What's New at the Farm? Harvesting and Completion of Farm Pond

Looking out my window this morning, I see the threatening skies of mid October. I know it wants to rain, and it’s trying. If it will just hold off until we get a little more harvesting done… probably not though. Oh well, we must go forth and harvest anyways. The crops won’t wait much longer. We’ll finish harvesting tomatoes this week. After that, all we’ll have to do is peppers, squash, pumpkins and a few small trial crops, including leeks, cabbage, and fall carrots. Still plenty left to do.

The new irrigation pond is done

Three feet of water has already accumulated in the pond.

The photo above was taken Tuesday. We have since seeded down all around it with several different grass seeds and mixtures. Because we want to prevent as much erosion as possible, we planted Crown vetch on the bank on the outside of the pond and conservation mix on the balance of the ground. The sooner we get some grass growing the better. I wanted to get it seeded down before we got any amount of fall rain, and we did. The rain will help the seed to germinate and grow before the ground freezes up for the season.

The pond currently has about three feet of water in it and I expect it will continue to fill during the fall and winter months. Total surface area will be about an acre and capacity is around six million gallons. Imagine what the first frog in there will think! This pond should supply us with all our water needs for many years in this new field. I am anxious to use this field. We have owned it for many years, and have worked to improve the soil, but have yet to fully utilize this ground. Now with drain tile, an irrigation pond and a well-built driveway down through the field, we’ll be able to add these 15 acres to our inventory of tillable land.

Other fall projects on the docket include pulling miles of plastic mulch; tearing down acres of tomato trellises; and chisel plowing fields that didn’t get a cover crop planted on. Why chisel plow? The chisel plow makes deep furrows that trap the water and force it to seep into the soil rather than whip down across a field eroded it as it goes. Many times our crops get harvested late in the season so we can’t get good establishment of cover crops before the fall freeze-up occurs. In this case, we chisel plow the fields following their contours to prevent or at least slow down the rate of erosion. As we increase our land base, we’ll have more cover crops planted to hold our precious topsoil in place.

Until next week,
Brian

Fringe Benefit: Pumpkins

"Up for Grabs" Pumpkins

One of the advantages to working at Johnny’s is the opportunity to join in the post-trials harvest.

Once the trials for various crops are completed, employees are allowed to help themselves to what remains in the fields. You can’t get much fresher than that! This not only allows us to help feed ourselves, but gives us the opportunity to see how crops were grown, which crops did well, and gain some hands-on experience at our Research Farm.

In recent weeks, we’ve been given the go-ahead to harvest peppers, squash, and pumpkins. What the employees don’t take home is most often donated to local food pantries.

Gathering fresh produce while working for a fast-growing, employee-owned company in a beautiful part of the country is tough to beat. If you're interested in a career at Johnny's, we've recently added some new positions to our job postings. Visit Johnny's careers page to learn more and download an application.

JSS Advantage Newsletter -- October 2011

October, 2011

Demand for local food doesn't suddenly disappear at the first frost. Committed locavores want to buy local food year-round, providing new opportunities for fresh market growers who would like to increase annual revenue and cash flow during the winter. In this issue of the JSS Advantage, we'll provide information about ways you can diversify your offerings across the seasons.

Launch a Winter CSA

Community Supported Agriculture is holding its own despite the economic downturn. In fact, demand is so strong that many CSA farms have started offering winter shares for members who want to eat local year-round. A winter CSA is a much different endeavor than a summer CSA, and it takes a lot of planning. If you are thinking about ways to build on the success of your current CSA, expanding into winter is the logical next step.

Winter CSA is possible in even the coldest parts of the country. Some of the trailblazers in the winter CSA movement are in New York, Maine, Massachusetts, and other very cold places. They are able to offer food in winter through a combination of storage crops, winter hoophouse crops, and value-added products. Because those types of crops have such long storage life, most winter CSAs distribute less often than summer CSAs, some as infrequently as once a month.

Another common feature of winter CSAs is cooperation with other farms. Going into fall, most farmers know how many storage crops such as carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes they can offer to the CSA.

But hoophouse crop growth is more dependent on sunshine and temperatures, and therefore less predictable. By teaming up with other growers and food producers, a CSA farm can fill any gaps in its own production as well as increase the value of the CSA share and the availability of local products. A farm might offer eggs, bread, jam, honey, apples, frozen fruits and vegetables, and salsa grown on the farm or purchased from other farms.

A winter CSA also provides a ready market for some crops that might not have been as useful to a summer CSA, such as dried beans, grains and flour, dried peppers and culinary herbs, soup mixes, and fall ornamentals. In that regard, winter CSA provides the excitement of growing something completely new!
With all winter crops, planning well in advance is essential. If you're considering a winter CSA in the future, this winter is the best time to figure out what you'll include in every distribution. Come spring, you'll be ready to start planting new crops and larger quantities to accommodate a winter marketing season.

Extend the Selling Season with Storage crops

Some vegetables can maintain freshness for months after harvest if you choose varieties specifically bred for long storage. Here's a list of some of the varieties we recommend for storage throughout fall and winter.

Beets of all varieties will keep for 3-5 months when stored at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Brussels sprouts: Diablo and Nautic have good cold tolerance and can be left in the field to harvest after frost. Once cut, they should be stored at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Cabbage: Storage No. 4 will keep until spring from a late fall harvest if held at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Carrot: Bolero is the best variety for harvesting in late fall and will hold for up to six months at 32F and 90-100% humidity.
Kohlrabi: Kossak will keep for 2-3 months at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Leeks: Tadorna is very cold tolerant and can be stored in the field into winter. Once harvested, store at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Onion varieties that are classified as Hard Storage onions will keep up to six months when stored at 32F and 65-70% humidity.

Potatoes: will keep up to five months when stored at 40-50F and 90% humidity.

