Diversified Production Impacts on Diversified Paychecks

1. Diversified Production Impacts on Diversified Paychecks Jake Browder

2. Browder’s Fresh Pickins LLC since 2011 • BS & MS in Horticulture • 2013 Isle of Wight County Farm Family of the Year • 0.6 acres of plasticulture w/ 21’x72’ high tunnel • Sales over $25,000 in FY13

3. Year-round high value horticulture production methods and marketing techniques • “Triple cropping” high tunnel production • Hanging baskets • Bedding plants • In-ground vegetables • Plasticulture vegetable, berry, and cut flower production • Most importantly--Marketing strategies

4. What is a High Tunnel?

5. Why Grow in High Tunnel? • Season Extension • More control = Higher Quality • Pest exclusion • Vertical Production They all = more $$$

6. Experiment and Diversify Try a variety of: • Species and varieties • Fertilizer types and amounts • Irrigation methods/amounts • Pesticide types • Methods of seeding and transplanting • Packaging strategies

8. Low Tunnels • Agribon frost blanket • Provides 10 degree night temp. increase • Gets hot during the day • Reduces sunlight • Increases humidity and potentially disease • Requires labor, but WELL WORTH IT!

11. Notice the Diversity • Spinach • Lettuce (greenleaf, redleaf, romaine, red oakleaf) • Swiss chard • Beets • Carrots • Arugula • Green onions • Mesclun mix • Kale • Bok Choy • Radishes

12. Average Weekly Income: $257.56 (excludes week 52) Note: Week 52 we took off for Christmas Vacation, Week 6 Jake in the DR

13. * * * * * 30 Qt. 20 Bnh 46 Qt. 8 Gal. 32 Gal. 121 Qt. 45 Gal. 41 2-pk 212 Gal. 9 Gal. 1 Gal. 33 Qt. 15 Bnh 58 Bnh Note: *Indicates crop significantly contributed to Salad Mix

14. Note: “Total Mixes” calculated by combining the Greenleaf, Redleaf, Mesclun Mix, Romaine, Red Oakleaf individual sales with Salad Mix sales, then divided by the combined total bed space of the above 5 crops

15. Fall/Winter Production 2013 Lessons learned: • More salad mixes • Earlier production • Plant transplants • Sow seed properly • Watch for disease • Be ready to harvest

17. Spring/Summer Production 2013 Triple Cropping • Trellised in-ground tomatoes/cucumbers • Flats/pot production on the aisles • Hanging basket production above

18. The Ups and Downs of High Tunnel Tomato Production • Grafted • Spacing • Shade cloth • Trellis technique • Stage of ripeness • Fertigation

19. Lots of Management Temperature control Irrigation Weed control Trellising Fertilizing Knowing your market Pests Sunlight Timing of potting Ability to walk around/harvest High input costs

20. Requires heating/cooling

21. Weed Control • Fabric or plastic? • White or black?

22. Irrigation • Need good pressure • Check alkalinity—Calibrachoa • Pressure regulating nozzles • Drip tape hole spacing Spaghetti tube Double drip tape

23. Outdoor Plasticulture Production • Veggies, berries, or flowers?

24. Laying Plastic

25. Considerations • Cost of materials: plastic, irrigation, labor, equipment, transplants, pests • What to grow and why? Soils, temps, varieties, difficulty level • Post-harvest handling: cold storage, onions, containers

27. Don’t Forget Marketing!

28. Types of Markets • Farmer’s markets • Farm stand • Community Supported Ag (CSA) • Restaurants • Schools/Institutions • Online: Lulu’s Local Foods • Distributors

29. Farmer’s Markets • Display • You got to “coooooordinate”

30. Signage • Pricing • Cross Vendor Marketing

31. Restaurants & Schools • Higher volume/lower price • Quality & Consistency • Free publicity

32. Farm Stand & CSA • Hours • Website • More personal

33. Online: Lulu’s Local Foods • Similar planning to restaurants (more $$$)

34. Most Importantly: Have Fun!

35. Future Plans • Apple production • Blueberry production • Pick-your-own cut flowers • Another baby on the way • Worm composting

36. Questions? www.browdersfreshpickins.blogspot.com browdersfreshpickins@gmail.com 17357 Fox Ridge Lane Smithfield, VA 23430