INTERN TRAINING MANUAL

Transcription

1 TROY COMMUNITY FARM INTERN TRAINING MANUAL A GUIDE TO FARM PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES Claire Strader Farm Director May 2004 Updated for 2012

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction...3 Planning...3 Farm Plan...3 Planting Schedule...4 Planting Calendar...4 Seed Needs...4 Greenhouse...5 Troy Passive Solar Greenhouse...5 Greenhouse Seeding vs. Direct Seeding...6 Making Soil Mix...8 Seeding...8 Up Potting and Singulating...10 Watering and Monitoring...10 Hardening Off...11 Planting Bed Preparation...12 Tillage...12 Using the Rototiller...13 Soil Quality...14 Field Planting...14 Crop Spacing...14 Bed Layout...15 Direct Seeding...15 Transplanting...16 Remay...17 Weeding...18 Timing...20 Tools...20 Body Position...21 Other Field Tasks...21 Mulching...21 Trellising...22 Tomato Pruning...22 Insect Control...23 Disease Control...24 Harvesting...25 Timing...25 Technique...26 Post Harvest Handling...27 Recording and Flow...27 Marketing...28 Marketing Calendar...28 CSA...28 Troy Farm Stand...29 Wholesale

3 Record Keeping...31 Appendix A Planning Documents... A Farm Plan Sample...1 Planting Schedule Sample...2 Seed Needs Sample...3 Planting Calendar...4 Crop Spacing Guide...16 Appendix B Record Keeping... B Wash Shed Record Sheets...1 Farm Map...3 Appendix C Progress Chart... C 2

4 INTRODUCTION Interns come to Troy Community Farm to learn about organic, urban agriculture. In exchange for their labor, they gain many hours of hands-on farm experience as well as formal instruction in small scale organic vegetable production. This training manual is meant to give interns a preview of what they will be experiencing at the farm, a reference for how to do certain tasks, and a lasting resource for their ongoing work in food production. This manual is a guide and a tool. It does not include all that interns will learn at the farm, nor is it meant to imply that interns will definitely experience all that is included here. Interns may be exposed to more or less depending on how long they are at the farm and what is happening during their time at Troy. Interns should note areas of interest from this manual and be responsible for requesting more exposure and experience in those areas. At the back of this manual in Appendix C, there is a chart of all the subjects/tasks covered in the text. Interns may use this chart to record when they were trained on particular tasks, when they learned how to perform them independently, and when they mastered the tasks. This chart will give both the interns and the farmer a tangible list of what was covered and learned through the course of the internship. Interns can also add to this list in order to accurately reflect their experience. PLANNING As an intern, you are not involved in making plans for the farming season simply because plans are finalized in the winter, before you begin your work. Still, it is important that you understand the plans, not only for your own education, but also so that you can effectively read and use them as needed in your work at the farm. Creating the farm plan takes a lot of time and careful thought. It also involves flipping through seed catalogues, remembering which varieties other farmers spoke of highly last season, referencing planting and harvest records from previous years, and finally trusting your best guess for how it will go based on your own knowledge and experience. The payoff for all this time spent in planning comes in a smoother and more successful season overall. Before planning can even begin, we have to be able to forecast our production needs for the year. We have to know how many CSA members we want to have, which crops will be grown for wholesale, and the amount of produce we want to and can expect to sell at market. It is difficult to explain how to make these forecasts. Some of it is based on the farm budget and how much money the farm needs to bring in for the year. Some of it is based on the limitations of the farm acreage and soil fertility. And some of it is based on the farmer s own experience in the market. Once those forecasts are made, planning can begin. The farmer generates four major planning documents for Troy each winter: the Farm Plan, the Planting Schedule, Seed Needs, and the Planting Calendar. There are sample pages of the first three documents and a complete copy of the fourth at the end of this manual (see Appendix A). The Planting Calendar is the culmination of the first three documents and we use it weekly at the farm, you will become very familiar with it over the course of the season. What follows is a brief overview of each planning document. Farm Plan The farm plan organizes what will be grown and in what quantity in order to have adequate supply for the forecasted size of our markets. See a sample page of the farm plan in Appendix A. The plan itself lists the desired number of CSA shares for the year and the wholesale crops at the top. Produce for market will come from the extra amount that is grown to make sure that the CSA is well supplied. Growing extra 3

5 of each crop helps ensure that we can still deliver on certain items even when there is a problem with the crop and it does not produce as well as expected. When the CSA was small, that extra amount was planned to be an additional 100% of what was grown for CSA. Now that the membership is larger and fencing is in place to protect the food from wildlife, the extra is planned as 20% to 25% of each crop. That percentage of surplus provides enough for market when it is not needed to supplement the CSA. CSA is always the first priority. From there the plan goes on to list each crop and variety that will be grown during the season. It lists a harvest goal for each crop and an estimated harvest per bed foot. It also lists specifics of how the crop will be grown: whether it will be directly seeded into the ground or transplanted, how it will be spaced in the bed, how many bed feet will be planted at a time, how many times it will be planted, etc. This plan not only assists the farmer in making decisions about each crop before it goes in the ground, but also stands as a constant guide and reference for the farmer once planting begins. Once the farm plan is completed the farmer can add up the total number of beds to be planted in the year, and the total number of flats to be sown in the greenhouse. She can then move on to mapping where specific crops will go in the field according to rotation and available space. She can also order adequate greenhouse supplies to accommodate the planned greenhouse plantings. As an intern you will not use the actual farm plan in the field. You will however use the crop spacing guide (see Appendix A) when transplanting crops to the field. The crop spacing guide is taken directly from the spacings listed in the farm plan. Planting Schedule The planting schedule is a much more difficult document to read because it includes so many dates. See a sample page of the planting schedule in Appendix A. It again lists all the crops and varieties that were listed in the farm plan, and for each crop it lists specific planting dates and quantities. The dates are determined based on several factors including the conditions that crop likes to grow in, when the harvest is needed, and whether the crop will be planted only once or multiple times throughout the season. Planting dates are separated into two groups: the greenhouse planting dates, and the field planting dates. Every week throughout the season is either a greenhouse week or a field week depending on which kind of planting will happen during the week. During a greenhouse week, we will make soil and plant into flats in the greenhouse. During a field week, we will both seed crops directly into the field and transplant out crops that we started in the greenhouse. Greenhouse weeks and field weeks rotate every other week. So if the week of May 2 nd is a field week, the week of May 9 th is a greenhouse week. The amount of a crop to be planted at any given time is listed right after the date. If it is a greenhouse date, the quantity will include size of the seed flat and the number of flats to be planted. So 4/11 (2/72) means that on April 11 th we will plant 2 seed flats with 72 cells per flat of the crop. If it is a field week, the date will be followed by the number of bed feet to be planted. So, 4/18 (100 ) means that on April 18 th we will plant 100 feet of the crop. You have to look to the crop spacing guide (a laminated copy of which is kept in our transplant tools bucket) to find the spacing. Planting Calendar Once the planting schedule is complete, most of that information is transferred to the planting calendar which is a much more readable and useable document. See the entire planting calendar in Appendix A. It is organized as a flip chart with the date at the top and then a list of all the crops and quantities that should be planted on that date. So during the week of April 11 th, you can see that we will seed broccoli, kale, lettuce and more in the greenhouse. During the week of April 18 th, we will direct seed beets, carrots, peas, radishes, etc. in the field. We will also transplant broccoli, kale, onions, and lettuce that we originally started in the greenhouse. As an intern you will use the planting calendar most every week. Seed Needs See a sample page of this final planning document in Appendix A. It assists the farmer in calculating how much seed to order for the season. All the crops and varieties are listed again. Then there is a column 4

6 that lists the amount of seed needed in order to plant a bed of each crop. This information is determined from a combination of what the farmer knows about the crop and the seed specs listed in the Johnny s Selected Seed catalogue. From there the farmer calculates the amount of seed needed to plant the number of beds that were scheduled in the farm plan, compares that to the amount of seed available from last year, and decides how much seed to buy. Finally the farmer compares prices and quantities available from various sources and determines where to buy the seed for each crop and how much it will cost. Once all those decisions are made, the farmer can easily transfer the information from the seed needs chart to the actual seed order for each company. There is a column for product number on the chart in order to facilitate that transfer and minimize flipping through seed catalogues multiple times. As an intern you may use the seed needs chart to help the farmer check in seed orders once they arrive. You can also use the chart to help you determine seed needs for your own projects. GREENHOUSE Greenhouse work is another area that is somewhat difficult for interns to really get a handle on in their time at Troy. While you will likely do a lot of seeding and up-potting in the greenhouse, you will not likely gain much experience with the day to day and sometimes hour to hour monitoring that is so essential to greenhouse production. Since you will only be at the farm for limited days and hours you will not have an opportunity to take on the full responsibility of this task. However, there is still a great deal to be learned about greenhouse work without having to wake up in the middle of the night wondering if the frost is creeping in under the sills. Troy Passive Solar Greenhouse For the first nine years of Troy Community Farm, all of our seedlings were grown in a 10 by 40 foot hoophouse in our farmer s backyard. The structure was handmade from electrical conduit, dimensional lumber, and a single sheet of plastic. It was heated with a small propane heater designed for heating garages. Because the structure was not well insulated and did not have much thermal mass, it did not hold heat well. Successfully growing seedlings in this space was very challenging. basic hoophouse and hardening-off area, 2004 In 2008 we began planning for a bigger and better greenhouse to be built at Troy Gardens. Because we wanted to design the greenhouse to rely minimally if at all on fossil fuels, we decided to build a passive solar greenhouse that would be heated only with the sun. The new greenhouse is 20 by 60 feet of growing space, plus an 8 by 40 foot storage and vermicomposting room on the north. The greenhouse was first used to grow seedlings in These are the important passive solar features of our greenhouse: The structure is orientated to 2 degrees east of solar south. This orientation provides maximum solar gain during the months when bedding plants are grown, March and April. The angle of the south wall is 56 degrees. Again, this angle provides maximum solar gain in March and April. There is a great deal of thermal mass in the greenhouse in the form of 30 cubic yards of rock base and 47 cubic yards of soil in the growing beds. This thermal mass warms in the sun during 5

