Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115:161-166. 2002.
PRODUCTION AND MARKETING TECHNIQUES FOR SNOW PEAS
FROM STEPHEN'S PRODUCE "GARDEN FRESH" VEGETABLES
AT LOCAL GREEN MARKETS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
Soil Preparation
Kenneth D. Shuler
University ofFlorida, IFAS
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service
Garden preparation began shortly after the spring crops
were completed in late April, by removing existing vegetation
West Palm Beach, FL 33415
(mostly weeds) by either pulling or spraying with glyphosate
(Roundup Ultra®) herbicide (Shuler et al., 2001a). The gar
Stephen J. Nie, Pei-Ann N. Shuler,
and Daniel G. Shuler
den was enlarged each season. Compost from the Palm Beach
Stephen's Produce
Jupiter, FL 33478
ding and manure were spread over the garden area each year
County Solid Waste Authority and locally available horse bed
in May (Table 1). Dolomitic limestone and broadcast fertilizer
Additional index words, snow pea, vegetable garden, green
market, compost
Abstract. Stephen's Produce began in 1995 as a 0.03 acre mar
ket 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 irrigat
ed 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 Septem
ber. Peas were sold in quart-size freezer bags containing 0.66
Ib/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).
were spread and incorporated with a rotary tiller in late Aug.
or early Sept. (Table 2). Tilling also mixed the compost in with
the underlying sand. Beds were made with a hand-pushed
wheel-hoe using the plow attachment. For the 2001-2002 sea
son, twenty-one 82 ft long beds were formed over an eight day
period in late Aug. and early Sept. to provide some protection
from flooding after heavy rains. The beds ran north and south,
were on four-foot centers, and were approximately 5 to 6 inch
es high with 20- to 30-inch-wide tops (Shuler et al., 2001b).
Irrigation
During the first four seasons, 1995-99, while the garden
was relatively small, it was irrigated, mostly at night, by moving
around a single overhead sprinkler. After the garden was en
larged to 0.1 acre in 1999, drip irrigation was used. Each bed
was fitted with a single line of Typhon tape (18-inch emitter
spacing rated at 0.37 gal/h at 10 psi). The lines were laid on
the bed surface and divided into two zones (9 and 11 beds
each) which could be irrigated separately using a manual flow
meter with an automatic shut-off. Untreated well water was
used without filtering.
In 2000, Queen Gil International drip tape was used
("High Flow" tape with 4-inch emitter spacing). The same two
zones were used; however, ball shut-off valves were attached
to each line to allow for individual bed irrigation. Also, a
The Beginning of Snow Pea Sales
household sediment filter was added in-line to reduce emitter
for Palm Beach County Green Markets, 1995-96
plugging by sediment. In 2001, battery powered automatic
timers were used to turn water on and off in each zone (Mel-
Snow peas were first offered for sale by Stephen's Produce
nor Electronic Aqua Timer). By having the drip line on the
on 2 Mar. 1996, at the Jupiter Farms Green Market in northern
bed surface, it could be lifted easily and shifted between rows
Palm Beach County. Snow peas and English peas were grown
to accommodate crops planted 3 or 4 rows per bed.
and sold on five consecutive Saturdays in March that first season.
Because of the constrictions of having hose bibs as shut-
That first Saturday in March a total of $2.43 worth of carrots, bok
off valves and the pressure drop across the sediment filter,
choy, and snow peas were sold. Individual crop records were not
only about 25% of the garden could be irrigated at once while
maintaining the minimum 7 psi recommended for the drip
kept that first year. During the five weeks that peas were offered,
sales averaged $12.48/week. Peas were harvested and washed on
tubing. The automatic timers were set to irrigate every 8 to 12
Saturday morning before leaving for the market.
hours at 30 to 45 min per cycle. The two zones were set to ir-
Table 1. Amount of nutrients supplied by "AllGro" compost to 6,683 sq ft garden area (6.52 plots/acre) surface applied 11 to 28 May 2001 and roto-tilled 25
and 26 Aug. 2001.
Material
"AllGro" compost (1.8-0.5-0.7)
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115: 2002.
Amount applied (lb)
Rate/acre (tons)
N (lb/acre)
P (lb/acre)
K (lb/acre)
81,000
264
9,504
1,162
3,067
161
Table 2. Soil amendments broadcast 24 Aug. 2001 to 6,683 sq ft garden area (6.52 plots/acre) and roto-tilled 25 and 26 Aug. 2001.
