to farm or not to farm

I grew up rural, haying with friends, the ocassional foal-watch.....minutes from UCONN Storrs.
Imho, farming just doesnt pay.
And it would never pay what I'm earning.
I read some state stuff on homesteading, there is info there.
But no, I'm not looking to raise animals seriously, nor toss my job.
It would look much more like living sustainably Eric Wanderweg, with light agriculture, forestry management, maybe solar.
Just ideas at this point

 

I market gardened for several years solo on anywhere between 1-2 acres. I primarily grew heirloom veggies and sold at a few local farm markets plus I had a small CSA. It's tough work even on that small of a scale. But yeah, it was enjoyable. I found most of my equipment on craigslist or marketplace. I absolutely loved using the old Planet Jr wheeled tools. They're over 100 years old and are one of the few items I kept when I got out of the business. I saved several of them from becoming yard art lol.

 

There is money in farming, sister has a beef farm and slaughter house. Her children grew up working on the farm.
There is low $ in diary farms. Remember most milk sold is in 1/2 pints to school shutting down of schools during Covid was disastrous.

to my ears you are talking about homesteading not farming.

 

I’d love to have a small apple orchard. Nothing to make money off of, it just interests me. Our snowmobile club did a ride a few years ago that took us through an old overgrown orchard. It intrigued me.

 

Is it right next to the unicorn farm down by the leprechaun community?

 

Same here. I grew up around apple orchards and always wanted a small grove for personal use. Over the last few years, I've planted 14 apple, 2 plum, 2 peach, and 2 cherry trees. I lost one of the apple and both cherry trees over the winter but the rest seem to be doing okay (despite being completely stripped by gypsy moth caterpillars last year). The tallest trees are about 8-9 feet now with the youngest at around 4-feet. Looking forward to when they start producing fruit.

 

I agree with Canadian border VT. It sounds like you are talking more homesteading than farming. Nothing wrong with being as self sufficient as possible. My family does sawmilling, firewood, gardens, eggs, meat chickens, etc. May try pigs next.

Pretty much everything we do or have tried as homesteading goes, I quickly thought how I'd hate to have to make a living doing this. All hobbies for my family. Sounds like that is your intention as well SCA.

 

That’s awesome! Let us know how they do going forward.

 

Many serious farmers interested in making a buck focus on a crop their land is suited for and they intend to buy the equipment for and falls within their realm of expertise. Homesteading is a little bit of everything often to be self-sufficient. Many farms and homesteads years ago were successful with multiple generation families all pitching in in a group effort. I've experimented with self sufficiency as a single person and it is a LOT of work and effort. I would probably starve if I had to make it thru a Winter based on my past successes and failures. I really kinda like buying protein at the store.

 

Daves Firewood Farm

Has a nice ring to it.