Farming/Ranching as a business

[PMcNemar]

I've found 32 acres for sale near where we live. Right now we haven't been out to the property, but everything sounds promising. I'm still researching it, but we might just be able to swing it if the land is good. It is partially hilly and wooded, but there looks to be a good 3-4 acres of pasture ready, fenced in, and with a good sized building. No house, but has city water hook-up available.

It would be a huge financial burden with me being unemployed, but I haven't been able to find a job yet. What I'm wondering, is what if I go at it as a business? Starting my own farm business would be wonderful! It would be the greatest job in the world and I would be so very happy. We'd have chickens, rabbits, and sheep. Plus a nice garden. I could clear some of the wood to make room for hay pastures so that I could reduce the cost of feeding through the winter.

Do you think I would I be able to get a business loan for the land and start-up costs, like purchasing stock and repairing any damage to to already established fence? This is just an idea I had and I haven't even pitched it to my husband yet, but he would definitely be able to help me draw up a business plan if he thinks it is a good idea.

What do you all think?

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Check the zoning-- can you 'camp' there while building a house? If so, makes it a lot less expensive-- Mobile homes-- are they permitted-- if so, a fast, inexpensive way to have complete house--
Are you set up to get started immediately? Do you have markets already in place? Carol Ekarius' book, Small Scale Livestock Farming- excellent resource-- and tells you how to stockpile winter forage in the pastures!! If you are raising 'micro-livestock' you do not need a lot of 'hayfield' area. Since reducing hte numbers of horses a friend has-- half her pasture is hayed-- she puts the horses in one pasture, waits for the grasses to grow, then hays the the other pasture-- she is alternating like this all summer-- HAs saved her a few dollars in purchased hay for the winter..

Do not clear cut wooded areas-- you can get tax breaks by maintaining land in a forestry management program-- allows one to harvest for firewood, keeps a natural resource available for wildlife. Conservation easements can reduce tax bills, as well, yet still permit you to 'farm.' You can even practice a sort of farming that takes advantage of the way some things grow in the wild--(forest gardening) plant blackberries, raspberries along woodlot edges- Plant ramps (leeks), and some spices under the trees, even get your self some clean logs, and raise mushrooms! It will take a few year5s to actually make some money--but it can be done!!1

 

[Anntann]

There are quite a few loans (very low cost) available to farms...check with your extension agent. Also, quite a few loans and grants available to woman for starting a small business. (minority push thing from the 70s). Googling something like : business loan woman : might come up with something. Also: farm loans <state> :

Farming for a profit is a difficult thing. Really research the markets available to you. Is there a large Farm Market you can join? Can you find a niche in the nearest town/city for something like "naturally raised <meat/eggs/whatever"? Can you look at it as "I work the farm and provide food for the table; husband works at a factory to provide money and insurance"?

Lots of ways to make money in small ways...sheep for wool, lambs processed kosher in the spring for passover; angora rabbits for fiber sales AND meat for your table or feed the dogs; rabbits for breeding for 4H kids; pigs...they eat ANYTHING and fill your freezer. Trade what you grow to someone else for feed stuff(corn, hay, etc.) instead of cash. Plenty of farm wives quilt or knit...

 

[BoxerMom]

One thing to keep in mind is, if you decide to go ahead with this, you won't be making money right away, or even anytime soon. In addition to the cost of buying land, there is also a lot of money that will have to be put into buying all your animals, raising them, feeding costs, vet costs if any of them get sick, equipment to process them, shear wool, build proper housing for the animals, watering systems, etc...

Then you'll have to find people willing to buy your product. You don't want to sink money into all this only to find out no one is willing to purchase your products. That being said, I know there are a few programs farmers can sign up for, where people pay a flat amount for weekly food products from farmers, I just can't recall the names of any of those programs.

Actually, we are going to be purchasing some land and do something similar, but no big livestock for us. We're looking into contacting other farmers in our area who would be willing to trade goods. Say a few pounds of rabbit meat for a few dozen eggs, etc...

Good luck!