Hard work keeps seasoned farmers plowing ahead

PALMER -- Their place in American history is legendary. They helped shape the national landscape, cultivating the fertile fields of America. The literature, music and memory of the nation is filled with the images of weather-worn laborers, driving horses or tractors across the dusty farmlands of America.

For nearly a hundred years, however, the traditional farmer has gradually faded from the landscape and into the dusty pages of history, as fewer farmers are able to make their primary living through traditional family farms.

In Alaska, a few have hung on, even thrived. While more hay and hobby farms are cropping up in Alaska, the full-time, multi-generational farmer, who passes land and lifestyle on to children and grandchildren, is increasingly rare.

Palmer farmers Paul Huppert and Ben VanDerWeele are two lifelong farmers who, after many years, still manage to rise each morning, resist lucrative offers from land developers and spend long days farming with their family members.

This week, at age 79, Huppert was hard at work harvesting potatoes from his fields.

"It's tough, really tough," Huppert said. "Every once in a while we get down and someone will say we should build a golf course. I get letters from people all the time who want to buy the land. On a cold frosty morn, sometimes that's hard to turn down but so far we can still make money at this and as long as we can do that, we'll be farming."

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2002 Fact Book, the number of mid-sized farms, between 50 and 500 acres, has decreased, nationwide, over the last 25 years. This translates into fewer family farms that actually generate enough money to pay the bills, with more hobby farms and giant farms taking the lion's share of the market.

According to the USDA, very large family farms and nonfamily farms make up 8 percent of all farms but account for nearly 70 percent of total farm production in the United States.

VanDerWeele is a 10th-generation farmer who has grown crops in Palmer for nearly 40 years.

In 1967 VanDerWeele and his family emigrated from the Netherlands when his family farm was condemned for city expansion. Max and Dorothy Sherrod sponsored VanDerWeele's move to Alaska to take up farming.

"I wanted to farm, but I had no place to farm," VanDerWeele said. Now, with one of the largest farms in the Valley, his operation is more successful than ever before.

VanDerWeele attributes his success to hard work and adaptability.

"We used to have a joke around here about getting a half day's work in," VanDerWeele said. "You work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The secret is a four-letter word -- work."

His children grew up farming, went off to college and then, one by one, returned to the farm.

"It's a satisfying lifestyle, but it has to be in your genes," VanDerWeele said.

Unlike many farmers across the nation, who specialize in one crop, VanDerWeele grows carrots, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes, lettuce, four kinds of cabbage and other specialty items like onions, basil and radishes.

VanDerWeele attributes part of his success to the Alaska Grown program, an effort sponsored by the state Division of Agriculture that encourages Alaskans to buy locally.

"It's been a long battle but nationwide, supermarkets are starting to pick up on locally grown produce. There's a trend towards buying local," VanDerWeele said. "John Consumer likes it when he knows the vegetables come from Alaska."

Started in 1983, the Alaska Grown program works with major outfits like Fred Meyer and Carrs/Safeway to get the large outlets to sell local produce.

There are 258 Alaska Grown members, statewide, with more joining every year. All participants put the Alaska Grown seal on their bags and boxes for free. According to Kirk Brown, who works in marketing for the Division of Agriculture, the Alaska Grown program has been effective so far.

"High school kids are wearing Alaska Grown T-shirts and asking their parents to buy locally," Brown said. "From what I hear, talking to people, is that people are buying more Alaska grown products."

Gail Marshall also works with the Alaska Grown program, going around to grocery stores and passing out Alaska Grown stickers, posters, pens and buttons. She gets feedback from the stores on what items they are interested in buying and then passes the information along to farmers.

"Every produce manager says the Alaska Grown produce always goes fastest," Marshall said, "and the more people who ask for Alaska Grown, the more receptive they are to selling Alaskan produce."

VanDerWeele said he now supplies Fred Meyer with potatoes for 50 weeks out of the year.

With all the warm weather and sunshine, both VanDerWeele and Huppert are enjoying a good harvest this season. Huppert said he getting a good third to half more potatoes this year compared to last.

"It's been a hell of a year," Huppert said. "The carrots are just beautiful. I don't know what else you could ask for."

While both men enjoy their chosen field, they can see a time when they might scale back a little. When they do, unlike many farmers, VanDerWeele and Huppert have children and grandchildren who are willing to take over the family farm.

"I'm trying to quit and get my grandson and granddaughter to take over," Huppert said, "and they are."

With all three of VanDerWeele's children grown and working full time on the farm, he may have the opportunity to scale back as well.

"My wife says I'll farm till I die," VanDerWeele said. "I still enjoy what I do but maybe I'll only work 40 hours a week."

For now, with a good harvest this year, growing local support for their crops, and a younger generation willing to take up the business, the two seasoned farmers are encouraged that through hard work, the land continues to support them.

Contact Joel Davidson at joel.davidson@frontiersman.com.