Why we grow vegetables

Why we grow vegetables
in the veggie field

Out of all the things in the world we could do with the farm, why do we grow annual vegetables?  No-we are not vegans.  And no-we do not think vegetables are THE answer to climate change.  Well, let's start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start.

When we jumped into farming with both feet at the Stone Barns Center, we participated in an exercise with the rest of the apprentice gang:  what would our farm look like if we were to have land to our names.  Rich's lone dog pipe dream was pretty simple: live in a van, raising woodland pigs somewhere idyllic, where he could revel in the natural surroundings while his charismatic drove rooted around.  My dream was less than memorable...I'm sure it included fruit trees, sheep, and likely a horse to ride out to pasture.  As it turns out, a few weeks after that group exercise, our lives began to coalesce.  And soon enough, we'd start to emulsify those dreams.

The barriers to entry with livestock include an intimidating start-up cost, a longer awaited return-on-investment, space and infrastructure requirements, and the necessity to be grounded in one place for an indefinite amount of time.  Moving to the Finger Lakes of New York following our apprenticeships, we had an opportunity to borrow a small plot of land from none other than a farmer named McDonald who we had met at the market in town.  As one of my side hustles for the last few years had been to maintain a vegetable garden for one of the greater-known residents of Pocantico Hills, New York...I had a good idea of how to pump a lot of food out of a small space.  Although we had moved to the area so that I could attend school full-time, both of us were itching to manage a little land and to put our ideas to the test.

And so we stumbled into growing vegetables.  It probably cost us just about $1200 for all the supplies we needed to grow veggies on that 1/4 acre plot of borrowed land.  What was on that start-up list?  It included: a walk-behind seeder, soil blockers, potting mix, seeds, a few hand tools, trays for seedlings, and lumber to build a ginormous shelving structure to house all of our seedlings in our bedroom (Sorry, retrospectively to our landlord who was so sweet and supportive of our efforts and knew what we were up to in there).  We borrowed Old Mcdonald's rototiller to prepare the fallow space (which could have been rented from a hardware store) and also used his hoses to irrigate the space (an extra $100 bucks or so).  All in all, you can't beat that start up cost or the opportunity that lies in wait in the soil.  If you've read previous entries, you might remember that we never got to harvesting those veggies as some cattle, I won't name any names, trampled that space, treating themselves to a little greenery in their diet.

I'm not sure if it was the gentle rhythm of seeding and transplanting, or feeling the tilth of the soil between our fingertips, or possibly the ability to see such life and nourishment come to fruition so quickly...but we were both bewitched by setting our minds and bodies free in the garden.  What had started as a means to hatching our own operation had unearthed a newfound interest and focus: annual veggies.

a harvest meal

We moved on to sharpen and develop our skills in the vegetable field at an incredible organic farm north of Ithaca.  I wouldn't say we were the wisest of owls at that time in our lives, but that decision to learn from a couple who were as close to masters of their craft as possible, that was pivotal in our journey  to growing vegetables for our livelihood.  While we were nestled in the Finger Lakes for a few years, we became acquainted with the community of small farmers that are bursting the seams of that region.  A bona fide dynamo of a farmer named Melissa who ran and still runs a farm called Good Life Farm with her husband, once told me that she could not WAIT to be able to justify kicking annual veggies out of their growing plan.  Annual veggies were an inlet into the bigger picture that they wanted to paint on their 69-acre farm.  By the time I met them they were 5 years into the Good Life and were managing acres and acres of pasture where they ran grass-fed beef, turkeys, geese, as well as their infant orchard, and perennial asparagus plantings.  All was managed with draft horses.  Inspired by the permaculture philosophy, they were designing a system of intermingling perennial crops (crops which hold soil, sequester carbon, and are productive for years, being largely self-sufficient before they need to be replanted or replaced, AND which are more resilient in tough weather or climactic conditions), animal species which act as fertilizers and soil improvers and provide another income stream for farmers, native plants, trees, and wild space.  Annual vegetables to Melissa were labor-intensive, short-lived burdens that kept her too busy to attend to the installation and care of her big picture.  To this day, Good Life propagates a small plot of annual vegetables in addition to their cider apples, grass-fed beef, turkeys, and asparagus.  I haven't caught up with Melissa, but I wonder if she still curses her high maintenance annuals.  I would understand.

But for some reason 14 years into their successful business, Melissa and Garrett still have veggies in their life.  I have a few guesses as to why, and they are the reasons that we rely predominantly on vegetable production for our income.  Veggies are low risk and in the farming realm, they offer the quickest return on investement; most veggies have a short shelf life and therefore there is always a demand for locally-grown vegetables; and perhaps they are addicted to having such abundance of flavor and culinary potential in their backyard.  Isn't that last reason the one that draws so many people to plant their backyard to tomatoes and squash?  

When it comes down to it, we found our way back to Dayton, Ohio because it's where we could afford to farm and raise our little ones near family.  And after dabbling in raising almost all species of domesticated livestock, growing vegetables, growing mushrooms, beekeeping, and even dabbling in fruit, with these southern Ohio silty clay loam soils and 'prime farm land', moderate and humid conditions that we inhabit, we agreed that vegetables were meant to be grown here.  This land is so giving, even after a recent history of row-cropping rotations which ask a lot of the soil.  

I don't thing we will live a summer without an oversized vegetable patch to tend and to keep our spoiled bellies satisfied.  What may not be known to all who know about Foxhole is that we have the majority of our acreage seeded to pasture and prarie mix for our sheep flock (and the wild things that keep our ecosystem alive and well).  Slowly but surely the flock will grow and one day we will bring grass-fed lamb to the market in addition to our veggies.  The farm will likely shape-shift based on what the market demands, what our ever-changing conditions are conducive to growing, where our passions lead us, and even with what the kids or other prospective farm players would like to try their hand at.  

cuke picker

There's no doubt that the annual vegetable game requires more of you than livestock, perennials, bees, etc.  Our bodies feel it at the end of every season, despite the fact that we try to work smarter and not harder.  But every year around this time, the relatively restful winter allows me the time to build up my excitement and energy for another season of tomato trellising, garlic curing, and all the shades of the rainbow on our table and yours.  I'm so glad it's upon us and may the garden grow well this season :).