Retail Farming

Leader Farm Credit

Retail Farming

volume 17 | issue 3 | $3.95

Financing Rural America for More Than 95 Years

in this issue

Leader

farm | land

4 Rocky Point Creamery

volume 17 | issue 3

is a Sweet Business in Tuscarora, Maryland

6 Little Wagon Produce

MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACA J. Robert Frazee, CEO

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on Route 404 in Delaware is a Popular Stop for both Locals and Tourists

Fred N. West Chairman M. Wayne Lambertson Vice Chairman

8 Maximuck’s Farm Market in Doylestown, Pennsylvania Grows Seasonal Produce

10 Mackintosh Fruit Farm Offers Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Berryville, Virginia

MidAtlantic Farm Credit Board of Directors

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community

12 Properties for sale

Paul D. Baumgardner Deborah A. Benner Brian L. Boyd Gary L. Grossnickle Dale R. Hershey Walter C. Hopkins T. Jeffery Jennings Christopher Kurtzman Fred R. Moore, Jr. Dale J. Ockels Jennifer L. Rhodes Ralph L. Robertson, Jr. Paul J. Rock Lingan T. Spicer Christopher R. Stiles

Questions or Ideas

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If you have any questions or ideas for the editorial staff of the Leader, contact Donna Dawson at 800.333.7950, e-mail her at ddawson@mafc.com or write her at MidAtlantic Farm Credit, 680 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville, PA 17566. This publication is for you, our reader. We’d love to hear from you!

The Leader is published quarterly for stockholders, friends and business associates.

If you wish to no longer receive this publication, please email: unsubscribe@mafc.com and by putting “Unsubscribe Leader” in the subject.

10 facebook.com/midatlanticfarmcredit

twitter.com/midatfarmcredit

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midatlanticfarmcredit.blogspot.com

The Farm Credit Administration does not require the association to distribute its quarterly financial reports to shareholders. However, copies of its complete report are available upon request or see quarterly updates online at mafc.com. The shareholders’ investment in the association is materially affected by the financial condition and results of operations of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank and copies of its quarterly financial report are available upon request by writing: Susanne Caughman, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank P.O. Box 1499, Columbia, SC 29202-1499 Address changes, questions or requests for the association’s quarterly financial report should be directed to: MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACA by calling 800.333.7950 or writing: MidAtlantic Farm Credit 45 Aileron Court, Westminster MD 21157

events | deadlines

message from the president What’s Coming Soon to a Farm Near You?

PEOPLE!!

A couple of months ago, I heard an economist talking about “retail agriculture.”

I remember looking at the person sitting next to me? Retail ag? What exactly did that mean?

Since that meeting, I’ve heard the phrase again and again. It’s entering the mainstream culture—I heard a newscaster use it the other night.

Retail agriculture simply means an ag venture that sells its goods directly to a consumer. It can be as small as a wagon at the end of a country lane or as large as a Sunday farmer’s market in an urban area. It can be flowers, herbs, produce,

SEPT event

protein, fruit, fiber—anything that people eat or wear or enjoy. It’s a phrase that

11-15 Denver Fair

refers to a distribution channel, instead of a specific product.

In this month’s issue of the Leader we decided to focus on retail agriculture.

Like Little Wagon produce, which started—quite literally—with a little wagon at the end of a driveway in Greenwood, Delaware. Today, they grow a variety of produce designed to please their beach-bound visitors—okra, peppers, and summer vegetables. Mackintosh Fruit Farm in Berryville, Virginia started in a tent, but quickly grew to an on-farm market, complete with wooded trails, baked goods, cooking classes and a monthly dinner for 50. You never know how these ventures will start: the Maximuck family in Pennsylvania started with homemade

place Denver PA

14-22 Great Frederick Fair

Frederick MD

15 Deadline: apple & peach premiums due

16-22 Gratz Fair

Gratz PA

19-21 Solanco Fair

Quarryville PA

20-22 Oley Valley Community Fair 26 Delmarva Poultry Conference

Oley PA

Ocean City MD

30 Deadline: sales closing for wheat & barley

birdseed! Of course we couldn’t wrap up summer without ice cream—like the delicious ice cream made at Rocky Point Dairy in Tuscarora, Maryland. They

OCT event

recently dished up 3000 scoops in a week!

I hope you’ll enjoy reading these stories as much as I did. Retail agriculture isn’t right for everyone—it definitely depends on your location, your ability to find employees, and an analysis of how it would fit into the rest of our operation—but

1 Deadline: spring crop premiums due

6 Frederick County Farm Bureau presents: Main Street Agriculture Winchester VA

the people who do it have a great opportunity to tell agriculture’s story to the

6-7 Apple Harvest Festival

general public. And I’m grateful to them for doing that!!

18-21 Mountain State Apple Festival

On a sadder note, I don’t have to tell any of you that this summer was a scorcher—hundreds of heat records were broken across the country, and our friends in the Midwest have seen the worst drought in decades. We all know that

place

Winchester VA Martinsburg WV

20 Autumnfest

27 MARC Family Farm Day Cockeysville MD

Woodstock VA

this year’s harvest (or lack of one) will affect our input costs. If you are worried and ask how we can help you. We’re here for you—don’t wait to let us know that you’re worried.

Finally, we know that there’s nothing we can do about the weather (except

NOV event

place

9-10 Farming at Metro’s Edge 15 Lancaster Chamber Ag Banquet

Rockville MD

Willow Street PA

maybe worry), but we can help you prepare for it! Earlier this year, we expanded our

crop insurance products to cover our entire territory. If you’d like to talk to one of

15-17 Grand National Waterfowl Assn. Hunt Week Cambridge MD

our agents, please call us at 888.339.3334 (and check out the ad on the back of this issue). Deadlines are coming up—you can see them in the calendar at the right.

