From Seed to Ready to Plant

"No need to worry, folks in a hurry, leave them behind you, no one can find you, House in the country, House in the country."

In this first year of operation for Gravity Hill Farm, David's goal is to have produce to sell at the Lawrenceville, NJ Farmer's Market; Sunday mornings from 9am-1pm; starting five weeks ago and lasting through October. For a few reasons beyond David's control, he got a late start in seeding and planting his crops. Over the past weeks he has been working extremely hard in order to catch up. One consequence of the slow start is that he has not had as much as he would have hoped at market. This past week, July 8, was the most bountiful to date and, it is hoped, things will keep getting better. The produce that he has had includes: head lettuce (upwards of six varieties), spinach (which he is hoping to grow through the summer, something not usually done) salad mix, arugula, cipollini onions, scallions (including a variety that is deep purple {smoke on the water} in color), squash, zucchini, Swiss chard, kale (David says, "eat more kale" - one of the most nutritious vegetables out there), collard greens, fennel, broccoli, broccoli rabe, basil, and parsley. Coming soon: tomatoes (upwards of 20 varieties), carrots, various onions, beans, potatoes, celery, cabbage, and cauliflower. Whew!! No wonder David is working long hours on a daily basis. No rest for the weary or for farmers. Warning - do not get into small, local, sustainable farming (organic or conventional) if you are interested in a decent hourly wage. Do it for love. Do it for passion. Do it out of respect for nature. Do it to provide people with better tasting produce than you get at mass market stores. Do it to decrease the distance that the food has to travel from field to market thus reducing the impact on the environment. (Think about the message of the recent Live Earth concert.) (By the way, today the temperature was in the mid-90's, Las Vegas has hit 116, ice caps are melting - support your local farmer; support sustainable agriculture; support organic farming.) What follows are pictures showing the development of the plants from seed to vegetable producing plants. Enjoy. First you need dirt. Not just any dirt, but a soil mixture. You start with a soil mixture that comes in a 3.8 cubic foot bale. You mix 1/3 of this bale with some compost and vermiculite and you have soil in which your seeds will grow.
On the table you see seeding trays. Some have 50 cells and some have 128. Some plants require a larger space as they germinate. The trays are filled with the soil and the soil in each cell is slightly compacted to allow for the seed to be placed inside. After the seed is placed in the cell the seed is then covered with more soil, or in the case of lettuce and flowers, vermiculite. It should be noted that most of the seeds are really, really tiny. Most are smaller than the font of these letters. Some are about twice the size of the period at the end of this sentence. Seeding is a slow and time consuming process.

It was this process of seeding that was delayed at the beginning of the season. At this time David is now on par with where he should be at with his seeding.

After the trays have been filled with seeds they are placed on these 'tables' in the greenhouse. In the greenhouse, the newly planted seeds, the newly germinating plants, and even plants that are more fully developed, are able to grow in relative safety as their roots become established. The absence of a greenhouse is what set David back. It is really cool to see the plants at various stages of their development; from first beginning to break through the dirt to being ready to be planted. Being on a farm leads to a better appreciation of where our food comes from. Too often it is easy to take for granted how much work goes into the process of farming; especially for the small, independent farmers.
Despite being in a heated greenhouse, some newly seeded plants require some extra warmth. The pink stuff is insulation to help keep the bottom of the trays warm. Additionally, the trays you see are on top of a heated mat. On the left side of the front tray you can make out a copper tube. The tube is connected to an electrical cord that is out of the picture and is also connected to the heating mat under the tray. This is done to keep the soil warm; this is essential for certain plants, including tomatoes.

