Spinella Farm

Anna and I put the rest of the drip line down last night. It rained all around us after much of the afternoon was hot and humid. I turned on the water for about an hour and a half last night. There was a time when I wouldn't think of watering after dark especially on hot, muggy days and nights. But the drip is a different story. It allows us to water without getting the leaves wet and, therefore, avoid fungal diseases.

The Dr. Martin pole lima beans are already travelling up the trellis. They had a rough start but they are on their way and hopefully will give us a good crop.

The softshell beetles are hatching on the potatoes. I pick the adults as they are very tough to kill with a spray. But the soft shells are different story. They are less immune to the spray. I let them hatch out because sometimes you don't always crush all the eggs when you are killing adults. Once they hatch out it is easier to get greater control.

It was good to see and talk to my friends from West Cape May, Les and Diane Rea. The Reas have been farming for over three generations in Cape May County. Les's family grew lima beans for years in that area, I believe for Birdseye Frozen Foods. Now he and his wife have a little stand and attend farm markets around the area. They have been married 54 years and are the prime example of husband and wife working together on the farm. Both would give you the shirt off their backs if they like you. I'm proud to say that they are my friends and never too busy to talk to me when I visit them. 

Something happened yesterday that very few people take into consideration when they think of farming. 

My daughter Anna was helping my father put in some drip lines. I was busy fertilizing over in the same patch of ground. My ear caught bits and pieces of their conversation. Dad was passing on farm lore to my daughter. He was making light of how I was hand fertilizing the plants, telling my daughter about how my grandfather, her great grandfather, used to do it in more of a broadcasting motion with less effort. For once, I didn't mind being the butt of a family needle.

I got to thinking. I know Dad was doing this on purpose. He understands legacy. I have told a million of those farm stories to my kids. But, Dad, now approaching 78, feels that it is in his DNA to pass along what he knows before he leaves the Earth. That brought a tear to my eye and a shiver of pride knowing that our family understands something that most families do not attempt any more because they don't understand the significance of it. It's not instant gratification; it's built for the long run. If more of us could understand that, we would make this world just a little bit better and instill some pride in our youngsters today who in turn will understand that someday it will be their job to pass it along to their kids as well.

These are things us farm people understand. It's more than a job of growing food. It's a legacy of great pride and understanding which makes our families stronger.

We managed again to do very well at the market on Saturday. Next week we start the CSA and I am looking forward to seeing all of my old and new members.

We lucked out in that the weather broke in time to get plenty of strawberries and asparagus for the market on Saturday. The berries were the first pick of a new patch and they fetched a premium price. It's nice to hear customers tell you that you have the nicest produce in the market. Only one person grumbled about the price of the asparagus which I thought was more reasonable than the strawberries!

We hilled the potatoes on Saturday afternoon after market. It is the first time with our new ridgers and they worked out great once we got the hang of it. It sure beats the old method of doing it by grub hoe.

The mornings have been quite chilly the last few days. Yesterday and today we woke up to readings of 48 and 51. By midmorning the temps start to pick up and soon it is warm but not too hot, getting into the low 70s. We are just about finished putting in drip lines for the irrigation so that will be a big lift.

We started to cut garlic scapes which means the plants are in the home stretch in terms of being bulb ready. I was surprised how many people at the market on Saturday knew what to do with a garlic scape. Then there was a person who told me she cooks for living and had never seen them before! It just goes to show how big and wonderful the world of food really is. That's why I like to discover things that most people have never seen and grow them for market. 

It has been cool, that's for sure. Even my fishing buddy Pat, who catches lobsters and fish off the South Jersey coast, says that the weather has pushed back the fishing season a couple of weeks.

Those big beautiful strawberries have stopped ripening up, the asparagus refuses to push its head out of the ground until it gets warm again. So Saturday's market looks like it will be a slow one in terms of local produce. Alas, the radishes are ready and the scapes have started to show on the garlic, which means that it won't be long before we start digging and drying.

We have had a nice steady rain soaking with this last system. The fertilizer is starting to kick in as the Cubanelle peppers are shedding their transplant shock, the peas are blooming like crazy and the potatoes have shot up another inch or two. They are just about ready to be hilled.

