Marini Farm's Love For Tomatoes

The growing season for tomatoes is in full gear in the Marini Farm hot houses. Managing the scheduling process would overwhelm most farms, but Marini has historically built off of the prior year's production successes.

The farm is now planting 3,000 tomato plants in three separate hot houses for a June harvest of "Big Beef" tomatoes. In the fields, they follow a precise scheduling process of three consecutive plantings of 10,000 plants on 5/1, 5/30 and 6/30, with an overall production of more than 30,000 plants. All tomatoes are grown on raised plastic beds with drip irrigation, and row covers are used on the first planting for frost protection, as well as for the last planting during late season harvest. The tomatoes are picked vine ripe for exceptional flavor, and if all goes as planned, a Marini Farm grown tomato will be available from late June until Halloween.

In addition to the "Big Beef" tomatoes, the farm grows over 20 different heirloom and cherry tomato varieties which are all stacked and tied. Field tomato varieties include: Primo Red, Red Duce, Primetime, Florida 57, Sonoma, BHN, Mountain Fresh, Scarlet Red, Applause and Biltmore.

Marini's tomatoes are sold at their retail farm stand, as well as wholesaled to outside farm stands, supermarkets, restaurants, and to other local CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) participants.

As Mike Marini points out, "Many factors go into growing great tomatoes, but our number one focus is to produce tomatoes with exceptional quality and taste." The farm is always testing out new varieties that meet their quality tasting standards.

Marini has increased the population of grafted tomatoes over the years. The grafting process ties disease-resistant and insect-resistant roots onto familiar heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. Grafted tomato plants are stronger and lead to increased yields.

Many seed catalogs are featuring a wider selection of grafted plants and this year was a "roll-out year" nationally in the home-garden market. Tests in the U.S. have shown that the grafting process makes it easy to become a super producer of good-tasting tomatoes. The grafting process is recognized to be the single biggest advance in tomatoes since they were first hybridized over a century ago. With grafting, growers get a higher yield with a more rigorous plant, better taste, and do not have to worry about the risk of disease from fungal, bacterial, viral, and nematode diseases.

Grafts are made by severing the rootstock and scion at a downward 70 degree angle and re-attaching the plant with the root stalk with a rubber or silicon clip. Very much like plant surgery, it begins with precise cutting and ends with a carefully supervised healing process. Grafting is a sustainable farming process, which eliminates the use of products such as the soil fumigant methyl bromide to keep the plants healthy.

Tomatoes and other vegetables are big business:

"The National Gardening Association's annual survey found that while overall gardening activity, which includes everything from landscaping to potted plants, fell from $36 billion in 2008 to $29 billion in each of the last three years, vegetable gardening sales were up by roughly 20%, to about $1.7 billion annually."

Did you know...

• Americans eat between 22-24 pounds of tomatoes per person, per year.--U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• The largest worldwide producer of tomatoes is China, followed by U.S., Turkey, India and Egypt.
• Tomatoes are originally from South America and can be traced back to being cultivated by the Aztecs and the Incas as early as 700 A.D.
• Tomatoes are high in vitamin A and a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and that their biggest claim to fame is their copious amounts of Lycopene, a proven cancer preventative.
• California produces 96 percent of the tomatoes processed in the U.S.
• The name comes from the Aztec "xitomotl," which means "plump thing with a navel."
• Tomatoes are America's fourth most popular fresh-market vegetable behind potatoes, lettuce, and onions.
• The largest tomato tree grows at Walt Disney World Resort's experimental greenhouse and yields a harvest of more than 32,000 tomatoes and weighs 1,151.84 pounds.--Guinness Book of World Records
• Americans have increased their tomato consumption 30 percent over the last 20 years (mostly in processed forms such as sauce, paste, and salsa).  

Mike Marini frequently addresses customers' questions on home growing techniques for a successful garden. Marini's advice to at-home farmers is to add cow manure or compost to their gardens. He also recommends home gardeners plant a cover crop in the fall, rotate their crops, and test the soil after  rototilling. Marini stresses that you "need to know where you are to get to where you want to be!" There are home soil tests available and companies on the internet that accept samples and conduct testing and analysis. Marini sends its samples to UMass/Griffin Greenhouse. For an abundant garden the pH level is very important for plant growth, according to Marini.

And, Marini, like his customers, knows "nothing beats the taste of a fresh vine ripe tomato!"

Written by Blogger Pros

Winter at Marini Farms - The Challenges and Joys of Managing the Greenhouses

February may seem like a perfect time to take a winter break but, at Marini Farms, it is a crucial month for the start of planting in the greenhouses.

"Greenhouse production is important to vegetable farms because it helps bring in early income, giving cash flow to help get the farm planted," explained Mike Marini, third-generation owner of Marini Farms. "Any way you can start earlier or extend a season helps."

The early greenhouse plantings contribute to Marini Farms' reputation for having some of the best and most flavorful fruits available on the North Shore.

"We seed all our own seedlings for our field crop," Marini said. "This insures we are starting with a healthy, disease-free transplant and the best possible varieties, which reduces risk. There is nothing worse than buying into your problems."

He cites an example of a box store selling tomato plants infected with late blight. "The poor home gardeners did not have a chance of producing a healthy crop on their own," Marini exclaimed.

Marini Farms grows tomatoes, rhubarb, cucumbers, swiss chard, zucchini, green beans, peppers, carrots, peas, annuals, perennials, herbs and an astounding array of hanging plants in its greenhouses. Currently, there are four greenhouses on the farm, which cover about one acre of Marini Farm's total 200 acres devoted to mixed fruits and vegetables (another 100 acres is leased for growing corn).

Another reason for staying close to the farm during February is that winter weather conditions must be carefully watched as heavy snowfalls can threaten greenhouse structures. Three years ago in February, Marini Farm lost three of its greenhouses due to snowstorms, as pictured below when the roofs were flattened.

"It was a challenge to lose them at this time because we had to rebuild our infrastructures while we were also trying to grow our crops," Marini noted. "Flowers can only be held together for so long, but eventually you have to give them the proper growing space otherwise quality will be compromised."

The financial costs were also challenging as all three greenhouses had to be rebuilt simultaneously. However, as Marini jokingly adds, "Some were outdated, old chicken coops converted to growing houses. They were long overdue for some modernization."

To ensure consistent quality and volume of products grown within the greenhouses, Marini Farms must carefully manage:

• effective pest and disease control
• efficient heating and energy costs (which means that instead of opening the greenhouses in January, due to high costs of heating, they now open in late February for production. The retail houses officially open around May 1st, but many customers come in before that to browse or shop as walking through a colorful greenhouse is uplifting and often helps put one in a good mood after a long winter).
• proper ventilation
• accurate fertilization amounts
• thorough maintenance of the plants and buildings

The right timing of planting is also essential. Marini Farms starts seeding its vegetables and planting its first greenhouse tomatoes in March - work that brings Mike Marini much joy, perhaps better than a winter getaway vacation.

"Working in the greenhouses is one of the most peaceful and self-gratifying jobs on the farm," he claimed. "At the end of the day, you can look back and physically see that you have accomplished something. Nursing and watching those plants grow only add to the experience."

Greenhouse Trends

The greenhouse industry is rapidly changing and becoming more competitive, according to Marini. Here are some of his observations:

• Consumers have moved away from planting large gardens to creating more container gardens, with more perennials, varieties and colors than ever before.
• Vegetable and herb gardens are becoming increasingly popular.
• Larger, individual plants are replacing "six-pack" purchases.

"Ten years ago I never would have thought we would be planting tomatoes in greenhouses over more flowers, but we are and can not have enough of them," Marini said, adding, "We continue to adapt and change as the industry changes."

Proud that 90 percent of what Marini Farms sells is grown on-site, Marini noted the greenhouses make farming a year-round event.

"Marini Farm is part of every season," he said. "We produce our own product, giving our new and loyal customers the best quality possible at affordable prices. We are very lucky to have returning customers who have been buying their flowers from us for years."

Written by Blogger Pros.

A Behind-The-Scenes Look From Third-Generation Farmer Mike Marini

From digging in piles of dirt as a toddler to now managing over 200 acres of farmland, Mike Marini's passion for farming only gets stronger. Marini is proud to be a third-generation farmer, and feels lucky he has his father Mario by his side out in the fields providing him advice and direction in the day-to-day farm management. No two days are ever the same and the best thing about farming, according to Marini, is that it is always changing.

When asked what it was like growing up on the farm, Marini responded, "It was a rewarding life, and I learned about the value of hard work at a young age. It was also great being outside every day playing in piles of dirt, climbing on the equipment, seeing the world happening around me and being able to eat off the vine anytime I wanted to. I was lucky to be involved in a family farm growing up and I am fortunate that I had the opportunity to take over the farm after I graduated from college."

There is no doubt Marini feels he has the best job in the world. Learning from his dad's work philosophy to "take things as they come and roll with the punches," Marini says he is tested each day with new challenges and adjusts accordingly. Uncontrollable forces like weather and machinery failures make day-to-day planning interesting, and result in constant changes in the day's priorities.

"Nothing ever gets my day down," is the one motto his dad operated by. His dad took over the farm at eighteen and most days visitors continue to see Mario out in the fields or giving his two grandchildren (three- and five-years old) a ride on some equipment. Mike and his wife, Kim, his college sweetheart from The University of Delaware, are expecting their third child in July.

Winter Preparations

The farm gives us fresh produce in the spring, summer and fall, but one wonders, what happens in the winter? Running one of the largest farms in the region involves a lot of preparation, according to Marini. He starts planning for the next season the day the prior season ends and the farm is buttoned down for the winter months.

Marini focuses on crop planning, event planning, submits applications for energy grants, attends integrated pest management seminars and other industry programs and education agricultural events.

While this extensive preparation can seem overwhelming to most, Marini downplays the rigorous schedules and task-juggling, focusing instead on the personal fulfillment, joy and, most of all, community involvement he derives from running the farm

Working in community, everyone helps each other out, Marini reports. He wants his customers to be happy and enjoy the quality of fresh produce. Every season the farm tests out new varieties and recently added four new corn and twelve new tomato varieties. "Quality and freshness are at the forefront," states Marini, adding, "Farming is quite a process which goes beyond growing, harvesting and marketing."

There are many functions that contribute to running a successful farming operation. One of which, green energy, was covered in the November 19 blog on Marini processing its own fuel.  The farm is installing its fourth corn-burning heater this year.

Marini is a leader in the trend of farms turning to their land and operations to generate renewable energy. "I applied for three grants and got them all," Marini shares, once again making the work as owner of one of the largest farms in the region look easy.

He believes that local produce has many benefits including exceptional taste, freshness and nutritional value. In addition, he believes in supporting local interests and community groups, other local farmers, and contributing to the economic well-being of the area as a small-business. Marini stays connected to industry developments through his board positions with the Farm Bureau, the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and other off-season vegetable grower meetings.

Marini is always looking for ways to add value to the farming operation. "Diversity is necessary for survival," he notes. With the fall corn maze, Christmas on the Hill holiday festivities, the Strawberry Festival and other family events, the farm is better able to balance their seasons. Planning these types of events is often done in winter.

Additionally, the winter entails busy planning for the next crop season. Greenhouses open in January/February and seeds are planted in February. The challenge is to keep a consistent crop from the opening to the closing of the farm season.

Running a farm is "like a race horse at the gate getting ready to go. Once you go, there is no turning back," according to Marini.

Marini balances farming life with strength, perseverance, patience and joy. He hopes he can be as fortunate as his dad who has tilled the soil for nearly all of his 75 years.

In the meantime, Mike Marini, third-generation farmer, is ready to keep "racing," serving the community with fresh and superior quality produce.

