Forum:

market garden

No tillage gardening

Posts: 30

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Hello,
So historically I've been able to avoid zero tillage in my personal garden, but am expanding to a 2 acre market garden, at this scale is it still feasible? Thanks for any additional input

alex Keenan

Posts: 493

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

At only 2 acres you might look at
Manual Crimper-Roller (http://www.earthtoolsbcs.com/html/bcs_implements.html)

You will likely need a manual tool for planting into the mat produced.

I created a little blog on high calorie gardening I am working on this fall and winter.
The subject of seed sowing tool and transplanting tool were of interest to me so I did some research and blogged about it.
I think this may help you since you will have to use things like that to plant through the mat made by the roller.

http://highcaloriegardening.blogspot.com/2014/09/single-seed-jab-planters-for-planting.html

http://highcaloriegardening.blogspot.com/2014/09/manual-transplanting-tools-part-one-of.html
http://highcaloriegardening.blogspot.com/2014/09/manual-transplanting-tools-part-2-of-2.html

You may also want to look at small seed drills and trans-planters that can be used on a small tractor.
Unfortunately, as you get into power tools things get expensive.

This is why I stick with hand tools and use tarps, cover, cover crops, etc.

Aljaz Plankl

Posts: 386

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Charles is market no dig gardener. I think on one acre.
Home page http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/ to see quick review of his garden in picture.

For detailed answers from him http://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/forum

Miles Flansburg

pollinator

Posts: 4715

Location: Zones 2-4 Wyoming and 4-5 Colorado

493

I like...

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

how permies.com works
real sounding name policy

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4048

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

292

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Jean-Martin of http://themarketgardener.com is another great source.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." --Francis of Assisi.
"Family farms work when the whole family works the farm." -- Adam Klaus

Alan Wright

Posts: 8

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I think it is feasible and we're working on it. Granted 2 acres is HUGE to do no till. I think you'll need employees, especially during the start up. But, why 2 acres? We grow on 1/2 acre no till and should gross $40-45k this year with operating/capital costs around $10000. I think at 2 acres there's the potential to raise your operating costs significantly. Jean Martin has about %50 operating costs according to his book and I think a lot of that is driven up by his scale. To gain the "efficiency" necessary to manage 2 acres of no-till veggies at some point I don't think its worth the money.

So, in my opinion... Feasible, yes. But I'd think more on the 1/2-1 acres scale and limit your costs.

Alan Wright

Posts: 8

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Matthew Sargent

Posts: 30

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Thank you for all the great feedback I appreciate it.

Bryant RedHawk

gardener

Posts: 6814

Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5

1650

I like...

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I'm confused here with people thinking 2 acres is huge to do no till on.
I know farmers that no-till 1000 acres and more.
True they have the big tractors and no-till seed drills for their operations but to say 2 acres is a huge no till seems a real stretch to me.

To no-till large acreages you will need a tractor with a no-till seed drill. for 2 acres you can do this with a small compact or probably even use horses or mules or oxen.
I've even noticed they make a no-till drill for the hand pushed equipment now.

List of Bryant RedHawk's Epic Soil Series Threads We love visitors, that's why we live in a secluded cabin deep in the woods. "Buzzard's Roost (Asnikiye Heca) Farm." Promoting permaculture to save our planet.

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4048

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

292

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Alan Wright wrote:I think it is feasible and we're working on it. Granted 2 acres is HUGE to do no till. I think you'll need employees, especially during the start up. But, why 2 acres? We grow on 1/2 acre no till and should gross $40-45k this year with operating/capital costs around $10000. I think at 2 acres there's the potential to raise your operating costs significantly. Jean Martin has about %50 operating costs according to his book and I think a lot of that is driven up by his scale. To gain the "efficiency" necessary to manage 2 acres of no-till veggies at some point I don't think its worth the money.

So, in my opinion... Feasible, yes. But I'd think more on the 1/2-1 acres scale and limit your costs.

I think Jean Martin said his large expense is transport to market. He drives an efficient diesel truck, but lives an hour from the market. There's definitely a cost to go to market, you could take a smaller car and reduce fuel but not time. Travel time is the killer, it is not productive.

Joseph Lofthouse

author & steward

Posts: 7233

Location: Cache Valley, zone 4b, Irrigated, 9" rain in badlands.

3432

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Alan Wright wrote:We grow on 1/2 acre no till and should gross $40-45k this year

What kind of crops net those kinds of returns?

Landrace Gardening, author
Open Source Plant Breeding Forum, founder
Adaptation Agriculture: Video Course, Community, and Seed Share

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4048

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

292

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

Salad greens are so fast growing you get a lot of production from a bed over the course of the season.

But that gross number can go +/- 50% depending on your market. I couldn't get half that here.

Miguel Laroche

Posts: 69

posted 10 years ago

Number of slices to send:

Optional 'thank-you' note:

Send

I plan to do no-till on a larger scale, eventually 7-10 acres without a tractor. I have a couple acres that I won't till this year, it's all about cover crop management and mulches. For instance, around here oats die in the winter and I did try a couple rows last fall, it worked very well! I didnt seed it thick enough though... next year I am going to seed oats a lot thicker and on many more rows as I harvest because I really liked how it became a straw like mulch.

my overalls have superpowers - they repel people who think fashion is important. Tiny ad:

permaculture bootcamp - learn permaculture through a little hard work

https://permies.com/wiki/bootcamp