Illinois Cash Crops
Mrs. Reeves Madison County CAREE AGRICULTURE What is a crop?
• A plant that is grown in large amount to be harvested for food, livestock feed or to make other products. Crops grown in Illinois
• Corn • Pumpkins
• Soybeans • Popcorn
• Horseradish Top 3 cash crops grown in Illinois • Corn
• Soybeans
• Wheat Main Types of Corn Field or Dent Corn Indian Corn Sweet Corn Popcorn • Illinois farmers rank 2nd in corn production, growing 12,000,000 acres of corn each year!
• Corn is grown everywhere in the World, except for Antarctica.
• An ear of corn has around 800 kernels! Growing Corn In early April and May corn is planted By late spring young leaves of corn begin to grow. Knee high by the 4th of July Corn will grow to be 6 to 8 feet tall. In late August the corn turns from green to brown as it dries.
When the corn turns brown it means it is drying. This corn is mature and soon will be ready to harvest.
Corn takes 85-140 days to grow! That is 3-4.5 months
Soybeans Illinois’ # 2 Cash Crop
Soybeans are in the legume family. They grow inside of a pod, like green beans and peas. Soybeans
Planted in Spring (late April and May)
Will have a purple or white flower which will become the pod. In the fall, the plants turn brown and the leaves drop off. The plant and the beans inside the pods get hard and dry. It is time to harvest. Uses for Soybeans • The average American • Livestock consume consumes 7 gallons of 22.5 million tons of soybeans each year soybean meal each year. • Soy flour: paint, fire extinguisher foam • Soybean hull: bread, livestock feed, cereal, snacks. • Soybean flakes: soaps, candles, crayons, paint and cooking oil. Wheat Illinois’ #3 Cash Crop
83% of the wheat grown in Illinois is grown south of Springfield. Planting Wheat
Wheat is planted in late September and early October.
Wheat is dormant throughout the Winter. Heads form around the 1st week of May Harvested in June & July Wheat Uses • Flour • Crackers • Cereals • Ice cream cones • Cakes • Cookies • Pancakes • Biscuits
Soybean Lifecycle