The Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine IPM Can Save Your Garden Peaches & Nectarines History of Gardening in the Ouachitas Garden Methods Old & New
ius n e G ps i t g nin ! e d r Ga ork w t tha
“They will clear up and fence a field and go to farming. In the first year, the briars grow up in the fence corners. The second year they take four or five corn rows, and so on every year, the briars close in on the farmer, and the first thing he knows they have met in the middle of the field, and he is closed out. Briars close out and take more farms in Arkansas than mortgages ever did in Kansas. When you want to talk to a farmer, you have to tie your horse and climb over the fence and crawl one hundred and fifity yards through a briar patch, then you will find him plowing about an acre of ground to raise his farewell corn crop in the center of the field. They only have one way to get rid of briars, that is move off and leave them.” Those who have only gardened part of a season, now and then, can relate to this scenario even today. Of course, Hughes was teasing with his comments although for some, he was describing the real battle to which every farmer or gardener can relate. Almost every gardener has let busy schedules distract them from the consistent attention a garden needs. Suddenly, the weeds consume the rows, middles and edges! Arkansas is certainly Biblical when it comes to the effort required to harvest crops “by the sweat of the browe.” Early settlers in the Ouachitas brought self-sufficiency to the highland regions of Western Arkansas. More than ninety percent of the population in territorial years, were classified as farmers. The region was populated by hardy families who homesteaded small tracts of land. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture, hand tools and draft animals
(Story continues on page 7
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
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Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
This early 1900’s cherry and berry farm located three miles south of Mena was one of many such enterprises that failed, regardless of the effort poured into them. Cherries are among the earliest fruits to bloom each spring. In the Ouachitas, a few warm days in January and February prompts early blossoms which are regularly destroyed by subsequent freezes in March and April. This has proven to be the case in a majority of seasons. Additionally, hot, dry summers of Arkansas put additional stress of cherry trees and make them more prone to diseases. To complicate matters, Arkansas often re-
ceives heavy downpours to which maturing cherries respond by rapidly growing. This splits the skin of the ripening fruit and reduces crop quality. Cooler climates like Michagan, tend to warm later and have milder summers. Northern growers eventually cornered the market by providing consistant harvests year after year. It’s not impossible to grow cherries in Arkansas; just not commercially viable. For more than a century, farmers have been trying to figure out what crops do best in Arkansas. Now, a team of UofA scientists are helping.
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Some families in North Polk County jumped at the chance to sell their parcels to the railroad. Others saw trouble and although they sold out, they simply moved further south to escape the “industrialization� around Mena. Agriculture in Polk, Scott and Montgomery Counties never saw the success that the river bottom lands enjoyed. Nor did they have much investment in the plantation socio-economics of Old Dixie. In the Civil War years, the Ouachitas became a remote island to be exploited for its large families of isolated self-sufficient people. Most men (and many women) were crack shots with a rifle from the time they were big enough to lift one. Certainly, many white residents believed it was their right to own slaves but the majority never had the need or ambition to do so. Being self sufficient meant you didn’t need slaves when you had a large family that shared in the daily task of survival. Ouachita grown commodities like corn, cotton, peas, beans, fruits and grapes were traded for salt, sugar, rice and other necessities imported from elsewhere. Merchantiles, cotton gins and other businesses were dotted throughout the region. Of course there were many early settlers who adamantly opposed the Confederacy or just wanted to be left alone. Many of these residents had migrated from
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
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Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
A field of legumes near Mena about 1920.
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the North. Some returned to their home states to avoid being conscripted into the Confederate Military. In 1850, Polk County had a population of 1,263. This number quadrupled by the start of the Civil War. Although hostilities ended in 1864, the 1870 census was still more than twenty percent below the prewar numbers. Undoubtedly, one of the most unfair laws of that era exempting
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
families who owned twenty or more slaves from military service. This allowed large landowners of Eastern and Southern Arkansas to persist through the war and dominate Arkansas agriculture. By the end of the war, a majority of smaller family farm competitors had been removed from cultivating their own land. They lay wounded, scattered or killed while the sons of the plantations simply carried on with little change other than they had to
“pay” their field hands. Soon after, you could hire white or black hands for about the same price. Hungry people needed to eat and were willing to work where ever they could. The plantation law further impacted the Ouachitas by shifting economic advantage to delta land where many Ouachita families were forced to seek employment after their cultivated acreage lay unplowed for several years. One thing the Ouachitas does not do, is
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lay dormant. Mr. Hughes’ briars had been very busy while the boys were gone to war. Tending crops during the Civil War was simply added to the numerous other tasks women already managed. Although some farms were maintained quite well, wives and daughters were forced to divide their time between childcare, cooking, sewing and gardening without help from the fathers and sons off to battle. Survival of fami-
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
lies in the Ouachitas depended largely on their gardening proess. There was little time left to cultivate cotton, corn or other grains as a cash crop even if they had the physical strength to do so. Everything was harvested by hand. With more than ninety percent of the population designated as farmers, Ouachita regional agriculture never really regained its momentum after the war. Although historians differ in opinion, most
agree the South paid a higher price than the North. Total mortality has been placed as high as 22.6% for Southern White men compared to about 6.1% in the North. This disagrees with the “official� numbers of casualties for North and South. According to historian J.David Hacker, Northern deaths were lighter among white solders because approximately 1 in 5 Union Soldiers was actually Black. Also, Black unit losses were often under
Picking Strawberries in the Ouachitas
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completed while watching for sharp-shooters or guarding against the governor’s several military intrusions. Although intended to intimidate the citizenry into peaceful coexistance, Governor William Miller managed to become the common enemy of all local factions by ordering his Adjutant General to place the state militia in the town where citizens resented the heavy handed occupation. Apparently there was some unofficial order to burn out whomever they deemed uncooperative. Occupying troops paid little respect for private property or even garden vegetables. As a means of settling the score, in 1879, State Senator R.T. Kerr who represented the Fort Smith and Waldron area, sponsored and gained approval by legislation to abolish the Adjutant General’s office with Arkansas Act 49. This law successfully moved those responsibilities to the governor’s private secretary where he would be assured to be held fully responsible for everything. A later attempt to sue the auditor of state for recompense for actions stemming from the Waldron Wars failed in 1882. The Ouachitas finally began to recover as the new century arrived. A typical subsistance farm in the Ouachitas may have encompassed an average of 100 acres but far less was actually maintained for crops. Most private land was untamed and reserved for hunting.
