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Production Module 01 - Get Your Land

Unit 01 - Get the Word Out

Get any piece of land that you can to start with Who are good initial prospects to ask to use their land:

Look to your family or extended family Friends or people that you have known for a long time

Visibility of the property is important

This is very important to your marketing. Other people seeing your farm plot will help you get more pieces of land.

You want people to walk by and interactAll eyes in the community are on your project Your garden will increase the property value of the piece of land

This is another marketing tool for finding other pieces of land to farm. The first plot doesn't have to be prefect or even visible to others

Chances are that your first plot won't be an ideal piece of land. You will learn how to pick plots as time goes by

Get out there and do it! As time goes by and you build a reputation, you will find plots closer and closer to your home base.

This is the ultimate goal. This will increase your

o Efficiencyo Profitability

Nothing is permanent in this system.

Things will cycle As you build Social Equity, more opportunities will present themselves. As you build your brand, you will get more opportunities.

Local Business Plans, LLC. Version 062215 1

Unit 02 - Identify the Prospects

What should the main base of operations have: Should be central to the system

o Think of the system as a set of concentric rings Like a target's bullseye

The following criteria will change over time Work towards satisfying these requirements over time Storage for gear

o BCS Walk-behind tractor

o Hand tools Processing capability

o Sinks for washingo Tables for

Sorting Bagging Banding Labeling

Cold storage Indoor nursery capability is nice to have A two car garage can work Ideal if you live there, but you don't have to Organize your system into concentric rings

o Home base is the central ring Pivot point for your operation

o Hi-rotation crops are closest to the home baseo Bi-rotation plots further awayo Customers, Markets, Vendors, Restaurants can be further out

What do you need:

Table Tools Totes Greens drying station Soil mixing table Sheltered area Walk-in cooler Green spinner

Production capability at the home base is nice

Greenhouses


Micro-green production is done at the home base, if possible Ideally, try to spend 80% of your time in your center ring. Try to get production as close to the home base as possible

A 1 mile diameter ring is ideal The home base may have to be based on the production plots that you can obtain. Eliminating transport time between parts of your system is key.

Unit 03 - Qualify the Plot

Have something on your web site listing the criteria for land that you are looking for.

Specs Location No overhanging trees Etc.

Most people won't look at the criteria before emailing of calling

Refer them to it Look for at least 2000 sq. ft. plots Qualify the prospect first You can tell a lot about a person by their home. Set up a meeting with the landowner

During the meeting, perform the following steps:1. Analyze the landowner

i. Analyze the neighbors1. Any stray dog2. Lots of weeds3. People spraying Roundup

ii. What are they up to2. The site history

i. Questions to ask1. When was the home built2. Has this land been gardened before3. Was this a gas station or anything else that could have possibly

contaminated the land


ii. The city may have information on the history of the house and landiii. Check neighboring land history too

3. Soil testi. Bring a trowel or shovel with you to the meeting

ii. Bring some sample jarsiii. Check for

1. Clay 2. Roots3. Rocks

iv. Take several soil samplesv. Is there contamination

vi. Test the soil samples for1. NPK2. Ph3. Contamination

a. Only test if it is a very good site, but may be contaminated4. Size and location

i. 2000 sq. ft. or larger?1. Smaller plots must have exceptional locations

ii. Within your desired zone 1 or 2iii. Do an invasive weed checkiv. Know the invasive weed in your area

1. Avoid the property if there are too many invasive weeds5. Available light

i. All seasonsii. Shade

iii. Obstructions6. Fencing

i. Is preferred to keep people and animals out7. Visibility to the public

i. Visibility may overrule some of the other 9 characteristics of land8. Water access

i. Should be relatively close to your plots9. Accessibility

i. Times the plot is availableii. Entrance and exit

Invasive weeds is one of the largest deal breakers The land owner is another high priority consideration.

You must be able to establish a good relationship with them


What to look for in a landowner: Somebody who shops at a farmers' market Somebody who believes In the idea of local food Someone who doesn't care about their lawn

o i.e. That it will be dug up Don't necessarily have to be a gardener

o Some become avid gardeners What are the characteristics of a landowner to stay away from:

Somebody looking for somethingo Want more produce per week than currently offered

Thorny personality Hard to communicate with Annoying Want to talk too much Be careful with retired people with too much time on their hands Own unruly dogs or other animals

What to look for in a good plot:

Clear southern exposure Avoid plots with rhizome weeds peppered through out

o Weeds on the edges are manageable Avoid plots with any large overhanging trees

o Especially on the southern sideo Dripline - The area around the tree where the branches extend

