Gary Asteak Down on the Farm

Gary Astteak, down on the farm.

You may think of him as a flamboyant criminal defense attorney, known to wear cowboy boots and Stetsons in court. Others know him as a brilliant municipal solicitor who provided legal advice to Township Supervisors when they still conducted their meetings in German. But did you know that Gary Asteak is also a farmer? He and his wife own and operate Filetown Farms in Bushkill Township. And Asteak is walking on air this week because their produce won blue ribbons at the prestigious Plainfield Farmers' Fair.

At this time last year, Gary Asteak was ripping a Nazareth police officer to shreds in what has become known as StickerGate. He, Phil Lauer and Mark Minotti made up a Northampton County Legal Defense Dream Team who defended the infamous Sticker Gang. Their despicable crime, you might recall, was placing tiny FT ("Fire Trachta") stickers throughout the tiny borough. Chief Thomas Trachta, never known for a sense of humor, had the trio perp-walked in front of news reporters. They dropped their prom coverage for the story. He even tried to involve the feds. Of course the trio was acquitted, Trachta who had refused to shake hands with Asteak, was admonished to "suck it up cupcake."

Blue ribbon kale

But one thing Asteak never mentioned is his interest in farming.

"All I have to do is battle nature," he tells me, which has to be a little harder than his wars with police chiefs

He started out as a beekeeper, and is now up to four hives. They never sting him.

"Professional courtesy," he tells me.

He also has begun raising free-range heritage chickens, along with one hen-pecked bantam rooster. His family was in the poultry business for three generations, so I suspect Gary knows his chickens.

But his favorite is the garden. His wife gets the credit for the blue ribbon kohlrabi, which is great in salads and slaws. He gets the prize for kale, which the Irish mash with potatoes to make Colcannon.

This is a kohlrabi.