Recently several people have asked me what advice I have for prospective hobby farmers on the verge of taking ‘the big plunge’. I’ve mulled that over and briefly, this is what I’d say (and please: feel free to comment on any of my conclusions):

• Before you embark on any venture, be it buying a farm, market gardening, raising beef cattle, selling meat goats to ethnic markets—anything—research the subject to death. Read the excellent Hobby Farms articles archived at this site, peruse books on the subject (most libraries offer interlibrary loan—they can borrow virtually any book you request). Talk to people already doing the thing you want to do and meet with County Extension agents in the area where you farm or plan to farm. And Google (www.Google.com) it! If you don’t know how to use a search engine, visit Google Guide (www.googleguide.com) and learn how. As a writer, I spend hundreds and hundreds of hours doing online research; believe me, the information is out there. If you skip this step you’re in for nasty surprises. Unfortunately, reliable information wasn’t as readily available in the early 1970’s as it is now, and what was out there made ‘homesteading’ sound like a breeze. It isn’t, and we made lots of unnecessary mistakes. I can’t stress this too strongly: educate yourself before you commit.
• Scope out where you’re going to live. Not all country destinations are alike. Spend your vacations in the area or even rent before you buy. Is it reasonably easy to make friends (even if you’re an introvert, farming without friends to help out at times is very hard indeed)? Do locals make you feel welcome and if not, does that matter? How much convenience and cultural withdrawal can you accept? What about physicians and vets; do they offer the sorts of services you’ll require? Are area schools up to your standards? Find this all out (and more—much more) before you move. You’ll be very, very glad you did.
• Once you’ve settled in, be prepared before you start any project. Don’t cob things together—in the long run it costs more in sweat equity, aggravation and replacement costs than you can possibly imagine (we’re currently replacing 29 acres of sloppy wire fencing with tautly-stretched goat-proof woven wire—enough said).
• Start small and learn as you go. Even well-researched projects can go awry. A case in point: our registered Boer goat venture. The first two years we had our little herd, the ongoing drought here in the Ozarks made buying decent hay next to impossible, so we constantly struggled to balance our does’ diets. Two (duly vaccinated) goats died from enterotoxemia, two others nearly succumbed. Losses are inevitable but these goats are ‘family’, so we simply stopped breeding. Now we have a very expensive herd of pasture ornaments, but better six does than thirty!
• Finally, don’t expect to achieve immediate self-sufficiency. It’s next to impossible for beginning small farmers and country entrepreneurs (or ones that have been doing it over thirty years!) to earn enough at home to cover $4 per gallon gas and diesel fuel and the rapidly escalating cost of feed and groceries. Sure, you can grow some of your own but that doesn’t happen overnight, either. In time you might be able to give up your day job—and then again, maybe not. If you can, learn a trade before moving to the boonies; something you can do at or from the farm. Otherwise, you’re at the mercy of country wages, which often equate with minimum wage.

It sounds grim, but it isn’t. Most folks who really want to will thrive in a country setting. By seeing the relevant angles and planning before you act, you can too!

So, I have pulled up stakes in sunny Az and moved to cold and snowy ND where I have family and land and farms are cheaper.  I now have 60 acres of land and buildings which will all need much work before they can support me and the critters.  I am in the process of figuring out what everything will cost so that I can plan what to do first.  I left my critters in Az which means I have to start over with purchasing them.   I can relate to the fencing comment as that is my first project.   I am trying to figure out how to fence a small part and then add on to it as I have the cash.  Unfortuneately, my boys (12 and 8) are not as helpful as my older boys (also left in Az) and pulling fencing seems a bit beyond me by myself.  Luckily I bought the place from someone who lives less than 10 miles away and I think he will help me.  I'm planning a big work day with lots of good food for my "free help". 

I have decided that I can start (as I did in Az) with chickens and geese.  I know how to raise them (and even got one gosling the natural way).  I have a building they can live in with limited fix up and guardian dogs to keep the coyotes at bay.  At the risk of over extending myself, I may try turkeys too.  At least I get eggs and chicken dinner.  I believe that I can kill poultry.

I also suffer from the problem of thinking of my critters as pets so how can I eat little Gandolph so even though everyone says you can sell Boer goats, I have decided to have oberhaslis (for the milk, cheese, yogurt and goat soap and because I can keep the wethers as pack goats) and myotonic goats (since people may buy them as pets or as breeding stock...I'm guessing a fainting goat is not a good idea for a pack goat LOL)  and I can avoid dealing with killing them.  I am going to try to raise the heritage breed animals that are more rare even though the initial output is more so that I can feel like I'm doing something worthwhile and avoid slaughter.  I think I will eventually get over my resistance to that (or my boys will leave and I'll just be a vegetarian).

As to other reasons I moved, my kids are all adopted and have a lot of emotional needs and I was fully aware that ND has much better schools and services than Az.  I have left behind a huge support system in Az and haven't got it built up here but they talk alot about "North Dakota Nice" so I think we will get there.

Everyone wants to know why I moved here is January and I tell them it's a better place to raise kids and vegetables.  I don't expect to ever be much more than subsistence but hey...if I can sit outside in the spring and listen to the geese and ducks (wild and tame) and watch my kids (human and goat) play...that ain't bad.  Mary Ann

You're doing everything right; you're going to make it this time. We moved from Indiana to Minnesota (think "Minnesota Nice") and lived there 22 years. We were welcomed right from the get-go and I'll consider myself a Minnesotan to the day that I die. The winters are harsh and summer means deerflies (the bane of my existence) and mosquitos, but you know, our Minnesota gardens were far more productive than the ones we're struggling to establish here. We couldn't do long season varieties but the short season varieties thrived! There's a lot to be said for the northern tier of states, at least in my book. I love the open winters in the Ozarks but all things considered, it's just easier living up there.

Sue

I would also add, in regards to livestock, to get experience with your chosen animal(s) before you dive in and buy your ideal stock.  If you want to raise a rare heritage breed of pigs or cattle, start with what you can find locally (cheap!) and raise it.  You'll gain invaluable experience and if things go awry and the animal gets injured, sick, or dies, you'll have not lost a good chunk of your nest egg with it.

Dream Big.

Are you familiar with ATTRA (http://www.attra.org/)? It's part of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service and an invaluable reference for anyone investigating or involved in sustainable agriculture.

I bet many of their comprehensive bulletins (you can read them on line or download them as PDF files) would prove helpful but the nicest thing is that if you phone ATTRA, they'll put together a free custom-compiled, fat package of information (gathered from a wide array of sources) geared specifically for your needs and mail it to you.

I honestly think this is one of the most useful resources for anyone interested in any sort of sustainable agriculture. The marketing information alone is priceless!

One of their many bulletins is "Organic Asparagus Production"; read it here (or click on the PDF download information to get it as a PDF file: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/asparagus.html

You'll also find (sometimes brief) bulletins about commercially marketing asparagus here: www3.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG6236.html 

http://ohioline.osu.edu/b826/b826_15.html

www.uky.edu/Ag/NewCrops/introsheets/asparagus.pdf

www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf1093.pdf

www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-227.pdf

www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/vegetables/438-102/438-102.html

And there are even more asparagus-related market links here:

www.agmrc.org/agmrc/commodity/vegetables/asparagus/

I hope this helps!  :o)

Sue