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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] head lettuce growers

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  • From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] head lettuce growers
  • Date: Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:16:28 -0600

John

Are you considering growing iceberg, bibb or romaine? They are different crops with different growing requirements and different price points. Around Indianapolis iceberg could be difficult to grow successfully.

Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html


----- Original Message ----- From: "John Ferree" <john AT seldomseenfarm.com>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 6:10 PM
Subject: [Market-farming] head lettuce growers


hey. . .
i was running some spreadsheets today. . . we're growing primarily
lettuce mix, but I ran a comparison for the same area for heads.
for 1375 sf of salad mix we're doing ~1125$ avg sales. for the same
area in head lettuce we would be producing 825 heads (5'centers 3 rows,
12" between)
at 2.50/head (what we sell heads for - but rarely have them) the return
is much greater - 2062$. SO - why am i spending 4x the labor on salad
mix when heads are less labor intensive?

what's the spectrum of price on heads? here (indianapolis) the
conventional head lettuce guy is selling for 1.75/head. (still higher
than my salad mix returns) and that seems really cheap. i don't
frequent wild oats, but would expect 2-3.50 is standard. when i
started out i said, 'there's no way i'm growing salad mix. . . it's too
labor intensive.' hehehe. to rival the 2062$ from heads I would have
to charge 14$/#, twice our current average price! better sell it in
*small* bags.

thanks to everyone with the AC G ideas. . . i really like the g's setup,
but am beginning to realize that keeping it up and finding parts may be
a long term PITA. oh well.


john

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