NC

"Plow Sharing"

An Interesting And Informative Newsletter About Alternative and Organic Agriculture

April 2000 Issue

INDEX:
Dates Go under Cover
Community Supported Agriculture
Books and Articles
Growing Cole Crops
Farming 2000 & Beyond Workshop Series for April
Garlic Cooperative Meeting
USDA Proposed Federal Organic Regulations Are Back with Us Again
Farmers Markets Ready to Open
Chatham Co. Farm Fun Day
Proposed Farm Tour
Spring Farm Tour
Chatham Co. Beekeepers Assoc. Events
Partnership for Rural Preservation
Scheduling farm visits

DATES GO UNDER COVER

Dates-those sweet, chewy, fiber-packed fruits-may be making a comeback in California, thanks to sustainable agricultural practices that have improved soil quality. In recent years, growers began noticing a decline in date fruit quality and suspected it was because the trees were aging. Looking for help, growers called ARS plant physiologist Aref Abdul-Baki. He discovered that it wasn't the trees that needed help, but the soil.

Abdul-Baki, with ARS' Vegetable Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, has been active in helping vegetable growers learn about the value of sustainable cover crops. He's shown them how to improve crop yields and reduce production costs by adopting a system in which cover crops improve soil quality by adding organic matter, fixing nitrogen, and recycling nutrients. Although vegetable growers are evaluating his system, it hasn't been used in date orchards.

In 1997, he and date growers teamed up on a study in California's Coachella Valley in collaboration with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and the California Date Commission. "Farmers thought old trees were the reason for declining fruit quality, but some 60-year-old trees are still very productive," says Abdul-Baki. He adds, "Our results from an extensive soil profile study of date orchards, covering about 1,400 acres, reveal many orchards are suffering from poor nutrition and compacted soil. Soil compaction prevents roots from pushing down deep into the soil profile. Roots are unable to get the amount of water and nutrients they need."

Growers are working to correct this problem by adopting Abdul-Baki's no-tillage system. They planted two legume cover crops-Lana vetch and Clay Iron cowpeas. Lana vetch is planted in the fall and reseeds itself. The cowpea crop is grown in the spring and must be reseeded each year.

Both cover crops fix a lot of nitrogen and produce high yields of biomass that serve as organic matter to enrich the soil. Abdul-Baki says this no-tillage system reduces cultivation and production costs, loosens compacted soils, adds organic matter, recycles nutrients, and reduces soil temperature. High soil temperature stresses roots, he explains.

All is going well in the study thus far, but it takes about 5 years to see the full benefits of a sustainable no-tillage system, Abdul-Baki points out.

"We've changed the way we manage our soils and have improved fertilizer use," says Albert P. Keck, vice chair of the California Date Commission in Indio, California. "We know significant changes take time. So far, we're pleased and are hoping these orchards will bear more fruit in the future."

As a result of Abdul-Baki's work in California, about 5,000 acres in the Coachella Valley are incorporating cover crops into vegetable and fruit production.

About 90 percent of U.S. dates come from California; the rest are produced in Arizona. The industry is small. Annual production is about 24,000 tons and is valued at about $62 million annually. The research could help growers stay competitive-particularly with foreign date producers.-By Tara Weaver-Missick, Agricultural Research Service Information Staff.

This research is part of Crop Production, an ARS National Program (#305) described on the World Wide Web at http://www.nps.ars.usda.gov/programs/cppvs.htm. Aref Abdul-Baki is located at the USDA-ARS Vegetable Laboratory, Bldg. 10A, 10300 Baltimore Blvd., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350; phone (301) 504-5057, fax (301) 504-5555.
"Dates Go Under Cover" was published in the January 2000 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.

Dr. Abdul-Baki has been working with cover crops and vegetable production for years in Beltsville, MD. He is famous for his work with hairy vetch and tomatoes. Combining raised beds, trickle irrigation, and the crop residue of hairy vetch, he has raised tomatoes bearing similar yields to that of conventionally grown tomatoes on black plastic with trickle irrigation. The vetch provided the necessary nitrogen and after being mowed, it left a thick mulch to suppress weeds.