The tree will absorb all of the water within this areao Solar Access in the shoulder seasons is important to extending the

growing season Shoulder Season - spring and fall

Unit 04 - Agree on the Terms

Generally the landowners are paid with vegetables It works like a CSA The landowner receives one box/week during the growing season Box value of $20-$30/ week

o Less in the spring and fallo More in the summer

Produce comes from crops grown on all plots of the farm, not just theirs Curtis sends an email to the landowners each week with an order form

o They fill it out and send it back to Curtiso Curtis enters their order into his order fulfillment systemo The landowners pick up their box at the farmers' market


He has a few elderly owners and he delivers to them Vegetables are exchanged for land

This relieves the burden of leasing land from the grower The landowners’ boxes start when their plot starts producing.

No later than May 1st Most important terms in the agreement

The structure of the vegetable box agreemento It is not a profit-sharing plan

Don't specify what will be grown on their ploto Only specify that it will either

Veggies Herbs Flowers

Landowners are not allowed to pick their own vegetableso If they want something, they let Curtis know or come to the market

Outline that machinery will be usedo Specify the hours that machines will be operated

Watero Provided by the landownero This must be customized to your specific area in the countryo During high usage months, Curtis writes his landowners a check for

around $100 for the water consumption Always try to get a three year commitment from the landowner Exit/shotgun clause

o If a situation at the plot causes the loss of profit, the grower can leave at any time

o If the grower has to leave the plot for any reason, they can stay until the end of the season.

e.g. Landowner sells the house

Process of signing the agreement The landowner is emailed the agreement document They return the agreement with any desired changes

o Negotiate the points Meeting with the landowner is scheduled

o The landowner initials each clause on the agreement o The landowner signs the agreement

This agreement is not meant to be a legal document and hold up in court.


The intent is to make sure that both parties have similar understandings of the situation.

The agreement is structured differently if there is no house or person on the property.

Production Module 02 - Infrastructure + Tools

Unit 01 - Bed Prep

Rotary Plow Doesn't totally invert soil Pulls soil up Like a big drill Digs into the subsoil Not absolutely needed if on a tight budget Works soil quickly

o Especially if hard-packed Can be used to make raised bed

o Good in wet climates Requires a larger tractor to function

o Wider wheels

Tiller Used for bed prep Ground breaking too Should be 30" wide

BCS Walk-behind Tractor

Very well constructed machines No belts or chains Very little to break Last forever Italian built Developed for small plots of land Feature a PTO

o Power Takeoffo The piece of hardware that the tractor's implements attach to and are

powered by New $5000-$6000 Look for used

o Used may be hard to find


o Very popular and usually sell quickly Very little annual maintenance

o Oil changeo Change air filtero $20-$30 annuallyo Can be done by the grower

Tarps

Used for stale seed beddingo Prep bedso Add amendmentso Tarp bedo Encourages weed seed to germinate

The tarp if left on long enough will smother the weeds Warms soil due to the black surface To shorten the process, flame weed

Tarp beds after harvesting to prevent weed growth before replantingo Also keeps in moistureo Keeps weed seed from blowing in

Crucial toolo Minimizes laboro Helps eliminate weeding

Silage tarps will work Features

o Silver on one side, black on the othero Heavy duty materialo 40' x 60'o Around $200 eacho UV resistant

Must be cared foro Folded properlyo Stored properly

Don't use lumber covers or burlapo Any money saved on purchase price is wasted on extra labor

Flame Weeder

Absolutely crucial tool Part of bed prep Used in Stale Seed Bedding Does not harm the soil Boils the newly germinated weeds Creates a perfectly weed-free bed


Tilther Not the best machine Powered by an electric drill Essentially a tiller Only tills the top inch of the bed Used to turn over the beds Mixes in the soil amendments 18" wide

o Requires 2 passes per bed Handles can be angled Does not bring up new weed seeds

Seed Bed Roller

New tool for Curtis' system Same thing can be accomplished with a landscape rake Pushes down the bed and makes it firm Helps keep the seeder from moving around too much dirt The bed looks better and cleaner Has insertable dibbles for marking transplant holes

o Incredibly effective - labor savingo Creates perfect spacing for transplants

Head lettuce Beets

Big and awkward to move around on a bike Landscape Rake

Make row markers from 1/4" pipeo Attach to the tines of the rakeo Johnny's has them too

Used for bed prep 3' Wide Used to rake out debris Used to mark holes for transplants

o The Seed Bed Roller now performs this function Purchase at a specialty landscape store

