Talbot County Small Farm Class
Crop Production
Laura Hunsberger
University of Maryland Cooperative Extension,
Worcester County
Agenda
• Crops background
– What shall I produce?
• Basic Botany
• Basic Soils – Plant Nutrition
• Basic Pest Management
What do I produce?
• What agricultural interests do I have?
• What resources are available?
• Can I afford to do what I want?
• Will the farm support what I select?
What do I produce? (cont.)
• How will I establish, manage, harvest, store
or feed my selection?
• Is there a market for my product?
• Is there a knowledge or support base?
• Will there ultimately be a profit?
Selecting an Enterprise
To Do:
• Be original – select an enterprise that is not already
being done by larger farms (the easy stuff is already
being done!)
• Diversify – don’t put all your eggs in one basket –
spread out your risk
• Experiment – do many little things – see which one
you like
• Locate and develop new market niches
– Early birds gets the worm!
Examples of Current Niche Market
Trends
• Fresh- local - in season
– Health conscious consumers
• Ethnic vegetables
– Changing demographics
• Heirloom varieties of vegetables
• Organic – pasture raised – natural foods
• Edible and Cut flowers
• What else?
Anything your neighbor ISN’T doing!
Niche Marketing
•
•
•
•
Identify markets
Determine special needs
Position yourself to serve those markets
Find out what larger producers can’t supply
– what is too small for them?
• Look for ways to differentiate your product
– How you grow it – what you do with it – how
you package it – how you market it
Basic Botany
•
•
•
•
•
Seeds
Stems
Roots
Leaves
Flowers
Their role in plant growth,
reproduction and your profit!
How to manage healthy plants
Seeds – How they Work
• In order for seeds to germinate, many need to
break dormancy:
– Chemical inhibitors – chemical inhibitors leach out but
only when environmental conditions are suitable for
germination
– Mechanical inhibitors – scarification
– Environmental inhibitors - chilling
See Handout on Success with Seeds
Germination
Water
Metabolic
Embryo
Radicle
Shoot
activity
grows
emerges
emerges
Endosperm
= food
source
Embryo = young
plant
Cotyledons
Plumule
Seed Coat/
Pericarp=
Protection
radicle
Plant Parts – Stems
Modified
Stems
Iris
Grapes, peas
Dalhias and
crocus’
Leaves
• Parts
– blade
– Margin
•
•
•
•
Entire
Toothed
Wavy margined
lobed
– Petiole
– midrib
Leaf Identification is especially useful when
identifying (and KILLING) weeds!
Simple
or
compound
Leaflets
Palmately
compound
Pinnately
compound
Roots – types and parts
• Taproots
• Lateral –
secondary
• Root hairs
• Adventitious
roots (lilies &
corn)
Root type is important to understand as cultivation can spread unwanted plants by
chopping up and dispersing their roots…..
Flowers – how they work
• Shapes
– Landing pads
– Insect shapes
– hostages
• Fragrances
– Sweet – bees
– Sweet at night
moths
– Nasty – flies
Flowers – parts and purpose
Fruit – how and why
• Wind
– Wings
– Parachutes
– Tiny
• Animals
– Fruit
– adhesives
• Water
• Dry
– Dehiscent (open)
– Indehiscent (closed)
• Fleshy
• Simple- peaches
• Compound– Aggregate-raspberry
– Multiple-pineapple
Photosynthesis –
the process in which
plants convert the
energy derived from
sunlight +
environmental
carbon dioxide to
produce sugar (food
for plant), oxygen
(released into
atmosphere) and
water.
What does all this mean to you?
• Know your crop – do your research
– Monocot, dicot
– Light requirements
– Fertility requirements
– Soil texture, water holding capacity
– Pests – is what you are growing also spreading
pests (weeds, insects, diseases?)
Plan Ahead
• Know the requirements of your crop
• Do you plant by seed or transplants?
• How will you manage your crop?
• What weeds to you have in your field?
• How will you manage them?
• Do the two systems co-exist?
Stand and Stretch