clif slade, cfsa sac 2015

Clif Slade“Responsible Farming With

Profitable Results”43560 Initiative

My Story

Little Clif

Pop Slade says “There’s enough ways for everybody to have a way”

Little Clif’s Way Commercial Vegetables Chickens/Eggs Hogs/Sausage

43,560 = The number of square feet there are in an acre

"One acre can do it"

One square acre = 210 ft x 210 ft

43,560 Project at Slade’s Farms

This could also be called the MIRACLE ACRE

This initiative is nothing new.

It is simply square foot gardening on a commercial

scale

The goal is to gross $1.00/square foot in Sales

…thus the $43,560

Marketing is the key

Clif’s 5 tiers of Marketing:

Selling to CSA’s Roadside Stand Sell to PYO operations Farmer’s Markets Value Added

Three Rules of a Successful Business

1 The customer2 The customer3 The customer

What the pH on my farm?

The optimum pH for growing most vegetable crops is 6.5

What if my pH is 5.8 or less?

Clif recommends :Applying lime

Growing cover crops for 1 year

Fertilization (My 5 gallon bucket technology)

One bucket of pelletized poultry Manure per 500 sq. ft.

And 10 five gallon buckets of compost per 500 sq. ft.

Weekly applications of vermicompost tea

Close Row Spacing

Organic Compost

Organic Compost

Crops to consider

• Beets• Bok Choy• Cabbage• Carrots

• Cut Flowers• Garlic

• Irish Potatoes (especially fingerlings)• Lettuce (Romaine and Buttercrunch)

• Maybe Diakon Radish• Onions

• Swiss Chard

• Turnips

Clif’s Invention

High Tunnel Greenhouses

-3-2-101234567

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Inches of Water

Available Water ET Precipitation

Southeast Virginia Water Deficit Chart

Irrigation Central

Clif’s Keys to Success Irrigation Annual Soil Sampling Marketing Good Old-Fashioned Manners

“Don’t go into it – grow into it” – Clif Slade

“You just can't beat the person who never gives up.” – Babe Ruth

“Set your goals high, and don't stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson

Camp Clifton

Pop Slade says:“There’s enough ways for everybody to have a way”

Come to see us!“The farm gate hangs on

welcome hinges” - Pop Slade

Questions?