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Prior to the Civil War, the primary cash crops were corn and cotton which paid taxes and helped purchase a few needed tools or goods. Land was unfenced and left as open range for a few head of livestock and wild hogs. To this point, “Three Years” author Hughes found great amusement because wild hogs played a significant role in the diet of pioneer residents. Hunting and fishing were survival food sources. Gardens were typically placed close to the house with hope of keeping the crop somewhat protected from an onslaught of wildlife including deer and hogs. Much of the wild hog population got it’s start during the Civil War. Homesteads were razed, abandoned and livestock was scattered. While Hughes enjoyed the commaradarie of his rural hosts, he was largely unaware of the conditions most families had endured for two generations prior to his arrival. His teasing was found to be most offensive perhaps by those who had escaped the mountains but not the memories of the hard life and the sting of having their previous condition illustrated for all the world to see. Many Arkansans still find hillbilly jokes less than funny unless they are targeting folks from another state. Of course, the idea of a great barbeque sauce coming from New York City gets a chuckle from almost everyone except those who’ve eaten at Virgil’s, a half block off Times Square. (Interestingly,
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Virgil’s is listed as among the best BBQ in the world along with McClard’s from Hot Springs!) One might wish the world was not nearly as vingeful as the Waldron Wars and not as sensitive as we’ve become today. Arkansans for the most part learned long ago to take some teasing with a welcoming smile and then invite the folks for a meal of home grown peas and fresh cornbread. It’s called Southern Hospitality! A vast number of current residents in rural counties moved to Arkansas or continue to live in the Ouachitas specifically BECAUSE they see some of the most rediculed aspects of country living as their lifestyle preference. Beautiful rolling hills, trees, meadows and four unique seasons with the ability to grow, harvest or obtain locally grown crops are among the top reasons people stay, return or relocate to the Ouachitas. With the advantage of not having given up sons to the war, large plantations in the new South soon began to dominate cotton and corn prices that squeezed the small farmer out and made his efforts unprofitable. The last two decades of the nineteenth century saw many early Ouachita area residents head further west or to the cities. To avoid the credit trap, the family farms that were left, began to look at diversification. The new railroad from Kansas City to Port
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Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
drier regions of the Pacific Northwest took control of the industry. the University of Although Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Research have developed many of the best genetically resistant varieties of berries, apples, peaches, nectarines, pears and other fruits, even these advance-
ments produce more dependable crops, elsewhere. Because of this, area producers have never been able to hold a significant share of the commercial market in fresh fruit. However, recently released new varieties allow home orchards and local farmers to thrive again. These advancements along with better growing methods
Concord grapes grown in the Ouachitas commonly suffer from blackrot and must be treated with a fungicide. The fruit on this vine, photographed in the 1920s, shows moderate signs of infection. (Image from the Plaster Collection, Polk County Library.
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may allow Arkansas to no longer depend so heavily on fruits and produce imported from elsewhere. North of the Arkansas River Valley, Swiss-German immigrants were lured to Arkansas by railroad developers in the late 1800s where they established wineries. Some are still commercially viable today, although most, now work in cooperation with other industry to bottle, market and distribute. Interestingly, Arkansas vineyards were able to survive two decades of prohibition by producing communion wine for churches while shifting the bulk of their production to grape juice. After prohibition, the newly discovered grape juice industry in the Ozarks thrived until the 1980s when competition from California and South America put most of the Arkansas growers out of business. Technology has recently allowed a significant number of small, independent Arkansas vineyards to create a loyal following. Some produce improved varieties of grapes and muscadines made possible
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
by continued research by University of Arkansas fruit breeding programs. Apples and Peaches are also being developed by the UofA which are resistant to the most common diseases in our humid Arkansas climate. Still, most Arkansas orchardists must divide their efforts between other forms of income like cattle, poultry or timber to offset years like 2018 when more than ninety percent of Arkansas Fruit Crops were lost to two late season frosty mornings.
