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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] planting calendar wish

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  • From: "Wiediger, Alison" <alison.wiediger AT hart.kyschools.us>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] planting calendar wish
  • Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 13:59:54 -0600

We have done exactly that with a spreadsheet.  Actually, the first workbook of the spreadsheet functions as our seed order - crop, variety, seedsman, pkg size, days-to-maturity, price, etc.  Once entered, it can be updated for the next year, and can be sorted by seedsman for doing online ordering.  Then, the second workbook copies over crop, variety, DTM, and adds, seed or transplant, date to seed, date actually seeded, date to transplant, date actually transplanted, number of plants or row feet needed, size of cell for transplant, figures expected first harvest, entry for actual first harvest, figures actual DTM and variance from entered DTM. And some other stuff I can't remember off the top of my head. For a given crop, say squash, insert lines for how many plantings you will make and copy the static info into them, then add your planting dates for each one.
 
Really cool data!  Over time, it will really help us to fine tune planting dates for OUR PARTICULAR FARM - which of course differs from catalog dates.  Also, it helps us with actually harvest days in fall - which is very different from summer - even for the same variety.  I have to admit we don't do as good a job of entering the data during the middle of the busiest season, but it still helps a lot.  It is also a fabulous help when we are seeding all those transplants in the spring - just sort by seeding date, print it off, and you have your work list for that day.  Ditto transplanting - although weather often throws a wrench into those!
 
Give it a try!  If I can develop one, you can too - I am NOT a power spreadsheet user. We will be using the template for the 3rd season this year and the data becomes more valuable with each season.
 
Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Roots Farm & Karen Sutherland
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2009 1:03 PM
To: Market Farming Community Farming
Subject: [Market-farming] planting calendar wish

Greetings to all,

I'd like to have a calendar (software) that would allow me to enter varietal names and a small amount of additional info. (like whether hybrid, organic, etc.) with planting dates and expected days to maturity.  My vision is then that the calendar would automatically generate expected harvest dates (perhaps with choice of graphic display) and so be a good tool for: 1. estimating market readiness, 2. projecting holes in cash flow and therefore when we need to plant various additional crops to fill in gaps and 3. figuring how far off our maturity times are from stated times to allow better planning in future.  

Does anybody have or know of anything like this?  If so, is it actually worth the data entry time?  (I am aware of the adage "Be careful what you wish for...")

Thanks!

Best wishes,

Karen

Roots Farm
Organic Produce
Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs
CockraneDOMINICA
767-449-3038




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