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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Economics - sustainable ag?

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Laurie Tiemens <momto8kiddos AT yahoo.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Economics - sustainable ag?
  • Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 10:05:19 -0800 (PST)


I'm new to the group - have been lurking for a few weeks.  We are at the information-gathering stage trying to decide if farming is a viable option for us. 

The books by Eliot Coleman, Joel Salatin, and Andy Lee are all so encouraging.  They make it sound like farming is really a reasonably good-paying job if done right.  My confusion lies in how many of the 90% of farms are farming/marketing in the non-traditional way proposed by these authors?

Can anyone suggest additional resources that discuss the economics of direct marketing farming?

Laurie


market-farming-request AT lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

> I don't think this is unusual - in any farming, not just market
> farming. I
> read somewhere (and can't remember where, so don't have a
> citation), that
> 90% of the household income in farm households last year was from
> off-farm
> sources. Terrible statistic for those of us "addicted" to farming!
> There
> are some doing it, but many more that are farming part-time, with
> one or
> both partners in off-farm jobs.
>
> Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm
>
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> My most ambitious plans would only
> provide for about half the income I need. I have all the equipment,
> etc.that I need, and my operating expenses (and living expenses)
> are low, but
> my income is a LOT lower. Elliot Coleman's $6/hour seems about
> right, and
> I only have that income for 20 weeks/year.
>
> I can't even support myself, so hiring labor or getting a farming
> partnerwould further drain money away from the farm. I don't want
> to have to get
> a 'real job'...I love farming and think producing healthy, local
> food is
> an important job. I'm really scrambling to make this work. I'd love to
> hear ideas!
>
> Lynn Wigglesworth
> Cowbridge Farm
> Tioga Co. PA

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