Americans are leaving desk jobs to farm

[Streetcar]

Travel over
I am sure there are many young small farmers in Colorado also

 

[smstonypoint]

The point is that you can have a big garden and sell produce at a market and be consider a farmer.
My cousin lives by the North Carolina guy from tv show mountain men. He survives by getting young people to basically volunteer to work at his farm.
This article seems to be the same situation

The USDA definition of a "farm" specifies annual sales of $1,000 or more.

Steve

 

[smstonypoint]

I'm from ag and approximately 2/3rds of my family is in it today. (I'm not) All of their operations are larger than the sizes listed..... Yet they are indeed, family farms.

If you look at the tables, farms above specified acreage thresholds (2,000 for agronomic crops, 1,000 for horticultural crops) are lumped together. Here's how the USDA classifies farms (USDA Small Farm Definitions - eXtension).

This graphic provides info on the USDA classifications (USDA ERS - Background on Farm Structure)

Steve

 

[zzvyb6]

:laughing: Everybody knows that it's spelled REGRATS.

<pet peave>

Do we have to keep regurgitation this ? In Michigan you can be a farm on 1/4 acre or less. Size is not a defining element of a farm here. (Right to Farm Act). Could be bees or tulips or pumpkins. BUT: You can not create a NEW nuisance (like a brand new hog farm), And OLD nuisance can't be shut down.

 

[/pine]

Here in the GA, SC, NC area...where there was once a lot of small family farms and orchards...many now are being reclaimed by both groups and individuals generally associated with different universities and colleges...
...Many of the old farms are now vineyards and new wineries are popping up all over...many of the new farms (100% organic) sell to wholesale distributors as well as having retail farm-side stands/markets...
...Another trend locally is the farm to table concept with community sponsored markets...another concept is self and semi self sufficient restaurants/inns that also have retail markets...many have limited hours / serving schedules etc. and can have very long waiting lists for reservations...

 

[feasant]

my desk job is paying for my farm hobby. but hopefully, in a couple years, farming will be fulltime and somebody else can have my desk

 

[jerrybob]

How's the tattoo working out for you?

View attachment 529582

It's good.....most folks don't see it unless I show them.......

 

[Garandman]

Around here there is a big push to “Buy Local Food.”

Compared to anywhere outside New England, that’s going to be from a relatively small farm. New England farms will never be low-cost producers (unless they are selling rocks!) but many folks will pay something extra.

 

[Garandman]

The farmer in article has three acres, growing salad greens. Not what most people think of when they hear farmer

Except her predecessor.

Whitehurst bought her farm, Owl’s Nest, from a retiring farmer in 2015.

The farm sits at the end of a gravel road, a series of vegetable fields unfurling from a steep hill capped by her tiny white house. Like the farmer who worked this land before her, she leases the house and the fields from a neighboring couple in their 70s.

Think this is more important.

Midsize farms are critical to rural economies, generating jobs, spending and tax revenue. And while they’re large enough to supply mainstream markets, they’re also small enough to respond to environmental changes and consumer demand.

Just as 3D printing promises to bring manufacturing down in scale, these folks may be creating farms “In the cracks.”

 

[square1]

Reminds me of the autoworker and farmer having breakfast at the local diner (this was about 40 years ago). The farmer was lamenting how hard it was to make a living off the land. The autoworker kept insisting anyone could make a living farming if they weren't afraid of work and had a lick of sense. Before breakfast was over a wager, $100 if I remember correctly, was made. The autoworker owned 20 acres and he would make a profit, any profit at all, from farming it the next season. Equipment cost would not be considered except for maintenance, repairs, and fuel.

The season ended with the autoworker owning a broken down tractor, several pieces of farm equipment and his wallet at least $100 lighter, although I'm certain it was much, much more.