Growing Tips

Why Summer-Sown? Buckwheat (left) and BMR Sorghum-Sudangrass F1 (right). When the summer is your prime harvesting season (as it is for growers in the north), or your short rest before another growing season (as it is for growers in the south), it can be easy to marginalize anything other than cash crops in favor of the things that need your...

-- PLEASE NOTE: SINCE THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION DATE OF THIS BLOG POST THERE HAS BEEN A MATERIALS UPDATE ON THE NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM (NOP) STANDARDS. There was some concern that because paper chain transplanting pots contain a synthetic substance they should not be approved for use in organic production. As of January 2019, the NOP has reversed their decision to...

If you’re gardening in limited space and plan to grow only 6 vegetables this year, these are the ones to choose. By planting in large 3-5 gallon containers, using good quality potting soil, watering regularly, and fertilizing monthly, you can easily harvest fresh greens, cucumbers, eggplants, summer squash, peppers and tomatoes all season long – and you only need 6...

Having a consistent presence at your market, whether it’s a wholesale account or a farmers market, is critical to sustaining repeat customers. Knowing that you have what they want week after week will build business and traffic, and give you a consistent audience as your offerings increase over the season. Hitting this rhythm takes both planning and real estate. Choices...

Well, it’s that time again: with seed potato ship dates are just around the corner, we thought it might be useful to offer some variety advice while you ponder your spud season. Here’s a guide to variety selection for different climates and growing conditions: Potatoes can be grown in a wide variety of field and soil conditions, just as long...

I love this time of year.  Outside the snow is still piling up, but inside we’re sowing seeds.  It feels like a giddy secret—the smell of soil, the germinating seeds and the unfurling of true leaves, while outside the plow is rumbling down the road and every non-farmer is wondering how long winter will last. Okay, every farmer is wondering...

Let’s talk tomatoes. Almost no other crop screams “summer” like a vine-ripened tomato straight off the plant. Whether it’s a full-on beefsteak or a handful of colorful cherries, that first harvest of the season is the moment farmer and consumer alike have been waiting for since January. At High Mowing, we’ve put together a solid collection of resources for organic...

Consider the onion: caramelized, sautéed, sweated, or raw, home cooks and chefs alike recognize it as indispensable in the kitchen. The third most consumed fresh vegetable in the United States behind potatoes and tomatoes, onions are also a crucial part of a diversified vegetable farmer’s crop plan. They may be humble in appearance but, when grown organically, onions can catch...

A staple crop for many commercial organic growers, lettuce mixes demand a worthy price in both retail and wholesale markets—but they also come with no shortage of production challenges. High Mowing now offers a competitive advantage in lettuce mix production for commercial growers, thanks to the Eazyleaf assortment of one-cut lettuces from our partners at Vitalis Organic Seeds. Not Your...

An interview with Anne and Brian Bates of Bear Creek Organic Farm on year-round microgreens production in Petoskey, Michigan How did you determine that microgreens production was right for your farm? Three years ago, we were brainstorming new products that would complement our existing year-round greens production. After we saw growers at other markets selling them successfully, we tried two...