Small-Scale Intensive Farming

Andy Pressman Urban Farmer Workshop

Baltimore, MD June 14, 2012

THE NCAT MISSION

Helping People by championing small-scale, local, and sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote

healthy communities, and protect natural resources.

http://www.ncat.org

ATTRA provides technical support on sustainable agriculture and farm energy.

• http://www.attra.org

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The role of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is to help producers manage their business risks through effective, market-based risk management solutions.

www.rma.usda.gov

United States Department of Agriculture

Risk Management Agency

This presentation is sponsored in part by the USDA Risk Management Agency

Nomadic Farms NH

What is a Small Farm?

• USDA defines as farms with $250,000 or less in sales.

• Accounted for 91% of all farms in 2007 (only 56% of US food production).

• 60% had less than $10,000 in sales (noncommercial).

• Over half were direct sales to customers

• Avg. age 57.1 years old

*Information from USDA 2007 Census of Agriculture

Source: The Winter Harvest Handbook by Eliot Coleman

Beginning Farmer’s (10 years or less)

• 78% of farmers ranked “lack of capital” as a top challenge for beginners.

• 68% of farmers ranked land access as the biggest challenge faced by beginners.

• 70% of farmers under 30 rented land, as compared to 37% of farmers over 30.

• 74% of farmers ranked apprenticeships as among the most valuable programs for beginners.

• 49% ranked Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a top program.

Source: National Young Farmer’s Coalition

Removing Barriers • High cost of land.

• High cost of farm infrastructure.

Needs for Various Sizes of Vegetable Farms.

Scale Seed Starting Power Source

and Tillage Direct

Seeding Production Equipment Cultivation Harvesting

Postharvest Handling Delivery

1-3 acres

small hoop house, grow lights, planting trays

rototiller or walking tractor, custom work

Earthway seeder, Cyclone seeder

Back-pack sprayer, irrigation, tools

Wheel hoe, hand hoes, digging forks, spades

Field knives, hand boxes, buckets, carts

Bulk tank, canopy, packing containers

Pickup with topper or van

4-6 acres

1000 sq. ft. greenhouse, cold frames, field tunnels, planting trays

35-40 hp tractor, with creeper gear, power steering, high clearance

Planet Jr. plate seeder

1-row transplanter, irrigation, more tools

Cultivating tractor (IH Super A or IH 140)

Potato digger, bed lifter, wagon, more boxes, buckets

Roller track conveyor, hand carts, walk-in cooler

Cargo van

7-10 acres

Additional cold frames, planting trays

40-60 hp tractor, chisel plow, spader

Stanhay preceision belt seeder with belts

2-row transplanter, sprayer,

Tool bar implements: beet knives, basket weeder

More field crates

Barrel washer, spinner, pallet jack

1 ton truck with refrigeration

20 + acres

2,000 sq. ft. greenhouse

80 hp tractor with loader bucket and forks, compost spreader

Nibex or Monosem seeder

Irrigation, bed shaper, mulch layer

Sweeps (Besserides), Buddingh finger weeders, flame weeder, potatoe hiller, 2nd cultivating tractor

Asa lift, harvest wagon

Wash line, larger cooler, packing shed and loading dock

Refrigerated truck

Adapted from table distributed at Michael Fields Institute Advanced Organic Vegetable Production Workshop, 2/2001, Jefferson City, MO.

Risk Management

• Production Risk – managing, diversification, sustainability

• Marketing Risk • Financial Risk • Human Risk –

personal/family, employees, pesticides

• Legal Risk – business organization, rent vs. leasing, taxes, succession planning

“2012 expectations are that risk exposures will increase in the form of high crop values, increased price volatility, higher input costs, tighter credit requirements, the need to recover from 2011 losses, higher family living costs, and aging farm operators.”

– Pam Smith, UVM Extension

http://farm-risk-plans.rma.usda.gov

Farm for Profit, Not Production (Profit = Income –Expenses)

• In 2010, 64% of farms had negative operating profits.

