plotsField notes
Notes from the field, the greenhouse, and the back office.
farm finance · 5 min
The Question Most Growers Cannot Answer: What Is My True Margin Per Bed?
Ask a grower how the farm did this year and they'll tell you the top-line: total sales, whether it was a good year or not. Ask them which bed made money and which lost some, and the room goes quiet.
csa · 6 min
CSA, Farm Stand, or Wholesale: The Real Economics of Where You Sell
A CSA is a promise, and the promise runs both ways. You owe a full box every week whether the hail took your lettuce or not, and a season of thin boxes loses you members you spent years earning.
weather · 6 min
Give It Four Seasons Before You Judge It
A bed that underperforms in year one doesn't mean the crop is wrong; it may mean that bed floods in April, bakes in July, or sits in a frost pocket. You only get that lesson if you pay attention
pollination · 6 min
Your Squash Isn't Failing. It's Not Getting Enough Bees.
Pollination is an input. Same as water. Same as nitrogen. We just don't think of it that way because we're not the ones doing the work, it's easy to treat bees as background scenery.
weeds management · 6 min
Cover the Ground: Fabric, Tunnels, and Tarps for Weed Control
Almost every weed problem comes down to one thing: those seeds got light. Take the light away and most of the fight is already over
weeds management · 6 min
Weed the Day After the Rain
When soil is dry and hard, a weed's roots are locked in place. Pull, the top snaps off at the crown while the taproot stays, ready for new growth. You have not removed the weed; you have pruned it.
soil health · 6 min
Rabbit Tea: The Free Fertilizer Under the Hutch
Rabbit manure generally runs higher in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium than cow or horse manure. For a grower running intensive beds where every square foot is working, that density matters.
That's all the field notes for now.
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