When in your first market? I live in North Central Kansas, I can help you out.

Thanks for reply jrslick. I have been browsing the site for a while for random bits of info but never made an account. I always see your name around so i was hoping you could help. First market is april 2nd.

Personally, I don't do early markets. The weather is always iffy and my kids want to show at several cattle shows. So, April and early May markets are limited. It may be possible, but the catch is what type of spring will we have? What is the soil temperature looking like? Can you get the low tunnels up or clear plastic on the ground and start thawing out the ground out? I would guess that you would need to be getting it planted in early February, bu that is just a guess. We are still harvesting for our winter markets and will continue until the end of February. After that is when everything changes for me, old crops out. New crops in.

We usually plant spinach in low tunnels in mid March and then are able to harvest by the end of April/early May. Probably could harvest earlier, but we weren't ready for markets at that time.

If you had high tunnels and had low tunnels inside, I would say it is very possible.

Remember nature is a mother! Like Jrslick said, spring can have crazy weather making it a challenge, and quite honestly, I think the weather pattern is changing from year to year. Its 42 degrees out here in RI, and next week we should be in the 50's! Crazy weather and it sure makes me want to plant something. If you a gambling man, fill some flats and start some seeds and hope for the best.

A low tunnel like this will certainly get things growing a few weeks earlier than without. Grow Tunnel

April 2nd is awfully early for a first market in your zone. We some starting May first and that can be real early.

low tunnels don't cost much and growing salad ingredients is easy. if there's a market then there's no reason not to try this out. its a good way to build a customer base.

Advertise the stuff on the town's Facebook sale page if it's ready before the market.

I'm interested in trying slitted row covers. I have not done so yet.

Thanks folks! I will let everyone lnow how it goea