Note here the white 'stakes'. No, they are not grave markers. They identify what has been seeded in that particular tray, or section of tray. Written on each stake is the variety of plant and the date it was seeded. Different species take different lengths of time to germinate. This allows David to know whether or not to panic if something isn't germinating. After spending their time inside the greenhouse the plants are moved to a table outside by the field. They are not immediately placed in the ground. Being outside in the trays for a period of time allows the plants to 'toughen up'. This aids in their survival once in the ground. NOTE: Some plant varieties are 'direct seeded'. This means that they do not go through the whole process that has been described; the seeds are directly planted into the seed beds that have been prepared for them. As can be seen, these plants are 'large' and are ready to be planted. Over the course of the season, there will be a number of plantings of the same vegetables. This staggering allows David to have produce available on a weekly basis throughout the summer. Some varieties, such as spinach, do not like hot weather and is not often seen fresh throughout the summer at local markets; usually just in the spring and fall. Next time: planting, protecting the plants, and fields of veggies. For now, thanks to all who have helped out with weeding and a special shout out to Emily for helping with harvesting. As a one man band David is appreciative of the help he has received. Support your local farmer. Go organic! Go local sustainable agriculture.

And Not A Drop To Spare

"We need water, we need water, Wow yeah good water, wow yeah good water"

To state the obvious, water is the lifeblood of a farm. Too much isn't good. Too little isn't good. The rain needs to be just right. Since mother nature can't be controlled (though it has been clearly injured, by man) the manner in which growing plants receive water requires assistance from the farmer. The pictures that follow will show the irrigation system in place at Gravity Hill.

Bits and pieces - The fourth week of market has come and gone. Much gratitude and appreciation to those that are getting their fresh vegetables from Gravity Hill Farm. Though obtaining organic certification is a work in progress, everything is being done in accordance with USDA code as it pertains to organic farming. David is making headway in catching up to where he would like to be with the range of available produce and the quantity of the produce that he does have. Considering that this is the farm's first year of operation, and that David got a slow start with the whole process of seeding and planting, he is doing a great job.

"In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2001, they spent more than $110 billion. Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music - combined." (Eric Schlosser - Fast Food Nation) Eating locally grown, organic produce has the following advantages: you eat food that is healthier for you; you support the local economy, you learn to slow down and not move too fast while you make the morning last; you support a form of agriculture that is good for the land as well as for you; you help preserve the traditions upon which our civilization was founded, in this country and around the world. Creating a healthier world starts at the local level.

At Gravity Hill Farm there is an irrigation system that is designed to provide water and organic fertilization to the thirsty and hungry plants. Here it is, with a brief description of how it all works.

Underneath the property is a well. Connected to the well is this apparatus. When the handle on the right side (as you look at the picture) is turned on, water flows through the pipes that run beneath the ground and goes to the field. Also, on the left side of the picture is a barrel. It is holding organic fertilizer. (More on that later.) As you can see, the fertilizer is hooked into the irrigation system. This allows David to water and fertilize at the same time. A valuable time saver.


This is a spigot that comes out of the ground. The water that is being sent through the system by the pump comes up through a series of these spigots along the side of the field. As you can see, there is a blue handle on top of the spigot that allows David to control which part of the field will be watered at any particular time.

This blue hose/plastic tubing is connected to the spigot. This blue hose/tubing will run along the side of the field. Two hoses run from the spigot and, depending on David's needs, they can run together or separately. Each has its own handle to control whether it is on or off.


The blue hose/plastic tubing by itself isn't the whole story. What you see here is the connecting piece of 'drip' tubing. The connector is punched into the hose coming from the spigot and each piece of drip tubing has its own valve (the red piece in the picture). This allows David to have control over which beds gets watered on any given day. As you will see, the drip tubing runs the length of the bed (no, not a bed to sleep on) of plants.


This is the role of drip tape/tubing. As you peer off down the plant bed you will see that the tubing runs the entire length of the bed. By placing the role of drip tape on the saw horse David is able to walk the drip tape down the length of the bed with a minimal amount of effort.
The tubing has slits that allows the water to slowly drip out into the ground and thus water the plants. This allows the water to be absorbed into the ground with a minimum amount of evaporation. It is a far more efficient means of watering than any type of sprinkler system that you might use at home.


