Gardener News November 2017

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

November, 2017

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities GARDENERNEWS.COM

TAKE ONE No. 175

Understanding the USDA Organic Label Organic agriculture is a fast growing sector in U.S. agriculture, creating jobs and promoting economic growth and opportunities across rural America. There are more than 22,000 certified organic farms and businesses in the U.S. That number continues to grow as consumer demand for organic products grows.

Amidst nutrition facts, ingredient lists, and dietary claims on food packages, “organic” might appear as one more piece of information to decipher when shopping for products. Understanding what the organic label means can help shoppers make informed purchasing choices.

Organic is a labeling term found on products that have been produced using cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. The National Organic Program – part of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service – enforces the organic regulations, ensuring the integrity of the USDA Organic Seal.

In order to make an organic claim or use the USDA Organic Seal, the final product must follow strict production, handling and labeling standards and go through the organic certification process.

The standards address a variety of factors, such as soil quality, animal raising practices, and pest and weed control. Synthetic fertilizers,

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2 November, 2017 G A R D E N C E N T E R D I R E C T O R Y GardenerNews.com

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 3

Around The Garden

By Tom Castronovo Gardener News

There are several reasons to give thanks in November.

First and foremost, I want to thank the advertisers that support this paper. Without them, there would be no Gardener News. When you’re shopping, please try and reach out to the folks that support our publication.

Secondly, I want to thank our writers. I believe we have some of the most talented individuals, and brilliant specialists in the industry, sharing their knowledge with you.

And thirdly, I give thanks to you, for reading the Gardener News from cover to cover each month.

Next up is November 7, Election Day. I want to personally thank the following New Jersey legislators for constantly helping the agricultural, gardening and landscaping communities. I am going to list them alphabetically by last name so I don’t get myself in trouble.

Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak, Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman, Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, Assemblyman John McKeon, Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney, Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, and Senator Bob Smith.

These legislators, in my opinion, have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help the Garden State’s green and growing industries.

Without getting too political, please find your way to cast your favorable vote on Election Day for these wonderful people. I hope and pray that these legislators remain in office, so they can continue in their quest in promoting New Jersey’s agricultural, gardening and landscaping communities.

Another great day in November is Veterans Day. Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces.

It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries, that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Every year in my own way I support our veterans. And here’s how I do it. Located at the Lyons VA campus in Basking Ridge, Somerset County, N.J., is a greenhouse operation that is uniquely operated by formerly homeless veterans.

The Veterans Greenhouse offers beautiful hanging plants, such as geraniums petunias, begonias, impatiens, coleus in the spring. They also grow and sell herbs such as parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme and mint.

In the fall, they offer mums and other seasonal flowers.

A well-appreciated way to give thanks this holiday season is to give back to U.S. veterans who served our country. I’m going to stop by and purchase a few poinsettias.

Plants purchased directly from the greenhouse help to defray the operational costs, as well as to support work restoration for veterans.

The Veterans Greenhouse is located at 151 Knollcroft Rd., Bldg. 47, Basking Ridge (Lyons), N.J. The Greenhouse is open all year, every day, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Their telephone number is (973) 270-4795.

Thanksgiving has a special place in the hearts of most farming families. It’s a time for farmers to give thanks for the fruits of their labors at the end of harvest season. This year we celebrate it on Thursday, November 23.

It’s also a great time of the year to get together with family members from near and far. I look forward to the perfectly carved turkey, the delicious stuffing drizzled with gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, home-made cranberry sauce, Jersey Fresh vegetables, and a slice of both pumpkin and apple pie. Both slices need to be dressed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Our turkey comes from Kings Food Markets.

Thank you to Macy’s for putting on the big Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. I always enjoy seeing all the Toro Workman driving under all the magnificent balloons as extra support. Santa Claus at the end makes my day!

A big thank you goes out to the folks at Rockefeller Center for presenting us with the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. This worldwide symbol of the holidays in New York City will be lit for the first time on Wednesday, November 29, with live performances from 7 to 9 p.m., at Rockefeller Plaza, between West 48th and West 51st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

I can’t wait to see what the Channel Gardens look like this year. They are always a refreshing surprise. I’ve been told that the tree will remain lit and can be viewed until 9 p.m. on January 7, 2018.

I also give thanks to all my family and friends, both old and new. And to the ones I will surely meet in the near future.

A big thank-you shout out also goes to all of our police officers, firefighters and EMS workers that are always there to protect us and take care of us.

And finally, a real big special thank you goes out to my mom and dad for all the inspiration they have given me throughout the years.

As always, I hope you find the information in the Gardener News informative and enjoyable.

Until next time…Keep the “garden” in the Garden State.

-Tom Editor’s Note: Tom Castronovo is executive editor and publisher of Gardener News. Tom’s lifelong interest in gardening and passion for agriculture, environmental stewardship, gardening and landscaping, led to the founding of the Gardener News, which germinated in April 2003 and continues to bloom today. He is also dedicated to providing inspiration, and education to the agricultural, gardening and landscaping communities through this newspaper and GardenerNews.com.

4 November, 2017 How many times have you been traveling on the highways and other roads of New Jersey – or elsewhere, for that matter – and you finish your drive exhausted from the trauma of navigating excruciating traffic?

The more we drive, the more it seems there is no real cure for this plague.

We constantly add vehicles to our already overburdened road system, a fact that gets driven home often because we live in the most densely populated state in the nation.

And frequently, we end this stressful journey by arriving at a place where we find – you guessed it – more stress.

I mention this to remind you that there are some everyday destinations you can seek out where the stress of a commute will at least be rewarded with an atmosphere that will help you become calm, relaxed and in a better state of mind.

Where are these places?

You might think, “I don’t have the time to spend an entire afternoon in a park or a museum. Not right now, anyway.”

What setting could provide an instant respite from crowded roads or from the hectic, over-stimulated,

GardenerNews.com NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

New Jersey’s agricultural landscape can help you find a place to de-stress Muzak-saturated environs we find ourselves in daily?

How can I find simplicity and honest reality in one place that is near to where I already am?

The farm, and other agriculture-related venues.

Just off of any major, heavily travelled concourse in New Jersey – be it I-95, I-295, I-280, I-287, the Turnpike or the Parkway – there is a lesstraveled road that will carry you to a refreshing stop at a local farm market, or to a roadside stand where you can find the day’s harvest and other local specialties.

Travel just a little bit further down those roads and you can find yourself pulling up to a lush field, or perhaps an orchard of orderly fruit trees.

There is something so therapeutic, so soothing, about stepping out of your

car, onto unspoiled ground and into fresh air, where you know that what you are about to take home is pure and simple, and grown by one of your own Garden State neighbors.

And you’ll be taking home more than the products you can purchase there. You’ll take home a calmer demeanor and a feeling that the weight of your daily existence has been lifted from your shoulders.

Years ago, before satellite navigation devices were ever-present, I would not have made a regular habit of pulling off major routes and discovering all these new opportunities to re-connect with more natural, peaceful surroundings.

Now, however, you can find farms all over just by doing a quick search on your phone, plugging in an address to our electronic navigator,

Look Who’s Reading the Gardener News!

It’s in the news

Tom Castronovo/Photo

United States Congressman Leonard Lance looks over the October Gardener News while visiting Bridgewater in Somerset County, N.J. Congressman Lance was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2008 and re-elected to a fifth term on November 8, 2016 to represent New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. As a result of the 2011 congressional redistricting process, the 7th Congressional District now includes parts of Essex, Morris, Somerset, Union and Warren counties, as well as all of Hunterdon County. Prior to serving in Congress, Lance served as a member of the New Jersey State Senate beginning in 2002, where he represented the 23rd Legislative District. He held the position of Minority Leader of the Senate from 2004 to 2008.

and following your desire to break away from your everyday stress.

By doing so, you’ll not only get the benefit of great, fresh products being made available to you, but also the chance to chat with people who have the truest connections to their surroundings and who are willing to share with you that sense of being one with the land.

Orchards, pastures and fields are instant rejuvenators for the mind and soul. It’s amazing how quickly the stress of the workday and the commute melt away once you’re immersed in those natural surroundings. The sights, sounds, smells – all the sensations – transport your mood from frazzled to relaxed.

As we move into colder weather, the opportunities to see New Jersey’s farms

in full swing – perhaps with the exception of venturing out to find a choose-and-cut Christmas tree – begin to decrease.

While you can, why not take a moment out of your routine this week and savor the calm?

Before you know it, you’ll have to get back on the road.

But with this brief respite, and maybe with an apple in hand, you’ll be better prepared for dealing with the roadway numbing of the senses.

For an array of ways to find out what farms nearest you welcome agri-tourism visitors, please visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website at jerseyfresh.nj.gov/tourism/.

Editor’s Note: Douglas H. Fisher is New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture. He is the department’s executive officer, secretary to the State Board of Agriculture and a member of the Governor’s cabinet. Secretary Fisher fulfills executive, management and administrative duties prescribed by law, executive order or gubernatorial direction.

He can be reached at 609.292.3976.

For more info, please visit: http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 5

6 November, 2017

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

In Memoriam Daniel Kluchinski Daniel Kluchinski, 54 of Rocky Hill, NJ passed away on October 16 with his husband at his side after an incredible fight with cancer. Dan is survived by his husband of 29 years–W. J. “Brad” Bradhering, his parents–Joseph and Florence Kluchinski, his brothers (and sister-in-laws) Dave (Dawn) and Don (Carol) Kluchinski and six nieces and nephews–Joe, Dana, Catherine, Allie, Rachel and Jack.

Dan received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers (CC ’85) and his master’s from Purdue University in 1987. He spent his career at Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station as a professor and agricultural agent, originally working in Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, and then as Associate Director of Cooperative Extension and Chair of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dan was an outstanding scientist, educator, administrator and mentor, and touched and influenced the lives of so many. He had a thirst for knowledge and derived great joy and satisfaction from helping others.

Dan was an avid gardener and photographer, loved the beach and ocean, and traveling with friends. He always put others before himself and was a devoted uncle, friend, mentor and colleague.

His positive attitude, kindness, boundless energy and caring nature will be missed by all those who know and love him.

Although his fight with cancer included many challenges, Dan always kept his wonderful smile and sense of humor. His strength, optimism, and passion for life and learning were and will continue to be an inspiration.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer memorial contributions be made to the Dan Kluchinski Memorial Scholarship Fund; c/o Matt Weismantel; Senior Director – Office of the Chancellor; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; 96 Davidson Road; Piscataway, NJ 08854-8062. Please make checks out to Rutgers Foundation with “Dan Kluchinski Memorial Scholarship” in the memo.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers – they meant so much to Dan.

James (Jim) Wallace Paterson James Wallace Paterson, 83, of Vineland, NJ passed away September 15, 2017 at The Willows Assisted Living of Holmdel, NJ. Jim, as he was known to friends and colleagues, was born in Westerly, Rhode Island and received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Rhode Island. After Jim’s years of service, he went on to earn his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Agronomy from Penn State University.

Jim proudly served his country during the Korean War in the United States Air Force. He handled communications via Morse code while he was stationed in Japan for two of the four years he served.

Upon earning his PhD in Agronomy, Jim became a researcher with a focus on Soil and Crops and in 1967, he joined Rutgers Research and Development Center in Bridgeton, NJ as a Soil and Crops Specialist. In 1972, Jim was appointed Director of the facility and became a pioneer in national research leading to guidelines established in drip/trickle irrigation systems. His research resulted in more abundant and higher quality vegetables through more efficient and environmentally sound agricultural practices. During his tenure at Rutgers, he traveled throughout the United States and internationally and gave lectures as an expert in the field of agriculture. Jim retired from Rutgers in 1994.

Rutgers Master Gardeners of Atlantic County Bloom in PA Hort Society Contest The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) celebrates the accomplishments of gardeners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware with its annual PHS Gardening and Greening Contest.

The competition invites backyard gardeners, community gardeners and those passionate about greening their public spaces to enter.

For three years in a row, the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Atlantic County’s (RMGAC) team for Gardner’s Basin/Atlantic City Aquarium garden have been Blue Ribbon winners in the PHS annual recognition program. In addition, several of the RMGAC demonstration gardens, as well as individual Master Gardener’s personal gardens have been named Gardens of Distinction winners.

There were 387 entries in this year’s Gardening and Greening contest. A reception to honor the winning gardens will take place November 14 at PHS in Philadelphia.

GardenerNews.com

Rutgers Outreach

By Dr. Robert Goodman

Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources Executive Dean, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences Executive Director, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station

New Rutgers chancellor strengthens land grant emphasis

There are times when leadership comes into focus in a big way, especially in large, complex institutions.

One such time is with the arrival of new leadership, as it was this summer with the arrival of a new Chancellor to lead Rutgers University–New Brunswick. I am pleased to share this great news with Gardener News readers, and to bring everyone up to date on the changes that have led to this welcome development.

Our new Chancellor is Dr. Debasish (“Deba”) Dutta, who began his tenure on July 1. Deba is a native of India and he received his undergraduate education at Jadavpur University in Calcutta.

