ASfrUncMter Farming, Saturday. May 15, 1993 Salesmanship Carries Groff Tomato Farm To Success ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff HOLTWOOD (Lancaster Co.) First and foremost, truck far mers have to be salesmen. Just ask Steve Groff who, with his father Elias, helps convert about 13% acres of their joint 200-acre farm into season-long tomato production. In the old days, Elias went out twice a week to seek customer con tacts to sell about 20 acres of a fresh market product In the mid season last year, it was close to three times a day. But that’s what a truck farmer has to do to survive in a market that remains competitive and which is more heavily relying on regular customer contact to sell fresh market vegetables. Market directly What makes the Groff farm unique is that is is able not only to survive, but to thrive because of its diversity. More importantly, dur ing the past two decades, the Groffs have built up a steady stream of customers. They market directly to some of the large super markets and restaurants in Lancas ter County. “What we have done over the last IS years or so is develop a clientele of about 40-50 different stores and restaurants throughout Lancaster,” said Steve Groff. “What we’re trying to do is sell direct as much as possible. “My dad is a salesman,” said Groff. “He takes the tomatoes to town, wherever the order is called for, and if they’re not sold, he’ll go around until he sells them all. He’s a very good salesman.” In all, the Groffs raise about 1314 acres of tomatoes. Ten acres are devoted to processing toma toes, most of which are sold to a cannery in Darlington, Md. The remaining 3'A acres are sold fresh market to such long-term custom ers as Willow Valley restaurant and market, Bird-In-Hand Family Restaurant, and some of the Weis markets. (Since Weis is an inde pendent grocer, Elias Groff sells to individual produce managers.) The remainder are so'd at Leola Produce Auction. The Groffs take great care throughout the season to make sure they have a steady supply of the best tomatoes, their only vegetable crop. Tomatoes and selling alfalfa to individual markets form the Steve Groff, together with his father Elias, helps convert about 1314 of their Joint 200-acre farm Into season-long tomato production. Groff lives on the tomato farm near Holtwood with wife, Cheri and daughter Dana, 13 months. Photo by Andy Androwa. “bread and butter” of their farm ing operation. Plowed in fall Steve Groff said that, in a nor mal cycle, the ground is plowed in the fall and chicken manure is incorporated. In the spring, the fields are read ied. Pteemergent herbicides are incorporated (usually Tteflan and Sencor). Varieties planted include, for the processing tomatoes, Peel mech 9208 and Ohio OH 8245. For fresh market tomatoes, the Groffs use Pilgrim (a 67-day early varie ty) and Mountain Pride (mid- to late-season). They use a two-row Holland transplanter and incorporate a 9-18-9 liquid starter fertilizer with the plants. One acre uses a special rotary planter that inserts the plants through a plastic mulch. That same acre then is covered with row cov er. planted April 19 this year. The remaining acres will be planted on a “staggered” basis. The row cover proved success ful in years past, according to Groff, because it protects the plants from frost (a light frost occurred at the farm soon after the row cover was installed), acts as a greenhouse to promote quick development of the fruit, and pro tects die plants from cold, damag ing winds. The cover is removed about May 2D, or earlier if hot weather arrives. Cages are inserted with the row covered and mulched tomato plants. Groff uses about 2,500 cages, and the remaining tomatoes (another 2,500) are staked. The tomatoes that aren’t mulched are cultivated twice. Between-row cultivation takes place in June and July. The plants are sidedressed at the same time. Groff uses a granular fertilizer at sidedressing. In the past, he has used urea, but this year he’ll use calcium nitrate. “I don’t do a lot of fertilizing right away because our ground’s pretty high in nutrients because of the manure,” he said. Harvest date is projected at July 4 for the early fresh market. The processing tomatoes are picked about August IS. Market dried up In the past, the Groffs raised “green tomatoes” for transporta tion to New York and Boston. But The Groffs use a two-row Holland transplanter and Incorporate a 9-18-9 liquid star ter fertilizer with the plants. At left, Ellas and, seated, son Steve Groff. the market dried up in the 1980 s because of the inability to provide labor on a continuous basis. Because the Groffs still rely on hand-picking because of their small acreage, they rely on season al workers which arrive from Puer to Rico in mid-July. The man who helps coordinate the five seasonal workers is Demetrio Resto, whom Steve’s father has known for more than 35 years. “It’s different than a migrant situation because we know these people,” said Steve. “We’ve vis ited in Puerto Rico. I’ve gone into their homes. I’ve been down there twice and my dad’s been there six times in years past.” The harvest continues through August and September and con cludes with the first frost the beginning of October. Close contacts The Groffs maintain close con tacts with their customers through out Lancaster County. “We have some faithful customers,” said Steve. A great deal of success at the Groff farm comes from the hired labor, which includes Mark Stauffer, a part-time worker. Groff said that, in the mid season. when prices are low, it is often difficult to obtain more than $2.50 a box for tomatoes. But they The row cover proved successful for tomatoes In years past, according to Steve Groff, because It protects the plants from frost (a light frost occurred at the farm soon after the row cover was installed). He’s pictured here with 13-month old daugher Dana. prefeV to sell them at that price rather than seeing them rot, according to Groff. (Turn to Page AST)
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