Pumpkins: Jarrahdale, Long Island Cheese, Musque de Provence, and Baby Bear are all renowned for long storage as well as great eating qualities. They will keep up to 5 months at 50-60F and 50-70% humidity.

Rutabaga: Helenor and American Purple Top will keep for 4-6 months at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Turnip: Purple Top White Globe will keep 4-5 months at 32F and 90-100% humidity.

Winter Squash: Queensland Blue and Waltham Butternut are the best keepers, but all winter squash can be stored for a month or longer. The ideal conditions are 50-55F and 50-70% humidity.

Tips for Successful Winter Growing

With the inexpensive protection of a
caterpillar tunnel or Quick
Hoops™ low tunnel, many crops can be harvested throughout
the winter. Initial crop selection is critical. The best crops for
winter harvest include hardy greens such as arugula, mache, mustard, and spinach; and root crops such as beets, carrots, leeks, and radishes. Within those categories, look for varieties with special cold tolerance, denoted with the snowflake symbol.

One of the keys to winter harvest is to plant early enough that the crops have a chance to get close to maturity before the short days of winter arrive. When day length drops below 10 hours, the plants won't be actively growing but, if you have chosen cold-tolerant varieties, they will be able to withstand freezing and thawing so that you can harvest them all winter.
The second key to successful winter growing is to plant sufficient volume to carry you through the cold season. Regrowth is very slow during winter, so assume you'll get only one harvest from a plant during the coldest months.

When planning which crops to grow under protective structures, envision how you will harvest during the winter. Root crops, which you need to harvest with a digging fork, are best grown in a high tunnel so you can stand upright while harvesting. An inner low tunnel of row cover on hoops prevents the ground from freezing most of the winter -- a huge benefit when harvesting root crops. Leafy crops also do well under row cover in a high tunnel, but if that space is at a premium, they can be grown under a low tunnel of metal hoops bent with Johnny's Quick Hoops™ Bender and covered with Agribon AG-30 or AG-70 for maximum frost protection. Whereas in summer you might bury the edges of row cover to keep insects out, in winter you want to be able to gain access to the crops. Use sandbags or rocks to hold the row cover down. For added protection, pound stakes on both sides of the tunnel and lace twine across the top of the tunnel to the other side, going back and forth the entire length. Not only does the twine keep the row cover on the hoops during windy weather, it also allows you to push the row cover up out of the way when harvesting.

For a complete guide to building your own caterpillar high tunnel, please see our manual, which includes many good ideas about how to modify it seasonally.

Visit our "Managing Quick Hoops™" web page for more information on using low tunnels.

Polar Bear Pumpkin Earns Blue Ribbon at Fair

Sienna's Polar Bear a winner at Fair

Sienna Mazone, age 9, of Dresden, Maine, won first prize in the Great Pumpkin competition at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, Maine. Her entry was Polar Bear, a Johnny's Selected Seeds exclusive variety, that weighed in at 65 lb. See story in Morning Sentinel (Waterville, Maine) daily newspaper.

Sienna, who is home-schooled, helps with the family vegetable garden as part of her science curriculum. Her spring semester science project was to grow a Polar Bear pumpkin, a striking, white-skinned, Johnny’s-bred variety.

Sienna said she started the Polar Bear seed at the end of April in the family's greenhouse and transplanted it to the garden at the beginning of June. She fertilized with organic goat manure and put down Johnny's 's BioTelo black mulch to suppress weeds and warm the soil.

As the plant grew and developed fruit, Sienna pulled all but one pumpkin off the vines to help concentrate the growth to the one remaining fruit. It worked as the pumpkin grew to 65 lbs. It looked so nice, that the Mazones decided to enter it in the pumpkin growing contest at the Common Ground Country Fair Exhibition Hall. There, it won first prize and the Judges award.

Johnny’s hosted a nearby vendor booth and product demonstration area at the fair. Some employees noticed the pumpkin on display and were so impressed with its size, beautiful white skin, and uniformity, they asked if Johnny's could show off Siena’s prize-winning pumpkin at agricultural trade shows this winter. Sienna has given the pumpkin to Johnny’s in exchange for photos of the pumpkin and a tour of the Johnny’s Trial Farm in Albion. She will also receive a box of some 40 varieties of seeds for her garden next summer, including, of course, more Polar Bear Pumpkin seeds!

Look for the pumpkin as it tours northern New England this fall and winter with Johnny's Commercial Sales Rep. Christina Hillier.

Johnny's events calendar - October, 2011

Download print-friendly .pdf version of this calendar.

Customer photos: A visit to Johnny's Research Farm

Have you ever wanted to know more about Johnny's Research Farm farm or warehouse?

View some photos taken by a customer from Detroit on a recent tour and read about his visit.

Photos: Common Ground Country Fair

Here are a few photos from last weekend's Common Ground Country Fair.



This year's fair, the 35th edition, attracted 59,000 people over three days. Johnny's, as usual, had a strong presence. We were one of 600 Maine businesses or farms to participate in the fair. Our display area included a tent for customers to enter contests and chat with Johnny's employees and gardening experts; a tool demonstration area; several garden plots; 2 caterpillar tunnels; and a harvest display of many of our pumpkins, gourds and winter squash.

Read article about the Fair in the Kennebec Journal (Augusta, Maine). The fair is held annually at the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association's fairgrounds in Unity, Maine.

Johnny Appleseed's Birthday

Today is the birth date of John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed. Chapman, who was born in Leominster, Mass. in 1774, became famous for planting apple orchards wherever he traveled, hence the nickname.

Why is that significant to Johnny's?

Johnny Apple Seeds was the original name of the company when it was launched as a  start-up in 1973 by Rob Johnston Jr., our current Chairman of the Board.

