Gardener News October 2018

TAKE ONE

Gardener News

TAKE ONE

Serving the Agricultural, Gardening and Landscaping Communities

October 2018

GARDENERNEWS.COM

No. 186

The Vatican Gardens & Those Amazing “Broccoli Trees”

By Bob LaHoff Nursery Specialist Picking up on where I left off last month, I finished the summer right where I started it, touring gardens.

I have a very good friend, Dan, who sells travel. Dan has always had the ability to put me in the right place at the right time, and for our summer vacation this year our families traveled to Italy together. As Dan was planning every minute detail of our trip (Dan is a bit obsessive) he asked if there was an experience that I would enjoy doing.

Casually, over dinner, I asked if he could get a tour of The Vatican Gardens. Eight hours later, it was done!

A private tour of the Gardens, with a certified Vatican historian, takes thoughtful planning in advance. However, in the end, it is totally worth it.

Formally known as The Gardens of Vatican City, informally as The Vatican Gardens, these are private urban gardens and parks owned by the Pope.

Imagine a sovereign territory, the world’s smallest country, where nearly half of its total land mass is covered in magnificent gardens.

Now imagine centuries of the Papacy putting their own personal stamp on what

they have all held dear. A place where faith and nature intersect, holding hundreds of different plant genus only to be outnumbered by precious artifacts, many given to the Papacy in kind.

Temples, fountains, statues, towers, houses, an airport, a railway station, even a replicated grotto are all maintained and held within its towering walls.

Mediterranean plants coupled with exotic species from around the globe are punctuated by lawn panels and century-old trees. Hedges made from unconventional plants like southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora and bay leaf, help frame the iconic dome of The Papal Basilica of St. Peter, capturing it in a way seldom seen.

The “Dome,” principally designed by architect Donato Bramante, was later passed to Michelangelo in 1547. The final touches, if you will, came from Giacomo della Porta, a pupil of Michelangelo, Domenico Fontana and Carlo Maderno.

Michelangelo died in 1564, never seeing this project’s completion.

Pope Nicholas III moved his residence from the Lateran Palace to the Vatican in 1279 and here is where it all began. A large wall was erected around vineyards and orchards and in the 16th

Bob LaHoff/Photo

Gardener’s Lodge “Casina del Giardiniere,” framed by Pinus pinea, “Broccoli Trees” century, under Julius II, the gardens underwent a bit of a “facelift.”

Architect Donato Bramante brought a more theatrical Renaissance emphasis to this space.

The Gardens are divided into three distinct styles, representing Italian, English and French design. The Vatican Garden’s soil, supposedly, was brought back from the Holy Land by St. Helena.

Whatever soil the plants are in, it is obvious that

they continue to flourish in it. Fifty-five gardeners, I was told by my tour guide Valentina, maintain the various gardens and attend to every detail. Valentina, my certified personal guide for the Vatican, answered every historical question I had. She appreciated my love for plants and was struck by my eagerness to see as many plants in the garden as possible. “I have never given a tour quite like this before” she said, as I continued to lead her around the gardens

trying to identify every plant that I could.

The punctuality of the Italians was something that I very much appreciated.

Every tour that I took on vacation was met on time and with enthusiasm. Upon entering the Gardens, one of the first plants that I saw was Maidenhair fern, Adiantum.

Having foliage reminiscent of Ginkgo leaves, that was an easy I.D. for me that kept repeating itself throughout the garden, particularly at the end of (Cont. on Page 8)

2 October 2018

G a r d e n C e n t e r D i r e c t o r y GardenerNews.com

Plan Your Fall Landscape With Us! Pumpkins & Gourds Corn Stalks Garden Mums Fall Decorations Hay & Straw Harvest Baskets Scarecrows All Grown in our Family Owned Greenhouses

35

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October 2018 3

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ing r e g a W l e u t u ri-M a P g n i r e  O Now

Gates open at 8:00 am First post-time: 1:00 pm Experience our Chairman’s Pavilion at farhillsrace.org

4 October 2018

GardenerNews.com

It strikes me how often in New Jersey we find hidden gems that we drive by every day, should notice, but don’t.

Especially in a state as heavily populated and full of activity as our own, amazing glimpses into our past can escape our sight until brought to our attention.

Recently, I was invited to tour the HolcombeJimison Farmstead Museum in Lambertville, Hunterdon County. The Farmstead was established in 1714 on land purchased from the Lenape Indians. Stepping onto this site is like a trip in a time machine, getting to experience firsthand what life was like in the 18th to early-20th centuries.

This museum is centered around a three-story barn built into a hillside. The exhibits there feature tools and equipment used by the period’s farmers to raise and harvest crops for both sale to the public and use as livestock feed. Other displays highlight the chores the farmer’s wife and family members conducted to prepare and preserve food and make clothes. It’s all kept alive today by a dedicated corps of volunteers at the Farmstead, a truly remarkable labor of love.

in 1784, touted the company’s bulbs and seeds for beautiful flowers. And Peter Henderson’s Seed Company, established in 1849, was known for catalogues of fruit and vegetable seeds that contained “true-to-nature colors” of the produce that would come from their seeds.

So, if you’re up around Route 29 in the Lambertville area and want to experience what it was like to live in a time before even the telephone and automobile were invented, I highly recommend that you visit this extensive and authentic representation of our past, the Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum, and see what really rugged living was all about.

NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Douglas H. Fisher Secretary of Agriculture

Hunterdon County attraction transports visitors back in time

The museum’s website describes the property’s history: “The Museum property was once part of John Holcombe’s ‘Plantation,’according to his will of 1742. In 1968, the Farmstead was donated to the Hunterdon County Historical Society by Milo and Rachel Jimison, who retained life rights. With Milo Jimison’s death, over 250 years of agricultural activity on the site ended. In 1984, the property was deeded to the HolcombeJimison Farmstead, Inc. Using a combination of grants from small foundations, individual donations and substantial gifts from the 1772 Foundation, the Museum’s volunteers and Trustees restored the property and added outbuildings for the Post Office, General Store, Blacksmith Shop, Carriage Shed, and Print Shop.”

The first thing that struck me in this historically accurate

village was how much more physical effort it took to survive in those days. This was clearly before the era of plug-and-play.

From the pedal-powered sheepshearer, to the bellows stoking the blacksmith’s fire, to the tools in the medical office, everything required either turning a hand crank or stepping on a foot pedal to make them operate.

The blacksmith’s shop really caught my attention, as the genial blacksmith allowed me take over his forge. While using my left hand to turn the wheel stoking the fire, I used a blacksmith’s tongs to hold a rod of metal in the glowing coals, getting it red hot enough to place on an anvil and shape with a hammer.

The doctor’s office, with its shelves of old apothecarystyle bottles, leather-bound medical texts, and mortar-andpestle station, was fascinating.

Fraudulent Organic Certificates Falsely representing products as certified USDA organic violates the law and federal organic regulations. Using fraudulent documents to market, label, or sell non-organic agricultural products as organic is punishable by fines of up to $11,000 for each violation.

Certifying agents and organic operations should continue to guard against these practices and practice caution when purchasing products from suppliers. Anyone suspecting a violation of the regulations can report a complaint to the NOP Compliance and Enforcement Division at NOPCompliance@ams.usda.gov or by calling 202-720-3252.

Agaricus Mushroom Value of Sales at $572 Million in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Agaricus mushroom growers led all states by producing 572.2 million pounds, down slightly from the previous season. Pennsylvania accounted for 64 percent of the total volume of sales and second-ranked California contributed 11 percent. The value of the Pennsylvania Agaricus crop was estimated at $572.2 million, up 3.9 percent from the previous season. The reported average price is $1.000 per pound, up $0.040 from previous year’s price.

The 47 Agaricus mushroom growers in Chester County, Pennsylvania produced 410 million pounds, a decrease of 1 percent compared with the revised 2016-2017 growing season. This production was valued at 407 million dollars, up 3 percent from the revised previous season. The growing area in Chester County was 13.5 million square feet, unchanged from last season. Total fillings were 63.2 million square feet, up 2 percent from the revised 2016-2017 growing season.

Source: USDA/NASS

Here, too, were dental tools that operated via a foot pedal.

The dentist had to be especially skilled to coordinate his hands and feet while also keeping his patient comfortable.

With my role in the state’s agricultural industry, I was most captivated by exhibits and information, including an herb garden, that showed the farm’s crop and livestock production.

I was amazed at how well the pieces of equipment from a bygone era were still working.

The centerpiece barn was constructed so that both floors are accessible from ground level. Livestock were kept on the lower level and crops above on the upper. That way, in bad weather, the farmer could feed livestock without going outdoors.

Displays about the first seed distributor established in America, Landreth’s, founded

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

morris county park commission

The FrelinghuysenArboretum Homegrown Vegetable Centerpieces

Floral designer Marge Hulstrunk demonstrates how to construct beautiful arrangements using veggies from your garden or the farm stand.

Thursday, October 4 • $20 What’s in a name? Plant Taxonomy

Horticulturist Marc Zukovich will demystify Latin names and focus on the true meaning behind plant names, their classifications, and origins.

Thursday, October 11 • $15

This program eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s

Avant-Gardening at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Rashid Poulson, BBP Hort Supervisor, explains how the BBP is focusing on ecologically friendly and organic methods of managing its landscapes.