We gave the woodchucks an accidental black eye. A flat of basil was nipped on the top last week along with some pole bean transplants. Naturally, we blamed the woodchucks. But Dad yesterday ferreted out (no pun intended) the culprit - cottontail rabbits. He caught two of them back at the flats of basil working away again! Honestly, that is a relief for me as those woodchuck and deer take up more time to control than any other pests on our farm.

Speaking of pests, the Canada geese have been multiplying. I can't understand why. The last few years we had barley planted but we didn't sow any in. Yet the geese have shown up in double the numbers that usually come in. And some of them are bearing young. The droppings are the only problem right now but stay tuned. 

Every year as I browse the seed stands at the local big box or hardware store, something always catches my eye and I say, "I've got to try and grow that!"

This year it was the Burpee catalog that provided the impetus. I've always been a fan of growing heirloom watermelons and muskmelons. They are tricky because of their susceptibility to disease. But when you come through with a good crop they are delicious and fun to sell.

Anyway, browsing the Burpee catalog I came across a watermelon called the Carolina Cross. It purports to grow watermelons up to 200 pounds! I don't know if that will happen but the possibility of it brought out the P.T. Barnum in me so I ordered a couple of packets and planted them. So we shall see.

My neighbor and another grower the next town over are growing our tomatoes for this year. But I still can't get that itch out of my system for growing tomatoes so I seeded in some Box Car Willies and Brandywines and will raise them on a whim. Our customers love big tomatoes and really don't care if they are heirloom or not. Personally, nothing beats a good Brandywine for taste.

We received 3/4" of an inch of rain yesterday. The weeds loved it. But at this time of year they like to grow as much as the cultivated plants. I can't blame them. But they should understand that as much as they like this kind of wet weather, so do I. Why? Because it makes weeding, especially that troublesome crab grass, a heckuva lot easier to pull out, roots and all. 

The Colorado Potato Beetle is one of the earliest things that I can recollect when it comes to farming. That sounds kinda strange so let me explain.

My grandfather was a tomato farmer. He grew what we call "can house" tomatoes for Violet Packing in Williamstown, New Jersey. That was different because everyone else was contracting with Campbell Soup in Camden. I guess it was closer to go to Williamstown.

Anyway, we had more Colorado Potato Beetles in the field than Carter had little liver pills. My uncles sprayed their hearts out and would control them for the season. But next year the cycle would start all over again. They never practiced crop rotation.

After grandpop passed away in 1990, Dad and I started to grow plum tomatoes again in 1994 for our customers in South Philadelphia. Even the fields were still fallow after four years, the beetles were still there in numbers. I guess they just waited around for the opportunity to eat tomato plants again.

As I transitioned into market gardening, I became a big believer in crop rotation. This slowed down the beetle along with using a catch crop like potatoes and the use of natural enemies like the parasitic wasp. Now the beetles are under control.

Ironically, when we started to buy Russian Banana potatoes we were talking to the people in Colorado one day and brought up the Colorado Potato Beetle. They said they had no idea what were talking about and had never seen one before! Lucky them. 

It was a busy Memorial Day weekend but the weather was good and so was the company.

We had a banner day at market on Saturday. We were one of two vendors that had strawberries so we loaded up the pickup with as many flats of the sweet fruit as we could and did very well at a premium price. You don't mind paying a premium price when the product is excellent. The berries were excellent, trust me.

Planted some lettuce, hoping to catch everyone else going out with their lettuce as ours is coming in. Noticed that the Colorado potato beetles are in full swing. I'll talk about that tomorrow in this blog space as the little striped beetles and I have a long history together.

We sold out early in the market and were able to get home before 1 p.m. In addition to the berries and asparagus, I was able to cobble together some broccoli florets and package them in sealed bags. I blew it on the raising of the spring broccoli as the weather has been conducive to raising it but I didn't feed the heavy feeders enough to get maximum output.

Also planted the third planting of string beans. I put in some French muskmelons. Two years I had a nice crop but last year the deer and disease gave me a zero yield. Hopefully, those and the lemon cucumbers will produce enough to give us a good variety at market. 

