Is farming a relatively relaxed lifestyle? (Prius, stove, climate, cost)

[MLSFan]

all this talk about farming... sounds more like op wants to homestead and not farm. yes he will garden, but that isnt a farm to me. i define farming as a way to generate income, not to self subsist.

homesteading on 5-10 acres sound about right

[Bungalove]

Originally Posted by MLSFan

all this talk about farming... sounds more like op wants to homestead and not farm. yes he will garden, but that isnt a farm to me. i define farming as a way to generate income, not to self subsist.

homesteading on 5-10 acres sound about right

I agree. We have thousands of people in and around my county and the neighboring ones who homestead and garden. They have HUGE gardens and do their own canning, etc., as well as raise chickens for eggs and meat; raise goats for breeding sale or meat; have a couple of horses for pleasure, etc. However, those people sure don't consider themselves to be farmers, because the amount of acreage required to actually farm is outside of their budget, and they don't have the financial security to stake their all on erratic farming income.

[Zoisite]

Originally Posted by MLSFan

all this talk about farming... sounds more like op wants to homestead and not farm. yes he will garden, but that isnt a farm to me. i define farming as a way to generate income, not to self subsist.

homesteading on 5-10 acres sound about right

I agree with you on this too. The OP is describing modern day rural or semi-rural homesteading which is a far cry from farming.

.

[601halfdozen0theother]

Betty McDonald's book was all about how it DIDN'T work (in the 40s on the Olympic peninsula of Washington). A pretty funny (and racist) read, though. Haven't read the other two.

Other than Submariner's Maine, the other place which seems to be extremely supportive of small farmers is Western Wisconsin/Southeastern Minnesota/Northeastern Iowa. I did encounter some people who made it work on small acreages without non-farm income by combining "farm stays" and educational programming with their farming products. Some with larger acreages and specialty crops did make a subsistence income. One couple lived on their dream small farm while the wife was pregnant with, nursing, and raising eight (yes 8!) children AND working a full time job off the farm in a bank AND helping her husband with the farm work (goats and vegetables.) I told her husband that he was trying to kill his poor wife; he said that she loved her life. Different perspectives.

Anyway, a good beginning farming program will get you to think about things like marketing, financial management, and what you really want out of life.

I decided that what I really wanted out of life was for someone else to farm my land . My life's pretty relaxing!

[chadgates]

When you are a farmer, all you do is work.

[Nor'Eastah]

Originally Posted by MLSFan

all this talk about farming... sounds more like op wants to homestead and not farm.

Indeed, I knew from the very first post, that the OP was interested in homesteading, not "farming". But many people do not differentiate between the two; the difference is more than just one of scale.

OP, I'm going to be the spoiler here. I say, "go for it". But here's how you should do this:

First, the wife is going to have to understand that horses are simply out of the equation, at least for the first few years. After that, she'll have to make the horses pay their own way, by giving pony rides, riding lessons, brood mares/stud service, etc. You really don't need to "saddle" yourself with large animals and large expenses.

Next, will yourself to live on only the acreage you really need. Did you know you can raise all the food for a family of 4 on less than a quarter acre? Why pay a mortgage on 10 or 20 acres, when 1 or 2 will do? You need to limit your debt, and you won't do that with horses OR large acreages!

Then, what are you willing to give up to make this dream come true? Can you do without cable TV? Would you be willing to trade your smartphones and data plans in for an inexpensive TracFone? Can you do without wi-fi? Trade in your new cars for a used pickup? Besides saving you a ton of monthly bills, you really won't have a lot of time for these "city" trappings when you have a country lifestyle.

Lastly, be resolved that one of you will have to continue to work full-time, and this is usually the wife. Or you could both work part-time. But a reliable income is going to be a necessity.

Lots of people before you have done this, and many more continue to do so. City life isn't for everybody. You just have to want it badly enough to give up the lifestyle that your friends and family take for granted. There will be sacrifices. But I can tell you, as a part-time poultry farmer (over 600 birds this year) that the rewards are well worth the sacrifices.

[patches403]

Originally Posted by RomaniGypsy

To elaborate: Is farming a lifestyle where there are few to no "calendar appointments", as in things that must be done on a specific day at a specific time no matter what? I'm sure that it's a lot of work... that doesn't bother me... I want to know if the lifestyle must follow the calendar any more strictly than to adhere to the seasons and take advantage of days with unusually good weather.

