RYE EATS LOCAL Newsletter December 2009

I'm a NH native and I've studied agriculture for most of my life. I have degrees in Horticulture from both UNH and Cornell. After I finished my doctorate at Cornell, I was a research professor of organic crop production at the University of Tennessee. I left TN a year ago because I had a real strong desire to return to NH to start a farm. My closest friends live in Rye, and it's one of the most beautiful places I've been. My goal is to buy (or lease) at least 5 acres and grow a mix of vegetables, berries, flowers, herbs and specialty mushrooms. I also plan to continue doing independent research on the farm once it is established.
Rye generally has some very good soils for crop production. The more productive soils in Rye tend to be fertile and well-drained sandy loam. We often get a lot of rain in NH, so good drainage is important. Rye also has a good climate for crop production. Because of the buffering from the ocean, we are in a higher hardiness zone and have a longer growing season.

NH has a surprisingly rich agricultural infrastructure. Where do you think NH is headed in terms of the state supplying more of its own foods to feed the people in NH? How might we as residents of Rye and the Seacoast help support the state's agriculture? What needs to happen on the local and state level?

I think NH is headed in the right direction. More people are starting to farm, existing farmers are diversifying, and consumers are really helping show their support with their commitment to buy local. NH's dairy industry is struggling because the price of milk is so low, but smaller, diversified specialty crop operations are doing well. A lot of vegetable growers are using high tunnels (hoop houses) to help extend the growing season, and this is really advantageous in NH's cool climate. I would encourage anyone interested in growing food to attend the New England Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Manchester from December 15-17, 2009. http://www.newenglandvfc.org/

Rye residents are already doing a good job supporting agriculture in the state by hosting a farmer's market and purchasing locally made products. The next thing that needs to be done on the local and state level is to protect valuable farmland from development and help provide farmers access to that land. Farming is hard work with a lot of risks, and it's nearly impossible for a new farmer to be financially successful if they have to pay "house-lot" prices for good agricultural land. Putting land in an agricultural easement and selling or leasing it at "ag-land" prices to qualified farmers is a major way residents can help.

The Rye Energy Committee has put out a call for some good farming land in Rye to turn into a CSA. Could you explain what a CSA is? How does it differ from a community garden?

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it is a way to help connect farmers with people who are interested in eating locally produced food and supporting local farmers. There are a number of different types of CSA's, but the most common style is often referred to as "subscription farming". In this situation, people in the community become members of a CSA by purchasing a "share" from the farmer at the beginning of the season. Paying at the beginning of the season helps provide the farmer with money for seeds and other supplies, and also helps decrease some of the risk with farming. In return for buying a share, members receive a variety of high-quality fruits and vegetables that are freshly harvested. Shares vary from farm to farm, and some can include meat, bread, eggs and honey. Shares are usually available for pick-up on a weekly basis, and in NH a full season share could last from June to November and could cost anywhere from $400-$700 ($20-25 per week).
A CSA is a great way to help keep agriculture alive in your community - consumers receive the freshest possible food, and farmers can increase their returns through direct marketing and a guaranteed customer base.
A community garden differs from a CSA because in a community garden people often rent or are given a plot of land to garden for themselves. Usually there is little management of the plots by an experienced farmer. A CSA tends to be a strong component of a small farm business, whereas a community garden is typically not business oriented.

Could you recollect for us one moment while you were out hoeing or weeding in your garden this summer that you still remember, bring that picture to us? Sometime late January we will all be hungry for these green images.

The best moment that I can remember was harvesting carrots in early fall. It was one of the first days that the air turned crisp, but the sun was very strong and it still felt like summer. We pulled a hundred or so carrots out of the raised beds that were between the peppers, bachelor buttons, and sunflowers. They came out of the soil with just a gently tug, and were much larger than we expected. We cut off the lanky green tops, washed the carrots in a bucket of water, and laid them back on the tops to dry in the sun. We ate a couple of them in the field, along with some freshly picked spinach. They tasted real: crisp, sweet, and earthy - a taste I still remember today.

Finally, why do you love to farm?

Farming gives me the opportunity to create something important. I feel very gratified when I am able to take a seed and turn it into healthy food. I love being outside, working with my hands, and solving problems. Farming is a science that is constantly evolving, and successful farmers have to be diverse and innovative. I love that challenge.