1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 357 439 Land in farms ..................acres.. 25 470 30 940 Average size of farm .......acres.. 71 70 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 781 091 462 670 Average per acre .........dollars.. 12 721 6 754 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 38 328 33 053 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 83 101 10 to 49 acres ...................... 153 184 50 to 179 acres ..................... 83 108 180 to 499 acres .................... 30 39 500 to 999 acres .................... 7 6 1,000 acres or more ................. 1 1 Total cropland .................farms.. 316 389 acres.. 14 304 16 730 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 285 345 acres.. 10 257 12 714 Irrigated land .................farms.. 98 104 acres.. 933 878 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 17 769 17 034 Average per farm .........dollars.. 49 774 38 803 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 13 955 12 240 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 3 814 4 794 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 116 156 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 38 50 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 36 61 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 58 51 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 31 50 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 39 27 $100,000 or more .................... 39 44 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 13 696 12 946 Average per farm .........dollars.. 38 258 29 490 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 358 439 $1,000.. 4 277 3 418 Average per farm..........dollars.. 11 946 7 786 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 208 227 Other ............................... 149 212 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 159 239 200 days or more ................... 95 148 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 63 95 number.. 2 643 3 372 Beef cows ..................farms.. 39 60 number.. 398 510 Milk cows ..................farms.. 20 30 number.. 1 096 1 278 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 54 83 number.. 880 1 957 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 24 20 number.. 459 561 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 13 18 number.. (D) 1 719 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 36 43 number.. 636 573 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 31 58 number.. 6 924 51 258 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 2 4 number.. (D) (D) Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 3 5 acres.. (D) 205 bushels.. (D) 12 050 Corn for sil or green chop....farms.. 21 19 acres.. 1 193 757 tons, green.. 21 965 14 886 Irish potatoes................farms.. 5 7 acres.. 9 9 cwt.. 1 676 (D) Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 136 187 acres.. 6 641 9 286 tons, dry.. 12 426 17 273 Vegetables harvested..........farms.. 95 95 acres.. 1 845 1 852 Land in orchards..............farms.. 41 29 acres.. 369 484 @1Data are based on a sample of farms. Legend: - Represents zero (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms (X) Not applicable (Z) Less than half the unit shown (NA) Not available Source: 1992 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1 Geographic Area Series, "Table 1. County Summary Highlights: 1992." This electronic series presents summary statistics for each county and state together with comparable data from the 1987 census. The items included are the same for all states and counties, except selected crops harvested, which vary by state. Data for 1992 and 1987 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 Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. If you have any questions concerning the data in this report or need additional information or order forms for agriculture publications, please call Agriculture Division, Bureau of the Census, at 1-800-523-3215. .