Dr. Nancy Creamer at NCSU is currently running trials using different cover crops for building soil structure, increasing fertility, and creating a system for using living mulches/mechanical no-till with vegetable production. This is great work and could be of real significance for sustainable production of vegetables and even for fruit as well.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

Resources for Producers
Compiled by Mary Gold

Introduction
This publication lists books, magazine and journal articles, periodicals, audiovisual materials internet sites and organizations that are part of the web resource, "Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)" at the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center's website. The website is a cooperative effort between the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service (CSREES) and the National Agricultural Library (NAL) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The specific programs involved are CSREES's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program and its Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), and NAL's Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC). The CSA website, http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/, also includes a database of CSA farms throughout the U.S., resources related to "Eating Seasonally and Regionally" and links to other sources related to sustainable agriculture.

Much effort has been made to provide accurate information about the resources listed in this publication. Mention of a particular CSA, publication, website, or organization does not constitute an official endorsement or approval by the United States Department of Agriculture or the Agricultural Research Service of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. Suggestions as to additions and/or corrections to this list of resources are most welcome.

From Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): An Annotated Bibliography and Resource Guide by Suzanne DeMuth (AFSIC, 1993):
"Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a new idea in farming, one that has been gaining momentum since its introduction to the United States from Europe in the mid-1980s. The CSA concept originated in the 1960s in Switzerland and Japan, where consumers interested in safe food and farmers seeking stable markets for their crops joined together in economic partnerships. Today, CSA farms in the U.S., known as CSAs, currently number more than 400. Most are located near urban centers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic states, and the Great Lakes region, with growing numbers in other areas, including the West Coast.

"In basic terms, CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community's farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Typically, members or "share-holders" of the farm or garden pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and farmer's salary. In return, they receive shares in the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as satisfaction gained from reconnecting to the land and participating directly in food production. Members also share in the risks of farming, including poor harvests due to unfavorable weather or pests. By direct sales to community members, who have provided the farmer with working capital in advance, growers receive better prices for their crops, gain some financial security, and are relieved of much of the burden of marketing.

"Although CSAs take many forms, all have at their center a shared commitment to building a more local and equitable agricultural system, one that allows growers to focus on land stewardship and still maintain productive and profitable small farms. As stated by Robyn Van En [1948-1997], a leading CSA advocate, "...the main goal...of these community supported projects is to develop participating farms to their highest ecologic potential and to develop a network that will encourage and allow other farms to become involved." CSA farmers typically use organic or biodynamic farming methods, and strive to provide fresh, high-quality foods. More people participate in the farming operation than on conventional farms, and some projects encourage members to work on the farm in exchange for a portion of the membership costs.

"Most CSAs offer a diversity of vegetables, fruits, and herbs in season; some provide a full array of farm produce, including shares in eggs, meat, milk, baked goods, and even firewood. Some farms offer a single commodity, or team up with others so that members receive goods on a more nearly year-round basis. Some are dedicated to serving particular community needs, such as helping to enfranchise homeless persons. Each CSA is structured to meet the needs of the participants, so many variations exist, including the level of financial commitment and active participation by the shareholders; financing, land ownership, and legal form of the farm operation; and details of payment plans and food distribution systems.

"CSA is sometimes known as "subscription farming," and the two terms have been used on occasion to convey the same basic principles. In other cases, however, use of the latter term is intended to convey philosophic and practical differences in a given farm operation. Subscription farming (or marketing) arrangements tend to emphasize the economic benefits, for the farmer as well as consumer, of a guaranteed, direct market for farm products, rather than the concept of community-building that is the basis of a true CSA. Growers typically contract directly with customers, who may be called "members," and who have agreed in advance to buy a minimum amount of produce at a fixed price, but who have little or no investment in the farm itself. An example of one kind of subscription farm, which predates the first CSAs in this country, is the clientele membership club. According to this plan, which was promoted by Booker Wheatley in the early 1980's, a grower could maintain small farm profits by selling low cost memberships to customers who then were allowed to harvest crops at below-market prices."

