My OperaHow to Start a Blueberry Farm - The Space, Soil and Water Requirements and Economics
Friday, April 6, 2012 2:02:24 PM
Just before starting expanding blueberries it is crucial that you have your soil tested by the regional extension service to discover what amendments might be essential. The soil for instance need to have a pH in between four.6 and five.one. Blueberry plants will not develop adequately unless the pH needs of the soil are met. Blueberries demand soils with great drainage and substantial natural matter. These two specifications can be met by adding organic matter to the soil and utilizing raised beds to make confident there is superior drainage. It is best to plant far more than one cultivar to guarantee good pollination and a continuous harvest of berries.
Also a supply of water for irrigation is a requirement to expand blueberries commercially. You can count on to be in a position to develop adequate blueberries on ten acres on suitable land the moment the plants have reached maturity make a livelihood. It is sensible to start with a small number of plants at 1st to go by way of a finding out curve before starting with greater numbers of plants. You ought to start out preparing you soil and killing weeds the year ahead of planting.
Machinery Wanted
Fixed machinery required contains sprayers, rotary mowers, wagons, tractors, hedgers, trucks, spreaders, mulchers, harrows and rotary tiller
The longevity of a properly managed blueberry field is 15 to 30 many years.
Establishing a blueberry planting needs a massive investment of time and funds. Based on a amount of assumptions, I estimate we spent establishment expenditures amounting to about $10,000 per acre receiving our plants rising. Prior to complete production is attained in Year 7, in 2010 dollars you could shell out properly over $150,000 in money to finance the establishment of a ten acre blueberry operation.
Typically blueberry plants attain full production in their 7th yr soon after planting. The initial yr there is no production, the second you can assume about 1500 pounds per acre and then it grows exponentially till they reach full production of all around 6000 pounds per acre. The size of the harvest depends on several aspects this kind of as the blueberry range, climate, problem of the soil, water availability etc. Obviously you can see that the initial 3 years are the toughest. You have manufactured a massive investment and won't see any considerable return on it till the fourth year right after planting.
Advertising and marketing
It is critical to decide the market prior to beginning a blueberry farm.
If you are inside about 40 miles of a huge population spot u-pick is an option to take into account.
Promoting at farmers markets and revenue straight to shops is yet another option.
You can offer your blueberries as part of a neighborhood supported agriculture technique (CSA). This can give you a normal and steady industry. It also offers an opportunity to construct a romantic relationship with your customers.
Harvesting
The three key procedures of harvesting are: 1) u-choose, two) Farm hand choosing and three) machine choosing. A u-select or farm hand picking is most sensible when first beginning out with only a little quantity of blueberry plants. It usually calls for at least 10 acres of blueberries ahead of machine selecting is expense powerful.
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Also a supply of water for irrigation is a requirement to expand blueberries commercially. You can count on to be in a position to develop adequate blueberries on ten acres on suitable land the moment the plants have reached maturity make a livelihood. It is sensible to start with a small number of plants at 1st to go by way of a finding out curve before starting with greater numbers of plants. You ought to start out preparing you soil and killing weeds the year ahead of planting.
Machinery Wanted
Fixed machinery required contains sprayers, rotary mowers, wagons, tractors, hedgers, trucks, spreaders, mulchers, harrows and rotary tiller
The longevity of a properly managed blueberry field is 15 to 30 many years.
Establishing a blueberry planting needs a massive investment of time and funds. Based on a amount of assumptions, I estimate we spent establishment expenditures amounting to about $10,000 per acre receiving our plants rising. Prior to complete production is attained in Year 7, in 2010 dollars you could shell out properly over $150,000 in money to finance the establishment of a ten acre blueberry operation.
Typically blueberry plants attain full production in their 7th yr soon after planting. The initial yr there is no production, the second you can assume about 1500 pounds per acre and then it grows exponentially till they reach full production of all around 6000 pounds per acre. The size of the harvest depends on several aspects this kind of as the blueberry range, climate, problem of the soil, water availability etc. Obviously you can see that the initial 3 years are the toughest. You have manufactured a massive investment and won't see any considerable return on it till the fourth year right after planting.
Advertising and marketing
It is critical to decide the market prior to beginning a blueberry farm.
If you are inside about 40 miles of a huge population spot u-pick is an option to take into account.
Promoting at farmers markets and revenue straight to shops is yet another option.
You can offer your blueberries as part of a neighborhood supported agriculture technique (CSA). This can give you a normal and steady industry. It also offers an opportunity to construct a romantic relationship with your customers.
Harvesting
The three key procedures of harvesting are: 1) u-choose, two) Farm hand choosing and three) machine choosing. A u-select or farm hand picking is most sensible when first beginning out with only a little quantity of blueberry plants. It usually calls for at least 10 acres of blueberries ahead of machine selecting is expense powerful.
succession planning, self managed super funds, retirement planning
