Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

A Growing Family: The Conklins complete a transition from finance to farming.

Screenshot 2016-04-28 13.06.59Looking at the father/son team, with their muddied hoodies and worn work pants, one would never guess that, just two years ago, both men donned suits and ties and worked in corporate finance.

But here are Joseph Conklin and son Joe at the PA Farmers Open Air Market, standing beside veteran vendors hocking fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses. Last season was the first summer for the “two Joes,” the first time they presented themselves publicly as farmers.

The senior Conklin purchased the 1865 house and 65-acre Newville farm in 2004, with a thought of eventually working the land. Those plans accelerated when, after graduating from the College of New Jersey and beginning a career as a sales representative for a payroll company, Joe discovered that a financial career didn’t suit him. He described coming home from work and saying to his dad, “I can’t do this anymore. I’m done.”

After that, Joseph suggested they open the farm. Joe never considered a career in agriculture. So, to test the waters, he interned at a farm near Pittsburgh. It stuck. About that same time, Joseph’s employer offered him an early retirement, and Conklin Farms launched.

The Conklins didn’t just want to farm, though. They wanted to farm organically.

“God gave us this land, and we should treat it with the utmost respect, and we should not only leave it like we found it, but improve it for the next generation,” Joe said.

Their farm’s mantra reads, “Healthy soil, nutritious food, happy people.”

 

Twin Benefits

Organic farming is (ahem) a growing business. According to the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales increased by $24 billion between 2004 and 2014. Joseph noted that this type of farming should allow his son to make a living long after his retirement.

But, mostly, the Conklins chose to farm organically for the twin benefits of a decreased carbon footprint and increased nutritional value. They grow a variety of vegetables—Asian greens, broccoli and sweet potatoes, to name a few—as well as some fruits like melons and strawberries on their 20 acres.

Produce picked at Conklin Farms is rinsed within an hour and placed in a refrigerated room in the barn, chilled to 40 degrees as quickly as possible. According to Joseph, the quicker the produce temperature decreases to 40 degrees, the better preserved it will be.

The Conklin farm also includes livestock such as chickens, turkeys and pigs.

On a recent spring day, the Conklins’ pigs greeted them enthusiastically as they walked toward the pen. The 200-pound-plus animals romped around like Labradors at the dog park and insisted on belly rubs and scratches. The pen is moved from place to place in the field to allow the pigs to eat bugs, worms or anything else they can root up and to provide manure for soil fertilization. The pigs are lean because of their movement, Joseph said, adding that one customer commented that they have athletic animals.

Organic farming does come with its share of headaches. The federal government has strict rules for organic farms, requiring attention to detail and plenty of spreadsheets. Fortunately, the men’s previous careers have prepared them for this. Joseph supplies the numbers end of the farm, and Joe supplies farming know-how and market knowledge.

“We complement each other,” Joseph said.

“We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” added Joe. “Some of his weaknesses are my strengths, and some of my weaknesses are his strengths.”

 

Hard Work, Commitment

The farm offers three different CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) programs: a meat and vegetable CSA, which includes eggs and meat; a market CSA, which allows customers to purchase any items from the market stand; and a winter CSA, which includes many varieties of greens, broccoli and other cool crop vegetables.

Moving forward, the Conklins plan to farm an additional 10 acres and to add beef. Both father and son look at the past 18 months and can hardly believe all the changes to the farm. Back then, the barn stood a mess, crops unplanted and livestock nonexistent.

“Look at where we’re at,” Joseph remarked.

After hard work, with many 100-hour workweeks, the pair has chickens, pigs, turkeys, summer and winter crops and sells all of this at three farmers markets.

The PA Farmers Open Air Market served as the Conklin’s first market presence. Both Conklins have great things to say about the market and its manager, Meg Gleason, who welcomed them as the market’s first Certified Organic producer.

When the market opens this month, customers again will benefit from the Conklins’ hard work and commitment.

“To be able to do that with my son and my wife, my two best friends, my daughter as well, is perfect,” said 56-year-old Joseph. “It doesn’t seem like work.”

For more information on Conklin Farms, including how to purchase products from their CSAs, visit www.conklinfarms.com.

The PA Farmers Open Air Market opens for its 42nd season on May 3 and runs each Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the PA Farm Show Complex parking lot. For more information, visit the Facebook page: PA Farmers Open Air Market.

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