Niche Crops Help Small Farms Thrive

Finding a niche is one of the ways small farmers learn to thrive and survive.

This could mean producing a specialty crop: a unique fruit or vegetable crop--such as heirlooms or exotic types preferred by local ethic groups--and finding an unusual way to market that product to consumers.

A workshop in California--set for Dec. 12 at the University of California Davis' Activities and Recreation Center--will offer growers information about specialty crops and how to market them.

The event--Specialty Crops Conference--is hosted by the UC Small Farm Program and will include traditional conference presentations.

Conference registration and agenda forms are available online.

For more information, contact the Small Farm Center (530) 752-8136 or e-mail sfcenter@ucdavis.edu. The $20 registration fee includes lunch and parking.

Get Smart! Learn more about specialty crops. Read articles on: Growing Chestnuts Heirloom Apples Heirloom Tomatoes Biofuel Crops Then add these publications to your library: Cooking with Heirlooms, by Hobby Farms Editor in Chief Karen Keb Acevedo, offers more than 150 recipes--in addition to colorful and background on heirlooms. Add this cookbook to your kitchen this holiday. Heirloom Farm, part of the Popular Farming Series, offers detailed, complete articles about choosing and growing your own heirloom crops. Order your copy today. Watch for the colorful Popular Farming Series: Orcharding (available in February 2008) to get indepth and methodical information about raising unique and traditional fruit crops--from apples to berries to nuts. This is a must-have for any farmer interested in nurturing an orchard!