On Saturday, October 6th we went and visited Fifer Orchard and we got to see/ hear all the ins and outs of their operation. They farm and tend to about 3,000 acres of land, harvest many different crops. The crops that the Fifers grow include; pumpkins, apples, cauliflower, sweetcorn, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and tomatoes. They have many different whole sale buyers such as Giant and Food lion. They also do a few retail sales to little produce stands. Fifers has high tunnels that they grow their tomatoes in, in which they use drip irrigation. After every “season” they use fumigation as a roll over plan before the next season. On our tour Mr. Fifer had taken us to a couple of different fields for instance one being his kale field, and he went over showing us the diseased leaves and such. We also got to see his strawberries getting planted as well. I would like to thank Fifer for allowing us to come visit their beautiful farm!
Category Archives: Field Trips-Tours
Fifer’s Orchard Field Trip
Fifer’s Orchard is a sizeable farm operation that employs many people and grows a variety of crops. Fifer’s Orchard operates its own stores and ships crops all over the east coast. They grow a variety of crops and their best crops for making money were sweetcorn, pumpkins, peaches, and asparagus. It was surprising to learn that they grow about 1100 acres of sweetcorn but they also grow many crops in small trial amounts to diversify their products and to test them in fields of around 10 or 20 acres. They use different kinds of irrigation such as sprinkle lines, drip irrigation, hard hoses, and pivots. They also use technology such as GPS and trackers to be more efficient. There are many different challenges that they have faced this year with pests and disease. Many leaves were yellowed and diseased in their kale field which was the result of a much wetter year. It was interesting to hear about some of the challenges that Fifer’s Orchard will have to tackle in the next couple of years such as weather, climate change, government regulations, transportation of crops, and labor.
Fifer’ Orchard
I was sad to not be able to attend the field trip to Fifer’s Orchard because I do not have much knowledge on how businesses like this runs. I do not have much knowledge on how Orchards run. Fifer’s Orchard seemed to be very well diverse with growing a wide variety of of fruits and vegetables, but then also selling CSA shares and farmers market stands. I was surprised to see that for Fifer’s CSA shares actually do better than farmers market stands. However, it was good to see that Fifer’s is trying to connect to the consumer which ultimately is better for business and good for the general outlook of todays agriculture.
I was not very surprised to see that they spray their vegetable crops once a week. Beside insect pests, in this humid climate disease is quite an issue for producers because disease loves humid moist weather. Also with the technology of high tunnels it allows Fifer’s to control disease that way as well. Overall between the diversity of crops grown but also the different marketing techniques, Fifer’s Orchard seems to be the perfect example of a diverse agricultural business who advocates to the community.
Field Trip 2: Fifer’s Orchard
When thinking of Delaware Agriculture generally poultry and grain are the first two commodities I think of. However Delaware Agriculture is way more than that, which was something I learned on this field trip to Fifer’s Orchard. This family farm is one that is very diversified and one that heavily relies on each family member to do their job in order for the operation to be successful. I knew that produce farms were not uncommon in the Delmarva, as a matter of fact there’s quite a few but I never imagined that one farm could hire over 200 people and till around 3,000 acres of produce with occasional grain for rotational crops. This farm is unique by the variety of produce they grow and sell. Their number one crop for income is sweet corn growing around 1100 acres but strawberries and tomatoes make the most money per acre. They also produce apples, asparagus, kale, pumpkins, and peaches, which is a lot of different products per one farm, but targets a wide variety of customers. We also learned that this produce farm is not organic because without pesticides there would be no way they could be profitable because with environmental pressures such as humidity and the pest pressures they forced to spray their fields once a week. That is one thing that really surprises me because on a grain farm the crop might get sprayed at the most 3 times a year but obviously the produce industry is very different. Then this orchard is quite fascinating because they ship products as far south as Florida and as far north as Maine and everything east of the Mississippi river; which is a huge area to sell products too. In the end this field trip taught me the different processes within the agriculture industry and how different farmers make their income.
