Listen to more episodes of Farm Small Farm Smart
This week I’ll pick up where last week left off with market gardener Ray Tyler of Rosecreek Farms.
While last week’s episode was more inspiration, this week’s more of the perspiration side of things as Ray talks about some of his production methods and big changes that he made turn go from grossing $35,000 in 2015 to $120,000 in 2016 on less land.
Ray’s going to go talk about some of the big changes that made that huge increase in gross sales possible.
He’ll also get into how he controls weeds on the farm, and how he established a market for his product early on given that he only lives in a town of 2000 people.
Today it’s all about production and sales, with Ray Tyler of Rosecreek Farms in Selmer, TN.
Notes from the conversation with Ray:
- Keys to turning it around:
- Shifting to BCS from ride on tractor.
- Getting rid of crops that they couldn’t grow well or sell.
- Getting control of their weeds.
- “Since my key system was broken, it would just be a matter of time and I would have a jungle of weeds again.”
- Weed control strategies:
- Tarps
- Landscape fabric
- Flame weeder
- “It’s either adding value to your customer or it’s not.”
- The Lean Farm by Ben Hartman
- The Greenhouse and Hoophouse Grower’s Handbook by Andrew Mefferd
- “Do you want to grow everything, or do you want to farm?”
- “If our customers are 1 or 2 hours away, we’re driving baby.”
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
Connect with Ray Tyler: