2009 Clean Water Farm Award Winner -Merryvale Farms, Inc.

Merryvale Farms is located in Deltaville on the northeast tip of the Middle Peninsula in Middlesex County. The farm is situated less than a mile from the Chesapeake Bay. It is run by James T. Crittenden, III (Turk) and his son James Tyler Crittenden, IV (Tyler). They grow specialty fruits and vegetables as well as the traditional corn, soybeans and wheat. The specialty crops include sweet corn, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons and strawberries to name a few. The Crittendens have been farming in Deltaville since the late 1800’s. They started growing watermelons in the 1920’s and hauled them to Washington D.C. where Turk’s father had a market. In the 1960’s and 70’s they also ran a tomato cannery.

Turk and Tyler have always believed in protecting the land and know the importance of utilizing conservation practices to prevent soil loss and excess nutrients from entering the Bay. Merryvale Farms had the first conservation plan in the county of Middlesex. Turk’s father, James T. Crittenden, II, served on the ASCS Board in the 1960’s and Turk served on the Tidewater SWCD Board for several years in the 1980’s. They practice no-till on the majority of their land, use winter cover crops to protect the soil in between crop rotations, and always keep an up-to-date Nutrient Management Plan. Their vegetable rotation has one year of plowing; however, due to proper rotations, they maintain a positive SCI (Soil Conditions Index) which determines if you’re losing, holding or gaining soil organic matter. Merryvale is actually gaining organic matter. They also use drip irrigation and put their fertilizer through the drip so it is injected directly into the roots and not lost into the air or bodies of water. The water they use to irrigate the vegetables with is pumped out of ponds so they aren’t using any ground water. The majority of their ponds are situated close enough to their vegetables to collect runoff, so the water is captured and reused.

Merryvale also installs buffers voluntarily since they are so close to the Bay to capture any excess nutrients and sediment and leaves some of their land forested for wildlife. They are very stringent about following their Nutrient Management Plan so they don’t apply excess nutrients that the crops don’t need. Turk and Tyler scout fields for insects, weeds and diseases, and use established thresholds when applying pesticides. They make sure that their spray equipment is properly calibrated and that empty pesticide containers are properly disposed (triple-rinsed and recycled). Turk has a Restricted Use Pesticide Certificate issued by The Commonwealth of Virginia.

Merryvale Farms Inc. is very active in their community. They operate a large produce stand from the middle of May through the end of October. Tyler has served on the Tidewater Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors for three years. They also work with local Virginia Cooperative Extension agents planting test plots and hosting field days. Merry Vale is also a member of the Northern Neck Vegetable Association. This, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, is why Tidewater SWCD has awarded Merryvale Farms, Inc. as our Clean Water Farm Award winner.