It was a great relief that the terrible storms that went through our area yesterday literally went right around us. Rain is bad. Hail is the worst. There is no more helpless feeling than watching it rain from the sky and you have no way of stopping it. Frost you can do something about. Same with disease and pests. But how do you stop one inch hail stones falling from the sky?

I am especially concerned about the gentleman who grows our fruit. The pattern of hail went right through his area. I'm afraid to call for fear of what he might have to say about his fruit or to remind him of the damage he suffered. Then again, maybe he didn't suffer any damage. I'll wait and let time dictate the circumstance.

Memorial Day and the big seller will be strawberries. We have some beautiful strawberries this year despite the wacky spring weather. Some of our customers have already remarked that they are the finest tasting strawberries they have ever had. It is a first-year crop and the berries are big and plentiful.

In addition, the asparagus continues to soldier on and be a solid seller for us. The greens are consistent and this week for the first time we will have scallions which are usually a good seller. You would think the market would be slow on a Memorial Day weekend but our records indicate that we have had brisk sales in the past. That's good because the bills are coming due for the first part of the season. 

It was a great relief that the terrible storms that went through our area yesterday literally went right around us. Rain is bad. Hail is the worst. There is no more helpless feeling than watching it rain from the sky and you have no way of stopping it. Frost you can do something about. Same with disease and pests. But how do you stop one inch hail stones falling from the sky?

I am especially concerned about the gentleman who grows our fruit. The pattern of hail went right through his area. I'm afraid to call for fear of what he might have to say about his fruit or to remind him of the damage he suffered. Then again, maybe he didn't suffer any damage. I'll wait and let time dictate the circumstance.

Memorial Day and the big seller will be strawberries. We have some beautiful strawberries this year despite the wacky spring weather. Some of our customers have already remarked that they are the finest tasting strawberries they have ever had. It is a first-year crop and the berries are big and plentiful.

In addition, the asparagus continues to soldier on and be a solid seller for us. The greens are consistent and this week for the first time we will have scallions which are usually a good seller. You would think the market would be slow on a Memorial Day weekend but our records indicate that we have had brisk sales in the past. That's good because the bills are coming due for the first part of the season. 

Athletes talk about being in the zone. That perfect time in which everything they do is just right and it all clicks. The baseball is as big as a beach ball tot he batter. The hoop was as wide as the ocean to the basketball player. The goal posts were right up close to the place kicker. But what about the farmer? When does he reach his zone?

I reached mine yesterday. Let me explain. The weather was in the upper 60s, the wind was a slight breeze. The sun just enough to keep you warm but not burning you up. And the soil was just perfect for cultivating.

That last thing was the icing on the cake. Every time I put the tined weeder down, the soil just crumpled. The top layer shattered in every direction. The bed in which the weeds grew was blown up like an atomic bomb explosion. Yet my exertion was minimal, my actions very free of effort. The bean seedlings hardly moved yet all of the top layer of soil around them broke away. No mechanical device could have done a better job. Wow! Some days it just happens like that.

The job got done quickly and it was done right. It freed up time to do other things which is valuable right now considering that time during the week is precious.

These kinds of moments don't happen often. So when they do, I really enjoy them. 

I finished fertilizing the gardens last night with the Norwegian seaweed extract. I need to get the commercial size package if they have one. I doubt it.

I noticed that the zucchino rapidio, Italian squash, has popped out of the ground and is throwing its first true leaves. I'm already better than last year; the germination was terrible because I put them in late when it too hot to germinate correctly.

This heirloom Italian squash is not a big seller. It resembles a snake when it is done with its fruit and so it gets a lots ahhs at the market. But it is really tasty with a creamy inside that can be made into fillers for pies. At least that's what my father says.

You see, we grow these odd heirloom squash because Dad has taken a liken to them. He is the one who picked them out, who researched their background and who talks to the customers when they ask, "What is that?" He loves doing that stuff. Just like the garlic. My daughter and I can quote him verbatim when it comes to his schpeel about garlic and the Italian squash.

