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  • From: Thamnophis <thamnophis AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Farming Advice
  • Date: Thu, 19 May 2011 10:43:25 -0500

Rebecca,

I bet most on the list could author a book on this subject! I wouldn't
know where to even begin, other than the most general of advice:

Find local groups - horticulture, university extension, food coops,
etc and attend meetings - get networked with people who are doing what
you want to do. Absorb everything you can from other farmers, etc. but
be skeptical. There is a lot of "wives tales" out there, or practices
that are common but have little basis in fact.

Try to understand the marketing side of this business - who/what is
your market. This will become as important as the actual farming.

Don't buy expensive equipment unless you have to or your sure its a
wise investment.

Get to know your soil - follow directions to sample properly and get
it tested by a good lab.

Start small. "A few pigs" translates to a lot of work. Even chickens
require work: usually twice daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. And
even a "smallish" garden space can tun into a weeding nightmare
depending on how/what you've planted, equipment used, mulches,
irrigation, etc.

If you don't watch the weather 3 times a day, you will soon :-)

Cancel your gym membership - you won't need it, nor will you have the
time or energy to use it...

Buy insect repellent and sunscreen in bulk.

Call relatives and cancel summer vacation plans.

Joe
Boone County, IA
Zone 5a

On Thu, May 19, 2011 at 9:58 AM, McCormick, Rebecca (Genworth)
<Rebecca.McCormick AT genworth.com> wrote:
> Hello –
>
> I have 10 acres and I am very interested in using this land to generate
> extra income through farming. I have no farming experience what so ever and
> I would like to begin with a low investment, so I will need to start out
> with something easy to manage. I live in Central VA (Appomattox) and we have
> red clay soil . I was thinking about starting out with just a few pigs and
> maybe some chickens. My husband and I have built 3 raised beds to start
> with. I would appreciate any ideas, suggestion and good websites and
> resources that anyone may have found helpful in guiding them when they first
> started out.
>
> Rebecca McCormick
> Compliance Coordinator
> Genworth Financial
> 700 Main Street
> Lynchburg, VA 24504
> Phone: 1-434-948-5775
> Fax: 1-434-948-5772
> E-mail: rebecca.mccormick AT genworth.com
> Mailstop 3-037
>
>
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