Written by Blogger Pros

The Spirit of Giving: Marini Farm Hosts Tree Jubilee for The Ipswich Humane Group

Most Creative/Unique Tree - Gold Award: Ipswich Clambake

In a room filled with community spirit and joy, more than 50 local businesses, organizations and families gathered at Marini Farm’s large greenhouse December 4 to donate and decorate trees and wreaths on behalf the Ipswich Humane Group, Inc.’s annual Tree Jubilee Fundraiser.

From gorgeous glittery trees, elegant bonsais, crafty wreaths, and classic designs of simple beauty, the room oozed with creativity.  Local interior designers, greenhouses and landscapers displayed their own unique professional touches.

The panel of judges who viewed the donors’ entries and selected the winners included Ipswich Police Chief Paul Nikas, local artist Susan Burton, and Ipswich Selectman Patrick McNally.  The winners were: 

Best of Show Tree: The Parks Family
Best of Show Wreath: The Clambox

Best Professional Tree: Corliss Brothers
Best Professional Wreath:  Gordon’s Florist

Most Creative/Unique Tree
Gold: Ipswich Clambake
Silver: Ipswich Ale Brewery/Mercury Brewing
Bronze: Best Scentsy Wickless Candles

Most Creative/Unique Wreath
Gold: The Thompson Family
Silver: The Best Family
Bronze: Ipswich Shellfish 

Honorable Mention:
Time & Tide Fine Art
The Halliday Family

Then on December 7, 8, 9, 14, and 15, the public was invited to tour the gallery of beautifully decorated trees and wreaths, and purchase raffle tickets for a chance of winning their favorite tree.  For $5, participants were given 10 chances to win a tree or wreath, and for $10, they had 20 chances to take home a uniquely decorated item.

“Seeing the Marini Farm greenhouse alive with so much creativity, along with so many people coming forth to support the good cause of the Ipswich Humane Group, truly makes this season so special for us,” said Mike Marini.  “Contributing to community has always been part of our mission as third-generation farmers.”

On December 16, the raffles were drawn, and the 50-plus winners were called to pick up their trees and wreaths, with all the accompaniments.

As a result, $4,391 was raised, with more than double the number of donated trees and wreaths over last year. Additionally, viewings for the decorated items took place over two weekends this year, versus only a Friday night and all day Saturday last year. One hundred percent of all proceeds of the event will go directly to helping take care of the animals - including all veterinary bills and food - until they find “a forever home.”

Last year, the Tree Jubilee, also hosted by Marini Farm, raised $2,747 and had 23 donators. 

“The Ipswich Humane Group can't thank the Marinis enough for all they do to help our group and the stray and homeless animals that come through the Ipswich Animal Shelter,” said Heidi Best, president of Ipswich Humane Group. “In the last few years, the Marinis have been instrumental in our fundraising efforts through their Doggy Maze Day and the Tree Jubilee which have now become annual events. The donation of their greenhouse PLUS electricity, heat and so much more makes this all possible so 100 percent of all the donations go to the animals.”

Next year, the Ipswich Humane Group would like to increase the competition for the Tree Jubilee by inviting all veterinary hospitals and animal-related businesses to compete against each other for the most "creative" tree, Best noted.  Additionally, the organization would like to invite competitions between liquor companies and professional florists/garden centers to add to the great viewing of trees and wreaths.

“Thank you to all who attended plus congratulations to all the winners!  We hope to see you all next year,” Best remarked.  “Thank you again Mike and Kim Marini for all you and your family do to help the shelter pets."

With the Tree Jubilee expecting to return next year bigger than ever, start percolating your decorating ideas now. 

To joyfully giving back on behalf of the The Ipswich Humane Group,

Mike Marini and the Marini Farm Family 

Written by BloggerPros.

Selecting the Oh-So-Perfect Christmas Tree at Marini Farm is a Family Affair

Gather the family, pack a tape measure and heavy-weight gloves, choose a holiday CD to play en route and come on over to Marini Farm for one of the best selections of more than 2,000 pre-cut fresh Christmas trees.

A full selection of wreaths, decorated and plain kissing balls, swags, greens, roping, hand-made bows and gift items are also available. The Stand Strait Christmas Tree Stand--also known as The Marriage Saver--is available for sale with free tree drilling for owners of the stand. Considered the best Christmas tree stand available, it enables your tree to stand tall, straight and stable to prevent it from toppling over, and requires only one drill hole in the base of your tree.

