Soon the fruits were big enough for the market...

I harvested one and took a bite...for quality control

The lower portions tasted heavenly...like manna.

There was a burst of freshness and life all at the same time.

However, the parts close to the stalk had a bitter taste...peeling the skin solved the bitter taste....but who peels cucumbers ? Those boys are eaten raw- skin to skin.

Secondly, the fruits on the ground had a non-uniform colour. The side on the floor was lighter.

Not perturbed, I took some to my market locations and gave samples to my customers.

They were amazed at the sizes. I got orders for delivery next morning.

I went back to the farm and harvested 5 sacks.

Took the sacks to the market and made my cool first N10,000.

I got calls from my customers....two main complaints.

The colour
The taste.

But I had an advantage. My cucumbers were early and big. They were able to sell off the 5 sacks despite the complaints.

I got an order for 10 sacks.

Went back to the farm and got 15 bags... Delivered and made my money.

My customers kept complaining but there was little I could do.

The partial staking I did at the late stage helped...but it was too little, too late.

They kept buying however but at a discount.

I knew the reasons for the challenges.

Bitter taste was as a result of low water absorption by the plants. In fact, its a miracle they survived.

The uneven colour was as a result of the non staking.

My harvests kept coming in sacks.

I had the capacity to sell 50 sacks a week.

I wasn't however selling that much because of the problems I listed above.

There was a woman who wanted to play a fast one on me.

She ordered for 10 sacks and I went to deliver.

When I got there, she started rambling about how the cucumbers were not selling due to the problems noticed. She now said she would pay only N1000 per sack.

It was a Sunday evening. There was petrol scarcity. I bought fuel at N250 per liter just to fulfill that order.

I was annoyed. I told her I was not selling and drove off. She tried to call me back but I didn't pick.

I looked for the nearest bush and dumped the 10 bags.

The next day, her friend called me and told me to bring at our earlier agreed price. We then resumed business.

Some people might term my action as irrational but it makes perfect business sense.

If I had sold at N1000, then she would have kept buying at N1000 from me through the season.

I lost ten bags but retained my cash flow.

In total, I sold over 100 bags of cucumber despite the fuel scarcity and my attendant problems. I could have sold twice easily if I was problem free.

I made a little over N200,000 as revenue before expenses.

So many lessons learnt.

The revenue was way small and not comparable to my salary as a banker.

Could I have made more? Yes.

Will I still do cucumbers? Yes.

I did not plant only cucumbers.

I planted the following crops in addition:
Water melon
Bell peppers
Tomatoes
Cabbages
Carrots
Chilli pepper
Muskmelon

I got my seeds for the above crops from Soloxam. His delivery was impeccable and he also gave me the muskmelon seeds as a gift. My thanks to him too.

My carrots and cabbages did not grow at all. I will write more about these later.

I got my cucumber seeds from 'the source'.

What will I do differently?

I intend to complete the bore hole project. I have hired a new bore hole contractor who is trying to repair the bore hole at the moment.

I will complete my irrigation project. Just a few things remaining .

I will build a greenhouse for my cucumbers.

I will source for new markets. Those market women are not from this world when it comes to haggling.

I will improve my process using the learning points I have noticed

My greenhouse plan.

I designed it myself using a CAD software.

I have done some research on cost saving techniques in construction of greenhouses.

I have a Nairalander, an angel in Jos, who has a magnificent prototype. Some of my inspiration comes from his greenhouses. He is a big timer.

Copyright. All rights reserved.

Much appreciation to every single person that has contributed to helping me.

I look back and I always thank God for this NL agric forum.

World1
Jethro
Soloxam
Aminucyrus
Olamimo
Sedulus
Farmtech
Jasper7

Also, some silent Nairalanders who will not comment or talk online but just read....silent but mighty....they discreetly add you on WhatsApp and give advice...I thank you

To my best farm neighbour....a female banker with a fanatical craze for agriculture... My support in times of dire straits. When I wanted to dust my CV and dump the whole process, she promised to support....and she did....thanks

At the moment, we are expecting sales from our watermelons. Hopefully, we would sell during the Muslim fast. Wonderful timing.

Bell peppers and tomatoes coming up....

