I have about 5 acres I can plant and was wanting some advice. Can anyone tell me what is a low labor intensive crop to grow but has a good market and profit. For instance years ago I heard of people growing tomatoes for canneries. Do small homesteaders still do this? If so does anyone know who I could contact at a company/companies to discuss this? Any help is greatly appreciated.

-- Linda (jlsam@ccrtc.com), January 12, 2002

Answers

asparagus

-- bruce (rural@inebraska.com), January 12, 2002.

Check with your county extension agent to see what people are growing in your area, and if there are any processors in your area.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), January 12, 2002.

Personally, I'm going to start marketing "manure tea bags". Saw them for sale in the Lee's catalog-$4.50 for a small box! Now that is something I hadn't considered doing, but obviously it's the same person who made a fortune from pet rocks! Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), January 12, 2002.

What is your receipe for this? How do you intend to market this? I like the asparagus idea better.

-- Hank (hsnrs@att.net), January 13, 2002.

I've found that "Arp" rosemary grows here like a 3 foot tall hedge, with little more than watering. Horseradish is another of the almost as easy to grow as weeds crops, if you have a buyer.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 13, 2002.

You can't have high profit & low labor on 5 acres. Need to pick one or the other. :) Pickles are popular here - but several hours a day, every day, on your belly picking. Same with any other such produce.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), January 13, 2002.

Maybe pick your own sweet corn. Later sell the cornstalks for decoration. A big pumpkin patch could go along with it for decorations also.

Are there any canneries located close by? If so, contact them to see what they can. Here where I live there is a cannery and some people grow green beans for them

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), January 13, 2002.

Forget the veggies - grow flowers. Specifically things like peony, lilies, delphiniums, lavender...anything that does not ship well. Contact local florist shops and ask if you can specialty grow for them. Unusual bouquets go for $15-20 at urban greenmarkets. Good Luck.

-- diane greene (greenwitch@catskillnativenursery.com), January 14, 2002.