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  • From: michelle rome <michelleann7 AT yahoo.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Planting methods for Salad mix
  • Date: Sun, 20 Sep 2009 07:19:51 -0700 (PDT)

Bill or others I have had success growing lettuce earlier in the spring to
early May for personal use and a while ago for the market. I just put the
seed in very close rows but allowed enough room for aeriation. Limited
farmers markert a few years back. We can't get your prices because I have to
explain the lettuce is not small collards. Some markets better than others
based on where folks are really from. Have to hit the right kind of matrket.

I'd like to grow some of the mixes for the market. Is there a seed source for
some of the lettuce mixes? And I assume the 48 inch bed are just that -raised
beds 48 inches wide. Have any pictures to share? This is very interesting.
Also planting spinich now. Starting a few lettuce transplants. Direct seeding
lettuce has not worked well with the southern heat and sparse rain for the
last month. I want to gear up though for spring.

Thanks
Michelle Hromyak
Romy Farms E&W SC

--- On Sun, 9/20/09, BillOhio <billohio AT gmail.com> wrote:

> From: BillOhio <billohio AT gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Planting methods for Salad mix

> ...
>
> I'm starting the seed in plug flats, then
> potting up once for the early spring plantings to get a jump
> on the season, or just setting out the plugs later on. Gives
> me good control of spacing, gets a jump on the weeds, and
> there isn't any need to thin. Lettuce seed goes a LONG
> way when you're only putting 200 plants, or thereabouts,
> in a 12-foot bed. Beds have compost added. I use drip
> irrigation. Soil is Kokomo silty clay loam. If you
> haven't been there, the USDA Soil Survey at 
> http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm is
> a good resource.
>
>
> As far as varieties go, I went through the Fedco
> catalog on New Year's Eve (typical wild party at the
> Huhman home, and it got the expense on the 2008 tax year)
> and got packages of what sounded interesting. Red is really
> popular, but standbys like Black-Seeded Simpson, Salad Bowl
> and Buttercrunch are my mainstays. I pick everything as leaf
> lettuce, including head lettuce and romaine types, and put
> it all into the bag. Also some arugula and whatever else
> I've got available. I've got 23 varieties growing
> now, hopefully to be ready by next Saturday's
> market.
>
>
> When the planets align correctly and the gods
> smile, (and I get motivated), I'll get an early crop
> planted under low tunnels in February and have a crop by
> early April, sometimes with snow on the tunnels. Usually,
> when I show up end of April with lettuce to sell, I'm
> the only vendor there with anything green, other than
> asparagus, and life is good. I've been accused of
> bringing it up from Kentucky :). I've had folks with a
> few 4-oz bags of triple-washed "gourmet" lettuce
> tell me we're way too cheap and lettuce has to be
> washed, but at the end of the day I think we take home more
> net profit than they do without a lot more work or expense
> involved and with more customer loyalty, to boot..
>
>
> If I were farming full-time, I'd do things
> differently, but I'm not. I think we all have to adapt
> what we do to where we're at, and then fine-tune our
> practices to best meet customer expectations and profit
> maximization. 
>
>
> Breck, i hope this makes sense! I need to go see
> if the bees have finally capped any honey ... we've been
> dry this year and the honey crop is pretty slim.
> Bill Huhman
>
> central Ohiotwitter:
> FarmerBillOhio
> On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at
> 9:47 AM, breck <bcarden AT breckinridgegroup.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
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>
>
> Hi there Bill, I
> have a few questions if you don’t
> mind.
>
> Why are you
> picking the night before? Day job? No refrigeration?
> Morning market? Better product?
>
> How do you
> display/package/price?
>
> What is your
> estimate of quantity on that 10X10’ = 100
> s/f harvest.
>
> In general what
> types of lettuce ore you growing?
>
>  
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Farmer
> Breck
>
> Breck Carden
>
> Carden’s
> Garden
>
> 2400 E Hwy 22
>
> Crestwood,
> KY 40014-7704
>
> breck AT breckcarden.com
>
> www.breckcarden.com
>
>  
>
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>
> -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>
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