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MARKET GARDENING
This project was initiated to teach
a little larger scale of gardening with the goal of selling through
a
roadside stand or farmers market. We grew mostly tomatoes, with
smaller plantings of peppers, winter
squash, corn, onions, and pumpkins.
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Early
spring ground preparation. Normally this field would be planted
with winter rye and the entire crop would be plowed under the
following spring. This cultural technique reduces wind erosion
during the winter and provides organic matter the following
year. Organic matter holds in precious water during summer heat. |
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Tomatoes
growing in rows between a planting of winter rye. Note the ditches
which were later
mulched with biodegradable ‘plastic’ (actually it
is made from corn starch and biodegrades within one year). The
rye helped slow the emergence of weeds and provided mulch to
hold in moisture. |
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A harvest of winter squash being
hauled out of the field. The plants had been stimulated with
a handfull of alfalfa pellets around each plant. The yield
was huge.
Tip: Try using a large
handful of alfalfa pellets when you plant your tomatoes or
other vegetables. The
alfalfa contains a natural growth stimulant. You can find
it in your supermarket in a cat litter product called “Green
Litter” which is pure leaf alfalfa.
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