Jadavpur University has a long history in Indian higher education, dating back to colonial times, and is today one of the top universities in India, notable in particular for its outstanding programs in engineering and technology.

Deba came to the United States to study for a Ph.D. in industrial engineering at Purdue University, and has since held a number of faculty and administrative positions that have made him uniquely qualified to lead the Rutgers–New Brunswick campus. Deba’s own words underscore understanding of the history and contemporary relevance in U.S. higher education of those institutions, like Rutgers University-New Brunswick, that began in the mid-19th century as land-grant colleges.

“I have a deep connection to American public and land-grant institutions, having served most recently at Purdue University and, prior to that, at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign,” he said. “I began my academic career on the faculty at the University of Michigan, where I served for twenty years. My path through these universities is purposeful – I fervently believe in the promise of public higher education and in the land-grant mandate of opportunity and accessibility. July 2 marked the 155th anniversary of the 1862 Morrill Act, which established the U.S. system of colleges and universities that we know as land-grant institutions. The staggering impact of the Morrill legislation was to make higher education accessible for the first time to working people who had previously been excluded from it, thus changing the landscape of higher education in America and also the social and economic fabric of the nation itself. I consider the creation of the land-grant university system as one of America’s greatest innovations. Today I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead Rutgers University–New Brunswick, a premier land-grant institution.”

Deba is one of four Chancellors at Rutgers University, one each for the New Brunswick, Camden, and Newark campuses, and one for Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (largely the units that were previously UMDNJ), all of whom report to the chief executive officer of the university, Dr. Robert Barchi. This administrative structure came into being in 2012 with the reorganization of New Jersey higher education. Vice-chancellors and academic deans report to each Chancellor. The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, which includes Rutgers Cooperative Extension, is one of the largest units at Rutgers–New Brunswick, and it reports through the Executive Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources to the New Brunswick Chancellor.

Deba oversees the largest of the university campuses with more than 50,000 students, 4,000 faculty, 12 degree-granting schools, nine academic research centers, and four administrative units.

As he further points out: “A hallmark of our identity as a flagship public research university is our commitment to meeting the needs of citizens of the state, nation, and beyond. The expertise developed at Rutgers has helped to expand our understanding of the world in which we live, illuminating knowledge in virtually every corner of the globe. Throughout its history, Rutgers has brought the leading edge discoveries of its distinguished faculty and vital contributions of its talented student researchers to bear in addressing global issues and in impacting people’s lives in meaningful ways.

“Applying the university’s outstanding strengths in service of the public good – its innovative research, its vibrant intellectual capital, its remarkable diversity, and more – and ensuring robust access to a full range of educational opportunities for our society’s citizens is the higher purpose of higher education, and I am proud to lead an institution that continues to have this profound impact today.”

We at NJAES and the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences are very enthusiastic about the arrival of Chancellor Dutta and welcome his leadership role at Rutgers. At the same time, we offer sincere thanks to our Chancellor Emeritus, Dr. Richard Edwards, who also was a strong supporter, and product, of land-grant, public universities and who served our campus with distinction.

Editor’s Note: Executive Dean Robert M. Goodman, located on the George H. Cook Campus, serves as executive director of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and executive dean of the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, providing leadership and oversight to both organizations. He works closely with university leaders to develop and implement strategic initiatives that reflect and advance the university’s research, education, and outreach missions. He can be reached by emailing execdean@sebs.rutgers.edu

GardenerNews.com

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

November, 2017 7

The Dew of the Sea

November is typically filled with a saturnalia of autumn color that ultimately tasks the gardener with the chore of leafraking as they begin to fall.

It is a job I never disliked, since the two weeks of riotous color were always worth the resulting effort. However, there are also plants that remain subdued until the days approaching Thanksgiving, when they truly shine. Of course, I am referencing our evergreen herbs and in particular, Rosmarinus officinalis or Rosemary.

With its prominent fragrance, it is no surprise that Rosemary is a member of the Lamiaceae or Mint Family. It is a small genus with only two or three species, all of which are found in the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The genus name was initially penned by Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) in 1753.

The name is derived from the Latin Ros or Dew and

Marinus meaning sea. Hence, Rosmarinus literally means the Dew of the Sea, reflecting its Mediterranean origins.

The species epithet of officinalis was also penned by Linnaeus, but in a much earlier publication dated 1735. It stems from the Latin officina, which originally meant workshop or place of work. Later, it became the name for the storage room in monasteries where medicines and medicinal plants were stored.

Officinalis means “belonging to an Officina” and Linnaeus affixed this epithet to plants or animals that were known to have medicinal benefits. Rosemary was in fact well known through the ages for its health benefits. One of the main constituents in the foliar oils is rosmarinic acid, which is known for reducing inflammatory disorders and pain.

The challenge is maintaining the health of the plant for those living in climates where winter temperatures dip lower than 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Rosemary requires

very well-drained soils and full sun to prosper, and if the soil becomes waterlogged during the winter, death is certain to follow.

The plants also benefit from a slightly alkaline soil with a pH of 7-7.8. The aromatic, needle-like foliage is leathery in texture, approximately one inch long and is arranged oppositely on the light tan branches. The leaves are green on top and white beneath, with a prominent central vein and margins that are rolled downward. The foliage is evergreen in warmer climates, but it can scorch as temperatures dip below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.

In New Jersey, the flowers do not begin to appear until mid-summer and often continue well into autumn. The nearly tubular flowers range from white to light-blue to pink, are up to one inch long and appear in the leaf axils, typically in clusters of two or three.

The flowers are labiate, meaning they have an upper and a lower lip. Both the flowers and the leaves can be used for seasoning, with the

Retired Agricultural Agent Win Cowgill and NC-140 Regional Rootstock Research Team Receive 2017 Shepard Award Retired Hunterdon County agricultural agent Win Cowgill and fellow NC-140 Regional Rootstock Research Project members were the recipients of the American Pomological Society’s (ASP) 2017 P.H. Shepard Award for the best paper published in the Journal of the American Pomological Society, awarded at the APS business meeting held at American Society for Horticulture Science annual conference in September 2017.

The Shepard Award was instituted to recognize outstanding research and to promote the publication of good research in the official publication of the American Pomological Society. Currently the Shepard Award is presented for the best research paper published each year in Journal of the American Pomological Society.

The paper, “Time Required for Classifying Rootstock Vigor in Multi-location Rootstock Trials” was based on apple research Cowgill conducted at Rutgers Snyder Research Farm as part of the multi-state project NC-140. The NC-140 Regional Research Project is designed to address a number of high-priority areas within the North Central Region as well as other parts of North America. This project seeks to enhance economically and environmentally sustainable practices in temperate fruit production by focusing on rootstocks.

This was the third Shepard Award Cowgill received for NC-140 research publications in APS.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) Water Resources Program The Bees are Loving the Rain Garden at the Lopatcong Pool!

With the installation of a rain garden at the pool in Lopatcong, Warren County, New Jersey came the hum of bees. A rain garden was designed to capture stormwater runoff from the roof and move it away from the building’s foundation. The rain garden will help manage and infiltrate stormwater runoff as well as provide wildlife habitat. The rain garden is 300 square feet and has three separate tiers which are separated by rock walls to slow down the stormwater coming into the garden and allow it to infiltrate.

This new wildlife habitat was made possible through a partnership between Lopatcong Township, planning board members, Joseph Pryor, Lopatcong Township Department of Public Works, Lopatcong Creek Initiative, and the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program. The Lopatcong Pool rain garden was selected as one of six green infrastructure demonstration projects funded by the William Penn Foundation this summer.

somewhat bitter flavor making a nice complement to lamb, beef and poultry.

For those gardening where temperatures frequently dip below zero, consider the selection named “Arp.” It was found in Arp, Texas in 1972

by Madalene Hill (1913-2009).

“Arp” has proven to be very winter hardy, providing the soil is well-drained and the site is given some protection from winter winds. Hardiness can actually be improved by siting it next to stonework that absorbs the day’s warmth.

Also, consider mulching it with gravel in lieu of bark, which helps to keep the stem dry, as well as absorbing some of the daytime heat.

Another very winter-hardy cultivar is “Madeline Hill,” which is often sold under the name “Hill Hardy.” It was named in honor of Madalene by fellow herb enthusiast Tom Debaggio in the late-1980s.

It too is hardy to around -10 degrees Fahrenheit, but is somewhat more densely branched with a more upright habit than “Arp.”

Without a doubt, Rosemary can be a bit challenging to grow in more northerly climates.

Fortunately, the cold hardy forms have proven to overwinter well at Rutgers Gardens and the rewards of adding fresh sprigs of the flavorful stems to your favorite meals or drinks makes the challenge worthwhile.

Plus, the attractive foliage and long bloom time make this Dew of the Sea a most attractive addition to any garden.

Editor’s Note: Bruce Crawford is a lover of plants since birth; is the managing director of the Rutgers Gardens, a 180-acre outdoor teaching classroom, horticultural research facility and arboretum; an adjunct professor in Landscape Architecture at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences; regularly participates in the Rutgers – Continuing Education Program; and the immediate pastpresident of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at (732) 932-8451. For more information, please visit www.rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu

5ඎඍ඀ൾඋඌ &ඈඈඉൾඋൺඍංඏൾ (එඍൾඇඌංඈඇ 3ඁඈඇൾ 'ංඋൾർඍඈඋඒ Atlantic County Phone: 609-625-0056 Bergen County Phone: 201-336-6780 Burlington County Phone: 609-265-5050 Camden County Phone: 856 216 7130 Cape May County Phone: 609-465-5115 Cumberland County Phone: 856-451-2800 Essex County Phone: 973-228-2210 Gloucester County Phone: 856-307-6450 Hudson County Phone: 201-915-1399 Hunterdon County Phone: 908-788-1339 Mercer County Phone: 609-989-6830

Middlesex County Phone: 732-398-5260 Monmouth County Phone: 732-431-7260 Morris County Phone: 973-285-8300 Ocean County Phone:732-349-1246 Passaic County Phone: 973-305-5740 Salem County Phone: 856-769-0090 Somerset County Phone: 908-526-6293 Sussex County Phone: 973-948-3040 Union County Phone: 908-654-9854 Warren County Phone: 908-475-6505

8 November, 2017 I am sure that everyone has heard the phrase “Timing is Everything.” And I am also sure that everyone can look back on certain events in their life and wonder what might have happened if only they had timed things a little differently.

Perhaps they might wonder what would have happened if they had entered college a year earlier and had been friends with Bill Gates, who at that time, was starting a small computer company in his dorm room (which would later become Microsoft.)

Or they might wonder what would have happened if their draft number had been called.

Would they even be here today? And if they were still here, how would a tour of duty in Vietnam have altered their life.

Just as it is in life, timing is also critical in farming. It is not always what you can grow, or how well you can grow it that matters the most.

It is when you can deliver that product to a consumer who is willing to pay for it that might be the difference between success and failure.

Take pumpkins, for example. Everyone knows

GardenerNews.com The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

Timing is Everything that they are at their peak of popularity in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

There is not much demand for pumpkins in the middle of July and there is also not much of a call for them after Halloween, either. If you miss that window of opportunity, no matter how nice the crop might be, it will be considered a failure.

It is not always the fault of the grower if their crop misses its marketing window.

As always, the weather is a huge factor. Here in New Jersey, we try to plant our pumpkins in early-June. This usually ensures that they will be ready for harvest from late-September through midOctober.

Mother Nature does not always cooperate, however.

If we have an especially

warm summer, the crop might mature too early. If we have a cooler-than-normal summer, the fields might be full of green pumpkins on Halloween. We could also get an early frost, which could further curtail the maturity of the pumpkins.

Another big factor is the weather around the time when a crop is going to be sold.

For example, if pumpkins are grown to be sold to stores who will then in turn sell them to their customers, then the weather should not be too much of a factor. But say that those pumpkins were grown to be sold direct to the public through a pick-yourown field. Here is where the weather can play a critical role.

If there are nice sunny weekends in October, then

everything should be great.

But if there are some rainy weekends leading up to Halloween, then customers are not as likely to take a trip out to the farm, walk out in the field, and pick their own pumpkins, no matter how nice looking they might be.

Just the temperature alone can be a big factor.

If it is simply too hot, then people are not thinking about buying pumpkins yet, either.

If you remember earlier in this season in late-September, we had a beautiful weekend where the temperature was close to 90 on both Saturday and Sunday. When it is that hot, people don’t even look at pumpkins, let alone buy them!

I remember a few years ago in the year that Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey. If

you remember, the storm hit New Jersey in late-October.

In the week or so before the storm hit, people were not so concerned with decorating their homes for Halloween, they were more concerned with closing up their shore houses and securing all of their lawn furniture.

Then after the storm did hit, their focus was obviously on repairing any damage from the storm and just getting their power back on. Needless to say, that was not the most successful year for pumpkin sales.

Here’s to some nice weather in November. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Editor’s Note: Peter Melick is co-owner of Melick’s Town Farm in Oldwick and a 10th-generation New Jersey farmer. Peter is currently the Mayor of Tewksbury Township. He also served as a director for the New Jersey Farm Bureau and is a past president of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture. Peter has also been featured on NJN, News 12 New Jersey and on the Fox Business Network.

