Specialty
Crop Production:
Vegetables, Herbs, and Other
Uncommon Crops
Jeanine M. Davis
Department of Horticultural Science
Many North Carolina growers are looking for
alternative crops to produce. If you are one
of them, there are a few questions you need
to ask yourself before you start growing something
new and unusual. First of all, what kind of
crops grow well on your farm? What kind of
equipment do you have? Do you have irrigation?
Do you have a greenhouse? How intensively managed
a crop are you willing, or able, to take on?
How do you want to market your new crop? Do
you want to grow large volumes and sell wholesale
to chainstores or through a  cooperative? Do
you want to sell direct to small specialty
retailers, restaurants, and caterers? Or do
you want to sell direct to consumers at a roadside
stand or farmers' market? You need to consider
all these factors before trying to choose a
particular crop. Let's look at some of the
options.
Let's start with something easy and trendy--ethnic
vegetables. In most instances, if you can grow
standard vegetables, you can grow most ethnic
vegetables. Ones that are particularly "hot" on
the market right now are Hispanic or Latino
vegetables. All of the produce publications
are talking about them. The demand is not just
from the growing Hispanic population but from
the increasing taste for Mexican food by people
all over the country. Take jicama, for example.
This is a root crop. Although it is usually
grown in much warmer climates then North Carolina,
we have successfully grown it at a research
station in the southern mountains of that state.
To get a marketable root that far north, we
need touse black plastic mulch and the plants
have to be trellised. The roots we grow aren't
as large as  those coming from more tropical
regions, but some consumers prefer a smaller
root. There are a wide variety of hot peppers
that can be grown. They come in hundreds of
colors, types, and levels of heat. Tomatillos,
a little husk-type tomato, are increasingly
popular and used in many Mexican dishes. If
you can grow tomatoes, you can grow tomatillos.
The Asian population in the U.S. is also
growing at a rapid rate. There are many fruits
and vegetables that people of Asian descent
are accustomed to eating that are not readily
available in the U.S. For example, bitter melon
is a hard to find Asian vegetable. We trellis
it to maintain high fruit quality. There are
a large number of Oriental type melons which
are increasingly popular. Several of these
varieties are being developed by the Specialty
Crops Program for eastern NC growers. There
are also a large number of Chinese greens,
mustards, and radishes that you may want to
experiment with. Asian peppers can also add
variety to your crop mix. Our researchers are
developing a special sweet potato, called Boniato,
which is preferred by Asian and Hispanic markets.
Beautiful melons can be produced in much
of eastern NC. Another NC State University
researcher is looking at a large number of
specialty melons for the region. Already growers
are producing red, yellow, and orange-fleshed
seedless watermelons and canteloupes.
 This is a good time to point out that growing
specialty fruits and vegetables is not easy
and supplies are usually limited. As a result,
prices for specialty crops are usually considerably
higher than for conventional produce. This
can bring higher returns for the grower, but
only if the produce sells. To sell specialty
produce takes a certain kind of market located
in the right area. But most importantly, the
produce must be of the highest quality. Use
the strictest of grading standards and package
carefully. The consumer will be paying premium
prices and expects premium, high-quality products.
Lettuce seems like a common enough crop,
but how much is grown in North Carolina? Most
of the lettuce sold in this state is shipped
from Florida or California. Think of how tender,
sweet, and tasty lettuce is right from the
garden. That's because it is fresh. We can
grow lettuce in most regions, if not all regions,
of North Carolina. Many of our organic growers
have already figured out that there is a strong
market for locally grown lettuce.
The consumer loves peppers; all different
kinds. And we can grow some of the prettiest
peppers in North Carolina. Try many varieties
including hot ones, sweet ones, colored bells,
and unusually shaped ones. Don't over plant,
though. Most people only buy a few specialty
peppers at a time, but having a vast variety
attracts attention.
 Tomatoes are also very popular, especially
unusual tomatoes, heirloom varieties, grape
tomatoes, and small pear shaped yellow tomatoes.
Experiment with many different kinds, and if
you are growing heirloom varieties, be sure
to advertise that point. There are some consumers
who will go out of their way to buy a ‘German
Johnson' or ‘Brandywine' tomato!
Don't overlook crops such as leeks, tiny
new potatoes, kohlrabi, garlic, elephant garlic,
and beets. These are probably not going to
be large volume crops for you, but with the
right market, they can be quite lucrative.
These kinds of vegetables usually do well at
a farmers' market, especially if people can
count on you having those kinds of vegetables
all the time.
Look in any grocery store and you are sure
to see at least three different kinds of mushrooms.
There is very little local mushroom production
in North Carolina, so the mushrooms in the
supermarket have been shipped a long way, and
they usually look like it. Also, there is a
very limited selection available. Most mushrooms,
however, are easy to grow. Information on growing
shiitake mushrooms is readily available and
the Specialty Crops Program is considering
starting a mushroom program to look at many
different kinds of mushrooms in the near future.
Herbs have never been more popular than they
are now. There are so many opportunities in
herbs for North Carolina growers. Most of the
fresh-cut, culinary herbs in the supermarket
are wilted and tasteless. If you can get your
fresh, local product into the store, herb sales
would increase just because the herbs are fresh.
Many of the health food stores and specialty
groceries carry fresh basil and they often
can't get a consistent supply. Rosemary, cilantro,
mint, thyme, chives, tarragon, and sage are
also in high demand. White tablecloth restaurants
also need fresh herbs.
