Western SARE Project Number, FW06-042

Harvest Frequency, Yield, and Economics of Summer Squash

Results

Squash Sales

My husband and I sold Squash at the Nampa Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings and at the new Wednesday afternoon Caldwell Farmers’ Market.  In addition, I filled three large orders of squash during the season: for a local CSA (Eat Right Idaho) and for Bon Appétit, caterer for Albertson College of Idaho.

Price per pound was greater for mini squash.

Table 3:  Approximate Weight of $1.00 of Squash and Cost per Pound
(based on average weights, Table 1)

Large squash were a better buy for the consumer.  For small squash the zucchini varieties were a better buy than the patty pan varieties.  Small squash were a much greater source of income per pound of squash.  In most cases the cost per pound increased late in the season as the squash size decreased.  However, small zucchini types decreased in price per pound, because their size decreased slightly but the number sold for a dollar increased considerably.

For comparison, most other vendors at the Saturday Farmers’ Market sold squash the size of my larger squash at 3 – 4 for $1.00, or at $0.75 per pound.  I was the only vendor selling baby squash at either of the Farmers’ Markets.  During peak season, 6 - 7 other produce vendors had squash for sale.

We kept track of the numbers of squash left over at the end of the Saturday market, and compared that with the number of squash that were harvested during the week.  We found that we sold all but about 6% of the small squash that we harvested with green squash slightly more popular than yellow.  An average of 17% of our large zucchini squash did not sell.  Least popular were the large patty pan types:  28% did not sell.  People frequently asked “What do you do with these?”  Most people bought other squash varieties if they were available, even when we offered recipes. 

 Customer Survey 

To get more information about customer preferences, we did three customer surveys during the season.  Two were conducted at the Saturday market and one at the Wednesday market.  For the Wednesday market survey and one Saturday market survey we hired a friend to grill squash so customers could taste the cooked squash before filling out the survey.  The other Saturday market survey included tasting of raw squash. 

Are you a market gardener or small farmer who sells squash direct to consumers?  Are you a customer who buys local squash at Farmers' Market?  Contact me and tell me how  your experience and preferences compare.  Be sure to tell me where you sell or buy squash.

Producer Survey

Six produce vendors who sell summer squash at the Nampa Farmers' Market  filled out questionnaires concerning their cultural practices on August 5, 2006. Kevin Laughlin solicited responses from 5 additional squash vendors from the Capitol City Public Market in Boise. To these responses I added my own management practices. Some respondents did not answer all of the questions. Here is a summary of the responses:

Responding vendors planted between one and 14 varieties, with an average of 5 varieties.

Eight vendors reported that they planted squash seeds in rows, while three planted in hills. Those who planted in rows reported 75 ft, 120 ft, two rows of 150 ft each planted on two different dates, and 400 ft. Others reported planting 18, 22, 27 or 40 plants, or 6, 15 or 60 hills. One vendor planted half an acre in rows.

Ten respondents said that they use a rototiller to prepare the soil. Two respondents said that they also used a plow occasionally. Eleven respondents plant seeds by hand.

One vendor claimed he did not fertilize his squash patch. Three vendors fertilized with compost and/or manure. One vendor uses a cover crop, one uses pelleted fertilizer, one an “all purpose” fertilizer. One organic grower uses Gardens Alive. One uses ammonium sulfate, added in amounts recommended for vegetables by a soil test. (Other respondents did not mention a soil test, but they were not specifically asked).

Five of the responding vendors do not use pesticides. One uses diatomaceous earth, one uses neem oil, and one hand picks squash bugs off of her plants. One uses the synthetic pyrethroid Warrior, when needed for squash bugs. One reported using rodent bombs.

I neglected to ask specifically about irrigation practices, but two vendors reported using drip irrigation, one uses flood irrigation and sprinklers and one reported using only sprinklers. One indicated that he irrigates 2-3 times per week, but did not specify method.

I also did not specifically ask about mulching, but one vendor volunteered that she used hay on top of newspaper but planned to switch to plastic, and one vendor reported using plastic. One was asked about mulching, and said that he avoids it because of squash bugs. I did not use mulch in 2006, but removed weeds with weekly hoeing. In 2007 I used hay as mulch, but this meant that weeds were not as well controlled as in 2006.

Two vendors reported that they stagger their squash plantings so that later plantings could replace older plantings when production decreased in the later plants due to disease and/or insect damage.

One vendor reported harvesting only once a week (presumably on Friday before market). Three vendors harvest 2-3 times a week. Two harvest 4 or 5 times a week, and three harvest daily. Several people reported that it takes them 15 – 20 minutes to harvest.

I judged the size of squash sold for the Nampa vendors, while the Boise vendors were asked about the size of the squash that they sell. Five vendors sell primarily small to medium size squash. Two sell small to large squash, two sell large to huge squash. Only two reported selling baby squash and one was me. The other vendor, from the Boise market, said that most of their baby squash was sold to restaurants; baby squash does not sell well at the Boise market.

Six of the vendors used a cooler or refrigerator to store squash between markets. Three indicated that they do not cool their squash.

Asked how much squash they brought to market, two vendors gave a number of boxes (3 or 4) without indicating the size of the box. One indicated 10 gallons, with 5 pounds left over after market. Other vendors brought 10, 20-30, 35, 50 or 75 lbs to market. Three vendors indicated the number of squash brought to market: two brought about 100 individual squash. I brought 200 to 500, mostly baby squash to market.

All of the Boise vendors indicated that they sell out or almost sell out of squash most markets. Nampa vendors were more likely to have some left over, averaging about 85% sales. Overall the vendors typically sold 91% of their squash, on average.  

In summary, the vendors who sell squash at Farmers’ Market tend to differ in a number of ways from conventional farmers.  Market vendors have small plots of squash, generally only a row or two, 60 or fewer plants or hills, as part of a diversified farm or garden with a variety of other crops. Most prepare the soil with a tiller rather than a plow, most plant by hand, use compost or other organic supplements as fertilizer, and use minimal pesticides. Most harvest two to five times a week. Daily harvests are rare, though harvesting takes only 15 to 20 minutes for most reporting vendors.  The most that vendors reported bringing to market was 75 lbs of squash. Most vendors sell out of squash at the market or sell most of what they bring, with vendors doing better at the Capitol City Public Market than at the Nampa Farmers’ Market.

Surprisingly, only two vendors reported selling baby squash, including me. The other vendor who sold baby squash did not sell much at farmers’ market, but sold it to restaurants.  There is potential to increase the market for this specialty product. 

Are you a market gardener or small farmer who sells squash direct to consumers?  Contact me and tell me how  your management practices compare.  Be sure to tell me where you grow and market squash.

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