Gardener News September 2025

Serving the Agricultural, Environmental, Horticultural & Landscaping Communities

Two N.J. State Board of Agriculture Members Seated and N.J. State Board of Agriculture Reorganizes

By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor/Publisher

The New Jersey State Board of Agriculture officially seated two new members at its meeting on July 23, 2025, at Centerton Nurseries in Bridgeton, Cumberland County.

For one of those new members, it was a quick “welcome back.” Hillary Barile, a grain farmer from Cumberland

County, joined the Board for her first term, while Sussex County beef, grain, and game birds farmer Holly Sytsema rejoined the body after having served from 2020-2024, including the final year as President of the Board.

The New Jersey State Board of Agriculture is composed of eight working farmers, four each chosen from northern New Jersey and four from the southern counties. Board members serve as the policymaking body of the New Jersey Department of Agriculture,

with an eye toward representing the entire agriculture industry in New Jersey.

Board members are identified by which agricultural commodities they represent in their farm operations, and the four highest-grossing sectors of the industry must be represented. In recent years, including this year, those four largest sectors in order are: Nursery/ Greenhouse/Sod; Vegetables; Fruits; and Hay/Grains.

At the same July 23 meeting in

Bridgeton, the Board chose Robert Blew, of Centerton Nurseries in Bridgeton, as President, and Stephen Lee IV, of Lee Brothers Cranberry Farm in Chatsworth, as Vice President for the July 2025 - July 2026 year.

The two new board members, Barile and Sytsema, represent a growing representation of women in leadership positions within the agricultural industry, and both have been recognized in the past for their innovations and business savvy on their (Cont. on Page 17)

I’m honored to share that I have returned to the role of State Executive Director for the New Jersey Farm Service Agency. As many of you know, this position is a presidential appointment, and I was fortunate to be reappointed under President Trump. I was away for about seven months but remained closely connected to the agricultural community during that time.

I stayed informed, kept in touch with producers, and continued to follow developments across the state. While the role feels familiar, there have been some notable changes within the agency in recent months, giving this return a renewed sense of purpose and opportunity.

I’m truly excited to once again serve our state’s farmers and agricultural producers. New Jersey’s agricultural community is strong, resilient, and deeply rooted in hard work and tradition. My focus will be on making sure our farmers have the resources, opportunities, and representation they need to succeed and that their voices are heard in Washington, D.C.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who endorsed me, encouraged me, and stood by

Ostrich fern, Matteuccia struthiopteris, is NJ’s largest native fern although Goldie’s fern is often a close second.

The majestic ostrich fern, with its large arching, delicately cut fronds, looks like it would fit well into a Jurassic Park movie. These sterile fronds resemble ostrich tail feathers, hence the common name.

The plants are generally 3 to 4 feet tall but can reach 6 feet and have a spread of 8 feet, so give them a lot of room. The genus name is in honor of Carlo Matteucci (1800-1863), an Italian physicist, and the species name is from two Greek words: strouthíōn meaning ostrich and pteris which means fern.

Ostrich fern is one of the most common ferns in American gardens, but this article is for those who have not been using this fern. These ferns are cold resistant and are naturally widespread in Southern Alaska, much of Canada, Europe, Eastern Asia, and North-Eastern US. In NJ they are found mostly in the northern counties.

Ostrich ferns grow best in moist, cool, shady areas in moderately acid to neutral, rich soil. They are naturally found

USDA Farm Service Agency

By Bob Andrzejczak State Executive Director

A Return to USDA FSA

me throughout the appointment process. Your support made this possible, and it is something I deeply value. Public service is never an individual effort; it’s the product of a community that believes in its leaders and works alongside them.

My vision for FSA in New Jersey is straightforward: expand our reach, broaden our customer base, and make sure every producer is aware of the programs, loans, and services available to them. Another priority for me is building and maintaining trust between our farmers and the agency. I want producers to know that when they come to FSA, they will be treated with respect, listened to, and given every opportunity to get the support they need. Trust is built over time, through honest

communication and consistent action, and I am committed to fostering that relationship every day I serve in this role.

My passion for agriculture began in childhood. My grandparents lived next to a Lima bean field, and one of my earliest memories is watching the beans grow each year. Sometimes the farmer would let us harvest a little, and I can still remember sitting and shelling those beans. As a teenager, I began working on a farm, and that’s where I truly came to understand the dedication farming requires. Those early experiences shaped my work ethic and gave me a lifelong respect for those who feed our state and our nation.

After serving in the U.S. Army, I was elected to the New Jersey Legislature, where I had

the privilege of chairing the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. In that role, I built lasting relationships, worked alongside many of you, and helped pass measures that strengthened our agricultural industry. That time reinforced my belief that agriculture is more than just an industry, it’s a way of life and the foundation for our communities.

One of my top priorities as I return to this role is being present, not just in the office, but out in the field. I look forward to visiting farms, meeting faceto-face, and seeing firsthand the work you are doing. I also look forward to attending community gatherings, fairs, meetings, and other events across the state. Please don’t hesitate to invite me to anything you have going on.

The Native Plant Society of New Jersey

By Hubert Ling Horticulture Chair

Our Largest Native Fern

in freshwater marshes and the edges of creeks where they can add somewhat to erosion protection. Ostrich ferns are very easy to grow. In fact, if given their preferred conditions they can get aggressive and spread rapidly by underground rhizomes. You should keep this in mind when you select a location for them in your garden.

Propagation is generally not a problem as you simply have to separate rooted offspring from the parent plants. However, ostrich ferns also produce two types of fronds, a large green, sterile, dissected, typical fern leaf and a smaller fertile frond which starts out green but soon matures to a deep brown color. The fertile frond contains the sporangia filled with numerous

spores. The fertile fronds overwinter and release the spores in spring. You can use these spores for reproduction, but this process is an intensive labor of love. Ostrich ferns are generally avoided by deer and rabbits. These ferns tolerate clay soil, heavy shade, wet soil and generally have no serious insect or disease problems. They may go dormant early if not given enough moisture during the growing season and the leaves may get sunburned if given too much sun. In fall the lush green fronds turn into a golden brown as the temperatures cool.

Besides being a large, very decorative plant, young, curledup, sterile fronds (fiddleheads) are considered a delicacy in many parts of Japan, in other

If there’s something happening in your community, I want to be a part of it. You can always reach me at robert.andrzejczak@usda.gov. I have an open-door policy and welcome communication from all producers, stakeholders, and members of our agriculture community. Whether you have a concern, an idea, or just want to share what’s happening on your farm, my door and my inbox are always open.

The trust you’ve placed in me is an honor, and I will work hard every day to live up to it. I look forward to seeing many of you in the months ahead at county offices, in the field, and at community events as we work together to keep New Jersey agriculture strong for generations to come.

Editor’s Note: Bob Andrzejczak is the State Executive Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in New Jersey. He can also be reached at 609587-0104 during regular business hours. For more information, please visit https://www.fsa.usda.gov/ state-offices/New-Jersey/ sed-biography/index

the wrong fiddleheads could be quite toxic and taste bad also! In Norway fiddleheads have been used to manufacture beer, and in Russia they have been used to remove gut parasites, which indicates that there are powerful toxins in raw fiddleheads which can also affect humans.

countries of Asia, and in North America. Gourmet stores such as Kings will sometimes sell them in spring at $20 a pound and they are very popular with foragers. However, be forewarned: be sure to cook them well since severe vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle pain lasting days has been reported in sensitive individuals from eating raw fiddleheads. Boil or steam them for 20 minutes before eating since the toxins, which have not been identified yet, break down with the heat. Ostrich fiddleheads are rich in fiber, potassium, vitamins C and A, and omega-3 fatty acids, and taste somewhat like asparagus. Just make sure you have the right fiddleheads if you are collecting from the wild, since

Ostrich fern is used by some insect larvae as a host plant; recently I have seen moderate insect damage to some of my ferns including ostrich ferns. In areas where ostrich fern is common, the plants can be pretty closely packed together and thus provide cover for a number of small animals. The fern fronds also work well in fresh flower bouquets and the dark brown fertile fronds have been used in dried flower arrangements. If you have the room, consider growing ostrich fern to give a dramatic decorative touch to your garden and also enjoy some unusual spring greens.

