Farming is one of the most important industries in the world. Through farming, we get nutritious food, animal products, revenue, and leisure.
Agriculture has become more popular nowadays. Anyone can do it, even if you’re not born into a farming family.
In this article, you will learn how to start a farm and make it successful from the scratch, the types of farms, and if farming is profitable for farmers.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Why Start a Farm?
Are you starting a farming business for profit? Leisure? A new farming idea? Or you have seen a gap and know you can fill it? These questions will guide you before starting your small farm business.
Some small and large farms started from a deep desire to connect with the land. Some started from a simple idea. So, many reasons drive people to start farming.
Is Farming Profitable?
If you are optimistic about farming, this question might be good to consider. It can be yes and no. The profit from the farm business will depend on the kind of farming you are venturing into.
For instance, the profit from fish farming might not be the same as the profit from horticulture farming.
Also, the location of your farm, time of the year, and other factors might impact the profit you make from farming. For example, some crops are seasonal, and some animals only breed at certain times of the year.
Types of Farm Businesses to Start
There are many types of farms to start. We have compiled some popular types of farms you can choose from.
1. Livestock Farming
This is a type of farming where you can raise animals for meat, milk, wool, eggs, and many more. The demand for meat and milk is increasingly high, and health-conscious people are turning to the meat that is hormone and antibiotic-free.
2. Crop Farming
On a crop farm, you can grow different crops like fruits and vegetables. You can sell them to grocery stores.
If you grow crops like maize, beans, etc., you can sell them to the farmers’ markets.
3. Fish Farming
If you decide on fish farming, you can rear fish in either contained water bodies or tanks. And most often fish is raised for food.
Raising fish in tanks gives you more control over the fish’s environment. And according to the Animal Welfare Institute, half of the fish consumed in the world is raised on fish farms.
4. Flower Farming
Flowers are seasonal and grow well in certain conditions. People give flowers as a gift to their loved ones.
And the good thing is you can choose to sell locally, nationally, or internationally. Besides that, you can also offer florist services at weddings, funerals, parties, and many events, which brings additional revenue.
5. Agritourism
This is a type of farming where you offer accommodation on your farm. Some people are looking for places to stay on the farms. So, this can be a profitable business besides growing crops and rearing animals.
6. Energy Farm
The purpose of energy farming is to offer sustainable energy that is environmentally safe for people and animals. Even though this type of farming is rarely talked about, it can be done in unique ways.
You can use solar or wind to generate power on your farm. You can install many solar panels to tap into the sun’s energy. Or you use windmills to generate power. It’s typically done in windy areas like the ocean or on top of hills.
In addition, you can grow energy crops like clover, corn, and different types of grasses to replace coal and fossil fuels.
7. Entertainment Farm
These are farms that create lifetime memories. And you can do them even on a small farm. It could be a petting zoo, a pumpkin patch, U-pick farms (blueberries, strawberries, and more), and horse stables for horseback riding.
There are many farming ideas you can convert into an entertainment farm.
6 Steps to Start a Farm From the Scratch
Agriculture can be very lucrative. Just like any other business, it can take months to learn the ropes, plan your crops, market your products and run a small farm.
However, there are steps that can help you to start a farm like a pro. Follow these actionable steps and get started.
Step 1: Good Planning
Starting a new farm or ranch depends on good planning. Plan on how to operate your farm. Your plan could be:
- How and where to get land?
- Identify what you want to grow.
- Budget estimate for your farm.
- Where to get a farming education?
Step 2: Identify What You Want to Grow
As a farmer, the first step is to choose what you want to produce on your farm. You can decide to grow crops or raise livestock on your small piece of land for a start depending on your situation.
Also, if you want sustainable agriculture, you should start growing crops with a passion that promotes biodiversity. However, you should go for agricultural products that offer good profit on your small farm.
Step 3: Find the Right Land for Your Farm
Get land to establish your farm. Agriculture, in general, relies on land and other factors. If you own land, congratulations. If you don’t own one, you can buy or lease it to start a farm.
Buying land will give you full control over its use, though you will assume financial risks for the success of your farm. Moreover, leasing land is the most preferred option for many beginning farmers. It reduces financial risks, and less capital is required.
When purchasing or leasing land, there are a few factors to consider. They will help you determine the kind of livestock to raise and crops to plant. Here are the factors to consider:
- The fertility of the land.
- The climate of the area and which one is appropriate for your crops or livestock.
- How much rain does the area get? Does the area flood easily?
- If it’s a dry area, you should check whether it is possible to irrigate the land?
- Is it easy to work on the land?
- Is the land safe for employees and animals?
- Availability and proximity to the market.
- Infrastructure such as roads and power.
Step 4: Get the Capital
Like any other small business, you need funds to run your farm. The funds could be used to purchase land, and equipment, to learn how to farm, labor, license, and other operations.
If you don’t have enough capital to fund your farm business, you can look for grants and scholarships from local and national organizations.
Step 5: Get Some Real-World Experience
Even if you’re new to farming, you can still learn from other farmers with experience in agriculture.
Even novice farmers who now run larger farms learned how to farm either from other farmers or went to agricultural training.
Gregory Heilers suggests for farmers get training in farming. So, you can join a farm school or learn to farm as you go.
Step 6: Market Your Farm and Products
You can market your farm products through farmers’ markets and sell directly to consumers, grocery stores, and other marketing channels.
You can also establish a farm shop if you have enough traffic nearby. Besides, we have other options to sell your farm products, such as community-supported agriculture (CSA), food hubs, online marketing, and local growers’ cooperatives.
Get started On Your farm
There are so many ways to start your farm. No wrong or right way. Every farmer has a unique farming journey.
But these six steps will help you to establish your farm from the ground. Even if you’re a new farmer and you want to learn how to farm, these steps can help you get started
With the information at hand, start your farming journey. Are you ready to start farming?