Ways to Grow Videos

A video library of
money-making ideas

Each of the video tapes listed below describes alternative products and enterprises that can be money-makers for small-scale farmers. Each video program looks at the resources, labor, management, and production and marketing skills required for success. Challenges as well as advantages are discussed. The views expressed by farmers and specialists are realistic and informative, and provide enough information for a farmer to decide whether or not to pursue the enterprise further.

Ordering information is included at the bottom of the page.

Commercial Catfish Production

Farm-raised catfish have climbed into the Top 5 in seafood. The only seafoods more populuar with American consumers are tuna, shrimp, cod and Alaskan pollock. But there's more to "aquaculture" than throwing fish in a pond. Profit potential from local restaurants, processing plants, fish-out ponds and other markets makes aquaculture appealing.
Program length: 13 minutes, 35 seconds.

Commercial Rabbit Production

Rabbit is a low-fat, high-protein meat. Americans eat 30 million pounds of rabbit each year, and demand is growing. Rabbits are ideal for small farms, because they require little space. In addition to meat processors and fur brokers, rabbit producers may also sell the animals to medical research facilities and as pets.
Program length: 11 minutes, 16 seconds

Commercial Vegetable Production

There is constant consumer demand for fresh vegetables, but there are also labor and management demands to consider. Farmers who can meet the demands can make a handsome profit on only an acre or two.
Program length: 12 minutes, 40 seconds

Direct Marketing for Small Farmers

This video takes a look at farmer's markets, roadside stands, pick-your-own and other marketing strategies that can increase a small-scale farmer's profit margin. But farmers need to realistically evaluate their skills and resources before they take the plunge into direct marketing.
Program length: 10 minutes, 30 seconds

Growing Brambles

The primary bramble crops are blackberries and raspberries, and farmers looking into either crop will find a broad assortment of cultivars, encounter many production and marketing considerations, and face a number of challenges. Nonetheless, because of the great many types of blackberries and raspberries to choose from that North Carolina, farmers from the coast to the mountains can find something suited to growing conditions on their land. Successful brambleberry crops give farmers a good return on investments.
Program length: 17 minutes, 29 seconds

Growing Forage Crops

With hay now ranking as the third leading crop in the U.S. (only the nation's $23 billion corn crop and $12 billion soybean crop are ahead of its $11.8 billion hay crop) there is plenty of room for small-scale farmers in the forage crop industry. Quality hay and silage can be quite profitable, and forage crops also improve soil fertility and help control erosion.
Program length: 14 minutes, 55 seconds

Growing Greenhouse Tomatoes

Greenhouse production of tomatoes and other vegetables is particularly well-suited for farmers without extensive landholdings. Plastic and other low-cost construction materials have reduced the price of greenhouses to make this type of growing an appealing option, especially for farmers with tools and basic construction skills. However, greenhouse production isn't for everyone. Close monitoring of crops is a production requirement, and marketing is also time-consuming.
Program length: 12 minutes, 46 seconds

Growing Landscape Ornamentals

The market for ornamental landscape plants is immense. According to a Gallup survey, Americans spent $13.5 billion on residential lawn and landscape services in 1994, and a substantial amount of that went for ornamental plants. There's also a heavy demand for ornamental plants and trees for use in landscaping highways and commercial properties.
Program length: 14 minutes, 50 seconds

Growing Shiitake Mushrooms

Flavorful shiitake mushrooms are a longtime Oriental delicacy and are becoming more common in restaurants and grocery stores in the U.S. Although consumer popularity is spurring production, demand for shiitake mushrooms is still ahead of supply. Shiitakes are grown on cut logs, so many small farm operators will find they already have the timber stand and sawing equipment necessary for shiitake production.
Program length: 13 minutes, 18 seconds

Know Your Market First

Often, small-scale farmers plunge into a new crop or enterprise without doing their marketing homework first, and the penalty can be severe. Inadequate market research and planning probably cause more alternative enterprises to fail than diseases, insects and natural disasters. Athough there are several approaches to market research and planning, each approach has key components which can't be negelected or taken lightly.
Program length: 13 minutes, 48 seconds

Meat Goat Production

Goats adapt well to various climates and, although the "tin can diet" is a myth, goats will feed on grasses, shrubs and leaves which other animals won't touch. A successful meat goat operation requires knowledge of breeding and genetics, and animal health and husbandry. Another requirement is the patience to locate the correct markets, which often are not as accessible as markets for other livestock.
Program length: 11 minutes, 15 seconds

Sweet Basil: The Culinary Classic

CHEFS at gourmet restaurants have long known the secrets of basil and other herbs, and now the secrets are out. More herbs are being used in home-cooked meals, and consequently, basil and other fresh herbs are starting to appear in grocery stores. This video provides an overview of the market for herbs, and describes the basics of production.
Program length: 16 minutes

Woodlot Management

Many farmers have a few acres of forestland, and when properly managed, these timber stands can contribute to farm income. Proper management includes a basic understanding of both an unconventional marketing process, and harvesting techniques, which are also beneficial to the environment and the aesthetics of the land.
Program length: 14 minutes, 35 seconds

Commercial Vegetable Production

There is constant consumer demand for fresh vegetables, but there are also labor and management demands to consider. Farmers who can meet the demands can make a handsome profit on only an acre or two.
Program length: 12 minutes, 40 seconds

Intensive Growing Techniques

This video provides an overview of drip irrigation, plastic mulches and utilizing greenhouses to extend growing seasons, a practice which creates a crop ready for market before or after other producers.

Each video in the 15 video Ways to Grow series is available for $10 (cost includes postage and handling) from the North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program.

To place an order or make an inquiry, please contact Alice Pennix , North Carolina A&T State University's Cooperative Extension Program.