7 the day (also aided by the heat capture system described below) and releases heat in the cool nights. There is a heat capture system which pull warm air from the peak and pumps it into the rock base under the growing beds. (This system is run on the electric grid.) The glazing on the greenhouse is 16 mm triple wall polycarbonate, which provides an R-Value of 2.68 (similar to glass). Vents in the south wall and north roof open automatically when temperatures reach about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and close again when temperatures drop. The vents are operated by solar vent openers, which use expanding wax to control the opening mechanism. A storage and vermicomposting room provides some additional insulation on the north wall of the structure. Troy Passive Solar Greenhouse completed October 2010 One of the biggest challenges of growing bedding plants in this unheated structure is germinating newly seeded crops. All seeds have specific conditions under which they perform best, but most like very high humidity and temperatures around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Our passive solar greenhouse can regularly get as cold as 33 to 35 degrees Fahrenheit on March nights. In order to get reliable germination under those conditions we built two germination chambers. These inslulated chambers are heated with electric bucket heaters imersed in basins of water. Thermostats monitor the temperatures inside the chambers and control the bucket heaters. As the heaters heat the water, the air in the chambers is heated and the evapoating water also brings the humidity to 100 percent, which is perfect for germination. As soon as seeds germinate, flats are moved from the germ chambers out to the main part of the greenhouse where they can grow in the sun. In addition to growing seedlings for the farm, we designed the greenhouse to also grow herbs for our fresh packaged herb business. Our first greenhouse herb harvests happen in 2011, but in-ground greenhouse production is still new to us. We will be developing systems and techniques for optimizing this aspect of our greenhouse in the years to come. Greenhouse Seeding vs. Direct Seeding Greenhouses can be expensive to build and (in many cases) heat. It can take many hours to monitor and maintain greenhouse production. Why not just plant everything directly into the field? There are many reasons: 6

8 1. Starting plants in a controlled environment allows us to start many crops earlier than they would be able to survive in the field. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, onions, and leeks all benefit from this jump-start. As a result, we can harvest those crops earlier than if they were sown directly to the field. 2. The controlled greenhouse environment also allows us to maintain favorable growing conditions for seeds that are expensive or difficult to germinate. Some peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and others can be expensive. Celery, parsley, peppers, and others can be difficult to germinate. Sowing those seeds directly into the soil can be risky. 3. Once the plants are ready to go into the field, they can be transplanted at much more precise spacing than is possible with direct seeding. Precise spacing benefits the crop by helping to ensure that each plant does not have to compete with others for water, nutrients, and sunlight. 4. Putting transplants into freshly tilled ground puts them ahead of weed germination by weeks. Crops that have this jump on the weeds are better able to compete for resources and shade out emerging weeds. 5. Older transplants are generally hardier and less vulnerable than newly sprouted seeds. Transplants are usually more likely to survive in the great outdoors under conditions that would be difficult for seeds and young sprouts. So why not just start all crops in the greenhouse? If that extra care and attention is so beneficial to the crops, why should any of them be denied? There are also many reasons why it is better to directly seed some crops. transplanted broccoli right before the first weeding notice the spacing of the broccoli plants and the relative size of the crop versus the weeds 1. Some crops do not hold up well through transplanting. Things like beans, peas, corn, beets, carrots, and others can be severely set back when their roots are disturbed, as they must be, in transplanting. 2. Some crops are grown at such close spacing that it would be impractical to start that many seeds in the greenhouse and then move them to the field. Radishes, salad mix, cilantro, and arugula all fall into this category. 3. Cost of the seed is a consideration here, just as it is in the greenhouse. When seed is cheap, it is much more worth the risk to sow it directly and expect less-than-perfect germination and spacing. 4. Direct seeding generally requires much less time than transplanting. All other factors being equal, direct seeding is often a more efficient approach to planting. directly seeded radishes Rules about which crops to start in the greenhouse and which to start in the field are not hard and fast. In fact, some crops are started in the greenhouse early in the season while later successions are planted directly to the field. Cucumbers and summer squash are good examples of this practice. These crops do not like their roots to be disturbed and usually do better when directly seeded. But they need warm 7

9 weather to grow and can really benefit from the early start that the greenhouse provides. So we start the first planting inside and do what we can to minimize root disturbance. Once the weather is warm enough, later plantings are sown directly to the field. Making Soil Mix We make all our own soil mix at Troy. Prepared organic soil mix is expensive and often difficult to source. So it is easier for us to make our own and maintain more control over the ingredients and proportions that go into our mix. Our recipe is simple: Soil Mix Recipe 1 5-gallon bucket compost, sifted through 1/4 hardware cloth 2 ½ cups of soil amendment mix (premixed as below), mixed with compost 1 bucket sphagnum peat, sifted ½ cup lime to balance the acidity of the sphagnum peat 1 bucket black peat, sifted ½ bucket perlite Mix all thoroughly Soil Amendment Mix 1 part blood meal, alfalfa meal, or soy meal for nitrogen 1 part rock phosphate, for phosphorous 1 part green sand, for potassium and micronutrients Anna sifting compost, 2011 finished soil mix Each component of the soil mix serves a specific function. The compost and soil amendment mix provides nutrients for plant growth. The black peat provides some nutrients and some bulk to the mix. The sphagnum peat helps hold water in the soil. And the perlite provides drainage. The compost, black peat, and sphagnum peat are all sifted into the mix in order to remove any rocks, sticks, or other large clumps that prevent the mix from being uniform. It is important that all the components of the mix be of uniformly small size so that each is present when the mix is put into the flats. Seeding We do greenhouse planting at Troy every other week from early March through early August. Since this task often takes a great deal of time, and since it is fun, interns do a lot of it in the early part of the year. Planting itself is a fairly simple and straightforward process. First you fill a flat of the proper cell size with soil mix. Gently press the soil into the cells while smoothing off the excess from the flat with your hand so that each cell is completely full and level. Then water the flat and let it sit for a few minutes so that the 8

10 water can infiltrate the soil. Use your finger or the appropriate dibbler to press a small hole into each cell. Drop the seed or seeds into the dibbles you created, and finally cover the seeds with the finishing mix (a mix of equal parts soil mix and perlite). As always when working with seeds, keep your hands and the seed packets dry. If the seed packets get wet, the seeds inside will begin to germinate in storage and will not germinate when planted. Deciding what is the proper cell size for the crop does take a bit of thinking. We use just three sizes: a 72, a 50, and a seed flat. The 72 has 72 cells per flat, the 50 has 50 cells, and the seed flat has no cells. All our flats conform to the 1020 size: They all measure 10 by 20 on the outside. This uniformity makes organizing them in the greenhouse much easier than it would be otherwise. All our flats are made from black plastic and have square cells that hold more soil and discourage roots from circling the cell and becoming root bound. They are light, easy to stack, easy to clean, and affordable. Interns and the farmer can discuss the pros and cons of other seedling flats over a day of planting. Each of these flat sizes has its purpose. We use the 72 most often. It is good for crops that stand up well to transplanting, tend to be smaller starts, and will only be in the flat for 3-6 weeks. For these crops (like broccoli, lettuce, scallions, basil, most flowers, etc.) the 72 provides both enough space and enough nutrients to grow good-quality starts. The 50 is used for crops that do not like their roots disturbed, tend to be bigger, and/or will be in the flat for longer. These crops (like peppers, squash, and tomatoes) need more space and more soil to grow well. The seed flat is used for only a few crops. We start leeks and onions in rows in seed flats and then transplant them directly out to the field. Since these crops are so small and since they transplant well, it is more efficient to grow them 500 to the seed flat rather than spreading them out in many 72 s. Tomatoes and tomatillos are also started in seed flats, but soon after they sprout, they are up potted to 50 s. In this case the seed flat is used both to save space and to make sure that only the best quality starts are up-potted. The seed flat/up-potting method of starting seeds can be used successfully for many other crops in addition to tomatoes and tomatillos. The biggest factor is whether or not the crop can stand to be transplanted. In the past we have used it for peppers, lettuce, broccoli, and others. But it took so much time to up pot all those plants that eventually it did not seem to be worth it. Farming is full of areas that require delicate balancing between resources. In this case the trade off is between space and time. There are several factors that go into deciding how many seeds should be sown in each cell. Generally, the final goal is one healthy plant per cell. The number of seeds needed to achieve that goal depends primarily on the germination rate and the age of the seed. Both of these pieces of information are usually printed on the seed packet. If the seed is new for the season and the germ rate is 98%, you probably only need one seed per cell. But including an extra seed in some of the cells will give you a few extra plants to move into the 2% of cells where the seed does not sprout. If the seed is a year old and the germ rate is 75%, you would be wise to put two seeds in every cell. As the seed ages, the germ rate goes down and including some extra seeds will ensure that there will be enough plants to move into empty cells once the seeds sprout. Other factors that go into the decision of how many seeds to sow in each cell include the size of the seed, what you know about how long it takes a particular seed to germinate, and your experience with how well a particular crop germinated in previous plantings. Some seeds are so small that it is almost impossible to exactly limit the number of seeds that fall in each cell. Some seeds (like parsley, celery, peppers, and others) take a long time to germinate and thus have more of an opportunity to desiccate or rot before they sprout. It is a good idea to plant a few more of these seeds per cell to make sure that you get enough plants. For crops that you plant multiple times in a year (like broccoli and lettuce) you can adjust your seeding rate to reflect your own experience of how well the seed is germinating. There is one more key factor in determining how many seeds to sow per cell. That factor has to do with the sensitivity and size of the crop s roots. For example, squash are very sensitive to root disturbance and have very large root systems. It is difficult to transplant seedlings from one cell to another in the flat, without stressing the plant. So, we always sow two or three seeds per cell in order to maximize germination potential. We can then thin extra plants from the flats without disturbing the ones that 9

