♪ >> MY NAME IS ALEX CASERTA.

AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, MY MISSION IS TO CREATE DOCUMENTARIES USING A STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACH, INVITING THE VIEWER TO DEVELOP A SENSE OF PLACE.

WELCOME TO A NEW SEASON SHOWCASING STORIES ON THE LOCAL FOOD MOVEMENT WE EXPLORE THE FARMING INDUSTRY, THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK THE LAND AND SEA, STEWARDSHIP OF OPEN SPACES, FLAVORS OF RHODE ISLAND CUISINE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMERS IN THE OCEAN STATE.

THIS IS "HARVESTING RHODE ISLAND."

WE ARE AT BIG TRAIN FARM TODAY WITH JOHN KENNY, THE OWNER.

WE VISITED YOU AT URBAN EDGE FARM FIVE YEARS AGO.

JOHN: THAT IS RIGHT.

ALEX: WHEN YOU WERE LEASING LAND FROM THE STATE.

JOHN: IN HONOR OF YOU GUYS COMING BACK, I WEAR THE SAME T-SHIRT.

EVERY YEAR I FARM, AND LEARNED THAT LESS AND LESS HAS TO DO WITH LUCK.

ALEX: [LAUGHS] NOW YOU HAVE 11 OF YOUR OWN ACRES THAT YOU OWN.

JOHN: WE WERE, LIKE YOU SAID, LEASING THE LAND IN CRANSTON AT URBAN EDGE FARM, AN INCUBATOR FARM, AND WITH THE FARM SERVICE AGENCY LINE OF CREDIT WE PURCHASED THE LAND IN LATE 2014 UP HERE.

SO WE STARTED THE TRANSITION PROCESS IN THE EARLY 2015 TO MOVE FROM URBAN EDGE.

ALEX: YOU DID NOT STUDY FARMING IN COLLEGE.

YOU WERE A CHEMICAL AND BIO TYPE OF PERSON.

BUT YOU FOUND AN INTEREST IN BECOMING A FARMER.

JOHN: IT KIND OF HAPPENED THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

I GOT INTO FARMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, AND ABOUT FIVE YEARS OR SO LATER I DECIDED I WANTED TO GO AND KIND OF LEARNER LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF PLANT BIOLOGY AND SOIL SCIENCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

ALEX: NOW YOU ARE A CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMER.

JOHN: CORRECT.

ALEX: WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTO THESE DAYS.

YOU MUST HAVE A REASON FOR WANTING TO GROW ORGANICALLY.

JOHN: I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD REASONS TO GROW ORGANICALLY.

DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT.

AS FAR AS THE FINAL PRODUCT, IF THERE IS LITTLE OR NO PESTICIDE OR CHEMICAL RESIDUES ON YOUR FOOD, I THINK YOU CAN MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT IT IS BETTER FOR YOUR HEALTH.

THE QUALITY OF ORGANICS LAND MANAGEMENT, I THINK, IS BETTER THAN CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT, SERVING MORE NUTRITIOUS FOODS.

THE PRACTICE OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE, I THINK, IS MORE IN TUNE, IN SOME WAYS, MORE IN TUNE WITH HOW NATURE WORKS NATURALLY.

ALEX: YES.

JOHN: SO AS ORGANIC FARMERS AND ORGANICS STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO KIND OF DEAL WITH NATURE'S IDIOSYNCRASIES AND TRY TO LEARN FROM THEM, AND WHAT I REALIZE THROUGH COMING UP IN THE ORGANIC SCENE IS THAT A LOT OF ORGANIC FARMING HAS JUST BEEN REALLY BASED ON AN OLD CONVENTIONAL MODEL OF PILLAGE AND KIND OF HEAVY CULTIVATION OF SOILS.

AND MAJOR DOES NOT REALLY WORK THAT WAY, SO -- EXCEPT IN REAL EXTREME CONDITIONS, SO WE HAVE ADOPTED A NO TILL PHILOSOPHY.

ALEX: IT SEEMS LIKE THE NO TILL KIND OF CAME UP IN PROGRESSION IN HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THE SOIL.

SO WHY DON'T WE EXPLAINED TO CONSUMERS WHAT NO TILL MEANS?