I guess that's one thing about farmer's markets that you don't get in your local grocery chain store. Someone who is willing to take the time to talk to you about the product and what you can do for it. All I know is that it has sold a lot of vegetables over years because people like to listen. 

We had a very successful beginning to our market season on Saturday at the Burlington County Ag Center in Moorestown. We sold out completely by noon although we had to stay for another hour or two so we talked to our customers who came a little too late to purchase anything. Better get there earlier next Saturday.

 We were able to offer asparagus, baby kale, baby arugula, baby spinach and spring mix. The market opened at 8:30; by 9:30 we were 90% sold out! Some of our new CSA customers showed up to pick up their baskets so it was nice to meet new faces. These people are really excited by this new opportunity. I hope we don't disappoint them.

Things are shaping up nicely in the market gardens. The second planting of potatoes is up while the first planting is close to being ready to hill. The garlic looks fantastic and I suspect we'll being seeing scapes soon. The new row of radishes came up nice and straight. It likes a little more warmer weather than you think.

I applied Norwegian seaweed extract as a foliar drench to the peas, garlic and potatoes. This is the first time that I have used this product so I will be watching to see how well it works. I was very happy with the Garrett Juice Plus but the cost for the size of my operation makes that product prohibitive.

Well, I managed to put a big dent in the work load last night. I was betwixt and between on whether to spray the peas with the deer repellant (egg whites) since we are expecting rain. But, dammit, I couldn't live with myself if those little rascals got in between last night and the expected rain on Friday and munched on what is shaping up to be a pretty good block of snow peas.

Music has always been a driving force in keeping me moving along when I work. So I punched in Guns-N-Roses on the Ipod and went to work on the potato patch. Three rows later, the album was over and so was I for the night. But it put me ahead for today as I have three more rows to do before it rains. The ground is just right too, nice and crumbly, so the weeds don't stick to the soil when you extract them.

We're gearing up for the opening of the Moorestown market on Saturday. What will a new season bring? Who knows. But I'll tell you this. I need to keep ahead of the competition because every year they grow the same stuff and the people who shop there know it. That's why value-added and different product are always on my mind. Right now I'm thinking about selling beans that are vacuum packed so people can just throw them in the freezer without blanching them. I'll think a little more on this topic.

In the meantime, I've been reading some great stuff on soil organisms and market gardening small parcels. It's always nice to learn from somebody who is will to part with what they have learned. 

A formidable foe, the yellow nutsedge. Instead of cursing it, I admire it as I take my wire weeder and gently pluck out each weed or clump. The nutsedge has amazing survival skills and is proficient in the lacking sandy loam that is my potato patch. I have much time to think as I pluck the nutsedge and therefore my mental health is improved. Thanks, yellow nutsedge, for being a teacher and a mentor.

No mushroom for our customers this year. My cousin from Kennett Square will not be able to deliver them like he has for the past three years. Too bad. That was one product that we had that no one else carries, a rare feat in today's burgeoning farmer's market scene.

I have been working against a busy life schedule. This is the time of the year when I would like to be in the fields more and in my classroom less. But teaching pays the bills and there are less than 30 days left. Still, mother nature takes advantage of my absence and wreaks havoc in my market garden when I am not tending to it. Such is the life of a gentleman farmer. 

We took off for Mother's Day because that's what you do.

 But Saturday, I worked my butt off. Planting mostly. Put in the next round of beets, carrots, string beans. Planted for the first time the watermelons. Hoed the potatoes. Boy, those nut grass plants are prolific!

I transplanted the lettuce for the first time using the Jevons method. I was surprised how well they took being transplanted. I'll have to take special care of them today and tomorrow as the heat here in South Jersey will be wicked.

Talked to one of farmer friends who said that his leek was shot from the early weather, the spinach was in between pickings and the Boston lettuce was give and take for the weekend.

We open up on Saturday at the Burlington County Agricultural Market in Moorestown. Our CSA is 15 members strong and we look forward to serving them this year.

Can't take this heat this early. Luckily I have sprayed for the flea beetles and the whiteflies. They love this weather!