82-Lancnter Farming. Saturday, May 11,1996
Celery Grower Celebrity For Day, Provider For Season
LOU ANN GOOD
Lancaster Fanning Staff
EAST PETERSBURG (Lan
caster Co.) Whenever Merv
Shenk tells people that he’s a cel
ery farther, people ask questions.
Recently, curiosity about celery
fanners netted him $l,OOO and a
television appearance on a national
game show.
His claim to fame began while
visiting his sister in California. She
took Merv and his wife Angie to
watch the taping of the game show,
“The Price Is Right”
According to Shenk, nine peo
ple are selected from an audience
of about 600 to compete in the
show. As each guest walks through
the door, he or she is asked a ques
tion. Shenk was asked his occupa
tion. When he answered, “celery
farmer,” the host asked, “How
many stalks do you raise a year?”
Shenk snapped back 400,000.
Because Shenk was the only per
son asked more than one question,
the crowd around him predicted
he’d be asked to compete on the
show. They were right Shenk’s
name was called. He ended up
winning $l,OOO, a television, and a
bit of fame when the show was
aired several weeks ago.
That was when the nation
learned about celery farming.
Hodecker’s Celery is no ordin
ary celery.
“The difference between our
celery and that sold in supermark
•s like
The Shenks trim and wash the celery before selling so
that only the most tender, perfect stalks are sold and cus
tomers have no waste.
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The Shenks began sowing seed beds In April. The see
dlings will be transplanted In the fields during June and
July.
Homestead
apples,” Shenk said.
In search of select inner hearts
of the celery, the Shenks throw
away more celery than they sell to
customers. A small portion of the
outer ribs are sold for soup but
most is discarded on the compost
pile.
Hodecker celery has no waste
for customers because only the
inner, tender part of the celery is
sold.
Surprising to most people is that
celery continues, to grow for six to
eight weeks after it is harvested.
This is the secret of the Hodecker
celery. It is kept cool and in the
dark to produce tender, flavorful
inner ribs. About half of the outer
ribs are discarded before the celery
is sold.
Few commercial growers offer
what is more commonly known as
bleached celery. Angie said that
the concept for bleached celery
probably had its beginnings when
refrigeration was not available and
families stored their vegetables in
trenches for wintering. People
grew to love the tender, sweet taste
of the celery.
Over the years, many farmers
dropped celery growing because of
its labor intensity, but Jay Hodeck
er realized there was a market for
it Previously his family had a
diversified produce farm, but in
the 19505, Hodecker began specia
lizing in homegrown celery. The
celery was sold at a roadside stand
and at several local markets
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In 198 S, Jay Hodecker died of
cancer. Because family members
did not want to take over the celery
business, Shenk bought the busi
ness from the family. For the first
nine yean after Hodecker’s death,
Shenk leased the buildings on the
Hodecker farm.
“But the rent was similar to
commercial rent,” Shenk said of
the Hodecker farm located along
heavily traveled Route 72.
In 1990, Shenk purchased seven
acres of ground along Route 72,
intending to set up a farm market.
Then he heard that the former
Northrop King research farm was
for rent. In 1994, the Shenks leased
the 52-acre farm for a five-year
term. Although the Shenks
Although the celery farm is been moved to a new
retained the Hodecker Celery Farm name.
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“Celery ha* no personality. The goats are our therapy,” Shank said of tho pigmy
goats they raise.
ie and Merv Shank sell celery, citrus fruit and other produce from their store on
changed locations, they retained
the Hodecker’s Celery name. On
the farm on which they now live,
Sheqk grows 30 acres of soybeans,
10 acres of wheat, and IS acres of
celery.
The straw and wheat is used to
cover the celery in trenches and the
remainder is sold.
The move to a new location
resulted in a loss of 25 percent of
the retail business, but Shenk made
up the difference by supplying cel
ery to a local supermarket
In addition to celery, Florida cit
rus fruit is purchased by truckloads
and sold from the store housed in
one of the buildings on the farm
property.
“From April through February,
the work never gets done.” Shenk
said.
The Shenks begin sowing seed
beds in April. Overhead sprinklers
are used to provide frost protection
and irrigation.
The seedlings are transplanted
in the fields during June and July.
Plants are planted four rows at a
time and then irrigated.
In late August, the celery is
ready to bleach.
Black plastic around the plants
keeps out sunlight and allows the
white hearts to grow.
Harvesting begins in Septem
ber. Outer stalks and remaining
roots are trimmed off. The dis
carded celery is moved by convey
(Turn to Pago B 3)
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n, the Shenks have