A cold, wet spring may have gotten Ohio vegetables off to a slow start, but growers look forward to warmer days ahead and strong demand for local produce.
“Despite a cool April and May we’ve been able to keep our normal planting schedules and expect to have consistent supplies once we get started,” said Chadd Buurma, president of Buurma Farms in Willard, Ohio.
“In early June we’ll start with both cello and bunch radish, followed by dill, cilantro, turnip greens and mustard greens,” Buurma said.
“Mid-June will bring on the variety lettuces and by the end of June we will add parsleys, collards, kale, green onions, beets, cabbage, zucchini and yellow squash.”
Ben Wiers, CEO of Willard-based Wiers Farm Inc., said his family’s season is also shaping up nicely after battling unusually high rainfall in mid-May and a hard frost May 9.
“We had a slow start getting seed and transplants in the ground,” Wiers said May 26, “but have now caught up on our transplanting schedule.”
He expects harvesting of cucumbers, pickles, sweet corn, leeks, bell peppers and chili varieties and eggplant to begin in July.
“So far we are looking at excellent quality on all items,” he said.
Scott Michael, CEO of family-owned Michael Farms in Urbana, Ohio, said he thought keeping his labor force safe from COVID-19 would be his biggest challenge this spring. Instead, the cold weather took center stage.
“This could be one of the latest years we’ve had,” said Michael, who expects to begin harvesting 10 days later than usual.
“We usually start cabbage first, around June 16 to 18, but this year it may be more like June 28,” he said. “And I don’t think we’ll have beans in early July.”
Michael Farms’ sweet corn may be ripe at best in mid-July, but more likely July 20, he said.
“We’ll probably harvest a little extra each day and we may extend our season a week or two into the fall.”
The family’s Buckeye brand potatoes are also a little behind, but still expected in August.
“We should be strong in production once we get going,” he said.
Holthouse Farms co-owner Kirk Holthouse, who grows cucumbers, peppers, chili peppers and summer and winter squash between the family farm in Willard and growers across the state, was planting where he could in late May while waiting for the weather to improve.
Despite all the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, Holthouse and other growers say they haven’t cut back on their planting this year.
“We’re not sure if there’s going to be an over or undersupply, as we’ve heard some pockets are cutting back on what they’re growing, and there’s no questions foodservice will be down,” he said.
“But we’re doing what’s been working and we’re going into it with faith that business will be there and things will bounce back.”
While the closure of restaurants, schools and businesses impacted several wholesalers who buy from NatureFresh Farms in Delta, Ohio, Sarah Krzysik said she’s seeing increased demand, and slightly higher prices, from the retail side.
“With the year-round availability of greenhouse tomatoes and with our Ontario production, we’ve been able to manage this increase well with no interruption of supply and service to our retail customers,” said Krzysik, public relations coordinator for the Leamington, Ontario-based company.
She said demand is strong for greenhouse peppers and cucumbers and very high for tomatoes, expected in mid- to late June. In fact, she said retailers are asking NatureFresh to increase production of Ohio tomatoes.
Traditional growers are also optimistic about the demand for locally grown produce.
Wiers said the supply chain has made rapid adjustments in the past few months and may have to make a few more before everything settles down.
“It is early to say,” he said, “but we expect strong demand on most of our products.”
Buurma is looking forward to the months ahead.
“Our local chain stores are really excited to get going with home-grown product as it signals the start of summer,” he said.
“And maybe the thought of what happened this spring can start to fade some.”
Related:
Organic growing in Ohio
Weather slows Ohio’s start, but crops are catching up
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