Career Ideas

[Chippy]

I live on 86 acres (60 tillable) in N. central PA. I recently sold my business and am looking to earn modest income from farming. I grew up here on a dairy farm. I have experience (at least a little) with many types of agriculture/horticulture. I have basic farm equipment (tractor,plow,disc,brush hog).

I don't need to have immediate return and have about $10,000 of seed money. I will be relying on my wifes income for interim (life is good).

I am interested in any ideas you folks might have on what I could do to earn 20K per year (that's how much I need to support my golf and fishing habits). Not afraid of work but don't want to be tied down to retail hours. Let me have it, what do you think.

Don't be shy! <font color="green"> </font color> [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[Gatorboy]

How about a Tree Farm?

[egon]

Chances are the best way to make 20K farmin would be to start out with 40K.

You will probably have to concentrate on crops that will utilize your present equipment and not require more equipment or any major investment. The crops should be such that one person can handle and store them and be marketable.

Perhaps some U pick like rasberries or garden produce starting on a small trial basis.

Rent garden plots to town folk.

Grow exotic crops under cover. This can eliminate the need for hobby money and also provide free room and board.

Egon

[Chippy]

This reminds me of the farmer who won the lottery and was asked "what will you do with the million dollar prize?"

His response was "I'll probably just farm until its gone!"

But seriously, Upick is one area of interest. Where can I get more info? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[AndyF]

&gt;&gt; Upick is one area of interest. Where can I get more info?

Call your cooperative extension office or check the Penn State website. Penn State has several publications on U-pick and other alternative agriculture ideas and many include sample budgets.

I took a Cornell extension U-pick tour last year and some of the comments that stayed with me were: the customer base is mainly older people who have done it for a long time, for items like raspberries and blueberries the customers aren't very price sensitive and finally - get ready to be sued, no matter what you do, if you have enough customers on the farm someone will do something stupid and sue you.

[Stoneheartfarm]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Chances are the best way to make 20K farmin would be to start out with 40K.


[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! Is that why they call the the worlds most expensive hobby?

Steve

[mysticokra]

Get a copy of Joel Salatin's "You can Farm". I am electing to do the cattle, chicken, sheep routine because they seem to provide the greatest flexibility and return on investment. Find a niche market rather than trying to compete with the guys who grow for wholesale. You might also enjoy Gene Logsdon's work. See The Contrary Farmer

[weedsportpete]

I'm reading Gene Logsdon's book The Contrary Farmer.. first chapter, so far so good. I had to laugh when he says he gets his daily animal chores done in an hour.. but I respect his concepts about smaller vs. larger acreage and how much more productive the smaller area can be. Also with his philosophy about how being tied to 'external' economies is a losing game.

[Pat]

Judging from what you have said so far, your wife is your best invenstment, maybe for $10K you could get a couple more and just involve yourself in management.

But seriously, it is amazing the number of people who want to take some eclectic mix of skills, assets, time and $ and generate a for sure income with only part time involvement. Look around, who do you see doing that? There is just about no sort of income producing endeavor that isn't covered in the bureau of labor statistics and other public information. If there was a simple and easy way to take a little time effort and money leveraged with a litle land ownership to produce a decent return, hoards of people would be doing it or else it is one of the best guarded secrest in the universe.

I have never seen anyone turn a profit growing vegies for the farmers market with a minimal not-to-interfere-with-fishing time investment. Maybe you could do it and not interfere with ice fishing. If you have a REAL good location and are a good promoter maybe you could do something in the U-pick or lease plots to cityfolk areas. I have my doubts about leasing a lot of small plots and not having lots of problems, way out of proportion to return. That leaves U-pick but someone has to manage/supervise the operation as not every motorist who stops will honor the honor system.

Maybe you could raise minnows or worms or both. they don't require full time attention and could be sold in batches. Like bees and honey?

What about designer eggs? Layers fed on kelp, canola oil, and other HEALTH ingredients produce eggs that will sell for a dollar or more per dozen above "regular" eggs at the retail level. Recent flock depletions due to Newcastle's disease have created a little bit of a shortage, at least in some areas, including Japan. If you market to any reasonably close health food outlets you could market your product in batches and not have to be tied to the flock 100% of the time. How would 3 days a week be for delivering eggs to your market. You will have to feed and care for your flock and gather the eggs but it isn't a long long hours per day sort of thing and it isn't like a dairy herd needing to be milked twice a day 365 days a year.

You might want to consider FREE RANGING of chickens as well. Anything with a "health cachet" gives you a little edge in the price for your product.

Japan is a strong market for designer food if you meet their strict expectations but you probably aren't going to produce anything in a volume that would support economical export unless you can tank raise porpoise and whales for export to Japan to feed the high dollar exotic food market.

Think about the designer eggs. A little research into designer chickens might pay off. There are research studies that have produced genetic strains of chickens that are extra low in cholesterol, especially when fed a special diet. Yet another health food store possibility.

Rose hips, echinacea, and other health food herbals are a possibility. Many of the botanicals don't require intensive cultivation and effort so you'd only be busy at planting and harvest/marketing time. There are ready markets for many of these products and for a while folks around here were gathering various ones from the wild at good prices like $100/lb and better but wild stocks can be depleted and were. Echinacea and other herbs and botanicals might grow real well when fertilized with the manure from your designer egg laying flock and or the designer chicken ranching operation. Nothing like a little integrated synergy to boost efficiency.

There are always high dollar crops (no not the ones you smoke). Things like pearl onions and other high cost per lb vegies. Check with your local green grocers and distrubutors for what they would want from you in crop type, approximate pricing, minimum volume of interest and max too.

A buddy of mine got into Jeruselem artichokes, AKA sun chokes. Yet another health food high dollar crop as well as feedstock for alcohol for gasahol. He did pearl onions as well and was financed by a green grocer to put land into cucumbers. He got a $5000/acre advance to put his land into cucumbers and a guaranteed per lug in the field price but he didn't have a lot of interest in fishing.

I could go on and on but I don't want to monoplize the thread. Lots of folks out there with good ideas.

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Chippy]

Thanks Pat, You have given me a lot to think about. I apologize for only giving you part of the picture. As I said in my brief intro. I am well aware of the committment and hours to be a dairy farmer. Been there done that. I have worked my butt off and now own my house, 86 acres, basic farm equipment, and apartment building outright. I have money in the bank for real retirement (when that time comes).

I want to be productive, work with my hands (only 50-60 hours a week not the 100-120 hours that dairy farming requires) Most acurately, I want a positive cash flow, not a money pit. I will likely work part time (bus driver) to help supplement.

I think to rephrase my inquiry I wanted to know what else you guys were doing. I am keeping my paying job until July. I have ordered apple trees, bees, and will probably start tinkering with several other areas this spring. I want to take the next 4-5 years to figure out what I think works for me and my area.

Thanks again for the great ideas! [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]