Also this month:
* NC A&T Cooperative
Extension to Honor Small-Scale Agriculture
* NC A&T to Host Women
in Agriculture Symposium
* NC A&T School of
Agriculture Honors Pioneers
* Simple Safety on a
Shoestring Budget
* El Niño May Mean
Profits to North Carolina Growers
Other News Links:
Press Release Archive
Cooperative Extension
Press Releases
Agricultural Research
Press Releases
General Links:
NC A&T School of Agriculture
Agricultural Communications
Mitch Arnold, news editor
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Burnsville, NC: When Yancey County farmer Charles
Wilson died unexpectedly earlier this year, and his widow, Jackie Wilson,
suffered a debilitating stroke, their large hydroponic lettuce operation
teetered on the brink of collapse. There was simply no one left to run
the 2,000 square foot operation, and Mrs. Wilson's hospital bills were
mounting.
Enter Harold Davis, the state's 1994 Small Farmer of the Year, and the
Wilsons' Yancey County neighbor.
Davis, at the request of the Wilson family, now finds himself surrounded
by hydroponic lettuce and responsible for keeping the operation afloat.
"We prayed a lot about it (the request to help manage the operation),"
said Davis. "And we've invested our faith and trust that the Lord
will help us keep the operation going, at least until Jackie improves."
Lucky for Davis, he's not alone, and is able to rely heavily on the help
of his wife, Sandra, and their two children, Lori and David.
With the added responsibility of the Wilson lettuce operation, each
of the Davis family members must work even harder to meet their farming
demands.
The Wilson's lettuce operation requires Harold to visit the greenhouse
at least two times per day, to check the automated irrigation and climate
control systems necessary to greenhouse growing. Between his trips, he
manages two other greenhouses and a roadside stand, and grows tobacco and
ten different vegetables.
"Harold is an example of what can be accomplished when hard work meets
persistence and opportunity," said Claude Deyton, an agriculture technician
with the North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension
Program. "Not very many years ago, Harold was working for a sanitation
company, but wanting to get into farming. Now, he is recognized as one
of the area's top growers of quality produce."
Throughout his farming career, Davis has kept in touch with Deyton, and
in the process, learned of innovative ways to expand his farming operation,
including becoming a certified buyer of fruits and vegetables a factor
which allows him to increase the diversity of produce he offers customers
visiting his roadside stand.
In addition to the roadside stand, which is located about five miles west
of Burnsville on Old Highway 19, Davis sells his produce to two major grocery
store chains, making delivery runs to Asheville twice per week.
According to Deyton, Davis has built a reputation as a dependable producer
who delivers quality produce on time.
"Grocery stores and people in the area know that they can come to
Harold for quality produce," said Deyton. "Harold is a very conscientious
grower who goes through extreme measures to ensure that what he offers
is of the highest quality possible."
Davis maintains his standards of high quality when growing hydroponic lettuce
in the Wilson's greenhouse. Though he enjoys the convenience of a controlled
environment, the intense nature of hydroponic growing demands that Davis
be especially vigilant in controlling irrigation, fertilization and other
growing conditions.
"One mistake can wipe out hundreds of plants," said Davis, who
must closely inspect approximately 30,000 plants, which reside in an individual
styrofoam setting in one of the greenhouse's 1,500 trays.
Using hydroponics, lettuce can be grown from seedling to a harvestable
head in about six weeks. During that time, growing plants are secured in
one of 21 individual cells contained in a tray through which water and
nutrients are supplied.
The trays are set in a rotation during which 30 trays are planted and 30
are harvested on a daily basis. Davis hopes to harvest eight complete cuttings,
for an annual total of nearly 240,000 heads of lettuce.
"If the tobacco market fails us, like we keep hearing it might do,
we have to have something else ready to take its place," said Sandra
Davis. Since they typically generate an annual production of nearly 400,000
tobacco plants, the Davis's concern is valid.
"A decreasing reliance on tobacco also necessitates marketing and
public relations skills both of which Harold has," said Deyton.
"A farmer who hopes to make a living growing vegetables and often
selling directly to the public must be able to meet their market, and to
do so with attention to detail."
According to Davis, these are tenets which guide his practice.
"The biggest thing in selling to the general public is making sure
that only the best produce goes to market," said Davis. "The
best way to do this is to stay in touch with your customers and to treat
people fairly."
The North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program
will name its 1998 Small Farmer of the Year on Wednesday, March 25, during
the Small Farmers Recognition Luncheon, which will be held at the F.A.
Williams Cafeteria on the A&T campus.
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For more information, contact Claude Deyton, Yancey County Cooperative
Extension, (704) 682-6187.
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