Farmer's Market sets standard for environmental practices

Topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, concern for air quality, and the declining number of family farms have led to an agricultural movement that addresses environmental, economic, and social concerns.

The concept of "sustainable agriculture" incorporates three main goals, according to its practitioners: environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. It relies on the principle that meeting present needs must not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

In the Springfield area, many farmers have embraced these goals, including those who make up the Greater Springfield Farmer's Market. According to Roland Netzer, owner of Netzer farms and president of the Farmer's Market, the organization's mission statement reads: "To preserve Missouri's unique agricultural heritage and our own historical role, by continuing as a Class A growers only' market. To be the local leader of fresh, Missouri-produced goods for Greater Springfield and the surrounding area, while promoting an atmosphere that fosters good health and strong community values."

A Class-A market in Missouri allows members to sell only what they grow or make themselves.

Located on the Battlefield Mall's north parking lot, the Farmer's Market opens at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

Netzer said, "It's one venue where a small farmer can gain direct access to consumers at minimum costs." Netzer farms approximately 15 acres of gardens around Springfield, typically planting tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, okra, potatoes, squash, sweet corn, pumpkins, and other vegetables.

Kris Hodge of Paris Springs Creations Flower Farm, located west of Halltown on Route 66, began selling floral products in 1995. In business partnership with her mother, Treva Hoggard, Hodge sells fresh and dried flowers and custom arrangements. She said, "We decided to dry peonies for the heck of it, and local florists bought them all. In 96 we began delivering dried arrangements. In 97 we joined the market, and in 98 began doing fresh cut flowers and things really took off."

She added, "The market became our primary focus for selling. There's little or no overhead, and for us it provides direct meeting with the public. There are great big markets in Soulard (St. Louis) and Kansas City, but they're peddlers' markets. People drive to warehouses and fill their trucks with whatever produce they can buy, and customers can't trace the origin of what they're buying."

Gary Jensen, owner of Jensen Gardens, began farming in the early 1980's and now farms approximately 30 acres at three locations outside of Springfield.

Jensen, a former board member and certifier for the Organic Crop Improvement Association International Inc., grows only organic crops. "It makes sense not to put poison on things you're going to eat," he said. "Organic farming and chemical farming meet the same needs. The difference is that we supply those needs in different ways. The plants have the same enemies, diseases or insects, and we use things that are more earth-friendly. We work with nature instead of beating it over the head."

He added, "Sprays may kill off good bugs too. We've used beneficial insects to combat problem ones. Chemicals are not necessary, but the cost depends on the operation. Many farms in the area are smaller and more labor intensive. I use more ground, more machinery, and less labor."

Jensen also practices crop rotation, a common means of fighting soil-borne threats, which also helps rebuild depleted soil nutrients and prevents the buildup of problem organisms.

Netzer Farms also uses repellent crops such as marigolds, which drive away most common insect pests. Roland Netzer said, "For example, we plant dill. It's fairly inexpensive seed, and it acts as a decoy to lure worms away from our income crop of tomatoes. Basically we attempt to do everything on an environmentally friendly basis, all the way down to conserving tractor fuel."

Netzer uses no pesticides, which includes both herbicides and insecticides. "We try to build healthy plants by building organic matter in the soil. Chemical fertilizers destroy soil structure, which in turn reduces a plant's resistance to diseases or pests. It's a vicious cycle that we interrupt. We do use a small amount of starter fertilizer, but we feel such low, limited levels are not a problem."

Hoggard also practices crop rotation. "We do it a lot, especially with tomatoes and asters, which can build up soil-borne diseases." She estimated that she and Hodge cultivate 8,000-10,000 plants annually in the growing season.

Hodge and Hoggard wrote a grant proposal this year to apply for funds awarded by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hodge said, "Our proposal was based on comparing water conservation and consumption to the need for weed control. We have a technique using leaf mulch and layered newspaper to reduce the use of chemicals. This also reduces the need for tilling, which goes a long way toward soil conservation."

According to Netzer, 2001 is the 25th year for the Farmer's Market. "That's what the old-timers say. We have a membership cap of 105, due to space limitations at this location."

He added, "Our maximum day is usually the Saturday before July 4, when we have 50-60 vendors. That part of the season represents the crossover between late spring plant-growers and early summer vegetable growers. Otherwise the curve tapers from end to end, with fewer vendors in spring and fall."

Beginning June 20 and running through August 29, market hours in-clude Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m. until dusk.

In addition to weekly operations, the market hosts several events each season. The 2nd Annual Harvest of Health Nutrition Fair will be 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., July 7.

Hodge said, "We'll have some nutritionists speak on meal planning, kids' nutrition, and a canning-freezing-drying seminar, and use market produce in cooking demonstrations.

Area restaurants to be represented include Clary's American Grill, Gilardi's Ristorante, and Cafe du Nord.

Hodge added that on Sept. 22, "We will host the Autumn Harvest Days. This event focuses mostly on kids and activities designed for them like pumpkin painting, and I will do a seminar on dried floral arrangements."

Further information on the Greater Springfield Farmer's Market is available on the organization's Web site, www.springfieldfarmersmkt.com.