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  • From: "Mimi & Rob" <mimi AT my180.net>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] New farm from old
  • Date: Fri, 7 May 2004 21:02:25 -0700

Hello, I am another "lurker, getting great info and enjoying the banter on
this thread. We are on the brink of jumping in full time to farming, though
with a focus on layers, butcher hogs and possible pastured broilers. One of
the most helpful things I have done is to take a class on writing a business
plan. I grew up in an entreprenuerial family and I thought I had a pretty
good handle on that sort of stuff. The class (NXLevel) has been immesurably
helpful and illuminating. It has helped me to be exact about what I really
need to do to be "sustainanle" re my family supporting itself while sticking
to my standards (ie leaning into biodynamics). It has allowed my husband,
the practical one, to see that we really can support ourselves and do what
we love to do.
It has also given us a plan. Something to follow, modify and
continually improve upon. And an introduction to the business community.
We are in a small town, rural area, so contacts mean a lot. At some point
we may wish to sell to restuarants and it is a great "foot in the door".
Plus, hopefully we can avoid common pitfalls with this knowledge & come
out a bit ahead of the game early on so the inevitable learning curve isn't
too brutal.
Best of luck on your endeavors!!!!

mimi, n idaho, farm name - tba...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Snyder" <snyderjs AT pathwaynet.com>
To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2004 11:30 PM
Subject: [Market-farming] New farm from old