JOHN: ON THE FACE, IT IS SIMPLY JUST A LACK OF DISTURBANCE IN THE SOIL THAT YOU ARE TO GROW YOUR CROP.

THERE IS SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRACTICES OF GOING ABOUT IT.

SOME ARE CONVENTIONAL.

SOME YEARS A HERBICIDE APPLICATION TO KILL ANY VEGETATION THAT IS ON THE SURFACE, AND THEN THEY PLANT WITHOUT DOING ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PRIOR PLOWING OR ANY KIND OF CULTIVATING.

MAYBE A LITTLE SLIGHT RIPPING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

ON THE ORGANIC END OF THINGS, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIRECT METHODS.

WHEN THAT WE HAVE FINALLY LANDED ON AFTER TRYING SEVERAL IS TO GO WITH PERMANENT RAISED BEDS THAT WE SHAPE WITH A TRACTOR IMPLEMENT, AND ONCE THOSE ARE MADE AFTER A LOT OF HEAVY WORK, ONCE THEY ARE MADE AND SHAPED, WITHIN NOT DISTURB THEM OTHER THAN A LITTLE BIT OF BREAKING.

SO THE BENEFIT OF THAT IS SOIL STRUCTURE THAT IS NOT DISTURBED MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR SO THAT THE CORE SPACE, THE MICROBIAL COMMUNITY IN THE SOIL, WHICH DOES ALL SORTS OF THINGS STRUCTURALLY AND PHYSIOLOGICALLY TO THE SOIL, THOSE THINGS ARE NOT DISTURBED, KILLED, KNOCKED BACK TO A STARTING POINT.

THE MATURITY OF THE BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITY IS GOING TO GROW AND DIVERSIFY.

AND THAT LEADS TO A SYSTEM WHERE PLANTS ARE GROWING IN A MORE DIVERSE SOIL CULTURE THAT HELPS THEM GET THE NUTRITION THEY NEED OUT OF THE SOIL.

WATER RETENTION IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE WE HAVE SEEN AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF USING THE PERMANENT RAISED BEDS.

♪ ♪ ALEX: JOHN, WE ARE IN ONE OF THE RAISED BEDS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

WHAT IS THIS HERE?

JOHN: THIS IS A VARIETY OF HEAD LETTUCE, A GREEN OAK FOR VARIETY.

IT IS GROWING IN A RAISED BED HERE THAT HAS NOT BEEN, HAS NOT BEEN MECHANICALLY TILLED SINCE 2017.

IT IS ONE OF SEVERAL SUCCESSIONS OF CROPS THAT HAS BEEN HERE.

THIS STRAW YOU SEE ON TOP IS ACTUALLY MULCH FROM GARLIC THAT WE PLANTED IN THE FALL OF 2017.

ALEX: OH.

JOHN: JUST TO DEMONSTRATE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT ABOUT WATER RETENTION AND STRUCTURE, IF I WAS TO TAKE MY THUMB AND PUSH IT IN HERE, I CAN MOVE IT IN HERE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF RESISTANCE AND KIND OF JUST WIGGLE MY FINGERS IN THERE.

BUT I DO FEEL SOME RESISTANCE.

AND I CAN FEEL THE TEXTURE IN THE SOIL AND SEE THAT IT IS RETAINING SOME MOISTURE.

ALEX: YEAH, YOU CAN SEE.

NOT THAT IT IS WET, BUT IT IS A DEEP, RICH BROWN.

JOHN: EXACTLY.

THE RESISTANCE I AM TALKING ABOUT IS SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO CP BUT IF I WAS TO TAKE AN INSTRUMENT SUCH AS -- I LIKE TO SEE.

BUT IF I WAS TO TAKE IN HIS SCHMIDT TO TEST THE SOIL COMPACTION, SOIL HAS A DENSITY OF 300 PER SQUARE INCH, THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THAT ROOTS CANNOT GROW IN IT.

ALEX: TOO DESNSE.

JOHN: YEAH.

A TYPICAL AGRICULTURAL FIELD HAS A PLOW PAN DOWN ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO 12 INCHES.

WE CAN BOTTOM ONE OUT IN THESE BEDS GOING OVER 30 INCHES DOWN WITHOUT GETTING THE KIND OF RESISTANCE.

SO EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF PUSHBACK, IT IS NOT THE KIND OF COMPACTION THAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO POOR PLANT GROWTH AND HEALTH.