Books and Articles

1996 CSA Farm Network, by Northeast Organic Farming Association. Still water NY: CSA Farm Network,
1996. 88 pp. [NAL Call #: HD1484 A15 1996]
On-line information/reviews: Sustainable Agriculture Sourcebook:
http://www.sare.org/san/sourcebook/book/NY0412.html
1997 CSA Farm Network, by S Gilman, editor. Still water NY: CSA Farm Network, 1997. 96 pp. Availability: Steve Gilman, Coordinator, CSA Farm Network Publications, 130 Ruckytucks Road, Still water, NY 12170, phone 518-583-4613; Volume I (1996), $6.00 plus $2.00 mailing; Volume II (1997), $10.00 plus $2.00 mailing; both Volumes I & II, $14.00 plus $2.50 mailing ($16.50)
On-line information/reviews: Permaculture listserv (includes tables of contents for both volumes):
http://metalab.unc.edu/london/permaculture/mailarchives/permaculture-WA/msg00509.html
Basic Formula to Create Community Supported Agriculture, by R Van En. Great Barrington, MA: R Van En, 1992. 80 pp. [HD9225 A2V35 1992] Availability: Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, P.O. Box 29135, San Francisco, CA 94129-0135, phone 888-516-7797, fax 415-561-7796,
e-mail biodynamic@aol.com; $12.95 plus $4.50 shipping & handling (plus $1 for each additional book ordered), checks payable to "Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association"
A limited number of copies are also available from the Robyn Van En Center, c/o Center for Sustainable Living, Wilson College, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201, phone 717-264-4141 ext. 3247, fax 717-264-1578; $10.00.
Order Form On-line information/reviews: BDA: http://www.biodynamics.com/books.html
"Community Shared Agriculture: Putting the Culture Back Into Agriculture," by R Samson. Sustainable Farming: The Magazine of Resource Efficient Agriculture Production (1994) [NAL Call #: HD9225 A2V35 1992] Availabilty: Ecological Agriculture Projects http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/MagRack/SF/Spring%2094%20E.htm
"Community Supported Agriculture," by S Ehrhardt. Dig Magazine [1996?]. Availability: http://www.digmagazine.com/96/56-96/sylvia.cfm.
"Community Supported Agriculture," by E Wiggins. Ag Opportunities (Missouri Alternatives Center) (Nov./Dec. 1998) 9(1) Availability: http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/agopp/arc/agopp022.txt
"Community Supported Agriculture," by E Gibson. Small Farm News (Nov./Dec. 1993) pp.1, 3-4. [NAL Call #: HD1476 U52C27]
"Community-Supported Agriculture: A Risk-reducing Strategy for Organic Vegetable Farmers," by C Nickerson. American Journal of Agricultural Economics (1997) 79(5): p. 1729. [NAL Call #: 280.8 J822]
"Community Supported Agriculture: Can it Become the Basis for a New Associative Economy," by G Lamb. Biodynamics (Nov./Dec. 1994): p. 8-15. Community Supported Agriculture Conference (University of California, Davis, Dec. 1993), Davis CA : Small Farm Center, 1994? 37 pp. (Proceedings, edited by G Cohn). [NAL Call #: S494.5 A65C65 1993] Availability: ANR Communication Services, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Oakland, CA 94608-1239, phone 800-994-8849, fax 510-643-5470; Product code SA-002, $8.00.
"Community Supported Agriculture: Connecting Consumers and Farms," by V Grubinger. The Grower: Vegetable and Small Fruit Newsletter (1993) 93(11): pp.6-7. [NAL Call #: SB321 G85] Community Supported Agriculture: Growing Food and Community. Madison WI: Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1998. Availability: http://www.wisc.edu/cias/pubs/resbrief/021.html
The Community Supported Agriculture Handbook: A Guide to Starting, Operating or Joining a Successful CSA, by Wilson College Center for Sustainable Living. 88 pp. Chambersburg PA: Center for Sustainable Living, Wilson College, 1997. [NAL Call #: S494.5 A67C65 1998] Order Form Availability: The Robyn Van En Center, c/o Center for Sustainable Living, Wilson College, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201, phone 717-264-4141 ext. 3247, fax 717-264-1578; $10.00. Order Form

For more information and resource list: www.csacenter.org/resourcelist.html

GROWING COLE CROPS

A Few Points to Guide You on Your Way

Cole Crops (Cruciferae) Brassica aleracea
For early season markets, cabbage should be transplanted to the field by mid February to early April, east to west. Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts (Kale, Kohlrabi, many of the Oriental brassicas as well) should be transplanted by mid February - early April. Fall cole crops, should be transplanted out about Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, west to east. High temperatures may cause a poorer quality head. Broccoli will do better in the fall than in the spring. However, using a low poly-tunnel or row cover could be used to get an earlier start for spring production.