However, shortly after he published Johnny's first catalog, Johnston was informed that another company already owned the trademark rights to the name. At that point, Johnston decided to change the name of the company to its current title -- Johnny's Selected Seeds.

Tech tip: Optimize Winter Squash Flavor

Winter squash market display

For many growers autumn means it's time to harvest, store, and enjoy winter squash. Different squashes achieve their best flavor at different times. Here are some guidelines:

Acorns (and the red squashes- Sunshine and Red Kuri) are delicious right from the field, but only last a maximum of 3 months.

Spaghetti Squash is ready to eat when picked and will keep up to 3 months.

Delicata and Sweet Dumplings can be enjoyed immediately after harvest, and store for 4 months.

Buttercups are sweeter after a few weeks of storage, and will keep up to 4 months.

Kabochas get sweeter with a few weeks of storage. The green ones will keep 4-5 months and Confection will keep up to 6 months.

Butternuts and Hubbards are better after a few weeks in storage and will keep to 6 months.

Whether you've grown for your own consumption or for market or CSA sales, the general rule of thumb for best flavor and storage is to consume the smallest squashes first.

What's New at the Farm? Harvest Begins in Earnest; Field Improvements

What’s New at the Farm?
Well for starters, there is plenty going on at the farm right now. The harvest is well under way with a full plate of tomato seed productions being harvested, processed, and stored in our climate controlled room until we have time to finish the seed cleaning process. We have 33 different tomato varieties to harvest this year, and each one can be picked twice, so that’s a potential 66 harvests in the next four to five weeks. Do the math and that’s up to three harvests per day, each day for five weeks. In theory. Some tomatoes will only get to be picked once. It depends on whether or not all the fruit ripen at the same time. Sometimes we’ll pick a crop twice to get the maximum amount of seed from the crop. This is usually for indeterminates as determinates usually ripen all at once

Besides tomato picking there are still weeds to pull. Many weed species don’t germinate and grow much now, but Galinsoga is the one big exception. It is also known as “quick weed” and needs no dormancy period between maturity of the original plant and germination of the new plant. Galinsoga will thrive right up until a good killing frost. Then it’s done, except in spots that are “protected” from frosts. Then it can continue to thrive until it’s killed.

The big news on the farm is field improvements to one of our fields. Drain tile is being installed to drain the water from the field in the early spring so we can use this ground.  Here’s a shot from last week:

Drainage improvement

Perforated plastic pipe is buried two and a half to three feet deep and covered with fine gravel. This allows the ground water to drain away in the spring so we can get on the fields sooner. Each lateral line feeds into a header line, which dumps the excess water into a ditch at the end of the field. One problem with this field in particular is water; too much in the spring and not enough during the summer and early fall growing seasons. The drain tile will cure the spring water issue and we’re digging a pond to eliminate the summer irrigation issues. Here’s a photo of the work:

New irrigation pond

This pond should hold a minimum of five million gallons of water. This will cover our needs for now and anything we want to do in subsequent years. This picture was taken on the 20th of September; the pond should be completely finished and the ground seeded down by the 1st of October.
Until next week, enjoy the harvest.
Brian

Jordan’s Garden Annual Fall Pumpkin Festival

I had the privilege of attending the Annual Pumpkin Festival hosted by Jordan’s Garden in Machias, Maine. Owner Wayne Lobley provides over one hundred youngsters and their families with pumpkin seeds (from Johnny's, of course!) and instructions for the Pumpkin Growing Contest in late spring. Everyone comes together in September to showcase their efforts and celebrate the season.

This year’s activities included pumpkin games, hay rides, scarecrow making, pumpkin painting, pie eating contest, official chicken races, craft vendors, and homemade donuts and treats from the Towne Fryer, and much, much, more. Wayne, family, staff, and friends estimate they had over 300 people through their doors on Saturday. It was an absolutely beautiful day and fun for all.


Pumpkin judges this season were Sheriff Donnie Smith, Master Gardener Irene Fitzgerald, and me. We had several large pumpkins this year weighing in at 24 to 30 lbs. Awards and prizes were handed out for winners in the Largest, Smallest, and Best Decorated categories. The judges also added a category this year for Best Overall Pumpkin.

If you live in the greater Machias area, stop in and visit Jordan’s Garden. Don’t forget to get your pumpkin seeds! I’ll see you next September.

- Joy Frost, Inside Sales Rep

Some Cool Fresh Produce Tips: Frost Tolerance and Cold Storage

If you're growing in the north, it's getting to be the time of year to think about frost.

Here in Maine, weather forecasters are issuing frost warnings for this weekend in some parts of the state.

Here's a frost tolerance guide from the National Gardening Bureau -- Frost Tolerance of Vegetables.

While we're on the subject of chilly temperatures, here are some guidelines to storing fresh produce if you're still harvesting or just getting started. This handy chart is provided by One Drop Farm in Cornville, Maine.

September 2011 Product Spotlight: Mache, Larkspur, Chives

Yes, you can still plant!

Overwintering crops and cold-hardy greens should be seeded soon outside in the South and under Quick™ Hoops or row cover in the North.

Here are some crops and products to consider this month:

Mache

VIT Mache

Mache, also known as corn salad or lambs lettuce, is a salad vegetable that is extremely popular in Europe and gaining a devoted following in the U.S., especially among chefs. The mild, sweet, crisp leaves have a slightly nutty flavor that allows mache to stand alone as a salad, or give a new dimension to lettuce salad mixes.
The key to successful mache production is to grow it in cold weather, when soil temperature is 41˚-68˚F/5˚-20˚C and growing temperature is below 70˚F/21˚C daytime. Direct seed at a rate of 28-45 seeds per square foot and harvest by cutting the complete plant near the root crown. Yield is approximately .2 lb per square foot or 22 lb per manpower hour.
#419, VIT, is a disease-resistant variety with long, glossy green leaves. 50 days to maturity.