Standard Rake

Used for raking out rocks Has deep tines


Unit 02 - Nursery Equipment

Urban farming nurseries are not optimal since they may need to be moved Original 12' x 22' greenhouse can't be used for starting tomatoes

Tomatoes and other nightshades need to be started indoors in colder climatesIndoor Nursery

Industrial quality vertical shelves or rackso Steel-wire shelves are the besto Rubber coated

2' deep x 4' wide Fits 4 trays per shelf

4' 32w T8 Fluorescent light fixtures o 2 lamps / light

Microgreens can be grown under them 6 shelves

o Room for 48 flats Dehumidifier

o May need 2 Fans

Hang products which are more cold tolerant in the outside greenhouse Starting plants indoors is ideal Outside Greenhouse

Use steel T's to hang shelves Hanging plants do not cast a shadow on the ground in the shoulder seasons

o The sun is lower in these seasons Can't run the greenhouse irrigation with hanging plants

o Requires hand wateringo Usually only for a month / season

If space, time, and money weren't an issue:

Vertical nursery with a method of automatic watering is ideal Currently building a new greenhouse

18' x 50' Passive solar Insulated concrete floor All starts will be in here on vertical shelves


Soil Blocks Superior to plugs, but take a lot of time Good for small scale Planting time is much faster Does not use them anymore

o His farm is too bigo Still uses the soil mix

1/2 Peat based soil mix Sunshine Mix 5

1/2 Compost Wet down

Turned into mud Used to start plants for transplanting Use trays with no drainage

o Called germination trayso 10" x 20"o 1" deepo Don't have to water as much

Take a long time to make Sifter

Screens all of his soil 1/4" mesh 2" x 8" wood square slightly larger than a tote 2" x 4" inner square

o The screen is attached to this with Washers Screws

Soil Prep Soil Mix

o 1/2 Sunshine Mix 5 Peat based Contains either

Vermiculite or Perlite

o Mix brand is not importanto 1/2 Compost

Screen mix 1 tote at a time Dump onto the mixing table Screen a tote of compost Dump the compost onto the table Take a can of organic fertilizer and dump it onto the table


o Gaia Green brando 4-4-4 NPK

Use shovel to mix Heavily water and mix

o Water to mud like consistency

Watering Wand Wonder Waterer

o Used in the nurseryo Lighto Very fine spray

Tomatoes are transplanted into larger pots from the plugs

Final is a 2 1/2" pot All tomatoes are grown under cover

o Creates a stable environment for growth

Unit 03 - Planting

Direct Seeding Tools Earthway Seeder

Good beginning tool Inexpensive Some imperfections

o Works with a plate with notches in it that drags the seeds up into a hopper

o Then down through a funnel to plant the seedo Small seeds

Especially Brassica family Mustard Arugula Kale

Get ground up behind the plate Wastes seed Causes spotty germination

o Fix available from Jordan Marr at www.theruminant.ca Puck-like device which increases pressure on the plate

Only uses it with the Chard plate for planting Spinacho There isn't a good plate for the Jang for planting Spinach


http://www.theruminant.ca/

Jang Seeder Uses rollers Different sized rollers for different seeds Uses a brush to keep extra seed from getting in the way Very accurate

o Able to change the spacing between seedso Fully customizable

Uses 14 sprocket on front 9 sprocket on rear Uses many different rollers Very heavy duty Hopper pulls out to change seed

o Increases efficiencyo Reduces work by not having to move the seeder to the seed to refill

Covered so rain does not affect planting The wheels won't pick up mud

o A bar on the back wheel scrapes the mud off Speed does not matter

o You can run while planting with this seedero Don't try to run at first

Very robust Supposedly built by the South Korean Army If you can afford this seeder, buy it Your plantings will always be perfect

Unit 04 - Seeds

No Video

Unit 05 - Irrigation

No Video

Unit 06 - Weeding

Curtis does not do much weeding

4 - 8 hours a year Stale seed bedding eliminates the need for most weeding

Sometimes hand weeding is the quickest

Stirrup Hoes

Also called


o Loop Hoeso Hoop Hoes

Blade on each sideo Oscillate back and forth

Used for walkway weeding Very quick use Always brings one with him to the plots 7", 5", 3" models

o 3" used to be used for narrow walkways and beds Stale seed bedding eliminated the need for this

Not used on large weedso Use a pitchfork to dig large weeds out

From Johnny's Seeds Sharpen the blade several times a season The 7" is used most often