Green Industry Advocate of the Year Announced New Jersey Nursery & Landscape Association Annual Awards The New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association (NJNLA) is pleased to announce Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman as the recipient of the “Green Industry Advocate of the Year” award. The Senator has been a longtime advocate of the green industry, as demonstrated by his commitment to issues affecting the nursery and landscape industry: Water conservation and water quality; Invasive plants/native vegetation; Snowplow and de-icing limited liability legislation; Horticultural Therapy Week; NJ Agriculture Day; NJ Public Gardens and Arboretum Day; and more Senator Bateman is a ranking member of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and sponsored the 2014 constitutional amendment to establish a long-term funding source for open space, farmland and historic preservation. He has solidified that commitment by championing efforts to secure funding for green and blue acres in subsequent years as well. His commitment and dedication to our industry will be acknowledged and celebrated at the NJNLA Annual Awards Dinner on December 7, 2017 at The Boathouse at Mercer Lake.

About NJNLA The New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association is the oldest green industry organization in New Jersey and supports all industry businesses, nurseries, landscape professionals, and garden centers by advocating on issues of importance; collecting and distributing important information, articles and best management practices; and coordinating educational and networking events to strengthen connections within the industry. For more information about NJNLA, please visit www.njnla.org.

About Senator Kip Bateman Senator Bateman has served the 16th District in the Legislature since January 1994, when he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, where he served seven consecutive terms, ending in 2007. As an Assemblyman, he was Assistant Majority Whip from 1994-95 and Majority Whip in 1996. He was the Assistant Republican Whip from 2002-03 and the Assistant Republican Leader from 2004-2005. His appointments include the Task Force to Study Homeowner Associations from 1996-1997 and the Delaware and Raritan Transportation Safety Study Commission from 1995-1996. In 2004, he was appointed to the Legislative Services Commission and the Mandated Health Benefits Advisory Commission.

In 2008, he was elected Senator and currently serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Environment Committee, the Joint Committee on Public Schools and the Joint Committee on Housing Affordability. He served as Deputy Conference Leader from 2008-2014.

Senator Bateman’s other public service includes serving on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1988-1994. In 1990 and 1991, he was Deputy Director, and in 1992, he served Freeholder Director. He also was a member of the Branchburg Township Committee from January 1983 to February 1988, and was Mayor in 1986. He also served on the Branchburg Township Planning Board in 1985 and 1986.

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 9

Produce Council Spends Morning on a Farm The Eastern Produce Council (EPC) held its third-annual Joe DeLorenzo Family Day and Apple Picking event Sept. 30 at Melick’s Town Farm in Oldwick, Hunterdon County, N.J. The event is named for Joe DeLorenzo, a longtime board member and two-time president of the council, who died in November 2014.

More than 80 people attended the event. Attendees were treated to a hay wagon ride, apple picking, fresh cider and donuts, hot dogs, popcorn and roasted corn on the cob.

With a current membership of over 450 members, the EPC is a thriving produce organization whose members include retailers, wholesale distributors, growers, vendors/brokers, logistics and transportation professionals, as well as commodity groups, food service and other associations.

Founded in 1966 in New York City, the Eastern Produce Council was originally known as the Produce Sales Club. Three years after formation, the organization was growing, and the Produce Sales Club changed its name to the Eastern Produce Council.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Pictured is Peter Melick, left, co-owner of Melick’s Town Farm, and a featured columnist for this paper; EPC Executive Director Susan McAleavey Sarlund, second from left; EPC President Vic Savanello of Allegiance Retail Services, second from right; and New Jersey State Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman.

State Ag Officials Applaud FDA for Extending FSMA Farm Inspection and Water Quality Timeline At the Annual Meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) on September 12, 2017, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., highlighted the forthcoming compliance hurdles facing the food industry in 2018. The decision to emphasize education during the first year of implementation of the Produce Safety Rule under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) will give FDA more time to develop guidance and to complete development of regulator training programs for implementing the rule.

Dr. Michael G. Strain, NASDA President and Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture & Forestry, underscored the significance of this critical step to help producers comply with the rules of FSMA prior to regulation.

“We are pleased that states will have more time to deploy educational tools for our producers based on that guidance and to implement the On-Farm Readiness Review Process, which is consistent with the FDA decision to emphasize education. FDA is showing support of an important transition from the reactive programs that have existed in the past to the preventive programs of the future,” said Commissioner Strain.

Commissioner Gottlieb also announced additional time and enhanced stakeholder engagement to address the concerns of NASDA on agricultural water standards and testing methods.

“Extending these compliance dates by an additional two to four years and reviewing testing methods will provide producers with more practical and achievable water quality expectations across our diverse food production landscape. Commissioner Gottlieb’s announcement underscores the growing strength of our cooperative partnership with the FDA. This is an important first step towards feasible water standards for America’s producers.”

NASDA and FDA entered into a cooperative agreement in 2014. As a part of the effort NASDA has developed a Model Produce Safety Implementation Framework for states to use as they implement the Produce Safety Rule. Forty-three states are cooperating with FDA to implement the Produce Safety Rule; the FDA has committed $30.9M for these state programs. The On-Farm Readiness Review program is being developed by NASDA in conjunction with the FDA and extension services. It is a voluntary, non-regulatory opportunity to assess a farm’s readiness for FSMA compliance.

NASDA represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries, and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances agriculture by forging partnerships and creating consensus to achieve sound policy outcomes between state departments of agriculture, the federal government, and stakeholders.

10 November, 2017 Recently back from our family vacation, this year we decided to visit a national park that is nearly 3,500 square miles. Mostly in Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park also runs through parts of Montana and Idaho.

Dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, mudpots, fumaroles, geysers, more wildlife than you could ever hope for, and oh yeah… plants too!

The first few days of our vacation found us in Jackson, Wyoming, specifically Jackson Hole. Originally named for Davey Jackson, a mountain man who trapped in the 1800s, Jackson “Hole” describes the high mountain valley.

At the base of this valley, shimmering in all their glory, was a stand of American/Quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides. Aptly named Quaking aspen, the slightest breeze has the leaves of these deciduous trees shimmering or quaking in the landscape.

Nearly round, dark green leaves turn a striking golden-yellow in the fall, and their strong white bark stilts, rising thru the landscape, help cement its candidacy in any landscape. Native from Canada to Mexico, occasionally I am asked to source aspen, in lieu of white birch, Betula papyrifera, a shortlived species whose bark is equally as impressive.

Interestingly, I learned that Native Americans found that Aspens can provide a natural sunscreen.

Fall arrived on Friday, September 22, at 4:02 p.m. The Autumnal Equinox marks the change of seasons, and now the number of daylight hours decrease until the Winter Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere…while it’s the beginning of spring below the Equator).

The term “fall” has nothing to do with leaves falling from trees. There is a poetic and historical reason we use the term fall, but I am a tree guy, and though I do love to research and learn new things, there’s not enough space here to discuss this. Call it what you want, fall is here.

This is a great time for walks; the air is still warm but usually less humid, the sunlight angle makes for really cool shadows, and things are…changing.

The sun “falls” a little earlier in the evening, and plants begin to respond by shutting down growth and getting ready for the cold to come.

This has been a very interesting year for us plant geeks. The wet, cool spring

GardenerNews.com Unique Plants

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist

A Great Western Trio The chalkiness of the bark’s white coating can act as an SPF5, which can serve as a sunblock. While the SPF is low, “you can scrape off the powder and save it for later” (survivallife.com). Quaking aspen grow 20 to 50 feet tall and have a narrow to slightly rounded crown.

At the base of the mountain, next to the Jackson Hole sign, a small grove of aspen stands strong, welcoming visitors.

During an outdoor safari excursion through part of Grand Teton National Park, we learned about the “determined efforts” of John D. Rockefeller. Mr. Rockefeller purchased and donated a great deal of land here that is under protection today. Our tour guide Clint, pointed out several Pronghorn, commonly known as “American goatantelope.” However, they are not a member of the goat or antelope family.

Pronghorn feed on Sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata Nutt., and that in itself I found remarkable.

“Sagebrush is an emblem of the mountain West” www.fs.fed.us/ wildflowers. To me, this Artemisia looks like tumbleweeds littering the mountainous terrain, in a most beautiful way, as far as the eye can see. Pronghorn digest their food twice and feed primarily on grasses, forbs, cactus and sagebrush. Rarely eaten by wildlife, this Artemisia has a spicy, almost bitter smell, with grey stems and twigs. Capable of growing from one to five feet, we were able to appreciate its yellowish flowers borne in small heads in late August.

The last of this fabulous trio of plants discussed in this article is Lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta.

The most common species of pine found in Yellowstone…it is everywhere! Having two needles in a cluster, Lodgepole pine are so densely packed together, you see vast landscapes of their gorgeous stilts throughout Yellowstone.

Lower parts of these trees are often devoid of branches as sunlight

simply wasn’t there to support its structure. “The Lodgepole Pine seedlings grow quickly in mineral soil of a fire-cleaned area or in any kind of disturbed site, particularly road side cuts” Plants of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

“Early botanical explorers first encountered the species along the West Coast where it is often contorted into a twisted tree by the wind and thus named it Pinus contorta var. contorta” (www.nps. gov/yell/learn/nature/forests.htm).

Finally, Lodgepole’s common name is for its widespread use in Native American tipi building and some of the cones of Lodgepole don’t open except in the presence of fire. Thus, the explanation of why it is so plentiful after the massive forest fire of 1988, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the canopy today.

There are two unique cultivars we have sold, with regularity, over the years. Pinus contorta “Chief Joseph” has deep, rich, golden-

Tree Notes

By Steve Schuckman NJ Certified Tree Expert

Some Early-Fall Observations meant a slow startup, with lots of foliar disease. Then August was cooler than usual, and now it is dry and likely to be warmer than normal in October. My tropicals are loving it.

So I took a walk last night and again this morning, and made some not-so-typical observations.

First, it is REALLY dry.

Lack of rain, low humidity, breezy sunny days and, wow, soil moisture is very low. Sensitive trees are shedding early (especially those that had foliar diseases this spring), shrubs are wilted, lawns are crispy. Better get out there and water your trees and shrubs.

I have observed a lot of fungal fruiting bodies on trees. Decay fungi

pop out this time of year, especially with the warm days, and today I saw oyster mushrooms on stressed Norway maples, sulfur fungus on old oaks, hen of the woods at the base of oak, and a fungus called Climacodon on sugar maple. Only the latter is inedible – the others are delicious! All are indications of decay in the tree…eat ‘em while you can!

Acorns. The hated autumn oak projectile, good for squirrels and turkey but…well, residents really hate them. This year there seems to be a good crop, and while pin oak acorns are small and insignificant, red oak acorns are a different story. They can be pretty big, and do create a bit of a

challenge when sidewalks are covered with them.

Even more “threatening” are black walnut. Good crop this year, and they are big.

But do not consider them a nuisance, as they are delicious, far more flavorful than the English variety we see during the holidays. If you are a baker, take the time to collect some. Just be sure to wear gloves, as the husks will stain your hands when you are cleaning them.

Probably my favorite part of fall is the crunch and smell of dry leaves.

There is something very nostalgic about walking through a layer of colorful, dry leaves. I recall as a child in the Midwest, we would work until dark after school and rake and pile the leaves, only to end up

yellow winter color, creating a beacon in anyone’s garden in colder months.

Medium green needles during spring, summer and fall, this is a slow growing Lodgepole that comfortably reaches six to eight feet high and four to five feet wide.

Pinus contorta “Taylor’s Sunburst” has brilliant, golden-yellow, new growth that erupts in the spring.

This explosion of color lasts weeks and then digresses to a light yellowgreen and finally ends as a dark green in warmer months. And we can’t forget the tiny red cones, in the spring, that help make this tree so awesome.

“There is nothing so American as our national parks… The fundamental idea behind the parks… is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.”

Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Editor’s Note: Bob LaHoff is co-owner of Hall’s Garden Center and Florist in Union County, a member of the Union County Board of Agriculture, the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, ReevesReed Arboretum Buildings and Grounds Committee, a lifetime member of the Conifer Society and past member of the retail council for Monrovia Growers. He can be reached at (908) 665-0331.

jumping in them. Pieces of leaves in our hair and ears and everywhere else. Then on the weekend, we would burn them (did you folks out here do that?). The air would be dense with smoke, the fragrance penetrating clothes and homes. Every now and then, I will burn a little pile, just because.

You see, there is more to trees than trunks and branches, leaves and flowers and fruit. There are seasonal interests that are fleeting. You just have to get out there and experience them.

And yes, I am going to burn a little pile of leaves, just because.

Editor’s Note: Steve Schuckman is owner of First Mountain Aboriculture, which provides horticultural consulting and community forestry services. He is currently the consulting forester for Bloomfield, Hawthorne, Maplewood, and Montclair, in New Jersey. He is also a New Jersey Certified Tree Expert.

