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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Farming Advice

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Subject: Market Farming

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  • From: Richard Robinson <rrobinson AT nasw.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Farming Advice
  • Date: Thu, 19 May 2011 12:01:55 -0400

On 5/19/2011 at 11:49:12 AM, McCormick, Rebecca (Genworth) 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.
 
You should either have a lot of time, or a lot of money...
 
I haven't raised either pigs or chickens for money, so cannot advise on whether that makes financial sense. In either case, I would plan on a year or two of losing money as you learn what you are doing.
 
Raised beds are nice, but for significant amounts of land (ie, over 1/8 acre) you'll probably either want a tractor implement that makes them, or switch to non-raised beds. too much labor otherwise.
 
Go nuts improving the soil--it's what matters. Read Eliot Coleman on this.
 
I would recommend growing on a large garden scale to start with, rather than small farm scale. Choose a few crops that have the potential to make you some money, and learn how to grow those well. Grow other stuff for fun or your own eating, but don't start off thinking you will (or will need to) grow everything for a profit.
 
If you are committed to making money, start by figuring out what will sell, and where you can sell it, and for how much. Then work backwards.
 
Think of crops that are tied to holidays or seasonal shifts--people tend to spend more for the symbols of the seasons. Pumpkins may be a good option for someone with a lot of land, little experience, and a nearby population who will come to the farm to buy.
 
If you don't have weed problems, think about strawberries. If you do have weed problems, think about bramble fruits.
 
Compost, compost, compost.

  Richard Robinson
 www.nasw.org/users/rrobinson/
 Hopestill Farm
 www.hopestill.com


 



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