February 1, 2004

By Erika Jensen A van full of flowers; a market in Milwaukee ready for fresh, local flowers; 10 flower growers willing to work with each other and committed to sustainable growing techniques – that’s what makes Fair Field Flower LLC what it is. During 2002 our group organized, eventually incorporating as a limited liability company. […]

By Carl Benson I collect waste vegetable oil (wvo) from two local diners. These two places are preferred because they filter their used fry oil and store it in the plastic 5-gallon containers the vegetable oil originally came in. It is easy for me to pick up these containers on a weekly basis in the

According to the National Organic Program, certified organic growers must use organic seed “unless commercially unavailable.” Organic seed is much more widely available this year than previously. Most of the seed companies advertising in this issue of Growing for Market carry at least some organic varieties, and we encourage you to call for a catalog

Grower describes how he grows and markets 1,000 bunches a week   By Andy Griffin Basil, if you believe what is written in books of herb lore, is as good for attracting lovers as it is for warding off flies. Steeped a bit in hot water,basil makes an excellent herbal tisane with curative properties. And,

A small tuber called crosnes (pronounced crones) is gaining momentum among upscale restaurants, according to a report in the February/March issue of Mother Earth News. Crosnes, which are reportedly sold for up to $40 a pound, are easy to grow but they are a labor-intensive crop that must be harvested by hand. Also known as

You have no doubt heard of companion planting as a method of reducing pest insects on vegetable plants. For years, it has been thought that certain aromatic plants repelled insects and should be planted around susceptible plants. British researchers recently put these beliefs to the test, with results that those who hate to weed will

Wild multiflora roses, once considered a nuisance in orchards, are now being planted around apple, pear and cherry orchards in Washington and Oregon in a new Integrated Pest Management strategy to combat leafrollers. Scientists discovered that wild roses and strawberries provided overwintering sites for another type of leafroller, the strawberry leafroller, which in turn provides

One of the first books ever written about gardening in America was recently released in paperback, after being out of print for 150 years. The American Gardener was written by William Cobbett, an Englishman and the most powerful political writer of his day, who fled to America in 1817 to escape certain imprisonment over his

By Brett Grohsgal Many of today’s market farmers are “start-ups”. We didn’t inherit well-chosen farmland, we didn’t grow up with livestock chores or tractor work, we didn’t have intimacy with cultivated earth as one of our deepest relationships. Start-ups have to buy or rent land to plant even a single large market crop.  Vital questions