History has noted the upland families who have called the Ouachitas home still contribute a much needed work ethic to the communities where they migrate. Determination and will is a vital component for any farm family. To find any level of success between drought years and late frosts, farmers much incorporate science into their operation along with diligent observation and quick response. This takes a daily involvement which means a grower must either be retired or have some knowledgeable person involved on a daily basis. After WWII, beef cattle became a domOuachita canalopes inant element for grown in the 1920s family farms which typically maintain fewer than fifty head of livestock. Even the cattle industry has it’s challenges in the Ouachitas with extreme heat and humidity along with parasites. In the mid 1950s, Winthrop Rockefeller introduced Santa Gertrudis cattle to Arkansas and began a breeding program
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to improve the genetic tolerance for Arkansas’ difficult environment. The second world war prompted the development of technologies that further transformed agriculture. While large scale agriculture migrated out of the rolling hills of the Ouachitas, technology also helped reduce the manual labor previously needed to run a successful growing operation even on a smaller scale. Motorized tillers and a wide range of improved tractors and attachments became available. This is especially important for farmers with forested acreage or swampy areas which could be cleared and contoured for better drainage and cultivation. When George and Geraldine Morgan opened their pick-yourown peach orchard near Clarksville in 1977, it was a novel idea to allow customers to come and pick their own fruit. This not only saved on labor, but customers took home the freshest possible product. The Morgans also had fewer problems with storing extra ripe fruit. Success was only possible because the couple opened seven days a week for twelve hours a day during the harvest season. In the process, they made many friends who became loyal customers and returned year after year. To carry them through the lean years, the Morgan family has also diversified into cattle and hay production. Now in their third generation, the Morgans were named Arkansas Farm Family of the Year in 2016. Further south in the Ouachitas, Hog and Poultry farming became a major player in the 1970s. Names like Lane Poultry (now Tyson) and Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation dominate. Efficiency and scientific advancements in breeding, monitoring and equipment design continue to transform and propel both industries.
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Similar changes in milk dairies along with government regulation drastically reduced the number of dairy farms in Arkansas and the U.S. The tradeoff was, a safer milk supply. Whereas in the 1800s, almost half of rural homes had their own milk cow(s), after WWII, more people moved to cities. Nearby corporate dairies began to grow, while rural dairies struggled to remain
Picking fruit near Mena circa 1920 Photo from the Plaster Collection Polk County Library Page 17
competitive. Subsequent requirements for pasteurization to kill organisms that caused tuberculosis and brucellosis accelerated the consolidation of milk processing and delivery to larger dairies that could afford the required equipment. In 1989, there were still 852 dairies in the state. However, by 2009, there were only 140. Their combined total production provide
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
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less than twenty percent of the state’s daily consumption. Although the state has sponsored attempts at making the dairy enterprise more attractive, dairy cattle and dairies continue to decline in numbers. Whereas Arkansas was once a milk exporter, residents now pay higher milk prices because it must be imported from other states. Agriculture is still the state’s largest industrial category, adding approximately $16 Billion to the Arkansas economy. A third of that amount is attributed to poultry. Arkansas farms also produce more rice than any other state while soybeans account for one fourth of the value of all crops grown in the state. Almost none of these crops are grown in the Ouachitas. While poultry, pork and beef are important exports for the Ouachitas, there is no edible crop grown in the Ouachitas in quantities sufficient to compete with other markets. If only there were a lu-
crative market for greenbriars! (They are not just for deer! New shoots are edible and nutritious by the way.) Even the giant Weyerhouser Corporation has in recent decades discovered they can grow trees faster in Mississippi than on the rocky hills of Western Arkansas. Still, for those who call the Ouachitas home, there is no better place to live. Ultimately, the decision to set roots here depends on one’s ability to appreciate a simple life and be a good neighbor. Water Water... Not everywhere. In 1996, a federal farm bill placed new restrictions on land and
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
water use. This and other laws create additional challenges for farmers of all sizes. Continuing concerns with declining ground water aquafers, surface erosion and the use of agricultural fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides is being addressed in a series of new state laws affecting virtually every level of agriculture including private gardens, homeowners and commercial growers. The Arkansas Plant Board is charged with imprementing new restrictions that will engage virtually every level of private land, water, seed and chemical use including home gardeners by 2022. Environmental groups funded in part by agricultural megafirms con-
sider the home gardener to be an inefficient and often bungling risk to the environment and themselves. The future of agriculture in the Ouachitas will depend on how the general public responds to regulation, acceptance of new techniques, continuing education and water rights issues. In the 1970s, Looking Glass founder, Gene Owen foresaw a 50 year future distopian landscape where every drop of rainwater was considered property of the government. In just a few years, we will pass that semicentennial Owen imagined. The concept of aqua profluens (flowing water) was used by the Romans which held all freely flow-
Farmers pose in a field of chest high grain near Big Fork, Southeast of Mena in the 1920s Photo from the Plaster Collection Polk County Library
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need to educate our communities about the benefits of utilizing varieties that have been proven to survive the pressures of our Arkansas environment. That beautiful Johnathon Apple you bought at your local market was imported from a drier climate. It’s tasty, crisp and in demand so your local nursery orders what their customers requested last season. When customers arrive at their local garden center, they are greeted with generic yellow apples
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
and then a well known name like Johnathon. Three, four or five years later, that Johnathon is 12 to 15 feet tall and it’s beginning to bear apples. Unfortunately, it suddenly dies of fire blight because it has no tolerance to the pressure of that disease here in the Ouachitas. The gardener imagines he just needed to spray more chemicals or that he or she is just no good at gardening. There may be bits of truth to both points but education and good ad-
vice would have saved wasted time and effort. The UofA Department of Agriculture website can save you time and money if you are willing to follow their scientific advice. Unfortunately, many of their recommendations for improved disease tolerance have limited availability and must be purchased from licensed nurseries in other states. This is a challenge for local gardeners who wish to grow the
Left, Taunya Ernst ( Program Associate, Fruit Research Station). Right, Amanda McWhirt, (Assistant Professor and Extension Fruit and Vegetable Extension Specialist) share insights with area fruit growers at a recent field workshop held at the UofA Division of Agriculture Research Station in Clarksville.
