Knievil Farms

05/02/2024

Another successful onion harvest! Still waiting on the reds to mature and still have a few more of the sweet yellows to harvest. After that.... the elephant garlic is next, just started harvesting the scapes. I'll have onions and elephant garlic scapes for the next few weeks! See you Saturday!

05/01/2024

Just a lil tomato update....

They are growing like crazy! It's only been 4 weeks since they were planted. Truly amazing the growth they can put on when they have everything they need. Probably the reason I love growing them, just watching them week after week. Waiting for that first tomato! Won't be too long....Cherry tomatoes are just starting to blush, and larger tomatoes are being set.

I'll keep you posted! See you Saturday!

04/18/2024

Just a mid week update.....

Tomatoes took a bit of a beating from all that rain and wind, but looks like they are finally back at it and really starting to grow! Hopefully, late May-early June, they'll be ready!

Got some much needed cultivating done the past couple of days. Gotta get those weeds when they are young. Also, the soil really takes a beating after some heavy rains, forming a crust that seals up, depriving it of much needed oxygen the roots need.

Picked up a couple old school seeders made by Planet Jr. They were a company that was started back in the late 1800's and went out of business in 1968. They produced a lot of tools marketed to the small scale market farmers. Looking forward to restoring these and putting them back in use.

Lots of broccoli this week!

Enjoy the rest of your week, I'll see y'all on Saturday!

04/10/2024

*** Looks like everything survived with minimal damage. Mostly just some wind beaten plants, but I didn't lose any, so I'm super thankful for that. We got about 2.5in of rain which is a lil more than I wanted, but not so much it flooded the fields. I dig ditches on the sides of my field blocks to help with the drainage and they did what they were supposed to do.

Hope everyone else faired okay during the storm. I think Louisiana got the worst of it, from what I've seen.

See you guys at the Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fisherman's Market this Saturday!

Thanks everyone! ***

Hoping this storm comes and goes without causing too much damage. Tomatoes are tied up as best as they could be. All the other crops should be okay as long as we don't get too much rain (I'll take an inch or so). Crops are looking pretty good right now. Squash, cukes, corn, and potatoes are up and doing well. The last rounds of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce are growing super fast. The onions and elephant garlic are probably just a few more weeks from harvest. Finger crossed things will be okay!

03/29/2024

Finally, I got all the tomatoes in the ground! The weather finally cooperated some. Still pretty windy this morning, but nothing like the other day. Lots of different varieties, all started back at the end of January. I like these 3.5in pots. Grows a nice big plant for our crazy weather. Plus it allows more time to grow, just in case I can't get them planted when I want to.

Hope y'all are ready for some tomatoes!

02/22/2024

Do I know any electricians?

02/10/2024

Probably some of the best looking brussel sprouts I've ever grown, but man y'all better get them while you can.... having some serious disease issues! Not sure how much longer I'll be picking them. Such a shame, so frustrating!

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is probably the nastiest disease I deal with. It's typically in the soil and when conditions are right... it thrives and spreads so quick. It affects lots of different plants. Not much you can do about it once you have it.

See you tomorrow at market!

01/26/2024

Lots of good stuff for market this week! Don't let the rain stop you! I'll be at all set up and ready to go at 9am till 2pm! Lots of cabbages, broccolini, cauliflower, daikons, watermelon radishes, bok choy, micros, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, Japanese turnips, the last of the cherry toms, some lettuce, spinach, and a few other things!

Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

01/20/2024

3 nights down.... 2 more to go! I'm not a fan of cold weather, especially as a farmer. It doesn't take but a few nights in the teens and twenties to really set back your plants or kill them all together. I've lost a whole field of crops before, so I've invested in row covers to minimize the damage and keep my crops growing. Such a pain to put them on, especially when the wind is gusting!

Hope y'all staying warm! Market is a go tomorrow, so bundle up and come grab some fresh produce! Lots of cabbage, kales, turnips, daikons, broccolini, cauliflower, bok choy, microgreens, and more!

See you tomorrow....


Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope everyone gets to enjoy the day with family, friends, and lots of food!

Just a lil update on what's happening around the farm. Lots of stuff growing and everything is looking great especially after the recent rains. If you haven't been to the market lately.... I've been harvesting Kales, Collards, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Daikons, Cabbage, Napa Cabbage, Broccolini, Microgreens, Lettuce, and few other things.

No official market this week, but I will be setting up in the parking lot at the market this Saturday (11/25), so swing by and grab some produce. See you Saturday!

Thanks!


Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

10/01/2023

Even though it might not feel like Fall yet.... it's definitely starting to look like Fall around the farm. Lots of greens, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, radish, etc are really starting to take off with the warm days and cooler nights. It won't be too long. I'll keep y'all posted as things become available!

Also, if anyone in the Gulf Breeze/Navarre area wants any summer squash today or tomorrow.... Let me know. I'll be out that way later today! Thanks!

09/06/2023

Summer squash doing what it does best this time of year... amazing me how fast it can grow and how much heat it can take! I tried planting crops a lil earlier this year, but between the heat and lack of rain.... crops weren't having it. These were transplanted 8/10, and I've just started harvesting them. Not bad for some sun blasted transplants! The other stuff didn't fare as well... so got some more stuff in the ground! Won't be too long.....