A cover crop should be tilled well in advance to have enough time to decompose before any cole crop is planted. Late winter tillage ( if possible) or late fall tillage could be used. Some work has been done on transplanting cole crops into tilled strips of clover with some success. The trick is to get into a field early enough with equipment so that the ground is not too soft yet the weather has to be warm enough to allow the clover to decompose.

Avoid poorly drained fields. This is a big problem in the spring with possible heavy rains. Slightly rolling land is very suitable.

Spacing should be 12-14 inches in the row with rows space 36 inches apart. This gives a plant population of 14,000/A. Brussels sprouts and cauliflower should get 18-20 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Broccoli can be closer together to prevent heads from getting too large. This spacing can be 12-14 inches. For Chinese cabbage, early plantings can be 18 inches in a row and 24 inches between, mid-season should be 20 inches within and 28 inches between, and late should be 22 inches within and 30 inches between row spacing.

Fertilizer

For transplants, a starter fertilizer solution is recommended (this would be something water soluble that is high in phosphorus). The pH should be near 6.5. Cole crops are heavy feeders of sulfur so you should have sulfur checked on the soil test. Boron can be limiting in some soils. This should be checked through a soil test as well.

Cole Crops: Fertilizer Guidelines (approximate amounts) Based on Soil Test Results: Whether using organic or conventional fertilizers, or relying on cover crops and manures, cole crops require certain amounts of fertility to achieve successful yields.

Phosphorus

Soil Test Reading Lb Phosphorus (P2O3)/Acre
Low < 30lb/A 180
Med 31-60lb/A 120
High 60-80lb/A 60
V. High >80lb/A 30

Potassium

Soil Test Reading Lb Potassium (K2O)/Acre
Low <200lb/A 150
Med 201-300lb/A 100
High 301-450lb/A 50
V. High >450lb/A 0
(>=greater than, <=less than)

Nitrogen: Broadcast and till under 50lb/A actual N. Sidedress with 50-100lbs N when heads begin forming. A second side dressing of 50lb/A of N should also be used unless the cabbage was planted in an area that had a leguminous green manure/cover crop previous. Do not delay N application too late or cabbage heads may burst. Too high levels of N may result in greater internal tip burn of cabbage. When tip burn has been a problem extra calcium should be applied to that area. Too high levels of N cause hollow stem in broccoli. Usually 100lbs total N is sufficient for broccoli.

Harvest
Broccoli flower heads should be cut before he yellow petals show. Cut the flower heads with 6-8 inches of stem attached. Later maturing lateral flower stalks should also be cut in a similar manner. Broccoli is sold to the wholesale fresh market in cartons holding 14 bunches with two to three heads to the bunch.
Brussels sprouts should be harvested when they are 1-11/4 inch in diameter. The lower leaves of the plant should be broken away and the sprouts then cut off close to the stem with a sharp knife.
Cut cabbage should be cut when heads are firm. Cut low enough to leave 2-3 loose wrapper leaves. Market in 50lb crates. Allow 3-4 extra pounds for shrinkage.
Cauliflower should have the leaves pulled around the developing curd in the center of the plant when the curd is about the size of quarter. In about one week to 10 days, the head will be ready to harvest. When tying the heads with rubber bands, use different colors to represent different tying dates. Tie high so there is adequate air circulation around the heads. This will help reduce the ricyness and molding of the head. Tying the leaves up around the developing curd results in a beautiful white head. Heads should be cut before they become ricy appearing. Cauliflower is packed in cartons containing 9-12 film wrapped heads for the wholesale market.

Cold tolerance of cole crops is an important consideration. Broccoli will tolerate 22-230F but can be injured at 250F. Brussels sprouts will tolerate 200F. Cabbage can take lower temperatures of 17-180F. Cauliflower will tolerate 22-230F.

Post Harvest

Store cole crops at 320F and 90-95% relative humidity.If storing for any period of time it will be necessary to remove or trim damaged and diseased outer leaves before bagging or reboxing. White mold is the most serious diseases of stored cabbage.

