Organic Farm in Cambodia

[Matt Zimmerman]

Dear Group:

I started a 2 hectare organic vegetable and herb farm (some fruits too) 1 year ago in Cambodia.  The first year was a big struggle especially with pests and disease wiping out crops at times and some flooding at the end of the rainy season which killed plants and prevented me from transplanting from the nursery to the field for awhile.  We had some good results along the way with various varieties of lettuce, Italian basil, eggplant, cherry tomatoes, big leaf rocket, papaya, lemon grass, and finally have a good greenhouse cucumber variety that is doing well.  Zucchinis, French beans and cucumbers all totally failed during the wet season.  Tomatoes mostly failed during the wet season, although harvested some nice cherry tomatoes.  Am having good results with various lettuce varieties, big leaf and small leaf rocket, dill, various tomatoes, and a greenhouse cucumber now that we are in the cool dry season.  Should have cilantro, melons, sweet corn, chilis, parsley, Italian basil again, and a few more crops by Feb/Mar.  We make our own compost, but have been supplementing it with commercial compost.  Have sourced seeds from all over Asia, Australia, US and Europe.  Am using a natural concoction for pest and disease control with limited results.  Am experimenting with EM, biochar, trichoderma, and a few other things.  Have some small greenhouses and polytunnels, may build a nethouse soon.  Am comparing plastic to natural mulches, have drip irrigation, use trellises, have a nursery.  I sell to restaurants and shops in Phnom Penh.  It has been a great learning experience so far, but a big black hole for my savings.  Am hoping to turn a corner later this dry season.  If interested check out my website and Facebook page (links below in my signature block).  Hope this is interesting.

Matt Zimmerman

Owner/General Manager 

Green Leaf Farm

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

http://www.green-leaf-farm.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Green.Leaf.Farm1