11 remain. When seeding at Troy, always read the seed packet, consider the factors involved, and then check with the farmer to confirm how many seeds should be sown in each cell. Scallions and basil are the big exceptions to the general rule of coming up with one healthy plant per cell. Since these crops are set out in clumps that are easier to plant, harvest, and clean, the goal is 5-7 healthy plants per cell for scallions, and 2 to 3 plants per cell for basil. So we try to put about 1 or 2 more seeds than we will need in the end in each cell. Once you get the flat planted, it is important to label it properly so that we know exactly what is in the flat and when it was planted. Proper labeling is easily lifted from the planting calendar. If you are planting 3 Broccoli Arcadia (1/72) on 4/6/10, your label should look like the first photo below: It is also important to place the label in the correct location in the flat so that it can be easily read after it is planted. All labels are placed so that the flat is read from left to right while viewing the short side of the flat. The second photo above shows the proper placement for a full flat of one variety. Notice that the label is in the second cell from the left of the top row of cells. This placement always indicates a full flat of one variety. The third photo above shows proper labeling for a flat with two different varieties. The first label is in the first cell of the top row of cells. This placement always indicates that there is more than one variety in the flat. The second (and third or fourth) label is always placed in the first cell where the next variety is seeded. Up Potting & Singulating Most of the crops that we plant in the greenhouse are sown directly into the cells that they will stay in until they are transplanted out to the field. There are some exceptions, however. First, we plant tomatoes, tomatillos, and some other crops into seed flats where they germinate, then they are moved into the 50 s where they will live out the rest of their greenhouse time. This process of moving seedlings into new flats where they will have more room to grow is called up potting Second, when there are empty cells in a flat, we move extra starts from cells where two or more seeds germinated into those empty spots, and pull out all the doubles so that we end up with one seedling per cell. This process we call singulating. Generally up potting or singulating involves loosening the soil around the plant, lifting the plant from the soil, settling it into the new cell, and firming it in. There are some important guidelines to remember along the way, however. First, always grasp the seedling gently by a cotyledon or seed leaf. Do not handle the stem. If you crush a portion of a seed leaf between your fingers, it will damage the plant but will not likely kill it. If you crush the stem however, you can kill the plant. Second, untangle roots gently and be sure to keep as much soil around the roots of the plant as possible. That soil is providing important nutrients and water to the roots. The plant will survive transplant better if that connection is only minimally disturbed. Third, settle the roots gently into a tomatoes successfully up potted hole in the soil in the new cell. Do not clump them or jam them in with your finger. Roots are fragile and should be treated carefully. Finally, plant the seedling as deep as possible into its new hole, a centimeter or so below the seed leaves is best. Planting deep helps grow a more stout and sturdy plant. Watering & Monitoring After all the planting, up potting, and singulating are done, watering and monitoring take up a great deal of time in the greenhouse. These tasks often require multiple trips to the greenhouse each day, depending on the weather. Interns will have the opportunity to water the greenhouse and do some monitoring during their regular shifts on the farm. 10

12 The goal in watering is to provide an adequate and uniform amount of water to each cell (not each flat, but each cell) in the greenhouse. Every individual plant must rely on the resources in its own cell, so each cell must be considered individually. When we water uniformly, soil dry down in each cell happens uniformly and makes the timing for watering much easier to manage. If some cells are still wet and others are very dry, it is difficult to deliver an appropriate amount of water to each one. It is much better to be careful and consistent with each watering. The watering technique that works best for achieving that uniformity, is to always start at one end of the greenhouse and move to the other. Likewise, always water the line of flats between you and the other side of the bench in a straight line evenly wetting each cell from front to back and back again as you move along the length of the bench. Before you are asked to water the greenhouse, you will get specific instruction on our watering technique. There are some general guidelines for when to water, though there are exceptions. In general the greenhouse should be watered once a day in the morning. Morning is best because the plants have more time to take up the water before the heat causes it to evaporate, and because the plants will need that water in their cells as they move into the hot part of the day. Watering in the evening is not a good idea because cool, wet plants are more susceptible to disease. If it is a very hot day and it is difficult to keep temperatures in the greenhouse reasonable, a mid-day or early afternoon watering may be necessary. The surface of the soil should be allowed to dry before a watering, but plants should never be allowed to wilt. Monitoring the temperature of the greenhouse can be an hourly task on some days. In general, the optimal daytime temperature should be maintained between 70 and 85 degrees. At night the temperature should drop, but should be kept around 50 degrees if possible. In our new passive solar greenhouse, most of the cooling and heating mechanisms work automatically. The solar vent openers open the vents when temperatures reach about 70 degrees and close again as temperatures drop below that mark. The heat capture system is controlled by a thermostat set to start pumping warm air from the peak to under the growing beds when temperatures in the peak reach about 65 degrees. As we monitor the greenhouse during the day we can choose to open or close the doors on the east and west ends or to turn the ceiling fans on or off to control both airflow and temperature. When temperatures get very hot, we can also choose to water the greenhouse in an effort to bring them down. In truth, because our greenhouse is passive solar, we are rarely able to keep it in the optimal temperature zones for day or night. When days are very warm and sunny, our greenhouse can reach 100 degrees. And on cold nights in the twenties, it can come close to freezing. In these extremes we can use additional techniques like moving plants out of the greenhouse during hot days and covering them with row cover to keep them warmer at night. If handled well, these extremes can be used to our advantage as we try to produce hardy plants that can thrive even through adversity. Airflow is another key factor to monitor in the greenhouse. Adequate airflow helps maintain even temperatures, helps keep foliage dry and less susceptible to disease, and promotes sturdy, stout plants. Airflow is created by opening doors and vents when the weather is warm enough. It can be created with fans when the weather is cool and the greenhouse needs to be kept closed. Hardening-Off After plants have spent several weeks in the greenhouse, they should be lush, healthy, and just about the size they need to be for transplant. But after being pampered in the controlled greenhouse environment, they are not quite up to the challenge of life in the unpredictable outdoors. Before they can be moved out to the field they must be toughened up or hardened-off. Hardening-off starts with moving the plants outside during the day where they can experience the temperature, the direct sun, and the wind. But for the first couple of days, they still spend their nights in the protected greenhouse. On the third day or so, they should be ready to spend the night outside as well. Depending on the time of year and the weather, the low nighttime temperatures can be a real challenge for baby plants. Crops like broccoli, kale, lettuce, onions, and leeks can tolerate temperatures close to freezing. But warm-weather crops like basil, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, and squash could be seriously damaged or even killed by such low temps. When hardening off, it is important 11

13 to keep an eye on the weather forecasts and bring plants inside when there is a risk of losing them to freezing temperatures. After plants have spent several days and nights outside the greenhouse, they should be tough enough to survive transplant and life in the field. Jake and Sarah moving stretches of plants from the hardening off area into the greenhouse for the night, 2011 greenhouse full of seedlings notice the open vents, ceiling fans, and the white towers topped with fans that are part of the heat capture system, 2011 PLANTING BED PREPARATION One of the most stressful periods at the farm is the early spring. The greenhouse is full of beautiful starts, the farmer is anxious to get plants into the field, and we are waiting for the soil to be warm and dry enough to be worked. This time of year is when everything is on the verge. Opportunities to get into the field can be few and far between, depending on the weather. And the whole quality and quantity of early harvests is riding on getting as much as possible into the field when the opportunities arise. Now is the time to make sure that all our equipment is in good working order; all our seeds, stakes, and other supplies are ready to go; and we are well-rested and ready to put in long days when needed. Tillage Tillage is the operation of implements through the soil to prepare it for planting. Primary tillage is deep and rough tillage that incorporates cover crops, breaks up hard pans, and aerates the soil. (A hard pan is a severely compacted layer of soil, usually found under the topsoil. It can be naturally occurring or caused by improper plowing or driving over the fields.) Primary tillage (deep tillage which turns down cover) is usually performed with tractors pulling plows and disks. In the beginning, when we were breaking the sod that covered our fields, we hired someone to pull a moldboard plow that actually inverted the top 6 to 12 inches of soil. After this plow went through the field, the roots were exposed to the air and the green matter was buried in the soil to decompose. Now that we have turned all the sod, we prefer to use a chisel plow on the fields. shanks on the chisel plow designed to lift the soil 12

