Decisions for Beginning Farmers
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One of the most daunting questions a landowner wrestles with is ‘what can I grow on my land?” Assessing the potential of a piece of land, and its suitability for agricultural enterprises, is a complex process of decision making. The best ideas balance both the assets and limitations of the land’s natural resources, a landowner’s interests and skill sets, and potential markets to sell farm products. Some of the questions that can help you in these decisions include:
Natural Resources
- Does your site have water access for irrigation?
- Surface water (creeks, ponds, and rivers) and wells are the most commonly used water sources. Surface water can be at risk for contaminants, and food safety measures are advised for edible crops.
- Is your land sloped?
- Most landowners in WNC operate on some level of a slope, and certain crops can adapt well to the water and air drainage a slope provides. Of course, steep land is most challenging for crop production, particularly for equipment access. The orientation of your fields is also important, so pay attention to how the sun tracks across your land throughout the year.
- How much sunlight do you have?
- Open fields can produce many types of crops, but there are also opportunities for shade production of native woodland plants, mushrooms, and forest products. Southern orientation maximizes sunlight, but can also cause plants to break dormancy earlier than preferred.
Interests and Skills
- Do you have experience with animals or particular crops?
- Grow what you like, and experiment with a range of plants early on to help you decide what might be the best fit for your land.
- If you are farming for the first time, have you visited other farms with similar production to see if it’s a good fit?
- Farm tours are an excellent way to see a variety of operations and talk directly to the farmers.
- What other skill sets do you have that can be assets for a farming enterprise?
- Farming demands a broad mix of skills beyond growing the actual crop, and it can be very useful to have a mix of abilities in marketing, financial management, engineering, and beyond. No one person can do it all, so also rely on skilled professionals that can help you when needed,
Potential Markets
- Do you want people to come to your farm, or would you prefer to take your products to market?
- Some people love weekly farmers markets, where they can interact directly with customers, others prefer U-pick or agritourism operations where customers are hosted at the farm. Think carefully about where you fall into this spectrum.
- How will you reach potential customers?
- Building your customer base takes time and needs to be strategic. Starting with your social networks and broadening out can be useful, allowing you to experiment with different ways to communicate. Social media posts, email promotions and newsletters are commonly used.
Asking yourself these questions provides you with initial directions to explore in the early stages of your farm business. Extension professionals are here to assist you as you evolve your farming aspirations from ideas into reality.