List of Alternative crops

Discussion in 'General chat' started by purecajn, Sep 9, 2011.

  1. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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  2. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Isn't it strange but even from Australia I see USDA and think "lack of credibility". Is this a character flaw in me?
     
  3. ebunny

    ebunny Junior Member

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    I hesitated with my mouse over the link myself.... So must be a shared flaw
     
  4. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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    I hear ya and agree on majority of cases, but we must always look for good in others even if the other (USDA) is an "artificial person. Everyone no matter what can teach us something. Our job is to filter thru it.
    Question is, "Did you take a look at it and what is your views of their crop classifications? My understanding is more of land layouts now rather than crop identification and/or choice. As such I have minor knowledge/experience with plant use so was looking for others whom know plants to critic the sites choices. So if someone would be so kind as to take a peek and scroll down to the classification table for a quick jaunt I'd be deeply appreciative
     
  5. TheDirtSurgeon

    TheDirtSurgeon Junior Member

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    Looks like a reasonably thorough list. I'll go with the "less than credible" assessment though, given we know where USDA's money goes.

    It is bothersome that it's all lumped into a category of "alternative" farming. Gives it a bad connotation, like people with "alternative lifestyles." Talk about "alternatives" at a meeting of conventional farmers, and they hear "alternatives to making a living."

    Simply changing the label to "scientifically sound agriculture" or "non-destructive farming" would change the perception almost immediately.
     
  6. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    Here is the listing...

    I will admit that when I was on the website my computer went a tad bonkers and had to be cold rebooted... ..coincidence? Below is from the website & is the lists in question I believe.

    Field Crops:

    Feed and Forage...

    Bird seed (sunflower, proso millet, canary grass, etc.)
    Forage brassicas - turnips, rutabagas
    Kochia
    Medics
    Sainfoin
    Switchgrass

    Fiber, Fuel, Edible and Industrial Oils...

    Borage
    Broomcorn
    Canola
    Castor beans
    Comfrey
    Corn (for oil)
    Crambe
    Cuphea
    Flax
    Guayule
    Jojoba
    Kenaf
    Lesquerella
    Lupine
    Meadowfoam
    Milkweed
    Perilla
    Safflower
    Sesame
    Sunflowers
    Vernonia

    Food Grains, Pseudocereals, Legumes, etc....

    Adzuki beans
    Amaranth (food and feed)
    Barley
    Buckwheat
    Dry edible beans (fieldbeans)
    Einkorn
    Emmer
    Field peas (food and feed)
    Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
    Hops
    Indian corn
    Jerusalem artichokes (food and feed)
    Kamut
    Lentils
    Malting barley
    Mung beans
    Organically grown grains of all types
    Peanuts
    Pearl millet
    Popcorn, white and colored
    Psyllium (medicinal)
    Quinoa
    Seed production - registered and certified seed, turfgrass, etc.
    Sesame (seeds)
    Sorghum (syrup)
    Soybeans, incl. natto soybeans for tofu, tempeh; and Edible soybeans (edamame)
    Spelt
    Triticale
    Wheatgrass
    Wild rice

    Back to Top


    Specialty and Ethnic Vegetables:

    See also Field Crops

    Asparagus
    Baby vegetables
    Cabbage
    Carrots
    Celery
    Chinese water chestnuts
    Cole crops (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi)
    Corn, miniature
    Fenugreek
    Edible flowers
    Garlic
    Gourds, ornamental
    Gourmet vegetables
    Greenhouse production for out-of-season crops
    Heirloom varieties of any vegetable
    Herbs - culinary and medicinal
    Horseradish
    Luffa gourds
    Mushrooms- agaricus, shiitake, oyster, morel, etc.
    Onions (transplants, shallots, sweet, early)
    Organically grown vegetables of all types
    Oriental vegetables
    Peas and pea shoots
    Peppers - specialty types (purple, hot, etc.)
    Pumpkins
    Red beets
    Salad greens - mesclun
    Sprouts (alfalfa, bean, etc.)
    Squash
    Sweet corn
    Sweet potatoes
    Tomatoes - specialty types
    Truffles
    Wasabi

    Back to Top


    Fruits and Nuts:

    Apples, esp. Heirloom varieties
    Asian pears
    Brambles - blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, blackraspberries, etc.
    Blueberries
    Cranberries, currants
    Elderberries
    Gooseberries
    Kiwi, hardy
    Lingonberries
    Melons - specialty types
    Paw paw
    Rhubarb products
    Strawberries, day neutral types
    Table grapes, seeded and seedless
    Wine grapes for home brewing market

