Gardener News Bringing Younger Generations Into Agriculture 75(1721 1- ĘŠ Âł%HFDXVH DJULFXOWXUH PDWWHUV´ ODXQFKHG the New Jersey Farm Bureau’s 95th annual convention, including debate to help resolve the increasingly complex issues confronting the state’s farmers. “Because agriculture mattersâ€? was adopted as the organization’s new slogan, to be displayed on its newly designed website, facebook and other social media. A push for more young people in farming leadership positions was initiated at the convention, renewing the Young Farmers & Ranchers program of the American Farm Bureau Federation for farmers ages 18-35. The introductory meeting just prior to the convention attracted 30 young farmers, who were addressed by Zach Hunnicutt, 2013 national chair of YF&R. “Now is the time to invest in the future of New Jersey agriculture,â€? said Hunnicutt, a Nebraska farmer. Many factors are attracting New Jersey’s young people to farming, among them the opportunity to work for oneself and the growing public interest in visiting farms and buying locally grown produce. “Our annual surveys continue to show that agriculture is important in New Jersey,â€? says Ryck Suydam, who opened the convention as its president for the second year. “Not only is it a major revenue producer, amounting to more than $1-billion annually, but its value goes well beyond economics to most people.â€? The Farm Bureau’s pre-convention survey of public opinion, conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson’s PublicMind Poll, showed that the state’s residents overwhelmingly support public funding for preservation of farmland and open space. “Both urban and rural dwellers appreciate driving by farms and seeing plowed fields, growing crops, and pasturesâ€? says Suydam. “It reminds them that people and land are interdependent. Proof of this came in the poll showing that 77% percent of those surveyed say they purchase locally grown produce, and the majority are willing to pay something extra for it.â€? Defining “locally grownâ€? was a drawn-out discussion among convention delegates endeavoring to set policies for 2014. While the survey addressed the same question and indicated that 44% of responders said “locally grownâ€? should apply to crops grown within state borders, convention delegates also considered the proposed NJ Department of Agriculture rule proposal defining “locally grownâ€? as crops grown within 30 miles of the state’s borders, which would extend to Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York states. Delegates agreed to continue studying the issue, recognizing that New Jersey farms selling wholesale outside state borders must be given consideration. Tony Broccoli, of Rutgers’ Climate Adaptation Alliance, addressed food production and climate change, noting that June 2013 was the wettest on record and otherwise noted that agriculture falls under the economic sectors at risk from climate change. Jennie Schmidt, a Maryland farmer who has experimented with three different types of crops on her 2100-acres presented her experiences with conventional, organic, and HMO (or bio-tech). While she drew no definitive conclusions, she pointed out the future need to feed an increasing global population. “The public accepts technology in most other areas of our culture, but seems insistent on perceiving farmers and farming as pictured in American Gothicâ€? she said. “Traditional methods won’t feed the world. The public must recognize the fact that farming must accept experimentation in production methods and adopt technology to meet this need for food supply in the future.â€? New Jersey forests also came under scrutiny by Steve Kallesser of Gracie & Harrison Consulting Foresters, who has been working with private woodland owners and the state. He pointed out that nature doesn’t manage forests; that must be done by landholders with careful forest management plans. He also commended New Jersey forestland owners for creating and implementing sustainable forest plans. During his remarks to the convention on November 18th, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher praised the state’s farmers and the New Jersey Farm Bureau for efforts to utilize “best practicesâ€? and conservation in their farming practices. The New Jersey Farm Bureau is a non-profit member organization of 11,000+ farmers and farm-related individuals within the Garden State. It is the only organization solely dedicated to representing the grass- roots interests and directives of its members in educating all levels of government and the public on the farm community’s policies and positions. The Farm Bureau also takes a lead in seeking out initiatives, activities and ventures to enhance the profitability of producer members and ensure the viability of farming in New Jersey – Because Agriculture Matters