Material
Amount applied (lb)
Rate/acre (lb)
Dolomitic limestone
100
652
10-5-5 with minor elements
100
652
65
14
27
Triple super phosphate (0-46-0)
65
424
0
86
0
Ammonium nitrate (33-0-0)
65
424
140
0
0
Potassium nitrate (13-0-46)
35
228
30
0
106
235
100
133
N (lb/acre)
Total
rigate at different times and only half of the 21 shut-off valves
P (lb/acre)
K (lb/acre)
secured to the end posts to help keep the trellis from sagging.
Beginning in 1998-99 when chicken wire was first used, a sin
gle 6.5-foot-long post was planted 2.5 feet deep halfway be
tween the end posts to help hold up the wire and reduce sag
in the middle. The chicken wire was stapled to the top and
bottom of this middle post. Since 2000-01, three middle posts,
spaced approximately 12.5 feet apart have been used for both
chicken wire and the more sturdy utility wire to further re
duce wire sag with the chicken wire and to add lateral stability
to the utility wire. Holding the wire securely at the bottom was
also important to keep the peas from being pulled off the trel
lis if the wire were to shift. Our goal was to have the posts and
trellis in place when the crop emerged. This was not always
possible and we were often putting up trellis beside peas
which were already 6 to 8 inches tall and just beginning to
twine. Trellising can be done by one person, but is best done
with at least two people, one at each end.
were open at any one time. The shut-off valves were manually
switched after each irrigation, so the entire garden was irrigat
ed once every 16 to 24 h.
Direct Seeding and Trellising
On Saturday or Sunday, after each week's harvesting, any
weeds and residue left from the harvested crops were pulled
up and taken out of the garden. Either chlorpyrifos 1% bait
or Diazinon 5% bait was sprinkled on the bed surface to con
trol wire worms and cutworms. Approximately 200 lbs/acre
23-0-23 topdress fertilizer was also spread at this time (provid
ing 45 lbs/acre N and 39 lbs/acre K and made from mixing
50% potassium nitrate, 25% ammonium nitrate, and 25% am
monium sulfate). The bed surface was loosened with the cul
tivator attachment of the wheel-hoe and raked level to further
Since the single pea row did not use up all of the bed sur
face, one or two rows of radishes or turnips were often plant
ed on the same bed as the snow peas, but one to two weeks
earlier. This allowed the radishes or turnips to reach market
able size before being shaded out by the snow peas. After har
vesting the radish crop, a crop of arugula or garden cress was
often planted on the snow pea bed. These leafy crops grew
slower because of the shading, but usually did produce a mar
ketable yield. Since they would be cut several times over a 4 to
6 week period, the leafy greens were often still producing af
ter the snow peas had finished and had been pulled out.
incorporate the insecticide and fertilizer amendments.
After pushing open a furrow with a hoe, pea seeds, 'Ore
gon Sugar Pod II,' were planted in hills at two seed per hill and
were not thinned. Seeds were covered to a depth of about 3A
to 1 inch. After planting, the soil over the plant row was firmed
up by rolling an automobile wheel over the row. During 1995-
97 snow peas were planted two rows per bed with rows about
15 inches apart. A single 50 foot trellis of three-foot tall con
crete reinforcing wire (6 inch stays) was stretched between the
two rows for support. Since the 1997-98 season, only single
rows of snow peas were planted per bed in sections of 50 feet
each. Having only a single row on each bed made harvesting
easier. Four-foot-high "chicken wire" has been used for trellis
ing since 1998-99. In 2000-2001 three additional trellises were
made with four-foot-tall "welded utility wire" (2" x 4" stays).
Eight-foot-long posts were planted three feet deep and
Crop Scheduling
For the first three years, 1995-1998, snow peas were plant
ed to concentrate the production during the cooler winter
season and to have a constant supply for sales once harvesting
began. In 1998-99, when marketing was begun at the Green
Market in West Palm Beach, two plantings were made of three
50-foot trellises each (150 linear bed ft per planting). Since
1999-2000 (Table 3), a more concerted effort was made to
have a more continuous supply of peas and to extend the sea-
slanted slightly backwards at each end of the rows to anchor
the trellis. Wooden slats (1" x 1.5" x 5' pressure treated) were
woven through the wire at each end of the trellis so that the
trellis could be tied tightly with small rope to the end posts.
