Market Farming

["Jolly Cross" <jollyannacross AT tds.net>]

I am loving the Crapking..oops Cropking stuff.  We have worked with them for 
years, they like to sell you the whole set-up.  That's cool, I agree they 
are in the business to do that.  Sometimes they are very helpful. My dad has 
been to all their "shows" and saw the micro-green system about 4 years ago, 
we are just wondering why we can not find anyone using the system. They sent 
us heaters for a tomato greenhouse in Jamaica !! haha. The tomato house is 
too hot (NO we did not install the heaters)  so we had to install huge fans 
to cool it down, now we have an outrageous electric bill, so I am going to 
set up some solar panels for electricity, make the sun work for me !! We 
grow our micro-greens on the new "Sure to Grow" mats, they rock ! they are a 
new product www.suretogrow.com.  Very Very helpful people, very nice, they 
got me in touch with other growers, and things are really starting to move. 
We have 40 foot long/ 13' wide growing tables we had made out of roofing 
material, with reinforced 2" sides. We put the Sure to Grow mats down and 
sprinkle on the seed and watch them grow.  We put a nutrient in the water, 
that is on a chiller, so the cold nutrient water is flowing through the 
trays "ebb and flow".  The Caribbean veggie show is at the resort where all 
this is set-up, so if anyone is ever in Negril Jamaica come see us- Rhodes 
Resort.  We are growing in a small shade house now, but we plan to put up a 
Nightingale Farms Casa Verde greenhouse in June.  These new Casa Verde 
greenhouses are very good.  You can roll the sides and the roof up, so you 
can have a shade or a greenhouse.  We are going to put Aluminet as the shade 
cloth, so we will reflect the sun to keep things cool.  I know from owning 
restaurants and working with people at farmers markets, the local health 
department needs to inspect anything you grow and sell.  They check out how 
you package it, and how clean everything is and then they give you a retail 
food license, at least that is how it works here in Colorado. Jamaica 
obviously has no health department, but the Jamaicans are very clean in 
their restaurants and farms.  I went to a butchery in Jamaica once- I was 
scared to death, a third world animal killing place.  I was so shocked- NOT 
one fly , anywhere, it was the cleanest thing I have ever seen !!  ok just 
some ramblings- STILL TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE WITH A CROPKING MICRO-GREENS 
SYSTEM... Thanks to everyone for their commits

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <market-farming-request AT lists.ibiblio.org>
To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 11:21 AM
Subject: Market-farming Digest, Vol 62, Issue 18


> Send Market-farming mailing list submissions to
> market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
> market-farming-request AT lists.ibiblio.org
>
> You can reach the person managing the list at
> market-farming-owner AT lists.ibiblio.org
>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Market-farming digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>   1. Re: Fw: Cropking (maury sheets)
>   2. Re: micro greens (Pat Rupiper) (sora AT coldreams.com)
>   3. Re: Greenhouse Seasons (sora AT coldreams.com)
>   4. Re: micro greens (Andrew R. King)
>   5. Schlabach's Nursery? (Road's End Farm)
>   6. Re: micro greens (Road's End Farm)
>   7. Re: micro greens (rosnide3 AT vt.edu)
>   8. Re: Schlabach's Nursery? (Andy Fellenz)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 13:31:00 -0400
> From: "maury sheets" <maurysheets AT verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Fw: Cropking
> To: <avalonfarmshomegrown AT earthlink.net>, "'Market Farming'"
> <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <009801c8839d$acf153a0$06d3fae0$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Brigette
>
>
>
> I do agree with you about Crop King.  I also attended a Florida conference
> about 10 years ago.  I could not afford to buy 1000's of feet of channel 
> for
> a hydroponics system, so I developed my own system of tables with EPDM
> liners for ebb and flow.  I know their system will work, I just could not
> afford that and a 30z96 foot greenhouse at the same time.
>
> I am careful with info I receive when they are in business to sell you
> something however.  Everything I saw on line about the micros did not show
> performance data or any history with satisfied customers.  In conclusion, 
> I
> am not making Crop King out to be a monster, just a business out to make
> money.