Sunday, October 14 • $20

This program eligible for 1.o Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s

American Eden: David Hosack, Botany and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic

David Hosack was a pioneering physician and botanist. Historian Victoria Johnson tells us how in 1810 he finally built the Elgin Botanical Garden, now buried under Rockefeller Center. A book sale and signing follow the lecture.

Sunday, October 21 • $25

World without Flowers: A Brief Geologic History of Plants NYBG’s Jamie Boyer highlights the events in plant evolution, from moss to swamps and forests, as well as major extinctions that changed the world.

Sunday, October 28 • $30

This program eligible for 1.5 Rutgers Master Gardener CEU’s

353 East Hanover Avenue • Morris Township, New Jersey • 07960 *Pre-registration is required

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October 2018 5

Support NJ Agriculture JERSEY GROWN

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Sunflower Birdseed JERSEY GROWN

Firewood

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When you’re shopping for JERSEY GROWN nursery stock, you know the trees, shrubs, plants and flowers are checked for quality, disease, are pest free, and accustomed to the Garden State’s climate and soil conditions.

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Wood Birdhouses & Bird Feeders

Governor Phil Murphy Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher

jerseygrown.nj.gov

6 October 2018

R U T G ER S N J AE S / R C E

Guinness World Record for Longest Textile Braid Sue MacCombie wanted to find an activity that would bring the community together, especially the members in Somerset County, New Jersey 4-H where she’s been a leader for the past 21 years. Little did she know she’d succeed beyond her wildest dreams and earn a world record in the process.

The Longest Textile Braid, measuring an impressive 5,217 feet—almost a mile when rolled out— earned the official title by Guinness World Records this year. The braid was the culmination of months of collecting and braiding fabric by 200 Somerset County 4-H members and volunteers.

This record-breaking feat, which has made Somerset County 4-H the only such program in New Jersey to hold a Guinness World Record, took years to come to fruition. In 2011, MacCombie, who leads the Somerset County 4-H Upcycle Club, which reuses and recycles old items, including turning them into works of art, was looking for an activity that would get all the 4-H members in the county involved in some way.

“I have a fiber and an upcycling club and we work a lot with recycled materials,” explained MacCombie.

“We had all this material in bedsheets, shirtdresses, etc. and I thought it would be great to do something with it.”

She thought it would be inspiring to try to set a world record of some sort, but just what, she was unclear. So, she contacted the folks at Guinness World Records and they worked together to find a unique record to set. Together they came up with the Longest Textile Braid and over the years, they collaborated on coming up with the best plan of action to achieve it.

“The kids love to braid, so it was a natural progression. And I thought it could help promote 4-H too, because it is such a great organization and I am proud to be a part of it,” said MacCombie.

In late 2017, all the paperwork was finally approved and Somerset County 4-H was given a year in which to complete their activity. MacCombie got to work asking members and volunteers for donations – and they set to work braiding in sections. Within several months, and even without the official measurement, MacCombie knew that they had to have exceeded the record of 2,625 feet that Guinness World Records required. All that was needed was for the braid to be measured and officially recorded.

Guinness required a licensed surveyor, so Jeff Baldwin of the Somerset County Engineering Division measured the braid while a textile expert, Bridgett Artise of Born Again Vintage and adjunct professor at the Fashion of Institute of New York, inspected it at a public event at the Bridgewater Commons Mall in May 2018.

To accurately measure the braid, Frank Marusiak of the Somerset County Facilities and Services Department created a special device, which was tweaked according to surveyor Baldwin’s specifications. Somerset County videographer Christopher Busch tracked the activity to submit as an official record while residents Kala Sivasubramanian and Reid Kirby served as the outside official witnesses.

The Longest Textile Braid, which spends its time typically rolled into a giant ball, began a tour in August, with the first being the Somerset County 4-H Fair followed by display at the County Administrative Building in Somerville.

The braid will be at the Bridgewater Commons Mall in October. The mall is located at the intersection of Route 22 and Route 202/206 and borders I-287 in New Jersey.

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From the Director’s Desk

Rutgers Outreach Provided by Brian Schilling Director

Rutgers Environmental Stewards: Opportunity to Learn and Give Back to the Community

The Rutgers Environmental Stewards program (envirostewards.rutgers.edu) is an adult education class for individuals who would like to increase their knowledge about environmental issues. The classes are offered in five counties, and also are open to non-county residents. The counties offering the program are Atlantic, Burlington, Passaic, Somerset, and Union.

Classes are taught on land use; ecology; water–from watersheds to wastewater; impervious cover; geology; soils; renewable energy; environmental protection, chemistry, and law; Pinelands ecology; climate change; and sea-level rise.

Sessions generally begin in January (Burlington County’s program starts this fall) and run for 20 weeks, with a different topic each week, taught by Rutgers professors and governmental and non-governmental professionals. There are field trips to several sites of environmental interest, like the Pinelands, wildflower preserves, and wildlife sanctuaries. To see a current class schedule, go to: envirostewards.rutgers.edu/docs/Burlington-2018-Schedule.pdf.

The Environmental Stewards format is similar to that of the Rutgers Master Gardener program and many participants are Rutgers Master Gardeners, as well. Instead of the master gardener community service volunteer hours, after the in-class portion of the training, each participant must complete a project-driven internship of 60 hours to become a Certified Rutgers Environmental Steward.

The internships are as diverse as the participants who do them, as they are developed based on the needs of the local community and the skills and interests of the participants. Many of the internships have a gardening or planting component, since plants are beneficial in restoring and remediating areas, providing habitat for wildlife and pollinators, and many interns have knowledge about how plants could solve an environmental issue in their local community. Below is an example of an internship that focused on plants.

Paul Ludgate was a participant in the Atlantic County class of 2016 and his project was conducted in the town of Somers Point, N.J. The goals of Paul’s project were to create a school garden that included native coastal upland shrubs and flowering perennials that needed little care, to attract native fauna, and demonstrate sustainable landscaping for the home and community.

The native plant varieties installed require little irrigation, and support a wide array of native pollinators. Plants were chosen for staggered flower production so that important native pollinators had food sources throughout the growing season. Using native plants reduced the need to pump fresh water from coastal aquifers, which may help reduce the incidence of salt water intrusion.

The size of the project including the rainwater retention system and composting area is more than 1,000 square feet. The success of the project was based on the cooperation and sweat equity from a number of community-based organizations. The Boy Scouts of America and their Eagle Scout program provided manpower and supervision for some more laborious tasks including weeding, adding loamy soil amendments, and posting signage for the native varieties of perennials and flowering shrubs.

Atlanticare provided major funding, and the Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association provided connections to a geologist, a botanist, and watershed experts to assist with the design and signage explaining the site to visitors. AmeriCorps Watershed ambassadors taught a rain barrel workshop and provided a barrel for use at the site. A toolbox on wheels was created to assist teachers with lessons in the garden. Over 100 individuals – the Scouts, parents, the school’s PTA, student ecology club, teachers, and their students – contributed to the task of installation, planting, and maintenance of the plots.

Another example of an internship project with a garden focus was a rain garden installed in Cranford for an internship in 2014. Following significant flood damage from Hurricane Irene, the Cranford Environmental Commission received a $2,000 grant from Sustainable Jersey to install a rain garden. The purpose of the grant was to set an example of an aesthetically pleasing landscape that also performed the important function of minimizing stormwater runoff into the river.

A successful rain garden model would educate the public and encourage homeowners to consider a rain garden installation on their own properties. Don Jones’ internship developed the plan, gathered volunteers, assured the rain garden was properly sited, and led the work on installation day.

Don’s team chose the site in front of the Cranford Municipal Building as a prime location.

The town’s Department of Public Works provided assistance with excavation and transporting the plants, topsoil, mulch and rocks around the site. The rain garden provides a beautiful landscape and captures stormwater from two downspouts that drain approximately 1,500 square feet of rooftop.

This rain garden captures, treats, and infiltrates 38,171 gallons of stormwater annually; and was installed with the assistance of an additional 25 volunteers donating 90 hours.

Please visit our website for more information (envirostewards.rutgers.edu) and for additional examples of completed Rutgers Environmental Stewards internships.

Editor’s Note: This month’s installation was written by Pat Rector-Woods, environmental and resource management agent in Morris and Somerset counties, and state coordinator for the Environmental Steward Program.

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R U T G ER S N J AE S / R C E

October 2018 7

Autumn Crocus: A Fresh Floral Display for Autumn Crocus are traditionally known for their white, violet or blue flowers from March into April. However, those are merely the forms that are prominently featured in stores and gardens.

The blooming sequence throughout their native range actually begins at the onset of the cooler, moister weather of autumn, providing some muchneeded color for the autumn garden.

Crocus are members of the Iridaceae, or Iris Family, and consist of over 90 species. They are native to regions of Southern Europe and Northern Africa, stretching east to Western China, where well-drained, gravelly soils are accompanied by hot, dry summers.

Crocus species enter dormancy in late-spring and “over-summer” through a modified stem structure called a corm before awakening in autumn. Perennial plants that survive inclement conditions with an underground food

storage structure like a corm or bulb are called geophytes.

The genus name of Crocus was penned in 1753 by the Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist Carl Linnaeus (17071778). The name originates from the Greek krokos, meaning Saffron. However, the lineage of the word dates back over 3,000 years to the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit and the word Kunkumam. It once again refers to Saffron, highlighting the length of time this herb has been popular and propagated.

