2019 fall farm

Page 32 2019 Logan County Farm Outlook Magazine Lincoln Daily News Nov. 1, 2019 W hile in Logan County the name of the game in agricultural production is corn and soybeans that is not the case everywhere. Illinois is a huge wholesale provider of produce from asparagus to pumpkins to watermelons. In nearby Mason County, the sandy soils and low bottom grounds are difficult for traditional farming practices but idea for melons. On the higher ground fields of sweet corn with nearby roadside produce stands are common. Just to the north and west in the vicinities of Morton and Tremont all the way to just south of East Peoria, fields of pumpkins are just as common, if not more, than corn. So why does Logan County appear outwardly at least to be “vegetable barren?” There may be a number of reasons. While vegetable crops are proven to show huge gross sales dollars, the cost of production is also very high and labor intensive. Because of this, vegetable production may be a small farm venture, and in Logan County there are fewer small farms. However, for the small farm, less than 400 to 500 acres, vegetables could be a big money maker, a resource for keeping the family farm intact and young people on the farm. We have reached an era in our history when fresh foods, fewer chemicals and additives, and less processing is becoming important to the consumer. While some will shop exclusively organic, others are simply looking for fresh as opposed to canned or frozen. The trend toward shopping Continue 8 Is horticulture a viable option for small farms in Logan County? Story by Nila Smith and Photos by Jan Youngquist