Post on 16-Jul-2015
Successful winter farming
Michael KilpatrickKilpatrick Family Farm
Brief Historystarted in 2004, rototiller and strong backs
2005, first tractor, Super C and first high tunnel
2006, first year of CSA, 10 members
2009, 5 acres, 4 weekly markets
2011, CSA sales into Albany, CSA manager
2014, 50 tillable acres, 4 weekly markets, wholesale, CSA
Kilpatrick Family Farm today
12-15 acres in vegetables
25-30 Acres in Cover Crop
8 full time employees
1/3rd acre of Tunnels
3,000 yards of compost annually
4 Summer Markets
3 winter markets
• 6 properties,14 acres in crops, 25 in cover crop
• 8 full time employees during the summer
• 4 part-time employees during the winter
• 4 weekly summer markets/ 3 winter
• 210 CSA summer shares / 140 winter shares
• over 1/3 acre under tunnels
14’ profile
Income $450000+
Farmer’s MarketRestaurantCSA
21% gross profit margin
1/22/10 8:55 AM9778 State Route 22, Middle Granville, NY 12849 - Google Maps
Page 1 of 1http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=9…2849&ll=42.747012,-74.256592&spn=10.937574,23.181152&z=6&pw=2
Address 9778 State Route 22Middle Granville, NY 12849
©2009 Google - Map data ©2009 Google, Tele Atlas -
We are in Middle Granville, NY - an hour north of Albany, NY Zone 4b
Mini tunnels
Our Different Tunnels
Hoophouse
Transplant House
High Tunnels
Mini-Tunnel Crops
• Kale and Swiss Chard
• Late Greens
• overwintered onions
Disadvantages of hoophouses
Snow!
Transplant House
• all transplants on farm are started here in this 17’ x 48’ house
• air and bench heat
• Note germination chamber on right
• hose on wire and pulleys
• benches are covered with several layers of rowcover at night to retain heat
Haygrove
51
14 K 14 K
58 K
Area of hoophouses 28,000 cubic ft
Area of high tunnel 58,000 cubic ft
Tunnel Size
205% more area in High tunnel
Heated VS Unheated
overhead wateringtakes the headache
out oftripping
over pipeson the soil
surface.
Rondo Mini Sprinkler
Planning your winter growing
Growth rates
0
5
10
15
20
1/1 2/1 3/1 4/1 5/1 6/1 7/1 8/1 9/1 10/1 11/1 12/1
Outdoors Greenhoue
Online Sales tracking
ITem Number crop variety Days Seed date plant date container Company
Have seed
?
Seeds ordered
seeds
per cel
l
Plants/
Seeds
needed
Field bed feet
rows
per bed
2120 Artichoke Imperial Star 3/1 5/16 20 row> 3" JSS 1 250 450 12015g Arugula Astro 2/8 JSS Y Tomato house 3 50 52015g Arugula Astro 3/1 JSS y Haygrove 3 100 42015g Arugula Astro 4/4 JSS Y lb TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 4/11 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 4/18 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 4/25 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 5/2 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 5/9 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 5/16 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 5/23 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 5/30 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 6/6 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 6/13 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 6/20 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 6/27 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 7/4 JSS Y GR 4 25 42015g Arugula Astro 