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most productive varieties for our area. In the past, older generations worked closely with younger and handed down advice. Their guidance was soaked with experience and “field trials” so the new gardeners didn’t have to make all their own mistakes. Most first time gardeners do not have this reservoir of knowledge today. However, we do have a body of knowledge available. It’s basically provided free of charge by our state. If you or someone you know is interested in gardening, raising orchard fruit or berries, there is an online resource that serves as a starting point. Visit www.uaex.edu Instead of throwing chemicals at your garden with hope of getting something to survive, empower yourself with knowledge. Start slow, be patient and learn with the understanding you’ll become a resource for others who follow in your footsteps.
New Generations of Gardeners
Wendy and Kerry Chiaparro moved to Board Camp east of Mena about 10 years ago but brought with them, decades of gardening experience. Wendy grew up in the warmth of South Texas and Kerry was raised in Michigan. Their childhood gardening experiences were from the extreme opposite ends of the country. When the couple started gardening about 21 years ago, just as they began their own family, they hatched six goslings. The young birds imprinted early and begin following the couple around in their garden while living in Texas. One day Wendy discovered squash beetles had invaded her garden so she did what she had always been taught to do; grab the Sevin dust! The next day or so, she noticed all of her goslings were
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Eden’s Memory Farm is owned and operated by the Chiaparro Family. Pic-
tured back row, left to right: Grace, Josiah, Mercy and Hope. Standing in center is Abigail Faith. Seated, left to right: Caleb, Kerry, Wendy, and Joy. aimlessly wandering around in circles and soon after, were all dead. “That became the motivation to change and find a better way of gardening,” Wendy laments. “We realized if these little creatures, who trusted us to make good gardening decisions, were that vulnerable, so were our own children! Our highest priority became protecting our family. We began asking questions and studying because we knew people had been raising crops without chemicals for thousands of years, so surely we could too!” After arriving in Arkansas, they were met with a completely new climate to which they dedicated much more study and are now sharing with their children. They named their farm Eden’s Memory Farm. The previous ownPage 25
ers had a photo restoration business so they had already named the road, Memory Lane. As the new owners began their gardening adventure, they set as their goal to use as many natural and organic methods as possible. Wendy says she imagined how Adam would have gardened in Eden and set out to do the same. They are careful to search for methods of insect and disease control that do not require pesticides or other non organic intervention. The old timers used “elbow grease” instead of glyphosate or amine to kill grass. The Chiaparros cut, cover, dig, or pull. They also engage chickens and goats to clear weeds and brush. Poultry also keep insects under control while adding fertilizer.
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
After subscriber orders are pests. The Chiaparros use a simfilled, any excess the family doesn’t ple technique that works quite efneed is sold at the farmers market. fectively for squash bugs. The farm Local growers pay a small annual gets a head start on this pest by fee to sell at the location and the using a bright yellow plastic cup to funds are used to prodistract and trap the mote the market. It is first adult bugs that open Tuesday, Thursday emerge in Spring. and Saturdays 7am til Every ten feet or so, 10am throughout the they push in a short harvest season at the wooden stake behistoric Mena Depot on tween their rows of Sherwood Avenue. young squash A simple sticky trap at On any given market plants. Next, they Eden’s Memory Farm day, a range of produce, use a sticky product fruit, berries and home designed to resist instead of insecticides. baked goods is available rainfall marketed as from up to a dozen or “Tanglefoot” which more local gardeners. Almost althey paint over the outside of the ways, there will be a table or two yellow cups and let the container displaying fresh items from Eden’s dangle over each stick. Just as Memory Farm. young squash begin to open their bright yellow blossoms, young Working Smarter squash bugs converge to feed and A good example of a successful are conveniently destracted by the IPM program begins with underyellow cups. They are instantly enstanding the behaviour of plant snared and perish chemical-free
before they have opportunity to reproduce. This interrupts their expotentially expanding life cycle which typically produces numerous generations each summer. Many gardeners lose their plants to predators about the time their squash just begin to produce. If some bugs do get past the sticky traps, there are other organic methods of disuading pests that do not require poisons like Sevin. IPM programs work! It’s not that the family hates chemicals or science. In fact, they rely on scientific advancement and incorporate the smartest methods whenever possible. They simply avoid taking the easy way out when there is something natural that will get the job done. It’s now a growing trend especially in academic settings. According to UofA plant fruit scientists, the most important fruit spray application has always been organic and should be applied be-
Split Pit This issue is often caused by freezing temperatures or excessive rainfall during flowering. It reduces the shelf-life and increases the chance the fruit will rot or fungal growth will destroy the peach from the inside out. Some early cultivars like June Gold are more likely to have this condition.
Bacterial Spot This issue is prolific in humid, wet conditions that encourage infection and ideal growth conditions are 75-84 degrees F. Bacterial Spot can infect leaves, twigs, shoots and fruit. UofA’s peach breeding program has released several resistant cultivars.
