Fifer Orchards farm | Understanding Today's Agriculture

Unfortunately I was not able to make the field trip, however I have lived in Camden Wyoming Delaware my whole life and I have toured the farm before. Fifer Orchards is a family farm, which just started to be 300 acres of land in 1919 by Charles Frederick Fifer, and then later grew to be what is now 2,500 acres of land for the fourth generation. Looking at this farm one can acknowledge how well the family has kept the legacy going with high quality produce that’s accessible and affordable. Fifer’s is especially known for their apples and peaches. Each year their peach ice cream is the highlight of the annual Peach Festival. I remember touring the farm a while back and being able to pick an apple right off the tree; it was as big as a softball. I remember biting it and hearing the soft but crisp bite. I remember learning all about Fifer’s crops and Delaware’s rich soil which is good for draining. They are on the leading edge of farming with no G.M.O.’s and teaming up with C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture) exchanging high quality produce locally. Being able to reach anyone in the United States within eight hours, the farm is efficient and accessible and is the sweet spot of farming and raising a company.

This is the original store that has been there since the farm started. I definitely recommend the apple cider slushies!

At September twenty-third, 2017, we went to the Fifer Orchards farm, which is located in Camden Wyoming, DE, one hour drive from the University of Delaware. It is a family farm and the fourth generation. What is more, It is the season of apples and pumpkins. We went to the apple picking area where tourist also can go to pick up apples by themselves. The field, next to it, is a huge area of the strawberry field. In the past, I thought the way to water them is rotating sprinklers on pipes. What I saw in the field is drip irrigation. Pipes are put inside of the soil and the soil is covered by black plastic materials. Drip irrigation is a slow process to provide water and fertilizer to plant roots. Because it is on the inside of the soil, it does well on keeping the perfect moisture and keeping the plant surface dry which saves water resource and reduces disease and pest problems.

Since they plant the variety of vegetable and fruit in different time of the seasons, there must be a most profitable one, which is the sweet corn. When we think about farm markets, we may think there may be a competition between the weekly farmer markets located across the state and the Fifer Orchards farm, but the fact is the Fifer Orchards farm sell products to them. In the end, we arrived their market shopping area. All kinds of delicious apples and pretty pumpkins. I am really glad I got the chance to visit here with my professors and classmates.

A Class Journal for UDel CANR AGRI 130