Something Delicious

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Sun

Brava Sachita! Beautiful work.

What is the temperature inside of this greenhouse? How awesome that you can grow tropical fruit. A banana tree too. Wow.

I love that you have the land to do this. Whenever I visit a good farm I find it very hard to leave, there is that core earth connected aspect of self that has always wanted to live and work on a farm.

What a great life, thank you for sharing some of it with us!

Have you ever grown Avocado? I have an interest in farming Avocado in CA as a long term investment. There is always a shortage of US grown Avocado especially this time of year. This seems like a great cottage industry to me.

This was just a cold frame. During the winter I can only grow winter greens. Theres actually quite a lot you can grow. If the temp drops below 20 degrees, which rarely happens here I may put a few barn heaters just to keep the chill at bay, but during the day I have to open the doors on each end or it can get pretty warm in there.

Yes, I'm from Florida so I grew and sold lots. I think that organic avocados is a good investment. In CA you have less moisture so your citrus and avocados are more dense, taste different.

My BIG greenhouse there is an older video below. (that is my voice btw)I had quite a hit one year and lost quite a few tropical fruit trees but I'm working on the greenhouse over the winter and looking to create more aquaponics and hydroponics. Because its so costly to cover it with the solar poly we want to use next (Solexx for anyone in the know) we are carefully looking into affordable ways to fully operate this huge ass greenhouse.

But I do know quite a bit about growing tropical fruit trees in containers if anyone needs helps. I am especially knowledgeable at growing citrus. In the video you'll also see true curry leaf which is very sought after for cooking, however now its been proven to have huge health benefits. I will definitely be bumping that project up. I started growing and selling goji berry plants and did awesome this last season.

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Sachita

This was just a cold frame. During the winter I can only grow winter greens. Theres actually quite a lot you can grow. If the temp drops below 20 degrees, which rarely happens here I may put a few barn heaters just to keep the chill at bay, but during the day I have to open the doors on each end or it can get pretty warm in there.

Yes, I'm from Florida so I grew and sold lots. I think that organic avocados is a good investment. In CA you have less moisture so your citrus and avocados are more dense, taste different.

My BIG greenhouse there is an older video below. (that is my voice btw)I had quite a hit one year and lost quite a few tropical fruit trees but I'm working on the greenhouse over the winter and looking to create more aquaponics and hydroponics. Because its so costly to cover it with the solar poly we want to use next (Solexx for anyone in the know) we are carefully looking into affordable ways to fully operate this huge ass greenhouse.

But I do know quite a bit about growing tropical fruit trees in containers if anyone needs helps. I am especially knowledgeable at growing citrus. In the video you'll also see true curry leaf which is very sought after for cooking, however now its been proven to have huge health benefits. I will definitely be bumping that project up. I started growing and selling goji berry plants and did awesome this last season.

Awesome. It would be wonderful if people could learn from you and start growing in a cold frame in colder climates.

I love tropical fruits it would be amazing to grow them well. We have mixed results in Nor Cal even though I am in a hot dry climate there. Irrigation is a challenge so we never get the results that you all would get in FL.

Wow curry leaf sounds like a smart thing to grow.

I am definitely going to keep you posted on the Avocado farming project. That is a future-cast but it makes sense, the land in the central valley is cheap as hell, farmers have bailed out and the demand for the crop is crazy. Almond farmers in the same region cant grow them fast enough and are shipping to the middle east. There are a few crops that are insanely sought after and in this economy it makes sense to look at that imo. There ar a few varieties of Avocado that I like that take 7 years to mature.

Your FL Avocaodo's are awesome too, creamier. You are right, different taste.

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Sun

Awesome. It would be wonderful if people could learn from you and start growing in a cold frame in colder climates.

I love tropical fruits it would be amazing to grow them well. We have mixed results in Nor Cal even though I am in a hot dry climate there. Irrigation is a challenge so we never get the results that you all would get in FL.

Wow curry leaf sounds like a smart thing to grow.

