What's your most unique crop?

Sanza · #1 03/25/12, 12:38 AM

A few years ago I started growing ground cherries which are not common here, even though some of you say they grow in the ditches like weeds in your locale. Some friends and family liked them so much they have started growing them also now so I've kinda started a new food fad.

This year I've bought the mexican sour gerkin seeds (mouse melon) and am hoping for a good crop of these unique looking cucumbers. They just sound so interesting and I can't wait to taste them!
Can anyone please give me any information on these little cucs?
I'm in zone 3

ronbre · #2 03/25/12, 11:13 AM

i grow hundreds of unusual crops that are generally not farmed in this area, however I would say my most successful unique crop is my black raspberries, they are just outrageously fabulous, so much tastier than the red ones and they produce from June until frost..big juicy scrumptuous berries.

My Jerusalem artichokes are something very few people in this area are familiar with, and they grow like weeds here, fast and tasty..also

I'm sure I could name dozens..but I have a headache from awful fumes from that furnace mess..can't wait until they fix it.

ldc · #3 03/25/12, 02:41 PM

Recently, epazote is the oddest thing I've grown. Couple seasons ago jnap of HT sent me seeds from Bosnia of a winter squash that's delicious, the fruit look like white pumpkins, and the vines got up to 40 ft long.

luvrulz · #4 03/25/12, 03:08 PM

CUSTOMER SERVICE is my most unique crop! Most places have done away with it -

Ravenlost · #5 03/25/12, 05:08 PM

Hmmm...don't actually have to plant and cultivate it, but I suppose my most unique "crop" is kudzu blossoms. I use them to make jelly.

In the garden I do try to plant something unique every year...something new. Haven't decided what that's going to be this year.

honeyrobber · #6 03/25/12, 06:08 PM

The mouse melons are a great cucumber. Just make sure you give them something to limb on they do not do well grown on the ground. Also do not let them get over ripe. They look like tiny watermelons.

My best crop is not unusual, it is blakberries. I will say growing fall/winter squash as soon as you can plant them. Alot of people at the farmers markets ask for stuff out of season. I learned early on having something normal out of season is a great way of making more money. We should have enough of "prime cane" blackberries to pick from Sept. til frost. We only purchased 6 plants originally as we were staying away from thorny varieties. But the extra early varieties add so much more inome ompared to normal season berries when everyone at the market goes out and picks wild ones if not having the domestic types. Only thing I have been told about prime cane blackberries is the farther south you are the better as they are blooming in June til frost. So you get more of a use of the late blooms the farther south you are they start blooming earlier and produce longer.

Garlic is also a great crop for me. I plant it in fall and spring to extent my season of fresh garlic at the market. The garli planted properly in Oct. around here is ready in late June early July to be dug. I got a few people at my markets growing garlic. Theirs ome is during this same time frame and sales are slow. But planting it in Feb.-March makes it finish in late July- early August when no one else has garlic for sale. I sell 20-30 pounds of garlic a year.

fatrat · #7 03/25/12, 07:27 PM

I suppose some regions would consider our tobacco unique but around here it's normal.

where I want to · #8 03/25/12, 10:14 PM

Grew water chestnuts for a couple of years. And grew saffron too. But since I moved up to a higher elevation, it's hard enough just to grow regular stuff. Rosemary has become a challenge.

Paquebot · #9 03/25/12, 10:54 PM

Yellow Amish bottle onions. No commercial source. No SSE source. If anyone on this forum has them, they got them from me. Can't get any more unique than that!

Martin

Sanza · #10 03/26/12, 01:41 AM

honeyrobber - I plan on trelisses for them all. Can you pick them off the vine or do you have to wait for them to fall off?

Paquebot - Cool! I've never heard of those onions. Do you have a picture of them?

Idc - what is epazote?

Ravenlost - that's like up here we have the fireweed. I've heard the kudzu is a very bad weed so I'm glad it's not this far north.

Talking about having a challenge to grow things! - We have about 100 days frost free only and most crops need a couple months head start before transplanting into the garden so this year I'm experimenting with raised beds and more container gardening which can be moved in case of frost at the end of the season. Could never grow tobacco or saffron but cabbage and other cool weather crops grow like crazy here.

ChristieAcres · #11 03/26/12, 02:37 AM

Not that unique, but Saffron would have to be my choice since I don't know any one else in my area growing it but me. I grow a wide variety of edible perennials, fruits, veggies, and herbs. Not that unusual, but don't know any growing Kiwi but us, either. Come to think of it, Red & Brown Jerusalem Artichokes, and the only ones growing Pineapple Crush Alpine Strawberries here either got them from me or it is me

kasilofhome · #12 03/26/12, 03:21 AM

My dh planted chickweed. Yep. It took him 3 years of visits to his mom's to finally get a crop here. Since we had chickens he thought it would be a great thing. I find that chickweed grow best in the veg garden along side what ever I plant. Chickweed does not seem to thrive in the chicken runs and it seems to seed by wind tranfer. Very little care is needed in areas where you have other goals for plant options.

Big Dave · #13 03/26/12, 04:24 AM

Luffa gourds.

chickenista · #14 03/26/12, 09:16 AM

Epazote grows 'wild' all over my place.
Took me years to find out what it was. The smell.. the smell is so different. It is like creosote and lemon..sorta.
But in the 60's a lot of hay was brought in from the Southwest and we have lots of non-native weeds now. Apparently some folks even have tumbleweeds on their property.

I think the strangest thing I cultivate is nettles!
I go out of my way for nettles, tend my nettle patch. I love nettles!
I hope to front a huge comeback for that crop!

eclipchic · #15 03/26/12, 09:23 AM

probably the most unusual thing is honeyberries. Ours are still small but I'd never tasted them before and when ours start bearing they'll be the first we've ever had.

ronbre · #16 03/26/12, 09:26 AM

many years ago I had a pineapple flavored little alpine like strawberries but lost them when we had our housefire..would love to have them again..don't know if lorichristies are like that or not but I would love to have a couple roots to start them again !!

Rita · #17 03/26/12, 10:11 AM

I am trying quinoa for the lst time. It says the leaves are edible and of course the grain is too. Anyone tried the quinoa greens? How were they?

drumdude · #18 03/26/12, 10:14 AM

I m working on beans right now,

haypoint · #19 03/26/12, 11:27 AM

Spelt.

Raven12 · #20 03/26/12, 11:28 AM

I am trying to grow 8-9 varieties of peppers. In other areas of the country that probably is pretty common but around here the old timers stick with California Wonder.