I hope that you enjoy this issue. Thank you for reading!

15 Deadline: fall acreage & production

20 Deadline: sales closing for apples & peaches 22-23 Thanksgiving Holiday MAFC offices closed

­ a complete list of fairs and events, For visit our website at mafc.com

volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

about how the weather will affect your cash flow, please call your loan officer

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Favorites among the flavors the Frys make include espresso crunch, mint chocolate chip, and cookie dough.

Their unique Grape Nuts flavor includes a sprinkling of the cereal in vanilla ice cream and it is quite popular as well.

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Chuck and his son Rick milk 200 cows who produce the key ingredient used to make the Rocky Point Creamery’s frozen treats.

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The Fry Family

discovering the sweet side of the dairy business story and photos by SUSAN WALKER

The dairy business is a tough one these days and many dairy farmers are looking for ways to keep their operations viable. Chuck and Paula Fry, owners of Rocky Point Dairy in Tuscarora, Maryland, not only milk 200 cows, most of them Holsteins, they also farm 1,500 acres of corn, soybeans, and cover crops. From 1996 to 2009, they raised turkeys to supplement the farm’s income, but when they decided to leave the turkey business, they began to look for a new enterprise to replace it.

“My family has been farming for as long as anyone can remember,” explains Chuck. “One of our ancestors travelled from his farm in Virginia to Point of Rocks by horse looking for a new farm and came upon the sale of this property, which was already in progress.

He bought the farm, which was then called Hobson’s Choice, in 1883 and over the years raised crops, sheep, horses, and beef cows. My parents started dairy farming in 1952 with 10 cows and I grew up living and working on the farm. The dairy business has changed a great deal since those days, with price volatility, strict environmental regulations, and other issues that make it more difficult to make a living as a dairy farmer.

That’s why we were looking for a business that would supplement the income from our dairy operation.”

While considering their options, Chuck and Paula attended a Farm Bureau convention. The president of Connecticut’s Farm Bureau suggested opening an ice cream parlor as a new revenue source for dairy

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farms. Chuck and Paula were intrigued, and did further research on the costs, potential revenue, and nuts and bolts of making and selling ice cream. Next, they went to a three-day conference hosted by the National Ice Cream Retailers Association in Nashville. After meeting and talking with a number of ice cream producers and retailers and attending conference sessions, Chuck came to a decision.

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The creamery is truly a family affair. Gail’s older kids lend a hand with the ice cream making, crushing cookies and other ingredients.

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“We designed our creamery to look like a red barn, the kind a child might draw, so when you see it, you associate the ice cream with the farm needed to make it,” says Chuck.

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The Fry’s creamery also offers delicious milkshakes, soft ice cream, custom ice cream cakes, and ice cream sandwiches.

After the conference, the Frys also visited Ken Smith’s Moo Thru in Virginia, an ice cream shop that features ice cream made with milk from the Smith’s nearby dairy farm. They also met with the owner of Advanced Gourmet, an ice cream equipment and store design/build firm in Greensboro, North Carolina. There they sampled ice cream from recipes created by the firm’s staff chef. “It was without a doubt the best ice cream I had ever tasted,” says Chuck. “I woke up in the middle of the night thinking, ‘I have to get more of that ice cream!’ That was the defining moment when I thought, ‘We can do this!’”

Check out Rocky Point Creamery on Facebook.

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After deciding that an on-farm creamery and ice cream shop made good financial sense and was a business they would enjoy being in, the Frys moved quickly, with a soft opening of their Rocky Point Creamy in November 2011, just about a year after they decided to build an ice cream business. They built the facility on their farm, purchased equipment, got the required permits, learned the ins and outs of making ice cream and hired 18 staff members. Even before their official grand opening in March 2012, Rocky Point Creamery was quickly becoming a favorite destination for their neighbors. They started off slowly but recently dipped 3,000 scoops in a single week.

The creamery includes the ice cream making facility and freezers, ice cream parlor, a separate party room available for rent, a long porch where customers can sit in the shade and enjoy their cones or cups, and a drive-through window so people can grab an ice cream cone, a pint of their favorite flavor, a gallon of milk or some eggs in a hurry.

Rocky Point Creamery is a family business. Chuck, Paula, and their son Rick, who also works on the dairy farm, co-own the business. Daughter Gail Lockhard helps to manage the shop and, with her mother, makes the up to 60 pans a day of ice cream they produce. “We make ice cream twice a week and usually offer about 20 different flavors. In all, we make 40 flavors and will be adding more,” adds Paula. “We also make soft-serve ice cream and use our ice cream to make everything from milkshakes to ice cream cakes and pies.”

Rocky Point Creamery’s ice cream is richer than what you’ll find in the grocery store because it contains 14 percent butterfat compared to the usual 10 percent. It’s also much fresher since it’s made on premises weekly.

a delicious way to highlight the importance of local agriculture While creating a new source of income is one reason Chuck and Paula Fry opened their creamery, there is another equally important reason for this new venture. “We are in business to sell agriculture,” Chuck says. “People are so removed from the source of their food. We want to educate them about the importance of agriculture and where their food comes from. This is a chance for them to learn what dairy farming is about and experience first-hand the advantages of buying local.”

Rocky Point Creamery is also highlighting the importance and contributions of dairy farmers and helping Marylanders learn more about dairy farming by being part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s new Ice Cream Trail. Rocky Point was the first creamery Agriculture Secretary Buddy Hance visited when kicking off the trail in June. Six Maryland creameries make up the trail. You can get a passport and if you get stamps from visiting all six, you will be entered in a drawing to win a $50 certificate for ice cream from your favorite creamery.