Pitchfork

Used to loosen the soil around weeds so that you can remove the whole weed Helps tease roots out The handles often break Expect 2 years of service

Flame Weeder

Explained in bed prep Saves around 100 hours a season of weeding time

Unit 07 - Harvesting

Greens Harvester

New tool for the farm Purchased from Johnny's Seeds Uses an electric drill Invented by a young guy who lived on a greens farm Not perfect

o Saves a lot of time 8 man hours down to 45 minutes

Blades must be kept very sharpo Replace or sharpen several times a year

Used to harvest all baby greens Does not work well with Spinach

o Will work with over-wintered Spinacho Cuts Spinach by hand


Knives Steak knife

o Serrated bladeo A dedicated lettuce knife may work better

Dewalt Utility Knifeo Keep it cleano Keep it sharp

Sterilizedo Used for harvesting Micro-greens

Simple Fast Efficient

Pitchfork

Used for harvesting Carrots All other root crops are hand harvested

Totes

Made by Rubbermaid All of the smaller totes fit into the next larger tote for compact transportation

and storage They will stack in the cooler and on the truck Separated into:

o Field use Dirty

o Processed products Clean

Largeo 18 gallon/60Lo Used for harvesting greenso 40-50 totes at the farm

Medium Toteo Used for packed product

Greens in bags Two layers 24 Bags

o Not that necessaryo You could do without them

Smallo Used like the Medium Tote

1 layer 15-15 bags

o 50-60 on the farm


Minio Used for

Harvesting small things Herbs

Displaying product at the marketo 20 totes on the farm

Macro

o Used for bunched root veggieso Wash the veggies in the toteo Drain and dry productso 30-40 totes on the farm

You need to know how to harvest by hand

Always keep a knife with you Sometimes a bed needs harvested immediately

Unit 08 - Washing

Washing Table

All washing occurs on this table Pool liner directs waste water into a tote

o Some people can get away from having to using the pool liner Need to have well-draining soil

o Purchase from a hardware store Streamed line way of washing Good for all washing tasks Built from 2" x 4" lumber 3' deep x 8' long The pool liner is rolled over several times and then attached to the frame The liner is attached at an angle so that it drains into a tote at the end of the

table A 1/4" galvanized steel mesh is attached over the top

o Make sure that there are no sharp edgeso Use washers and screwso Overlay the cut edges of the mesh w the pool liner

See the photo at 03:55 in the video The drainage tote has a sump pump in it to carry the water away from the table

o Available at any hardware storeo Around $150.00-$200.00o Turns on when the water level in the tote hits a certain levelo Left plugged in all the time

Does not use energy unless it is running


o The drainage hose needs to be cleaned weekly You can use the Dramm fixture used for washing the products to clear

the drainage hose Saving the water is not an option

o It would need to be filtered multiple timeso It will be full of microbes

It will go anaerobic if stored Dramm Hose Fixture

Simple Effective Last forever Gun sprayers from a hardware store only last a month or two Used for washing crops It has a variable valve on the end Hold it like a pencil

Unit 09 - Drying

In some jurisdictions the following equipment can't be used Large orange restaurant salad spinners don't work

Cost around $200 They have gears which wear out New gears cost around $150

Washing Machine Spinner

Find a used washero It just needs to spin

Modify it by removing the agitator coneo This allows you to spin more product at one time

Spun in a mesh laundry bag Set the machine on spin

Drying Table

See photo at 04:40 in the video Table with screen 1/4" mesh like the washing table 2" x 3" wood Bottom on hinges 2 3-speed box fans

o About 2 1/2 feet above the tableo Attached with wire


Turn fans on for 5-10 minutes Move the greens around several times Do not over dry

o The greens will wilt The bottom hinges down to clean the mesh when changing products The drying process will remove the sunflower hulls

Greens Processes:

Washo Place into a mesh laundry bago Drip dry in a tote with holes drilled in it

Spin in washing machine Dry on drying table

o Radish microgreens will spoil in just a day or two if not dryo ALL MICRO-GREENS MUST BE DRIED

Dry micro-greens can be stored for several days before delivery

Unit 10 - Cold Storage

Coolers

You must have a coolero A house refrigerator won't cut it

Standalone walk-in from restauranto Look for liquidated stocko $1000-$2000

Not traditional walk-ins 4' x 6' x 6 1/2'

o Having 2 is beneficial It will save you a ton of time It provides a backup if one fails Harvested product in one Processed product in the other Will handle up to 1/2 acre of product

o The compressors don't last forever They are very expensive to replace The technicians are expensive

You can build your owno Look for plans onlineo http://storeitcold.com/ o 8' x 8' x 8' relatively inexpensive

Blue foam insulation Wooden frame


http://storeitcold.com/

o You can buy a restaurant cooler with a bad compressoro The CoolBot is wired to an air conditioner

The CoolBot tricks the air conditioner into running at temps below 55 degrees

o The air conditioner is placed in the hole in the cooler where the compressor goes.

o If the air conditioner breaks, simply replace it.o The CoolBot never breaks.

