, and turnips, and basil; Oh My!

Beans, beans, good for your heart. The more you eat the more you.... Oh. Not these beans. Great to eat raw. When cooked the purple is cooked out.

You say tomato, I say tomatoe. Farmer David grew 51 varieties of tomatoes this year. For a full listing go to www.gravityhillfarm.com and click on the produce link. You will then see a link to the tomatoes that were grown.

Yes, it really is a blue potato.

The bounty of the harvest. Purple scallions? You betcha.

These are Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. People would often buy two so they could eat one on the way home and still have one to share. They are candy on a vine.

The salad mix and the arugula are big favorites.

Over the course of the season Farmer David grew 13 varieties of lettuce. For a full listing you are again encouraged to go to the Gravity Hill Farm website, click on the produce link and then the lettuce list link. Lettuce is not particularly fond of warm weather. Despite this, with only a couple of exceptions, Farmer David was able to bring lettuce to market throughout the entire summer. This was very labor intensive, but Farmer David felt it was well worth the effort.

Nope. Not beets. Nope. Not radishes. These are scarlet turnips.

That's it for now. Hope you enjoyed the overview of produce. To be able to bring this type of bounty to markets week in and week out requires a labor of love. Happy and healthy eating to all. Support local, sustainable, organic agriculture.

Flowers

2008-11-08T12:30:00.013-05:00

"Prince or pauper, beggar man or thing,Play the game with every flower you bring
Dandelion don’t tell no lies, Dandelion will make you wise, Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
One o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock, four o’clock chime
Dandelions don’t care about the time"

In addition to produce, Gravity Hill Farm grows flowers. Last season Farmer David grew a variety of flowers that he brought to market. In this endeavor Farmer David was greatly assisted by his friend Natalie who would arrive every Sunday morning at the Lawrenceville Market and make bouquets from the cut flowers. This season Farmer David again grew a variety of flowers. However, family farmer/owner Maria was primarily involved with the cutting and bunching of the flowers. In this endeavor Maria was aided by Pam and Susan. Pam has previously managed her own organic farm and as a friend of Maria was enlisted to provide her assistance and expertise. Susan was a friend who was recruited to provided her enthusiasm and assistance. A great time was had by all, except when it was raining. Ah well, the joys of farming. Not for the lazy or the weak of heart.

What follows are some of the flowers that were grown at the farm this year.

Van Gogh would be proud.If they weren't real you'd think they were paintings.

On Oct. 9, 2008 the NY Times Magazine had articles pertaining to food policy, farming, and organics. One of the articles was written by Michael Pollan, author of "Omnivore's Dilemma". It is a rather lengthy article, but if you are interested in issues pertaining to local, sustainable agriculture, organic or not, it would be worth your while to read the article. Click on the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?scp=6&sq=Michael%20Pollan&st=cse

Good health and good eating to all.

Still Doing It

2008-10-21T13:48:00.002-04:00

"Well, I've moved into the jungle of the agriculture rumble to grow my own food. And I'll dig and plough and scrape the weeds till I succeed in seeing cabbage growing through. Now I'm a farmer, and I'm digging, digging, digging, digging, digging. Now I'm a farmer, and I'm digging, digging, digging, digging, digging".

First things first. Apologies for falling so far behind in keeping this current. Despite the fact that as of the date of this posting the farming season is close to the end, this and future posts will be presented in chronological order.

At the end of August there were some changes. Malaika, Emma, Patrick set off for college and Emily returned to high school. Their efforts, energy, humor, and presence will be missed. Replacing them on a full time basis is Mike. Jose has also joined the Gravity Hill cast and crew on a part time basis. A big welcome to both.

While a picture of Mike and Jose can be found on the official Gravity Hill website, the following picture of Mike with Valerie and David conveys the notion that it is not only postal workers for whom neither rain, nor sleet, nor gloom of night will prevent the execution of their duties.

The following pictures are intended to give a partial sense of the ongoing process of seeding, planting, and growing. At this writing it is towards the end of October and some new planting has recently been done. However, new seeding has come to an end and nothing more will be planted. But, sit back and enjoy the scenes of summer growing.

This picture is from inside the greenhouse and you have a sense of different stages of development of various plants.

This is a picture of some plants that have 'grown up'. In short order they will be moved to the tables just outside the greenhouse. There they will be exposed to the elements so as to toughen them up in preparation of going into the ground.
This shows plants in the ground. Notice how 'clean' it is between the rows of plants. This means that Farmer David and his merry band of helpers have spent innumerable hours weeding. Let's be clear, weeding is not for the faint of heart. It is hard, time consuming, and tiresome. And during the fullness of summer done in very hot weather. Only mad dogs and farmers go out in the noon day sun.

