Spring Events Highlight Farm-to-School Opportunities

As spring breaks out, Oklahoma farmers are devising ways to bring in their harvests earlier than ever, in order to deliver fresh Oklahoma-grown produce to local schools well ahead of the traditional summer harvest season.

The Kerr Center's 2008 lineup of educational events kicks off this spring with three field days highlighting new opportunities for farmers in the state’s Farm-to-School Program.

Advance registration for all field days is required.

First up, on April 17, Claudia and Ricky Crow will show visitors to their farm near Shawnee how they are adapting their direct market vegetable operation to new opportunities in local schools.

Vicki and Joe Townsend will host the second spring field day on May 4, on their certified organic farm in Atoka County. Visitors will learn how the Townsends stretch their growing season at both ends to bring in harvests at the right time for schools.

On May 29, Susan Bergen will offer the last field day of the season at Peach Crest Farm near Stratford. Bergen will explain how Peach Crest Farm handles its harvest to maximize freshness and flavor for farm-to-school, as well as other markets.

The Kerr Center invites you to attend these events and explore new production and marketing opportunities in Oklahoma! Events presented in partnership with USDA's Risk Management Agency and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.

Farm-to-School and Direct Marketing at the Crows’ Farm

Claudia and Ricky Crow will describe their current foray into farm-to-school, backed up by two decades of experience growing and direct-marketing vegetables, on Thursday, April 17, from 5 – 8 at their farm near Shawnee.

“We hope to sell broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, and tomatoes to the Shawnee school system,” Claudia explains.  “We are new at this, and are still learning what the school can use.”
The Crows will showcase those farm-to-school crops, as well as their hoop house tomatoes, plasticulture crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, cantaloupe, and watermelon), and wash line facilities.

The Crows retail 90% of their crops at farmers markets, as well as at their own retail store in Shawnee.  This year will be their first to participate in the farm to school program. 
A fourth generation farmer and third generation Oklahoman, Ricky Crow has been farming all his life.  Early on, Ricky continued the family tradition of planting alfalfa, wheat, sudan hay, and milo, and raising cattle.

“However,” says Claudia Crow, “We did not have enough land to make a living just farming.” 
“Interest rates were at an all time high, and crop prices at an all time low.  It got harder and harder to make our payments and have anything left to invest back into the farm operation.”

“When the city of Shawnee came up with the idea of starting a farmers’ market, we thought it would be a good way for us to diversify our farm operation, and hopefully make some extra money to help us hang on and stay on the farm.”

The Crows started growing vegetables in 1987, with 5 acres of watermelons and cantaloupes, about an acre of assorted vegetables, “and two hoes,” Claudia adds.  They currently have 40 acres in vegetable production.

The Crows’ two sons, Brandon and Jason, have joined the operation and helped to expand it.  The Crows purchased Stratford Greenhouse in December 2006.  It has 9 greenhouses in full production, two of which grow hydroponic tomatoes (both beefsteak and grape).

Directions: From I-40 (Earlsboro exit, about 10 miles east of the last Shawnee exit coming east), go 2.5 miles south on Highway 9A, then 0.5 mile west on the dirt road.  The Crows’ is the second house on the north side of the road, west of the BFI landfill.

Farm to School at THE Farm

Vicki and Joe Townsend will host this field day on Sunday, May 4, from 2 – 6 at THE Farm in Atoka County.  This event will focus on season extension techniques. These are important for farm-to-school in Oklahoma, because they allow farmers to ripen crops earlier in the spring, and later in the fall, when school cafeterias are serving meals.
THE Farm grows a variety of produce, specializing in certified organic onions and green chile peppers.  They sell both on-farm and through a weekly ordering arrangement, emailing a list of available items to local customers who place orders for next day delivery.  They plan to start marketing to a local school this spring.

The Townsends have been developing season extension techniques for several years on their small organic farm.  Field day visitors will see several such techniques, including a homemade growth chamber for seed germination, and strawberries on plasticulture.
There’s also an experimental system for warming cold-frame beds using passive heat, to help get an early start on crops like cucumbers for farm-to-school.  (This project got a helping hand from a 2007 Oklahoma Producer Grant from the Kerr Center; see p. 14.)
In addition, the Townsends will discuss their organic approach to growing food. They will also explain the simple, self-designed computer system that they use to track the history of each plot on the farm.

Joe hails from a small South Dakota town; Vicki grew up on an Oklahoma cattle farm.  Both their families grew large gardens for personal use, and the Townsends have continued that habit, using organic methods, throughout their adult lives.
Originally employed as computer professionals, they always planned to move into farming full-time. In 1990, while still working in the software industry, they began an organic vegetable operation in eastern Tennessee, selling produce locally.  They also raised goats for milk, meat, and cheese.

In 2002, the Townsends purchased their current 180 acres in southeastern Oklahoma.  The following year, they certified 20 of those acres as organic. Since then, they have developed the farm’s basic infrastructure, building soil and adding two greenhouses. 
Directions: call 918.647.9123.

From Field to Buyer: Making the Most on Your Growing Crops at Peach Crest Farm

Susan Bergen will host this field day on Thursday, May 29, from 5 – 8 at Peach Crest Farm, north of Stratford.

“What you will see is how a non-farming person, with the help of many farming people, has made a farm work,” says Bergen.

“You will see how we irrigate, integrate and implement what the customer is looking for on this acreage: great tasting produce, grown in environmentally friendly constraints, and sold at a reasonable price.”

Some of Peach Crest Farm’s 9,000 peach trees share forty acres along the highway with a display garden area, as well as the packing sheds and barns.  Planted in 2000, the orchard gave its first harvest in 2003. Since then, Bergen says, the harvest has grown in size and quality. 

“We have refined our methods to maximize freshness and consistency,” she says.  The peaches come straight out of the field into a special wash to remove fungal spores and bacteria.  They then plunge into a cooling bath before drying, sorting, and grading.
Fruits without the perfect appearance necessary for sale as fresh produce still find a use in Peach Crest Farm’s line of jarred products, including jam, salsa, mustard, and barbecue sauce.

Three miles away, an additional 160 acres grows a variety of vegetable crops: cantaloupes, tomatoes, onions, and more.  Twelve of those acres, certified organic in 2006, gave an initial harvest of organic turnips and sweet peas, followed by
vegetables and herbs last summer.

“Last year was our first year to participate in Farm to School,” says Bergen.  Demand was high, but Mother Nature had other plans. 

“Due to weather problems, we were not able to fill all the orders,” explains Bergen.  “This year we are looking to sell more than last year’s orders.  It has been a great way to plan future crop planting.”

“We are thrilled with the people we have worked with and hope to develop many more relationships with this great program,” she says.

Peach Crest Farm cultivates multiple markets as well as multiple crops.  In addition to the Farm-to-School Program, Bergen sells to several large grocery chains, at a number of farmers’ markets, and through the Oklahoma Food Co-op.

“We firmly believe in the support of local farmers for many reasons,” Bergen says.  “Local farming is the only source for truly ‘fresh’ produce.” 

“When it is right-off-the-farm fresh, you can taste the difference. You won’t believe it until you try it for yourself!”

Directions:  The farm is on the west side of Highway 177, 4.5 miles north of Stratford.
From the north, go a little over 1 mile south on Highway 177 from the intersection of Highway 59.

From the south, go 4.5 miles north on Highway 177 from the four-way stop in Stratford.