He can be reached at smschuckman@verizon.net

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 11

Landscape Industry Host Special Guests The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) held their annual snow meeting at Bobcat of North Jersey in Totowa, Passaic County, on Thursday, October 12.

New Jersey’s 51st Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco discussed how the legislative process works in Trenton, and Assemblyman Kevin Rooney spoke about bill number A-3656. This bill prohibits snowplow or de-icing service contracts from indemnifying promisees against liability for loss or damage in certain instances.

The NJLCA is a proven resource to the landscape contractor, green industry service provider and supplier, as well as the consumer. They are a community of green industry professionals who are dedicated to advancing the integrity, proficiency and continued growth of the landscape industry. They do this through education, training and legislative advocacy.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

New Jersey’s 51st Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco, center, joins Pat Barckett, left, Director of Sales and Marketing for Bobcat of North Jersey, and Vincent Ryan, Owner and President of Bobcat of North Jersey, in the front lobby of Bobcat of North Jersey, just before he addresses the landscape and snow contractors.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Assemblyman Kevin Rooney speaks to the landscape and snow contractors at Bobcat of North Jersey.

12 November, 2017

GardenerNews.com

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GardenerNews.com In this season for planting spectacular spring-blooming bulbs, let’s take a moment to consider the humble Allium sativum, garlic.

Yes, other geophytes offer color and scent, but only garlic has been used in the service of mankind for 5,000 years as food, medicine, aphrodisiac, in trade, and in religious ritual.

Bulbs appeared on Earth 35 million years ago. They developed as a response to dramatic shifts in temperature and rainfall. With their ability to store food and water underground, bulbs represent one of the most successful strategies for survival in the plant kingdom.

No other bulb has interacted with as many cultures, for as many purposes, as garlic.

Paleo-botanists have found fossilized garlic and clay bulb replicas in King Tutankhamun’s tomb around 1300 B.C. Ancient Egyptians used garlic as a currency, too. When Nile floods destroyed garlic crops, work on the pyramids halted. At this time, a male slave could be purchased for the equivalent of 15 pounds of garlic.

In Egyptian courts, those testifying swore oaths on a head of garlic. While Egyptian royals considered garlic too coarse for culinary purposes, it was eaten

by Arab and Semitic peoples.

The Jewish Talmud prescribes a

The cold weather should finally be arriving and everyone is preparing for the holiday season to begin with Thanksgiving.

Now is the time to spruce up your or your client’s entryway and add lots of seasonal color.

One of the best ways to do this is with containers and decorative pieces around a doorway or walkway. We have all seen the mums lining everyone’s staircases. They are beautiful and certainly festive. However why not try something different this year?

Let’s first look at the different arrays you might want to try and then delve into the different plant materials to consider. There are all sorts of containers, beyond the traditional flower pot, window box or clay planter. Some of the options that are still traditional, but have a different flare, include ceramic glazed planter, stone urns and resin versions of any size and shape planter you can dream up.

Have left over, uncarved pumpkins from Halloween?

If not, grab some from your local garden center and use them as containers for your arrangements. Dig out the inside of the pumpkin, spray it lightly with lemon juice to preserve it,

November, 2017 13 The Garden Historian

By Lesley Parness Garden Educator

The Humble Bulb: Garlic Sabbath meal with garlic and it is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament.

Circa 300 B.C., Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers often recommended this humble bulb. Hippocrates, Pliny and Dioscorides prescribed it for ills including snake bite, respiratory disorders and intestinal worms. Early Olympic athletes ate copious amounts of garlic, as did Greek soldiers. But Greeks wishing to enter temples had to pass a breath test and those who smelled of garlic were barred.

One of the world’s oldest cultivated crops, garlic is a native of central Asia/southwestern Siberia. It then travelled to Egypt, Pakistan, India and China.

The Crusaders brought garlic to Europe, from whence Spanish, French and Portuguese settlers introduced it to the Americas, where Spanish explorer Cortez noted its cultivation in the 1600s.

12th century Mongol leader

Genghis Khan’s armies grazed their ponies on the wild garlic (Allium longicuspis) of Asia’s Central Steppes. Rich in the compound allicin, known now for its antibiotic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties, it made the horses strong and resistant to disease. Those attributes were passed on to the soldiers through their pony’s blood, small amounts of which were drained and imbibed.

In Europe’s Medieval Age, garlic was hung above doors, to ward off the evil. France’s legendary “Four Thieves” Vinegar contained garlic. Hung in a glass vial around their necks, thieves thus enabled, could plunder and rob the dead without catching the plague.

European folklore is rife with garlic use. It was rubbed on doorframes to repel vampires, eaten at bedtime to keep nightmares away and worn during evening travels in areas populated

by witches and evil spirits.

Sometime around 1548, garlic arrived in Britain, and it was there that it got it its English name - “garleac” meaning “speared leek.”

As an aphrodisiac, ancient Chinese medicine prescribed garlic for men with “intimacy problems.” Grooms placed cloves of garlic in their buttonholes to ensure a happy honeymoon. This vegetable viagra was, however, forbidden to Tibetan monks.

Across the globe, 1st Roman century agricultural journalist Columella notes its libidoenhancing properties. And a half a world away, Indian Ayurvedic medicine makes use of garlic for this purpose complemented by rituals and prayers.

Studied by priests, physicians and scientists alike throughout human history, it was not until 1858, when Louis Pasteur observed garlic’s antibacterial activity, that its medical attributes

The NJLCA Today

By Gail Woolcott Director of Operations

Options for sprucing up entryways then add your soil, flowers and plants. Poke a hole or two in the bottom, large enough to allow drainage.

Another option is to stack flat pumpkins or gourds (similar to the way you would stack a snowman) and make that a display in itself. To get really fancy, spray paint some of the pumpkins white, or use a leaf as a stencil and spray paint around it all over the pumpkin for a festive design.

Another option is to use decorative wall stone to arrange your containers at different heights. Or use a cinder block, fill dirt in the holes, then add plantings to the openings. These can be stacked to create levels, which would go fantastic with plants that spill over the edges in the front.

Want something rustic? Use an old wagon, or a Radio Flyer

wagon. Why not use a wooden crate or galvanized wash tub?

Finally, those “bobbing for apple” buckets are perfect seasonal containers.

Now let’s get down to plant material that can replace or compliment your mums. You want to go with plants that have height, others with foliage and those that will spill over the edges.

For height, use ornamental grasses, such as Zebra Grass or Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) or Fountaingrass (Pennisetum). You can also use Bittersweet Vine (Celastrus), with its reddish orange and yellow berries to resonate the season. In addition, look at Fox Red Curly Sedge (Carex buchananii) for its gorgeous reddish bronze colors.

When it comes to foliage, you have a plethora of plants to

choose from. Purple cabbages and kale (Brassica oleracea) are a definite “go-to,” but also try using chard (Swiss Chard “Bright Lights”) for it’s gorgeous colors. Fancy leaf Coral Bells (Heuchera “Stormy Seas”) have a deep purple, maple leaf look.

Meanwhile, Lavender Cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus), has a dusty, silver-gray foliage and the texture creates interest.

Autumn Joy Stonecrop (Sedum spectabile “Autumn Joy”) provides a dusty rose color, while fall-blooming Asters can give you blues and purples, with a burst of yellow.

Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) and Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) can also provide boundless color. Use Bonfire Euphorbia (Euphorbia hypericifolia “Bonfire”) for a deep purple, red and orange foliage with a little chartreuse.

were finally “proven.” Garlic was used widely in both World Wars I and II, earning it the nickname “Russian penicillin.” The raw juice was expressed, diluted with water and applied to wounds with swabs of sphagnum moss.

The list of garlic’s uses goes on to include gilder’s glue, rocket propellant and vulcanized rubber production.

Currently, garlic is used most frequently in cooking. Over 600 cultivars are grown on over 2.5 million acres globally. So, in tending your garlic crop this winter, you’ll be ensuring the continuing history of this humble but extraordinary plant.

Editor’s Note: Lesley Parness offers a variety of presentations and workshops for garden clubs, plant societies, and horticultural gatherings.

Recently retired from her position as Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, and with four decades of teaching environmental science and garden education, her focus now is garden history. A complete listing of her talks can be seen at lesleyparness. com and she can be reached at parness@verizon.net. This column will appear in the paper every other month.

Finally, try Ascot Rainbow Spurge (Euphorbia x martinii “Ascot Rainbow”) for sage and green foliage, with a yellow border that turns a peachysalmon color.

Now, let’s add our “spillers!” Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia “Aurea”) has yellow foliage that trails down the sides of containers beautifully. Burgundy Glow Carpet Bugle (Ajuga reptans “Burgundy Glow”) offers burgundy-tinged pale green and white foliage. And of course, you can always add English Ivy to spill over.

Feel free to add unique pumpkins and gourds to your containers to increase their seasonal flare. These are just some of the many ideas that you can use to impress your customers and your visiting family and friends.

Get creative and enjoy the fall. Before you know it, it’s time for December decorating!

Editor’s Note: Gail Woolcott is Director of Operations for the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association.

She can be reached at (201) 703-3600 or by emailing gwoolcott@NJLCA.org

14 November, 2017 You know it’s been a rough couple of weeks when young people pass away from dreaded diseases and innocent folks are gunned down for inexplicable reasons. It puts in perspective how fragile life is and how the human spirit is our strongest characteristic.

How does this relate to a garden article? It lets us contemplate what we can do to honor those who serve and save, as well as those who have lost their lives.

With the holidays approaching, our standard decorating can take on a therapeutic approach. With a little planning, we can use our containers and accent plants not only as sources of color and interest for the holidays, but as a chance to honor these folks all through the winter.

As we install our miniature trees, such as Alberta spruce or small firs and boxwood, we can designate one to be a memorial tree where we put ornaments with the names of those we have lost as well as those who we want to honor or even those who we are asking prayers for. No matter

GardenerNews.com The Landscaper

By Evan Dickerson Landscape Professional

What to Do In Depressing Times what your beliefs, this simple act can serve as a reminder to never forget. These displays are also a call to civility that is sadly lacking in our world today. Let’s all use this holiday season to soothe each other’s souls with the calming and creative influence of horticultural decorating.

Many container options exist for using cut evergreens such as pine, fir, spruce, as well as boxwood, which can be inserted in your containers with holly and certain plants with bark interest like red twig dogwood. Adding bows and ribbons will pique interest, and even artificial berries and colorful branches add to the overall look.

There are even sprays which can add interest to your cut greens.

One hint to make the work easier would be to remove your summer annuals which are finished, leaving certain plants such as the grasses, dusty miller and others, which look good even as dried plants. Loosening the soil at this time will make it easier to insert your plants and cut greens as well.

Another decorating option to create interest would be to use cut or live trees to create a feature in an open area within your landscape. These areas can be spots which, while not planted during the growing season, can show off decorated areas and can even be used to feed birds through the use of edible garlands and hanging feeders. They can also accommodate our memorials. Installing flags or other red, white and blue

into our designs can work as well. Our use of stars, crosses and other symbols can offer a calming influence to our displays.

If the outdoor option doesn’t work for you, a cut or live Christmas tree can be used indoors as well. There are as many as 16 varieties of evergreens used as Christmas Trees. If you use your imagination you can think of many ways to use an Arizona Cypress, Balsam Fir, Blue Spruce, Canaan Fir, Concolor Fir, Douglas Fir, Red Cedar, White Pine, Fraser Fir, Grand Fir, Leyland Cypress, Noble Fir, Norway Spruce, Scotch Pine, Virginia Pine and White Spruce as a holiday decoration. Of course, some of these varieties are more readily available in our area than others, but it is always

fun to dream up other uses.

To supplement the range of color options, lights become more important.

Simple lighting using soft spot lights as well as adding the appropriate colored lights will set off these presentations.

This is another chance for us to incorporate our tributes and memorials. It can be similar to tying ribbons on trees to honor a cause. However, in this instance, we are using our individual creativity to help one another restore graciousness. It is another form of therapeutic gardening which can become infectious.

Many landscape designers, contractors, nurseries and garden centers would be happy to assist you in creating your unique holiday displays and increasing your enjoyment of your holiday and winter decorating.

Editor’s Note: Evan Dickerson is owner of Dickerson Landscape Contractors and NaturesPro of North Plainfield. He has been pioneering the organic approach to plant health since 1972. Evan can be reached at 908-753-1490

Understanding the USDA Organic Label A Must-Have Tactical Flashlight (Continued from page 1) sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used.

Organic producers rely on natural substances and physical, mechanical, or biologically based farming methods to the fullest extent possible. Organic produce must be grown on soil that had no prohibited substances (most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) applied for three years prior to harvest. As for organic meat, the standards require that animals are raised in living conditions accommodating their natural behaviors, fed organic feed, and not administered antibiotics or hormones.

There are four distinct labeling categories for organic products – 100 percent organic, organic, “made with” organic ingredients, and specific organic ingredients.

In the “100 Percent Organic” category, products must be made up of 100 percent certified organic ingredients. The label must include the name of the certifying agent and may include the USDA Organic Seal and/or the 100 percent organic claim.

