B4—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 4,1984
Tomato knonladga
(Continued from Page B 2)
tying and suckering them three
times. He prefers to stake them, he
said, because tomatoes on the
ground will get ground stain and
rot. Spray material will not
penetrate and the set is often not as
good. Because of the labor in
volved in staking and suckering,
more and more growers are going
to indeterminate stalks which
grow on the ground.
Heisey recalls the formation of
the Washington Boro Tomato
Growers Association in 1934,
organized to market the tomatoes
grown in the area. He credits
founders Emerson Kane and
Abram Eshleman, who served as
secretary-treasurer, for helping
the association get organized. He
says, “It was a depression oc
cupation.” Many farmers jumped
at the chance to market the
tomatoes, and Heisey says he was
not accepted the first year, but was
allowed to join in 1935, when he was
growing tomatoes on his father’s
farm.
It succeeded, be said, because,
“Everybody came to Washington
Boro for tomatoes. They had
quality, and they had them
earlier.” The Association tried
marketing other products, but
nothing else succeeded.
Those first tomatoes were sold
strictly for table use, and were
marketed widely. Later, Heinz and
Campbell came into the picture,
buying tomatoes for processing.
Heisey says proudly, “Tomatoes
put me through school.” He said
that he grew tomatoes, then took
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two years off to go to Messiah
College, paying part with tomato
money, and part by “working
everywhere.”
He and his wife raised seven
children and the tomatoes helped
put them all through college.
The Growers Association
dissolved in 1968, according to
Heisey, because “the second
generation didn’t want to do it.
They found easy money and easier
work. There were not sufficient
growers to continue the
organization, so they sold the stock
and divided the profits among the
growers.” Funk Brothers pur
chased the facilities and continue
to use them today for their ex
tensive tomato operation.
Heisey doesn’t mind sharing his
thoughts on being successful in the
retail business. He says simply,
“Any person who wants to make a
success has to learn to have it
before anyone else has it.” He
offered the example of his green
beans this year when he received a
premium price for them early and
now “you can’t give green beans
away. “You must be a little ahead
of the season.”
This means primarily early
planting for any kind of vegetable,
something Heisey couldn’t do this
year because of the move to a new
location and problems with wet
weather. He usually has his early
sweet corn in by April 20 and green
beans in by April 10. “Green beans
won’t freeze off,” he says.
He credits university research
with many of the advances in
growing vegetables, saying,
“Research helped sweet corn. The
older varieties wouldn’t pollinate
at cooler temperatures. ”
He gives Cornell University
credit for their help, having
received much information on
growing plants from them. He
contends that Penn State is losing
out on research in this area.
He thinks more farmers should
consider retailing as a way of
marketing their goods because of
keeping control over the product
offered, and laments that many
consumers get used to second class
quality in fresh produce.
“I think every farmer should
have a good course in chemistry.”
Heisey states. That subject has
done me more good • in nutrition,
in fertilizer, in everything. You
don’t get caught by quacks if you
understand chemistry.”
When he farmed his truck farm
Heisey says they dug a well and
used irrigation, which helped get
them through years like last
summer. This year he is just en
joying the results of so much rain.
“It is clean and green everywhere.
I love it.”
Although the rain delayed some
things, it has been mostly
benefical, and corn, which began
two weeks late, quickly caught up
and is now on time. Heisey points
out that he used the same amount
of fertilizer this year as last, but
plants are enjoying two years’
worth because most of it was not
released last year.
There’s another benefit of the
rain. Heisey says. “There are no
insects - no cucumber beetles, no
bean beetles, no mites and aphids.
They can’t stand wet weather.”
Heisey markets his tomatoes
through his stand at Columbia
Market, and a few on a wholesale
basis. He said that he first went to
market with his father who sold
butter, cheese, eggs and
“whatever garden vegetables they
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had.” He pointed out that every
stand was taken then. “Farmers
were glad to get cash to take
home.”
Now Heisey believes most people
don’t want the work, and if the
family doesn’t help, it is difficult to
have that kind of business.
Heisey’s daughter Ruth Gerlach
helps at market and Ruth’s sons,
Deric, 13, Ryan, 11, and Darin, 8,
take turns helping. A fourth son,
Devon, 4, isn’t quite ready.
Heisey is not afraid of com
petition, which has virtually
disappeared, and says that
retailing is a good way to make
money. Getting a jump on the
season means getting a premium
for scarce produce. He said the
tomato market is usually a seller’s
market until July 15. “There is
never an overproduction of
something like this.”
At one time Heisey even raised
greenhouse tomatoes, “I would
have them on the first of May, then
put in a fall crop and have them
until February 1.1 would have only
three months off. I loved that
operation.” Because of the labor
involved, he stopped that part of
his business two years ago.
With all the tomatoes, does he
KIMBERTON A young doe
decided she didn’t want to compete
in the doelings class at the 4-H
Goat Round-up at Kimberton on
Sunday, July 22, so she gave birth
to a doe kid, and 40 minutes later
was showing in the milkers under
two years class.
The birth added an extra
package of excitement to the day’s
proceedings. Grand champion
showman and fitter went to Susan
Miller of Furlong. Reserve grand
champion showman went to Josh
Weinstock of Phoenixville.
Reserve champion fitter honors
were taken by Jennifer Seber of
Limerick.
In type competition, grand
champion and senior champion
were awarded to Joshua Weinstock
Roof
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Birth adds
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ever tire of eating them? Heisey
smiles, “I could eat them three
times a day, seven days a week.”
He handles Florida tomatoes at
his stand during the winter, but
says many customers prefer to
wait until he has his local ones.
“The people look forward to it, and
they’ll pay anything for good
quality tomatoes. There is no
comparison between the Florida
ones and mine. Those are bred for
shipping and are hard and
tasteless - they hold up regardless.
They just don’t have the sugar
content.”
Heisey also grows plenty of
sweet com, cauliflower, broccoli,
beans, peppers, and other fresh
produce. He used to grow a lot of
cantalopes, but has reduced the
amount he grows. He specializes
also in seedless watermelons
which he grows on an acre of land
near his home.
Heisey is justifiably proud of the
tomatoes he grows and the
tradition which brings interest to
Washington Boro tomatoes. He is
carrying on that tradition and says
quite honestly, “I don’t want to
retire.” That’s good news for
Washington Boro tomato lovers
who just can’t wait each year for
that first red ripe tomato!
excitement
with his 4-year-old milking doe.
Reserve grand champion and
reserve senior champion honors
went to Susan Miller with her 3-
year-old milker. Junior champion
honors were awarded to linda
Kerrick’s of West Chester. La
mancha senior kid, and reserve
junior champion honors went to a
nubian doeling owned by Mamie
RoseofTrappe.
Joshua Weinstock took fist place
in the dam-daughter competition.
Judge Rich Stoneback commented
that it was a pleasure to judge such
a fine group of mature goats and
kids. He remarked that the quality
of the animals owned by Chester
County 4-H club members was
outstanding, and encouraged them
to continue to excel in their
projects.
STORE HOURS:
Mon. thru Sat. 8 to 5
lues. &Fri.-Til 8:30