The drip tape in action. You can see the water coming out of the tubing and seeping into the soil. The frequency and the amount of time that David will water is dependent upon weather conditions. The hotter and drier the weather, the more the plants need watering. Think about how farming was done in the past when such sophisticated methods of watering were not available.


This gives a clear picture of how the drip tubing is placed to ensure maximum coverage of the watering of the plants.


This is a gauge that shows the water pressure that is flowing through the tubing. It allows David to determine whether or not enough water is coming through the system to the plants.


And finally: these are barrels of the organic fertilizer that David uses. It is a combination of fish and seaweed and is 100% organic. For more information than you are probably really interested in you can go to the following two web addresses. (www.4hydroponics.com/nutrients/neptunesfishseaweed.asp) (www.dirtworks.net/Neptune's-Information.html)

It is hoped that this provides you with additional information about the process of local farming that is done organically. Small, local farms are labor intensive and very time consuming. Buying local, and buying organic, is good for you and good for the environment. While it is nice to have certain fruits and vegetables year round, this type of produce is not environmentally friendly even if it is grown organically. The impact of having to fly produce thousands of miles contradicts any desire to be more earth friendly. This is not a political issue. It is a matter of farming food in a manner that is friendly and healthy.

Hope to see you at the Lawrenceville Farmers Market on Sundays from 9-1. Happy and healthy eating to one and all.

BEES

"This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me."

As you may or may not know, honey bees have gone missing around the country. A Feb. 23, 2007 article, written by Alexei Barrionuevo, in the NY Times summarizes the situation. The article begins with an anecdote about a bee keeper who "found half of his 100 million bees missing." This is not an isolated experience. The explanations for this occurrence are varied and reading this article, or related articles is encouraged. You might be asking what this has to do with Farmer David. As mentioned in the last blog, David, along with Bent Spoon Gab, have placed three bee hives on Gravity Hill Farm. For those not familiar with the value of bees, bees are an essential part of fertilization of plants. No bees, no fertilization, no fruits and vegetables. (Overly simplistic, but this is not a scientific forum.) Bee that as it may, David and Gab have plans to place hives at other locations and when that occurs you will be informed.

Manifesto On The Future of Food (Produced by the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture) {Can be found at www.slowfood.com)
"The growing push toward industrialization and globalization of the world's agriculture and food supply imperils the future of humanity and the natural world. Successful forms of community-based local agriculture have fed much of the world for millennia, while conserving ecological integrity and continues to do so in many parts of the planet."

Support local agriculture and your local farmer.

To bee or not to bee? Are you a good bee?

These are the 'boxes' into which the bees will be placed. Each hive will have one queen and various worker bees.

A beatific moment with Gab and David. Can't wait for fresh honey ice cream made from fresh Gravity Hill honey.

Let's suit up and play ball. As you might think, taking safety precautions when dealing with bees is often suggested.

Gab and David- safety first. Posing to impress the bees.

In the boxes are frames. It is in the frames that the bees will deposit their honey. When you see the hives, the bees, and the honey it is impressive. It is easy to take the miracle of bees for granted.

In April, Gab and David took a three day bee class at Rutgers. It was taught by Bob Hughes, past president of New Jersey Beekeepers Association. (njbeekeepers.org). That is Bob showing David the finer points of holding a slat of bees. Don't try this at home unless you are a trained professional.

This is just one slat from a hive. And there are three hives. That is a lot of bees. These are the little guys who are essential to the process of helping fruits and vegetables, and other growing things grow. Don't let this picture fool you, the shortage of bees has been documented by a variety of sources.

This shows the three hives. Notice the hive on the left; a second story has been added. As the bees do their thing, the hive fills up. As the hive fills up another box is placed on top. This process will continue. Honey will be harvested from the upper boxes. The lower boxes will be left for the bees to eat and continue to produce more bees.

