Annual Report of Orange County Crops : Flower Power
How does Strawberry County sound? Or Flower County? Orange no longer seems to fit. According to the Annual Report of Orange County Crops for 1987, oranges ranked a distant third in crop income dollars, behind nursery stock and cut flowers (No. 1 for the 19th consecutive year) and strawberries. But if orange growing has declined somewhat as a county economic mainstay, farming in general is holding its own. The value of Orange County agricultural products in 1987 was $245.1 million, 4% less than 1986’s total of $254.3 million but still the fourth-highest total on record (the peak was $269.8 million in 1984). Increases posted by livestock, nursery and truck crops boosted the 1987 total. And total bearing acreage of 60,521 was only slightly lower than the 64,787 acres of 20 years ago, and sharply higher than the 1977 total of 36,483 acres.
Bearing Acreage
Field, 1987: 43,295 acres
Orchard (includes strawberries), 1987: 9,279 acres
Vegetables, 1987: 7,947 acres
Totals, 1987: 60,521
COUNTY CROPS GROSS VALUE 1967-1987
Crop 1967 1977 1987 Animal Industry $24,013,700 $13,130,500 $3,958,500 Apiculture 212,900 401,300 128,900 (Beekeeping) Field 2,502,200 1,391,200 952,700 Nursery 15,334,100 72,685,600 126,212,500 Orchard 24,295,400 52,958,900 77,481,100 Vegetables 16,956,400 28,194,300 36,352,300 Totals $83,314,700 $168,761,800 $245,086,000
Source: Orange County Department of Agriculture
ORANGE COUNTY CROP INCOME
1986 1987 Nursery Stock and Cut Flowers $121,186,700 $126,215,500 Strawberries 64,364,500 51,115,000 Valencia Oranges 24,794,000 15,180,600 Peppers-Bell and Misc. 1,964,600 10,156,000 Tomatoes 1,874,500 6,720,000 Avocados 5,368,900 6,049,200 Lemons 2,559,200 4,578,900 Beans-Green 5,209,400 3,845,100 Asparagas 3,423,100 3,079,800 Miscellaneous Truck Crops 3,657,100 2,761,200 Celery 5,486,900 2,621,000 Beef Cattle 1,054,900 2,568,600 Lettuce-Head, Leaf, and Romaine 1,945,100 1,663,900 Cabbage 1,868,200 1,595,300 Cucumbers 1,276,200 1,328,700 Squash 1,753,100 1,143,900 Corn 2,914,900 n/a
Income is reported at the first point of delivery and includes cost of production, harvesting and preparation for market. It does not reflect net return to the producer.
Source: Orange County Dept. of Agriculture