Market Farming

[Joan Vibert <joan AT windwalker-farm.com>]

I've grown the Liana yard longs from Johnny's for two years now and have
done very well with them - my customers at market are "hooked" on them now.
I harvest them small - no bigger than pencil size - its seems like once they
are loosing the dark color and sizing up they change flavor although they
don't get tougher right away.  We've eaten them fairly large (don't we
always eat the rejects?)

I sell them in bunches of 1/2 pound for $2.50 a bunch.  Tie them with raffia
wrapped around several times and finish with a bow or knot.  They are very
attractive this way laid out in a basket and people like to just pick them
up without the weighing out process.  I tell people to use them as they
would any green bean - I've put them in salads, potato salads, etc.

I don't find them as productive pound per row-wise as a bush or pole bean
but they are much - much easier to pick in my opinion - no scooting along on
my butt on the ground.  I do pick them daily since you'll loose them quickly
if you don't.  I plan to do all yard- longs next year - and I did find them
very resistant to all the pests - plus they are beautiful vines and
blossoms!

I also save the seed - since its almost impossible not to miss a lot of them
- I end up with a lot of seed for next year!

joan
windwalker farm