With a changing climate, drying up aquifers, and a looming water shortage crops are susceptible to drought-like conditions. The small farm you want to start with the help of hobby farm lending doesn’t have to suffer, as long as you plant drought tolerant crops.
Choose Plants that Need Less Water
While some plants require intensive irrigation, others thrive in arid conditions. Therefore, it can be beneficial to opt for plans that require less water. These crops will continue to grow and thrive, even if it’s an exceptionally dry season. Once you secure your farm financing, crops to consider growing include:
- Tomatoes
- Fava beans
- Purslane
- Burdock
- Prickly pear cactus
- Pomegranate
- Grapes
Location Matters
Some of these plants such as tomatoes, fava beans, and purslane can be grown all over the US. This is because climate plays a minor impact on their growth. However, the other suggested plants need specific types of climates, making them only suitable in some regions. For instance, the prickly pear cactus is best suited on farms along the West Coast and in the southern US where temperatures are warmer and winters are less harsh. On the other hand, for other crops, like grapes, the location simply dictates the variety that can be grown.
Dry-Farming
There is a growing trend towards dry farming where crops are not irrigated beyond the seedling stage. It is argued that dry farming yields a crop that has a more complex flavor, despite the actual fruit being smaller in size. Additionally, dry-farmed crops are often more durable, outlasting their irrigated counterparts in root cellars. Dry farming is possible even during times of drought since they are grown without irrigation anyways. Combining dry-farming with drought tolerant plants can help minimize the risk of a water shortage on your small farm.
Plan Ahead
As experts in hobby farm lending, our loan officers at AgAmerica understand the worry of running out of water on your small farm and needing to do things right. Call us today to discuss what hobby farm lending options are available and let us help you find the best solution for you so you can get your farm up and running in no time.