Starting a Veggie Farm.. (Sweet Corn)

Oliver662011 · Jul 15, 2009

Hey everyone my 1949 Minne-Mo UTU is finally done, I will post pics. Anyhow I am going to take one of our fields and grow sweet corn. I have a lot of questions. I have general data that I have figured out.

The measurements are all data are the following: NOTE: All money amounts are with 100% yield, 90-95% is more practical. The plants will be in 30 inch center spaced 12 inches apart.

Length- 248 Ft
Width- 233 Ft
Number of Sq. Feet - 57,784
Number of Acres- 1.32
Number of Rows (Standard 30 Inch Centers)- 96 Rows
Number of Plants- 23,808
Number of Dozen Ears- 1,984
Gross Income ($4.00/Dozen)- $7,936

I am going to get my seed from Rupp, I am playing on Xtra-Sweet 272A.
Now for my questions,
1. About how much seed do I need? I am figuring about 18 LBS. What is your opinion?
2.What do I do about raccoons?
3.I am planing on using a 4 row planter, How many days should I separate my passes by?
4. Just what ever tips you guys may have.
Thanks, Mike

IaGary · Jul 15, 2009

Ohh if it were that easy???

First off don't expect a sellable ear from every seed.

Second how will you market it?

Third will you have the time to pick every morning to take to your customers or market?

Seed, fertilizer, and chemicals could cost $500 or more. Guy here that grows 30 acres makes 4 or trips with a sprayer to kill weeds and pests.He alos hires 6 or more kids to help pick and sell on street corners.

If you are going organic take more ears off your seed count.

Not trying to be negitive just saying if it was that easy to make that much off an acre we all would do it.

Gary

old · Jul 15, 2009

Yep I agree with Gary. AS he said if it was that easy a lot more of use would be doing it but doing something like that your lucky if you made $1000 profit. I know if it was that easy to make what your saying I would be doing that because that would bring my yearly income up by 50%

chrisinsoky · Jul 16, 2009

have you seen your local extension office?
is sweet corn the only thing you want to raise?
make sure you have it sold before you plant it
i put out 3 acres one year only to find out every
other farm was also sellin sweet corn

keh · Jul 16, 2009

For raccons: use electric fence. One strand 3-4 inches off the ground, a second strand 4 inches above the first. Put a 3rd strand about 4 feet high to keep deer out. Make gap in fence so you can get in and out easily.

Separate plantings by 1 or 2 weeks, probably 2 works better.

KEH

GordoSD · Jul 16, 2009

The item that is missing in this business plan is expenses. Seed, fertilizer, pesticide, electric fence, fuel,irrigation, labor, sales license, marketing costs, insurance.
You should think small for the first year, about 1/4 of this production and see how much you earn, how much you learn.

Gordo

Fergienewbee · Jul 16, 2009

Make sure to factor in a reduction in price once everyone"s corn hits the market. My BIL raises produce. My best advice, based on his success,is grow the best product you can. It"s like any other business---you need repeat customers.

One local corn seller picks all his corn at one time. Some isn"t ready, most is over ripe. Pick corn every day as it ripens. Make sure you have bags for customers to put corn in and a barrel if they decide to husk it on the spot. Make sure the sellers are polite and responsible. Good luck.

Larry in Michigan

kyhayman · Jul 16, 2009

Price is the biggest variable. Here, its pretty consistant to see 6 ears for $4.00 before the 4th of July down to 1.00 a dozen by the end of August. First of all, study your markets trends. If its a declining market like this one you have to get in early to make any money.

The successful people around here transplant their corn to hit the early market. Just cant get that many degree days in that early otherwise then typically make 2 plantings. They are done with July, just cant compete with Georgia corn. Usually the ones who are really on the ball plant cole crops after corn harvest. They say its mostly break even but it breaks up pests and pays for the P, K, and lime for the corn.

Rootsy · Jul 16, 2009

Sure you can use atrazine (triazine variants, etc), 2-4-D, Laudis, etc to take care of weeds but consider putting it out at 38 - 40 inches and cultivate it. That small a plot won't take much in the way of chemicals and cultivation is darn near cheaper except for your labor. Still going to have to apply warrior to later corn for ear worm prevention. People like chemical free vegetables...