> Hello from a lurker and infrequent poster in west-central Michigan (zone
> 4-5).
>
> I have enjoyed and benefited from most of the discussions read on this
list.
> And now I have need of some collective input from this group, if you have
> the time and inclination. I live on a 60 acre farm, originally purchased
by
> my Grandfather in the early 30's, farmed continually by him, my Dad and I
> until selling the last of the beef cattle a few months before Dad died in
> 2000. It has been used to raise some of the finest and most well-known
> registered, polled Herefords in three counties, along with their feed and
a
> few cash crops, mostly corn and excess hay. Originally a full 120 acres,
> some of the less tillable acres have been sold over the years for my
> parent's expenses. Land prices, for small residential parcels (2-4 acres)
> are very seductive in this area, and have provided my mother with the new
> vehicle and other home and farm maintenance funds she's needed since my
> dad's passing. She is extremely reluctant to sell any of it, but dad
> specifically set aside certain parcels for this.
>
> My name is on the deed of 40 acres (what we call the home farm), now being
> leased to a local, large crop farm (beans, potatoes, corn, wheat and rye)
> that takes very good care of the soil, with minimal tillage and returning
as
> much organic matter to the soil as possible with their methods. I have
first
> option to add the other 20 acres later, before my siblings gain possession
> of it with the right to sell. My home is also on this original 40, and my
> mother lives next door (close to the grandkids). At present I have a 1/2
> acre garden, have gardened successfully for many years with very limited
> inorganic inputs and shared excess bounty with friends and retirement
> centers. I am breaking up 1 1/2 acres for organic, or at least naturally
> grown, production of vegetables and eventually some fruits. I will have
> irrigation available (1" water line with branches and frost-proof valves
at
> various locations around both plots). The new plot has sustained only
cattle
> and pasture for over ten years, so I'm turning under some substantial sod.
> Sadly this farm now produces no manure of its own, and the reserves have
> been depleted since the last cows were sold, but I am able to obtain
enough
> from two neighbors (one's a cousin) in the spring. The addition of new
> livestock in the future is not out of the question, as I have a pond for
> water during the warmer months, and enough land for pasture and feed
crops,
> if I can spare the time from vegetable farming to put it up.
>
> I have had the Cooperative Extension Agent walk the farm with me and make
> some recommendations, and have begun reforesting an old seven-acre
hayfield
> too hilly to plow. My intention is to grow a wide variety of vegetables
> (salad greens and garden staples for starters), some fruits (strawberries,
> blueberries, pears, seedless grapes) and perhaps some kind of livestock,
> though "once a cattleman always a cattleman" rings true for me. Yes I know
> first-hand how labor intensive feeding them can be. I'd also like to grow
> transplants for local gardeners, and have a large annual supply of native
> black walnuts to market. This soil produces amazing asparagus, cabbage,
> carrots, sweet corn, tomatoes and winter squash. Other crops need a little
> more nurturing, but perform well. I've only mulched with bales of hay
> (plentifully available) and they've worked well.
> Still have a couple hundred loose bales in the barn. This year I split the
> garden into tilled and standing rye areas ( for next years seed). The new
> plot is intended for rotational cropping with interim cover crops. Still
> working on the initial layout.
>
> There is a small farmers market in my hometown of Greenville (not certain
if
> it's "Producers only") with three or four vendors, one or two in Grand
> Rapids (pop. 250,000, about 30 minutes away) and a few more in medium to
> large cities within a two-hour drive. Less than a mile east of my farm is
a
> large orchard (with U-Pick, bakery, cider mill, maze and other
attractions)
> that is very active in promotional and tourism marketing. He resells some
> produce and products (honey, jams & jellies, gifts)(no pears), some of
which
> are locally grown, within a ten mile radius. The owner is extremely
> community-minded. While I could sell surplus produce to him, I prefer to
> market it myself freshly picked. While he is active in late August through
> December, his customers come primarily for the U-pick and family
activities.
> I believe his orchard will also draw some customers to my farm as well
(they
> must drive by my road to get there), and he will advertise my location and
> available products. In fact we have shared equipment over the years,
mostly
> his 3-point 6' tiller and my 70 hp Allis Chalmer tractor (the older ones
> hold up better than the newer Agco's), and have a good working
relationship.
>
> My farm is on a well maintained, paved road one mile off a main highway,
> less than five miles from my hometown of nearly 20,000, and I have a good
> reputation as a respected farmer in this area. I have most of the original
> haying equipment (the rake is no more), the previously mentioned Allis
with
> loader, a Farmall M that refuses to give up (brought to the farm brand new
> in 1953), with its mid-mounted 4-row cultivator, a 4-bottom plow, 10'
disc,
> 10' drag (spring-tooth), 10' chisel plow, 4-row corn planter and ancient
> McCormick grain drill on steel wheels (still works like new). Also have a
5
> hp rear-tine walk-behind garden tiller, various hand tools and a Chevy
> pickup truck. Additional equipment may be necessary, as is a greenhouse,
for
> my purposes. This group has given me a good list to start with, including
> irrigation, hoop- and greenhouses, potato diggers (we used to have an old
> one-row chain digger) and other necessities. However I am undecided about
> the perils of starting out as a CSA. In this climate and without
greenhouse
> or hoophouse I'm limited to 12-16 weeks production this year, none of
which
> would be fruit (until next year). I can count on a minimum of ten families
> from my church to purchase shares, and about half of my wife's thirty
piano
> students. If grown intensively I believe I can supply that many with two
> acres. I'm just uncertain about setting it up, how much to charge, whether
> to offer u-pick or not and at what rate. I'm also without startup capital,
> having been laid off from my previous employer since August of 2003.
That's
> really my motivation to start out as a CSA. I also have two other small
farm
> growers who have livestock and no clue how to market them in this way. Too
> many years of taking them to the market auction and taking what they got
> (been there, done that).
>
> I'm sort of in a position, poised on the brink, to organize three or more
> small farms into one locally grown market. No reason why someone stopping
to
> buy my sweet corn, peppers, onions and tomatoes can't also pick up some
> organically grown beef or chicken to grill them with. I'm excited about
this
> whole "vision" for my community, providing excellent food for local
people,
> the school system (I've read some success stories), and two local food
> co-ops (one has a pick up location just down the street).
>
> I am a CAD draftsman by trade, an electrician and builder by re-training
and
> experience, but a farmer by heredity and spirit. Being here all day, while
> unemployed, I have renewed my connection to this land, sweat and bled on
it
> while prepping it for this season, and basically proven to myself and
family
> that this is what I was meant to do. I am fully convinced of the values of
> sustainable agriculture, local marketing and giving, and community
> participation at varying levels. And yet something keeps getting in my way
> of starting. The land is ready, prospective customers are ready, even my
> family is ready. I probably even have enough information to get started. I
> know it sounds like I'm over endowed with blessings, and I don't disagree.
> Maybe it's the lack of a paying job that's holding me back. Certainly the
> lack of money for seeds and fuel (and household bills) is a contributing
> factor. While I have all of this information available in my head (I have
a
> great memory), and some of the plans already envisioned and active, and a
> seemingly ample market, I need a more concrete plan of implementing all of
> this. That's where I can use your help. Please help me figure out how to
> organize this into reality. You all come from such diverse locations and
> experience that I couldn't just send this to any one of you.
>
> Whew! Thanks for listening. I appreciate every attempt on my behalf, and
> apologize for the lengthy introduction. Thanks.
>
> Jeff Snyder
> (no official farm name yet)
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