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So you want to buy a farm?

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Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#141

Post by LunaSea »

tjic wrote: post #118
LunaSea wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would someone need 90K to write a book while already having a profession? Interviewing three people is also apparently worth 5K. And the book's photos are black & white ...

Author of "Escape the City" here. I didn't "need" $90k to write the book. I chose to sell copies of a book, at typical book prices. Thousands of people chose to buy the book. That's where the $90k number comes from. > And the book's photos are black & white ... "The food is terrible...and the portions are so small". The wonderful thing about the free market is that those who want to buy a thing can, and those who don…

> I chose to sell copies of a book, at typical book prices.

If we want to be technical you weren't selling copies of a book, you were selling the promise of finished copies of a book.

> "The food is terrible...and the portions are so small".

It's great to see how you take valid criticism.

> The wonderful thing about the free market is that those who want to buy a thing can, and those who don't, need not.

Absolutely correct. However, that doesn't prevent me from expressing valid criticism.

But good on you for writing this book. I think it's a very interesting topic and will probably buy a copy.

I just wish people were a bit more honest about their goals sometimes.

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#142

Post by sethammons »

snarf21 wrote: post #124
driverdan wrote: post #20

I always laugh when someone who has never worked on a farm talks about buying one. Most farming is hard work, much harder than an office job. And most small farms do not make much money, especially if you don't know what you're doing. If you're thinking about it go get a job on one first before you buy anything.

Exactly this. Been there, done that. I always joke that the only people who want to buy a farm are people who've never worked on one. I also joke to people that farming is really just a part-time job. Everyday you get to pick which 12 hours you are going to work!

“[I work part time.] There are huge chunks of time.. at night.. where I’m just asleep. For hours. It’s ridiculous.”

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#144

Post by driverdan »

nicbou wrote: post #127

People vastly underestimate how much work "simple" lifestyles are. It's the same with van life. It sounds great in practice, but simple things like showering, defecating and preserving food become very difficult. I suspect that with farming or homesteading, you forego things like financial safety and the ability to take vacations. I value those things a lot. In my opinion, the best way out is a lifestyle business, or…

> It's the same with van life. It sounds great in practice, but simple things like showering, defecating and preserving food become very difficult.

I have to both agree and disagree. I've been living in my converted bus for about 3.5 years. It's harder and more complex than living in a fixed location but it depends a lot on the setup of your vehicle and how you use it.

If you have a low end conversion with no shower or toilet it's a lot more complex, especially in COVID times with limited access to public facilities.

If you have an RV or something like my bus with a full conversion it's not bad. I have to refill my fresh water every 2-3 weeks, that's it.

The hardest part is dealing with repairs. Typically when something in your home needs repair you don't have to move out.

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#145

Post by jelliclesfarm »

The article doesn’t even touch upon ground realities re labour issues. esp during covid times in India. Or on the ground practical challenges.

Hobby farmers in India should stick to fruit orchards(coconut/mango) or spices.

The govt incentivises small farmers a lot. Also, in India..you can’t buy farmland unless your family..father or grandfather has been a farmer or land owning farmer. Indian origin foreign citizens cannot buy farmland. Altho some states are trying to change it(Karnataka where Coorg is being one of them)

I am disappointed with this article. It has the opportunity to create new farmers and guide them but ended up like rah rah self help fluff piece.

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#146

Post by jelliclesfarm »

mhb wrote: post #143

I liked the movie The Biggest Little Farm about getting a farm running: https://www.biggestlittlefarmmovie.com/ Realistic? Idealistic? Impractical? I don't know and I'm sure others with more knowledge will comment, but I thought it was interesting and entertaining.

Entertainment

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#147

Post by jelliclesfarm »

raptorraver wrote: post #40

I'm starting to sell my city apartment this week and we are going to move to the country side to start a small scale farm! I've worked in the farm all my youth and this summer we lived on the place and did some small scale gardening. I don't have any (at least many) false thoughts about how cool and romantic it will be. It will be hard and frustrating at times but waay more fulfilling than the current tech job. We're…

Do you think a small robot that is like an extension of yourself help you in a small farm?

I am working on a small acreage/homesteader farm robot. It is not sensors or measuring nitrogen in soil etc. but it’s suitable for replacing 10-15 man hours/week (a seasonal part timer I usually have to employ) for a 1-5 acres farm. Small acreage = sub 100 acres in California. But the first package deal will be for homesteaders and also starting with medicinal herb co-op.

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#148

Post by jelliclesfarm »

PopeDotNinja wrote: post #59
raptorraver wrote: post #40

I'm starting to sell my city apartment this week and we are going to move to the country side to start a small scale farm! I've worked in the farm all my youth and this summer we lived on the place and did some small scale gardening. I don't have any (at least many) false thoughts about how cool and romantic it will be. It will be hard and frustrating at times but waay more fulfilling than the current tech job. We're…

How much land does one need to become self sufficient? Let's assume that means producing enough biomass to generate the resources necessary to have a surplus of food or money.

1 acre per person not including oil and grain and fiber.

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#149

Post by jelliclesfarm »

anticodon wrote: post #76
PopeDotNinja wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much land does one need to become self sufficient? Let's assume that means producing enough biomass to generate the resources necessary to have a surplus of food or money.

Thanks to the collapse of the USSR and with help of our inept corrupt leaders (Gorbachev and Yeltsin and their US "friends") destroying all the industry and economy, millions of ex-soviet citizens know exactly how hard it is to become self sufficient. I worked really hard on our family "farm" all my childhood and that's maybe the only thing that helped us survive. Although we did experience hunger from time to time.…

Indoor hydroponics. No question at all. It’s the only way to be self sufficient in a harsh climate.

Re: So you want to buy a farm?

#150

Post by jelliclesfarm »

dehrmann wrote: post #27
driverdan wrote: post #20

I always laugh when someone who has never worked on a farm talks about buying one. Most farming is hard work, much harder than an office job. And most small farms do not make much money, especially if you don't know what you're doing. If you're thinking about it go get a job on one first before you buy anything.

There's the other big that gardeners (especially home covid gardeners) forget: almost nothing you want to grow on your "coupla acres" has enough calories to sustain you. Potatoes are probably the only exception. Everything else--beans, wheat, corn--is a pain to grow and process, especially at a small scale.

Millets. And lentils. Calorie and nutrient dense.
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