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Green-seeds.com:
publications & research: articles
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Vegetarian Newsletter
A Vegetable Crops Extension Publication
University of Florida
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
Cooperative Extension Service
Vegetarian 00-02
A. So Youíre Thinking About Growing for the Restaurant Market?
1. Betty O'Toole, O'Toole's Herb Farm (growers' perspective)
Who we are:
 About 10
years ago, they decided they wanted to go back to the family farm (150
years in the family), always liked herbs.
Didnít have an idea
of how much work was involved.
Spent 2 years preparing:
checked with Better Business Bureau, seed companies, herb growers, nurseries,
Extension agents, upscale restaurants (what they used, sources, organic?).
Found most restaurants
werenít using local sources.
Determined to make
it work.
Jim Wilson, Victory
Garden, Callaway South was best source of knowledge.
Became FOG (Florida
Organic Growers) certified before doing anything organic.
Had time to get ready
for organic herb production.
What we do:
No down
time (a good day is a rainy Sunday morning so only have to check the greenhouses,
no field work that day).
Fresh-cut retail and
potted plants.
Workshops in Fall
and Spring.
January is "slow time"
to inoculate Shiitake logs, and get ready for Spring production.
Spring is busiest
time, but work 7 days a week, 12 months a year. Cannot leave the farm
for a day without someone tending the crops.
Pulled in all directions,
but have a more positive cash flow than traditional cash crop farming.
How we
got there:
Unique
to each farmerís situation, but determined to make it work.
2. Keith Baxter, Owner & Chef, Kool Beanz Café (chefís perspective)
Opportunities:
Chef has to see, touch,
feel, taste
Chef has to be educated
about seasonality of supply
Restaurant people are
unique:
- extremely busy, work long hours
- transient
- some kitchen help is not trained/knowledgeable about products,
especially unique products such as herbs, etc.
- challenge is to educate & communicate with kitchen staff and
chefs, ex. Arugula and basil seasonality and supply.
Farmers:
- Bringing bags of expensive things that the chef canít use, just
show up, donít develop relationship, just expect chefs to buy product,
example squash blooms.
Talk with chef:
- show samples
- ask chef what he needs before you even plant (ex. restaurant customers
now ask for Kool & Krazy Greens)
- build a relationship
The reason Baxter continues
to buy from the OíTooles for the last five years is because:
- Consistent delivery, etc.
- Good product
- Timely
- This means a lot to Baxter and thatís why he is loyal to O'tooles
in spite of the competition.
Key = Balance between
knowing/deciding:
- What to grow
- How much you are capable of growing
- Finding someone to buy what you produce.
In closing:
- Jacksonville is growing, with top notch restaurants & chefs
probably looking for good product. Find the people who want it.
B. Alternative Hydroponic Systems & Specialty Crops Trials
(Producing crops out of normal season with alternative technology emphasis)
Bob Hochmuth , Multi-county Vegetable Extension Agent
(Field production emphasis)
Example: Difficulty in growing basil in February & lettuce in summer,
(trying to come up with alternative ways of producing crops out of normal
Florida season).
1. White Mulch, Late Season Lettuce Trial Results
- Rated bitterness (1-5) with 3 too bitter for normal sales, > 3 unacceptable
- Bitterness taste-tested at mid-June, 1999 harvest
- Results:
- Loose leaf types: Two Star only acceptable variety.
- Dark Green and Red varieties too bitter.
- Butter Crunch & Bibb types: Ermosa, Carmona, Red Rouge acceptable
varieties.
- Oakleaf types: Cerize (good), Salad Bowl (good), Red Salad Bowl
(o.k.).
- Romaine types: low bitterness but atypical growth habit, small
"button"
2. Ornamental Corn
- Too many pests to grow in Fall, canít compete with Northeast.
- Plant on plastic and drip in Spring, Calico and Fiesta better varieties
with 8 to 9 inch ears. (better yields, about 10,000 ears/acre at 50
cents/ear = potential gross revenue of $5,000/acre.
- Longer dry-down period during Spring, less pests, need to work
on storage pest management.
- Can sell stalks as well as ears.
3. Organic Production in Verticulture
- Pelletized composted poultry manure.
- Vertigro: manure in top container, rest of system automated drip
irrigation with plants in pearlite
Grow Bag culture
4. Conventional Production in Grow Bag System (Bradford County on-farm
trial):
- 12 month production - strawberries & leafy greens &
onions followed by Okra.
