Effective Crop Planning Annual Crop Production With Jessica

Effective Crop Planning Annual Crop Production With Jessica Washkowiak

Field To Fork Farm Palisade Co 7 Acre farm 7 Acre Leased Field 2. 5 Acre mixed Orchard 200 100” perma beds 15, 000 sq Poly Culture USDA Certified Organic

The Importance of Crop Planning Each Crop has different needs and requirements A good plan allows you to maximize your space and your time. Taking the time now in the winter will help you not run around with your head chopped off making emotional or reactionary decisions during the summer. Crop Planning in the winter gives the time needed my farm, farm staff and customers deserve.

Step 1: Set yearly objective and financial goals Set your Financial Goals -Start with your end goal in mind -Reaffirm your mission statement - Make short term goals to help achieve your long term dreams -Decide on clear sales objectives. Set 5 goals to help you meet your sales objectives.

Mission Statement Provide fresh produce to our communities kitchens direct from our farm. Become skilled growers, successful business owners and active community members. Craft our farm to serve us and not us serve our farm. Be able to take time as a family enjoying our passions and hobbies. Our farm is our career path and not our recreation. We choose to farm organically with sustainable farm methods for the long term health of our farm, ourselves, our staff, our community and our planet. Daily we desire happiness and creativity with a level load of work. 2020

Short term goals to achieve long term dreams Goal: To earn enough money to take a family vacation to Costa Rica for 2 weeks during the winter season. Why: To unwind and have a cultural family experience and surf How: Raise our sales to 200 k this year and keep 1 person on staff all year long What: Adding 1 new mountain farmers market and 4 season CSA memberships When: Needs to be concrete by June 10

Make Clear Sales Objectives Look at previous sales and think where you might have holes in your productions and decide if you can fill any holes. July is always full of holes for us… Determine your whole growing area and decide if you can improve or systemize your production. Decide the number of weeks you are selling, number of employees and the experience they are bringing to the table. Margins of a well run market garden should be around 40% - 50%.

Sales Objectives: - 2. 5 acre market garden with 200 perma beds 100’ long -15, 000 square feet of poly culture greenhouses - 2 Seasoned growers and 2 employees working 40 hours per week - In production 11 months out of the year 44 week CSA subscriptions and 20 week farmers market schedule - Selling everything directly and limiting the need to sell wholesale also finding the best markets that demand organic.

Sales Objective 200, 000 k x 50% = 100, 000 k - 100 CSA customers +/- 35. 00 Week 32 weeks 112, 000 Winter CSA 35 members @ 40. 00 10 weeks 14, 000 2 Farmers Markets 20 Weeks +/- @ 4000 week 80, 000 Can I make it with 100 k, pay mortgage, make farm improvements/investments, go on vacation? - Should I plan to grow more or less? - Can I add another profit stream for customers? For example eggs? Jams, sauces and other value added products.

Sales Objectives 200, 000 k x 32 wks =6, 250 average If 6, 250 is the average then weeks of 12, 000 are probable. Is my transportation big enough and reliable? Is my cold storage big enough? Have I done this before? Can my markets support this? Sales targets should be realistic, not conservative or pie in the sky!

Step 2: Establish your game plan -Determine your sales outlet (CSA, chefs, farmers markets, grocery stores etc) - What are you going to grow and not grow? - How much do you need to grow to be consistent and when does it need to be seeded.

Sales Outlets: -100 CSA members Pickup Wednesday 3 -6 at farm/Home Delivery Wednesday 12 -5 & Market pickup Thursday 5 -7 -Restaurant Delivery Wednesday 1 -4 - Farmers Market Thursday & Sunday - Harvest Monday, Tuesday & Friday (some produce like zucchini and cucumbers are picked daily)

Sales Outlets - What are you growing? Everything? Really? Like potatoes? Dandelion Greens? Okra? Do you need to? - In Palisade our climate can support most crops, but do I need or want to grow all of them? - Turn to high value for your space/yields and time - Can what can the big guys not grow? - You are selling fresh and high quality that is your niche

Let the Numbers talk For Example: A 100’ bed of leeks or onions will earn 400. 00 and will need to stay in the garden for 6 -9 months. Where a bed of radish can yeild 280 bunches at 2. 50 for a 700. 00 value in 30 days. (see handout)

Determine how much you need to grow for each crop Estimate how much your going to sell of each crop at each sales outlet - 120 Bunches of carrots farmers markets (60 per market) - 100 Bunches of carrots per CSA - 30 extra for fudge room/push sales How many beds will I need prep/seed and harvest to consistently have 250 fresh carrot bunches weekly? The beds are your unit of measure

Why is the game plan important? When - when will you have product? Chefs like reliability and consistency The first one to market is King CSA members appreciate balanced shares and seasonal changes Cash flow becomes predictable

Step 3: Operating Calendars Pre - planning is crucial to level the workload and achieve success Systemize all your procedures Don’t beat yourself down if you make a mistake or your staff makes a mistake. Go back to your crop plan and get re-organized if the plan is not working. Use the Biodynamic planting calendar, it works!!! Weather and illness can derail your gameplan. Set everything 2 weeks early… If you fall behind you know you have some wiggle room.

