1992 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS OF AGRICULTURE: 1992 AND 1987 ASHE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Item ALL FARMS 1992 1987 Farms .........................number.. 1 033 1 182 Land in farms ..................acres.. 104 426 113 845 Average size of farm .......acres.. 101 96 Value of land and buildings@1: Average per farm .........dollars.. 141 806 109 037 Average per acre .........dollars.. 1 468 1 144 Estimated market value of all machinery and equipment@1 Average per farm .........dollars.. 14 571 12 822 Farms by size: 1 to 9 acres ........................ 126 139 10 to 49 acres ...................... 348 411 50 to 179 acres ..................... 404 466 180 to 499 acres .................... 126 143 500 to 999 acres .................... 26 17 1,000 acres or more ................. 3 6 Total cropland .................farms.. 986 1 123 acres.. 47 741 48 264 Harvested cropland ...........farms.. 898 1 058 acres.. 12 308 14 008 Irrigated land .................farms.. 17 49 acres.. 113 185 Market value of agricultural products sold................$1,000.. 11 172 17 797 Average per farm .........dollars.. 10 815 15 057 Crops, including nursery and greenhouse crops............$1,000.. 4 148 3 496 Livestock, poultry, and their products....................$1,000.. 7 024 14 301 Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 .................... 280 437 $2,500 to $4,999 .................... 250 266 $5,000 to $9,999 .................... 201 207 $10,000 to $24,999 .................. 201 148 $25,000 to $49,999 .................. 63 55 $50,000 to $99,999 .................. 29 30 $100,000 or more .................... 9 39 Total farm production expenses.$1,000.. 7 783 13 220 Average per farm .........dollars.. 7 542 11 194 Net cash return from agricultural sales for the farm unit.......farms.. 1 032 1 181 $1,000.. 3 284 3 974 Average per farm..........dollars.. 3 182 3 365 Operators by principal occupation: Farming ............................. 460 499 Other ............................... 573 683 Operators by days worked off farm: Any ................................. 551 682 200 days or more ................... 366 481 Livestock and poultry: Cattle and calves inventory...farms.. 652 679 number.. 21 714 18 400 Beef cows ..................farms.. 517 500 number.. 9 076 7 203 Milk cows ..................farms.. 42 85 number.. 577 1 385 Cattle and calves sold .......farms.. 636 698 number.. 12 456 13 302 Hogs and pigs inventory ......farms.. 14 24 number.. 309 825 Hogs and pigs sold ...........farms.. 5 8 number.. 795 1 189 Sheep and lambs inventory ....farms.. 14 14 number.. 684 523 Chickens 3 months old or older inventory.............farms.. 32 55 number.. 457 763 Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold...............farms.. 1 44 number.. (D) 5 669 882 Selected crops harvested: Corn for grain or seed .......farms.. 16 22 acres.. 35 64 bushels.. 1 569 3 757 Wheat for grain ..............farms.. 0 2 acres.. 0 (D) bushels.. 0 (D) Cotton .......................farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 bales.. 0 0 Tobacco ......................farms.. 580 695 acres.. 1 226 975 pounds.. 1 958 113 1 568 757 Soybeans for beans ...........farms.. 1 2 acres.. (D) (D) bushels.. (D) (D) Peanuts for nuts .............farms.. 0 0 acres.. 0 0 pounds.. 0 0 Hay-alf, other, wild, silage..farms.. 580 719 acres.. 10 007 11 333 tons, dry.. 19 106 16 097 @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. .