In the “Organic” category, the product and ingredients must be certified organic, except where specified on National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. Non-

organic ingredients allowed per the National List may be used, but no more than 5 percent of the combined total ingredients may contain nonorganic content. Additionally, the label must include the name of the certifying agent, and may include the USDA Organic Seal and/or the organic claim.

For multi-ingredient products in the “made with” organic category, at least 70 percent of the product must be certified organic ingredients. The organic seal cannot be used on the product, and the final product cannot be represented as organic – only up to three ingredients or ingredient categories can be represented as organic. Any remaining ingredients are not required to be organically produced but must be produced without excluded methods (genetic engineering). All non-agricultural products must be allowed on the National List. For example, processed organic foods may contain some approved non-agricultural ingredients, like enzymes in yogurt, pectin in fruit jams, or baking soda in baked goods.

Multi-ingredient products with less than 70 percent certified organic content would fall under the “specific organic ingredients,” (Cont. on pg 16)

The brightest flashlight ever created by NEBO is here – the REDLINE BLAST. With 1,400 lumens of high intensity light, this must-have flashlight can throw a spectacularly bright beam over 850 feet.

The BLAST is completely waterproof and ready for any weather condition.

Want more? How about a 4x zoom and 5 light modes (high, medium, low, defensive strobe & flashing beacon).

Makes a Great Holiday Gift!

AVAILABLE AT Edgewood Pharmacy 62 B Mountain Blvd. Warren, NJ (Next to Kings Food Markets) 908-754-4400 www.EdgewoodPharmacy.com

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 15

Registration Now Open for My Hairy Balls Milkweed Adventure when I viewed Hairy Balls always have black antennas Jeannie Geremia 2018 Mid-Atlantic Nursery By Milkweed in person mixed on his head and rear (two Contributing Writer in with the dahlias and a sets), where the Black It’s always so exciting to handwritten card with a hand Swallowtail has none, but a Trade Show see something unexpectedly drawn butterfly saying that little orange osmeterium, a The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS), returning to Baltimore again this January for their 48th annual event, has announced that registration is now open for the 2018 show. Green industry companies and businesses interested in exhibiting or attending The Masterpiece of Trade Shows™ may register online at www.MANTS.com.

MANTS 2018 will be held from January 10 – 12 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The premier green industry marketplace will once again bring together close to 1,000 vendors from across the country and around the world, making it one of the largest trade shows in the country serving the horticulture industry. Simply put, MANTS is where the industry comes to buy, shop, meet, see and be seen every January.

“We are thrilled to be returning to the Baltimore Convention Center for the 48th annual Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show and look forward to welcoming back longtime exhibitors and friends, as well as newcomers to the show floor,” said Vanessa Finney, MANTS Executive Vice President. “My family helped start this trade show to initiate commerce and networking amongst the nursery industry, it is exciting to walk the show floor, feel the buzz of our attendees sharing their passions, and put our finger on the pulse of the industry before spring.”

In an effort to enhance the already outstanding variety of products, goods and services available, MANTS anticipates welcoming about 100 new exhibiting companies to the show floor this year, underscoring the fact that MANTS means business.

In 2017, MANTS welcomed more than 11,300 registrants to the Baltimore Convention Center, including a record-breaking 10,000+ people who had registered by the end of the first day of the show alone. These horticulture-loving professionals had the opportunity to visit 952 exhibiting companies, spread throughout more than 1,500 booths. The exhibiting companies and event attendees hailed from 45 states, 16 total countries, and the territory of Micronesia – all of whom represented a wide variety of products, services and trends on the show floor.

For all those interested in attending or exhibiting, please find more details and registration information at www.MANTS.com.

Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (MANTS): The Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, MANTS®, is known as the Masterpiece of Trade Shows TM and is sponsored by the State Nursery and Landscape Associations of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. MANTS is the place industry leaders gather every January because MANTS means business. The show covers over 300,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space at the Baltimore Convention Center and draws exhibiting companies and attendees from throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia. MANTS 2018 is scheduled for January 10-12 at the Baltimore Convention Center. For the latest information visit www.mants.com or call us at (410) 296-6959.

2017 NJ Soil Erosion Control Standards Training The New Jersey Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the New Jersey Association of Conservation Districts, is pleased to announce the 2017 Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Standards Training. A one day seminar will cover all 32 Standards used by engineers and others to develop a certifiable soil erosion control plan, needed to comply with the NJ Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act. The seminar is offered on two different dates to accommodate as many schedules as possible: November 8th and November 29th. Both seminars will be held at the Freehold Soil Conservation District offices at 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold NJ. The cost is $40.00 and includes continental breakfast, lunch and a printed copy of the Standards.

Questions regarding the training may be directed to John Showler, P.E., NJ State Erosion Control Engineer.

609. 292.5540

appearing in real life when, heretofore it had only been viewed in print form.

Case in point happened to me as I viewed a seed packet from the Gardener’s Workshop last May at the National Garden Clubs, Inc.’s Convention in Richmond, Va. Naturally, I had to purchase the packet of seeds of Gomphocarpus physocarpus, “A favorite of butterflies and flower arrangers”, also known as Asclepias physocarpa.

Yes, my gardening friends, a MILKWEED! Hairy Balls is its common name, along with Family Jewels and Swan Plant and is native to Africa. It’s a perennial from Zones 9 to 11 but an annual elsewhere and blooms seven weeks from seed and liberally re-seeds itself. The hairy balls description emanates from the fuzzy green pods, the size of tennis balls, dangling from its stems with art deco like blooms of white/lavender, creating a dazzling, wondrous plant.

My wonderful adventure started at the Saturday Stangl Farmers’ Market in Flemington, N.J. Greeting you as you come into the year-round indoor market is a wealth of fabulous produce and exquisite bouquets of flowers in a stand that is staffed by Jenna Karahalios from Two Barn Farm in Pittstown, N.J. Jenna and I have chatted about butterflies and caterpillars in the past as I eagerly purchased flower bouquets from early season of anemones, ranunculus, tulips (including the beloved Parrot tulips), all in the most delicious colors imaginable.

So it was with eager anticipation that I made a dash for the bouquets knowing full well that there would be spectacular dahlias.

I was stopped in my tracks

caterpillars were included in the bouquet.

Be still my heart as I glanced over to see a magnificent Monarch caterpillar happily residing on a stem. My gaze continued to the table and quietly resting on a sales card was a tiny caterpillar. I had to have the bouquet and the little guy, too, and found that Jenna was relieved as she was fretting over the caterpillars’ fate and now knew they were going to be safe.

She remarked how the little one didn’t seem to want milkweed. Well, I can tell you, excitement was had by everyone nearby as I showed off my prize and they realized that there would be butterflies in the future. Such fun!

I proceeded home to get them situated in my butterfly habitat for Monarchs as I just had my 33rd Monarch hatch out and join the migration south, and had a single chrysalis left. I stuffed the milkweed stems with the big guy into a small container with water, but the little caterpillar was not willing to be placed among the milkweed.

My excitement had gotten the best of me and I finally realized this was a Black Swallowtail caterpillar and no way was he going to eat milkweed. I put him into my Black Swallowtail butterfly habitat and hurried back to the Stangl Farmers’ Market to tell Jenna why the baby refused the milkweed.

She felt bad initially as she had taken caterpillars off the parsley (host plant for Black Swallowtails) and wondered why they refused to eat milkweed. I told her not to worry and the best way to tell a Monarch caterpillar from a Black Swallowtail is that the Monarch caterpillar, no matter his size, will

defensive organ that emits a foul odor when the caterpillar feels threatened.

Anyway, I came home to find the little guy on the floor of the habitat not happy that I put him on fennel (another Black Swallowtail host plant). I remembered then that Jenna said she took the caterpillars off parsley, so I corrected my error and can report a fat, happy caterpillar is now happily chomping away on parsley.

The Monarch caterpillar is encased in an exquisite chrysalis, soon to join his fellow Monarchs on their annual migration to Mexico.

Another visit to the Stangl Farmers’ Market led to my meeting Jon Smith, proud farmer and owner of Two Barn Farm, a non-certified organic CSA specializing in vegetables on a 21-acre farm, with five to six acres in cultivation and the remaining in varied cover crops.

His mom, Jane Smith, is addicted to growing these fabulous flowers on a half-acre using a Tilther, a lightweight tiller designed to create perfect tilth, conceptualized by Eliot Coleman and sold through Johnny’s Selected Seeds.

Jane will continue growing Hairy Balls Milkweed and Hellebores, too!

Editor’s Note: Jeannie Geremia is The Garden Club of New Jersey First Vice President, GCNJ Wildlife Habitat Chair, and is a National Garden Clubs, Inc. Accredited Life Flower Show Judge for the GCNJ. Jeannie is a member of Neshanic Garden Club, The Raritan Township Historic Committee and the Raritan Township Board of Health.

Jeannie’s email address is: jgeremia42@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving from the

Gardener News

16 November, 2017 Let me tell you ’bout the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees…

Wasn’t that a song from the 1960s?

What are you doing about attracting bees and butterflies to your yard? Restoring and establishing native plant communities is the most effective way to preserve habitat for native pollinators like bees and butterflies. Let’s take a break from talking lawns and discuss wildflowers.

In the past 15 years, concerns have been raised about declines in the bee population around the world.

What may be causing this decline? Many studies have been made in many countries to try to find a cause and to stop this decline. Bees pollinate many crops and are critically important to our food supply.

One reason for the decline is the lack of habitat, and we need to create more nectar and pollen sources. Have you ever walked in a park and been stunned by some wildflowers and wished you could have that look in your yard? How about when you are driving and you see green

GardenerNews.com Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Keep the bees buzzing… grass and trees for miles and miles and then suddenly there comes a stretch of beautiful wildflowers in the center strip?

You can do your part to help the bee and butterfly populations by planting some wildflowers around your yard; it’s beautiful and great for the environment.

Do some research for the best wildflower species that specifically attract bees and butterflies; there is a good chance you’ll get some hummingbirds visiting your yard, too.

How do you pick an area to plant wildflowers? Perhaps you have a slope or large hill that is difficult or dangerous to mow. Maybe you have an area of your property leading back into some woods or areas that you just do not

want to mow or fertilize anymore. Wildflowers prefer sunny areas, although some species can tolerate some shade. Most wildflower mixtures are available with a combination of annual and perennial wildflowers.

Annuals, of course, last one year and perennials usually last year after year.

Planting of wildflowers is probably best in late-spring.

Proper preparation is key for successful wildflower plantings. Consider killing off all vegetation and clearing debris away so soil is exposed. Scratch the soil to loosen it, spread the seed and lightly rake the seed into the top quarter-inch of soil. You can cover this area lightly with some straw or mulch pellets to help retain moisture and reduce erosion. Water

daily for 10 to 15 minutes, if possible, for a few weeks.

Annuals should start to bloom in 45 to 60 days.

Perennials generally set roots and florets the first year and will bloom the second year.

Selective weed control is desirable for your garden to thrive, since wildflowers are not very competitive plants.

At the end of the season in late-fall to early winter, cut down the wildflowers to six inches in order to promote vigorous growth the following year. The annuals will have produced some seed and they will hopefully re-seed themselves and germinate the following year.

The benefits are huge with wildflowers, as they create a naturally beautiful sight in your yard. You’ll be the envy of your neighborhood;

everybody goes crazy over a nice field of wildflowers.

Grandchildren love to pick or cut flower bunches to give to Mimi and Pop-Pop! Sitting by a beautiful wildflower garden with a book and an iced tea is very relaxing.

It’s fun to watch how the bees, butterflies and perhaps hummingbirds go about their business.

Join the National Pollinator Garden Network, which is promoting the “Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.” There also is a White House initiative, “National Strategy to promote the health of honey bees and other pollinators.”

Encourage your friends to start a pollinator wildflower garden and then register it.

If you plant a wildflower garden next year, I bet some of your friends and neighbors will plant one, too, after they see yours.

Editor’s Note: Todd Pretz is Vice President of Jonathan Green, a leading supplier of lawn and garden products in the northeast. For more information, please visit: www.jonathangreen.com

Understanding the USDA Organic Label (Continued from page 14)

and don’t need to be certified. These products cannot display the USDA Organic Seal or use the word organic on the principal display panel.

They can list certified organic ingredients in the ingredient list and the percentage of organic ingredients.

Becoming familiar with organic labeling allows consumers to make informed decisions about the products they purchase.

Consumers can be assured that the integrity of USDA organic products are verified from farm to market.

The National Organic Program (NOP) develops the rules and regulations for the production, handling, labeling, and enforcement of all USDA organic products. This process, referred to as rulemaking, involves input from the National Organic Standards Board (a Federal

Advisory Committee made up of fifteen members of the public) and the public.

The NOP also maintains a Handbook that includes guidance, instructions, policy memos, and other documents that communicate the organic standards.

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) is a Federal Advisory Board made up of 15 dedicated public volunteers from across the organic community.

Established by the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) and governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the NOSB considers and makes recommendations on a wide range of issues involving the production, handling and processing of organic products. The NOSB also has special responsibilities related to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited

Substances.

Each NOSB member is appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for a five-year term.

