Market Farming

[John Ferree <john AT seldomseenfarm.com>]

Christian wrote:
> I've been following this list for quite some time and it seems as
> though most people just do this for fun, to get their hands dirty. It
> seems like the toughest part of Market-Farming is not the farming part
> but the Marketing part. Why is it that is seems most people are lucky
> to break even? Why can't you make a decent living supplying the
> growing organic market? I don't understand what the main difficulty
> is. Marketing?
Because no spreadsheet will ever run true, no matter how much effort you
put into it.  It'll be years before skill in growing and marketing allow
a combination that works.  In the mean time you learn, tweak, and modify
until the system works--hopefully for you.  One of my frustrations is
that market farming operates on an annual basis and a hard lesson one
year can set you back until the next.  Similarly, you have six months
(depending on zone - i'm 5ish) to make a living, and a whole lot of cash
has to be spent in order to do it. 

I certainly don't do it just for fun.  Sometimes I have no fun at all,
but it is as much a profession as a lifestyle choice for me.  There are
some intangible values though. . . . being free to fail is one. 
Commuting 900 feet to the fields is another.  Do I ever expect to get
rich doing this?  Hell no.  Is there still some hope that I can build a
house and keep the place up?  Sure.  Again, the timeline is different
from most typical 'jobs'.  You take this year for what it is, sometimes
grudgingly (sp?).   But at the end you've passed or failed by your own
hand, with no one lording over you. 

    You have fought all the wars. 
    You have worked for all the capitalists. 
    Have you harvested the fruits of your labors,
    the price of your victories? 
    Does the present smile on you? 
    Have you found a piece of land
    where you can live like a human being?
    And die like a human being?

    early 20th century anarchist propaganda

john
IN