can you really make a living off of a small farm?

[Lady of McCamley]

Many people small homestead and live simply and happily. As stated by others, don't plan on the latest and greatest stuff, but you can definitely small homestead.

If you desire to make money at market, that requires more effort.

First and foremost (and it sounds like you've thought of this somewhat), find out what is legal to do in your area. Many places have relaxed farm to consumer direct laws that prevents you from having strict FDA oversight, farm visitations, and regulations. But KNOW that is the case. Don't assume. If you want to be certified organic, you'll have to jump through those hoops. Find out what kind of food handling certificates, if any, you'll need. (Most farm produce does not need any food handling certifications, but if you sell any baked goods too, you might)....EDITED TO ADD I just caught you are in Canada, so it won't be FDA, but it will be Canada's equivalent of ag and food oversight laws.

Then you have to consider land cost and reliability. That is the number one factor for any farm effort. It sounds like you've got 21 acres to access right now? Is that cheap or free? If it isn't your land, be sure you have something signed on paper (written contract) before you begin to plant on land that is not your own. You don't want to be evicted just as you are about to come to market.

Once you've got the land secured at a price you can afford within your budget goals, then you can move forward.

Just as you have been doing, continue to learn the agriculture quirks of your area. Which crops grow best. What doesn't do well. What do you have to do to make them grow well?

Next, what markets are in your area? What do people want? How much do they want to pay? As with most businesses, location, location, location. You have to get your stuff to a market that is close enough for you to make it worth your while. That will require reliable transportation, so you will have to plan for that in your costs.

Then ply your craft. Start small and grow. Get your name out there. Be the best, brightest, and tastiest. Always be on time and do what you say you are going to do. If you say your market time is from this to this, make it so. If you say you will be there, show up (on time). Be faithful. Don't think you can go one week, skip a couple, and still have customers the next time you arrive. Local farmer's markets are very competitive in most areas now. Many require a booth "buy in" or some other regulation to get into them. If you don't show up on time for the booth assignments, you won't get one.

Also planning for next year begins this year, and a year ago. You need to know what you will do when and have seeds purchased, field prepared.

Have a Plan B, and C, and onward down, for WHEN crops fail not if. I agree that it is important to diversify so that if one area is bad that year, the next crop can carry you through.

So living simply off the land, homesteading is very doable if you are willing to work hard and live humbly. You might find enough spots to sell a little here and there, but it won't fund anything.

If you want to really get into this as a sustainable living, then you will have to work at plying your farming trade.

My son-in-law works hard doing just those things I listed above. My daughter and grandbaby are living the good life on a farm in Tennessee under a farm use agreement with the property owner...we'll cultivate these acres for you if you let us cultivate these acres for us. They sell organic at the local farmer's markets doing well at vegetables, plant starts, with a side on eggs. They grow almost all their own food, and what they can't grow, they trade at the farmer's markets. They do have some cash for car and equipment maintenance, though my SIL does most of the repair work himself (and there is always something to repair on a farm).

Good luck to your endeavors. If you can, find a mentor who can show you the way. That can really help get you established in your area.

Lofmc

 

[bobbi-j]

Many people small homestead and live simply and happily. As stated by others, don't plan on the latest and greatest stuff, but you can definitely small homestead.

If you desire to make money at market, that requires more effort.

First and foremost (and it sounds like you've thought of this somewhat), find out what is legal to do in your area. Many places have relaxed farm to consumer direct laws that prevents you from having strict FDA oversight, farm visitations, and regulations. But KNOW that is the case. Don't assume. If you want to be certified organic, you'll have to jump through those hoops. Find out what kind of food handling certificates, if any, you'll need. (Most farm produce does not need any food handling certifications, but if you sell any baked goods too, you might)....EDITED TO ADD I just caught you are in Canada, so it won't be FDA, but it will be Canada's equivalent of ag and food oversight laws.

Then you have to consider land cost and reliability. That is the number one factor for any farm effort. It sounds like you've got 21 acres to access right now? Is that cheap or free? If it isn't your land, be sure you have something signed on paper (written contract) before you begin to plant on land that is not your own. You don't want to be evicted just as you are about to come to market.

Once you've got the land secured at a price you can afford within your budget goals, then you can move forward.

Just as you have been doing, continue to learn the agriculture quirks of your area. Which crops grow best. What doesn't do well. What do you have to do to make them grow well?

Next, what markets are in your area? What do people want? How much do they want to pay? As with most businesses, location, location, location. You have to get your stuff to a market that is close enough for you to make it worth your while. That will require reliable transportation, so you will have to plan for that in your costs.

Then ply your craft. Start small and grow. Get your name out there. Be the best, brightest, and tastiest. Always be on time and do what you say you are going to do. If you say your market time is from this to this, make it so. If you say you will be there, show up (on time). Be faithful. Don't think you can go one week, skip a couple, and still have customers the next time you arrive. Local farmer's markets are very competitive in most areas now. Many require a booth "buy in" or some other regulation to get into them. If you don't show up on time for the booth assignments, you won't get one.

Also planning for next year begins this year, and a year ago. You need to know what you will do when and have seeds purchased, field prepared.

Have a Plan B, and C, and onward down, for WHEN crops fail not if. I agree that it is important to diversify so that if one area is bad that year, the next crop can carry you through.

So living simply off the land, homesteading is very doable if you are willing to work hard and live humbly. You might find enough spots to sell a little here and there, but it won't fund anything.

If you want to really get into this as a sustainable living, then you will have to work at plying your farming trade.

My son-in-law works hard doing just those things I listed above. My daughter and grandbaby are living the good life on a farm in Tennessee under a farm use agreement with the property owner...we'll cultivate these acres for you if you let us cultivate these acres for us. They sell organic at the local farmer's markets doing well at vegetables, plant starts, with a side on eggs. They grow almost all their own food, and what they can't grow, they trade at the farmer's markets. They do have some cash for car and equipment maintenance, though my SIL does most of the repair work himself (and there is always something to repair on a farm).

Good luck to your endeavors. If you can, find a mentor who can show you the way. That can really help get you established in your area.

Lofmc

Excellent post!

 

[PirateGirl]

I have been looking into this a bit myself. The aspect I have been looking it is the zoning in the area you own land or wish to purchase land. There are regulations as to number and type of animals you can have as well as irrigation. The key is figuring out within the given restrictions what animals and crops will be most profitable. For example where I live, one the same acreage you could have one cow, 5 goats, or 25 chickens. In one year which of those would give me the best profit? If two animals are really close in profit, is one easier to raise? If you can irrigate 1 acre, which crop will give you the biggest yield/profit?

I feel similar ambition to you, but I'm trying to be a realist and crunching numbers.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Many people small homestead and live simply and happily. As stated by others, don't plan on the latest and greatest stuff, but you can definitely small homestead.

If you desire to make money at market, that requires more effort.

First and foremost (and it sounds like you've thought of this somewhat), find out what is legal to do in your area. Many places have relaxed farm to consumer direct laws that prevents you from having strict FDA oversight, farm visitations, and regulations. But KNOW that is the case. Don't assume. If you want to be certified organic, you'll have to jump through those hoops. Find out what kind of food handling certificates, if any, you'll need. (Most farm produce does not need any food handling certifications, but if you sell any baked goods too, you might)....EDITED TO ADD I just caught you are in Canada, so it won't be FDA, but it will be Canada's equivalent of ag and food oversight laws.

Then you have to consider land cost and reliability. That is the number one factor for any farm effort. It sounds like you've got 21 acres to access right now? Is that cheap or free? If it isn't your land, be sure you have something signed on paper (written contract) before you begin to plant on land that is not your own. You don't want to be evicted just as you are about to come to market.

Once you've got the land secured at a price you can afford within your budget goals, then you can move forward.

Just as you have been doing, continue to learn the agriculture quirks of your area. Which crops grow best. What doesn't do well. What do you have to do to make them grow well?

Next, what markets are in your area? What do people want? How much do they want to pay? As with most businesses, location, location, location. You have to get your stuff to a market that is close enough for you to make it worth your while. That will require reliable transportation, so you will have to plan for that in your costs.

Then ply your craft. Start small and grow. Get your name out there. Be the best, brightest, and tastiest. Always be on time and do what you say you are going to do. If you say your market time is from this to this, make it so. If you say you will be there, show up (on time). Be faithful. Don't think you can go one week, skip a couple, and still have customers the next time you arrive. Local farmer's markets are very competitive in most areas now. Many require a booth "buy in" or some other regulation to get into them. If you don't show up on time for the booth assignments, you won't get one.

Also planning for next year begins this year, and a year ago. You need to know what you will do when and have seeds purchased, field prepared.

Have a Plan B, and C, and onward down, for WHEN crops fail not if. I agree that it is important to diversify so that if one area is bad that year, the next crop can carry you through.

So living simply off the land, homesteading is very doable if you are willing to work hard and live humbly. You might find enough spots to sell a little here and there, but it won't fund anything.

