The Long Island Rail Road Demonstration Farm was an American demonstration farm project on Long Island, New York. It was conducted by the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) in the early years of the 20th-century. Experimental Station No. 1 was built up in the North Shore pine barrens at Wading River by the Wading River station (1905-1928), and Station No. 2, cleared from the middle Long Island scrub-oak wastes at Medford by the Medford station (1907-1927). [1] [2]
The hundreds of thousands of acres of "Scrub oak wastes" and "pine barrens" located on Long Island were available for fertile small home garden plots. What had been missing for many was "know how" and for this reason, Ralph Peters, president of the LIRR decided to develop a demonstration farm where any Long Island farmer could go and absorb all the ideas in sight as well as gain information regarding the ideas underground. [1]
It was the object of this demonstration farm, to show the small farm or market gardener that he need not go to a territory distant from New York to test new vegetables and other growths showing promise, new varieties of regular species in order to compare yields, qualities and salability, in order to secure the greatest profit from their acres. The demonstration farm would be used to understand the cause of so-called blights and rots, and by careful experiments, to endeavor to prevent entirely or reduce as much as possible their injurious effects and consequent financial loss to the Long Island grower. In addition, it would try the many insecticides and the means of applying them in order to find the best materials and the most satisfactory methods of utilization. [1]
These farms were also established to promote freight business for the LIRR. [2]
In order to demonstrate that the most unprepossessing territory on Long Island could be utilized as a truck farm, or market garden, one of the most desolate, burned-over pieces of land on the North Shore was purchased, after consultation with many old residents and expert growers, who unanimously agreed that the worst piece was a little over a mile west of Wading River station, and contained 18 acres (7.3 ha). Only a few young, half-burned oaks and chestnuts and a few pines showed life. A thick undergrowth of huckleberry and sweet fern covered the soil, which was without leaf-mold or top soil of any description. [1]
In order to at once clear and put this tract into condition to grow on 10 acres (4.0 ha) a large variety of vegetables, berries and fruits, and on 8 acres (3.2 ha), fodder crops, various methods of clearing utilized on Long Island and elsewhere were carefully considered. As the work was not under headway until September 7, 1905, quick methods were necessary and dynamite was selected as the medium, firstly, because by its use not only the stumps but the roots would be torn out of the ground, secondly, that these stumps would be cleared of all dirt, torn apart and hence could be burned at once, the ashes thus secured being spread to "sweeten" the soil. As fast as the acres were cleared, rye was sown, and in 64 working days, which meant the first half of December, the 10 acres (4.0 ha) were cleared, plowed and harrowed, and rye was drilled upon the entire market garden section. [1]
An orchard was set out, also the usual variety of berries and small fruits, rhubarb, asparagus, horse radish and other crops of this kind. Most of this work was done late in November and December. The orchard trees and bushes were protected by drawing up a mound of earth and covering this with loose strawy manure, leaving a space next to the tree trunk to prevent gnawing by mice and other rodents. This method prevented heaving, and no trees were lost and only one strawberry plant out of the 500 planted. [1]
While dynamite thoroughly loosened up the soil and virtually sweetened and aerated it to a depth of from twenty-four to thirty inches, it left many low places in the ground. The plow and the disc harrow would in the course of time even these up, but knowing it would be rather difficult to sow small seed and cultivate crops growing only eighteen inches apart by means of hand-machines, a clod breaker and scraper was used to level up as far as possible in the very limited time. It was, of course, found that as the winter had been a rather open one the roots of the undergrowth had rotted but little. While these would have been of great value could they have been left to decay, it was necessary to take at least those close to the surface of the land. Of every method tried the only thing that worked satisfactorily was a horse hay rake. About two carloads of these roots were raked off each acre immediately and the ashes spread. [1]
The first seed sown was radish. The dry spring making germination slow demonstrated the value of the 5,000 gallon water tank. The radishes and lettuce matured quickly, yielded with great abundance and were of excellent quality. It was anticipated by nearly all that there would be little or no trouble with insects the first year at least. This supposition, however, was quickly proven erroneous. From the Colorado and striped beetle-which arrived on schedule time or a little ahead-through flea beetles, cabbage worm, root maggot, cauliflower blight, cabbage louse, tomato worms and a large number of other insect pests and all the plant diseases, including one or two very rare ones, the fight was continuous. [1]
