Good To See You

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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.