14 The chisel lifts the soil instead of inverting it. In the long run the lifting is better because it leaves important soil layers intact. Also the chisel plow does not create a plow pan the way a moldboard plow does. Secondary tillage is more shallow and fine. It further breaks down soil particle size and further aerates the soil. We do secondary tillage with a rototiller or our tractor drawn rotovator in order to prepare a fine seed bed for direct seeding or transplanting. The tillers mix the top 1 to 6 inches of the soil and create a soil surface that is appropriate for everything from small seeds to transplants. While tillage is critical to our farming system, excessive tillage can be very detrimental. When the soil is worked too often or too finely, organic matter can be lost through oxidation. Organic matter is that part of the soil that was once alive. As living tissue decomposes it releases nutrients, improves soil structure, and increases soil biological activity. Organic matter is critical to healthy soil and healthy crops. Loss of organic matter can cause many problems including a decrease in both water holding capacity and drainage, loss of soil biological activity and diversity, reduction of nutrient holding capacity, loss of soil pore space and decreased gas exchange, and higher susceptibility to erosion. Tillage should be done only when necessary and only under appropriate soil moisture conditions in order to reduce potential loss of organic matter. You will get a chance to assess the necessity and appropriate timing of tillage as you work with the farmer in the field. Using the Rototiller The rototiller is an important tillage implement at Troy, and we rely on it heavily. We have a 6 tiller that is drawn by our little 50-horse power Case tractor. And we have a BCS tiller with an 8.5 horsepower engine and a 26 tiller box. After the spring plowing, our soil is still too clumpy for planting. Before we plant any crop, we must till the soil. While only the farmer will use the tractor, interns will have a chance to use the BCS rototiller, if they like. Those who want to become more comfortable with the task will have a number opportunities to practice. Anyone who uses the tiller must wear the appropriate gear. You must wear boots. Open toed or open heeled shoes are not acceptable. Sneakers or running shoes are not appropriate. The tines on the tiller move quickly and can cause great injury to feet or hands that get in the way. Boots will provide some protection in the event of an accident. The tiller is also quite loud. Ear protection is provided and you are encouraged (though not required) to use it. Starting the BCS rototiller 1. Lock in the clutch. 2. Make sure the tiller is in neutral. 3. Make sure the throttle is set to near the rabbit. 4. Turn the red switch to on. 5. Open the choke. 6. Pull the start cord. 7. As soon as the tiller is running, close the choke. Once the tiller is running, you must hold in the clutch to put it in gear or to change gears. Second or third gear is appropriate for walking the tiller to where you need to go. All actual tilling should be done in second gear. To engage the tiller tines, hold in the clutch and pull the PTO lever toward you. Disengage the tines by holding in the clutch and pushing the level back to the original position. It takes a while to get used to tilling. Since the point is to create a smooth planting bed, you have to walk along side the tiller and control it from the side while it is working. You should not step in the area that you have tilled. Due to the narrow paths in our garden, you will also have to make some tight turns as you work. Hold in the clutch to stop the tires and the tines, then lift the tines and make the turn. Do not push down on the tines when trying to turn the tiller. When you have a bit more space to make a turn, simply lift the tines and make the turn without holding in the clutch. That way the tires will still move you forward as you turn. But beware of the spinning tines as you go. 13

15 Turning off the tiller 1. Hold in the clutch. 2. Disengage the tines. 3. Lock the clutch in 4. Put the tiller in neutral. 5. Walk to the front of the machine to turn the red switch to off. Whenever you need to stop the tiller, hold in the clutch. If you need to stop it in an emergency, let go of the emergency power lever. The farmer will introduce you to the tiller and demonstrate how to start it and operate it. She will also walk along side as you begin to till in order to help with problems and offer suggestions for more comfortable operation. Soil Quality Different kinds of plantings require different degrees of tillage. Small seeded crops that will be sown directly into the soil require a fine seedbed. Whereas larger transplants like tomatoes and squash can be planted into rougher soil with more crop residues or trash. Each time we plant we have some limited choice in where a particular crop will go. Choices are limited due to the requirements of our rotation and logical bed layout, but within those limitations we will make an effort to choose the most appropriate location for each crop. In cases where a small seeded crop must go into rough soil, we may choose to till that area again in order to break up soil particles and better incorporate crop residues. FIELD PLANTING Once the soil is ready, the fun part begins. Planting is one of the most satisfying pieces of farming. There is real sense of having done something when you look back on the field at the end of the day and see rows of little seedlings where once there was bare dirt. Transplanting provides immediate gratification in this way. The gratification that comes with direct seeding is more delayed because you have to wait for the seedlings to emerge in their own time. But there is still pleasure in looking back on the neat rows of bed stakes foreshadowing the wonder of germination that is about to occur. Spring and summer interns will do a great deal of transplanting and may be able to try their hand at direct seeding curcurbits and potatoes at least. In addition to being fun, these are tasks that take a lot of organization and go much more smoothly with multiple people. Crop Spacing The question of how much space to allow each plant as it grows is one of constant interest and frequent experimentation, at least at Troy. Most any seed catalogue will give you a good idea of how far apart to plant any crop based on fairly constant information about average plant size and nutritional requirements. In general, plants that will grow large and require a lot of nutrients (like corn) need relatively more space than small plants with minimal nutritional requirements (like cilantro). These basic guidelines are a good place to start. But there are several site specific factors which can impact the final decision on optimal spacing, including soil fertility, whether or not the crop is trellised, mulched, and/or irrigated, and desired size of the crop at harvest. When considering all these factors, the goal is always to provide enough space for a plant to thrive on the available nutrients, water, and actual physical area, while keeping plants tight enough to conserve space and crowd out weeds. For instance, tomatoes that are planted into tired soil with no irrigation and no trellis will need to be spaced further apart than tomatoes that are planted into compost rich soil, mulched to preserve water, and trellised to support their vertical growth. The goal is simple and straightforward, but the actual balancing of all these factors in the field is not always so simple, and is often adjusted with experience. 14

16 The Crop Spacing Guide that you have in Appendix A contains specific information about crop spacing at Troy. It is specific to your year at the farm and is our current idea of optimal spacing based on our specific soil, growing techniques, and experience. Bed Layout The farm is divided into 5 plots that are each 100 feet wide from east to west. There is either a five-foot walking path or a 15-foot truck path on either side of each plot. Those plots are then divided roughly in half from east to west to form nine sections. The crops planted in each section rotate every year. For instance in 2011 Brassicas were in section 7; in 2012 they will be in section 8. See the farm map in Appendix B to get a better sense of what these divisions look like. Within each section, all our beds are laid out to span the entire 100 feet, so each bed is 100 feet long. Bed width is always 4 feet, and most crops are planted in these 4 by 100 beds. There is a one-foot path between each bed. The four exceptions, crops that are not planted in beds, are beans, peas, corn, and potatoes. These crops are planted in single rows with either 2.5 feet (for beans, and corn) or 3 feet (for peas and potatoes) between the rows. The first step for both transplanting and direct seeding is to lay out the required beds. The planting harvesting spinach from a standard 4-foot bed, 2011 calendar can tell you how many beds are needed for each section. Once you know that information, you need a tape measure, and stakes to complete the job. These tools can be found in the transplant bucket in the shed. In general, the stakes will mark the center of each bed, or in the case of the exception crops, the single planted row. One stake is placed at each end of every 100 long bed so that we can pull a tape measure between the stakes and be sure to plant the bed in a straight line. To lay out beds, first secure the end of the tape measure to the last stake in the section. We always remove stakes from the field after transplanting, or after crops have emerged in the case of direct seeding, but we always leave the last stake in a section to facilitate this process of laying out future beds. If you are laying out the first bed in the section, secure the tape to a stake at the very beginning of the section. Then pull out the tape measure along the path at the edge of the section to be planted. If you are laying out 4-foot beds, set the stakes 5 feet (4 feet for the bed and 1 foot for the path) away from each other on the tape, one stake for each bed. If you are laying out single row crops, set the stakes either 3 or 2.5 feet away from each other as dictated by the Crop Spacing Guide. If you are setting out the first beds in a section, set your first stake 2 feet from the beginning of the section and go from there with 5, 3, or 2.5 foot spacing between stakes. After you complete this process for one side of the section, repeat it on the other side and you are ready to go. All these words will become much more clear once we actually go through this process in the field. For now it is good to remember that we space our beds very precisely in order to allow the appropriate room for every crop to grow, without wasting precious space. We also appreciate that this precision keeps the fields neat and tidy! Direct seeding Most of our direct seeding is done with an Earthway seeder. This tool helps us to seed accurately and efficiently, in straight lines, with evenly spaced seed. As you push it along it cuts a furrow, drops the 15

