Southold farmers are nearing an agreement that would allow them to process their products on-site.
The Agricultural Advisory Committee discussed the proposed changes to the town’s zoning law that would allow processing facilities up to 3,000 square feet to be constructed without being subject to site plan review.
(more…)Monday’s roundtable on the contentious issue of immigration brought a mix of people to Suffolk County Community College in Riverhead. Although advocates for immigration reform were not represented at the forum, which was closed to the public, there were voices inside that are important and should be heeded. READ
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul met with representatives from the Long Island Farm Bureau on Wednesday to discuss the challenges facing Long Island farmers such as the cost of maintaining a farm, a rising minimum wage and the lack of young farmers. READ
Have you ever walked down the produce aisle at your area supermarket, noticed a “buy local” sign and wondered exactly where the vegetables you were about to purchase were grown?
You’re not alone. READ
In a ceremony Monday morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo — flanked by Democratic legislators and his lieutenant governor — signed a state law that will gradually raise the minimum wage on Long Island to $15 an hour. READ
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed minimum wage increase would have a devastating effect on the agricultural community and possibly send consumers to neighboring states to purchase products, farmers and business owners said at a Monday press conference opposing the proposal ahead of the April 1 state budget deadline. READ
After months of below average rainfall and strong sunshine, the North Fork is facing one of its worst droughts in recent years. And various segments of the community, from water authorities to farmers, are feeling the heat. READ
Eve Kaplan, owner of Garden of Eve in Riverhead points to cold damage on a small tomato plant. (Credit: Paul Squire)
Wading River farmer Robert Andrews’ crops are mostly still in the ground, shielded from the recent cold snaps by warm earth.
Mr. Andrews said Saturday morning’s cold snap didn’t damage too many of his crops.
“It’s not bad at all,” he said. “It just slowed things down a bit.”
Not all farmers have been so lucky.
The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning for early Saturday, warning that “sub-freezing temperatures will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation.” Another frost advisory had since been issued for early Sunday from 2 to 8 a.m.
While most farmer’s crops have just been planted, other farms — like Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market in Riverhead — are feeling the hurt from the wind and cold.
“It’s just tough on everything,” said Garden of Eve owner Eve Kaplan. “You get a warm day and you think it’s over and then you get a 40-degree day with wind.”
Ms. Kaplan held up a tomato plant in a small pot. The edges of the small leaves had withered and died.
That’s thanks to the freezing temperatures and the harsh wind, which Ms. Kaplan said is especially blustery on her farm. Even cold-tolerant plants like cabbage and lettuce have been damaged in their pots, she said.
“People won’t buy these because they think they’re diseased,” she said.
Ms. Kaplan said her employees have been carrying plants inside at night and putting down covers over the rows to shield other crops.
Even farms like Mr. Andrews — which use greenhouses — are feeling a sting, not on their plants but in their wallets.
“We’ve been running [through] oil to get the greenhouse going,” he said.
However, vineyards have not been as affected, since the grapes have not yet begun growing. Only a long stretch of cold weather could do significant damage, said Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard general manager Steve Levine.
“A one-night freeze isn’t going to do much,” he said. “We don’t have any damage. We don’t even have grapes yet.”
Under the current code, Southold Town farmers can mostly just sell their crops as-is to retail or wholesale customers. (Credit: Vera Chinese)
Doug Cooper has no interest in bottling salsa at Cooper Farms, his Mattituck business.
“At my age, I’m not going to get into something like that,” he said.
But the prospect of a Cooper’s North Fork Salsa, or Cooper’s New York City Salsa — pick a name — is one that’s being used by some in local agriculture as the perfect example of a product that could fetch more profits than shipping crates of tomatoes through middlemen in New York and elsewhere. (more…)
Bayview Farm owner Paul Reeve (right) said tractors are ready, but the soil is not. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)
In a drastic change to their normal routines, North Fork farmers say they aren’t doing much these days.
By the time St. Patrick Day rolls around, Bayview Farm and Market owner Paul Reeve says he usually has seeds in the ground in anticipation of a May harvest.
But this year’s prolonged winter has put a kink in the system, delaying seeding by more than two weeks. April 1 has come and gone and no planting has been done at the Aquebogue farm. (more…)