How many people work full-time and farm?

Fowler · #1 05/16/11, 12:03 PM

Just hoping that I am not alone...Hubby works away from home and I work full-time in town. So I am the sole caretaker of our animals...I wish I could retire to get all the chores done..and do more investing in my property and being more self-sufficant and just live off one income...but unfortunatly I am at least 20 yrs from retirement....which by then the farm should be paid for.

I want to expand and raise more livestock, but there is no one home during the day to watch over them now...so I invest in fencing and plan my time-off during lambing season...I would love to start a wedding venue at my place and try to make some money doing that so I can retire early and stay at home. I have tons of ideas running through my head and no guidence of how to get there.

I guess my question is... how do you do it?

oregon woodsmok · #2 05/16/11, 12:19 PM

If you genuinely have no idea how to make money without working for a salary, check at your local junior college and see if the Small Business Administration is offering their courses there. They will teach you the basics of economics as it applies to small businesses and about expenses vs income and how to figure profits.

They will also teach you about market studies so you can increase your odds of success before you risk your time and money.

There should also be classes on restaurant and hospitality so you can see what would be involved in that wedding business (and expect a lot of resistance from your neighbors, and for good reason)

Some of the best minds in the country have been working on the issue for a very long time. What they learned is available to you.

Nobody can tell you how to earn good money in 2 paragraphs on a forum. The majority of small business start-ups fail. You increase your odds of success if you have some knowledge and don't go into it simply crossing your fingers and hoping you'll figure it out at some point.

HilltopDaisy · #3 05/16/11, 07:35 PM

My thoughts.....

I am a single woman, in my 50's (no kids, no help). I've been here on my 5 acre homestead for almost ten years. I raise Nigerian Dwarf goats, I have sheep, horses, poultry, LGD's, and the best part is that I love my job.

I work at a hospital w/ a 30 mile commute, and I am blessed that I love my job. I am paid very well, and that helps, plus I can work as much OT as I want.

My mortgage will be done in 2 years, Praise God!! I will be able to cut back on the OT, and I will be so happy!

You can do anything you set your mind on, you just have to bust your butt to cover it all. You can do it!

SGFarm · #4 05/16/11, 10:12 PM

I do work full time and try to farm. I am not sure I am successful at it though. A lot of delays in getting things done. My fields are still too wet to work and the gardens are not tilled, the pens are not shoveled out, and I still have to cut, split and stack firewood for next year.

I too wonder how it is all supposed to get done. I am also about 20 years from retiring and 25 years from mortgage free ;-(

Just had to rant. Sorry

Mike

Climber · #5 05/17/11, 07:30 AM

Glad to see I'm in good company! This is my first year "farming" while working a full time job and further, my job requires me to travel out of state quite often. We don't have animals so that helps tremendously but preparing the land, planting, tending, weeding, pruning, etc... takes a huge amount of time. I love it though and can't wait until I can transition to farming full-time.
Oregon woodsmok gave some good advice and I'm moving in that direction. This year I will write a business plan for our farm and decide how much income is necessary to support the farm and family. We are also working hard to cut our living expenses and downsize our lifestyle.

Good luck!

eurycea12 · #6 05/17/11, 07:39 AM

Farming is a full time profession!

brosil · #7 05/17/11, 07:56 AM

I'm pretty much with SGFARM on this one. You work a lot and do the best you can.

Beeman · #8 05/17/11, 08:10 AM

Do you farm for money now?, or is this like most of us just a hobby?
I don't farm but work with and know many that do. Most raise beef cattle and hay, many used to have tobacco also. They work full time and then do all of their farm work too. The few full timers I know have wives that have gov't jobs like school teacher for the benefits.

Fowler · #9 05/17/11, 08:29 AM

oregon woodsmok, you are so correct..and thanks a bunch you've hit the nail on the head. I've been thinking alot about taking courses for appling and learning about SBA loans.

Hilltop, congrats on your near future payoff of your mortgage, I admire you for doing it alone...I wish I would have started this adventure along time ago. My job has had me traveling a lot until the past five years. Now I am 45 and just bought my own farm five years ago...so I too feel your pain SGFarm...to me it's almost like I am trying to play catch up...I want now.. what I should have been doing the last 20 years. Dont get me wrong..I've always lived on a farm...just someone elses....I used to have kids to help me...now they are grown and have their own kiddos...I do get to see the benefits in seeing my grandsons face light up when they come up the driveway and come running to the sheep pen and want to help take care of them....that makes me very happy knowing my city grandkids are learning farming chores....LOL..nana's little helpers...LOL
I just wish I was smarter when I was younger so that I may enjoy the things I love longer and get more done....

Sorry SGFarm....I think I out ranted you....LOL

Fowler · #10 05/17/11, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beeman

Do you farm for money now?, or is this like most of us just a hobby?
I don't farm but work with and know many that do. Most raise beef cattle and hay, many used to have tobacco also. They work full time and then do all of their farm work too. The few full timers I know have wives that have gov't jobs like school teacher for the benefits.

Both...it's considered a hobby farm... I sell sheep...I am wanting to produce more livestock....my FIL raises beef cattle, so he has helped me a lot when it comes to learning how to raise cattle....and I am the wife that works in town and does the farm chores. Husband could be gone for weeks at a time...so when he does come home he feels like the hired help...LOL.

ET1 SS · #11 05/17/11, 09:19 AM

My father has ran cattle most of his life. He has never figured out a way to do it that did not require a full-time job to support him.

My Dw and I had a dairy for a while, but we both had to work to support it.

Which was why I decided to focus on a career in the military to get the pension. Now with a pension, I stay home on the farm.

backachersfarm · #12 05/17/11, 09:26 AM

I am in this same situation. I would love to cut back on my outside job and concentrate on our farm more. my husband has had to change jobs 4X in past few yrs due to shutdowns. He went back to school and has a good job he loves right now..but no benefits. That is where my problem comes in. ... even tho we could get by with me working less hours....I have to work fulltime to maintain our Ins benefits.

houndlover · #13 05/17/11, 10:17 AM

It's really hard. I am working less hours now, but I want to enjoy life more. With feed prices the way they have been, I'm seeing much less return on "raising more" and I'm planning to sell a majority of my sheep and goats off this year while prices are good. I will go back to raising just enough for us. Chores have been streamlined about as much as they can be. I don't want to farm full time anymore, I want to go visit the grandkids. And I hate it when I have to leave in the AM when its dark and return in the dark and do chores in the dark. If you can't get a good look at your animals every day in the light, you don't notice subtle changes in their behavior and appearance and end up losing them when they could be saved.

hiddensprings · #14 05/17/11, 10:49 AM

I am very fortunate. I do have to work full time since we are still paying off our 100 acre farm, but I work from a home office. I have lots of felxibility so I can do what I need to do on the farm while maintaining my 40 hour work week at my paying job. I am doing quite a bit on the farm to bring in income and my goal is to get to a point where I can replace my salary at my "job" with income from the farm.

fishhead · #15 05/17/11, 01:53 PM

When the DNR arbitrarily cancelled most of my fish farm license after I filed a complaint against a top official I was forced to work off the farm. From April through November I worked full time at the farm and full time at my day job. Most weekends were 12-16 hour days. I never caught up and finally gave up after 9 years (I'm a little bullheaded).

I still believe it can be done if a person learns to prioritize and focuses on labor efficiency. As far as making it pay a trip to the Small Business Admin is a very good suggestion. They won't open the top of your head and fill you with answers but they will definitely guide you if you are willing to do the work to learn.