    Back to Top


    Horticultural/Nursery:

    Bedding plants - annual flowers, herbs, etc.
    Field grown cut flowers
    Field grown mums
    Flowers for drying
    Greenhouse production
    Hydroponic production
    Organically grown bedding plants and fruit trees
    Potted annuals
    Native plants/wild flowers and seeds
    Regionally hardy shrubs and perennial flowers

    Back to Top


    Agroforestry/Forest Products:

    Bamboo
    Christmas trees
    Firewood
    Paulownia
    Sawlogs
    Tree seed collection
    Wild nuts

    Back to Top


    Livestock/Animals:

    Game Related...

    Beefalo (hybrid of buffalo and beef)
    Buffalo (American Bison)
    Deer - fallow deer, red deer
    Elk (wapiti) for meat and antlers
    Fish bait - worms, minnows
    Pheasant for release/restocking programs and meat

    Exotic Livestock/Minor Breeds/Special Uses...

    Alpacas and llamas for pack animals, hair, and pets
    Boar
    Butterflies (for gardeners)
    Fox, red, silver, and blue
    Goats for milk, meat, and hair (Angora)
    Horses - draft horse breeding, miniatures, exotics
    Mink
    Mules and donkeys
    Ostriches, rheas, emus
    Rabbits for meat, lab animals, and hair (Angora)
    Reindeer
    Sheep/Lambs for meat, wool, milk (for cheese)
    Veal, conventional and certified
    Water buffalo
    Worms (for composting)
    Yaks

    Poultry...

    Balut (duck eggs partially incubated)
    Chicken eggs partially developed (for Asian markets)
    Doves
    Duck - meat and paté
    Free range poultry of all types
    Geese
    Guinea fowl
    Organically raised poultry of all types
    Peafowl/Peacocks (feathers)
    Pigeons
    Quail/Squab
    Turkey

    Aquaculture/Fishfarming...

    Aquaponics (combining aquaculture and hydroponic operations)
    Bass, Trout, Catfish, Crayfish, Tilapia
    Watercress and other aquatic plants

    Pet and Medicine Related...

    Dogs (guardian)
    Guinea pigs
    Pet foods - crickets, mealyworms, etc.

    Back to Top


    Farm and Home Enterprises:

    Services...

    Antique shop/Antique restoration
    Boat storage
    Direct marketing operations - U-pick, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), farmstand
    Child care in country setting
    Composting services and products
    Custom machinery work
    Custom planting and care of window boxes and container annuals
    Custom planting and care of vegetable gardens
    Custom slaughter
    Farm sitting
    Gift shops
    Pet motels for large as well as small animals
    Religious services held on farm, e.g. sunrise Easter services, weddings
    Restaurant
    Seed and supplies distributor
    Small engine repair
    Taxidermy

    Recreation and Education...

    Barn dances
    Bed and breakfast
    Campground
    Chuck wagon
    Fee hunting and fishing/game farms
    Hunting, fishing, and nature hike guides
    Lectures on herbs, gardening at farm
    Museum of old farm equipment on working farm
    Petting zoo
    Sleigh rides with work horses
    Tours for public, school children
    Trail rides
    Vacations on farm
    Wagon trains

    Value-added Products/On-farm Processing...

    Cheese
    Cider and other apple products
    Confections and candles
    Corn snack foods
    Crafts
    Dried flowers, e.g., cultivated, arid, wild
    Dried Fruits
    Fresh or stone ground grains
    Furniture, e.g. outdoor chairs, picnic tables
    Honey and beeswax products
    Meat processing, e.g., jerky
    Sawmill
    Soapmaking
    Tanning hides
    Toys from wood
    Wheatweaving
    Winemaking
    Wool processing and spinning




    Personally, I think for the sake of safety of my planet... ..the USDA should be shut down, assets sold off, and the USPA - US Permaculture Association should take its place. :rofl:
     
  7. purecajn

    purecajn Junior Member

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    That does have a nice ring to it
     
  8. Finchj

    Finchj Junior Member

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    Hemp is missing from the fuel/fiber list. Ridiculous, but par for the course.
     
  9. Dzionik

    Dzionik Junior Member

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    Whats the point of the list?? Reminder? On the other hand "alternative" leeks, tomato, garlic.... mixed with wasabi wow..
    And couple of things I am interested earlier Kamut, ancient Egyptian grain is patented by some argicoo, Wild rice they are trying to change it instead inventing better way of harvesting.
    Well from Serbia too.
     

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