I am definitely going to keep you posted on the Avocado farming project. That is a future-cast but it makes sense, the land in the central valley is cheap as hell, farmers have bailed out and the demand for the crop is crazy. Almond farmers in the same region cant grow them fast enough and are shipping to the middle east. There are a few crops that are insanely sought after and in this economy it makes sense to look at that imo. There ar a few varieties of Avocado that I like that take 7 years to mature.

Your FL Avocaodo's are awesome too, creamier. You are right, different taste.

we have a growing and preserving thread here. Lots of good stuff. If you're into cooking then it only makes sense to grow. I can grow anything anywhere and so can almost anyone. Once I grew greens in my basement and when it comes to herbs under lights, super easy.

The key withe avocados or any fruit, for that matter, is to purchase a grafted tree. So really it doesnt take 7 years. It will produce in a 3 gallon container the first year but you'll have one or two bending the tree. So realistically you'll wait 5 years, with proper care and pruning, you'll start to harvest a nice crop from a grove. Today there are companies selling mature fruit trees that are 3-5 years old. You just have to find one close to you and be prepared to spend a few hundred per tree but its worth it. The first year you plant there will be shock but after that you're sailing. I'm happy to help any way I can, including the best way to market your plants or harvest.

[Sachita]

I love tacos. I use bison. Damn I'm stuff but now I'm thinking about tacos.

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Sachita

I love tacos. I use bison. Damn I'm stuff but now I'm thinking about tacos.

Cant tell you how much I love a good taco. A friend of mine is killing it in AZ with her Taco's getting rave reviews all over the nation for her southern Mexican food that she gives a unique spin.

Check her out -

NBC Latino - Chef Spotlight: Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza on pushing the envelope

Silvana is badass

[Sun]

Originally Posted by Sachita

we have a growing and preserving thread here. Lots of good stuff. If you're into cooking then it only makes sense to grow. I can grow anything anywhere and so can almost anyone. Once I grew greens in my basement and when it comes to herbs under lights, super easy.

The key withe avocados or any fruit, for that matter, is to purchase a grafted tree. So really it doesnt take 7 years. It will produce in a 3 gallon container the first year but you'll have one or two bending the tree. So realistically you'll wait 5 years, with proper care and pruning, you'll start to harvest a nice crop from a grove. Today there are companies selling mature fruit trees that are 3-5 years old. You just have to find one close to you and be prepared to spend a few hundred per tree but its worth it. The first year you plant there will be shock but after that you're sailing. I'm happy to help any way I can, including the best way to market your plants or harvest.

Awesome thank you! You are a Goddess send. By March I am going to start visiting some of the land that is available in the central valley and get a better sense of what is out there. Prices may never be this low again. I will definitely keep you posted and if you plan to visit CA in the spring or summer let me know I can show you around some of the farms.

If you have a source for mature fruit trees can you hook me up? I may as well start budgeting in that direction. Makes more sense.

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by Sun

Awesome thank you! You are a Goddess send. By March I am going to start visiting some of the land that is available in the central valley and get a better sense of what is out there. Prices may never be this low again. I will definitely keep you posted and if you plan to visit CA in the spring or summer let me know I can show you around some of the farms.

If you have a source for mature fruit trees can you hook me up? I may as well start budgeting in that direction. Makes more sense.

I don't really know anyone in that region but it can't be too hard. Why don't you look up orchard in your area and volunteer to work on your days off. When I wanted to learn fish farming I did that. It was the hardest job I ever done and although I want to raise fish for myself I knew that wasn't the business for me.

When you look at your farm business model you need to factor in everything including the cost of land. Taxes in CA are very high. Also look and see what kind of benefits the state offers growers. You may want to consider going over the state line and bringing your produce into CA. Also check out a site http://rodaleinstitute.org/home for helpful organic info and market studies.

I don't think I'll be out that way but thank you. We have so many farms in this region and I donate part of my time helping them with marketing and new products.