Cash Crops

[PampDady]

I have about 16 acres in the Appalachian mountains. Some of the land pasture and some is mountain. I currently have cherry trees, apple trees, about 100 blueberry bushes a huge variety of herbs and two large areas I have conventional gardens on. I have about 2 one acre lots that I am wanting to put some crops on. I am just looking suggestions on what to plant on these two 1 acre lots. Its a pain in the neck to mow and take care of them and they are just setting and I'm paying taxes on them. Any suggestions on what plant. I'm thinking low initial investment, low maintenance(possibly some perennial that will return each year) I don't want to plow and plant each year. I have enough to do but I don't want the land to just set when I could be getting a return on it.

[Treasure Searcher]

Here are several items that you need to consider when determining what crops to plant:
1) How long is your growing season?
2) What type of soil(s) do you have?
3) How much rainfall do you have? If it not ample for your particular crop(s), can you irrigate?
4) What other crops are planted in your area? If a certain crops grow well in your area, then those are the most likely
ones to plant.
5) What pests are in your area that may damage/eat the crop (squirrels, insects, etc.).
6) What type of machinery do you have, for planting, tilling and harvesting?

There are other factors to consider as well. Talk to the old timers in your area that farm/farmed, they know what grows and what will not.

[Nickelless]

PampDady, I'll pose the same question to you that I've posed to a number of other farmers and growers: Why are you worrying about cash crops instead of worrying about growing enough food to become self-sufficient? If you have that much acreage, surely you can plant enough crops to help feed yourself and your family and have enough left over to trade for other items you need. I only have a fraction of an acre at the moment, but I've planted three apple trees in the back yard and hope to have much of the yard ready for a huge vegetable garden next spring. Plant what you eat, eat what you plant, and trade any crop surplus for other items you need. If I were you, unless you absolutely needed cash, I wouldn't worry about money from your crops. I'd focus on feeding the family. Don't get rid of what you could otherwise use to feed your family.

[BeefJerky]

You might not like my suggestion. :-)

[goldie40]

I have about 16 acres in the Appalachian mountains. Some of the land pasture and some is mountain. I currently have cherry trees, apple trees, about 100 blueberry bushes a huge variety of herbs and two large areas I have conventional gardens on. I have about 2 one acre lots that I am wanting to put some crops on. I am just looking suggestions on what to plant on these two 1 acre lots. Its a pain in the neck to mow and take care of them and they are just setting and I'm paying taxes on them. Any suggestions on what plant. I'm thinking low initial investment, low maintenance(possibly some perennial that will return each year) I don't want to plow and plant each year. I have enough to do but I don't want the land to just set when I could be getting a return on it.

personally, I think you're missing bees on the homestead.

[TnAndy]

The "two one ac lots"......are they attached to your 16ac, or each other, or what ? Are they buildable lots, or up the side of a mtn or what ? In town, out in the county, or what ?

I take it they are in grass now ?

Need little more info to base suggestions on..........

[bluesky99]

PampDady, I'll pose the same question to you that I've posed to a number of other farmers and growers: Why are you worrying about cash crops instead of worrying about growing enough food to become self-sufficient? If you have that much acreage, surely you can plant enough crops to help feed yourself and your family and have enough left over to trade for other items you need. I only have a fraction of an acre at the moment, but I've planted three apple trees in the back yard and hope to have much of the yard ready for a huge vegetable garden next spring. Plant what you eat, eat what you plant, and trade any crop surplus for other items you need. If I were you, unless you absolutely needed cash, I wouldn't worry about money from your crops. I'd focus on feeding the family. Don't get rid of what you could otherwise use to feed your family.

PampDady, in line with the good points that Nickelless made above, you still may be wondering what would be good to plant. I am not sure how much gardening experience you have, but here are some suggestions.

East TN has a good warm climate for growing lots of varieties of vegetables, assuming you are not too high in altitude. I used to live there and hope to move back that way in the near future.

Asparagus is one of the few truly perennial vegetables. Rhubarb is another. There are other veggies that can be perennials, but only in the extreme southern US climates.

Vining plants such as canteloupe/melons and sweet potatoes can be easy to grow and low maintenance, and need lots of space to spread, which you have. Sweet potatoes will do better in hot dry weather compared to melons. Melons do need water regularly when they are developing the fruit, but during the last stage of fruit maturation, will taste the best if they get only a limited amount of water.

Other spreading plants you might want to consider are strawberries or cucumbers (prolific producer).

Spring and/or fall planting, easy to grow and fairly low maintenance: Radish, carrot, lettuce, spinach, onions, garlic, potatoes.