Another picture showing the plants in the field. Some are 'out in the open', some, as shown in previous posts are protected by the white fabric that is seen in this picture. The fabric protects the plants from bugs and from the direct sun.

The plastic in this picture is intended to suppress some, operative word being 'some', of the weeds. In traditional farming pesticides and other chemicals are used to prevent bugs, weeds, and diseases. And guess what you get to put into your body when eating foods grown this way? Anyway, in organic farming you do what you can to minimize loss due to bugs, weeds, and disease. Your body will thank you.

In the October 13, 2008 issue of Newsweek magazine there was an article entitled, Best Organics for the Buck. The following link should take you to the article.
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/tipsheet/archive/2008/10/04/best-organics-for-the-buck.aspx
The article is brief. It does a nice job of conveying which foods people's best interests would be served by buying organically. Two websites are included that show analysis of tests done on conventionally grown produce. The information conveys which produce has high levels of pesticides (cranberries, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, sweet bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, among others) and those that have less (bananas, citrus fruits, pineapple among others). The two websites are organic-center.org and ewg.org.

For now, happy and healthy eating.

Do It Again

2008-08-24T20:32:00.023-04:00

"Standing in the middle of nowhere, wondering how to begin. Lost between tomorrow and yesterday, between now and then. And now we're back where we started, here we go round again. Day after day I get up and I say I better do it again."

Farming is an incredibly long distance race; marathoners have it easy. During the 'off' season farmers spend their time cleaning, organizing, planning, and ordering. Once the actual season starts, sometime around late March/early April, the labor doesn't cease until the end of October/early November. While there are variations from farm to farm, depending on the size of the farm operation and the number of helpers (paid/volunteer/intern), those farmers who are involved in local, sustainable agriculture, and especially those who are farming organically (as Gravity Hill Farm is doing) are engaged in an extremely challenging endeavor. Farming is a seven-day-a-week job; as often as not, working from just after sun up to sun down. It is uncertain if John Lennon had farmers in mind when he sang about working class heroes, but farmers, past and present, are truly heroes for their persistence and tenacity. There is much that a farmer has no control over (rain, heat, bugs [those nasty bastards]), but through it all the farmer must get up and persevere, day in and day out. That is what the farmer has control over, and regardless of how they are feeling - physically, emotionally, or mentally - the farmer, whether it be Farmer David or any other, needs to get up each day and do it again and again. Those reading this who are aware of the challenges facing small, local farmers appreciate what the farmer is doing in order to bring fresh, nutritious and gorgeous seasonal produce to market or to community-supported agriculture (CSA) members. For those who aren't aware, it is hoped that this message provides some small insight of what goes into providing you food that is fresher and tastier than you can find in most supermarkets.

The farm season is a continuous cycle of seeding, germination, growing in the green house, seasoning on a table outside of the green house, and planting. While waiting to be planted, the newly seeded plants and those that have started growing need to be watered - daily. If the greenhouse is full, and the outside tables are full, watering can take upwards of two hours per day, depending on the size of the farm operation. Once planted, the plants need to be watered through irrigation, weeded, and, in certain cases, trellised (tomatoes, peas, cucumbers). And while most 'stuff' starts in planting trays in the greenhouse, some plants are directly seeded into the ground. And this doesn't happen just once at the beginning of the season. While some crops do well in the spring, others prefer the heat of the summer, and some do best once fall weather rolls around. There is no break from the entire process; the cycle is repeated many times throughout the entire season.

So, the next time you go to a farmer's market, say hi to your local farmer. Tell them how much you appreciate the great produce they are making available to you and thank them for all they do. Farmers truly are working class heroes.

Here are some seeds that have germinated. At this size they are still in the greenhouse.

This is a view inside the greenhouse. Plants are in various stages of growth. The plastic sides of the greenhouse can be rolled up and down. This allows the plants to be kept at the right temperature and to be protected from rain. In the back center of the greenhouse is the housing for a fan which is used to cool off the greenhouse if it gets too hot. On the right side is a heater which will provide heat when it gets too chilly.

This shows the increase in the amount of seeding that has been done.

This shows Farmer David watering seedlings that have been moved outside to prepare them for their lives in the field. This needs to be done outside and inside the greenhouse on a daily basis. Watering requires a great deal of patience as it is not something that can be rushed. To state the obvious, a poor job of watering can be life threatening to the plants.

These are tomato plants. The wooden stakes will be used to trellis the tomatoes to provide them with stability to prevent them from toppling over. Trellising is very time consuming.