Where the "chicken wire" was used, a 50+ ft length of fencing
brace wire was woven through the top wire, pulled tight, and
Table 3. 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' snow pea production for Stephen's Produce at the West Palm Beach, FL, green market, 1999-2000 season.
Snow pea
Days to
Median days
Harvest
Linear bed
No. bags
harvest period
harvest
to harvest
duration (days)
ft planted
harvested
31 Oct.
7Jan.-llFeb.
68-103
86
35
51
2 Nov.
9Jan.-llFeb.
68-101
85
33
51
6 Nov.
14Jan.-14Feb.
69-100
85
31
51
3 Feb.-2 Mar.
75-103
89
28
153
286
306
488.5
72-102
87
31
51
81.4
Date planted
20 Nov.
Total
Avg./planting
Bu/acre
Bushels/acre7
per dayz
67.5
317.5
3.08
67.5
317.5
3.14
67.5
317.5
3.18
448.4
4.35
383
3.74
z30 lb/bushel.
162
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115: 2002.
son earlier in the fall and later in the spring. Since we only had
There were often stand losses in second crop peas due to
materials for seven trellises, individual plantings of one or two
damping-off, etc. Second-crop peas were also planted for
50-foot trellises were made every two to four weeks over the
as long as the first crop of peas was standing. In later years, to
spring harvest when weather was not as conducive for crop
growth as for winter peas which were also harvested over a
longer period of time. Furthermore, mildew routinely at
tacked spring peas and reduced plant vigor and yield. The last
planting in 2002 for spring harvest was made on a bed which
had previously been planted to peas. Instead of planting in
the same row, the row was moved laterally about 6 inches.
reduce shading, an effort was made not to plant peas on adja
Even though peas were planted the same day that the previ
cent beds. Even though having snow peas separated by one or
ous crop was pulled out, plant stand and yields were excep
course of the season (50 to 100 linear bed ft per planting).
For the first years, peas were often planted on adjacent
beds. It was felt that the mutual shading reduced production
from the inside sides of the beds and greatly reduced produc
tion of any companion crop grown on the insides of the beds
two beds greatly reduced pea beds shading each other, crops
tionally high for such a late planting. More refinements for
which were planted on the in-between-beds were now shaded
crop scheduling are planned for next season.
by the snow peas on either one or two sides which meant that
their production would be slightly delayed and/or reduced.
Growing the Crop and Pest Management
This production dilemma has not been completely resolved.
The earliest harvest of snow peas was made on 30 Nov.
There is no commercial production of snow peas in South
and the latest harvest was made on 6 May. Days to first harvest
Florida. The insecticide bait treatments made just before
for snow peas averaged 63 d in the fall, 76 d in the winter, 66 d
planting have been very effective for controlling wire worms
in early spring, and 59 d in late spring (Tables 4 and 5). The
and cutworms.
harvest period ranged from 13 d for late spring harvested
The most common weed problem for the 2001-2002 sea
peas to 41 d for winter harvested peas. After harvesting the
son was pigweed with light populations of purslane, nutsedge,
early plantings, beds were cleared and reworked for a second
and a few miscellaneous grasses. Peas were usually weeded
planting of peas on the same bed and generally in the same
either once or not at all. However, after the companion crop
row. As much time as possible was allowed before peas were
of radishes or turnips was harvested from the pea bed, weeds
replanted on the same bed; however, there were times when
from that area of the bed as well as weeds in the pea row were
peas had to be planted back immediately to maintain the
pulled out so that the empty side of the bed could be replant
planned harvest schedule. In general, second crop peas did
ed. After the last harvest, pea stems were pulled out of the
not grow as well as the first crop of peas on the same bed.
ground before plants were pulled off the trellis. Any remain-
Table 4. 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' snow pea production for Stephen's Produce at the West Palm Beach, FL, green market, 2000-01 season.
Snow pea
Days to
Median days
Harvest
Linear bed
No. bags
harvest period
harvest
to harvest
duration (days)
ft planted
harvested
30 Sept.
30 Nov.-21 Dec.
61-82
72
21
102
21 Oct.
29 Dec-10 Feb.
69-113
91
44
102
19Feb.-4Mar.
78-91
85
13
51
24 Dec.
27 Feb.-16 Mar.
65-82
74
17
102
13Jan.
20 Mar.-30 Mar.
65-75
70
10
4 Feb.
6Apr.-17Apr.