If you want to really get into this as a sustainable living, then you will have to work at plying your farming trade.

My son-in-law works hard doing just those things I listed above. My daughter and grandbaby are living the good life on a farm in Tennessee under a farm use agreement with the property owner...we'll cultivate these acres for you if you let us cultivate these acres for us. They sell organic at the local farmer's markets doing well at vegetables, plant starts, with a side on eggs. They grow almost all their own food, and what they can't grow, they trade at the farmer's markets. They do have some cash for car and equipment maintenance, though my SIL does most of the repair work himself (and there is always something to repair on a farm).

Good luck to your endeavors. If you can, find a mentor who can show you the way. That can really help get you established in your area.

Lofmc

thank you, at the moment the 21 acres are my parents/where i live. will have to look into what is legal to raise here, more on the numbers (as with chickens for example we can have 299 layers before we need a permit/quota to raise)

my main goal at the moment would be to become an aquaponic farmer, (raising fish and veggies together), then branch outward to other markets with for example meat goats and sheep.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

I have been looking into this a bit myself. The aspect I have been looking it is the zoning in the area you own land or wish to purchase land. There are regulations as to number and type of animals you can have as well as irrigation. The key is figuring out within the given restrictions what animals and crops will be most profitable. For example where I live, one the same acreage you could have one cow, 5 goats, or 25 chickens. In one year which of those would give me the best profit? If two animals are really close in profit, is one easier to raise? If you can irrigate 1 acre, which crop will give you the biggest yield/profit?

I feel similar ambition to you, but I'm trying to be a realist and crunching numbers.

best of luck to you.

at the moment i have been doing research into aquaponics (the method of raising fish with plants), and it seems to have a bright future, the only issue with it for me is i have to be inside (due to weather and fish permits).

 

[itsasmallfarm]

This sounds like you're done a lot of thinking on the subject. Whether or not you can "make a living" might depend on your standard of living. Are you going to want the latest of everything electronic? Do you have a phone that's going to cost you money every month? How about internet? Utilities? Do you have housing for the animals you'd like to get? They will all need shelter of some sort. How will you acquire said animals? You will also need to purchase feed and bedding. What are your plans if one gets sick? Will you take it to the vet? There are also vet bills. What kind of vehicle do you drive? You will need insurance and license. My suggestion would be to find a job for now so you can earn some money to get started, and put some aside for emergencies. Don't live above your means. If you're on a Spaghetti-O budget, don't go buying steak and lobster. I admire you for your idea and sincerely hope you can make it work. I just think it may take some time to get there.

thank you, like my parents said before i start this adventure i should really crunch the numbers to find out if it is worth my time and effort (i hope it is)

Sask, CA is good grain country, so raising livestock in that area shouldn't be a problem...I hope you keep is posted on your endeavors!

sure will, and we have lots of live stock (mostly cattle farming when it comes to live stock, but many small farms with chickens, goats, ducks, sheep.)

I have never been to Canada, I really want to! How is your weather where you live? I live in the Central Valley in California and we have not been below 60 degrees in 184 days! We have had little rain although this year had given us a bit more as we have been in a drought for quite a few years. I raised pigs and steers for 4-H and FFA thru my school years and loved every second of it. I wish you luck and smarts! Farming is tough...my dad farmed almost his entire life and it is a demanding job and now he is with the family restaurant. I think they are just as demanding!

we can get mighty cold here in Saskatchewan (last year -50C/-58F was the coldest we got i believe with the wind chill) so we have a good growing season during the summer but then can have no growing season for 6 months of the year (unless you grow indoors)

but Canada is an awesome place. but i should note you guys in the states get all the cool stuff when to comes to food and shopping (like ever one up here loves going to the states on shopping trips ) but i have only been out west so i can say the mountains in Alberta/BC are really awesome, and the northern forests are just down right amazing (IMO)

 

[ThatCrazyChickenGirl]

This sounds exciting! I'm really happy you're looking into what YOU want to to do, and not what someone else wants for you. This is a huge issue in my area (San Francisco Bay Area - the number of students I've seen pursuing med degrees or computer science because of parental pressure, despite hating the subject themselves...).

I recommend approaching this as you would if it were the type of business idea you need to pitch to investors. Write up a full business plan. There's lots of resources on how to do this, but the basic idea is to specify EVERY anticipated cost to start (housing, food, allowances for medical care for animals, cost of seeds/sprouts for produce, water costs, workers that may need to be paid, etc), then to specify a range of profits you expect to make, based on sell values in your market in previous years. Include the absolute worst case scenario for yield and pricing, and don't assume you'll make more than that. The idea is to determine WHEN you should expect to turn a profit, and how much.