“The Frys have worked with MidAtlantic Farm Credit for years,” says loan officer Mary Jane Roop, who is also a longtime family friend. “Chuck’s ability to think outside the box, like opening this creamery, is one of the things that makes their dairy operation successful.”

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volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

from idea to opening in a year

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Colorful produce is a big draw for customers who stop at the Little Wagon Produce stand. Local high school girls are hired to hoe and pick the vegetables and stake the tomatoes.

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Little Wagon Produce:

Serving locals and beach-bound tourists for two decades story and photos by NANCY SMITH

Some 20 years ago, when the Vanderwende family of Greenwood, Delaware had 4-H produce they could not eat, they put it on a table at the end of the lane with a Mason jar for payment on the honor system. Today, the Vanderwendes still sell produce by the side of the road.

The operation has grown. In peak season, Little Wagon Produce can sell 2,000 ears of sweet corn a day to locals and vacationers travelling on Delaware’s Route 404.

Dan and Becky Vanderwende did not plan to become a landmark on the road to the beach. “It was leftover 4-H produce,” Dan explains. “We saw it was a profit maker and my son and daughters liked it, so we kept doing it.”

Dan started life on his father’s neighboring farm.

“Farming was in my blood. Originally I raised dairy cattle and hogs, but the kids were more interested in horticulture.”

After the first year, the Vanderwendes traded the table for a wagon that became a landmark. Naming the sales operation was simple, says Becky, because customers referred to the stand as the “little wagon.”

keys to success In the crowded farm marketplace Route 404 has become, Little Wagon Produce is a success. “We grow all the summer vegetables, eggplant, squash, peppers, corn, just about everything. We are the only ones that grow okra,”

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Becky explains. “It’s not a big seller, but it sets us apart.

People who want it know where to come.”

Cara Sylvester, loan officer in MAFC’s Denton, Maryland office, who has worked with the Vanderwendes for four years, says, “I work with several operations like this. Like the okra, you have to have something special to make people want to come to your stand.”

“In the 4-H garden, we tried new vegetables every year. We try to do that here, too,” Becky says. “We grew habanero peppers, but they were too hot for most people.

Now we grow cayennes, hot bananas and jalapenos.”

You will not find U-pick, corn mazes or a petting zoo at Little Wagon. “We did pick-your-own pumpkins one year,” says Becky, “And only about three people went into the field. Our customers only want to get to the beach. It’s the same coming back. They just want to get across the (Chesapeake Bay) bridge. You have got to know your customer.”

Becky and Dan Vanderwende credit 4-H training in public speaking, record keeping and citizenship for their ability to run a successful business.

In addition to produce and flowers, Dan grows field corn, soybeans, lima beans, barley and wheat on 600 acres.

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Breck Vanderwende is responsible for starting all the vegetable plants used in the operation as well as for thousands of flowers sold each year. He works primarily in two heated greenhouses financed by MAFC.

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Becky is joined in one of the colorful greenhouses

by Cara Sylvester, MAFC loan officer (in red) and daughter Amber. Becky recalls both her grandfathers sold produce, but she had no idea she would follow in their footsteps.

But Becky looks for ways to teach customers about agriculture. “One year,

For more information visit Little Wagon Produce online at littlewagonproduce.com.

balsamic vinegar and then grill it. I even have people tell me they grill our peaches.

They say it makes them sweeter.”

Three of the four grown Vanderwende children are involved in the market. Christy manages the website and answers the mail, Amber handles many tasks on the farm and at the stand, and Breck, who has a horticulture degree from Pennsylvania’s Delaware Valley College, grows all the vegetable plants and flowers.

Breck’s work is centered on two 100-foot heated greenhouses. Becky explains that production is done on a rolling basis. “We start plugs in March, then again in April and more in June,” she said. It takes Breck more than two hours to water the plants in each greenhouse.

That is only the beginning of the labor-intensive work. Of the 28 acres of sweet corn, one-and-a- quarter to one-anda-half acres are planted every five days to assure production through mid-October. It is picked by hand at five in the morning every day. String beans are so popular the family has trouble harvesting enough to meet demand.

In addition to Little Wagon, the Vanderwendes sell their produce and flowers in three farmer’s markets. Although it takes time away from the farm, Becky said having a presence at farmer’s markets in Milford, Seaford and Georgetown, Delaware is beneficial. “Sometimes I can sell as much at a market as at the stand. It’s like having another stand. And it’s good advertising,” she says.

Becky knows why Little Wagon is a success. “Good customer service matters. We hire local high school girls to work the stand. They talk with the customers. They carry purchases to buyer’s cars. They assist customers in every way,” she says.

Becky listens, too. “I hear wonderful recipes from customers. One man told me he soaks our sweet corn in water for a half hour before putting it on the grill so it doesn’t burn.

Someone told me they slice eggplant and marinate it in

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a little help from Martha Stewart The Vanderwendes have benefitted from popular television shows. “Martha Stewart has been one of the biggest aids to selling fall squash. She put candles in squash then everybody wanted to do it. We had white pumpkins for several years, but when Martha Stewart used them, everybody wanted them,” Dan says. Becky adds, “We have seen an increase in demand for fresh herbs in the last two to three years because of cooking shows.”

Dan says, “We want to sell the best produce available. I am not hung up on it all being from our farm.” Melons and cantaloupes are purchased wholesale. Becky explains, “We buy from a farmer who has a chlorinated wash for the ‘loupes.

It’s safer for the customers.”

The operation has grown from the original wagon. There is a building used as a work and storage area and walk-in coolers to maintain freshness of vegetables and flowers in addition to the greenhouses and wagons.

