What started as a modest family garden seven years ago has now grown to become one of the largest producers in the area with 2-1 / 2 acres of his own property and another two acres that he runs for others in the area . Now , after being off from his work teaching culinary education to inmates at the Ellis Unit , Hunziker wants to move towards running the farm full time , year-round .
“ My goal is that we ’ ll be running a five to six acre farm pretty soon ,” Hunziker said . “ It ’ s getting to the point where , the way the economy is and people not trusting food , to where they just want to know it ’ s fresh and convenient .”
Since the pandemic has led to economic devastation for many and grocery stores facing limited supplies , Hunziker has noticed a stronger resurgence of crowds at the farmers markets searching for items like cartons of his fresh eggs and produce .
“ The crowds have already started at the farmers markets , some of the venues that I go to , the crowds have doubled in volume in the past year-and-a-half . They ’ re wanting to get out , they ’ re wanting to support the little local business instead of going to the big dealers ,” Hunziker said . “ People want local because they know it ’ s fresh grown , they know where it comes from and they trust it . That ’ s one good benefit about farming and knowing your customers .”
“ That ’ s why I like the farmers market , customers get to see you , they know what you provide , they expect a good quality and stuff like that , because if you ’ re not giving good quality like they ’ re expecting , you ’ re not going to have them , they ’ re going to go somewhere else ,” Hunziker said . “ My customers know what I produce , they know what to expect , and if we have it , we have it , if we don ’ t , we don ’ t – that ’ s the way farming goes .”
Another plot of cabbage , broccoli and cauliflower will have been planted in the spring , along with bell peppers and dill and cucumbers for his pickle company . White , red and yellow onion tops peek through the soil , neighbored by sugar snap pea starters that will crawl up trellises and will be ready for market by mid-May .
Weeds grow wildly between beet tops , making it hard to distinguish produce from invasive plants to the untrained eye , though the synchrony of nature growing together so harmoniously is charming . Bees work their way through the plot , searching for any blooms they can feed from , returning to and from the several beehives that dot the property . The farm is kept as organic as possible , according to Hunziker , foregoing spraying , using just mushroom compost as fertilizer and leaving the rest to nature .
In order to meet his goal , Hunziker explains that the farm has been set up to be planted in staggered stages , motioning towards an empty field waiting to be fertilized in April and planted in May , which will then carry him through to September .
“ These fields will die off , we ’ ll regrind them , I ’ ll start planting them around September to carry us through the fall season , depending on frosts and everything else . As a farmer , you just fight with it , you take it as life it throws at you ,” Hunziker said .
16 | HUNTSVILLE LIVING | MAY-JUNE 2021