Although Crocus may refer to Saffron, only one species, Crocus sativus actually provides the carpels that imbues the slightly bitter, hay-like taste to cuisine. Crocus sativus is an attractive October blooming species with one-and-a-half to two-inch-wide purple flowers with brush-strokes of dark purple sweeping the length of the tepals.

Crocus flowers are composed of an outer ring of three modified leaves, called sepals, and an inner ring of three petals – since both appear virtually identical, they are called tepals. The tepals contrast very

nicely with the bright orange stigmas and styles, which when dried are the source of Saffron.

The stigma is the portion of a flower that receives the pollen while the style is the “stem” connecting the stigma to the ovary – combined they are called a carpel. It takes well over 50,000 plants to yield a pound of saffron, describing why Crocus sativus is not grown as an herb.

The species epithet of sativus means cultivated, describing how the plant has been perpetuated; since the flowers are actually sterile, it has been asexually propagated and cultivated from offsets of the corms called cormels for well over 3,500 years. Plants require well-drained and sundrenched locations to flower best, with the young cormels lifted and replanted every four to five years.

Another much underused Crocus for fall is Crocus speciosus, commonly called Bieberstein’s Crocus. Native to Turkey, the Caucasus, Northern Iran and Crimea, this plant demands far less care than its cousin.

Its common name stems

RUTGERS

Office of Continuing Professional Education Landscaping and Certificate Programs Register Early and Save www.cpe.rutgers.edu/landscape

New Jersey 4-H Members Attend International Leadership for Life Conference in Ireland In August, 11 New Jersey 4-H members attended the 2018 International Leadership for Life Conference, which was hosted by Foróige at the National University of Ireland, commonly known as Maynooth University. Foróige is a youth development organization in Ireland that was formed in 1952 and is based on the 4-H youth development program mode.

Now in its 10th year, Foróige’s Leadership for Life Conference is among the annual highlights of the Foróige program, which promotes personal leadership development with the aim of equipping young people to explore their vision and passion, and to develop key skills such as planning, decision making, critical thinking, goal setting and problem solving that are core to leadership.

This year’s event involved approximately 300 high school-age youths, and the New Jersey delegates were able to meet teens from Ireland, Northern Ireland, the United States, India, and other countries, and engage in over 15 hours of leadership workshops.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station -Cooperative Extension, 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, marital status, domestic partnership status, military service, veteran status, and any other category protected by law.

from its author – Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein (1768-1826), who worked as a secretary and aidede-camp to the Russian General Count Kochovoski. His military excursions allowed him to study plants throughout the Caucasus and Crimea, and in 1808 he validly published the description of Crocus speciosus.

The species epithet is from the Latin, meaning beautiful, which aptly describes the blossoms. The flowers are two inches across when fully opened, with the outside color of the tepals typically a light blue, although they can range from near white to a rich, dark blue.

The inner color of the petals features a very light blue base that grows increasingly darker near the tips. Both the inside and outside of the flower are laced with dark blue veins.

The centers of the flowers are adorned by a tessellated orange style.

Unlike Saffron Crocus, with foliage appearing in November, the grass-like foliage of Crocus speciosus grows from lateMarch through mid-May. The flowers look great when worked

into areas of turf, and in its native areas, Bieberstein’s Crocus typically grows at the edge of woodlands or in woodland openings with Rhododendrons and Beech Trees.

Autumn Crocus, regardless of the species, provides what the garden needs most come September and October – a fresh and unexpected display of blooms to give the garden a “pick-me-up” before it finally winds down for winter.

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 past-president of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at (732) 932-8451. For more information, please visit www.rutgersgardens.rutgers.edu

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Phone Directory 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: 856-224-8040 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 October 2018

GardenerNews.com

The Vatican Gardens & Those Amazing “Broccoli Trees” (Continued from page 1)

Peter, dragged to the Vatican some 20 species of edible Hill where he is crucified. St. pine nuts are available in the Paul then appears to Plautilla, market. to give her back the veil she As we pressed on, I had lent him to blindfold his began to feel the pressure eyes” (stpetersbasilica.info/ of trying to cover as much Interior/DoorFilarete.htm). as I could in just two short And it is here where I hours. Just then I saw a bird am reminded of the glorious soar above our heads and Roman pine trees I so covet, perch itself perfectly in a as they appeared to me in Cedar of Lebanon. Again, this scene. Clearly these trees Valentina, who seemed to have been an important part know “everything Vatican,” of life, represented by artists said “that was a parrot and throughout history. Even the they are responsible for the “Casina del Giardiniere” or destruction of the tops of Gardener’s Lodge, housing some trees.” A colony of the head gardener of the monk parrots (Myopsitta Vatican, has his home framed monachus Boddaert) are by these “Broccoli Trees.” nesting in the cedar trees in Incidentally, other the Gardens. Valentina said pines producing an edible that the parrots build their nut are Swiss stone pine, nests, heavy at times, with a Pinus cembra, Korean pine, hole at the bottom and at the Pinus koraiensis, Colorado top for entrance and exiting. pinyon pine, Pinus edulis, These colorful birds, while and Single-leaf pine, Pinus exotic and beautiful, are Bob LaHoff/Photo monophylla. However, Pinus breaking the tops of trees, The iconic dome of Saint Peters Basilica in the Vatican City, the papal enclave inside pinea is the grand champion, thus altering the overall Rome. it seems, to many “Foodies.” appearance of the Garden.

Tasty seeds harvested from Another magnificent the tour peering beneath a Pope’s table, there is clearly fading to grey. Large edible the tree’s cones add a nutty tree type repeating itself statue of Goddess Cybele’s a farm-to-table appreciation seeds or pine nuts are crunch and earthy flavor throughout the Garden, and feet. Tucked in and amongst here. Unfortunately, I was produced from this tree and to most any meal. In total, all of Italy for (Cont. on Page 21) crevices, framing century old denied the total experience, are treasured as an epicurean benches, I knew this was the as the hedges were just too treat. You may know them start of something magical. tall for me to see. I surmise, as pignoli or piñon nuts, The first, and in my after tasting my way through toasted treasures used as mind, the most awe-inspiring Italy, that the Pontiff enjoys additions to salads, pasta, fountain to experience was fresh zucchini flowers, a pesto or cookie toppings. the Fontana dello Scoglio Caprese salad comprised These trees were everywhere or dell’ Aquilone, Fountain of tomatoes and Burrata, in the Garden. And for that of the Eagle, a 17th century and perhaps some fresh matter everywhere I looked fountain that has dragons melanzana or eggplant… I on vacation, whether it was spewing water from their know we did on vacation. Naples, Rome, Sorrento… mouths. There are more than The culinary experience that even Portici (Por-Ta-Chi)!

100 “bubbling fountains” Italy affords you is unrivaled!

My favorite description in the Vatican, but none as Along the way, paved came from our tour guide grand as this one. Standing roads and gravel paths had in Rome, Raffaele “Ralph” at the edge of the forest, me taking in all that nature Tommasone, who called the Fountain of the Eagle is could afford here. Plane them “Broccoli trees,” the a composition of artificial trees from North America, best description I have heard rock. cedars from Lebanon, rare thus far. Following my tour, The fountain symbolizes maples, uncommon conifers, and just as I was entering St. the return of water to the lantana and begonia annual Peters Basilica, I noticed a Vatican from the Acqua planters, Italian cypress, bronze door with reliefs. The Paola, a majestic fountain clipped boxwood, palms and central door is the oldest. Pope we happened across walking my favorite… the Roman Eugene IV commissioned back from Vatican City pines! Some may call them the Florentine, Antonio located on Janiculum Hill. stone pines, umbrella pines Averulino, known as Filarete Seeing water spurt from or parasol pine, I call them (1400-1469) to make the two the mouths of dragons and Pinus pinea, large-needled bronze imposts, which he dolphin-riding tritons was evergreens with suspended completed in 1445. as impressive as the Trevi canopies, held sharply above “The two lowest panels Fountain, I thought. reddish-brown, deeply show St. Paul sentenced by Moving forward, fissured bark crackled in Nero and the martyrdom Valentina pointed out to panels. Bright green needles of St. Paul, who kneels as, Bob LaHoff/Photo me the Pontiff’s private appear in bundles of two, blindfolded, the stroke of the One of two entrance gateways to The Casina Pio IV, vegetable garden. A good- and oval to spherical cones sword that will take his life, now home to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. sized parcel dedicated to the ripen to a chestnut brown and the martyrdom of St.

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October 2018 9

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I recently had a horrific experience with dangerous, deadly air pollution.

This dangerous and deadly air pollution was cause by construction workers dry-cutting concrete sidewalks producing a very large dust cloud of crystalline silica dust. The dust was being distributed to the building window sills, decks, siding and carpeted entranceways.

It was enough to cause a major concern. The contractors barely spoke English and did not understand my concerns.

I then spoke with the building management company, I was politely blown off. My next call was to the local Board of Health.

I was told that they had absolutely no enforcement capabilities on stopping the job. My next call was to the police department. Two officers responded. They also had no enforcement capabilities on stopping the job.

I then called the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). They had absolutely no enforcement capabilities on stopping the job, either. I was told by the OSHA Complaint Center that I had to be an employee of the contractor to file a health complaint.

I found it very hard to believe that OSHA could not shut down a job that was spewing large amounts of crystalline silica dust into the air. I was referred to the NJDEP. Believe it or not, even the NJDEP could not shut down the job.