Insects

Cole crops are affected by many insects. The most serious are cabbage looper, cross striped cabbageworm, imported cabbageworm, cutworms, root maggots, diamondback moth, beet army worm, flea beetle, harlequin bugs, and stink bugs. Rotations are very important in curtailing large infestations of these pests, particularly for cutworms and root maggots. The use of Bt products can be used for cabbageworm and diamondback moth. The neem products can be used on the diamondback moth which control the larvae. Using catch crops such as radish can be used to lure away egg laying moths. The use of floating row covers can be extremely useful in excluding egg laying moths. Pheromone lure traps are a tool for monitoring the early arrival of cabbage looper. For cabbage looper, striped, and imported cabbageworm, treat when 20% of the plants become infested with larvae during the cotyledon stage, when 30% of the plants are infested up to the cupping stage, and when 10% of the plants are infested from cupping until harvest. Naturally occurring or released biological control beneficial insects include: for aphids - lady beetles, lacewings, Aphidiid wasps and stink bug predators; for flea beetle - Broconids, and soil drench with parasitic nematodes; for harlequin, stink bugs, and loopers - Trichogramma wasps, Encyrtidae, lacewing, Pteromalidae, and BtK; for root maggots - Eucolidae; for stink bugs - probably best to use an 'insecticidal' oil.

Diseases

Alternaria leaf spot is reduced by 2-4 or more year rotations. This disease appears more frequently in wet years. This disease develops as small black spots expanding as concentric rings into larger spots on the leaves and head. The fungus over-winters in seed and crop residues.
Blackleg of cole crops is caused by the fungus, Phoma lingam, which causes dark cankers on the stems and light brown circular spots on the foliage. As the cankers expand, losses result from wilting, stunting, delayed development and death; plus, once established, field re-use is impacted by long rotation. Use a crop rotation period of 4 or more years if the site has a history of blackleg. Be aware that canola is a cruciferous crop and also harbors this disease. Use disease-free seed and treat them with the hot-water method (see general disease section in front of publication) to significantly improve control. This treatment will reduce seed germination and vigor and may not eradicate all the pathogen. Locate plant beds away from fields or gardens, on well drained and fumigated sites. Control wild mustard and related weeds near the beds. If purchasing transplants, obtain them from certified, disease-free sources. Seed should be hot-water treated to help improve control. Keep weeds down around the plots, particularly wild mustard.
Black rot Black rot is the most damaging disease of crucifers in many states and is caused by a bacterium, not fungi the cause of most infectious diseases. Infections usually start at the leaf margins causing yellow V-shaped spots on the leaf, with veins near spot becoming dark as the bacterium goes systemic. Stunting and wilt become increasingly severe with further systemic invasion. This causal agent is highly seedborne, so a key step in control is to start with certified, disease-free seed and transplants. Hot-water seed treatment can reduce severity in infested seed lots. Seed lots can be tested through the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Plant Industry, Capitol Square, Albany, Georgia 30334. This bacterium can be spread when transplants are dipped or soaked. Plant into land rotated 3-4 years. Some cabbage and broccoli varieties/hybrids have resistance (not immunity so you still need to take steps to reduce spread), but of those, only the hybrid Bravo has performed well horticulturally in some vegetable trial tests. Spread within the field can be slowed with sprays of fixed-coppers @ 2 lbs/A started before or at the first evidence of diseases and repeated at 5 to 7 day intervals during wet periods.
Club root root develops as seriously deformed roots (large tumors or galls) with the resulting plant appearing stunted and pale. Avoid poorly drained fields and those with a history of club root; be sure to have suspected cases confirmed through the County Extension Office. Avoid introduction on the farm by using only disease-free transplants. Serious losses can be minimized in fields with a history of club root by using the following: Raise soil pH to 7.2 to 7.5, and employ a 7-year rotation - consider legumes to benefit from having to maintain the high pH. Diseases in some other crops could become serious under such high pH.
