82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 15, 1995 Bittersweet Berry Time At Venesky Farm LORETTA GOLDEN Cambria Co. Correspondent LORETTO (Cambria Co.) Strawberries are one of Mother Nature’s sweet summer treats but this summer’s crop was “bittcr sweet” at Venesky Strawberry Farm, Loretto. This year marks the 30th and final season for this berry-picking operation. Owned and operated by brothers, Paul and Joe Venesky, and their wives, Em ma and Audrey, the partners are now retiring. Paul and Emma are the parents of two children, George and Sun ny, and alsd have three grandchil dren. Joe and Audrey, who live at the farm, have raised nine chil dren: Tina, Mary Jo, Cindy, Luke, Eric. Lisa, Wade, Judy, and Nan cy. The strawberries have helped to finance college educations for three of them. Their clan also in cludes 14 grandchildren. Through the years, all 11 children of the combined Venesky families, along with numerous friends and relatives, have helped with the strawberry operation in some way or another. Those who still live in the area along with some of the “local” and “visiting” grandchildren continue to “pitch-in” when needed. Working with the strawberries required quite a bit of hand labor but both Emma and Audrey agree that their children usually man aged to turn it into a “social activi ty.” For instance, the children would do their work and then jump into the pond to cool off. In 1965, “Venesky Strawber ries” began. Why strawberries? According to Joe, he always en joyed this fruit His favorite varie ty of berry is “Raritan” because it is a big producer and good tasting —“just an all around good berry." Joe was also advised that straw berries were a fast cash crop. Ber ry farming fit into the brothers’ work schedules. Paul is a retired mason and Joe retired in 1992 af Grandchildren, Justin Brown, Daniel Tweedy, and Sarah Tweedy picking berries. ter 34 years in the area coal mines. Audrey, raised on a nearby small farm, knew that the country was a good place to raise a family. When all of their children were at home she would annually freeze 100 quarts of berries and make countless jars of jelly. Even now when some of the children come home to visit they stilt raid the cupboard for a jar or two of jelly to take with them. Although Aud rey has no particular favorite re cipes, the family enjoys straw berry shortcake, pies, biscuits, and chocolate dip strawberries. Working with the strawberries themselves is very labor intensive. To prepare a new Held, it must be fumigated in the spring. This sterilizes the soil. Then, as early as the local climate dictates, the new plants are set out The blossoms ate pulled off the first year and the crop cannot be harvested until the following season. “Daughter” plants or “runners” must be placed in rows along with the main plants. A spray schedule is follow ed and quite a bit of hand-weeding is necessary. In the fall, the fields are mulched with straw for the winter and then this mulch must be removed in the spring with pitch forks and rakes. There are three “picking” years for the ber ries and then they are plowed down and placed in rotation with hay. When the Venesky families first went into the berry business they had “pickers” and the berries were wholesaled to local grocery stores. After a few years, they switched to a “pick-your-own” operation and it has remained that way ever since. They now also sell “by the pound” rather than “by the quart” All seemed to agree that weighing the berries is more fair to the customers. The typical strawberry season at the Loretto farm ran for ap proximately three weeks begin ning around June 20. This year, idreyand Joeremlm over the years. due to decreased acreage, berry picking was only done in the morning. In the past, it was done morning and evening. During the years when they were in full pro duction, many workers, easily identified by their red “Venesky Strawberries” caps, were stationed in the fields. At times there were long lines of folks waiting to pick berries and these workers woe necessary to help keep “pickers” in die designated areas. When customers first arrived at the berry patch they had their con tainers weighed and marked. Next, it was out to the fields where the berries were planted in rows and customers were able to pick from both sides of each row. Chil dren as well as adults have enjoy ed picking berries at the farm and church groups and other fund-rais ing organizations have always been welcomed. Peak seasons saw 12 acres of strawberries in production. This D OTES Isceastl ley revi Daughters, Mary Jo and Nancy, manning the weigh sta tion. - r summer the Veneskys were down to four acres. They had planned to have a few more acres open to the public this year but some of the plants were hard hit by “red steel,” a berry disease which attacks their root 'system. ' Berry farmers are just as vul nerable as other farmers to wea ther conditions, plant diseases, and “critter” damage. The past few weeks have been rainy in this area and so the strawberries ripen ed and became soft due to all of the moisture. In 1972, the entire berry crop was wiped out with “Hurricane Agnes" after only two days of picking. When asked about the most im portant part of the farming opera tion itself all seemed to agree that it is irrigation. This is crucial to saving a crop and a “must” for growers. Audrey comments that they always hoped for lots of sun because “we can make the rain.” The irrigation system is also necessary in the event of a frost When the frost alarm sounds the irrigation system is turned on to allow the plants to be coated with K,* * * * s f S'," .-TIP -. 1 ■*»' v ■ *? - < .» ‘ 1 ■ <c* 'i,»; *y % ->*'♦' ' 4 lotos taken of the strawberry operation iwpl S' ice. The water runs until the tem perature goes up and then the ice melts naturally. Without irriga tion, it is too easy to lose a crop. Reminiscing a bit, Audrey proudly points out a “memory board” hanging in one of the weighing stations. On this board are many photos taken of the strawberry operation. Each photo has its own story one picture shows a young priest from India picking berries. This was his very first experience with the fruit! An other photo displays a long line of customers waiting to enter the ber ry patch attesting to the popu larity and success of the farm. In speaking of the customers, Joe remarks that most have been very nice to deal with over the years and likens this to the Ivory Soap commercial “99% good experiences.” The closing of Vcnesky Straw berries was anticipated three years ago when no new plants were put out to replace old fields. All part ners agree that they will not miss the work involved but will basi cally miss the people. Over the years many customers have be come friends. Joe and Audrey’s daughter, Mary Jo, says that her parents are “people people” who thoroughly enjoy dealing with the customers and she feels that they will definitely miss this end of it Mary Jo also adds that there is also some pleasant “notoriety” in being recognized at places away from the farm and this is some thing which she will miss.
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