GREENGROCER

Growing fruits and vegetables can start as a hobby and possibly develop into more of a full-time venture later on. The biggest requirement for greengrocers is land. Even if a person concentrates on one crop only, he or she needs sufficient space for vegetables and fruits to grow.

Starting a farm, even a small one, is a huge undertaking and would be very difficult to do immediately after high school. One alternative to doing this, provided you can find space, would be to take the cooperative approach (see chapter 7) and start a community garden with products and profits to be shared by all members equally.

It may be a good idea to try your hand at a crop that is easier to grow and see if your produce can fetch a fair price in the marketplace. If you know of a local farm, ask the owners if you can help them with their crops, and learn as much as you can from their experience. Growing produce is a very demanding job that requires 100 percent dedication, and no one should try to base his or her main income on it without doing some research, both in books and in the fields.