>
>
>
> Maury
>
>
>
> Sustainable agriculture in southern New Jersey
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Brigette
> Leach
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 11:36 AM
> To: Market Farming
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Fw: Cropking
>
>
>
> Maury and Jolly,
>
> While I don't know any specifics about Crop King's micro-greens system, I
> can tell you that we have attended their prospective grower conference 
> (1998
> or 99, don't remember) held at their facility in Ohio, and three of the
> conferences they typically hold in Florida in November. We learned from 
> them
> when we needed to and have now found more expertise closer to home. There
> wasn't much expertise readily available when we started. We followed Crop
> King's advice when we set our houses up. Some of it worked and some of it 
> we
> refined to better suit our situation and how we like to work. We did not
> purchase everything from them, and we had a local source for the houses.
>
> There are hundreds of greenhouses in our county raising bedding plants,
> potted geraniums and lilies, poinsettias, etc., and the expertise that 
> goes
> along with a fully matured, and very successful, industry. But no one else
> was raising anything hydroponically. We did get some advice from the older
> greenhouse guys who used to grow "hothouse" tomatoes, who evolved to 
> bedding
> plants, etc. We also made a day trip to Lemington, Ontario and spent time
> with an established hydroponic grower there. He had been growing
> hydroponically produced tomatoes and peppers for more than 20 years. Since
> we just found his contact information and called him out of the blue, we
> thought he was very generous to share his knowledge and time. There are
> hundreds of hydroponic greenhouse operations in Lemington.
>
> When we were at Crop King's facility in Ohio, they were experimenting with
> strawberry production, which wasn't working out too well, but they were
> honest about it. They do focus on selling turn key set-ups, but I don't 
> hold
> that against them. It's their business plan and that's their right.
>
> We purchased some of our equipment for our tomato and salad green 
> operation
> from them, and still purchase some supplies from them because they have 
> what
> we need and are relatively close to us geographically. Like many small,
> family owned and operated businesses they have had their challenges.
>
> I understand what they mean about seasons, simply because even with shade
> cloths, our lettuce house gets way too hot during the summer months and
> plants like to bolt way too quickly. We don't grow micro-greens, but I'll
> bet that outdoor temps at 80 degrees and more, such as we get here, would
> not be conducive to micro-green production.
>
> Too bad Jamaica is so far from their Ohio facility or Jolly could just 
> make
> a visit, gather information and impressions first hand and then make a
> decision. Jolly, have you grown any micro greens before?
>
> My two cents worth,
> Brigette Leach
> Avalon Farms Homegrown
> Share of the Farm
> www.avalonfarmshomegrown.net
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL: 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/attachments/20080311/2761717e/attachment-0001.htm
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:18:41 -0700 (PDT)
> From: sora AT coldreams.com
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] micro greens (Pat Rupiper)
> To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Message-ID: <1247.4.243.31.18.1205288321.squirrel AT qmail.coldreams.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Please check with the local health or ag authority to see that selling
> > microgreens/sprouts is acceptable. There have been questions.
> > I finally solved that by sprouting in soiless mix and bringing the whole
> > flat to market to sell off sections.
> > Pat OH Zone 6
>
> > Please elaborate, what is in your soiless mix, how exactly do you divy up
> sections, sell by the what, clump/pound?   Interesting idea...here in
> Idaho, sprouts are not legal to sell, but micro greens are ok....
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:25:16 -0700 (PDT)
> From: sora AT coldreams.com
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Greenhouse Seasons
> To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Message-ID: <1329.4.243.31.18.1205288716.squirrel AT qmail.coldreams.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
>
> > Thanks Shawnee!  I needed the laugh so much!  Really getting tired of 
> > snow
> > and cold and ice, to say nothing of gray days.
> >
> > I'll second that laugh!....just starting the very beginnings of break-up
> easily 3 weeks late...still living on an iceberg that's rapidly
> transforming to mud.  Still in a cast with a broken wrist for 3 more
> weeks...any laughs are gratefully appreciated.              Sora at
> Paradise Valley Organics  zone 5
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:05:40 -0400
> From: "Andrew R. King" <andrew.king2 AT worldnet.att.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] micro greens
> To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <000801c88431$03e878d0$7e544c0c@sunflower>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Why is it illegal to sell sprouts or micro greens in any state?
