By Jeff Burbrink
Ag & Natural Resources Extension Educator, Purdue Extension LaGrange County

LAGRANGE — I remember visiting Epcot at Disney World with my family. I must have been 10 or 11. One exhibit really stuck with me — it was called “The Land.” Like most things Disney, it was flashy, imaginative, and ahead of its time. The display showed futuristic ways to grow food, and it sure captured my young imagination.

Decades later, I look at those ideas through a different lens. The truth is, no matter how cool a production method seems, if you can’t cover your costs, and have money left to feed your family, it won’t last. Making a profit is sometimes vilified, but the truth be told, we all have to make money. Profit is still a good thing.

Jeff Burbrink

As an example, I’ve watched hydroponic operations come and go over the past 40 years. Usually, someone will get fired up about the potential, invest heavily in the infrastructure — lights, greenhouse, pumps, heating systems — and grow high-quality lettuce or tomatoes. They’ll slap a sticker on it that says “hydroponically grown” and hope it fetches a premium price at the store.

But more often than not, that sticker doesn’t sway the average grocery shopper. It’s hard to justify an extra 50 cents a pound when it tastes the same. Meanwhile, those pumps, heaters and lights are running up the electric bill. And before long, the operation is shutting down, and the equipment’s being sold off for a fraction of what it cost.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t innovate. Far from it. We need new ideas in agriculture. We should always be looking find better, more efficient ways to grow things. But we also need to think things through — especially from a financial standpoint.

A few years back, interest in hops was the big thing. Everyone was buzzing about the craft beer movement and the opportunity to grow hops locally. Hundreds of people turned out for workshops around the state. Many people poured money into plants, trellises and harvest equipment. But the dream didn’t quite match the reality. Today, only a handful of those folks are still growing hops. The market didn’t develop the way they hoped, and the investment didn’t pay off for most.

There’s a similar story with niche crops. I once visited a farmer who was supplying specialty Chinese vegetables to the Chicago market. For a while, he and another grower did very well. Then a third producer entered the market, and things went downhill quickly. Prices fell. Margins shrank. Within a couple of years, the new guy dropped out, but the damage was already done. In niche markets, it doesn’t take much oversupply to tip the balance.

A question to ask when you are considering a niche market: what happens when a lot of other people jump into the market at the same time?

These stories play out over and over. Remember the push for crambe (aka rapeseed)? Or rex rabbits? Or emus? Artichokes? There was a time when people were lining up to raise ostriches. Some people thought all these were the next big thing—until it wasn’t.

That’s why it’s so important to approach these ideas with a clear head. Look at the cost of production. Ask if there’s a real market— or if you’ll need to spend time and money just convincing people to try the product. If you have to teach your customer how to eat it, that’s already a red flag.

In 2025, I see some similar trends. Growing flowers, lavender, and herbs seems to be hot topics now, but I have to wonder how many more growers can the market support? The more long-term infrastructure you need to put in place, the bigger the financial risk is for you if more people jump in to the fray.

In the end, the question is rarely whether you can grow something. The real question is whether you can grow it profitably. If you’re excited about a new idea, that’s great. Just start small. Dip your toe in the water before jumping in with both feet. When it comes to farming, a good idea is only as good as the bottom line.