On-Farm Commercial Vegetable Demonstration
Shane M. Bogle and Joseph G. Masabni, Department of Horticulture

Three on-farm commercial vegetable demonstration plots were conducted in Western Kentucky with funds provided by the Ag Development Board from the Phase I Tobacco Settlement, in order to attract tobacco growers to new opportunities such as commercial vegetable production. The growers/cooperators were located in Caldwell and Muhlenberg counties. In Caldwell County, one grower planted 0.7 acre of summer squash, another grower planted 0.1 acre of cantaloupe. In Muhlenberg County, the grower planted 0.62 acre of mixed vegetables (bell pepper, green bean, staked tomato, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, and cucumber). All growers came from a tobacco background and were looking for new and innovative ways to diversify their operation and supplement their tobacco income.

The growers were provided, free-of-charge, with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation lines and the use of UK Department of Horticulture field equipment for raised-bed preparation and transplanting. Soil fertility was tested at the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center (UKREC) and fertilizer was applied according to soil test results and recommendations. The growers bought their own transplants and provided labor for pesticide sprays and crop harvests. The drip irrigation system at all 3 locations used either well water or county water. We contributed weekly visits to each plot throughout the growing season to scout for diseases, answer grower’s concerns, and make recommendations. The county extension agents also worked closely with the growers. The agents were very helpful in scheduling, promoting, and coordinating field days at each location, during which the general public was invited to participate.

The squash demonstration plot was planted from seed with ‘Fortune’, ‘Liberator’, ‘Cougar’, and ‘Multipik’ varieties. Raised bed preparation, plant spacing, and drip irrigation installation were similar to that of tomatoes. Black plastic was used on half the beds while the other half was mulched with white plastic.

The cantaloupe demonstration plot was transplanted with ‘Athena’, ‘Eclipse’, ‘Ambrosia’, and ‘Superstar Burpee’ varieties. Cantaloupe was transplanted on 6-inch-high raised beds covered with black plastic mulch with drip lines under the plastic. Plants were spaced 24 inches apart in rows on a 6 ft centers.

Two varieties of tomato, ‘Mountain Delight’ and ‘Better Boy’, were transplanted on May 23, 2002. In-row spacing was 18 inches apart in 6-inch-high raised beds covered with black plastic with drip irrigation lines under the plastic. The raised beds were spaced 6 ft apart center to center. The tomatoes were staked and tied using the Florida weave system. The peppers were also transplanted into 6-inch-high raised beds spaced 6 ft apart center to center with plants spaced 12 inches apart in an offset manner in double rows 15 inches apart.

All plots were sprayed with appropriate fungicides and insecticides on an as-needed basis, and each cooperator followed a weekly fertigation schedule provided by the University of Kentucky.

The 2002 growing season was much like the previous two years, with a wet and cool spring and a hot and dry summer. Plastic was laid out the day of transplanting at all three locations with 100% plant survival through the first week.

The squash grower sold his entire crop through the Fairview Auction in Fairview, Kentucky, and was subject to major fluctuations in the sale price. In addition, sales receipts indicated no differences between squash plants grown on white or black plastic. The cantaloupe grower sold the majority of his crop to local grocery stores and the remainder to a local farmer's market. The grower who raised mixed vegetables sold his produce mostly through local farmer's markets and roadside stands, with some sales to grocery stores and restaurant contracts. The grower was able to achieve very high returns. However, the data does not reflect the loss of over 500 cantaloupes that could not be sold due to uneven ripening, attributed to poor varietal performance. Cost and returns data from the three demonstration plots are presented in Table 1.

In general, the biggest concern experienced by all growers throughout the season was weed pressure between the rows of plastic. Moreover, as nighttime temperatures dropped and day-length shortened later in the season, tomato maturity slowed and growers could not meet the market’s demand of high-quality produce. With high disease and insect infestation due to the wet and cool spring, all three growers sprayed pesticides extensively to keep disease pressure at a manageable level. On a personal note, we are pleased to learn that all three growers had a positive experience this year and plan to expand their operations next year. As a result, we plan to recruit more tobacco growers for next year.

Table 1. Costs and returns of three commercial vegetable demonstration plots in Kentucky, 2002.

^a Water from well at no cost to the grower.
^b Includes hired labor and unpaid family labor.
^c A 10% commission to the auction house is factored in.
^d Dollar return / dollar input = Income / total expenses.

* Adjusted values include the theoretical dollar return / dollar input if the grower were to pay for black plastic ($125/acre) and drip irrigation ($140/acre), see numbers between parentheses.