Sunday, August 15, 2010

Abducted by Aliens

No I haven't been abducted by aliens. Just been very busy running the Farm in one of the most challenging years I've had. Been challenged by this years cold spring, been challenged by the economy, been challenged by increasing competition of other Farmers.

All these factors have had me thinkin' about the business side of the Farm.

How do I work with all these factors to insure my continued success?

Well the weather issue I can work with a bit. I'm going to use my extensive knowledge of season extending practices to work on making sure I get good strong first runs of my Cucumbers, Watermelons and other Melons. This will hopefully eliminate plantings that "just don't pay".

What do I mean by just don't pay? Sometimes I will have a planting that due to weather dosn't germinate at the levels I plan for, which generally are levels that it takes for those crops to actually "pencil in" which means when I do the math I actually make money on those crops, not just cover my costs, and by making money I mean I have goals of what $$$'s it really takes to justify the labor, cost, and space to generate those sales. I am continually trying to refine the Farm here to not only grow more healthy, vigorous plants, bearing fruit of better flavor, but do so without ending up slaving away, providing good food for what can be ridiculous rewards.
I've been working full time as a Farmer for 12 years now, and I can certainly tell you I won't "get rich" Farming. But I do have principles and beliefs that all people should be justly compensated for their labor. Many new Small Farmers struggle immensely with actually being able to make a living. I myself have gone through this struggle and did so in times that weren't so favorable for Small Farmers. Food was way cheaper then, the cost of production was still high, the market was smaller, and even plain simple appreciation of good food was relatively lacking.
Our present "Food Revolution" is still in it's infancy, for all the movement the last few years it has a far way to go. I have quite a few "Young Farmer Friends" and the struggle that they are going though is comparable to the one I went through years ago. They continually wonder " can I actually make a living farming?" I wondered the same thing. And I set out on the path I'm on today and yes I do make a living. Why? for a few reasons.
I was blessed to be able to purchase the Land my Farm is on for, in comparison to today's prices more than 2/3rds less than what it would be valued today. I bought my land with NO MORTGAGE free and clear, I live in a cheap double wide mobile home, I'm frugal and a "saver", and I have a smart business sense, plus I downright work my ass off.
Where am I going with all this? Well if I was starting out in the last few years, was going to buy land, start a Farm and make a go of it I would have the world against me. For one land is extremely expensive, even in these days of declining values, the cost of land and mortgage is prohibitive.
Prohibitive in the sense that after all the capital costs of starting a Farm, the income you can actually bring home, even in a good year for all those hours of labor could easily be made workin for the man in some 9 to 5 without the stress, the risk, the servitude and more.

Why Prohibitive? Cause Food is Cheap. Still to cheap in my opinion. And Small Farms selling to Local customers still can produce more than they can sell.

This is only a small part of the story, If your Farming for a living, raise your prices, if your a hobby Farmer selling your produce raise your prices, if your a consumer Thank your Farmer, give'm a Hug, and tell'em their food is too cheap, and buy lot's more.