Every year the stand is improved. “This year, we extended the awning all the way along the front of the building to create more sales area,” Becky says.

Other changes are occurring, too. “We are seeing more credit and debit cards being used. We are getting into EBT and SNAP at the Seaford farmer’s market,” she adds, referring to the renamed Food Stamp Program.

“We always try new things,” says Becky, “If you don’t go forward, you are going to go backward.”

n volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

a family effort

To take advantage of all this culinary creativity, Becky plans to invite customers to contribute recipes for a Little Wagon cookbook.

“We had no idea 2 we would grow this big,” says Becky. “We started small and grew slowly.” Dan adds, “We had no special training. It has been a learning experience as we were growing into it.”

farm | land

we had soybeans near the road. People asked what they were and guessed watermelon, potatoes, just about everything. So I had a plant dug and put in a pot so people could see it and we could explain how they grow,” she says.

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As Matt and Cheryl Maximuck continued the family’s legacy of farming, scarcity of land forced them to take the farm in a different direction. Today, fresh produce such as these heirloom tomatoes are among the most popular produce items at Maximuck’s Farm Market.

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Good Eats! locally -grown seasonal produce story and photos by SALLY SCHOLLE

Customers who shop at farm markets do so for many reasons, but topping the list is the ability to purchase fresh, locally-grown seasonal produce. Many consumers also appreciate an opportunity to meet the farmer who grew the food, and there’s a good chance they can do just that at Maximuck’s Farm Market.

Although customers come to the market to purchase farm-fresh produce, hanging baskets and a variety of other local products, second generation Doylestown, Pennsylvania farmer Matt Maximuck probably didn’t realize it would be the birdseed mix he created 30 years ago that would give new direction to a family legacy of farming.

Matt came up with the idea of blending his own mix of birdseed, but he wasn’t sure it was a viable idea. After his wife Cheryl encouraged him to pursue the project, they created seven different mixes and put them in different feeders in their yard for birds to try. When the birds showed a preference for a particular mix, Matt and Cheryl moved that mix to a different feeder to make sure the birds were selecting the mix they preferred and not simply the location of the feeder. “We found one that the birds always ate the quickest, no matter which feeder it was in,” said Matt.

“That’s the mix we stayed with.” Matt sold the mix from the farm through the honor system, and eventually created an exclusive label for his birdseed.

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Visit Maximuck’s Farm Market online at maximucks.com.

the early years But the family farm isn’t all about birdseed. At one time, the Maximuck family grew crops on nearly 2,000 acres in Bucks County. Today, much of that acreage is no longer farmland.

“My Dad was always ahead,” said Matt, recalling Walt Maximuck’s desire to try new farming methods. “He was no-tilling before anyone else was. People said we were crazy, but we stuck with it. Then everyone started to realize that the crops were good and there was no erosion.”

But despite the family’s desire to continue farming, they kept losing rented acreage. “We were losing ground to development - it was down to 500 to 600 acres,” said Matt. “We put the farm store up in 1999, which is the year my Dad retired. That same year, we had a drought and also lost a lot more rented land.”

Rather than viewing the burgeoning population growth throughout the area as a negative, the family decided to concentrate on using the resources available on their 100-acre farm to produce food. Although the family has grown the business considerably, they’ve done so with smart, conservation-minded measures that will ensure the land and other resources are available in the future.

Cheryl (left) and Farm Credit loan officer Amanda Ramer work together to ensure the farm operation can continue to grow as the Maximucks adopt the most current farming and marketing methods. Electricity for the Maximuck’s modern farm market and greenhouses comes from solar panels erected two years ago.

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Matt credits his son Matt Jr. for creating hanging baskets and planters that have plenty of visual appeal. Maximuck’s Farm Market draws customers who appreciate seasonal offerings as well as year-round favorites.

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In one of several greenhouses, young lettuce plugs are started continuously to ensure a steady supply for both farm market customers and chefs who appreciate the clean, full heads that are ready to use.

“Over half of our tomatoes are heirlooms,” said Matt. “But we had a hard time selling them at first. We were about ready to stop growing them, but now everybody wants them. We have a lot of good distributors and restaurants who want them.”

Cheryl noted that they’ve found that people are often hesitant to try something new, but once they try it, they tend to purchase.

“We’ve gotten into a lot of restaurants with the hydroponic lettuce,” said Matt, “and in turn, that has opened a lot opportunities to sell other produce.”

Hydroponic tomatoes are grown year-round in greenhouses designed to hold between 900 and 2,000 tomato plants. Matt and his son Matt Jr. spend a lot of time training the hydroponic tomatoes to optimize the use of space and to get the best possible yields. The tomatoes, all indeterminate varieties, are trained on a string, then vines are lowered and guided to

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Between crops, greenhouses are thoroughly emptied and cleaned. “Everything comes out,” said Matt. “We remove all the spent plants, take them outside and burn them so we don’t have to worry about disease and insects. Then we wash everything down, sterilize and fumigate the building before we start with a new crop.”

Hydroponic lettuce is another major crop for the Maximucks.

Chefs prefer romaine and butterhead lettuce, and appreciate having fresh, locally grown produce that is clean and free of debris when it arrives. Cheryl explained that they work with several distributors who place orders for produce that ends up in the hands of chefs in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York, as well as some local restaurants.

what else is new To help save costs in the growing operation, which requires considerable electricity to power grow lights, pumps and fans, the Maximucks recently invested in solar panels.

“We put the first batch of solar panels in two years ago,” said Matt, adding that he doesn’t anticipate the price of electricity ever going down. “This year, we added another 50,000 watts so we’re running close to 200,000 watts from solar panels to provide energy for the farm. The grow lights in the new tomato greenhouse require 80-1,000 watt bulbs, the coolers use a lot of electricity and the store is air-conditioned.” The Maximucks used both federal and state grant funding to help defray the cost of the solar installation.

