I planted alot of things in wide rows, instead of the SFG.

Marla

Can you give me some examples, Marla? Thanks!

Just keep in mind that using a tractor for cultivating changes everything! Otherwise you can do nice wide beds in more of a garden style like I do. With a tractor you have to plan for its dimensions.

I do wide beds for most stuff and a lot of staggered rows (diamond shapes) which squeezes a lot in to the space. I do a lot of successive sowing and intercropping too.

I plant my beans as several seeds instead of the traditional 2 per 4". I plant 6-8 instead. The beans will grow out and fill in part of the aisle way. Corn is still planted traditionally. Onion sets are thrown our in a 2' wide strip, then covered lightly with compost. Potatoes the same way as onions. My tomatoes are planted single row, 18" apart and rows 6' apart (I don't stake my plants).
Peas are planted like beans.

This year, I discovered and bought a jab planter, it makes it easier for me, no bending over. Just doesn't work well in muddy ground.

With a tractor, you need to have a cultivator that you can move the tines to match with your plantings. Most of what I've seen will adjust.

Marla

SherwinFarms, I recently picked up a book called 'Pay Dirt'. I don't recall the author. It talks about sqft practices, cultivating 1/4 acrea for sustainability and also market selling. It touts the ability to make 10k annually from such a small space through these methods and approaching your market with some forethought. You might want to make more than that but this would be a good launching point for you.

Hope that helps.
Kristiina

Also should mention I do 10 CSAs and one market from 12000 sq feet. I did a lot of successive sowing this season and really stretched the season. That is important to growing for sale. Depends on your climate of course, but in MN I am proud of the crops I have gotten in the same beds over one season.

Just a little correction to my post...I was mixing 2 books I got at the same time. Pay Dirt, by John Tullock and Mini Farming (self sufficiency on a 1/4 acre) by Brett L. Markham. Pay Dirt is all about the making money at the market (or your chosen venue). Mini Farming is more on self sufficiency but has a chapter on selling excess.

I don't square foot garden, but I garden very intensely. Most of my produce grown in my high tunnels is on very close spacing and row are very close together. Most aisle range from 12-20 inches. Just enough to walk down and set a container to pick into. I also try to use vertical space as much as possible. Next year I am going to be growing lots of hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes. This is in addition to my regular plantings. Probably 100-150 baskets. They produce well and will give me a good 30-45 day harvest window. If I get them going early enough, I will be able to sell them in June and July. These are the months when the markets are at their peak. Why not try to match the peak markets with the peak amount of produce.

Jay

Dang, sorry for the above post! I meant to post it on the main forum! And here I was thinking I was computer literate!

Here is my square foot garden planted in 3 4'x16' beds.

Here is a link that might be useful: My summer food jungle