You need to be sure your profit will cover your living expenses. This might be hard for the first year, maybe more. You may need a day job while you get off your feet, or you may be able to rely on your family during this time.

Actually writing down this plan in a formal manner will be so valuable. For one, it's great if you do decide to expand and actually need to pitch to an investor. But it's also extremely valuable to be able to refer back to a formal document, to see what you projected and how the reality differs from that. Perhaps you got unlucky and had desease ravage your livestock. That may mean you need to allow more $$ for preventitive medical care. Since you have all the projections written down, you can edit that figure and see how it might effect your profits.

The important thing is never to make decisions because you assume it will balance out. My boyfriends family runs a horse ranch, and they continually invent deals and discounts to their borders on the fly without doing the math. Now they're stuck alienating one of their oldest customers, because they gave a deal when she only had 3 horses, that she could pay full for two and have the third on pasture and pay only for food. This was when the customer couldn't afford 3 horses and was facing selling one. Now she has 8, 3 in stable and 5 on pasture (paying only for feed), and she's costing them money as they have to turn down new customers who would pay in full for pasture space. You will want to look at the full repercussions of your choices, so you can make them wisely.


It sounds like you are really passionate about this, and I'm so happy you have the chance to do what you love! I wish you bushels of luck!

 

[itsasmallfarm]

This sounds exciting! I'm really happy you're looking into what YOU want to to do, and not what someone else wants for you. This is a huge issue in my area (San Francisco Bay Area - the number of students I've seen pursuing med degrees or computer science because of parental pressure, despite hating the subject themselves...).

I recommend approaching this as you would if it were the type of business idea you need to pitch to investors. Write up a full business plan. There's lots of resources on how to do this, but the basic idea is to specify EVERY anticipated cost to start (housing, food, allowances for medical care for animals, cost of seeds/sprouts for produce, water costs, workers that may need to be paid, etc), then to specify a range of profits you expect to make, based on sell values in your market in previous years. Include the absolute worst case scenario for yield and pricing, and don't assume you'll make more than that. The idea is to determine WHEN you should expect to turn a profit, and how much.

You need to be sure your profit will cover your living expenses. This might be hard for the first year, maybe more. You may need a day job while you get off your feet, or you may be able to rely on your family during this time.

Actually writing down this plan in a formal manner will be so valuable. For one, it's great if you do decide to expand and actually need to pitch to an investor. But it's also extremely valuable to be able to refer back to a formal document, to see what you projected and how the reality differs from that. Perhaps you got unlucky and had desease ravage your livestock. That may mean you need to allow more $$ for preventitive medical care. Since you have all the projections written down, you can edit that figure and see how it might effect your profits.

The important thing is never to make decisions because you assume it will balance out. My boyfriends family runs a horse ranch, and they continually invent deals and discounts to their borders on the fly without doing the math. Now they're stuck alienating one of their oldest customers, because they gave a deal when she only had 3 horses, that she could pay full for two and have the third on pasture and pay only for food. This was when the customer couldn't afford 3 horses and was facing selling one. Now she has 8, 3 in stable and 5 on pasture (paying only for feed), and she's costing them money as they have to turn down new customers who would pay in full for pasture space. You will want to look at the full repercussions of your choices, so you can make them wisely.


It sounds like you are really passionate about this, and I'm so happy you have the chance to do what you love! I wish you bushels of luck!

thank you, am not the best at making plans lol. they always fall apart on me.

 

[Mrs. Nutmeg Peahen]

You certainly have youth on your side and the fact that you already have 21 acres. I think you can do it. As someone else said, diversity and keeping a good record of your farm are two important things. We live in southern Missouri in the middle part of the US, and I think that you would have to think about the cold time a lot more than we do. We are grandparents now and were unable to start this thing till our 50s so you have a lot going for you. We raise a couple of beef cattle and we now have a few pigs. We had a milk cow, but it got too much for us. I do miss the milk. Usually we have a big garden, but this year the deer ate it all! I think that fencing is our biggest headache! There will be ups and downs, but I admire that you want to do this so young. I wish we had!!!

 

[Jacquie Button]

Do you or did you enjoy school? It's always great to keep learning. I wish I would have got into the entomology field. Your idea of the aquaponics sounds so neat...can you grow some oysters and lobsters in there for me!