Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Wreaths for the Holidays

By Master Gardener Amy Weis
Every December when my family makes its annual trek to the local Christmas tree farms to pick out our tree, I usually wander around looking at the wreaths. A local, handmade wreath not only smells great, but also last a long time. I usually take mine down around March.

The use of evergreens predates Christianity. Ancient Persians used evergreens for victory crowns. The Greeks made laurel wreaths as awards for Olympic athletes as far back as 776 BC.  In ancient Rome, military heroes wore evergreen crowns.
Ancient Germanic people used evergreens as a symbol of life and survival during their Winter Solstice celebrations. The evergreen was a reminder of life and renewal.
Today we enjoy the wonderful scent and symbolism of evergreen wreaths around the holidays.  And, more people are discovering the benefits of locally made, fresh evergreen wreaths made at nearby Christmas tree farms. 

This year I set out to find out a little more about the local craft of   fresh Christmas wreath making. I decided to start by checking the PA Christmas Tree Grower’s web site for its 2013 Pennsylvania wreath winners. My first stop was with first place winner, for the undecorated category, Ruth Sitko, of Sitko Christmas Tree Farm in Pottstown, PA.

Ruth explained that an award-winning wreath is typically made from high quality, fresh, healthy evergreens (partially determined by number of needles per branch) and that symmetry and proportion are also very important.

There are several different methods of making an evergreen wreath. Ruth uses a clamp machine and a form. She gathers small evergreen boughs and clamps them to the form. She then puts wire hooks on the back of the form and decorates with a bow, berries, pine cones or other season appropriate items.   Her wreath turned out perfectly symmetrical with a full, lush look. I can only say mine looked “rustic”.

There are other methods of wreath making as well. Most of them utilize a wire wreath frame.  Typically small (approximately 6 inch) pieces of evergreen branches are wired together, usually three to a bunch. Then the bunch is wired to the form. These steps are continued until the form is completely filled out. It is important that the needles be faced in the same direction.  Several of the farms had wreaths made from multiple types of evergreens.  These wreaths tended to look a little more informal. They may have included boxwood, pine, arborvitae, blueberries juniper, holly or Frasier fir. Some even added a pinch of rosemary for added aroma.
It’s fun knowing that the beautiful wreath now hanging on my front door was made at a local farm and should easily outlast the cold and snow!

Support Your Farmer:

Sitko Farms is a three generation Christmas tree farm located in Pottstown.  They offer choose-and-cut for scotch pine, douglas fir, balsam fir, and concolor fir. They also offer precuts for scotch pine, douglas fir, balsam fir, and fraser fir, as well as a great selection of custom wreaths and other decorations..


Wednesday, December 11, 2013

O Tannenbaum - Going to the Farm

By Master Gardener Susan Kowalchuk

One off my favorite Christmas holiday traditions is going to a Christmas tree farm and choosing a tree. In addition to the beauty of having a fresh aromatic tree in our home, these trips to the farms have provided our family with many holiday memories.  The month of December can get pretty frenetic. The trip to select a tree is a respite, and depending on what farm you go to, a mini outdoor family adventure, which ends with a sense of accomplishment and hopefully a large cup of hot chocolate.

According to the Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Association, there are over 1,200 Christmas tree farms, producing at least 1.2 million cut trees a year on 35,000 acres. There are many different types of evergreen trees to choose from. The following is a list of trees most commonly found on Pennsylvania Christmas tree farms:

Balsam Fir – this was the first plantation grown tree in the Northeast. It is a fragrant tree with short needles with a blueish/silver cast.  It has good needle retention, making a great choice for those who like to put their tree up in November. A variety of the balsam is the canann.

Douglas Fir  - soft, delicate blue/green needles with flexible branches.  It has good needle retention.

Concolor Fir – long soft neeedles that have a silver/blue hue. Branches have a delicate/airy appearance.  This evergreen gives off a citrusy scent and has good needle retention. It is also known as a white fir.

Fraser Fir  - short, dark green stiff needles. The tree has a pyramidal shape, with branches growing upward, giving it a more formal/traditional  appearance.

Colorado Blue Spruce – this tree has a distinctive appearance, with short, three-sided dark green/blue needles and stiff branches. Its strong branches make it a good choice if you have heavy ornaments.

Eastern White Pine-  has large, soft, blue/green needles.  Tree has a good fragrance, excellent needle retention, and an airy, more informal appearance.


