Setting up a market garden with GIY's Head Grower, Richard Mee
Manage episode 403360922 series 3490126
One thing we are always asked is to get stuck into some growing info. So for this week and next, we are going to look into the nitty-gritty of setting up a market garden. If you’ve ever thought this might be a career or business choice for you, then this podcast will hopefully shed some light on lots of the questions and considerations you need to take in right at the start.
Who better to get down and get dirty with than, GIY’s Head Grower Richard Mee, who is based at Grow HQ in Waterford city. GIY are a non-profit, social enterprise, helping people grow food, learn about food sustainability and ultimately teaching the country to GROW IT YOURSELF- GIY!
Richard is an expert in biodiversity and horticulture and believe it or not, started growing at only 3 years old with his dad and since then has accumulated over 40 years of growing experience!. He studied for a BSc in Horticulture at Reading University and an MSc in Organic Farming at the Scottish Agricultural College. In addition to the UK and Ireland, Richard has grown veg all over the world, including Central America and Africa.
We talk about the type of research you need to do before you set up, the size and the location of the land. We explore sowing, growing and harvesting including Crop Planning and Production, Soil Preparation, Sourcing Seed, Planting your crops and the type of equipment you might need. The type of Maintenance you can expect during the year and finally Harvesting and storing your produce
Of course, financial considerations are important too, so we get Richard’s tips on selling your produce. What type of investment would you need to start off in terms of time, resources and equipment. What kind of ongoing financial costs should I expect, and ultimately, is it worth it financially to grow vegetables and how much money can I make?
But growing is far more than a financial reward and Richard is clearly passionate about this topic. So get stuck in, notebook at the ready, there’s lots to learn here!
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