• It pays to plan! • Guide in decision making,

decreasing risks, and monitors progress

• Write it down

ATTRA Resources: • Planning for Profit in Sustainable Farming • Evaluating a Farming Enterprise • Financing Your Farm

Photo: Dennis Chamberlin

The Centerpiece Strategy • Low initial start-up costs. • High gross-profit margin. • Relatively low

maintenance requirements.

• High cash flow relative to expenses.

• High demand, low supply in marketplace.

• High product distinctiveness.

Advantages of Urban Farming

• Water

• Climate

• Wildlife

• Proximity to Markets

• Multi-locational

Farm Site Selection Criteria

• Size • Topography/physical

conditions • Soil condition • Sunshine • Site access/vehicle access • Utility access/water rights • Relationship to community

& neighbors • Buffer zones • Perceived Security • Site control & terms of

availability

Land Base Location

Land agreements

• Terms

• Rent/Barter/Upkeep

• Appearance

• Insurance

• Crops Grown

• Growing Practices

• Work Schedule

• Water Usage

• Equipment

• Not U-pick

• Closedown

Dangers of Exposure to Contaminated Urban Soils

• Heavy Metals, PAH’s, PCB’s, Volatile Organic Compounds… Bind, Don’t Degrade.

• Soils, Groundwater, Plants, Animals, Humans (direct soil exposure & dust inhalation).

• Health Risks at Exceeded Levels can cause subtle neurological impairment to severe brain, liver, kidney damage.

Heavy Metals in Soils

• Lead – paint, gasoline additives, pesticides, batteries, solder…

• Arsenic – wood preservatives (pressure treated), fertilizers, pesticides, bronze manufacturing…

• Cadmium – batteries, solder, uncontrolled burning coal and garbage, fertilizers, livestock dewormers…

• Chromium, Nickel, Selenium, Zinc, Copper…

Limits

• No Specific Threshold Levels for Garden Soils or from Consuming Contaminated Fruits & Vegetables.

• Plant Species, Part of Plant Being Consumed, pH, Season of Harvest, Organic Matter Content.

• US EPA Thresholds are for Brownfield Remediation.

Heavy Metal US EPA Values (ppm) PB 400 As 0.4 Cd 70 Cr 120,000 Ni 1,600

Lead in Hoses

• Hoses made from PVC contain lead as stabilizer.

• Water sitting in hose that has been left in sun can contain 10-100X EPA safe level (15 ppb).

• Use Drink-Safe, Lead-Free, RV/Marine hoses.

• Use Nickel fittings instead of brass.

Fertilizer & Soil Amendments

• Some amount present whether man made or natural (including organic).

• Unlike biosolids for ag.,NO Federal Standards for heavy metals in fertilizers – OMRI APPROVED.

• N and K generally free of toxics; P fertilizers may have cadmium - source of rock phosphate ore.

• Mid-Atlantic soils may have optimum P.

• Micronutrients (mostly from recycled industrial byproducts) may have Cd, Pb, As, and others.

• Ironite (1-0-0) contains 3600 ppm As & 2900 ppm Pb = hazardous waste.

SPIN is S-mall P-lot IN-tensive Farming

• Sub-Acre

• Low Capital Intensive

• Close to Markets

• Environmentally-Friendly

• Entrepreneurially-Driven

Standard Size Beds

2’ Wide x 25’ Long

1/2 Acre = 200 Standard Size Beds

Segment

An area of 1,000 sq. feet which accommodates about 10-13 standard size

beds

Walkway options Type Standard Beds

per Segment Crops

Narrow (6 inches)

16 Micro/baby greens, herbs, radish

Standard (12 inches)

13 Beets, carrots, chard, garlic, leeks, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes

Wide (24 inches) 10 Beans (bush & pole), celery, eggplant, peppers

Extra-wide (36 inches)

8 Melons, cucumbers, summer squash

Super-wide (48 inches)

6 Winter squash

1-2-3 Concept

• 1 = area where only a single crop per season is grown.

• 2 = area where 2 crops per season are grown.

• 3 = area where 3 or more crops per season are grown.

Relay Cropping

• The sequential growing of crops in a single bed the growing season.