Two hundred and eighteen varieties of plant life were raised on the Experimental Station within ten months after clearing was commenced. This number included many varieties of apples, peaches, pears, European plums, apricots, nectarines and quinces, also three varieties of raspberries, one of strawberries, two of blackberries, two of currants, two of gooseberries, three of grapes, two of rhubarb, one of asparagus, one of horse radish, one of artichoke and the flowers that are usually grown about the door-yard of a country home. It included also Virginia horse tooth and White Flint corn, sorghum, millet, teosinte, Canada field peas, cow-peas, and alfalfa, all raised to test the value of the so-called "waste lands" for fodder crops. A full line of the usual vegetable seeds were planted and crops all marketed at good prices, ranking in the open market as "extra choice" and "fancy". [1]
Radishes planted April 14 were shipped May 16, peas planted April 14, were shipped June 10, cabbage set out April 16, first shipment July 10, corn April 17, first shipment July 23, carrots planted April 18, first shipment July 17, tomatoes set out May 18, first shipment made July 25. Potatoes yielded from 260 to 280 bushels to the acre. The yield of the sweet corn, string beans, limas, tomatoes and melons was particularly heavy. [1]
The results attained within one year after clearing land considered valueless proved conclusively that this land was particularly suited to the raising of a very wide range of vegetables without any commercial fertilizer whatever. Multiple crops were raised on many of the plots, radishes, string beans, lettuce and corn all growing without aid of fertilizing material other than that in the ground when the first crop was sown. Irrigation by means of sprinklers helped germination in the early spring and matured such crops as radishes, lettuce, carrots and cabbage most satisfactorily. [1]
The success with the fodder crops was better than that with the vegetables. Alfalfa planted late, on June 1, when it began to bloom had reached a height of 26 inches and cut at the rate of 3,700 pounds to the acre. Alfalfa growers and experts, who visited Experimental Station No. 1, said it was way beyond any other growth of alfalfa in the U.S. both as to size of stalk, stand, color and height. [1]
H. B. Fullerton, director of the LIRR agricultural department, acquired 80 acres (32 ha) at Medford. There, Fullerton successfully cultivated 982 varieties of plant life. His experiments and the results of his work became widely known and the farm was visited by agricultural experts from all parts of the U.S. and from Europe. The farm was sold in 1927. [3]
The Long Island Agronomist was issued by the LIRR Company as a "fortnightly record of facts" derived from the company's demonstration farms at Wading River and Medford. [4]
Vegetable farming is the growing of vegetables for human consumption. The practice probably started in several parts of the world over ten thousand years ago, with families growing vegetables for their own consumption or to trade locally. At first manual labour was used but in time livestock were domesticated and the ground could be turned by the plough. More recently, mechanisation has revolutionised vegetable farming with nearly all processes being able to be performed by machine. Specialist producers grow the particular crops that do well in their locality. New methods—such as aquaponics, raised beds and cultivation under glass—are used. Marketing can be done locally in farmer's markets, traditional markets or pick-your-own operations, or farmers can contract their whole crops to wholesalers, canners or retailers.
Alfalfa, also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop. The name alfalfa is used in North America. The name lucerne is more commonly used in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The plant superficially resembles clover, especially while young, when trifoliate leaves comprising round leaflets predominate. Later in maturity, leaflets are elongated. It has clusters of small purple flowers followed by fruits spiralled in two to three turns containing 10–20 seeds. Alfalfa is native to warmer temperate climates. It has been cultivated as livestock fodder since at least the era of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Medford is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 24,247 at the 2020 census.
The radish is a flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its large taproot is commonly used as a root vegetable, although the entire plant is edible and its leaves are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable. Originally domesticated in Asia, radishes are now grown and consumed throughout the world. The radish is sometimes considered to form a species complex with the wild radish, and instead given the trinomial name Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus.
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. The diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically from under 0.40 hectares to some hectares, or sometimes in greenhouses, distinguishes it from other types of farming. A market garden is sometimes called a truck farm in the US.