09/01/2023

Greenhouse is getting packed out! This time of year, I'm constantly starting plants to ensure I have plenty of stuff growing to bring to market. This heat has made it ridiculously hard and challenging. I'm hoping to get some rain tonight or tomorrow. The ground is so dry that trying to plant is next to impossible, especially with the heat and the sun blasting.

I'm so thankful for my neighbor, Dave! He's allowed me to borrow his tractor a few times now. I was able to sub soil to hopefully help with drainage. It breaks up all the compaction from settling over the years. I was able to rip the ground about 18" deep, I think it's going to work out great, just haven't had any significant rain to see how it does. I was also able to bush hog all the weeds and existing crops, including okra (as thick as a small tree, maybe more)

Lots of good stuff to come! I'll keep you guys posted!

08/30/2023

Do I know anyone in the real estate business that might be able to help me figure out how to buy some property without a 25% down payment? Or if anyone knows of any programs that will help? I'm looking to buy a property, but my bank wants a 25% down payment.... the property I'm looking at is 215k, so they want $53,750.

I'm a farmer, I'm not rich! How are other farmers able to buy property?

Feeling super frustrated!

This is the property

This is a Vacant Land. It is located at 0 County Road 73, Summerdale, AL.

07/04/2023

Almost there! Probably another week or so! One of these days I'll learn to space things out just a lil more, going to be tricky trying to find all the melons in a mess of vines!

06/26/2023

Almost there! Hopefully they'll be ready this weekend for 4th of July celebrations, but it's gonna be cutting it close! Either way, the last round of corn is looking great!

06/07/2023

Melons are starting to look good, lots of fruit setting! Looking like it will be mid-late July when they'll be ready, but I can't wait! I'll have a few different varieties - some seeded, some seedless, an orange fleshed one, a yellow fleshed one, and two types of cantaloupe.

05/31/2023

Looking like Okra is going to make an appearance at market this week! Along with the next round of summer squash which is looking really good! And.....Lots of Tomatoes and Cucumbers!

If anyone is interested in any boxes of canning tomatoes, cukes, or squash.... let me know. I want to get a list of people interested, so when I have some available, I can let you know. Thanks!

See you on Saturday from 9am till 2pm
Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

05/28/2023

What an amazing market it was today! Thank you to everyone who came out and supported all the local farmers and vendors!

I will be in Navarre (HBTS) tomorrow afternoon if anyone out that way would be interested in getting any produce. I'll be bringing tomatoes (all kinds), cucumbers, summer squash, onions, beets, brussels, limited microgreens mix (limited quantity), and a few other things. I should be out that way by around 3ish or so....

If anyone is interested, just leave a comment or message me!

Have a Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Thanks!

05/25/2023

Hope you guys like cucumbers.... They are just starting to put on, and I don't think I've ever seen so many cucumbers. Looking like it's going to be a great season for them! I'll have 2 types of slicers, some picklers, and a white variety. Come get some this Saturday Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market!

05/14/2023

It always kind of cool to check out satellite photos and see how far your farm has grown and how things change from a birds eye perspective. These are some of the places I've farmed.... you can even see some of my first gardens that were pretty small, even one that was located in downtown Pensacola... I can see the row covers through the tree!

05/08/2023

Got a few more things planted before the rain came! Okra, zipper creams, black eyes, and another round of sweetcorn. The next round of beans and squash are growing nicely. Hopefully, I'll have some cukes in the next few weeks. They are looking pretty good and growing fast. I just started harvesting cherry tomatoes, and red slicers aren't too far behind. Awesome looking rainbow from this past Friday right before sunset!

Have a great week.... see you Saturday !

Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

05/02/2023

Lots of stuff going on at the farm this past week.... started harvesting some flowers, got the 2nd round of beans and summer squash planted/cultivated, lots of beets and carrots, jumbo onions, peppers/tomatillos/eggplants/cukes looking good, tomatoes doing their thing, and 1st round of sweetcorn!

Come say Hi! Swing by this Saturday 5/6 from 9am-2pm

Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

04/18/2023

Not too bad for the 1st time growing bulbing onions! Definitely will change up a few things next year, but planting the right variety/type at the right time, with decent fertility.... You'll have onions. I've harvested most of the whites and yellows. The reds are still taking forever. I have another round that was planted earlier this year that are almost ready, just a lil smaller. Come get some this week at Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fisherman's Market!


Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

04/13/2023

3 weeks in, and the tomatoes are looking pretty good! Lots of growth and lots of tomatoes setting. It won't be too long!

04/06/2023

Got the Ginger and Tumeric started today! We'll see how it does this year. Last year was a bust.... way to wet, and most of it rotted and never produced much! Check back in late November-December!

04/04/2023

Summer Squash is starting to come in! I have a few different varieties this year, some new, some old! Limited quantities this week
Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market

04/03/2023

Onions! I just started harvesting the first of the onions. Mostly white and yellow onions, but the reds are just a little later maturing. I'm super surprised how they turned out. The hard freeze did some major damage,then had a flooding rain event, then had a pest issue ( I know know what seed corn maggots/onion maggots are! They will destroy an allium crop) The elephant garlic isn't much further behind as they are starting to put up their flower/scape (I'll have elephant garlic scapes in a couple weeks). Both the onions and elephant garlic will be sold as fresh. Coming Soon

Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermens Market