>
> Andy King
> Sunflower King's Farm
>
> http://www.sunflowerkingsfarm.com/
>
> PA Zone 6
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:21:47 -0400
> From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
> Subject: [Market-farming] Schlabach's Nursery?
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <9362be21acfb6867131245221def088f AT frontiernet.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Has anyone on this list ordered from Schlabach's Nursery in Medina NY;
> and if so, were you happy or unhappy with the results?
>
> Thanks --
>
> -- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
> Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
> -------------- next part --------------
> A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
> Name: not available
> Type: text/enriched
> Size: 242 bytes
> Desc: not available
> Url : 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/attachments/20080312/ca02ce71/attachment-0001.bin
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:55:22 -0400
> From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] micro greens
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <2d87d16ce93081fa2fb986e16ed608bc AT frontiernet.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>
> On Mar 12, 2008, at 7:05 AM, Andrew R. King wrote:
>
> > Why is it illegal to sell sprouts or micro greens in any state?
> >
> > Andy King
> > Sunflower King's Farm
> >
> > http://www.sunflowerkingsfarm.com/
> >
> > PA Zone 6
> Probably not illegal to sell them entirely, but may be illegal to sell
> them without a licensed processing setup due to sanitary concerns. The
> growing conditions for sprouts are supposedly highly conducive to also
> growing pathogens, if there were pathogens there to start with. (Check
> your own state regulations, I don't know whether this is state by state
> but my guess is that it might be.)
>
> I don't know enough about it to have an opinion on whether the
> restrictions are justified; I've only grown sprouts for myself,
> cheerfully eat them raw, and never got sick from them. But then, I've
> got a well educated immune system, out there in the live dirt all the
> time.
>
> -- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
> Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
> -------------- next part --------------
> A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
> Name: not available
> Type: text/enriched
> Size: 994 bytes
> Desc: not available
> Url : 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/attachments/20080312/89581ad3/attachment-0001.bin
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:20:35 -0400
> From: rosnide3 AT vt.edu
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] micro greens
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <1205331635.47d7e6b3510d2 AT webmail.vt.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> The real problem with sprouts like alfalfa sprouts is that the seed is 
> often
> contaminated with rat droppings. I know in Virginia at least that you have 
> to
> have some inspections etc. One of my colleagues sold alfalfa sprouts for 
> years.
> He got out of the business due to age just before some onerous regulations 
> came
> out.
>
> Robert
>
> > On Mar 12, 2008, at 7:05 AM, Andrew R. King wrote:
> >
> > > Why is it illegal to sell sprouts or micro greens in any state?
> > >
> > > Andy King
> > > Sunflower King's Farm
> > >
> > > http://www.sunflowerkingsfarm.com/
> > >
> > > PA Zone 6
> > >
> > Probably not illegal to sell them entirely, but may be illegal to sell
> > them without a licensed processing setup due to sanitary concerns. The
> > growing conditions for sprouts are supposedly highly conducive to also
> > growing pathogens, if there were pathogens there to start with. (Check
> > your own state regulations, I don't know whether this is state by state
> > but my guess is that it might be.)
> >
> > I don't know enough about it to have an opinion on whether the
> > restrictions are justified; I've only grown sprouts for myself,
> > cheerfully eat them raw, and never got sick from them. But then, I've
> > got a well educated immune system, out there in the live dirt all the
> > time.
> >
> > -- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
> > Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 8
> Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:33:14 -0400
> From: Andy Fellenz <fellenz AT fltg.net>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Schlabach's Nursery?
> To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <47D7F7BA.8070105 AT fltg.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I purchased grapes, apricots and some brambles from them about 4 years
> ago and was happy with the plants I received.
>
> Andy
>
> Road's End Farm wrote:
> > Has anyone on this list ordered from Schlabach's Nursery in Medina NY;
> > and if so, were you happy or unhappy with the results?
> >
> > Thanks --
> >
> > -- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
> > Fresh-market organic produce, small scale
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL: 
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/market-farming/attachments/20080312/dd1064dc/attachment-0001.htm
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Market-farming mailing list
> Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>
> Get the list FAQ at: http://www.marketfarming.net/mflistfaq.htm
>
>
> End of Market-farming Digest, Vol 62, Issue 18
> **********************************************