• Intensive relay: 3 or more high value crops grown per bed per season.

• Bi-relay: 2 or more high-value crops are grown per bed per season.

High Value Crop

• One that generates at least $100 per harvest per bed.

• Very high value crop generates $200 or $300 per harvest per bed.

Planning Relays

High-Value Crops:

• All leafy greens

• Salad/mesclun mix

• Scallion

• Bunching onion

• Radish

• Carrots

• Fresh herbs

• Green garlic

Low-Value Crops • Potatoes • Cucumbers • Summer squash • Onions • Garlic • Shallots • Tomatoes • Peppers • Cabbage • Green beans • Peas • Melons

Relay Crops Model

• Intensive relay area: arugula, basil, beets, bunching onion, chard, cilantro, dill, green garlic, kale, leafy greens, lettuce, mesclun, radish, scallion, spinach.

• Bi-relay area: beans, carrots, peas, others. • Single crop area: garlic, shallots, mature onions, potatoes,

squash, tomatoes.

3-and 4-Member Relays

• Spinach – Radish – Carrots –

• Scallion – Lettuce – Spinach –

• Lettuce – Scallion – Baby Dill –

• Radish – Radish – Scallion – Spinach –

• Lettuce – Baby Dill – Lettuce – Radish -

Crop Planning

• What to grow?

• How much to grow?

• Where to put it?

• When to put it where?

Rotation Planning vs. Crop Plan

• Rotational planning looks at progressions over the years to improve yields and reduce the workload.

• Annual crop planning looks at the details for a single year and creates organized to do lists that are easily shared.

Basics Steps for an Annual Crop Plan

1. Collect resources – records, catalogs, books, conferences.

2. Make a harvest projection matrix.

3. Turn matrix into a planting plan with supporting information.

4. Map out the planting plan (dry run of season on paper.

5. Revise.

Scheduling Relay Plantings

Nomadic Farms Vegetable Relay’s

• Green beans: Plant every 10 days • Beets: Plant every 14 days • Cucumbers: Plant every 3 weeks • Kale/Collards: Plant every 3 weeks • Lettuce: Plant full size every 10-14 days; plant salad

mix every 7-10 days and harvest re-growth • Radish: Plant every 7 days • Spinach: Plant every 7 days and harvest re-growth • Summer Squash: Plant every 6 weeks (or more

frequently if vine borers are prevalent) • Carrots: Plant every 3 weeks for non-storage varieties • Turnips: Plant every 7 days.

Field Relay Plantings

Variety Days to Maturity

Interval Between Relays

1st Planting

2nd Planting

5th Planting

8th Planting

Final Planting Date

Beans 55 10 5/1/12 5/11/12 6/10/12 7/10/12 7/24/12

Kale/Collard 60 21 5/1/12 5/22/12 7/24/12 9/25/12 9/1/12

Salad Mix 28 7 5/1/12 5/8/12 5/29/12 6/19/12 9/3/12

Melons 70 21 5/1/12 5/22/12 7/24/12 9/25/12 7/9/12

Fall Frost Date: Oct. 1, 2012

Target Harvest Date

Crop Days to Maturity

Days Before Event Crop Will Be Harvested

Days in Greenhouse

Seeding Date

Notes

Bush Beans Provider

50 2 0 5/11

Beets ‘Moneta’

46 3 0 5/14

Broccoli ‘Bay Meadows’

60 1 20 5/2

Sunflower ‘Pro Cut’

55 4 0 5/3

Zinnia ‘Zowie Yellow Flame’

84 1 0 4/7

Date of Event: July 1, 2012

75/25 Rule

• Farms smaller than ¼ acre should have at least 75% or more of their land base in intensive relay production.

Close Spacing

• Increase yields by crowding vegetables not used in mechanical cultivation.

• Plant yield may diminish, but row/bed yield will increase.

• Spacing and thinning may help balance competition for space.

Intercropping

• Combining fast and slow maturing crops in same row to increase productivity.

• Three Sisters

• Beneficial for pest control.