My wife and I are considering taking up farming, and there are a number of things we wish to escape in so doing. We wish to escape:

-Having to drive an automobile at ridiculous speeds (defined as any speed where a collision is likely to cause serious damage and injury) because life must be that fast-paced

-Having to drop everything and do [such-and-such] at a specific time because the work schedule says that it must be done at that exact time on that exact day. We can tolerate that every now and then but we are sick of living by the clock.

-Being beholden to other people whose indifference and inconsideration make our lives difficult. Through farming we hope to be largely (if not entirely) self-sufficient, and finally produce something that all people absolutely need - food. (It's frustrating making your living doing something that people don't really need.)

We're NOT looking to escape work and have naught but a life of leisure. In fact, it would be nice to do more physical work because then we'd be in better shape.

That's a start. I await your responses.

Farming isn't something you just decide to take up. It requires a huge capital layout so unless you're already a multi-millionaire good luck making a living at it. Also farming requires a lot of experience to be successful. Nearly all successful farmers have spent many years working for someone else learning the trade before they started farming on their own.

I come from a long line of farmers and so does my hubby. Really the only way to be a successful farmer in 2016 is to (1) inherit a large already successful farm from your family after you've spent 20+ years working it so you know what you're doing or (2) have millions to spend on start-up costs and to hire experienced people to run the farm to improve the odds of success. By successful farmer I mean make a comfortable living from farming with no other sources of income.

Virtually all of our family that is still farming the wives that work outside the home so the household has additional income and most of the men doing the farming also take odd jobs to supplement the farming income. If it tells you anything, every one of our relatives that are still farming strongly encouraged their children to take up a profession other than farming because of how difficult it is.

Everything in your list above is NOT something you will escape by taking up farming. Farmers spend a lot of time driving fast on the highways, they spend much of the year living by the clock, and there is plenty of dealing with difficult people. To sum up, farming is NOT what you're looking for.

[my54ford]

IF I get the farming itch I go help my BIL's, They farming the family trust, 800 acres. 300 head cow/calf dairy....It doesn't take long to get it scratched.........

[Submariner]

I live in the same region as Nor'Eastah. I see the same things he does.

Originally Posted by Nor'Eastah

... Indeed, I knew from the very first post, that the OP was interested in homesteading, not "farming". But many people do not differentiate between the two; the difference is more than just one of scale.

I hate to get into the debate on this.

Because I sell food I grow, people call me a 'farmer'. I file a 1040 schedule F so in the eyes of the IRS I am a farmer. The Grange gave me an award last year for being their farmer of the year, but before today I had not told anyone. Because in the vocabulary of my parents and grand-parents this is not farming.

... First, the wife is going to have to understand that horses are simply out of the equation, at least for the first few years. After that, she'll have to make the horses pay their own way, by giving pony rides, riding lessons, brood mares/stud service, etc. You really don't need to "saddle" yourself with large animals and large expenses.

I have known a lot of people who have gotten locked onto horses. Look at boarding stables, I am not aware of any business model that can stand-alone with horses. Even the Amish in this area, they have horses because it is a cultural requirement among them, they are not worth it on a financial balance sheet.

... Next, will yourself to live on only the acreage you really need. Did you know you can raise all the food for a family of 4 on less than a quarter acre? Why pay a mortgage on 10 or 20 acres, when 1 or 2 will do? You need to limit your debt, and you won't do that with horses OR large acreages!

I know a lot of people who share-crop land. Others who applied for grants to buy land [there are LOTs of groups around that support farming by providing these grants]. I am not aware of anyone doing full-time farming in this area who has a mortgage.

I honestly do not think you could survive carrying a mortgage.

The beginning of the end for both sets of my grandparents' farms was the day that each of them got a mortgage on their land. Ag agents talked them into the 'need' to buy stuff to up-grade to get big. So they followed the example of their neighbors and they got mortgages. But drought came along, after a couple years of drought the banks locked their doors and began foreclosing on those mortgages.

I would have to say that a mortgage is the kiss of death to any farm.

Besides today no bank will loan money on land.

