jimg.allentown
Well-known Member
Not to hijack the thread below, this is in answer to Bruce from Cam.'s statement below about seasons and produce.
Around southeastern PA, we have a number of Mennonite farmers and quite a few farmers' markets. There are also quite a few roadside stands selling locally grown produce.
As was stated, the earliest produce gets the highest prices. Tomatoes in June, early corn, cucumbers, and the like.
I stopped at one of the roadside stands last June. They had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some summer squash to sell. I looked at the tomatoes, and asked the cashier (a young Mennonite girl) where the tomatoes came from. She told me from their farm. I said it was too early for tomatoes. They just won't get ripe this early.
She told me in detail how they grew them. In a high tunnel greenhouse, they had installed underground piping to warm the ground. They had hung up lights above, and supplied plenty of fertilizer from the livestock along with drip irrigation. Quite a setup. They also had several vine crops trellised up off the ground that were loaded with cucumbers and squash. The inside was heated when necessary and ventilated when it got too warm.
Since they heated mostly with wood, the heat for this setup was just more hard work rather than expensive oil, natural gas, propane, or electric heating.
So, I bought some of the tomatoes. They were expensive. They tasted good. Not quite summer tomatoes, but very close!
This method of getting early or out of season produce is not practical on a large scale, but it can be done. Even near Peterborough, Ontario!
Around southeastern PA, we have a number of Mennonite farmers and quite a few farmers' markets. There are also quite a few roadside stands selling locally grown produce.
As was stated, the earliest produce gets the highest prices. Tomatoes in June, early corn, cucumbers, and the like.
I stopped at one of the roadside stands last June. They had lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and some summer squash to sell. I looked at the tomatoes, and asked the cashier (a young Mennonite girl) where the tomatoes came from. She told me from their farm. I said it was too early for tomatoes. They just won't get ripe this early.
She told me in detail how they grew them. In a high tunnel greenhouse, they had installed underground piping to warm the ground. They had hung up lights above, and supplied plenty of fertilizer from the livestock along with drip irrigation. Quite a setup. They also had several vine crops trellised up off the ground that were loaded with cucumbers and squash. The inside was heated when necessary and ventilated when it got too warm.
Since they heated mostly with wood, the heat for this setup was just more hard work rather than expensive oil, natural gas, propane, or electric heating.
So, I bought some of the tomatoes. They were expensive. They tasted good. Not quite summer tomatoes, but very close!
This method of getting early or out of season produce is not practical on a large scale, but it can be done. Even near Peterborough, Ontario!