We are planting white maize this week. This is not for sale but to be harvested, shelled and stored as food for my farm hands next year.

Contributions, advice, criticisms, abuses etc are welcome.

I AM STILL A LEARNER

Everyday of my life I learn from this section, you just added a lot to my knowledge. Thank you bro!

question; how many plots or acres did you actually planted the cucumber on ?

When you decided to use green house, what effect do you expect from the use of green house compared to an open field?

sunboy:
Everyday of my life I learn from this section, you just added a lot to my knowledge. Thank you bro!

One question; how many plots of acres did you actually planted the cucumber on ?

2 acres approximately

Thanks for this wonderful post Denn. I intend to start cucumber soon but on a small scale first of all. I need to do a test run before I enter fully. I equally plan on having banana and plantain. In my area there's a certain kind of specie of banana that sells for almost 3k and I plan to invest in that.

When you decided to use green house, what effect do you expect from the use of green house compared to an open field?

sunboy:
When you decided to use green house, what effect do you expect from the use of green house compared to an open field?

Control.

Control most variables necessary for optimum growth.

Then product differentiation. I will be able to sell quality to the higher end markets.

Ok, good! thanks.

Questions 4 u op.
1. Have u been able to recoup ur expenses and made enof return on investment?
2. How about ur farm experts, how much can u pay them from ur comparable ROI?
3. How many did it take u to make N200k and do u think it is a worth while investment?

Denn:
So many lessons learnt.

The revenue was way small and not comparable to my salary as a banker.

Could I have made more? Yes.

Will I still do cucumbers? Yes.

Denn:
What will I do differently?

I intend to complete the bore hole project. I have hired a new bore hole contractor who is trying to repair the bore hole at the moment.

I will complete my irrigation project. Just a few things remaining .

I will build a greenhouse for my cucumbers.

I will source for new markets. Those market women are not from this world when it comes to haggling.

I will improve my process using the learning points I have noticed

As per growing your cucumber in a greenhouse, watch this short video to give you an idea and multiply by 2 whatever amount you hear in it to give you the Naira equivalent.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8BdPza9xbY

@ denn congrats for the great work u have done. Who a silent female nairalander who is into vegetable farming and owns over 75 hectares of land? Can u tell us her name?

Thanks op for putting us d learners through. Is it compulsory i make bed for the cucumbers or wont they do well on flat ground.

Denn:
Much appreciation to every single person that has contributed to helping me.

I look back and I always thank God for this NL agric forum.

World1
Jethro
Soloxam
Aminucyrus
Olamimo
Sedulus
Farmtech
Jasper7

Also, some silent Nairalanders who will not comment or talk online but just read....silent but mighty....they discreetly add you on WhatsApp and give advice...I thank you

To my best farm neighbour....a female banker with a fanatical craze for agriculture... My support in times of dire straits. When I wanted to dust my CV and dump the whole process, she promised to support....and she did....thanks

Am proud of you.

It is good that you came out with some money. But there are some things you did wrong.
1st why did you do ridges in dry season? Since you had no way to irrigate the farm you should have planted on flat ground to reduce the water strain on the plants.

2. How did you arrive at npk 15 15 15 as the fertiliser to use? Cucumber require less nitrogen, The nitrogen probably leached away that is why you had big fruits. That also mean you gave inadequate potassium and phosphate fertiliser. Your yield would have been higher with better fertilisation.

Concluding that the borehole man is a fraud is unfair, it is obvious you were both drilling for water blindly and were learning along the way. You took a risk by using a novice borehole driller probably at a cheaper price but the risk didn't pay off.

And it seems too much book was worrying you. All those land preparation and planning for 2 acres of land? Man 2 acres is subsistence farming, don't do planning for mechanised farming for 2 acres of land, it will not take you anywhere. Instead of buying 2 acres of land why not use the money to rent 20 acres of land. Instead of drilling borehole for 2 acres farm why not wait for rain and use the money to cultivate a bigger rented land

I'm always learning

Austin234:
Questions 4 u op.
1. Have u been able to recoup ur expenses and made enof return on investment?
2. How about ur farm experts, how much can u pay them from ur comparable ROI?
3. How many did it take u to make N200k and do u think it is a worth while investment?

