Winter Production of Nebraska

Strawberries:

An Idea Whose Time Has ComeEllen T. Paparozzi, PhD, Professor of Horticulture

Co–Principle Investigators and Project Partners:

Mr. Ryan Pekarek, M.S., Owner Pekarek’s Produce,

President, Nebraska Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Industry Partner

David P. Lambe, M.B.A., Associate Professor of Practice in Horticulture

Stacy A. Adams, M.S., Associate Professor of Practice in Horticulture

George E. Meyer, PhD, Professor of Biological Systems Engineering

Erin E. Blankenship, PhD, Professor of Statistics

Paul Read, PhD, Professor of Horticulture

Objectives:

1 - Establish a heated high tunnel and track associated costs

2 -Test the feasibility of a commercial production timeline for growing strawberries in a heated high tunnel on a specialty crop grower’s farm and compare yield data to our smaller UNL production system (concurrently) in a double poly greenhouse.

a. Track commercial production costs; record and compare sustainability datab. Answer the question – does UNL research size up?

3- Determine gross profit; years-to-return on investment for strawberry growing;

a. develop a budget for winter strawberry production

Start up funds - Strawberry Project

Structure Costs : PriceClearSpan Gothic Cold Framefurnace, doors, polycarbonate endwalls

Total Structure Costs: $15,698 Site work:Clay brought inBlack dirt brought in (36 yds),laborTreated Lumber (12) , concrete, landscape fabric

Total Site Work: $1,171 Bench Material:Bench Lath (4rolls) 708

Freight 420Concrete

Blockblock (170) 192

Capmat II 1129Total Bench Material $2,449

Hydrant installation:5 bury hydrant (1) rocktrenching, labor

Total Hydrant: $979 Propane:Propane 860 gallonsTie plates, screws, hex nuts

Total Propane: $1,295 Total structural start up $21,592

Additional costs:

Convection Tube 170

Nipples for furnace 60

Labor to pipe hanging heater 100

Electric for Greenhouse 2116

Labor on electic hookup 1200

Copper line 5/8" 375

Regulators and connectors 216

Silicone and Flexiflame 151

Valves, bolts, connectors, elbow 297

Total additional costs $4,685

Total structural start up $26,277

Total Strawberry plants/pots $1,644

Total labor on-farm $1,550

Total cost for start up $29,471

GREENHOUSE STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION (WINTER) SCHEDULE*

* Pekarek’s Produce and UNL (2013-2014)

Month

March Order dormant strawberry crowns (1 per sq. ft) - plan on 10% loss

June Order pots, soilless mix, fertilizer (1 bag each - 20-10-20; calcium nitrate; 21-7-7, bio

fungicide to dip crowns before planting

September

(12-20)

Crowns arrive and are potted up; watered in and then placed on wet capillary mat; 4

days later start fertilizer – 100 ppm N from 20-10-20 for 4 days then 100 ppm N from

calcium nitrate

October 1 Flowering begins

Order bumble bees; Temperature 75oF day/65oF night

October 15 First berries are harvested

Check pH – if above 7.0 use 21-7-7 at 100 ppm N for 7 days

If deficiency symptoms use 21-7-7 at above rate

October 22-

December 15

Berry production peaks; Stolons removed at least weekly

Be sure bumble bees still active; if not reorder; Check pH; send leaves for nutrient

analysis

December 15 Berry production slows; consider dropping temperature to 70oF day/57oF night;

Check pH

February 1 Plants starting flower again; Bring in bumble bees; Check pH

February 15 –

April

Peak berry production that should exceed winter production

Check pH; send leaves for nutrient analysis

April High tunnel/greenhouse becoming too warm. Plants can be tossed or moved to the

field to produce plantlets for Fall production (note: royalty payments)

Sustain

ability

Water usage –

7,650 gallons at

Pekarek’s produce

3,800 gallons at

UNL*

Propane usage –

Pekarek’s heated high

tunnel

4, 385 gallons = $7487.55

Natural gas usage – UNL

double poly greenhouse

329,000 cu ft. = $2038.85

pounds per cultivar

Harvest Period 'Evie-2' 'Evie-2' + 'San Andreas' 'Seascape' 'Seascape' +

October - December 31 48.97 70.01 8.62 21.13 36.50

January - April 12 203.02 199.36 59.36 177.59 167.71

Totals 251.99 269.37 67.98 198.72 204.21

pounds per

plant per

cultivar

Harvest Period 'Evie-2' 'Evie-2' +

'San

Andreas' 'Seascape' 'Seascape' +

October - December

31 0.204 0.280 0.082 0.094 0.168

January - April 12 0.846 0.797 0.565 0.793 0.773

number of live

plants 240 250 105 224 217

that's 1,036 plants out of 1,054

Income Statement - Strawberries - 2013-2014

Revenue:

Pints 4279.881556.25 sold @ 2.75 each

Quarts 1300260 sold @ $5.00 each

Total

Revenue 5579.88

2076 pintstotal

Costs:

Labor 1910

Propane 7487.55

Fertilizer 56.88

Electrical 0

Pesticides 12

Beneficials 182.5

Bees 552

Clamshells 346.4

Mileage 1640.8

Strawberries 1644

Total Costs 13832.13

Profit/Loss -8252.25

But could we?- Direct market - Milder winter and/or less propane costs- Start in January/late December?- Use the tunnel for other crops after

strawberries- Use tunnel for strawberries and

transplants for the farm

Culture change

They grow !

Markets !!

Rural + youth

International

The Nebraska Strawberry Team

George Meyer, BSE, Vicki Schlegel, Food Science

Erin Blankenship,Statistics, Paul Read, Stacy Adams, Dave

Lambe, Liz Conley, Horticulture, Ryan and Katie Pekarek

http://agronomy.unl.edu/cea