Strawberries are traditionally grown with a matted-row system in Indiana. Plasticulture is relatively new. It brings market opportunities and potentially high profit. However, growing strawberries in plasticulture is much more expensive than the matted-row system. Farmers need a good understanding of the system to avoid significant economic loss.
In the Strawberry Chat Podcast episodes, you will hear interviews with two Indiana strawberry growers, Calvin Beasley at Beasley’s Orchard and Richard Ritter at Ritter’s Farms. Their farms vary in size, and they sell through different markets. After many hard lessons learned over the years, they have adapted the plasticulture strawberries in their farming business. In these interviews, they generously shared their experiences, thoughts, and ideas, which can be extremely valuable for others interested in growing this crop.