Norway Spruce – is dark green with a conical shape. Needles are 4-sided and point forward. The branches are strong and hang down in a pendulous fashion.  Compared to other evergreens, needle retention is poor. Nonetheless, the Norway Spruce is often chosen for the White House and Rockefeller Center.  
   
The type of experiences available at Christmas tree farms can vary; hayrides, cut and haul your own, pick a tree and have them cut and haul it to the car for you, acres devoted to several types of trees in the country, smaller farms in less rural areas, shops that have ornaments, wreaths, food, the list goes on and on.  Decide what you would like for your family tradition and call ahead to see what types of trees and experiences the farm offers.  

Once your bring your tree home, it is recommended that you cut no more than one inch from the trunk and place it in a stand that holds at least a gallon of plain water. You shouldn’t place your tree next to a heat source and use only indoor lights on the tree. Don’t forget to turn off the lights before leaving home or going to sleep!

Support Your Farmer: 
http://www.pickyourownchristmastree.org/PAxmastrees.php - link to Christmas Tree Farms, hayrides, tree lots and other related activities in your area
www.christmastrees.org - Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Growers Association –  another resource for farms within driving distance of your home.  It also offers information on other types of evergreens.


http://www.realchristmastrees.org - National Christmas Tree Growers Association 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

It's Turkey Time!

Photo by Jeff Zehr
Tomorrow approximately 45 million turkeys will be eaten in the United States as families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving.  As the center piece of the feast, I thought it was appropriate to highlight some facts about the bird that will be feeding so many:
  •  Turkeys are native to North America.  The common turkey – Meleagris gallapavo – was hunted by Native Americans as early as 1000 A.D. and was probably first domesticated by native Mexicans. 

  • Tame turkeys were taken to Spain in 1519, spreading throughout Europe and reaching England in 1524, where they became a customary Christmas dish.  English colonists later re-introduced their European-bred turkeys back to North America. 

  • Until 1935, turkeys were primarily bred for their colorful plumage – not their meat.

  • Turkey eggs are twice as large as ordinary chicken eggs.

  • Turkeys hatch after incubating for 28 days.

  • A male turkey is called a tom and a female turkey is called a hen. 

  • Only adult males make the “gobble gobble” sound.  Adult males also have a bumpy head that is normally bright red – it changes to white overlaid with bright blue when they’re excited.  Female heads are less bumpy. 

  • Turkeys have a long red fleshy ornament that drapes over their beak that’s called a snood.  The fleshy pouch-like structure below their beak by their throat is called a wattle.

  •  Turkeys also grow fast!  A male wild turkey on average weighs less than 22 pounds, with females weighing less than 11 pounds.  Male turkeys on the farm can weigh up to 40 pounds and females up to 24 pounds in only 20 weeks’ time!

Sources:



Support Your Farmer:  Koch’s Turkey Farm, a three generation family farm located in Lewiston Valley, raises Certified Humane, antibiotic free turkeys.  The turkeys also have access to free range outdoor areas.   Their turkeys can be found at Whole Foods and other retailers. 

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Keeping Your Harvest

By Master Gardener Marianne McNiel

As gardens produce the last of their late fall bounty, you may want to think of ways to store some of your root vegetables and squash from your own garden or from your local farmers’ market. That way you will have some fresh vegetables for much of the winter. So what types of root vegetables or squash can be stored for late fall and early winter consumption? There are many! Some call them “keeper” crops.


Winter Squash

Winter squash is harvested when there is a corking of the stem and loss of rind surface sheen. There is also dieback of tendrils and leaves closest to the fruit. Leave the stem on the squash for storage because this will reduce disease. All squash should be harvested for storage well before our first frost. Temperatures below about 50oF will cause squash to experience chilling injury.  If your winter squash has experienced many days below 50oF, you may want to wait until next year for storing it for later consumption.

Winter squash can be stored until January, February or March. Butternut squash may last even longer. Select squash that are disease free and have few blemishes. They should be stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place with a relative humidity of 50-70%. Highly humid and moist environments may cause the squash to develop fungal or bacterial organisms that will hasten their decay. A very dry environment will cause the squash to dehydrate. If you have a basement, it may serve as the best place to store winter squash. If you have a dehumidifier in your basement you can set it to around 50% humidity.  Winter squash is best stored off the ground. Some gardeners store them on wooden trays or racks that can be stacked.

Root Vegetables

When storing root vegetables, you should keep them away from apples, pears or tomatoes. These fruits produce ethylene gas and can make the taste of some root vegetables bitter. Also, do not store onions and winter squash with potatoes since the moisture and gases released from the potatoes will hasten their decay.