Button Fruit Minimum temperatures below freezing at the time of bloom can cause damage to the developing embryo based on stage of development and severity of the freeze. 26 degrees may result in a 10% loss whereas a 21 degree freeze may kill 90 percent or more. Page 28
fore the season begins. In late dormancy before buds open, orchardists apply a cover spray with dormant oil mixed with water which suffocates tiny hidden insects that have overwintered in branch and bark crevices. After years of comparing results, experts now recommend a water soluble agricultural sulfer be added to the dormant spray. This organic treatment also inhibits early fungal development which supresses two of every Ouachita orchard’s most dreaded spores that cause bacterial spot and brown rot. There are many environmental variables but this mixture is perhaps the closest thing to an organic silver bullet to give fruit an early chance of success. For the Eden’s Memory Orchard, they spray a waterborne product made from clay that safely coats young apples and confuses pests. It is marketed under the
Brown Rot This fungal disease can affect many parts of the tree. It is devastating to fruits. Mummified fruit left on the orchard floor will provide a start for the disease the following season. This fungus also produces oozing cankers on twigs and stems of the tree.
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
“Surround” brand name. It’s typically used on smooth skinned fruit. It’s action is to hide the fruit long enough for most of the pests to complete their life cycle without benefit of invading the fruit. It also acts as an irritant to insects yet it is organic. To a flying insect, Surround makes an apple seem like a Caleb strange planet. clears out Fruit insect lures vines for a and traps reduce new crop. their population further. Surround is an excellent defense for the plum curculio, on apples. Wendy Chiaparro’s favorite fungicide is actually a two percent whey mixture which is available as a free by product of their own cheesemaking from goat’s milk. Whey serves as a preventative
against powdery mildew on peas and squash. The biggest drawback is that it must be reapplied between rains because it is very mild. Many insect problems can be controlled by sticky traps or the bugs can be removed manually, just like they were in pioneer days. When an invasion appears to be getting out of hand, they use organic control products called Spinosad or Dipel as a spray. Careful attention is given to usage discontinuance guidelines prior to harvest dates even for organic inputs. Caution is always a priority even if the technique is safe for humans. Some organic compounds can harm bees and other pollinators so they still must not be used during bloom times. Some of the best pollinators are not honey bees. There are dozens
Peach Tree Borer Damage The adult moth lays eggs on the truck on the tree. Larvae then burrow into the trunk and roots which stunts or kills the tree. Latex paint on the lower trunk or a carefully timed application of approved insecticides include several organic options of control.
Plum Curculio This native pest attacks stone fruit and apples. The adult weevil is only about 1/4” long but has a long snout. The female chews crescent or half moon punctures in the skin to lay eggs in the fruit. An IPM program is essential with cover sprays as the last resort.
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of types of native bees and wasps. Rarely will a wasp or bee sting a gardener unless it is defending its nest or feels threatened. The unappreciated workhorse of pollinators in virtually every Ouachita garden is the bumblebee. Feared by many, it is rarely agressive although it is not wise to get into a swinging match with one. They are typically far more agile than humans. A simple rule for bumblebees is to just let them be! Red wasps tend to be a bit more easily aggravated but still, rarely sting away from their nest unless threatened. It’s wise to teach children to not fear them, but give them respect and a moment or two to move on when picking peas or berries. Wasps tend to become a bit dopey and docile a few weeks before frost but they still don’t make friends very well. By Octo-
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
ber, wasps are simply looking for a place to shelter for the winter. Gardening becomes more enjoyable the more we learn about nature around us. Except for mosquitos and plum curculios perhaps, most insects play an important role in the human environment. For birds, however, even the pests we hate, provide important sources of nutrition for them. To that point, controlling plum curculios with an integrated pest management program will typically result in less bird damage because they will not be attracted to the telltale signs of a larvae inside the fruit. Where birds do become a damaging nuisance, the best organic means of control is exclusion with netting. Bird netting is available rather inexpensively in rolls that are UV resistant and can be draped during the most vulnurable weeks
Josiah brings in another wheelbarrow of fresh produce from Eden’s Memory Farm to be washed and inspected prior to delivery at the Polk County Farmer’s Market. In the background, Caleb and Hope clean up a section of early peas that will quickly be replanted for a fall harvest. Page 30
prior to harvest, then rolled and stored for use in future seasons. Shooting or trapping songbirds is not only illegal, it’s foolish. A typical songbird will devour several times its weight in insects each season. Those thousands of insects do far more harm than the birds. By using netting, there will not be enough of an incentive for many to stay in your orchard so the population will soon drift elsewhere. Wendy Chiaparro is not bothered by an occasional bug or worm in her produce. Like generations before her, she simply cuts away affected portions and moves on. The demand for perfectection in modern supermarkets has resulted in a population that rarely stops to think about what chemicals were needed to eradicate every living bug and fungus (both good and bad) that may otherwise cause a
blemish on perfect ”looking” produce. Most shoppers give little thought to the methods or chemicals used as long as their produce and fruit look perfect in the store. Although the USDA has established guidelines, there is no way to check every package of produce imported from around the world. Much of our imported food comes from countries with fewer regulations and safeguards in the use of pesticides prior to harvest. Locally grown produce is almost always the same harvest the grower puts on their own table. In fact, consumers usually get the BEST of the local harvest because the farmer typically takes home the less perfect items they know their customers would reject.
