"one man" can manage a
50 x 50 plot and not much more.
so start small....
you need a way to extend the season at both ends so think green house's ....poor mans green house is not a walkin ....better to have
*cold frames made from recycled single paned glass windows that are found free on Craig's list as well as the free used lumber. see "mother earth news" archives and or Eliot Coleman Books even better.
he's the man!
problem with those is venting them so what you do want to purchase ( or "
invest" into ) is the automatic temperature controlled openers ->see catalog
easiest crop:
you plant sugar snap peas on or around st patricks day and the support trellis has to be kevlar bullet proof or one day they will look so promising and the next day due to a wind storm like we're having today they will be thrashed and mangled making harvest an absolute nightmare.
they will grow right thru snow so plant them when you see 4 or 5 days of rain on the way 7 to ten days b4 the full moon . Dont forget the innoculant! so ya pre-soak the pea seeds to get them to swell up then dump in innoculant powder and shake (and bake) them up so they are coated in the black dust. then plantem 1 inch apart. this way they'll germinate wicked fast.
trust me
you need a raised staging area for transplants.... so when you harvest ten heads of lettuce for example you immediately
at the very same time plant
around twenty in the same spot
never having "idle ground".
a good source of info is:
Mel Bartholemule books called cash from "square foot gardening" which is an invaluable resource on marketing strategies and growing tips too.
you need a clean up /washing area with gravel or some non muddy(non slip) surface and a recycled stainless steel sink with a washer hose. you will also need those fold and close stackable crates too, using them over and over again for each harvest .
Do not plan on labeling anything
organic because the paperwork involved in doing so is worse than health care reform. better to just call it chefersons Veggies and just LEAVE the DAMMED (by the US goverment) "O" word alone!
spring gardens are great with fresh tilled soil, zero bugs, no weeds,
few pests ect...but remember that a
properly planned fall garden will out grow it 2 to 1 and the colder temperatures is what make things like carrots turn sweet instead of bolting in summer heat.
Plan on 2 years of labor before you realize a profit because you'll need floating row covers when frost approaches...shade cloth A-frames to reduce sunlight to 50% and all that stuff ain't cheap.
When you plant out your wide rows remember that spacing is
THE most critical aspect of all ....spaced to close they are too competitive and get
elongated...to far apart and the weeds win the war hands down and
"you"
will loose! most guaranteed...
spaced just right then you have created the perfect micro-climate where each plant shades the soil keeping it moist and weed free.
much less work and a far superior product.
that's the best advice i have for you... Cheferson
the money aspect
i'll leave up to someone else.
this is what you want to build for a walkin green house