Carrots, Beets, Parsnips and Winter Radishes

When you are planning to store your root crops, you may want to leave them in the ground until the first frost. Root vegetables for late fall or winter storage should be harvested when fully mature and they should be free of blemishes and disease.
Harvest carrots when the roots are an acceptable size usually about ¾ to 1 inch in diameter. Beets are harvested when they are between 1 to 2 inches in size.  Parsnips can be harvested directly from the ground all winter since they are winter hardy. However, it will be difficult to dig them once the ground is fully frozen.  Radishes mature very quickly and should be pulled from the ground once mature for best flavor.

Ideally, these root vegetables are best stored at slightly above 32oF and a relative humidity of 95%. This is quite a damp, cold environment, but when stored properly, they will last for most of the winter.
Other root vegetables like turnips, rutabagas and spring radishes also do best stored at low temperatures, slightly above 32oF and high humidity.  Turnips and rutabagas will only last about a month and spring radishes will only last about one week.

Potatoes
Potatoes are harvested after the vines have fully died. When growing potatoes, you can check for maturity by digging up one hill to determine if the skin remains fully attached to the tuber when rubbed.  Potatoes store best when the skins are at this level of maturity. You should be careful not to damage tubers at harvest. Any damaged potatoes should be eaten or discarded and are not suitable for long term storage.

The ideal temperature for storing potatoes is between 45 and 50oF. Below 40oF, the starch in the potatoes will turn to sugar and they will develop a sweet taste. Above 50oF, the potatoes will sprout.   Potatoes also require a high relativity humidity of 90 to 95% for proper storage. Like root vegetables, potatoes prefer this cold, damp environment.

Garlic and Onion

There is only a 10 to 14 day window for optimum garlic harvest. Garlic is also best harvested in cool weather for optimal taste. When the leaves start to brown, pull a sample to determine its progress. If you dig the garlic too early, the garlic will not be segmented into cloves. If you dig the garlic too late, the cloves will have grown and expanded and the outer sheath will be split. The bulb should not be split and should have a tight skin for best storage. Onions should be dug when the tops are completely brown at full maturity.

Allow onions and garlic to dry in a well-ventilated area about 70 to 75oF that is protected from sunlight. Sunlight will hasten their decay and cause color changes. A warmer temperature may cause the onions and garlic to caramelize.  After drying, trim the roots and tops 1 inch from the bulb. Breakdown in storage may result if the tops are cut too close to the bulb and the neck is not thoroughly dried. Close cutting allows decay organisms to have easy access to the bulb.

Onions and garlic are best stored between 35 to 40oF and a much lower humidity than potatoes or root vegetables. These vegetables are best stored in a dry, dark, well ventilated place; not in the refrigerator.  A basement with adequate ventilation will work well for this purpose. Avoid storing onions and garlic where they will be exposed to moisture and high humidity.

A Final Word
Do low storage temperatures mean you need a root cellar? Maybe. But there are other options.  Some folks dig a trench and store root vegetables there. Below, there is a link to a Penn State Extension article about storing root vegetables in a trench. Some gardeners store in a separate refrigerator set to the temperature and humidity required. Of course, this requires running an extra refrigerator and this may not be possible for many homeowners. Onions and winter squash can be safely stored in a cool basement or garage that is insulated so the temperature does not fall below freezing. For optimal storage, potatoes and other root vegetables need colder storage and that is where a root cellar comes in handy. If you are in a Co-Op or a Community Agricultural Support (CSA) program, you may already have access to a root cellar. In an upcoming blog I will discuss more about farms that participate in CSA programs and some newly formed Co-Ops.

Just remember, if you are planning to store vegetables for late fall or winter, they should be harvested when fully mature and they should be free of blemishes and disease.


Sources
A link to a Penn State extension article about harvesting and storing winter squash and pumpkins:

A link to a PSU extension guide about growing root vegetables:

A link to information from PSU extension about storing potatoes:

A link to a PSU extension guide for growing bulb vegetables:

Storing root crops in a trench:


Support Your Farmer

Great Bend Farm, located in Port Clinton, offers a Winter CSA starting in late November and runs through April.  Their shares contain onions, squash, potatoes, herbs, greens, root vegetables and more!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Winter Squash – thinking beyond the pumpkin

By Master Gardener Susan Kowalchuk

Winter squash, pumpkins, ornamental gourds, and summer squash are all members of the cucurbitaceae genus. Perhaps the most well known is the common pumpkin used as a fall decoration.  Available in various sizes and colors, (for example; the white “ghost" pumpkin), it is the right choice if you want to make a jack o lantern or a decorative soup tureen. But if it is eating that you are interested in, there are a multitude of winter squashes with a wide range of colors, shapes, and flavors to choose from.