Please bee kind to your local honey bees.

Happy and healthy eating to all.

Buzzy

"Oh, Mother Earth, with your fields of green, once more laid down by the hungry hand. How long can you give and not receive, and feed this world ruled by greed. And feed this world, ruled by greed."

June 10th was the first market of the season. David had kale (his favorite saying is 'eat more kale'), spinach, spring mix, arugula, mizuna and totsoi (both are Asian greens), radishes. Due to the complications in building the greenhouse, David was delayed with getting things planted and is thus a little behind in the quantity of produce he has to bring to market. As the season proceeds he will have a much greater variety of items to sell. At the farm he is seeding and planting like crazy. Overall David is doing his thing from dawn to dusk. Maybe not quite dawn, but certainly until dusk and then some. This past week he was first laying down plastic irrigation drip tape at 8:45 at night. He needs a coal miners hat with a lamp on it. It was great to be back at the Lawrenceville Market. It was nice to visit with the old friends who have bought produce from David the past two years while representing Cherry Grove Organic Farm. Now that David is managing the farm in partnership with landowner David, those familiar with David were very supportive of his endeavors on behalf of Gravity Hill Farm. In addition to old friends it was rewarding to make the acquaintance of many new people who have an appreciation for the value of organically grown produce. (It should be noted that at this time Farmer David is in the process of completing the paperwork that will lead to official certification as an organic farm.) Bringing good stuff to, and meeting people at, market is the payoff for all the hard work. David is as busy as a bee.

This is the sign in front of the farm. It is a beautiful sign, or at least was until some yahoo decided that they wanted it and tried to take it. As you can see, they partially succeeded. The initial vision for the farm comes from landowner David. Once he established the property with the infrastructure he went looking for a farm manager. He found Farmer David and a new partnership was formed. Watch out Abbot and Costello.















Welcome to the Boomtown, David and David. That is Farmer David on the left with landowner David on the right. Long may the partnership live.

Seated is Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food Movement. More will be said about this in the posts to come, but for now part of the philosophy of the movement is offered- "Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work." (From the Slow Food website. Go there for more information.) From left to right standing are Matt (co-owner with his wife of the Bent Spoon Ice Cream Shoppe), Mikey Azzara (who works for NOFA- Northeast Organic Farming Association), and Gabby (co-owner with her husband of the Bent Spoon Ice Cream Shoppe). You'll be hearing more about Matt, Gabby, and Mikey in the future.

No, David is not lying down on the job. He's simply enjoying a moments respite and giving himself a big thumbs up for a hard days work.


Yes, David is busy as a bee. David and Gabby are establishing bee hives at Gravity Hill Farm. The next post will have more information about the bees.

Sky Blue Sky. Another beautiful night at Gravity Hill. Happy and healthy eating to all.

Hoop Hoop Hooray

"Let's go let's go down to junior's farm, Take me down to David's farm, ev'rybody tag along"

Though this site is specific to Gravity Hill Organic Farm, and Farmer David, it is important to be clear on what it is that David is doing and why he is doing it. So, while there will continue to be pictures and information specific to Gravity Hill and David, this site will also be used to provide some background information about organic food, farming, and something called the Slow Food movement. The simplest place to start is with a definition: The term 'organic foods' refers to the methods used to produce the foods rather than to characteristics of the food themselves. The most common concept of 'organically grown' food was articulated in 1972 by Robert Rodale, editor of Organic Gardening and Farming magazine, at a public hearing: "Food grown without pesticides; grown without artificial fertilizers; grown in soil whose humus is increased by the additions of organic matter, grown in soil whose mineral content is increased by the application of natural mineral fertilizers; has not been treated with preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, etc." To be fair, it should be noted that there is some controversy about what constitutes organic foods and the way in which the federal government accredits farms. I'm not going to get into this issue. If interested about this, go to your favorite search engine.

