Growing Specialty Crops
Corn, cotton, soybeans, and the other types of crops listed here on JobMonkey are among the most popular for farms to grow in the United States. However, there are others that are also part of the economy Some of the most common other types of crops include hay, grapes, and vegetables.
Hay is nothing more than grass that has been cut and dried to use as animal feed for cattle, sheep, and other animals that eat grass. It is typically a mixture of grasses and may also contain legumes like alfalfa and grains like barley. Hayfields do not have to be reseeded every single year, though workers do typically spread fertilizer in the spring when the grass begins to grow. It is typically cut at the end of summer, allowed to dry in the sun, and raked and baled with large machinery. Some farmers also employ workers to wrap the bales to protect them from moisture, as wet hay can spontaneously combust and destroy an entire field or barn.
The top grape producers in the United States are in California, Washington, New York, and Oregon, but many other states also have these types of farms, called vineyards. Some also have wineries on-site, and you can check out JobMonkey’s wine job resources to learn about grapes in agriculture.
Vegetables are extremely popular in the United States, though these crops are more labor-intensive than grains, soybeans, and other popular crops in this country. Some plants that are thought of as vegetables are actually fruits, but they can all be lumped into one category as produce grown on a smaller scale and sold for a high profit.
Examples include tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, peppers, peas, pumpkins and squash, lettuce, and carrots.
In addition to these crops, don’t forget to check out the information about working in an orchard. Apples and peaches are some of the largest crops in the United States, and tropical fruits like oranges make up a large part of the agricultural industry in this country. Working on any type of farm is all about planting, caring for the crop during growth, and harvesting, but every type of food has its specific care requirements, and often you’ll learn the skills you need while on the job.