Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

You're the tree man, anyone else? Do you do any grafting or rooting? This
doesn't apply to trees, but I diagram the garden on graph paper and show
what goes where and which varieties follow early plantings and how long
each takes up the bed space. Have to keep in mind that some mature and then
they're done like cabbage; others bear over a period of weeks like snow
peas and pole beans. Some won't keep well and must be staggered for
continuous harvest like fresh carrots and beets. Some continue to produce
in summer heat and after first frost like swiss chard. Some need harvesting
all at once and will keep well into fall and winter market like the
alliums, red onions, shallots, & garlic. Winter squash produces late and
keeps for winter market - and we ran out in Sept. Next summer we're
limiting their space to Lakota and Delicata because their nuttier flavor
and looks get better customer repeats and bring a better price for the time
and space they take up. Fingerling potatoes, we'll see how they work out
and they get a higher price than baking potatoes. 

No shell beans because they take too much work and keep so long they can be
stored and shipped and we gain no taste edge over the big farms. No more
space hog melons except Moon & Stars because people like the yellow specks
on green, and the taste. It all comes down to how much a square foot is
worth, how much labor and space a variety needs, how much it produces and
how much it retails for. Carrots and tomatoes are way up there on that
basis. And then some things we grow small amounts of aren't so profitable
on that basis, but a few customers will want them and we think it helps to
have a wide choice on the table so there's something for almost everyone.
Most of our all heirloom varieties simply aren't in stores or even other
markets, and we grow for taste like the Genovese tomato and Scarlet Nantes
carrot. Our concern for prices just means it has to be worth our time or we
can't afford to grow for market at all. And planning is everything. I like
to say you can work hard or work smart. On that point, we're learning from
mistakes and trying to avoid new ones. 

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 12/30/2007 at 9:05 AM E. E. Mitchamore Jr wrote:

>This time each year I'm faced with a planning problem: The native tree
>seeds I work with require a variety of treatments to assure germination. 
>With 50+ species, it gets confusing.  I'd appreciate input about methods
>that you have found helpful to remember and plan the things you do to
>prepare and plant your gardens and crops.
>
>Thanks.
>
>E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
>www.hillcountrynatives.biz
>
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