These are tomato plants that have grown up and are being held up by trellising. To trellis special string is tied to a stake and is wound in and out between the plants and is tied off at the next stake. As mentioned, very time consuming and damaging to the hands and fingers.

As long as you gaze on Gravity Hill sunset, you will be in paradise.

More pictures showing the process of planting and growing next time.

In the last posting an important friend of Farmer David's was overlooked - so, a big shout out to Adam for all he's done. And speaking of Adam, he has a blog describing the garden that he is growing at the Lawrenceville, NJ communtiy garden plot. You can follow Adam's exploits at: http://www.packetinsider.com/blog/sprout

Another blog to check out is Farm Blogs From Around the World: http://www.farmblogs.blogspot.com/. The site is as its name indicates, blogs from farms from around the world. A very cool place to visit.

Happy and healthy eating to all.

With A Little Help

2008-08-10T20:57:00.011-04:00

"What would you think if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and walk out on me. Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song, and I'll try not to sing out of key. Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends, he gets high with a little help from his friends, oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends."

First to redress an oversight from last years (farm season 2007) postings. There were a great many people who provided Farmer David with invaluable time, effort, energy, emotional, and spiritual assistance. While they know who they are, here is a shout out to those who assisted either by their labor or support in various other ways. If any have been forgotten, humble apologies. To correct any oversight contact David and you will be sure to be included in a future posting. Big Shout Outs!! to the following- Gab, Mikey and Emily, Adam, Betsy, Natalie, Farmer Dean, Farmer Matt, Farmer Mike, Mary Jo, and Farmer Rob and Pam. Much appreciation to the various Spoonies who spent time volunteering at one time or another. Farming is an arduous lifestyle and any farmer is dependent on the kindness of others. Without all of these fine folk, Gravity Hill Farm would not have been as successful as it was during its first year of production. So again, a heartfelt thanks to one and all for all that you did.

As the second year of production was gearing up the land in production went from 1.7 acres to a little over 4 acres. In increasing the size of land being put into production, and thus increasing the amount of work that would need to be put into making the farm a success, the Gravity Hill Farm Team of David and Maria and Farmer David, recognized that it would be necessary to hire a couple of people. Along with two full time people one other person was hired to work on a part time basis. And then came unexpected help from two young women who are volunteering a tremendous amount of their time. A joke could be made questioning their sanity for working as long and as hard as they are for little compensation. However, humor in this case would devalue their commitment to the success of the farm.

So, let's introduce Gravity Hill Farm's 2008 work crew.

Last year Natalie would show up every Sunday morning for the Lawrenceville Market and help with getting everything set up. More importantly Natalie was most instrumental in putting flowers into beautiful bouquets to be sold. This year Natalie still comes most Sunday mornings to help with the set up.

Emma is spending a portion of her summer vacation from college working part-time at the farm. As with the other workers, Emma is proof that not all people of her age group (late teens-early 20's) are self-centered and concerned only with material wants. There are easier ways to make money than farming.

Over the past couple of years, Patrick has done various odd jobs on the farm, but this is his first year working as a true farmer. Patrick is another college student finding that working the land is far more challenging than most people might imagine. Sadly, both Patrick and Emma will be leaving at the end of August to return to college.

Emily is going to be a senior in high school. She has been spending at least 40 hours a week volunteering!! Her time and efforts have proven invaluable, especially in the context that she is volunteering.

Malaika is the other volunteer at the farm. She is giving about 30+ hours of her energy a week to the farm. Malaika spent the first part of her summer as an intern learning how to make cheese. As does Emily, Malaika has a strong commitment to local, organic, sustainable agriculture. Sadly for Farmer David, just as Emma and Patrick, Emily and Malaika will be leaving at the end of August to return to their respective schools.

Valerie is working as an intern and will be staying with the farm through the end of the season some time in October. She is yet another example of a young adult accepting the challenge of working hard on a daily basis. As do the others Valerie demonstrates commitment to a job well done.

Farmer David trying to get a point across to his staff about their need to stay focused on their tasks. Just kidding. While the heat and the grind can take their toll,Patrick, Valerie, Emma, Emily, and Malaika all perservere against the elements and the challenges that farming presents on a daily basis.

If you can't make out what the document below is, it is the official notification that Gravity Hill Farm is certified as organic. It was a long process to apply and then it took a long time for the document to come. Regardless, congratulations to David and Maria and David, the team behind Gravity Hill ORGANIC Farm.

