Meet Janet and Dan.

Posted on September 26, 2013 by laurab08

They operate Broadfork Farm in Mosely, where they raise their three children and lots of vegetables. Visitors who step onto the property at this time of year are greeted by bright rows of vivacious greens, carrots, and kohlrabi. It is no surprise that the fall crop is doing so well, considering the hard work Janet Aardema and her husband Dan Gagnon have done to create nutrient-rich soil that supports multiple produce plantings and harvests each year.

Broadfork has been in existence for several years and has entered its third year as a full farm business. Many customers are taking advantage of its ability to serve as a “CSA,” or “Community Supported Agriculture” program. CSAs are not incredibly common in the greater Richmond area, but they are becoming more popular. Customers pay in advance for a weekly or monthly subscription to the farm, and in return, they receive bags and boxes of in-season farm goods. The CSA system helps consumers build deeper connections to agriculture, and according to Janet, “Risk can be mitigated well for a diversified farm like ours.” After all, subscribers invest in the farm’s products and therefore also invest in its success. Janet and Dan are working on expanding the CSA program, but they also take their produce to local markets.

The growing season is not over at the end of the summer. Although tomatoes and peppers are winding down, the farm is host to a plethora of cold-hardy cool-season vegetables including broccoli, radishes, carrots, lettuce, kohlrabi, collards, and more. The farm has plenty of unique crops like frisee, escarole, and microgreens, and this summer Dan and Janet experimented with a tomato grafting project. On the side, the farm helps with programs and field days for the Virginia Association for Biological Farming, an organization for agriculturalists that promotes sustainable practices. Janet is their executive director.

Broadfork Farm relies on research, test data, and sustainability guidelines to govern its farm management decisions. Both Janet and Dan are self-described “soil nerds,” and as such, they rely on soil testing to determine levels of micro and macro nutrients and percentages of organic matter in their fields. Dan spends much of his time studying ways to improve his soil and in turn improve the quality of his products. His ultimate goal is to increase the organic matter on parts of his farm. Why? Organic matter increases the water-holding capacity of the soil, releases plant-available nutrients, and helps form soil aggregates that lead to better soil structure. Soil with good structure is more water-permeable.

Dan studies the cation exchange capacity of the soil on his farm as a means of making his fertilizer program more efficient. The higher the cation exchange capacity of a soil, or CEC, the more positively-charged ions from elements like calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium the soil can hold, store, and exchange for plants. Clays and soils with high organic matter tend to have high cation exchange capacities, so Dan uses compost and organic materials to build soils with higher CECs. Knowing the traits of his soils allows him to target the areas that need the most fertility help.

Produce from the farm is “Certified Naturally Grown,” meaning that it is produced under a specific set of management principles and the farm undergoes auditing in order to ensure that it continues to meet the expectations of the program. Janet believes that the certification has been a helpful marketing tool. Without it, she used to explain the farm’s practices to customers but could not use any special labeling or branding programs. Now that the produce is certified in this program, she can point to a specific, consistent set of guidelines that governs the way the farm grows its produce. The “Certified Naturally Grown” program is quite similar to the nation-wide “Certified Organic” labeling program, but it differs in the fact that it is designed to uniquely suit the needs of small farmers and direct-market producers like Janet and Dan. Large farms that sell to large outlets are better suited for the “Certified Organic” program, although all producers have access to it.

Broadfork Farm has been successful in providing high-quality foods for their customers and Janet and Dan look forward to the possibility of expanding the CSA portion of their market. They estimate that they have produced enough food to feed one hundred families each year over the past two years. The future holds some additional greenhouses and storage facilities, an increase in acreage, and new adventures in specialty crop production. The family is especially thankful for a chance to serve the needs of the community and work together to turn their passion for local foods into a viable business. Additional Resources for Readers:

Certified Naturally Grown Program Webpage

Virginia Grown Webpage

Vegetable Production Resources and Guides

Broadfork Farm Webpage

Meet David Goode.

Posted on September 12, 2013 by laurab08

He operates Piedmont Hops, LLC in Mosely along with Steve Brown, who runs the other part of the business at a site located in North Carolina.

David and Steve began growing hops for their personal use a few years ago, but the project quickly grew. Today, they supply hops to breweries who strive to include more locally-grown products in their craft beers.

