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I've gotten into growing vegetables recently and I figure that I could be a farmer. Truthfully, I don't like most human beings. I generally find them to be self-seeking, inconsiderate, stupid, and generally a nuisance and hindrance to me. There are some groups of people who escape that evaluation en masse, such as children and the elderly (hence why I do well as a music teacher, and as an entertainer for the elderly), but for the most part, I don't like people. It could be because I'm autistic and I don't relate to most people, but regardless of the reason, I think I would enjoy farming because it's an occupation / lifestyle which I could do largely by myself or with merely a select few people, such as my wife.
This article I read said that there is a crisis in America because few young people want to go into farming. I'm 34, which means I'm fairly young. I don't have the first clue how to get into farming. It's not like farms around my home area advertise for help. They're all small enough that they could feasibly be operated by one person with a tractor, or perhaps one family. There are no commercial farming operations anywhere nearby... not to mention, even if there were, why would any of them want to hire me, a guy who doesn't have much experience, when there are plenty of dudes my age who have grown up with it to the point where they have 30 years of experience by the time they reach age 34?!
I've felt that an easy way to get young people into farming is simply to give them a small farm to work, along with all of the equipment required to operate it... even if that equipment and the land was merely on loan for a while. There would be some requirement that they at least log a certain number of hours working that farm, or perhaps a production requirement. After a certain number of years working that farm or meeting those requirements (whatever they may be), the farm and the equipment belong to the farmer.
Young people aren't going to get into farming if they can't afford to buy a farm and farming equipment, and with fewer and fewer older Americans being in farming, there won't be that many young Americans inheriting such farmland and equipment from their families.
I like your idea, but I'm not sure how it would be made to work. I suppose farms that fell into the government's hands could be given off that way, although our government has been in favor of the industrial farms not the smaller family farms for years. Banks won't go for it.
I wouldn't mind being a farmer. Actually, I'd like that. But to buy even 100 acres of rocky, junk land here would be out of the question financially.
There are programs in some areas to give loans and such to new farmers, but the problem with that is, it may take longer to begin turning a profit than you have before payments are due.
I like your idea, but I'm not sure how it would be made to work. I suppose farms that fell into the government's hands could be given off that way, although our government has been in favor of the industrial farms not the smaller family farms for years. Banks won't go for it.
I wouldn't mind being a farmer. Actually, I'd like that. But to buy even 100 acres of rocky, junk land here would be out of the question financially.
There are programs in some areas to give loans and such to new farmers, but the problem with that is, it may take longer to begin turning a profit than you have before payments are due.
Of course the government wants huge corporate farms. They're easier to control because they're more desirous of playing ball with the Feds. I guess the only way that it could be done on a large scale at the government level would be that there could be a government program that'd buy farms from retiring farmers, chop them up into smaller pieces for young farmers to work, and then give away to the young farmers upon completion of the program. Who knows. I'm not really a fan of the government doing it. What it would really take is having retiring farmers give their land to young aspiring farmers sort of altruistically or for very low cost, so that they could get into it.
Regardless, SOMETHING has to be done. No farmers = no food.
While I would like to see more young people be able to getting in any agricultural career, I don't think the situation is dire at this point.
People are staying healthier and active much longer. Labor saving machinery and technology is more available and common. In cattle, management practices have eliminated much of the labor intensive tasks. For example, in the 60s and 70s it was common for a ranch to have one hand for every 250 head. And a person with 250 head could support themselves, a family and sustain their business. Overhead costs have made it necessary, and ranching practices have made it possible, so one man/woman can manage up to 2000 head in many places.
And some ranchers/farmers are doing just what you suggest. Helping younger families get into the business with easy term lease to own and other creative deals.
While I would like to see more young people be able to getting in any agricultural career, I don't think the situation is dire at this point.
People are staying healthier and active much longer. Labor saving machinery and technology is more available and common. In cattle, management practices have eliminated much of the labor intensive tasks. For example, in the 60s and 70s it was common for a ranch to have one hand for every 250 head. And a person with 250 head could support themselves, a family and sustain their business. Overhead costs have made it necessary, and ranching practices have made it possible, so one man/woman can manage up to 2000 head in many places.
And some ranchers/farmers are doing just what you suggest. Helping younger families get into the business with easy term lease to own and other creative deals.
I agree. First off, the average age of 58 is skewed byt the fact that there are a lot of "farmers" in their 70s and 80s (or older) that really don't do anything but call the shots. The guys actually doing the work are usually 20s-40s. In many cases these old farmers will eventually be replaced not by another farmer, but a trust set up by the farmer to manage things. The younger guys will continue to do the work.
Because of rising costs it's very difficult for a young person to become a farmer unless he or she is in line to inherit the family farm. But there are lots of young people going to work as farm laborers, in many cases making more money with no risk than many famers were making not that many years ago.
The state uni campus near me [UM-Orono] offers a 'Sustainable Ag' major. The campus has multiple Ag features including a veggie farm stand and CSA, operated by students. The campus is also home to a Permaculture group.
Our regional Organic certifying agency [MOFGA.org] has a wonderful Apprenticeship / Journeyman program. Hundreds of young adults apprentice each year on local farms. They have opportunity to rotate around between different farms. As Journeymen they are made Farm Managers, where they oversee all farm operations of a farm. Then MOFGA integrates with other groups to get each Journeyman farmers his/her own farm.
We have more farms each year, in this state.
We have more Farmer's Markets each year, in this state.
Farming is growing, at least in Northern New England.
Many midwestern states have a "beginning farmer" program, in which farm owners get a good tax break for renting their land to beginning farmers. These beginning farmers can then save $ over time and buy the land they are renting - with a low interest FSA loan. Like any federal and state programs, navigating the language and paperwork takes time, but I think the help is out there. USDA Farm Service Agency: Beginning Farmer Loan Programs | Center for Rural Affairs
I'm researching this, as I want to rent to a beginning farmer. The extension guy in the county where my farm is located told me that last year there was money left over in this program because not enough people applied for the benefits. But they are trying to get the word out.
There are lots of organizations which support beginning farmers. In the midwest, the Land Stewardship Project is strong. Resources for Beginning Farmers - Land Stewardship Project. There are many other great non-profits and state programs, too.
As I've been researching this I've begun to think that the outlook isn't as bleak as statistics show - there seem to be many young people who want to become involved in farming. I think that many will end up either being crop specialists on small farms, or long-term renters.
And I think that's really the short term future of farming in general - specialty crops or csa farms on small acreages; renters who rent many privately owned farms to get sufficient acreage to make a profit; and giant corporate farms which hire share croppers (or crop sharers, which sounds better to modern ears.)
This problem may very well solve itself as the current job market is stagnant and young people realize they can live cheaper in the country and get a farm job.
This problem may very well solve itself as the current job market is stagnant and young people realize they can live cheaper in the country and get a farm job.
I hope so. My state is very rural with a lot of agriculture, but our main export is our young people because all they care about is money and all the toys it will buy.
Farming or ranching are hard work. Much easier to sit at a desk with a computer for 8 hours a day. Who wants to be out in a cow shed at O-Dark-30 stripped to the waist in -10 degrees trying to pull a calf or put in 18 hour days during harvest when you only get one paycheck a year?
Much easier to play the computer and have a credit card to buy your big screen and tablet and smartphone.
Not saying there aren't young people that enjoy the work and self reliance of operating a farm or ranch, but getting into it is very expensive if you don't have a town job on the side and if you want it to be your sole income, so it stops a lot of young folks before they even start.
I hope so. My state is very rural with a lot of agriculture, but our main export is our young people because all they care about is money and all the toys it will buy.
Farming or ranching are hard work. Much easier to sit at a desk with a computer for 8 hours a day. Who wants to be out in a cow shed at O-Dark-30 stripped to the waist in -10 degrees trying to pull a calf or put in 18 hour days during harvest when you only get one paycheck a year?
Much easier to play the computer and have a credit card to buy your big screen and tablet and smartphone.
Not saying there aren't young people that enjoy the work and self reliance of operating a farm or ranch, but getting into it is very expensive if you don't have a town job on the side and if you want it to be your sole income, so it stops a lot of young folks before they even start.
See, that last one is what gets me. It's like, you have to have tons of money in order to get into the field, and it's something of utmost importance to humanity. Come on, the production of food... nothing humans can do is more necessary to the preservation of the lives of humans.
I don't think I'd want to work with large animals. I'm not an animal guy. I like eating them, but I don't especially like them because they have no discernible moral code ("I shouldn't kick this guy because he's a nice guy and he's not trying to hurt me"), they usually stink, and they carry communicable diseases more than vegetable plants do. That being said, some people are animal lovers... whatever. To each his own.
But I look at those lush green cornfields with envy. I want one. I couldn't begin to eat all of that corn but I would enjoy producing it. I've never been much for manual labor but I think it's far more sensible to burn your calories doing manual labor than it is to do things the modern American way - that being having a sedentary job and then having to spend many hours and many dollars at the gym to avoid getting fat from inactivity. Better to kill two birds with one stone, doing your work and getting your exercise at the same time.
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