10 of the Most Profitable Small Farm Crops to Add to Your Crop Plan (2024)

As you gear up for the upcoming planting season, consider enhancing your crop plan with some of the most profitable small farm crops. We've researched some less common but highly lucrative crops to elevate your sales. Diversifying your offerings with small farm cash crops not only broadens your market but also provides your customers with unique varieties they can't find elsewhere.

In navigating these choices, leveraging a robust farm management software can be instrumental. It streamlines the planning process and ensures that each decision maximizes both sustainability and profitability.

1. Kiwis and Kiwiberries: A Top Profitable Crop for Small Farms

Kiwis, though predominantly grown in New Zealand, thrive in a range of climates, making them an excellent choice for small farms across various regions. The smaller, hardier kiwiberries, in particular, can withstand cooler temperatures, presenting a lucrative opportunity for farms from Florida to Minnesota. Embracing such unique small farm crops can significantly enhance your farm's profitability.

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2. Ginger: Maximizing Returns with High-Demand Crops

Ginger stands out as one of the most profitable farming crops due to its versatility and high demand. Opting for baby ginger can yield quicker harvests and fetch premium prices at markets, making it a wise choice for farmers looking to increase their profits.

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3. Shiitake Mushrooms: Cultivating Profitable Farm Crops with Minimal Space

Shiitake mushrooms, known for their rich flavor, represent a profitable venture with minimal spatial requirements. This most profitable type of farming taps into the growing consumer demand for gourmet mushrooms, offering high returns.

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4. Microgreens: A Profitable Farm Crop in the Culinary World

Microgreens are celebrated for their nutritional value and intense flavors, marking them as one of the most profitable crops for a small farm. Their quick growth cycle and minimal space requirement make microgreens a smart addition to any small farm's crop plan.

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5. Goji Berries: Tapping into the Superfood Trend

Goji berries are among the most profitable agricultural crops, thanks to their health benefits and resilience in various climates. This superfood's rising popularity in the wellness industry makes it a lucrative crop for farmers.

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6. Hops: Brewing Profits with Craft Beer's Rise

The craft beer movement has catapulted hops into being one of the most profitable farm crops. Small-scale hop farming can supply local breweries with unique varieties, creating a profitable niche market.

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7. Saffron: The Most Profitable Crop per Acre

Dubbed "red gold", saffron's high market value makes it arguably the most profitable agricultural crop. Though it requires careful cultivation, the potential profits per acre are unmatched, highlighting its viability for small farms looking to maximize their earnings.

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8. Bamboo Shoots: Exploring Profitable Niche Markets

Bamboo shoots offer a unique opportunity for farmers to tap into niche markets, providing a profitable alternative to traditional crops. Their culinary appeal in many cuisines can open up lucrative avenues for small farms.

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9. Elderberries: Capitalizing on Health Trends

Elderberries have emerged as one of the most profitable crops for a small farm, driven by their health benefits and culinary versatility. This crop can attract health-conscious consumers, adding a profitable dimension to your farm's offerings.

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10. Unique Heirloom Varieties: The Most Profitable Thing to Farm for Diversity

Cultivating unique heirloom varieties can differentiate your farm, making it a go-to source for customers seeking novel and flavorful produce. This approach not only supports biodiversity but also positions your farm as a provider of some of the most profitable farm crops.

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As you refine your farming operation for the next growing season, incorporating these profitable small farm crops can significantly enhance your market presence and profitability. Diversifying your crop selection not only meets the growing consumer demand for unique produce but also establishes your farm as a leader in innovative and profitable farming. Here's to a bountiful and successful harvest ahead!

Happy growing!

10 of the Most Profitable Small Farm Crops to Add to Your Crop Plan (2024)

FAQs

What is the best crop to grow to make money? ›

Most Profitable Crops to Grow This Season
  • Growing Ginseng. ...
  • Grow Teff. ...
  • Growing Microgreens. ...
  • Grow and Sell Bonsai trees. ...
  • Growing Garlic. ...
  • Grow Bamboo, Ground Covers, and Drought-Tolerant plants. ...
  • Grow Wasabi. ...
  • But First, Market Research.
Apr 18, 2024

