08-23-2006, 05:55 PM
Aloha Keith & Akoni & assorted Punatics,
A lot of the greenhouses I see have orchids in them. Betcha those are more profitable than vegetables. High end plants can be sold on eBay so it wouldn't have to be a large greenhouse to be profitable just have a few expensive plants in it.
One of the basic problems with farming that I've heard from folks is there isn't any labor available. At least at a price that makes growing vegetables worthwhile.
If I were to take up farming I would consider crops that could be worked and harvested by one person or by machinery. Tea is a good crop for machinery production, but there aren't any processors around that I know of. Coffee is labor intensive, picking mac nuts can be done somewhat by machine, I think. If there was a commercial use for surinam cherries, those could be harvested by machine - but you would probably have to invent the machine. Otherwise I would do a very small "farm" of about a half acre which woujld be a one-person sort of farm. Some sort of expensive crop such as tomatoes or the peppers. Or perhaps a tissue culture lab or an indoor sort of farm such as mushrooms or hydroponic tomatoes.
Fortunately, I already have a business - Hawaii Drafting Service - so for me this is all just chitter-chat. Maybe I could take up farming as a hobby? Or just extensive gardening, that would probably be better!
A hui hou,
Cathy
A lot of the greenhouses I see have orchids in them. Betcha those are more profitable than vegetables. High end plants can be sold on eBay so it wouldn't have to be a large greenhouse to be profitable just have a few expensive plants in it.
One of the basic problems with farming that I've heard from folks is there isn't any labor available. At least at a price that makes growing vegetables worthwhile.
If I were to take up farming I would consider crops that could be worked and harvested by one person or by machinery. Tea is a good crop for machinery production, but there aren't any processors around that I know of. Coffee is labor intensive, picking mac nuts can be done somewhat by machine, I think. If there was a commercial use for surinam cherries, those could be harvested by machine - but you would probably have to invent the machine. Otherwise I would do a very small "farm" of about a half acre which woujld be a one-person sort of farm. Some sort of expensive crop such as tomatoes or the peppers. Or perhaps a tissue culture lab or an indoor sort of farm such as mushrooms or hydroponic tomatoes.
Fortunately, I already have a business - Hawaii Drafting Service - so for me this is all just chitter-chat. Maybe I could take up farming as a hobby? Or just extensive gardening, that would probably be better!
A hui hou,
Cathy
Kurt Wilson