By Blake Jackson
A severe drop in potato prices during the mid-1980s pushed Ed Harbes III and his family to rethink the future of their Long Island farming operation.
After harvesting a large potato crop in 1985, Harbes found himself selling potatoes below production cost, while also working long hours and transporting produce across several states to stay afloat.
“We knew then that we had to find an alternative,” said Harbes, a 12th-generation farmer on Long Island’s North Fork.
Around the same period, Harbes assumed responsibility for the family’s farms in Huntington and Mattituck after his father retired. Guidance from Cornell Cooperative Extension helped the family gradually shift away from potatoes and cabbage toward more profitable crops including pumpkins, sweet corn, apples, stone fruit, and flowers.
The farm also transitioned from wholesale production to a retail and agritourism-focused business model.
“Cornell’s prime directive was to help people in agriculture get out to a good start,” Harbes said.
Today, Harbes Farm spans 300 acres and has become one of Long Island’s best-known agritourism destinations, attracting visitors for pumpkin patches, apple picking, and vineyard experiences.
Agriculture and agritourism remain major contributors to Suffolk County’s economy, which includes hundreds of farms, vineyards, orchards, and wineries.
The Harbes family has continued working closely with Cornell researchers and Extension specialists on pest management, crop trials, and sustainable farming practices.
Long Island farmers face strict pesticide limitations because of the region’s environmentally sensitive conditions, including sandy soils and a sole-source aquifer that supplies local drinking water.
“Growers have to be more creative when they don’t have the same tools available,” said Emily Berkowitz of Cornell Cooperative Extension Suffolk County.
Collaborative research projects have helped the farm reduce pesticide use, improve soil health, and lower nitrogen runoff through cover crops, reduced tillage, and alternative pest-control systems. The family has also expanded its vineyard and orchard operations with Cornell’s support.
“We’ve felt the need to change; if we hadn’t, we wouldn’t be around anymore,” Harbes III said. “It’s wonderful to have an organization like Cornell that provides farmers with the resources they need to change.”
Photo Credit: gettyimages-richard-7
Categories: New York, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables