Langtons Farm Project Update Final

Extending the season of tomato production for wholesale distribution

Key results

  • Due to the cold temperatures throughout the season, it is unclear how much impact the later plantings had on yields
  • Sakura were able to cope with the colder weather and still produce a decent yield
  • Even though yields were down, the crop was still used as part of the ‘Welsh Veg in Schools’ pilot

Background

Katherine and David Langton have a 70-acre farm on the West Coast of Ceredigion and plan to diversify into a number of horticulture ventures including field scale production and fruit orchards. The farm in Cardigan builds on their existing 4-acre market garden business which currently produces agroecologically grown fruit and vegetables for a box scheme, as well as wholesale production to local retailers and outlets.

In 2023 the Langton’s were part of the ‘Welsh Veg in Schools’ pilot, a wider stakeholder project exploring how to increase the volume of locally and sustainably produced food into the public sector supply chain in Wales. The Langton’s were successful in growing a range of crops for Welsh schools and wanted to build on this for the 2024 season.

Purpose of the work

  • Identify varieties of tomato that are fit for purpose for local, public procurement
  • Trial different planting dates to extend production into the Autumn
  • Create a reliable supply of produce for wholesale distribution into Welsh schools
  • Explore different growing methods to meet the food production standards
  • Increase yields from previous years

What we did

Varieties

A set of production standards have been drafted for the ‘Welsh Veg in Schools’ project which all farmers have to adhere to. Therefore, in this trial, specific varieties have been selected to meet the requirements of the school caterers and the wholesale distributors who supply into the public procurement system. Crop specific properties have also been considered, such as blight resistance in later fruiting plants. These varieties were also recommended by plant suppliers for good yield. The varieties selected were:

  • Sakura (cherry)
  • Rondobella (salad)
  • Pozzano (plum)
  • Vivagrande (beef)
  • Crimson Crush (salad – blight resistant)

Tomatoes produced in the Summer, particularly the plum variety, were to be used in sauces, with fresh tomatoes going into the schools in the Autumn term.

Planting dates

The trial used staggered planting dates in April, May and June as an attempt to produce a reliable supply throughout the Summer and to push production as far into the season as possible to align with the Autumn school term. Planting dates were:

  • 24 April 2024
  • 8 May 2024
  • 5 June 2024
  • 26 June 2024

Late season temperatures would partly determine the success of the crop and other considerations will need to be addressed, including risk of blight.

The later plantings were planted where the farmers had previously kept pigs, and planted into compost so should have relatively good nutrients.

The latest plantings were into soil, not mulched with compost, no weed pressure as planted into Mypex

External factors that impacted the trial

The weather had the biggest negative effect with a cold late Spring and Summer. This slowed growth and reduced yields. 
This is the first season on this new site so farmers are still working on soil nutrition.

Outcomes

Yields

  • 24/4 - Sakura 2.1kg per plant
  • 24/4 - Pozzano 1.36kg per plant
  • 8/5 - Pozzano 0.82kg per plant (double leader so should be 70% higher than 24/4)
  • 5/6 - Pozzano 0.45kg per plant (double leader so should be 70% higher than 24/4)
  • 24/4 - Rondabella 0.22kg per plant (leaf curling issue, severe growth issue, no fruit set)
  • 8/5 - Rondabella 1.87kg per plant
  • 5/6 - Ronabella 0.61kg per plant (double leader, some growth issues also)
  • 26/6 - Crimson crush 0.77kg per plant (double leader so should be 70% higher than single leader)

Rondabella was unsuccessful as a variety. Some growth issues meant leaves suffered from leaf curl before unravelling and looking normal. But almost no fruit would set.

All except Sakura provided lower than expected yields. Sakura tomatoes produced lower than previous years but not more than 10%. However as a cherry variety they are quick growing which probably helped compensate for the cold weather.

Plants on the later planting dates got off to a very slow start which may be reflective of the cold temperature

Reflections on trial

  • For the Farmers, it’s not financially viable to push back planting dates with risk of a cold season. Sakura were able to cope with the colder weather and still produce a decent yield which is promising
  • More soil tests are needed to rule out nutrient deficiencies.
  • In future the farmers would prefer to concentrate on a single variety for simplicity and potentially grow less plants