Growing hops in central Virginia has its challenges. Most varieties are designed to provide maximum yields under the day lengths, temperatures, and growing conditions of the states in the Pacific Northwest, where most of the hops production in the U.S. occurs. Why are there so few hops growers in Virginia? For one, growers in this area must select varieties that are better suited to Piedmont weather, soils, and growing conditions. Furthermore, the warm, humid summers in Virginia can be particularly conducive to the growth of certain diseases that prey on hops. For these reasons, David and other growers have turned to help from the North Carolina Hops project, an effort run by North Carolina State University faculty and specialists. Research data from this project helps Virginia and North Carolina growers choose varieties and growing practices that suit this region. If the market for local hops grows in Virginia, plant breeders may be able to make more progress towards developing varieties that suit local needs and resist local diseases.

David has enjoyed trying different varieties. This year, he had Cascade, Chinook, and Nugget. Next year, he plans to add a few more varieties and increase the total number of plants in the Virginia and North Carolina yards. His hops grow on bines—not to be confused with vines—that climb up strings supported by wires and cedar posts. New and aspiring hops growers may find that these trellis components are responsible for a large percentage of the input costs for starting a yard. Furthermore, growers need materials like drip tape for irrigation and weed cloth to start a yard. Labor is also a costly input, as it can take an hour or more to harvest one pound of hops by hand. Harvest typically occurs in late summer, although certain varieties differ. During the spring and summer, growers will spend a considerable amount of time working on weed control, training hops to climb the lines, and repairing any broken supports.

Despite the challenges, hops production has been a worthwhile venture for David. He has had the rewarding experience of watching his hops go from the farm to the consumer. Furthermore, as is true in most business ventures, David has found networking with others to be a valuable use of his time. He has helped other growers with their yards, and in turn, growers have visited his farm to harvest hops and swap ideas.

What is next for Piedmont Hops? David is thinking of ways to address the labor requirements that come with an increase in acreage, and he is looking into some ideas for preventing and controlling any fungal diseases that may show up in the future. His work and the work of his colleagues may help turn hops from an impossible challenge for Virginia growers to a successful venture for those who are willing to learn and adapt. Additional Resources for Readers:

North Carolina Hops Project

Piedmont Hops Webpage

Old Dominion Hops Cooperative Webpage

Meet Richard Jackson.

Posted on August 29, 2013 by laurab08

Richard is doing something rather unique in his part of Amelia—he is growing blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. There are quite a few families growing small fruits and fruit trees in Central Virginia, but Richard is one of the few landowners who has delved into berry production as a farm enterprise.

He brought his first plants to his property in 2012, and his experience since then has been positive. He harvested and sold berries this summer and is expecting more to ripen soon as the summer winds down. Richard hopes to add more plants in the upcoming season. His operation includes raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

Thanks to careful planning and good foresight, Richard realized that if he grew varieties that matured at different times of the year, he would have a constant supply of berries either for sale or for potential use in products made on the property. For example, his Arapaho blackberries ripen in early summer, while his Triple Crown blackberries ripen in July or August. Berries can only last for a few days in a cooler before they spoil, and it is difficult to pick, store, and market large quantities of berries that are ready for sale all at once.

Richard has faced his share of challenges during the establishment of his plants. Although moisture was not his biggest concern this year thanks to abundant rain, he set up a drip tape irrigation system in anticipation of dry summers in the future. Drip tape runs down the rows and contains openings that deposit water close to the ground near the root zones of the plants. This prevents fruit rot, which can spread and grow more easily under an overhead watering system, and the system reduces moisture losses from watering during hot weather. Like all growers, he continues to battle weeds and grasses that grow between the rows of berries. Any unwanted plants growing near the berries compete for valuable nutrients and water. Richard is working on fine-tuning his fertilizer regimen, but using soil tests has helped him eliminate guess-work and strategically choose which nutrients are needed and which are not. Using soil tests to inform fertilizer decisions prevents producers like Richard from over-applying costly nutrients.

Richard mulches around his plants in order to suppress weeds and control moisture. He has found that pine fines work well around his blueberries. Mulches made from pine tend to be acidic, and blueberries need to grow in acidic soils with pH levels near 4.5-5.2 Richard has begun to use other materials around his blackberries and raspberries, which prefer soil pH levels near 5.8-6.5.

If all goes well, Richard hopes to expand his operation and adopt management strategies that will encourage increased berry yields. He has plenty of chores to continue through the year, including the perpetual task of pruning canes and branches, but the effort he has put into getting his farm off the ground is paying off.

Berry growers must control insects in order to maintain a marketable product, but they should take careful steps to avoid harming populations of beneficial insects and pollinators. For example, a grower should choose the right product for the target pest and use it in a time frame when beneficial insects are not active around the plants.

Additional Resources for Readers:

Small Fruit in the Home Garden

Answers to Common Blueberry Questions

Small Fruit Planting-Reasons for Planning Ahead

Meet the Alexanders.

Posted on August 16, 2013 by laurab08

They operate Avery’s Branch Farms, a dairy, pork, and poultry operation in Amelia County. The Alexanders started their farm business about six years ago and moved to their current location in 2009. They are primarily milk producers who interact with local consumers via a cow shareholding system, but they also raise poultry and pigs in order to offer chicken, turkey, pork, and eggs for sale. The family has made it their goal to feed their milking herd a pasture-based diet and to build healthy soil that can sustain pasture plants. Tim, his wife Joy, and their children run the operation together.

The Avery’s Branch milking herd is composed of about fifty head of Jerseys and crossbred animals. Why Jerseys? This breed does not produce the same volume of milk per day as the Holstein does, but Jersey milk tends to be high in butterfat and protein and is excellent for making cheese. Jersey cattle also perform well in the outdoor conditions on grazing operations and are widely used in many parts of the country.

The milking herd relies primarily on forages to meet their needs. The cows receive a small amount of grain to meet their remaining nutritional requirements because lactating animals naturally require a high-energy diet in order to produce milk.

Like any grazing operation, Avery’s Branch strives to manage their pastures in such a way that forage is available for the majority of the year. Any farmer who runs out of pasture by the winter or faces a slump during a hot summer must resort to feeding hay, which can become costly. To reduce the number of hay-feeding days per year on the farm, Tim utilizes a diverse mix of annual and perennial forages in his pasture. Some of his pasture consists of tall fescue and clover, both of which are cool-season grasses that thrive in fall and spring and can be “stockpiled,” or saved up in the fall for grazing during the winter. The clover also “fixes” nitrogen from the air and adds it back into the soil, making it available for plants to use. Since cool-season grasses typically do not grow well during the hottest months, Tim plants warm-season annuals such as sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass, and crabgrass, all of which thrive during the summer months when cool-season grasses have gone dormant. Keeping crabgrass as a desirable pasture plant may come as a surprise to people who despise seeing it in their lawns and gardens, but crabgrass is actually a higher-quality forage than many of its warm-season counterparts and contains about 15% crude protein and 60% total digestible energy when it is grown in fertile soil. The Alexanders have also planted winter annuals like ryegrass and oats to help get through the coming months.

Weeds, weather, and soil factors all play a role in the quality of the forages that are available to the cows. This year, wet weather has allowed cool-season forages like tall fescue to keep on growing all summer long. Weeds are also a concern on the farm, as they are for all producers, but the Alexanders combat them by clipping them to weaken them and rotating animals between pastures. Pasture rotation reduces the stress on desirable plants and allows them to recover quickly and choke out undesirable plants.

The Alexanders have continued to grow their farm to further meet the needs of their customers and shareholders. Their willingness to try new practices and evaluate their successes and failures objectively has allowed them to take their farming operation from an idea to a real-life success.

Additional Resources for Readers:

Warm-Season Annual Grass For Summer Forage

Forage Establishment: Getting Off to a Good Start

Information about Direct Marketing for Farm Products

Avery’s Branch Farms Website

Meet the Hutchinson family.

Posted on July 31, 2013 by laurab08

Their farm, Deer Run, is located in Amelia County. Like many producers in the area, Robert and his wife Ruth Ann raise beef cattle and chickens, but their operation is rather unique. They market their products directly to consumers in the area who prefer to eat grass-finished meat and eggs.Their cattle consume pasture and hay year-round, and the family sells their meats at local farmers’ markets and via an ordering system. Their broilers and layer hens are raised on pasture, resulting in chicken and free-range eggs for their customers.