Downy mildew Downy mildew is caused by a fungus closely related to the tobacco blue mold fungus and is favored by protracted periods of cool wet weather during the spring and fall. It is particular serious in transplant production, but can cause serious problems in the field by impacting both the plant foliage and systemic infections of the heads. Leaf spots first appears yellow but with time turn brown with dark lace-like markings. Under moist conditions, a white to gray downy mold develops on the under sides of leaves. This fungus readily goes systemic, where it darkens the veins and causes its greatest damage to the heads by making them unattractive and predisposing them to bacterial soft rots. Crop rotation of non- cruciferous plants should be practiced. It is especially important to control downy mildew in seed beds. In some areas, downy mildew has been more prevalent in fall seeded cole crops than with spring plantings.
Fusarium yellows stunts and yellows the plants, often worse on one side of the plant; leaf edges are usually purple and the vascular system is brown on affected side of plant from the roots to the leaf. Leaf defoliation is often associated with yellows infections. The fungus is soil borne infecting through the roots to invade the vascular system. On sites with a history of disease plant only yellows resistant varieties and follow a long-term rotation.
Soft rot of broccoli heads Affected areas are water-soaked at first, the rot with a slimy, foul-odor. This bacterium infects during wet periods, through injured areas (dead flowers, insect injuries, cold damage) and moves very fast under hot conditions. This disease can be a problem on all cole crops, but has been especially serious at times on broccoli, especially with varieties that hold water in the head. Broccoli's having tight and domed heads experiencing less disease, such as Green Defender and Shogun. Use fixed coppers sprays frequently during rainy weather is sometimes helpful, but reducing injury, and controlling insects, downy mildews and foliage diseases is even more important. Remember, using coppers can have an affect on the soil if used frequently.
Sclerotina (white head) Symptoms appear as a rot of the stem, lower leaves, or head. A white fungus often covers the diseased surface with sclerotia of the fungus (may appear similar to rodent droppings) associated with the rot. Greatest losses, have resulted from transplanting seedlings infected in greenhouse-float systems. Once in a field, the sclerotia survive in the soil for many years. Rotate with grass crops for 3 years, - avoiding canola, green beans, tomatoes, and potatoes - and deep- plow to bury sclerotia of fungus.
Damping off (Pythium) on seedlings can be problematic on poorly drained soils, wet springs, or planting in poorly decomposed organic matter. Allow for good air movement, use raised beds if moisture is too excessive, or use transplants.
White stem (Rhizoctonia) Affected stems of seedings and post-transplants become hard and constricted (girdled) near the soil line, with head-size greatly reduced or rotted on affected plants. The fungus is common to all field soils and can also move directly into the base of the plant causing basal stem and head rots. The disease is especially common in hot wet weather where green- manure is available. Some growers have experience very serious losses recently from Rhizoctonia by failing to plow fescue sods sufficiently early. Powdery Mildew appears as a whitish to gray powder of the surface of the leaves. It can occur during and just after periods of wet weather with high humidity. Severe cases will cause leaves to become chlorotic, wither, and die. Dry weather and good air movement will help in reducing the spread of the disease. Adequate spacing between plants will increase air movement and dry the leaves faster. Some tolerant varieties of cole crops are available. Early sprays with sulfur can be affective. Remember that the continued use of sulfur can have detrimental affects on soils. Also, do not use sulfur if the temperature will be above75-80 degrees due to leaf burning.
Edema is not really a disease but can show up and look like a problem. Edema appears as small brownish gray wart-like growths on the surface of the leaves, particularly on cabbages. Edema usually develops during cool nights followed warm muggy days. Under these conditions water uptake is faster than water loss and the leaf cells close to the surface actually can fill up with water and burst. The plant leaves are left with these brownish warts that have a corky appearance. The condition is cosmetic but can be extensive enough sometimes to make the outer leaves look diseased. Once the cool nights are replace by warmer nights, the problem ceases.

