Be a “cool” grower

Not every grower has the equipment or infrastructure to grow a wide range of produce year round, and that’s OK, because growers can still capitalize on cool-season crops that will grab attention at farmers markets. Maxwell Salinger, horticulturist at CropKing, suggests six profitable crops that you can be growing right now to diversify your crop selection and give yourself a competitive edge.

“By growing these crops, a lot of times we’re able to a) not use any additional heat, or use any additional kind of electricity to keep the crops growing; and b) greatly reduce the input that’s needed in that greenhouse in the off seasons. By using greenhouses and these types of structures, you can get to farmers markets very early, with great looking produce, by basically tricking these particular plants into being able to survive, and not get those frosts,” Salinger says.

• Spinach — This is a farmers market favorite, Salinger says, for its superfood reputation and it’s cold hardy quality. “It can handle getting frosted,” he says. “And I’ve seen spinach actually be frozen and be able to come back from that.” He says many of CropKing’s growers will plant these crops late the year prior, getting them in the ground by September or October, then come February and March, when the days begin getting longer, they’ll “start to explode,” and you can make it to the market right when it opens—which many times, is before other growers have even begun harvesting.
• Beets — “There’s an Amish couple that I buy produce from on my way home, and they have beets that are going to be ready to harvest in the next two or three weeks, which is months before a lot of people get them in there,” Salinger says. “A lot of times, these crops don’t grow well in a greenhouse in other seasons.”
• Arugula — This crop can be nice, spicy green, says Salinger. But this is another option that doesn’t like the “super heat” of the summer. Arugula is also light-sensitive, and could possibly burn if exposed to too much in the spring and summer.
• Asian greens — Bok choy and mizuna will also work well in the greenhouse with a cooler environment.
• Broccoli — Salinger says anything in the brassica family can take cold temperatures.
• Kale and collard greens — These are great crops for all-year round, Salinger says, but they’re going to be a bit more tolerant if you need to drop down to 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.