Family farm market reflects growing industry trend

BY FRED LAWRENCE

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

One family farm in Falmouth reflects a new trend in agriculture that may become a saving grace for the industry.

Manning’s Greenhouses, located just off the Dyke Road, has been a permanent fixture for area residents seeking the fresh taste of homegrown produce after a long winter relying on expensive imports and canned or frozen vegetables.

Built in 1970, the greenhouses were an addition to an existing beef farm and became a vital spring destination for area residents longing for fresh local produce.

Dean Manning now runs the family farm with a lot of help from his parents and wife Catherine and said the future is never certain, but his faith in hard work and a reliable customer base are key ingredients to keeping the business alive and thriving.

“Last year we tried a small section of greenhouse carrots to see how they would go,” Manning said. “They went in a few days, so that was very successful.”

This year the indoor carrot crop filled half of a 200’ X 28’ greenhouse, and Manning said it was another success. “We sold the lot in the first week after opening, so next year we’ll try it again.”

Innovation is key

The positive attitude of being willing to try something new has kept business booming and customers satisfied. “You’ve got to be fluid enough to make changes and try new things,” Manning said, noting the operation has become “a lot like a community garden because we’ve got a lot of direct support from the community. Customers appreciate us being here, but I tell then it works both ways; if they come we can provide it, so it’s a two-way street.”

Manning said he left a “good government job with a stable salary” to come back to the farm. “I just couldn’t see myself doing that for the next 25 years so I came back to do what I love to do, and that’s farm – it gets in your blood.”

Manning said the hours are grueling during spring and summer months, but “it’s like the old saying goes; you have to make hay while the sun shines.”

Any confusion consumers may have about the organic quality of Manning’s produce is allayed by a quick tour of the sprawling facility. The plants are grown in soil as opposed to a chemical slurry use in hydroponics operations.

Using hot steam, the greenhouse soil is pasteurized to kill any bacteria and other contaminants that may affect the growth and quality of the plants.

“Using hot steam is an economically viable method of controlling weed problems naturally and it also gets rid of disease and insects so we don’t have to use pesticides,” Manning said.

No chemical growth additives are used to boost the soil’s growing capacity. The mixture of peat moss and organic composted cow manure mixed with straw works wonders for the greenhouse gardens. Only the cucumbers and tomatoes get a small amount of fertilizer because, Manning said, “these plants require a lot of energy and to get that growth early on we need to use some fertilizer, but only minimal amounts.”

Natural cure

Taking care of a pest problem in the form of spider mites, Manning researched to see if there was a natural cure. “I bought some bugs from Ontario that are a natural predator of spider mites and they spread throughout the greenhouse and take care of the problem without the use of sprays.”

He said keeping abreast of the latest trends in agriculture help him to stay one step ahead of problems before they become a threat to the crops. “It’s a non-invasive way of fighting bugs and it is a lot easier than spraying.”

“The future of agriculture lies in what farmers and the community are willing to allow,” Manning said. “Farmers have to try new things, but most importantly consumers need to ask grocery stores to carry local produce so buyers know where their food is coming from.” Consumers can carry a lot of clout, Manning said, if they would just exercise their right to demand locally grown products from large grocery stores.

Direct marketing offers one-stop shop

Another new item on the menu at Manning’s is fresh-frozen hamburger and finer cuts of beef. “We’re trying this for the first time this year and it’s working well,” Manning said. “People can get a natural product grown on a local farm and it’ll make it a lot easier for farmers to carry on if consumers will support their efforts and buy locally. They can stop in on their way home from work and get everything they need to have a nice supper or barbecue, all grown here on the farm. People really appreciate the fact that we’re trying to offer what they want right here on site.”

Manning notes the trend to sell direct from the farm may be the only avenue left for many farmers already pushed to the brink of collapse due to the BSE crisis and economic factors beyond their control. “When people take an interest in where their food comes from, it really helps farmers in many ways,” Manning said.