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A kid out of college makes about $65K a year (high end depending on the major). He would need 1300 acres to make that much money. Somethign is wrong!
That math is probably pretty close. I'd bet you need to be farming 800+ acres to make a go of things on a full-time basis, assuming you are the "average" farmer. Obviously that changes based on where you live, what you grow, etc. Farming has always been a capital intensive, low paying job.
I don't get all the hate for goats on here. I grew up with goats, on a much smaller parcel than 5 acres. Nothing in this world like fresh goat milk. Our goats were treated like family pets. I played with the goats as much as I played with the dogs. Small breeds like Nigerians produce lots of milk, and they are very economical if you are only keeping a few. You can then go into cheese making if you want. The goats were for our own use. Any males we butchered or sold. The females we kept, normally at least 2. We would also sell the extra females. They were kept on half an acre. We had a huge vegetable garden on another half an acre. We had some fruit trees around the house, an orange, a couple of banana trees, and a pomegranate. We also had a grape vine.
There are many a good homesteading book available, that will give you tons of ideas on how to lay out a garden, what animals to raise, etc.
I didn't see a lot of hate for goats. I think goats are cute - but that is just so long as there are no males in rut. OMG, the stink!!!
My friend bred goats, rotated her males so there was no chance of inbreeding. She donated her extra goat milk through me for the abandoned, stray, and sick rescued dogs and cats. She sold a lot of her milk, made cheese from it, and even went into creams/lotions.
Tremendous product. Goat milk around here sells for $8/gal.
BUT, you have to be committed, keep records, test, and be available, especially when it's kidding time. If you're milking, it's a twice-a-day job and you have to do it, no excuses, no illness, injuries, or vacations.
I bought a farmette, but not the one I mentioned above. We live on 3.5 acres. I mow about 3/4 of an acre, and the rest I've let grow up in a "managed" sort of way. I've planted about 350 trees, primarily as a windbreak and as privacy screens along the edges of our lot. We do have neighbors. I have some walking trails, raise broiler and laying chickens, garden, and have planted an orchard. I keep any noxious weeds mowed/sprayed, but let the grass grow tall. I have no interest in spending hours mowing the entire place.
I'm one of those people who are deathly allergic to honeybees, so none of those. Although I was a beekeeper for 20+ years.
Sounds lovely, thanks!
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