Mother Nature's Bounty

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!

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

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

“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

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

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

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.