Although tomatoes and lettuce are their main crops, the Maximucks also grow peppers, cantaloupes, watermelons, zucchini, and many varieties of pumpkins on the farm. Plastic film and drip irrigation help preserve water and keep rows weed-free.

After experimenting with several varieties of sweet corn, the Maximucks have settled on a few that are reliably sweet and tender. To ensure a steady supply throughout the season, Matt plants corn every four days. Corn is hand-picked and immediately chilled to retain flavor. Matt says he’s picky about the corn sold in the market. “It has to be just right,” he said. “If it’s too old, we won’t sell it. I want you to come here every day and get the same kind of sweet corn.”

To keep customers coming year-round, the Maximucks offer seasonal items including cornstalks, locally-grown apples, mums, cider, Christmas trees and related holiday items.

“We’ve gotten good at growing tomatoes,” said Matt as he picked a sucker from a young tomato plant. “But there’s always something new to learn. You can’t just stay still.” n

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volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

About six years after building the farm market, the Maximucks constructed their first greenhouse, and have added one each year since. Two of the greenhouses are used for starting bedding plants, one is devoted to hydroponic lettuce, another is for hydroponic tomatoes, and one houses conventionally grown tomatoes. Hydroponic growing makes sense—the method makes the best use of limited land, and allows year-round production of tomatoes and lettuce.

allow them to grow vertically and produce more fruits. Plants are potted in perlite, and a balanced nutrient mix is pumped to each plant through a computerized system.

farm | land

new venture

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A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are available throughout the growing season at Mackintosh Fruit Farm either as preharvested or pick-yourown. The Mackintoshes value the experience families gain from picking their own fruit and vegetables.

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Unique wood carvings accompany the 25 acres of wooded walking trails at Mackintosh Fruit Farm. These carvings give walkers something to look forward to as they stroll through the woods.

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Mackintosh Fruit Farm: paradise for fresh fruit and vegetable lovers! story and photos by JENNIFER SHOWALTER

Not everyone has a green thumb for growing fruits and vegetables, nor do many people have the time or place to do so. With this in mind, Bill and Lori Mackintosh, owners of Mackintosh Fruit Farm in Berryville, Virginia, have turned their love for growing things into a successful business. By providing a wide variety of produce at their local farmers market and opening their farm to customers to either pick their own fruits and vegetables or purchase pre-harvested fresh produce, Bill and Lori are able to satisfy the craving that many have for fresh, locally grown produce.

While growing up, Bill never envisioned his family’s farm turning into what it is today. His father purchased the land in the 1940’s after visiting from Scotland and then coming back, joining the military, and gaining his citizenship. Over the years Bill’s parents raised cows and horses. Bill was involved with the horses and was active in 4-H. He worked on several cattle farms over the summer months and got his first job driving a spreader truck for Valley Fertilizer while he was attending college. Following college, Bill went on to serve as a consultant for Green Chemical for five years before becoming a consultant for what is now known as Crop Production Services (CPS).

practicing what he preaches

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Finding his career as a fruit and vegetable grower consultant, Bill had an itch to do it himself. “I figured, if I was going to help fruit growers improve fruit quality and per acre returns, it was only fair that I do it myself,” says Bill. At that time the processing market was doing well, and Bill gave it a go by planting a

variety of processing apple trees around 1987. By 1995, the market had turned downward and Bill and his wife, Lori, pushed out all of their processing trees and planted a variety of fresh market apple trees.

Even after switching over to fresh market apple production, Bill and Lori were not satisfied with their business. They then began to expand into a variety of other fruits and vegetables and are currently growing on 40 acres of owned and 10 acres of rented land. From strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, sweet cherries, apples, peaches, paw paws, apricots, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, lettuce, broccoli, melons, pumpkins and just about any other fruit or vegetable that can make a go in the area, Mackintosh Fruit Farm now has a little something to satisfy everyone’s taste buds.

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At the 2012 Forum for Rural Innovation, the Mackintosh family received an award in recognition of their success at reaching out and finding a way of being successful in today’s agricultural industry.

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Bill’s off the farm consulting jobs keep him up to speed on the latest in the fruit and vegetable industries. His wealth of knowledge and willingness to come back home and give new varieties and techniques a try is what makes Bill a great consultant and has allowed Mackintosh Fruit Farm to grow into what it is today.

team effort contributes to success

In addition to selling at the Berryville Farmer’s Market each Saturday, Bill and Lori had a tent they sold out of at their farm.

Quickly outgrowing the tent, they decided to build an on-farm market. “We had more people coming out than we had produce and things to sell them, so I told Lori we needed to get to know Ryan Clouse with Farm Credit and borrow some money and start expanding to keep up with this demand. So that’s what we did.”

The market was built about five years ago and has taken the Mackintoshes to the next level. Lori manages the market and also operates a hair salon on the farm. The market opens each spring with strawberry season and closes each fall following pumpkin picking and corn maze time. In addition to fresh produce, the market offers fresh baked goods made from produce that is in season and has a restaurant that is open daily. Seasonal homemade ice cream, honey from bee hives on the farm, jams and jellies, cider, along with pies and pastries are just a few of the items that draw crowds to the farm throughout the growing season.

Bill and Lori’s 18 year old son, Taylor, helps on the farm when he can, but he just graduated high school and will be working at the Alson H. Smith Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Stephens City, Virginia this summer before starting college in the fall. Their daughter, Madison, is 15 years old and is mainly interested in the marketing part of the business. The Mackintoshes also have a chef and two to three employees in the market during the week and four or five on the weekend. As far as in the field, they average four employees and hope to hire a nursery manager in the near future. Still serving as a consultant for CPS and doing some private work keeps Bill away from home several days of the week, so he has learned to rely on others to help him keep Mackintosh Fruit Farm moving in the right direction.