 Sales of herb plants have been strong in
North Carolina for many years. The herb festivals
held at farmers markets and small communities
across the state continue to bring in record
crowds. Production of herb plants is often
a good niche market for small-scale greenhouse
operators. When people buy herb plants they
buy lots of plants but only one or two of many
different kinds. These plants range from tender
annuals, such as basil and cilantro, to woody
perennials, such as rosemary and lavender.
Caring for such a large variety of plants is
best suited to smaller operations who can give
each plant the special care it needs.
Medicinal herbs and alternative health care
continue to be news makers across the country.
Although this market has softened over the
past few years, there are still niches to be
filled and new manufacturers coming to the
region. Spring of 2001 I received a phone call
from a soft drink manufacturer moving into
the area who wants to buy local herbs for his
product. Medicinal herbs cover a wide range
of plants. Some medicinals can be grown as
agronomic crops in an open field with mechanized
planting and harvests. Examples include Echinacea,
feverfew, St. Johnswort, and dandelion. Some
of these plants are quite attractive and can
also be sold as ornamental landscape plants.
There is a growing demand for native medicinal
herbs for the home garden and naturalized gardens
in the forest.
Growing medicinal herbs in the greenhouse
is new and we don't know if it is economically
feasible or not. But some herbs in demand can't
be grown in North America very well, and when
supplies are short, may be feasible as a greenhouse
crop, at least for part of the year.
Many of our native woodland plants are highly
desirable medicinal herbs. Examples include
goldenseal, ginseng, black cohosh, pinkroot,
bethroot, and blue cohosh. At NC State University
we are developing cultural practices for many
of these plants, both for production in natural
woods and under artificial shade cloth structures.
 Before getting into a crop like medicinal
herbs, however, you need to do quite a bit
of homework because production, equipment,
processing, and marketing will be very different
from anything else you have dealt with.
Another specialty crop opportunity to consider
is organic production of fruits and vegetables.
The organic industry has matured considerably
over the past ten years. You can still sell
your organic produce at a tailgate market but
now you can also deal with a large wholesaler
or marketing cooperative. Some of the most
popular organic crops are tomatoes, lettuce,
peppers, broccoli, strawberries, blueberries,
garlic, and potatoes.
There are some non-food crops to be considered.
We conducted research on luffa sponge gourds
for several years and developed a production
system for this tropical crop. Because of competition
from China and South America we never established
a big NC luffa industry, but we do have growers
making money growing luffa. They sell to the
craft industry, soap makers, and manufacturers
of natural cleaning products.
Cut flowers are a profitable crop for more
NC growers every year, both organic and conventional
producers. Cut flowers sell well in areas with
consumers with a fair amount of disposable
income. Since more and more of our state matches
that criteria, it means more opportunities
for growers.
And let's not overlook producing value-added
products. A mountain organic grower has found
that he makes the greatest profit margins off
his value-added products such as jams, jellies,
cinnamon buns, salsa, and pesto. He tried wholesaling
one of his products but did not like that method
of marketing. His family has a devoted customer
base at a local farmers' market and that is
where he sells most of what he grows. Other
growers are producing salad dressings, cheeses,
herbal butters, and herb breads and rolls.
There are also non-food, value-added products
that you can produce such as herbal soaps,
essential oils, and lotions. We have many small
home-based companies making these kinds of
products now using crops they have grown or
crops from NC producers. Several of these
companies sell over the internet and one has
developed an international trade.
Every crop and product example I have provided
here has been marketed in some creative, non-traditional
manner. For example, many of the herb companies
got their start at herb festivals. Many of
these festivals are sponsored by the NC Department
of Agriculture and Consumer Services, NC
Cooperative Extension Service, and the NC
Herb Association and are held at the state
farmers' markets. These festivals are a great
way for new businesses to test the market and
develop their products. A similar thing has
been done for organic growers. Grower cooperatives
are experiencing a resurgence in interest.
An organic growers cooperative, a regional
vegetable growers cooperative, and a medicinal
plant growers cooperative operate in the state
at this time.
Many of our growers are inviting the consumers
right to the farm. Some herb businesses have
herb shops and greenhouses open to the public.
Many have display gardens which attract tourists
who can't help but buy some plants, a few bars
of soap, and some herb tea. Others have gone
into entertainment and educational farming
by offering festivals and holiday functions
at their farms such as strawberry festivals,
workshops on wildcrafting herbs, and haunted
houses with pick-your-own pumpkin patches.
Corn mazes, petting zoos, and fishing ponds
have also brought in new income to some farms.
These are just a few ideas and considerations
for getting into alternative agricultural enterprises.
Fortunately, there are many resources available
to you to help you learn how to grow and market
alternatives.
In North Carolina we are fortunate to have
the Specialty Crops Program. Initiated in 1997
in Kinston, it is now a statewide program with
the goal to "fast track" new crop
development for NC The key to the program,
and what makes it unique, is that it is a cooperative
program between research, extension, and marketing
utilizing personnel and services from NC
State University and the NC Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services Division
of Marketing. In this program, working with
a grower advisory committee and a marketing
advisory committee, new crops are chosen for
study. The crops are grown in research plots
to develop the best production methods and
identify the best varieties. At the same time,
test marketing is done and packaging, labeling,
and promotional materials are developed. If
successful in the market and in grower field
trials, educational sessions are held for growers
and growers who decide to grow the crop are
provided with assistance in growing and marketing
the crop. For more information on the Specialty
Crops Program, visit the website at http://www.ncspecialtycrops.org.
Other states have similar programs.
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