3/11/05

Greetings,

As I sit here in my office looking out at another snow shower it seems a little early to be thinking about pumpkins. But actually that’s about all I’ve been thinking of lately.

This year we are going to plant 39 varieties of pumpkins, 57 varieties of winter squash,  24 varieties of gourds, 5 varieties of ornamental corn and a mixture of broomcorn. 

Most of the pumpkins will be planted no-till into a wheat covercrop on ground that hasn’t been planted to a cucurbita family for 4 years. The no-till planting helps with the production of really clean pumpkins that hold up better at your market. Besides soil sampling, we also pull tissue samples on the young plants to look for micro-nutrient deficiencies. Last year I found a manganese deficiency and added the nutrient to the foliar sprays and this corrected the problem. The field is well drained and the soil has an organic material content of 4.6%.                                                                                                    

The pumpkins will be scouted at least 3 times a week for disease and insect problems. Every year we have a different set of problems to contend with. Last year with the cool weather in August Downy Mildew set in and had to be treated much earlier than normal.

The last 2 years our farm has been part of a study of growing systems for pumpkins by OSU. It was great having the pathologist, entomologist or IPM specialist out to the farm every week. One of the researchers, Stephanie Miller was working on biocontrol of the cucumber beetle. She found that a high percent of the beetles had been parasitized by tachinid flies and braconid wasps compared to other pumpkin farms. Nobody is sure why we have so many predators but they sure are welcome. OSU also tested a nematode that can be applied to the pumpkins that may be effective on beetles.

Our selection of rare, heirloom and commercial varieties of winter squash has expanded quite a bit this year. There is so much diversity, beauty, flavor and history in the cucurbit family, I believe that they can be even a greater profit generator for our markets.  It seems to me that people in SW Ohio are not eating enough squash. I have a recipe for Curry Corn and Winter Squash Soup that will cheer up any dreary day! I will be happy to share it with you.

I will be able to come out to your market just before Labor Day with samples.  Please let me know if you would like anything to decorate with then. Putting a few pumpkins and gourds out early will help get your customers in the mood for fall decorating. 

Pricing,

Pumpkins; we hope to have the same price as the last three years although fuel, seed and fertilizer are more expensive. We will have to add a small surcharge for deliveries under 2 tons. Most of our sales are bulk loads of 1-4 tons. If you prefer, bins on pallets can be loaded. Pumpkins can also be picked up at the farm for a discount; minimum for full wholesale price is 1 ton.

Winter Squash & Large Gourds; on large loads we will be happy to mix in a good percentage of squash and large gourds at no extra charge. For small orders there will be a small surcharge.

Small Squash and Gourds; will be sold by the count, usually 50 or 100 ea. We plan on putting in a wash line for small items and will be able to sell washed/waxed and unwashed.

Ornamental Corn; will be sold in bags of 60 with the price adjusted for quality or we can pull back the shucks or make bunches Scheduling; we will be adding another pickup and trailer to give us more options for delivery.  We know that timing of delivery is all important to the smooth functioning of your market.

Every fall we give away pumpkins to underprivileged children in for example; orphanages, head start or inner-city programs. They might not be #1 pumpkins but the kids sure appreciate them. If you know of any such groups, please let me know. 

All produce is guaranteed. If it rots or you feel that quality or variety is not what you expected we will replace it or return your money. We have researched storage problems and have a few ideas that can help.

If you have any questions please give me a call.

Sincerely,

Jon Branstrator

Marketing:

Pick up at the farm. Pick-up load minimum for wholesale. Delivery to your location, 2.5 ton minimum. Mileage charge. We can ship in bins. Gourds, small squash and corn by the bushel, or count.

We grow a great quantity of pie, jack-o-lantern, large and giant pumpkins. Many of the heirloom varieties are grown in small quantities. Let us know if you have any needs for unusual varieties.