Q&A with the Farmer:

J & I Produce is a combination of two farms a short jaunt from one another, accessed by way of winding gravel roads that spill off Indiana’s highway 41. One farm, the “J”, is manned by Jacob Stoltzfus while the other is tended by his younger brother Isaac, “I”. Fourteen years ago Jacob and Isaac starting working this land when their family moved from Lancaster, PA. They were the second Amish family to settle down in the area and now, ages 27 and 29, they own the land and have their own families. While they politely declined to be photographed, they encouraged us to take pictures of their crop and animals. They were jovial and surprisingly hilarious too. Here is just a little of what we found out.

Mercedee Renz: How long has your farm been certified organic?
Isaac Stoltzfus: Well our father certified it. How long ago was that?
Jacob Stoltzfus: It was just before I married. So about six years I’d say.

MR: Why do you farm in this way?
IS: We like it. We don’t use any chemical sprays.
JS: It’s more healthy. We learned from our Dad to stay away from chemicals. You could say we were taught to dislike using chemicals.

MR: Would you say you do it because you are paid better?
IS: Yes, the pay is better for our extra labor. When we don’t use strong chemicals we have to work harder. With the other stuff you go out to field once a week and it lasts. Our biological insecticides are milder and get us out there spraying three times a week.
JS: So we use more of the natural sprays. And put in more labor. Plus we loose more to bugs that just end up coming back every year, like the cucumber beetle.

MR: What are the disadvantages of farming organically?
JS: It’s labor intensive.
IS: And the seasons don’t last as long and the produce doesn’t last as long with the biological sprays. And you have to make sure it stays uncontaminated so that it complies.
JS: Bookwork! I can’t stand all the bookwork.
IS: Well, we’d have to do it anyway.
JS: But not as much.

MR: It’s a common mindset that Amish farms are organic. Is this true?
JS: No. No. Not at all. This is something our father taught us.
IS: It was during the 50’s when all these chemicals came out and people thought it was better and easier. Many of our neighbors think this too.

MR: So what products do you farm?
IS: Whatever people want. Out here in the garden, it all goes to our families and to people who come by.
JS: There’s peas, sweet corn, asparagus, potatoes, carrots, radish, onion, red beets—
IS: Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, apples, and peaches… We going too fast? You getting all this down?
JS: And cherries. 
IS: Did we say green beans?
MR: And to sell to the general public you have—?
IS: Zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.
JS: We’ve had herbs in the past, but not this year.
IS: And Bob has tried to talk us into planting watermelons and cantaloupe too.  

MR: And how do you like working with Goodness Greeness?
IS: That’s a hard question—(laughs).
JS: We like the people. The people are very friendly.
IS: Our truckers don’t like going all the way to Chicago.
JS: We’ve been with you almost the whole time we’ve been certified.

MR: How did you find us?
IS: A friend told us some organic guys were up in Chicago so I tried that 4111 number.
MR: You mean 411?
IS: It’s that number you call and they automatically tell you whatever number you ask for.

MR: Where can the public find your produce?
JS: Customers drive by and buy some.
IS: Plus Wholefoods and you guys.

MR: You’re not at a farmer’s market?
JS: No. But we sometimes go to the Rockville produce auction to sell our extra produce.

MR: Alright gentlemen. Thank you for having me out here.
IS: You’re welcome.
JS: Thanks for coming out.