Robson talks of changing food trends
By:Susan Van Dongen
Editor’s note: This story completes our look at the springtime activities of Neil Robson, a third-generation farmer in the area. Last week, Mr. Robson talked about growing up on the farm and the changes he’s seen. We’ll visit Mr. Robson again in the summer as we continue our look at a year in the life of a Northern Burlington County farmer.
NORTH HANOVER Aside from troublesome weather, Neil Robson said one of the other difficulties of farming is anticipating changes in food trends.
"For example, people want these grape tomatoes right now," said Mr. Robson. These are the sweet, grape-sized tomatoes that are popular in restaurant, salad bars and as finger food.
"It’s like a craze," he said. "They’re replacing the cherry tomatoes."
However, Mr. Robson said the Jersey beefsteak tomato has nothing to fear from this trend.
"Nothing will replace the slicing tomato, especially Jersey tomatoes," he said. "It’s always been popular crop."
Consumers’ taste in corn is going through a transition as well, from the flavorful but tougher yellow corn, to the sweet white corn.
"When local yellow corn comes in, we don’t get as much enthusiasm as we used to," said Mr. Robson. "We’re trying to grow the Southern kind of corn, the sweeter variety. The kernels are white or bicolored, or even red, and the consumers want this."
Mr. Robson added that geneticists also have come out with new breeds of corn that look like Indian corn traditionally used for decoration in the fall but taste like the white corn.
Mr. Robson also talked about how different kinds of leaf lettuce replaced the iceberg lettuce as a food favorite, and how bagged lettuces and other produce have impacted the traditional vegetable farmer and farm market.
"The prepared items are big, especially with families where both parents work," he said. "And even thought the bagged stuff is expensive, people will pay for the convenience."
The availability of pre-packaged and prepared produce is an expanding phenomenon, according to Mr. Robson. The super grocery stores make it easier for consumers do their one-stop shopping.
"This way they don’t have to make a separate stop at the farm market for their produce," said Mr. Robson. "In many areas it’s putting farm markets out of business. Fortunately, this area still has customers who like to come to the farm markets."
These are more than enough hurdles for a farmer to think about. But then there are the more straightforward economic concerns, such as the inflation of land prices, and the encroachment of development.
These are both reasons why Mr. Robson has praise for the county’s Farmland Preservation Program.
"The program has been very good for me, and without it there would be no way that I could continue farming," said Mr. Robson. "Land values are way out of control right now, and there’s a tremendous demand from developers."
Farmers are tempted to sell their land for exorbitant fees, as much as $250,000-$300,000 an acre in northern New Jersey, Mr. Robson said.
He himself was able to purchase 184 acres of deed restricted property in 1997, through the Farmland Preservation Program, land which stands just across Route 537 from the family house.
"We had farmed this land for 30 years, but through the preservation program, it made it possible for us to be competitive," said Mr. Robson. "Land is still the most critical ingredient for farmers, and we need as much of it as possible.
"It’s essential for future generations to make farmland affordable. It’s essential for the future of agriculture."
The farmland may be there, but Mr. Robson wonders if the future farmers will be available.
In a society where professional athletes pull in multimillion dollar salaries per year, where high technology can make a person very wealthy at a very young age, where fortunes can be swiftly made on the stock market, a career as a farmer has lost a lot of its luster.
"Agriculture requires a lot of time," said Mr. Robson. "We can’t attract the individuals who want to make that kind of commitment, because we can’t pay them as much. It’s very difficult to hire help, especially with technical expertise for issues such as dealing with pesticides."
Farming is also so unpredictable.
"For example, 1999 was the worst year ever for us," said Mr. Robson. "But 1997 and 1998 were great years."
And farming is hard work. Mother Nature may make it look easy to grow plants and things, but that just isn’t so for the farmer.
The average person might take for granted the presence of a bounty of food in the supermarket.
"Well, somebody has to put that food there, and that’s a farmer," said Mr. Robson.
But, Mr. Robson said, people of Burlington County are respectful of their farmers.
He said people were very concerned, for example, with his welfare during last summer’s drought.
"People are sensitive to our problems," said Mr. Robson. "We’ve come a long way. And I think we’ve meshed with society very well."