Answers.
1. No. I have not recouped as most expense was capital in nature. Seven figures currently. Revenue is still N200k. If I look at only the variable costs of the cucumber project, I made a positive contribution.
2. Advice has been free and pro bono. I cannot afford to have 'experts' on my payroll for now.
3. I sold over 100 bags of cucumbers.

Farming is not easy to plot on a graph especially when there is a learning curve involved.

Pavore9:


As per growing your cucumber in a greenhouse, watch this short video to give you an idea and multiply by 2 whatever amount you hear in it to give you the Naira equivalent.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8BdPza9xbY

Thanks boss...great resource

smallblow:
@ denn congrats for the great work u have done. Who a silent female nairalander who is into vegetable farming and owns over 75 hectares of land? Can u tell us her name?

I am not at liberty to disclose her username. Remember, she is silent on certain matters.

ogb5:
It is good that you came out with some money. But there are some things you did wrong.
1st why did you do ridges in dry season? Since you had no way to irrigate the farm you should have planted on flat ground to reduce the water strain on the plants.

2. How did you arrive at npk 15 15 15 as the fertiliser to use? Cucumber require less nitrogen, The nitrogen probably leached away that is why you had big fruits. That also mean you gave inadequate potassium and phosphate fertiliser. Your yield would have been higher with better fertilisation.

Concluding that the borehole man is a fraud is unfair, it is obvious you were both drilling for water blindly and were learning along the way. You took a risk by using a novice borehole driller probably at a cheaper price but the risk didn't pay off.

And it seems too much book was worrying you. All those land preparation and planning for 2 acres of land? Man 2 acres is subsistence farming, don't do planning for mechanised farming for 2 acres of land, it will not take you anywhere. Instead of buying 2 acres of land why not use the money to rent 20 acres of land. Instead of drilling borehole for 2 acres farm why not wait for rain and use the money to cultivate a bigger rented land

I appreciate criticism but not judgement.

First, your comments are full of assumptions. I will shed more light.

1. I made beds and not ridges. I planned to do furrow irrigation and commissioned a bore hole chap. I could not have known from the onset that the guy would mess up. Beds are best for vegwtables. This is an internationally accepted practice. If I planted on bare soil, how would I have irrigated?

2. Top dressing fertilizer for cucumber is NPK 15.15.15. At least, jasper and co have been adherents of this. If you say the nitrogen in 15.15.15 is too much, what would you say about 46.0.0? I had big fruits because of the seed variant I planted. In fact my fruits are still relatively small compared to her 'sisters' on Jasper's farm. In summary, I really am more confused with your fertilizer analysis. Nitrogen leached away and still too much?

3. The bore hole guy was well referenced. He dug the bore hole in a friend's place. How did you know he was learning on the way? Where you there? The bore hole man collected 100% of funds....with an extra N50,000 water bill which I paid for. Who is unfair? Why would you assume his cost was the cheapest?

4. My land is bigger than 2 acres. Remember I still have water melon, bell pepper, chilli pepper, musk melon, tomatoes and maize. In addition, I still have an extra 5 acres on fallow. Another assumption.

5. You want me to rent land and wait for rain. Its a good advise but I prefer to own my land, have facilities for all year round farming and produce as efficiently as possible. If everyone farms during rainy season, who will provide the fresh fruits during dry season? I don't need 20 acres of rain fed land when I can have 10 acres of fully irrigated farm with a drip fed greenhouse. This is 2015.

Remember I was able to sell despite the flaws in my fruits....because supply was limited. If I had those flaws during full rainy season planting, I would have ate all the cucumbers my self. In fact, I would be making recipes on cucumber squash, cucumber smoothies and cucumber flavoured pounded yam in the food section by now.

Once again, I appreciate your comments.

Well done bro. more strength and wisdom + gud success. I'm really motivated. plz, I'll like to have a personal discussion with u maybe on whatsapp 07038302816. tnx.

@den is ur farm base in ogbomosho too love this thread oooo love to participate too in cucumber farming even am downloading some videos on cucumber farming keep it up sir am following u welldone sir this is huge investment.