Starting a Farm

Agricultural Alternatives

The goal of the Agricultural Alternatives series is to help you evaluate all aspects of a given enterprise before you commit your time and money. Whether you are a full-time farmer looking to diversify or a part-time farmer looking to generate additional income from your property, there are many important issues to consider when selecting a new enterprise.
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  1. Photo Credit: Alyssa A. Collins
    Articles
    Industrial Hemp Production
    By Jeffrey S Graybill, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Alyssa Collins, Ph.D., Gregory W. Roth, Ph.D., Heather E. Manzo, Lynn Kime
    This publication provides information about hemp, including production history, policies, uses, market challenges, and production practices. It also includes sample budgets for production.
  2. Potatoes
    Articles
    Potato Production
    By Elsa Sánchez, Ph.D., Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime
    With many varieties and high consumer consumption, potatoes fit well with many small growers and can be marketed through various outlets.
  3. Developing a Business Plan
    Articles
    Developing a Business Plan
    By Lynn Kime
    An important task in starting a new venture is to develop a business plan, which is a "road map" to guide the future of a business or venture.
  4. Beef Cattle in feedlot
    Articles
    Feeding Beef Cattle
    By Tara L. Felix, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Cheryl Ann Fairbairn, Lynn Kime, John W. Comerford
    Beef cattle feeding is possible on small and part-time farms, but the cost of feeding drops significantly as the size of the operation increases.
  5. Photo: Penn State Extension
    Articles
    High Tunnel Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Thomas Ford, Lynn Kime, Stephen Bogash
    This is an ag alternatives publication on high tunnel production of vegetable crops.
  6. Asparagus Grower Interview
    Videos
    Asparagus Grower Interview
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Michael Orzolek, Ph.D., Lynn Kime
    Length 2:01
    Asparagus producer video explaining the benefits and drawbacks of asparagus production.
  7. Sweet Corn Ears
    Articles
    Sweet Corn Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Michael Orzolek, Ph.D.
    Initial investment is relatively low, and many field operations - such as land preparation, planting, and harvesting - can be custom-hired.
  8. Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com, 451688087
    Articles
    Off-Season and Accelerated Lamb Production
    By Melanie Barkley, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, David Hartman
    Sheep are ideally suited to small-scale and part-time farming operations in Pennsylvania due to their adaptability and nutritional versatility.
  9. Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com 457082825
    Articles
    Meat Goat Production
    By Melanie Barkley, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime
    Demand for goat meat, milk, cheese, and hide has steadily increased in the United States along with the proliferation of ethnic and specialty markets.
  10. Irrigation for Fruit and Vegetable Production
    Articles
    Irrigation for Fruit and Vegetable Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., William Lamont, Jr., Ph.D.
    Irrigation often is necessary because of the uneven distribution of precipitation throughout the year, especially during critical growth periods.
  11. Dairy Goat Production
    Articles
    Dairy Goat Production
    By Robert J. Van Saun, DVM, MS, PhD, Chelsea Hill, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime
    Dairy goat production is an alternative livestock enterprise suitable for many small-scale or part-time livestock operations.
  12. Red Raspberries
    Articles
    Raspberry Production
    By Kathy Demchak, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime
    Raspberry production is well suited to small farms, as a small area of raspberries can provide significant income and equipment needs for an acre or so of raspberries are not great.
  13. Small-Scale Egg Production (Organic and Conventional)
    Articles
    Small-Scale Egg Production (Organic and Conventional)
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Gregory P Martin, Ph.D., PAS, Emily Shoop, Paul Patterson, Lynn Kime
    Egg production on a small scale is one of the oldest animal farming enterprises in recorded history. A small investment may yield several years of income.
  14. Photo credit: BigStock
    Articles
    Small-Flock Turkey Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., R. Michael Hulet, Phillip Clauer, Lynn Kime
    Raising turkeys can be a satisfying educational activity as well as a source of economical, high-quality meat for your family and friends.
  15. Photo credit: Tom Ford
    Articles
    Hop Production
    By Tanner Delvalle, Tom Butzler, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, Thomas Ford
    The growth of the craft brewery industry in the Northeast coupled with a series of hop shortages in the Pacific Northwest renewed interest in hop production in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.
  16. Photo credit: Bigstock
    Articles
    Spring Lamb Production
    By Melanie Barkley, Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, David Hartman
    Compared to most other livestock enterprises, spring lamb production has lower investment costs and labor requirements, and quicker returns on investment.
  17. Cantaloupe
    Articles
    Cantaloupe (Muskmelon) Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Elsa Sánchez, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, Thomas Ford
    Cantaloupe is a crop that is well-suited to small-scale and part-time farms and has multiple markets for growers.
  18. Asparagus
    Articles
    Asparagus Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Michael Orzolek, Ph.D., Lynn Kime
    Asparagus is a perennial crop that lends itself well to small-scale and part-time farming operations.
  19. Peppers
    Articles
    Pepper Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Elsa Sánchez, Ph.D., Michael Orzolek, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, Thomas Ford, R. Matthew Harsh
    Peppers lend themselves well to small-scale and part-time farming operations.
  20. Onions
    Articles
    Onion Production
    By Elsa Sánchez, Ph.D., Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Thomas Ford, Lynn Kime, Michael Orzolek, Ph.D.
    Dry onions are a crop that lends itself well to small-scale and part-time farming operations.
  21. Beef calf
    Articles
    Beef Cow-Calf Production
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, John W. Comerford, Cheryl Ann Fairbairn
    The beef cow-calf business is well adapted to small-scale and part-time farmers who have land suitable for pasture and hay production.
  22. Introduction to Aquaculture
    Articles
    Introduction to Aquaculture
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Thomas Ford, Lynn Kime
    The type of aquaculture operation that you begin will be influenced by your financial and labor resources as well as available markets.
  23. Agricultural Business Insurance
    Articles
    Agricultural Business Insurance
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Lynn Kime, John A. Adamik, Callihan M. Dice
    Risk management can take many forms, including insurance, production diversification, and business structure.
  24. Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making
    Articles
    Budgeting for Agricultural Decision Making
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., Sarah Cornelisse, Lynn Kime, Jeffrey Hyde, Ph.D.
    The various types of budgets are used for different purposes and this publication provides information covering the most commonly used budgets in agriculture.
  25. Managing Small Woodlots
    Articles
    Managing Small Woodlots
    By Jayson K. Harper, Ph.D., James Finley, Ph.D., David R. Jackson, Lynn Kime
    Woodlot owners can improve your woods for the future or cause damage from which it might not recover for generations.
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