ALTERNATIVE CROPS

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ALTERNATIVE CROPS

• Prepared by Mr. Eddie McKie
• South Region Area Horticulture Teacher
• Georgia Department of Education
• For the Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
  Office
• May 2002

Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education
Curriculum Office June, 2002
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• Agriculture is defined as the activities
  concerned with the production of plants and
  animals.
• Horticulture is defined as the culture of plants
  for food, comfort, and beauty. Horticulture is
  divided into three important areas
• Ornamental Horticulture
• Olericulture
• Pomology

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Traditional Agricultural Crops

• Peanuts
• State average yield of 2600 lbs./acre.
• Quota price at 610.00 per ton.
• Non-quota price at 132.00 per ton.
• Loan price at 175.00 per ton.

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Traditional Agricultural Crops continued

• Cotton
• State average yield of 602.34 lbs. per acre in
  1998
• Dec. futures at .6288 per lb.
• Soybeans
• State average yield of 21 bushels per acre in
  1988
• Nov. futures of 5.48 ½ per bushel

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Traditional Agricultural Crops continued

• Corn
• Calhoun County average yield in 1998 was 125.27
  bushels per acre
• Dec. futures at 2.59 ½ per bushel

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AlternativesFruits Vegetables

• Advantages
• Generally brings a good price
• Adaptable to Georgias climatic and soil
  conditions
• Because of urban sprawl, Florida is loosing some
  of its production capabilities

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AlternativesFruits Vegetablescontinued

• Disadvantages
• Labor intensive
• Expensive to produce
• Uncertain markets

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Butterbeans

• Can be grown both in the spring and fall in
  Georgia
• Can be grown in Georgia for fresh market,
  processing or pick-your-own
• Grow best in well-drained loam soils with a high
  level of organic matter

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Butterbeanscontinued

• Harvest beans for fresh market and pick-your-own
  markets when the pods are well-filled.
• Harvest beans for processing according to
  processors desires. Can be harvested after the
  beans are mature in a once-over operation.

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Cantaloupes

• Most of the commercial acreage is concentrated in
  South Georgia
• State average of around 5 to 6 tons per acre
• Experienced growers have produced 10 tons per
  acre with good conditions
• Cantaloupes should be harvested at 3/4 to full
  slip. At 3/4 slip, a fourth of the stem will
  adhere and break rather than slip free. Check
  with seed supplier to determine when to harvest.

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Cucumbers

• Cucumbers are divided into two types--Slicing and
  Pickling
• Most cucumbers grown for the fresh market and
  shipping are of the slicing types.
• Cucumbers will grow on most soil types in
  Georgia, but tend to grow better in soils high in
  organic matter.

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Cucumberscontinued

• Cucumbers mature rapidly in hot weather so they
  should be harvested every other day.
• Slicing and fresh market cucumbers should be
  harvested at 1 1/2 to 2 in diameter and 6-10
  long and should be well formed with a dark green
  firm texture.
• Cucumbers harvested in hot weather should be
  pre-cooled before shipping.

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Greens(Collards, Turnips, Mustard)

• Planting dates August through early October
  early February through early April
• Harvesting 35-50 days for turnips and mustard
  60-80 days for collards
• Can be grown in a wide range of soil types
• Harvest when stems are tender by feel
• Georgia accounts for 22 of annual sales volume
  but has 40 of the market in April

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Okra

• Excellent profit potential
• Extremely labor intensive
• A well-drained, fertile soil is best for okra
  production. Select a soil with a good water
  holding capacity.
• Okra can be grown for either processing or for
  the fresh market.

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Okra Harvesting

• Harvesting for processing should be allowed to
  get as long as possible without becoming fibrous
  or hard. Usually three harvests per week are
  required.
• Harvesting for fresh market 3 to 5 as long as
  it is still tender. May require harvest every
  day for quality product.

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Snap Beans

• Can be grown successfully as both a spring and
  fall crops.
• Grow best on fertile, well drained soils with a
  fairly high level of organic matter.
• Can be mechanically harvested.
• Fresh market--should be harvested before the
  beans are fully mature.
• Processing beans--should be harvested when 60 to
  80 are sieve size No. 4 or below.

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Southern Peas

• Can be grown on a wide variety of soils that are
  well drained.
• Can be planted for spring, summer and fall
  production.
• For fresh market, peas should be harvested 50 to
  80 days after planting depending on variety.
  Pods should be completely filled but not dry.

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Southern Peascontinued

• Fresh peas often are sold by the bushel unshelled
  as well as shelled. A bushel of unshelled
  southern peas weighs about 30 lbs.
• For processing, peas are harvested after the
  mature stage in a once-over machine harvest. The
  processor will determine the stage at which the
  crop should be harvested.

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Squash

• Grown throughout Georgia for the local market as
  well as for shipping
• Medium-textured, well-drained soils produce the
  best yields, but any well-drained, fertile soil
  will produce good yields under proper management
  practices
• Squash will not tolerate poorly drained soils

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Types of Squash

• Summer Types
• Crooknecks
• Scallop
• Straightnecks
• Zucchini
• Winter Types
• Acorn
• Waltham Butternut
• Hubbard
• Butternut
• Buttercup

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Summer Squash

• Harvested over several weeks
• Should be harvested every other day during the
  peek production season.
• Ready for harvest when they reach an edible size.
  The size depends on the market that is receiving
  them.

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Sweet Corn

• Can be grown most any where in Georgia.
• Needs fertile soil to produce efficiently.
• Can be harvested for fresh market or for
  processing.
• Primarily hand harvested.

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Watermelons

• Well adapted to the coastal plain soils of south
  Georgia
• Yields of 20,000 to 40,000 lbs. per acre are
  common
• State Farmers Watermelon Market in Cordele, but
  best to contract melons

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Winter Squash

• Generally harvested when mature.
• They are harvested in one to two pickings.

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• Remember If producing vegetables on a large
  scale, be sure to have a market before starting
  the endeavor.