My major concern – crystalline silica kills. And it only takes a very small amount of it.

According to OSHA, crystalline silica is a common mineral found in the earth’s crust. Materials like sand, stone, concrete, and mortar contain crystalline silica. It is also used to make products such as glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks, and artificial stone.

Respirable crystalline silica – very small particles at least 100 times smaller than ordinary sand you might find on beaches and playgrounds – is created when cutting, sawing, grinding, drilling, and crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, block, and mortar.

Activities such as abrasive blasting with sand; sawing brick or concrete; sanding or drilling into

A Silent Killer

concrete walls; grinding mortar; manufacturing brick, concrete blocks, stone countertops, or ceramic products; and cutting or crushing stone result in worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica dust.

Industrial sand used in certain operations, such as foundry work and hydraulic fracturing (fracking), is also a source of respirable crystalline silica exposure. About 2.3 million people in the United States are exposed to silica at work.

Breathing in very small crystalline silica particles, causes multiple diseases, including silicosis, an incurable lung disease that leads to disability and death.

Respirable crystalline silica also causes lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease.

Exposure to respirable crystalline silica is related to the development of autoimmune disorders and cardiovascular impairment. These occupational diseases are lifealtering and debilitating disorders that annually affect thousands of workers across the United States.

Breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal. When silica dust enters the lungs, it causes the formation of scar tissue, which makes it difficult for the lungs to take in oxygen.

There is no cure for silicosis.

Because silicosis affects the immune system, exposure to silica increases the risk of lung infections, such as tuberculosis. In addition, smoking causes lung damage and adds to the damage caused by breathing silica dust.

In rare instances, individuals exposed to very high concentrations of respirable crystalline silica can develop typical silicosis symptoms as well as fever and weight loss within weeks instead of years. In these cases, medical evaluation should be performed as soon as possible.

Exposure to crystalline silica increases the risk of developing lung cancer. Lung cancer is a disease where abnormal cells grow uncontrollably into tumors, interfering with lung function. The abnormal cancer cells can also travel (“metastasize”) and cause damage to other parts of the body.

Most cases are not curable.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Exposure to crystalline silica increases the risk of other lung diseases, primarily COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The main symptom of COPD is shortness of breath due to difficulty breathing air into the lungs. COPD is not usually reversible and may worsen over time.

Kidney Disease Studies of workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica have found that these workers are at increased risk of developing kidney disease. For instance, kidney failure has been observed among workers with high silica exposure, such as in abrasive blasters who also were suffering from silicosis.

As far as I can figure, OSHA protects workers only. I thought they protected everyone.

In 1970, the United States Congress and President Richard Nixon created OSHA, a national public health agency dedicated to the basic proposition that no worker should have to choose between their life and their job. Basically, OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

Thank you for protecting the workforce. In a nutshell, though, who protects the common citizen, like you and me, from dangerous, deadly crystalline silica dust in the air?

Maybe our legislators need to take a good hard look at this problem. Someone should have the authority to shut down a job in New Jersey. I’d like to live a long, healthy life. Just sayin’!!!

How about you?

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.

10 October 2018 Now that the fall harvest season is upon us, many growers are in the process of trying to market all of their products that they have spent the last year or so growing.

Whether it be through wholesale or retail channels, through restaurants, on-farm pick-your-own, or even web-based sales systems, all of these different types of marketing channels can be very effective in helping farmers sell their products.

One rather new way of promoting and selling farm products is through organized events and festivals. And for certain farm products that lend themselves well to this type of marketing, they have become a proven and reliable source of income for many growers throughout the Garden State.

First of all, however, the product must be able to create some interest on its own in order to have a successful festival. Now I have nothing against grain growers, but I do not really see a lot of interest and excitement out there for field corn and soybeans. Especially when you take into account that

GardenerNews.com The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

the large majority of these products are marketed as commodities through shippers and brokers, it is hard to imagine how having a soybean festival would greatly enhance the economic interests of soybean growers.

It might be a good excuse to have a party, but that is another story. By and large, in order for a festival to be successful, the centerpiece should be a product that can generate at least some interest on its own.

There are plenty of examples out there to choose from. Early in the spring, strawberry festivals seem to be quite popular. First of all, strawberries are well liked by many people. Also, they lend themselves quite well too many different types of foods that could be sold and consumed at a strawberry

Farm Festivals

festival.

The time of year is a bonus as well in that farms might be looking to stir up some interest early in the year with the hope that it will carry over through the remainder of the season.

Pumpkin, peach, apple and even the generic harvest festivals all seem to be quite popular here in this part of the country.

Usually, these festivals will do an excellent job of highlighting the featured product. The organizers will make sure that there is plenty of that particular product that is available.

Very often, different types of foods will be offered that use the featured product as well.

There is usually a variety of entertainment available for customers such as music, tours, games, face painting,

etc. And it is also important to note that in order for the festival to set itself apart, these offerings should be above and beyond what is offered by the farm on a regular basis.

These festivals can be a lot of fun, but they are also a lot of work. Besides all of the normal day-to-day stuff that happens on the farm, we now have a festival to throw into the mix. And with that comes a lot of extras, such as more employees, more supplies, a strain on existing facilities, dealing with outside vendors, special permits, I could go on and on.

Plus, there is the risk of scheduling a special event, and then having bad weather get in the way. Most farmers that I know try to diversify quite a bit, but scheduling a

one-day event is like putting all of your eggs in one basket. If it works, great, if not, you will have an up close and personal concert and a freezer full of hot dog rolls.

But don’t let the potential negatives get in the way.

Farm festivals are a great way to experience new things, as well as a fun time for all involved. As someone who has now helped to host a couple of these myself, I really enjoy meeting new people while showing off our products a little.

And usually, everything comes together and a good time is had by all!

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 a Tewksbury Township Committee Member. 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.

White Wood Aster Is A Rare Plant

By Hubert Ling White wood aster, Eurybia divaricata, our central New Jersey’s most common aster, is a rare plant in Canada, where it is listed as a species at risk.

However, white wood aster is a resident of almost every wooded patch of Northern and Central New Jersey, where each fall it happily blooms under a variety of conditions. Its greatest assets are the fact that it is very easy to grow, starts blooming early in August, blooms reasonably well in full shade, and doesn’t give up until late-October.

Comments on the plant and flowers range from: “Produces a fairyland of glistening (flowers),” to “weedy,” to “sprawling habit,” to “delicate airy clouds,” to “a delicate carpet of snowflakes,” and “top rated aster.”

The plant does tend to

spread easily from seeds and, to prevent it from colonizing unwanted areas, you might deadhead the flowers.

However, it is relatively easy to control since its growth is moderate in shady areas, which is the best place to keep it.

White wood aster has three types of leaves. The basal leaves are heart-shaped and coarsely toothed. The leaves higher up on the stem are oval, and the upper leaves near the flowers are lance-shaped. The stems are often dark and often zig-zag sideways.

The plant is low-growing, about one to two feet tall and spreads by rhizomes.

Propagation is easily done by seeds or by dividing root clumps. The plant is drought resistant, thrives in shallow, rocky soil, grows in a wide range of pHs from acid to slightly alkaline, and is moderately deer and rabbit resistant.

Like all asters, white wood aster has a composite

flower, all of which have two types of flowers housed in one structure, which superficially looks like a single simple flower. However, if you look closely at a composite flower such as in sunflowers, coneflowers, daisies, and asters, you will find a central circular cluster of small disc flowers, each of which contain five minute petals fused to form a small trumpet, with a central pistil circled by several tiny stamens.

Surrounding the central disc is one or more outer circles of ray flowers, which look like simple petals unless you observe them closely to find five petals which are fused into a small trumpet at the base but opened up to form a flat “petal.” This “petal,” interestingly enough, is composed of five sections, which is from five petals fused together and then sliced open and flattened out to form a single “petal.”

The ray flowers are generally sterile and only have the function of attracting

insects to the fertile disc flowers. Generally, each small disc flower produces a small fruit containing a single seed.

The conspicuous ray flowers are white and the less conspicuous disc flowers start out yellow.

As the flowers age, the disc flowers turn a purplered. While the fruits mature, the sepals are converted into bushy tan tuffs which persist well into fall and catch the winds to distribute the fruits.

Several horticultural varieties of the white wood aster are available; some noticeable ones have foliage streaked with white. The plant has been introduced in Europe and is popular in the Netherlands.

White wood asters provide nectar for bees and butterflies. They are host plants for the pearl crescent and checkerspot butterfly larvae, and they provide seeds for birds. The plant is useful for erosion control, especially in shady areas, since given the proper conditions, it

can form a dense covering, although the growth rate is only moderate.

Add texture and color to the shady areas of your garden this fall by adding this tough, dependable flower to your garden. Although it does not form breathtaking specimens, it does add a cheerful informal lightness to an otherwise bleak, shaded area.

White wood aster blends nicely with the taller blue wood aster Symphyotrichum cordifolium, and the even taller, white panicled aster Symphotrichum lanceolatum, both of which can tolerate shade but not as well as white wood aster can.

Other companion plants for the shade would be yellow wood violet, Solomon’s seal, bloodroot, and foamflower.

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

GardenerNews.com

October 2018 11

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12 October 2018

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Halloween is at the end of this month, and your lawn is probably not the first thing on your mind.

Football is well under way and, yes, you see leaves starting to fall on the grass. But you’re happy that the lawnmower shreds them and they seem to disappear You’re probably tired of mowing, too.