- Total revenue as much from leafy greens & okra as from strawberry
production.
5. NFREC - Suwannee Valley Tour:
To demonstrate organic, mulch, re-cycled gypsum, strawberry cultivars,
specialty cool season crops
C. Lei Lani Leon, NFREC - Suwannee Valley Lab Technician
(hydroponic& greenhouse alternative crops & systems emphasis)
1. Basil variety trial (Vertigro system)
- Italian long leaf, more stemmy.
- Genevive, more typical large Italian sweet basil
- Purple Ruffled, anise/licorice scent, will turn green when processed
- Mammoth, anise scent
- Genovese Compact, first choice for system, very leafy
- Osmund, floral scent
2. Basil profit projection
- Example of basil yields of about 8 ounces/plant, 16.5 pounds/tower
in a 16 week period potential of $135/tower during scarce fresh basil
period. (SVAREC 99-6 report has more information.)
3. Towers
- Thyme (normally slow grower) has taken off in this system.
Lettuces, new red varieties look great.
Potato Variety Trial Results, Hastings, Fla.,1999
One hundred and thirty
entries were evaluated in five trials at the Hastings-REC in 1999. The lines
were grouped by type and/or color. One of these trials is reported here.
The trial was grown
in an Ellzey fine sand composed of 90-95% sand, <2.5% clay, <5% silt,
<2% organic matter, and pH 6.8. The field was fumigated with 6 gal/A
in-the-row (40 in. row spacing) of Telone® II (1,3-D) on
December 10, 1998, and 20 lb/A of Temik® 15G (aldicarb) was
applied at planting on February 10, 1999. The crop was seep fertilized with
1200 lb/A of a 14-2-12 at planting and 700 lb/A of the same analysis fertilizer
on March 17. The crop was irrigated as needed. Variety treatments were replicated
four times in a randomized block design. Plots were single 15 ft long rows
with 22 seed pieces weighing 2-2.5 oz planted 8 inches apart. Lexone®
DF was applied at 1.25 lb/A for weed control on March 3. Pesticides applied
included Bravo Ultrex® (chlorothalonil) at 1.25 lb/A on April
2; Tattoo C® (50% propamocarb HCl + 50% chlorothalonil) at
37 oz/A on April 9; Manzate 200 DF® (mancozeb) at 1.5 lb/A
on April 15, 22, 29, and May 5; Dipel DF® plus Latron B 1956®
at 2.0 lb/A and 1.0 oz/A, respectively, on April 15, 22, 29, and May 5;
Dithane DF® (mancozeb) at 1.5 lb/A and Biobit HP®
(Bacillus thuringiensis) at 2.0 lb/A on May 12. Emergence counts were taken
March 9, 16, 23, and April 1. Plant senescence was rated with 1 = vigorous
and 10 = dead. The crop was harvested, washed, graded, sized, and weighed
June 1, (111 days after planting). Random samples of 15-20 "A-size" tubers
were taken for specific gravity determinations and tuber quality assessments.
Specific gravity was determined using the weight-in-air/weight-in-water
method. Appearance of tubers in a composite sample of each line was rated
using the NE 184 project rating scheme. Tuber skin color, texture, shape,
eye depth, and appearance were rated. Tubers were cut to examine for hollow
heart, internal necrosis, corky ring spot, and brown rot. For a complete
report, request Res. Rept. SAN 2000-11
Maranca, a relatively
small cream color potato, had the highest marketable yield with 461 cwt/acre
of which 78% were in the 1f to 2* inch size. Nine cream to yellow-flecked
potato lines were included in the trial and were the top 5 in yield. Saginaw
Gold was the only one in the top 5 with an appearance rating of good. There
were 16 red potato entries with Rideau, Chieftan, Red LaSoda (USDA), and
B1758-4 having the highest marketable yields. B 1758-4, B1145-2, B0817-4,
and Redsen had an appearance rating of good. Five white lines were included
in the trial with Sebago and LaChipper having the highest marketable yields,
but only poor to fair and fair, respectively, in appearance. Five purple
lines were evaluated (Table 1). B1529-1 had the highest
marketable yield, a good appearance, was moderately netted, mostly oblong,
and deep eyes.
| Table
1. Yield, size, specific gravity and general appearance data of
potato varieties in the red and yellow trial, Hastings, FL, 1999.
