Farm Experience.... How To?

Peasant · #21 06/01/14, 11:09 PM

You can glean a lot from the internet and books, but the only way to really learn is to do.

Muleman · #22 06/02/14, 10:47 AM

I would put an add in your local paper. " Reliable adult looking for farm labor work, limited farm experience but willing to learn and work at a reduced rate or volunteer until I prove myself" or something to that effect. I have had a hard time finding farm help and I have no problem training willing people. I think this is a problem with most farm owners now days. Most part time workers have no real interest in learning or doing a good job, they just want a paycheck to buy beer and cigarettes. I would state up front that you had limited experience but are willing to learn. I would also state that you do not expect top pay because of your lack of experience. I would be surprised if you were not contacted with an opportunity to work. newspaper adds are fairly inexpensive.

FarmboyBill · #23 06/02/14, 11:47 AM

Problem there is that most SMALL farmers, or gardeners/homesteaders don't carry insurance, and therefore would be libel should they experience any injury, which, likely as not, being inexperienced, they would.

That means only the big farmers would/could hire them, and they would learn that it takes a million to farm nowadays, and be blunted in themselves wanting to do so by that kind of education.

Brighton · #24 06/02/14, 12:01 PM

My main question before sending in one direction or another is do you want to "farm" as in you have several hundred acres and want to put in a cash crop, or do you want to garden and have a small amount of livestock, like chickens and goats to feed you and any family you might have, as those are two completely different things.

jtsummie · #25 06/02/14, 12:36 PM

For me we are looking at buying 5-10 acres and raising a few animals. At our last house we had chickens, so we've gone through that. My grand parents growing up raised a few beef cattle every year for the family. I wanted to ask the question generally to maybe help others that come after.

JLMissouri · #26 06/03/14, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TnAndy

For those that free range, I'm curious about a couple things:

1. How many do you loose to predators ? And how often do you replace with new chicks ?

Ours have a fairly large fenced area, and the only time we let them out of that is when we can be right there with them. Did it once without watching for an afternoon, and lost 5 in a matter of a few hours to coyotes. ( Fairly SURE it was coyote, because one made the fatal mistake of coming back for breakfast the next morning )

2. How does egg gathering work ? (I'd think you'd find them here, there, and everywhere.) And how do you know how old they are ?

We sell our eggs, so they are collected daily from nesting boxes, cleaned, then refrigerated. I wouldn't want someone to get one of questionable age. ( or with a partially developed chick in it....talk about a customer killer ! )

I free range, but my chickens return to their chicken tractor of an evening and I lock them up. I have a dog which is invaluable for keeping away most predators. I have not lost any this year, but lost a couple teenage chickens to a hawk last year. For the most part the chickens return to the nest boxes in the chicken tractor to lay eggs, the eggs I find free range are used as critter food. I work from home so I am usually home, if I know I will be away for the entire day the chickens stay in the chicken tractor. Worst predator by far in my area is dogs.

Free range chicken eggs are by far the best, next step down is chickens kept in movable paddocks rotated frequently, then chicken tractors moved frequently.