By April Lawyer, Farm Technician
Another year has come and gone on Etzel Sugar Grove Farm, and with it have come successes, challenges and exciting new developments. This summer, we experimented with growing lesser-known produce, like dainty, yellow ground cherries and hearty patty pan squash. These plants outperformed expected yields and helped diversify our usual selection of crops.
We also celebrated the groundbreaking of the new 6-bay building across the road, where we will be able to store equipment, clean produce, and work on various farm projects. The building will include a spacious pack shed for vegetables; bathrooms; and an air-conditioned area for employees, volunteers, and visitors. We are excited to take full advantage of our new 6-bay this coming season.
The weather this year, while not always optimal for working in the fields, helped our crops flourish. Frequent, heavy rainstorms kept the soil moist and the plants quenched. In all, we only had to turn on the irrigation system a handful of times. Our squash and pumpkin plants exploded with new growth in late summer, covering every inch of their respective fields.
Our basil, cucumbers, and zucchini likewise enjoyed the hot, humid weather. These plants were prolific growers this year, and supplied us pounds upon pounds of produce. Excess veggies were cut into generous portions and served up to the most discerning gourmands on the farm — the chickens. Their feedback was unanimous: Bagawk! (Translation: It’s delicious!)
While there weren’t any major developments with the chicken coop this year, there were several changes of note. The outside chicken run, which had covered the same stretch of yard for the past several years, was due for a move. We shifted it to the opposite side of the coop, enclosing a grassy, shaded area with plenty of space to forage. The chickens now spend their afternoons dozing under the walnut tree inside their run, snatching up bugs that happen by.
We also welcomed sixty Sapphire Gem hens to the coop this year. This breed is known for its silvery grey feathers, calm temperament, and deep-brown eggs. They are already enjoying fraternizing with our other chickens and munching on farm-fresh vegetables.
Part of the mission of Etzel Sugar Grove Farm is to stand as an example of sustainable agriculture. This includes growing self-sustaining, perennial crops that reduce the need to disturb the soil. Early this spring, 1,000 asparagus crowns were planted on the south side of the permaculture field. They thrived during the summer, sending up thin, bushy stalks to help establish their roots. We’ll allow them the next year or so to settle in before we think about doing any harvesting. But once they’re ready in 2026, we’ll expect a considerable amount of spring asparagus!