ALEX: YEAH, SO THE SOIL IS BASICALLY, MORE OR LESS, FREE TO MOVE AROUND WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS IN IT, FREE TO MOVE AROUND.

IN TURN, WHEN PLANTING, PROBABLY EASIER TO PLANT IN THE GROUND, WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING CHUTES IN OR SEED, JUST MAKING EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE EASIER.

JOHN: IT HAS ITS CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITH IT, BUT WE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE USED TO IT OVER THE COMING YEARS AND HAVE COME UP WITH DIFFERENT METHODS TO MAKE PLANTS IS YEAR, AND WHEN YOU THINK OF THE FREE MOVEMENT, I REALLY THINK ABOUT PLANT ROOTS, MICROBIOLOGY, AND WATER ,AIR, THOSE FOUR IMPORTANT THINGS.

SO WE ARE REALLY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THIS IS WORKING OUT SO FAR.

AND WITH VERY LITTLE FERTILITY, WE HAVE A HIGH QUALITY CROP.

ALEX: YEAH, IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

JOHN, WE HAVE SOME GREAT COLOR OVER HERE, AND THIS IS A TYPE OF LETTUCE, I AM ASSUMING?

MIX THAT HAS BEEN HARVESTED PRETTY AGGRESSIVELY.

THIS IS WHAT IS LEFT.

THIS IS ACTUALLY ON ITS WAY OUT WE MIGHT HARVEST A LITTLE BIT FROM THIS, BUT THIS WILL SOON BE TRANSITIONED TO ANOTHER CROP.

WHEREAS, MOST OF THE STUFF BEHIND IT, WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO HARVESTING NOW.

FOR INSTANCE, THESE BEATS.

-- BEETS.

YOU CAN SEE THE WAY VARIETY THAT GOES DOWN.

WE HAVE CABBAGE, CARROTS, FENNEL, MORE HEAD LETTUCE MIX, DIFFERENT KINDS OF FALL CABBAGES, RUTABAGAS.

ALEX: WHAT IS IN THE FAR DISTANCE THAT IS TALL?

JOHN: THAT IS ASPARAGUS.

YEAH, AFTER YOU HARVEST ASPARAGUS IN THE SPRING, YOU LET IT GROW THROUGH THE SUMMER AND FALL, DIE BACK IN WINTERTIME ALEX: OVER HERE YOU HAVE SOME GREAT LOOKING CABBAGE, AND IS THAT FENNEL GROWING IN IT?

JOHN: YES.

ALEX: SO THEY ARE GROWING SIDE-BY-SIDE.

JOHN: YEAH, THE FENNEL IS ENTER PLANTED BETWEEN CABBAGES, A SYSTEM CALLED BUDDY PLANTING OR ENTER PLANTING.

ALEX: IS THERE A BENEFIT TO THAT?

JOHN: IF YOU FIND A GOOD COUPLING, YOU CAN GET MORE CROP PER SQUARE FOOT OUT OF YOUR LAND.

SO THE FENNEL AND I HAVE HAD SUCCESS GROWING FENNEL INTER- PLANTED WITH BROCCOLI AND CABBAGE IN THE PAST.

WE DO RADISHES AND BEETS TOGETHER IN THE SAME BEDS.

ONE CROP WILL BE HARVESTED EARLIER THAN THE OTHER, GIVING THE LATER PLANT TIME TO FILL LIN.

THOSE SORT OF -- TO FILL IN.

THOSE TIMING METHODS ARE SOMETHING WE LOOK FOR ONE THINK ABOUT CROPS GROWING TOGETHER.

IT IS A MORE LIMITED LANTING SPACE, BUT WE TRY TO CARRY THAT FORWARD.

ALEX: AND BY BODYING UP LIKE THAT, IT DOES NOT REALLY TAKE ANY EXTRA NUTRIENTS -- BY BUDDYING UP LIKE THAT, DOES NOT TAKE EXTRA NUTRIENTS FROM THE PLANTS?

JOHN: THEY DO COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER, SO IT IS A MATTER OF FINDING THAT RIGHT BALANCE TO GET TWO GOOD CROPS INTO THE SAME BED.

THESE BEETS IN FRONT OF US, THERE ARE ACTUALLY PARSNIPS PLANTED IN THERE.

TWO WEEKS, ALL THOSE BEETS WILL BE OUT OF HERE, AND THE PARSNIPS WILL HAVE TIME TO GROW IN.

ALEX: I SEE THEM STICKING OUT OF THE GROUND.

JOHN: THE BEETS ARE.

THEY WILL BE READY TO HARVESTING.

ALEX: I SEE SOME GREENHOUSES.

WHAT ARE YOU GROWING IN THE TUNNELS?

JOHN: THOSE ARE FULL OF CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WILL BE PLANTING THOSE IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER WITH LEAFY GREENS AND SWEET ONIONS UNTIL FEBRUARY WHEN WE WILL START SEEDING THOSE WITH CARROTS AND OTHER KIND OF HARDY ROOT VEGETABLES.

ALEX: SO YOU WILL GROW IN THE GREENHOUSE OVER THE WINTER?

JOHN: CORRECTS.

ALEX: AND KEEP THAT GOING SO YOU GET EARLY PRODUCTION IN THE YEAR.

JOHN: THAT IS RIGHT.

WE ARE ABLE TO MARKET 11 MONTH OUT OF THE YEAR NOW.

ALEX: THAT IS INCREDIBLE THAT IS WHAT WE NEED HERE IN NEW ENGLAND.

JOHN: I AGREE, AND IT IS IMPORTANT I THINK FOR A GROWER SUCH AS MYSELF WHO NEEDS TO HAVE CASH FLOW YEAR-ROUND.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A NEW PROPERTY WITH MORTGAGES ON IT.

ALEX: AND YOU DO WORKSHOPS HERE ON THE FARM AND YOU ALSO GO TO OTHER LOCATIONS.

JOHN: YEAH.

ALEX: DOING LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

JOHN: YES, SO WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF INVOLVED IN DOING EDUCATIONAL WORK NOW FOR ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, GOING TO INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES AND GIVING WORKSHOPS ON THE FARM, LIKE YOU SAID.

AND WE DO A FOUR-CLASS SOIL AND PLANT COURSE IN THE SPRING EVERY YEAR, WHICH HAS BECOME REALLY POPULAR, I AM PROUD TO SAY.

SOMETHING I REALLY ENJOY DOING.

ALEX: YEAH.

JOHN: SO THAT, AS WELL AS TRYING TO GET, TRYING TO PRODUCE SOME INFORMATION ON THE FARM, TOO, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOAL, ONE THAT IS KIND OF HARD TO ACTUALIZE.

YEAH, WE HAVE HAD STUDENTS COMING -- A STUDENT COMING OUT DOING RESEARCH FOR HIS SENIOR PROJECT.

IT HELPS HIM AND HELPS ME.

ALEX: I THINK MORE PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO FARMING, THAT FARMERS ARE TRYING TO MOVE ALONG OR NOT JUST SIT ON A STUMP AND DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

JOHN: YEAH, THEIR HANDS ARE BEING FORCED NOWADAYS WITH EXTREME WEATHER.

ALEX: YES.

JOHN: SO REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU FALL ON THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, I THINK FARMERS KNOW BECAUSE THEY ARE ON THE FRONT LINES THEY HAVE TO REACT AND CHANGE PRACTICES.

I HEARD A WONDERFUL QUOTE FROM AN ORGANIC FARMER FOR MARTINA -- FROM MONTANA WHICH IS THAT THE SYSTEMS THAT WE NEED TO REMEDIATE CLIMATE CHANGE ALSO HAPPEN TO BE THE SOLUTIONS TO DEALING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO FOR INSTANCE, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT NO TILL, THAT HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND IT ALSO HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE THE SOIL MORE RESILIENT TO DIFFICULT WEATHER.

FOR INSTANCE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WATER RETENTION.

A NO TILL SYSTEM HAS FAR BEYOND THE WATER RETENTION CAPABILITY OF A DISTURBED SOIL.

ALEX: JOHN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US COME OUT HERE TODAY AND TALK WITH YOU AGAIN.

NICE TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE OUT HERE.

AND IT IS NICE TO SEE THAT YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

IT IS DOING REALLY GREAT THINGS.

JOHN: THANKS.