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
The Whole Farm Family The Chiaparro farm operates as a private company. As each child becomes more mature, they are given a larger role in decisions and responsibilities. Each of their seven children has a voice in what crops to plant, how quickly they expand, and where they want to take their next vacation after the harvest season is done. Tasks are shared according to interests, natural abilities and strength. In addition to raising vegetables, the family raises ducks, chickens, turkeys and goats. Goats not only provide meat but a regular supply of nutritious milk which is now available at select markets labeled under Eden’s Memory Farm. In Mena, James Foods carries Eden’s Memory Goat Milk in the dairy cooler. Mercy Chiaparro, age 18, is the oldest of the children. She helps in
At the goat yard, six year old Joy wrangles a couple of lightening-fast kids that can’t wait for their turn to bottle feed while Kerry provides backup at the gate. Meanwhile, Mercy tends to chores in the milking shed as other family members gather vegetables, pull weeds and prepare customer orders. Page 31
the garden when needed but prefers working with the dairy goats. She oversees the operation and is assisted by her siblings including her youngest sister, Joy. Mercy and Joy, feed, pet, wrangle, and milk as a team. The latter is primarily Mercy’s job and she prefers it that way from a quality management point of view. Of course the rest of the family assist them when needed. “That’s the way a family should work,” says Mercy. Mercy’s goats also provide an abundant source of organic fertilizer that is composted with hay and silage from the garden. As crops finish their productive cycle, the plants are gathered and recycled to compost for next year. The Chiapparos carefully plan sucessive plantings of short season crops such as beans and peas and address any issues based on
weather conditions and customer requests. They are currently imprementing a five year plan with view of future expansions. A minimalist point of view helps keep the family debt free. When challenges arise, they research the most economical means of overcoming them. If a piece of machinery will save labor, the extra work required to pay for the machine is calculated into the decision. Kerry has watched other farms go out of business because the owners looked only at the immediate convenience factor rather than the added inconvenience of additional risk, especially in horticulture which is so vulnerable to weather conditions. He prefers to not have the extra pressure of equipment payments. However, calculating the actual payback sometimes justifies a purchase. Still, Kerry searches for the best deal to make wise use of every dollar. Chiapparo children are home schooled. Their mother, Wendy was also home schooled as a child. The family focuses on lifestyle learning which incorporates reading, writing and math fundamentals and progresses into business, budgeting, leadership and of course, science. There are infinite applications for hands-on experience in a farm setting. The children recently learned to calculate the volume for a commercial fish tank using pi in their hydroponics operation. They studied the hypotenuse in the layout of a new greenhouse. Every day on a farm offers teaching opportunities. The family gets involved in calculating the proper input for organic liquified fertilizer in their tomato house. There are soil tests and parts per milllion of various minerals in soil. Wendy and Kerry enjoy being with their children and find their children’s education is far more ef-
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Time for a break... with early morning chores completed, it’s time for brunch led by champion pancake eater Caleb. Page 32
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Wendy inspects tomatoes in the high tunnel. To combat leaf chewing and fruit eating worms, she uses an organic wettable powder, bacillus thuringiensis also known as Bt. It’s effective, safe for food when used according to label instructions, and inexpensive. Largely inert to humans, it is a microbial that is systemically fatal to catepillars. Any garden or high density population of vegetables in the Ouachitas tends to quickly attract pests eager to consume everything they can find.
Kerry suspends holographic ribbons reinforced with fiber tape to poles around the garden to discourage bird predation on crops that can’t be netted. “Does it really work?” we inquired.
“So far...” he whispered, so as to not let the birds hear. Page 33
Joy is six years old and loves her kittens named Chocolate Chip and Oatmillious. She enjoys working with her big sister Mercy who has begun teaching Joy to play her very special pink Violin! Eden’s Memory Farm recently added a new well for irrigation with the goal of eliminating chlorine from their operation. Kerry says he will
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
be watching for any signs of adverse effects from low levels of natural sulphur in ground water. In that case, some crops may do better with the rural water. However, he hopes to avoid the additional cost and input. “We’d rather have things going out of the farm than coming in,” Kerry explains.
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Staple crops include peppers, tomatoes, green beans, peas, potatoes, squash, spinach, kale, cucumbers, rhubarb, corn, asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, apples, grapes, artichoke, melons, okra, garlic and lettuce
Plans for future additions include mushrooms and herbs as well as expanded aquaponics. The gardening season begins in January with early peas, starting seeds for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Squash, spinach, kale, lettuce, and rutabaga come next. Crops are rotated between greenhouses to reduce disease
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
pressure. Using the high tunnel, they have been been able to extend their tomato harvest well into December when all other local gardens have become dormant. This allows the family to have marketable produce almost year round and certainly more than enough for their own table.
Having fresh produce also saves the family the effort of canning extra months of food stores. To learn more about Eden’s Memory Farm CSA, call 479.234.6467 or visit their page on Facebook.
Grace Chiapparo carefully inspects rows of squash she will harvest one afternoon and sell the next morning at the Farmers Market.
