Jeremy Elwell

Those are great lessons! This thread should be a running list for everyone to add insight too!!!

Any luck this year with the lessons learned from last year?

This is prime Farmers Market season. Unfortunately I moved to Louisiana, prepped my beds late, skipped a soil test, didn't amend much, and am having terrible results in the clay muck I have under my 1/2 in of topsoil...lesson learned: do a soil test, add more compost, and prep the way I knew I should!!

Good Luck,
Jeremy
www.elwellsupplies.com
A Farmers' Market Supply Store

How's the progress?


Jeremy
www.elwellsupplies.com
A Farmers' Market Supply Store

Did anyone mention asparagus?




Jeremy
www.elwellsupplies.com
A Farmers' Market Supply Store

I'm a bit biased (see below for the reason), but I prefer to just avoid plastic pots all together.
For my own personal use I prefer to make soil blocks. I have never taken the time to use the small ones and absolutely swear by the 2inch soil blocks.
There is something satisfying in making my own soil block blend too. I also feel like when I do use flats I make a mess and feel like I am wasting good seed starting mix.

When I am planting seeds that I intend to sell as seedlings or transplants, I prefer peat pots. I have since completely gotten away from peat and now use CowPots. I say I am a bit biased because I also sell these on my website listed below. I think the idea of limited transplant shock, and roots being bound is ideal. I also like telling my customers, "just rip off the bottom and plant!" It also negates the argument (if there is one) of square vs round.


Just my thoughts,
Jeremy Elwell
Elwell's Supplies-A Farmers' Market Supply Store
http://elwellsupplies.com/

I've been keen on the idea as Donkey's as draft animals. Especially for lighter work. Maybe they would not be ideal for heavy plowing.
But then again maybe they would:

https://youtu.be/tv0hm0mDOT0







Jeremy Elwell
Elwell's Supplies-A Farmers' Market Supply Store
https://www.elwellsupplies.com

Very nice!!
Everything Looks great!

I am startled at some of the comments in the thread!
I guess it matters if this is your full time income or not, but first year figures are expected to be low.
Even in the average entrepreneurial dream it takes several years to work up to enough profit to be called a living wage, why would farming be different.

A good resource for you with sales examples: http://farmmarketingsolutions.com/

Someone also mentioned your display is important. I agree 100% and I started a business I believed it so much (link below).

I also wrote an article several months ago that may help with the planning piece. The thing to remember, especially if this is not your sole source of income, is to have fun. Do not burn yourself out. As long as this passion to grow good food and share with your neighbors lives on, then happiness is not too far off.

I'll leave you with a quote from a song I heard in a sailing documentary, "we all need a little bit of money to live, but some of us take so much." Acres and Acres in the documentary Twenty-Eight Feet

Happy Farming,
Jeremy Elwell
Elwell's Supplies-A Farmers' Market Supply Store
https://www.elwellsupplies.com

This is a challenge I've had before while dealing with no-till, and heavily mulched beds.
I've used two methods.
1. I start everything in soil blocks and peat pots (I use CowPots now-->we sell them, link below if interested). Works great, but I've never tried it for carrots, only turnips and beets.
2. Instead of covering the entire bed in a layer of potting soil (which can get expensive), dig a small trench and fill in with potting soil. This trench will be your seed bed to direct seed into. I currently have raised beds in which I did this with carrots every 4 inches (still about 7 days from germination I can report back when/if they do). It was very easy to do. I typically do very poorly with carrots because I do not give the seeds enough constant moisture to germinate. However, last year this method worked well.

Hope this helps,
Jeremy Elwell
Elwell's Supplies-A Farmers' Market Supply Store
https://elwellsupplies.com

Hello, That is quite a list of seeds already purchased.

I'll tackle some of the bed prep issues. No-Till is great, in theory, but in practice is takes time and patience.
Do not be afraid to till your first season to break the land.
If you are looking for no-till as you do not have access to tiller/tractor then lets explore options.

I have tried cardboard, layered with hay, straw, and compost. This failed because I planted into quack grass that wasn't going to be smothered. If you have non-invasive plants it could work.
If I were starting over I would use black plastic, a tarp, or landscape fabric. Leave it in place for 2 weeks minimum. Remove, turn in compost with the layer of decomposing vegetation. It may be helpful to mow everything rally short with a flail mower (chops it up very tiny).

A more labor intensive tactic I use in my own backyard: use a spade and turn it all by hand. Let rest for a few weeks, top with amendments and compost and rake in the top few inches.

Someone else mentioned a soil test. I will second this idea. Package up the dirt and send it off to some place online. I recommend "the intelligent gardener" by Steve Solomon for details on how to amend your soil and how to read the soil test.

Lastly, to get an idea of what to inter-plant: Google the area you live in with the following phrase "companion planting guide". I do that every-time I move. There shouldn't be much difference between zones, but you'll get a unique viewpoint on your specific climate.

Hope this helps,
Jeremy Elwell
Elwell's Supplies-A Farmers' Market Supply Store
https://www.elwellsupplies.com