Caulie crop 2021 how has it gone?

Well how has 2021 been for the caulie crop.

I've been mostly happy with mine, but I do have a few advantages with local marketing & different micro climate to main production areas.

I only do part of the season starting 20 th July cropping till early January, well that is the plan.

I did start on time but had a gap for three weeks due to plant raiser modifing my order, Putting two varities on two dates into one variety on one date, hot weather made this even worse. The late Autumn programme have grown too well & all the November & December programme matured too early, we have 9 weeks when we were selling well but too much supply. However this last 10 days demand has been much better & even over mature crop has sold very well & averaged up we have had a decent year. Minus three forecast tonight so may damage the small area still to harvest.

As a retailer/small scale wholesaler I'm worried how expensive Cornish/Kent/French crop is going to be over Xmas. Last year we had so much at Xmas could not keep up harvesting it fast enougth, so lost a small area to harsh frost post xmas.
 
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Large cauli's now £1.90 in tesco.

Too much cauli has matured far too early and i think £2.50 - £3 per head at christmas

I've been paid £1 per head wholesaler selling at £1.30 & lots of thanks when I delivered. Even took some over mature stuff in three to a banana box & a supplier to the hospitality sector snapped them up as soon as the caulies were unloaded.
 
I've been paid £1 per head wholesaler selling at £1.30 & lots of thanks when I delivered. Even took some over mature stuff in three to a banana box & a supplier to the hospitality sector snapped them up as soon as the caulies were unloaded.
I agree £2.50 for French eights especially with high importing costs.

How is the late winter roscoff type crop doing, may be a good supply late winter early spring from coastal south west crops?
 

Green grower

Member
Horticulture
Location
Gosberton
Farm nr Spalding Lincolnshire our Cauliflower season has been poor had too many times this year at high supply ,merchants offering £2 40 or less not supplying 8 boxes for less than £3 or not worth doing boxes and transport killed It for us good price at moment little supply
 
Farm nr Spalding Lincolnshire our Cauliflower season has been poor had too many times this year at high supply ,merchants offering £2 40 or less not supplying 8 boxes for less than £3 or not worth doing boxes and transport killed It for us good price at moment little supply
I can easily imagine the problems you have had.

I've been very lucky been that two weeks behind you, although make no mistake this is not an ideal caulie farm, shallow soil, stone etc. Sometimes in a wet year, I think it should be illegal to grow row crops on shallow soil but in a year like this with the crop worth more than the land it is growing in, it encourages me to keep growing a variety of crops.

Many in the job, growers, wholesalers & retailers are addicted & just keep going. Remembering the highs, a bit like hooked gamblers.
 
I had none in this past few years because my elderly planter has gone missing. Left it in a field always meaning to go for it, when I went for it it was gone. Any planters for sale? I loved the veg job, apart from the sprouts on the coldest days of the year

Buzz of the market or seeing a smart crop growing (they often look much more valuable than they are really worth)?

I love the manual side of it great healthy life style out in the fields.

Sorry about the planter theft, scum as are those who buy stolen stuff.
 
Buzz of the market or seeing a smart crop growing (they often look much more valuable than they are really worth)?

I love the manual side of it great healthy life style out in the fields.

Sorry about the planter theft, scum as are those who buy stolen stuff.
I was able to retail everything my self the last 2 years I was at it, sometimes had to sell stuff very cheap to avoid losing it. Loved going out with tractor trailer and stick of empty boxes, and coming home with them all full. Romanesco or brocoflower was a great seller for me
 

Bigjon44

Member
Going out of the job after this season.too many 4 and 5 quids for x12 during aug/sept doesn't even break even anymore when the box cost £1.70 and transport another 70p a box so it just kills the job
 

Bigjon44

Member
T and b containers aren't making anymore fold up crates either.they have been priced out of it by the cost of raw materials now
 
When I'm buying veg, the wholesaler doesn't even take the crates back. Says his supplier doesn't collect them and they just build up till he dumps them
Very different here, almost any box can be sold & is, especially this season. Also pallets, wholesaler always short of pallets, porters selling them.

I think some will double their wages by selling packaging, pallets, tips & some take orders over mobile phones for veg discussing qualty & passing order onto salesman. Always know who has a van to sell etc.

Impossible to sell or buy effectivily without tipping.

Capatilsm working, everyone gains.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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