Larkspur

Johnny's Larkspur Sublime Formula Mix

A hardy annual that needs cold to germinate, larkspur is one of the earliest cut flowers in spring. Its tall, full spikes of pink, white, blue, purple, and bicolor florets are highly desirable in the florist trade and create a strong accent in mixed bouquets. Larkspur also makes an excellent dried flower simply by hanging it upside down in a warm, dark, breezy area.
#1785 Johnny's Larkspur Sublime Formula Mix: This custom seed mix includes all of the individual colors offered by Johnny's including the new Sublime Bicolor, a dark purple splashed with white.

Chives and Garlic Chives

Purly Chives

Chinese Leeks/Garlic Chives

#793 Purly: Chives can be direct seeded now and they will grow quickly in spring to be one of the first herbs at market. Purly is an easy-to-grow Johnny's exclusive with versatile, medium-sized leaves.
#925 Chinese Leeks/Garlic Chives (OG) have thin, flat leaves with a delicate garlic flavor. The starry, white edible flowers have stiff, long stems that can be used in summer bouquets.

JSS Advantage Newsletter -- September 2011

September can also be an extremely busy month on the farm. Summer crops have peaked, fall crops need attention, and there is all that harvesting to be done. It's hard to look ahead to fall and winter markets, but in this issue of the JSS Advantage, we'll suggest some practical ideas and, we hope, provide some encouragement to keep you going and improve your bottom line for 2011.

Encourage Buying in Bulk, Canning, Freezing, and Drying

There has been a renaissance of interest in "putting food by"... canning, freezing, and drying. Your customers are no doubt familiar with the idea, even if they have never preserved food before. Most have seen the big displays of canning supplies at supermarkets and big box stores, and they have probably encountered numerous magazine and newspaper articles about the benefits of preserving food.
So the pump is primed...you just need to provide a reminder, some guidance, and an abundance of produce. Here are some suggestions for encouraging your customers to buy in bulk.
Visual cues. Think about how you would preserve your bounty (if you only had the time!) and decorate your market stand accordingly. You might dry some bunches of herbs at home, then hang them above your fresh herb display at market. Make a display of canning jars with the ingredients needed for salsa, pasta sauce, pickles, and so on. Braid some onions and hang them above your table. Be sure to include some reference material for those who are unsure how to proceed.
Johnny's offers a number of helpful books including How to Store your Garden Produce by Piers Warren (#9791), Root Cellaring by Mike & Nancy Bubel (#9459), and Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante (#9237), just to name a few.

Recipes. Provide easy-to-make recipes for the items you want to move in volume. The Ball website has a clever feature that allows you to find recipes by main ingredient, preserving method, and ease. Download a few recipes for each type of preserving.
Price incentives. If you have bushels of produce beyond what you can usually sell, offer a discount for volume purchases. If you don't have an excess, you can still encourage volume buying by throwing in something free; for example, offer a pint of jalapenos or a bunch of basil free for a 10-pound tomato purchase.
Make signs. Put out a chalkboard stating the obvious: "Eat local all winter! Preserve now."



Increase Revenues with Value-added Products

If you would like to extend the season and increase annual revenue significantly, consider offering value-added products in addition to your fresh produce. You will find that selling even a few non-perishable products can level out income and open doors to new markets. Winter markets, holiday craft shows, local specialty shops, and internet selling sites all offer opportunities for making money after your growing season ends.
Food products, in general, are highly regulated and require some research and possibly investment in processing facilities. They may be well worth it, though, especially if you can develop distinctive products that command a premium price. For example, many New England farmers make maple syrup products that sell well year-round to tourists. Similarly, growers in New Mexico can do well with chili pepper jellies, salsas, and other regional specialties.
Non-food agricultural products may be easier and quicker to develop. The possibilities are nearly endless. Christmas wreaths, live plants, dried flowers, paper crafts, soaps, candles, body care products, lavender sachets, catnip toys, wool, and just about anything else you can make on the farm can become a profit center. If you would like to explore ideas for products that fit your interests and production, peruse the Store Categories at www.localharvest.org. You may be inspired by the high-quality artisanal products other farmers are selling there.

Join Us at MOFGA's Annual Common Ground Country Fair

Poster by Dacia Klinchert

Visit the Johnny's Selected Seeds Exhibition  Booth at this year's Common Ground Country Fair. You'll have a chance to chat with Johnny's gardening experts and try some of our innovative gardening tools at our tool demonstration site and garden plots. There will be giveaways and raffles
for Johnny's merchandise. Don't miss it! The fair will be held from Sept. 23 to 25 at the Unity Fairgrounds in Unity, Maine.

Directions to the Fair »

Pests: Beware the Armyworm

Pest of the Month: Armyworms (Family Noctuidae)

Armyworm

Native sweet corn is popping up everywhere: on farm stands, in local co-ops, at your favorite grocery store, and your town’s farmer's market. Whether you planted a couple of short rows at home, or if you have acres and acres of corn you’re harvesting for market, it’s not unusual to occasionally peel back those tough green husks and reveal that little green worm munching happily away on the sweet kernels. One little green armyworm larvae can ruin a perfectly marketable ear of corn in very little time.