|
Variety
|
Yield (cwt/A)
No. 1z
|
% Size distribution
|
Specific gravity
|
Skin color
|
|
|
|
No. 1
|
B
|
1f -2*"
|
2* -3"
|
>3"
|
Culls
|
|
|
Maranca (cream)
|
461 ay
|
83
|
7
|
78
|
4
|
1
|
10
|
1.0415 t
|
Cream
|
Yukon Gold
|
392 b
|
93
|
2
|
73
|
20
|
0
|
5
|
1.0703 b
|
Buff
|
MSE149-5Y
|
385 b
|
93
|
3
|
67
|
26
|
0
|
4
|
1.0588 j-n
|
Cream
|
Saginaw Gold
|
349 bc
|
94
|
3
|
88
|
6
|
0
|
3
|
1.0665 c-f
|
Cream
|
Columbo
|
348 bc
|
85
|
5
|
79
|
6
|
0
|
10
|
1.0498 rs
|
Buff
|
Rideau (red)
|
338 cd
|
91
|
3
|
67
|
24
|
0
|
6
|
1.0553 n-w
|
Red
|
Chieftan
|
334 c-e
|
87
|
3
|
81
|
6
|
0
|
10
|
1.0563 m-o
|
Pink
|
Red LaSoda (USDA)
|
329 c-f
|
83
|
4
|
64
|
18
|
1
|
13
|
1.0525 p-r
|
Red
|
B1758-4
|
319 c-g
|
87
|
10
|
87
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
1.0605 h-l
|
Red
|
Sebago
|
315 c-h
|
89
|
3
|
62
|
25
|
0
|
10
|
1.0588 j-n
|
White
|
LaChipper
|
310 c-i
|
91
|
3
|
76
|
15
|
0
|
6
|
1.0633 e-h
|
White
|
B1758-3
|
308 c-i
|
86
|
9
|
84
|
2
|
0
|
5
|
1.0593 i-m
|
Red
|
Red LaSoda
|
301 d-i
|
91
|
4
|
81
|
10
|
0
|
5
|
1.0548 o-q
|
Red
|
Norland
|
301 d-i
|
91
|
3
|
85
|
6
|
0
|
6
|
1.0560 m-p
|
Red
|
B1425-9
|
296 d-i
|
81
|
11
|
77
|
4
|
0
|
8
|
1.0763 a
|
Cream
|
B1529-1 (purple)
|
294 d-i
|
85
|
8
|
82
|
3
|
0
|
7
|
1.0608 h-k
|
Purple
|
Sinora
|
291 e-j
|
88
|
11
|
88
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1.0673 b-d
|
Cream
|
B1751-5
|
291 e-j
|
79
|
7
|
65
|
14
|
0
|
14
|
1.0610 h-j
|
Cream
|
B0984-1
|
289 f-j
|
90
|
7
|
82
|
8
|
0
|
3
|
1.0630 f-h
|
Red
|
B1492-12
|
285 f-k
|
82
|
10
|
81
|
1
|
0
|
8
|
1.0625 f-i
|
Red
|
Penta
|
276 g-l
|
86
|
10
|
83
|
3
|
0
|
4
|
1.0573 k-o
|
White
|
Diamant
|
274 g-m
|
76
|
17
|
76
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
1.0648 d-g
|
Cream
|
B0967-11
|
272 h-m
|
82
|
7
|
82
|
0
|
0
|
11
|
1.0605 h-l
|
Purple
|
B1493-3
|
268 i-m
|
91
|
5
|
76
|
15
|
0
|
4
|
1.0673 b-d
|
Red
|
B1145-2
|
267 i-m
|
86
|
7
|
86
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
1.0540 o-q
|
Red
|
Cherry Red
|
266 i-m
|
91
|
6
|
90
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
1.0700 bc
|
Red
|
Super Red Norland
|
249 j-n
|
86
|
3
|
75
|
11
|
0
|
11
|
l.0800 s
|
Red
|
B1763-4
|
244 k-n
|
87
|
7
|
83
|
4
|
0
|
6
|
1.0668 b-e
|
Purple
|
B0852- 7
|
232 l-n
|
81
|
10
|
79
|
2
|
0
|
9
|
1.0693 bc
|
Purple
|
Superior
|
230 mn
|
90
|
7
|
90
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
1.0688 bc
|
White
|
B0817-4
|
218 no
|
88
|
9
|
86
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
1.0760 a
|
Red
|
B11022-3
|
184 op
|
75
|
20
|
74
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
1.0678 b-d
|
Red
|
Redsen
|
176 op
|
84
|
12
|
82
|
2
|
0
|
4
|
1.0585 j-n
|
Red
|
All Blue
|
171 p
|
63
|
34
|
63
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
1.0570 l-o
|
Purple
|
Appel
|
149 p
|
60
|
27
|
59
|
1
|
1
|
12
|
1.0523 qr
|
White
|
z No. 1 consists
of sizes 1f to >3" of marketable quality
y Mean separation in columns by Duncanís multiple range
test, 5% level.