61-72
67
11 Feb.
11 Apr.-20Apr.
59-68
64
27 Apr.-6 May
53-62
64-84
Date planted
3 Dec.
5 Mar.
per day7
109
256.5
3.13
156
390
3.45
60.5
284.5
3.13
49.5
116.4
1.42
51
44
206.9
2.76
11
51
34
160
2.22
9
51
22
103.5
1.52
58
9
51
35.3
0.57
74
20
206.3
2.46
561
Total
Avg./plan ting
Bu/acre
Bushels/acrez
51
7.5
483
43.9
z30 lb/bushel.
Table 5. 'Oregon Sugar Pod II* snow pea production for Stephen's Produce at the West Palm Beach, FL, green market, 2001-02 season.
Bu/acre
Snow pea
Days to
Median days
Harvest
Linear bed
No. bags
harvest period
harvest
to harvest
duration (days)
ft planted
harvested
Bushels/acrez
per dayz
30 Sept.
30 Nov.-24 Dec.
57-81
69
24
102
103.5
243.4
3.01
24 Oct.
27 Dec-Feb.
64-103
84
39
104
162
373.6
3.63
18 Nov.
31Jan.-14Feb.
74-88
81
14
55
52.3
227.9
2.59
Date planted
2 Dec.
7 Feb.-4 Mar.
67-92
80
25
54
63.9
283.8
3.09
16 Dec.
21 Feb.-18 Mar.
67-92
80
25
52
56.2
259.2
2.82
30 Dec.
7 Mar.-28 Mar.
67-88
78
21
53
48.5
219.5
2.49
64-81
73
17
52
39.8
183.4
2.26
60-81
71
21
51
62.3
292.8
3.62
523
588.4
260.5
2.95
13Jan.
4 Feb.
18Mar.-4Apr.
4 Apr.-25 Apr.
Total
Avg./planting
64-89
77
25
52.3
58.8
z30 lb/bushel.
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115: 2002.
163
ing weeds were also pulled at this time. Since the growing and
harvest period for peas was so long, it was not unusual to have
lier harvests would start to turn a whitish green color and
pigweed escape and produce seed on the pea beds. This situ
Pods were snapped off or pinched so that the stem end was
ation is avoided as much as possible since these weed seeds
can be weed seedlings in the next crop. Weeds along with the
pea vines were removed from the garden to reduce host tissue
that could harbor nematodes and diseases which could infest
left on the plant. Peas were picked in buckets and stored in a
these pods were either not picked or picked and discarded.
household refrigerator if they were not to be immediately
washed and bagged. For washing, pods were dumped into a
plastic bucket which was filled with water. Debris such as
spent flower petals and small leaves would often float to the
the next crop.
Nematodes have not caused any crop losses. Renewing
top and would be removed before peas were bagged. Hand-
the garden with additions of "clean" compost each year has
helped reduce the chance for nematode infestations.
The first crop of peas each season has usually been free of
foliar diseases. Subsequent crops have been infected with mil
dew which usually starts on the older, lower leaves and stems
and gradually moves up the plant. Mildew doesn't readily at
tack the pods, but does reduce yield from the reduction in
plant vigor. Affected plants produce both smaller and fewer
fuls of peas were shaken and put into quart sized ziplock
freezer bags which were drained of excess water and weighed,
300 gm net per bag, measured with a triple beam balance.
Bags were only partially sealed to allow for air exchange and
put back into the refrigerator. Peas were held in the refriger
ator until Friday night when they were taken out and placed
in a cooler packed with one 7-lb bag of ice for transport to the
market Saturday morning.
marketable pods. Fungicides were typically not applied to peas.
Even though worms have not been a serious pest of peas,
Marketing, Pricing, and Sales Techniques
plants were usually sprayed every 7 to 10 d with either spinosad (SpinTor®), Bacillus thuringiensis, or emamectin benzoate (Proclaim®) insecticides to control them. Leafminers
The package size of 300 gm (0.66 lb or 10.57 oz) was chosen
were a minor pest on crops in the early years, damaging leaves
because that amount of peas would fit easily but rather snugly
and occasionally mining pods. Since SpinTor and Proclaim
into the quart sized freezer bag. Customers seemed satisfied
have been used for worms, leafminers have not been a con
with the package size as there were no complaints about it.