Fifer’s Trip
On October 6th we visited Fifer’s, which was a super educational and fun trip. It was crazy to learn just how large and in depth their production was; they farm over 3,000 acres of land, harvest multiple crops for all three growing seasons, and manage to do so as one large family unit. Some of the crops the Fifer family grows includes pumpkins, apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes, cauliflower, and sweet corn. All of these products are then sold to grocery stores, farm stands, or in the store they have on their property that they also have fall festivals at. Fifer’s is a conventionally run farm that uses multiple forms of irrigation and growing methods. They have conventional fields as well as high tunnels; they grow their tomato plants out of the tunnels using drip irrigation. We learned that their crop yield and success heavily depends on crop rotation, and a lot of time goes into deciding where to put everything each year. We also had the opportunity to see some of the farm hands implanting some strawberry crops from the back of a tractor, which was super neat to see. We got the chance to speak to two of the Fifer brothers, both of whom handle totally different ends of the business, so we got to learn about the actual farming end as well as the food safety and handling end as well. All in all, this trip was super neat, and we got to go home with lots of goodies (albeit the trip home was a little longer than anticipated).
Fifer Orchards Field Trip
Traveling to Fifer Orchards is something I look forward to doing every fall. The many activities, pumpkin patches, wagon rides, goodies in the store, and the ultimate corn maze are just a few reasons I love going to Fifers each year. However, I was very naive to the process it is to run the large business and farm, and was unaware of the work so many people put in around the clock. In starting off the trip in our trusty bus, Bobby Fifer took us around the farm and showed us the many sides of the farm I had never seen before. From growing apples and pumpkins, to corn and tomatoes, we got to see how they are planted and all the ingenuity it takes to keep the crops healthy. Rotating crops is an important part of running Fifers. I wasn’t aware, but before each season they have to sit down and assess what crops can and need to be rotated and where they should be placed. In doing this is reduces risk of diseases in the crops and increases the chances of doing well. Another thing I found interesting about Fifers was the way they planted their strawberries. A tractor went down each isle and poked holes equal distance apart, then the men sitting on the back of the tractor unpacked and placed the strawberry plants. This is a time efficient and successful way to plant crops that I had never seen before. I was very intrigued and thankful to see all of the hard work they put into the business, it was nice to see a family farm run that way. My favorite part of the trip however was getting to spend an extra hour and a half with some classmates enjoying the scenery of the farm from our broken down bus. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience with my classmates, as well as the ride back to campus, and the DQ. This has been my favorite field trip so far, and definitely one to remember.
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Field Trip to Fifer Orchards
On October sixth, the AGRI 130 students had the opportunity to visit and tour Fifer Orchards in Camden Delaware. Fifers is a multi-generation farm that produces grain and horticultural crops. The farm’s production of sweet corn, pumpkins, peaches, and asparagus bring in the most revenue of over seven different crops produced on the farm throughout the year. Fifers consists of 3000 production acres that feature pivot irrigation, drip irrigation, and hard hose irrigation systems depending on the type of crop. In order to ensure the success of their crops, fifers sprays pesticides to prevent the growth of weeds, insects, bacteria, and nematodes in the fields. To further the quality of their horticultural crops, the fruits and vegetables are picked by hand and occasionally picked by customers. A portion of the yield is sold to grocery stores and the rest is sold at the farm. Food safety certificates and USDA food safety audits allow Fifers to sell their products to supermarkets. Precision agriculture, growing tunnels, water wheel planters, and other technological advances have allowed Fifers to become a successful crop producer. It was very interesting to see the water wheel tractor attachment being utilized to plant juvenile strawberry plants. The diversification of the crops grown at Fifers are also an attribute to their success. Each new crop goes through a three year trial process before the plant is grown regularly at the farm. The experience concluded with a tour of the cold storage facilities on the farm; specific products are stored at 32 degrees Fahrenheit and other products are stored at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. I enjoyed the tour of Fifer Orchards, and I learned a lot from the experience. Thank you to Bobby and Curt Fifer for giving AGRI 130 a tour.
