The Horror

This forum is for discussion of politics, diplomacy, law, and justice
User avatar
Vonz90
Posts: 4731
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:05 pm

The Horror

Post by Vonz90 »

BDK
Posts: 1698
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:14 pm

Re: The Horror

Post by BDK »

Which also means your local conglomerate's produce quality is about to decline as the produce will need to tolerate more automation

(Maybe. Supposedly some real advances in both automation and growing).

Some growers in Japan are raising all strawberries in... well industrial refrigerators really - and that could automate well

Might also be a good repurposing of big box retail
User avatar
HTRN
Posts: 12397
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am

Re: The Horror

Post by HTRN »

BDK wrote:Which also means your local conglomerate's produce quality is about to decline as the produce will need to tolerate more automation
This is one of the major reasons why small scale organic produce tastes better - industrial ag requires strains that are tough enough for mechanical harvesting, with a long shelf life, heirlooms tend to be more delicate with a tendency to spoil in days..
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat

Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
Greg
Posts: 8486
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:15 pm

Re: The Horror

Post by Greg »

HTRN wrote:
BDK wrote:Which also means your local conglomerate's produce quality is about to decline as the produce will need to tolerate more automation
This is one of the major reasons why small scale organic produce tastes better - industrial ag requires strains that are tough enough for mechanical harvesting, with a long shelf life, heirlooms tend to be more delicate with a tendency to spoil in days..
Indeed. But that delicacy and perishability boil down to a choice between sturdy, serviceable but bland mass production produce, and garden grown.

The kohlrabi we tried this year in the garden was astonishingly good, BTW. The broccoli hasn't done as well.
Maybe we're just jaded, but your villainy is not particularly impressive. -Ennesby

If you know what you're doing, you're not learning anything. -Unknown
Sanity is the process by which you continually adjust your beliefs so they are predictively sound. -esr
User avatar
HTRN
Posts: 12397
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am

Re: The Horror

Post by HTRN »

Greg wrote:
HTRN wrote:
BDK wrote:Which also means your local conglomerate's produce quality is about to decline as the produce will need to tolerate more automation
This is one of the major reasons why small scale organic produce tastes better - industrial ag requires strains that are tough enough for mechanical harvesting, with a long shelf life, heirlooms tend to be more delicate with a tendency to spoil in days..
Indeed. But that delicacy and perishability boil down to a choice between sturdy, serviceable but bland mass production produce, and garden grown.

The kohlrabi we tried this year in the garden was astonishingly good, BTW. The broccoli hasn't done as well.
You might want to look at curtis stones youtube channel, he makes his living growing organic produce in suburban canada. I think he stated he makes 80 grand on a a third of an acre. :shock:
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat

Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
Greg
Posts: 8486
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:15 pm

Re: The Horror

Post by Greg »

HTRN wrote:
Greg wrote:
HTRN wrote: This is one of the major reasons why small scale organic produce tastes better - industrial ag requires strains that are tough enough for mechanical harvesting, with a long shelf life, heirlooms tend to be more delicate with a tendency to spoil in days..
Indeed. But that delicacy and perishability boil down to a choice between sturdy, serviceable but bland mass production produce, and garden grown.

The kohlrabi we tried this year in the garden was astonishingly good, BTW. The broccoli hasn't done as well.
You might want to look at curtis stones youtube channel, he makes his living growing organic produce in suburban canada. I think he stated he makes 80 grand on a a third of an acre. :shock:
I once knew a guy who was an MIT-trained computer guy, who quit his job to be an urban farmer. Not just an urban farmer, an urban share cropper.

He would grow produce in people's yards, and pay them with part of the crop. He'd sell the rest at farmer's markets. This was 25 years ago in Boston - there were a LOT of farmer's markets, and people with disposable income who enjoyed shopping at them.

He also, as a value-add, made various things that worked his produce into the recipes, like fresh pasta and breads. He'd sell those at the farmer's markets, of course.

One summer I lived in a house where he was farming the front yard. Interesting summer, interesting guy.
Maybe we're just jaded, but your villainy is not particularly impressive. -Ennesby

If you know what you're doing, you're not learning anything. -Unknown
Sanity is the process by which you continually adjust your beliefs so they are predictively sound. -esr
User avatar
HTRN
Posts: 12397
Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:05 am

Re: The Horror

Post by HTRN »

Greg wrote:He would grow produce in people's yards, and pay them with part of the crop.
Thats basically what Curtis does, at least on some of his plots.

What boggles me is what he says he charges for produce 10 bucks a pound for lettuce?!
HTRN, I would tell you that you are an evil fucker, but you probably get that a lot ~ Netpackrat

Describing what HTRN does as "antics" is like describing the wreck of the Titanic as "a minor boating incident" ~ First Shirt
User avatar
Rod
Posts: 4824
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:08 pm

Re: The Horror

Post by Rod »

HTRN wrote:
Greg wrote:He would grow produce in people's yards, and pay them with part of the crop.
Thats basically what Curtis does, at least on some of his plots.

What boggles me is what he says he charges for produce 10 bucks a pound for lettuce?!
Labor intensive production. Almost like the difference between a mass produced coffee table bought at a big box store and a custom crafted, one of a kind, coffee table.
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
User avatar
Vonz90
Posts: 4731
Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:05 pm

Re: The Horror

Post by Vonz90 »

BDK wrote:Which also means your local conglomerate's produce quality is about to decline as the produce will need to tolerate more automation

(Maybe. Supposedly some real advances in both automation and growing).

Some growers in Japan are raising all strawberries in... well industrial refrigerators really - and that could automate well

Might also be a good repurposing of big box retail
This is fine and the way it should be. The high volume stuff will still be needed (the local fast food joint or Walmart is not going to look for hand crafted tomatoes and lettuce) and it will open up the niche for higher quality stuff even more (as that niche is already being taken advantage of).

Oh, and BTW, all of the rural areas close to cities that are not suitable for large scale industrial farming (due to topography, plot size, etc.) will have potential markets.
Greg
Posts: 8486
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:15 pm

Re: The Horror

Post by Greg »

Rod wrote:
HTRN wrote:
Greg wrote:He would grow produce in people's yards, and pay them with part of the crop.
Thats basically what Curtis does, at least on some of his plots.

What boggles me is what he says he charges for produce 10 bucks a pound for lettuce?!
Labor intensive production. Almost like the difference between a mass produced coffee table bought at a big box store and a custom crafted, one of a kind, coffee table.
Way higher up the price/performance curve. Each incremental improvement in quality is more expensive than the previous one....

Not so much a typical rural farmstand where everything is both cheaper and fresher than a supermarket, and the farm family still sees more money from the sale than what they shipped off... Stuff at farmer's markets can get pricey. Like Whole Foods pricey, because people pay extra for, dare I say it, artisanal produce.

Or a higher end restaurant, that wants something better than what the other places get from a wholesaler.
Maybe we're just jaded, but your villainy is not particularly impressive. -Ennesby

If you know what you're doing, you're not learning anything. -Unknown
Sanity is the process by which you continually adjust your beliefs so they are predictively sound. -esr
Post Reply