Simple technologyo Can actually turn a cooler into a freezero The CoolBot and air conditioner cost around $500

Label totes with painter's tape

Unit 11 - Season Extension

No Video

Unit 12 - Transportation

Started pedal powered 3-cylinder truck and van

Daihatsu Right-hand drive Only insures one vehicle at a time

o Only insures them for 7 months out of the year Built a deck covering for the bed of the truck for delivery

o Tarps the bed when delivering to restaurantso Uses tie down straps to strap down boxes for the market

The van is better for delivering to restaurants The truck is good because it is a both a delivery and a farm vehicle Small physical foot print Fuel efficient Marketing advantage

o People notice it and in turn the signageo Conversation starter

The bikes are great, but you spend too much non-productive time on them.

All of his weekly work is still done by bike All bikes have electric assist.


Highly suggested for hilly areas Cost around $2500 Sponsored by a local bike shop

Bikes and Pedal Powered Equipment

Marketing advantageo Head turnero Conversation Startero Add signage

Avoids traffico Speeds delivery

Easy to find a space to park when delivering Bikes (2)

o Surly Big Dummyo Steel frameo Heavy gauge o The brand is not important, durability is.

Trailer 6' x 30"o Aluminum decko Steel frame

1/16" wall steelo Flat bedo Choose this one if you only purchase one

Trailer smallero Can be daisy-chained to the larger trailer

Creates a wiggle-wagono Boxo Aluminum sides and decko Steel frame

1/16" wall steel Aluminum luggage box

o Lockable o Used like a glove boxo Cost several hundred dollars

Xtracycle/Pannierso Uses for carrying totes to deliver small or rush orderso Able to carry 2 or 4 toteso Allows for flexibilityo Increases cargo capability without having to pull a trailero Good for running errandso Not totally necessaryo Bike with Xtracycle $2500


Don't use your bikes to haul composto Too time consumingo Unproductive

Unit 13 - Market Prep

Portioning

Weighing Banding or bagging Happens at home base

o Shaded, cool area Analog Scale

Used for products that weigh 1/4 lb. or more $60 Simple Fast

Digital Scales

Has a number of them Uses for Micro-greens Not as responsive time-wise Have to change batteries

o Buy scales that use AA batteries or plug in to the wallo Avoid scales that use watch-type batteries

$20-$40 Clamshells

Compostable for micro-greens Protects the product from getting smashed Able to stack containers at the market

o Creates the illusion of abundance Cardboard Boxes

Find at grocery stores used Breakdown easily Have a wax coating

o Can have wet items in them Used to pack restaurant orders Greens are not as easy to pack in these

o Usually packed in roll bagso Line the box with plastic roll bags if using boxes to packo Use totes instead


Orders over 10 lbs. Can be stored in the cooler

Roll bags are used for packing bulk product Market packaging is either:

Small plastic bags Rubber-banded bunches Compostable clamshells

Unit 14 - Farmers' Market

No Video

Production Module 03 - Plot + Bed

Unit 01 - Plan the Plot

Traditional Bed Layout Considerations Sun Wind Contour

These are not as important in Urban Farming.

Due to limited space Considerations for Urban Farming Bed Layout:

Physical restrictionso Shade

Very importanto Treeso Houseso Fenceso Hedges

Access Pointso How do I get myself and my equipment in and out of the plot

Plant all half-beds at the same time

i.e. plant 1/2 of a bed with one crop and the other 1/2 with another crop and plant them at the same time

Don't leave 1/2 a bed as dirt


Take the path of least resistance while minimizing lost/unusable space when laying out beds Beds shaded in the spring or fall can be planted later in the season or taken out of the rotation earlier at the end of the season. Measure the whole yard

Take very exact notes on where the measurements are from and to Curtis uses SketchUp for mapping his bed plots

Allows cut and pasting from one layout to another Easier to try different layouts than drawing by hand on graph paper

Try multiple bed layouts for a plot Run greenhouse east to west to take advantage of solar exposure. Production in some plots will limited by solar exposure.

