wanting to start a farm.

[dreamfarm1]

Has anyone started a farm recently? or anyone who just has advise for us on starting a farm.

[JazzDad]

Wow. How about starting by telling us where you live and what your interests are? Your name seems to indicate you have a dream-- how about sharing a bit of that? Without any direction for us, the wise guys on this forum (President, me) would give lousy advise like: start a butterfly farm and can and sell their burps.
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[dreamfarm1]

We live in Pennsylvania, Lancaster County in a small town called Elizabethtown. We have always wanted a farm and their is great land out here. We are wanting a farm with about 10 - 50 acres or more. We are wanting to raise goats, beef and chickens ( maybe pig). We are really excited and researching everything like crazy! My husband works and has worked on a farm for a long time and we have many friends that are farmers, but we wanted to get some more advice. (doesn't hurt right!?) Well any advice would be great! Thanks! [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[RichZ]

You still need to be more specific. Do you want to be a commercial farm, or just raise food for your own use? Meat goats or dairy goats? If dairy, do you want to sell the raw milk to a cheese processor, or do you want to sell milk or cheese to the public yourself? Is the beef for you, or do you want to sell it. If you want to sell meat, you have to have an USDA approved butcher.

There are lots of possiblities with a farm. It depends on what direction you want to go with it, and what markets you think you may have, and which regulations you think you can meet. It's not as easy as you may think.

[dreamfarm1]

We want to be a commercial farm and do crops ( corn, wheat,etc.) The goats are meat goats (boar) and we are going to sell them to meat plants or at a farm market. Same with the beef. We want to sell that to companies and save some for ourselves. We have a farm market close so we will also be selling some there too. The chickens we would like to to do the same with also.

We are looking just how people started out their process of beinging their farms. Like what steps did you take? And do any of you have state farm grants? Did they help out alot?

[RichZ]

My wife and I have a farm, we're a commercial goat dairy, and we also raise fiber sheep, to sell lambs (for wool) and fleeces. We also sell free range eggs. We live in upstate New York, and at least in NY, it's almost impossible for a small family farm to get a grant. As far as I can see you're on your own.

I would suggest that you contact your local cooperative extension agents. In my experience, they're the most helpful and knowledgeable people who can help you out in starting a farm. In my area, the cooperative extension holds courses for new farmers every year. Perhaps your cooperative extension does the same.

[eccentricfarmer]

Gotta like a president with a sense of humor, looked on the farmers exchange market but could not find butterfly burps. We are having a surplus sale of mosqito fat though.

Worked a bit on farms over the years. The most fun ones were planned on paper including where you need to visit the most and distances involved and gardens and such. In the long run having something on paper is better than nothing. It is not written in stone.

Good rule is to have a place for the animals BEFORE they show up [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] , and do not forget to keep new ones separated for a bit for disease reasons.

[greggh]

Good advice from everyone. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] One thing about farming is to not try to do it all at once. Do it one project at a time. At least in my opinion, otherwise you get overwhelmed and get discouraged about the progress being made. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

This will be an enjoyable move for you because you have this dream. Good luck and happy farming. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[eccentricfarmer]

Pics for the fridge will not only show you the progress but any others that visit and amaze at your industry. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]