This year Mother Nature’s weather certainly played some tricks on our lawn programs.

The real story about this year is rain, rain, rain!

It was hard to believe how many times it rained; particularly in the middle of what are traditional hot, dry summers. These rains leached a lot of the nutrients from fertilizer applications, so the lawn suffered from a lack of food. This causes stress on the lawn because the lawn wants to be fed during the growing season from spring through fall.

If your lawn could speak to you, it may feel that you only really fertilized it once this year, not twice like you usually do or did. Please be

Turf ‘s Up

By Todd Pretz Professional Turf Consultant

Did your lawn “trick” or “treat” you this year? sure to fertilize your lawn this month if you have not since the spring. Your lawn will like it.

Was your lawn confused with this year’s weather? Sure it was, once enough hot and dry weather came along, some lawns attempted to “shut down” or go dormant. This is a natural process the lawn can go through; sometimes we think the lawn has died since it turns brown. Once this dormancy stage started and then a lot of rain fell, the lawn was pulled out of dormancy, causing more stress. I hope by now your lawn has recovered a lot from summer damage.

Remember, your lawn needs about one inch of water per week in the absence of rainfall to grow

best. In late-fall you should not have to water anymore.

The excessive rains also weakened some of the pre-emergent crabgrass controls. If you put down your crabgrass control in early-spring, you probably had a lot of crabgrass this summer. No one would have predicted all of the rain, but a later application or even a second application of preemergent crabgrass control with Dithiopyr-Dimension in late-spring would have helped control crabgrass much better. Remember this for better pre-emergent crabgrass application timing next year, and also that crabgrass only grows in sunny areas of the lawn.

Crabgrass will die with the first frost, which usually happens in October. The

leaves of crabgrass plants will turn purple and then brown and the plant dies.

While the earlyspring and summer rains were somewhat forgiving and the grass grew fairly well, once some heat and drought came along, so did lawn fungus. Red Thread and Leaf Spot came in latespring and Brown Patch was rampant during summer months. Healthy growing lawns that are fertilized, watered and mowed properly avoided most disease pressures. Fall is a great time to thicken and green lawns. This is best achieved with an early fall application of lawn food and then a later application of a “winterizer” type lawn food. Be sure to apply fertilizer before black-out

dates in your area.

There still is time to apply grass seed and get good establishment. This is a better time of the year to sow seed than in early-spring, when cold weather and weeds hinder establishment. I know of homeowners seeding even into November and getting reasonable results.

However, you need to be aware of cooler weather slowing down germination and growth. If you live in a heavy tree neighborhood that deposits a lot of leaves on your lawn, this also can be a problem when trying to establish a strong stand of grass seed in later fall.

Enjoy your lawn and the cool fall season. What are you going to be for Halloween? You deserve some treats!

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

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16 October 2018 If you’re anything like me, you find the winter to be so drab when it comes to your landscape. What I wouldn’t give for some color come January.

As I have said in the past, fall is for planting, and this month I’m looking at plants for my yard that will give me color and texture during the winter. And boy, are there a lot of options! But before we start planting, some housekeeping needs to be done.

Clean up any debris in your yard, including branches, leaves, etc. Deadhead anything that may still bloom, but don’t cut back those peonies yet.

Wait until the end of October and then they can be cut to the ground, as they are still storing up energy for next year’s bloom. Look for any tree or plant damage you might have and have it remedied by a professional that knows how to treat for insect and disease damage. Then you are ready to plant your winter landscape.

There are plants that actually do flower in the winter and can provide great color through the season. Yuletide Camellia (Camellia sasanqua “Yuletide”) is an evergreen shrub that produces red

GardenerNews.com The NJLCA Today

By Gail Woolcott Director of Operations

Create Your Winter Wonderland Now! blooms with a bright-yellow center from the fall through the winter. Daphne Bholua “Jacqueline Postill” is a broadleaf that blooms fragrant pink and white flowers. Halo Violet (Viola cornuta “Halo Violet”), a perennial, produces a dark violet to blue colored flower that blooms from the winter through spring.

Purple Stem Sweet Box (Sarcococca Hookerian var. dygna “Purple Stem”), which is an evergreen shrub, blooms a super fragrant pink flower.

The Pink Cloud Winter Heath (Erica cornea “Pink Cloud”) offers pink flowers (kind of obvious) from January through May. Lily of the Valley (Pieris japonica), a very common plant, gives you white or purple bell shaped flowers and is also quite fragrant. The Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) has beautiful white to

pink blossoms that resemble roses but are not actually in the rose family. Most of us know that Forsythia is a harbinger of spring, but the Gold Tide Forsythia (Forsythia x “Courtasol”) blooms in latewinter with its bright yellow flowers.

In addition to flowering, some plant material offers color with their stems and foliage. Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) has beautiful yellow flowers in the summer but turns a bright green in the winter. Georgia Blue Speedwell (Veronica umbrosa “Georgia Blue”) blooms in late-February with cobalt blue flowers and sporadically throughout the season, but during the winter it has a bronze purple foliage.

The Red-Stemmed Dogwood (Cornus alba) has bright red stems in the winter,

offering an amazing contrast to snow. The Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticulata) has dark leaves that are shiny, and the red berries we associate with traditional Holly bushes, but only fertilized female flowers will produce the attractive red berries, so you must plant a male plant nearby.

The final three I offer up are my favorites and will likely be in my yard soon. The Cornelia Cherry Dogwood (Cornus mas “Golden Glory” is a shrub with small yellow flowers that bloom in the latewinter. The Jelena Witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia “Jelena”) has really neat coppery orange flowers in the winter and is fragrant.

And the Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia japonica “Bealei”) gives you fragrant yellow flowers, then blooms powder blue grape-like clusters.

As you can see, the landscape can be just as exciting in the winter as it is in the spring, summer and fall.

But to make all of this come together and look right (you know, not just a mish-mosh of various plant material that has no rhyme or reason), I suggest having a landscape professional design and install your winter wonderland! He or she will be cognizant of your other seasonal plant material and work with it and your property layout to give you year-round color that dazzles.

Happy Halloween to all!

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

She was presented with a community service award from the Borough of Fairview for her assistance in leading the 9-11 Memorial Park project and the Legislative Champion of the Year award from the Federation of Employers and Workers of America. She is currently the State Licensee Chair on the National Association of Landscape Professionals International Certification Council.

Exotic Tick Species Found in Somerset County, N.J. The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) has confirmed that the Asian Longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) was discovered in Somerset County, making it the seventh county in New Jersey where the tick has been found. The tick was found on a dog at a residence and was confirmed to be the Asian Longhorned tick earlier this week. Earlier findings have been confirmed in Bergen, Hunterdon, Union, Middlesex, Mercer and Monmouth counties.

Some of these findings have come as a result of residents submitting ticks to the county drop off locations, where they are picked up and sent for testing. A list of county drop off locations can be found at https://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/ah/pdf/TickCountyDropoffList.pdf “The public has played an important role in helping us identify areas where this tick may be located,” said Dr. Manoel Tamassia, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian. “The knowledge we have gained from these findings will help us make decisions at local and national levels.”

Public parks where the Asian Longhorned tick has been found in New Jersey include Davidson Mill County Pond Park in Middlesex County, Overpeck County Park in Bergen County, and Watchung Reservation, Houdaille Quarry Park and Briant Park in Union County. There have also been confirmed findings of the Asian Longhorned tick in Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Arkansas.

Various local, state, and federal animal health agencies, as well as Rutgers Center for Vector Biology, continue to work together to identify the range of the Asian Longhorned tick in New Jersey. Asian Longhorned ticks that have been collected in New Jersey thus far have tested negative for various human and animal pathogens.

Like deer ticks, the nymphs of the Asian Longhorned tick are very small (resembling tiny spiders) and can easily go unnoticed on animals and people. Asian Longhorned ticks in other countries have been shown to spread diseases. They are known to infest a wide range of species including humans, dogs, cats, and livestock.

As part of New Jersey’s investigation, instructions on how the public can submit ticks they find on themselves, their pets, livestock or on wildlife can be found on the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/divisions/ah/ A phone line has also been established to leave a message if a tick is found and there is uncertainty about what the next steps are. If you need information about what to do if you find a tick on yourself, your pets or livestock call 1-833-NEWTICK (1-833-639-8425).

For more information on ticks and tick-borne disease visit: Rutgers Center for Vector Biology: http://vectorbio.rutgers.edu/news.php; Rhode Island Tick Encounter site: http://www.tickencounter.org/; or TickCheck Tick Testing: https://www.tickcheck.com/.

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New Jersey Legislative Update Oroho Bill to Promote NJ’s Farm-to-Table Industry Passes Committee

Lopez Named New Environment and Solid Waste Committee Vice-chair

Legislation sponsored by Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) to promote farm-to-table businesses Statewide has passed the Senate Economic Growth Committee.

“Farm-to-table restaurants provide vital opportunities for small businesses to compete in a new and rapidly-growing part of our vibrant agricultural tourism industry,” Senator Oroho said. “The impact of choosing a farm-to-table restaurant stretches far beyond a diner’s plate. By highlighting local restaurants that serve ‘Jersey Fresh,’ we’re feeding the future of New Jersey’s farms, restaurants, and our local economy.”