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Rethinking Garden Design By Jeannie Geremia Garden Club of New Jersey Winter is the perfect time to rethink our garden designs, with the goal of attracting pollinators at the forefront of our objectives. The goal is to create a garden habitat designed to enhance and grow our pollinator population. We know that we can and must reverse the decline of all our pollinators, and that means we have to take a fresh look at how to make our yards, parks and gardens a haven where our pollinators will flourish. We can start one garden at a time to teach our fellow gardeners, our agricultural community and the public that together we can and will have a thriving pollinator population once again. One of the first tasks is to eschew the perfect landscape that fits into the “cookie cutter� mold of the obligatory arborvitae, boxwood and evergreen template surrounding our homes, with pristine lawns and nary a blade of grass out of place. If you were a bee or butterfly, would you beat a path to that essentially barren and boring yard? No, my gardening friends, you would fly to a welcoming banquet of diverse native plants, trees, and shrubs with water features, nesting sites and, yes, patches of bare ground needed by some native bee species. I know how hard this mindset can be, as we’ve had it drummed into our heads that we must be neat and fastidious. It’s especially difficult for those who love to be outside (who doesn’t?) and who want to keep busy. We can start by taking a section of yard, planning on a few species of native plants, as bees want a sweep of multiple plants of a species, not just a plant of this and a
plant of that. If deer come and feast in your yard, plan to put in something unattractive to them, but delightful to our pollinators. Joe-Pye Weed, Golden Alexander, Anise Hyssop, Goldenrod, New England Asters, Clover, Coneflowers and herbs would be a good start, plus earlyspring native ephemerals. New Jersey Audubon’s website has great tips for creating a backyard habitat. They suggest including water sources such as ponds, bird baths, rain gardens and puddling areas for butterflies. Make sure the water is kept fresh and enjoy the delight of seeing a robin splashing in your bird bath, butterflies congregating to suck up the minerals from the puddling sites and dragonflies darting here and there. The New Jersey Audubon Society recommends creating a cover for wildlife to provide shelter in inclement weather and protection from predators. That means leaving a section of your property with some brush, thickets and even dead trees. I know it’s hard not to clean up, but bite the bullet and try it. See the results of a multifaceted yard and know that you are doing your part to insure we have a continuing food supply, as our pollinators provide one-third of the food we eat. Remember, too, that our wildlife are laying eggs in nests, and on host plants, and caterpillars morph into pupas and cocoons that can easily be destroyed by our tendency to want everything perfect. Think before you cut down, and leave vegetation and noninvasive weeds such as jewelweed and wood asters alone (I was guilty of pulling these out in years past, but enjoy both species and the butterflies and bees they bring). Some of our most spectacular butterflies use plantain, stinging nettles and violets as their host plants, so
read up on butterfly and moth host plants and see what new delights await you. Please think hard before you use any chemicals and/or fertilizers. Try mulching your leaves into your lawn and leave a cover of leaves on your garden. Don’t overuse wood mulches, but aim for wall-towall plants, trees and shrubs. Bruce Crawford, Director of Rutgers Gardens, and his students will give a great example of utilizing native plants in a community garden setting that you can adapt in your own yard at the New Jersey Flower and Garden Show, “America in Bloom,� this February 13-16 at the New Jersey Convention Center in Edison. This garden will be part of the Garden Club of New Jersey’s Standard Flower Show, “From Sea to Shining Sea,� and we will have bee houses and butterfly shelters displayed in this garden with “how to� instructions for the public. Get ready to be part of the solution and contact me to become further involved as we “blanket� our Garden State with speaking engagements on growing our pollinator population and encourage our garden centers to feature “pollinator-friendly native plants� and organic methods of gardening. Join a Garden Club! Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is the Community Garden Chair and the Butterflies & BeeGAP Chair for the Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc., and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc., Accredited Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is also Program Chair for Neshanic Garden Club and can be reached by emailing jeannieg42@earthlink. net Garden Club of New Jersey website is: www. gardenclubofnewjersey. com and phone number is: 732-249-0947.
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