Specialty Crop Production & Management

In the last 20 years, property values in Santa Fe County have soared thus making prices attractive for landowners to sell their property, while the land taxes has made it difficult for those who want to retain their land to be able to afford the taxes due to their high valuations. Most of those who have retained their land have done so because of their strong ties to the land. These people have traditionally farmed because certain specialty crops are staple foods within their household and are cheaper produce than to purchase. In order realize a larger profit from their small farms, farmers must also produce other specialty crops, which can be sold at a high value through direct sales to the consumer or to specialty restaurants. Newcomers into the Santa Fe area have increased the demand for some the traditional and non-traditional specialty crops. But in order to make it worthwhile to produce certain crops, the producer must also be willing to do some value added things to the crop to increase the value.

Visit our NMSU site for Small Farm and Ranch Resources.

You may also visit our How-to-Guides for Economics and Specialty Publications.