In addition to their daily hours, the Mackintoshes offer occasional cooking classes and welcome up to 50 people to their market the second Saturday of each month from June through October for a sit-down locally grown meal. While there, the guests are treated to music from local talents. Special seasonal festivals are also planned throughout the growing season to encourage people to come out to the farm. While at the farm, guests have the opportunity to purchase pre-harvested fresh produce or they can pick their own. They also can shop in the market, enjoy the featured entertainment, and walk through 25 acres of wood trails that are on the farm and are decorated with wood carvings.

To go along with all the fresh fruit and vegetables the Mackintoshes produce, they also grow around 30,000 nursery trees on 18 acres of rented land and plan to expand to meet an increase in demand. With 10,000 trees per acre, Bill likes to rotate around the land to keep from planting in the same area within a five year period. Disease resistant apple root stock is their biggest seller but they continue to grow a wide variety. With different varieties of apples, cherries, peaches, persimmons, apricots, plums, and pluots in the ground, the Mackintoshes are still always up for trying new types and varieties of trees. The bulk of the trees they grow are sold to commercial growers, but the Mackintoshes do sell to a few homeowners.

farm | land

keeping up with demand

Having a love for what one does seems to always result in a better outcome and the Mackintosh family truly is living proof of that. “We enjoy growing fruits and vegetables and seeing the joy that it brings to our customers. If we can maintain a profitable business while doing something as rewarding as providing products that improve people’s health, what could be better,” says Bill. n

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4 For more information on Mackintosh Fruit Farm, visit mackintoshfruitfarm.com.

With both their fresh market produce and their nursery stock, Bill and Lori strive to use very few herbicides and pesticides. When needed, they only use products that are safe for both humans and the environment. “We are all about safety. We are raising a family in the middle of our orchard, so we may be a bit more aware of pesticide safety than some. We thought about only using organic pesticides, but found that many of these materials do no break down as quickly as we would like and many of them are harmful to the beneficial insects that help keep a natural healthy balance to farm pests. Working closely with our land grant colleges, we have been able to keep up with some of the new safe pesticides that are derived from a fermentation process and are safe not only for humans, but the environment as well,” explains Bill.

volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

food safety is key

11

Properties for

sale

St. Michaels, Maryland

Greensboro, Maryland

Newcomb, Maryland

Geothermal green home in the water oriented community of Back Creek Landing. Spacious home has gourmet kitchen with granite counters, breakfast area, separate dining room, vaulted ceiling great room with fireplace, parlor and first floor master suite, second floor bonus room. $539,000.

Waterfront hideaway on 2+ acres with contemporary home, 3+/- ft. MLW, in-ground pool, decks and more. Master suite offers water views; a wrap-around deck has a built in hot tub and leads to a large patio, pool and fenced yard.

Privacy and seclusion. $425,000.

Farmhouse with recent renovations including new cabinetry, slate floor and more. Stroll to Oak Creek Waterfront Park or launch your boat for a day on the Miles River. Home features original hardwood flooring, kitchen/dining area, brick hearth fireplace, screened porch, multiple decks. $259,000.

Contact William “Skipper� Marquess, Exit Latham Realty, 410.924.3212.

Contact Glory Bee Costa, Exit Latham Realty, 410.310.9081.

Contact Renee Rishel, Exit Latham Realty, 410.310.7024.

Stevensville, Maryland

Eastern Shore living at its best.

Remodeled home located in a water oriented community overlooking the Chesapeake Bay with sandy beaches, boat ramp and pier. Great corner lot with mature landscaping and easy commute to Balt/Wash metro area.

4 bedrooms, master suite and more. $225,000.

Contact Veronica Lawson, Exit Latham Realty, 410.708.6332.

Woodsboro, Maryland

Westminster, Maryland

Farmette on 19.2 +/- acres. Well maintained farmhouse with hardwood floors and 5 bedrooms. All outbuildings are in excellent condition. Situated on two parcels with intact subdivision rights. $385,000.

Contemporary and breathtaking 33 acre farm. Cape Cod with 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Indoor arena, 17 oversized stalls and a four season room. $995,000.

Contact Tom Rozynek, Frederick Land Company, 301.662.9222.

Contact Kevin Utz, UTZ Real Estate.

410.848.6999, Ext. 802.

Thurmont, Maryland

Henderson, Maryland

Hampstead, Maryland 71 acre Carroll County farm.

Long frontage on 2 county roads. Rolling to level productive farmland in high state of cultivation. Farmhouse and bank barn. 7 lot subdivision potential. Create your own private estate or horse and cattle show place. Include spring and small stream. $1,100,000.

Opportunity to purchase 207.87 acre farm in AG zoned land. Views of Catoctin Mountains. 120 tillable acres and 1 pond.

Includes many buildings, a macadam driveway, and in-ground pool. A finished pool house and a separate office building with a living space. $1,399,995.

30 acre horse farm with fenced pastures, barn and riding trails. Home has 3 bedrooms, spacious kitchen with center island and stainless steel appliances, separate dining room with fireplace, living room and second floor family room. $525,000.

Contact Larry E. Haines, Haines Realty, 410.876.1616 or 443.536.6192.

Contact Paul Offutt, Hutzell and Sheets Realty Associates, 301.662.6111.

Contact Becky Trice, Exit Latham Realty, 410.463.0500.

Galena, Maryland 25 acre point on the Sassafras River privately located near Galena with easy access to Rt. 301. Log home near water/pier, fenced pasture, barn/shed, well landscaped yard. $1,000,000.

