Talbot County Small Farm Class

Laura HunsbergerUniversity of Maryland Cooperative

Extension, Worcester County

Crop Production

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?

• 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?

What do I produce? (cont.)

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

Endosperm = food source

Embryo = young

plantCotyledons

Plumule

radicle

GerminationWater

Metabolic activity

Embryo grows

Radicle emerges

Shoot emerges

Seed Coat/ Pericarp= Protection

Plant Parts – Stems

Modified

StemsIris

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

• Fragrances– Sweet – bees– Sweet at night

moths– Nasty – flies

• Shapes – Landing pads– Insect shapes– hostages

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