Salad Mix Production Specs

Tested Seed Varieties

Cool Season Mix: up to 6 cuttings per crop (4 on average)

Green salad bowl (oakleaf) Parris Island (green romaine) Red Salad Bowl (oakleaf) Outredgeous (red romaine) or

Rouge d'Hiver Mizuna (planted 5-6 days after the

lettuce due to faster growth)

Warm Season Mix: 2 cuttings per crop (at peak-heat, only a single cutting is possible) Green salad bowl or Tropicana (more

heat resistant) Jericho Red Sails Outredgeous We drop the mizuna in the summer

months

We purchase our seeds from Johnny’s (www.johnnyseeds.com); however, most of the above varieties are widely available and economical in bulk quantity.

Planting Tips We plant entire rows or beds of a single

variety, rather than mixing the seed before planting. We have found that some of the more desirable varieties are out-competed when the seeds are pre-mixed.

We use an Earthway seeder (4 seeders linked together with a common axel) which makes fast and accurate work of seeding.

Beds are 30’ wide with 4 rows per bed, spaced 6” apart. This allows for easier weeding between rows with a stirrup hoe. We keep similar varieties together – i.e., two rows each of green and red romaine are planted in one bed and two rows each of green and red oak leaf in a second bed. Three lines of drip tape per bed.

Four Earthway single seeders, linked together with a common axel.

PO Box 4647 | Charlottesville, VA 22905 farm (434) 286-2176 | warehouse (434) 244-3276

Last modified 4/19/2012 | Copyright 2012 www.localfoodhub.org

Mizuna is planted 5-6 days after the lettuce as it grows faster. We plant it in a separate row and put rowcover on it for flea beetle control.

Rowcover or a bilayer approach (with

rowcover on short hoops and taller hoops for a plastic layer) work well for season extension.

We have tried using shadecloth in the summer, but have found that the leaf quality is compromised; plants have thinner leaves and less vibrant color. It is better to do more frequent sowings that are only relied on for 1-2 cuttings and to irrigate frequently.

Frequency of sowing depends on the season. In the spring and fall, we sow new beds every 2-3 weeks. In the summer, we do weekly sowings.

Harvesting Tips We try to time our weeding for 2-3 days

before harvest; this makes the harvesting time much faster.

Ideal leaf size is 3-4" with 1” stubble left behind for re-growth.

Harvesting tools and containers should be sanitized before use. We harvest into plastic 5/8 bushel baskets (from Nolts Produce Supplies).

We have used both scissors and knives for harvesting, but have recently switched to a serrated, sickle-shaped, greens knife (from Johnny’s) that has allowed for much faster harvest times.

Harvest rotations are important and time length varies according to season. Under ideal weather conditions, a crop will re-grow in 1 week. In the winter or early spring, it may take 3-4 weeks for re-growth after a cutting. We will divide harvestable beds accordingly to ensure a constant supply.

Harvest in the cool of the day and keep buckets shaded. Process and cool as soon as possible.

100’ beds with 50:50 red and green varieties

Harvesting with serrated greens knife

PO Box 4647 | Charlottesville, VA 22905 farm (434) 286-2176 | warehouse (434) 244-3276

Last modified 4/19/2012 | Copyright 2012 www.localfoodhub.org

Processing Tips We dump leaves (equal parts of each variety)

into 100 gallon wash tubs (Rubbermaid livestock waterers) with approx 50 gallons of water treated with Sanidate. This is a good time to pick through leaves to remove grass/weeds etc. If leaves come out of the field relatively clean, one rinse cycle is sufficient. Sanidate does not require an extra rinse step, but other sanitizers (including chlorine) do require a clear water rinse.

A washing machine with agitator removed makes a good spinner as the leaves need to be fairly dry before bagging. You can also purchase commercial size salad spinners (from Johnny’s and elsewhere). Placing lettuce in large mesh dryer bags before spinning helps protect the leaves.

Mix is loaded into 2 mil gusseted bags (from Uline) and weighed out to 1.5 lbs. The 2 mil thickness is important as it provides more protection to the fragile leaves; a 1 mil bag will collapse on itself a bit.

Tie at top with a twist tie. Avoid leaf compression; there will only be about 1” bag above the twist tie.

4 bags upright fit into a bushel box. Store in cooler as soon as possible.

Leaves soaking in water; mix gently and remove grass, etc.

Sanidate with goat-throat pump

Washing machine with agitator removed

Hanging Scale measuring out 1.5 lb

PO Box 4647 | Charlottesville, VA 22905 farm (434) 286-2176 | warehouse (434) 244-3276

Last modified 4/19/2012 | Copyright 2012 www.localfoodhub.org

Metrics A 100’ bed (4 rows) will yield between

30–40lbs per cutting

Planting and maintenance of a 100’ bed over a 4 week period takes approximately 15-20 labor hours. This assumes are able to control weeds in a timely manner.

It takes approximately 12-15 labor hours to harvest, wash, and bag 100lbs of salad mix. Your return per labor hour increases with higher volumes.

Sources Seeds/Tools

Johnny’s Seeds www.johnnyseeds.com | Seed varieties Serrated, sickle-shaped greens knife

(item #9098, $9.25) Commercial size salad spinners

Nolts Produce Supplies 717-656-9764 | Plastic 5/8 bushel baskets

Seeders

Earthway http://www.earthway.com/products/garden-products/ | Single seeders (1001-B Precision Garden Seeder) that you can link together

yourself. Sutton Ag Enterprises 866-280-6229 http://www.suttonag.com/Earthway.html | |

Custom-built, multiple seeders.

Sanidate

Countryside Organics 888-699-7088 http://www.countrysideorganics.com/ | |

Seven Springs Farm 800-540-9181 http://www.7springsfarm.com/ | |

Packaging

Uline 800-295-5510 http://www.uline.com/ | | 2mil bags, model #S-123 (8x4x18 2mil gusseted bag); $64 for a case of 1000 ct.

Local Food Hub 434-244-3276 (warehouse) |

1 1/9 bushel waxed vegetable boxes; $26.25 for 15 boxes

Bagged and tied – the final product!