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• To empty standing water to prevent mosquito larvae from developing.
• To keep newly planted trees and shrubs watered with a slow, deep watering once a week unless Mother Nature does the job.
• To give the lawn a rest during the hot summer. No fertilizer or weed control applications are recommended. An established lawn will turn brown during drought and revive when adequate moisture is available.
• To test your soil in preparation for fall planting or lawn renovation.
• To plant vegetable transplants. It's not too late for tomatoes, peppers, squash, vine crops and beans. Frost usually arrives mid-October! Leafy vegetables can be planted late August for a fall harvest.
• To monitor for insects, e.g. aphids, spider mites, beetles, caterpillars-they can reduce plant vigor and bloom.
• To dig up, divide and replant Irises. Divide daylilies in August.
• To stop pinching chrysanthemums. Stop fertilizing roses by the end of July.
• To study the bulb catalogues for your Fall selection. Plant bulbs this fall for early spring color.
• To evaluate lawn problems and consider renovation of poor turf areas in late Summer (September).

Fresh from Bucks County Farms By Scott Guiser, Extension Educator-Horticulture

Beets bit the dust? Tomatoes turned out poorly? Never could grow a peach? Bucks County farmers come to the rescue! Although we all know that farmland in Bucks County has been shrinking due to development over the years, we still have a thriving agricultural community that cranks out impressive quantities of produce each year. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, Bucks County produces about 4.5 million dollars worth of fruits and vegetables annually. So we're still in the farming business. You can help keep this valued part of the economy viable by buying locally produced foods. Of course there is a nice pay-off. You get the best and freshest produce by shopping locally. In addition to the peaches, sweet corn and tomatoes, we also have meat and animal products grown close to your backdoor.

Fresh From Bucks County Farms is a directory of local farm markets that Penn State Extension produces each year. The 2007 edition lists 59 places where you can go to find the freshest and best locally grown agricultural products. Peaches, sweet corn and tomatoes are just the beginning. How about some organically grown rhubarb? Buffalo jerky, a side of beef, raw milk, European style wines, goat cheeses, wool, watermelons, bird seed, jams and jellies, honey, maple syrup, and all of the traditional fruits and vegetables can be found by visiting local farms and farm markets. Fresh From Bucks County Farms is available at your local library or by calling the Penn State Extension office at 215-345-3283. It's free. And, click here to visit our web pages on this.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations are a unique new venture for several local farms. CSA's work like this: you pay an up-front fee to the farmer and, in return, you get a weekly share of the farm's production. Most CSA's also ask participants to pitch-in and help at the farm for a day or two. For many folks this is a real treat. Seeing how your food is produced and the hard work involved is an eye-opener. And there is a special gratification that comes from being partly responsible for your food supply, especially for those who have lost touch with the process. The two CSA's listed in Fresh From Farms, Anchor Run Farm in Wrightstown and Blooming Glen Farm in Blooming Glen, produce organically. CSA's usually like to sell their "subscriptions" in the late winter/early spring prior to the growing season. You can contact them for details.

Pick your own (PYO) is another way to get the farm experience…and save a few bucks too. Many crops are labor intensive at harvest time and lend themselves to this win-win marketing situation. The farmer solves a labor problem and the consumer picks just what they want, at reduced prices. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pumpkins, cherries, beans, grapes and blueberries are all available PYO at many Bucks County Farms.

Agriculture in Bucks County certainly has undergone change and it will continue to do so. In 1950 we were the "tomato basket" of Southeast Pennsylvania, producing hundreds of acres of tomatoes for Campbell's Soups in New Jersey. Cows were milked on more than 1000 farms. It's a little different today. We grow less than 100 acres of tomatoes and there are less than 20 dairy herds. But, virtually every tomato produced is consumed locally. You can still buy milk in glass bottles at Penn View's dairy in Hilltown.

The viability of local farms depends somewhat on the local community. Support of farmland preservation, understanding the smells, sounds and pest management practices that are part of farming, and buying locally produced farm products is all part of the equation. Get to know your local farming community this year by getting something good to eat…Fresh From Bucks County Farms.

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MASTER GARDENER CORNER

Come visit the Master Gardener Booth at the Grange Fair from August 15 to the 19th. We will be in the same location as always, the corner of the 4-H Building (Building No. 2). Pick up some free Penn State gardening publications and have your gardening questions answered. Bring your children or grandchildren, ages 4 to 10, to make a take-home gardening project.

Stop by the Cooperative Extension office any time to view the demonstration gardens. You can also purchase Penn State Soil Test kits for $9 each. The office is open between 8 AM to 5 PM. The gardens can be viewed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Horticultural Happenings

The Middletown Grange Fair, held at the Middletown Grange Fairgrounds, 4 miles north of Newtown on Penns Park Road (just off Route 413), is a great family event. It is truly one of the few old-timey farm fairs left in the state. In addition to the Master Gardener booth described on page 1, Penn State Cooperative Extension has a big presence. 4-H clubs bring their animals, from rabbits to goats to heifers. All 4-H clubs exhibits, including the Horticulture Clubs, will have their projects on display. Watch baby chicks hatch from their shells before your eyes. 4-H youth will also perform demonstrations in the 4-H Building. If you're not aware of 4-H, find out more by stopping by the 4-H table at the Fair, or call one of our 4-H Educators, Nancy Stephenson or Bob Brown, at 215-345-3283. 4-H offers great opportunities for kids, ages 8 to 17, to pursue their hobbies, meet like-minded youth and develop their leadership skills.

Tomato troubles?

Almost every vegetable gardener grows tomatoes. They are generally easy to grow but also are subject to many insect, disease and physiological problems. Most of them are not catastrophic but can hurt your yield and quality. Leaf spots and rots caused by fungi are most common. Staking or caging plants to improve air circulation and foliage drying is a good idea. Mulches that prevent soil contact with tomato fruit is important. Fungicides, both organic and non-organic, can stop and prevent disease. Give us a call for a copy of our publication on growing tomatoes.

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Backyard Habitat - What You Can Do

With increasing development, many of us are interested in enhancing our backyard habitat to create an environment for the birds, butterflies, and other creatures that have suffered from habitat loss. You may be familiar with the National Wildlife Federation's "Backyard Habitat" program. They provide great information to the homeowner for any size lot; even the tiny yard of a townhouse can be enhanced to provide food, water and shelter for wildlife. Go to (http://www.nwf.org/backyard/) for more information. Penn State also has many free and for cost publications on habitat. Go to http://www.cas.psu.edu and type "habitat" in the search box.

But if you have between 1 and 10 acres that are forested or have unmowed/natural areas, we have the manual for you. It's called The Woods in Your Backyard: Learning to Create and Enhance Natural Areas Around Your Home. It is a 138 page booklet prepared by the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service, Cooperative Extension that walks you through the entire process. You begin in Parts I and II by identifying your interests and constraints and inventorying your property. Part III presents the ecological principles of Succession, Forestry, Water Resources and Wildlife. Part IV covers "Putting Your Knowledge into Practice". Part V is a workbook that outlines the activities required to accomplish your goals. Tucked into the Appendices is additional great information on trees and shrubs and their wildlife value as well as basic habitat requirements for various wildlife species. This would be a great project for families or teens and could easily be incorporated into a curriculum or community service project. It would also serve as a useful manual for municipal boards responsible for managing open space areas. For more information, go to http://www.nraes.org/, or call 607-255-7654. (Publication Number: NRAES-184 Cost -$18)

Scott Guiser, Extension Educator/Horticulture
and
Sue Schneck, Master Gardener Coordinator

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