AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Not yet “as high as an elephant’s eye”, the corn crop has only recently popped through the ground in Anne Arundel County farmers’ fields. As can be seen from the photo above (taken across the fields at Marco Ridge Farm on Route 424 in Davidsonville) the corn stalks are not quite knee-high. Even heartier cool-weather crops like lettuces and kale were behind schedule due to unsuitable conditions.
According to A.A. Co. Farm, Lawn and Garden owner, Corey Stephens, weather-related setbacks were widespread among the farmers he serves.
“There’s no doubt the weather has been a problem not only for farmers but for gardeners too,” Stephens said. “The season has been delayed by about a month. Where, normally, the planting is done by mid-May, it’s still going on. A wet season is one thing, and a cold season is another, but a wet, cold season is a problem that’s affecting everything – not just corn but everything that needs to be planted including grass seeds and grain seeds needed for production. The weather’s had a trickle-down effect on all crops.”
Stephens added that prices for farm produce are rising across the board.
“You have to realize that it’s not just inflation or the cost of fuel to power equipment and for general transportation, but the minimum wage went up for help, the fertilizer prices have gone sky high, and chemicals used to protect plants are more expensive,” he said. “Those costs will be reflected in the prices customers pay for local corn, tomatoes, squash and other summer vegetables and fruits.”
The family-owned farm store on Jumper’s Hole Road in Severna Park is giving customers a bit of a break by having a Super Saturday Sale on June 18 with discounted prices for pots, houseplants and other items plus raffles all day long.
Farmer Bob Chase, of Chase’s Produce in Davidsonville, echoed Stephens comments. In addition to the weather, farm production costs increased.
“Fertilizer is a big thing for me,” he said. “It was $500 or $600 for a ton last year. Two years ago, it was $300.00. This year, I’m paying $1,200 and $1,300 a ton…double the price! I can’t double the price of my produce though. People can only pay so much.”
Marco Ridge Farm is fortunate to have its own greenhouse where cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini are growing. Those vegetables will come in earlier than those grown in the field. However, no date has been announced for the produce stand to open.
Chase’s Produce, also on Route 424, is known far and wide for its Pick Your Own Strawberries days. Unfortunately, this spring’s Strawberry Season was a short one.
Strawberry jam makers avidly follow the Chase’s Produce Facebook page for picking dates to be announced toward the end of April when the plants’ first blooms take place. (The picking season usually opens May 1 and runs four or five weeks.)
Sadly, the Facebook posting for April 29th brought bad news. An early morning freeze resulted in the loss of most of the early blooms and berries. Facebook followers were told to stay tuned.
Finally, a posting on May 12th announced that the first berries had been picked and said the stand would be open to the public at 11 am. Pickers were warned to wear boots since there was standing water and mud in the field.
Through the remainder of May, picking times were determined daily based on weather conditions. On June 3rd, a Facebook message was posted at 7:54 am saying, “Strawberry season is over. We had over 1-1/2 inches of rain Thursday night and the berries are ruined.”
Having announced that the Chase’s Produce farm stand will open the third week of June, Bob Chase is busy monitoring the corn (his most popular item) while tending other vegetables.
“Some of our other produce will be ready earlier but we’re waiting for the corn to ripen before opening,” Chase said. Freshly picked from our fields each morning, sweet corn is our biggest draw.”
We’d already determined, from our late May visits to Diehl’s Produce in Severna Park, that Eastern Shore asparagus was abundant this spring. Manager Jennifer Diehl agreed that Stephen’s and Chase’s observations that the cold, wet growing season was a setback for the farmers. She found strawberries from local growers were in short supply but was able to get some North Carolina berries for customers and also located some early peaches from South Carolina.
Diehl handed out a printed schedule that says Eastern Shore white corn will be ready mid-June. Cucumbers, squash, green beans and other summer vegetables plus melons and cantaloupes will be available from June 1 through September 20. The Adams County, Pennsylvania peaches that are a customer favorite will be in by July 1.
County farmers markets have been selling early season greens, onions and radishes but the timing of the arrival of summer produce is an open question. We’ll be visiting the Severna Park Farmers Market at the end of June for a full report.
Update on Greenbury Point golf course proposal
In response to our query to CHINFO regarding the status of the Naval Academy Golf Association’s proposal, we received a response from Edward C. Zeigler, director of public affairs for Naval District Washington.
Zeigler said: “The proposal is in the earliest stages of review. Naval Support Activity Annapolis is currently reviewing the proposed concept (it was forwarded but was returned for additional information). Once the installation review is complete, NSA Annapolis will forward its recommendation to Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Washington (NAVFAC Washington) for further consideration.”
“Once it goes through the Navy’s chain of command, it will go to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations, and Environment) for review. If DASN EI&E concurs that the proposal would support and enhance the mission of NSA Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy and the proposal is approved, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) will follow requirements set forth by the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), which requires all federal agencies to consider the potential environmental consequences of proposed major federal actions before decisions are made, and actions are taken.”
“This process will include the opportunity for the public to comment on proposed projects. With any project of this magnitude, transparency, community involvement, and input will be critical to meeting the needs of the Navy and the Annapolis community.”
We also asked when an announcement on the status of the proposal might be made by the Navy.
Zeigler responded: “There is currently no planned announcement.”
Hooper High or a marine barracks?
Reader Peter Joyce suggested a possible correction to last week’s column Greenbury Point golf course proposal threatens to destroy pristine environment – sharonleestable.com. Joyce maintains that the building pictured below that we referred to as Hooper High was not. He believes Hooper High was actually demolished fifteen years ago and thinks the building pictured below was built as a Marine Detachment Annapolis barracks. The Marines apparently left Greenbury Point on short notice in 2006.
As the building sits near the corner of the road sign marked as Hooper High Road, it is understandable that it could be mistaken for the original high school building. We’ll look into the history of the building through Naval Support Annapolis for a clarification.