Work and save up money so you can buy land with cash. I did.

... Then, what are you willing to give up to make this dream come true? Can you do without cable TV? Would you be willing to trade your smartphones and data plans in for an inexpensive TracFone? Can you do without wi-fi? Trade in your new cars for a used pickup? Besides saving you a ton of monthly bills, you really won't have a lot of time for these "city" trappings when you have a country lifestyle.

In 2007, I was at a Farmer's Market one day when my cellphone rang. The other vendors looked at me, I was the only vendor who even had a cell phone.

Today they have all been forced into carrying cell phones, but only because to accept SNAP / EBT money you have to use the swipe thing on your phone.

I live in a rural, the population-density runs under 10 people per sq mile, there is no cable in our town. I agree even if you lived in a city where cable was available. You can not afford to have cable.

Smartphones and data plans are crazy expensive.

I do not see the problem of wi-fi. I have landline internet access, my modem / router transmits wifi. You can only get signal inside our living room. When our children come to visit, this makes it easy for them to get signal without plugging in a cat-5 cable. Our town does not have any McD's or Walmart, so obviously there are no wifi 'hotspots' here, just what people may have inside their homes. Nearly all routers come standard with wifi now days. I am not sure that wifi is contrary to farm life. If you have internet access in your home, you likely have wifi.

If you drive into the city and park at a McD's or Walmart you can get online and check your email. I am not sure wifi is such a bad thing?

... Trade in your new cars for a used pickup? Besides saving you a ton of monthly bills, you really won't have a lot of time for these "city" trappings when you have a country lifestyle.

There are no new vehicles farming.

... Lastly, be resolved that one of you will have to continue to work full-time, and this is usually the wife. Or you could both work part-time. But a reliable income is going to be a necessity.

A family must have a solid source of income, at least as they get setup.

A serious problem I have seen that comes up at conferences is that even if you have been farming for 5 years, and you feel confident you can make it without the town job. What happens to your SS?

I know a farm family who recently went through the turmoil and decision to downsize their farming, and they both got part-time jobs in town. Because they wanted health insurance and to be paying into SS. So someday they could retire.

... Lots of people before you have done this, and many more continue to do so. City life isn't for everybody. You just have to want it badly enough to give up the lifestyle that your friends and family take for granted. There will be sacrifices. But I can tell you, as a part-time poultry farmer (over 600 birds this year) that the rewards are well worth the sacrifices.

I agree. Farm income is low, fortunately it does not take much to support a family. In a low COL region, if you can make something about equal to Minimum-Wage you can support a family. I rub elbows with a lot of people who do not have that paycheck coming in. Many of them need an extra paycheck coming in.

[OwlKaMyst]

If you want to farm the 'easy' way...Ornamentals, flowers and such.
Fresh flowers, dried flowers (or herbs too), gourds, and so on. There are people who will come to your flower patch and pay you to clip the flowers. They take them to market if you don't want to.
Or you can make a deal with local florists. See what they have need for and if you can, cater to them. It may require a greenhouse for some flowers, tropicals, and if you want flowers in the winter.
But, if you want the 'farming' experience and activities with out the demand of being at the right place at the right time, go with flowers.
Your wife might learn how to make essential oils, infusions or some other cosmetics that use flowers.
lavandar was mentioned, very popular in soaps and food.

Now with chickens. It does not take many if you want enough eggs for yourself and a few neighbors and friends. You say you have Austrolorps, they are the biggest producers in both meat and egg, lay 360 eggs a year. One of my fav breed of chickens. Figure roughly an egg per hen per day. If you have a rooster and plan on raising some chicks for meat, you just need one hen to be broody.
So minus her one egg a day.
We had 11 hens and ate a lot of eggs and we still had enough eggs to sell 4 dozen a week some times 5 or 6 depending on our eating habits and the hens laying habits that week. Most people will say that chickens are not money savers or lucrative. My experience says otherwise.
The sale of 6 dozen eggs (10 days) made enough money for 6 weeks of chicken feed. They produce from late Febuary into November, you do the math -laying can be extended through the winter with the use of lights and lamps, but this also reduces you hens life span and laying ability as it gets older. So...having chickens is indeed worth it....besides, nothing beats a homestead fried egg fresh from the coop.