Actualizing my farm dream, need lots of advice

Patt · #21 07/27/10, 12:42 PM

I hate to say this but some land actually grows rocks, I live on one of those plots! You will eventually get a spot cleared out but it will take years. We still pull the occasional rock out of our garden spot and it has been there at least 20 years that we know of.

Was your place cultivated originally?

#22 07/27/10, 12:42 PM

I've used my post hole driller more than I ever thought I would. get both the 8 inch and a larger one, I've seen them up to 24 inches. You can drop a 3 ft hole in a minute or two. Really comes in handy for planting fruit trees. I bought mine used for a hundred bucks.

homstedinmyhead · #23 07/27/10, 07:07 PM

Thanks everybody for your responses, I feel slightly less ignant now.

If anybody sees an implement I might need selling for slightly more than free in the catskills or hudson valley area let me know please.

Any additional advice would be gladly accepted

Thanks again everybody
I know Im in over my head but the opportunity is here know and Im going for it.

Wrangler, I took no offence Im usually laughing at me
Patt, the place was cultivated at one point but like I said it could have been 150 yrs since its last seen a plow

Gercarson · #24 07/27/10, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homstedinmyhead

Wrangler, I took no offence Im usually laughing at me
Patt, the place was cultivated at one point but like I said it could have been 150 yrs since its last seen a plow

You really do need to walk the property - it's a satisfying thing to do AND it can be a lifesaver. I'd have done it already - I envy you.

jwal10 · #25 07/27/10, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by o&itw

If you (even can) put this piece of equipment down into sod that has not been plowed for years, you will tear the thing to pieces in a hundred yards.

This is a cultivator. Something that is used for re-loosening soil which has already been prepared to eliminate weeds between rows. It is not a chisel plow, it is not a sub-soiler, and unless you are raising sweet corn it would be of little use to you. You need to get the ground broken up, with a subsoiler or a plow of some kind. After that, ground prep can be mostly done with a tiller. Every few years, you will probably need to run a sub-soiler through the ground again, if there is clay present, because a hard-pan will form at the bottom of the tilled layer.

Best thing to do is to visit a successful market gardener in your area and see how he is doing it. Also check with your local university extension service.

There is a lot of great people here, but there is also a lot of totally ludicrous and bizarre opinions posted.

Have you ever used one? I have used one a lot and my brother does truck gardening, it is all he uses. Those S tines are tough. I have a lot of rocks here and it does a great job. Brings them right up on top to pick. It takes a few trips over if sod, start when there is moisture in the ground and let the grass and weeds die down, then hit it again. They work well. These do not cause a hard pan or pack the dirt. Mine will work 8" deep. We have a 3pt harrow and a roller if needed to make a firm seed bed. My brothers ground is heavy bottom soil and it digs deep. Move the teeth and put sweeps on and it does a great job cultivating. We use them to dig rows to plant potatoes and then move the sweeps to cover them up, then after they come up we move the sweeps back to hill with them. Ours are 3 row deep but we use them as 1 row to cultivate. A tiller is the worst piece of equipment used today, Oh yeh, you have a nice churned up piece of dirt but it takes all the tilth out of your soil. It will crust over when it rains or is irrigated. It does not make a good firm seedbed. This a flex harrow and or roller makes a perfect seedbed. Plant a covercrop in the fall and it keeps the soil from compacting...James

Here is a picture of a little light S-tine being pulled behind a ATV, the one I showed is much heavier and tougher.
http://www.atv.com/gallery/gallery.p...g2_itemId=2248

rambler · #26 07/27/10, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homstedinmyhead

Any additional advice would be gladly accepted

Thanks again everybody
I know Im in over my head but the opportunity is here know and Im going for it.

Wrangler, I took no offence Im usually laughing at me

I am partial to the tractor color you got, nice machine.

Being in over your head - I've been farming all my life, dad started me out with 3-4 hour days when I was 8 in spring & fall, been trying & changing & working at it all my life.

I'm still in over my head.

I gotta laugh at myself all the time - keeps my friends guessing.

Have fun with it. Probably need to start small, and let your customers, time available, and your intrests & talents guide you to the eventual plan.

Gonna end up with disaster years. That's farming/gardening. Pick up the pieces & try again the following year.

--->Paul

geo in mi · #27 07/28/10, 08:29 AM

On plows and rocks: If you do get a moldboard plow, be sure, if it is mounted, to check and get the right grade of steel in the breakaways, so they will actually break the bolt and not the plow--and possibly your life. If it is a tow type, make sure you have some kind of breakaway device as well, possibly the hitch at the drawbar so you don't flip the tractor when(not if) you hit a buried rock or tree root. Make sure you have a source for new plowshares, too. TSC or local implement dealer?

geo

Pony · #28 07/28/10, 08:49 AM

In addition to getting the proper tools for the job(s), I encourage you to read, read, read on the vegetables you're planning to grow. Of course, books and reality don't often jibe, but any information you can get in advance is money in the bank.

It's very helpful if you can find books that discuss gardening specific to your area (I had one when I was in NE IL). USDA zones only give you first/last frost date. Knowing what sort of soil you have and the quirks of your own area is half the battle.

IMO, gardening is more about developing healthy soil than it is about how to manage plantings. Once you have your soil in good shape, you can drop a toothpick in it and grow a tree. Well.... almost.

ca2devri · #29 07/28/10, 09:08 AM

Start small! 6 acres is really really big for market gardening. Post in the Market Garden forum under "Gardening". Some experienced people there.

Many people start on less than an acre without big equipment just to get some experience. Have you a lot of gardening experience? Have you grown veggies on a scale larger than a home garden before? Start small and grow from there! Try 1/2 acre the first year.

For 6 acres you're going to need to line up a serious crew of labor, washing and packing house, cold storage, irrigation. Marketing is not an afterthought. I doubt you'll be able to drop 6 acres of veggies into an undeveloped market.

My plan is to grow to 6 acres in a 5-7 year ramp-up.

Chris

Patt · #30 07/28/10, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ca2devri

Start small! 6 acres is really really big for market gardening. Post in the Market Garden forum under "Gardening". Some experienced people there.

Many people start on less than an acre without big equipment just to get some experience. Have you a lot of gardening experience? Have you grown veggies on a scale larger than a home garden before? Start small and grow from there! Try 1/2 acre the first year.

For 6 acres you're going to need to line up a serious crew of labor, washing and packing house, cold storage, irrigation. Marketing is not an afterthought. I doubt you'll be able to drop 6 acres of veggies into an undeveloped market.

My plan is to grow to 6 acres in a 5-7 year ramp-up.

Chris

Good points!

mommagoose_99 · #31 08/23/10, 10:20 PM

I have read all of your posts to try to figure out where you live. If you live near the hudson or the catskills you indeed have rocks and lots of them. One local author wrote abook about the Catskills called "Two Stones for every Dirt". Trust me that is very accurate. On the bright side , you do not live in the main snow belt and you are close to the area city peple come to spend their summers which means your produce will command higher prices. What do you plan on growing?
Linda

homstedinmyhead · #32 08/23/10, 11:01 PM

I live in the catskills but my property is on the Neversink so the soil is silty and rock free.
I plan on growing basic mixed vegetable with an emphasis on interesting and heirloom varieties the first year. But I hope to develop some sort of niche product as I learn more about my soil and marketing opportunities.

65284 · #33 08/24/10, 01:06 PM

The most difficult part of making a go of market gardening isn't the growing. A lot of folks can grow veggies. The real difference between success and failure is in the marketing end of the business.

Have you researched your prospective markets? How do you intend sell your products, a roadside stand, at an organized farmers market, door to door, to restaurants, etc? Do you have any experience working with or selling to the public?

A lot of places have restrictive laws regulating roadside stands, a permit/license may be needed, hours and days selling is allowed may be regulated, some farmers are not easy to get into, and any restaurants that buy locally probably already have suppliers. Have you checked around to see how much competition you mighty have?

I'm not trying to discourage you, just trying to bring up some things you may not have considered.