Transplants can be used to "jump-start" beds which need to be planted later or earlier due to less solar exposure in the shoulder seasons

Sometimes you will have to make layout concessions due to owner and neighborhood constraints. If no one is complaining, you may be able to get away with some things that don't adhere strictly to municipal code. Always look to maximize production in a plot before expanding the number of plots.

Unit 02 - Prepare the Plot

Unit 2.1 - Prepare the Plot

First time plot preparation Plot tarpped for 6 months

This will kill all of the weeds Good to do if you can

Till in no particular pattern

Starting in a square around the perimeter is a good way to start Always set the tiller to the deepest depth


Till a new plot completely, 3 times At the end, your hand should easily go 8"-12" into the loosened soil Throw rocks, stick, and other debris out as you go. Soil heavy in clay is harder to till Sandy soil is easier to grow these types of vegetables Get the plot as level as possible Forming the beds

Foot paths are between 6" and 12"o They are smaller in high-rotational plots

Wider walkways are more comfortable Place the tiller handles out to the side when forming the beds

o Walk down the walkway in between beds Till each bed again two times

o 1 pass each directiono Level the beds as much as you can

Raking the beds

Use the landscaping rake to level out the beds Be careful where you walk

o Walking on the tilled soil compacts it

This is not a complicated task.

Unit 2.2 - Tilling

No Audio Unit 2.3 - Tilling Beds

No Audio Unit 2.4 - Raking

No Audio


Unit 03 - The Beds and Walkways

Standard Bed Size 30" x 25'

o Determined by width of tillero Many farm implements are 30" wide

25' most commono Lots of things like row covers are based on lengths of 100'o Lengths of 50' and 100' can also be usedo There are some exceptions, generally due to the size or shape of a plot

Hi-rotation beds generate $800/season Bi-rotation beds generate $400/season Standard beds allow for easy planning

o Incomeo Crops

30" is easy for most people to stand overo Ergonomic

A standard bed produces a marketable amount of producto Easy to sell that amount in a week

Easier to turn beds It is better to have multiple standard beds planted in tight succession than

larger, longer beds Helps conceptualize amount of work

Double bed

Doesn't use that often Can be used in shorter areas Used in the height of the season The whole bed is cropped out all at once Used for fast growing crops

o Radisheso Arugulao Etc.

Used in ultra-small plots to maximize land use Inter-planting

About economics and time strategies Planting 2 or more crops in a single row that grow at different rates Allows for more efficient use of space Greenhouses are bi-rotational areas

o Greens and tomatoes inter-plantedo Vertical space is also utilizedo Fills the unused space in between the tomato plants until they get larger


Short Beds Used in confined areas Used with crops that aren't produced in large quantities

Long Beds

Reduce irrigation cost and equipment Reduces cuts in

o Landscape fabrico Row cover material

Less turns with the tiller The configuration of beds can be changed to maximize production, as needed. Adjust your walkways depending on the crops grown in a bed.

Hi-rotation 6" Bi-rotation requires larger due to the size of the plants Typically beds stay either hi-rotation or bi-rotation, but walkway width can be

changed with the use of the bed

Unit 04 - Turning Over the Beds

No Audio

Unit 05 - Prepare the Bed to be planted

No Audio

Unit 06 - Fertility

Unit 6 - Bed Prep - Soil + Fertility Explanation

Use 5 gallon buckets to spread compost rather than a wheelbarrow Allows for consistent application of compost and nutrients on each bed Apply 4-6 buckets

Organic Fertilizer

Bone meal Blood meal Increases nitrogen content Needed during the shoulder seasons of spring and fall

o Due to less sunlight


Unit 6.1 Fertility - Applying Compost

No Audio

Unit 6.2 Fertility - Applying Organic Fertilizer

No Audio

Unit 6.3 - Fertility - Tilling in Nutrients

No Audio

Production Module 04 - Planting

Unit 01 - Direct Seeding

Loading the Jang Seeder No Audio

Planting

No Audio Explaining the Process

Rows are not pre-markedo They are "eye-balled"

Planting 9 rowso ------- = rowo > = new rowo 1 row on each edge of the bed

--------------------------------

--------------------------------o 1 row down the middle of the bed

-------------------------------- >------------------------------ --------------------------------


o Split each of these rows in the middle This gives you 5 rows

------------------------------------ >----------------------------------- ------------------------------------ >----------------------------------- -------------------------------------

o Split each row again in the middle to give 9 rows -------------------------------------------- >------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------- >------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------- >------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- >------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------