Unlike summer squash, winter squash is harvested in the fall when the skin of the fruit is hard and the seeds inside the plant have matured.  This hardening of the exterior skin of the fruit enables it to be stored for several months in a cool dry environment. Winter squash is a terrific source of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A.  It contains potassium, niacin, vitamin C ,and fiber, has no fat or cholesterol, and is low in calories. Plus, it is easy to prepare, and delicious when roasted at a high heat because the natural sugars caramelize.

There are hundreds of different types and varieties of winter squash. Not only do they vary in sweetness, but the color of the flesh can range from light yellow to deep red/orange, and the texture from fibrous, to smooth and creamy. I find one of the most appealing characteristics of the winter squash is the varied colors and appearance: yellows, blues, oranges, greens, stripes, bumps, knobs, ridges, round oblong, tapered, the list goes on and on.  In addition to the more “traditional” squashes such as butternut and acorn, there are also many new varieties and heirlooms that have become available during the past few years. Listed below are some winter squashes you can look for at your local farmer’s market, store, or farm stand.





Butternut – one of the most available and versatile of the winter squashes. It has a smooth texture and mild, sweet taste, making it amenable to using a variety of spices, and flavorings. Many consider this to be the best squash for pumpkin pie and soup. It is hard to peel and cut, but well worth the effort. 
            







Delicata -  small, oblong heirloom squash with mild sweet flavor similar to a sweet potato, and light orange flesh.  The skin is thin and can be eaten, but it cannot be stored as long as other squashes. It can be baked or roasted, and is good for stuffing. 





Blue Hokkaido pumpkin – has a sweet and nutty flavor and cool blue/grey color.  Can vary in size, from small to a few pounds.



Red Kuri pumpkin – is a hubbard-like squash that can have a teardrop or a small pumpkin shape. It has smooth, creamy flesh, and a mild nutty flavor.  Its small size also makes it easy for cutting in half and roasting. 






Hubbard Squash – one of the largest, with a thick skin that helps it store well, but make it difficult to cut. Medium sweet, with yellow flesh, it is best roasted. 





Rouge Vif d’Etampes – bright red/ orange exterior and flesh. This is an old French heirloom, also known as the Cinderella pumpkin, as it resembles the pumpkin used by the fairy godmother to create a carriage.  It has a sweet smooth flesh, and is another variety good for pies.





Kobacha – a green, round Japanese squash, round with a dense, sweet flesh and a smooth texture. 







Carnival – is a hybrid of sweet dumpling and acorn squash. Flesh is pale orange, and can be a bit stringy. Best roasted, baked or stuffed. 







Red Warty Thing – large heirloom with smooth, sweet flesh. Its large, warty appearing bumps make it useful as a decoration (prior to eating)








Blue Turban squash – an heirloom with a fine textured, deep golden flesh.  The fruit is usually large with a thicker skin that stores well.










Turk’s Turban –  a buttercup type  heirloom; also called Aladdin’s Turban. Distinctive white turban makes it attractive as a fall decoration. It is not as flavorful as other squashes and it usually best baked or stuffed 









Most local farmer’s markets and farm stands will remain open through Thanksgiving. Look for the winter squashes, and consider bringing a few different ones home to try. Remember that most store quite well. If you find some varieties you like, purchase several and store them in a cool dry place to enjoy throughout the winter. If you are uncertain how to prepare the squash, a quick Internet search will yield numerous recipes. And, don’t scoop those seeds into the garbage or compost bin! Rinse them, toss with some oil and seasonings, and roast for an additional treat.


