Episode 02 · Solo · Tuesday, October 20, 2026
What 12 Acres of Summer Squash Actually Costs
A 12-acre summer squash block walked line by line through the published NC State Extension budget: costs, yield, price, and the breakeven that decides the season.
“Ask ten growers what an acre of squash costs and you'll get ten answers. The extension budget gives you one you can check.”
Episode plan
0:00–2:00
Why squash
A common Southeast crop with a short season and a narrow margin, which makes it a good lesson in breakeven math.
2:00–9:00
The cost lines
Seed, fertilizer, plastic and drip, sprays, harvest labor, packing and hauling. Which lines move and which stay put.
9:00–14:00
Yield times price
Using the budget's yield and price assumptions, then asking what happens if either drops.
14:00–19:00
Breakeven
The price per box and the yield per acre you need just to cover costs, and why you should know both before you plant.
19:00–22:00
Scale it to 12 acres
Multiplying out the budget and spotting where a bigger block changes the math: labor and markets.
Key takeaways
- Use a published budget as your starting point, then swap in your own numbers.
- Know your breakeven price and yield before planting.
- Harvest labor and market access usually decide whether more acres pay.
Sources we use
- NC State Extension summer squash enterprise budget
- USDA AMS specialty crop terminal market prices
Run your own squash numbers in the crop profitability tool before next season's seed order.
Open the crop profitability tablesAudio and full transcript will be added here when this episode is released.