Growers optimistic about crop volume, quality in New York State

Workers clean and sort kabocha squash from Turek Farms
Workers clean and sort kabocha squash from Turek Farms
(Photo: Courtesy of Turek Farms)

NEW YORK STATE — In the western part of the state, the lack of rain may be too lacking. But in the typically wet Finger Lakes farming region, Eric Hansen was happy with it.

“We had a great spring and early summer. Usually, we get way too much rain,” said Hansen about his cabbage crop at Hansen Farms, in Stanley. “We’ll probably be second or third to market in the state with the fresh crop.”

That could all change, of course, if those pale-green leaves don’t feel some droplets by mid-July.

Regardless, Hansen expects to sell about 1,200 acres of cabbage to the fresh market this year, which is up slightly from last year.

New York cabbage is harder, denser and has less moisture than cabbage from the South, which makes it a favorite variety for end-users who make egg rolls, he said. This northern cabbage stores well for long periods at the farm at 33 degrees Fahrenheit and can be available year-round.

Apples, cabbage, sweet corn, squash, snap beans and pumpkins are top specialty crops for this state, according to the USDA’s 2021 state agriculture overview, updated July 1.

About 10,800 acres of cabbage for all purposes was harvested in New York in 2021. That resulted in $76.3 million in production dollars.

In contrast, apples for the fresh market generated about $241 million dollars, from 44,000 harvested acres where apples were grown for all purposes.

Apples are the clear winner in market value.

"We are hearing reports from our growers that they are anticipating a good crop year,” New York Apple Association President and CEO Cynthia Haskins said in a news release.
Our account managers, equipped with a solid line-up of marketing and merchandising programs, are providing retailers and the food service industry with what they need to sell more New York State apples.”

The rest of the produce for the fresh market from there, moneywise, are listed below:

  • Sweet corn’s value was $32.5 million, from 23,600 harvested acres.
  • Squash was valued at about $24.2 million from 4,400 harvested acres.
  • Pumpkins were valued at $15.4 million from 5,100 harvested acres.
  • Snap beans generated $10.3 million from 23,700 harvested acres.

The state’s strawberries are flourishing in 2022, thanks to a cool, rainy early spring that produced prime conditions for budding plants, according to the New York State Berry Growers Association. Farmers are reporting bumper crops of the fruit, some measuring as large as 2 inches wide, with minimal green tips and a lightly sweet fragrance.

June-bearing (the most popular), ever-bearing and day-neutral varieties mean the state can offer strawberries all summer and into fall.

“We’ve had a pretty nice spring,” said Jason Turek of Turek Farms, in King Ferry, which is also in the Finger Lakes growing region. “Crops went in the way they should’ve, and we haven’t been dodging wet holes like last year. It’s about to get critically dry in some areas, so we’re hoping for rain soon.”

The weather seems to be extreme these days, he said, either “flooding rains or burning-up dry, and there doesn’t seem to be anything in the middle.”

Turek Farms has been a little delayed getting into the field because it was so wet last season, so the start dates will be a bit more on schedule this year.

A little bit of everything will start being available to the fresh market after July 10, first with zucchini, summer squash, cabbage and English peas, followed by sweet corn.

“That’s definitely our workhorse item and, in partnership with SM Jones, will have corn through fall, and in between, pumpkin, winter squash, broccoli and Brussels sprouts,” he said of the Belle Glade, Fla.-based grower company.

New York crops field farm
Hansen Farms, in Stanley, grows a lot of cabbage, which is a hardier northern variety that holds less moisture. Photo: Courtesy of Hansen Farms

After watching sluggish volume movement out of Florida and Georgia this winter, Turek decided to plant 15% to 20% fewer acres of sweet corn, cabbage and zucchini in New York. For crops with more set prices from contracts, such as pumpkins, he didn’t reduce acreage.

With shoppers on tighter budgets during this inflationary economy and the long-lasting shopper-behavior changes from the COVID-19 pandemic, he thought it wise to pull back a bit on volume.

After all, a cabbage box container has gone from $2.20 to $3.20. And Turek’s fertilizer costs have more than doubled.

“I couldn’t guarantee we’d be in the black for most of these items, due to costs, so we played it safe this year,” he said. “Pallets have about doubled. A container for the corn is over $3 and it’s a single-use situation for us. Costs are spiraling.”

Local

An April 2022 USDA report revealed almost 20% of New York farms produced and sold food locally through direct marketing practices, resulting in $584 million in revenue in 2020.

New York ranked third in the U.S. for the value of total direct food sales, after California and Pennsylvania, with $584 million in these sales. The direct sales were through on-farm stores more than other channels.

Labor

In the Northeast region including New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, all hired workers worked an average of

38.4 hours during the survey week of Jan. 9 to 15. The average wage rate for all hired workers was $17.93 per hour. Field workers earned an average of $17.59 per hour.

Turek is vice president of the New York State Vegetable Growers Association, which has been lobbying for the growers’ interests.

“We can’t put New York State at a disadvantage of all our neighboring states. We all have the same crops and customers, and they don’t have the same scrutiny and playing field we have,” Turek said. “People are really disconnected to what’s going on at the farm level. Buyers used to visit the farm.”

 

 

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