Support Your Farmer

To find the nearest farmer’s market or farm stand near you, check out the websites below:

www.buylocalpa.org 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Corn, Maize and Indian Corn: A Brief History of Corn

By Master Gardener Marianne McNiel

I love this time of year with the crackle of dried leaves and the smell of early, wood-burning fires.  The last of our yummy, local sweet corn is disappearing and decorative “Indian” corn starts to appear in our local garden centers and grocery stores.  I contemplate what life might have been like for those that first lived in Pennsylvania. Did they eat the same type of corn that we have now? What is “Indian” corn anyway and how is it different? Where did corn originate?
Indian Corn picture taken at Herbein's Garden Center in Emmaus

It turns out that corn is the only agricultural cereal that is native to the Western Hemisphere. Other cereal grains, like wheat, rye and barley, were brought by early settlers. The first explorers to come to our continent were surprised by the tall grassy plant that the native people were growing. The American native tribes were cultivating corn, that they called “maize”, for thousands of years.  It has been found in archaeological sites in Mexico that date back 7,000 years.  Even then, corn was so specialized and domesticated that it required man for survival. These early people depended on this crop to survive and corn depended on man to survive.  The early settlers took corn plants and seeds back to their home countries where it became an important new agricultural crop. The name “corn” may have come from early European explorers, and the word originally meant any crop grown by the local people.

Scientists disagree about the source of the first corn plant as well as how it evolved and was hybridized. Using genetic information, Dr. George Beadle while at Cornell University traced the origin of corn to a Mexican grass plant known as teosinte.  Other scientists believe that the ancestor of corn is now extinct. (Yes, plants can be driven to extinction just like animals.)  This has been debated for some time, but combined with the archaeological findings, it is evident that corn has been domesticated over a long period of time. It has changed dramatically from its original form to produce more of the juicy kernels that are also easily removed from the cob.

The most surprising thing about corn may be its variety. It is a very adaptable plant and 150 types of corn have been identified from Mexico, to South and Central America and the Caribbean.  Many types are cultivated today, including popcorn, a genetically old plant!   There is also the starchy dent corn that is grown in the Midwest Corn Belt for feed, food processing and even energy or ethanol. In 1997, we started to grow genetically modified (GM) corn and now a large percentage of the corn produced in the United States is GM corn.

Our sweet corn today is thought to have come from hybrids produced in Peru.  The corn eaten by the native people and first settlers of Pennsylvania was brought here from the South and West and cultivated.  It may not have been quite as sweet since our corn has been modified to maximize sweetness! Many local growers say that their local sweet corn is best and I do not disagree.   

Now, what about the colorful “Indian” corn? Where did it originate and why did we call it that? Well, that is a story that is not as well documented.  It is thought that we named this colorful corn after the indigenous people that first introduced us to corn. This corn is now grown purely for its interesting pigmentation and rarely eaten.  The dramatic and varied pigmentation we see today was created from hybrids within only the last 50 years. The early native tribes never saw corn this colorful.  So the name “Indian” corn really does not fit well, but we continue to use this term along with our cultural images of Thanksgiving.

So next time you eat corn or hang “Indian” corn on your door, remember that corn or maize has a long and interesting agricultural history!  Early farmers were quite talented, and we can thank them for their agricultural efforts.


Support Your Local Farmer

LEHIGH VALLEY: Fairman Farm, home to the Snoopy Barn Produce Stand, is located in Nazareth. For the past 30 years they have organically (not certified) grown a variety of vegetables, melons, berries, garlic, pumpkins and sweet corn. Our sweet corn is Sh2 -sugar enhanced, bi-color sweet corn that is known for its flavor, sweetness, and beauty.

BERKS: Valley Run CSA, located in Bally, sells sweet corn and many other vegetables as part of their CSA.

BUCKS: Eastburn Farm, located in Pineville, sells sweet corn, indian corn, corn stalks, tomatoes, and over 60 varieties of pumpkins!



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Get Your Garlic in the Ground!

Master Gardener Amy Weiss writes: 

October and November are busy months for the farmers of the Lehigh Valley. They have important tasks to finish before the ground hardens for the winter including, planting cover crops or "green manure", harvesting fall planted brassicas and planting garlic.

Garlic is planted in the fall, (usually late September through October in our region) and harvested in the summer. The old adages are "plant on Columbus Day...harvest on the Fourth of July" and "plant when the kids go back to school (September)...and harvest when they get out (June)". Obviously, there is some flexibility around the plant and harvest dates by region, but it is important that garlic be planted at least three to six weeks before the ground freezes hard in order to promote good root growth in the fall. Good root growth in the fall promotes larger bulbs.

Garlic is a member of the lily family and is second only to onions as the most important allium crop in the world. It has been widely used for thousands of years for its culinary and medicinal attributes. Garlic consumption in the US has quadrupled since 1980 and is now 2 pounds per capita. Farmers plant around 32,000 - 35,000 acres of garlic annually in the United States.

