vegetables

[mrcorn1]

This has been a tough year. I can't believe how much loss of crops i've had. I still have couliflower in the feild and it still is not ready. Anybody have this hard of a time growing this year?

[LeslieH]

2009 was a horrible season for growers in the NE - definitely 7 or 8 counties in NY. They were declared agricultural disaster areas because so many crops were lost. Hay, Corn, Tomatoes, Potatoes, etc.
And, because of all of the rain, much of the nutrient content of anyone's soil, organic or otherwise, was leached out and will need to be restocked to have a decent harvest this year.
And considering many of these same counties hadn't fully recovered from the flooding of 2006 - farm land still being reclaimed from flood damage - it's going to have to be a stupendous year to keep them all in business.

[mommagoose]

Not going so well so far this year. Too hot, too cold, too hot, too dry ,too much rain, not enough rain. Hmmm farmers sure complain a lot don't they

[bull]

raise your prices now, there's going to be shortage and we all need to survive there are many bills to be paid... Giving vegetables away isn't going to pay the bills...

We are thrying to think of what to keep planting and what not to plant next..

Weather predictiong rain tomorrow, lets see what happens!!!

[LeslieH]

NOt complain - just worry. LOL
And Bull's right - raise your prices.
And consider watering a little so the rain today/tonight doesn't just run off. I'm doing my most vulnerable areas now - the ones that the rain just flows like it's on concrete.
Also consider putting powdered milk on/around your tomatoes, squash, etc. so you don't get blossom end rot. The calcium helps take the stress out of the moisture flux that causes it.
L

[mommagoose]

Picked a lot of pretty veggies for the market tomorrow. Got 20 pounds of tomatoes and I nice tray of colored bell peppers from the greenhouse. 2 bushels of cucumbers and a dozen buckets of odds and ends. 30 dozen eggs. Should be a good day if the weather holds. No rain yet.
Linda

[bull]

Tomatoes $ 4.00 lb, cucs .50 cents each, beets 5 medium to a bunch $3.00
summer and zuchinni squash $1.00 lb. beans $ 2.00 lb chard $ 4.00 lb spinach $8.00 lb lettuce $3.00 a bag or head. those were my prices at market yesterday... as soon as I have corn I am starting a $8.00 a dozen or .75 cents per ear for singles.


People need to start respecting food and the people who supply it, We the proud farmers of America are not taking a back seat anymore !!!
Cheap food is out reality is in, quality cost money!!

Remember if it doesn't sell it will make good compost!!!

[LeslieH]

Food use to be 25% of our income. Now it's in the single digits - low ones at that. So yes, you're right, it needs to be respected.
The problem is, most Americans are so over-leveraged in their finances (just like the banks), they can't dedicate that kind of cash to their food.
And while it makes good compost, I'd suggest donating it to a food bank - you can write it off that way and it gets used by people who have NO chance at eating so well.

[bull]

Compost is much more valuable than a write off, if someone is in need they can come and ask for food, they will be told which row to weed,where to pick rocks, what wood to stack and many other things that need to be done around here and then I will feed them !!! Other than that tuff c-r-a-p, Im not looking for or getting any handouts....... Time for people to suck it up and get off their lazy butts, the good lord provides for those who are willing to help themselves !! We are all given capabilities in life use them....

Say no to welfare,soup kitchens and hand outs, nothing in life is free deal with it !! We need to get back to family, community and boarders, take care of our own, not everyone else's problems... God bless America!!!

[bull]

give a man a fish he can eat for a day, teach a man/woman to fish they can feed themselves for a lifetime !!!! Hmmmmmmmm !!!!