Life Cycle

By definition, an “armyworm” is a caterpillar that has the habit of feeding above ground, can become abundant at times, and occurs in large migrations. In its adult stage as a gray-brown moth with a white dot in the center of the forewing, many species migrate to southern climates such as Mexico and Central America. Some species of the armyworm irregularly survive the winter in the U.S., while other species overwinter as pupa in the soil. Depending on the species, larval development can take from 2-8 weeks. Early stages are smooth pale green, while older larvae reach about 1.5"; turning a greenish brown with white stripes on the sides, dark or light stripes along the back. During the migration from warmer southern climates to northern cooler climates, adult moths lay eggs only at night and on the undersides of leaves. Eggs are greenish white and are laid in huge masses of up to 400 eggs. Younger stages of larvae typically feed only on one side of younger leaves, leaving leaves with a transparent appearance. Older larvae are less discriminating and often consume entire areas of the leaf. Larvae feed only at night and can tunnel into the whorl of young corn. As ears develop, they tunnel into the ears, many times entering from sides and tips. Pupation occurs in a loose cocoon in the soil. Three or four generations are typical in southern climates, while one or two generations are more common for northern U.S. states.

Plants Affected

Vegetables, grasses, corn, legumes, fruit trees, and flowers are occasionally damaged.

Symptoms

Tunneling into whorls, shredded leaves, transparent younger leaves, and in grasses a chewed ragged appearance.

Controls

Attracting natural, native predators such as parasitic wasps and flies. Live releases can be made on a regular schedule based on the army worm’s life cycle. A BTK spray can also be used to kill larvae. Dipel DF is a product we’ve made available to our customers and is a very effective method of control. We also use this product on a regular basis for tomato hornworms in our covered structures here on the farm. As always, follow label mixing and handling instructions completely and always wear the proper protective clothing. 

Resources

“The Organic Gardener’s Handbook of Natural Pest and Disease Control” Edited by Fern Marshall Bradley, Barbara W. Ellis, and Deborah L. Martin
“The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs Garden Insects of North America” by Whitney Cranshaw
“Vegetable Notes” published by U Mass Extension, written by R Hazzard

Article by Sonya Reynolds, Greenhouse Coordinator, Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Help Wanted: Job Openings at Johnny's

We're seeking candidates for the following positions:

• Multi Channel Content Assistant
  
• Product Manager -- Perishables
  
• Product Manager -- Ornamentals

Visit our careers website to learn more about these openings and to download a job application.

What's New at the Farm? Growing Slows Down; Harvest About to Speed Up

It’s been a while since I’ve written this column so I thought I’d start again. There’s so much information on this blog, and we’re all so busy with our gardens and crops, I’d rather not inundate everyone with more information this time of year. As I write this, I look out my window to see the growing slowing down and the harvesting about to pick up.

Many of the crops have been seeded, thinned and weeded, cultivated, sprayed as needed, harvested and plowed under by the first of September. Crops that have come and gone include spring carrots, eggplant, sweet corn, melons and green beans.  The spring lettuce and greens trials have come and gone, the tomatoes are ripening fast and some of the peppers are ready now.  The winter squash and pumpkins are maturing and we’ll be hard at it harvesting before long.

For our seed productions, tomatoes are the first crops to be harvested for seed. We’ll be picking them primarily for the entire month of September, starting next week. Most every day will start out with “What are we doing today?” and to that the answer will be “picking tomatoes”. I like picking tomatoes, but then again I like pulling weeds. It probably stems from the fact I don’t do much of either anymore. Over the past 20 plus years I’m sure I’ve picked lots of tomatoes.

On the farm this week, we’re getting concrete poured in greenhouse # 1. We’ve had this greenhouse since around 1989 and have always had a “dirt” floor. Actually it looks more like course gravel than anything. Tomorrow they’ll pour the first half and next week they’ll finish it up. Concrete is so much easier to work with and to keep clean than “dirt”. Next year we’ll get concrete in Greenhouse # 3 and we’ll be set for a while.

Also on the farm, the onions have been pulled and are drying in the field until tomorrow; then they’ll be crated up and put in a greenhouse with shade cloth to cure.

The last of the weeding is happening now; the fall carrots have been thinned and weeded and final cultivations are occurring in the crops we can get into. Over the next few weeks, depending of course on potential frosts and the ever changing and challenging weather patterns, many fields will be harvested and seeded down. I’m looking at a new, fall cover crop mix, which consists of oats, turnips and oilseed radishes. I’ll let you know how it looks and how it turns out.

As Hurricane Irene was dumping lots of rain on us last weekend, I was left thinking about how more cover crops could have been used to slow or stop erosion around the farm. Luckily we didn’t get the downpours and heavy rain that were predicted so erosion was at a minimum.

Pictures of the farm starting again next week; lots of crops at their peak. Lots of great pictures there already!

Until, next week, Brian

The Vermont Farm Fund Initiates Emergency Loans for Farms Affected by Hurricane Irene

Loans will help meet immediate needs in the aftermath of statewide flooding

Hardwick, VT -- The Vermont Farm Fund (VFF), in response to the catastrophic flooding that has devastated farms throughout Vermont, has established an emergency loan program. This program will accept applications immediately for $5,000 loans at zero interest to benefit Vermont farms that have been directly affected by the effects of Hurricane Irene.

"I just returned from a day of farm visits," says Vern Grubinger, one of the VFF's advisors and Vermont's vegetable and berry specialist for UVM Extension, "I saw several hundred thousand dollars of damage on half a dozen farms and I have received reports of well over $1 million in losses just from vegetable farms alone.  We need to raise as much money as we can to support our local food producers so they can get through this."

The VFF, a fund created by Pete's Greens in partnership with the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE), was inspired by the outpouring of support Pete's Greens received as a result of statewide community efforts and individual donations when word got out that the farm's barn, which housed its processing facility and storage crops, burned to the ground in January 2011.

"We know these loans are modest in light of the overwhelming need," said Pete Johnson, owner of Pete's Greens in Craftsbury, "but we want to help as many farms as we can by giving a quick, zero interest loan that can give some relief. Pete's Greens has paid forward $40,000 of the donations we received into the VFF and we are hoping that donations and fundraisers will quickly grow the fund. We believe the Vermont Farm Fund can grow into a significant resource that can help Vermont farmers in times of need for years to come."

