Farms or Soccer Fields?
Once again progress might take another Warren County farm. However this time it's fifty acres of black, glacial soil that will be permanently removed from the food chain if the Allamuchy bond issue is voted for. Farms with this type of soil left over from the glaciers are very limited in the tri-state area, let alone here in Warren County.
How do you think the kids would feel about being the cause for losing this special soil for play fields that will be used less by them than the farmers and eventually the local customers? Why not buy land like the picker patch across from the PV Mall that doesn't help filter and absorb the runoff from PV? It's closer to the school, it's flatter, higher ground than the glacial bottom land, it won't increase traffic or flooding on Alphano Rd, the kids wouldn't have to smell the waste treatment plant, and it should be cheaper as it's part of the state owned land the school is already on.
For further history of Warren County farms take out the fine three disc of the same name at the library. By the way, I'm not a farmer, but I do like to eat fresh, local produce.
No Farms, No Food
One-Eyed Poacher 
justintime 
seenitWhile I agree with most of what you're trying to say, I question the phrase "black, glacial soil" and wonder where you got that term. Is that what the 3 disc farm history states? Normally glaciers scour the earth and the detritus is bulldozed at its end in what is called the "terminal moraine", which is the place where the glacier's furthest reach was. that moraine is usually a collection of boulders and stones, gravel and clayish material that tends not to have much soil overburden.
The "bottom land" as you term it (as did Gregory Peck in the movie "Sergeant York") is normally richer and darker than the hills, partly because of the decayed vegetable and other organic matter that has been transported downward via rainfall and also due to its transport via the river in the valley. When the river floods into the "floodplain" or lower areas between the mountains where the river has been cutting a continuous path back and forth (meandering) it brings with it all kinds of rich material, both eroded from higher areas as well as brought up from the bottom of marshes or swamplands where nature has allowed material to decay and form a natural rich dark earth, usually called "loam".
Phil D. Well then it's OK Phil.......:>)
Point is the glaciers probably bulldozed the lake bed, the moraine's plugged the water and the rich material formed as you noted.
Would be a shame to see this turned away from farming and into suburban recreation since indeed it is almost unique and most certainly a very special environment. Not to mention to be the devil to get those uniforms clean!
If they have to use the mucklands, perhaps they could use the old BP plant back aways in. No farming there :<(
I hope they reconsider, turn the mucklands into community gardening if they want to buy it for the township, and take the fields to a more harmonious setting.
Field of Dreams were previously some very nice fields, but there were pretty typical just fields. Even there, it's too bad that the open space gets fenced and penned in ruining what used to be a great open field vista. Thank goodness the front section has remained pure.............so far.
For a man with one eye who pilfers, you see very well on behalf of others. Thank you OEP.
mistergoogle The farm across from Pv is part of allamuchy state park. Must of the fields are stilled farmed too except from the the few in the front and the one in the back.
jd4020 The land in allamuchy that they are thinking about making fields in partially in the highlands act. But I guess if u have money u can get around that.
Dave11 
iRun 
Greg Commenting is no longer available.