♪ ALEX: I AM IN SMITHFIELD, RHODE ISLAND, AT JASWELLS FARM, WITH RICHARD JASWELL.

YOUR GREAT-GRANDFATHER OR YOUR GRANDFATHER CAME FROM NAPOLI.

RICHARD: YEAH.

HE CAME OVER HERE IN THE 1879, I THINK, AND BOUGHT THIS IN 1899.

ALEX: 1899, OH KP RICHARD: HE CANNOT READ OR WRITE THE NAME.

THE CLOSEST HE COULD GET TO OUR ORIGINAL NAME WAS JASWALDI, AND THE CLOSE AS THEY COULD COME WAS JASWELLS, SO ALL THE JASWELLS ARE RELATED, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, TOO.

BUT THERE SOME DIFFERENT COUSINS THAT COME OVER.

I AM THINKING THE GRANDFATHER PROBABLY HAD A BROTHER AND HIS KIDS KEPT THE NAME.

ALEX: PROBABLY APPEARED THAT WAS A WHILE AGO YOUR THIRD GENERATION.

RICHARD: THIRD GENERATION, RIGHT.

ALEX: AND THEN THERE IS THE FOURTH GENERATION.

A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW YOU FOR YOUR APPLES AND YOUR APPLE CIDER THAT YOU MAKE.

BUT YOU GROW A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

WE ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF 1, 2, 3, 4, FIVE BOXES OF TOMATOES IN THE PELOTON PUMP US THAT WERE JUST PICKED, AND YOU HAVE 3000 TOMATO PLANTS.

RICHARD: ALL ON TRELLISES.

OH, MY GOD.

KEEP SOME OFF THE GROUND.

WE SELL THEM OR THEY SELL VERY WELL.

ALEX: YOU ALSO DO PUMPKINS AND SQUASH.

RICHARD: BUTTERNUT COME A WHITE PUMPKINS, MINI PUMPKINS, PICK YOUR OWN BLUEBERRIES.

WE HAVE APPLES, A BIG THING, AND WE HAVE SUNFLOWERS.

IT IS A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE RAISE TOMATOES, PEPPERS, CAULIFLOWER, BEANS AND A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

BUT MOST OF THE STUFF WE DO PICK IS SOLD HERE ON THE FARM.

ALEX: AND ASPARAGUS, RIGHT?

RICHARD: YES, THE ASPARAGUS.

YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS IN MY 20'S, EVERYBODY WAS A FARMER.

WE USED TO GO TO THE FARMERS MARKET.

I SAID, I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

MY PARENTS BOTH HANDICAP, ONE THAT IS DEAF.

16 YEARS OLD, OK, TIME TO LEAVE.

IT TOOK ME OUT OF SCHOOL, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS FANTASTIC I TRIED TO DO IT WITH MY KIDS AND MY WIFE SAID THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE EARLY BECAUSE MY DAD AND MY MOTHER, NOT EATING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BECAUSE THEY WERE D -- NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BECAUSE THEY WERE DEAF, IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, A LOT OF IT WAS UP TO ME.

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.

ALEX: ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND IN THE FIELD.

PUT TOGETHER AN INCREDIBLE -- RICHARD: OVER THE YEARS, MY BIGGEST HELP FROM MY WIFE WHEN SHE CAME ALONG IN 1967.

WITHOUT MY WIFE, I DO NOTHING THE PLACE IS HERE TODAY.

SHE IS A GREAT HELP YOUR NOW THE KIDS, WHEN THEY COME OUT OF COLLEGE, I SAYS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO RUN THE FARM.

I AM 63 OR 64 AT THE TIME, AND I SAYS GIVE ME ANOTHER YEAR AND YOU CAN RUN THE BUSINESS.

I GET A TAP ON MY SHOULDER AND MY DAUGHTER SAYS, GEEZ, I WOULD LIKE A PIECE OF THE ACTION, TOO.

I SAYS OK, SO WE PUT UP THIS BUILDING, AND THAT WAS MY SATYR BUSINESS OVER THERE AND BECAME MY DAUGHTER'S BAKERY -- THAT WAS MY CIDER BUSINESS NOW WE HAVE OUR CIDER BUSINESS ON THE OTHER PART OF THE BUILDING.

ALEX: ALLISON WAS TELLING ME YOU ARE DOING CIDER YEAR-ROUND.

