4 Favorite Farm Tools That Make R&K Greenhouses Grow Strong
January 18, 2024 Kaye Usher, the owner of R&K Greenhouses in Lyons, GA, grows vegetables — watermelon, cabbage, collards, kale, broccoli, and leeks — across 23 indoor structures. R&K Greenhouses specializes in germinating seeds and caring for the small plants until they are big enough to be transplanted into the field. In the photo slideshow below, Usher explains her favorite pieces of equipment to accomplish that end.
Usher turned to greenhouse growing in 1989, four years after Hurricane Kate had taken out the entire cotton crop on her father-in-law’s farm, which, in turn, was sold. She and her husband, Randy, wanting to get back into farming, constructed two greenhouses to grow pepper and tomato transplants for the Georgia State Prison system.
By 1993, R&K Greenhouses had become their full-time employment. Some greenhouses were dedicated to tobacco, and Usher later started to focus on flowers. But when the market for tobacco transplants disappeared, she decided to expand the vegetable transplant arm of the business and discontinue flowers.
As Usher struggled to gain a larger customer base, she heard of a large vegetable and watermelon operation in South Carolina that was seeking a new greenhouse to grow its cabbage transplants. That led to a contract to grow 750,000 watermelon transplants.
Click here to see more installment’s of American Vegetable Grower’s “Kick the Tires” series.
