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Budget Meadowbrook Sweet Potatoes - 2026 Season
We are planning on growing sweet potatoes at Meadow Brook Farm in 2026. Sweet potatoes are a suitable crop for the soil type and reasonable rotation away from two seasons of cucurbit production. We will use a a production system that uses black plastic with drip irrigation.
Please note that these are annual costs of production
Field size = 3.1 acres
Expected yield = about 6,000 bushels or 120,000 lbs of sweet potatoes
Material costs = $7,876 (Fertilizer, black plastic, drip tape, irrigation parts, seed)
Planting and production labor = $7,600
Equipment costs = $8,150
Harvest labor = $8,550 (50 hours for a crew of 6 people)
Management costs = $4,320 (crop planning, coordination, irrigation)
TOTAL Production Costs = $37,196
Budget Rock Bottom Butternut - 2026 Season
This crop plan reflects the conversion of hay land into winter squash production. This will be done with herbicide and a direct seeding no-till system. This budget does not include irrigation costs. If irrigation was deemed necessary it would be best to pump directly from the river with a diesel pump and overhead gun on a water wheel with traveler. After harvest this crop will be planted into winter rye.
Please note that these are annual costs of production
Field size = 3.5 acres
Expected yield = about 2000 bushels or 80,000 pounds of butternut.
Material costs = $5,908 (pesticides, herbicides, seed, fuel, fertilizer)
Planting and Cultivation Labor = $3,150 (skilled tractor operator with pesticide license)
Equipment Costs = $7,920 (includes tractor and implement costs)
Harvesting Labor = $8,550
Management = $2,880 (roughly 72+ of experienced crop production manager for planning, crop inspection, crew management, coordination.)
TOTAL Annual Production Costs = $23,608
Additional One Time Costs:
Purchase a subsoiler with fertilizer injection knives to execute this plan. Expected Cost is $11,000
Irrigation would cost an additional $6,000 of labor
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