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  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost AT riseup.net>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Why do it II
  • Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:00:26 -0600


Interesting site you have there at http://selfmadefarmer.wordpress.com/ .

That's the #1 question or needs to be, how a farmer can earn a full-time
income from a farm. I agree it can be doable, tho not necessarily for
everyone in every location and climate. Now there's a question about
Coleman's operation, whether he set out to show the most profit from 1 1/2
acre or just see how much could be produced for sale from it. And he's not
a youngster anymore and the numbers might be different if he was doing most
of the labor himself. Not likely tho with a speaking schedule. As for the
land not costing him anything, consider that quite a few people can get or
already have 1 1/2 acre as part of their home place, so land may not even
be a cost. I'm on one acre myself and garden part of it profitably, and
alone at 64.

I'll toss out a shortlist of tips about profit in smaller operations, but
it's only for starters.

Start small to learn the ropes. Then mistakes won't ruin you. It can cost
very little to start if you substitute labor for capital. And find out what
sells before big crop committments.

You can make money on an acre or go broke on a hundred. Keep cost to gross
to a low ratio. Work only as much land as can be handled without investing
in machinery. Even old stuff breaks down and costs money to fix.

Get free or low cost inputs like aged manure. Do build up the soil you've
got. Composting can take a lot of work or machinery, so avoid it. Small
amounts of bought inputs may be needed (definitely in my case). If the soil
is too bad find someplace else. Have free water, like your own well.
Fertilizers and chemicals will keep farmers' costs rising and eating into
profits. They're all oil and gas based. Healthy soil is still the best
insurance against those rising costs. Works for me.

Make the best use of limited space, growing in permanent beds. They don't
usually need to be raised or framed. It concentrates inputs and labor on
the growing soil, not aisles you walk on, and since beds don't get
compacted you don't need tillers and you seriously raise production. Mulch
should be free and can practically eliminate weeding (no cultivator needed)
and cut water needs and raise production.

Grow what you can sell at a good profit considering cost and labor and
space required for each crop. Some crops are land hogs, some take years to
produce. Try the higher value crops suitable for the area. Greenhouse
tomatoes if you can build your own (I did). Carrots - a struggle for
germination.

Retail only and get the whole dollar for yourself instead of the middleman
or restaurant. If you don't have time for retailing, you might rethink the
whole project. Find out your first year what can sell. I can't sell bok
choy or turnips so that was a loss. Grow several likely crops so whoever
stops at your market stall or roadside stand will see *something* they
can't pass up. Study up on smart marketing tips online. Also go heavy on
things you like to eat yourself, so you don't have it go to waste.

This is one workable approach, not for everyone. Works for me. In fact a
lot of people trying to make a good income from growing shouldn't. You
don't want to fight bad climate and bad soil, two strikes against you (I
do, but I know how). You need good prospects for selling close to home,
some startup capital, and above all extra time to get started. With this
scenario the most work is the first year, and after that much less. You
need to be physically able and willing to do without paid help. If you
can't, don't try raspberries.

Those who can grow and market definitely should, whatever methods work
where you are. But making it a part time job after work, and having to pay
for machinery, and labor to save time, and pay for land can easily make it
downright unprofitable.

Things are looking up; it's a good time to ride the wave. "Green" is
getting trendy, and eating fresh and local is pushed on some of the food
and DIY channels. But that's not all.

With inflation and food prices certain to keep rising, our prices can rise
right along with them. And when we keep our costs down, our profits can
only go up. Food is a heckuva recession-proof business. People can cut back
on a lot of things, but most people still have to eat. And cooking with
basics is far cheaper than the overprocessed packaged food-like stuff
filling the grocery shelves. So our tomatoes are a bargain at $4 lb. Rice
and flour shortages? Try our fingerling potatoes, Romano beans, and winter
squash.


paul tradingpost AT lobo.net
central New Mexico with high winds and no rain since November

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

>From: Krystle <learning AT selfmadefarmer.com>

>When I visited Eliot Coleman a few years ago, he was grossing $150k from
>1.5
>acres. He was also quick to note that after all the staff got paid and
some
>of the costs were accounted for, all that was left over was $20k. Also
keep
>in mind that there are some things he doesn't have to pay for from the
farm
>income that most of us would, such as his land, which was practically
given
>to him by the Nearings, or his house, which is probably funded by income
>from other sources (e.g. royalties) and that of his wife, and all the
>associated utilities (probably part of the house bill). Likewise,
equipment
>may have been purchased through other income sources, so it's quite
>possible
>that if you looked at true costs, he might be operating at a loss.
>
>When I look at the previously mentioned publication, Grower to Grower, or
>other case studies like Bear Creek Farms (
>http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/wholesale_cut_flowers) and Groundwork
>Organic
>Farm (http://www.newfarm.org/features/2005/0105/groundwork/index.shtml),
>the
>pattern for profit seems to be scale and wholesale (i.e. selling in bulk
to
>a middleman). A CSA can also be an income stabilizer, but only if it's a
>large CSA (100 members) because otherwise the income doesn't seem to cover
>the additional cost of management (organizing shares, marketing, sorting,
>sending staff to pick-up sites, etc.). Those are just my own observations
>after reading about and working on a variety of farms, with the question
>being how a farmer can earn a full-time income from a farm. It definitely
>seems do-able, if you play your cards right.
>
>Krystle
>Salem, OR
>http://www.selfmadefarmer.com
>






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