Roman agriculture describes the farming practices of ancient Rome, during a period of over 1000 years. From humble beginnings, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire expanded to rule much of Europe, northern Africa, and the Middle East and thus comprised many agricultural environments of which the Mediterranean climate of dry, hot summers and cool, rainy winter was the most common. Within the Mediterranean area, a triad of crops were most important: grains, olives, and grapes.
Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad greens.
Corn stover consists of the leaves, stalks, and cobs of corn (maize) plants left in a field after harvest. Such stover makes up about half of the yield of a corn crop and is similar to straw from other cereal grasses; in Britain it is sometimes called corn straw. Corn stover is a very common agricultural product in areas of large amounts of corn production. As well as the non-grain part of harvested corn, the stover can also contain other weeds and grasses. Field corn and sweet corn, two different types of maize, have relatively similar corn stover.
Agriculture in Mongolia constitutes over 10% of Mongolia's annual gross domestic product and employs one-third of the labor force. However, the high altitude, extreme fluctuation in temperature, long winters, and low precipitation provides limited potential for agricultural development. The growing season is only 95 – 110 days. Because of Mongolia's harsh climate, it is unsuited to most cultivation.
Medford is a station in the hamlet of Medford, New York on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road. Medford is located on New York State Route 112 between Peconic Avenue and Long Island Avenue. Access to the station is available from a narrow curving roadway leading off Route 112. This roadway used to connected with the Ohio Avenue intersection until Ohio Avenue was closed north of Peconic Avenue in 2007. It is also accessible from the north end of Oregon Avenue, although the Medford Fire Department periodically closes the Oregon Avenue access road for drills or other exercises.
Olericulture is the science of vegetable growing, dealing with the culture of non-woody (herbaceous) plants for food.
Rabi crops or the rabi harvest, also known as winter crops, are agricultural crops that are sown in winter and harvested in the spring in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Complementary to the rabi crop is the kharif crop, which is grown after the rabi and zaid crops are harvested one after another respectively.
Napa cabbage is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China that is widely used in East Asian cuisine. Since the 20th century, it has also become a widespread crop in Europe, the Americas, and Australia. In much of the world, it is referred to as "Chinese cabbage".
The Wendelin Grimm Farmstead is a historic farm near Victoria, Minnesota, United States, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm is located within the boundaries of Carver Park Reserve.
Wading River was the terminus of the abandoned Wading River Extension on the Port Jefferson Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. This is an abandoned station just outside south of downtown Wading River, and was located on Wading River-Manor Road north of New York State Route 25A.
The production of corn plays a major role in the economy of the United States. The US is the largest corn producer in the world, with 96,000,000 acres (39,000,000 ha) of land reserved for corn production. Corn growth is dominated by west/north central Iowa and east central Illinois. Approximately 13% of its annual yield is exported.
The growth of plants in outer space has elicited much scientific interest. In the late 20th and early 21st century, plants were often taken into space in low Earth orbit to be grown in a weightless but pressurized controlled environment, sometimes called space gardens. In the context of human spaceflight, they can be consumed as food and provide a refreshing atmosphere. Plants can metabolize carbon dioxide in the air to produce valuable oxygen, and can help control cabin humidity. Growing plants in space may provide a psychological benefit to human spaceflight crews. Usually the plants were part of studies or technical development to further develop space gardens or conduct science experiments. To date plants taken into space have had mostly scientific interest, with only limited contributions to the functionality of the spacecraft, however the Apollo Moon tree project was more or less forestry inspired mission and the trees are part of a country's bicentennial celebration.
Mu or Korean radish is a variety of white radish with a firm crunchy texture.
The Vegetable Production System (Veggie) is a plant growth system developed and used by NASA in space environments. The purpose of Veggie is to provide a self-sufficient and sustainable food source for astronauts as well as a means of recreation and relaxation through therapeutic gardening. Veggie was designed in conjunction with ORBITEC and went operational aboard the International Space Station in 2014, with another Veggie module added to the ISS in 2017.
Crop tolerance to seawater is the ability of an agricultural crop to withstand the high salinity induced by irrigation with seawater, or a mixture of fresh water and seawater. There are crops that can grow on seawater and demonstration farms have shown the feasibility. The government of the Netherlands reports a breakthrough in food security as specific varieties of potatoes, carrots, red onions, white cabbage and broccoli appear to thrive if they are irrigated with salt water.
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