Comments on: New gardener http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/ Daily photo-journal of organic market gardening: growing local food with two acres and some tools...! Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:25:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Mike (tfb) http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21820 Mike (tfb) Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:00:16 +0000 http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21820 <b>Alan:</b> This staying small stuff is interesting. For me, I don't seem to consciously think much about...things, until they come up in conversation like this... It begs the question, why stay small? (Also, I suppose, "how small is small/what is small?") I copied tthat part of thos comment thread to the forum as <a href="http://tinyfarmblog.com/forum/topic/tiny-farming-why-stay-small" rel="nofollow"><b>Tiny farming: why stay small?</b></a> I'll post new thoughts as they surface! :) Alan: This staying small stuff is interesting. For me, I don’t seem to consciously think much about…things, until they come up in conversation like this… It begs the question, why stay small? (Also, I suppose, “how small is small/what is small?”) I copied tthat part of thos comment thread to the forum as Tiny farming: why stay small? I’ll post new thoughts as they surface! :)

]]> By: Alan Roberts http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21639 Alan Roberts Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:46:52 +0000 http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21639 Mike, I have the same debate about growth quite often. There are so many things one could do. In my area the opportunities seem endless, especially if you are willing to drive a bit. Finding reliable help is a big limitation. Quality of life is another, at least for us. I've gone the hard route in other places, growing because the demand was there. I'm with you 100% on keeping it local and keeping it small enough that you can do it yourself. It's not easy though! For me it's the dairy. The local demand is there, the pasture is easy to come by, and most of the equipment available is sized for larger scale production. However, I know I can run a seasonal goat dairy with up to 12 does and do it all my self. I can do it and still have a life. But the temptation is there. With goat milk bringing $16 per gallon retail, and natural food stores within 70 miles of me screaming for suppliers, it is really tempting to float a loan and get bigger. I fight it every day. The same opportunities exist in the gardens. In fact, my latest inner battle has been about a tractor. My friend and fellow farmer up the road from us has a collection of Farmall Cubs with a wide variety of attachments. He keeps telling me that I should buy one and put more of my 5 acres into gardens. Having the horsepower and the tillage equipment would make it simple. Getting things watered, weeded, harvested, packaged, and sold would definitely require more help. I'm tempted anyway, it would be nice to be able to mow some hay when the pastures get ahead of the goats, but ... I'll be watching your summer with great interest. Mike,
I have the same debate about growth quite often. There are so many things one could do. In my area the opportunities seem endless, especially if you are willing to drive a bit. Finding reliable help is a big limitation. Quality of life is another, at least for us. I’ve gone the hard route in other places, growing because the demand was there. I’m with you 100% on keeping it local and keeping it small enough that you can do it yourself. It’s not easy though! For me it’s the dairy. The local demand is there, the pasture is easy to come by, and most of the equipment available is sized for larger scale production. However, I know I can run a seasonal goat dairy with up to 12 does and do it all my self. I can do it and still have a life. But the temptation is there. With goat milk bringing $16 per gallon retail, and natural food stores within 70 miles of me screaming for suppliers, it is really tempting to float a loan and get bigger. I fight it every day.
The same opportunities exist in the gardens. In fact, my latest inner battle has been about a tractor. My friend and fellow farmer up the road from us has a collection of Farmall Cubs with a wide variety of attachments. He keeps telling me that I should buy one and put more of my 5 acres into gardens. Having the horsepower and the tillage equipment would make it simple. Getting things watered, weeded, harvested, packaged, and sold would definitely require more help. I’m tempted anyway, it would be nice to be able to mow some hay when the pastures get ahead of the goats, but …

I’ll be watching your summer with great interest.