Senator Oroho’s bill, S-2499, would direct the Division of Travel and Tourism to post information on farm-to-table restaurants on its website. The website, which is currently housed under the domain VisitNJ.org, would list the names, addresses, and other pertinent information about farm-to-table restaurants located across the Garden State.

In New Jersey, approximately one out of every 14 workers is supported by the tourism industry.

“New Jersey’s agriculture and tourism industries are a driving economic force that employs millions of families,” Oroho said. “Last year, more than 100 million tourists visited New Jersey, where they spent more than $10 billion on food and beverages. Encouraging travelers to visit farm-to-table destinations benefits our small farms, restaurants, and the community as a whole. This legislation is a win for all.”

Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin has named Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez as the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee Vice-chairwoman.

This committee is responsible for addressing statewide concerns such as water safety, carbon emissions, combatting pollution, along with other various pieces of legislation aimed at improving quality of life for New Jersey residents.

The vice-chairmanship was previously held by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who recently left the Assembly and assumed the role of Mayor of Trenton.

“I am honored to serve as the Vice-chair of the Environment and Solid Waste Committee, especially at such a critical time when we must be proactive in protecting our environment,” said Lopez (D-Middlesex). “It is a responsibility for us as legislators to play a significant role in making New Jersey a clean and healthy place to live, as well as preserving all of the resources our state has to offer.

I look forward to tackling the many environmental concerns that are affecting New Jersey residents throughout our state.”

In addition to being the Environment and Solid Waste ViceChair, Lopez also serves as a member of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, the Oversight, Reform and the Federal Relations, and Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee in the Assembly.

Lopez represents the 19th Legislative District, which covers Carteret, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Sayreville, and Woodbridge.

Bateman Bills to Incentivize Taxpayers & Public Utilities to Protect Pollinators Pass Committee Two bipartisan bills sponsored by Senator Kip Bateman to provide corporation business tax credits to taxpayers and public utility companies who develop habitats to protect pollinators, such as honeybees, have passed the Senate Environment Committee on September 13, 2018.

“We can’t keep New Jersey ‘the Garden State’ without pollinators and keystone species like the honeybee,” Senator Bateman (R-16) said.

“Think about all of the resources we have funneled into our farming and agricultural tourism industries. None of these businesses can flourish without pollinators. Providing CBT tax credits to people who take action to protect pollinators is a fiscally-responsible way to keep our ‘Jersey Fresh products’ growing strong for generations.”

Both pieces of legislation passed by the Senate Environment Committee today would provide corporation business tax credits those who develop qualified native habitats for pollinators, such as the honeybee. There is no current law providing tax credits for pollinator habitats.

Under the bills, these habitats are defined as an area of land developed for the feeding, nesting, and reproduction of native pollinators, such as bees. The habitats must also utilize plants that are native to New Jersey.

The first bill, S-2553, would provide corporation business tax credits to taxpayers that develop a qualified pollinator habitat on their undeveloped properties.

Specifically, under S-2553, a taxpayer that owns or leases at least 25 contiguous acres of undeveloped property in the State, that develops qualified native pollinator habitat on that property would be allowed a credit equal to 50 percent of the cost of developing the habitat, up to $25,000.

The second bill, S-2554, would provide corporation business tax credits to public utilities that develop qualified native pollinator habitat in their rights of way. Under this bill, the credit provided to that utility would be equal to 50 percent of the cost of developing the habitat, up to $50,000.

The pollinating services of bees and other insects are valued at $24 billion annually in the U.S. alone, according to the National Recreation and Park Association.

The National Recreation and Park Association also found that 94 percent of Americans support conservation efforts to protect pollinators.

“A third of crops grown in New Jersey depend on pollinators for reproduction. If we do not take action to build and protect native habitats for these species, we will jeopardize entire industries, not to mention our ability to provide fresh produce to families across the country,” Senator Bateman said. “This the first time we are providing tax credits specifically for pollinator habitats and I am confident that, if our bills are signed into law, we will reap the rewards of this investment for years to come.”

GardenerNews.com

October 2018 19

Autumn Observations

By Jeannie Geremia Contributing Writer

Nature continually sings its siren song to me, and I know that you, my fellow gardeners, feel it, too.

Autumn has my mind in a constant state of joy as I feel such a deep and abiding connection to flora and fauna, and want to share some observations as we welcome a seasonal change. It takes my breath away as I daydream about plants, critters, woods, meadows, earth and sky. I luxuriate in it and feel so connected to all the gardeners who were before, and the naturalists, environmentalists, transcendentalists, poets, colonial forbearers, native Indians, and immigrants who have brought their own gardening history and plant treasures to share and be shared.

Discovering new plant and wildlife species is exhilarating and intoxicating.

Learning something new every day is priceless, and it is energizing as I encounter so many stories, shared photos and delight in solving the identity of the caterpillar, plant, bird….it never gets old.

Just this past week, Chris Endris, gardener extraordinaire, e-mailed me a photo of a crazy looking caterpillar she found on her Rutgers Garden’s purchase of a Choisya x dewitteana “Aztec Pearl,” Mexican Orange shrub, in the rue family. The caterpillar was two inches long, black, white, gray mottled, actually resembling bird poop.

I knew lucky Chris had a Giant Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillar. They are one of the largest North American butterflies and, unlike their cousins, the Black Swallowtail who are fast flyers, these beauties glide on the air currents.

Viewed looking down on their spread wings, they are black with a strong yellow, crisscross bar running wing-to-wing on

their upper body that forms a V on the lower wings.

They look like a different species when viewed from the side, as they are yellow with black, blue and the red eye spot to fool predators into thinking it’s their eyes.

So art deco in appearance that you just know they inspired countless artists in so many mediums.

Unfortunately, they are considered a pest down south, as their host plants are citrus trees, and the Giant Swallowtails have been given the nickname “Orange Dog.” Chris counted eight caterpillars.

Though thrilled, she was concerned they might cause the imminent demise of her Mexican Orange. I told her that they also feed on the perennial herb, rue, as does the Black Swallowtail and prickly ash, so not to worry. Chris was inspired to cut some nearby rue, putting it in water, and locating it in her Mexican Orange.

There are always solutions as we take a “live and let live” approach, unless our health is at risk. Nature is a balance and it is a challenge to achieve this balance, protecting our wildlife and the environment while eliminating potential threats to our health and wellbeing.

As October is upon us, I ask you to be judicious in your “clean-up activities,” as bees, overwintering chrysalises, birds, and other critters need habitat.

Woods, marshes, tall grass are necessary elements in providing nesting sites, cover and protection.

That said, and with our climate change extending warmer weather well into winter, we are still exposing ourselves to debilitating diseases caused by insect pests that are very much poised to do us harm.

Foremost among these insidious diseases is Lyme disease that is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, black-legged ticks, commonly known as deer

ticks, the size of pin dots, and when infected, they carry a bacterium that causes Lyme disease. They are out and about well into winter, so protection is absolutely essential for you, your family and your pets.

Unfortunately, this disease seems to be an epidemic in New Jersey and the Northeast, but does not receive the proper diagnosis and warnings that are desperately needed.

There is no vaccine and not much has been done in the past few decades to educate the public as to the long-term damage it has caused in citizens of all ages.

I have been infected four times over the past two decades, but thankfully, have an immune system that causes me to have immediate flu-like symptoms including, fever, chills, intense fatigue, body aches and a splitting headache.

The so-called bullseye rash and/or irregular rash may appear in places not easily viewed on one’s body or in some cases, not at all. Early tests will come back negative, as it takes weeks for antibodies to appear in your blood for tests to come back positive.

Thank goodness I have a doctor who refuses to take a chance with my health, and gets me on the necessary course of antibiotics immediately, and in all my Lyme disease episodes, I have immediate relief.

Be your own advocate, garden wisely and enjoy autumn’s beauty.

Editor’s note: Jeannie Geremia is The Garden Club of New Jersey President-Elect, GCNJ Wildlife Habitat Chair, and 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

Horses in Burlington and Ocean Counties in N.J. Contract West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis A 10-year old Burlington County mare is the first reported case of West Nile Virus (WNV) and an Ocean County gelding is the fourth reported case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), each serious, mosquito-borne illnesses in horses, in New Jersey for 2018. Neither horse had been vaccinated against WNV or EEE in 2018. The Burlington County horse is undergoing treatment while the Ocean County horse was euthanized on September 4, 2018. The other three EEE cases in 2018, all euthanized, were in Monmouth and Camden counties.

EEE causes inflammation of the brain tissue and has a significantly higher risk of death in horses than West Nile Virus infection. West Nile Virus is a viral disease that affects a horse’s neurological system. The disease is transmitted by a mosquito bite. The virus cycles between birds and mosquitoes with horses and humans being incidental hosts. EEE infections in horses are not a significant risk factor for human infection because horses (like humans) are “dead-end” hosts for the virus.

“We continue to encourage horse owners be vigilant in vaccinating their animals against these diseases spread by mosquitoes,” New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said. “Vaccinated animals are much less likely to contract deadly diseases such as EEE and West Nile Virus.”

