Talbot County Small Farm Class Laura Hunsberger University 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 plant Cotyledons Plumule radicle Germination Water Metabolic activity Embryo grows Radicle emerges Shoot emerges Seed Coat/ Pericarp= Protection

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 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