Popcorn patch for the October market

April 1: Spread compost and till when soil is dry enough

May 12: Disc or harrow to remove weeds

May 25: Disc or harrow again to remove weeds, plant popcorn, cover with netting

June 25: Cultivate

July 25: Cultivate, hill

September 1: Design and print labels

August 25 - September 25: Harvest popcorn, braid, dry

October 1: Display in store

Cover crop version:

April 1: Spread compost and till when soil is dry enough; seed clover/grass mixture
May 12: Mow clover/grass mixture; strip till rows for corn, leave soil exposed to warm
May 25: Till strips again, mow, plant popcorn, cover with netting
June 25: Cultivate, mow paths
July 25: Cultivate, hill, mow paths
September 1: Design and print labels
August 25 - September 25: Harvest popcorn, braid, dry
October 1: Display in store

Corn patch instead of garden

Instead of planting a complex, homestead-scale, seed-saving staple-crop garden next year, I think I'll just plant corn.

Two to four types of corn, and make braids to sell in the October market.

This will streamline planting, cultivating, harvesting, and processing, and accomplishes three things:

1. I can learn how use the two-row planter, the cultivating bar, and the hiller (David will show me after-hours)


2. The garden will pay for itself this year, and also for a grain mill!


3. I will be able to focus entirely on one crop that really interests me right now: corn, and corn only

I could grow 1-2 varieties of popcorn (Tom Thumb and Dakota Black), a flour corn (Painted Mountain) and a flint corn (Cascade Ruby-Gold).

COSTS

Tom Thumb, Dakota Black, Painted Mountain, Cascade Ruby-Gold: $18-$25 apiece for half-pounds at High Mowing

Fertility: $200-300
Grain Mill: $250

Total Net (after mill): ~$400