Editor’s Note: Hubert Ling is Past President of The Native Plant Society of NJ and Horticulture Chair. He can be reached at milhubling@verizon.net.

Once Labor Day hits in the Garden State, kids start to head back to school, and that means school breakfast and school lunches start to take center stage.

New Jersey has a very strong school-feeding program and is one of only a few states that have oversight into the school-feeding operations located within the Department of Agriculture. It just makes sense, the NJDA has relationships with all things food-related and relationships with farmers.

The interaction of farmers, school-feeding programs, and New Jersey’s students is the result of nearly three decades of work at the NJDA’s Division of Food & Nutrition. Administration of school-feeding programs moved from the Department of Education to NJDA, with the express goal of improving the nutritional quality of foods served in school.

That has taken the form of model school nutrition policies, the introduction of “breakfast after the bell” to avoid needing an extra class period just for breakfast, and, most notably popular among our farmers, the Farm to School program.

For the past several years,

NJ Dept. of Agriculture

By Joe Atchison III Assistant Secretary of Agriculture

Back to School in the Garden State

we’ve been growing that program, which connects farmers from around the state with schools that are seeking to provide fresh fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products in their student menus.

Students frequently visit farms and hear from the people who are growing their food, helping them to understand all the work that goes into food winding up on their tables. This connection is essential because many times when you ask young children where their food comes from, they say, “the store.” And when you ask them where the store gets the food, they don’t have a clear picture of that link in the food chain.

Since the legislation that established Farm to School was passed in 2010, the program has

grown to include almost 500 schools purchasing local products from New Jersey farmers. More than 300 of the districts buying local have implemented cafeteria programs using Harvest of the Month promotional material to highlight the nutritional value of local items.

This interaction of students with the REAL starting point of their food is often eye-opening. Many students have only had canned vegetables and never experienced eating fresh corn on the cob, or peaches not drenched in syrup. These programs that connect schools and farmers allow students to see these food products in a whole new light.

Several schools around the state are also installing school gardens, where students can get their hands in the soil and

Jersey Tastes. Jersey Tastes.

INGREDIENTS

FAMILYSIZE,SERVES4

PORTIONSIZE:10oz.

2largeJerseytomatoes,dicedinto1-inchcubes

½smallseedlesswatermelon,cutintolarge triangularwedges

2ballsfreshburratacheese,halfed

2Tbsp.extravirginoliveoil

1Tbsp.balsamicglaze

¼cupfreshmintleaves,roughlychopped

2tablespoonscrushedpistachios

Salt&groundblackpepper,totaste

FUNFACTS!

NJtomatoesareprizedfortheirrichtaste,tenderness, andjuiciness,thankstoloamysoilandvine-ripening. Mostaregrownonsmallfamilyfarms,notmassproduced,whichmeansthey’repickedforflavor—not forshipping.Thebesttimetoenjoythemismid-Julyto earlyAugust,whenthey’reatpeakripeness.

participate in the planting, tending, and harvesting of produce. And if they have a hand in producing it, they are more likely to try eating it.

If you ask kids if they want to eat squash, a large percentage will say “no thanks.” However, if they grow that squash and zucchini and then make a ratatouille from it, they are going to have pride of ownership in that product and are more likely to try it and begin to develop healthier eating habits.

Recently, with funds from the federal government, schools have had access to Local Food for Schools funds, which supplemented their regular meal budgets with allowances to source produce from local growers.

In New Jersey, which means

farmers were providing more Jersey Fresh fruits and vegetables to our young students, along with other agricultural products that could include milk, cheese, yogurt, and proteins like chicken or pork. And some schools are exploring sourcing seafood as well.

For students who prefer to bring a lunch from home, we would ask that when you pack that lunch, you think about what you are including and where it came from. Early in the school year, you can include peaches, and then apples.

Salads made with greens from New Jersey are a healthy way to make a local meal. My mom also frequently included a note in my lunch that made me smile in the middle of the day. Make your kids smile with a note and some Jersey Fresh produce in their lunch this school year.

Editor’s Note: Joe Atchison III is the New Jersey Assistant Secretary of Agriculture. Atchison is also the Director of the Division of Marketing and Development for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. He can be reached at (609) 292-3976.

Tomato and Watermelon Carpaccio

DIRECTIONS

1

2

3

Preparetheplate:Placeachilledwatermelon wedgeatthebaseofeachplateasthefoundation. Spoonthedicedtomatoesoverthewatermelon.

Drizzleoliveoilandbalsamicglazeoverthe watermelonandtomato.Addburratahalvesover thetomatoes.

Finishwithmint,crushedpistachios,salt,and pepper.Servewithcrostiniorgrilledbread.

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Rutgers Cooperative Extension Phone Directory

Atlantic County

Phone: 609-625-0056

Bergen County

Phone: 201-336-6780

Burlington County Phone: 609-265-5050

Camden County Phone: 856 216 7130

Cape May County Phone: 609-465-5115

Cumberland County Phone: 856-451-2800

Essex County Phone: 973-228-2210

Gloucester County Phone: 856-224-8040

Hudson County Phone: 201-915-1399

Hunterdon County Phone: 908-788-1339

Mercer County Phone: 609-989-6830

Middlesex County

Phone: 732-398-5260

Monmouth County Phone: 732-431-7260

Morris County Phone: 973-285-8300

Ocean County Phone:732-349-1246

Passaic County Phone: 973-305-5740

Salem County Phone: 856-769-0090

Somerset County Phone: 908-526-6293

Sussex County Phone: 973-948-3040

Union County Phone: 908-654-9854

Warren County Phone: 908-475-6505

Fall is the Perfect Time to Plant Trees in New Jersey

Late September and October are ideal months for planting trees. The soil remains warm enough for roots to establish, while the plant isn’t expending energy on new foliage or flowers. To encourage you to add a tree or two to your landscape this fall, let’s explore how Rutgers is making an impact on New Jersey’s home treescapes.

Rutgers’ plant breeding program has not only introduced beautiful additions to the ornamental tree selection for New Jersey, but also aims to develop varieties that are resilient to environmental stressors and diseases, and that thrive in the Garden State. The guiding principle is simple: the right plant in the right place will thrive and provide beauty to yards for years to come.

A perfect example of the program’s success is the vivid pink Scarlet Fire® dogwood tree, named after Rutgers’ mascot, the Scarlet Knight. Introduced to consumers through commercial nurseries about five years ago, this tree has now been planted in numbers estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.

Thomas Molnar, the Rutgers plant breeder who led the development of Scarlet Fire®, has also produced Stellar Nova™ , a bright whiteblooming hybrid, and Eternal Scarlet™ , which features rich, saturated red blooms. These hues complement Scarlet Fire® and promise to add even more color and diversity to the landscape.

Scarlet Fire®, Stellar Nova™ , and Eternal Scarlet™ are all cultivars—a shortened term for “cultivated variety.” This means they are plants selectively bred and propagated by humans to develop specific desirable traits, such as flower color and size, disease resistance, and adaptability to temperature extremes.

The Rutgers dogwood breeding program was initiated in the 1970s by plant scientist Elwin Orton, now retired. His work focused on developing disease-resistant hybrid varieties at a time when dogwood anthracnose was decimating native Cornus florida. His efforts led to the creation of many successful hybrids, including the well-known Stellar series and the beloved Venus® dogwood, known for its giant white floral bracts.