RICHARD: PRETTY MUCH YEAR-ROUND, IF WE CAN GET THE APPLES.

ALEX: PEOPLE ENJOY IT.

CIDER HAS TURNED INTO A REAL BIG THING, ESPECIALLY HARD CIDER.

YOU HAVE PEOPLE BREWING CIDER WITH DIFFERENT FLAVORS.

RICHARD: ABSOLUTELY.

THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF THINGS TO DO.

YOU KNOW WHAT, I HAVE TWO ARMS IN MY SO HAS TWO ARMS, AND HAVE FOUR PEOPLE TO WORK HERE.

YOU CANNOT DO EVERYTHING.

SO YOU D WHAT YOU CAN.

IT WORKED OUT FINE.

ALEX: RICHARD, I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOL GROUPS THAT COME THROUGH HERE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

I KNOW THE KIDS LIKE TO WATCH SOMETIMES THE PROCESSING OF THE APPLE CIDER BEING MADE.

RICHARD: THEY DO, THEY DO.

ALEX: AND GO THROUGH AND SEE OTHER THINGS ARE GROWING THE FARM, WHICH IS NICE.

RICHARD: THEY GO OUT THERE AND PICK THEM.

THEY DO IT WITH PUMPKINS, TOO.

WE HAVE A LITTLE MOVIE WE SHOW ON HOW THE FLOWER STARTS OUT AND HOW THE PUMPKIN BECOMES WHAT IT IS.

IT IS VERY INTERESTING FOR THE KIDS.

IN THE SPRING TIME, MY DAUGHTER WILL HAVE A PLAN GROWING SESSION.

THE KIDS WILL COME OUT AND WE SET UP A THING AND GIVE THEM A LITTLE PLANT.

JUST SO MANY THINGS TO DO HERE.

ALEX: THEY LOVE IT, AND I THINK IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE AT THE FARM, ON LOCATION.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A COUPLE YEARS, RIGHT?

RICHARD: [LAUGHS] YES, WE HAVE.

IT HAS BEEN A GREAT LIFE.

IT REALLY HAS.

ALEX: I HAVE SAID THIS MANY, MANY TIMES, THAT COMING OUT TO THE FARM, ANY FARM, IS A VERY TYPE OF PERSONAL FEELING THAT SOMEBODY CAN DEVELOP WITH LAND AND NATURE THAT YOU CANNOT GET ANYWHERE ELSE.

YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT GET IT OFF THE TELEVISION OR THE COMPUTER OR YOUR PHONE.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU EXPERIENCE AND SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL.

WALKING THROUGH AN APPLE ORCHARD AND JUST SMELLING IT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS I KNOW F. RICHARD: ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS FANTASTIC.

IT IS A GREAT LIFE.

EVERYBODY HAS TO BE SOMEWHERE AND DO SOMETHING.

I LOVE WHERE I AM IN LOVE WHAT I DO.

ALEX: I AM GLAD YOU ARE STILL HERE DOING IT, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING US COME UP.

TALK WITH YOU TODAY.

RICHARD: MY PLEASURE.

ALEX: TAKE CARE.

WE ARE AT JASWELLS FARM, AND I'M WITH CHRIS JASWELL.

TALKING WITH YOUR FATHER A WHILE AGO, AND HE STILL HAS A LOT OF ENERGY.

CHRIS: HE IS UNBELIEVABLE.

83 YEARS OLD.

STILL THE BEST GUY WE HAV.

ALEX: IT IS AMAZING.

SO HOW HAVE THINGS BEEN GOING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS?

CHRIS: THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, I DID NOT HAVE GRAY HAIR.

NOW I DO.

NO, THINGS ARE GOOD.

ALEX: THE FARM IS DOING REALLY WELL.

CHRIS: IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS, THEY HOLD FOOD THING, EVERYBODY GETTING BACK TO GREEN, AND WE WERE GREEN BEFORE IT WAS COOL.

NOW IT IS A BIG DEAL AGAIN.

ALEX: IT IS.

CHRIS: AND WE ARE FORTUNATE TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF IT BECAUSE WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF BUSINESS WITH THEM, WITH DAVE'S MARKET AND BELMONT AND OTHER PREMIER MARKETS IN THE STATE.