17 seed, and then covers the seed with soil. It is a simple tool with two wheels, a hopper, an adjustable depth gauge, a handle for pushing it along, and seed plates that distribute the seed. Different sized seeds require different planting depths and different seed plates in order to achieve accurate spacing and even germination. In general, seeds should be planted twice as deep as they are long. Names for most of the seed that we use are actually printed on the seed plates, which makes choosing a seed plate easy. The only direct seeded crops that we do not plant with the Earthway are cucurbits and potatoes. Squash, cucumber, and potato seeds are so big that it is easier to handle them without the seeder in order to achieve accurate spacing. All the set up for seeding these crops is just the same, but we will actually place and cover the seed with our hands. Doing the actual seeding is easy. It is all the gathering of supplies and set up that can take a while with this task. You need tape measures, stakes, the seeder, the seeds, and both the Planting Calendar and the Crop Spacing Guide. Once you have the supplies and the beds laid out, stretch a tape between the stakes at either end of the first bed. The tape marks the center of the area to be planted. Choose your seed plate, pour the seed in the hopper (be sure not to fill the hopper above the line indicated on the side), and push the seeder down the row being sure to step in the planted furrows as you go. Your footsteps help to secure the seed in the soil and improve the soil to seed contact that is required for germination. The Crop Spacing Guide will tell you how many rows and how many feet of each crop to plant in the bed. In order to increase efficiency and minimize the number of trips across each bed, it is important to move tapes as you go rather than after each bed is completely seeded. Once you have made a pass or two with the seeder, you can move the staked end of the tape to the next bed, use your furrows as a planting guide on the way back, and finally move the wheel end of the tape to the next stake. If you can get the timing right, you can just keep planting bed after bed, without having to cross the field just to move the tape. Interns only very rarely direct seed with the earthway seeder. The task requires attention and accuracy. Once the seeds are in the ground we cannot change the outcome, so mistakes cannot be made. Interns who direct seed will have to follow the Planting Calendar and Crop Spacing Guide carefully, read seed packets to make sure the correct crop goes into the hopper, accurately gauge spacing between planted rows in the bed, pay attention to the seeder to make sure the plate is turning and the seed is falling, return unused seed to the correct packets, and keep all supplies organized and tidy as they progress. The farmer will always directly oversee this task. Transplanting Transplanting is one of the most carefully orchestrated as well as one of the most satisfying tasks on the farm. One intern described it as the transplant dance. Once everyone knows the steps, we can all enjoy the pleasure of the movements and the satisfaction of a task well done. These are the steps: 1. Gather the supplies and bring them out to the section to the planted. You will need tapes, wheel hoe with the furrow attachment, compost, water, freshly watered seed flats, the Planting Calendar and the Crop Spacing Guide. 2. Pinch the cells to loosen seedlings in the flat, if necessary. Plant roots can cling to the sides of the plastic seed flats. Pinching the bottom of each cell will loosen the roots without overly disturbing them. 3. Layout the beds and set up tapes used for spacing. This task was already described under Bed Layout. 4. Use the wheel hoe to create planting furrows. As you push the wheel hoe down the bed, following the line of the string, the furrow attachment will dig neat furrows. Be sure to space the furrows close enough together to allow for the number that must fit in the bed, but far enough apart to allow maximum space for each row. Also, never step in the furrows or in the bed as you are working. It is important leave the soil soft and loose. Compacting it with footsteps will make it more difficult for plants to achieve optimum root growth. 5. Put water and compost in the planting furrows at the appropriate spacing. The Crop Spacing Guide will dictate the spacing for the crop. Most every crop will get compost at transplanting, but 16

18 it is especially important for the heavy feeding brassicas, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. All crops will get water. 6. Set plants in the furrows at appropriate spacing. This job is a simple matter of taking the seedlings from the seed flats and placing them in the furrows on top of the already spaced piles of compost and/or water. 7. Plant seedlings to the appropriate depth. Every seedling should be planted deep enough to at least cover the root ball. Many plants (like tomatoes, and brassicas) should be planted even deeper. We will discuss specific planting depths as well as appropriate body position and efficient planting practices in the field. transplanting tomatillos notice beds, tapes, furrows, and compost being set at measured spacing, 2011 transplating cucumbers notice furrowing with wheel hoe, watering onto compost, setting plants, and planting, 2008 All of these steps will be demonstrated and further explained in the field. Once everyone is comfortable with all the steps, we can begin the dance. As we work it is important to be aware of what everyone else is doing and to anticipate what needs to be done next in order to keep everyone moving and to avoid delays. While you may find yourself concentrating on one particular step in this process, no one is assigned a specific task that they will just repeat for every bed. Everyone is expected to be aware and to jump in to make things run smoothly. When we are working quickly and efficiently, we can transplant thousands of seedlings in a morning, and fill up entire sections of the field. It s beautiful. Remay Remay is a brand name that has come to stand for most every variety of agricultural fleece, or floating row cover. These products are used to keep crops warmer, to keep off insects, and in some cases to preserve soil moisture. It comes in various lengths and widths. The kind that we use at Troy is a thin, white, polyester fabric, 60 or 140 inches wide. We cut it into 100-foot lengths to fit our beds. This fabric is easily damaged by rough handling or wind, but we do our best to preserve it, and use each piece multiple times. Several crops are covered with remay directly after seeding or transplanting. Brassicas such as radishes, broccoli, and kale are covered in order to protect them from flea beetles. Salad mix and carrots are covered in order to help keep the small seeds in place and preserve the soil moisture that is needed for germination. Eggplant, peppers, and sweet potatoes are covered early on in order to hold in more of the heat that those crops so love and need. Once the seeding or transplanting is done, it is imperative to follow through on this one last step (before clean-up) in order to get each crop off to a good start. Actually laying the remay down is one of those things that is often more difficult than it sounds. It takes a little practice to do it quickly, with minimal frustration. First the fabric is unrolled over the bed and held 17

19 along the sides with little piles of soil. Then you come along with a hoe and scoop more soil on the edge of the fabric until it is completely secured. The entire edge must be buried in order to prevent insects from accessing the plants through gaps, and to prevent the wind from picking up an end and pulling of the entire sheet. Interns will have many opportunities to hone their skills with remay. putting down remay on newly planted broccoli after it is unrolled and tacked with piles of dirt, the next step will be to use hoes to completely cover all edges, 2011 not all our remay pieces make it to the end of the bed it is easy to see where the remay ended on these newly uncovered broccoli beds, 2011 WEEDING While not one of the more glamorous jobs at the farm, weeding is one of the most straightforward jobs that we do. It requires virtually no prep work and can transform a field in a matter of hours, if it is done right. It is also essential to crop health. Weeds complete with crops for nutrients, water, and sunlight. It is important to remove weeds in order to reduce that competition and allow crop plants full access to resources. While hand weeding is our most time consuming weed control strategy, there are some things we can do even before we pick up our hoes. Rotation Some crops are more negatively affected by the presence of weeds, and some crops are less equipped to shade out weeds as they grow. Onions are one good example of both of these qualities. We try to plant onions in an area that is likely to have fewer weeds. We can identify these areas by noting in which sections we achieved the best weed control the year before. Conversely, some crops are especially good at protecting their own self-interests against the weeds. Winter squash are a good example. We can plant this crop in an area we know to have a heavier weed load, and count on its ability to shade out many weeds with its large vines and leaves that completely cover the ground. Our rotation is designed (in part) to make sure that crops are planted into more or less weedy soil as appropriate. See Appendix B for our current field map and crop rotation. Bed Preparation We plant into freshly tilled beds so that any weed seedlings or germinated weed seeds have already been disturbed and killed. We plant quickly after tilling so that our crop seeds have a chance to germinate before the new weed seeds that are turned up every time the soil is worked. Some growers will handle this problem with an exactly opposite strategy. They will prepare a stale seed bed by tilling and then letting the bed sit while weeds germinate. Then they go in with a flame weeder or a cultivator to kill those weeds before planting the crop. (The flame heats the water in the weed s cells and causes the cells to pop and kill the weed.) This strategy has not worked at Troy 18

20 because we do not have a flame weeder or a cultivator. However, we are working on other methods of killing weeds in a stale bed. weeding scallions these tall skinny plants do not shade out weeds, 2011 Lindsay uncovering kohlrabi properly spaced to shade out weeds, 2011 Crop Spacing We plant crops as thickly as possible while still allowing enough space for plants grow and draw adequate nourishment from the soil. When crops shade the soil as they grow, they prevent sunlight from reaching weed seeds, and thus prevent those seeds from germinating. Mulching Mulch has many purposes in the garden. One of them is shading the soil and preventing weeds from germinating. But acquiring and spreading mulch can be costly and time consuming, sometimes more so than weeding. So we use mulch as a weed preventive only on crops that will especially benefit. For instance, leeks are mulched because they are bad at shading out weeds (like onions and scallions) and they are in the ground from April to October, making it especially important to keep them weed free. Kale also is in the ground for a very long time, so we mulch that as well. Tomatoes are mulched because they are especially susceptible to soil born diseases. The mulch prevents soil from splashing onto plants in a rain and it also protects fruits that might sag and ripen on the ground. Finally, potatoes are mulched because their tubers can turn green when exposed to the sun. The extra mulch layer kale freshly mulched, 2011 helps protect the tubers from exposure. 19

21 Even with these preventative strategies, we still get plenty of weeds in the garden. Once they germinate we want to deal with them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Troy already has a huge weed seed bank stored in its soils. When we let weeds grow and go to seed on the farm, we are adding to that seed bank. Our goal instead is to diminish the number of stored seeds over time. So as we weed this year, we are not only preventing new weed seeds from falling to the soil from mature plants, we are also reducing the number of stored seeds that we will have to deal with in the future. As we work, all farm workers are encourage to pull weeds that have gone to seed even if we are not actually weeding at the time. Weeds with seed heads should always be removed to the drive roads or fence lines to ensure they never germinate in the field. Timing The key to fast, easy weeding is timing. Optimally weeds can be killed before they can even be seen above the soil. As with all plants, when weed seeds germinate they first send down a white root. If the soil is scuffed when weeds are at this stage (called the white thread stage) they can be killed very quickly and easily. If that stage is missed, weeds should be removed before they develop true leaves. At these early stages they are easy to kill and don t have much time to rob precious soil resources which should be going to the crops. But before a bed can be weeded, the crop plants have to be large enough to be both identified and undisturbed in the process. Being able to accurately identify both crops and weeds is essential to determining the best time to weed for minimal effort and maximum benefit. As we do this task, interns will have many opportunities to work on plant identification and to help determine optimal weeding timing. Tools There are three main tools that we use for weeding. They are the wheel hoe, scuffle hoe, and hand hoe. Each tool is used in different conditions and with different techniques and effects. Wheel Hoe This tool is comprised of a wheel, handles, and a stirrup blade used for cutting the weeds. You push the hoe ahead of you down the row and cut down weeds with a back and forth rocking motion. The hoe blade should travel just under the surface of the soil in order to cut the weed tops from the roots and kill them. You don t want to just cut off the greens because they will likely grow back from the roots. And you don t want to actually uproot the weeds because they can easily re-root if they are stepped back into the soil or if it rains before they die. This tool is most often used on paths and in the space between single row crops. It is not a delicate tool and it can leave some weeds behind. But it is good for jobs that don t require a lot of precision and can or should be done quickly. wheel hoes and hand hoes in action in the cucumbers, 2011 Scuffle Hoe This is another tool that is used while in the upright position. It has a stirrup blade much like the wheel hoe, but smaller, and a long handle. The back and forth cutting action of this tool is also much like the wheel hoe, but because the blade is smaller it can often fit between crop rows within a bed. Scuffle hoes are mostly used in beds where the plants are significantly bigger than the weeds. They can also be used in paths. While more precise than the wheel hoe, this tool can also leave weeds behind. When learning to use this tool, it is a good idea to keep shifting your dominant hand, otherwise one side of your body is likely to end up overly tired and stressed by the end of the day. We do not use this tool very often. 20