These cultivars are available at nurseries throughout New Jersey. Fall is the recommended planting season, and they can even be planted bare root through November. Dogwoods are adaptable and thrive in a variety of soils, provided the soil isn’t overly wet. While they tolerate full sun, partial sun is ideal. These medium-sized trees make excellent front yard specimens due to their compact size.

Rutgers continues to support native tree preservation by promoting home horticulture practices that protect New Jersey’s botanical heritage. At one time, the state was almost entirely forested, but widespread clearcutting made way for agriculture and development. Today, 40% of New Jersey’s tree cover is found in urban and suburban areas—homes, public parks, small woodlots, and preserved lands. The role of homeowners in maintaining the state’s tree canopy is vital.

Unfortunately, New Jersey’s forests are in dire straits and need our help. Natural forest processes and tree health are being compromised by multiple factors: invasive pests and pathogens, overabundant white-tailed deer, invasive plants, climate change, and site degradation such as soil compaction. These stressors weaken tree immunity, making

them more susceptible to further damage and creating a negative feedback loop.

Moreover, these challenges hinder the germination and growth of native seedlings. Studies and projections show a severe deficit in tree regeneration—meaning we lack enough seedlings and saplings to grow into future mature trees.

So, what can we do? You may have heard of a new concept in horticulture: microforests. These are small areas in yards or public spaces that are becoming vital in densely populated regions like New Jersey.

Establishing a microforest in a typical home landscape is easier than you might think and can have a significant impact. These small nature areas provide resting places for birds, nesting sites, and food sources. Other wildlife also benefit from these “waystations,” which help create continuous habitat corridors between larger natural areas.

The goal is to use native plants and replicate the layering found in natural forests. Contrary to popular belief, a microforest doesn’t have to look wild or messy. In a small area, you can plant a tall tree (such as a Pin Oak), a medium-sized tree (like a dogwood), and a shade-tolerant shrub (such as a native azalea). Add a few shade-loving small plants around the base—like native ferns—and you’ve created a tiny, beautiful microforest! This fall, consider adding a native tree to your yard. You’ll not only enhance your landscape’s beauty but also contribute to New Jersey’s wildlife and ecological sustainability. If you’d like help selecting plants or getting started, visit Go.Rutgers.edu/ GardenHelpline.

Your local extension office will contact you and provide support.

Editor’s Note: Ruth Carll is the State Leader for Consumer Horticulture and County Agent, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITY NEWS

Carey Williams Honored with Outstanding Educator Award by National Society

Carey Williams, equine extension specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences and associate director for extension at the Rutgers Equine Science Center, has been honored with the “Outstanding Educator Award” by the Equine Science Society.

Presented on June 6 at the conclusion of the society’s three-day biennial symposium in Fort Collins, CO, the award recognizes “an individual who has demonstrated excellence in the area of equine education, either to students or in the horse industry.”

In addition to her outstanding teaching of equine science at Rutgers and her dedication to students, Williams is extensively involved in outreach programs for youth and adults, nationally and internationally.

NJ 4-H Members Attend International Leadership Conference in Ireland

Five New Jersey 4-H members attended the 2025 Foróige Leadership for Life Conference from July 28-Aug. 1 at the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, Ireland. Foróige’s Leadership for Life Conference, now in its 16th year, hosted 250 high school age youth from Ireland and the United States. NJ 4-H participants included Brooklyn Bilge of Egg Harbor Twp.; Cheyenne Bilge of Egg Harbor Twp.; Yazmina Harris of Bridgewater; Sanjana Patel of Florence; and Selda Vural of West Orange.

Foróige’s Leadership for Life Program is a personal leadership development program aimed at equipping young people to explore their vision and passion and to develop key skills such as planning, decision making, critical thinking, goal setting and problem solving that are core to leadership. NJ 4-H attendees previously completed modules 1 and 2, as well as planned and implemented a service project in their home communities.

“The mission of 4-H is to build a ready generation where youth are gaining real world skills,” said Sharon Kinsey, Camden County 4-H agent, who facilitates the program for NJ 4-H. “The Leadership for Life Program is another opportunity for youth to enhance and practice leadership skills in a global context, while empowering them to take action.”

While at the conference, NJ 4-H members completed the Advanced Module of the program and engaged in more than 15 hours of leadership workshops, which focused on communication skills and advocating for a social issue. The conference also welcomed guest speakers who shared their personal leadership journey. Among them were Niamh Shaw, an internationally known engineer, science communicator and space advocate; Luke Casserly, a performance maker promoting environmental research; and Peter Cosgrove, an expert on the future of work and digital wellbeing.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, marital status, domestic partnership status, military service, veteran status, and any other category protected by law.

For more information about the Camden County 4-H Program, contact Sharon Kinsey at (856) 216-7130 x 2 or sbkinsey@njaes.rutgers.edu

New RCE Agent in Burlington County

Announcement by Nicholas Polanin, chair of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, NJAES

Please join me in welcoming David Hlubik to the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE). David’s new role is effective July 1. He is affiliated with the Burlington County office of RCE in Westampton, NJ, and joins the county team to support commercial vegetable and general crop production.

David most recently taught in the Department of Plant Biology at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). He comes to us with a farming background here in New Jersey, at his family’s farm in Chesterfield, also in Burlington County. David holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture and Plant Technology, and a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in Plant Science and Biotechnology, both from Rutgers. He also participated in the SEBS General Honors Program as a George H Cook Scholar.

I am excited to have Dave join us at ANR and Rutgers Cooperative Extension!

Flying High to Find Drought-Resistant Grass

Zoysiagrass is a popular lawn choice because it looks great and handles heat fairly well—but it still struggles in dry conditions. A new study is using drones and advanced imaging technology to find out which types of zoysiagrass do best when water is scarce.

Bingru Huang, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant Biology and an affiliate of the Rutgers Climate and Energy Institute, is a co-author of the study, which was published in The Plant Phenome Journal. The research team used drones equipped with special cameras to take detailed pictures of grass in a test field. These images captured how the grass reflects different types of light—a clue to how healthy or stressed the plants are. You can read the full study here.

Some grasses reflected light in ways that showed they were better at surviving without water. These grasses stayed greener and healthier during drought, especially compared to others that dried out quickly. Using this method, the team could pick out the bestperforming types just by analyzing light patterns from the drone images.

The study also used machine learning (a kind of computer analysis) to predict how good the grass looked based on this light data. The predictions were very accurate—almost as good as trained people walking through the field and scoring each patch by hand.

This work could help scientists breed turfgrass that stays green longer and uses less water, which matters more than ever as climate change leads to hotter and drier weather.

“Drought is becoming more common, and we need solutions that don’t rely on constant watering,” said Huang. “This technology helps us quickly spot which grasses can survive tough conditions, so we can bring those options to homeowners, golf courses, and public parks.”

This article was written with assistance from AI, was reviewed and edited by Oliver Stringham, and was reviewed by Bingru Huang, a co-author of the study.

GardenerNews.com September 2025 9

Most gardeners have parts of the garden where there are tree canopies creating shady conditions. These parts of the garden are sometimes overlooked because of the abundance of shade and the gardening challenges they present. In this article, you’ll discover practical and beautiful shade garden ideas that turn dim corners into lush gardens. There are many great ornamental perennials to consider to brighten these dark spaces.

There are many conditions that define different types of shade gardening. Some parts of the garden might have large trees like white pines, Pinus strobus, or Norway spruces, Picea abies. These old trees cast a lot of shade but also have nearly impenetrable roots, creating “dry shade”. Other parts of the garden might have high shade or a more filtered shade created by trees like honeylocust, Gleditsia triacanthos, and this is called “dappled shade” or “part shade”. A heavy canopy can be created with large-leaved trees like maples, catalpas, and sycamores, and this is called “dark shade”, “deep shade” or “full shade”.