You are planting a premium seed which is going to run you about $16 - $18 / lb or roughly 5 - $6 / 1000 seeds. Also figure starter (depends on your soil analysis) and at least 250 - 300 lbs of nitrogen / acre. Seed count depending upon variety is going to run 2500 - 3500 seeds / lb. Size may be a small flat or a medium round or anything in between. Depends on variety again.

You may want to look at 270A or 2171 if you want an early Xtra Tender SS... I plant the Xtra Tender series.. this year I am growing 2573 and Sweet Surprise. 73 and 75 day respectively but with the cool year more like 90 day corn...

First corn is going to sit in the ground and come on slow... second planting put it a week and a half to two weeks out... It'll come up and mature quicker... and after that a week to week and a half apart. Plant enough to cover what you project.

figure about 85% stand after germination and plant loss.

I buy sweet corn seed from Rupp, Siegers or Rispen.

Oliver662011 · Jul 17, 2009

I understand those numbers are not profit, I believe I stated gross income, that is the money flow in before expenses. Second I said that those kind of numbers are unlikely due to those are figured at 100% yield. I didn't really get to many answers. Thanks to the person about the racoons. I was told 150 gallons of 28 per acre, 250? Won't that burn the corn. I am starting small considering I have 120 acres to farm. 1 acre in my mind is a small start. I am not arguing with anything anyone said cause believe me its not hard to know more then I do

, I guess I am looking for more detailed answers on somethings. Thanks, Mike

Oliver662011 · Jul 17, 2009

(quoted from post at 03:03:26 07/17/09)
Sure you can use atrazine (triazine variants, etc), 2-4-D, Laudis, etc to take care of weeds but consider putting it out at 38 - 40 inches and cultivate it. That small a plot won't take much in the way of chemicals and cultivation is darn near cheaper except for your labor. Still going to have to apply warrior to later corn for ear worm prevention. People like chemical free vegetables...

You are planting a premium seed which is going to run you about $16 - $18 / lb or roughly 5 - $6 / 1000 seeds. Also figure starter (depends on your soil analysis) and at least 250 - 300 lbs of nitrogen / acre. Seed count depending upon variety is going to run 2500 - 3500 seeds / lb. Size may be a small flat or a medium round or anything in between. Depends on variety again.

You may want to look at 270A or 2171 if you want an early Xtra Tender SS... I plant the Xtra Tender series.. this year I am growing 2573 and Sweet Surprise. 73 and 75 day respectively but with the cool year more like 90 day corn...

First corn is going to sit in the ground and come on slow... second planting put it a week and a half to two weeks out... It'll come up and mature quicker... and after that a week to week and a half apart. Plant enough to cover what you project.

figure about 85% stand after germination and plant loss.

I buy sweet corn seed from Rupp, Siegers or Rispen.

I was planing on cultivating can't I just use regular 30 inch rows or is that to close together? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks, mike

Bruce from Can. · Jul 18, 2009

Raccoons just love fly bait and cola, they can get as far as 2 to 30 feet away depending on how much they lap up , and how strong the mix.

Rootsy · Jul 20, 2009

(quoted from post at 16:17:20 07/17/09)]
I was planing on cultivating can't I just use regular 30 inch rows or is that to close together? Sorry for all the questions. Thanks, mike

Sure you can... are you planning on mechanically harvesting though? If that is the case you need to make sure the variety you are growing can handle the abuse of that process...

if you are hand picking.. space it out so your harvesters can get down the rows easier.

28% is not applied onto the plant. it is injected into the ground or a small slot opened on the surface and it is dribbled in. You can also knife in NH3 if you don't want to use liquid... Or band on urea before irrigation or rain...

Sweet corn does better in irrigated situations... Especially if July / August tend to be dry where you are.

Figure 1600 dozen ears to an acre... Retail anywhere from $3 - $6 / dozen which depends drastically on location, timing, variety and quality.

Now imagine picking that, packing it, cooling it, trucking it, etc... BY YOURSELF...