With the higher than average number of mosquitos this season (http://vectorbio.rutgers.edu/reports/mosquito/) and a 40 percent increase in WNV positive mosquitoes ( h t t p : / / w w w. n j . g o v / h e a l t h / c d / s t a t i s t i c s / a r b o v i r a l stats/) compared to 2017, livestock owners are strongly encouraged to vaccinate against WNV, EEE and other mosquito-borne diseases. Effective equine vaccines for EEE and WNV are available commercially. Horse owners should contact their veterinarians if their horses are not up-to-date on their vaccinations against both EEE and WNV. For more information about EEE in horses, visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture web site at: http://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/ah/diseases/ diseaseworksheets.html EEE and West Nile virus, like other viral diseases affecting a horse’s neurological system, must be reported to the state veterinarian at 609-671-6400 within 48 hours of diagnosis. The New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory is available to assist with EEE and WNV testing and can be reached at 609-406-6999 or via email – jerseyvetlab@ag.nj.gov. Learn more about the NJ Animal Health Diagnostic lab at www.jerseyvetlab.nj.gov.

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20 October 2018 Last month I addressed the most common method of transplanting nursery-grown trees, that being called “balled and burlapped.”

These are trees grown in the field, dug by machine (typically) and then the root mass (or root ball) is wrapped in burlap and set in a metal basket. This method is cost-effective and pretty much the standard.

However, it takes years for the tree to recover roots, the weight of the root mass is hundreds of pounds, and quite honestly a Saturday shopping spree with the family for a tree requires a big vehicle and lots of labor. These are reasons most garden centers do not provide so called “b-and-b” trees.

Now, more common are container-grown trees – trees grown in a big pot.

Much easier to handle than a big field-dug tree, they are also far less heavy, as the “soil” is more of a potting mix, like the type you buy for your window boxes. Such trees are easier to handle, small ones can be put into a car, and the

GardenerNews.com Tree Notes

By Steve Schuckman NJ Licensed Tree Expert No. 512

Transplanting Trees Part II: Container-grown Trees

average gardener can easily handle the task at hand.

Container-grown trees and shrubs are the most common product in the industry.

Container-grown trees (or shrubs) do have their problems. While easy to handle and transplant, almost all...dare I say ALL... are root bound. They have been grown in the pot for way too long, the roots have spiraled around inside the pot, and there has been no “potting up” as the plant grows. In other words, there has been no increase in the size of the container over the years, which is fine if the plant is sold when it has reached its best size for the container. But all too often, they stay in the same sized container for years.

Think about it. When

you go to your local garden center and purchase that adorable little conifer or azalea, when you get it home you can barely get it out of the pot. The root mass is the same shape of the pot. Then you dig a hole and plop it in and, if you water or it rains, it survives.

Then when it does die, you pull it out and guess what, the root mass is still exactly the shape it was when you planted it.

This is (sadly) very common. For containergrown, the root mass must be loosened, or teased apart. Remember, roots grow out more than down.

In a container they have no choice where to go, so you have to help them.

There are several ways to do this. My favorite

USDA to Measure Quarterly Colony Loss and Cost of Pollination The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be collecting information about colony loss in the honey industry and pollination costs throughout the United States. The Quarterly Colony Loss survey will be conducted through October 2018.

This survey collects information about colony inventory and loss from more than 400 producers with honey bee colonies in the Northeastern Region of the United States. The Cost of Pollination survey will be conducted October 2018 through December 2018. This survey collects information about pollinated commodity acres, pollination colony numbers and pollination cost from approximately 3000 growers in the Northeastern Region of the United States.

“The information from these surveys directly impacts our region’s beekeepers and honey producers,” said King Whetstone, Director of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Northeastern Regional Field Office. “Beekeepers and producers can use the survey results when making business plans and marketing decisions. Cooperative Extension uses the data to provide needed outreach and education and State Departments and Agencies of Agriculture use the information to set insurance values.”

For their convenience, survey participants have the option to respond online. As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses and publishes only State and National level data, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.

The annual Honey Bee Colonies publication is available online every August. The annual Cost of Pollination publication is available online every December. Previous publications are also available for review. These reports can be found online at http://www.nass.usda.gov.

For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at 1-800-498-1518.

method is to cut the entire lower base off – like cutting a cake – and then handteasing the root mass apart.

Time consuming, yes, but well worth the effort.

Another method, especially for larger container-grown stock, is to “shave” the sides of the root mass with a sharp nursery spade, thereby taking off the impeding root mass. I have done this also, and it works.

The important takehome message is that any container-grown plant will be root bound, and you must take extra effort when planting to ensure good establishment. The typical “dig a hole and drop” method may work for a season or two, but not the long term. Better to do it

right the first time.

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 Licensed Tree Expert. He can be reached at smschuckman@verizon.net

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October 2018 21

The Vatican Gardens & Those Amazing “Broccoli Trees” that matter, was olive trees, Olea europaea. Perhaps the most famous olive tree, known today, is the one in Vatican Gardens. “Two leaders who signed the Oslo agreement in 1993, Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, joined the Pope to plant an olive tree in the Vatican garden together with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew” (thejewishpluralist.net).

The Viale Degli Ulivi, street of olives, provided other stunning views as did the olive in front of the plaque mentioning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The most emotional experience of the tour had to be the curated tree collection just inside the Viale Benedetto XV (road passage). Admittedly, I am not Catholic, nor am I someone who goes to church every Sunday, I was overcome with this “alley” of biblical trees! A series of small trees planted in simple terracotta containers, here was a representation of most, if not all, of the plants mentioned in the Bible.

Complete with a colorful plaque, botanical name, graphic and description associated with each.

The most significant of all the plants mentioned, again in my mind, was the Thorns of Christ, or Jerusalem Thorn (Matteo 27. 28,29), Paliurus spinachristi. “The name reflects the spiny branches that were used to make the crown of thorns placed on Christ’s head before his crucifixion.”

Other notable Biblical trees were: Sweet Gum (Esodo 30. 34-35), Liquidambar orientalis, a member of the cashew family (Genesi 43.

11), Pistacia vera, Black Mulberry (Luca 17.6), Morus nigra, Oriental Plane Tree (Ezechielle 31.8), Platanus orientalis, Citron (Cantico Dei Cantici 2.3), Citrus medica, Fig (seeming to appear from almost every open crevice in the Garden) (Matteo 7. 15,16), Ficus carica, toxic Oleander (Siracide 30.13), Nerium oleander (used by Romans

to rid their opponents thru tea and other food sources), Papyrus (Exodus 2.3), Cyperus papyrus, Myrtle (Isaia 41. 18,19), Myrtus communis, Common Grape (Ezekiel 18. 1-2), Vitis vinifera, Bay Laurel (1 Pietro 5.4), Laurus nobilis, Common Olive (Zac 4:15), Olea europaea, Italian Cypress (Genesi 6: 13,14), Cupressus sempervirens and pomegranate (Deuteronomy 8: 7,8), Punica granatum.

All of the plaques associated with these trees made specific reference to their place in the Bible, an amazing experience that held my attention longer than any other in this Garden.

The Casina Pio IV, or Villa Pia, is a patrician villa in Vatican City. Now home to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, it was the clipped hedges, towering conifers and huge palms framing its sides that drew me in closer. Its Mannerist front, Late Renaissance, and oval precinct, terraced into the hillside, complete with a sharp geometric floor pattern was afforded to me for only a few seconds. Caryatids and detailed mosaics greeted me and, while colossal in its appearance, the surrounding plants did a great job situating it in the landscape. However brief the experience, stepping inside one of the two entrance gateways, this will be a sight that will stay with me throughout my lifetime.

The Statue of St. Michael the Archangel is a 16-foot bronze statue situated in front of a Bunya Bunya tree.

An artistic work done by Antonio Lomuscio, near the Governors palace, had the blessings of Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Some believe the tree behind it to be a Monkey Puzzle tree, Araucaria araucana. Howwever, I don’t. My takeaway is that it is Bunya pine, Araucaria bidwillii found naturally in Australia rather than Chile or Argentina. Simply put, the loose pyramid shape and strong rope-like leaves were not there for me, which suggest Monkey Puzzle, thus my interpretation.

The wonderment of

(Continued from page 8)

Bob LaHoff/Photo

Plaque about the Thorns of Christ, or Jerusalem Thorn, plant, Paliurus spina-christi, and its Biblical significance.

The Gardens of Vatican City seems boundless. A Papal coat of arms trimmed in boxwood, an “Artificial Cliff,” stretching some 200 meters long, has an intense collection of succulent Xerophiles (cactus types) and an exact replica of the Lourdes Grotto in France (a place where the Pope comes to pray and greet the faithful typically in May) are other highlights.

A heliport, the world’s smallest national railway, just a scant 0.79 miles, (independent.co.uk) tucked behind St. Peter’s Basilica and its own radio station, the Marconi Broadcast Centre, by famed inventor Guglielmo Marconi. Additionally, other familiar plants to admire and gawk at are Canary palms, a box elder maple, magnolia, beech, boundless fruit trees, sequoia types, bamboo, redbuds and a linden tree gifted by the Slovak Republic. Plant hardiness zone 9b affords such luxuries.

The Gardens of Vatican City was simply sensory overload! It’s understandable why Popes and high clergy have used this space to contemplate life in its entirety. It is a serene, tranquil setting that seems to

erase any sort of pressure the world has to offer. Passing through Baroque and Renaissance architecture, having an overwhelming pallet of plants at your disposal, all with the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica visible at every angle, it was a unique opportunity to see the Vatican, I felt, from the inside out.

Resplendent in all its form, colorful benches and plaques, fountains, the rose garden, towering purple bougainvillea framing a sign about Pope Leo XIII, and the cry-baby tree with its crimson-red flowers from Central South America, Erythrina crista-galli, all added to this experience.