Contact David Leager, River Realty, Ltd., 410.778.0238 or 410.708.0891 or visit: homesdatabase.com/KE848521.

12

Rising Sun, Maryland

103 acre waterfront farm, Dorchester County on Choptank River. Century Farm, 3,500 ft. of protected shoreline at Todd’s Point. Excellent farmland, mature woods. No easements or restrictions.

Perc approved for waterfront lot. Agent related to seller. Listed at appraised value. $1,250,000.

96x40 pole building with concrete floor, 2 small barns, farmhouse with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, wood burning fireplace, all on 11.29 acres. Located close to the PA line. First floor bath recently renovated. Great for horses. $299,999.

Contact Carlton Nabb, Nabb Real Estate, Inc., 410.228,2014 or 410.463.0563.

Contact Melinda Wimer, Harlan C. Williams Co., Realtors, 401.391.8645.

Ridgely, Maryland

Renovated 17+ acre estate ideal for grape growing, farming and equestrian living.

5 stall barn with wash stall and tack room, 6 acres of pasture, 3 large turnout paddocks and 10 tillable acres. Situated close to the Bay Bridge, Centreville and an hour to the beach. $899,000.

Contact Dana Eggert, Benson & Mangold, 410.725.4398.

Emmitsburg, Maryland

Freeland, Maryland

54+ private and peaceful acres tucked into a beautiful country setting. Main house built with early 1900s era craftsmanship.

7 fireplaces, wood shake roof, guest house, in-ground pool, 2 ponds, bank barn, 60x150 indoor arena and 20+ stalls. $1,290,000.

community

Cambridge, Maryland

Contact Drew Burgess, Riley & Associates Realtors, 443.465.8992.

Earleville, Maryland

Queenstown, Maryland

One of the last gentlemen’s estates on the Eastern Shore offering the buyer privacy, historic charm and recreational opportunity afforded by the Chesapeake Bay. Includes woods, fields, and 4,000 ft. of shoreline. 186 acres. $6,250,000.

27 acres for privacy and outdoor recreation. Features: standing seam, high tech composites, cypress floors, stone counters and cherry cabinets. Numerous energy efficient features make this a dream to live in. Full basement and bonus room add 2,000 sq. ft. of living area. $1,375,000.

Contact Chata Smith, Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate Co., LLC, 410.822.9000.

Contact Kevin Waterman, Coldwell Banker Waterman Realty, 410.490.3176.

New Market, Maryland

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OPPORTUNIT

Easton, Maryland EQUAL HOUSING

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®

Contact Cindy Grimes, J & B Real Estate, Inc., 301.271.3487, Ext. 24.

Contact Scott Gove, Frederick Land Company, 301.662.9222.

Contact Greg Gannon, Exit Latham Realty, 410.829.5430.

Mt. Airy, Maryland 5+ acres of beautiful land, suited for horses. 24x30 Morton building, pool/deck, stunning kitchen dining area, spacious master bedroom with walk-in closet, master bath.

Contact Chris Cull, Coldwell Banker, 443.744.2623.

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volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

Affordable farmette has brick Colonial with 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, hardwoods, sunny kitchen and dining room with French doors to deck. Updated windows, new metal roof and 2 car garage. Also includes front porch with views, large machine shop, 4 stall horse barn, 2 fenced pastures on over 5.5 acres.

Beautiful lot in a quiet pastoral setting off the road with views of surrounding farmland. Perc approved and well has been installed. $195,000.

Surrounded by farmland and woods, this 8 acre lot awaits your dream home. Property offers quick access to Rt. 50, Rt. 404, and is adjacent to the Hog Neck Golf Course. $399,000.

REALTOR

®

Need financing for any of these properties? Call your local Farm Credit office.

All of the properties listed on these pages are offered for sale by local, licensed Realtors. MidAtlantic Farm Credit is not affiliated with these properties, nor are we responsible for content or typographical errors. Please call the Realtor listed for more information.

13

Properties for

sale (continued)

Easton, Maryland

Monkton, Maryland

Ridgley, Maryland

24 acre parcel zoned to permit home occupation business. Property is improved with 40x100 pole building with a well already installed and current valid perc site for a home to be built. Minutes from Easton and St. Michaels. $595,000.

13 acre farmette, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, all brick rancher located in private setting in the heart of My Lady’s Manor.

4 stall barn and large pasture. Family room, large deck, sun room and lower level den with wood burning fireplace and bedroom and bath. $880,000.

Equestrian estate on 38+ acres with 2 barns, 17 stalls, wash stalls, multiple pastures with run-ins, automatic water systems, race track. Two story home with 4 bedrooms, kitchen with separate dining room, master suite, family room and more. $699,500.

Contact Bryan Wieland, Benson & Mangold Real Estate, 410.829.5913.

Contact Frank H. Durkee III, O’Conor and Mooney Realtors, 410.409.5067.

Contact Barbara Beaudet, Exit Latham Realty, 410.829.2881.

Dickerson, Maryland

Trappe, Maryland

25 acre lot with view of Sugarloaf and the Blue Ridge, secluded location. Close to MARC train station. Restored 36x63 barn, milk house and silo. Access to trails and Woodstock Equestrian Center. Ready for your dream home. $699,000.

Contact Pat Smith, PBS, Inc., 301.530.9152.

Easton, Maryland Talbot County waterfront farm adjoining Easton’s town limits with 3,500 +/- ft. of water frontage on Dixon Creek containing 356 +/- acres. Seven perc approved lots. 19 additional development units. 3 bedroom, 2 bath farmhouse & numerous outbuildings, Offers encouraged. $3,250,000.

