starting a farm

17 years ago

Hello all

My names Jim and I'm 19 years old. Throughout highschool I never had much of any interest in agriculture. It all seemed so cookie cutter to me, just cattle, corn and soybeans. Also, farming isn't one of the promising fields that guidance counselers like to point out. So, I entered college to study economics. It's just something I think is neat, not something I'm really passionate about.

About halfway through the year I picked up Joel Salatin's book "You Can Farm." The book literally changed my life. I never realized agriculture could be so interesting and diverse. Chickens, turkeys, sheep, cattle, rabbits, pigs, vegetables, bramble fruits, maple syrup, christmas trees... it never struck me how many niches and specialties there are! Also, I was really impressed with Salatins ingenuity w/r to range pens for chickens. In short, the whole book just woke me up and opened my eyes.

That summer, I redoubled my efforts in the garden. I've had my successes and my failures but I've enjoyed every bit of learning. I also decided to tranfer to Ohio State and major in "Agribusiness & Applied Economics." I've decided my eventual goal will be to own a small farm with several specialties.

I was speaking to my grandpa this weekend and he asked some very critical questions, such as how would such an operation be financed and what kind of position could I get with an Agribusiness degree. I could provide only shaky answers to these questions, which kind of unsettled me. I know I'll go to college for my degree, and wish to own a farm, but how to get from point A to point B is the murky part.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to make this happen? I've read alot of the posts on here and everyone seems to be very helpful and full of insight. I would appreciate any advice, quotes, success stories, whatever..

Thanks

-JG

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Comments (5)

robin_maine
17 years ago
University of Maine has a sustainable ag degree that's excellent. I'm including the link below. You should be able to find helpful information there.