7/11 JSS Y GR 4 25 42015g Arugula Astro 7/18 JSS Y GR 4 25 42015g Arugula Astro 7/25 JSS Y GR 4 25 42015g Arugula Astro 8/1 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 8/8 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 8/15 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 8/22 JSS Y TW 25 42015g Arugula Astro 8/29 JSS Y Bottom 100 122015g Arugula Astro 9/5 JSS Y Bottom 100 122015g Arugula Astro 9/12 JSS Y Bottom 150 123021BO Arugula Ice-Bred 9/17 FS oz Bottom 200 123021BO Arugula Ice-Bred 9/22 FS Bottom 200 123021BO Arugula Ice-Bred 9/26 FS Bottom 200 123021BO Arugula Ice-Bred 10/1 FS Haygrove 4 50 12
master farm sheet
3/1 3/15 4/1 4/15 5/1 5/15 6/1 6/15
BED 1 strawberries 1st half/
strawberries 1st half
strawberries 1st half/lettuce mix/mesclun xx
strawberries 1st half/lettuce mix/mesclun
strawberries 1st half/lettuce mix/mesclun
strawberries 1st half/lettuce mix/mesclun
strawberries 1st half/lettuce mix/mesclun
basil
BED 2 transplanted turnips and radishes- radishes in center of bedxx
transplanted turnips and radishes- radishes in center of bed
transplanted turnips and radishes- radishes in center of bed
transplanted turnips and radishes- radishes in center of bed
Tomatoes in center of bed turnips finishing up on edges
Tomatoes in center of bed turnips finishing up on edges
tomatoes tomatoes
BED 3 Arugula/mesclunxx
Arugula/mesclun
Arugula/mesclun
beans beans beans/ cukes in center of bed
beans/ cukes in center of bed
beans/ cukes in center of bed
BED 4 Swiss chard, mustards, pac choi, hon tsai tai xx
Swiss chard, mustards, pac choi, hon tsai tai
Swiss chard, mustards, pac choi, hon tsai tai
Swiss chard, mustards, pac choi, hon tsai tai
peppers peppers peppers peppers
Haygrove 2011
Haukuri Turnips
Haukuri Turnips
Radishes
Radishes
tomatoes
Greens
Greens
Greens
Greens
InterplantingSwiss Chard
Boc Choi
OverplantingOnions
Micromix
664 Radish Rover 2/7 2/28 JSS 3 3600 1200 200 3 Haygrove 2 2
2015g Arugula Astro 3/1 JSS y 100 4 Haygrove 3 brassica30.0
1C Mesclun, GreenhouseMixed 28 3/1 0 16000.0 100 8 Haygrove 3 brassica20.0
702 Swiss Chard, Greenhouseruby red 3/1 JSS 0 3600 50 6 Haygrove 2 beet 12
706 Turnip Hakuri 1/24 3/1 200 sp JSS 4 3200 800 200 2 Haygrove 2 2
Greens, GreenhouseMixed 45 1/24 3/7 200 speedling Haygrove 4
138 Greens, GreenhouseHon Tsai Tai 37 2/8 3/7 200 speedling 2 532 266.0 50 4 Haygrove 4 1.3
2460 Greens, GreenhouseBlack summer45 2/8 3/7 200 speedling 1 266 266.0 50 4 Haygrove 4 1.3
1C Mesclun, GreenhouseMustards 28 1/25 3/7 3 780 260.0 50 4 Haygrove 4 1.3
703D Swiss Chard Bright Lights 1/28 3/15 200 speedlingJSS 1 300 300 100 3 Hoophouse 1
664 Radish Rover 3/28 JSS 50 M 1 7200 7200 150 4 Bottom 9 radish 12
706 Turnip Hakuri 2/14 3/28 200 sp JSS 4 1600 400 50 4 Bottom 8 2
1B Lettuce, GreenhouseMixed 45 1/3 4/1 200 speedling 0 600.0 50 6 Mixed 2.0ITem
Number
crop variety DaysSeed
date
plant date
container Company
Have seed?
Seeds ordered
seeds per cell
Plants/
Seeds
needed
Plants
needed
bed feet
rows
per bed
Field Plate Seeds per FT
Venting
Venting
Several schools of thought-
Vent in the 50-60 degree range, keeps greenhouse dryer, no large temperature fluctuations.
Let the greenhouse heat up- plants respond more to the average temperature that the extremes.