Summer planting, easy to grow: Tomatoes, beans, melons, peppers, sweet potatoes, cucumbers.

As you know, getting your soil in good condition will make a big difference. As much as you can, add organic material to your soil regularly if at all possible. Also, you may find that your biggest maintenance task is simply keeping weeds at bay.

[MrLucky]

Can you plant trees on them? Maybe become a tree farm?

[brewer]

You might also want to look at what type of markets are available...
Seasonal or year round farmers markets, specialty restaurants and their locations???

[Canadian-guerilla]

Plant what you eat, eat what you plant, and trade any crop surplus for other items you need.

+1

another addition to my GIM quotes file

[ttazzman]

if the land is marginal i would plant some nut trees.....walnut...pecan.....good for food and wood...but i sure wouldnt want to take flat fertile bottom land and put in trees....i would use it for annuals.....like corn etc....also blackberry bushes can be used in marginal areas and produce well

[PampDady]

They are attached and a part of the 16 acres. One lot is flat field and the other is about 50% flat and the other is 50% mountainous. I am looking at planting ginseng and golden seal to in the mountains area. The both are very valued and occur naturally in this area anyways.

[GOLDZILLA]

grapes and ginseng. If you got 40 years, you can make a killing on ginseng.

[TnAndy]

If you can keep the thieves out of it. Also, you need a north east to north west slope with a fair amount of shade for ginseng.

[birddog]

if the land is marginal i would plant some nut trees.....walnut...pecan.....good for food and wood...but i sure wouldnt want to take flat fertile bottom land and put in trees....i would use it for annuals.....like corn etc....also blackberry bushes can be used in marginal areas and produce well

My husband and I were talking about planting pecans last night. Seems the Chinese have taken a liking to US pecans.....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...248237738.html

[ttazzman]

My husband and I were talking about planting pecans last night. Seems the Chinese have taken a liking to US pecans.....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...248237738.html

you can buy bulk walnut and pecan seedling trees in the spring from the mo dept of conservation very reasonably priced.....a visit to their website will guide you........i have a 8 acre field that is very inaccessable and starting to grow up in cedars.....i think i will doze out a acre or two...cut the cedars out for posts etc ...then use a single ripper on my dozer and plant walnuts and pecans every 10-15' grid......then thin out the ones that are weak in a couple of years to a 30' grid....maybe do that the next couple of years...my kids would have a great crop of nuts and wood in the future

[ernest]

I saw this in Tractor Supply the other day. These folks had some marginal land.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/content...flower_farmers

[roadgold]

I just planted a few of these http://www.pinklemonade-blueberry.com/ Different always sells usually with a premium.

[earplugs]

I agree with grow what you eat, eat what you grow. that's why you should grow some goji berry, tobacco, some truffles, coconut, and wild rice.

[Usury]

I just planted a few of these http://www.pinklemonade-blueberry.com/ Different always sells usually with a premium.

Hmmm.....are those GMO?

[Dwildcat]

Sounds like you're looking for is some type of vegetable crop, however you may want to consider getting some laying hens. On our farm we always grew a huge garden and had a lots of fruit trees around. Therefore we never had to feed the chickens. they just cleaned up any fruit that fell from the trees or ate the veggies we tossed over the garden fence that were spoiling, excess, wormy, etc, or some grain they found. We always had tons of fresh eggs and usually sold a couple cases of eggs to the local bakery every other week. All you really need is a lockable enclosed shack for them to roost in at night and a long wood trough filled with straw for nests.

Besides the chickens kept out all the grasshoppers out of the garden.

[Striker]

I would maximize the 100 blue berry bushes you already have. I do not know your climate but early season blue berries are the cash crop in our area. Typically selling nearly twice what they can in the regular season. Maintain them organically and and promote them that way. Otherwise use those two acre parcels for something that makes you more independent. I saw someone further up in the thread mention bees - by the sounds of what you have already they should thrive on your land not including what they will forage around you. Local honey flies off the shelves at $10/$15 a quart in our area. At that price you are looking to make better than $400+ per hive. Additionally, they will increase the harvest of your orchard and blue berries so another benefit easily recognized.

Just some thoughts. Get away from a mono-culture mentality of a cash crop and just increase the yields of what you have. Beside a single cash crop may have no value post-shtf.

Striker

[__hoot__]

if it will grow there, catnip can be a high value cash crop

[Nickelless]

if it will grow there, catnip can be a high value cash crop

I'm only half-kidding in asking, is there demand for catnip among consumers who aren't cats?