• Lettuce/brassica, radish/carrots, scallion/tomatoes

Work Flow: 5-Day Work Week

• Developing a schedule in which all farming tasks are done regularly throughout the week

• Watering, weeding, planting, harvesting are all done throughout each day, every day.

• Commercial Refrigeration

Investments

• Vehicle

• Rototiller

• Fencing

• Shed

• Tools (hoes, seeder, etc…)

• Irrigation

• Soil Amendments

• Post-harvesting station

• Commercial Cooler

• Marketing Supplies

Greenhouse Supplies

Irrigation

Harvest and Post Harvest

Food Safety

• For small producers, one severe incident of sick customers is the end of your business

• Public sees foodborne illness on the rise…

• Each year 31 major pathogens cause…

•9.4 million episodes of foodborne illness

•55,961 hospitalizations

•1,351 deaths

Scallan E, Hoekstra RM, Angulo FJ, Tauxe RV, Widdowson MA, Roy SL, et al. 2011. Foodborne illness acquired in the United States-major pathogens. Emerg. Infect. Dis. [Epub ahead of print]

Food Safety Modernization Act

• FDA Food Modernization Act LAW – S.510 signed January 2011 –Exclusions, will it be funded? • Issue guidance for risk reduction; • Establish fruit and vegetable harvesting standards; • Collect fees related to re-inspections and recalls; and • Develop food allergy guidelines for schools. Tester-Hagan Amendment: Farms/businesses selling processed product

are exempt if— • More than half of all food sales are to ‘Qualified End Users’ in

same state or within 275 miles of business location • Value of all food was less than $500,000

• Point-of-sale notification required – Farm name, address, contact info must be on a label, poster, sign,

placard, invoice or other sales documentation, or, in the case of Internet sales, in an electronic notice

Protect Consumers and Your Business

• Manage to reduce risks

• Tailor food safety programs to your unique operation

• Implement GAP/GHP

• www.onfarmfoodsafety.org

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPS)

• The proper use (and disposal) of water, • Proper compost and application of manure, • Good hygiene habits from the workers on the

farm, • Regular equipment checkup and maintenance, • Proper sanitation of processing surfaces and

transportation vehicles, • Accurate record keeping.

Basic Harvesting • Timing

- Maturity Timing

- Time of Day Timing

• Technique (quality and efficiency)

• Getting it out of the field

Timing - Maturity

• Can it be eaten at this stage?

• Will I get more out of it if it continues to mature?

- weight, price, flavor, storage, nutrition, …

• Will it get bigger, bolt, succumb to pests & diseases?

• What do I need for this market? Does it conflict with my needs for the next harvest?

Timing – Time of Day

• Earlier in the day for heat sensitive crops.

• Later in the day for crops that are sensitive to leaf disease or need to be dry for storage or will be easier to clean if dry.

• Prioritize by relative sensitivity and convenience.

• Prioritize shade!

• Consider humidity and hydration post harvest.

Harvesting Techniques

• Efficiency

• Quality

• Ergonomics

Getting It Out

• Hand carts, motorized carts, trailers, trucks, tractors, ….

• Appropriate containers.

• Labeling.

• Loading and Unloading.

• Materials handling solutions (hand trucks, pallet jacks, loading docks,….

Post Harvest

• Temperature and Humidity.

• Removing soil & excess material (what’s your market?).

• Bunching and weighing • Special curing, drying,

etc… • Appropriate containers &

packing materials. • Efficient materials

handling.

Work Flow: High Road Harvesting

Commercial refrigeration:

1). Helps even out workflow to 5 day work week routine.

2). Locks in the value of the produce.

The CoolBot turns any brand of off-the-shelf, window-type air

conditioning unit into a turbo-charged cooling machine. With it, you can transform a highly-insulated room into a walk-in cooler, keeping your vegetables fresh and thermostatically controlled cool down to 32°. (www.storeitcold.com).

Tools for Small-Scale Farming 2 Key Components

• Ergonomics – ease of use with body.