Marini Farm starts shopping for Christmas trees right after July 4^th, and they make it a family excursion. The Marini family takes a summer vacation in the Quebec area, and sets aside some time to meet with the tree growers and select the trees for the coming Christmas season. Balsam and Fraser trees are the most popular based on overall quality and shape, with Balsam known for their fragrance and Fraser knows for their strong branches and minimal needle drop. As Marini states, “Our hands-on selection process is the reason the quality of our trees is second to none,  and we want our customers to get the best tree possible for their families to enjoy.” 

According to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), 56 million trees are planted each year for future Christmases and 30 to 35 million families will shop and buy a "real" Christmas tree this year. Finding your perfect Christmas tree can be a challenge.

To make your selection process a little easier, Marini Farm has compiled these tips for picking and maintaining the perfect tree for you. 

GETTING THE “RIGHT” TREE: 

1.  Get clear before you leave home where you will be positioning the tree and how much room you need. Take measurements of the height and width you need, and be careful not to overbuy. A tree can be the right height and still be too wide.

2.  Bring old gloves that you don't mind getting full of sap and take along a small hand saw if you want to do some trimming before bringing the tree home.

3.  Leave plenty of time to shop and enjoy the experience rather than rushing an hour before the farm closes. Marini Farm holiday hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

4.  Know where you tree comes from, as sometimes locally grown trees are fresher than those that come from far away.

5.  Find out when the trees were cut. If they are cut too early and left out in the sun in the fields, they will dry out faster.

6.  Check freshness by taking a branch and running your hand across it to make sure a lot of needles don’t fall off. Other tests: If the tree feels light for its size, it could be dried out. If a bent branch doesn’t snap right back, that’s a sign it’s getting stale.  Inspect them out in the light and look for any outward signs of dryness like a musty smell, brown needles or excessive needle loss. Fresh pine tree needles will be green and pliable when you bend them. The needles on a fir tree should be green and snap crisply when bent. Give the tree a good shake. If more than a few needles fall off, select another tree.

The shelf life of a fresh tree in a home, if properly cared for, is about four to six weeks.

7.  Make sure the tree only has one trunk and that it is not crooked or bent. Trees with two trunks cannot be placed in a holder, and they tip over easier as well, often breaking ornaments.

8.  The base of the tree should be cut right before you take it home, and then plunged into water when you get there. Some recommend soaking the trunk in hot water with a few tablespoons of sugar for three days, then keeping it in lukewarm water. Some stores sell life-lengthening powders you can mix in the water. If you do purchase a freshly cut Christmas tree, you should water it frequently, never let the water run out and avoid keeping the tree near a heat source.

9.  Take the tree into the doorway BASE-FIRST versus top-first to avoid losing branches, which are sloped upward.

TYPES OF TREES TO CONSIDER: 

According to National Christmas Tree Association polls, here are the favorite top 10 Christmas tree species sold in North America. 

#1. Fraser Fir
#2. Douglass Fir
#3. Balsam Fir
#4. Colorado Blue Spruce
#5. Scotch Pine
#6. Eastern Red Cedar
#7. White Spruce
#8. Eastern White Pine
#9. White (Concolor) Fir
#10. Virginia Pine

They each have unique qualities:

• Noble fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir, Douglass fir and Scotch pines typically retain their needles the longest.
• The light scent and feathery dark green foliage of the Leyland Cypress is excellent for people with allergies, while the Balsam fir is highly aromatic.

Only some of these are available in this area. Do some research before you leave home so you know what type of tree best suits your needs.

Most importantly, enjoy making your tree shopping experience a happy family memory. To add to your enjoyment, Christmas on the Hill at Marini Farm features hay rides, a visit from Santa (December 8th, noon to 4 pm), giant snowmen and free hot chocolate.

From all of us at Marini Farm, we wish you and yours a very happy holiday season. 

The Marini Family

Written by Blogger Pros.  