To make a tax deductible donation, please visit hardwickagriculture.org/donate.html to donate online or write a check to the Vermont Farm Fund and mail to the Center for an Agricultural Economy, PO Box 451, 41 S. Main St., Hardwick, VT 05843.

To apply for a loan from the VFF, please visit hardwickagriculture.org/programs.html  to view and download the application or contact elena@hardwickagriculture.org.

Contacts:
Amy Skelton, Pete's Greens
Email: amy@petesgreens.com Phone: 802-586-2882                                                                       Elena

Elena Gustavson, Center for an Agricultural Economy
Email: elena@hardwickagriculture.org Phone: 802-472-5840

Johnny's events calendar - September, 2011

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Customer photos: Amaranth, Zinnias in Snohomish, Washington

Dale Kolbe, of the Snohomish County (WA) Parks and Recreation Department, sent us a beautiful shot of a flower garden planted with Johnny's seeds at the county fairgrounds.

"The Emerald Tassels and Love-Lies-Bleeding Amaranth seeds we purchased from you have generated a lot of interest this year," Dale said. "We have them planted at our Main Gate in a 3-tier culvert planter with Zowie!™ and Queen Red Lime zinnias, also from Johnny’s!! Thanks!"

 

Customer photos: Sunflowers in Maine

Rob Anderson, of Yarmouth, Maine, sent us some photos of his sunflower crop. Rob used Johnny's sunflower seeds to plant a 60-foot bed along the fence on the side of his yard. Beautiful!

Tips to Limit Hurricane Irene's Damage to Greenhouses, Hoophouses

Hurricane Irene, predicted to make landfall somewhere in the northeast this weekend, could wreak havoc on your crops, greenhouses, hoophouses, or any other gardening structures you may have on your property.

If you're located in the northeast, here are some hurricane tips forwarded to us by the Vermont Vegetable and Berry Growers Association and Vern Grubinger of University of Vermont. Grubinger picked them up from the University of Massachusetts Extension. See below:

In case Hurricane Irene makes it way into Vermont, here is some advice on how prevent damage to your tunnels and greenhouses:

From UMass Extension web site  by John Bartok

Although you have no control over the force or direction of severe winds, here are a few tips to help minimize storm damage:

• Check the area for loose objects. Anything that can be picked up and hurled through the glazing should be secured or moved indoors. Metal chimney (stove pipe) sections should be secured with sheet metal screws.
  
• Inspect for dry or weak tree limbs that could fall on the greenhouse.
  
• Close all openings including vents, louvers and doors. The effective force of the wind is doubled when it is allowed inside the building. The wind on the outside puts a pressure or lifting force on the structure. The wind inside tries to force the walls and roof off.
  
• On air inflated greenhouses, increase the inflation pressure slightly by opening the blower's intake valve. This will reduce the rippling effect. Check to see that the plastic is attached securely and that any holes are taped.
  
• Disconnect the arm to the motor on all ventilation - intake shutters and tape the shutters closed. Then turn on enough exhaust fans to create a vacuum in the greenhouse. This will suck the plastic tight against the frame.
  
• Windbreaks can reduce the wind speed and deflect it over the greenhouse. Conifer trees (hemlock, spruce, pine, etc.) in a double row located at least 50' upwind from the greenhouse can reduce the damaging effects of the wind. Wood or plastic storm fencing can be used as a temporary measure.

From Skip Paul, farmer on RI coast with a lot of hurricane experience:

Check all your connections and structural members. Like a weak link in a
chain, if a nut vibrates off a critical connection you will start a cascade of other failures. Clean the bugs out of your inflation fans. Keeping the two sheets of plastic a bit over-inflated during a storm is a good thing. This requires patching the small holes and nicks. We just open up the inflation fan air intake (all the way) and get that plastic extra tight. Don't forget to readjust the inflation fan intake slide vent after the storm you don't want to over-stretch your plastic. It will shorten its life over time.

Clean up junk around the farm that can get going in the wind and rip a hole in the plastic. If we know we will loose power, we will duct tape the intake shutters to keep the air out. Keep your large doors securely closed by putting something in front of them.

Most greenhouses don't have good door latches for their doors; if they vibrate loose or fail the wind will get in. An important decision is whether to cut or take off the plastic. If we know we are getting 100+ mph winds then we take the plastic off; the structural damage to the greenhouse doesn't warrant trying to make it through the storm. Plus you probably will lose your power and there is another reason you will be glad you took the plastic off. Uninflated greenhouses especially are like a large sail and can be dangerous and just beat on the structure. If you do take the plastic off; try to do it in two separate pieces and put it away somewhere dry. If you let it slump off the greenhouse and fill with water between the sheets it will be impossible to recover the house till they are separated and dry.

People with Haygroves (that includes us): don't even think about trying to make it through winds over 65 mph. Your manual will tell you it isn't made for that kind of wind. Especially, since their solution to lower wind speeds is to open the structure up! That can work up to 55 mph but above 65 it will act like a wing on an airplane and you will be sorry. Our Haygrove had one end crushed in a sudden wind gust last season; it can happen.

Those with Rimol moveable houses (or greenhouses on skids a la Elliot Coleman) you should heed the same warning: small pipes driven in here and there will do you no good when the wind gets over 75 mph. It's better to take the plastic off than to see your greenhouse rolling over your neighbors hayfield. Probably the most important thing is respect the peak of the storm. Don't switch plans and try to do any of this in the midst of the storm; the wind is dangerous and adding heavy rain to that can be catastrophic. I once saw a sailor flipped 30 feet into the air while trying to hold a spinnaker line that got loose. Be careful with this storm.

