HOW TO GROW LETTUCE IN THE SUMMER (WITH VIDEO).

Lettuce is a crop that is pretty much desired year-round by customers and farmers alike. And if you live anywhere near a place that gets as hot as Kentucky in the Summer for two or three months straight (in a mild year) then you need a good plan for growing summer lettuce.So whether it’s just for yourself or for your customers I thought in this week’s video I would lay out how we grow summer lettuce on our (fairly) Southern farm. Then, in the Fall we’ll follow up with a winter lettuce video so you can strive to have lettuce year-round. Because honestly, whether it’s with beets in the Fall, grilled asparagus in the Spring, or tomatoes in the Summer, there is no time where salad doesn’t hit the spot, amIright?Anyway, below is my rundown for how to grow summer lettuce in case you need to reference this (and because I almost inevitably forget details when I’m shooting these videos). I also wrote an article for Growing for Market last summer about growing summer lettuce that referenced the three growers I mentioned in the video—Ray Tyler of Rose Creek Farms, Erich Schultz Steadfast Farm, and Elliot Seldner of Fair Share Farm. All of these guys grow great summer greens in fairly extreme environments—TN, AZ, and NC, respectively—so check em out.Selecting seedYour first line of defense against summer heat is going to be the seed you purchase. Lettuce needs to be specifically adapted to the intense heat of summer to really survive well. I recommend some in the video, but you will have to experiment in your own situation, program, soil, and market to find what works best for you. Look for the heat tolerant varieties in your seed catalogs, and try a handful. Also consider trying some Salanova, which is both heat and cold hardy, making it an ideal “lettuce mix” to consistently offer year round to restaurants who will come to appreciate (but also expect) the product that consistency.Seed Propagation vs. Direct SeedingLettuce seed has a quality called “thermal dormancy”. This is when the seed gets too hot or cold it won’t even try to germinate. That temperature is really anything over 80 degrees, which is what the soil can get to in the summer. Preferably temps would float around 65 Fahrenheit. This, for the most part (excluding the example I give in the video) is why you will have to transplant your lettuce into soil mix where you control the temperature to keep it going consistently all summer. Of course, that “you can control the temperature” part is important. Lettuce won’t germinate in a hot greenhouse any more readily than in the field so you will have to find a cool place to germinate the lettuce in the hotter periods. We will set the trays in a cooler overnight and let them sit in our covered garage until we see the first signs of germ. After that we move them IMMEDIATELY to a greenhouse with row cover draped over to avoid legginess. The row cover removes just enough of the sun’s intensity to allow for good growth.Hardening Off Grow your seedlings out until large and robust, but do not just jam them into the soil that way (let me learn that lesson for you). You will need to harden them off in the sun for a couple days. Most growers like Ray Tyler (whom I get a lot of good info from and who just offered this short ebook) recommend taking them out in the morning before a sunny day and allowing them direct sunlight. Mist them all day long, at least twice per hour. This will adapt them to the sun so when they hit the field, they are prepared and do not just melt.Shade ClothWe do not use synthetic shade cloth at the moment because we just haven’t needed it yet, but it’s worth considering planting your transplants under shade for the first week or so after transplanting especially in very high volume (hundreds of pounds per week) or very low (a couple for heads for the family). We use other crops—celery, chard, corn, etc.—to do the shading, but this work is still in its infancy so I am not certain I recommend it yet. Also, it requires a certain level of improv that most commercial growers won’t (and probably shouldn’t) be comfortable with. Try it if you can, otherwise consider planting under shade of some form. Preferably in the 30 percent or less range to avoid over leginess.Transplanting and Landscape Fabric Because rot and weeds can be an issue in the summer (especially in the South) a lot of farmers transplant their crops into landscape fabric. Nothing wrong with this. Though it may increase soil temperature, it will also help retain moisture. Either way, when transplanting make sure the soil is cool. I like late evenings or early mornings for planting. If the soil is still warm, considering prepping your transplant holes then watering them well before transplanting. It is always best for the soil to be moist when transplanting.Overhead Irrigation and MistingSeveral times a day I will turn on our overhead irrigation and lightly mist the lettuce at all stages for about five minutes. This creates a sort of evaporative cooling that will cool the plants down and thus reduce bitterness and increase the lifespan of your lettuce. This would work best in conjunction with drip irrigation. For ourselves, we water heavily at night so the roots have plenty of water through hot days. Drip would be better, and keep the roots cooler, but we’re not there yet. Automate all of this to keep it efficient if on a large scale.Harvest Early A.M.To increase shelf life and reduce bitterness, you must harvest your lettuce early in the morning, preferably before sun up. Nothing special here, just get up early and go fast.Cool Down Very Fast Even if you’re harvesting early, in the summer (at least in Kentucky), it can be 75 or 80 degrees out. So getting that warm lettuce chilled quickly is going to be key. I recommend either using very cold water in your wash tubs (if you have to wash it, that is), or simply sticking it in a covered tote into your fridge or cooler until chilled. Shelf life is everything—for customers or for the family, all the above work to get hot weather lettuce should not go to waste by only lasting a few days. Good lettuce, even in the summer, should have at least a 7 to 10 day shelf life.Let me know if you have any questions and please subscribe to our channel. Also consider joining the “Year Round Lettuce Production In Challenging Environments” Facebook group started by Ray Tyler and Michael Kilpatrick if you really want to up your summer lettuce skills!-Jesse

SOIL BLOCK BREAKDOWN.