Always vent- no disease or damping off
Peak vents for winter ventilation
Andre CantelmoHeron Pond Farm
Andre CantelmoHeron Pond Farm
Jon SatzWoods Market Garden
Jon SatzWoods Market Garden
Roll-Up Secured with Wiggle Wire
Jack ManixWalker Farm
Four Season Tools
90
Heating
Cordwood-Vermont Herb and Salad
Company
“We’d easily be using 1200 gallons of oil each month”
http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/CaseStudies.html
THE EXPERIMENT
Green Mountain Solar Project
Total Cost $43 K
January18 days
February23 days
March15 days
Days with Precipitation 2010
99
Pete JohnsonPete’s Greens
Headhouse w/ heater
Gre
enho
use
Gre
enho
use
Air return
Biochar + Heat
• James Madison University
• "Wayne Teel -" <teelws@jmu.edu
• Appalachian State University
• David Domermuth-<domermuthdh@appstate.edu>
• With our heat system we can raise the soil temp 3 degrees during the night
• The sun can raise the soil 5 degrees and the air 40 degrees on a mostly sunny day.
Winter growing is a sun driven system
30 vs 34 ft house
14 K 14 K
58 K
Area of hoophouses 28,000 cubic ft
Area of high tunnel 58,000 cubic ft
Acclimating Greens to Cold
0
7.5
15
22.5
30
October November December January
Heated, gradual drop Dangerous
Crop Specifics
Spinach
seed transplant
Location Type Sales date
9/1 raised field bedsbaby November
9/1 hoophouse full sizeFebruary
9/25 Haygrove baby December
10/10 High-tunnel baby December/January
10/6 11/6High-tunnel full sizeEmergency
Spinach Successions
seed transplant
Location Type Sales date
9/1 raised field bedsbaby November
9/1 hoophouse full sizeFebruary
9/25 Haygrove baby December
10/10 High-tunnel baby December/January
10/6 11/6High-tunnel full sizeEmergency
Spinach Successions
• Hoophouse spinach is seeded by September 1st
• fertilized and weeded 3 weeks later with soybean meal
• preferred Varieties are Space, Pigeon, Donkey
• Spinach makes around $300,000 an acre
seed transplant
Location Type Sales date
9/1 raised field bedsbaby November
9/1 hoophouse full sizeFebruary
9/25 Haygrove baby December
10/10 High-tunnel baby December/January
10/6 11/6High-tunnel full sizeEmergency
Spinach Successions
Seeded Baby Spinach
• Seeded by October 10th
• seeded at 30 seeds per ft with rows 9” apart
• Pigeon or Red Cardinal (for Christmas Spinach)
seed transplant
Location Type Sales date
9/1 raised field bedsbaby November
9/1 hoophouse full sizeFebruary
9/25 Haygrove baby December
10/10 High-tunnel baby December/January
10/6 11/6High-tunnel full sizeEmergency
Text
Spinach Successions
•Red Kitten or Red Cardinal
•Faster regrowth 4-5 cuttings during our growing season
•does bolt faster in the spring
•really good flavor!