There is no one set of rules and results.

Oliver662011 · Jul 20, 2009

I understand what your saying. I am handpicking. And another question. How do I harvest it? Do I use a old time corn knife and cut it off? Do I just rip it off? Also, Whats the best way to cool that many ears? Thanks, Mike

mudcat49 · Jul 23, 2009

How do you end up with a small fortune after growing sweet corn?
Answer: start with a big one!!!!
I guess if I ever hit the lottery I will use the money to grow Sweet Corn till it's all gone!( the money that is!)

Oliver662011 · Jul 23, 2009

I understand that I didn't include alot of information, and that I made it seem like nothing big or anything. And that those numbers are purely at 100% yield which isn't practical. Next time I will remember to ask a questino and not give the situation. I have gotten more negative feed back then help full information to help me learn on to farm it. I appreciate everyone who has given me useful information. Thanks, Mike

Rootsy · Jul 24, 2009

(quoted from post at 19:38:27 07/15/09) Hey everyone my 1949 Minne-Mo UTU is finally done, I will post pics. Anyhow I am going to take one of our fields and grow sweet corn. I have a lot of questions. I have general data that I have figured out.

The measurements are all data are the following: NOTE: All money amounts are with 100% yield, 90-95% is more practical. The plants will be in 30 inch center spaced 12 inches apart.

Length- 248 Ft
Width- 233 Ft
Number of Sq. Feet - 57,784
Number of Acres- 1.32
Number of Rows (Standard 30 Inch Centers)- 96 Rows
Number of Plants- 23,808
Number of Dozen Ears- 1,984
Gross Income ($4.00/Dozen)- $7,936

I am going to get my seed from Rupp, I am playing on Xtra-Sweet 272A.
Now for my questions,

[b:73e38f9cff]Why 272A specifically? Indulge me please[/b:73e38f9cff]

1. About how much seed do I need? I am figuring about 18 LBS. What is your opinion?

[b:73e38f9cff]As we discussed, it depends on the variety. Call Rupp and ask what the seed count / lb is for the variety you wish to plant. Easiest way to figure it out.[/b:73e38f9cff]

2.What do I do about raccoons?

[b:73e38f9cff]I run a trot line of live traps... plant more than I will harvest and sell to make up for coon loss... Some run electric fences... There is always the fly bait and mtn dew method...[/b:73e38f9cff]

3.I am planing on using a 4 row planter, How many days should I separate my passes by?

[b:73e38f9cff]If you plan to harvest and sell over time I seperate by a couple of weeks on the early plantings and as it warms up I put them in closer together... Week apart minimum. Amount per planting... You have to figure that out, it is your market no one elses...
[/b:73e38f9cff]

4. Just what ever tips you guys may have.

[b:73e38f9cff]ShQ's require heat, moisture, warm ground to get going... They go in shallow. Ear worms will kill a crop in August...

Weeds suck.

Get your applicators license

Plan to eat sweet corn and ramen for the first few years until you get established and develop a method to the madness. Get a few chickens so you have something else to eat besides sweet corn.[/b:73e38f9cff]

Thanks, Mike

Oliver662011 · Jul 24, 2009

Thank you very very much, I am a trapper, I was just wondering if there was any other ways besides trapping, but I can handle the trapping part. What is a applicators license? And, how do I store this much sweet corn? Thanks, Mike

Rootsy · Jul 24, 2009

Trick is getting it cooled once it comes out of the field. Lots of cold water... or ice... then a cooler.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 25, 2009

Sweet corn has to be picked fresh every day.planting has to be staggered,What will you do with a acre of sweet corn that is all ready on the same day.How much corn can you sell in 1 day?You can calculate every thing except how much the customer will buy.Super markets will beat the price down with trucked in dried up corn.Better plant a 1/4 acre and learn from that.

IaGary · Jul 27, 2009

You cannot store it more than about 4 or 5 days without it going bad. And it has to stored below 40 degrees to store it that long.

Spook · Jul 29, 2009

One guy near here grows several acres under plastic, that gets him an early crop. The early crop gets the most money.

Starting a Veggie Farm.. (Sweet Corn)

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