Adding lighter colors to the shade garden, such as silver, white, and chartreuse, is an excellent way to brighten a dark shade garden. There are many excellent shade plants that can create “pops” of color in the

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

By Andrew Bunting Vice President of Horticulture

Shady Characters

garden. Perhaps one of the best are hostas. There are thousands of hosta cultivars. Some are very small and diminutive while many others have narrow or very bold foliage. Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ has bold elephant ear-like leaves with a yellow sheen. ‘Twin Cities’ also has a large leaf with a yellow edge and dark green in the center, and ‘Sagae’ has a similar variegation. ‘Grand Tiara’ has smaller leaves that are yellow and green and ‘Echo the Sun’ has bright golden leaves. For a fine texture the Hakone grasses, Hakonechloa macra, are an excellent choice. They are one of the few grasses that can grow well in the shade. It has arching narrow blades that can reach two feet tall. It is excellent for a finer texture in the garden. ‘All Gold’ has bright golden leaves. ‘Aureola’ has green and chartreuse striated leaves and ‘Albomarginata’ is cream and green.

The Chinese forget-me-not, Brunnera macrophylla, is a

perfect shade garden addition for its abundance of powder blue flowers in April-May. There is also a great variegated selection called ‘Jack Frost’. The bold heart-shaped leaves have dark green veins which highlight the striking pewter variegation.

Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’ is a selection of Solomon’s seal with arching stems and beautiful white and green variegated leaves. This combines nicely with hostas and ferns.

There are a myriad of fine textured ferns that are perfect for the shade garden.

The native Christmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides, has upright evergreen fronds. Another suitable evergreen fern is the autumn fern, Dryopteris erythrosora, which has newly emerging bronze fronds.

The Japanese eyelash fern, Polystichum polyblepharum, has very delicate foliage and is evergreen. There are several other native ferns that are

great aesthetic additions to the shade garden including the lady fern, Athyrium felixfemina; the maidenhair fern, Adiantum pedatum; and the hayscented fern, Dennstaedtia punctilobula. For moist or damp parts of the garden both the royal fern, Osmunda regalis, and the cinnamon fern, Osmundastrum cinnamomeum, will thrive in these conditions. All ferns are noted for their dissected fronds which add a finer texture to the garden. They are perfectly juxtaposed against bolder foliaged plants like hostas, Solomon’s seal and the hardy fall blooming perennial begonia, Begonia grandis. All ferns are also deer resistant. While perennials with variegation can brighten a shade garden, there are many woodland plants that also bring an abundance of flowers to the shade garden. The native foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia, is a ground covering perennial with spikes of fragrant white

flowers in May. ‘Brandywine’ is a selection with a burgundy blotch of the leaf. Hellebores are a favorite for their winter flowers. The Christmas rose, Helleborus niger, emerges with pure white flowers in December-January. The Lenten rose, Helleborus x hybridus, has cup-shaped flowers in white, yellow, pink, and maroon in March.

Editor’s Note: Andrew Bunting is Vice President of Horticulture for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. He is one of the most recognized horticulturists in the Philadelphia, Pa., region and a highly regarded colleague in the world of professional horticulture. Bunting has amassed a plethora of awards, including the American Public Gardens Association Professional Citation, Chanticleer Scholarship in Professional Development, Delaware Center for Horticulture’s Marion Marsh Award, and the Certificate of Merit from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. In addition, Bunting has lectured extensively throughout North America and Europe, and participated in plant expeditions throughout Asia and Africa. Learn more at https://phsonline.org/team/ andrew-bunting

Toro Unleashes Lynx® Drive Golf Irrigation Software

Toro is proud to announce the availability of Lynx® Drive — a completely reimagined, mobilefirst approach to golf irrigation software. Designed specifically for golf course superintendents, the allnew Lynx Drive is now available for order.

The new Lynx Drive is an entirely renewed system designed for real-time, on-the-go control. No matter where they are on the course, Lynx Drive puts irrigation management directly into a superintendent’s hands. Field tested on a wide range of courses, including Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia, the system has gained popularity for its usability and efficiency.

“Toro continues to design top-tier solutions for irrigation management that play a vital role in our ability to maintain our revolutionary, reversible course,” says Kyle Macdonald, superintendent of Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta, Georgia. “The new Lynx Drive system makes it possible to respond to issues in real time with nearly pinpoint accuracy while keeping the entire crew updated on needed actions.”

With Lynx Drive, superintendents can

immediately respond to changing course conditions, shifting weather and unexpected emergencies — all from a mobile device. Designed for easy use on smartphones and tablets, the streamlined layout of Lynx Drive highlights the features used daily to optimize irrigation management. The incredibly intuitive display includes larger text and high-quality images with bright colors for enhanced visibility and detail.

The Lynx Drive system ensures the entire crew is informed, minimizing delays and eliminating guesswork. Smart Notes provides immediate communication with detailed notes, photos and team transparency. The ability to include a device name makes it possible to identify who performed each action, while time-stamped photos add valuable detail. Smart Notes maintains a full notes history for up to one year for easy reference.

Smart Notes and flags help to pinpoint reports and match them to an exact station on the map, ensuring precise adjustments in the correct location. All alerts and a detailed course map are visible to the entire crew on both mobile and desktop platforms

for fast, coordinated action. Expanded mapping integration enables users to include files that can be shared through mobile and desktop programs. This leads to streamlined communications, more efficient operations and greater productivity every day.

"We previewed Lynx Drive at the GCSAA Show and are thrilled to get it in the hands of the superintendents it was designed for," says John Dalman, senior product marketing manager at Toro. "This revolutionary system will change the way courses perform preventative and reactive maintenance, improving course conditions and crew collaboration."

Lynx Drive is currently compatible with twowire Lynx Smart Module (LSM) systems. Support for additional platforms, such as satellite and hybrid, will be introduced with future releases.

Lynx Drive sets the standard for innovative irrigation management systems with on-thego controls, faster response times and connected communication for precision and productivity.

To learn more about incorporating Lynx Drive into your course operations, visit lynxdrive.toro.com.

NRCS-NJ Now Accepting Applications for 2026 Program Offerings

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New Jersey is now accepting FY2026 applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

While NRCS accepts applications year-round, New Jersey producers and landowners should apply by October 17, 2025 to be considered for funding in the current cycle.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers with one-on-one help and financial assistance to plan and implement conservation practices to address a variety of issues such as water quality degradation, soil erosion, soil quality degradation and inadequate habitat for fish and wildlife.

Special initiatives include:

• Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) - Golden Winged-Warbler

• The National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) Program

AMA is a voluntary conservation program available to beginning and limited resource farmers, small farms, and producers who have had limited participation in other USDA financial assistance programs. Producers eligible for AMA can apply for financial and technical assistance to voluntarily address resource issues such as water management, water quality, and erosion control by incorporating conservation into their farming operations.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Agricultural producers and forest landowners looking to build on conservation efforts while strengthening their operation can apply for technical and financial assistance through CSP. CSP is for working lands including cropland, pastureland, and nonindustrial private forest land. Participating farmers will further address priority resource concerns related to soil quality, water quality, air quality, and plant health. On-farm benefits include increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife population improvements, and better resilience to weather variables. For producers who are already taking steps to improve the condition of their land, CSP can help them find ways to meet their goals.

Applications are available through your local USDA Service Center and online at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ getting-assistance/get-started-with-nrcs

While NRCS accepts applications year-round, if you apply after the program ranking date, your application will automatically be considered during future funding cycles.

In the Chef’s Corner

By Andy Lagana Chef

Summer Garden Veggie Lasagna

Greetings, Gardener News readers! Can you believe how quickly summer is going? It truly feels like this year has flown by, a sentiment that seems to echo more and more with each passing season.

As the days grow a little shorter and we start to feel the first hints of autumn in the air, I’m excited to share a recipe that captures the abundance of your late-summer harvest: my Summer Garden Veggie Lasagna. This dish isn’t just a meal -- it’s a celebration of the delicious produce you’ve nurtured in your gardens all season long. (And if you haven’t, a visit to the farmers’ market will work just fine.)

This version is packed with vibrant, in-season vegetables. You’ll find generous layers of tender zucchini, sweet summer squash, and rich eggplant, all of which are typically at their peak right now and can be harvested through September. In fact, many gardeners find their eggplant plants continue to yield fruit even into October. This lasagna is perfect for family dinners or entertaining friends. I hope you enjoy making and sharing it as much as I do.

Set aside the ingredients of 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil – divided, 3/4 pounds each of the aforementioned zucchini, summer squash and eggplant (approximately 2 for each and with their ends trimmed, thinly sliced crosswise between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick), Kosher salt, 15 no-boil lasagna noodles (1 box), 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons allpurpose flour, 1 quart whole milk, 2 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1 quart homemade

or store-bought crushed tomatoes, 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese - torn into rough chunks, and a handful of basil leaves.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until shimmering. Working in batches and being sure not to crowd the pan, add zucchini, season with salt, and cook, turning, until just tender and browned in spots, about 4 minutes per batch. Add more oil as needed to prevent pan from drying out, and adjust heat as needed throughout to maintain a very hot, but not heavily smoking, pan. Transfer each batch to a baking sheet and spread in an even layer to cool, then transfer cooled slices to a second baking sheet or plate. Repeat with remaining zucchini, squash, and eggplant until all vegetables are lightly browned.

Place lasagna noodles in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and cover with hot water. Let noodles soak while you prepare the white sauce, agitating them every few minutes to prevent sticking, about 20 minutes total.

Then, heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add flour and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring butter and flour with a whisk until pale golden blond, about one minute. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in milk. Continue to cook, whisking frequently, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and add Parmigiano-Reggiano. Whisk until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside. Season crushed tomatoes to taste with salt. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust rack

to center position. Transfer noodles to a clean kitchen towel or layer with paper towels to dry them. Dry the casserole dish carefully and brush with olive oil. Spread a thin layer of crushed tomatoes on the bottom of the baking dish. Layer with 3 lasagna noodles. Top with 1/4 of eggplant, zucchini, and squash, 1/5 of crushed tomatoes, and 1/5 of white sauce. Repeat layers three more times. Place the final lasagna noodles on top and spread with remaining crushed tomatoes and white sauce. Scatter mozzarella evenly over surface and add basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.

Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, uncover, and continue baking until lightly browned on top. Remove from oven, let rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve. With regard to wine pairing, a dry white wine with good acidity is generally a great choice. Options like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or even a lighter-bodied Chardonnay can complement the flavors without overpowering them. And following a savory and cheesy summer vegetable lasagna, a lighter and refreshing dessert is ideal to cleanse the palate and provide a satisfying end to the meal. Some great choices include Fresh Fruit with Whipped Cream, where the natural sweetness of berries or other seasonal fruit combined with airy whipped cream provides a nice contrast to the lasagna. Other good selections are a fruity Sorbet or Gelato, Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream, or a delicious Fruit Tart. Enjoy!

Recently, on a blisteringly hot Wednesday afternoon in July, a motorist who was not paying attention drove off the road and hit a pole, which caused the power lines and transformers to fall into the roadway. When this happened, it caused the fuses on the transformer to trip which, in turn, caused our farm market as well as the surrounding area to lose power.

Thankfully, there were no serious injuries to the occupants of the vehicle. But still, our farm market was without electricity and the road in front of our farm market was then closed so that customers could not get into our parking lot.

Fortunately, we have a generator which is strong enough to power almost everything in the market (we had to refrain from using our irrigation well). On a July afternoon with temperatures in the midnineties, we were forced to move pretty fast in order to ensure that all our refrigeration unit and display coolers, as well as our walk-in-freezer, were powered back up before their contents would be compromised. But even though it was very hot, we did have a few things working

My appreciation for shade trees has certainly changed over the years. Like many gardeners, it was a group of plants I valued yet rarely planted. Of course, perspectives change, and I am now a huge proponent of planting shade trees.

I have grown especially fond of trees that can tolerate the abuse of tough sites and are beneficial to wildlife. Hackberry, or Celtis occidentalis, was a shade tree I learned in school, although it was often maligned as second-rate. Experience has since taught me different!

Celtis is a genus of woody plants with between 60-70 species found in temperate climates throughout the world. A member of the Cannabaceae or Hemp Family, the plant was described in 1753 by the Swedish botanist and physician Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). The Roman naturalist and army officer Gaius Plinius Secundus, better known as Pliny the Elder (AD23/24-79) had incorrectly named a plant Celtis that he believed to be the famed Lotus fruit in Greek Mythology. Perhaps owing to the edible fruits of Hackberry or other reasons unknown, Linnaeus assigned the ancient name to this tree! The species epithet means western and

The Town Farmer

By Peter Melick Agricultural Producer

When the Power Goes Out

in our favor that day. First, this occurred during business hours on a weekday. This meant that power company crews were already at work and would not need to be called in from home to repair the damaged lines, which probably saved at least an hour in the restoration process. Also, this was a singular event. It was not a storm event where there would have been multiple widespread outages spread across the entire region, when the power company must pick and choose where their crews go and work first. (In those types of scenarios, the utility companies usually will identify critical infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, et cetera as priorities for getting their power restored while everyone

else must wait in line.) So, as far as I know, ours was the only outage in the region and crews could focus their full attention on restoring our electricity. It still took several hours to repair the power lines and transformer and reopen the road. Of course, even with our generator providing power, we did very little business because no one could drive into our parking lot. Just a few hardy souls who parked in a neighboring parking lot and walked over were our only customers that afternoon. But, it always could have been worse.

One hundred years ago, my ancestors would have given little thought to an event such as this. In fact, if the power had gone out, there was probably a pretty

good chance that they would not have even known it because they would have been working out in the fields at that time of day. Also, there were very few items on the farm at that time which actually required electricity. Sure, there were lights and some household appliances, but there was nowhere near the reliance that we have on electricity today. Refrigeration was done by using the cool groundwater in a springhouse to act as the main source of cooling farm products such as milk and butter. Ice that had been cut and put away in an icehouse during the winter was also a way to keep items cool. Eggs and most produce were not generally refrigerated. They were simply kept in a cool place like a cellar or in the shade. Any

Morris County Park Commission

By Bruce Crawford Horticultural Manager

Experience is the Best Teacher

without doubt, the plant is native to areas West of Sweden, inhabiting regions from New Hampshire south to North Carolina and west to North Dakota and Oklahoma. Throughout its native range, Hackberry is found growing in moist lowlands near streams and on dry, rocky slopes and bluffs. It was its ability to thrive under such diverse conditions that sparked my initial interest in the tree. Plants are capable of growing 40-70 feet tall by 50-60 feet wide, with the larger specimens endemic to moister soils. The tree’s habit also caught my attention. Although loosely pyramidal in youth, it matures into an attractive semiarching tree. Along the outside of the canopy, the smaller branchlets drape downward and soften the overall appearance of the plant.

Come fall, the 2-5 inch long by 3 inch wide foliage turns a light, buttery yellow.

The bark is another wonderful attribute. In youth, the bark develops very pronounced corky ridges that run vertically along the trunk. The ridges can rise to 1 inch tall and are separated by valleys of greenish bark featuring numerous brown lenticels. Although the ‘elevation’ of the ridges diminishes with age, the bark retains an interesting platy and ridged appearance when mature, providing attractive winter interest.

Come spring, the light green flowers appear, coinciding with the first flush of foliage. The trees are primarily monoecious, meaning they produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. The flowers are ¼ inch in diameter

perishable fruits or vegetables that needed to be kept for any length of time were generally canned.

Of course, now we are fully reliant on keeping our cold chain intact. And this means that we need a steady uninterrupted supply of electricity. Most growers as well as other businesses and even homeowners have come to the realization that there is too much to lose if there is a power outage for any extended period of time. And generators have gone from being a luxury to becoming a necessity. Who’s ready for hurricane season?

Editor’s Note: Peter Melick is co-owner of Melick’s Town Farm in Oldwick and a 10th-generation New Jersey farmer. Peter is Mayor of Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County, NJ. He also served as a director for the New Jersey Farm Bureau and is a past president of the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture. Peter has also been featured on NJN, News 12 New Jersey and on the Fox Business Network.

psyllids mature and emerge from the galls in autumn, they become a food source for resident and migratory birds. It is also prone to Witches Brooms, the result of a fungus that causes a proliferation of small branches at the branch tips. Although both can be deemed unsightly, neither is harmful to the tree.

and within several weeks, ¼ inch round green fruits can be seen gracing the branches. Come fall, the fruit ripens and transitions to a dark maroon. It is these fruits that inspired the common name of Hackberry. The European Bird Cherry, Prunus padus, bears fruit that is beloved by birds and is called Hagberry in Scotland. Noticing the resemblance of the fruit to that of Celtis, the early settlers called the tree Hagberry which over time transitioned to Hackberry! Not only are the fruits eaten by birds, but were historically enjoyed by Native American communities who made them into jams and rubs for meats.

Hackberry thrives in zone 3-9 and the foliage is prone to small galls formed by tiny, winged insects called psyllids. As the

It was actually the Witches Brooms and Galls that earned Celtis occidentalis a less than glowing description in my woody plants class. To be honest, even though I have numerous specimens growing around my home, I rarely notice either issue. What I do notice is an attractive tree growing in harsh conditions with jamming bark that benefits wildlife. Yes, experience is the best teacher and my experience with Hackberry has taught me why it is a first-rate tree for your garden!

Editor’s Note: Bruce Crawford is a lover of plants since birth, is the Manager of Horticulture for the Morris County Parks Commission, and a Past President of the Garden State Gardens Consortium. He can be reached at BCrawford@ morrisparks.net

If you missed the NJ Contractors Showcase Expo (NJCSE) this year, you truly missed something special With over 500 attendees — our highest turnout ever — the energy at County College of Morris was electric from start to finish.

One of the day’s highlights was a special appearance by Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who took time to meet with NJLCA members and guests to discuss the pressing issues impacting the landscape, hardscape, and nursery industries. His presence underscored the importance of our industry’s voice in shaping New Jersey’s future.

In the education arena,

The NJLCA Today

By Gail Woolcott Executive Director

NJCSE 2025 Recap: A Record-Breaking Day for the Landscape Industry!

Braen Supply and Ardex offered an informative and forward-thinking class on Capillary Passive Drainage, giving attendees

valuable insights and realworld applications they could bring back to their businesses.

Meanwhile, the demo area was buzzing with activity. Dozens of hands-on contests, equipment tryouts, and live demonstrations drew crowds and sparked friendly competition. Whether it was trying out a new tool, learning about new installation techniques, or testing speed and skill, there was something for every pro.

New Jersey Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Jack Ciattarelli, left center, speaks with landscape professionals at the 5th annual New Jersey Contractors Showcase Expo (NJCSE). Ciattarelli discussed the pressing issues impacting the landscape, hardscape, and nursery industries. NJCSE is a comprehensive equipment, green and outdoor living, hardscape, horticultural, and landscape trade show expo. NJCSE supports the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association’s Education Fund, which provides scholarships to students of higher education in the green and outdoor living industries. The one day expo was held on August 6, 2025, at the County College of Morris in Randolph, Morris County, NJ.

chance to enjoy a fun-filled day of golf, networking, food, drinks, and prizes— all while supporting the landscape industry. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time golfer, you’ll enjoy a spectacular course, exciting contests, and camaraderie like no other. Don’t miss out on this silver anniversary celebration— register today and be part of NJLCA history!

Lunch was a hit — grilled on-site by our incredible past and present NJLCA board members. The smoky aroma and great company created a relaxed atmosphere perfect for networking and catching up with industry friends.

Back in the main concourse, dozens of vendors showcased the latest in supplies, services, and innovations. From equipment dealers to plant material suppliers, attendees were able to meet faceto-face with key contacts and explore new business opportunities.

And did we mention the weather? Hazy skies and occasional sunshine made the entire day feel more like a celebration than a trade show. With happy vendors, packed demo areas, great food, and powerful connections, NJCSE 2025 was a true success.

If you weren’t there — we missed you, but don’t worry. We’ll be back next year, bigger and better. Mark your calendars now, because NJCSE isn’t just a trade show — it’s where the industry comes to grow.

Up next, ready to hit the greens and celebrate a milestone—NJLCA’s 25th Annual Golf Challenge is on October 8th at Wild Turkey at Crystal Springs Resort, and it’s bigger and better than ever! This is your

In the meantime, we’re gearing up for two of our most anticipated events of the year—the 25th Annual Landscape Achievement Awards, and our Holiday Gala and Awards Dinner. Contractors across the state are selecting and preparing their finest projects for what promises to be a highly competitive awards season. To mark the occasion, we’re bringing a fresh twist to the celebration—this year’s Gala will be held at The Tides Estate in North Haledon, offering an elegant new setting and an exciting culinary experience to match.

Then we roll right into winter trade show season again with Landscape New Jersey 2026 on February 25th at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, where everyone who is anyone comes out for a day of learning, networking and new products and services.

The industry is a busy one, as is the association that supports it all. We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events and remind you that the NJLCA is here for you all year round!

Editor’s Note: Gail Woolcott is the Executive Director for the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association. Gail was presented with a community service award from the Borough of Fairview, New Jersey for her assistance in leading the 9-11 Memorial Park project and the Legislative Champion of the Year award from the Federation of Employers and Workers of America. She can be reached at 201-703-3600 or by emailing gwoolcott@ njlca.org.

Two N.J. State Board of Agriculture Members Seated and N.J. State Board of Agriculture Reorganizes

farms. They were sworn in by Senator John Burzichelli and Assemblywomen Heather Simmons.

(Continued from page 1)

Barile, along with her brother, Blair Bakker, co-founded Rabbit Hill Malt on part of their family’s fifth-generation

farm in Shiloh, Cumberland County. After a few years struggling to grow hops, the duo hit upon a solution of developing a floor malting operation to support local brewers and distillers seeking locally grown, high-quality ingredients for their beverages, and the concept took off. On her way to joining the Board, she was named Outstanding Young Farmer for New Jersey in 2021, and in 2022 on the national level.

Holly Sytsema and her husband, Will, who was New Jersey’s Outstanding Young Farmer Award winner in 2009, own and operate Windy Flats Farm in Wantage, Sussex County. It is a thirdand fourth-generation 800-acre farm, formerly operated as a dairy farm but now specializing in beef, grains, and game birds. She has served on the Sussex County Board of Agriculture and is a member of the Sussex County Milk Producers, Sussex County Ag Society, New Jersey Holstein Association, and the New Jersey Farm Bureau. She also served three terms on the Farm Service Agency, County Committee.

Members of the State Board of

Agriculture are elected by delegates from the agriculture community to the legislatively established annual State Agricultural Convention in February, then are recommended to the Governor for appointment to the Board with the approval of the State Senate. Farmermembers of the State Fish and Game Council are also selected at the convention.