What is the cheapest crop to produce? ›

Top 10 Money Saving Crops
  1. Leafy Herbs. Packets of leafy herbs cost a small fortune in the shops because they are hard to store and don't travel well. ...
  2. Salad Leaves. ...
  3. Quick-growing Salad Additions. ...
  4. Climbing Beans. ...
  5. Fruiting Vegetables. ...
  6. Garlic. ...
  7. Celery. ...
  8. Zucchini.
Jan 10, 2020

How to run a small farm for profit? ›

Here are eight actionable steps that will walk you through how to start farming like a pro.
  1. Choose Something to Produce. ...
  2. Learn the Ins and Outs of Your Product. ...
  3. Figure Out Your Finances. ...
  4. Purchase Your Property. ...
  5. Strategize and Prepare. ...
  6. Implement Your Farming Business Plan. ...
  7. Develop Your Product. ...
  8. Market Your Products.
Jul 15, 2020

Can a 5 acre farm be profitable? ›

Five acres may not sound like a lot of land, but many farmers have been successful at making a living on 1 acre and 2 acres, and even less land than that. It takes careful planning, creativity, and hard work, but it can be done.

Which farm is best for income? ›

Top 15 Most Profitable Farming in India
  • Organic Farming. ...
  • Dairy Farming. ...
  • Poultry Farming. ...
  • Goat Farming. ...
  • Beekeeping. ...
  • Mushroom Farming. ...
  • Aquaculture. ...
  • Medicinal Plants Farming.
Jan 8, 2024

What crop has the highest profit potential? ›

Top 13 Most Profitable Crops To Grow
  • Considerations for Small Farms.
  • 1) Mushrooms.
  • 2) Microgreens.
  • 3) Ginseng.
  • 4) Lavender.
  • 5) Saffron.
  • 6) Goji Berries.
  • 7) Wasabi.

What is the top cash crop? ›

Corn, soybeans account for more than half of the 2022 U.S. crop cash receipts. Crop cash receipts totaled $278.2 billion in calendar year 2022. Receipts from corn and soybeans accounted for $148.5 billion (53.4 percent) of the total.

What crop is in demand? ›

California's Top 10 Agricultural Commodities

Grapes — $5.54 billion. Cattle and Calves — $3.63 billion. Almonds — $3.52 billion. Lettuce — $3.15 billion.

What is the poor man's crop? ›

Cassava is often called a "poor man's crop" due to its widespread cultivation in developing countries, particularly in Africa, Asia, and South America, where it serves as a staple food for many people with limited resources.

What vegetable makes the most money? ›

10 Vegetables That Provide the Best Payback
  • Tomatoes. These aren't the easiest to grow, but if you can nurse tomato plants through issues such as blight, septoria leaf spot, and groundhog attacks, the payoff is huge. ...
  • Peppers. ...
  • Cucumbers. ...
  • Asparagus. ...
  • Onions, Leeks, Shallots, Garlic. ...
  • Lettuce. ...
  • Squash. ...
  • Rhubarb.

How to make extra money on a small farm? ›

Here are 15 farming ideas, each with its own unique angle on profitability, requirements and potential market.
  1. Specialist vegetable farming.
  2. Organic crop product.
  3. Herb gardening.
  4. Beekeeping and honey production.
  5. Aquaculture.
  6. Agrotourism.
  7. Livestock breeding.
  8. Mushroom farming.

How much can a hobby farm earn? ›

So, what conclusions can we draw from this? First, a full-time income from a CSA market garden becomes possible around 100 customers. With sales of other farm products (see How to Raise Meat Chickens and Pigs on Pasture ) you can probably net $40K-$50K or even more from your small farm.

What is the best thing to farm to make money? ›

15 way to make money as a farmer
  • Specialist vegetable farming.
  • Organic crop product.
  • Herb gardening.
  • Beekeeping and honey production.
  • Aquaculture.
  • Agrotourism.
  • Livestock breeding.
  • Mushroom farming.

What crop has the highest yield? ›

The highest yielding crops are sugar cane, sugar beet, and tomatoes. Sugar cane accounts for about 80% of the world's sugar production, while sugar beet the remaining 20%. Not surprisingly, the most lucrative cash crops from a value per acre perspective are illegal in many parts of the world.

What crop gets the most farm subsidies? ›

According to this measure, rice is the most heavily subsidized crop, receiving 5 percent of U.S. subsidies but contributing only 0.7 percent of the value of U.S. agricultural production. Cotton is next, with a 13 percent share of subsidies and a 2 percent share of value.

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