Setting a Program Carrot Program: - Harvest an equivalent of 2 beds per week = 300 bunches per week - Early Seed 2 beds every 4 weeks Dec-Feb in High tunnels - Cat Tunnels - Low tunnels - Main Season Seed 4 beds every 2 weeks April-July - Late Seed 10 Beds August 5 for fall storage carrots (if you want to compete)? Salad Blend: - Harvest from 6 beds 1 baby kale 1 baby mizuna 4 salanova = 200# per week - Plant all lettuce every 3 weeks might want to plant weekly July-August in case of bolting and days becoming shorter. You also might want to double your first July Planting.

Setting the DTM and How Much and When Broccoli: 3 plantings June 15, 22 and Sept 15 Planning for 200 heads per week 100 heads CSA 100 heads for all other channels 1 bed = 130 Broccoli (not all at the same time plan for a 14 day harvest window) DTM 85 days First Harvest June 15 - 85 days = March 22 Inside sowing date 30 days in the greenhouse Transplant date April 22 Bed is cleared June 30 = 69 days in the garden. If I can clear my broccoli beds and reprep by August these will be my storage carrot beds. Try to avoid other brassicas!!! Which is hard because daikon and watermelon radish are great fall crops. Johnnys Selected Seeds has great calculators to help you with estimating your DTM that are free. I will show you TEND the software we use to help with our crop planning.

Go to Tend: Tend does all this for me… Budget Timing Space www. tend. ag

Step 4: Map Out Your Season - Make sure your sales forecast fits on your farm - Manage successions - Think about where you are putting your crops in correlation to other crops. This helps if you group your crops next to each other that need similar nutrient or pest control needs. Covers weed fabrics etc. - Understand your production in space and time in your winter months will help you maximize your time in the growing season. I will show you our tend map, location and time

Step 5: Order Seeds supplies Choose Cultivars Order Seeds for the whole season? Start with fresh seeds Shop Around $$$ Make sure you have twist ties, rubber bands, bags, harvest containers, sanidate, wash bibs, etc. . .

Market Garden Workshop W/ Jean Martin Fortier April 15 -18 Hosted @ Field To Fork Farm 3526 Front Street Palisade Co

Thank You Jessica Washkowiak 970 -216 -2642 3526 Front Street Palisade Co Field To Fork Farm

Field To Fork Farm Palisade Co 7 Acre farm 7 Acre Leased Field 2. 5 Acre mixed Orchard 200 100” perma beds 15, 000 sq Poly Culture USDA Certified Organic

The Importance of Crop Planning Each Crop has different needs and requirements A good plan allows you to maximize your space and your time. Taking the time now in the winter helps us not run around with our head chopped off making emotional or reactionary decisions. Crop Planning in the winter gives the time needed my farm, farm staff and customers deserve.

Step 1: Set yearly objective and financial goals Set your Financial Goals -Start with your end goal in mind -Reaffirm your mission statement - Make short term goal to help achieve your long term dreams -Decide on clear sales objectives. Set 5 goals to help you meet your sales objectives.

Mission Statement Provide fresh produce to our communities kitchens direct from our farm. Become skilled growers, successful business owners and active community members. Craft our farm to serve us and not us serve our farm. Be able to take time as a family enjoying our passions and hobbies. Our farm is our career path and not our recreation. We choose to farm organically with sustainable farm methods for the long term health of our farm, ourselves, our staff, our community and our planet. Daily we desire happiness and creativity with a level load of work. 2020

Make short goals to achieve long term dreams Goal: To earn enough money to take a family vacation to Costa Rica for 2 weeks during the winter season. Why: To unwind and have a cultural family experience and surf How: Raise our sales to 200 k this year and keep 1 person on staff all year long What: Adding 1 new mountain farmers market and 4 season CSA memberships When: Needs to be concrete by June 10

Make Clear Sales Objectives Look at previous sales and think where you might have holes in your productions and decide is you can fill any holes. Determine your whole growing area and decide if you can improve or systemize your production. Decide the number of weeks you are selling, number of employees and the experience they are bringing to the table. Margins of a well run market garden should be around 40% - 50%.

Sales Objectives: - 2. 5 acre market garden with 200 perma beds 100’ long -15, 000 square feet of poly culture greenhouses - 2 Seasoned growers and 2 employees working 30 -40 hours per week - In production 11 months out of the year 44 week CSA subscriptions and 20 week farmers market schedule - Selling everything directly and limiting the need to sell whole sale and finding the best markets that demand organic.

