Techincal Reviews

Sustainable Vegetable Production
from Start-up to Market
Vernon P. Grubinger

Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES), Ithaca, New York. 1999

This handbook is one of the best resources available on developing and managing a successful commercial vegetable farm. Many books and manuals have been published on how to grow specific vegetable crops; few cover the range of topics, issues and questions addressed in this book. It provides practical, how-to information on the interrelated systems that comprise a vegetable farm, and addresses the management of money, people, and natural resources.

The book was an outgrowth of a course taught by the author while on sabbatical leave at the University of Vermont. The primary audience for the book is the growing number of farmers who are pursuing a middle path between small-scale, organic production and large-scale, chemical-intensive farming. Many of these producers are managing moderate-sized operations and are interested in sustainable farming practices, using as few chemical inputs as possible, with an emphasis on direct marketing.

The book opens with a discussion of terminology and the different approaches to farming that have emerged over the last 20 to 30 years. The author distinguishes between sustainable agriculture, organic farming, and integrated crop management and stresses the importance of ecological, economic and social connections as a means to achieving a successful farm and business. Subsequent chapters provide information for beginning or aspiring vegetable farmers including how to set personal goals, evaluate enterprise ideas, obtain practical experience, locate a place to farm, and determine equipment needs. The fundamentals of managing a farm business and finding a market for the produce are also discussed. Together, the opening four chapters provide an important foundation and context for the remainder of the book which looks at production practices from soil preparation to harvest. Key topics covered include soil fertility management, on-farm composting, crop rotation, cover crops and green manures, tillage equipment and field preparation, seeds and transplants, irrigation and spraying systems, harvest and postharvest handling, season extension, and integrated pest management for insects, diseases, and weeds.

The final chapter of the book profiles the actual experiences of 18 vegetable growers from six different Northeast states. They are presented as “real-life examples of how farmers think about and deal with specific conditions.” Although the growing conditions and markets reflect the situation in the Northeastern U.S., much of the information included in these profiles will be of interest to growers in other locations. Brief enterprise budgets outlining the major costs and estimated revenue for a number of vegetable commodities are also provided.

Sustainable Vegetable Production from Start-up to Market is 265 pages, with 91 figures and 20 tables. It is available at a cost of $42 (plus shipping and handling) from the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES), (607) 255-7654, www.nraes.org. Request publication NRAES-104.

The author has also produced a video with profiles on the alternative marketing strategies of seven different farming operations in the Northeast U.S. With segments on a farmers’ market, community supported agriculture, Internet sales, a U-pick operation, restaurant sales, and a wholesale cooperative, the video is an excellent companion to Sustainable Vegetable Production, providing additional details on marketing that are not included in the book. The video is available through the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Vermont, email: susagctr@zoo.uvm.edu.

For more information: V. Grubinger, University of Vermont, vernon.Grubinger@uvm.edu

DEC. 605
Contributed by David Chaney