A small farm.. where to start?

[Paddy]

I would go for a small rototiller for the tractor.

Then I would plan out the garden site to be maintenance friendly. Consider raised beds for some items, especially perennials like asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, etc. and herbs. Make other raised beds wide enough for the rototiller. Some raised beds could be set up for plastic covers for early starts. Grass could be planted between the beds for easy maintenance. Plan a few other areas for general growing. On the overall plan keep the height of produce and shading in mind.

Several items to note. Make sure the garden plot is smooth. Don't expect great results for the first several years. Consider size and what happens to the end product.

Also have the soil tested and adjust as required.

And do have fun and tickle your palate with some fresh cooked vegetables.

Egon made a point that I always thought to be a good one. Leave grass between rows/sections. I don't understand tilling an entire field only to fight weeds between rows. Every time it rains, you have MUD. Also, you water and fertilize those weeds!

think of this option; Have rows placed such that you can cut the grass between them, say 5-6'. You can do this by plowing ONE pass every 6-8 feet. Follow with a walk behind tiller to break it up. This will give you about 18" to 24" of plantable area with a clean, walkable grass "sidewalk" in between. You will only Fertilize and water this small area. Dedicate rows to certain crops. For example; I install cheep farm fence 2 feet above the ground on treated posts for tomatoes. This allows for me to work the soil a bit. But once you make this row, no need to till again! Plant your tomatoes every two feet. Train them up the fence. Every few years, I throw some more manure on. I do the same for snow peas, just a smaller fence. Leave the fence in place at the end of the year. The next season, weed wack and stray growth and plant again. Green beans can be planted in this type of arrangment as well. Just scater your seed in that 18" to 24" row. You will be able to reach from either side and the tight planting will help suport each other.

For corn, you need a nice patch. Have you ever noticed, corn is kinda wimpy at the edge of the field? Takes a nice sized patch. Time your crops. It make no sence to have all your green beens/corn coming on at the same time. Plant rows/plots two weeks apart. this way you will have a long season for each crop.

Lastly, grow the right vegies! Know your local market. here in Indiana, tomatoes are $1 a pound from farm stands. Local grocery stores only cary those terible cormecial grown tomatoes. real tomatoes are a real treat and comand good prices. Corn on the other hand, sells real cheep. trucks well so it comes in from all over the country all year round. Potatoes are the lowest price because its all done by machines, so skip it!

Grow basil! It grows like a weed and needs little attension. Has not date issues, as long as it's on the stalk, shes good to go. Tomatoes/corn/beans have a very short peak time.

Grow Oragon Sugar Snap peas, (editable pods). These love cool rainy climates and sell for $3.50 a lb!

Prep what you can this year and get started, expand your patches each year. because remember, you won't be tilling last years effort again!

 

[Steverino]

I install cheep farm fence 2 feet above the ground on treated posts for tomatoes.

Paddy, I was always under the impression that pressure treated posts, if that is what you are referring to, were not to be used in proximity to vegetables grown for consumption. The reason being, that the combination of copper, chromium, and arsenic metal salts leach out into the soil and are taken up by the plants thereby poisoning the consumer. Just thought I would mention this for safety sake.

 

[thingy]

The reason you till between rows is cause the weeds take over the **** garden if you don't,,,I always make furrows,plant my stuff in these furrows which are tiller width apart or more,,,till,than hoe the corn or beans or cabbage or what ever,,after plants get growing good and depending on plant maybe halfway grown, you can than let the weeds grow,,,other wise my garden won't be nothing but a weed patch come mid summer with weeds taller than me,even tall enough to shade plants,,lotta places for bad bugs to hide too,,,,plus weeds need water to and compete with your vegitables for water. This is the way people have grown gardens for 300 years or more,,,before ground fabric and drip irrigation tubes.
That is another way many grow vegitables,,hills,irrigation tubing laid on those hills that drip out water,and ground fabric of some source over it,,than they plant the vegitables in holes in that fabric,,,that stops weeds,,,but many of us can't do that,I got well water,,can't be watering my garden in the dry summer,its on its own,,,
I have raised or help raise a garden since I was old enough to walk,,my grandparents taught me,,,tried and true methods generally work,,,not saying there might not be another way,,but some of us even today can't do that,,,not enough water,,not the right equipment,,they make a hiller/ground cover putter oner machine,,seen it on tv,,,it hills,lays down irigation tubing and covers with ground fabric all in one pass,,[well kinda],,but many thousand dollars,,,course a new water well and pump and one of those machines would be even more of a tax write off! thing