This technique works with odd numbers of rowso Try to plant in even numbers of rows

Even numbered row are eye-balledo Always start at the edge of the bedo Split rows until you have the desired number of rows

Jang Seedero Preferred seedero Uses rollers insideo Simple mechanism

Direct Seeding Carrots in a Greenhouse

No Audio Direct Seeding Arugula

No Audio Multiple Rows

No Audio Direct Seeding Pea Shoots

No Audio

Unit 02 - Transplanting

No Audio


Unit 03 - Nursery

No Video

Unit 04 - Microgreens

No Audio Production Module 05 - Irrigation

Unit 01 - When to Water

No Video

Unit 02 - Drip Systems

No Audio

Unit 03 - Overhead System

No Video

Unit 04 - Examples

No Video Production Module 06 - Pests + Weeding

Unit 01 - Identify Your Pests

Identify the main pest in your own geographic area Root Maggot

Affecto Radishes o Turnips

Can be avoided by not planting during gestational cycle Lays eggs on the leaves Larva falls to the ground and eats the produce

Aphids


Affect Kale and other produce Avoid their cycle by not planting when they are active No good way of mitigating them

Rats, Mice

Figure out what they are eating Avoid planting those crops in that area Cats will mitigate these pests

o Cats will move into and area and naturally help take of this problem Will eat turnips Love Sunflowers

Cats

Will dig up your beds Love freshly tilled beds Keep the soil wet to mitigate them You can create a sandbox for them to play in You can trap and remove them

Dogs

Will dig up beds Fencing is the best way to mitigate dogs

Carrot Rust Fly

Effects carrots Do not plant carrots when the fly is active

Figure out what the pest cycles are in your area

Contact local Ag Extension Office Ask local farmers

Unit 02 - Pest Prevention

Methods to prevent pests

Know the gestation cycle of insect pests Insect netting

o 80 gramo Used to mitigate Root Maggotso Cover the bed from seeding to harvesto Actually helps the crops grow

Keeps the crop cleano Cannot be used in very hot temperatures

Stresses the crops


Pest cycle is usually done by the time it gets too hot to useo Used on single bedso Spring clamps hold the fabric in placeo These items should be available from Johnny's Seeds

Protek Net 32" Square metal hoops

Use 4 per 25' bed Spring clamps

Placed on each corner of the bedo Very high quality

Can last up to 10 years Remay Gardening Cloth

o Used to keep quail from eating stems of field microgreenso Secure with 2"x4"s or rockso Curtis doesn't like it

Not high qualityo Insect netting is better

Apply using the same method as above Mammals

o Trapping is the best for Mice Rats Voles Only uses live traps

Allows trapping multiple animals at a time Only used when a problem is present

o Cats Keep the beds wet until the plants are established Use chicken wire on the sides of greenhouses to keep cats out when

the sides of the greenhouse are rolled up Use to attach it to the greenhouse frame

2"x4" Zip ties Metal wire

Unit 03 - Pest Mitigation

No Video

Unit 04 - Identify Your Weeds

Every geographic area has unique weeds


Research local weeds before taking on a plot of land Check with local Ag Extension Office Use Google

Try to avoid plots that have a lot of invasive weeds

Small amounts can be mitigated Rototilling can exacerbate an invasive weed problem Canadian Thistle

Very thorny Spreads through rhizomes

Field bind weed

Spreads quickly Goes deep underground Very difficult to get rid of

o Especially organicallyo Roundup is the only sure way

Deep rhizomes

Unit 05 - Weed Prevention

The goal is to not let weeds get established and go to seed. One of the big advantages of Urban Farming is less weed pressure.

The weed seeds get stuck in obstacles likeo Buildingso Fenceso Cracks

Initial weed mitigation protocol

Make a drawing of where the invasive weeds are in ploto Mark an invasive weed area with flags

Use a pitchfork to remove the weedso Be careful to remove as much of the weed and root structure as possible

Wet the plot with sprinklers for several days Tarp the plot for as long as 6 months Check with the original drawing Re-dig the invasive weed areas with a pitchfork

o Dig at least 8"-12" deep Rototill the plot


o Rototilling is still used to prepare a plot initially even when a no-till strategy is being employed

No-till/Stale Seed Bed is the #1 technique

Takes more prep time Saves time in the long run

No-till/Stale Seed Bed protocol

Fork the bed o Broad forko Pitch ford

Add soil amendments "Tilth" the beds

o Like a tiller, but only 1"-2" deepero Does not bring weed seed to the surface

Water the bed heavily Cover with a tarp

o Does not require an extremely heavy duty tarpo Actually prefers greenhouse poly