Fifer’s Orchards Field Trip
For our second field trip, my classmates and I went to Fifer’s Orchards in Camden, DE. There we met Bobby who runs the farm and plant portion and his brother Kurt who handles the marketing portion of the business. At the orchards, they grow everything from apples, sweet corn, strawberries, cauliflower, pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes, and kale. They are not an organic business. Throughout the farm they use most varieties of irrigation. Some examples of the irrigation types consists of trickle, hard hoes reels, and center pivot systems. Kurt was talking about the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and how it benefits them. For instance, it benefits small farms, it gives farmers the ability to take in credit. Also an impact for the farmers is that the consumers provide the money up front to the farmers to help them get started and when time gets closer for the crop to be harvested the consumer has first grabs with no extra charge to them because they paid at the beginning. A challenge for the family operated farm is that it’s a seasonal job. It’s hard to keep employees because they only work about five months out of the whole year. Some of the people they hire is college and high school students but mainly retirees. The retirees have a little more experience and it also gives them something to do. Finally, for future notice always try and drive separately otherwise there is a mostly likely chance the bus will break down.
Fifer’s Orchards Field Trip (featuring the bus)
Did we have a day today at Fifer’s orchards! Not only did we learn a lot of information about the family farm but the bus broke down on the way back before we could even leave! I was surprised to learn that Fifer’s not only sells apples but also sweet corn, which is their 1# income crop, pumpkins, peaches, asparagus, tomatoes and strawberries. They use all different kinds of irrigation systems on the farm and suffer from many different pests mostly being weeds, insects, and fungus. They are not an organic farm but they are family owned going back four generations. Fifer’s ships their products east of the Mississippi river from Maine to Florida. They are actually apart of a program called Community Supported Agriculture where customers can buy produce ahead of time and it will get shipped out once it is ready. However, the biggest thing from this trip was not the immense amount of labor and passion that goes into the farm, and it was not the gift shop where everyone bought apple cider donuts, but it was the bus not being able to pull away after we were done. Overall, we definitely bonded as a class on this trip more than any other trip that we will go on, and that is something you can’t buy.
Cartanza Poultry Farm Field Trip
On September 22nd, the AGRI130 class visited Georgie Cartanza’s broiler farm located in Dover, Delaware. Upon arrival everyone was sat down outside and listened to Georgie give a presentation on how and why she got started in the industry and what she actually does on the farm. The farm is an organic farm that grows for Coleman, an organic integer. Next the students were outfitted in PPE, which consisted of plastic coveralls, a hair net, and plastic booties. This precaution is to help prevent any diseases the class could have brought in from spreading to the chickens.
It was very interesting when the students had the chance to enter into two of Cartanza’s chicken houses. One was fully occupied while the other was empty. The differences in the two houses was really intriguing. Without the chickens inside it became glaringly obvious how vast the houses are. Each house on her farm is 600 feet long by 65 feet wide. To put that in perspective, each house is almost two football fields long! The houses themselves were surprisingly super cool inside. Each one has a ventilation system and fans to help circulate the air through the houses. Air is sent through about every 60 seconds. The chickens seemed very comfortable inside and had no desire to step outside when given the opportunity to do so.
Big thank you to Georgie Cartanza for allowing the AGRI130 students to come out and visit her farm.
Organic Poultry Farm Field Trip
I was excited to go to Georgie Cartanza’s farm. I’ve only seen the inside of a chicken house on the internet. A few summers ago I worked at the camp for the Stone Barns Center for Agriculture & Food. The campers were allowed to hold a chicken if they wanted to. They lived in chicken coops out in the fields. The campers were allowed to run around with the chickens without having any sort of protective gear on. I was caught off guard a bit when we were required to wear the suits. Once I heard the reason was because it was to protect the chicken from any diseases we could bring in, I understood why it was a good precaution.
I learned that her poultry farm creates one ton of manure per 1,000 chickens, per flock (4 and a half flocks a year.) Considering there are so many poultry farms around the U.S. I became curious about what they did with all that manure. Specifically, Ms. Cartanza sells her manure to a nearby dairy farm that uses it for nutrient management. I’m glad she gave the advice now, while I’m still in college, to take some business classes as she has realized how important it is to at least have a basic understanding of business.
