Farm

Adam1 · #1 07/13/15, 06:32 PM

If sweet corn farming would work out for me what would be another crop or thing I could farm?

SouthGAMan · #2 07/13/15, 07:08 PM

I'm certainly not an expert farmer but I can see several questions immediately that must be answered before even starting to answer your question:

1) what area of the country do you live?

2) what type of farm crops are in demand where you live?

3) what type of method would you be looking to sell your produce? farmer's market? farm stand? word of mouth? local paper? direct to store? direct to chef?

4) what type of acreage do you have? and have you had your soil tested to determine what types of crops best fit the soil you have? and if you were wanting to amend the soil with fertilizer (chemical or organic) ?

5) what type of resources do you have? tractor? tiller? farm equipment? truck? money?

SOOOOOOO many questions need to be answered to come up with any type of well thought answer.

Adam1 · #3 07/13/15, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthGAMan

I'm certainly not an expert farmer but I can see several questions immediately that must be answered before even starting to answer your question:

1) what area of the country do you live?

2) what type of farm crops are in demand where you live?

3) what type of method would you be looking to sell your produce? farmer's market? farm stand? word of mouth? local paper? direct to store? direct to chef?

4) what type of acreage do you have? and have you had your soil tested to determine what types of crops best fit the soil you have? and if you were wanting to amend the soil with fertilizer (chemical or organic) ?

5) what type of resources do you have? tractor? tiller? farm equipment? truck? money?

SOOOOOOO many questions need to be answered to come up with any type of well thought answer.

Here people dairy farm. the crops on demand im not really sure of because like I said dairy farms. it would be a acre the soil is clay and I would like to be organic. would a lawn mower and a pull behind chisel work for working the land.

gibbsgirl · #4 07/13/15, 07:41 PM

It would probably help folks give you feedback and if they knew how much land your u have, general area, what the land is currently set up for, and if you're wanting to farm for all your income or part or just as a hobby for homestead and your families personal use.

Welcome to the forums. Don't be discouraged from asking ng questions. Just remember it takes some practice to word your questions specifically enough for people to figure out what things they know would be helpful to answer in a post.

Bearfootfarm · #5 07/13/15, 07:50 PM

Quote:

would a lawn mower and a pull behind chisel work for working the land.

No, it wouldn't

Adam1 · #6 07/13/15, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearfootfarm

No, it wouldn't

e only other option it to try to barrow a tractor

Adam1 · #7 07/13/15, 08:11 PM

From the looks of it to sell the produce it would need a permit and other stuff I'm sure so that completely burst my bubble.

Adam1 · #8 07/13/15, 08:12 PM

So that wont work for me.

Adam1 · #9 07/13/15, 08:28 PM

Any one have any ideas on what else I could do?

Old Vet · #10 07/13/15, 08:37 PM

If you live in Michigan you might try wheat if you live in Texas you could raise soy beans but with out the state where you are living everything will be a sorry guess.

Adam1 · #11 07/13/15, 09:01 PM

I live in Wisconsin.

rambler · #12 07/13/15, 11:25 PM

Often times melons like musk melons (aka cantaloupe) are a good compliment to sweet corn. Or pumpkins, gourds tho be careful on gourds, they grow so well you end up throwing them away, people don't want too many of those.

Working one acre is a challenge, its a lot for a hoe and spade, its small for a tractor. You will probably figure out a way to get it done.

Paul

Old Vet · #13 07/14/15, 12:21 AM

I stared farming with 20 acres of watermelons and cantaloupe. I understand you only have 1 acre to work with so I would plant peanuts or any other vegetable and sell that to get your foot in the door.Try to not let it get to big or all ripen at the same time. You may want to raise several vegetable to find out what does good in your area and your soil.

gibbsgirl · #14 07/14/15, 01:58 AM

With a small plot and a shorter growing season, you might consider looking into hoop houses or similar.

That would give you a longer growing season, and more year-round time to play with different crops in rotation.

You'll get more experience faster than just one or two crops for one season a year.