Sales Objective 200, 000 k x 50% = 100, 000 k - 100 CSA customers +/- 35. 00 Week 32 weeks 112, 000 Winter CSA 35 members @ 40. 00 10 weeks 14000 2 Farmers Markets 20 Weeks +/- @ 4000 week 80, 000 Can I make it with 100 k, pay mortgage, make farm improvements/investments, go on vacation? - Should I plan to grow more or less? - Can I add another profit stream for customers? For example eggs? Jams, sauces and other value added products.

Sales Objectives 200, 000 k x 44 wks = 4, 600 average If 4, 600 is the average then weeks of 10, 000 are probable. Is my transportation big enough and reliable? Is my Coldstorage big enough? Have I done this before? Can my markets support this? Sales targets should be realistic, not conservative or pie in the sky!

Step 2: Establish your game plan -Determine your sales outlet (CSA, chefs, farmers markets, grocery stores etc) - What are you going to gow and not grow? - How much do you need to grow to be consistent and when does it need to be seeded.

Sales Outlets: -100 CSA members Pickup Wednesday 3 -6 at farm/Home Delivery Wednesday 1 -4 & Market pickup Thursday 5 -7 -Restaurant Delivery Wednesday 1 -4 - Farmers Market Thursday & Sunday - Harvest Monday, Tuesday & Friday (some produce like zucchini and cucumbers are picked daily)

Sales Outlets - What are you growing? Everything? Really? Like potatoes? Dandelion Greens? Okra? Do you need to? - In Palisade our climate can support most crops, but do I need or want to grow all of them? - Turn to high value for your space/yields and time - Can what can the big guys not grow?

Let the Number talk For Example: A 100’ bed of leeks or onions will earn 400. 00 and will need to stay in the garden for close to 9 months. Where a bed of radish can yeild 280 bunches at 2. 50 for a 700. 00 value in 30 days. (see handout)

Determine how much you need to grow for each crop Estimate how much your going to sell of each crop at each sales outlet - 120 Bunches of carrots farmers markets (60 per market) - 100 Bunches of carrots per CSA - 30 extra for fudge room/push sales How many beds will I need prep/seed and harvest to consistently have 250 fresh carrot bunches weekly? The beds are your unit of measure

Why is the game plan important? When to when will you have product? Chefs like reliability and consistency The first one to market is King CSA members appreciate balanced shares and seasonal changes Cash flow becomes predictable

Step 3: Operating Calendars Pre - planning is crucial to level the work load and achieve success Systemize all your procedures Don’t beat yourself down if you make a mistake or your staff makes a mistake. Go back to your crop plan and get re-organized if the plan is not working. Use the Biodynamic planting calendar, it works!!! Weather and illness can derail your gameplan. Set everything 2 weeks early… If you fall behind you know you have some wiggle room.

Setting a Program Carrot Program: - Harvest an equivalent of 2 beds per week = 300 bunches per week - Early Seed 2 beds every 4 weeks Dec-Feb in High tunnels - Cat Tunnels - Low tunnels - Main Season Seed 4 beds every 2 weeks April-July - Late Seed 10 Beds August 5 for fall storage carrots (if you want to compete)? Salad Blend: - Harvest from 6 beds 1 baby kale 1 baby mizuna 4 salanova = 200# per week - Plant all lettuce every 3 weeks might want to plant weekly July-August in case of bolting and days becoming shorter. You also might want to double your first July Planting.

Setting the DTM and How Much and When Broccoli: 3 plantings June 15, 22 and Sept 15 Planning for 200 heads per week 100 heads CSA 100 heads for all other channels 1 bed = 130 Broccoli (not all at the same time plan for a 14 day harvest window) DTM 85 days First Harvest June 15 - 85 days = March 22 Inside sowing date 30 days in the greenhouse Transplant date April 22 Bed is cleared June 30 = 69 days in the garden. If I can clear my broccoli beds and reprep by August these will be my storage carrot beds. Try to avoid other brassicas!!! Which is hard because daikon and watermelon radish are great fall crops. Johnnys Selected Seeds has great calculators to help you with estimating your DTM that are free. I will show you TEND the software we use to help with our crop planning.

Go to Tend: Tend does all this for me… Budget Timing Space www. tend. ag

Step 4: Map Out Your Season - Make sure your sales forecast fits on your farm - Manage successions - Think about where you are putting your crops in correlation to other crops. This helps if you group your crops next to each other that need similar nutrient or pest control needs. Covers weed fabrics etc. - Understand your production in space and time in your winter months will help you maximize your time in the growing season. I will show you our tend map, location and time

Step 5: Order Seeds supplies Choose Cultivars Order Seeds for the whole season? Start with fresh seeds Shop Around $$$ Make sure you have twist ties, rubber bands, bags, harvest containers, sanidate, wash bibs, etc. . .

Market Garden Workshop W/ Jean Martin Fortier April 15 -18 Hosted @ Field To Fork Farm 3526 Front Street Palisade Co

Thank You Jessica Washkowiak 970 -216 -2642 3526 Front Street Palisade Co Field To Fork Farm