By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

OKOLONA -- Chickasaw County farmer Jay Schmidt wants to leave a lasting legacy for his four children, so slumping catfish prices and volatile row crop markets made him step outside his comfort zone to find a solution.

Jay has grown soybeans, corn and catfish for many years. He, his wife, Sonya, and their children, Andrea, 13; Dean, 15; Laura Beth, 10; and Emily, 5; have worked hard to make the farm a family operation.

Diversification has been an answer for many producers struggling to maintain their way of life. Jay turned to Mississippi State University’s Extension Service for help.

“Diversifying my farm would not only give my children a reference they could use in planning their futures, but it also would allow them to interact with the public and understand customer service,” Jay said. “Extension played a huge role in helping me accomplish this goal.”

Before meeting with Extension specialists, Jay searched the Internet for information and downloaded publications on alternative crops. He studied market research on fresh produce trends and registered for seminars and field days in the area.

“My farm is located along a stretch of Highway 45 North between Egypt and Okolona,” Jay said. “The research indicated I had a great location to attract customers who buy fresh produce, and I wanted to ask Extension specialists what they thought.”

He invited a group of Extension specialists, which included Chickasaw County director Scott Cagle, Lowndes County area agent Jeff Wilson and MSU horticulturist David Nagel, to assess his farm site and conduct a feasibility study for a pecan orchard, fruit stand and vegetable garden.

“Some of Jay’s land lay bare, although it had been cultivated,” Cagle said. “The catfish ponds were perfect for irrigation and his brother had greenhouses where he could raise transplants.”

Jay also consulted with horticulturist Rick Snyder and pecan specialist David Ingram. He followed Extension’s recommendations to test the soil for nutrients and other fertilility requirements. He began thinking about installing irrigation, preparing transplants and obtaining black plastic for plant beds. He hunted for additional information on insects, diseases and weeds that might cause problems.

The next step was a trip to south Mississippi to tour several produce operations and to gather additional information from some of the state’s most prolific melon growers.

“One of our most productive visits was to Greene County, which is one of the top three counties in the state for watermelon production,” Cagle said. “Jay talked at length with Extension agent Mike Steede who gave him tips on harvesting and handling melons to preserve their quality. We all came back feeling good about what we learned from Mike.”

Results of the feasibility study were encouraging for Jay. His fresh produce venture had good potential because he had location, land, resources and commitment.

Jay followed Extension’s recommendations for a pecan orchard when he planted the trees in 2008. Because pecan trees need several years to mature before they produce nuts, Jay told Extension he intended to plant 9 acres of watermelons and 3 acres of cantaloupes in 2009. He also hoped to plant small plots of tomatoes, squash, okra, bell peppers and cucumbers.

“Jay has done traditional farming for years and is progressively minded,” Wilson said. “We created a plan for a fruit and vegetable farm, which included a budget and several specific goals, and he implemented it.”

Jay asked his wife, Sonya, to pick a name for the produce venture. Sonya said she thought about the image created from marketing campaigns in her home state of California urging people to “eat fresh.”

Sonya decided upon “Garden Gate Produce,” although she said the name is not a play on California’s most iconic symbol, the Golden Gate Bridge.

“When you think about fresh food, you think about the garden where it was grown,” Sonya said. “I thought a name that included ‘garden’ would help consumers identify with us, and I guess Jay thought it was an attractive name, too.”

While Jay sold all of his fresh vegetables and quite a few cantaloupes this year, his watermelons were the biggest hit of the season. Customers raved about their sweetness, appearance and fresh taste. Many became repeat customers, and some who stopped to buy returned later that day.

“When we opened our roadside stand the very first morning, buyers immediately stopped,” Jay said. “We averaged 150 customers a day, and several truckers in 18-wheelers parked their rigs on the side of the road. One out-of-state customer told me he was going to enter my location coordinates into his global positioning system so he could find me again.”

While Jay sold out of watermelons from his first planting by the end of July, he said he hopes to have another crop ready by late summer, weather conditions permitting. The strategy is different from what many Mississippi melon growers choose to do.

“He had his first crop ready for the high-volume July 4 marketing period for melons, and he hopes to have another crop, which is now setting, ready for Labor Day,” Wilson said. “He’s doing a great job of trying to extend his season.”

While melons have been a good crop for Jay, cantaloupes have been another story, and Jay said he plans to fine-tune that venture for next year. While the flesh was sweet and nicely orange, the variety did not perform to expectations. Jay is already researching other varieties in hopes of finding a more suitable product.

“I’d rather know if a customer does not like the product. That information will help me learn how to improve,” Jay said. “We’re going to approach 2010 by improving upon what we learned this year. I already have more ideas in mind.”

And Jay will have more melons for sale, too.