|
(White and Weingartner, Acting Ctr. Dir. - Hastings REC, Vegetarian 00-02)
Book Review: Vegetable Gardening in Florida,
by Brent Rowell
The following is a review
of my book, Vegetable Gardening in Florida. The review was written by Brent
Rowell of the University of Kentucky in Lexington for the January-March,
2000 issue of HorTechnology, a publication of The American Society for Horticultural
Science.
The most important disclosure
of the review is that the book, Vegetable Gardening in Florida, would make
a useful reference not only in Florida, but for gardeners and gardener advisors
everywhere in the USA.
Vegetable Gardening
in Florida. James M. Stephens. 1999. The Univeristy Press of Florida, 15
NW 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079. 135 p. color photographs
and illustrations. softcover $15.95 + $4.00 shipping ISBN 0-8130-1674-6.
Working with commercial
vegetables and living far from the balmy subtropical realms of Florida,
I didnít respond over enthusiastically when asked to review Vegetable Gardening
in Florida by James M. Stephens. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that
95% or more of the information in the book is applicable to gardening in
general and that it was written by someone with a solid careerís worth of
commercial and gardening experience with vegetable crops.
Far from a chore, this
turned out to be an easy assignment as the book is very well written with
good quality color photographs and/or color artwork on every page. A lot
of thought went into the design of the book; it has just the right combination
of photographs, text, and white space to make it easy to use without patronizing
the reader.
The book assumes nothing
and is suitable for everyone from the beginner to the master gardener. Most
of the technical jargon has been eliminated or carefully explained. The
author even goes the extra mile in explaining some old garden terminology
that is often confusing to new gardeners. For example, he explains planting
in hills vs. rows and raised beds. This brings back memories of 25 years
ago as an undergraduate trying to fathom why planting in hills may never
involve raised mounds of earth.
Vegetable Gardening
in Florida is logically arranged into 15 chapters on gardening principles
and techniques followed by a long chapter with brief treatments of individual
vegetables, a mandatory chapter on herb production, and a final chapter
on harvesting, storage, and exhibiting produce. Specifics on yields, seed
requirements, variety selection, and Florida planting dates are conveniently
located in tables (Planting Guides) at the end of the book.
Together with the usual
gardening topics, readers will find chapters on Alternative Gardening, including
a brief treatment of organic gardening and a fairly detailed discussion
of hydroponic gardening.
Many topics of interest
to organic gardeners are also found in other chapters like Garden Insects
or Organic Matter which discuss the use of animal manures, cover crops,
and composting. I would have like to see more detailed information on the
use of trickle irrigation in the home garden. Many gardeners I know get
confused by our commercial trickle irrigation publications and would like
to have the (simple) plumbing laid out in detail. The only other suggestion
might be to include more of the newer disease-resistant commercial hybrids
in the table of recommended garden varieties.
All of the vegetables
weíre familiar with are included in the Individual Vegetable Crops section
plus many others may be limited to gardens in the tropics and subtropics.
Not many of us will be growing cassava, jicama, or malanga, for example;
on the other hand, most extension agents and specialists do get questions
about tropical vegetables from time to time, and the information provided
here should be helpful.
This is a far cry from
the black and white (can I say boring?) gardening extension publications
that many of us are accustomed to. This book should be out there competing
on the shelves with other high quality gardening books from major publishers.
It offers more good information than most and is certainly more bang for
the buck. There are important differences in this book and the popular competition.
This is a book you can trust. The information presented is solid, science-based,
and without the fluff and mythology often included at no extra charge in
popular books on vegetable gardening.
Vegetable Gardening
in Florida is highly recommended to the general public anywhere in the country
and especially to extension agents for reference of for use in their Master
Gardener programs.
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81/10B Ho Van Hue Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ward 9, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: +84 (8) 847 6901 - Fax: +84 (8) 844 1392 - Email: info@green-seeds.com
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