 Had we never interned at Bugtussle Farm, I don't know that we would have ever tried soil blocks. Beyond Eliot Coleman and a few others, most farmers decry this seed propagation method as too slow, too much soil used, too cumbersome.We, however, seven years in, see it differently. And I thought I'd just do a little breakdown of what we've found using soil blocks––per an (always appreciated) request in our comments section––and why we still do. But first, some dispelling.SPEEDSlow is the word people often associate with soil block making. And though we've admittedly never used any other method on anywhere near the scale we use soil blocks, one soil block tray of 50 or 84 blocks takes me about 90 seconds (minus seeding which depends on seed size, color and shape). Give or take.  4" blocks, maybe take less. And that's with regular hand held block makers ––more efficient ones exist or are coming out. Is that slow? Hard to imagine cell trays going a whole lot faster (though let me know if I'm wrong!). Of course, when you first start out, it may be slower. No, it definitely will be. You will try and make every block perfectly crisp. You will try and clean the block makers of dirt before releasing the blocks. If you can push beyond that, however, get a block looking at least three quarters good––AKA good enough for a seed to approve of––that's all you need.CRUMBLYIf you have trouble with crumbly blocks, two things may have occurred. First, the soil may not have been properly prepared or moistened. I prefer too wet of a soil over too dry (explained below) for this reason. Second, you may have tried to transplant the block before the seedling took root––generally around first true leaves. Once roots are established in the block, they will more or less hold it together. You may lose soil here or there in transplanting, but it's no big deal. Throw it in the garden, or stir into unused mix.TOO MUCH SOILIndeed, you will use a lot of soil with soil blocks. But think of soil block trays as portable gardens. When these gardens exit your greenhouse and go into your field, not only are you transplanting a crop, but all of that soil, that garden, as well. By that logic, we have added roughly 1 1/2 tons of soil mix to our 3/4 acre garden so far this year from soil blocks. That's a lot of bonus organic matter!HOW TO USE:Start with a well-prepared soil mix. This can be purchased from a compost company like Vermont Compost or Johnny's or simply made at home. For us, our recipe is: one, 3-cubic yard bag of peat moss (or like substance), 20 gallons sifted sand, 10 gallons sifted compost plus 10 gallons sifted soil or old compost. We then add 4 cups blood meal for nitrogen, 4 cups lime, 2 cups rock phosphate (or other organic phosphorous source), 2 cups green sand (or similar potassium) and occasionally crushed egg shells for calcium when potting up tomatoes and peppers. (This is essentially Eliot Coleman's recipe). All ingredients should be mixed well, of course, and it seems to perform better when left to "marry" for a few months, so make in fall or winter when possible. (Four of these mixes will usually get us through the spring.) Next we wet the soil to a consistency where it is not quite puddling or muddy, but is definitely wet. It should drip but not run––you'll figure that out with practice. We then pack it into the maker and form our blocks. Don't worry about perfect blocks. Just make sure they hold together. To help with that, depress the soil block maker against the tray to compact the block a little before releasing the blocks. Then we seed, cover in accordance with the seed size (larger seeds like cucurbits generally like to be fully covered, whereas smaller seeds like lettuce can just be lightly covered––we simply pinch soil from the side of the blocks, no extra needed) and place in shade or greenhouse.GENERAL TIPS:Use a wheel barrow or similarly sturdy container so you can utilize the edges for pressing the soil in. Soft containers will bend and flex, eventually breaking. Make sure it's at a good height for you––don't break your back bending over. Dip your soil block maker in water after every blocking or two to rinse. This will help keep the blocks sliding out smoothly. If the mix gets too wet, add more dry mix and stop dipping until back to good consistency. Do not leave block makers out. They will rust and become more ornery over time. Always rinse and place somewhere dry and warm for longevity.WHERE TO PURCHASE:We have only used the soil block makers from Johnny's, though we are fully satisfied. Others exist, but I cannot comment on their efficacy. We have also made our own four inch makers out of old plastic pots––good for a small scale garden, but won't last long. Additionally, our block makers are all the small-handled versions, though we hope to step up to the long-handled makers one day to save on back strain. Johnny's is also, I believe, working on a maker that will produce an entire tray at once, which could drastically improve the speed.If you have any questions, additions, or comments, leave them below! We also made THIS video last month of potting up peppers for reference.-Jesse. 

SO YOU WANT TO BE A FARMER.