Thanks to Several Grants, Marini Farm Grows and Processes Its Own Fuel

Corn gets a lot of mileage at Marini Farm. From use in the enjoyment of summer cookouts to helping create the challenging 10-acre corn maze at Marini Farm, corn is much more than a handy vegetable.

One unique use of the corn, which supports Marini Farm's commitment to green energy, is as a source of fuel to heat the farm's green houses. Marini is a leader in the trend of farmers turning to their land and operations to generate renewable energy.

As an example, the third-generation farm is currently focusing on getting ready for the winter season by preparing to fire up its corn furnaces to heat four of their greenhouses used to produce bedding plants and vegetable starts. The farm loves to utilize its own resources to generate energy efficiencies.

"We're trying to convert all of our greenhouses from oil-burning to corn-heated," Mike Marini noted. "It's clean energy, and we plant corn for our corn maze, so we have fuel sitting out on our fields."

Corn heating units, which generate heat from burning shelled corn, date back to as early as the beginning of the twentieth century. During hard economic times, farmers burned corn to heat their homes. This heating method became highly prevalent during the Great Depression because the market price of corn was very low and farmers did not have available funds to buy fuel. A near pure food and pure fuel, corn burns virtually smoke-free, odor-free, ash-free, and pollutant-free.

As a result of rising energy costs, and the need to lessen the nation's dependence on foreign oil, the corn heating industry has experienced rapid expansion and has been supported as a viable alternative to traditional heating methods of natural gas, propane and electricity.

Clean energy practices are quickly becoming core to the operations of farmers and ranchers across America. It is estimated that renewable thermal technologies - like solar thermal, biomass thermal, advanced biodiesel, and high efficiency heat pumps - could create approximately 5,900 jobs and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over two million tons by 2020 in Massachusetts and the greater New England region. Assuming that historical market growth rates continue into the future, renewable thermal technologies will enable Massachusetts to achieve only about 500,000 tons of GHG emission reductions by 2020 - or about 25% of the two million ton reduction goal.

Clean Energy Farming provides many advantages, including:

• Improving energy efficiency while saving money in fuel costs
• Saving energy and protects natural resources
• Producing renewable energy
• Helping revitalize rural communities and improves the environment
• Curbing global warming pollution and offers new economic opportunities for communities
• Burning 20 percent hotter and burns much clean than wood

Marini is proud of its success towards growing crops without any oil. "We grew a whole crop of tomatoes without one drop of oil, which was a first for us," noted Marini.

Thanks to the help from the $5,000 grant awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' Agricultural Energy Grant Program, Marini Farm will be installing its fifth biomass incinerator, corn-burning furnace this winter.

With twelve greenhouses in operation, fuel costs are excessive. The farm also received three previous grants (two from the state and one from the University of Massachusetts) that were used to purchase corn-burning furnaces. Each incinerator costs about $20,000, according to Marini.

Mario Marini, getting the corn stove started up

With 27 grants totaling $325,000 to Massachusetts farmers, it is clear the state is focused on implementing renewable energy systems and improving energy efficiencies on farms throughout Massachusetts.

Clean energy farming creates energy systems that are profitable, demonstrate good stewardship of America's land and water, and benefit the environment and communities.

Marini's sustainability programs have reduced oil usage by approximately 50% and the goal is to convert the remaining seven greenhouses over to biomass fuel, which is expected to reduce oil consumption by more than 75%. The benefit of the grant is that it reduces the payback period for the infrastructure change making the economics of installing a new system a possibility. Marini is seriously motivated to continue to expand the farm's clean energy systems.

"It would be a great sense of accomplishment if we could someday power the farm entirely through clean energy practices," Marini commented. "Our customers can now enjoy our corn three different ways!"

The state supports this type of mission for farmers.

