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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] starting out with micro-greens

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  • From: Richard Stewart <rstewart AT zoomtown.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] starting out with micro-greens
  • Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:22:06 -0500

Breck

I broadcast the seeds by hand.  I am sure there are more efficient ways of doing it.  Radish seeds when you buy ten pounds of them are cheap.  Mizuna...well, I am a little more lean on those, but you can't tell.  Mizun, especially a purple or burgundy variety gets pricey to blow it on micros.  Micros as much as they are a good business deal are wasteful in terms of seed use.  They are great for winter when you cannot grow anything, but if I let all those seeds I use mature, using the soil on my farm and the sun, I would be looking at a good thirty to forty pounds of nice lettuce/greens.  More with the radishes.

Total costs range right around 180.00 not including the trays.  The trays were provided by a restaurant free of charge.  The fit both our shelving units and theirs perfectly.  THe idea is that you are germinating enough to fit your needs the following order, so you always need about three orders with in the process.  A tray ready to sell, a tray of seeds germinating, and tray of mid range sprouts.  Its a simple and constant on monotonous rotation.  Not setting seeds to germinate at the right time will catch you are the wrong time if they are not ready when the restaurant needs them.  Sometimes they need more...sometimes less.  If less...well, I eat salads and my wife loves the micros mixed in with the greens pulled from the farm.  :)

I am searching for boxes that will fit them so I can stack them in the back of my truck for higher density transport.

I am thinking that I will harvest, weight, and bag at the market.  I thinking about 32.00 a pound.

The resertaunts I sell to all keep their micros (trayed or cut) in their walk-ins.  Cool and Dark.


Richard Stewart
Carriage House Farm
North Bend, Ohio

An Ohio Century Farm Est. 1855

(513) 967-1106



On Nov 11, 2009, at 8:48 AM, breck wrote:

Hey Richard would you mine discussing your process in a bit more detail. I’ve been playing around with this idea.

How are you seeding? Seed plates? Sprinkle?

Do you ever mix different veggies in the same tray? Do you think the different germination/growing rates would make this problematic?

Are you able to stack for delivery?

How is the chef using; as a garnish or as a salad?

How long do they keep the flats? I guess they are using them within a couple of days or are watering and keeping under lights.

Do any of them display for customers?

What does your sales pitch entail?

 

At your winter market; maybe you could sell it for $13 plus a $2 deposit on the tray/mix. This would get them to come back to you each week. Perhaps you could use a mix of veggies in each of these trays. Folks might like the novelty and freshness. They could feel like a real farmer harvesting their own produce. I am going to grow some out for 9 or so days then bring them up and place on my kitchen counter to see how they last to get a better perspective.

 

 

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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