Garlic can be grown successfully in many parts of the United States, but it has a few important requirements that must be met for a successful crop. It must be grown on well-drained soil. A heavy clay or stony soil may allow fusarium rot and other fungal diseases to take hold. Garlic is also a heavy feeder. It requires an organic soil with lots of nitrogen. A soil test is highly recommended before planting a garlic crop and the soil amended as necessary before bulbs are planted. Another problem for garlic, and any allium crop, is weed competition. Garlic does not like weeds and finds it hard to outcompete them.  So, a cultivation plan is essential.  Also, mulch is important to moderate soil temperature and prevent soil compaction.

When purchasing seed stock to plant garlic, purchase from a reputable garlic grower. Do not plant garlic bulbs from the supermarkets as they have been treated. Look for bulbs that are 2 to 2 1/2 inches across and plant about 2 inches deep.  Make sure you plant the basal plate down. The bulbs are actually plants, not seeds. You wouldn't want to plant a tomato plant upside down!

After your garlic is planted and mulched you can relax until you see the bottom 1/3 of the scape (the curling top of the plant) is brown. Then, it time to dig up your garlic and enjoy! Make sure you store it at 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 - 60 percent humidity and you will be eating homegrown garlic all summer and winter long!

Support Your Farmer:

LEHIGH VALLEY: Salvaterra’s Gardens is a family-owned farm on 7.5 acres in Alburtis, Lehigh County.  They grow garlic and a variety of other vegetables.  You can find them at the Easton Farmers’ Market!

BERKS: Sweet Fleece Farm is a small, family-run farm in northern Berks County.  They breed a diverse breed of alpacas and produce a crop of garlic each year.  Their garlic has won blue ribbons at local fairs!


BUCKS: Wildemore Farm, located in Chalfont, grows garlic and a variety of other vegetables.  Wildemore Farm also has pick-your-own apples, blueberries and raspberries.  You can also find them at the Doylestown Farmers’ Market.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

What's a Cover Crop?

Master Gardener Susan Kowalchuk writes:

As the days grow cooler and the nights longer, my thoughts start to gravitate towards planning my garden for next year. I think about what worked, what didn’t, and what new growing challenge I may want to take on. This year I have decided to take on a new project prior to the spring planting season: planting a cover crop.


Although cover crops or “green manure” are routinely planted by farmers, it is not a typical practice for the home gardener. Cover crops are an excellent way to improve the soil by increasing organic matter and fixing nitrogen in the soil.  They also attract beneficials, loosen compacted soil, reduce erosion, and last by not least, control weeds.  Given that I spend quite a few hours cleaning up, clearing out weeds, and amending the soil in my community garden plot every spring, I was convinced that this was the way to go.

The next step was deciding what to plant. There are several factors to consider when choosing a cover crop: time of year you are planting, zone, whether the plant is an annual or perennial, and difficulty in taking the plants down to mulch into the soil.  This last factor is particularly important for the home gardener using only hand tools. Since I was planting in the late summer/early fall, and wanted to minimize my spring work, I narrowed my potential list down to the following:

 Barley ( Hordeum vulgare)–  is considered hardy in zone 6, but could suffer some winter injury. This is not a negative because the dead foliage still protects the soil and can be easily mulched. Living foliage will need to be turned in early spring.

Winter peas (Pisum stivum) and oats  (Avena sativa ) – These ideally should be planted in combination in the early fall. The peas fix nitrogen into the soil and the oats add organic matter. The peas will tendril around the oats. These crops should be cut down in early spring and turned.  To further enhance soil fertility, it is also recommended that you coat the pea seeds in an inoculant, which is a rhizobia bacterium. The bacteria help stimulate the formation of the nitrogen nodules on the roots, placing more nitrogen in the soil.

Cereal rye (Secale cereale) is a perennial and can be sown in late fall, making it a good choice for the procrastinator. One negative is rye can be difficult to turn over. Consequently, this task should be done in early spring before it develops seed stalks. It is also allelopathic, meaning it can inhibit seed germination.  Although this is great fro reducing weeds, you should wait a few weeks after you turn over the beds to plant.

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) should be sown in early fall. This crop is a good supplier of nitrogen, but it is slow to establish and should not be allowed to go to seed. Vetch can be turned mid to late spring.

Clover ( crimson – T. incarnatum  or white (T. repens) –  The advantages of clover to the home gardener is that that they are a low growing crop ( 18” for crimson and 6-8 for the white). Clover should be turned over before going to seed. The white is hardier in zone 6.

