we have finished '16 farmers market season!!

[smilingcat]

I did say that I farm.

It was a very rough start with my field looking more like a bog during the spring planting season. So we scrambled and pulled all sorts of tricks to fake our way through until our main cash crop came into production in July. Oui. I would have loved to have a professional photographer take pictures of my farm but it was just too embarrassing with rows after rows of failed crop.

It was really interesting growing year, an understatement if ever. There was no strawberry season to speak of. One farmer not only lost the crop but ended up with whole field of dead strawberry plants. And one of my main cash crop is vine ripened heirloom tomatoes. Well, none really ripened. Other farmers had the same problem. We ended up sampling fried green tomatoes and green tomato salsa to salvage what we could. We still lost thousands of pounds of green tomatoes. They never ripened even after I did everything I know to force the tomato to ripen on the vine.

Peppers were not much better. None of my ludicrously hot pepper made it. And milder peppers that were good enough to sell were on the small side. Our customers didn't seem to mind.

What I didn't consider my cash crop turned out to save my face. KALE and CHARD. They did fine through out the season along with late season summer and winter squash.

Well, the market manager, the person in charge of selecting vendors liked us, so, we think we are in for the next season. Talk about being stressed out for not having produce to sell.

So tonight, I'm looking back to what all went wrong and how to avoid it next year. Starting to plan out our planting schedule for next year and make changes to what we plant. Something went over well while other things didn't sell all that well. Regular acorn squash didn't sell so we'll only plant maybe two or three. And replace it with some other winter squash. It's fun figuring out my planting schedule and what to plant

Overall, I came out without looking too bad. Lot of other farmers had a very bad year too. Boo to climate disruption. Plants don't handle low 50's one day and high 90's or even in the hundred the following day for temp. We don't handle it too well and nor do the plants.

Taking a deep breath now that '16 season is over.

P.S. to the backyard gardener. Don't feel bad if your tomatoes didn't do well. Don't feel bad if your peppers didn't do well nor lettuce, radish. well just about everything. too bad I can't hibernate (just don't wake up on Ground Hog Day).

[Pax]

Glad your season is done, sounded very stressful!

Same awful up and down weather in Illinois but a regular full (almost bumper) crop came out of it. Guess when the seeds are heavily engineered they perform as they're designed to do. Glad some people are still planting normal food though!

[shootingstar]

I admire the risks that farmers take, smilingcat. Wishing you a 2017 of more veggies to market.

[Crankin]

Sounds horribly stressful! Congrats on finishing.

[Eden]

Freaky - this is the first year my tomatoes have done well at all, but I only plant extremely early ripening and all small/cherry varieties. Usually even then my plants are small and spindly and I don't get many tomatoes, but this year they did great. The one bad thing was a lot of them split and I'm not sure why. Someone down the street did full sized tomatoes and I don't think he got a single ripe one....

What surprised me and fizzled for my little garden this year were the peas. Peas have always been something that has done well and I actually have enough space to have enough plants to be useful, but this time they didn't grow very tall and the yield was lackluster. I tried a few beans but they don't produce enough with just a few plants and suffered very badly from aphid attack.... My shiso did well though. I get way more than I can use so I need to find a new person who wants some... I used to take it down to the sushi bar on when we went weekly, but our favorite place was sold, so no more Yoshi to give it to

I've been busy and not around the web as much lately - but my offer to photograph your farm (for free) still stands

[ny biker]

I had kale once, fresh from my great Aunt Elsie's garden, when I was a child. And I hated it so much that I have never eaten again. But I am glad it helped get you through. It does seem very popular these days due to its health benefits.

Not sure if I've mentioned this before -- there is an annual bike ride in southern Maryland to highlight local farms. It's called the Crop Hop. The ride takes place in a different county each year and the routes include stops at farms and vineyards. Depending on the primary activity of each farmer, you can talk to them about what they grow or visit with their horses and other animals or taste their wine or buy some of their dairy products, etc. A couple of years ago I talked with a farmer who told me that small farms in their area do well growing "cut flowers" -- flowers to sell to local florists for bouquets and floral arrangements. He also grew some niche herbs popular in regional cuisines. IIRC he mentioned growing some that are used in Jamaican recipes.

As an average-speed cyclist who prefers to look around at the scenery while riding a comfortable pace, I enjoy looking at the the different farms that I pass. I think many around here grow soybeans, and I see a lot of corn. One farm that I love to pass has a lot of ducks and turkeys. Back in the day there was a lot of tobacco farming in this area; I think this year's Crop Hop included a stop at a former tobacco farm where they now raise alpacas.

On a recent visit to Harpers Ferry, WV, we stopped in at various shops along the main street. Several of them sold locally-produced preserves and I bought a few jars -- blueberry and strawberry rhubarb preserves plus some apple butter. They were more expensive than what you'd get at the grocery store but I figured it was worth it to support the local farmers. The other day I tried some of the apple butter and it was so good, worth every penny.

I hope things go more smoothly for you next year, Smiling Cat.