Market Farming

[pam AT twinoaks.org]

Thanks Bob from Sunny Meadow, for your response. I know 
commercial growers are using annual strawberries on 
plasticulture, but I'm reluctant to use that much plastic. Mind 
you, I'm attracted to the benefits, at the same time! I think for 
this year at least, I'd like to try the two-year method, with 
organic mulch. Thanks Marie and Alison for the Chandler 
supplier info and encouragement. Does anyone else have 
suggestions? (My questions follow Bob's reply here):
Bob said:
>I don't know anybody growing traditional matted bed berries 
anymore. A few years ago everyone switched to growing 
annual berries. The Chandler variety is number one, planted 
in the fall on fresh clean soil, covered with row covers in 
December, harvested in spring then plowed under. No
need to fuss with weeding all summer and less danger of 
disease or insect buildup. Sweet Charley is an early version of 
Chandler but very sensitive to frost. Harvest season for 
Chandler is about three weeks. They are sensitive to 
"fascination" after a cold winter, this year local
yields even with the dark wet weather were up to 14000 
pounds per acre...Bob.
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ.

pam AT twinoaks.org wrote:

> We grow 1400' organic strawberries (more than one
> variety), and have been replacing one quarter of the
> rows each fall. We don't like the quantity of weeding
> and thinning this involves. This spring one patch all
> but drowned. We're going to use this opportunity to try
> switching to replacing plants after 2 seasons. I have
> several questions I'm looking for help on.
> 1. I read that you should avoid growing strawberries where 
nightshades were growing previously (to avoid spreading 
Verticillium Wilt). Our new strawberry patches usually follow 
sweet corn undersown with soy, which fits nicely within the
recommended previous crops (grasses, brassicas, legumes). 
What about growing tomatoes and peppers in the year 
following the strawberries?? We'd till in the strawberries in 
June, after 2 years of fruiting, grow summer cover crops, 
plant rye and hairy vetch in early September, and do organic 
no-till tomatoes the next year. Is this risky?
> 2. How would I recognise Verticillium Wilt from all
 the other ills that tomatoes are prone to in a humid climate? 
(We're in zone 6b in central Virginia). Are there any good 
resources to distinguish diseases?
> 3. We often propagate from our own plants, transplanting 
runners in October. Could I do this earlier (zone 6b)? 
September? Late August? We have overhead irrigation only 
at this point.
> 4. I've read of planting out "dormant root plants" in late 
summer. What are these? Could I dig up runners now and 
refrigerate them until planting time?
> Any help with these questions would be appreciated.
> Thanks,
> Pam Dawling, Twin Oaks Community, Louisa, VA