Curtis B · #16 05/17/11, 02:04 PM

I do, and at this point am becoming exhausted. After my 10 hr day at work yesterday, I got to go home and plant in the garden finishing after dark, running water lines to get what got planted watered(this is on top of the animal care for the day). My big problem is efficiancy and getting it going or shut down for the season (spring and fall), so hopefully soon I will get quite a break once it is going. I am longing for a place I would like to stay at so I can put in perminant items, not temporary. I think it can be done, but it will still be a strech for a person to do both, and have a life on top of work, and the second job farming.

ChristieAcres · #17 05/17/11, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oregon woodsmok

If you genuinely have no idea how to make money without working for a salary, check at your local junior college and see if the Small Business Administration is offering their courses there. They will teach you the basics of economics as it applies to small businesses and about expenses vs income and how to figure profits.

They will also teach you about market studies so you can increase your odds of success before you risk your time and money.

There should also be classes on restaurant and hospitality so you can see what would be involved in that wedding business (and expect a lot of resistance from your neighbors, and for good reason)

Some of the best minds in the country have been working on the issue for a very long time. What they learned is available to you.

Nobody can tell you how to earn good money in 2 paragraphs on a forum. The majority of small business start-ups fail. You increase your odds of success if you have some knowledge and don't go into it simply crossing your fingers and hoping you'll figure it out at some point.

I have a BA in Org Mgmnt, studied Small Business Mgmnt, and agree that education is critical. Notwithstanding, a degree isn't necessary, but classes and good books are, to avoid the pitfalls. What you can get for little to no money is invaluable. Take courses in Marketing.

DH has a machine/welding shop on our property and I have a home office, I also work from. In addition, I do plant sales local and online. It is limited, not by demand, but by myself. The reason has to do with increasing my work there, without taking away from the work required here on our place. I also don't expand without the means to pay for it, so I am not going into debt, but pay for all my supplies out of my sales. I'd like a larger greenhouse, but will patiently wait until we can afford to pay to build out of pocket.

I posted a Barter ad on CL, offering DH's machinist/welding labor in trade for some excavating work (also for building supplies and open to offers). We have a taker! DH has met with him; there is 3 days worth of welding work to do. In return, we will have a building spot for my 2nd garden cabin, leveled (DH dismantled it from our last property, so will be building it again). In addition, our root cellar will be dug out. If there is enough time left, I'll have a nice area prepared for our pigs. When we sell our extra car, we will buy our piglets.

**highlands** · #18 05/17/11, 02:20 PM

I work full time and farm. That is I work farming full time. Farming is our family's full time work and far more rewarding than working off farm. It took time but we gradually made the move to farming from other work.

Home Harvest · #19 05/17/11, 02:25 PM

I call what I do homesteading rather than farming. To me farming indicates making a living from your farm. I make a living by going out to work, and homestead to reduce costs, and provide healthy food for my family.

Farming has become like any other small business. My neighbor sells me hay, and I talk to him all the time about his farm. He is always in debt, spends money he'd like to save just to avoid paying taxes on it, has to rent land to grow enough to make a living, and is constantly on the road taking hay to different auctions. Oh, and he does take odd jobs whenever and wherever he can. He drives plow truck for the township, and works at a local farm market.

I believe it's romantic to think of farming as different than any other job. At the end of the day you need money to pay taxes, so you need a job (even if your other needs are supplied from your farm). If you are a full time farmer, then you are a businessman, just as surely as if you owner a gas station, or a grocery.

I wish you luck with your endeavor.

oregon woodsmok · #20 05/17/11, 02:38 PM

One really big problem with making a living on the land is farm prices.

You are competing with gigantic corporations that have both economies of scale and automation and they can produce their goods for a fraction of the cost for you to do it. You can never beat them on cost.

You are also competing with small holders who sell their produce for much less than it costs them to produce it. You know when you see them selling eggs for 99 cents, chicks for 75 cents, and tomatoes 4 pounds for a dollar that they have no idea what it has cost them to produce those items (or else they love to pay for other folks' grocery bills and their dream of independence includes working for free).

But it is difficult for you to sell eggs for cost of production plus a tiny profit when the neighbor is selling eggs for 99 cents.