Farm Profile: Six River Farm

Gabrielle Gosselin and Nate Drummond have roots in New England and wanted to return there to start their own farm in 2007. They brought not only their youthful enthusiasm for growing healthy food to the project, but also solid field experience and practical agricultural education. Through Maine FarmLink, they found 11 acres of land available to lease at George Christopher's 1,000-acre "Incubator Farm", on the shores of Merrymeeting Bay in Bowdoinham, Maine. It is unusual land for Maine with flat, fertile fields, and few rocks.

Six River Farm proprietor Nate Drummond loads turnips destined for a local farmer's market.

Gabrielle worked at the Greenmarkets in New York City. She and Nate then went on to apprentice at Paul and Sandy Arnold's Pleasant Valley Farm in Argyle, New York. They credit that experience with giving them the confidence to start their own certified-organic vegetable farm. They paid close attention to all facets of the Arnolds' diverse market vegetable operation, including the financials and bookkeeping.

Armed with this education, the couple planned Six River Farm to be a model of efficiency and profitability from day one. Their initial goal was to make a living from 5 to 10 acres of mixed vegetables. They began with the cultivation of just 2 acres, but quickly ramped up their production to include flowers and blueberries.

Their lease on the "Incubator Farm" includes the use of pre-existing barns, coolers, and a unique equipment-sharing arrangement with the other tenant farmers.

"We can invest in equipment we know we need, but our neighbors don't have, and that way we all can share," says Nate. They have increased their farm size by leasing an additional 10 acres from other landowners in Bowdoinham and have purchased a house with 7 additional acres of fields that they will be bringing into production over the next several years.

They currently use three types of tunnels for growing, including five caterpillar tunnels and two Rolling Thunder™ moveable tunnels. The caterpillar tunnels enable them to grow early greens followed by peppers and eggplants. The Rolling Thunder™ tunnels will cover other solanaceous crops and fall greens.

Gabrielle and Nate feel fortunate to have vital farmer's markets nearby. Eighty percent of their income comes from these markets. They sell at three markets a week as well as at several restaurants and natural food stores. They are passionate about their work and about using sustainable farming practices for the health of the land and of their community, and so they personally attend these markets in order to get to know their customers better.

"We enjoy engaging with our customers," Gabrielle said. "We like to learn their names, hear their stories, and take the time to talk about things beyond the lettuce they are buying. They can expect us to be there."

Photo Slideshow of Six River Farm, Bowdoinham, Maine

Product spotlights

August Product Spotlights

From cutting to carrying to cleansing, let us help you with your harvest.

Spinach

Python

Tyee

Spinach will flourish in the cooler days of autumn and will withstand some freezing weather in the field. In a hoophouse, it can be kept growing all winter if it's protected with row cover held above it on hoops. It's also a great crop to seed in fall and overwinter under Quick Hoops™ for early spring harvest.

#3835 Python (F1) is a bunching Asian leaf spinach for fall harvest. Its smooth, dark green leaves are arrowhead shaped.

#646G Tyee (F1) (OG) is considered the standard of savoyed spinach for bolt resistance and vigorous growth. Sow Tyee in fall for overwintering.

Ginseng and Goldenseal

American Ginseng

Goldenseal

#900 American Ginseng is used to make a bittersweet energy tonic. Johnny's ships stratified seeds in September for fall planting. The roots are harvested in the fall of 5th or 6th year.

#899 Goldenseal (OG)is a medicinal Native American root used for its astringent, cleansing qualities. Two-year-old roots are shipped in September and are organically grown.

Harvest Tools

Harvest Knives

Tubtrugs

Sanidate

Make harvesting easier and safer with Johnny's harvest tools.

Harvest Knives for every application from lettuce to broccoli.

#9634 Victorinox Serrated Harvest Knife

#9177 Lettuce Field Knife

#9098 Serrated Greens Knife - 6" Blade

#9153 Original Lightweight Field Knife

#9157 Modesto Heavy-Duty Field Knife

#9671 Stainless Harvest Machete - 8" Blade

#9767 Curved Grape and Tomato Shears

#9763 Stainless Harvest Machete - 14" Blade

Tubtrugs are ultra-flexible, lightweight food-grade polyethylene tubs great for harvesting. Tubtrugs are available in three convenient sizes: 3 1/2, 7, and 11 gal., and three easy-to-spot colors: Red, Blue, and Pistachio.

Sanidate products are safe, effective sanitizers for hard surfaces, produce, and post harvest equipment.

#9109 SaniDate® Hard Surface Sanitizer - 32 Oz. RTU

#9216 SaniDate® Fruit & Vegetable Wash - 16 Oz. RTU

#9112 SaniDate® 5.0 Liquid Sanitizer (OG) - 2-1/2 Gal.

JSS Advantage Newsletter -- August 2011

August 2011 JSS Advantage Newsletter

August can be a busy month. Summer crops are at their peak and fall crops need attention. It's time to look ahead to fall and winter markets. Yet, it may still be so hot you just don't want to do anything! In this issue of the JSS Advantage, we'll suggest some practical ideas and, we hope, provide some encouragement to keep you going.

Grow Some Quick Fall Crops for Winter Markets

In most of the United States, mid-summer is the time to schedule fall crops, including those you will harvest this fall and winter and those you will plant in fall for early spring harvest.
Looking at the calendar, you may realize there's not much time left until your first frost. But if you act fast, you can still get a good harvest of field crops in the next 30-60 days. You will need to pay extra attention to seeds and seedlings to prevent them from perishing in the heat, but once you get them established, they will thrive as the weather cools off.
Johnny's Fall Planting Calculator is a great tool to determine the dates crops need to be planted outside without season extension products. If you are going to grow in hoophouses, Quick Hoops or even under row cover, your planting dates can be later than the calculator advises. High and low tunnels constructed with our Quick Hoops™ Benders allow you to extend the growing season for cold-hardy crops with a very late season harvest or overwintering for early spring harvest. Best of all, they are on sale this month!

