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View Full Version : My new farm lease.


Nicolas Naranja
03-04-2012, 08:22 PM
I just paid for the lease on Wendesday. You can't see the end of the field in this picture it's 1/2 mile away. I've got 1000 suckers to plant.

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/HPIM1170.jpg

momoese
03-04-2012, 09:12 PM
I take it there is water supply?

john_ny
03-04-2012, 09:48 PM
Congrats. Hope everything goes well!

RayS
03-04-2012, 10:44 PM
Very, very nice. Good luck with t.

Nicolas Naranja
03-04-2012, 10:52 PM
Yeah there is a canal behind those trees on the left. I'll be about 100' from the lake at the furthest.

momoese
03-04-2012, 11:05 PM
Cool, I have no doubt you'll turn that space into a nice looking banana farm in no time!

bananimal
03-05-2012, 12:30 AM
Nick ---------- Are you planting suckers from the old 5 acres or liners from Agristarts?

What's the acreage?

The canal could mean gators. Pack heat while picking.

Nicolas Naranja
03-05-2012, 11:37 AM
It's mostly going to be suckers. I'm going to add Rhinohorns to the mix so that will be new. Pretty much it will be Hawaiians, Machos, and Nam Wahs. Behind my house, I am going to have variety. Oh, it's 2 acres so I'll have about 900-1000 plants. In reality I only picked fruit off of about that many anyways because the misi luki's fell apart after the freeze last year, the dwarf super plantains always had trouble with cigar end rot, the kandrians were not very popular, the gran nains freeze out easily, and the FHIA-17s never fruited. SO my business is almost entirely based on 400 Nam Wahs, 300 false horn plantains (Maricongo and dwarf puerto rican), and 300 hua moas.

I have learned though that goldfinger sells well, I have a market for about 50lbs a week that I can only occasionally fill orders for.

tmc2009
03-05-2012, 02:28 PM
Best of luck. Do you have to use heavy machinery to prepare the field or can you just dig a hole and plant the suckers?

oakshadows
03-05-2012, 02:59 PM
Good luck, sounds like your days will be full of work. I can remember when I had that kind of eneregy.

Nicolas Naranja
03-05-2012, 04:10 PM
Best of luck. Do you have to use heavy machinery to prepare the field or can you just dig a hole and plant the suckers?

I'll kill the weeds and grass and dig a hole and plant. I've had less trouble with no-till production.

Kostas
03-05-2012, 06:25 PM
I wish you success with your new farm Nick!!! :woohoonaner: Seems like a great spot for bananas!

Well done for going with no-till! It really makes for better soil in the long run and especially if you top dress with organic material that may be provided for free in certain cases.
You may look into having it completely organic(and maybe certified?) as this seems to give a good edge over other producers to customers! At least here,from the time our local banana growers decided to convert to fully organic banana production,their sales and profits increased a lot and now almost all banana farmers here are organic or converting to organic and hold the local market well when their bananas are available! :) They say its also a little more profitable for them that way,especially given the small scale production they do and the few pest problems they ever have here. I think you will have similar experiences in your local market and it will certainly be good for your health as well!

Whatever you decide,i wish you the best of luck and to continue to enjoy this wonderful job! :)

Nicolas Naranja
03-05-2012, 08:48 PM
I'm almost organic as is, my only crutch is fertilizer. It would really just be a matter of switching to sulpomag from muriate of potash. I have high organic matter.

palmtree
03-05-2012, 09:21 PM
Looks like a nice property! Should make a great banana farm in no time!

Magilla Gorilla
03-05-2012, 09:44 PM
Congrats! Very cool!

PR-Giants
03-08-2012, 10:35 PM
Wish you the best of luck.
All land looks better with ARH, only need to plant them once.

bananimal
03-09-2012, 10:40 AM
What does ARH stand for ? Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter??

sunfish
03-09-2012, 10:59 AM
What does ARH stand for ? Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter??

African Rhino Horn

Darkman
03-12-2012, 08:41 PM
Fantastic! Will be looking forward to your pictures. I hope you have a more permanent lease than last year!

Nicolas Naranja
03-12-2012, 09:42 PM
Fantastic! Will be looking forward to your pictures. I hope you have a more permanent lease than last year!

I should have no problem keeping this field for more than three years.

MediaHound
03-13-2012, 11:39 AM
Congrats!

Nicolas Naranja
04-22-2012, 07:54 PM
I am making a little progress on the planting. Basically, this farm is going to be plantains of different types. Lots of Hawaiians, some maricongo, some dwarf plantain, and african rhino horn. Plantains are a lot less work than bananas.

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-04-22192313.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-04-22191023.jpg

sunfish
04-22-2012, 08:25 PM
I am making a little progress on the planting. Basically, this farm is going to be plantains of different types. Lots of Hawaiians, some maricongo, some dwarf plantain, and african rhino horn. Plantains are a lot less work than bananas.

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-04-22192313.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-04-22191023.jpg

What I wouldn't give for a piece of land like that

Nicolas Naranja
04-22-2012, 09:21 PM
What I wouldn't give for a piece of land like that

$800/yr for 2 acres of nearly frost proof land. I basically need to make $4/mat to break even. It would be nice to have some partners to lease a larger acreage.

sunfish
04-22-2012, 09:29 PM
$800/yr for 2 acres of nearly frost proof land. I basically need to make $4/mat to break even. It would be nice to have some partners to lease a larger acreage.

What a deal

GreenFin
04-22-2012, 11:20 PM
Plantains are a lot less work than bananasHow so? Is it because there are fewer fingers on plantain bunches to harvest and sell, or is it something about their growth and care?

Awesome to see your progress. Thanks for the update!

Nicolas Naranja
04-22-2012, 11:42 PM
How so? Is it because there are fewer fingers on plantain bunches to harvest and sell, or is it something about their growth and care?

Awesome to see your progress. Thanks for the update!

They don't sucker as much, and I can make 1 or 2 phone calls and sell 30 stalks every week.

Nicolas Naranja
08-16-2012, 11:35 PM
Oh Progress... my old farm was finally turned back in after sitting unused for 3 months. The new place is growing quickly though.

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-08-16191515.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-08-16191236.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2012-08-16184000.jpg

GreenFin
08-16-2012, 11:37 PM
Ever have much trouble with vandals? (the human variety)

shilisha
08-17-2012, 04:39 AM
WOW!Looks great!
Good luck!

Darkman
08-17-2012, 08:52 AM
Nicholas,

Please tell us your spacing.

If you were growing Dwarfs (DR,DN.DC) what spacing would you use?