The last time we spoke to Chris, he explained why he had expanded his operation and added 4-acre Cabbage to the nursery operation he had.  It was, as he said, to increase income, improve cash flow, and reduce risk.  To make sure he would not have all the eggs in the same basket. 

He also told me he has prepared and planted 1 acre of Kale (photos below), and studying the option of Yam as well. All of this has not come without challenges.  Chris has had to deal with diseases and pests.  His biggest problems have been mildewing and fungal rot in the Cabbage, and the pests affecting the crop are birds and whiteflies. 

So how does he defend against each of these? 

“Against diseases, I use fungicides, such as Ridomil Gold, and against pests, I apply pesticides such as Alphascope, Alphacypa, etc.  For the birds I use less innovative methods, I simply use scarecrows,” Chris informs me.  And frankly, it seems to be working well, since his Cabbage is looking great.  It must be hard work.  Chris just shakes his head, “No, working smart.  In Swahili we say “kuweka bidi””.

Out of the 4 acres, Chris will be harvesting approximately 44,000 heads of Cabbage or 11,000 heads per acre, and he is expecting 1.5 tons of Kale from the acre he is about to plant. I asked him if the Yam would be a rotation crop for either or both Cabbage or Kale, but he told me the soil conditions are different and he has another piece of land for that.  “It is soggier and therefore ideal for Yam”, he told me, you may apricate the land in the photo attached.  “On the other hand, I will be using beans or bulb onions as a rotation crop when it comes to that.  Concerning the yield, time is of importance, I turn the Cabbage over in about 100 days, and a month for the Kale, but the Yam takes longer, or approximately 8 months”.

Your Cabbage is doing great, and you will be using the same discipline with the Kale and the Yam, which should guarantee their success.  How about the future?  Will you keep this only as an extra to your nursery operation or will this gain a bigger share of your business?  “I intend to keep growing the areas each crop cycle.  Adding acre here and there.  I will also be evaluating to add crops as I go, depending on market conditions, the soil condition of the land I have available, and how it fits into my crop rotation model.  The Cabbage has proven to me the benefits of diversification.  Being able to generate income from one area when the other might not be doing so well, changes everything”.    

Below you may appreciate a few photos of Chris, the landscaping part of his nursery, and the Cabbage fields, the Kale, and the land where the Yam will be planted.  The Cabbage is looking good!

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Anyone interested in Cabbage, Kale, Yam, or any other of Chris’s products, can contact him here in the comment section below.