Contact Traci Jordan, Benson & Mangold, 410.310.8606.

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119 acre farm with 60+ tillable acres and 4 approved perc sites. Situated on the edge of town, it also offers excellent hunting. $749,000.

Contact Bill Wieland, Benson & Mangold Real Estate, 410.310.0803.

Conowingo, Maryland

Sudlersville, Maryland

Taneytown, Maryland

86 acre agricultural parcel with 77 acres tillable. Large equipment shed, perc approved for one residence. Well maintained tax drainage ditches. Convenient to Delaware. $425,000.

Land, location, privacy, newer spacious home and large out buildings sit back ¼ mile drive. Large well maintained ranch home on 39 acres, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, finished lower level, 40x60 and 30x40 buildings. $640,000.

23 acre gentleman’s farm in Cecil County, MD. Located at the head of the Chesapeake Bay & includes 3 bedroom house, barn, garage, springhouse & pond. $439,900.

Contact Billy Norris, Select Lands and Home, Inc., 410.708.0956.

Contact Marvine Jenkins, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., 410.596.4756.

Contact Charlie Roosa, Key Realty, Inc., 410.398.1247.

Harrington, Delaware

6.15 acres of ground. Old site evaluation was approved for a gravity septic system.

Approximately one acre building site with residual five acres to the rear of the tax ditch. Nice area west of Dover. $69,900.

Contact Wes Cromer, Masten Realty LLC, 302.448.1032.

174.78 acre gentleman’s farm with 10 acres of clear tillable land for home site surrounded by farmland.

Partially timbered. Timber harvest designed with select cut trips for hunting. 10+ acres of food plots. Site evaluation on file for a standard septic. DALPF Easement. $399,500.

Contact Jamie Masten, Masten Realty, LLC, 302.422.1850.

Andreas, Pennsylvania

community

Hartly, Delaware

New Providence, Pennsylvania

Exceptional 28 acre country estate. 5,500 sq. ft. Manor house with 5 fireplaces, 4 bedrooms, living room, dining room, den, great room, and guest quarters. Separate building with 1,300 sq. ft. caretaker’s apartment, 7 car garage, horse box stalls. $625,000.

Contact Gary or Jonathan Coles, New Pennsylvania Realty, 570.386.500.

Edinburg, Virginia 47.9 acres – hay and pasture land, pond, mixed woods and views. 6 bedroom building permit on file. Fenced and cross-fenced, wet weather stream. Additional 11.3 adjacent acres available. $345,000.

Contact Cynthia Dellinger, United Country Shenandoah Valley Realty, 540.477.9791.

10.19 acres.

2-story bank barn with tack room and 5 horse stalls with rubber flooring, brick entry, electric and water in barn. Cable and telephone in tack room. 3 acres of fenced-in pasture. Build your dream house. $394,998.

Contact Spencer Speros, A’La Carte Real Estate Services.

717.808.1942.

Berkeley Springs, West Virginia 100.37 acres fronting County Rd with a 4,500 sq. ft. home.

Spectacular mountain and pastoral views plus a large pond.

According to survey, there is an additional well and a 3-site camping facility. Many possibilities for this property. $625,000.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Coplay, Pennsylvania

Modern 80 acre farm with over 70 tillable acres, 110 tie stalls, 6 silos, 2 heifer barns, manure storage, large bank barn and 1,608 sq. ft. brick farmhouse with summer kitchen. Ag Preserved and great producing soil. $1,795,000.

Orchard, retail & pick-your-own fruit operation. 193 +/- acres of fruit trees.

Retail store has deli, bakery and sells outside produce. 3 bedroom stone home with irrigation pond and bank barn. Just reduced! $1,650,000.

Contact Christ Taylor or Bob Gochenaur, Beiler-Campbell Realtors, 717.371.1915.

Contact Donald Frederick, The Frederick Group, 610.841.4235.

Contact Teresa Seville, Coldwell Banker Premier Homes, 304.671.3515.

Fort Valley, Virginia

New Market, Virginia

Capeville, Virginia

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®

107.7 acre farm. Mostly open land currently in crops and pasture. Potential for vineyard, 4 bedroom home that needs work. Barn and several outbuildings. $599,000.

Contact Victoria Stallings, ERA Beasley Realty, 540.335.1004.

Contact Shirley French, Coldwell Banker Funkhouser Realtors, 540.325.4444.

Contact Dutch Schwab, Ralph W. Dodd & Associates, LLC, 757.678.6622.

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OPPORTUNITY

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®

volume 17 | issue 3 | mafc.com

Beautiful 137 acre working farm. Also included is a 1800s farmhouse awaiting your renovations. 2 barns, one threesided shed, assorted outbuildings and more. Passage Creek runs through the property. Borders the National Forest. $1,100,000.

31 acre parcel at southern end of the Eastern Shore of VA. Located within miles of Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Kiptopeke State Park, Seaside & Bayside boat ramps and public beaches. Secluded private setting, abundant wildlife and fresh water stream. $169,900.

REALTOR

®

Need financing for any of these properties? Call your local Farm Credit office.

All of the properties listed on these pages are offered for sale by local, licensed Realtors. MidAtlantic Farm Credit is not affiliated with these properties, nor are we responsible for content or typographical errors. Please call the Realtor listed for more information.

15

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Crop insurance now available at a location near you!

At Farm Credit, we know that keeping up with crop insurance products and regulations is a complex task.

That’s why we have expanded our crop insurance program throughout Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. We want all of our farmers to have access to our expertise!

Our experienced agents only work with crop insurance products and take the time to make sure farmers have the right level of coverage for their individual needs.

If you’re ready to talk to a crop insurance expert today, give us a call, or visit us online at farmcreditcropinsurance.com.

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