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brookw_gw

good 2012

brookw_gw
12 years ago

Here's to a good 2012. Looking back at this past year in the journals and records, I found it to be a year of great difficulties--mostly weather related. In spite of so many failures, we somehow managed to triple what we made the previous year so we must be doing something right. Every year poses its challenges, but other things certainly get easier.

What are your 2012 goals? We will pay off the tractor in two months, the farm in four, and will immediately go back into debt with building a pond. We have added another 400 ft of perennials--seedless grapes, more gooseberries, blueberries, rhubarb, and currants, and strawberries. I'm ripping out the nectarines and replacing them with peaches. On the vegetable front, we'll add even more tomatoes and cut back on the specialty items. There's just not that great a market for patty pan, eight ball, or 42 assorted winter squashes. I'll also cut way down on turnips, kohlrabi, and radishes. Other cole crops will increase. Beans have failed two years now, but we'll persist. No corn this year for the first time even tho it sells well. We'll cut back on peppers and sweet potatoes but triple the amount of specialty potatoes. We will still plant around 3,000 onions but have doubled the garlic. Pumpkins will remain the same as will all melons, gourds, and okra. Lettuce will definitely increase. Finally, we will keep trying various flowers, but this may be the last year we raise them for sale.

Have a great season.

Comments (5)

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    12 years ago

    Sounds like you have a great plan. My wife is going to be finishing nursing school in May. That is going to be a big relief. We will be back to two full incomes and it will allow the "farm" to expand and get some new tools.

    First thing we are looking for is a tractor. I have been keeping my eyes out on prices. Probably something in the 28-32 HP range with a front end loader and tiller. I have access to a 3 point disc, plow and blade.

    I am planting more tomatoes also. I am also going to plant out 2 or maybe 3 plantings. I also am planting more carrots. They have be very popular. Not too many people grow them. I am also planting more succession plantings zucchini and cucumbers. I am planing on more Romaine heads. I am cutting back on Salad mix. Everyone is growing it, the market is saturated. I wish we could put in Strawberries this year, but it will wait until next year. Peppers were almost a bust this year. I was extremely disappointed this year. I am also going to stop growing green beans. They sell well, but I don't have the manpower to get them to market. I will also up the number of sweet potatoes and onions. Last year we were at 200 sweet potatoes and 8,000 onions. I am going to maintain the winter squash numbers. We may try a few different varieties. Potatoes my go down some, but not much.

    I hope to be adding another high tunnel and planting Raspberries it in. We are also going to be adding Rhubarb (not in a tunnel). I am also thinking about growing melons, again. Probably small personal sized red and yellow melons.

    I will also keeping my eyes out for anything I need.

    Also, I am going to be growing more on Plastic Mulch.

    Jay

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    We are trying to add to the plant growing side of marketing, our kids will be doing more of the marketing side and field growing. We have been considering which flowers and veggie plants to grow for retail. I have discovered that I can buy plugs for the hybrid tomatoes at 2x the price of seed alone. I believe I will give plugs a try for the more expensive seeds. Also try some plugs for the harder to start flowers and herbs.

    I'm believing that hubby and I have found that the labor of alot of the growing is getting to be too much for us, so we are scaling back on growing it ourselves. Our kids are in their 20s-30s and can do more. Plus the grandkids ages 4-10 are enjoying both sides, including the marketing part. Never know, marketing may be what sends them to college.

    Marla

  • little_minnie
    12 years ago

    I am adding one more CSA day and 5 shares over last year. I am putting in straight, equal beds and all drip irrigation. I will leave some sprinklers ready for use when needed.
    I am planting corn this year. I plan to buy the seeder that drops one seed or onion plant in a hole even through plastic. So I will use that to plant corn seeds and onion plants through plastic for less weeding! I may buy a similar transplanter but I sort of like transplanting.

    Two bad tomato years in a row and horrible bug problems in 2011 so I also hope for a good 2012! I deserve it!

    I am trying to get some input into a few questionable crops from my shareholders so they can tell me if they want cauliflower, edamame, chard, arugula etc.

    I plan on saving more seeds including those that require bagging and hand pollinating. I figure with the time I will save not weeding I can do some hand pollinating.

    I also plan on more marketing in fall including craft shows. I hope to sell garlic and onion braids, chili ristras, dried flowers, dried herbs, ornamental pumpkins including scarred ones and so on.

    I am also most likely taking on a seat on our market steering committee.

    And we plan on a vacation this summer!

  • magz88
    12 years ago

    Our main goal will be to hit our $ target.

    This is the first year that all of the land we have will be in production so we will be working to maximise our yields.

    We will be doing some specialty potatoes and a lot of dried flowers to capture the late fall market when there is not much competition in our market for flowers (or greens).

    I believe Richard is going to devise an awesome rain barrel system so we don't have to pay out so much for the town water.

    I am also excited to try out my Canada Day marketing scheme of having bunches of red and white carrots, and red and white radishes and baby red and white potatoes. Also, red and white zinnias and red and white sweet peas. Hopefully I get the timing right.

    I will be starting up some armeria, trying out ranunculus in the house and starting a first batch of leeks in the next few weeks.

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    Minnie, I used a jab planter this past year, and love it. Only down side was it does clog up when ground is very muddy, otherwise it was great. I paid about $50 for it and it was definitely worth it. I used it for beans, corn, peas, cantalope and watermelon. Next year, I'll probably try it for onion sets and pumpkins, maybe even small potato sets. I wish it had a larger tube for the larger potato sets, but I'm happy with this one.

    Mag, definitely get some rain barrels going. I used to collect rain water for all of my water needs, except drinking. I had about 10 55-gal barrels. It seems odd to me NOT to have the barrels since we got the well in.

    Marla

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