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If state Extension budgets shrink or disappear, how will that affect your livelihood?
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Ag Is Grappling With Some Big Issues
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There’s a lot going on in the world of agriculture right now. USDA just published its 2007 Census of Agriculture, California is facing the worst water crisis in its history, state budgets are in the tank and federal stimulus money is on its way.
How much any of this stuff will affect agriculture – or, more specifically, vegetable growers – in the long run remains to be seen. Vegetable Growers News and Fruit Growers News will be exploring these issues in depth, however. Keep an eye out for the April issues.
Growers, I have a question: How many of you wish you could grow crops in another part of the country? Do those of you out East envy the lack of humidity and pests out West? Do Western growers envy the East’s abundance of water? Have you ever said to yourself, “Boy, if I grew (insert crop name) in (insert state name), I would have it made”?
Well, there’s at least one grower out there who’s never thought that. See the Q&A below to find out more.
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Daniel Kuhn
Owner, Depot Market
This month, I corresponded with Daniel Kuhn, owner of Depot Market, a farm and retail market in Courtland, Kan. He grows watermelon, specialty pumpkins and squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, hoop-house tomatoes and spinach.
Have prices for your crops or other products been up or down lately? If they’ve been up, have higher input costs (fuel, fertilizer, etc.) put a dent in those gains?
Prices in 2008 were up significantly – however, in 2009 I think prices will stay the same or drop on the commodities we raise. Although prices were higher, the increased input costs made for similar profits as 2007.
Are you planning to make any big changes this year (new varieties, expanded acreage, new buildings, equipment, etc.)?
We are planning on some modest increases this year in crop acreage.
What do you anticipate will be your biggest challenge this year?
Biggest challenge this year and most years is the weather.
Are you benefiting from the “buy local” movement?
Yes, we are benefiting from the “buy local” movement. We benefit from stronger demand and also from better prices on some things we raise because of the buy local movement. Also, we have the experience of buyers asking us to grow specific crops to buy locally what previously had come from California, Florida, etc.
If you could farm anywhere else in the country, where would it be? Why?
I can’t imagine farming anywhere else in the country.
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