1997 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1997 AND 1992 NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1997 1992 Farms .........................number.. 185 186 Land in farms ..................acres.. 9 869 9 882 Average size of farm .......acres.. 53 53 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 573 801 454 263 Average per acre .........dollars.. 9 917 9 533 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 35 060 25 329 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 69 60 10 to 49 acres ...................... 66 71 50 to 179 acres ..................... 33 39 180 to 499 acres .................... 16 15 500 to 999 acres .................... 1 1 1,000 acres or more ................. 0 0 Total cropland .................farms.. 156 165 acres.. 3 856 4 636 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 137 145 acres.. 2 763 3 185 Irrigated land .................farms.. 69 54 acres.. 333 266 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 8 266 8 928 Average per farm .........dollars.. 44 680 48 002 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 7 340 7 456 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 926 1 473 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 62 59 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 13 24 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 24 33 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 29 19 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 21 14 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 15 16 $100,000 or more .................... 21 21 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 6 351 7 236 Average per farm .........dollars.. 34 517 38 696 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 93 90 Other ............................... 92 96 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 92 95 200 days or more ................... 71 58 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 42 44 number.. 901 1 077 Beef cows ..................farms.. 28 30 number.. 205 260 Milk cows ..................farms.. 15 14 number.. 310 380 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 34 37 number.. 249 560 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 20 19 number.. 1 011 649 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 11 15 number.. 763 743 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 19 25 number.. 491 718 Layers and pullets 13 weeks old and older inventory.............farms.. 26 25 number.. (D) 6 081 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 1 1 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bushels.. 0 0 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 10 4 acres.. (D) 131 tons, green.. (D) 2 415 Potatoes, excl. sweetpotatoes.farms.. 3 2 acres.. 3 (D) cwt.. (D) (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 51 71 acres.. 1 884 2 517 tons, dry.. 2 877 4 871 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 40 28 acres.. 508 360 Land in orchards..............farms.. 10 15 acres.. 108 122 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms (X) Not applicable (Z) Less than half the unit shown (NA) Not available Source: 1997 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1 Geographic Area Series, "Table 1. County Summary Highlights: 1997." This electronic series presents summary statistics for each county and State together with comparable data from the 1992 census. The items included are the same for all States and counties, except selected crops harvested, which vary by State. Data for 1997 and 1992 are directly comparable for acreage and inventories. Dollar values have not been adjusted for changes in price levels. You can obtain the Volume 1 Geographic Area Series from the National Technical Information Service. If you have any questions concerning the data in this report or need additional information or order forms for agriculture publications, please call the National Agricultural Statistics Service at 1-800-523-3215 or 1-800-727-9540.