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First time market grow advice
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Posted by deanriowa 4b (My Page) on Sun, Nov 11, 07 at 16:11
| I am looking at next year growing a garden and selling some of the produce.
I have access to 2 acres, but with a only a hoe and small rototiller I think I will start with a 80 by 80 garden. Also the land is new to me and I want to see what the soil will grow.
I am looking at growing 5 types of squash, cucumbers, beans, Watermelon, Muskmelon, and tomatoes.
I will be selling at a brand new store(opening spring 08) that sells discounted items(not food). This location is 1 mile from a small town, right off of a interstate exit, and on the road most people locally drive to go to the local Amish stores(10 miles away). This store will not be air conditioned, and I do not expected large traffic, but some traffic.
Any advice would be helpful.
thanks,
Dean
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: First time market grow advice
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| Have you done a soil test yet? If not, I'd start there. You can get a head start on amendments this fall. You'll have more than enough to do in the spring. None of the vegetables you listed need to be refrigerated except possibly the beans. A cooler will take care of that. If you pick early in the morning and they sell quickly you'll be ok. Good luck! |
RE: First time market grow advice
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sounds like a great mix. Remember to stager your planting so you have produce for a longer season.
also look a the thread about micro nursery in this forum. the same things apply
Blessings! |
RE: First time market grow advice
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I wish you luck in selling your produce. Two things struck me while reading this post and another. Why a discount store? Will customers be expecting discounted produce?
The other is in your choice of veggies. I think they all are good types to sell, but have found that in cooler areas you may not have great production from warm weather crops. I'm in zone 4-5 (now fully 5 with ??? global warming). My land is facing south so I do pretty good with these crops. However, a friend who has a north facing slope has decided that he should focus on cool weather crops because the land just doesn't warm up as much and he has a much shorter season.
These are not to discourage you, but to give you a couple things to think about.
Again, good luck.
Ann |
RE: First time market grow advice
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| Your choices have several space users and would soon fill up 80x80 feet If I had my choice, I'd drop watermelons (per anniew's comments) and probably most muskmelons. These are rangy and more inclined to have cultural difficulties if not familiar with them. Also, they are in the ground longer before any monetary return. Perhaps something like snap peas for the earliest planting and harvest would get you started. These can be replaced with a bean or other quick crop when finished. |
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