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Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Holly Springs Homestead This Ouachita Spotlight is made possible by Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Story & Photos by Michael Cate
This year, they added their own USDA Processed Cuts of Angus Beef brisket and steaks Holly Springs Homestead, as well as pork cuts to the marLLC is an Arkansas recognized ket selections. century farm that has been in With the growing list of items the Alston Family for five generoffered, they have moved their ations since 1897. market from the original log Deedee and Luke Alston cabin built in the 60s to their forboth come from farming backmer home next door. The locagrounds. Luke grew up in a tion allows extra space to more commercial poultry and display their personalized lines beef farming environment of soaps, candies and while Deedee came from other locally produced a sustainable homestead products including honey family that had a country and jellies. There are heirmarket. She worked with loom seeds, gifts, garden her aunt and uncle, Linda supplies, coffee, and and Larry Watkins who Watkins products as well. owned the Station at VanIt also provides a cozy dervoort. She fondly replace to sit, eat and visit. members the country The home was Luke’s atmosphere with the family homestead and wooden floors, counters where his father was born. and pot-bellied stove that Luke’s grandparents, kept the store warm in Jewell and Gilbert Alston, winter. had the first USDA Grade Deedee describes the A Commercial Dairy in little community store as Polk County and one of reminding her of Little the first commercial broiler House on the Prarie by houses. Laura Ingles. “It was just Although Gilbert’s parents had beef and dairy where everybody went to cattle for their own use, he trade, get gasoline, and and Jewell were the first meet up with your neighgeneration to take the bors,” she said. Those memories are Pictured left to right: Drey, Deedee, Luke, and Ryan homestead into the comher inspiration to create Alston with samples of their Summer produce inside mercial market. the market at Holly Springs Homestead. The Alson family started with a berry farm and their own honey. A customer base evolved from there because of the desire for locally grown vegetables and meat. The homestead now serves the campus grill at UofA Rich Mountain and many area families as well as local schools.
the expanded Holly Springs Homestead Market. Page 42
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
an agri-tourism showplace After decades of experience in corporate America, Luke and Deedee returned to their roots where their sons Ryan and Drey could grow up in a community that respects faith, hard work and entrepreneurial spirit. The couple have degrees in agriculture and business administration so they are well prepared to integrate modern technology with proven methods from the past. Oldest son Ryan, is now studying biology in college but still returns home to help his parents each summer. Deedee and Luke have added a commercial kitchen so they now offer breakfast and lunch items for their guests. They are open Tuesday thru Friday, 10am to 5pm. On Saturdays, they open the market 8 til noon.
“We constantly get teased by old timers about opening the farmstand at 10am but we actually harvest fresh vegetables everyday. Our work hours start much earlier,” Deedee explains. Her workday starts around five am and most of her work crew arrive by six. It’s probably one of the reasons the Alston’s were named 2017 Polk County Farm Family of the Year. Everyone has their assigned tasks. Deedee serves in the kitchen, Luke is kept busy keeping up with the grounds or planting while the boys and picking crew are trying to beat the heat of the day. Their seasonal U-Pick berry farm offers strawberries, blackberries, muscadines, raspberries, and blueberries. Each Fall, Holly Springs Homestead produces a corn
maze and the largest pumpkin patch in the county. Mid-summer finds the Alston operation in full throttle as harvest season is at it’s peak while other fields are being planted for fall crops. In addition to the seasonal crops, the family runs a herd of beef cattle and manage eight contract poultry houses for Tyson. Future plans include a 3200sq ft high tunnel to extend their vegetable season. The homestead is run primarily by family but they have one full time employee at the poultry houses and a part time picking crew that comes in each morning. Holly Springs uses IPM (Integrated Pest Management) for crop inputs. Deedee says they would have to triple in size and have a much broader market to
Holly Springs Homestead offers watermelons in red, orange, and yellow meated varieties. Page 43
justify being fully organic. Compliance paperwork required for certification would require an extra full time staff member. The homestead is certified through the Produce Safety Alliance and staff is trained via PSA programs. Using pesticides and herbicides are the last resort but they are used when needed. A good example is the strawberry. Fungicides are crutial to successful strawberry production in Arkansas. “If we didn’t use them, we would not be providing strawberries to very many people,” Deedee explains. “With
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Arkansas being a net importer of strawberries, small operations like ours, fill an important nitch in the fresh market because it is a fruit that does not ship very well over long distances.” The Alstons record every planting date and chemical input in special software so they have a record and can better manage the farm with safety as a priority. Deedee emphasizes the importance of documentation because they eat the same food they serve their customers. “Last year we didn’t have worms in our corn but this year we did because we didn’t want
to spray either year. What we do is very vulnerable to the weather and environment. Although we have some customers who were a bit put off by the corn worms, we have to educate people, with grace of course, that’s the choice we have to make in using inputs,” says Deedee. For customers accustomed to seeing fully developed fresh corn that’s closed all the way to the end of the shuck, they have to understand that crop was very likely sprayed. A grocery store is not going announce this. At a mass retail level, it’s vital
Holly Springs Homestead is located at 217 Polk Road 184. The farmstand is 5 miles down Holly Springs Road off of Highway 71 North of Mena. Page 44
they stock produce without worms because of the length of time between harvest, distribution,retail and finally consumption. Locally grown corn is typically harvested and served within a day or two. Holly Springs hosted their second annual day camp for kids this summer with about 50 children. They learned survival and gardening skills as well as many other useful life lessons. One of the many unique elements of the camp was the inclusion of flag etiquette which was directed by a veteran.
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Deedee said the camp was all about sharing information they want to pass on. “It’s important that the next generation know how to care for themselves in an emergency; why and how to show respect for our American Flag; how to think safety around a farm or equipment. And most of all, how food is grown and prepared safely farm to table,” she explained. The campers also were taught principals of how to safely preserve food, clear an area for a tent, safely gather wood for a fire and were introduced to other personal survival skills. Plans are already underway for next Summer’s camp. The next big homestead event arrives September 22 and runs for at least six weeks. Holly Springs Homestead Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is popular with school field trips, youth groups, families and kids of all ages. Luke admiits the event represents the most fun six weeks of the year for his family and crew because they touch so many
lives from the youngest to the oldest. The kids farm is being renamed to accommodate visitors of all ages. Deedee says there are so many things to do and see. “Among our regular guests is a couple who’s in their 80s. They enjoy walking hand in hand through the corn maze and around the farm. It allows them to reconnect with fond memories related to crops growing and carefree days of their childhood on a farm. There are tree swings, meadows and mountains to enjoy,” she says. Admission to the Fall event is $9 per person (tax included) for full day access. This year, the homestead will also offer home cooked selections from their new commercial kitchen. Occasionally, the homestead may also host local fire departments or charities who hold fundraiser BBQs or other food service during the Fall activities. To inquire about other specifics call 479.437.4069 and tell them you saw this article in Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine.