Regardless of the politics and debates about what is or is not organic, Gravity Hill is in the process of being certified as an organic farm. When all is said and done, Gravity Hill Farm will provide fresh produce within the local community. Fresh produce tastes better and, in the absence of chemicals and pesticides, is better for the land and the consumer. Plus, by buying local produce at local farmer's markets, you are supporting your local farmer and the local economy. And finally, it is MARKET TIME!!! The Lawrenceville Farmers Market starts Sunday, June 10th from 9am-1pm. Come to Lawrenceville on Route 206 and turn on Gordon Ave; it is the traffic light in the middle of town. See you there.

Now, onto the farm. What people may not realize is the tremendous importance of a heated green house. Without one, a farmer can't get their seeds germinating in a timely manner. This makes it hard to grow crops to sell at market. (Not a good thing when your income is based on what you grow and sell.) As the result of a variety of circumstances, David was delayed in getting his green house (or hoop house if you prefer) erected. This put him behind in his seeding and growing. Much thanks to Farmer Matt at Cherry Grove Organic Farm for the use of his green house as well as for providing David with some of his extra seedlings. Cherry Grove is where David worked for the past three years, living in an extra hoop house that Matt had on his farm. Compare the general structure of the hoop house that you'll see in the following pictures and the pictures of the apartment from the first post. A definite step up. What follows are a series of pictures showing the building of the first green house at Gravity Hill Farm. Hoop, hoop hooray.



Getting the posts level prior to placing the hoops into the posts was a never ending task. The fact that the land wasn't leveled properly did not help matters. A bolt connects the wood, post, and hoop to provide stability to the entire structure.


A view from the deck gives good perspective. In addition to the wood at the base of the structure, notice the wood at the bend of the hoop. In addition to providing additional stability to the green house, the wood will also be used in another function; described later on.


Hmm? I could have sworn that there was supposed to be a bolt going through here? Oops!

A boy and his dog enjoy a quiet moment of relaxation.

What you can see at the back of the structure is the beginning of the back wall. In the front left corner are electrical outlets.

The construction of the walls continues.

With the walls complete, a double layer of plastic was placed over the hoops. Help was provided by Farmer Matt, one of his interns and a field hand, David Earling (the owner of the farm), and Patrick (a friend of David E.). Thanks

You can see the wood at the bend of the hoop. It holds the plastic to the wood that you saw earlier. What David is doing is rolling up the plastic that is hanging below the wood. Depending on the weather, this plastic, which is attached to a metal pole by plastic clips, allows David to have some control over the temperature in the green house.

This is what the green house looks like when the sides are rolled up.

Finishing touches include a nice paint job. On the front right is a vent that automatically opens when the fan, which is mounted in the back goes on. There is also a heating unit mounted on the back wall. This allows David to keep the green house warm at night so that the growing seedlings are happy in their warm home.

The heating unit and fan are propane powered. The fan is in the middle of the structure. The heating unit is mounted inside this back wall.

For now we will fade into the mist. Happy, healthy eating and peace and well being to all.

David's Farm - The Beginning

"I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more. No I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more."