Cover crops seeds are not readily available in garden supply stores.  You may have luck with the stores that service farmers. Seeds can also be purchased from suppliers on line. If interested, you can start by checking out the following sites:

Sustainseed.com.
Johnnyseeds.com
Gardensalive.com
Groworganic.com
Territorialseed.com

Support Your Farmer:

LEHIGH VALLEY: If you would like to see fields planted in cover crops, plan a visit to the Seed Farm.  The Seed Farm is a nonprofit organization that offers a three-year new farmer training program and agricultural business incubator, in partnership with Penn State Extension’s Start Farming program and Lehigh County.   You can also find the Seed Farm at the Emmaus Farmer’s Market.

You could also visit the Seed Farm and other local farms during the Open Gate Farm Tours on October 12th & 13th in Northampton County or October 20th in Lehigh County.

BUCKS COUNTY: Sleepy Beaver Farm, located in Ottsville, grows a wide variety of vegetables.  You can find their produce at their Ottsville Market, the Easton Farmers’ Market and the Manayunk Farmers’ Market.

BERKS COUNTY: Oley Valley Organics is a family run organic farm in the heart of the Oley Valley. They grow strawberries, raspberries, asparagus and other vegetables.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Get To Know Your Farmer & Save the Date for Open Gate!


The greater Lehigh Valley region is home to many exceptional family farms.  We have hardworking farmers that run dairy and grain operations, livestock operations, orchards, vegetable farms, plant nurseries, mushroom farms, horse farms, and wineries.  A great way to get a glimpse of some of these farms, meet your local farmer and learn how your food is produced is to participate in your county’s annual Open Gate Farm Tour.

The Lehigh and Northampton County offices of Penn State Extension have organized Open Gate Farm Tours annually for over 40 years.  The tours originally began to show city residents what life was like in the country in hopes it would foster a greater appreciation for the farmer.  This year, the Northampton County Open Gate Farm Tour is scheduled for Saturday, October 12th and Sunday, October 13th from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on both days.  The Lehigh County Open Gate Farm Tour is scheduled for Sunday, October 20th.  There is no charge to visit any of the farms, so it’s a great way to spend a fall day.

There are 19 Northampton County farms and 20 Lehigh County farms participating this year. Many of the farms are offering educational tours, hayrides, food samples, cider press demonstrations and the list goes on. The farms are scattered throughout both counties so no matter where you live, it should be a relatively quick drive to at least get to one.

You can find detailed descriptions of what each farm is offering along with a map and directions at the following websites:

LEHIGH COUNTY: http://extension.psu.edu/lehigh/events/2013-lehigh-county-open-gate-farm-tour

NORTHAMPTON COUNTY: http://extension.psu.edu/northampton/events/2013-northampton-county-open-gate-farm-tour

Berks County also has a farm tour scheduled for Saturday, October 19th that’s sponsored by the Berks Agricultural Resource Network (B.A.R.N.).  The Berks County tour will feature farms and agricultural businesses in the East Penn Valley of Berks County. This year’s event will include dairy cattle, goats, mushrooms, preserved farms and more. Tour booklets can be purchased the day of the tour at Weaver’s Hardware, 732 Fleetwood Lyons Rd Fleetwood, PA 19522, telephone (610) 944-7681, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The booklet contains a map of all the host farm locations, along with local restaurants, other sponsors, and B.A.R.N. information. The Farm Tour hours are 9 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The cost is $10 per family vehicle. It is a self-driving tour. Educational displays by agricultural organizations will be part of the day’s tour, and the Berks Farm Women Society will be selling refreshments at one of the locations. For more information, visit http://www.berksag.net/october-farm-tour.html

Monday, August 26, 2013

Fall Vegetable Planting

Guest Blogger Master Gardener Amy Weis writes: 


The recent cool days and nights have reminded me that fall is right around the corner. That means I need to start thinking about my autumn garden. Soon I will be enjoying the last of my summer crops – including tomatoes, potatoes, squash and peppers and will start preparing my fall garden.

Farmers around the Lehigh Valley are going through the same process right now, tearing out cucumbers and replanting carrots, kale and beets. I typically pick my fall plants by their hardiness and maturity speed. I have found that the key to a successful fall harvest is timely planting because the crops need time to grow and mature before it gets too cold. Most of the plants will tolerate a light and sometimes even a hard frost with some frost protection, but its best to get them in as early as possible since the average first frost date for our area is October 20.

