SAE:

 Baling and Market Pine Straw

Description:

The pine straw market continues to expand throughout Georgia.  As available income of families continues to increase, we see an increased demand for pine straw in urban areas.  This project can start small and increase in size to meet the expectations of the student.  This project can be started on family owned land, rented land, or on a share basis with home or landowners.  Little equipment is needed to begin initial work.  Rakes, balers, and some type of transportation are all that is required to begin production.  While this project is labor intensive, the potential for growth and expansion is present.

It may be possible to attract landowners to multiple year leases on productive property by offering to fertilize the trees on a 2 or 3 year rotation.

Before production begins, a marketing plan should be developed.  Consider such contacts as:  convenience stores, grocery stores, home improvement centers, lawn maintenance contractors, hardware stores,  plant nurseries,  straw wholesalers, and individual home/business owners.

Written by Steve Meeks

Factors To Consider

Ranking: 1 = lowest 10 = highest

Time required

9

Investment

 5

Equipment needed

 4

Skills required

 5

Facilities required

 3

Land required

 7

Labor Intensity

 8

Potential for income

 8

Transportation required

 8

Expansion possibilities

 10

Expertise needed

 5

Advertising needed

 5

Susceptible to disease

 0

Susceptible to insects

 0

Suitable for residential areas

 8

Other (specify)

Length of production cycle

Flexible 

Regional

 No

When to start project

 Late winter

Notes:

This is a very labor-intensive project.  Students should understand that although equipment investment is small, this is no substitute for hard work.  This would be a good project for several students to undertake as a team.  Some transportation will be required for the finished products to final markets.  Personal relation’s skills should be high for students involved in this project.

Sources of Additional Information:

Producing and Marketing Pine Straw- Cooperative Extension Service

Shannon Chastain Enterprises 117 S. Harmony Ct., N.E., Eatonton GA 31024 (Builds and Sales Mechanical Straw Balers)

Georgia Forest Research Paper 88  “Silvicultural Guidelines For Pinestraw Management In the Southeastern United States”  Georgia Forestry Commission

Georgia Pine Straw, Inc., 148 Williams Ave. Lyons GA 30436