Talbot County Small Farm Class

1. Talbot County Small Farm Class Crop Production Laura Hunsberger University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, Worcester County

2. Agenda • Crops background • What shall I produce? • Basic Botany • Basic Soils – Plant Nutrition • Basic Pest Management

3. 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?

4. 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?

5. 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!

6. 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!

7. 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

8. Basic Botany • Seeds • Stems • Roots • Leaves • Flowers Their role in plant growth, reproduction and your profit! How to manage healthy plants

9. 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 Seeds – How they Work See Handout on Success with Seeds

10. Endosperm = food source Embryo = young plant • Cotyledons • Plumule • radicle Germination • Water • Metabolic activity • Embryo grows • Radicle emerges • Shoot emerges Seed Coat/ Pericarp= Protection

11. Plant Parts – Stems

12. Modified Stems Iris Grapes, peas Dalhias and crocus’

13. Parts blade Margin Entire Toothed Wavy margined lobed Petiole midrib Leaves Leaf Identification is especially useful when identifying (and KILLING) weeds!

15. Simple or compound • Leaflets • Palmately compound • Pinnately compound

16. Taproots Lateral – secondary Root hairs Adventitious roots (lilies & corn) Roots – types and parts Root type is important to understand as cultivation can spread unwanted plants by chopping up and dispersing their roots…..

17. Fragrances Sweet – bees Sweet at night moths Nasty – flies Shapes Landing pads Insect shapes hostages Flowers – how they work

18. Flowers – parts and purpose

19. Wind Wings Parachutes Tiny Animals Fruit adhesives Water Dry Dehiscent (open) Indehiscent (closed) Fleshy Simple- peaches Compound- Aggregate-raspberry Multiple-pineapple Fruit – how and why

21. 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.

22. 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?)

23. 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?

24. Stand and Stretch