"We look forward to helping residents and businesses cope with the energy challenges ahead, so that the state can soon also be recognized as a national leader in renewable heating and cooling," said Mark Syliva, Commissioner Patrick Cloney, CEO of Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Massachusetts Clean Energy. --Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2012). Renewable Thermal Study - retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/doer/renewables/renewable-thermal-study.pdf. 

written by Blogger Pros

A "Pumpkin Patch" Marriage Proposal Becomes A Clever Family Affair at Marini Farm

Finding a romantic and unique way to propose to his girlfriend of four years became a brainstorming mission of Charlie Capillo. His girlfriend, Erica Alicandro, was too special for him to do anything ordinary when he knew it was time to ask the love of his life to marry him.

Originally, Charlie thought he would "pop the question" at Christmas, among family and friends, as Erica opened her last gift at a Yankee swap party. However, after Charlie bought the engagement ring, he was too excited to wait three more months to propose! With his head spinning with ideas for an alternative plan, Charlie liked the idea of following a festive theme so Jack-o'-Lanterns, hayrides, Halloween spirit and crisp fall weather all seemed to form a perfect combination for a surprise engagement.

"The idea to carve out the pumpkins was one of the first to pop into my head, mostly because of our love for the season. It all just fell into place." He also liked the timing of an October engagement, as it is their 4th year anniversary on October 25, 2012.

Immediately after sharing the idea with his Aunt, Kathy Capillo, who had recently visited the Marini Farm Corn Maze, the vision started to come to life. "The moment I walked up the hill from the parking lot, I knew Marini Farm was the perfect place," Charlie remarked. "My family and I did a test run of the hayride so I knew I needed help with lighting all those pumpkins."

The preparations became a family affair - and on the perfect setting of a third-generation farm no less. Mike Marini, owner of the family farm, and Kathy Brunner (Maze Marketing Manager), helped with the plans.

Family and friends came the eve of the proposal to prepare all the pumpkins. It took 22 pumpkins, a team of family and friends and more than ten hours of cutting to carve out the words, "Will You Marry Me?". The words were perfectly carved with stencil-like clarity and all the pumpkins were precisely positioned along the first tier of hay on the hayride.

Then, on the night of the proposal, Charlie's aunts, uncles, grandparents, siblings, cousins and his and Erica's parents returned to the farm to help light all the pumpkins. All had to keep a watchful eye on each word to make sure none of them went out while Charlie was waiting for Erica to arrive.

After meandering the corn maze along with Erica before reaching the designated proposal spot (and even getting lost a few times although Charlie had scoped it out previously), he popped the question.

With no other lights around the all-important question stood out in a row of perfectly carved pumpkins. Erica didn't even know the whole family was there to join them in celebration, until she heard "Congratulations!" yelled upon accepting Charlie's proposal, shouted from all directions.

A few weeks prior to the proposal, Charlie and Erica had visited Ipswich, marveling at the idea of returning for a fall date to one of the Marini Farm Corn Maze "flashlight nights". So it was with that date suggestion he was to bring Erica to the farm for the proposal.

While the intricate carving process was long, "The biggest challenge was actually getting Erica to the Farm that day," Charlie explained. "I had hinted to the idea of visiting the corn maze earlier that week and Erica seemed to like the idea so I thought it was golden. Little did I know that morning it would rain for three hours straight. Around noon, Erica sent me a text asking if we could find something else to do because it was not shaping out to be a good day to be outside. My heart sunk but I played it cool and told her she was right, but maybe the weather would clear up later, which it did. And, it turned out to be a beautiful, but brisk October night."

The couple is hoping to keep the fall country theme alive, with a barn wedding around this time next year. The exact date and venue have yet to be established.

"Organizing the event with the farm couldn't have been easier - Kathy, Mike and Marini Farm will always have a special place in our hearts," Charlie noted, gratefully. "From the moment I told them of my plan, they could not have been more accommodating. They really helped my idea come to life. I could not have done it without their kindness and generosity."

Erica was so stunned by all the organizing that went into the proposal, noting "It was only because of Marini Farm's help that Charlie was able to give me the most amazing proposal a girl could ask for!"

While this was a first engagement event for Marini Farm, some other special happenings at the farm occurred this season, including a 50th birthday celebration that included a hide and seek game in the corn maze. The Marini's are thrilled to be a part of these special events.

written by BloggerPros