Encourages weeds to germinate Remove the tarp Fork out any weeds with taproots

o The flame weeder will not kill weeds with a taprooto Try not to disturb the soil too much and bring up new weed seed

Flame weed the bedo Boils the weeds to deatho Does not harm the soilo Can be done even a few days after untarpping

Direct seed into the beds Plastic Mulch Technique

Uses Sunbelt landscape fabrico Thicko Woveno Breathableo 3' wideo Saves a huge amount of time

Used on the perimeter of all plots Used on bi-rotational crops

o Biofilm may be used insteado Requires no work until harvesto Need at least 6" centers for crops to be used

Use a 30" board to mark row and transplant placement


o Use a 1/4" drill to drill hole the proper distance apart on the board Use spray paint to mark the plant placement on the landscape fabric You can put holes in multiple pieces of fabric at a time Use a pole with a tomato paste can on the end to burn transplant holes in the

landscape fabric Use a propane torch to heat the can

o Alternatively, attach the can to the end of the torch and burn the holes Saves the time of heating up the can each time you burn a hole The torch can also be used to repair frayed fabric edges

The landscape fabric pieces can be reused from year to yearo Mark on the fabric

The size of the piece Size of planting center

6", 8", 10", etc. Use a small trowel to punch holes for head lettuce Using fabric saves about 50% of the water required by a bed Irrigation goes underneath the fabric

Tilling for fast growing crops is fine without using fabric

The crops outpace the weeds Biofilm

Non-GMO corn resin Fully compostable Certified organic Used for closely spaced transplants Used in conjunction with the Seed Bed Roller Used to cover the walkways too

o He may try the landscape fabric for walkways, since the rolls are marked in 1' increments

Do not use any other type of mulcheso They are much less efficient and require more labor

None of Curtis' landowners have complained about using fabric or biofilm

Flame Weeding No Audio

Unit 06 - Weed Mitigation

Weed Mitigation = Weeding Weeding is unpaid labor

The return is hard to quantify


Tasks with quantifiable returns Planting Harvesting Marketing

You can never have a completely weed free bed The goal is to prevent weeds from going to seed Always bring a stirrup hoe with you to your plots Curtis only spends 4-8 hours a season weeding Stirrup hoeing a walkway only takes a minute

Good for newly germinated weeds Landscape fabric all plot perimeters Hand weeding is the most effective since it removes the complete weed Use a pitchfork to tease out a complete weed, roots and all Stirrup Hoe (walkway and rows)

No Audio Weed Whacker (perimeters)

No Audio Hand Weed (in bed)

No Audio Hand Weeding Chard

No Audio Hand Weeding Kale

No Audio Forking

No Audio Raking

No Audio


Production Module 07 - Harvesting

Unit 01 - Harvesting Principles

No Video

Unit 02 - Harvesting Methods

No Audio

Production Module 08 - Processing

Unit 01 - Processing Principles

No Video

Unit 02 - Processing Methods

No Video

Production Module 09 - Season Extension

Unit 01 - Season Extension Principles

No Video

Unit 02 - Season Extension Methods

No Audio on Video

Unit 03 - Overwintering

Overwintering can be used to extend the current season Up until around Christmas in Curtis' climate

Overwintering is used to get a jump on next season

Overwintered crops can be harvested in late winter or early spring


Video 1 No Audio on Video

Overwintered Carrots

For early spring harvest Planted in August Grow until mid-September

o Almost mature DTM 70-90 Sit dormant over the winter If planted too early they will go to seed

o Will also have hairy roots Biennial plant

o Goes to seed after the first winter Optimal time to harvest is mid-March Harvest with a pitchfork

Video 3

Crops grown in low poly-tunnels up until Christmaso Swiss Chardo Multiple varieties of Radisheso Sold over the winter

Overwintered Cropso Spinach

Can grow during the colder months Able to harvest 1st or 2nd week of March Planted first week of October

This allows 4 weeks for it to get establishedo Carrotso Lettuce

When small will handle very cold temperatures Larger lettuce plants will freeze Can harvest as early as January 20th

Video 4

Kale does better uncovered if there isn't too much snow Start transplants the 2nd week of July Transplant first week of August Harvesting Kale

o Harvest kale from the bottom upo Remove any bad leaveso Remove and gather leaves into a buncho Place into tote


Production Module 10 - Graduation

Unit 01 - Wrapping Up

No Video


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