For those who choose to farm they need to avoid building walls. They can not afford to be either a rock or an island. They have need of friendship, laughter, support, and love. So, to those of you who helped last year, once again, much thanks and appreciation. To this years staff and volunteers, much thanks and appreciation as well, the farm wouldn't be the success it is without you.

VEGA-TABLES

2008-07-20T23:31:00.008-04:00

"I'm gonna be 'round my vegetables. I'm gonna chow down my vegetables. I love you most of all, my favorite vegetable. If you brought a big brown bag of them home, I'd jump up and down and hope you'd toss me a carrot. I'm gonna keep well, my vegetables. Cart off and sell my vegetables. I love you most of all, my favorite vegetable"

While it might take a village to raise a child, it takes a lot of people to effectively/efficiently run a farm. Last year Farmer David did the vast majority of the work on his own. Various friends helped out as their time allowed, and their help was essential to the success that Farmer David achieved. This year there is a young man working on a full time basis. There is also a young woman who is working full time as an intern; as an intern she is learning about the trials and tribulations of being a farmer. There is another young woman working part time and two other young women who are volunteering a remarkable number of hours. (Volunteering??? Yes, volunteering!) So, Farmer David does have much more organized help this year in comparison with last year. And since Farmer David is working sun up to sun down on an almost daily basis, the assistance of others is again an essential part of the process. In a future post these wonderful people will be introduced. However, despite Farmer David and his cast of heroes, there are two people without whom there would be no Gravity Hill Farm

Long before there was a Gravity Hill Farm there was a couple who had a dream of owning a farm. Through years of hard work their vision became a reality. Just as farming is about the process of tilling, planting, nurturing, working hard and then finally seeing the growth of your crops, so to with the emergence of the farm. With no further ado, here are David Earling and his wife Maria Nicolo. Without their efforts and commitment, on many different levels, there would be no Gravity Hill Farm.

Here is Maria helping with the planting. Bending over in the heat and direct sun is not for the faint of heart.

While Maria is working in the field, David is busy holding up the farm truck.

David and David contemplating their sanity for being involved in farming. 'And we're doing this because ........? Oh yeah, despite the expense and the hard work we enjoy what we are doing and derive great satisfaction from growing organic produce.'

Maria lecturing Farmer David about the virtues of hard work. Mr. Earling looking on glad it's not him being lectured. (Just kidding. Success can only be achieved through teamwork and cooperation and the team of David, David, and Maria are working diligently towards the goal of great success at Gravity Hill Farm.)

Well, here's looking at you kid. One part of the dream that David and Maria had was to have animals as part of their farm. While the llamas and alpacas were introduced in the previous posting, our furry friend will say good bye for today.

At The Farm

2008-07-06T18:23:00.020-04:00

Someone told me, It's all happening at the farm. I do believe it, I do believe it's true. The llamas stand for honesty, alpaca's are insincere, and the chikens are kindly but they're dumb. The dog is skeptical of changes in her routine, and the farm keeper is very fond of rum.
Cats are reactionaries, guinea hens are missionaries, attack geese plot in secrecy, and Pekin ducks turn on frequently. What a gas! You gotta come and see. At the farm. At the farm. At the farm.

While it might not be lions, and tigers, and bears, Oh My, there are now animals at Gravity Hill Farm. Yes, animals. While the chickens are intended to earn their keep by laying eggs, the other animals are there for fun, enjoyment, teaching the responsibility of caring for animals. So, with no additional delay, let's meet our animal friends.

This is Marco the llama.

This is Leo the llama.

This is Gunter the alpaca. (The brown one facing towards the camera.)

This is Enzo the alpaca.

And these are twin llamas, Lisa and Mona. Apparently twin llamas are a rare occurrence. The individual who provided the names for the blog did not know which was Lisa and which was Mona. (It wasn't Farmer David. It wasn't farm owner David's wife Maria.)

Here are the various feathered friends in the animal barn shortly after their arrival.

And here are some pictures of the fowl in their pasture next to the barn.

Here's Farmer David with his new kitten, Edward the Gato (gato being the Spanish word for cat). Just as David's dog, Hule, has been a valuable asset to the farm in keeping down the ground hog population, the bane of many a farmer, David has high hopes for Edward the Gato to earn his keep in going after various other critters that tend to populate farms and barns.

OK. Hule isn't new to the farm, but any post about animals at the farm has to include a picture of David's companion, Hule. She is on the scent of something.

No, this is not a farm animal. It is just a really cool looking moth, or some other big winged bug.

Food is continually growing at the farm. Check the official Gravity Hill website for a listing of the different vegetables that are currently available. Long days and pleasant nights to one and all.