Even the happenstance encounter of seeing one of the gardeners on his spring green Viking lawn tractor, holding a string trimmer, was a thrill.

Our vacation had a constant theme: great people, great food and great gardens. Everywhere I looked, there were magnificent trees. Whether it was the initial approach going to Vatican City, walking along Lungotevere Marzio marveling at the London Plane trees or at the intersection of Via Terenzio

and Via Cola Di Rienzo, where Ginkgo and Redbuds met.

But for me, the greatest lasting impression will probably be our daughter Olivia and Danny and Michelle’s boys, Benny and Sammy, finally understanding my passion for trees. On our last night in Venice, we ate dinner at a restaurant Vinovino in their back garden. The appetizer we had was Sarde in Saor, fried and marinated sardines, topped with Pignoli nuts and raisins. They all said, “Hey, aren’t those the nuts from those ‘Broccoli Trees’ you like?”

That comment made it all worthwhile, as I felt they finally understood my love of plants.

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, Reeves-Reed 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.

22 October 2018

GardenerNews.com

Landscape Industry Holds Educational Meeting in North Jersey The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association held their September membership meeting on Thursday, September 13, at York Trailers in Butler, Morris County, N.J. During the meeting, 90 attendees from all over North Jersey discussed the winter weather outlook and learned about using beet juice as a liquid de-icer. BOSS Snowplow representatives gave a brief presentation on preparing for the snow-plowing season. There was also an intense discussion on the $15-per-hour minimum wage and the impact on the landscape industry. Current snow plowing was discussed, and York Trailer representatives discussed all their services and products that are available to the industry.

The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (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.

York Trailers is a family-owned and operated trailer sales, service and parts facility. They offer a complete line of enclosed, landscaping and utility trailers, truck caps, truck bed covers, and Boss Snow Plows.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Tom Canete, left, President of Canete Landscape Design, Construction and Snow Management in Wayne, Passaic County, N.J., discusses Boss Snowplow VBX6500 salt spreaders with Gegg Straffin, co-owner of York Trailers in Butler, Morris County, N.J.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Gail Woolcott, left, Director of Operations for the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association; Joe Bolognese, center, a Director of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, and a past President of the association; and Maria Albuqerque, the Administrative Assistant for the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, stand behind the registration table at York Trailers in Butler, Morris County, N.J.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Jen Strelcheck, left, a Product Manager for Boss Snowplow, and Mark Klossner, Director of Marketing for Boss Snowplow, chat in front of the Boss Snowplow truck at York Trailers in Butler, Morris County, N.J.

Tom Castronovo/Photo

Richard Goldstein, right, President of Green Meadows Landscape Contractors in Oakland, Bergen County, N.J., looks over Boss Snowplows with his company’s Director of Landscape Maintenance, Snow and Ice Management Justin Flatow.

GardenerNews.com I admit it. I’m a sucker for historical markers.

You’ve seen them. The ones along the side of a road that commemorate an event or mark a locally significant site.

More often than not, whenever I see one, curiosity always manages to win, and I swing over to the side of the road to read the marker. Sometimes, if the information piques my interest, I’ll scribble down some notes to research it later. Hence, my story for this month.

Recently, I spent a long weekend in the green mountains of Vermont. Somewhere near Stratton Ski Area, I entered the town of Wardsboro, (pop. 861) and “Home of the Gilfeather Turnip.” Before I blinked and was out town, another sign advertised the Gilfeather Turnip Festival to be held on October 28. Having spent my entire career in agriculture, naturally I was intrigued. Particularly because I don’t think I’ve ever pondered the turnip.

While history is hazy about whether the Gilfeather turnip was intentionally bred, or perhaps an accident of nature, it is known that it first appeared on John Gilfeather’s farm in the early 1900s. The turnip looks

October 2018 23 NJ Agricultural Society

By Al Murray Executive Director

Falling off the Turnip Cart

more like a big knob of celery root, and genetically it looks to be a hybrid between a rutabaga and a turnip. While turnips are generally yellow in appearance, the Gilfeather turnip is white, and the taste has been characterized as exceptionally sweet and creamy. The turnip can be roasted, or steamed, and does not retain a “woody” texture that can occur in other oversized root vegetables.

In addition to its uniqueness, the secret to the Gilfeather turnip’s taste is that, as a root vegetable, it has a high-water content. As winter approaches, the turnip goes into “survival mode” by changing the water into sugars. Sugar-water has a lower freezing point, and thus helps the turnip protect itself from the cold, and in the process becomes very sweet. To ensure peak flavor, the turnips are not

harvested until after the first hard frost (which usually occurs in mid-October).

Given that in the early 1900s, all types of root vegetables were very important in sustaining New Englanders through the harsh winters, it was not surprising that the Gilfeather turnip became hugely popular. At the height of its popularity in the 1920s and ’30s, grocers in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and upstate New York would take out special ads trumpeting the arrival of “True Gilfeather’s.”

Many stores would pre-order to make sure plenty of these coveted root vegetables would be on their shelves.

John Gilfeather went to great pains to ensure that he retained exclusive rights and control over his prized namesake. To prevent anyone

from propagating his turnip, Gilfeather spent countless hours cutting off the top and shaving the roots of each and every turnip that left his farm. Since Farmer Gilfeather (1865– 1944) remained a lifelong bachelor, I guess he had plenty of time to pass those long winter nights tending to his turnips!

Unfortunately, Gilfeather was too successful in his attempt to maintain his exclusivity.

When he died in 1944, so did his secret to growing the Gilfeather Turnip. Fortunately, the story does not end here. In the 1970s a local couple discovered some of John Gilfeather’s seeds.

Despite this turnip’s reputation of being difficult to propagate into seed, they were successful in their efforts, and thus saved the Gilfeather turnip from being forgotten to history.

In order to protect John

Gilfeather’s legacy and keep his turnip unique, they trademarked the name and certified it as an heirloom botanical through the Vermont and U.S. departments of agriculture. The Gilfeather turnip has also been registered in the Slow Food Ark of Taste. This publication is an international catalog of foods, and dedicates itself to educating the public about the importance of preserving local agricultural products and traditions.

In 2016, Farmer John Gilfeather’s legacy also received another honor by being named Vermont’s Official Vegetable. As the famous radio commentator Paul Harvey used to say, “And now you know the rest of the story.”

Editor’s Note: Al Murray is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Society.

Established in 1781, the Society is New Jersey's oldest organization whose purpose is to advocate, educate and promote on behalf of New Jersey's agricultural industry. Mr. Murray previously spent his entire career at the NJ Department of Agriculture, serving as the Assistant Secretary. He can be reached at njagriculturalsociety@gmail.com

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October 2018 25

Department of Agriculture Encourages Pennsylvania Students to Enter Spotted Lanternfly Calendar Contest In an effort to continue to raise awareness about the threat of the Spotted Lanternfly, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) announced its 2018 youth calendar contest for students across the state in grades 1 through 8.

“When an invasive species enters Pennsylvania, we need the help of our communities to eradicate it,” said Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding.” This contest will educate students about the threat posed by this invasive insect, help Pennsylvanians better identify it, encourage discussions amongst students and their families, and provide awareness and engagement across the state.”

The contest is open to all Pennsylvania residents in eligible grades, and entries should include: - One fact about Spotted Lanternfly; - Artwork created by the student; - 11” x 17” poster, horizontally oriented; - Original artwork, no copies will be accepted; and - A complete contest submission rule taped to the back of the poster.

The competition will run through October 31, 2018. Entries will be judged in four divisions: first and second grade; third and fourth grade; fifth and sixth grade; seventh and eighth grade. The top three winning entries per grade will be featured in a calendar, and the grand prize winner will appear on the cover.

The grand prize winner will be announced during a recognition ceremony during the 2019 Farm Show, and his or her school will win a Spring assembly featuring prizes, activities, and a special guest.

Contestants can enter by sending their artwork to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Press Office, Room 210. 2301 N. Cameron Street Harrisburg, PA 17110. All submissions must be postmarked by October 31, 2018.

The Spotted Lanternfly is an inch-long, black, red, and, white spotted insect native to Southeast Asia and first identified in Pennsylvania in 2014. The invasive insect feeds on agricultural goods produced in the state, such as apples, grapes, hops, and hardwoods.

For more information about Spotted Lanternfly, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov/ spottedlanternfly, or extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly.Z

Full Moon, October 24, 2018 Eastern Daylight

TIP OF THE MONTH

If you don’t have a compost bin or pile, October is a great time to start one. Turn dead and dying foliage, weeds, and kitchen waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. If you have a small garden, you should be able to buy a bin at your local garden center.

For larger gardens, consider creating your own compost pile with an enclosure made of concrete block or lumber. If you pick a sunny spot, the soil will develop faster. Just water it often enough to keep it moist. If you start a pile, protect it from animals such as raccoons or even the neighbor’s dog by fencing it. By the way, fall leaves make excellent compost, but for best results, shred them before putting them in the compost bin or pile.

The smaller you shred your organic material, the faster it will decompose. Be sure to turn it frequently. And do not add grass clippings to it.

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October Columnists

Tom Castronovo Gail Woolcott Brian Schilling Al Murray

Todd Pretz

Douglas H. Fisher Steve Schuckman Peter Melick

Contributing Writers

Bruce Crawford Bob LaHoff

Jeannie Geremia Hubert Ling

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26 October 2018

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October 2018 27

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