Editor’s Note: Tom Castronovo is executive editor and publisher of Gardener News. Tom’s lifelong interest in gardening and passion for agriculture, environmental stewardship, gardening, and landscaping, led to the founding of the Gardener News, which germinated in April 2003 and continues to bloom today. He is also dedicated to providing inspiration and education to the agricultural, gardening, landscaping, nursery, and outdoor living communities through this newspaper and GardenerNews.com.

The Garden Historian

By Lesley Parness Garden Educator

The Patriot & The Plant: Andrew Jackson Downing, Garden Tastemaker & Influencer

Considering the impact this month’s The Patriot and the Plant protagonist had, it’s hard to understand why no one knows his name. Andrew Jackson Downing (1815–1852) was a horticulturist, landscape designer, and author. More than that, he was an influencer, a style maker, and an “*Apostle of Taste” for a young nation hungry to find its aesthetic place in the world.

By the time he was 17, Downing had published 70 magazine articles, and with his brother owned the Charles Botanical Gardens and Nursery in Newburgh, NY. No mere small family concern, this nursery was a mecca for plant lovers around the world. By age 26, his renown was so great that his book “A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening” became an immediate best seller. It was the first book to specifically address American growing conditions, and the first attempt to develop an American gardening aesthetic.

The book’s success enabled him to practice his craft on rural estates and suburban plots from Maine to South Carolina. Before I go off in this direction, let me point out his many contributions to American public gardens. “Plant spacious parks in your cities, and loose their gates as wide as the morning, to the whole people,” encouraged Downing, an early advocate for green space. His plans for Boston eventually became “The Emerald Necklace.” His plans for Washington, DC eventually became the National Mall. His plans for New York City eventually became Central Park, of which the actual designer, Frederick Law Olmstead, proclaimed Downing the “originator.” In fact, Olmstead and his partner Calvert Vaux considered Downing their beloved mentor.

Now to his design work.

Downing had several platforms –his books and The Horticulturist. The Horticulturist: A Journal of Rural Art & Rural Taste, of which he was the founding Editor (18461852), was America’s first magazine about landscape gardening and the most widely read in the nation. In these, and his popular public talks, Downing promoted a naturalistic style of landscape design as the alternative to the classical geometry of European gardens. Borrowing England’s “picturesque” design principles, he adapted the English aesthetic to an American climate and its social institutions.

These were his preceptsAmericans should use American building materials, so he promoted wood from native tree species. America was not aristocratic, so his designs included plans for middleand lower-class cottages and gardens as well as for the wealthy. Yes, he designed homes as well as gardens and married the two perfectly. With Manifest Destiny well underway, more Americans were building homes in the growing suburbs surrounding urban centers. To build these homes, the public poured over builders’ manuals. These pattern books were the “howto” guides of their era. They were important resources for construction techniques and design details, and Downing’s pattern books, “Cottage Residences” and “The Architecture of Country Houses,” were among the most highly regarded. He strove to create an American architecture and landscape style, unique from England and Europe. He rebranded these books, originally for carpenters, for homeowners and shaped middle-class taste more completely than Martha Stewart ever could hope to, aiming to elevate the taste of homeowners and inspire BEAUTY (he sure liked capitals) in their daily lives.

In addition to his design work

and his writing, he was also quite the pomologist. “Fine fruit is the flower of commodities. It is the most perfect union of the useful and the beautiful that the earth knows.” said he. His Newburgh nursery offered 200 varieties of pears and 150 kinds of apples. He annually published the sought-after “Fruits and Fruit Trees of America” for many years, which introduced standardized nomenclature for many fruits as well as comprehensive classification systems and the most accurate descriptions available. His 1850 campaign established the American Pomological Congress, the first national organization of its kind, which set universal quality standards, dispensed information about apples, and devised marketing strategies.

Downing was invited by President Millard Fillmore to design the National Mall in Washington, DC. His plans for a Marble Arch, a President’s Park, A Monument Park, an Evergreen Garden, a Pleasure Grounds, a Fountain Park, and a Suspension Bridge, sadly came to nothing as the nation mourned his untimely death at the age of just 37 in a fire on the Henry Clay River Boat as it plied the Hudson River. Want to know more? Read Robert Twombley’s excellent biography, “*Apostle of Taste.” Or visit Springside in Poughkeepsie, NY. The Gothic Revival home of Matthew Vassar (founder of the school with the same name) is planted with 1000+ forest trees which have become Downings prophecy – “a realization of a painter’s dream.” Finally, pay your respects at the Downing Urn in the Enid A. Haupt Garden in DC and repeat his wish for all Americans - “To inspire in the minds of my readers and countrymen more lively perceptions of the BEAUTIFUL, in everything that relates to our houses and grounds.”

Editor’s Note: Lesley Parness offers a variety of presentations and workshops for garden clubs, plant societies, and horticultural gatherings. Recently retired from her position as Superintendent of Horticultural Education at the Morris County Park Commission, and with four decades of teaching environmental science and garden education, her focus now is garden history. A complete listing of her talks can be seen at lesleyparness.com and she can be reached at parness@verizon.net. This column will appear in the paper every other month.

Bobcat® T7X Electric Compact Track Loader

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Steve.Caputo@NJBobcat.com

The Northeastern Association of State Departments of Agriculture convenes the following 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Vermont Cheesemakers Awarded 49 Ribbons at the National 2025

Annual American Cheese Society Competition

Cheese Society Awards. Jasper Hill Farm's Withersbrook

HARD CIDER FESTIVAL

were awarded to Vermont cheesemakers across various categories in the competition. The American Cheese Society Judging & Competition, takes place in June each year.

The 2025 ACS competition saw 9 Vermont cheesemakers along with two collaborations with Wegmans Food Stores (Rochester, NY) and Murray’s Cheese (New York, NY) awarded 49 ribbons at the American Cheese Society Conference in Sacramento, California.

Awarded Vermont cheesemakers were Boston Post Dairy, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, Fat Sheep Farm, Grafton Village Cheese, Jasper Hill Farm, Shelburne

Farms, Spring Brook Farm, von Trapp Farmstead, and Vermont Creamery, including one 2nd Place Best in Show for Jasper Hill Farm’s Withersbrook Blue.

The American Cheese Society (ACS) is the leading organization supporting the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of farmstead, artisan, and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas. Since its founding in 1983, ACS hosts North America’s foremost annual cheese-based educational conference, and worldrenowned cheese judging and competition. This year’s event was held in Sacramento, CA, nicknamed The City of Cheese. The conference alternates each year between coasts and the middle of the country. Next year’s ACS event will take place in Louisville, KY on July 7- July 10, 2026.

Fifteen Vermont cheesemakers submitted cheeses for judging at the prestigious competition this year, due in part

DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE NEWS

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

New Jersey One Health Task Force Approves Strategic Plan and New Jersey Department of Agriculture Announces OneHealthConnect Listserv

At its May 23, 2025, quarterly public meeting, the New Jersey One Health Task Force (OHTF) approved its first Strategic Plan.

New Jersey was the first state in the nation to legislate a One Health initiative by establishing the OHTF (P.L. 2021, Chapter 117). “One Health” is a concept that recognizes the strong connections and interdependencies between human, animal, and environmental health, and calls for a collaborative, multisector, and transdisciplinary approach. The OHTF is comprised of members representing a variety of disciplines, including human and veterinary medicine, public health, epidemiology, and academic research. Read more about One Health and New Jersey’s One Health Task Force on the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) website.

The Strategic Plan sets forth six major goals for the OHTF to accomplish:

1) Strengthening One Health Coordination and Collaboration,

2) Stimulating Interdisciplinary Health Research and Innovation,

3) Developing a One Health Cognizant Workforce,

4) Increasing Public Awareness of the Importance of One Health,

5) Improving Data Accessibility Across Sectors and Disciplines, and

6) Ensuring Sustainability for the One Health Approach in New Jersey.