I usually try to choose varieties that are known for quick maturity, which will be noted on the seed packet or in the seed catalog. Growth often slows down on later season plantings especially when the weather is cloudy. I count back from the days to maturity on the packet to figure my approximate planting date and typically add a couple of weeks for the slower fall growing time. Sometimes transplants from a local garden center are useful, if they are available, as they can save growing time.

It’s best to look for hardy vegetables that like cool weather and will tolerate shorter daylight hours such as spinach, swiss chard, members of the brassica family like cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and broccoli; and root vegetables including turnips, carrots, parsnip and beets.

Then, before planting, I clean up my summer garden, removing old plant materials. After that I add back some of the nutrients my summer harvest has depleted from the soil by adding a thin layer of aged manure or compost made from last years shredded leaves and grass. It’s important to plant a tad deeper that you would for spring planting and to ensure that the new plantings get enough water during the remaining dog days of summer.

Our typical Indian summer weather is ideal for cool season crops, but sometimes row covers or a thicker layer of mulch is needed, to be able to keep harvesting even after a few light frosts.

It’s also important to know when to harvest each crop. Some vegetables are quite forgiving in having a long harvest window, others can go from tasty to bitter overnight. Many of the fall root crops can be left in the ground throughout the winter if mulched heavily.

After all this is finally finished, I can sit back and look forward to enjoying fresh greens at Halloween and tasty broccoli and carrots for Thanksgiving.




Support Your Farmer:  Pheasant Hill Farm is owned and operated by George and Melanie DeVault .  They focus on quality, growing everything from arugula to zinnias, with chemical free blueberries, raspberries, heirloom tomatoes, greens and flowers taking top billing. Melanie focuses on specialty cut flower bouquets, and starting hundreds of seed varieties, most heirloom, in one of their four high tunnels.  You can find them at the Easton Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and the Emmaus Farmer’s Market on Sundays. 

Fall crops recently seeded in a high tunnel at Pheasant Hill Farm

Monday, August 19, 2013

Can You Really Tip a Cow ?

Picture courtesy of Lehigh Co. Farmland Preservation
Cow tipping is an activity that allegedly involves sneaking up on a sleeping, standing cow and pushing it over.  Is there any truth to it?  Can you really push a cow over?

The answer is “no”.  Cow tipping is an urban legend and there are two major facts that debunk it: first, cows do not sleep standing up, (unlike horses, they lie on the ground to sleep) and second if the cow was standing, one person would not have the strength to push over a cow - mature beef cows can range in weight from 1,100 to 1400 pounds!

You also wouldn’t want to hop a fence to get close to a cow.  Farmers raising cattle need considerable cow handling expertise in order to protect both themselves and the cows.  In order to reduce stress on the cows and protect the farmer, there are a few behavior traits that farmers keep in mind, especially when they need to move the cattle. 

For instance, cows can see almost all the way around them, with a field of vision in excess of 300 degrees; humans, by contrast, have only a 180 degree field of vision.  However, despite their excellent panoramic vision, cows cannot focus quickly. They also have poor depth perception and vertical vision.  Because of this, a mere shadow on the ground could appear to be a deep crevasse to the cow.  Small distractions, such as something as simple as a coffee cup on the ground, in their field of view could also alarm the cattle.  Farmers can decrease shadowing and distractions by having uniform colors in handling areas and moving cattle through solid sided alleys (as opposed to an open fence). 

Cattle also have comfort zones, just as people do, that are referred to as “flight zones”. A cow’s flight zone could be from 5 feet to 25 feet for tame cattle.  Invading the flight zone too much can cause the cow to panic.  When farmers need to direct the cattle in from the pasture, they stand at the edge of the flight zone and move slowly.  Cattle naturally want to go around humans, so farmers position themselves in such a way, that the cattle will move around in the desired direction.  Other cattle handling tricks include working with and approaching the cows slowly, as well as never leaving one animal alone in a pen; they want to be with other cattle and will make every attempt to do so.


Support Your Farmer:
RAINBOW FARM: The Schoeniger's operate a 29-acre farm that raises beef, pork, chickens and turkeys on rotational grazed pastures. Come see their farm on the 2013 Lehigh County Open Gate Farm Tour!


GRAVER FARMSTEAD: Graver Farmstead is a preserved family farm raising grass-fed beef and pork. You can see their farm on the 2013 Northampton County Open Gate Farm Tour!