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Farms are a lot of work. Not sure what "self-sustaining" means, exactly; the farm harvests its own produce and takes it to market, while the owners paint and sculpt?
I think what the couple meant that they would grow enough to feed themselves and sell enough to have an income. They might have not taken into consideration the work involved.
We have written custom programming for our computers to do all the work here instead of us. Of course, nothing seems to be happening, so I have named our code AI. Artificial Indifference !
Nah. With nothing happening, AI = Artificial Indolence
My Dw and I have each been vendors at Farmer's Markets. Where we have sold veggies, eggs, fiddleheads, maple, pork, honey, and herbs. We know a lot of others doing the same. Some do it as their sole source of income. We have my military pension to help support us. Fortunately, the Cost of Living here is low enough that a family does not need very much income to get by.
I know families who garden 5 acres of veggies and they earn enough to support themselves nicely.
One of my friends Tom Roberts started a farm [Peacemeal farm] in the 70s just growing veggies and selling them at a roadside stand. He recruited four 'apprentices' to join him. He trained those apprentices, and when they were confident, he convinced them to form a legal partnership, and that partnership bought the farm. The current partners who run Peacemeal farm are my friends.
Then Tom started a second farm, and he did it all over again. Right now Tom is on his fourth farm [Snakeroot farm] recruiting apprentices to train to take over this farm.
It is not a path to wealth, but it is independence.
Anyone who desires to become an off-grid organic farmer may do so. Your hands and clothing will never be clean ever again.
Also, MOFGA [the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association] has a formal Apprenticeship program where an individual may live on a farm, tend the crops and be a vendor in a Farmer's Market. https://www.mofga.org/apprenticeship/
Apprentices usually rotate to a different farm for their second year. We have hundreds of farms who accept Apprentices.
After an Apprentice has completed two years of Apprenticeship, they may apply to the Journeyman program. https://www.mofga.org/trainings/farm...erson-program/ Journeyman farmers are usually placed in position as the Farm Manager on a functioning farm.
After two years as a Journeyman farmer, there are dozens of NPO programs where they will help that person to land their own farm.
MOFGA is our regional Organic certifying agency, they are also the group who coined the phrase 'Organic' and codified the Organic Standards in 1970. Just a large group of hippies within a network of communes.
I think what the couple meant that they would grow enough to feed themselves and sell enough to have an income. They might have not taken into consideration the work involved.
That was my take also.
I talked to the guy almost an hour, I think he was slightly more clear eyed on it than his wife, but not by much. They wanted income from art sales is how I figured it, the farm was to feed themselves. He didnt think rabbits would take so much work input, lol. They may have been lefty Bernie Bros, but they were not vegans. He told me about his first rabbit slaughtering experience, and how his wife reacted.
Would appreciate recommendations on rural areas with affordable farms/land. I am looking for 50-100 acres that I can farm on. Pastures for grazing and haying, water source, ideally wooded area as well. Prefer no zoning. Currently in southern New England. Expensive, no farm land left, restrictive zoning. Would like to have more privacy, a little warmer temp, area large enough to quarantine sick animals, and neighbors far enough away that we can be civil but people stay out of my business, don't poach on my land or complain to authorities about how I operate. I was all set to move to the Knoxville, TN area but dont feel I would be welcome now due to being left of center, politically. I am a single female and don't want to be where I dont fit in or have to worry about nonsense. While i want my property to be set apart, i do plan on becoming active in church and community.
Are there any left-leaning pockets in rural America south of New England? Thinking I'm going to probably have to suck it up and go north to MA, VT, NH, maybe ME or even Canada.
I must ask....... How do you plan on operating that might make people complain to the authorities? Puppy mill? Animal hoarding and or cruelty? Not controlling tansy?
I live in the country and we had to shoot a neighbor's dog that was killing our sheep. I also reported someone for not feeding his cows. He was a city person that didn't realize they needed feeding as well as pasture. Problem solved. He didn't mean to mistreat them, he was just clueless. I don't know or care about the politics of most of my neighbors, and I don't share my own views with them.
I talked to the guy almost an hour, I think he was slightly more clear eyed on it than his wife, but not by much. They wanted income from art sales is how I figured it, the farm was to feed themselves. He didnt think rabbits would take so much work input,....
We have raised and processed meat rabbits. They are a good 4H project for the children, keeping the freezer filled with meat is a good side benefit.
Two of our neighbors [Todd and Anne], a few years ago decided that they really like rabbit. So they dropped all other types of meat and decided to only eat rabbit as their preferred meat choice. They have a huge garden, so their home has lots of veggies, and 100% of their food came from their own farm. The problem was that they had never heard of 'rabbit starvation'. After a year of rabbit as their only source of meat Todd's teeth all fell out. Doctors traced it back to rabbit starvation.
Rabbit can be a good choice, but you need to slide chicken, pork, fish, or beef in there once a month to get all the nutrients you need to be healthy.
... and better farmland than you'll find in New England. Many parts the Finger Lakes have moderate enough climate to grow European wine grapes as evidenced by the numerous wineries surrounding many of the lakes.
Grape vineyards are becoming popular here in Maine. I am growing grapes on my land.
The European wine grapes are very sensitive to cold and are hard to grow in upstate New York except in small areas with the right microclimates because of the winter cold and humidity. That there are so many vineyards in the Finger Lakes growing these varieties says that there are lots of areas that are more moderate in temps and humidity in that area.
The newer varieties of table grapes -- seedless, significantly disease resistant, and cold hardy -- are probably a good crop for farmers selling at farm stands or farmers' markets since they extend the selling season into fall. Most also start producing earlier than the old varieties.
I am growing Betas [developed from crossing wild Canadian riverine grapes {Vitis riparia, which are hardy to -72F} with concords], Betas are hardy to -40F, in my area Betas can become invasive, if not aggressively controlled.
There are a number of small wine vineyards in my area.
I’d disagree that most rural folks don’t announce their political side. Driving through rural areas these past few elections, I saw many, many political campaign signs in farmhouse yards. Same thing in small towns.
Yes, when I drive rural in my local area I see lots of really disgusting name calling sign referring to Biden ("DogS--) and Harris (Wh*re) and more. Some of them say "Have a blessed day." Go figure. I thought Christianity was about loving your neighbor. Not any more.
Radical Conservatives are just as NOT live and let live as they say Liberals are. (Both far ends of the spectrum are not live and let live.)
It would be interesting to know what area the OP settled on.
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