USDA publishes a call for nominations each spring, and newly appointed members begin service in January of the following year.

NOSB members include: four who own or operate an organic farming operation; two who own or operate an organic handling operation; one who owns or operates a retail establishment with significant trade in organic products; three with expertise in areas of environmental protection and resource conservation; three who represent public interest or consumer interest groups; one with expertise in the fields of toxicology, ecology, or biochemistry; and one who is a USDA accredited certifying agent.

The NOP is in the process of developing practice standards in these areas. Specific labeling guidance will be detailed after these standards are implemented.

Honey, mushrooms, and pet food may be certified to the current production and handling standards.

Certification of aquatic animals will not be available until new standards are complete.

People who sell or label a product “organic” when they know it does not meet USDA standards can be fined up to $11,000 for each violation.

The labeling requirements of the NOP apply to raw, fresh products and processed products that contain organic agricultural ingredients.

Agricultural products that are sold, labeled, or represented as organic must be produced and processed in accordance with the

NOP standards. Except for operations whose gross income from organic sales totals $5,000 or less, farm and processing operations that grow and process organic agricultural products must be certified by USDA-accredited certifying agents.

The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can’t plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can’t eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can’t use any GMO ingredients.

To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren’t using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances from farm to table.

Source: USDA/AMS

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 17

18 November, 2017

GardenerNews.com

A Living Wall in a Mansion One of the unique features of The Mansion at Natirar in PeapackGladstone is the picturesque panoramic views it provides of the Somerset County countryside.

When building the newly opened ballroom, Kim Wojtowicz, left, the farm manager at Natirar, took the opportunity to bring nature indoors by creating a 12-foot-by-24-foot sustainable living green wall with the help of Eco Walls out of Bordentown, Burlington County. The wall is both inspirational, providing a feeling of tranquility only nature can create, as well as functional, as it cleans the air and reduces noise levels.

The 10 plants selected for the living wall, as well as the formal pattern selected, were all conscious choices meant to reflect the joyous events which now take place in this beautiful space.

The lipstick and wax plants bloom delicate pink flowers representing the femininity of the brides, and the satin plant represents the beauty in their gowns. The peace lily and pothos celebrate the diversity of the room’s occupants, old man’s beard and philodendron celebrate the generations within the families making up those celebrations. The birds nest fern is their attempt to the long beauty of outside to the inside wall. The rabbit foot fern is for luck and the creeping fig, with its small heart-shaped leaves, Tom Castronovo/Photo figuratively says it all.

Funding available for New Jersey Landowners to Protect Agricultural Working Lands, Grasslands and Wetlands Private landowners and eligible entities encouraged to apply by November 30, 2017 USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) anticipates that approximately $4 million will be available to provide long-term protection of New Jersey’s farmland, wetlands and grasslands in 2018 through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). “Conservation easements can help landowners and partners voluntarily protect these vital resources for future generations,” Christine Hall, Acting New Jersey State Conservationist said. Over $4 million in ACEP funding was invested to protect close to 1,500 acres in New Jersey last year. ACEP applications that meet eligibility and ranking criteria received by November 30 will be considered for this year’s program. ACEP has two components: Agricultural Land Easements and Wetland Reserve Easements.

Working agricultural land is protect through ACEP’s Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) component. Agricultural Land Easements not only protect the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply by preventing conversion of productive working lands to non-agricultural uses, but also support environmental quality, historic preservation, wildlife habitat and protection of open space. The agricultural land easement component is also available for “grasslands of special environmental significance,” intended to protect high-quality grasslands that are under threat of conversion to cropping, urban development and other non-grazing uses.

Landowners must work with a cooperating entity and do not submit applications for ACEP-ALE directly to NRCS. State and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs are eligible to partner with NRCS to purchase conservation easements, and several New Jersey land trust and governmental organizations are available to help interested landowners apply for a conservation easement through the NRCS program Contact Gail Bartok, NRCS Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, at 732-537-6042 or Lauren Lapczynski, Easement Specialist, at 732-537-6046 for more information about ACEP-ALE. Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE), the second component of ACEP, allow landowners to successfully enhance and protect habitat for wildlife on their lands, reduce impacts from flooding, recharge groundwater and provide outdoor recreational and educational opportunities. NRCS provides technical and financial assistance directly to private and tribal landowners to restore, protect and enhance wetlands through the purchase of these easements, and eligible landowners can choose to enroll in a permanent or 30-year easement. To apply for a wetlands easement through ACEP-WRE, visit NRCS at your local USDA Service Center.

More information about ACEP and other NRCS conservation programs in New Jersey can be found online at www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov/programs.

GardenerNews.com

November, 2017 19

Let There Be Light!

By Hubert Ling Our New Jersey native northern bayberry, Morella pensylvanica, is a densely branching shrub which grows three to eight feet tall, depending upon the growth conditions.

This plant has glossy, leathery, small oval leaves and in the fall bears numerous clusters of small, silvery, dry, waxy “berries.” All parts of the plant have a delightful aromatic fragrance when crushed. The plant generally loses its leaves every fall, but can retain some of them if the winter is mild. The sexes are usually separated and you will need a nearby male for every five female plants to insure good berry production.

Northern bayberry plants are commonly found along the coast from Canada to North Carolina and inland to Ohio, and are widespread throughout New Jersey.

They grow well from the

seeds, and mature plants form large colonies by root suckers. They can be grown as individual specimens or as an informal hedge.

Bayberrys, as the name implies, are very resistant to salt spray and windy conditions. They are normally found in full sun or partial shade, in poor or sandy, moist, acid soil.

Bayberry roots have nitrogen fixing nodules, so along with the legumes they can grow well in nutrient-poor soil.

Bayberries are not utilized as food by many animals, possibly because of the waxy coating, but they are important in the winter for yellow-rumped warblers and serve as an emergency food for other species such as turkey, pheasant, grouse and woodpeckers. Under natural conditions, bayberry plants form thickets and serve as shelters for several animals, since some of the leaves tend to remain on the branches even after they turn brown.

A pleasing green dye can be produced from the

leaves. The aromatic leaves can also be used as a bay leaf substitute, but as with the true bay leaf, bayberry leaves should be removed before eating, since stiff bay leaves have been known to injure human intestines and large amounts of spice may be dangerous.

Perhaps the best known use of bayberrys is to make candles. Candles can be made from animal fat or wax.

Animal fat was available in Colonial America, but animal fat tends to go rancid within a few weeks, which makes the production and use of fat candles an unpleasant job. In addition, fat candles generally give off little light, are smoky, and tend to melt in hot weather.

Wax is a much better material for candle production, since it is much more stable in the heat, burns cleaner and brighter, and has a neutral or even pleasant smell. However, wax in usable amounts is rare in nature. The Chinese extracted wax from certain

types of scale insects, but that was a laborious task.

Wax was also extracted from cinnamon bark, again an expensive undertaking. Bee’s wax was used for candles, but that was also expensive and not available in Colonial America.

Imagine everyone’s delight when after a few generations colonists discovered that bayberries boiled in water released a small amount of precious, high quality, fragrant wax.

About 15 pounds of berries are needed to produce 1 pound of wax. The berries are very small, and although they are found in small clusters, the clusters are scattered along the stems and high-producing plants are often widely dispersed.

Thus collecting bayberries is somewhat tedious.

Bayberries became so highly prized that their collection was regulated. A law in 1687 from Brookhaven, N.Y., outlawed the picking of bayberries before September 15, probably to maximize the

crop and prevent early birds from stripping off the berries before everyone else got a chance.

Bayberry candles were much prized and were exported to Europe, where they also became very popular.

Unfortunately, because of all the difficulty producing the candles, they were expensive and only used by the wealthy or by common folks during holidays.

In a brilliant cost saving measure, a legend was started that burning bayberry candles at Christmas time would bring good luck throughout the new year, thus restricting the use of the expensive candles to once a year.

Start a new tradition: plant native bayberrys and burn a bayberry candle this Christmas!

Editor’s Note: Hubert Ling is the Horticulture Chairman for the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. He can be reached at milhubling@verizon.net

20 November, 2017

GardenerNews.com

Communication through Design

By Brian Bosenberg At any given moment, the landscape around us influences our emotions, temperaments and innermost fibers of our being.

Our surroundings can evoke certain feelings, stimulate thoughts and spark inspiration. Different landscapes can affect people in different ways, changing the way we might perceive a location or guiding us through a site.

As landscape architects, we are able to influence the users of a space through design. Different natural and manmade elements arranged in certain ways can affect the way a space is used, how users circulate through the space, and the feeling desired to be emulated throughout each area.

Imagine you enter a site; there is a bluestone walkway heading in one direction and a gravel path in another.

Both imply that each route

leads to another area that is a destination of sorts; however, the bluestone path alludes to a more formal area that is more frequently used, while the gravel path suggests a more informal, occasionally used space.

While designing a site, there is typically a hierarchy of circulation and areas, commonly indicated through choice of materials used.

This helps the user determine how to travel throughout the site. Lighting can also be used to guide users through a site, highlighting favored destination areas and focal points.

Suppose you have decided to walk down the bluestone path, along which you may find boxwood hedges and finely maintained flowers lining the pathway that leads to a formal entertaining space, perhaps used for weddings or banquets. Each detail that was designed along the pathway to the area hinted at the type of function for which the space is used. Clean lines, pristine landscaping and refined

materials would suggest a formal use.

Meanwhile, travelers on the gravel path might experience naturalized shrubs, grasses and wildflowers along the journey to a lawn area for picnics, walking trails, or possibly the gravel path gives access to a utility or storage area.

Every space we use has certain characteristics that exude unique ambiances reflective of the details of the environment. The colors we paint our interior walls can make a room feel bigger, smaller or can even inspire feelings of calmness or warmth.

The same effects can be achieved in the landscape.

Colors, scents, visual elements, sounds, scale, textures and more can all be used to help achieve a desired ambiance of a space. Calming scents, such as lavender… soft colors… silky textures, soothing sounds and simplicity of design, put together can create a calming, healing garden that encourages feelings of

Offshore Greenhouse Certification Pilot Program Begins at Miami and Atlanta Plant Inspection Stations On October 1st, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) kicked off an offshore greenhouse certification pilot program at the Miami and Atlanta plant inspection stations. This pilot will run for six months and will help APHIS and the U.S. nursery industry determine whether greenhouse certification can effectively mitigate pest and disease risks associated with plant cuttings produced in offshore facilities. APHIS and the nursery industry have been working together to develop and implement this pilot program for over a year.

On June 26, 2017, APHIS sought stakeholder feedback on the draft framework for the pilot program. We received feedback from five stakeholders within the 30-day comment period. In response, we clarified language in the framework regarding irrigation requirements, screen/physical barrier maintenance, and recordkeeping and retention. We also instructed certified inspectors to record information on pathogen testing procedures and processes at each pilot facility during inspection visits per stakeholder suggestions.

APHIS would like to clarify that material originating from these facilities is low risk and has been entering the United States in high volumes for many years.

Inspection frequency at the plant inspection stations will not change under this pilot; all shipments will be inspected according to standard protocols. We will gather data during the six month pilot, including any pest interceptions on cuttings from participating facilities. These facilities do not receive any advantage from participating in the pilot, and, if the pilot is successful, any interested facility may apply to join a greenhouse certification program in future years.

We would like to thank stakeholders for their feedback. The final pilot framework can be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/acns/ downloads/ogcp/offshore-cuttings-greenhouse-certification-framework.pdf. For additional information, please send an email to Kelsey Branch, APHIS Foreign Inspection and Certification Coordinator, at Kelsey.Branch@aphis.usda.gov. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/acns/downloads/ogcp/offshorecuttings-greenhouse-certification-framework.pdf

serenity and tranquility.

While in the design phase, it is important to understand the desired goals for a site.

How will the space function?

How will a user navigate throughout the site? Is there a desired emotion for the users of the site? Is this a place you would like to go to relax?

If you are contemplating an existing space, what is the space currently communicating?

Is your garden currently an inviting space that inspires peacefulness? What can you change to achieve your desired effect? Is the entrance to your property confusing or do guests that are unfamiliar to your home easily navigate to the significant spaces and to the front door?

The impacts of our environment can be a subconscious yet powerful force of nature, affecting each and every one of us. The scenery around us affects our lives and can speak louder than we may knowingly perceive.

Cozy outdoor spaces make you feel safe and comfortable, while open, expansive areas

can cause one to reflect on solitary insignificance or contemplate the meaning of life itself.

An expansive field, a view of the ocean, or mountains in the distance can remind us of the vastness of the world around us. Landscape architecture allows us to manipulate our surroundings and evoke the desired ambiance.

Being conscious of the environment we choose to surround ourselves with allows us to adjust our surroundings to help achieve our emotional aspirations. Sometimes, a change of scenery is just what we need.

Editor’s Note: Brian W. Bosenberg is a practicing landscape architect licensed in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maine and Vermont, and a principal in the firm of Bosenberg & Company Landscape Architects, Far Hills, N.J. He can be reached at 908-234-0557, info@bwbosenberg.com or www.bwbosenberg.com

GardenerNews.com I can hardly believe how quickly winter is approaching. Fall is flying by and we are already preparing for the Thanksgiving feast, which also means that the start of the holiday season is just around the corner.

