July 2012 • COUNTRY FOLKS GROWER • Section A - Page 4
Kathy La Scala joins Lee Publications manager at Vance Publishing. She brings extensive experience in sales, strategic positioning, marketing and project development to the team.
PALATINE BRIDGE, NY — Lee Publications announces the addition of Kathy LaScala to its sales and marketing team. In her role as Digital Media Manager, Kathy will focus on digital product development for the family of Country Folks publications, which serve a variety of agriculture markets. In addition, Kathy will be a part of the sales team, providing agriculture focused companies a platform of regional and national opportunities to extend multi-channel communication and marketing efforts. Prior to joining Lee Publications, Kathy was a national accounts
A native New Yorker, Kathy earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science, with a focus on dairy, from Cornell University.
Benching
Kathy LaScala joins Lee Publications.
Cover photo by Dr. George Crosby Student Samuel Nolan shows the roots of his hydronponic bibb lettuce in the SUNY Cobleskill greenhouses.
Country Folks The Monthly Newspaper for Greenhouses, Nurseries, Fruit & Vegetable Growers (518) 673-3237 • Fax # (518) 673-2381 (ISSN # 1065-1756) U.S.P.S. 008885 Country Folks Grower is published monthly by Lee Publications, P.O. Box 121, 6113 St. Hwy. 5, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428. Periodical postage paid at Palatine Bridge, NY 13428. Subscription Price: $22. per year. Canada $55 per year. POSTMASTER: Send address change to Country Folks Grower, P.O. Box 121, Subscription Dept., Palatine Bridge, NY 13428-0121. Publisher, President..................................Frederick W. Lee V.P., General Manager ....................Bruce Button, 518-673-0104 ....................bbutton@leepub.com V.P., Production ................................Mark W. Lee, 518-673-0132 .........................mlee@leepub.com Comptroller .....................................Robert Moyer, 518-673-0148 ....................bmoyer@leepub.com Production Coordinator ................Jessica Mackay, 518-673-0137 ..................jmackay@leepub.com Editor ...........................................Joan Kark-Wren, 518-673-0141 ...............jkarkwren@leepub.com Page Composition .........................Allison Swartz, 518-673-0139 ....................aswartz@leepub.com Classified Ad Manager ...................Peggy Patrei, 518-673-0111 ...................classified@leepub.com Shop Foreman ..........................................Harry DeLong
Please join Lee Publications in welcoming Kathy to the Country Folks team! Lee Publications produces Country Folks, Country Folks Grower, Country Folks Mane Stream, Wine & Grape Grower and Small Farm Quarterly, along with a line of publications reaching the construction and quarry market.
Continued from A2
approximately 200 gallons of nutrient solution, with a fertilizer cost of just a few dollars. A pH of 5.8 is maintained in the nutrient solution by adding phosphoric acid. Since lettuce is a cool season crop, temperatures - and therefore heating costs - may remain lower than those required for warm season vegetables. On the other hand, growers who wish to attempt growing hydroponic lettuce during the summer in greenhouses must have structures with good cooling systems. Lettuce is seeded in 1-inch diameter rockwool or Oasis® cubes and grown for 10-14 days before being placed in the raft system. Lettuce seed germination and seedling growth is favored by relatively high light levels during this period and 24-hour light increases seedling growth tremendously. An additional 3-4 weeks is required in the hydroponic system. Red and green leaf lettuce, Romaine and bibb-style lettuces may all be grown successfully using this system. Plants are generally harvested with roots on which greatly increases shelf life. Bibb-style lettuce is often packaged in individual clamshell containers, while leaf lettuce is generally bagged or sleeved. A 25' X 50' greenhouse with four, 4feet-by-4 feet 40-feet ebb and flood tables each holding 300 plants can
produce 1200 plants per batch per crop cycle. This method of lettuce production may be particularly attractive to diversified farm-stand operations having the opportunity to sell highquality lettuce at retail prices. Assuming a 95% pack out rate and $3.00 per head pricing, harvesting one bench weekly - 300 plants - would gross around $850 per bench or $3400 for all four benches. Leafy green vegetables may also be grown hydroponically in unheated high-tunnel structures. Lettuce has been harvested as late as early December from high tunnel hydroponic systems here in Cobleskill. Specialized facilities can greatly improve hydroponic crop production, but high-quality leafy green vegetables like lettuce may be produced using existing greenhouse facilities. While growing hydroponic lettuce may not be for everyone, it may provide some growers with an opportunity to establish a niche market and increase the use of their greenhouse space. George Crosby is a faculty member in the Department of Plant Science at the State University of New York at Cobleskill where he teaches courses in Hydroponics, Greenhouse Management, and Vegetable Production.
Palatine Bridge, Front desk ................................ ....................................518-673-0160 Accounting/Billing Office ...............518-673-0149 .....................amoyer@leepub.com Subscriptions ..................................888-596-5329 ..........subscriptions@leepub.com Web Site:................................................................ .............................www.leepub.com Send all correspondence to: PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 Fax (518) 673-2699 Editorial email: jkarkwren@leepub.com Advertising email: jmackay@leepub.com
AD SALES REPRESENTATIVES Bruce Button, Ad Sales Mgr . . . . . . . bbutton@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . .800-218-5586, ext. 104 Dan Wren, Grower Sales Mgr . . . . . . . .dwren@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 117 Jan Andrews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jandrews@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 110 Dave Dornburgh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ddornburgh@leepub.com. . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 109 Laura Clary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lclary@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .800-218-5586, ext. 118 Steve Heiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sheiser@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 107 Tina Krieger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tkrieger@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . 800-218-5586, ext. 108 Ian Hitchener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ihitchener@leepub.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 802-222-5726 Kegley Baumgardner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kegleyb@va.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540-255-9112 Kathy LaScala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .katelascala@gmail.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913-486-7184 Wanda Luck / North Carolina . . . . . . . . . .luck@triad.rr.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336-416-6198 (cell) Mark Sheldon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . marksh500@yahoo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814-587-2519 Sue Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .suethomas@nycap.rr.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 949-305-7447
Lee Publications 6113 State Hwy. 5, PO Box 121, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428 We cannot GUARANTEE the return of photographs. Publisher not responsible for typographical errors. Size, style of type and locations of advertisements are left to the discretion of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. We will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which is fraudulent or misleading in nature. The publisher reserves the sole right to edit, revise or reject any and all advertising with or without cause being assigned which in his judgement is unwholesome or contrary to the interest of this publication. We assume no financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisement, but if at fault, will reprint that portion of the ad in which the error appears.
“Two Star” green leaf lettuce roots pictured in a hydroponic raft lettuce system. The ebb and flood greenhouse bench is lined with polyethylene film.