Forever the farmhand, never the farmer. Over the last ten years, Grey has learned many ways to kill a crop, mistime a planting, and botch a harvest. Grey has learned exactly how to attract a diverse array of pests, give a goat parasites, and nurture a budding disease. Grey has caused and patched hundreds of irrigation leaks. Grey has thrown away hundreds of feet of row cover. Most importantly, Grey has ended hundreds of workdays wondering how twelve hours got away so quickly with so little progress.
“90% of farming is learning what not to do” -Grey Shamburger
Obviously, I don’t know what I’m doing, but I have never worked for a farmer that does seem to know what they’re doing, so I think I’m ready to do it on my own. I know the description above might seem a bit disheartening, but I really do love farming. I also know how hard it is. I still would prefer it over anything else. I enjoy the challenges of balancing environmental regeneration with fiscal sensibility, productivity with self-preservation, and expectations with cruel reality. That’s not to say that I have many expectations of where or what to farm. I’d be open to almost anything, no matter how established the operation is. The one real expectation that I have in using Farm Link is to find some way to keep the bank out of the deal. I’ve seen too many farmers go down that path that leads to unsustainable growth, and I’d like to avoid it. I believe there’s a way, and I believe that many of us, especially here on Farm Link, feel the same.
Whatever you've got is great. If you've got nothing but a scorched cliff face, I might still go for it.
These are all farms that I've experienced for full or multiple seasons:
-University research farm, mostly cattle and some greenhouses
-Meat and veggie farm in Watauga County, NC that *dabbled* in biodynamics
-Flower farm on a 20-degree slope in Ashe County, NC
-Goat dairy in Jefferson, NC that made cheese and caramel
-Veggie wholesale farm in Flathead Valley, MT that grew the only sweet corn in MT
-Veggie market farm in Bozeman, MT with a 250-member CSA
-No direct orchard experience, but I am also an arborist, and I love trees
If starting from raw land, begin with whatever veggie crops or pasture animals fit well in the microclimate present, and spend a few years building the soil and reputation in the local community. Keep a day job for as long as needed. The plan will obviously need to adapt heavily to whatever the specifics of the land and current stewards are, so there's not really a set plan.
We all know that it's hard to make a living selling raw agricultural products, so finding a way to add value in the long term is the general goal. Could that be a farm food truck? Yes. Could that be a preservation operation? Yes. Could it be a creamery? Most definitely. It could manifest in many different ways once again depending on the land. Ultimately though, permaculture is the goal, so whatever value gets added to the products will be going back into the farm to make it happier, healthier, and more vibrant, something more worth passing on forever.
I have a self-sustaining home on wheels. So a flat-ish spot in full-ish sun would be preferable.
We all have differences, and we'd be nothing without them. We also have something in common that we can use to strengthen each other and our communities. That commonality will change person to person, but it's there, and more common than most people think right now. If we meet each other where we're at and form a bond based on good communication, I believe we can do anything. There's no need to hide anything from me. I've been told by most people I meet that it seems impossible to make me uncomfortable. I can think of a few ways to do it, but I don't think they'll come up in a farmer/landowner relationship. I'm going to be myself from day one, and if you don't like it just let me know.
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