A display area was made with three large coolers which
cern (both insecticides are labeled for leafminer suppres
sion). Stink bugs are an occasional pest and malathion is used
were lined up and their tops opened and supported from be
for control.
hind to form a platform of the inside top surface. A single line
Apparently the snow pea seed was not pure since there
were often as many as 10% off-type sugar snap pea plants
growing amongst the snow peas. The off-type peas could not
be detected in the seedling stage so were left to grow. They
could be detected near maturity since they usually grew taller
of three or four bags of snow peas was placed beside lines of
other bagged crops such as French beans, snap beans, spin
ach, and arugula. The displayed peas were "restocked" as cus
tomers bought bags off the display. Thus, remaining peas
were held in a cooler with ice until shortly before being sold.
Since they were one of the better selling items of produce,
snow peas sold relatively fast and we often sold out rather
quickly especially when production was less than normal. Oc
than the snow peas.
Harvesting and Washing
casionally, at times of peak production, there would still be
During the first three seasons, 1995-1998, snow peas were
unsold peas late into the morning. If bags had been left on
picked at least once a week by daylight early Saturday morn
the display for an extended period of time, they would often
ing; and during late winter when growth was optimum, they
become warm, so we would put the warm bags back into the
were often picked twice a week. For the past four seasons,
iced cooler and bring out fresh bags for the display.
1998-2002, snow peas have been picked at least twice a week,
Snow peas were sold by the bag, beginning at $1.50/bag
in 1997-98 and increasing to $3.00/bag in 2001-2002 ($4.54/
lb or $0.284/oz). Prices for snow peas have remained fairly
constant for the past three years (Table 6). "Specials" (lower
prices) were not made for snow peas since any unsold bags
would be taken home to be eaten by us or given away as gifts.
Stephen's Produce was the only vendor offering snow peas for
sale at any of the green markets over the seven-year period.
usually Monday and Thursday, and sometimes have been
picked three times per week. If needed, peas were picked at
night with the aid of a lantern or miner's head light. However,
since the light green coloration of the pea pods blended in so
well with the foliage, day time picking was preferred. Pods
were picked if peas were well formed up to nearly full size.
The pods of over mature peas which had been missed at ear
Table 6. Summary of 'Oregon Sugar Pod IF snow peas sales for Stephen's Produce at green markets in Palm Beach County, FL, over a six year period, 1997-
2002.
Unsold
Year
Location
1997
Jupiter
1997-98
Lake Park
Season
8 Mar.-19 Apr.
lOJan.-ll Apr.
No. of
Total
Bags/
weeks
bags
week
7
33.5
6
80
$/bag
Total $
$/week
$
$/lb
4.8
$1.50
$
50
13.3
$2.00
$
144
$ 24
$3.03
7.18
Unsold
(%of
bags/week
total)
$2.27
1.3
10%
7%
(no sales 31 Jan.-21 Mar.)
1998-99
WPB
23 Jan.-13 Feb.
4
92
23
$2.00
$
184
$ 46
$3.03
1999-00
WPB
8 Jan .-4 Mar.
9
466
51.8
$2.50
$1,050
$117
$3.78
3.5
2000-01
WPB
2 Dec.-28 Apr.
22
472
21.4
$2.50
$1,166
$ 53
$3.78
0.23
1%
2001-02
WPB
1 Dec-27 Apr.
22
588
26.7
$3.00
$1,722
$ 78
$4.54
0.6
2.2%
164
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115: 2002.
Most bags were sold one at a time. Occasionally customers
would buy two or even three bags at once. Most of the "three
bag" sales were before holidays when customers were enter
taining guests with special meals. Instead of holding over "ex
tra" peas which did not make a full bag, one partial bag of
peas would be sold last for less than full price. Customers
would often buy one bag each of snow peas and French beans
along with other leafy or root crops. For a few customers,
snow peas were their only purchase.
When asked, customers would share how they ate or pre
pared the snow peas. Since the peas had been washed, most
customers ate them raw "right out of the bag" as snack food
while others would use them in salads or stir fry with other
vegetables. Snow peas from "Stephen's Produce were always
firm and "crunchy" and usually were slightly to moderately
bu/acre per day. That period in 2000 from 3 Feb. to 2 Mar.
was the most productive period during seven years of produc
tion. The highest seasonal sales were for the 2001-02 season
when snow peas were available for 22 of the 28 weeks of the
market. During 2001-02 sales of 588 bags totaled $1,722.
