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A Few Fun Facts about Hybrids and Heirlooms

In the realm of farming and gardening the debate over hybrids and heirlooms rages on. But just what are hybrids and heirlooms? Is one really better than the other? And why should you care?

Hybrids are plants that have been crossbred to produce a new, uniform variety, often with specific traits in mind. Disease-resistance, uniformity, and early maturation are examples of such traits. The ‘Crimson Carmello’ tomato is one of the more notable hybrids, bred for its disease-resistance, height, vigorous growth, and juicy fruit. Paradoxically, planting the seeds produced by hybrid fruit/vegetables will not yield similar harvests; to get the same hybrid you need to make the original cross using the same parent plants. These crosses are called F1 Hybrids, or First Filial Generation.

Because they can be bred to exhibit particular traits, hybrids have many advantages. Earlier maturity, better yield, less care, disease resistance, enhanced productivity, and better flavor can all be selected for. For these reason, hybrids have wide commercial applications. Hybrids also have a uniform look and predictable growing season, which help foster sales.

Heirlooms, on the other hand, refer to a plant variety that is open-pollinated, hand-selected, at least 50 years old, and specific to an individual region or location. (Open-pollination is just pollination by wind or bees.) Heirlooms are saved and propagated because of their superior quality—shelf-life, disease-resistance, taste, color, or other positive traits. And while heirlooms might not always be the most commercially-viable option (size, harvest time, and appearance can vary wildly) they are generally the most flavorful, most attractive, and most diverse. This is because the plant has been allowed to ‘evolve’ to its local environment.

In the end, hybrids and heirlooms both have important applications. The decision comes down to you, the consumer. Which do you prefer?

By admin|September 12th, 2014|News|Comments Off

Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths.

the peace of wild things

The Peace of Wild Things
BY WENDELL BERRY

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Source: Collected Poems 1957-1982 (Counterpoint Press, 1985)

By admin|September 5th, 2014|News|Comments Off

What Makes New Jersey Grown New Jersey Grown?

There is perhaps no single image more synonymous with quality and integrity than the USDA organic seal. Its presence means you’re getting a product grown without harmful chemicals, GMOs, or antibiotics. But just what does the certification process entail? What are the requirements? What makes New Jersey Grown New Jersey Grown?

At its most basic level, organic certification is a means of regulating and facilitating the sale of organic products. Organic certification helps discourage fraud, promote quality, and increase commerce. Through the use and implementation of a series of stringent metrics, the USDA ensures that consumers have access to high-quality, natural goods.

Some of these standards include:

Keeping organic products separated from non-organic ones.
Maintaining detailed records.
Ensuring farmland has not used prohibited synthetic chemicals for three years or more.
Avoiding synthetic chemical inputs; i.e. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, GMOs, irradiation.
Preventing the use of human sewage sludge fertilizer in the cultivation of plant or animal-feed.
Preserve natural resources and biodiversity.
Support animal health and welfare.

Qualifying for organic certification is an in-depth process that can span three years or more. A grower must first obtain an application through an accredited National Organic Program (NOP) agent. Once the application is reviewed and approved, the agent will schedule an inspection. The inspector assesses the farm’s condition, verifying the grower’s compliance with USDA organic regulations. Next, the inspector will write a report, either approving or denying the grower’s application. If approved, the grower need only pay the requisite fee before he/she can begin using the New Jersey Grown seal.

Organic certification is not only a great way of protecting the ecosystem, it’s also an excellent way of building trust between growers and consumers. And that’s what makes organic certification organic certification!

By admin|August 29th, 2014|News|Comments Off

Blue Moon’s Fingerling Potatoes

What is a potato?

A potato is a vegetable. It is part of the nightshade family of plants (along with tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. The potato is actually the swollen portion of the underground root, called a tuber. The tuber serves to provide food for the leafy green (above-ground) part of the plant. If allowed to turn to flower and fruit, the potato plant will bear an inedible fruit resembling a tomato.

Source: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48

What is the history of the potato?

The potato was first cultivated by the Inca Indians in South America, way back around 7,000 BCE. After the Spanish Conquistadors discovered Peru in 1536, they brought the tuber back to Spain. Families of Basque sailors began to grow potatoes along the coast of northern Spain by the end of that century. It was in 1589 that Sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland, with the cultivation of 40,000 acres in County Cork.

The Irish potato famine was the result of a potato blight in the 1840’s; a plant disease that destroyed most of the potato crop throughout Europe. As the Irish working class subsisted mainly on potatoes, they were greatly affected by the potato blight. Almost one million people died from starvation or disease over the course of the famine, and another one million emigrated out of Ireland.

Health Facts:

Potatoes are high in carbohydrates and Vitamin C. They have more potassium than bananas, spinach, or broccoli. Only about 20% of the potato’s nutrition (mostly the fiber) is found in the skin. Most of the Vitamin C and potassium are in the flesh.

Uses of potatoes:

– Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages like vodka
– Potato starch is used as a thickener and binder in soups and sauces, and as an adhesive in the textile industry
– Potatoes are commonly used in cooking (of course!). They’re often prepared mashed, roasted, fried, or in pancakes.

By admin|August 22nd, 2014|News|Comments Off

All About Soil Testing!

To test, or not to test—that is the question. Whether t’is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of poor soil, or to have that soil tested, and, by amending its components, have a healthier garden. Soil tests were unavailable in Shakespeare’s day, but we in the modern age have no such excuse. Testing your soil is an easy, cost-efficient process whose benefits can yield tremendous results.

Before rushing out to your home and garden center, however, you’ll want to do a few simple tests on your own. First of which: determine your soil’s texture and profile. Soils are either clay-, sand-, or loam-based. Clay soils are nutrient-rich but poor-draining, sandy soils have excellent drainage but little nutrition, and loamy soils are just right—good nutrition and drainage. But while loamy soil is generally ideal, certain plants prefer more sandy or clayey soils. Plus, poor drainage can be the death of certain plants, so make sure you’re striking the right balance.

You’ll also want to conduct an ‘earthworm census’. Being as they are indicators of soil health, earthworms are something you want to see a lot of. Take a 1 by 1 cylindrical cross sample of your soil, and sift through it. Ten worms or more means you’ve got healthy soil. Less than that means your soil is either lacking in organic matter or is too acidic or alkaline.

Speaking of acidity and alkalinity: checking your soil’s Ph level is yet another crucial step to take. Because most plants prefer a neutral Ph (around 6 or 7 on a scale of 0 to 14), you’ll want to make sure your soil is neither too acidic nor too alkaline. Now’s the time to head to the home and garden center. You can get a PH test kit for as little as $4. If your soil turns out too acidic, you’ll want to add lime; if it’s too alkaline; you’ll want to add sulfur.

If you’ve done the above and are still struggling, take a sample of your soil to a local cooperative or lab to have it analyzed. Labs typically formulate their recommendations towards farmers, so be sure to remind them that you’re a gardener. They can test for phosphorous, potassium, calcium, sulfur, and magnesium levels. (Nitrogen is not usually tested because the content in your soil can change dramatically and quickly). Zinc, iron, copper, and other micronutrient levels can also be tested.

So what are you waiting for? Grab yourself a trowel and get testing!

By admin|August 15th, 2014|News|Comments Off