Mattawoman Creek Farms is a certified organic farm located adjacent to Mattawoman Creek near Eastville, Va.

Rick and Janice at the Old Beach Farmer's Market

This summer is the first we’ve been in a city long enough to subscribe to the regional CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. We try to visit all the farms that grow or produce our food, but, when we found out about Mattawoman Creek’s CSA it was too early in the season to visit. We decided on Mattawoman because of their generous list of crops and because they are certified organic.

At first, shaping our diet around seasonally available vegetables was difficult. Much of the produce available at local farm markets travels at least a few hundred miles to Hampton Roads, so the selection is more varied than strictly local produce. During this summer’s harvest, May through September, we have been picking up our weekly produce at the Old Beach Farmer’s market in Virginia Beach.

The first few weeks of the harvest, we received several different types of greens and lettuces, but as the season matured, the harvest shifted. This month, our weekly produce has been a combination of basil, spring onions, sweet and spicy peppers, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, and cucumbers.

I had the opportunity to discuss organic farming with Rick and Janice Felker, owners of Mattawoman Creek Farms.

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Why the Eastern Shore location?

We have owned our farm for over 20 years and the soil, natural buffers, and moderating climate of the surrounding waters combine to make a great place to farm.

Have you always wanted to be a farmer? How did you learn what you know?

Janice and I both had grandparents that farmed, and my first job at age 16 was at a peach orchard and farm market. From a very early age, I wanted to farm.

How long has your farm been producing organic crops? Did you transition from conventional to organic, or did you begin as an organic farm?

Sweet Frying Peppers

Since 2005. And we began as a certified organic farm. After the implementation of the National Organic Program in 2002, all growers representing their crops as organic and selling more than $5,000 a year must be certified organic. We support the National Program and the fact that “organic” is legally defined as compared to such words as “fresh,” “natural,” and “local” that are not and can be very confusing to consumers. We are currently transitioning a farm to organic that is owned by one of our CSA subscribers, and we are leasing on a long-term basis. That process takes three years, and we are spending that time building the soil through the use of continuous no-till cover crops that add green manure.

In the first few weeks of our CSA, when there were more greens, there were a  few little green caterpillars in the heads of cabbages. Because your farm is organic, we expected a lot more pests. How do you keep them away without pesticides and herbicides?

The methods we use include attracting beneficial insects that control pests, building healthy soil that results in healthy crops that are more resistant to pest pressure, crop rotation, timing of plantings, floating row covers, cultivation and weeding.

There is something magical about your tomatoes. What’s the secret?

[It is] the result of trying more than 20 different varieties over the years and finding the ones that do very well in an organic system. We also believe our soil has some special properties that result in sweet and flavorful vegetables.

A few weeks ago, the night before our CSA pickup, you weren’t sure if the zucchini would be ready to harvest. A rainstorm came through and they plumped up overnight. It’s pretty incredible to see the direct effects that the environment has on our food, especially when most people’s weekly produce comes pre-packaged or from a grocery store shelf. I think the farms, themselves have a significant environmental impact on their regions. Do you see farming more as an occupation or as a way to help the environment?

We began our organic farm because we wanted local organic food, had a hard time finding it, and believed a lot of other people in our area would prefer local organic food. We concluded that, since we believed so strongly that organic is better and should be done in our area, we should make the commitment to help make that happen.

Purple Beauty Sweet Peppers

What is a typical day on the farm like?

A typical day starts the evening before with the development of a harvest plan, packing and delivery plan, fieldwork plan and seeding and/or planting plan. Each morning we are at work on the farm between 6:30 and 7, with our farm crew arriving at 7:30. The aforementioned plans are carried out and are often revised because of weather being different from the forecast. Our crew usually finishes up by 5, and late afternoons are often spent scouting fields, which helps to make planning decisions for the following day.

I saw from your website that you have an apprentice program. Not many of the  farms around here offer something like that. What inspired the decision to  start a program like that?

We see a growing number of people interested in organic farming, but they often lack the training, capital and land to get started. Our program is designed to address those areas and to help us be able to expand our production as additional acreage becomes certified organic.

How many apprentices do you have right now?

We have three apprentices and five seasonal employees.

In your opinion, why should people support local, organic farms?

Zucchini and Tomatoes at Old Beach

Who people support is a personal choice, but we are happy to share our beliefs. We believe local organic tastes better, supports the environment, is a way to protect farmland from other uses, supports the local economy and contributes to good health.

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The produce used in the following recipes is available at the Old Beach Farmer’s Market, The Organic Food Depot, and The Heritage Store. Most of the other ingredients can be purchased locally at the Old Beach Farmer’s Market.

Summer Greek Salad >>

Spicy Eggplant Calzones (Vegan) >>