I hear that a lot
It is not that hard to learn but it is hard to adapt to the constant changing factors. It takes 1000% dedication and a lot of sacrifice to get up and running. April through November (Most Years) are 16-20 hour days of hard hot back breaking work. November through March are only 8-10 hour days. The biggest challenge is the cost of starting up and a slow return on investment. Right now my little farm has a land value of $220,000 another $50,000 in Buildings, $30,000 in fence, $25000 in high tunnels, $20,000 greenhouse, $150,000 in tractors and implements, $30,000 in small machines and tools, $30,000 per year for feed base, Seeds and plants run about $8,000 per year. So just to start up on a small 40 acre farm with what you need to get up and running cost $450,000-$500,000 up front. I was fortunate enough or smart enough to save every extra dime I made from 1984 to 2000 and pay cash for everything and go into it debt free. 9 out of 10 new farm start ups are belly up and bankrupt within the first 3 years due to debt load. 1 out of 70 is still in business after 10 years. 1 out of 150 is still in business after 15 years. Debt, low income, getting trapped in the federal grant and subsidy traps, a lack of understanding that your farm is your life and everything else is secondary, all contribute to those statistics. I am quite proud that we have never accepted Government Subsidies or Grants, I often wonder how 5-10 acre farms cashing in on $30,000-$200,000 per year in grants fall flat on their face and their farm on the auction block. Of course I wonder how we run 3 busy farmers market on a $5,000 per year budget total, and the not for profit markets getting $100,000 per year in AMS/FMPP grants run dead markets with 4-6 vendors and 75-100 market traffic. Our big Market sees an average of 1200 visitors every Wednesday afternoon and our Smallest Market averages 300 market visitors. Hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars funneled into dead markets across the Nation and the low budget for profit Markets that are not eligible for grant funds kick their asses at every turn with a fraction of the operating budgets. Every year I see around 50-100 new farms start up in our region and every year I see 50-100 1-3 year old small farms buckle in our region. Mainly due to high debt load and low return on investment, have no idea where all the grant money goes other than probably those brand new $60,000 trucks everyone thinks they have to have, or that $40,000 kubota tractor with a backhoe, belly mower and bucket. LOL There is a reason I drive a 15 year old truck, have a 1974 and a 1975 tractors, 1947 hay rakes, I did splurge and dropped $20,000 on a 1998 round baler but the square baler is a 1977 commercial baler I reburbished. 1978 haybine and a newer Rhino 8' disc mower I dropped $6,000 on at a auction. But even those old tractors burn you for $10,000-$12,000 each. Start up herd of Dexter cattle....... Cattle prices are crazy high right now and will burn you $5,000 for a good bull and $1500-$2000 per heifer. Breeding quality hogs around $500-$1000 per head. I am actually bringing in a lot of cash selling off a large chunk of the breeding herd of Dexter Cattle and Hogs, which is good because I have a lot of things to pay for atm. But after all that investment you will earn $12,000-$15,000 in net profit the the first few years 40 acres sustainably farmed. After 16 year and developing a large regular customer base and being dependable you will earn $60,000- $90,000 lots of variables that play into each years income. In 2012 in our drought I actually lost $9,000 that year, it happens and that is when you are glad your spouse has a good job pulling 85k per year. LOL combined we earn $160,000 per year average from the farm and the wifes job, and live in a 1974 mobile home and both drive 15 year old trucks and have a 8 year old car we use for running around. That is another problem new farmers have, they all have to have new cars and trucks, they have to build $300,000 house or get a $200,000 modular. They love their vacations, a lot are gone for the entire month of August and will come home and wonder why their farm turned to ****.
All that being said we need a lot more new farmers, not hobbyist or fly by nights, or FINO's (Farmers in name only). But we have to get programs in place where those of us that have been successful teach those serious about starting up. The USDA first time farmer buyer loans need to be made available to people other than the big farmers kids in the good ole boi network. The grant programs need wiped out and replaced with low interest easily obtainable loans with collateral and oversight. Right now the free money for as long as it last and hide as much of it as possible so when the farm goes bankrupt you have a nice tax payer funded nest egg tucked away has to end. People with their own skin in the game are much more motivated to succeed than those on the free ride. The idea of I am going to be a farmer and investing in the start up with no clue of what you are getting into is a common disaster. New Farmers need to spend two solid year interning on a successful farm and learning the business inside and out from prepping the soil to marketing the finished product. There is A LOT to learn and unless you grew up doing it day in and day out, you are setting yourself up for a hard failure. Can't count the number of Hot New farmers that spend all their time reinventing the wheel. College Ag programs teach failure in small farming and sustainable AG. The university research fields are controlled environments with the most modern and best of everything, with a army of students maintaining them. The real world is much different, hired help is usually worthless if you can find it at all. The best is what you can cobble together on a tight budget. When you are looking at weeding 200 300' long rows and its 90+ degrees by yourself...... Yeah there is a moral buster. Mr. Murphy and his law is a constant companion. It is guaranteed if you need rain you won't get it. But as soon as you get the hayfield mowed the clouds will roll in. Or you need a couple inches and get 20 days of solid storms and 15 inches that wash everthing you just planted out
Get sick for a month and a half and not be able to do anything and your nice well tended field has weeds taller than you are..... I am 6' 4" so that is saying something. Hogs exist for two reasons to make bacon and to tear fence up and escape...... On the bright side they eat the weeds in the veggie field
LOL 2016 is going down as a disaster year in my books
I am fortunate enough though that my farm can survive years like this and me being down for a extended period. The bank can't forclose on me and nothing can be repo'd. Because I have near Zero debt, less than 10k for a tire account, fuel card and something else that I can't think of. I have a whopping $600 per month in Electric bill, Water bill and insurance. My property taxes are $212 per year and I am a total cheap ass except when it comes to UO, I spend way to much on UO LOL but it is my hobby and something I enjoy.
Anyway Planters rent a acre and buy a tiller and some other basic tools. My Market Garden from 1984-2000 was a 1/4 acre lot and just growing easy things like tomatoes and cucumbers, lettuce, and radishes I was making a nice $2,000 per year profit from it. Grandpa always said If you can't make a profit on 1/8th of and acres you are not going to do any better on 400 acres. A lot of our market vendors are very small home gardens that produce a surplus and they make $500-$3,000 per summer selling their excess. Plus renting a small piece of land and buying just the most basic equipment gets your feet wet and starts the learning and won't bankrupt you if it doesn't pan out. Plenty of us small farmers are happy to help out and give you endless boring advice that is invaluable if you listen to it. If nothing else you will have access to better food that you grew yourself and don't have to wonder if there is any funk in the food