22 Hand Hoe This is the tool of choice for accuracy and precision; it is also the slowest hoe that we use. It has a short handle, requiring you to be close to the ground when you use it, and a solid, triangular blade. This hoe is also used for cutting weeds from their roots below the soil surface. In moist conditions when the soil is light and fluffed, it is fairly easy to achieve this goal. When the ground is dry and hard, it is often better to just scrape the hoe along the surface of the soil and cut down weeds that way. This tool is usually used to weed small or newly germinated crops in beds that are thickly planted with multiple rows. In these situations, you will often find that you need to put down the hoe and work weeds out from between plants with your fingers. hand hoe (top) and scuffle hoe (bottom) Body Position Since interns will use these tools for extended periods of time, it is important to learn how to use them effectively without becoming overly physically stressed. Using different tools throughout the day helps, as does frequent adjustment in body position and dominant working hand. It is also a good idea to put the tools down periodically and stretch a bit. Weeding (and many of the other tasks that we do) can be quite physically taxing. We will work more comfortably and get more work done if we can remember to be aware of our bodies as we go. There are several positions that we use frequently while weeding. Of course, we stand to use the wheel hoe and the scuffle hoe. Standing is generally a pretty comfortable position. Just remember to keep your back straight and use the long handles on these tools to keep from bending. The hand hoe allows us to use a wider variety of positions including squatting, bending, and kneeling. All of these positions are effective and comfortable as long as you don t stay in any one of them for too long. Practice switching from one to the other as you move along the rows. And take a minute to stretch when none of them seems comfortable any longer. There is one body position that should not be used in the fields: sitting down. It can be very tempting to just put your butt down while working so close to the ground with the hand hoe. But do not fall into this temptation. Weeding is not a static task. It requires constant movement of both hands and feet. Scooting along on your butt slows you down and is more likely to cause unintended damage to closely spaced neighboring beds. If you are tempted to sit down, take a minute to stretch instead. OTHER FIELD TASKS There are plenty of other tasks we will do in the field in addition to planting and weeding. Some of those are listed here, with brief explanations of why and how they are done. We will discuss additional tasks when we get to them in the field. Mulching Mulching is an important and time-consuming springtime task. Mulch benefits many crops in several different ways. It suppresses weeds, holds moisture in the soil, cools the soil, helps keep soil loose and friable, protects certain crops from soil splash and soil-borne diseases, and protects some root crops from 21

23 exposure to the sun. Also, as it decomposes, it adds nutrients and organic matter to the soil for next year s crops. But mulching is not for all crops. It takes time and often is not worth the effort on crops that will be harvested quickly. We tend to use mulch on crops that are long-producing or late-maturing like tomatoes, leeks, and Brussels sprouts. We also use it on crops that particularly benefit from its effect like potatoes. At Troy we tend to use marsh hay as our mulching material, because it is fairly affordable, produced locally, and we can get it delivered to the site. The best mulch material is seed-free alfalfa hay. As this hay breaks down, it adds a significant amount of nitrogen to the soil. Marsh hay is also seed free, but does not add as much nitrogen as alfalfa hay. Straw is also a popular mulch material, but tends to contain a fair amount of grain seeds and does not add many nutrients to the soil when it breaks down. Some farms will use black plastic mulch on crops where soil warming is desirable over soil cooling. The black plastic keeps the soil quite warm and does a good job of suppressing weeds, but it is neither reusable nor biodegradable. We do not use black plastic. Interns will learn how to lay the mulch while working in the field. Generally, mulch should be laid evenly right up to the stem of the plant and thickly enough to prevent sunlight from reaching the soil and enabling weed seeds to sprout. Anyone who is allergic to dust or hay should wear a mask and gloves while spreading mulch. Trellising Trellis supports help some crops to grow up vertically in the garden rather than sprawling horizontally across the soil. This supported vertical growth can be beneficial because it keeps foliage and fruit up off the ground where it is more likely to rot, it improves air flow around plants thus decreasing the spread of disease, and it makes harvesting much easier. But trellising is another task that takes a lot of time and should only be used when its benefit to the crop can balance the labor input. At Troy we trellis peas and tomatoes, primarily. Snap pea trellis is made of tall t-posts and nylon mesh. Shorter peas are trellised with wooden 1x2 s and cotton string. Once the peas have emerged from the soil, we go in and put up the trellis right in their rows. They will grow on the supports by winding their tendrils around the string. Tomato trellis is a bit more complicated. It is made of t-posts strung across the top with fencing wire. We put up that structure before we plant the tomatoes. Once the plants are growing, we come back in and tie up each plant with twine. Since the tomatoes will not naturally grow up the twine on their own, we attach them to it with clips, or we can actually twist the twine around the plant. Tomato Pruning There are two basic types of tomatoes, determinant and indeterminate. Determinant tomatoes are so called because they determine for themselves when it is time to slow foliage production and begin ripening fruit. These plants tend to have many suckers and sprawl along the ground in an unruly fashion. Indeterminate tomatoes are taller and leggier than determinants. They too have many suckers, but they have no internal mechanism for telling them when to stop producing plant and start producing fruit. In order to help these indeterminates focus their energy on fruiting rather than growing, we prune them. Determinate tomatoes are not pruned. Before you can prune the tomato plants, you have to learn to identify their different parts: stem, leaves, flower/fruit clusters, suckers, and growing points. It is difficult to describe these parts in words alone, so we will go over them in detail in the field, as we learn exactly how to prune. The part of the tomato we are most interested in while pruning are the suckers. These grow from the joins between the leaves and the stem, and each has all the same parts as the main plant. Suckers will develop their own fruit and even sprout their own suckers as they grow. They will also draw a great deal of energy from the plant in order to support their efforts. As we prune these suckers out, we encourage 22

24 the plant to prioritize setting and ripening fruit over more structural growth. Pruned tomatoes tend to produce larger and earlier fruit then their unpruned counterparts. After pruning, the tomato plant will have one main stem and one sucker. It will also have many leaves, and fruit clusters. We will go over pruning more exactly in the field, but these are the basic steps. 1. Learn to identify tomato leaves, fruit clusters, suckers, and growing points. 2. Locate the main stem of the plant. 3. Locate the first fruit cluster on the main stem. 4. Locate the sucker under the first fruit cluster. This sucker is the strongest on the plant and will be left to produce fruit. 5. Remove all suckers EXCEPT the one under the first fruit cluster. Tomato pruning is not a one-time activity. As the plant grows it will continue to produce more suckers, and we will continue to remove them. We usually prune a plant three times before we start to harvest fruit. Once the harvest begins, we do not spend any more time on pruning. Insect control From the farmer s perspective there are both damaging and beneficial insects in the garden. The damaging ones feed on the same food we do, our vegetables. The beneficial ones are natural enemies of the bad guys. They help us out by feeding on or parasitizing the agricultural pests. We do what we can to foster the good guys and inhibit the bad guys. Fostering the beneficials means providing habitat and food that will keep them in the garden and alive until they find their preferred prey. The natural areas around our farm are a great habitat, as well as the flowers, and certain cover crops that we grow right in the field. In addition to fostering the beneficials, we have several approaches to dealing with the pests. Flea Beetles Flea Beetles are one of our most damaging insect pests. They are small, hard, black bugs that jump from plant to plant, much like fleas. These little guys are enormously abundant at Troy and also very difficult to control. They are especially attracted to brassicas, but will also attack eggplant. All the wild mustards at Troy are a great brassica food source for the beetles, but they do not limit themselves to these wild plants when we have so much kale, broccoli, arugula, radishes, and other brassicas to tempt them. Once they are on the crop, they eat many little holes in the leaves, and there is nothing to be done. Our only hope is to keep them off the plants in the first place, using remay as a physical barrier. Once the crop is large enough to be harvested (in the case of radishes and arugula) or to withstand the insect damage (in the case of broccoli and eggplant) the remay is removed. Cabbage Worms This pest is another one that attacks brassicas. The adult moths lay their eggs on broccoli, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts. The eggs hatch out many green worms that eat large holes in the leaves. In the case of broccoli and cabbage, the worms also nestle up in the heads and can be found in the kitchen cook pot if they are not removed at harvest. At Troy the damage caused by cabbage worms is often minor enough to be tolerated. However when damage becomes intolerable, we use bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to kill the worms. Bt is a natural bacterium that destroys the worms digestive tracts. We spray it onto the leaves of the crop; the worms eat the leaves, ingest the bacteria, and die. Bt has no effect on humans and is even limited in which worms it will kill. It can be a very effective organic control when used appropriately. Cucumber Beetles These yellow striped or spotted insects fly into our fields every year as soon as the cucurbits are set out. Cucumber beetles do not limit themselves to cucumbers. They will feed on any cucurbit including summer and winter squash and melons. They eat many holes in the leaves and can quickly defoliate tender, young plants. As they eat, they also spread disease. We use three controls for these beetles. First, we often cover new cucurbit plantings with remay to exclude the pests. Second, some years we set out yellow bowls with soapy water as a trap. The beetles are 23