Spinach trial
Flamingo Spinachfor bunching
Emperor (bunch or leaf)
Giant winterbig and floppy
Pigeonpersonal favorite
Favorite winter varieties
• Space
• Tyee
• Giant Winter
• Pigeon
• Racoon
Lettuce Mix
seed transplant Location Sales date
7/28 9/5 raised field November
8/10 9/27Haygrove December
9/25Direct unheated house January, February
10/5Direct unheated house March
1/10Direct high-tunnel April
Varieties• need Downy Mildew Tolerant (DMT)
varieties
• Johnnys 5 star mix (192) good place to start
• like sulu, concept, magenta, winter density
seed transplant Location Sales date
7/28 9/5 raised field November
8/10 9/27Haygrove December
9/25Direct unheated house January, February
10/5Direct unheated house March
1/10Direct high-tunnel April
seed transplant Location Sales date
7/28 9/5 raised field November
8/10 9/27Haygrove December
9/25Direct unheated house January, February
10/5Direct unheated house March
1/10Direct high-tunnel April
Lettuce Mix
• Lettony
• Sulu
• spock
• Gaviotta
• Bolsachica
• DMR mix
Salanova
Seeded August 10th
Mesclun
• Seeded around 30 of September
• start harvest mid November
• will cover with mini tunnels before snow for harvest until christmas
SL
0
30
60
90
120
1 2 3 4
Growth in March
1/10-20 20%
10/23 34%
10/15 20%
10/6 15%
9/27 10%
Seeding mesclun for a consistent supply
we’re finding that 4-5 inches is best for row spacing
Tokyo Bekana
Yukina Sav
Yukina Savoy
Komatsuna
Boc
Boc choi, Red and Green
Mustards
Braising greens
Pictures courtesy of Johnnys Seeds
Arugula
Preventing Steminess
Overwintered trial
Kale
Variety seed transplant
Location
Fall Kale Jul 5, 2011 8/4Field
Baby field kale September 15-30 Field
Greenhouse Kale Aug 4, 2011 9/1High tunnel
Variety seed transplant
Location
Fall Kale Jul 5, 2011 8/4Field
Baby field kale September 15-30 Field
Greenhouse Kale Aug 4, 2011 9/1High tunnel
Variety seed transplant
Location
Fall Kale Jul 5, 2011 8/4Field
Baby field kale September 15-30 Field
Greenhouse Kale Aug 4, 2011 9/1High tunnel
Microgreens
Days to harvest
Variety seed transplant Location
Bright Lights 8/1 Field/mini-houses
Bright Lights 8/10 10/13 High tunnel
Bright Lights 8/10 10/28 High tunnel
Fordhook giant 9/10 high tunnel
Swiss Chard
Variety seed transplant Location
Bright Lights 8/20 field, cut and store
Bright Lights 8/10 10/13 High tunnel
Bright Lights 8/10 10/28 High tunnel
Fordhook giant 9/10 high tunnel
Swiss Chard
Variety seed transplant Location
Bright Lights 8/1 Field/mini-houses
Bright Lights 8/10 10/13 High tunnel
Bright Lights 8/10 10/28 High tunnel
Fordhook giant 9/10 high tunnel
Swiss Chard
Asian Greens
Savoy transplants ready to be transplanted
Variety seed transplant
Location
Pac choi 8/20 9/16 fieldPac choi 8/25 9/30 haygrove Brocolli Raab 9/9 10/21 haygrove Pac choi 9/9 10/15 high tunnelVitamin Green 9/9 10/15 High tunnelTokyo Bekana 9/9 10/15 High tunnelYukina savoy 9/9 10/15 High tunnelMix 1/15 2/20 Hoophouse
Variety seed transplant
Location
Pac choi 8/20 9/16 fieldPac choi 8/25 9/30 haygrove Brocolli Raab 9/9 10/21 haygrove Pac choi 9/9 10/15 high tunnelVitamin Green 9/9 10/15 High tunnelTokyo Bekana 9/9 10/15 High tunnelYukina savoy 9/9 10/15 High tunnelMix 1/15 2/20 Hoophouse
Variety seed transplant
Location
Pac choi 8/20 9/16 fieldPac choi 8/25 9/30 haygrove Brocolli Raab 9/9 10/21 haygrove Pac choi 9/9 10/15 high tunnelVitamin Green 9/9 10/15 High tunnelTokyo Bekana 9/9 10/15 High tunnelYukina savoy 9/9 10/15 High tunnelMix 1/15 2/20 Hoophouse
Other crops
Mini -Broccoli
Upland Cress
Sorrel
Maché
Turnips/radishes
• Member of the Crucifer family so appreciate high boron as well as steady moisture
• Hakurei turnip variety preferred during the summer and fall
• For radishes, Rover and Cherriette preferred.
Cover with mini-tunnel in the spring for up to 3 weeks earlier
Connect with us!
@michaelkilpatrick1
Kilpatrick Family Farmor
Michael Kilpatrick
www.kilpatrickfamilyfarm.com
www.michael-kilpatrick.com