We did what you're talking about and didn't break into the black until year 4 so be sure you have money to live on and set up your business. We have 5 acres and used 3 of them. We were certified organic before the feds took that over and then we dropped. Organic is sold by everyone and in some regions offers no advantage. Wal Mart and Fred Myers sell organic. Plus once you are selling over $5000 in organic you have to let the government into your life. Fresh and local may work very well. Depending on your state's laws getting set up for processed value added food can present a nightmare in burocracy and a check book drain. My advice is stick to the stuff that are high value with the least processing (not neccessarily the least work though). We have 1000 asparagus crowns and if we were still selling I'd plant 1000 more. Keeping the weeds and grass down is a lot of work but that stuff brings in money here. Chickens from chicken tractors were very successful even though here you need a $75 license now. No matter how great a cuke you can grow you are never going to pay the mortgage with them. Our rule of thumb was that any product that didn't make $1000/yr was dropped. Do your market analysis before starting any big project. Just because you want a cherry orchard doesn't mean there are customers out there to buy them. My wife hates beets but grew them because there was a never ending demand for them. The person who has worked hard to get to success is Ohioganic who posted above. She has advice the comes from experience. The only reason we stopped was a farm accident that ended my field working days. Can you make a living? The answer is yes but you'll have to live to your income. You'll work far more hours than any full time job in the corporate world. Set up a life you enjoy and it willl have to be your work and vacation for some time. And the processed foods you want to make can be enjoyed by you and your family. The life style is part of the reward although there will be plenty of days when you think it is your punishment. It's always easy to give advice but if you want to do this, plan ahead and then quit talking and do it. Good Luck, Tom

That $5000 is GROSS sales, not net sales so any farmer trying to do this as more than a hobby (i.e make actual profit) will not qualitfy. i agree with toughboy that USDA organics is now in the hands of the big boys. if you are going to wholesale your produce or sell in a way that is not direct to the customer than you may need third party certification. But if you are selling direct to your customers you do need that third party cert because you can tell your own story. I was certified organic for 8 years through OEFFA and when the USDA took over I dropped my certification like a hot potato and have never looked back. Now I market using the local foods/locavore angle and my sales are increasing better than when I was certified organic. Even though I have not been certified organic since 2002 and made a huge effort to remove the term organic pertaining to the marketing of my produce and poultry on all label, brochures and websites the USDA sent me a threatening certified mail letter back in January telling me to cease and desist on using the term organic. They based this threat on 5 year old information (mainly a photo taken in 1999 of me and my husband at market with a sign saying Boulder Belt Organics which is our old farm name that is floating around the web. oh the anti USDA organic diatribe on my website that they did not seem to be amused about.) I have written them back and it seems things are okay with the USDA/NOP and Boulder Belt Eco-Farm. I tell folks who ask if we farm organically that we do not legally and we are far above the weak USDA standards. And if they do not believe me they can come out to the farm and do their own inspection

Here is the update: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/devouringseattle/archives/160953.asp Claire Strader won!! Here is a link that might be useful: News

The question was asked about what part government subsidies played the prices of conventional and organically grown products. The situation has changed quite a bit in the last 10 years, and organic agriculture is now a very substantial beneficiary of the government, including the many very small operations. In fact, government programs are oriented toward increasing organic production. One comment from Jason Lusk, a well-known and respected economist: "WeâÂÂre often told organics donâÂÂt get government subsidies, but thatâÂÂs a fabrication. In Europe, organic farmers are subsidized like all other farmers. In the U.S., there are programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program that pay producers to transition from conventional to organic. There are other programs that use federal monies to help organic farmers pay the cost of certification. Organic farmers can receive government-subsidized crop insurance just like non-organic farmers. Organic milk is subjected to many of the same complex price-support rules imposed by the government on non-organic milk. Hundreds of millions of tax dollars are spent on research and education into organics and on marketing and monitoring programs. The food police tell us that the growth in organic food demand is the free market working at its best, while using the taxing power of the state to manipulate the market by subsidizing organic production, marketing, and research activities. You canâÂÂt have your organic-is-libertarian cake and eat it too." The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (a very much pro-organic group) notes the many benefits in the 14 Farm Bill at the link provided. The bottom line in my opinion, is that organic food is probably at least as heavily subsidized as conventional produce. Renais Here is a link that might be useful: NSAC