The dreaded holiday shopping season that creeps up on me year after year. It’s not that I don’t find a bit of joy in the whole shopping thing, especially since I’ve discovered the joys of online shopping. It is just that fall is filled with so many things that it just seems to fly by.

Anyway, this is cooking weather, as I always say. It is starting to get cold out and having on the fireplace, watching some football and cooking up some good, hearty food is right up my alley.

So, onto the recipe of the month, mashed potatoes! Simple to make in theory, yet so many different ways of doing it. There are various types of potatoes you can use, various ways of mashing the potato, whether or not to use milk or cream, skin on or skin off and so on and so on.

I will be giving you two very different recipes to check out, one being more traditional and the other being a bit more “new school.” Choosing the right potato is the first thing. Generally, the almighty Idaho potato is used for that traditional starchy, fluffy

November, 2017 21 From the Deep

By Craig Korb Executive Chef

Do the mashed potatoes! consistency one looks for in the classic version. Other potatoes such as the red bliss are very commonly used as well, these being less starchy.

Then there is my favorite, which is the Yukon gold potato, based on the flavor and texture.

These potatoes are great, skin on or skin off, and also make excellent home fries. They have a very soft and smooth texture as well. As far as “mashing” the potato there are many different ways, including a hand masher, lightly smashing the potato, ricing the potato or whipping them.

As far as milk or cream goes, I always use cream, and highly recommend it. Unless I am making smashed olive oil potatoes, in which case I use a little butter and a lot of extra virgin oil. Another little known fact is that once you have brought your potatoes up to a boil, you need to turn it down to a gentle simmer. The reason is that if the potatoes are boiling too

rapidly, they will “bang” against each other and release their starch, which is what makes them stay nice and fluffy and retain their texture.

It is also impotent not to overcook your potatoes. They should be fork tender and very easily cut in half with a fork, but not mush. Drain your potatoes well in a strainer, excess water is not necessary. I know I am giving you a lot of little tips here, and I am probably making it seem harder than it should be, but trust me, it is worth it in the end. When using skin-on potatoes, be sure to wash your potatoes thoroughly.

And lastly, always heat up you cream and butter before adding it to the potatoes. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy these recipes.

Traditional mashed potatoes (not quite, but almost) (serves 6) 6 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into, as equally as possible, medium sized dice, a bit larger

USDA to Survey Fruit Growers About Chemical Use The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey fruit growers in 12 states, including Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, for its biennial Fruit Chemical Use Survey.

The survey will collect information on bearing acreage, pest management practices, pesticide application, acres treated and rates applied to more than 22 fruit crops nationally. Five crops are represented in our Northeastern Region.

“Pesticide data makes this survey a vital tool for the entire fruit production sector in the United States,” said King Whetstone director of the Northeastern Regional Field Office. “I hope every grower understands the importance of these data and will take the time to respond if they receive this survey.”

The Fruit Chemical Use Survey will provide much needed information about the current crop production practices used in the United States. The results of this survey will paint a detailed picture of pesticide use, as well as other pest management practices used by the fruit growers across the nation.

“Growers benefit from providing this information because it is used to re-register products for their use, to illustrate the industry’s environmental practices and to assure the quality of U.S. food to consumers here and around the world,” said Whetstone.

Within the next few weeks NASS representatives will contact selected PA, NY and NJ growers to arrange in-person interviews for conducting the survey. The results of this survey will be available in aggregate form only, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified, as required by federal law.

Survey results will be published in NASS’s online database, Quick Stats, in July 2018. This database and all NASS reports are available on the chemical use survey program web site: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/ Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Chemical_Use/index.php. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.

than bite sized 1 cup heavy cream 3/4 stick of butter salt and white pepper a few dashes of Tabasco, my secret ingredient method-place cut potatoes in a medium sized pot with enough water to cover -put on stove over mediumhigh heat until boiling then turn down to a gentle simmer -while potatoes cook, combine cream and butter over low heat and cook until butter is melted -when potatoes are fork tender, drain well on a colander or strainer -place potatoes in a bowl and begin to mash lightly -slowly add in the cream mixture and mash until desired consistency -season to taste with salt and white pepper and a few dashes of the Tabasco -ENJOY!

Olive oil “smashed” potatoes (serves about 6) 6-8 large red bliss potatoes, skin on, washed thoroughly, cut into eighths 1/2 stick butter 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil salt and black pepper to taste method-place cut potatoes in cold water, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until fork tender -place potatoes in a bowl, add the butter in chunks and pour half of the olive oil over the potatoes -gently smash the potatoes with a potato masher, DO NOT TOTALLY MASH! -season with salt and pepper -continue to smash lightly and add more olive oil as desired until potatoes are slightly mashed with larger chunks still remaining -sprinkle with chopped, fresh flat leaf parsley before serving (optional) And again, ENJOY! Editor’s Note: Craig Korb is executive chef at The Crab’s Claw Inn, Lavallette, New Jersey. He has an Associates degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelors degree in Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University.

For more information visit www.TheCrabsClaw.com or phone (732) 793-4447.

22 November, 2017

GardenerNews.com

Ag Secretary Grand Marshal of Parade at Freehold Raceway

NJDA/Photo

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher served as Grand Marshal of the Jersey Fresh-themed parade at the Sixth Annual Open Space Pace and Festival of Horses at Freehold Raceway in Freehold, Monmouth County, on September 16, 2017. The event highlights the need for preservation and protection of open space and the equine and horse racing industry in the Garden State.

The New Jersey equine industry is valued at $4 billion and generates $1.1 billion annually in positive impact to the state’s economy, according to a study by the Rutgers Equine Science Center. New Jersey also has become a leader in land preservation, having preserved 2,486 farms on 226,207 acres of farmland – or about 31 percent of available agricultural lands, which is the highest percentage of any state in the nation.

“Events like this draw attention to the importance of open space preservation in New Jersey,” Secretary Fisher said. “Also, the horse racing and equine industry have long played significant roles in the Garden State’s agricultural economy and the need for open space is essential for our rich equine heritage to continue.”

The Rutgers study also noted the Garden State has 7,200 equine facilities on 176,000 acres and 42,500 equine animals. In addition, the 2012 Census of Agriculture shows 765 farms with horses, ponies, burros, mules and donkeys with $17 million in sales. New Jersey also ranks first in the nation in State Investment in Farmland Preservation program at nearly $1.7 billion and second in the nation in net farm income per acre at $531.

After the parade, the day featured a wide range of activities for families and children including booths with games for families, meeting retired race horses and other animals, a mechanical bull ride and giving away five $1,000 scholarships to college students in attendance. The day also featured a full card of racing that began after the parade.

“It was a great day and we appreciate everyone who came out to support open space and the New Jersey equine and horse racing industry,” said Open Space Pace and Festival of Horses President Brett Taft. “The popularity of an event like this shows that we have great support. Open space and horserelated activities remain a priority to people in the Garden State.”

Also after each race, there was a $1,000 donation made to an equine or agricultural non-profit group. Secretary Fisher presented a $1,000 check after the first race.

Harness racing has been taking place for more than 150 years on the site of the current Freehold Raceway. The first races were held in 1854 and the track had its first major meet of five days in July of 1917 with purses of over $1,000. The track entered the modern era in 1967 by reconstructing the track to have an eight horse starting gate and added enclosed grandstands in 1970 to allow for year-round racing. After a 1984 fire destroyed the grandstands and dining area, a grand opening in October of 1986 celebrated the rebuilt $12 million facility.

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November, 2017 23

New Study Out! Deer Populations and Deer Tick (aka Blacklegged ticks)

By William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Fall is a great time to discuss the relationship of ticks and deer, especially when talking about populations and numbers.

A new study out by Sam R. Telford, III from Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine North Grafton, Mass., is titled “Deer Reduction Is a Cornerstone of Integrated Deer Tick (aka blacklegged ticks) Management.”

This study is sure to raise awareness of the association of ticks and deer, as well as stir some controversy among those who are totally against deer management through hunting. It is not my intent to start a controversy, but to bring to light some issues with these two nuisance pests. I call them pests because they are primarily responsible for Lyme disease (along with field mice, birds and other vertebrates that host Ixodes sapularius, the blacklegged tick).

Check out this quote on ticks from back in 1749. “To these I must add the wood lice [ticks] with which the forests are so pestered that it is impossible to pass through a bush or to sit down, though the place be ever so pleasant, without having a whole swarm of them on your clothes.” Pehr Kalm, 18 May 1749 Raccoon [Swedesboro], New Jersey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Pehr_Kalm Gardeners, along with the general public, need to be aware that blacklegged ticks that carry the Lyme disease agent/spirochete B. burgdorferi do not hibernate and may be active on warm winter days and the following spring here in New Jersey. You can break through snow and ice, dig down into mulch beds and other decomposing organic matter (we all have compost piles around our gardens) during the coldest of winter days and find ticks alive and well and moving quite freely.

So even though it takes two years to complete a life cycle, this tick can produce a lot of offspring. An engorged

(blood-fed) female tick will typically lay around 2,000 to 3,000 eggs. It started with an unusually large abundance of acorns in the Northeast two years ago. Last year’s weather fueled a population boom of white-footed mice. And those tiny mice are breakfast, lunch and dinner to ticks, dozens of which can attach themselves to a single rodent, feed on its blood and acquire the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.

Now some scientists are predicting a surge in the number of Lyme-carrying ticks beginning this month and lasting into early-summer. The risk to humans is going to be high starting this spring, said Felicia Keesing, a biologist at Bard College in the Hudson Valley, who has spent years researching tick-borne diseases.

The article on Deer Reduction and Tick Management states: “Deer reduction must be considered in any discussion of effective community level intervention to reduce the risk of Lyme disease.

There were three main factors that allowed the epidemic

“i5k” is for Insects

By Kim Kaplan Public Affairs Specialist

Nearly 75 percent of all animal species are insects and other arthropods. Many profoundly impact people and the Earth’s ecology.

Some insects pollinate a third of our food crops.

Others destroy one-fifth of the world’s total crop production annually.

Given the importance of arthropods, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) helped organize the “i5k Initiative.” The goal is to sequence and analyze the genomes of at least 5,000 arthropod species that are important to both agriculture and biological research.

Resistance to pesticides used to control arthropod damage to livestock and crops is an evolving problem.

Solutions to such challenges lie in the genomes of pests and their hosts.

This is where we will find new ways to manage them,

explained Kevin Hackett, ARS national program leader for entomology and i5k co-founder and co-chair.

Arthropods’ massive numbers means fewer scientists and resources available to work on each species. The i5k project virtually connects scientists from around the world to leverage resources and foster discussions.

Far from ivory tower exercises, i5k genomics are leading to advances that dovetail with today’s headlines. A spike in ticks this summer made news.

Ticks were also among i5k’s successes.

When ARS insect physiologist Felix Guerrero and his team sequenced the cattle tick genome, they identified genes now being used to develop a vaccine against cattle fever ticks.

This vaccine may protect cattle from several fatal tickborne diseases and eventually fight ticks that spread Lyme disease to people.

Parallel with the i5k initiative, ARS’s National Agricultural Library (NAL) built the “i5k Workspace@ NAL,” which provides an online “toolshed” in which researchers work cooperatively to sequence genomes. It ensures wide access to data in a place that researchers see as neutral ground for collaboration, explained NAL project co-lead Christopher Childers.

The i5k Workspace@ NAL works. In April 2017, more than 60 scientists from 7 countries and institutions, including ARS, collectively published an analysis of 14,220 genes in the bed bug’s genome. This research is a foundation for new bed bug control methods.

Editor’s Note: Kim Kaplan works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She can be reached at 301504-1637 or by emailing Kim.Kaplan@ars.usda.gov

to emerge (reforestation, suburbanization, and dense deer herds). Only deer density may be targeted in efforts to reduce, over the long term, the risk landscape to what it was prior to the epidemic. The majority of studies analyzing the effect of deer reduction as a mode of intervention against Lyme disease demonstrate great reductions in the density of deer ticks, a prerequisite for local risk for acquiring infection. Deer reduction would be most effective as part of an integrated tick management program that comprises short-term and long-term approaches.”

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the United States and in much of the European Union. Reducing field mice populations would be extremely difficult due to their size and numbers; same for reducing the populations of ticks. Keeping deer out of our gardens and lawns seems to make sense and needs more discussion and implementation. We can all do our part by fencing in our gardens (most of us do here in

New Jersey or you won’t have a garden) and finding ways to implement strategies that prevent Lyme disease.

Some great tick resources to read: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/ fgw/pdf/cbdmp_manual.pdf https://academic.oup.com/ jipm/article/8/1/25/4210016/ Deer-Reduction-Is-aCornerstone-of-IntegratedDeer h t t p : / / w w w. c t . g o v / caes/lib/caes/documents/ publications/bulletins/b1010. pdf Editor’s Note: William A. Kolbe, BCE is Director of Technical and Training for Viking® Pest Control based out of Warren, NJ . He is a Board Certified Entomologist and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Entomology with a minor in Ecology from the University of Delaware. Bill is a member of The Denville NJ Community Gardens.