25 attracted to the yellow squash flowers and will go to the bowls in the same way. Once they land in the soapy water, they die. Finally, if the infestation is quite serious, we go through the field and handpick the bugs. Squash Bugs These pests are another danger for cucurbits. They are dusty gray bugs that move quickly along the ground but do not fly away. They seem to cluster on the plants by the hundreds. They suck the juice from plant tissues and leave the foliage papery dry. We have not yet developed an effective control for these bugs. Usually they do not present a serious problem because the crop is mostly mature by the time they strike. Colorado Potato Beetles As you would expect, these bugs are especially fond of potatoes. It is not at all obvious from their name that they love eggplant even more. (Potatoes and eggplant are both in the solanaceae family). The adult beetles have a hard, orange-striped shell and lay their eggs on the plants. As the soft larvae hatch out, they eat the leaves and can turn the plants into skeletons in short order. Our first defense against this pest is to delay our potato planting to late June or July in order to miss the main population onslaught. Our second defense is to hand pick. This task is often difficult for new interns. But once they see how much damage these bugs can cause, interns are more willing to don plastic gloves and squish away. We also use remay as a physical barrier on the eggplants when they are young. Bt is another control method for potato beetles, but it is difficult to find an organic Bt for potato beetles and it s effectiveness is questionable. Entrust is an excellent control but is prohibitively expensive. Tomatillo Bug There is an orange-striped beetle that looks very like the cucumber beetle except for its color. It attacks the tomatillos, and is not interested in any other crop. We have never learned its official name. Like the potato beetle, this bug lays its eggs on the plants and the larvae eat the foliage as they grow. We do one hand picking of this bug every year. After that the tomatillos grow strong enough to withstand the insect damage. Disease Control Most crops are susceptible to some kinds of diseases, but certain crops are certainly more affected by them. Disease on tomatoes can seriously damage plants, fruit, and production. Disease on peas will decrease the harvest, but since this crop is so short-lived anyway the effect is not that great. Once disease hits a crop, there is very little we can do about it. So we focus all our efforts on prevention. These are our prevention tools: 1. Rotation. We follow an 9-year rotation including two years of fallow/cover cropping. One factor in our rotation design is to keep crops moving into new soil each year so that they are not exposed to any residual disease organisms that may be left behind from the previous year. 2. Promoting airflow. Allowing air to move around plants creates a drier and less hospitable environment for disease growth, and it slows the spread of disease by decreasing plants direct contact with each other. We promote airflow through proper crop spacing and trellising. 3. Decreasing soil splash. Many diseases are transmitted to plants through the soil. When it rains, soil can splash up onto the plants and spread disease. We mulch certain crops in order to decrease soil splash. 4. Keeping agricultural pests in check. Many pests can transmit disease. 5. Proper harvesting practices. Timing - It is better to harvest susceptible crops when they are dry. When crops are wet, we can transmit disease by moving water from one plant to the next. Clean up We remove diseased fruits and leaves during harvest to help prevent disease from spreading. 24

26 HARVESTING The part we ve all been waiting for. All the planting, weeding, trellising, mulching, insect control and everything else we ve been doing has all been leading up to this task. Interns will begin harvesting our first crops in May, even through planting is still our main priority at that time of year. As the season progresses, other tasks take up less and less of our time, until fall when we spend the majority of our time pulling in our bounty. We will be harvesting over 40 different crops through the season. Describing the process for each of these crops here would be tedious. So we will concentrate on some harvesting basics, until we can get to the details in the field. One of the most difficult things for interns to grasp during their time on the farm is the place of waste in our system. Delivering a consistently clean, high-quality crop is of utmost importance in maintaining our reputation in the market place. In order to achieve high quality, we plant enough of each crop to be able to select the best and allow for loss. As you begin harvesting, you will see this loss up close. Some of the sub-standard harvest will go home with you and other farm workers as farmer food. But it is unlikely that we will be able to consume it all. Anything that does not go to market or farmer food is returned to the soil in the form of compost. It can be hard to see food go to waste in this way, as though anything that is not consumed by humans is wasted. But do remember that future vegetable crops (and future human meals) greatly benefit from the nutrients these wasted foods return to the soil. It is all part of the plan. Timing As with so many tasks on the farm, proper timing for harvest can make all the difference in efficiency and quality of the job. Timing is important in terms of pulling in the crop at right time in its own life cycle (maturity), but also in terms of the right time of the harvest day. A leafy crop that is mature and still perfectly tender and delicious can be ruined if it is harvested under the wrong conditions. We will have to go over maturity for specific crops in the field, as it would be too much to describe here. But we can use this space to discuss general harvest conditions during the day and which crops should be harvested during those times. Early Morning In the hours just after sunrise crops are as cool and crisp as they will ever be in the field. The cooler night temperatures and dew combine to hydrate and refresh all crops. These cool, damp conditions are perfect for harvesting all leafy crops such as lettuce, salad mix, kale, chard, spinach and cilantro. Peas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, and beets will also benefit from being harvested before the sun has a chance to warm and dry the foliage, but these crops can also be safely harvested a little later in the day. Mid Morning By this time crops are usually dry and beginning to get warm in the sun, but they are generally still fairly crisp. This time is perfect for green beans, summer squash and cucumbers in particular. These crops are especially susceptible to disease, and they are harvested several times over a period of weeks. When they are harvested with wet foliage, disease can spread rapidly and negatively affect the long-term health of the crop. But if they are harvested later in the day, the fruit can get limp. It is also good to harvest eggplant and peppers during the midmorning, though they are not as susceptible to disease or to wilt, and can tolerate being harvested most any time of the day. Afternoon Unless it is a particularly overcast or rainy day, the fields should be quite warm and dry by afternoon. Now is the time to harvest tomatoes as well as other crops that should be quite dry when they come from the fields such as onions, dry beans, and pop corn. Dry conditions are important for tomatoes because they (like beans and summer squash) are harvested over a longer season and can be devastated by disease spread in wet conditions. Also, the fruits are 25

27 easier to clean and prepare for market when they come from the field dry. Dry product ready for curing is the real key with onions, dry beans, and popcorn. These crops are harvested at the end of the plant s life cycle when disease is no longer an issue. Most of the other crops can be harvested at any time of day. Leeks, scallions, potatoes, winter squash, edamame, and others are not greatly affected by the timing of their harvest. Technique As with timing, it would be too tedious to discuss the harvesting technique for each crop. Instead we can again group crops into general categories, and discuss the basic techniques used for each. Specific instructions for specific crops will be made clear in the field. Field Bunching Kale, chard, cilantro, and parsley are the crops we most commonly bunch in the field. All these crops are easy to size in the field and tend to come out pretty clean. The bunches only need to be dunked in water for a quick wash and cool once they are harvested. A knife and rubber bands are needed for field bunching. Since collecting a specific number of bunches is also part of the job, it s a good idea to count out the correct number of rubber bands before you begin. You can often store the rubber bands on the handle of your knife for easy access as you work. The general procedure here is to break or cut the stems from the main plant, make an attractive bunch of the appropriate size, band the bunch, and trim the ends evenly. Stack bunches into crates or buckets. Double check the count. While working, you should keep your bunches in the shade, if possible. You can often tuck the crates or buckets up under leafy crops to keep them out of the direct sun. Working quickly will also reduce sun exposure and unnecessary wilting. Bulk Harvest for Wash Shed Bunching Some crops cannot be bunched in the field either because they cannot be adequately cleaned once they are in bunches, or because they need to be inspected and/or sized before bunching. These crops are harvested in bulk and brought back to the shed for bunching. It can be difficult to estimate how much to harvest in order to achieve the necessary number of bunches. The farmer can give you pointers, but practice is the best teacher. Many of the crops in this category are root crops like radishes, beets, and carrots. Scallions and leeks also fall into the category. You will simply pull some of them out of the ground (radishes and beets), some will come out with a fork (carrots) and some will need to be trimmed in the field once they are pulled from the ground (scallions and leeks). Picking Most everything else is harvested individually in the field and then cleaned and packed in the wash shed. Different tools and containers are used for different crops. For instance, all summer squash is harvested into shallow crates lined with towels to protect their delicate skin. Zucchini must be harvested with a knife, but yellow squash and patty pans can simply be twisted from the plants by hand. Peas, beans, peppers and others are harvested into buckets for easy portability down the row. Bulkier crops like fennel, lettuce, or cabbage are harvested into crates in order to accommodate their size. Tomatoes are one crop that is harvested, sorted, and packed right in the field. Most tomato fruits come off the vine rather clean, unless they are touching the ground or there has been a lot of soil splash with recent rain. As each fruit is plucked, the picker removes the calyx (stem) and grades the tomato as a first or second. The firsts are packed directly into boxes for wholesale or market. The seconds are gathered into buckets for further sorting and packing in the wash shed. Unacceptable fruits are tossed into empty beds between tomato rows right away. As critical as any technique is the ability to maintain our set quality standards at harvest. We will go over these standards in detail for each crop in the field. You should continue to ask questions and check on your quality control as long as you have any doubts. The farmer will also double check your work 26

