Does anyone family farm?

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Yes. Well, not me personally-- I married into a farm family. My DH is a 5th generation dairy farmer and is running the family farm now.

If you don’t love farming more than life itself-- don’t do it.
 
A friend of mine runs a family farm. She introduced CSAs into our area.

You definitely have to love farming. Your cut of the operation is pretty small… It’s a capital intensive, low to negative profit margin business. Control your costs like a hawk for the rest of your life and subsidize the operation with outside income in the bad crop years if you want to make it work long term.

If you love it, the profit doesn’t come in money. Hey, a priest doesn’t do his job for the money either.

edit- oh, yeah. Picking the right crops helps too.
 
I’m interested specifically in farming to help meet one’s own needs for food: how possible is it?
 
Nevarlander said:
I’m interested specifically in farming to help meet one’s own needs for food: how possible is it?
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No one ever farmed to meet their own needs. They farm to help make ends meet, but even in the “old days” the barter system was in place. If you had lettuce and the neighbor had potatoes, you made a deal. That’s pretty much how society developed.
 
Semper_Fi said:
No one ever farmed to meet their own needs. They farm to help make ends meet, but even in the “old days” the barter system was in place. If you had lettuce and the neighbor had potatoes, you made a deal. That’s pretty much how society developed.
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I meant more “to make ends meet”, not to be fully self-sufficient (that’s not going to happen ever). I’d like to be able to produce most of the vegetable food my family and I would consume (I think it would be possible to get a variety b/c I’ve been hearing interesting things about polyculture these days), and potentially swap out what we have too much of through a farmer’s market/Freecycle. Quite a bit of this food would have to come from other sources, but I’d rather contribute to the local economy and this would help.
 
Nevarlander said:
I’m interested specifically in farming to help meet one’s own needs for food: how possible is it?
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That’s not a family farm. That would be what is called hobby farming. There are a couple of magazines dedicated these types of endeavors-- including going off-grid and living green. Hobby Farms, Hobby Farms Home, Mother Earth News, Permaculture Magazine, and others like them are a start.

And, really, a good sized garden in the back yard is all you need for vegetables for your own family. You don’t need a farm to grow vegetables.

You would need some acreage if you plan to have animals and to grow food for them. You would need farm equipment and sheds/barns/water supply, etc. Animals significantly increase what is needed and the expense involved.

If you don’t have any agriculture experience, you also need to take classes through the agricultural extension agency or college in the state you want to reside.
 
I second what 1ke says. a garden in your backyard should provide enough food for your family and even extra that you could take to a farmers market or share w/ neighbors. if you are wanting to raise your own meat also, you may be able to raise chickens or rabbits?? neither of those animals require much space. check with your local university extension office for information on getting started and what veggies grow best in your area.
 
We have just over 7.5 acres and are big into gardening for food. We also bought this property to provide meat for the family. We will have chickens for eggs and meat, rabbits, turkeys,deer and eventually we will get sheep and cows. Not only is is good to work the land but the food is so much better for you when you know what you put on it or fed it.

I would suggest backwoodshome for a magazine and website resource. They have forums also that can be very helpful. If you are looking for a Catholic community that is big into this lifestyle contact me and I can get you contact info.

I hope this helps you!

God Bless your efforts.
mom27
 
mom27,

I know you posted this so very long ago, but I’m a 23 year old, unmarried, young woman who is very interested in the idea of family farming and tapping into some of these communities. I have no connections with a family farm; I am a city-girl by birth, but I’m very interested, even if it is only hobby farming. Do you have information on farming communities all around the country? You can private message me for my specific location.
Thanks so much and God bless 🙂
Angela
 
Nevarlander said:
I meant more “to make ends meet”, not to be fully self-sufficient (that’s not going to happen ever). I’d like to be able to produce most of the vegetable food my family and I would consume (I think it would be possible to get a variety b/c I’ve been hearing interesting things about polyculture these days), and potentially swap out what we have too much of through a farmer’s market/Freecycle. Quite a bit of this food would have to come from other sources, but I’d rather contribute to the local economy and this would help.
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We did it growing up. 2 acres of potatoes, another garden that my mom grew lettuce, carrots, strawberries, beets and sweet corn. We also had several “wild” fruit trees. I remember my mom canning 100 quarts of cherries and pears that we picked. We butchered our own hogs and usually a lame cow or calf for beef. My wife and I still do it, but our total garden might be 1/2 and acre - nothing like what my mom. Our Troybilt Horse tiller will get fired up tonight - time to plant potatoes.
 
this is a six year old thread and the original poster, “mom27”, has not been on here since 2007.
 
mom27 said:
We have just over 7.5 acres and are big into gardening for food. We also bought this property to provide meat for the family. We will have chickens for eggs and meat, rabbits, turkeys,deer and eventually we will get sheep and cows. Not only is is good to work the land but the food is so much better for you when you know what you put on it or fed it.

I would suggest backwoodshome for a magazine and website resource. They have forums also that can be very helpful. If you are looking for a Catholic community that is big into this lifestyle contact me and I can get you contact info.

I hope this helps you!

God Bless your efforts.
mom27
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Thanks for the tip:thumbsup:
 
My family owned a small farm.
We had huge vegetable gardens (3) about 20 odd laying hens, 50 meat birds, on and off we’ve have pigs and meat cows - and my Dad shepherds a sheep herd of about 25ish?

I loved it growing up - don’t get me wrong it was WORK especially the gardening; it took me a few years to get over the aversion to picking green beans; but my mother preserved or canned or dehydrated everything so I certainly learned a lot too.

If hubby and I decide to move back to the country, we’d start with a veg/herb patch, some chickens and he wants bee hives. 🙂

It’s fun! But its work!!

Best of luck!
~ PetiteFoi
 
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