FARMING 2000 & BEYOND

Workshop Series For April Will Be on Season Extension

Our next workshop series will be on Monday April 17 from 4-6pm(note the new day and time). We are moving it to Mondays in order to accommodate the growers who are attending farmers markets on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoon/evenings. This month's topic will be looking at season extension. We will be meeting at the Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro, at the Land Lab outside if the weather cooperates ( it will be inside at the College's Big Room in building 2 in back if the weather is not cooperating).

We will be looking at the movable greenhouse on display and hear from Tony Kleese on this project. Alex Hitt from Peregrine Farms will talk about their use of high tunnels for vegetable and some flower production. Dr. Doug Sanders, Vegetable Specialist from NCSU will talk on cultural practices using season extension. I will talk briefly on my low poly- tunnel trials that I have been running since late January at the Land Lab.

The Workshop will be held earlier than usual to take advantage of the daylight. For more information, please contact Robert Hadad 919-542-8202 or Debbie Roos 919-775-5624.

The May workshop will be on Non-Chemical Weed Control in Sanford for Monday May 15. Time and location will be finalized shortly. Besides discussion, demonstrations of such weed controls as flame weeding will be made.

Tentatively schedules for future months will be topics on Greens Varieties for Four Seasons Plus Ethnic Vegetable Trials and Farmer To Farmer Discussion on Your Problems in the Field for June, July - Sustainably Raised Pastured Hogs: Can It Be Done in NC?, August - open, September - Sustainable Small Scale Animal Production: Breeds That Fit the Diverse Small Family Farm.

GARLIC COOPERATIVE MEETING

An exploratory meeting of interested growers took place on March 9 at the Chatham Co. Cooperative Extension Center. A number of area farmers attended. I presented a detailed summary of what is involved with organizing a marketing cooperative. there is a lot needed in terms of time and organization in putting together a cooperative. Long before the crop is ever planted, issues of member involvement, responsibilities, management, packaging, labeling, transportation, communications, and banking must be worked out. Only after these details are worked out, the issues of variety selection, sourcing of seed stock, cultural practices, sharing of experience and labor, and such, need to be agreed upon.

It is a great deal of prepatory work. But it is not necessarily a hurdle that can't be overcome. Cooperatives serve a very important purpose. It allows growers who cannot produce an adequate volume of product, but can produce high quality produce to band together and reach larger markets. Farmers can share information, experience, even trade labor, share costs of packaging and other supplies, and bulk purchase seed stock.

After the meeting, there still was determined interest to continue pursuing the formation of a coop. Since garlic is planted in the fall, another meeting will be called in several weeks to go over more direct details. One concern expressed was over the price of seed stock based on variety. Another concern was variety selection. Since some species require a cold winter while others do not, this factor needs some further investigation. The hard-neck varieties of garlic fetch a higher price at the market but may be difficult to grow in our mild winter climate.

The next meeting should be tentatively scheduled for the first week of May. More details will be forth coming. If anyone is interested in coming on board, you are more than welcome. For more information, contact Robert Hadad Chatham Co. Extension 919-542-8202.

USDA PROPOSED FEDERAL ORGANIC REGULATIONS ARE BACK WITH US AGAIN

The first week of March roared in like a lion and the Federal Organic Regulations returned from hibernation. This time around, the document used preambles before each section of the regulations to discuss the concerns made by citizens on the last set of regulations proposed back in 1997. Needless to say, this new document is huge.

The USDA has superficially eliminated from the proposal the use of genetically engineered organisms, ionizing radiation, and sewer sludge which were the three big bad boys that gained so much notoriety before. The USDA also has made the attempt to tighten up other loopholes from the past as well.

After reading the new proposal (three times to get it to sink in somewhat) there still seems to be some serious flaws in it. Concerned organic growers need to examine the document and make up their own minds. The key points to look at focus around how easy will it be for lobby groups to amend the regulations once they are in place, loopholes about synthetic products, the creation of a national acceptable products list, animal confinement, appointment to the NOSB board as vacancies become open, exemptions, compost building procedures as dictated by NRCS, and how all the other Federal Regulations such as the egg, meat, dairy, food safety, and insecticide laws play into the organic regulations (they all are mentioned by name in the act and how they must be followed).

Take the time to read these proposed rules and make comments back to the Feds on what you think. It is up to every individual to decide whether these regulations can work if they are fixed or does the integrity of what ORGANIC really means be forever weakened.

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this proposal to : Keith Jones, Program Manager, National Organic Program USDA-AMS-TMP-NOP, Room 2945-So,. AG STOP 0275 PO BOX 96456 WASHINGTON, DC 20090-6456. COMMENTS CAN ALSO BE DONE ON LINE www.ams.usda.gov/nop If you are commenting on a specific item, please identify the area you are referring to by their numbering system.

FARMERS MARKETS READY TO OPEN

The Pittsboro Farmers Market will open on Thursday April 6 starting at 3:30. Contact Doris Huneycutt for details 542-3813.

The Fearington Farmers Market will begin on Tuesday April 4. Contact Cathy Jones Perry- winkle Farm 919-933-6189.

The Carborro Market begins Wednesday April 19 (at time of press I am still not sure of this date).

Sanford Farmers Market will open on Saturdays starting April 8 from 8-noon. On Wednesdays, starting April 12 the market will be open 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Contact Debbie Roos 919-775-5624.

We here at Chatham Co. Cooperative Extension receive many calls from consumers asking questions about the markets every week when they are open. The most popular question deals with what people are bringing to the market. To help with getting you recognition, I am offering to post on my web page your produce availability. Call into the office and let us know what you are bringing in that week or for several weeks, and we will post it on a section of the web page highlighting our local markets. Our web pages receive many visits by folks every day. To enhance this, I will print several news releases in the local papers about the markets and the access to this information over the web. The only thing that I will not list would be prices.

