Alternates

I was raised on a classic 'old-school' sort of farm, replete with outhouse, old barn, corn crib and pond. To my father, alternative crops included oats, soy beans and the occasional patch of sweetcorn, popcorn , green beans and pumpkin. Yes, he was 'old school.' Corn and hay and cows and hogs encompassed the bulk of his agricultural domain.

I am certainly not putting him down! He did a helluva job raising five kids there until his death in 1983. He did what he knew. He knew his style of farming well. When times were tough, he operated a bulldozer and even worked in a brass foundry. And all of this while having heart disease and diabetes!

It seems to me that many farmers continue doing what the know. That's not necessarily a bad thing for them. Many are very good at it. The concept of farming thousands of acres of corn or soy beans is an amazing concept to me. Admittedly, not very attractive either.

Classic agriculture is indeed a minimal option in my plans, but a difficult one to swallow. Profit margins are narrow, and breaking into classic farming can be a large challenge for one with little savings and no land.

Alternative farming has some interesting opportunities. As the public moves away from more commercialized (and likely less healthy) foodstuffs, they look for alternatives. This may be a golden opportunity for new and old farmers alike to increase their profits and make a little difference in the world. A person wishing to farm no longer needs 200 acres to be marginally profitable. I have read of some having merely five acres and living solely from their own labors.

Here are some alternate crops and ideas I plan to explore:

• Alpaca Wool

• Organic/Free Range Eggs

• Duck Eggs

• Specialty Herbs

• Mustard Seed

• Sunflower

• Barley

• Hops

• Sorgum

• Sesame

• Wheat Grass

• Tree Seedlings

• Pheasant

• Rabbit

• Goats

The list of alternative crops and ventures almost seems endless. Take a look at the USDA website at http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/altlist.shtml for some great ideas. Another great place to browse to, is the Missouri Alternatives Center at http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/ These are extraordinary places to start any research into alternative agricultural ventures.

It is all limited to your available marketing, land, laws of your state and your determination. Milkweed is an alternative crop??? WOW! If I only knew that as a kid while taking a machete to acres of them!