Here is a link that might be useful: UMaine Sustainable Ag
curdog007
17 years ago
The best way is to marry a beautiful lady that happens to have a father who is a fifth generation planter with about 2k acres of prime delta soil.
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At your age and level of experience, I'd look for an internship to see what the life was actually like. It's too easy to romanticize about the bucolic life. There's a reason farming is declining as a profession. Nonetheless, we started a farm 8 years ago and aren't looking back. We also didn't quit our day jobs. We bought 22 acres of wilderness 8 years ago and have turned 6 acres of it into a fruit and vegetable farm. Land prices are unreal right now, but tax on farmland is still very cheap. Originally, mine were $12 a year. Now, they're a whopping $20/year. On the land, equipment, pond, trees, berries, roots, etc., we've easily spent over $150,000. All is paid for but with a lot of sacrifice. Fuel is a huge expense. We also need a building, greenhouse, and irrigation system which may run around $70,000. We have taken a loss every year we've been in business. Some day though, there should be some profit. Time is the biggest investment as it takes certain crops years to mature--fruit trees, berries, asparagus, etc. Then there are structures like trellises, deer and other crittter protection, etc. The time I spend on the farm is unreal. I have left the state once since buying it. From April to the middle of Sept, there were 3 days I did not work on the farm. Then there are weather, disease, insects, and predation to deal with. One bad storm can wipe ten years of work away. Good luck staying organic if you live anywhere other than the west coast. Marketing your product is a whole other realm as demand and prices fluctuate and tastes and attitudes change. Still, I don't regret anything I've done and look forward to doing it till I can't do it any longer.
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I have really enjoyed this tread, have never laughed so much. Reminds me of that old acres of diamonds story where a landowner sells his farm to finance his global search for diamonds and ends up broke and homeless while the person who bought his farm discovers that it is awash with millions of dollars of crude oil or something of that effect. The moral of the story may be that many of us are sitting on acres of diamonds so to speak but are so motivated for a geographical change or the pursuit of some elusive but unattainable dream that we do not recognize the treasures that are beneath our very feet or underneath our very nose. reminds me also of the french movie Jean De Florrante, (ca'nt remember exactly how to spell it,) where a man inherits a farm in the countryside of France and kills himself trying to make a living off of it while being sabotaged by his father who is trying to steal the farm away from his son in order to give it to his mentally retarded nephew, because neither father nor son know who each other are until after the death of the son at which time the father discovers that he has killed his true son and has thus ruined his acres of diamonds so to speak. The poster sounds like that they could be a front man for a group of Amish people who quietly buy up thousands of acres of prime farmland that is poised to increase even further in value in the near future, but I doubt it, sounds more like someone from Japan or somewhere representing a bunch of businessmen or something, who knows, but very funny tread. thanks, Barry
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I live in Illinois. I first moved to the country seven years ago. It was nice to make the transition, because I lived like 25 minutes from town, and a hour from a big city. And about ten minutes from a major interstate. It is good because I think it helped make the transition, because if I wanted to go to the city, or town it was not to much driving. Now a days I don't even make it out to the city, and rarely to town. But, I think it was nice having the option to be kind close to my old 'city' friends. Even thought they can't understand why I would move so far away...hehe... The town I live near is crappy.....but I am so busy on my farm I don't really go there anyway. For my soil it started out as clay, and with amending organically for seven years it is AWSOME! Actually that is one of the reasons I would never leave.....I could not just ditch out on my soil!! Its a living thing, and with my help gets better every year. I guess what I am trying to say, is if you don't have to move were the soil in perfect. Because then you can do what you want with it! Just make sure it is not completely crap. My friend moved from her to a mountain in California, and a friend that lives in rural Mo. with rocky soil. I mean there property is beautiful, but all they can talk about is the never ending rock removal. I can stand clay, but I have to just say no to rocks. That is never ending/manual labor! good luck :)
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Hey Nicholas...great idea. I'm a little guy also. Consider going organic or advertise as "organically grown" to distinguish yourself from the rest. Where is your general location? My plants are on their 3rd year and look great. I have Duke, Draper, Bluejay, and am putting in BlueCrop and lots of Elliot. Start small, build up your clientele, every couple years expand a little(or hopefully more). I have been using spoiled round hay bales to smother out the weeds/nutrients/moisture control. Now am going over that with composted wood chips after a detailed weeding immediately around the plant to smother weeds etc. Getting enough mulch is my #1 challenge. But then, I dont want to pay much... Long term fertilization regimen remains a challenge as I haven't researched the cost comparisons of my organic options. I had used a fresh chicken poop/kelp tea when my numbers were small, but with 300-600 plants, I'd have to buy tysons! Anyway, I did a fish emulsion (5-1-1) with mollases dilution for their immediate needs. Or I could get some slow release osmochem and not worry about it, Na! Check out MSU's sites, contact your local extension, space your varieties. Consider planting other fruits to broaden your customer base and make most effecient use of your space. Like pears on the north side, for example. Know what your doing though before deciding on anything. Good Luck, Noogy
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fancifowl
17 years ago
In case you dont fine the pretty, rich farmgirl!
Farms dont have to be of large acreage. We farm 18 home acres and used to use others land for crops such as hay and corn. On this 18 acres we bred 25 Corriedale ewes, 6-7 Highland cattle, several hogs and Haflinger horses; along with bramble fruits, ribes, and a medium size truck garden. It was hectic and a lot of wear and rear and have now settled down to standard bred bantam poultry and Mini rex rabbits along with increased fruits and veggies. Always had another job or small business to get the real living wages.
The most succesful farmers I know do have degrees in Ag business. farming is a business, not just a way of life. Lots of folks dont grasp that.
There are grants available from varied sources, for different enterprises, just have do some research on them. There are some USDA cost sharing plans too.
I think too much diversity too soon can be the ruination of a farming enterprise, start slow and make plans. Invest in those things which offer the best return, fancy new equipment has little return, that stuff is for those who like lots of debt to appear successful and those who left corporate America with a trunk full of cash and "made the move to the country life"!
good luck( Luck is a very important part of the entire shebang)
lfrj
17 years ago
I so share your enthusiasm, but am not so young anymore. I personally found the following article of interest. Perhaps you will, too!

http://www.cog.ca/documents/Winter04Arnold.pdf

In their own words, here's an abstract:

Profitability on a Small Farm - Paul and Sandy Arnold

"Since the start of our farming career fifteen years ago, our goal was to make farming a full time venture, to not work off the farm, and to raise a family with a good quality of life. We were able to accomplish our goals in a matter of four years and become profitable by using a combination of good business management techniques, good record keeping, season extension and creative marketing."

Best of luck!

LF
marquisella
17 years ago
Agronomy!

I work for a Cornell Cooperative Extension in New York.
We can't find anyone to fill the Agronomy position!

You can work in a field you are interested in, and farm on the side. A lot of my co-workers do that.

Or teach at the Univeristy level at a land grant university Ohio State. I use their web site often for information.

Go to their website and search for the employment pages. It will give you an idea of what they are looking for.

Farm Business Management, we are looking for someone now.

Find out where there is a need in Agriculture, and try to educate yourself to fill it.

Marquisella

starting a farm

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robin_maine

curdog007

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