His career in Professional Pest Control started in June 1974. He can be reached at 732-356-3100 or visit www.vikingpest.com

24 November, 2017

GardenerNews.com

Heat-Tolerant Broccoli for the Future

By Sharon Durham Public Affairs Specialist Traditionally, broccoli is a cool-weather crop. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are looking to change that by developing new varieties that grow in warm temperatures.

ARS plant geneticist Mark Farnham and his team in Charleston, South Carolina, have developed and characterized the genetic sources of broccoli’s heat tolerance. Theoretical and Applied Genetics published these results in March 2017.

The team, led by ARS geneticist Sandra Branham, evaluated a group of broccoli plants Farnham developed for the ability to tolerate heat stress and identified genetic markers associated with heat resistance.

An important finding from this research is that the resistance trait is controlled by many genes.

Now, public and private broccoli breeders are interested in using these markers to help speed development of heat-tolerant broccoli.

Farnham is working with scientists at land-grant

universities along the Eastern Seaboard who are growing his broccoli in warm-temperature field trials. Once they verify that his broccoli will do well under adverse conditions, the broccoli will become available for research purposes or for use by commercial seed companies and breeders.

Encountering high temperatures is the main factor limiting where and when broccoli is grown. Heat-tolerant broccoli will expand future growing possibilities, helping to meet demand for this nutritious vegetable.

Total U.S. annual broccoli consumption (fresh and frozen) grew from about 1 pound per person in the 1960s to about 8 to 9 pounds per person today.

One cup of broccoli provides more than 100 percent of our daily requirement for vitamins C and K and is a good source of fiber, vitamin A, folate, and potassium.

Editor’s Note: Sharon Durham works for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She can be reached at 301-504-1611 or by emailing Sharon.Durham@ars.usda.gov

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November, 2017 25

NJ Ag Society Appoints New Executive Director

Tom Castronovo/Photo

The New Jersey Agricultural Society Board of Trustees recently appointed Alfred Murray as their new Executive Director. Murray, who formerly served as Assistant Secretary of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, retired from the agency last December after a career with the department spanning 33 years. He replaces Kristina Guttadora, who served as the Society’s executive director for the past six years, and left to resume her career in the education field.

“I’m excited to be back working within New Jersey’s agricultural industry,” Murray commented. “I have spent my entire career in this industry, and have made so many life-long acquaintances and friends. It will be great reconnecting with them in this new capacity.”

Murray added, “Kristina Guttadora was a dynamic executive director, and will be missed. She leaves a strong foundation from which the society will benefit from for many years.”

The New Jersey Agricultural Society is one of the nation’s oldest institutions. Founded in 1781 the society’s mission is to preserve and enhance agriculture, farming and related activities and businesses in New Jersey through educational, informational and promotional programs.

The Society is a membership-driven, non-profit organization which sponsors three major programs: Farmers Against Hunger, Learning Through Gardening, and an Agricultural Leadership Development Program.

Farmers Against Hunger partners with over 60 farmers who allow volunteer gleaners onto their farms to pick produce that is ultimately distributed to over 75 local feeding organizations. Additionally, the program partners with major produce organizations to distribute additional fresh produce during the year. Last year, the Farmers Against Hunger Program distributed over 1.5 million pounds of fresh produce to help fight hunger in New Jersey.

Learning through Gardening is program that provides materials to preschools and elementary schools to build vegetable gardens. It also gives teacher workshops and curriculum to help them include the garden in their everyday lessons in all subjects. Students learn valuable cross-curricular lessons in their outdoor garden classroom.

The New Jersey Agricultural Leadership Development Program purpose is to provide educational programming for individuals involved in farming and agribusiness to become informed, articulate leaders. NJALDP provides leadership development opportunities designed specifically for farmers and others in New Jersey ag-related businesses.

NJ Foodbanks Receive More Than $16,000 from Community Food Pantry Check-Off Fund New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher announced the distribution of more than $16,000 to New Jersey’s six food banks to supplement their food supplies. The funding represents contributions through the Community Food Pantry Fund, a state income tax form check-off program.

“The donations made by New Jersey taxpayers have a direct impact on the lives of many Garden State families in need,” Secretary Fisher said. “When filing your taxes, please seek out this fund and donate to this worthy cause.”

Funds were distributed to: Community Food Bank of New Jersey, Hillside; Food Bank of South Jersey, Pennsauken; Fulfill (formerly the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties), Neptune; Mercer Street Friends Food Bank, Ewing; Southern Regional Food Distribution Center, Vineland; and NORWESCAP, Phillipsburg.

The fund was the result of recommendations from the state’s Hunger Prevention Advisory Committee in an effort to create an on-going funding stream to assist with the acquisition of emergency food to enhance the emergency food provider system.

The check-off was first available on the 2010 tax year forms. It allows taxpayers to either contribute a portion of their tax refund or make a donation. Money collected for the fund administered by the Department of Agriculture must be used exclusively for food purchases. Those wishing to contribute will find the check-off item on their NJ-1040 income tax form. Since its inception, $155,200 of taxpayer-donated money has been distributed to the foodbanks through the fund.

Governor Christie and the State Legislature allocated $6.8 million for the current fiscal year’s New Jersey Department of Agriculture State Food Purchase Program (SFPP). That money is distributed quarterly to the state’s six food banks for the purchase of healthy foods, with an emphasis on buying produce from New Jersey farmers. The SFPP is in its 12th year.

The Department also distributes United States Department of Agriculture-donated food to the six food banks through The Emergency Food Assistance Program.

26 November, 2017 How George H. Cook Shaped Rutgers George Hammell Cook (1818–1889) was raised on a small farm in Morris County, NJ, in the early 1800s.

After high school, he spent a number of years as an itinerant, working as an engineer with a railroad in the Catskills, teaching and studying at the Rensselaer Institute, managing a glassmaking house in Albany, NY, and teaching at the Albany Academy. He came to Rutgers College as professor of chemistry and natural sciences in 1853 at the invitation of then President Theodore Frelinghuysen. By the time he came to Rutgers, Cook had expertise in geology, chemistry, engineering, and agriculture.

Among Cook’s first research projects was the chemical analysis of “greensand marl,” a soil deposit found in central and south Jersey. This research led to his appointment as assistant state geologist. A thorough geological survey of New Jersey, published in 1840, was already out of date, and Professor Cook was appointed to undertake its revision. His work would become the model for the U.S. Geological Survey.

In 1862, the Morrill Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. The Morrill Act was driven by the idea that everyone (every young man, at least) could benefit from an education in the sciences. The act provided for the establishment of a college in each state where students would receive an education that included scientific and classical studies, military tactics, agriculture, and the mechanic arts. A unique American contribution to higher education, the land-grant concept applied scientific research to local problems. Cook, who was a strong believer in the concept of scientific agriculture, led successful lobbying efforts (against Princeton and the state Normal School at Trenton) to have Rutgers designated as the site of the land-grant college. The Rutgers Scientific School (as it was then called) was founded in 1864 as New Jersey’s land-grant college, with George H. Cook at the head. A 100-acre farm on the outskirts of New Brunswick was purchased from the estate of James Neilson to serve as the school’s experimental farm. (Rutgers was given 210,000 acres of what is now Utah under the Morrill Act, which was sold to establish the college and purchase land for the experimental farm.) That land is now the heart of the George H. Cook Campus.

In 1887, the Morrill Act was amended by the Hatch Act, which established funds for state agricultural experiment stations. These federal- and state-appropriated funds were used to build New Jersey Hall, which housed Rutgers Scientific School, and to acquire additional faculty and farmland. George H. Cook became the first director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, which now includes offices in all 21 New Jersey counties. In 1912, the (by then) College of Agriculture moved from the College Avenue Campus to the campus of the experiment station.

The land-grant triad was completed in 1914 with the Smith-Lever Act. This act established the Agricultural Extension Service, which located College of Agriculture faculty in each of the counties. Under the land-grant framework, campus-based academic programs complement experiment station research, which in turn is disseminated to the public by local extension agents. Residents call extension agents with a problem, who either work to resolve the problem or initiate research into it.

In 1917, the New Jersey legislature designated the Rutgers Scientific School, also called the State College of Agriculture, as the State University of New Jersey. In 1924, Rutgers College assumed the name Rutgers University, but the College of Agriculture remained as a distinct unit. It was not until 1945 that Rutgers University as a whole (with the College of Agriculture as a unit) achieved state university status. In 1965, the College of Agriculture became the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

The creation of Cook College from the CAES in 1971 was in many ways transformative. Cook College aimed to offer an interdisciplinary, problem-oriented curriculum that emphasized environmental studies as well as the arts and sciences. This combination of features in a land-grant school was unique at the time. Today, with the transformation to the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, the focus on creating a multidisciplinary learning environment remains, and new efforts have begun to enhance the learning environment for students.

Through living-learning communities, an emphasis on hands-on and service learning, as well as international education opportunities, SEBS students will gain a deeper, more nuanced understanding of their curricular work.

Together with NJAES, Rutgers and, more specifically the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, works to fulfill the goals of land-grant institutions by enlarging the land-grant mission to include the study of environmental problems, natural resources, economic and community development, fisheries, nutrition, public health, and youth development--all of which address the diverse needs of a highly developed state.

The Morrill Act laid the foundation for the development of our nation’s great public university system. The commitment of Rutgers University to the land-grant concept makes us unique among the universities in New Jersey. Rutgers students and faculty are part of a proud tradition of academic study, research, and public service, a tradition that began with the remarkable efforts of George H. Cook--educator, innovator, and public servant.

As committed to science-based solutions as George H. Cook was in the nineteenth century, the faculty of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station are equally committed to addressing the socio-economic issues that face our state’s residents today.

Source: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

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Gardener News is Now Accepting Nominations for its

2018

Person of the Year Award.

Do you know someone in the “Green Industry” whose contributions deserve recognition?

This person must be from the landscape, nursery, garden center or gardening industries who best epitomizes concern for, involvement in, and dedication to those pursuits. Or a person who performs exemplary outstanding service to the green industry.

The deadline for receiving nominations for 2018 is November 1, 2018.

Gardener News annually bestows our “Person of the Year” Award in our January edition.

To download the form, please visit www.GardenerNews.com and click on the “Person of the Year” link on the left side.

Thank you!

The Premier Gardening Monthly Newspaper Number 175 Published Monthly Reserve Ad Space Phone: 908.604.4444 Website: www.GardenerNews.com E-Mail: Mail@GardenerNews.com Staff Executive Editor/ Publisher . . . .

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Tom Castronovo Justin Kukuc Tom Castronovo

November Columnists Tom Castronovo Gail Woolcott Bob LaHoff Dr. Robert Goodman Craig Korb Lesley Parness

Todd Pretz Douglas H. Fisher Steve Schuckman Peter Melick Evan Dickerson

Contributing Writers Bruce Crawford Brian Bosenberg Hubert Ling Kim Kaplan

Jeannie Geremia William A. Kolbe B.C.E. Sharon Durham

Gardener News is published monthly by

Full Moon, November 4, 2017 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH

In winter, dry conditions can actually be more damaging than the cold itself to plants.

Plant cells that are plump with water will be stronger against cold damage. Likewise, moist soil will tend to stay warmer than dry soil, so a regular watering schedule in dry, cold weather can help protect them from freezing temperatures. Be careful not to overwater. Once or twice per month should be sufficient – the plants will not be absorbing water as fast as they do during the growing season, and the cool soil can easily become soggy. Water early in the day, so they have time to absorb it before the temperature drops at night. Be extra attentive to newly planted trees and shrubs.

Gardener News, Inc. 16 Mount Bethel Road #123 Warren, NJ 07059 The Gardener News invites correspondences on gardening subjects of interest. Gardener News, Inc, and its Publisher reserve the right to accept, refuse, or discontinue any editorial or copy, and shall not be liable to anyone for printing errors, misinformation or omissions in editorial or copy. The information contained in articles herein represents the opinions of the authors and, although believed to be accurate and complete, is not represented or warranted by Gardener News, Inc. to be accurate or complete.

All advertising is subject to the Gardener News advertisement rates, and must be PAID IN FULL at time of submission. Publisher reserves the right at its absolute discretion, and at any time, to cancel any advertising order or reject any advertising copy whether or not the same has already been acknowledged and/or previously published. In the event of errors or omissions of any advertisement(s), the newspapers liability shall not exceed a refund of amounts paid for the advertisement.

NOTE: All editorial, advertising layouts and designs and portions of the same that are produced and published by Gardener News, Inc., are the sole property of Gardener News, Inc. and may not be reproduced in any form unless written authorization is obtained from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to: Gardener News, 16 Mount Bethel Rd - #123, Warren, NJ 07059. (c) 2017 Gardener News, Inc.

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November, 2017 27

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28 November, 2017

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inspiration strikes

WITH GIVING THANKS

Find Inspiring Turkey & Stuffing Recipes Kingsfoodmarkets.com/thanksgiving

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