Abstract
Stephen's Produce began in 1995 as a 0.03 acre market garden to supply the Jupiter Farms Green Market with a Saturday supply of "garden fresh" produce. The garden was expanded to 0.15 acres for the 2001-2002 season and now serves a larger clientele at the Green Market in West Palm Beach. 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' snow peas were included in the crop mix each of the seven seasons. The sandy soil was amended with compost and horse manure/bedding and irrigated via drip tubing. Open beds on four-foot centers were made each year and an insecticidal bait and fertilizer were applied preplant. Peas were direct seeded one row per bed every two to four weeks from October to February. Individual plantings were comprised of one to three trellises (51 to 53 linear feet per trellis). Trellises have been made from concrete-reinforcing wire, chicken wire, and welded fence wire. Days to first harvest ranged from 57 to 74 days. Peas were usually picked twice a week (Monday and Thursday), washed, bagged, weighed, and stored in a refrigerator until Friday night when they were moved into a styrofoam cooler with ice for transport to the market. Planting for the 2001-2002 season began 30 September. Peas were sold in quart-size freezer bags containing 0.66 lb/bag at $3.00 per bag ($4.54/lb). An average of 17.6 lbs of peas valued at $78.00 were sold each week for 22 weeks ($3.29 per linear ft of bed or $35,856 per acre per crop).