Rich Mountain Electric Coop is proud to support local agriculture
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Remembering Seth Thompson Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
A native of Waldron, Seth was born in 1914 on the eve of WWI. The son of pioneer parents who ran a local hotel. His father made saddles, and kept the peace in Waldron behind a silver star hand-crafted from a spoon. Upon graduation from Waldron school, Seth attended Ouachita Baptist College and then The University of Missouri School of Journalism where he earned his Master’s Degree in Education. He gained experience as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missiouri. In 1941, the U.S. Department of Agriculture employed Seth in Washington DC as an information officer. After a term in the US Navy, he became director of information for an electrical cooperative association based in Kentucky. He also edited a farmers magazine. Seth joined the US Foreign Service in 1952 and attended Foreign Service School. His first assignments were Pakistan and Jordan as information offi-
cer. He was later assigned to the Department of the Interior in the Marianna Islands until retirement in 1966. Retirement from public service gave Seth greater opportunity to write more human interest material where his wit and humor entertained readers in The
Arkansas Gazette, Arkansas Democrat, Arkansas Times, Ozark Mountaineer, and The Looking Glass. Seth was best known in Western Arkansas for his hometown recollection and interview column he titled, “The Muscadine Vine” The “Vine” won numerous awards from the Arkansas Press Association and appeared in The Waldron News from 1929 until the mid 1990s when his hands could no longer tread upon his Olivetti. In an editorial by Richard S Drake, dated March 1999, respectful tribute is paid to Seth who Drake first met after a stroke had crippled the veteran writer. Drake recalled Seth was then confined to a Fayetteville nursing home where photos lined the walls of his small room reminding visitors of Seith’s well-traveled life experiences. Drake wrote: “On the last day of his life, a friend sat
This Ouachita tribute is brought to you by the caring folks at:
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(479) 394-4477 2608 Hwy 71 South Mena, Arkansas 71953 Page 46
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with him, reading aloud from one of his books. Seth was prepared; he looked forward to seeing his wife, Ada, who had preceded him in death.” Seth lived life to the fullest but never forgot his Ouachita roots which he documented with humorous flair in The Muscadine Vine and his book Supper, Bed and Breakfast... Two Dollars. Seth was compelled to write and loved the feedback he received from friends and community. He loved the fact that with each commendation, he often heard new stories that begged to be put into print. These would become fodder for his long legacy behind the typewriter. That said, he never needed a computer to spellcheck his work. He came from a generation that took full responsibility for every word, and an extensive vocabulary. Not given to rants, he could concisely unravel a despot with Churchillian efficiency. He was also a generous soul and encouraged others to write. Looking Glass editor Michael Cate credits Seth as a personal mentor and inspiration. Thompson and Cate collaborated on dozens of projects for almost 20 years. Cate recalled, “Seth was an expert wordsmith and an inspiration. He loved to weave a story like a tapestry. With a long globe-trotting career in public service, he developed a unique ability to size up personalities and summarize situations. As a writer and humorist, nothing gave him more joy than to know he put a chuckle in someone.”
Peach Pits
Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
Exerpt from a story entitled Two Wars and I by Seth Thompson
At the age of four, I made some notable contributions to the war effort and I took my duties very seriously. In World War One, the Germans were using poison gas on the Allies. I remember grim posters of gas masks and Uncle Sam pointing his finger with the words, “I WANT YOU.” I, along with other patriotic kids in town collected peach pits, which the government said were used to make filters for gas masks. I would take my little bucket and gather peach pits at our house on Featherston Street and at the hotel. In a week, I had gathered every peach seed both locations . I don’t know what Waldron’s total contribution to the war was, but because our family had more peach trees than anyone, I was inclined to brag about it. The war kept me pretty busy and when the last peach seed was picked up, all I could do was wait for next summer. There were many liberty-bond rallies, at which oratory was used to fire up the populace. I became a regular fixture at these rallies dressed in my sailor suit. I was also one of many children encouraged to give speeches. Page 47
One of mine went like this:
Kaiser Bill went up the hill To take a crack at France; Kaiser Bill came down the hill With bullets in his pants.
I felt the need to report my activities to some high authority and had over-heard the name of Governor Charles Hillman Brough many times at the hotel. One day I got the notion I should call him and report on how things were going war-wise in Waldron. My step-aunt, Esther Blakeney was night telephone operator and roomed at our hotel. I was so insistent about calling Governor Brough that mother, whose sense of humor afforded much joyance framed up a deal with Aunt Esther. Unknown to me, the two women had recruited some man to play the governor from the operator’s booth. After several conversations, it struck me that my patriotic friends and I had collected every single peach pit in town. “Governor Brough,” I shouted in great agitation, “There aren’t any more peach seeds left around here! We’ve sent them all in. But we’ll have more peach seeds next summer...” But, alas, the war was over before the next peach crop. The boys were back home victorious, and Kaiser Bill had come down the hill with bullets (peach seeds?) in his pants.
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Looking Glass Ouachita Magazine - July 2018
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