Cool Spring Temps Trouble Local Farmer

With April's average low temperature hovering at a brisk 40 degrees, the cool and cloudy weather has certainly posed a challenge for Westhampton farmer, Carol Corcoran.  With the grand opening of the Westhampton Beach Farmers Market just two weeks away, Beaverdam Farm’s produce won't be ready.

“It has been a cool spring, so there wasn’t an early start to my growing season,” said Corcoran, a Westhampton mother of four, who has owned Beaverdam Farm for 36 years. “We had a lot more sunny days last April, so I had more produce to offer by early May.”

Corcoran says she believes other East End farmers might also be in same position and suspects that the farmers markets held in early May might see more plants than produce.

Not only has the cool weather put the farm’s four acres of crops behind schedule, but April's cloudy skies have impeded plant growth inside the farm's greenhouse.

“With all the cold and cloudy days, the heat keeps kicking on inside the greenhouse and that is a big consideration,” said Corcoran. “I try to keep the heat low to conserve fuel, but that affects how many crops I can grow and the rate of growth. Right now, I only heat a few rows of plants to save fuel.”

The high cost of heating oil is problematic for farmers trying to get a jumpstart on the growing season by planting in greenhouses.  Expensive oil prices translate into inflated produce prices for the consumer and for a small-grow operation like Beaverdam Farm, raising prices is not a favorable option.

Despite the imperfect climate, however, Beaverdam's greenhouse has managed to cultivate a petite but burgeoning crop of baby bok choy, endive and buttercrunch lettuce, which Corcoran expects to be ready for sale by the end of May.

Before she returned to her hometown in the early 1970s, Corcoran had spent seven years traveling the world, visiting exotic destinations like Iran, Afghanistan and India. Once home, the globetrekker needed to make some money and thought growing tomatoes to sell to restaurants would be a good business. 

Corcoran says Beaverdam Farm initially gained notoriety for its succulent big boy tomatoes, sought out by local chefs and celebrities alike.

After a few years, the tomato business blossomed into a full-fledged farming operation growing everything from radicchio and corn to cucumbers and basil.

In addition to selling her goods at farmers markets, Beaverdam is also a popular purveyor of produce and herbs for dozens of restaurants on the East End.

“I’ve always farmed organically, although I am not New York State organic certified,” said the third generation Westhampton farmer, who enthusiastically talks about the quality of her farm’s produce and eggs.

“The most important thing is that everything is grown fresh, without pesticides or chemicals. I am really happy with the popularity of organic eating, so now small farmers are now taken more seriously,” she said.

For more information about Beaverdam Farm, call 631-288-2433.