• Durability (light, strong, etc…)

Tillage

Source: Johnny’s Selected Seeds

Bed Preparation & Seeding

Hoeing the Long Row

Source: GFM May 2010

Quality Tool Suppliers

• Earth Tools: www.earthtoolsbcs.com

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds: www.johnnysseeds.com

• Peaceful Valley Farm Supply: www.groworganic.com

• Rogue Hoe: www.roguehoe.com

• Green Heron Tools LLC: www.greenherontools.com

• Red Pig Garden Tools: www.redpigtools.com

Soils and Soil Fertility

Farmscaping A whole-farm, ecological approach to pest management that uses hedgerows, insectary plants, cover crops, and water reservoirs to attract and support populations of beneficial organisms such as insects, bats, and birds or prey.

Marketing Strategies

Did You Know:

• There are currently 7,175 farmers markets throughout the United States, a 17% increase from 2010.

• As of 2010, there were 898 winter farmers markets across the country.

• Farmers markets account for $1.2 billion in annual sales.

• There are more than 4,000 community supported agriculture (CSA) farms across the country.

• Hottest restaurant menu trends in 2012 include local foods (National Restaurant Association).

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Marketing Risk Management •Marketing opportunities available to small-scale producers •Market saturation •Distribution •Pricing •Bumper Crops or Crop Failure •Quality Control •Customer Education •Customer Dissatisfaction (age of social media)

Marketing Options

• Farmers market

• CSA program

• Restaurant sales

• Home deliveries

• Buying clubs

• Farm stand

• Institutions

• Agri-tourism

• Pick Your Own

• Grocery Stores

• Cooperatives

• Food Hubs

• Wholesale

Winter Markets

Photo’s Courtesy of Seacoast Eat Local

Market Analysis Before Farming

• Where am I going to sell/who is customer? • Size of customer base? • Location of customer base and influence? • Sell directly to consumers? • Sell wholesale to commodity market? • Who is my competition? • Season price fluctuations to expect? • Quality standards to meet? • Time and fuel to reach markets? • Legal or food safety considerations?

Golden Rules of Marketing

• Know what you are selling • Know who you are selling to • Know your own story • Don’t make assumptions • Be customer oriented, not

product oriented • Sell features and benefits • Be a price maker, not a price

taker • Diversify to manage risks • Sell before you grow

Slaynt Vie’ Farm “My parents hail from a small island in

the middle of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man. `Slaynt Vie´ means `good health´ in the Manx Gaelic language and the `Three Legs of Man´ is their official symbol, which stands for stability and self sufficiency. It is my vision to provide local produce to nourish my neighbors, my community and my land into self-sustaining good health.”

Fionna Harrison

Charles Town, WV

Pricing

• Nature of Market (wholesale vs. retail)

• Cost comparison with competitors

• How your product is different from competitors

• Location • Bulk vs.

Bagged/Bunched

Marketing: Mix and Match Pricing

Limit the different individual prices and combine items on a multiple unit basis

(1 for $3 or 2 for $5)

• No more price per pound

• Allows you to sell more at higher prices

• Convenience

©SPIN-Farming

Marketing Fundamentals

• Sell Quality – freshness, flavor, variety, customer service • Find Your Niche • Start small • Diversify

Revenue Potential

Determine # marketing weeks + yearly targeted revenue = average weekly revenue.

Example

Targeting $40,000/year, over 20 marketing weeks = average weekly revenue = $2,000 per week.

Is that Realistic?

Revenue Potential Factors • Days to harvest for consistent cash flow.

• Short days to harvest crops play important role in early production and relays.

• Planning relay potentials (cool season before & after long season crops).

• Short days to harvest crops result in higher segment revenue than just one high-value crop.

• Low-value crops are good for larger land bases,

• Payoff of high-value crops can be offset if they are labor intensive.

• Lower-value crops (melons and squash) often are not labor or cost intensive.

• Lower-value crops also add diversity!

Leafy Greens

High-value status planted in 2-4 rows per bed with seeder.

• Spring: spinach, cut lettuce, mesclun mix

• Summer: beets w/ greens, chard, salad mix, mesclun mix, head lettuce

• Fall: spinach, collards, chard, salad mix, cut lettuce

Leafy Greens

Week-after-Week Strategy targets 100-500 unit sales per marketing week.

Yield/Price Example 50 units (bags) of greens per

standard bed: a) @$1.00/unit=$50/bed b) @$2.00/unit=$100/bed c) @$3.00/unit=$150/bed

• Sold in ¼ - ½ lb quantities

Carrots

• Plant as early in season as possible.

• Plant many subsequent staggered plantings on relay basis.

• Plant 3 rows/bed; 1/4’” deep with seeder.

• Go over furrow 2x for high density planting of mini carrots.

Carrots

• Customers tend to prefer bunches early in season and topped and bagged later in season.

Mid-Sized or Mini Carrots • Higher pricing can be

charged for mini carrots. • Price levels remain steady

throughout season for mini’s.

• Key to premium pricing is to offer a washed and bagged product.

Carrots

Yield/Price Example

Targeted yields of 1 bunch/row foot; 75 bunches /bed

a) 75 cents/bunch = $56.00/bed

b) $1.00/bunch = $75.00/bed

c) $2.00/bunch = $150.00/bed

d) $3.00/bunch = $225.00/bed

Tomatoes

• Plantings include early and late varieties.

• Determinate and indeterminate varieties.

• Transplant 16 plants per row (bed).

• Targeted Revenue: $200 per bed.

Cut Flowers

• 10% of operation sales.

• 2-3 Segments (hundreds of plants).

• Easy germinators (7-14 days).

• Sweet pea (trellis), tulips, sunflower, jerusalem artichoke, nasturtium, lily, calendula, gladiola (stagger plantings).

• $10 - $20/ bouquet

• $3/stem

Shoots

• Used as garnish, in salad mixes, and eaten blanched or green.

• Sunflower, sugar pea, corn, diakon radish.

• 1 unit for $3 or 2 for $5 or 6 units per tray @$15.

Extending the Growing Season

• Important component of diversified farms

• Season extension = better markets

• Can manipulate heat, water, humidity, temperature to optimize plant growth

• Low cost • Increased yields

Winter Hoop House Harvest

Beets, carrots. Chard, collards, greens, lettuces, kale, onions, parsley, poc choi, radishes, spinach, turnips, dill, cilantro, basil.

Crop Planting Date

Arugula 9/22, 9/24, 9/26, 9/28, 9/30, 10/2

Beet Leaves 9/2, 9/6

Carrot 8/3, 8/7

Lettuce 9/13, 9/15, 9/17, 9/19, 9/22, 9/25

Spinach 9/5 – 9/24

Turnip 9/20, 9/24

Somerton Tanks Farm

• 2003-2006: ½ acre SPIN Demonstration Farm in Philadelphia.

• Can a farm be a sustainable Philadelphia business? (farmers, economic demand, land)

• $68,000 gross in 4th year

• Estimate of $120,00 gross on less than 1 acre with 5 years experience.

The Neighborhood Farm • Unexpectedly started in 2008

with 5 plots (1/4 acre); 1 market.

• 2009 - added land, and 1 market & 15-member CSA; focused on heirloom tomatoes and garlic.

• 2012 – 9 sites; 3 markets and 52 –member CSA; 3 FTP’s, 2 PTP’s

• Successes – Doubled gross sales every year; net avg. 50%.

• Lessons learned – chooses wisely (clump (nothing over 30 minutes away, say no to partial shade, …)

Slaynt Vie’ Farm • 2009 – 2 plots = ½ acre; $16,000

• 2010 – 3 plots = ¾ acre; $17,300

• 2011 – 1 plot = ¼ acre; $13,000

• 2012 – 1 plot = 1.4 acre (2 markets)

Goals – pay self and labor

Success – Debt free

Lessons Learned – Tried to expand too quickly

Key Aspects

1. At least some part of farm will be structured around many small timely plantings.

2. The small grower advantage.

3. Not all your farm is put into intensive relay production (usually only one portion).

“A good looking farm is a good earning farm”

andyp@ncat.org

www.attra.org