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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Economics- sustainable ag?

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  • From: "Andrew R. King" <andrew.king2 AT worldnet.att.net>
  • To: <sunnfarm AT bellatlantic.net>, "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Economics- sustainable ag?
  • Date: Thu, 22 Dec 2005 19:39:36 -0500

Bob

 

I am sure you and the hundreds of full time commercial small to medium family vegetable farmers in your neighborhood are doing something right.

 

My land is flat. I use a chisel plow each spring and remove any rocks that come to the surface. I have applied compost at the rate of 10 to 20 tons per acre per year. It is true the soil is clay but it has become productive. The problem is not the location, it is me. I do not have the knowledge of what, when and how needed to make my land profitable. That is the reason I have read all the emails posted over the last five years and attend both the PASA an NOVA conferences each year.

 

I do not believe one sustainable farm model will fit everyone’s needs. However I do believe that by studying a number of successful models those of us who have not mastered market farming can become more profitable. I also believe that constant and never ending improvements are needed for any business model to remain profitable.

 

Andy King

Sunflower King's Farm

Trumbauersville, PA

 

 

“Robert Schuler” wrote:

Andrew , A lot of folks who call themselves market farmers are self described farmers in name only. Most are gardeners who call their gardens... farms. That is their right but it is un reasonable to expect a garden to be economically sustainable or viewed as a viable farming business.
I moved my farm to this area 19 years ago because it has the best soils and climate for growing the highest yielding fruits and vegetables. There are hundreds of full time commercial small to medium family vegetable farms in my neighborhood. We must be doing something right...
Location is everything. You can grow vegetables almost anywhere but there are certain places where vegetables grow really good. If you live outside one of these areas you will never make it... If a person has a profession and is unemployed and someone offers him a job in his profession 500 miles away he picks up and relocates. If you want to be successful making a living growing vegetables you have to packup and move to where the best vegetable land is...
Folks who try to eeke out a living growing vegetables on clay and rock hillsides will never make. But there is a crop or animal suitable for almost any soil and climate, folks need to find what works best where they live if they don't want to relocate...

Bob.
Sunny Meadow Farm
Bridgeton, NJ.




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