Market Farming

["Wiediger, Alison" <alison.wiediger AT hart.kyschools.us>]

Another extremely important consideration, in my mind, is productivity. The name of the game, after all, is making a profit.  In our particular market, we cannot sell heirloom tomatoes for any higher price than we can hybrids (and we are pretty good at marketing), and their productivity level is 25% or less of the hybrids.  So, we'd have to get at least four times more money for them.  A good tasting hybrid, grown well, in good soil, will rival the taste of most heirlooms, be better than some, and we can actually make a profit with them.

Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 5, 2011, at 3:46 PM, "Aaron Brower" <aaronbrower AT yahoo.com> wrote:

I always maintain a selection of heirlooms but there are many considerations besides taste: disease resistance, storability, heat, cold, wet, and dry resistance, to name only a few. 

I grow multiple varieties of as many vegetables as possible, realizing the that each has its place and may thrive or suffer depending on various conditions. Maintaining heirloom varieties is of great importance but improving vegetable varieties is also important. Around this farm we call heirlooms "unimproved," meant as a humorous moniker to lessen the hysteria sometimes associated with them.

Also, I cant say I know much about the specific nutrition content of heirloom vs. hybrid but I imagine it is much more complicated than simply stating that heirlooms are more nutritious, just as it is not true that heirlooms are always more tasty. It has more to do with soil health and the timing of waterings and harvesting.

Aaron