So this is a free service to you that will help bring exposure to you at the market. By bringing in more people to the market, everyone wins.

CHATHAM CO. FARM FUN DAY

The Chatham Co. Farm Fun Day this year will be on October 28 from 9-4pm at the Armory in Siler City. Last year's event brought in more than 400 people to a day of recognition of the important role agriculture plays in Chatham Co. There were plenty of exhibits, information, petting zoo for the kids, and more.

This year we would like to open up a section for our local farmers to be highlighted. What this means for you is an opportunity to show off your farm and sell your products. I realize that for some of you this is a big market day in Carborro or elsewhere. However, getting the people within our own county to become more familiar with our local farmers may be well worth the time spent at the event.

I am bringing this up now because you could mark it on your calendar and grow some extra plants especially for this event. As our county becomes more populated with non- agricultural inhabitants, getting them to form a relationship with what you are doing as a farm is so very important. Give me a call and let me know if you are interested.

PROPOSED FARM TOUR

For many years now, Chatham Co. Cooperative Extension has sponsored a tour of several farms who volunteered to host a group for part of a day. Last fall was the first tour that I worked with. The overwhelming thing that the people on the tour wanted was to be able to buy farm products and produce right there that day. We used two buses and brought over 60 people to the farms. The farmers talked about what they were doing and took the people around part of the farm to highlight what made them special.

I have proposed that we do this again with significantly more advertising. This could be billed as a "Taste of Chatham" type of event. We could plan for this closer to the fall and have it on a Monday so that it does not interfere with other market days. Or we could have toward late spring, whatever you would find convenient.

We are not trying to compete with the Weaver St. Tour weekend. The Chatham Co. tour has been run for many more years and it usually involves the use of us running a couple of buses and having people register in advance. In other words, we have a captive audience of local residents (usually from the eastern part of the county). They are truly interested in purchasing local products and really enjoy the tour component.

If anyone is interested, lets get together. Call me at 919-542-8202.

SPRING FARM TOUR

Weaver St. Market and CFSA are holding their annual farm tour on April 29-30th. Brochures on this event should be out any day now. Contact CFSA 919-542-2402 or Weaver St. Market 919-929-0010

CHATHAM CO. BEEKEEPERS ASSOC. EVENTS

Field Day Sat. 4/1 10:30 am meet at 64E and Mt. Gilead Rd at Top's Citgo and Sports Shop call Jim Williams 919-362-1794
Thursday 4/20 April meeting at Chatham Co. Extension building 7:30pm John Strickland will demonstrate honey extraction.

PARTNERSHIP FOR RURAL PRESERVATION

The next meeting for the Partnership for Rural Preservation will meet 4/12 from 7-9pm at CCCC. This meeting is a follow up to the 2 day session back in January. Becky Anderson from HandMade in America had made a presentation on how economic rural development has succeeded in the NC mountains without having to rely on any smokestack industries. Chatham Co. has an impressive heritage. It has its agriculture, arts, crafts, antiques, rivers, and neighborly communities. If anyone is convinced that economic development can be created through our own natural resources rather than bowing to outside corporate interests, then this meeting is one you don't want to miss.

ATTENTION CHATHAM COUNTY FARMERS SCHEDULING FARM VISITS

Beginning April 3rd, Chatham Co. will have a new consumer Horticulture Agent. Al Cooke from Moore Co. Cooperative Extension will be filling Jillanne Burns old position. WELCOME ABOARD AL!!!

This now frees me up from those duties. I will be available to spend full time on farming issues in the county. I will be scheduling farm visits to assist growers with plans or problems they might have. Give me a call and we will set up a time. If you have an emergency, please do not hesitate to call and we will work out the situation right away! 919-542-8202.

 If I may be of further service to you, please contact me at the following number:
Phone:(919)542-8202; FAX (919) 542-8246 or e-mail to:

 If you have something to list in the next newsletter, send it to me by the first of the month before the next issue comes out. Address it to: P. O. Box 279, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Sincerely,


Robert Hadad
Assistant Agriculture Agent

The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T state University or North Carolina Cooperative Extension nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned.

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This page was created by
Paulette Thomas
Secretary II

Date Created 4/06/00.