Who Are We? Our Story About Growing Raspberries & Blackberries in this High Elevation, Dry, Cold Climate and How Hoop Houses May Help 1 2 Our Berry Farm Today s Topics for Discussion 1. Why We Grow Berries 2. Our Initial Work 3. What Have We Learned 4. Why Build a Hoop House Where we grow berries, provide a venue for weddings/events, and live. Come Visit Us! 3 4 Why Do We Grow Berries? Goal:Develop a farm business that will sustain the homestead property and provide owner with field work for exercise and enjoyment Analysis: Study the options from grains and feed to vegetables and fruits that would grow best on our land and would provide a good reliable rate of return. 5 Our Options Alfalfa: Yields about 100 bales per year. Lots of work with little profit but no risk. Berries: Yields that can range from 6 10,000 pounds per year. A great deal more work with chance to be very profitable but there are undefined risks. 6 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 1
Our Business Case for Berries Our Concerns: The Risks Expenses Improvements Labor Materials Plants Services Energy Income Harvesting at 6-10k pounds/yr Sales Berries/ Jams/Syrups Sold on the Farm, Restaurants, Others Knowledge/Experience Investment/Maintenance/Harvest/Market Costs Weather & Pests Labor 7 8 Our Initial Work Field Preparation & Planting Prepare the Field Planting Berry Selection Weather Pests & Predators Pruning Harvesting Field Leveling Plastic on Rows Year 1 Planting Field Ready Trellis System Year 2 Planting Approximately 1 acre field prepared by leveling (for flood irrigation), drip system installed (emitters at 1 ), and rows mulched with mix of compost/cedar chips/coffee bean shells/sulfur. 9 10 Production Considerations Type/Name Color Berry Selection Estimated Harvest Dates July August September October Blackberry Chester Black Triple Crown Black Natchez Black Ouachita Black Prime Ark 45 Black Prime Jan Black Raspberry Bristol Jewel Encore Nova Polana Taylor Jaclyn Joan J Mac Black Heritage Black Black Black 11 12 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 2
Our Weather Pests of Concern 110 100 90 80 70 Watch for a new pest on the scene in other parts of the county Spotted Wing Drosophilia The Fly The Damage 60 50 40 A Cause 30 20 Max Temp Min Temp 13 Pictures Provided by: Mark Bolda UC Coop Extension 14 Pruning Table Pruning At the Farm 2013 Primocane Before/After Floricane Before/After 15 16 Pruning At the Farm 2013 Primocane Raspberries Floricane Blackberries Harvesting 17 18 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 3
What We Have Learned Berry Production: 2012 vs. 2013 Weather is Limiting Pests Have Not Been A Serious Problem Customers Love Our Berries/Products Berry Production Has Not Met Goals Labor Requirements Are Variable Growing Need for Knowledge Lots of Help Available 2012 2013 19 20 Berry Production: by Variety & Year Berry Production: by Work Activity Berry Picking All Berries 66% Berry Misc (eg. Facility Cleaning & Impvts Pest Control) 3% Berry Weeding Raking Fertilizing 10% Berry Box Making Packaging Freezing 2% Berry Pruning Trimming Tying 19% 21 22 Berry Production: by Work Activity Berry Production: Harvesting Berry Misc (eg. Facility Cleaning & Impvts Pest Control) 3% Berry Picking Raspberry 36% Berry Picking Black Raspberry 12% Berry Weeding Raking Fertilizing Berry Box Making 10% Packaging Freezing 2% Berry Pruning Trimming Tying 19% Berry Picking Blackberry 18% 23 24 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 4
Harvest: Actual vs. Goal Help is Available High School Interns UNR College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources (CABNR) Publicity Grants 25 26 CABNR Study Environmental Conditions Air Temperature Wind Speed Soil Water Content Solar UV Nutritional Quality Best Management Practices Western SARE Proposal Dr. Jill Heaton, Principal Investigator Objectives Expand Fruit Production in NV Increase Producer Knowledge BMP s Quantify Costs & Consumer Willingness to Pay Increase Sustainable Market Opportunities Producers UNR High Desert Farming Initiative Lattin Farms Jacobs Family Berry Farm GirlFarm Five Foot Farm 27 28 Local Newspaper Edible Reno Tahoe Magazine Berry Farm News Publicity Grants NRCS Hoop House Western SARE Future 2014 Value Added Producer Grant Future Specialty Crop Block Grant Future Nevada Grown 29 30 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 5
Why Build a Hoop House Building a Hoop House What is Involved in Building a Hoop House What are the Benefits How are the Benefits Achieved Is a Hoop House Justified? 24 by 96 40 Blackberry Plants 31 32 Some Initial Results What are the Benefits Hoop House Production is Greater for the Same Number of Plants and the Cost per Berry is Less to Produce Is the Investment and Extra Work Justified? 33 34 How are the Benefits Achieved Hoop House Production is Greater - ucing the Unit Cost to Manage the Berry Plant Time Needed to Evaluate Hoop House vs. Field Business Case Production Amount & Quality Define Best Field Practices Hoop House Environmental Controls Trellising Watering Pruning/Tipping/Thinning Fertilizer/Soil Management Winterization Pest Management Define Maintenance Requirements 35 36 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 6
Check Us Out On Our Web Site! Stay Tuned for Future Presentations on Our Results www.jacobsberries.com 37 38 info@jacobsberries.com 775 525 0450 PO Box 217 Gardnerville, Nevada 89410 www.jacobsberries.com 39 Nevada Small Farm Conference 2014 7