Starting a small local farm as a career?
mike758
9 years ago
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Slimy_Okra
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agocole_robbie
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Interested in farming.... where should I start?
Comments (11)Ask around, offer to help at the CSA, with anyone with a large garden - be a little leery of the old-timers' advice - some of it is spot on for local conditions, some is just plain wrong, and some has been disproven in recent years. Try helping at local nurseries - you will get plant and small business info at the same time - DON'T ask questions at the busiest times, but many owners/managers are happy to share their knowledge. Ask the local healthfood store where the local growers/suppliers are, ask if they ned any help - it CAN mean being out in the hot sun on a 95 degree day! Check out your community college for growers classes, organic or otherwise, take the classes and talk to people. Be careful of the ones that talk well, but don't do, and the ones who boast - they may just be happy and surprised at how well they are doing, and may be talking up a LOT more than they can produce. The ones who look the grungiest may be the most successful ones. Cultivate a healthy degree of scepticism, along with an open mind and willingness to try almost anything once. You don't need a degree, but you DO need some experience in small business practices - for the IRS if for no other reason. Take classes, talk to people about what they do - even if they are producing widgets - the practices, inputs, etc. will be the same at the bottom, even if the names or exact procedures are different. As said above, you probably won't get rich, but you may have a rich life!! Be willing to start small, work hard, maybe have a day job to support you while the "real" business grows, and above all - WORK HARD! You can begin on a small level, by producing veggies or flowers from your parent's back yard - with permission, it goes without saying. See if the managers at tlhe healthfood store will share what they NEED more of, and the pricing - then break it down and see if the return is worth it - some things are expensive to grow. Even if you only break even, if you don't have to go out and buy a lot of equipment - you are learning. Go to the local farmer's market, and see what is there, what is selling, and what is selling out early. You might be able to get a learner's job, no money to speak of, but lots of experience! It's a bit late for this year, but you could see what the requirements are, and try for next year. It is farming, just on a small scale. Again with permission, and if local zoning allows, try for raising eggs or meat chickens - the latter you will have to process to sell, so see what the market will bear, and what local health regs are. If you have access to enough land, maybe try for milking goats, and maybe, if there is an Hispanic or ethnic community nearby, raising kids to sell for meat. BEFORE YOU DO ANY OF THESE, READ!!! If you have little animal experience, read, and then get hand's on experience with someone to mentor you and look over your shoulder - they aren't as easy as a bicycle! You can do any and all of these, just start small..., and be careful....See Morestarting a farm
Comments (5)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)...See MoreLooking for Local fruit tree farm near Nashville, TN
Comments (10)Others here will know better than I about the quality of their trees, but there is a seller named Freedom Tree Farms whose main location is in Pelham TN. They claim to be the largest nursery east of MS River and they supply Lowes, Home Depot, Kroger, and Wal-Mart. You can google them to find their online site, though I know for certain that they have a much, much wider variety than what is listed on their web site. Their trees are all potted and about 5-6 foot tall- you can decide for yourself if that is better or worse than small bare-root trees that many here prefer. But here is the best part for you: They operate a satellite retail business which carries a pretty full selection of fruit trees and berry plants (more than shown on their web site) at the Nashville Farmers market every single weekend. Their trees are $15 and berries are $12 and both are large and healthy looking potted plants. So you now have an opportunity to buy almost any kind of fruit tree or berry right there in Nashville, hope that helps. Daves Garden rates them great, but only has 2 reviews so you have to take it with a grain of salt. I've bought trees from them and been very pleased, but I'm new to fruit trees and lack experience needed to be a good judge. Good luck. Nashville farmers market is near downtown Nashville at 900 Rosa Parks Blvd....See MoreStarting an organic farm
Comments (12)I wonder what the expression is that translated as "the good leaf at the bad sofa"? Regarding the OP: One thing to bear in mind is soil. I am over on the Vineyard, and have been closely involved with food production for quite a while. I have observed people doing it for a living up close. As a generality, in this area we have poor soil for food production. I don't know the Cape soils well, but I suspect it is about the same. The most a person can expect to get is whatever imported organic goes for at local retail, on average. Perhaps slightly more, but not much. It's amazing how much wealthy shoppers pay attention to prices. So then one is competing, with one's relatively poor soil and colder climate, with some of the best soils and climates in the world and with wage-earners on other continents. It only makes sense economically if one has property that is being taxed as vacant land at full rate and is planning to use the market garden activity to qualify for the state ag exemption....See Moremike758
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomike758
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSlimy_Okra
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agojnjfarm_gw
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agogrow_life
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomike758
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agombrown297
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agotheripetomatofarm
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agowhfpa
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoboulderbelt
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
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