Don't know what your financial goals are in farming. But the experience can help a lot either way. Also, remember if you grow enough variety of food that you end up with even just several hundred dollars worth of produce for your own households use for the first few years, that is a huge gain.

All that savings is tax free and releases your off farm income for other uses. So, its like having the financial boost of a second job with all the time and financial costs of generating that income away from home.

Even just using have of it to raise a few animals for meat does not have to be terribly costly. And the savings of even one hog, a few goats and some poultry in groceries for the year can be several hundred dollars. Especially after the first year when you have set up costs that you don't have to pay for to repeat the process each year.

YouTube is a pretty good resource for getting to look up videos that can really let you see what other people do that might work at your homestead.

Wolf mom · #15 07/14/15, 06:19 AM

Call or visit your local Co-operative Extension Service. Look on-line for the address. They have loads of information about gardening/farming in your local area. You might also hook up with a Master Gardener.

Visit your local farmer's Market - strike up conversations with sellers, they are they are the ones doing it. Ask questions - check on licenses. See what is being sold and when.

I took Master Gardener classes, not so much to become one, but it was the quickest way for me, while working full time, to learn to garden in the area I used to live.

SouthGAMan · #16 07/14/15, 07:30 AM

There are tons of people who want to get into farming at some level and don't have the expertise nor all the resources. Don't let that discourage you. There is some good information in these forums.

The biggest advice that I could give you from what little information you have given is to start slow...don't expect to go from novice to expert farmer all in one season. Learn what you can and to start off visit the local farmer's market and county extension offices as previously stated by others (to find out what others plant and in which seasons). Do things within your budget and as you gain knowledge you can come up with a short term and long term plan (don't be afraid to slightly alter it as you gain more knowledge either). Not all of us are blessed to have lots of great top soil, farm equipment on hand, or more cash than the average person--- we just use what we have until we can slowly get more.

Good luck!

Adam1 · #17 07/14/15, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SouthGAMan

There are tons of people who want to get into farming at some level and don't have the expertise nor all the resources. Don't let that discourage you. There is some good information in these forums.

The biggest advice that I could give you from what little information you have given is to start slow...don't expect to go from novice to expert farmer all in one season. Learn what you can and to start off visit the local farmer's market and county extension offices as previously stated by others (to find out what others plant and in which seasons). Do things within your budget and as you gain knowledge you can come up with a short term and long term plan (don't be afraid to slightly alter it as you gain more knowledge either). Not all of us are blessed to have lots of great top soil, farm equipment on hand, or more cash than the average person--- we just use what we have until we can slowly get more.

Good luck!

Well I find a walk behind garden planter which would be a good start I think not sure about you guys, and if sweet corn works out I wouldn't switch the crop to pumpkins or I could plant both.

Jennifer L. · #18 07/14/15, 08:55 AM

Go for U-Pick. An acre of raspberries should produce pretty good income.

rambler · #19 07/14/15, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam1

Well I find a walk behind garden planter which would be a good start I think not sure about you guys, and if sweet corn works out I wouldn't switch the crop to pumpkins or I could plant both.

It is best to rotate crops in small plots, keeps insects and weeds and disease down some. Also mixes up the workload.

Paul

gibbsgirl · #20 07/14/15, 09:29 AM

I read on one of your threads that you're in high school.

Good job for being brave enough to say that and still come to a more grownup place online for Learnong about stuff you're interested in.

I would encourage you to look into 4h and high school or even community classes at local adult ed or colleges that you could try joining that are in anyway agricultural or gardening subject.

A lot of times, adults participate in those things to learn something specific, but they are frequently open to teens too. And, many times we use them for networking. I made contacts at 4h that got me plugged in to ffa because people I met there did both.

Hang in there. Success is all about perseverance. Just keep plugging away, slow and steady. Try lots of ideas. Change plans when necessary. Don't feel bad if something doesn't work. Success is continuing on reworking your plans, and stopping and starting when you need to. No one succeeds at anything by already being an expert and never stumbling.