Small scale farmers Mark and Josh discuss strategies for harvesting and storing crops from their farms in Arkansas. Mark operates Hardin Family Farms with 50 acres of vegetables and Josh runs Laughing Stock Farm with 1 acre of raised beds. They harvest crops like corn, melons, squash and root vegetables early in the day and use techniques like hydrocooling, shade, and cool storage to preserve quality. For small farms, handling produce requires flexibility and minimizing time between field and storage is key to success.

1. Direct Market Farming
Small Scale Handling in AR
Markets
Presented By Josh Hardin
Sheridan, AR
Pine Bluff Regional
Summit
April 5, 2017

2. Overview

Two Farms Two Scales
− Hardin Farms
− Laughing Stock Farm

Our Crops
− Corn, Melons, Squash, Cucumbers
− Root Crops (Potatoes, Onions, Ginger)
− Tomatoes, Peppers

Cool bot storage vs. Walk in Cooler

Mobile Cool Storage vs Reefer

Thoughts & Questions

3. Hardin Family Farms

5th
Generation row crop & vegetable farm

50 acres vegetables, 12 Certified
Naturally Grown

Services family retail store, 12 local
farmers markets, New South Grower’s
Cooperative, numerous peddlers &
resellers

Main crops-Watermelons, cantaloupes,
sweet corn, squash, cucumbers,
peppers, tomatoes, beans, onions

4. Getting The Sweetest Corn
 Early Morning Harvest
 Direct to hydro cooler, ice
pack, or spread in cooler
 Need enough labor to keep up
with successive plantings
 Corn on the plant 1 day past
ripe is unmarketable
 Heat, lack of water, lack of
nitrogen, general plant stress
will cause early and reduced
yields

5. Melon Storage & Handling

Don't require cold storage

Must be moved to shade
immediately

Pick, move to shade, then
move to dock when sun is
gone

Place in bins once melons
have cooled and become
firmer

Handle melons based on
customer's needs

6. Avoid Squishy Squash

Fresh market squash should never
go below 45-50 degrees

Cut down on bruising by wearing
jersey type gloves while harvesting

Keep as dry as possible, water
causes decay

If squash is cooled it must remain
at that temp until sold or it will
sweat and brown

Longer term storage requires
absorbent pads & paper

7. Laughing Stock Farm
 Small scale organic
operation
 1 Acre of raised
beds
 3 Hoops, 1
movable, 2 fixed
 2012 First
Production year

8. Small Scale Handling

By nature small scale
is less bound by
large equipment

More diversity means
different temp and
storage requirements

Small scale
producers are direct
market by necessity

9. Root Crops

New Potatoes should
be kept dirt on until
just before market

Growing above
ground means less
washing and less
digging

Preirrigate before
harvesting

Bunching in the field
saves lots of time

10. Root Crops

Handle in as few
steps as possible.

Root crops have
more storage life
than above ground
crops

Root crops hold
well in cool soil

11. Baby Hawaiian Ginger

Baby means little to no skin

Shelf life is short 2-3 days
fresh

Frozen can hold 2-3
months

Harvest close to delivery

Leave 6-8 inches of stalk

Wrap crates with wet
towels and keep in dark
cool room

12. Harvest Plan
 Handling produce early
in the day cuts down
on heat stress
 Block families and
similar harvest types
together (Cole, root,
leafy)
 Coordinate all harvests
to cut down time sitting
in field and speed
transport to cool room
 Multiple plantings
 Overlapping harvest
dates
 Intelligent projections

13. Cool Bot Technology
 Well insulated room
can hold below 40
 20 x 20 costs less
than $50 month
 Requires cheaper
type units <$200
 Perfect for short
term storage for
almost all crops

14. Mobile Cool Bot
 DIY Insulation
$400
 A/C Unit $120
 Top & Bottom
Insulation $30
 Maintenance ?

16. Rules of Thumbs

If it doesn’t look good when
you pick it, it won't get any
better.

Have a strict cull process for
restaurants farmers markets
and roadside stands.

Stay away from bleach &
use peroxide, Dr. Bronner's,
Oxi-Date, or natural soap
when sterilizing and cleaning

17. Key Factors in Post Harvest
Success

Production
practices

Environmental
stress

Soil conditions

Overall health of
plants

Sanitary handling
areas and storage

18. Questions & Thoughts?
Josh Hardin
laughingstockfarms@gmail.com
870-866-3753
Thank You For Your Time!