Farming is not easy. Far from it — to put things bluntly. The arduous work that goes into producing and harvesting quality food crops is constant. Some crops though might be a little easier to handle, depending who you ask.
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10. Beets
Preferred Season: Spring/Fall
Required Days Before Harvest: 45-65 days
Beets easily thrive in cool weather and are biennial plants, meaning that it takes two years for it to complete its full biological cycle.
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9. Peas
Preferred Season: Spring
Required Days Before Harvest: 70-90 days
There are numerous varieties of peas, which you can choose from, but most of them thrive in cold weather.
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8. Bell Peppers
Preferred Season: Summer/Fall
Required Days Before Harvest: 60-95 days
There are numerous varieties of pepper available, but bell pepper is the most common and is also one of the easiest to grow. They are a warm-season crop and can resist most pests.
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7. Carrots
Preferred Season: All
Required Days Before Harvest: 75 days
They’re best planted in loose soil, and if you’re looking to harvest baby carrots, then you’ll only need about 50 to 60 days.
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6. Basil
Preferred Season: All
Required Days Before Harvest: Until the plant reaches 6 inches
There are several varieties of basil, but sweet basil is the most common and one of the easiest to grow.
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5. Onions
Preferred Season: Spring
Required Days Before Harvest: 100-120 days
Despite being a cold only season crop, onions are very easy one of the easiest farm crops to grow because they are hardy.
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4. Radish
Preferred Season: Spring/Fall
Required Days Before Harvest: 22-70 days
Despite being a cool season crop, radish is available annually and can be taken care of all year round due to its fast growth rate. Some radishes even take only three weeks before harvesting.
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3. Beans
Preferred Season: Spring
Required Days Before Harvest: 50-90 days depending on variety
There are numerous types of beans, but all of them are generally easy to grow.
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2. Tomatoes
Preferred Season: All
Required Days Before Harvest: 28-56 days
They are easy crops to grow since they easily adjust and grow in different conditions. They’re also a very popular crop and require full sun.
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1. Lettuce
Preferred Season: Spring/Fall
Required Days Before Harvest: 45-100 days depending on variety
It grows quickly, with only Romaine and Crisphead lettuce growing at a longer rate.
According to a list compiled by the finance and investment site Insider Monkey, those looking to get into ag should consider hedging their bets with what it calls the “10 Easiest Farm Crops to Grow.” The authors used several factors to create the list, including seasons, growth rate, yield, popularity, etc. “We also scoured various websites to check on how frequently each of these crops is mentioned as the easiest. Knowing the general consensus can help us accurately rank the easiest farm crops to grow.”
Yes, agriculture is a great industry that’s always in demand. No doubt. Farmers feed and clothe the world, right? That will never go out of style; so it’s a worthy investment. This is what the Insider Monkey piece is getting at. But, like everything else, it’s not for everyone. Commercial growers who are reading this know that to be true — and then some.
Scroll through the photo gallery above to count down Insider Monkey’s take of the “10 Easiest Farm Crops to Grow.”
Feel free to leave a reader comment about what you think about the list and what other crops could or should be considered. We encourage professional growers to express what is farming reality vs. fantasy.
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Paul Rusnak is the Senior Online Editor of American Vegetable Grower, American Fruit Grower, and Greenhouse Grower magazines, all Meister Media Worldwide brands. He is based in Northeast Florida. See all author stories here.