IT HAS KIND OF MADE MORE PEOPLE COME TO OUR PLACE.

ALEX: YEAH.

EXPERIENCE.

CHRIS: MORE EXPOSURE YOU HAVE, THEY ARE LIKE, HEY, I HAVE TO CHECK THAT OUT, AND THEY SEE YOUR PRODUCTS IN THE STORE, AND THEY WANT TO SEE IT FIRSTHAND.

ALEX: SEE WHAT ELSE YOU HAVE.

CHRIS: ABSOLUTELY.

ALEX: WE HAVE TALKED WITH LOTS OF YOUNG FARMERS, FIRMS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE JUST STARTING OUT -- FARMS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE JUST STARTING OUT, AND THEY HAVE AN ACRE OR TWO.

30 ACRES ESTABLISHED FOR 100 YEARS, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE.

CHRIS: WE ARE AS PROFESSIONAL AS YOU CAN GET DOING THIS KIND OF WORK.

WE ARE FORTUNATE, TOO, THOUGH, THAT THE EARLY GENERATION -- MY MOM AND DAD, THEY SUFFERED.

THE GENERATION BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, HORSE AND BUGGY.

THEY HAVE COME SO FAR, AND THEY ACTUALLY TOOK IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

ALEX: AND THEN YOU AND YOUR SISTER HAVE BEEN MAKING THIS RUN NOW, AND YOU'RE STILL DOING THINGS.

CHRIS: IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS, WE TOOK THE BALL AND RAN WITH IT.

NOT LIKE WE HAD THE STRUGGLE.

COLLEGE-EDUCATED SHE IS A LITTLE SMARTER THAN I AM.

CHRIS: YOU ARE PICKING YOUR CORN WITH A TRACTOR?

CHRIS: RIGHT HERE.

THAT IS WHY I DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO THE GYM ANYMORE.

ALEX: GOOD EXERCISE OVER HERE, I IMAGINE.

CHRIS: CORN IS ONE OF THE THINGS FOR RETAIL.

TO ME, WE WILL WHOLESALE SOME.

APPLES ARE THE BIGGEST THING, CIDER.

AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE SMALL OR BIG AND KIND OF STICK WITH IT.

RETAIL WITH THE BAKERY AND USE THE PRODUCT FROM BEGINNING TO END.

ALEX: I MEAN, IT WORKS ARE YOU OPEN YEAR-ROUND?

CHRIS: NO, WE ARE NOT, BUT IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS -- ALEX: YOU TO HAVE A BIG VARIETY HERE.

IN THE FALL, THIS PLACE JUST LIGHTS UP WITH PEOPLE.

CHRIS: KIND OF LIKE DISNEY WORLD FOR FIVE OR SIX WEEKS IN THE FALL.

IT IS AMAZING THE METTA PEOPLE WE GET THROUGH HERE -- THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE GET THROUGH HERE THAT COME THROUGH ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.

A LOT OF KIDS, A LOT OF SCHOOL TRIPS.

AND THEY COME OUT WITH THEIR SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY WILL COME BACK ON THE WEEKEND I, HEY, DO YOU REMEMBER ME?

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

ALEX: AND THEY WILL KEEP COMING.

CHRIS: MOM AND DAD DID A GREAT JOB.

HE SAW THIS COMING IN THE LATE 1960'S.

WE WERE NOT BIG ENOUGH TO BE WHOLESALE OPERATION, AND THEY WENT MORE TOWARDS THE RETAIL.

REALLY, THE GROWING PAINS WERE THE FIRST 20 YEARS.

ONCE THEY WENT THROUGH THAT, I MEAN, THE PLACE HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1899.

FOUR GENERATIONS, AND MY KIDS MAY THE FIFTH.

ALEX: FIFTH, HOPEFULLY.

CHRIS: THEY HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE FIRST, BECAUSE WE ONLY TAKE THE BEST.

THEY HAVE TO BE BRIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT IS SOMETHING THEY DO BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT WAY TO RAISE A FAMILY, AND IT IS A CLOSE KNIT THING.

ALEX: THANK YOU FOR LETTING US COME UP HERE TODAY.

CHRIS: ANY TIME.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, ALEX.

ALEX: YEAH.

CHRIS: ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

ALEX: THANKS SO MUCH.

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