Organic Poultry Farm Tour
On September 22, 2018 The Ag 130 class went on a field to Georgie Cartanza’s Organic Poultry Farm. On that tour she gave many incites into ho the poultry operation works and what her day to day life consists of when working on the farm. First off when we got to the farm we sat on her make shift chairs for us that was her pine shaving’s she uses. She touched base with us on some of the same stuff that she explained in her lecture that she gave to use before we came to the farm. Once that was over we got suited up in hair nets and white coveralls so we don’t take in any unwanted diseases and helping out with bio-security. Then once we got to finally get inside of the chicken house it was so bizarre to see so many birds in one spot. And still having plenty of room to move around and enjoy themselves. Then we went into the chicken house beside the first on to see what an empty house looks like its so odd how the house barely smell do to the ventilation system that they have in place at there farm and how well the vegetative buffers work to keep the odor down as well.
Cartanza Farm Visit
This past Saturday, our class had the opportunity to visit Georgie Cartanza’s poultry operation, which is located just outside of Dover. Georgie operates 4 poultry houses with 37,000 birds per house. During a year Georgie raises 5 1/2 flocks of broilers. Throughout the trip, it was overwhelming how many facets are involved in production. Georgie manages flock health and nutrition, nutrient management, and environmental regulations. In regards to flock health and nutrition, Georgie uses organically certified feed. To increase efficiency, the chickens have nipple drinkers and automatic pan feeders. To also maintain aligned with environmental standards, Georgie has to manage nutrients. Georgie has recently invested in an ecodrum, a machine that composts bird carcasses in a sustainable method. Furthermore, she sells manure to dairy farmers to reuse. It is clear from our tour, that poultry producers in Delmarva are active producers and stewards of the environment.
Poultry Farm Field Trip
Even though I was unable to attend the field trip to Georgie’s Poultry farm, I still learned some interesting statistics and information after discussion about the field trip. Most important to remember is that all of the chickens were a hundred percent steroid and hormone free. She had about 37,000 organic broiler chickens per house, which is a surprising number, because I would not expect that many chickens would be able to live in one house. Georgie recommended that someone who wanted to enter the poultry industry should take a business class so they are better prepared for that part of the industry. I think the most surprising thing for me, without actually having been to the farm, is the level of technology associated with her farm. The amount of money she has invested into technological advancements shows how expensive, but also how profitable farming can be. It also highlights the fact that there is a wide array of jobs associated with the agriculture community.
Organic Poultry Family Farm
Georgie Cartanza, an organic poultry farmer in Kent County, DE. Georgie has four 65’x500 chicken houses, each can hold up to 37,000 chickens, totaling up to 148,000 chickens on her farm during a single flock. Georgie produces over 5 million pounds of organic broilers each year by growing 5 and a half flocks per year. Chicken houses have advanced technology built within allowing farmers to control the optimal environment for the chickens during all stages of growth. Chickens themselves produce a lot of heat so the cooling system within the houses is important in keeping the chickens happy and healthy. For example, Gorgie’s houses cooling system can cycle the air in under a minute. Aside from the organic feed requirements, some of the organic requirements are to have enrichments within and outside of the house and to have outdoor access. Enrichments can be as simple as ramps and boxes.
So you may be thinking how does Georgie produce 5 Million pounds of broiler meat each year?
Well, that’s due to the advancements and improvements in technology, genetics, housing, and nutrition. No hormones and no steroids. Applicable to both organic and commercial poultry farming.
Also, what is done with all the manure generated?
Each year, 5 and a half flocks generate 4 million pounds of manure per year. That is about 1 ton per 1,000 chickens per flock. Then a nutrient-packed compost is made with the manure and mortality. That is then sold to a local dairy farmer as a fertilizer. The manure is improving the soil health and structure by providing vital macro and micronutrients to the soil.