Each goal is supported by underlying short-term (one-year) or longer-term (3-5 year) objectives. The Task Force’s Strategic Planning Committee will revisit and revise these goals and objectives annually to assess progress.

“Agriculture sits at the crossroads of human, animal, and environmental health,” said New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Ed Wengryn. “From food safety to animal disease to soil and water quality, each challenge we face is deeply interconnected. By addressing them holistically, we can ensure the resilience of our agricultural systems.”

“Through the One Health Task Force, New Jersey is working to advance our scientific understanding of the complex relationships between public health, our environment, and plant and animal health,” New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said. “This first Strategic Plan will help spur a coordinated, multi-disciplined response to growing threats to wildlife and agricultural commodities, ultimately better protecting public health.”

"Protecting the public’s health requires understanding and responding to diseases and other health threats that spread between people and animals. It also requires recognizing how these challenges impact ourglobally connected environment,” said New Jersey Department of Health Acting Commissioner Jeff Brown. “This strategic plan puts New Jersey at the vanguard of science and public health, providing a roadmap for building the infrastructure that will undergird this complex and essential work.”

As reported at the May 23 meeting, several Strategic Plan objectives are actively underway, and more are planned in the near future. The New Jersey OHTF looks forward to its work with the goal of improving the health of New Jersey residents, animals, plants, and ecosystems.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture also announces the release of a new tool to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration in New Jersey, the OneHealthConnect listserv. Anyone can register for the listserv, and users can choose to receive rolling email updates or weekly digests. The listserv may prove useful in sharing One Health related articles, webinars, and resources; establishing connections between experts in other fields to share data, samples, or ideas; and organizing interdisciplinary projects or grants.

Sign up for OneHealthConnect at https:// www.nj.gov/agriculture/news/press/2025/ approved/press250808.shtml to stay up to date with the NJ One Health initiative!

NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Announces $2.5 Million Available to Expand Urban Farms and Community Gardens

New York State Agriculture

Commissioner Richard A. Ball announced $2.5 million is available through New York State’s Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program. Now in its third round, the program is designed to support community growing spaces and their contributions to local food resiliency and food security for New Yorkers. The program will support projects geared toward the development and enhancement of urban farms, school gardens, and community gardens across the state. Funding for the program was included in the FY 2025 and 2026 Budgets and builds on Governor Kathy Hochul’s commitment to increasing affordability and food access for all New Yorkers.

Commissioner Ball said, “One of our priorities at the Department is making sure that more New Yorkers have fresh, nutritious foods available in their communities, and our Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program is one piece in that puzzle. Over the first two rounds, we’ve seen some incredible projects come to fruition, and I’m excited to see that progress continue in the third round, with even more funding dedicated to this great program. I encourage all eligible community organizations to consider applying.”

Funding through the Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program will help offset costs associated with projects that focus on food production, food safety, and food distribution, while creating a lasting impact on local food resiliency. Funds may be used to fund worker wages, contractual expenses,

equipment, and other operating expenses. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, notfor-profit educational institutions, municipal government entities, and Indian tribal organizations.

New York is home to more than 3,000 registered or permitted urban and community gardens. The Department of Agriculture and Markets helps foster greener, healthier communities by connecting gardening groups with state or local agencies to facilitate the use of available land as growing spaces.

The Urban Farms and Community Gardens Grant Program is one initiative in an array of programs implemented by New York State to build a more resilient food system. New York continues to support several groundbreaking programs that focus on improving access to locally grown foods including through its 2026 Budget, including the Nourish NY program, the 30 Percent NYS Initiative for school meals, and the Farm-toSchool program. Additionally, this year’s Budget included the third round of funding as part of the Regional School Food Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides $50 million over five years to support regional cooking facilities that will facilitate the use of fresh New York State farm products in meal preparation for K-12 school children. Applications are due September 5, 2025 at 4:00 pm.

For more information on the program and how to apply, visit agriculture.ny.gov/rfa-0344-urbanfarms-and-community-gardensgrant-program.

It’s a Jersey Shore Thing

Senate bill number S216 and identical Assembly bill number A3034 have cleared their respective committees. The legislation directs the New Jersey Department of Agriculture to advertise and promote State aquaculture products through Jersey Fresh Program.

The bills expand the Jersey Fresh Program to include the promotion of aquaculture products, such as fish and shellfish raised through aquaculture in New Jersey, that meet quality standards set by the Department of Agriculture. It requires the department to develop a specific quality grading system for aquaculture products, separate from the one used for wild-caught seafood, and consistent with the grading system used for other agricultural commodities under the program. The bill also provides an annual appropriation of $25,000 from the General Fund to the department to support the advertisement and promotion of aquaculture products through the Jersey Fresh Program.

The legislation now needs to pass in both houses. The Legislature consists of two Houses, a 40-member Senate and an 80-member General Assembly.

After legislative passage, the bill is sent to the Governor. The Governor may sign it, conditionally veto it (returning it for changes), or veto it absolutely. The Governor may also veto single line items of appropriation bills.

Full Moon

Flower and Plant Growers Mourn the Loss of Loving Family Patriarch

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of husband, father, grandfather and family patriarch, Spiros Epamenondas Hionis.

Spiros Hionis, 86, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at his home in Green Brook, NJ. One of seven children, he was born in Atsoupades, Kefalonia, Greece on November 21, 1939.

Spiros endured the hardships and poverty following World War II (1945) and survived the catastrophic earthquake of 1953. He worked at the family’s olive oil-making business in Atsoupades, Greece, and at 14 he proudly operated the family’s sawmill machine to generate lumber for the rebuilding of houses destroyed by the earthquake. His aspirations for a brighter future led him to join the Hellenic Merchant Navy. Following several travels on commercial ships, he decided to settle in the U.S. in 1963 where he began to work tirelessly at a bakery in the daytime and at a greenhouse at night where he learned the trade.

In 1965 he partnered with his brother Panagis and brother-in-law Michalis to purchase their first greenhouse in Middlesex, NJ and then expanded to Green Brook, NJ with three locations. Subsequently, Spiros met his charming wife, Angeliki, whom he married in 1970. Sharing a passion for horticulture and a vision for growth, Spiros and Angeliki established Hionis Greenhouses in 1985 in Bridgewater, NJ. Hionis Greenhouses has been growing ever since as Spiros and Angeliki successfully transmitted to their

September 7, 2025

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four sons a legacy of hard work and commitment to excellence. Their sons took over the business in 1997 and relocated to Whitehouse Station, NJ where it remains to date. The operation now has 18 acres of undercover greenhouse production and 65 acres of outdoor production at multiple sites, serving consumers throughout the country. Spiros would show up daily to oversee operations and was most proud of his sons’ accomplishments.

This May, Spiros celebrated Hionis Greenhouses’ 40th Year in business, which filled him with much joy. He enjoyed summers in Kefalonia, travelling the world and spending time with his family, koumbaroi, and friends. Spiros (and Angeliki) also supported philanthropic activities with a focus on promoting Greek heritage and education.

He is predeceased by his parents Efthimios and Violeta, siblings Pavlo, Dionisi, Konstantina, twin sister Roxani, and Panagis, and is survived by his loving wife Angeliki Hionis, children Pete and Lynn Hionis, Tim and Nora Hionis, Spiro and Danielle Hionis, and Gerry and Dora Hionis. Spiros Hionis also leaves behind 12 adoring grandchildren: Angeliki, Marianthe, Elizabeth, Roxanne, Nondas, Angelos, Angeliki, Lydia, Constantina, Joanne, Spiros, and Vivianna Hionis. He is also survived by his sister Marianthe Hionis and many nieces and nephews in the U.S. and Greece.

May he rest in eternal peace among the angels and may his memory be eternal!

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