Well, this ain't Maggie's farm, it is David's farm. Well, technically it isn't his farm as he doesn't own the land. With respect and gratitude to the landowner (also named David; positive karmic energy), David is managing the farm. This entails doing the seeding, planting, tilling, weeding, harvesting, and all else that goes with being a farmer. For those of you unfamiliar with the life of a small, local farmer, it is arduous and time consuming. (David met landowner David through the local organic farm network. Despite his relative youth, David sold himself and was given the opportunity to manage the farm.) Farming is neither for the faint of heart nor for someone who is concerned with their hourly wage. For those who know of New Jersey through only the Soprano's, or the Newark area, New Jersey justifiably earns its state motto as the Garden State, so the notion of having an organic farm, actual in the area around Princeton, there are a number of organic farms. For those not familiar with organic farming in its current incarnation, the goal is to grow food without the use of chemicals and pesticides. This will be in the best interests of those eating organic produce as well as the land itself. Associated with the organic movement is the notion of locally supported agriculture. Most of the food we eat comes from, an average, of 1,500 miles of where we live. This means that much of the 'fresh' produce that you buy at your local grocery store isn't always all that fresh. And fresher does indeed tast better. What David is doing, along with the other organic farms in the area, is providing people with field to consumer food, eliminating various middlemen and reducing the added costs of transporting food for long distances. (By the way, in future posts I will list the produce that David is growing.) One way in which a community supports its local farm is to buy a 'share'; this means paying money up front and then picking up the produce that has been paid for on a weekly basis from early June through the end of October, early November. Well, there is more that I can write about, but I have gone on long enough. What I will be doing is providing a pictorial review of the growth of Gravity Hill from early spring through the end of the growing season. I will try and post pictures on a weekly basis, so, if you are interested, please check back on a regular basis. For those of you who might stumble on this site, feel free to post any comments or questions and will get back to you as time allows. For those of you who received direct notification of this site, get in touch if you have any thoughts or questions.

To all, healthy eating, peaceful days, and restful nights.

This is Hule; David's dog. I'll start with Hule as she is David's erstwhile companion. In addition to the usual stuff that dogs provide their owners, Hule guards the plants by hunting critters that would enjoy making a meal of David's crops. In particular she likes going after ground hogs. Go get 'em Hule.


This is the barn. This is David's apartment. No, as opposed to the last three years when David lived in a hoop house, no floor, no running water, an outhouse atop this structure is a gorgeous apartment (pictures to follow). The bottom half of the structure is the barn, an office, and three garages. David will be able to live here year round as opposed to the past three years where he would winter with the parents.

Stating the obvious, this is the kitchen. It has all of the amenities and, as you might be able to tell, a lot of cabinet space. There is more cabinet space here than in my home.


This is the den/family room. The picture doesn't do justice to how big the room actually is. The bed room is spacious, there is a closet for a stacked washer/dryer, the bathroom is of ample size, from where this picture is taken is the dining room, which is a nice open area, and there is an area for a desk and computer.

This is the future home of the green house. The whole process of getting the green house put together was long and frustrating. A friend told David that the second one that gets built will be easier. A shout out of thanks to all who had a hand in helping getting the structure completed. (Pictures of the finished structure will be posted in the future.)


This is a picture of part of the farm. This land will not be planted this growing season. It is a lovely area; quite scenic, very serene.


This is a view from the deck fronting the apartment above the barn. The land front left will be tilled, planted, and harvested. The owner of the property, who will be active in the farming process, put in all of the infrastructure- road, equipment, drainage, irrigation. He also purchased a significant amount of the necessary equipment. David would not be having this opportunity were it not for the owner of the property.

This is another scene of the land of the farm. This is still early spring; later pictures will better convey the beauty of the area.

This is another picture of the barn (stating the obvious). What you can see on the top of the roof are solar panels. They are also on the part of the roof that isn't quite visible. In addition to being organic, the farm is solar powered. Go Green!


A father and son moment. David's hand is resting on one of the 'hoops' that makes up the green house. The biggest challenge, among various challenges, was getting the posts that the hoops go into to be level. Having the right tool makes all the difference. Once a laser level was used, the type that are used by surveyors, things went more smoothly. Various stumbling blocks delayed the completion of the task, but eventually the green house was completed.

As you will see in future pictures, there are eight of these hoops that needed to be assembled. They are then covered with plastic and a front and back wall are constructed. Thanks to all who helped in getting the green house built.

Just another scenic view. At the date of this posting you can not see the house thru those trees.

This is the front gate. I choose to end at a beginning. I invite you to return to check out the growth and development of Gravity Hill Organic Farm in beautiful Titusville, NJ.