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Kevin Athearn

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Kevin Athearn

Orcid ID0000-0001-6170-4798

Specialist

SVAEC profile

Publications

thumbnail for publication: Elderberry and Elderflower (Sambucus spp.): A Cultivation Guide for Florida

Elderberry and Elderflower (Sambucus spp.): A Cultivation Guide for Florida

David Jarnagin, Ali Sarkhosh, Juanita Popenoe, Steven Sargent, andKevin Athearn

Elderberry, Sambucus spp., has long been cultivated or collected from the wild by humans for both food and medicine. Europeans have used the flowers and fruit of Sambucus nigra for thousands of years, while Native Americans and European immigrants used Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, native to the New World.

thumbnail for publication: Elderberry and Elderflower (Sambucus spp): Markets, Establishment Costs, and Potential Returns

Elderberry and Elderflower (Sambucus spp): Markets, Establishment Costs, and Potential Returns

Kevin Athearn, David Jarnagin, Ali Sarkhosh, Steven Sargent, andJuanita Popenoe

Elderberry is an alternative crop that holds promise for further commercial development in Florida. This fact sheet reviews information on markets for elderberries and elderflowers and estimates establishment costs and potential returns for a 3-acre elderberry orchard in Florida. The information is intended to assist farmers in evaluating elderberry as a possible alternative crop. Includes guidance on financial planning for an elderberry enterprise.

thumbnail for publication: Potential Markets for Florida Turmeric

Potential Markets for Florida Turmeric

Kevin Athearn, Jonathan Adam Watson, Paul Fisher, Maria Paz Kinslow, Marina Burani-Arouca, Brian Pearson, and Celina Gómez

This publication examines the potential markets for turmeric (Curcuma longa) grown in Florida, highlighting opportunities in fresh produce, food and beverage ingredients, and nursery markets. Turmeric, widely used in culinary dishes and wellness products, is primarily consumed in its rhizome form, as a powdered spice. The US fresh produce market for turmeric is largely supplied by imports from countries like India, Fiji, and China, presenting price competition challenges for Florida growers. Florida turmeric producers face strong competition from imports, but by focusing on quality, differentiation, and niche markets, they can enhance profitability.

thumbnail for publication: Knowing Your Product Costs: A Primer for Farmers and Food Entrepreneurs

Knowing Your Product Costs: A Primer for Farmers and Food Entrepreneurs

Kevin Athearn, Mark Yarick, and Natasha Parks

This publication provides a basic introduction to product costing for farm businesses and food processing enterprises. It describes cost concepts, provides product costing examples, and briefly discusses software tools that can assist with cost analysis. The publication is intended to help farmers and food entrepreneurs understand product costing concepts and do their own cost calculations to assist with business decisions.

thumbnail for publication: A Review of Watermelon Production and Price Trends from 2010 to 2021

A Review of Watermelon Production and Price Trends from 2010 to 2021

Tara Wade, Kelvin Amon, Kevin Athearn, andCraig Frey

Eight states produce most US watermelons. Most of the fruit (almost 80%) are grown in California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas, with Florida leading in domestic production. In 2019, Florida’s watermelon output accounted for 25.2% of total US production, 24.7% of national watermelon acreage, and 29.6% of the overall US crop value. The value of Florida's watermelon output accounted for 13.2% of the state's total vegetable production. This publication provides information on both seeded and seedless conventional watermelon acreage, volume, and pricing for California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas from 2010 through 2021. It is one of a series illustrating trends in Florida’s five most economically important specialty crops, excluding citrus: tomatoes, bell peppers, watermelons, sweet corn, and strawberries. This information will be useful to producers, Extension agents, and others interested in specialty crop commodities trends.

thumbnail for publication: Ginger, Galangal, and Turmeric Production in Florida

Ginger, Galangal, and Turmeric Production in Florida

Paul Fisher, Rosanna Freyre, Celina Gómez, Brian Pearson, Tatiana Sanchez-Jones, Shawn Steed, Wanda Laughlin, Robert Hochmuth, Jeff Wasielewski, Deah Lieurance, Carrie Harmon, Mathews Paret, Lance Osborne, Kevin Athearn, Steven Sargent, Mengzi Zhang

