Project Overview
FNE03-491
Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2003: $7,735.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2004
Matching Non-Federal Funds: $2,185.00
Region: Northeast
State: Vermont
Project Leader:
Jon Satz
Wood's Market Garden
Commodities
- Vegetables: sweet corn
Practices
- Crop Production: organic fertilizers
- Education and Training: farmer to farmer, on-farm/ranch research
- Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns, marketing management, agricultural finance
- Pest Management: biological control, botanical pesticides, cultural control, integrated pest management, physical control, cultivation, row covers (for pests)
- Production Systems: general crop production
- Soil Management: soil analysis, organic matter
Proposal summary:
Early sweet corn brings early-season cash flow, but there are also obstacles such as cold spells, the extra labor and farm waste involved in using plastic mulches, and the added weed pressure that comes with row covers. The farmer will see if transplanting plugs is viable in early corn production, and specifically whether there are certain transplant characteristics that support a good crop. He will plant three acres of transplants and then work to identify the most economically feasible method of growing early sweet corn from transplants without using plastic mulches or herbicides. Outreach will be through growers’ consortiums and an extension newsletter.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.