During 2001-02, production from a single trellis measur
ing 4 ft. wide and 50 feet long (200 square feet or 218 plots
per acre) averaged 58.8 bags (38.9 lb) over a 25 d average har
vest period. Selling peas at $3.00/bag or $4.54/lb averaged
$35,856/acre per crop or $403/acre per crop per d over the
average 89-d growing and harvesting period.
A summary of snow pea production and sales for the past
six market seasons, 1996-97 to 2001-02 is provided in Table 8.
Customer Profile, Observations, and Customer Comments
sweet.
A wide range of customers purchased vegetables from
"Stephen's Produce." Customers included older retired cou
Production and Sales Figures
ples, single men and women, young families with children, as
During the 2000-2001 season, sales of snow peas averaged
well as winter residents from the northern USA, Canada, and
21 bags/week (14.1 lb) for $53/week. For the 2001-2002 sea
son, sales averaged 27 bags/week (17.6 lb) for $78/week (Ta
ble 7). The greatest amount of snow peas offered for sale was
132 bags on 26 Feb 2000 (107 bags were sold). Harvest that
Europe.
week was from three trellises (153 linear bed ft) which aver
voices when they were told "Sorry, we just sold out of snow
aged 448.5 30-lb bu/acre over the 27 d harvest period or 4.35
peas a few minutes ago." After coming to the market "late" for
Since we often sold out of snow peas rather quickly, cus
tomers were glad to get even one bag of snow peas. One could
sense the disappointment on customers' faces and in their
Table 7. 'Oregon Sugar Pod II' snow pea sales for Stephen's Produce at the West Palm Beach, FL, green market, 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
2000-01
Date
Bags
Bags sold
Total$
given away
2001-02
Date
21 Oct.
20 Oct.
28 Oct.
27 Oct.
4 Nov.
3 Nov.
11 Nov.
10 Nov.
18 Nov.
17 Nov.
25 Nov.7
24 Nov.
Bags sold
Total$
Time
Bags
sold out
given away
2 Dec.
2
5
1 Dec.
1
2
7:20 AM
9 Dec.
22
55
8 Dec.
15
45
9:10 AM
11:30 AM
16 Dec.
32
80
15 Dec.
57
171
23 Dec.
39
97.5
22 Dec.
24
72
9:41 AM?
30 Dec.
3
7.5
29 Dec.
6
18
8:08 AM
6 Jan.
6
12.5
5Jan.
3.5
10
8:15 AM
13Jan.
12
30
12Jan.
2.5
4
7:52 AM
1
20Jan.
20
50
19Jan.
25
42
8:30 AM
11
27Jan.
40
100
26Jan.
58
174
10:45 AM
3 Feb.
49
123
2 Feb.
63
189
11:20 AM
10 Feb.
24
60
9 Feb.
32
96
9:30 AM
17 Feb.
1
16 Feb.
41
123
10:30 AM
24 Feb.
22
55
3 Mar.
35
87.5
10 Mar.
34
85
17 Mar.
29
72.5
16 Mar.
30
24 Mar.
24
60
23 Mar.
27.5
82.5
31 Mar.
19
47.5
30 Mar.
36
108
8:46 AM?
1
1
23 Feb.
18
54
8:56 AM
2 Mar.
33
99
10:40 AM
9 Mar.
38.3
115
10:17 AM
90
10:42 AM
9:32 AM
7 Apr.
7
17.5
6 Apr.
20
60
9:09 AM
14 Apr.
30
72.5
1
13 Apr.
23
66
9:21AM
21 Apr.
19
42.5
2
20 Apr.
29
87
9:07 AM
14
8:00 AM
5
Total
0.2
Avg./wk
28 Apr.
Total
Avg./week
2.5
472
27 Apr.
6
1,166
21.4
53
4.75
588
26.7
1,722
78.25
1
13
9:24 AM
0.6
zMarket was rained out after 7:45 AM.
>The Saturday before Christmas and Easter.
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115: 2002.
165
Table 8. Summary of 'Oregon Sugar Pod IV snow pea production for Stephen's Produce at green markets in Palm Beach County, FL, over a six-year period,
1997-2002.
Season
Year
Days
Duration
No. of
to final
of harvest
Total
weeks
harvest
(days)
bags
$/acre
Bu/acre
Bags/week
Bu/acrez
per day*
$/acre
per day
7
106
42
33.5
4.8
79
0.74
$ 5,338
$ 50
1997-98
lOJan.-ll Apr.
