[Market-farming] Why do It II
Bill Shoemaker
wshoemak at inil.com
Thu May 1 08:26:27 EDT 2008
I would contend that you are earning an hourly rate. Of course, you can decide for yourself what that means. But if you took a job somewhere else at an hourly wage, you would expect every hour to be compensated at that wage. In your market farm enterprise, you should expect "compensation" for every hour you put into it too. The alternative job is always an option. However, I think it's perfectly fine to be reconciled with the fact you're putting in 3500 hours of work per year and netting $35,000. There are so many ancillary benefits to market farming (lifestyle, health, pretty good food security, a grateful customer base, beautiful summer sunrises, you name it!) that they compensate for an enormous amount of money. I just think it's important that we recognize the economic options as well as lifestyle options.
Bill Shoemaker, Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
University of Illinois - St Charles Horticulture Research Center
www.nres.uiuc.edu/faculty/directory/shoemaker_wh.html
This is very, very hard work as you all know.
I grossed about $35,000 last year. I think I'm about half way to making a living...that is, being able to pay my bills and have enough to live on. That is all I want or expect. As for hourly rate? The owner doesn't get to make one. I do the work that I can't afford to pay anyone else to do.
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