Agriculture, Ideas, Income

An idea about the principles on how to combine agriculture and entrepreneurship is indeed an indispensible knowledge. This was simply shown on our AGSC 3 subject.

We established planting cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, into a pot culture set-up. We chose the pickling cucumber that is gynoecious in nature (meaning it bears only female flowers) to achieve better fruit yield. We also observed pre-plant management practices such as preparation of media to where the seedlings be transplanted (composed of one-third compost, one-third carbonized rice hull, and one-third clay soil). After that, proper pricking process was employed upon transplanting of seedlings to avoid greater damage.

The next part of the process after transplanting was constant monitoring and checking of pests and regular watering of plants, as well as application of organic fertilizer dalfos (calcium phosphate from guano). In watering, all plants received equal amounts, for it is also used not only for production but also for research purposes. The amount of organic fertilizer is the experimental variable here, hence it was varied. Also, the trellises were established as preparation in such time that the plant is ready to climb.

Thirty-five (35) days after transplanting, the plants produced fruits harvestable at its gherkin state (size of the fruit around three (3) inches long appropriate for processing into pickled cucumbers). In harvesting, the fruits were carefully weighed with the respect to the research. The harvested cucumbers then underwent brining (soaking at a 20% salt solution for fifteen (15) days). For now, we’re still waiting until we are able to continue the pickling process.

This, though still on the process, sprouts the idea in our minds that in agriculture, the possibility of generating income is very evident. Requiring only a creative and innovative mind and a pursuant heart, this will let you be successful.