Ginger, galangal, and turmeric (Figure 1) are emerging crops for Florida production. All of these plants are in the Zingiberaceae family and share most aspects of their production. This publication describes production in containers or the field under Florida conditions to help guide growers interested in ginger, turmeric, and galangal production or expanding their market. All species have been evaluated by the UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas (UF/IFAS Assessment) using the Predictive Tool (an invasion risk assessment) and all present a low risk of invasion in Florida (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu).

thumbnail for publication: An Introduction to Florida Commodity Enterprise Budgets: A Tool to Improve Farm Business Planning

An Introduction to Florida Commodity Enterprise Budgets: A Tool to Improve Farm Business Planning

Ariel Singerman, Kimberly L. Morgan, Kimberly L. Morgan, Tara Wade, Kevin Athearn, Chris Prevatt, Chris Prevatt, Ariel Singerman, Edward A. Evans, Trent Blare, Trent D. Blare, Hayk Khachatryan, andZhengfei Guan

Enterprise budgets help farmers and ranchers estimate expenses, potential revenue, and profit. UF/IFAS provides enterprise budgets for a variety of Florida-grown commodities. These are typically built collaboratively by economists, horticulturists and agronomists, ranchers, and growers. This publication highlights key aspects of the enterprise budget as a planning tool for farm businesses. Includes links to UF/IFAS enterprise budgets and related documents specific to several Florida commodities.

thumbnail for publication: Potential Markets for Florida Ginger

Potential Markets for Florida Ginger

Kevin Athearn, Jonathan Adam Watson, Paul Fisher, Maria Paz Kinslow, Marina Burani-Arouca, Brian Pearson, and Celina Gómez

This publication explores the potential markets for ginger (Zingiber officinale) grown in Florida, focusing on opportunities in fresh produce, food and beverage ingredients, and nursery markets. Ginger is widely used in a variety of culinary dishes and wellness products, primarily consumed as the rhizome, or ginger root. The US fresh produce market for ginger is dominated by imports from China, Peru, and Brazil, making price competition challenging. Florida ginger producers face significant competition, but by focusing on quality, differentiation, and exploring niche markets, they can enhance profitability.

thumbnail for publication: Exploring Opportunities for Malting Barley Production in Florida

Exploring Opportunities for Malting Barley Production in Florida

Charles Barrett, Charles Barrett, Lincoln Zotarelli, Sylvia M. Willis, Jay Capasso, Ethan Carter, De Broughton, De Broughton, Kevin Athearn, Andrew J. MacIntosh, Alicia N. Halbritter, Matthew T. Smith, Kevin A. Korus, andDaniel J. Leonard

This publication aims to inform Florida growers and the craft brewing and distillery industry about the current knowledge of the potential yield and challenges of barley cultivation in north Florida.

thumbnail for publication: Disaster Assistance for Agriculture in Florida following Hurricane Idalia

Disaster Assistance for Agriculture in Florida following Hurricane Idalia

Shivendra Kumar, Kevin Athearn, Christa Court, Angela Lindsey, Kelly Aue, Lisa Strange, Sudeep Sidhu, Joel Love, Robert Hochmuth, Erin Jones, Emily Beach, Keith Wynn, Dan Fenneman, Jay Capasso, and Eric Simonne

Multiple federal and state agencies provide assistance to qualified agricultural producers following a natural disaster, such as a hurricane. However, the programs change over time, and many producers are not aware of the programs available. The purpose of this publication is to list and briefly describe disaster assistance resources available to agricultural producers in Florida after Hurricane Idalia. To the extent that some information remains the same, this publication could provide guidance to Extension agents, nongovernmental organizations, and producers impacted by future hurricanes. The information was compiled from websites, government documents, and discussions with government agency representatives following Hurricane Idalia.