6
90
14
80
13.3
125
1.39
$10,249
$114
1998-99
23Jan.-13Feb.
4
88
24
92
23
144
1.64
$13,096
$149
1999-00
8 Jan.-4 Mar.
9
102
31
466
51.8
383
3.74
$37,368
$366
2000-01
2 Dec-28 Apr.
22
84
20
472
21.4
206
2.46
$22,634
$269
2001-02
1 Dec-27 Apr.
22
89
25
588
26.7
261
2.95
$35,856
$403
1997
8 Mar.-19 Apr.
'30 Ib/bushel.
several weeks in a row and not getting snow peas, a few cus
beds). Planting two beds (408 sq ft) every three weeks from 30
tomers would come early before the market opened to buy
Sept. to 23 Feb. (eight plantings) would equal 16 beds. Vary
ing this general schedule slightly and increasing the amount
planted for spring harvest when yields have usually been low
snow peas. We would frequently hear our customers say "I just
come here to get your snow peas." One young lady had a hard
time accepting the fact that there were no more snow peas
Now what am I going to do?" She came back twice to express
er could provide the increased production desired. Projected
sales of 50 bags/wk would gross $150/wk or $3,300 for the 22
week sales period. It may be possible to replant on at least 6
to 8 beds so trellising supplies would be needed for 12 to 14
her frustration at not getting the snow peas.
beds.
and cried out "My boy friend told me specifically to come to
"Stephen's Produce" and buy him a bag of those snow peas.
Optimizing Production and Sales
Literature Cited
Based on an average sales of 51 bags/wk in 1999-2000 and
sales of an average of 27 bags/week in 2001-02 by 9:24 AM, it
is estimated that Stephen's Produce could sell an average of
50 to 60 bags of snow peas per week over the 22 week harvest
period. Space devoted to growing snow peas would need to be
doubled to reach this goal (an increase from 10 beds to 20
Shuler, K. D., S.J. Nie, and P-A. N. Shuler. 2001a. The evolution of produc
tion, harvesting, and marketing techniques for radishes from Stephen's
Produce "garden fresh" vegetables at local green markets in Palm Beach
County, Florida. Proc Fla. State Hort. Soc. 114:219-224.
Shuler, K. D., S.J. Nie, and P-A. N. Shuler. 2001b. The evolution of produc
tion, harvesting, and marketing techniques for bok choy Chinese cabbage
from Stephen's Produce "garden fresh" vegetables at local green markets
in Palm Beach County, Florida. Proc Fla. State Hort. Soc. 114:224-231.
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 115:166-175. 2002.
PRODUCTION AND MARKETING TECHNIQUES FOR BEANS
FROM STEPHEN'S PRODUCE "GARDEN FRESH" VEGETABLES
AT LOCAL GREEN MARKETS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
Kenneth D. Shuler
University ofFlorida, IFAS
Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service
West Palm Beach, FL 33415
Stephen J. Nie, Pei-Ann Shuler,
and Daniel G. Shuler
Stephen's Produce
Jupiter, FL 33478
Additional index words. French bean, garden, snap bean, green
market, compost
Abstract. The 0.15 acre garden for Stephen's Produce served
the green market in West Palm Beach, Florida, with a supply of
166
fresh produce each Saturday over the October to April season.
Beans were grown for seven seasons. The sandy soil was
amended annually with compost and horse manure/bedding.
Crops were planted on open beds spaced four feet on center
and irrigated via drip tubing. A soil insecticide and fertilizer
were applied pre-plant. Planting for the 2001-2002 season be
gan 2 September and days to first harvest ranged from 46 to 64
d. Plantings of 'Derby' snap beans averaged 46 linear ft per bed
per week, usually one row per bed. Plantings of 'Normandie'
French beans averaged 18 linear ft per bed per week, either one
or two rows/ bed. Beans were picked twice a week (Monday and
Thursday), washed, bagged, weighed, and stored in a house
hold refrigerator until Friday night. Snap beans were sold in
gallon freezer bags containing 1.32 Ib/bag at $3.00 per bag
($2.27/lb). An average of 21.9 Ib of snap beans valued at $45.20
were sold each week for 19 weeks ($1.24 per linear ft of bed or
Proc. Ha. State Hort. Soc. 115: 2002.