Market Farming

["D.Bennett" <bennett AT frognet.net>]

>>I want to start a 1/2 acre asparagus bed.  It will be on piece of ground
>>that was over-grazed pasture under oak trees on a steep hillside of clay
and
>>rock soil.
>
>Is this the best or only site for your enterprise? From your description
>it sounds like you'll be fighting your soil for a long time.
>
    Unfortunately, it's the ONLY site for the asparagus.  I do have
a nearly unlimited source of horse manure, mostly without
any straw, hay or sawdust mixed with it.  I have a fair amount
of wood shavings available and I think I can get corn cobs.
    Now, I can compost all of the above and spread it on this
ground real heavy, maybe even plow it under to start the
bed.  Besides getting lime on the ground too, what are
your suggestions?

    I'm thinking of covering the rows of asparagus with
wire hoop tunnels, then pasturing poultry in the area.
Please comment on this notion. :-)