Recommended fall crop varieties

Basil: For authentic basil flavor in a more compact plant, try Genovese Compact, Improved (#2922). It is a preferred variety for greenhouses. Aroma 2 (#2946G) with its fusarium resistance is a good choice for the greenhouse as well. For something different, try our smallest basil, Pistou (#2742). This fine leaf or Greek basil takes just 30 days to reach maturity.

Beets: All varieties are good for fall planting, maturing in 45-55 days (longer in fall because of decreasing day length). Beet greens are delicious, though somewhat acidic, additions to a salad, so save the thinnings and use the tops after harvest.

Broccoli Raab: Sessantina Grossa (#135) is ready in just 35 days.

Broccoli: Arcadia (#139) and Marathon (#151) have good cold resistance and will sweeten up after a frost.
Cabbage: Farao (#2110G) is a delicious, early cabbage maturing in 64 days. Gonzales (#2907), a round mini cabbage, was the earliest to mature (66 days) in our close-spacing trials. For mini cabbage, space the plants 8-12" in row, 12-18" between rows. Alcosa Savoy (#2985) is cold-tolerant and matures in 72 days, making it a good choice for hoophouses.

Carrots: Napoli is the best variety for fall and winter harvest. Organic seed (#209G), organic seed with pelleting approved for organic production (#209GP), raw seed (#209), and raw seed with conventional pelleting (#209P) are all available.

Cilantro: At just 55 days to maturity, this cool-loving herb can be cut well into fall with some frost protection. Calypso (#3803) has full, bulky plants that provide a high leaf yield.

Endive, Escarole, and Radicchio: All can be grown for fall crops.

Greens: Vit (#419) mache is an ideal winter salad item, maturing in 50 days. It is a versatile, vigorous, mildew-resistant variety. Claytonia (#388) is one of the hardiest of the winter salad greens. It can tolerate moderate frost and can be grown all winter in mild regions or in cold greenhouses. Matures in 40 days.

Kale and Collards: All are cold-tolerant and will survive light frosts.

Lettuce: For baby lettuce and salad mix, most any variety will produce in fall. Five Star Greenhouse Lettuce Mix (#192), a blend of downy mildew resistant varieties, is especially good for fall when the DM pressure is greatest. For full size heads, choose cold-tolerant varieties such as Black Seeded Simpson and Winter Density.

Onions: Grow the bunching/scallion types. In severe winter areas, grow Evergreen Hardy White (#502) for winter harvest and overwintering.

Radishes: Grow a variety of colors and shapes, and succession plant every week until 45 days before hard frost.

Spinach: Tyee is the professional growers' favorite for fall crops and overwintering. Organic seed (#646G), non-organic seed (#646), and organic seed with Natural II Treatment (#646BG) are all available.

Swiss Chard: Quick to grow for baby bunches and salad mix; be ready to protect from frost for full-size bunches.

Maine Farms for the Future Program Seeks Applications for Business Plan Development

A request for a proposal announcement from the state of Maine:

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Division of Agricultural Resource Development, is requesting farmer’s applications to Round 11 of the Maine Farms for the Future Program (FFF), Phase 1 - Business Plan Development Program.

To be eligible an applicant must own and operate a Farm Business that has been producing agricultural products commercially in the State of Maine for at least two (2) years at the time of application. The applicant must own their farmland. If having recently purchased their farmland, the applicant must have at least two years experience operating a Farm Business elsewhere in Maine.  As defined in Title 7, Chapter 36, Rules Governing the Maine Farms for the Future Program, “Farm Business means that the agricultural products grown or produced on the farm are being sold commercially and the farm has documentation of gross and net farm income, expenses, net worth and farm debt.”  Successful applicants will have from December 1, 2011 to April 30, 2013 (17 months) to complete Phase 1. 

Paper and electronic copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP) packet and APPLICATION are available from:
Kimbalie Lawrence, DAFRR- ARD
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0041
Telephone: (207) 287-3491
Email:  kimbalie.lawrence@maine.gov

Enclose six (6) copies of the signed APPLICATION and one (1) copy each of  the 2009 and 2010 IRS Schedule F Tax forms, into one (1) large sealed envelope, clearly marked with your return address and labeled: "Proposal: Round 11 - Maine Farms for the Future Business Plan Development Program" should be mailed or hand-delivered to the Division of Purchases, Burton M. Cross Building, 4th Floor, 111 Sewall Street, 9 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0009, no later than 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011, at which time and place the packets will be opened and the name of the applicant will be publicly noted and read aloud.

Stephanie R. Gilbert
Farm Viability & Farmland Protection Specialist
Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0028
Phone:  207.287.7520  
Mobile:  207.557.2036
Fax:     207.287.5576
Email: stephanie.gilbert@maine.gov

Video: Morning Crop Walk, Beet Trials

Every other week or so, Johnny's employee owners are invited to our Research Farm in Albion, Maine for a morning "crop walk". These informational sessions are conducted by our product technicians team. This week we looked at the beets product line, among other crops.

Watch video below for some of the highlights.



Speaking of beets, it's not too late to think about a fall crop of this versatile, fast growing, and highly nutritious vegetable. Cool fall weather helps bring out the best taste and flesh color in many beets. We carry 15 varieties, including seven organics. Shop for beets.

Beets included in the video:  Red Ace, Touchstone Gold, Cylindra, Merlin, Early Wonder Tall Top, and the beautiful heirloom, Chioggia Guardsmark.

National Watermelon Day: Celebrate with a Cool Slice

Today is National Watermelon Day.

At Johnny's, we carry more than a dozen varieties. View our selection here.

Read story about Watermelon Day in the Bangor Daily News.

JSS Advantage Newsletter -- August 2011

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