SEPT 2003

BUENA -- Farmers beleaguered by the spring's persistent precipitation and sunless skies are bracing for Mother Nature's latest onslaught.

As Hurricane Isabel threatens to unleash wind gusts of up to 50 mph and flooding in South Jersey, farmers scrambled to harvest their crops early rather than risk losing them.

Beyond that, there was little they could do.

"We're trying to pick off as much as we can, but the rest is in Mother Nature's hands," said Charles Muzzarelli Sr., owner of Muzzarelli Farms in Buena Vista.

Tomatoes, eggplants and sweet potatoes were plucked about five days before they fully ripened because of possible water damage and rotting caused by the hurricane.

The threat of powerful wind spurred Bellview Farms owner Jim Quarella to action. Since Monday -- about one to two weeks before the harvesting season normally begins -- Quarella and another man had begun "picking heavily," he said.

That's a euphemism for the 14-hour days and 30 tons of grapes the two-man crew has picked over three days ending Wednesday.

The possibility of losing his crop to high winds was simply too great to leave the fruit on the vine, he said.

There's no telling what will become of the 200,000 potted plants at Cumberland Nurseries in Millville, co-owner Chris Ruske said. While light equipment was tied down or stored in buildings, nothing could be done about the nursery's large number of potted plants, which will remain at the wind's mercy, he said.

News of a hurricane represented a fitting finale to a year that was choked with rain and cloudy skies, and bereft of sunlight, Atlantic County agricultural agent Dr. Gary Pavlis said.

"This is the perfect ending to a perfect year, with tongue in cheek," he said. "This has to be one of the worst years ever, and it ends with a hurricane."

The overall result: later harvests, smaller crop yields and lower quality.

"I'm surprised the fruit is as good as it is," Quarella said, conceding grape sugar levels were low.

A later harvest presents farmers with a double conundrum when faced with having to harvest earlier.

"A lot of crops are just coming in now, and now they could be bowled over, ruined or knocked off the vine," Pavlis said.

At the Landisville Co-op, produce sales were down about 20 percent this year, manager Larry Marandino said. The co-op buys produce from more than 150 farms in South Jersey.

Extra orders were expected to be made today at the co-op in case farmers could not get to the fields Friday, Marandino said.

Originally published Thursday, September 18, 2003