28 regularly in order to make sure you get it. Once you have a good understanding of what is acceptable and what is not, you should always remove unacceptable fruits and leave them to decompose in the field. Bad or blemished fruits that are left on the crop will continue to use the plant s energy without resulting in a usable product. So spotty, over-mature, rotten, or otherwise blemished fruits are picked and discarded with every harvest. This practice applies to all crops that are harvested more than once: peas, beans, peppers, tomatillos, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and even kale or chard, as examples. Unacceptable specimens in crops like lettuce or fennel that do not regrow and are harvested only once can simply be left standing to be tilled in when all the usable crop is harvested. Post-Harvest Handling As crops are brought in from the field, they are cooled, cleaned, and packed in the wash shed. The main technique here is called hydro-cooling, which simply means cooling with water. Crops are dunked into cold water in order to quickly remove any field heat, and rehydrate their cells. The water also washes away dirt. Greens, peas, beans, and many other crops are treated in this way. Most crops will be packed wet right after hydro-cooling. But some, like beans and salad mix, are left out to dry a bit before being packed away. Excess water can rust beans and rot salad mix. Carrots, beets, radishes, scallions and leeks are examples of crops that are not hydro-cooled exactly, but rather spray washed before bunching. The bulk crop is laid out on the screens in neat rows, sprayed, and bunched. Except for scallions, we bunch all these crops like with like. So all the short, stubby carrots are bunched together, and all the long, skinny carrots go together. Scallion sizes can be mixed in the bunch. Bunch sizes for each crop must be consistent within each harvest, but can vary somewhat from week to week, depending on quality and quantity of crop. After the harvest is bunched, all the bunches are sprayed one more time to remove any dirt spread around in bunching. Packing vegetables can be tricky. The goal here is always to fit as much as possible into a crate without crushing anything. We also want to use as few crates as possible overall, in order to make it easier to fit everything into the cooler and the truck. In general only one type of vegetable should go into a crate. If there are only a couple of bunches that don t seem to have a place, make them fit rather than starting a new crate that will need to be filled with another crop. When crops must be mixed within a crate, make sure to pack them side by side (rather than on top of each other) so that each crop can be easily accessed when the crate is opened. Most crops are covered with a dripping wet towel once they are packed. The wet towel helps keep the food hydrated while in the cooler, which has a tendency to dry as it cools. Beans and salad mix are notable exceptions to this rule. These crops are packed in dry towels. Storing the vegetables in the cooler is an essential part of post-harvest handling. We try to harvest, pack, and cool vegetables the day before they go to market or CSA. Spending 24 hours in the cooler insures that the crops are deeply chilled and perfectly crisp, ready to stand up to being displayed in the open air. Crops that are not thoroughly cooled before being exposed will wilt much more quickly on our display, and will not last as long in the customers refrigerators. There are a few crops that are not cooled before sale. Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, and winter squash are examples. These crops are stored in a dry shady place, after some wet or dry cleaning, but are not refrigerated. Recording and Flow We keep a harvest recording sheet on a clipboard in the wash shed. As each crop comes into the shed and is packed, we record how much we ve got. We always keep these records in the same units that the crops are sold in. For instance, broccoli will be recorded in pounds, lettuce heads by the piece, and carrots by the bunch. The record sheet indicates the appropriate unit for each crop. At the end of the season, these records are transferred to our overall crop records and we can calculate how much we harvested and earned from each planting. As interns become familiar with procedures for each vegetable, they will be better able to prioritize harvesting tasks. As with transplant dance, harvesting is a project that has many pieces that must be carefully timed and orchestrated for maximum efficiency. When we are working at our best, everyone will 27

29 know all the steps in our dance and be able to recognize where and when to jump in. It feels really good when we are moving together smoothly, without stepping on toes. MARKETING On many farms marketing is one of the least desirable areas of the business. So many farmers really enjoy the challenge of growing great food, but would rather not deal with marketing their efforts. But marketing can be a wonderful thing. It is where we finally get to see our work pay off in the appreciation expressed by our customers. And they are appreciative. At Troy, marketing is one of the most desirable jobs for interns. We have three outlets for our produce. CSA is our main outlet and accounts for about 60 percent of our income. Farmers market, farm stand, and wholesale make up the other 40 percent. Each market has a specific role at Troy and specific requirements for success. Marketing Calendar CSA and Troy Farm Stand Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:30 pm beginning the first Thursday in June and running for 21 weeks. Set up in the 500 block of Troy Drive. Northside Farmers Market Sundays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. We will not likely attend this market in Set up in Northside Town Center on Sherman Drive. Wholesale Fridays are our wholesale delivery day. We also deliver on Tuesdays for our main wholesale buyer, the Williamson Street Co-op. We sell sprouts and herbs to all our accounts. We sell some additional vegetables to the Co-op. CSA Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is the main focus of the Troy farm. We invite area residents to join our farm in the spring with an annual membership fee. They then receive weekly boxes of fresh produce through the season. We reserve some of our shares for low income members who only pay half of the regular membership fee. The remainder of the fee is then paid by the Partner Shares Program or by our own fundraising efforts. In 2002 our CSA started with 14 members. In 2012 we will have 160 members and three different share options. CSA members packing their shares, July 2010 CSA share, September

30 Many CSA farms pack members boxes at the farm and then leave them at drop-off locations around the city, ready for members to pick-up. At Troy we do it a bit differently. We set up the CSA table with a full display of the week s vegetables and let members pack their own boxes. Most of our members come to Troy Gardens every week to get their produce and check in with the farmer and interns. Members can also pick up extra produce or items that they particularly like at the farm stand that is set up alongside the CSA table. Each week we determine which vegetables will be included in the share. Many factors influence these decisions including which crops are ready for harvest, what went into the box last week, what may be ready next week, and which items members particularly like. We also have a few basic guidelines that we tend to follow week to week: 1. Rotate specific vegetables within general categories. For instance we would not deliver lettuce and salad mix in the same week, rather we plan to rotate these crops throughout the season. We deliver carrots one week, and beets the next; kale one week, and chard the next. Scallions, onions, and leeks are on a three week rotation. And so on. 2. If a crop has only a limited harvest window, deliver it every week it is available. Peas, spinach, tomatoes, and edamame are examples of crops in this category. 3. Crops that have long harvest windows and are not naturally grouped with other like vegetables should be delivered every other week, or so. Potatoes, broccoli and green beans are examples of these crops. The goal is to provide an exciting and varied supply of vegetables while making sure that basic crops like tomatoes and lettuce are in abundance and special crops like fennel and Brussels sprouts are present but not overwhelming. These decisions are not always easy, and we rely on member feedback to make sure we are getting it right. A central feature of the CSA, in addition to the vegetables, is the newsletter Urban Roots. Each week the newsletter includes the list of vegetables and tips about how to store and cook them. It also includes an article about what is happening in the fields, a recipe, and a list of upcoming events. Most members love the newsletter almost as much as they love their vegetables. Interns will contribute to the newsletter with articles or recipes for favorite vegetables. The CSA display is set up on one or two tables in the shade of our EZ-up. Each week we will have some combination of bunches, bags, and bulk vegetables to distribute. As the piles are arranged, we take care to balance the whole display by leaning bunches against more stable crates or bags. We also distance similar colors or shapes in the display so that each individual pile is distinct and easily noticed by members. Generally the vegetables will be listed in the newsletter in the same order that they appear on the table in order to assist members with identification and packing. As interns work at the CSA delivery, they get a better idea of what the table should look like and begin to have some input into how to best display our food. Setting up the display is a fun, weekly challenge. Troy Farm Stand (and Northside Farmers Market) Most of the crops that we grow for the CSA also make their way to these markets. We purposely plant about 20 percent more of every crop to make sure that we have enough to harvest for the CSA, even if a particular crop does not do very well. This planned excess goes to market when the CSA does not need it. Especially popular market crops are salad mix, carrots, red peppers, cucumbers, and beans. The appearance of our market table is key to our ability to attract customers. Starting off with high-quality produce is important; we control that aspect in the field and in the wash shed. Building an appealing display is something we must do at the beginning of every market. Depending on the time of year and the number of crops that we have to display, we may set up just one 8 foot table, or that table plus a bench in front. We cover these tables with black cloths to offset the colors of the vegetables. Then we arrange the vegetables themselves so that their colors and textures highlight each other. For example, 29

31 orange carrots are set next to red beets and white scallions. Broccoli is in a basket next to tomatoes, not green beans. And so on. These are some basic rules for setting up our display: 1. Bunched items go on left-hand side of the back table, colors alternating. Usually we set out radishes, carrots, scallions, and beets in that order. 2. Lettuce and salad mix go in baskets on the right-hand side of the back table. 3. More delicate items that we put into bags to weigh (like beans, peas, and tomatoes) should be in baskets on the back table where we can reach them easily. 4. Hardier items like onions, potatoes, garlic, squash, and cucumbers can go on the bench in front. 5. All produce should be piled as high as possible, without risking topple. Customers like the look of a full display. They feel they have more choice on which particular item they will take home. As we make sales, our piles will diminish, obviously. And we will sell out of particular items. Any time between customers is time to restock and adjust our display in order to keep it attractive. Even after it is set up, the display requires constant attention. the fall farmstand, October 2011 Setting market prices is a weekly project. As we set prices we consider the quality of the produce, the quantity we wish to sell, if anyone else has it at the market, retail prices, prices of other vendors at the market, and our own pricing experience. We have general baselines for many crops, but specific prices are often modified once our display is complete. These are some pricing guidelines: 1. Bunched items sell for $1.50 or $2.00. We can change the size of the bunches in the shed if we feel people need more or less in the bunch. 2. Sell things by the each when possible. It is easier for us to do the math and easier for the customer to see what she is getting for the price. Items sold by the each should have fairly uniform size and quality. We always sell squash, cucumbers, peppers, and lettuce by the each, for example. 3. Produce sold by the pound should be sold for a price that is easily divisible by 4 (quarter pounds), when possible. 4. We can use retail prices at the Willy Street Co-op and our neighbors prices at market to give us idea of what something is worth. 5. If no one else has the crop at market, we can charge more. If ours looks the best, we can charge more. If we only need to sell a small amount of something, we can charge more. 6. If there is an abundance of an item we may need to charge less. If ours does not look its best or if we have a lot to sell, we should charge less. 30