Raising animals this way requires its own set of management principles, and the family has spent considerable time learning and perfecting them. Grass-finished cattle must reach market weight on forages alone, whereas conventionally-raised cattle may eat both forages and grains. In order to help his animals reach market weight in a reasonable amount of time, Robert practices good pasture management to encourage the growth of high-quality forages. Tall fescue is common in Virginia and grows at the farm, but Robert has planted other grasses such as orchardgrass and bromegrass to improve some of his pastures. He has also mixed clover into his pastureland. Clover is a legume, just like alfalfa or lespedeza, and it contains higher levels of crude protein than most grasses. The added protein helps supplement what the grass may lack and helps maintain a steady rate of growth. Deer Run’s chicken flocks also enjoy it, and it benefits local populations of pollinators. Robert and Ruth Ann are also in the process of establishing more acres of silvopasture—pasture that contains both trees and forages. The trees serve as shade and are a harvestable crop in the future, and the grasses in between sustain the cattle below.

Like any farmer, Robert must provide for the needs of his plants, too. Pasture plants require varying amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as a slew of micronutrients to support regrowth after grazing or cutting. Some of these nutrients are provided by decomposing plant tissue that eventually becomes reincorporated into the soil. Some are provided by manure from cattle and poultry. Robert takes a soil test each year to determine his pastures’ nutrient needs. To fill in the gaps, Robert uses composted chicken litter from the farm and turns it into fertilizer. His clover also does some of the work. Legumes, including clover, have nodules on their roots containing bacteria that are capable of “fixing” nitrogen from the air and putting it back into the soil so that plants can access it. Since nitrogen can be costly to apply, the savings offered by legume plantings are significant.

Weeds are a challenge to all pasture managers because they compete with forages for nutrient resources and they reproduce rapidly by creating vast numbers of seeds. Deer Run Farm aims to prevent weeds by promoting desirable grasses. In other words, they rotate cattle between each of their grazed fields so that the plants are able to recover and outcompete weeds. They also reseed thin pastures and clip weeds, since some weeds eventually succumb to frequent cutting.

Deer Run farm is full of relaxed cattle and chickens busy foraging away in their moveable outdoor pasture enclosures. The Hutchinson family is one of many families who have creatively found ways to have a hand in taking their product all the way from the farm to the table.

Additional Resources for Readers:

Controlled Grazing of Virginia’s Pastures

Forage Establishment: Getting Off to a Good Start

Deer Run Farm’s Homepage

Have you met the people who grow your food?

Posted on July 23, 2013 by laurab08

It is likely that you will never meet the farmer in Iowa who grew the corn for your cereal, but the truth is that many farmers across the country share the same practices, values, and perspectives on agriculture. Meet a farmer here in Virginia, and you may catch a glimpse into the lives of farmers throughout the industry.

The purpose of the Central Virginia Ag Spotlight is to help you meet a few of the farmers, businesses, and individuals who work to make agriculture Virginia’s largest industry. By doing so, we hope that you will gain a snapshot of the experiences and methods of the farmers who grow your produce, grains, meats, milk, fiber, and forest goods. Here at Virginia Cooperative Extension, we strive to help agriculturalists remain at the cutting edge of research and technology, and we accomplish this through means such as one-on-one farmer interaction, open field days, farm plots and variety trials, pest and disease diagnostics, soil testing, and workshops. We also teach and promote “best practices” to area producers, which help increase the health and quality of crops and livestock while simultaneously improving the sustainability of the operation.

Each blog post will feature someone who contributes to agriculture in Virginia. We will introduce their operation and explain how they are using “best practices” and innovative problem-solving to build a strong business that contributes to the success of agriculture in the state.

Be sure to spread the word about the challenges and successes of our featured farmers, and contact us if any of the “best practices” here pique your interest. We are happy to teach you more and help you improve your own home, garden, or farm. As always, you may contact your local agriculture, 4-H, and family and consumer sciences Extension agent in Virginia or any other state for more information.

This is the first of many blog posts. Be sure to visit often, and subscribe to the blog to get the most up-to-date posts each week!

Sincerely,

Laura Siegle

Virginia Cooperative Extension

Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent

Laurab08@vt.edu