Market Farming

[Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>]

On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 16:54:40 +0000, you wrote:

>Hi All:
>
>My question first then I will introduce myself, as I have been on the list 
>for 
>a while but never posted.
>
>Q: Do I understand that some of you use re-bar for tomato stakes, or is it 
>for 'posts' between which you run wire for trellising? If stakes, then you 
>have 
>no problem with absorbed heat from the iron burning the plants? Finally, 
>what @ 
>price are you buying them for? Thanks.

We use rebar for stakes in cages, to keep the cages from
collapsing.  We used to used wood, but the tomatoes would
break the wood and collapse the cage anyway.

Can't remember what they cost:  not much.


>
>We just bought six acres and an old farmhouse, the remnant of an old 
>asparagus 
>farm in central NJ. I will be starting some market gardening next year on 
>one 
>acre, possibly expanding to two later on as a serious but small scale second 
>income. This year is for preparation and researching / testing crops, 
>especially niche crops for the local carriage trade. Possibly also will sell 
>in 
>Trenton once I have the volume. Been gardening many many years but never 
>larger 
>than 5,000 sq. ft., so scaling up and marketing will be interesting 
>experiences! Thanks for all the great information and book tips you are 
>sharing 
>on this listserve, I am learning manyb things that will help.
>

Congratulations on your new place!  Yes, scaling up would be
very interesting.

Pat