It is not uncommon (or unwelcome) for Hannah and me to receive a note from some young couple or individual looking to start a small farm like ours, or looking to homestead. They like what we're doing and are wondering if we have any advice for how to get started. We usually take our time in responding to these notes because we love helping people get back to the land, because each and every situation is different, and because just telling people to "go for it" is irresponsible. Some people have kids, some already have land, some have debt––everyone's story is unique. However, there are some common themes in our answers that are consistent throughout, and we thought we'd share a few.First things first, you should ask yourself why in the world do you want to be a farmer?If you're looking at farming as a way to make a lot of money, be careful. Not that there's not a lot of money to be made in farming, but it takes time and work and a great deal of cash flow (hopefully spread out over several years) to get to the point in which you can call farming lucrative. Famed farmer Joel Salatin*, for example, who has been farming his whole life, definitely makes a lot of money. But he also owns his land. He owns his tools, his tractors, his fencing, livestock, and a lifetime of farming knowhow. In other words, although he no doubt pulls in a good income, he is not starting from scratch like most of the people who contact us. He worked up to it. If you want to farm because you enjoy nature, because you want to do something satisfying and meaningful, and because you want to live simply and make a living doing so, that's not a bad place to start. Farms have infinite potential, it just usually takes a few years to dig it out. As our mentor Eric says, and as I will unabashedly quote many times in my life: "Anything worthwhile takes time and work." If you're looking to make money, be prepared to have to spend a lot of time and money first.Are you in debt?Hannah and I were blessed to come out of our early twenties relatively debt free. Obviously not everyone who wants to be a farmer is so lucky. Although you could probably start a farm with a significant debt––no doubt, it has been done––farms take a while to get going and internships are usually not paid (which we'll discuss presently). At very least, you'll want to save as much money as possible so that while you don't have much of an income, you can still pay your bills. Or, if you can work two jobs for a year and get entirely out of debt, as much as that may not sound exciting, you would be starting out at a much greater advantage than you would with debt. Maybe make that second job in carpentry or landscaping––two skills that would suit you well on the farm.Can you work hard?This is not meant as a pejorative. Literally, are you physically capable of working hard? Are you willing to work hard––maybe harder than you've ever worked, all day long, so long as the sun is up, and sometimes when it's down? Yes, farming is about feeding people and taking care of the land, etc. etc. etc., but in practice, farming is lifting heavy objects and moving them around. I don't wish to discourage anyone here––farming was extremely hard on me at first while I built the muscle––but one must understand that most forms of farming are physically relentless. Old or young, can you handle ten to twelve hour days in the hot sun pulling, pushing, lifting and moving stuff around sometimes seven days a week? Of course, you don't have to be in shape yet, just willing and able to get in shape, which leads us to the next question:Are you willing to intern?We cannot say enough about our internships at Bugtussle. We have several farming friends who started out without an internship, and most are fine. But like any career, it's good to have a mentor and to have experience before you strike out on your own. There is a lot to know about farming––from the financial side to the simple tools required––and an internship, although typically unpaid, is a great place to get that information. If you've never farmed before, like we hadn't, it's like learning a new language. And the best way to learn any new language is immersion. Plus, an internship will definitely get you in shape to farm. Although we don't yet offer an internship on our farm, there are plenty of truly amazing farms that do. Also, consider locking into one farm, at least for your first year interning. Visiting a bunch of farms for your education may sound like, and be a lot of, fun, but you're going to get the best education by finding a farm doing something similar to what you want to do, and staying put for six, eight, or twelve months. Or a couple years. Before you go buy land, go study your craft. Too many young farmers find themselves overwhelmed and out of business due to lack of experience. You can learn farming through books––and like I said, some of my favorite farmer friends have––but muscle memory is the best memory. Not to belabor the point, but most educations cost tens of thousands of dollars whereas an internship is generally free, if not paid. At least consider an internship, or "apprenticeship" if you prefer the word, before considering a career in farming. Hannah and I now live on the land where we interned, if that tells you how big of an impact it had on our lives and career.Do you have land already?And is it going anywhere? If the land is in your family and it's yours whenever you want it, great! Again, do an internship if you've never farmed before, and wait until you're ready to take over the land. If you don't own land, perhaps wait until you feel confident in your farming skills to buy land. You may start out thinking you'd like to farm vegetables, say, but might discover through your internship or through visiting some farms you are more fond of growing mushrooms in the woods, or raising dairy goats, beef cattle, or turkeys. Or maybe you'll save yourself a lot of time and money and find farming is not for you. Every type of farming requires a different type of land. Having a mentor and an idea of what you want to focus on will help you find your farm. Obviously, people buy land whimsically and survive just fine. But not everyone, and I doubt many of those who did would necessarily recommend going about it this way. Also, if you do not have a lot of money, consider renting the land first. But also make sure to protect yourself through some sort of personal, written and signed contract with the landowner. Trust us on that one.If you're considering a life in farming, hopefully that helps answer some of your questions or helps you ask a few new ones of yourself. And fellow farmers, please feel free to tell your personal story of how you got into farming, or add to our advice in the comments section.-Jesse*Joel's newest book, Fields of Farmers, is an excellent read for anyone considering interning/apprenticing or for any farmer thinking of taking on interns. Since reading it, we have recommended it to pretty much everyone we know, and we truly wish we had read it before heading out on our crazy first year of failed farming attempts.