]]> By: Mike (tfb) http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21612 Mike (tfb) Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:45:40 +0000 http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21612 <b>Robyn Vickers:</b> Thanks for thinking of TFB in your meme! I've been tagged with a couple of things now that I still have to follow up on. I plan to...! I remember you dropped by the blog a while ago, I think you were into the romance of WEEDING? :) Well, whenever you're in the area, feel free to drop by! <b>Alan Roberts:</b> Yes, I think about the ups and downs. I'm very much into the "keep it tiny" thing, and a (slightly unrealistic, perhaps) part of that is being able to keep things going myself if I had to, with just spot help. You know: one farmer, one field... From all of my reading and talking to people, it seems to take about 2 full-time people per acre for really highly efficient, intensive, organic market gardening (that's including fieldwork, sales, everything). That may sound like a lot, but I can already see from what I've done (and not done) how much you can get from a small plot, if you're good with the timing and have a solid feel for your crops and soil. Last year, with Conall full-time (and mostly living on the farm, IOW, REALLY here, 5-6 days a week), we got a lot done, and there was still lots more that could've been done. So there's a pull both ways for me, to stay small and really self-reliant, and to expand by counting on others to help fully work the 2.5 acres... Robyn Vickers: Thanks for thinking of TFB in your meme! I’ve been tagged with a couple of things now that I still have to follow up on. I plan to…! I remember you dropped by the blog a while ago, I think you were into the romance of WEEDING? :) Well, whenever you’re in the area, feel free to drop by!

Alan Roberts: Yes, I think about the ups and downs. I’m very much into the “keep it tiny” thing, and a (slightly unrealistic, perhaps) part of that is being able to keep things going myself if I had to, with just spot help. You know: one farmer, one field… From all of my reading and talking to people, it seems to take about 2 full-time people per acre for really highly efficient, intensive, organic market gardening (that’s including fieldwork, sales, everything). That may sound like a lot, but I can already see from what I’ve done (and not done) how much you can get from a small plot, if you’re good with the timing and have a solid feel for your crops and soil. Last year, with Conall full-time (and mostly living on the farm, IOW, REALLY here, 5-6 days a week), we got a lot done, and there was still lots more that could’ve been done. So there’s a pull both ways for me, to stay small and really self-reliant, and to expand by counting on others to help fully work the 2.5 acres…

]]> By: Alan Roberts http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21500 Alan Roberts Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:57:35 +0000 http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21500 Interns and volunteers are great!! Good years you can't believe how lucky you are, bad years... Hope you only have GOOD years, but be prepared. Cheers, Alan Interns and volunteers are great!! Good years you can’t believe how lucky you are, bad years…

Hope you only have GOOD years, but be prepared.

Cheers,
Alan

]]> By: Robyn Vickers http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21428 Robyn Vickers Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:10:57 +0000 http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21428 I really love reading your blog. It is so inspiring, it almost makes me want to run off and join you. Almost. I rather wish you sold your wares in Toronto, but the pictures will have to do for now. btw/I tagged you on a little meme. It's running in the food blog spheres, but I figured growing the stuff is as good as cooking it. http://lickyourownbowl.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/a-little-meme/ I really love reading your blog. It is so inspiring, it almost makes me want to run off and join you. Almost. I rather wish you sold your wares in Toronto, but the pictures will have to do for now.

btw/I tagged you on a little meme. It’s running in the food blog spheres, but I figured growing the stuff is as good as cooking it.
http://lickyourownbowl.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/a-little-meme/

]]> By: jeff-nhn http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21401 jeff-nhn Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:57:45 +0000 http://tinyfarmblog.com/2008/03/27/new-gardener/#comment-21401 All it takes is exposure and people either get hooked on working the soil or at the very least a seed has been planted in their minds. Whenever anyone, be it a small child to a grown adult asks gardening questions I take the time to answer them. Gardening is good for mother earth and for her inhabitants. Thank you for sharing. All it takes is exposure and people either get hooked on working the soil or at the very least a seed has been planted in their minds. Whenever anyone, be it a small child to a grown adult asks gardening questions I take the time to answer them. Gardening is good for mother earth and for her inhabitants. Thank you for sharing.

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