Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Nebraska tomato farm

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Cory A.

02-21-2006 14:38:00




Report to Moderator

We own an acreage near Wahoo Nebraska and we are thinking of planting tomatos. This seems more logical because we wouldn't be able to make any money off regular crops. Do we even have a fighting chance at making? Any help apperciated!
Thanks!




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Cory A.

02-22-2006 14:21:18




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 14:38:00  
Thanks for all the advice! We will look into these things before we make any decisions.

-Cory



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
John (MO)

02-22-2006 07:41:34




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 14:38:00  
I think for the most part, people figured out years and years ago what grows where best. Thus I don't think you really see too many commercial tomato farms in Nebraska. You have to have a market for any product, and the big markets are where the big producers are. That would be both good and bad for someone a long way from one of those major markets. I think it's obvious that you aren't going to have much luck if you have to load up your crop and truck it 3 states to sell it. On the other hand if you sell what you produce directly to the consumer, thus cutting out the profits of one or more middle men, then you could stand a chance of getting more profit per acre than someone who produces on a larger scale and has to sell through a major market. Tomatos would seem to be to be a very labor intensive crop. How many tomatos can one person take care of? How much is labor costs in your area? How much is it going to cost you to produce the number of acres of tomatos you are thinking of? Can you find a good market for all the tomatos you produce? These are all questions you need to know the answer to before you put your first seed into the dirt. A bank is going to require a business plan that answers these questions. Even if you don't need to get a bank loan to start this venture, you still need to know the answer to these questions. If you don't, you may not learn until it's too late that a particular venture has no chance of turning a profit. Every opperation is different and even if you know exactly the numbers for the farm next door doing exactly the same thing you want to do, your numbers could be way way different. In Missouri, we have university extension offices that can be a big help to producers looking at various crops and ideas. You need to find something simular to that in your area, where they deal specifically with your area. Good luck.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Cory A.

02-21-2006 19:49:37




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 14:38:00  
Right now we are sitting on 20 acres and looking at possibly purcahesing another 40. we would like to get a contract with a grocery store near us. The only thing that really worries me is water. We would have a little trouble trying to water all of the plants. Right now we aren't making any money off the land so i guess its worth a try. Thanks!



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
PhilcaseinWPa

02-22-2006 05:15:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 19:49:37  
Make your contacts with the grocery store before you plant your crop. In some areas the stores are hard to crack. A lot of the stores , particularly chains, only buy through their own warehouses. Independent grocerers are more receptive to locally grown produce. This is changing a little as the large stores are becoming more sensitive to the costomers' preference to local/ fresh items. If you can become certified organic it may help your marketing (doesn't make a difference to the tomato, only more difficult to control disease and pests). Tomatoes are labor intensive and labor costs money. If water is a concern then you may want to (should ) use plastic mulch and drip irrigation. To get the biggest yeild staking will definetly help. We plant tomatoes with the rows on 6 foot centers and the plants 2 foot apart. This gives about 12 square fot per plant or about 3600 plants per planted acre. We only grow about an acre and retail about 10 - 12000 lbs per year. the price we get averages $1+/lb. Wholesale prices are much lower during the glut season maybe 25 cents or less and you provide the containers and transportation. Also by retailing we can discount price our seconds and move some of those. If you send anything but good fruit to a grocery or wholesale market you won't have that market long.
So do your homework, check on markets, check on labor, check on equipment needed, check on supplies needed, check on fertilizers and chemicals needed, check on the time you have available, then recheck and pray for good weather.
Check with the extension service , Why even in Nebraska I bet they have some good information on raising tomatoes in your area. Sorry for the long post but I don't want you to leap without looking. It can be a long drop.
Phil

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Hugh MacKay

02-22-2006 05:30:15




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to PhilcaseinWPa, 02-22-2006 05:15:40  
Good advice Phil.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
J. Schwiebert

02-21-2006 17:44:43




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 14:38:00  
Is this on a small (less than a couple hundredscale) acres or are you looking for a contract with a cannery? Around here tomatoes are like everything else, this I guess was the third largest area for field proceessed tomatoes in the states and now there is only one major cannery left and it is not the Heinz, Hunts Campbells,and Libbys who were the major players 20 years ago with thousands of acres each. This area is little like what Hugh said of course it is just across the lake but there is used equipment here too isf you are in the market.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Nebraska Cowman

02-21-2006 14:58:04




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 14:38:00  
unless you go hydroponic and grow year around don't expect to make much. If you want to truck farm think variety, organic and health food. that's where the money is.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Hugh MacKay

02-21-2006 17:32:17




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 02-21-2006 14:58:04  
Cowman: Have to agree with you, I was down in Leamington last summer. (once known as the field tomato capital of Canada, longer season than NE.) (now the hydroponic tomato capital of Canada.) My garden tomatoes weren't yet ready that day. I asked where I could get some field ripened tomatoes. The guy told me, "you can't, there is no money in them, can't even begin to compete with hydroponic." I came away with no tomatoes, I would have paid more for vine ripened field tomatoes. The guy told me I was not a very large percentage of the population, and they wouldn't be growing any hoping I'd come back next year.

This guy did grow field tomatoes for the processing industry, they were bred and fed to ripen all the same day and harvested with machines, right into bulk trucks which dumped tham at the plant. I also see about a dozen auctions down there this spring, all farm dispersal sales and most having field tomato equipment. Not a good sign for anyone thinking of growing tomatoes.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Former gopher

02-21-2006 14:46:13




Report to Moderator
 Re: Nebraska tomato farm in reply to Cory A., 02-21-2006 14:38:00  
It seems like your options would be:
A. commercial production (to sell to whom? how big is your acreage?)
B. specialty production (for farmer's market, local restaurants, delivery to customers, roadside stand)

Both have risks, but starting small with the specialty idea might give some chance to develop a market. You might consider diversifying a bit too, depending on how much you know about growing vegetables.

Just some thoughts. Good luck

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy