Advice for new farmers?

Hi, I am 14 years old (turning 15 in 2ish months not that it matters) I've been raising bottle calves for about 5 years now, I raise them too about the 500 lbs range then sell them. I also work for a farmer down the road and learned alot there and really enjoy it. I am now saving my money to buy a bred beef cow to get into a cow calf operation. But I digress the point of my post is I know I've got alot to learn yet and some lessons I probably will only learn thru the school of hard knocks, but what advice would you give to a beginning farmer??

Thanks, -Garrett

Read. Read a lot. Get into some books by Greg Judy, Jim garish, and Joel Salatin. Be patient, and remember Rome wasn't built in a day. If the cow business is what you're interested in, learn as much as you can about low input production and grazing. Don't get caught up in worrying about equipment and paint, focus on the animals.

Honestly? If Burger King will hire you for 9$ an hour you?ll make more over a lifetime working there than you ever will farming even if you never get one raise.

Probably that's true. I'm sure I'll have to work a 2nd job, in fact I'm planning on it, when I turn 16 I can do my last 2 years of high school at a technical college and I'm going to go for diesel mechanic. And I'll work part time as a mechanic and farm as well, and if that doesn't work, maybe I'll flip burgers. I'd have quit trying 5 years ago if I was in it for money, but I farm because I love to farm.
My Grandfather farmed and his dad did to and his dad farmed etc. Bout as far back as you can go my family has farmed. Unfortunately we didn't inherit the farm and my parents only raise a few steers to eat but you can ask them when I was 5 or 6 I said I wanted to farm and it's not changed since. Basically I'll farm or die trying.

end of rant.

On a side note thanks "Formenwhogrow" I'll look up those names you mentioned.

It?s discouraging but cattle are fun to have around and I do live to farm . You could always go organic but I don?t believe in telling lies to sell a product it doesn?t faze the organic farmers or the anti farming groups however so that could be an option

I started at about your age with one bred heifer. I had some luck and saved heifer calf after heifer calf from her, her daughters, and granddaughters. When I sold that heifer as a cull cow some 10 years later, she had 49 decendents either running around the farm as breeding stock and calves, or sold as fat cattle. If you are passionate about making a reasonable idea work, you can achieve it. Learn as much as you can from reading, teachers, and neighbors, and approach things with a long-term mindset.

Lon

Yeah I've contemplated organic, and I agree with your opinion on it, plus the regulations can be insane, but at the same time I'm keeping my options open.

Complete your grade 12.......attend collage.......train in something yo have natural ability for......work for twenty years then purchase your dream......

It worked.......

Bob...

I?ve thought about trying to sell as locally grown that I guess is a thing but still not sure how feel about that either your still trying to say your product Is better than anything raised on any other farm and it isn?t till could be an option I guess.

Pardon my jumping in.
Diesel Mechanic.
A 4 year degree in "Diesel Power Generation" is a starting wage of around $80/90K a year.
I'm a retired gasser mech. Diesel power is in it's infancy. Might be worth a look.
Then again 80K a year might buy a decent hobby farm.

I think a lot depends on where you choose to live as you age and get out on your own.

For us, life has dealt an extreme amount of blows. Our physical health was taken away in large part at an early age. Later calamities continued piling up until we finally retreated to where we live now, which REALLY IS in the middle of nowhere!

There's maybe 12 households in our township. Nearest neighbor is a mile away as the crow flies, or 5 miles by road. Can't see another yard light from our place except in Winter, and just that one neighbor's. Small towns all around us. Nearest larger town (still less than 4,000 people) is 75 miles away, and the nearest city (Grand Forks, ND) is over 100 miles.

Where I'm going with this is, in our area of tiny little towns, the very small grocery stores don't carry much in the way of produce. And often, what they have is simply not fit to eat! About 2 or 3 months ago, we were in a small grocery and I went to pick up a piece of produce. My thumb went into it like it was Jello pudding!

Add to that our climate, and how it is so very difficult to grow much of anything up here. The nearest Farmer's Market is 75 miles away, and only lasts about 3 weeks.

I've been wanting to build some grow tunnels to extend my growing season. Have also figured a way to grow so that our often-excessive ground moisture won't be a problem. And hopefully, in a few years, I'll have a starting area where I can start seed and have them grow for a month before transplanting, further increasing the season.

Point is, in this area, such an operation can do quite well. There is little cost for machinery, as no soil is tilled. No machinery for harvest. Nothing needed but a sub-compact tractor, or maybe even a riding mower with a decent trailer. Small operations like this are popping up all the time. Some people try it while in between jobs, but others really work to make it into something. And all that's [i:0f8f4b4ae2]needed[/i:0f8f4b4ae2] to make a decent living (at least at this time) is 10 to 20 acres.

As the population continues to grow, more and more of these operations will appear. There's still room for a lot more, but eventually the amount of competition will likely force prices for such produce to go lower. That's why I mentioned our area.

This area is one that very few people want to live in, and it's an area where you really have to think outside the box in order to survive. So with that in mind, you might want to "consider" locating yourself in some such area where good produce is difficult to come by.

Another possibility is to look into specialty crops. Some examples would be lavender, mushrooms, old-world grains that demand top dollar, etc. Another possibility is to consider growing a specialty crop, then packaging or processing it yourself. Grow all kinds of tomatoes and make custom ketchups and sauces. Grow carrots and/or sugar cane and open a drink bar. If you're artistic, you might even want to try your hand at small-scale woodworking, making things out of wood that nobody else wants; woodcarving, wood turning, etc.

Then you also have the option of raising animals. There are lots of people who like rabbit meat. Many people like chicken, but are tired of the forced-fed that they get in the stores. Specialty milks is another option. Maybe even raising your own milk animals, then making custom ice creams and/or butters. It doesn't have to be organic - that's just another way to charge more for an identical product. Costs to get organic certification are high, so therefore you have to price your product(s) higher. Lower prices anyone? I don't care if it's organic as long as it's good quality, but others think differently.

No matter what you do in life, ALWAYS give it your all. Even if you think it's a short-term job, do your best and treat it as if this will be your job for the rest of your life. You never know....it might just be!

Someone posted a video the other day about this man who grows citrus in Nebraska. Ah, here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD_3_gsgsnk
If you want to see where good ideas, dreams and hard work will get ya, watch that video. It's a shining example!

(quoted from post at 21:39:10 01/21/20) Honestly? If Burger King will hire you for 9$ an hour you?ll make more over a lifetime working there than you ever will farming even if you never get one raise.

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ot to mention you can spend your life being miserable. Keep looking ahead, make goals, and work to achieve them.

Starting a cow calf herd with zero debt is achievable and the fact that you are starting young means you can be well established in young adulthood. The most important thing to remember is that it is the Bulls which make or break the cow calf enterprise, you can buy fancy cows but if they are bred to poor Bulls then it is all for naught. Learn about EPD's and decide what traits you want in your replacement females, when you decide on a breed and bloodline of bull that will give you the type of replacements your after then it is time to buy a bull, then you buy starter cows. Buy the cheapest pairs or heavy breds at the sale barn, it does not matter if they are mixed, longhorn, corriente, dairy or just plain ugly, the idea is to get a head start on income by having calves or calves coming and breeding the bull of your choice back to your lower quality cows. First cross sell all the steers and keep the best looking heifers, breed cows back to first bull if you are satisfied and look for another good bull to breed the first Bulls heifers, by the 3rd cross using good Bulls you will have heifers which cannot be distinguished from pure breds. This is the methods that my Grandfather used, My Father used, I used and both of my Sons used, none of us ever borrowed or owed a penny on a cow, top bulls do not cost, they make money. Depending on your area you may be able to rent land or if land is reasonably priced then buying land is the same, get some pasture, run cows, pay for land, get more cows and more land, use income from both sets of cows to pay for additional land as you go, concentrate on adding income producing cows. Last advice is to control your own product, develop a worming and vaccination program and document same, buyers will pay premiums for healthy calves, if the sale barns charge high commissions in your area then look into selling direct to feedlot or hauling the calves elsewhere, if replacement heifers sell well in your area look at developing and breeding your heifers to sell rather than for beef, if the buyers want black cattle give them black cattle, common sense things but ignored by many people.

I don?t want to sound negative, but it?s about like moving a mountain with a shovel and a wheelbarrow. I started from nothing myself, so I know the frustration of wanting to farm. Worked for a dairyman through high school, then went to the city for two years. At 20 I rented a farm , bought some cows and started milking and feeding pigs. It was long and slow. Best advice, tongue in cheek, marry the only daughter of a successful farmer, that?s your best bet. Best of luck !

Get a good paying job,save your money,look for bargains in things you'll need farming.When you get enough money saved and equipment go into farming part time.At that point you'll be able to see if you really want to farm or not.

Have you though about goats instead? less capital and faster returns. I grew up with cattle nd still have a few feeders on the farm but I make a lot me money, cash money, on goats. Raising livestock guard dogs has been a money maker this year too.

I'm about at that point the goats are making me way more than the cows,I'll keep some cows to graze down the tough grasses the goats don't like much.Goats are out every day
browsing and grazing,cows stand around waiting for me to bring them hay.

Follow your dreams and passions. If you take a job just for the money you will hate to go to work everyday. IMHO you would not be better off flipping burgers at $9.00. Your a country boy who would rather be at the tail end of a cow with a horse than the end of a cow life with a flipper. You can do it by working smarter and harder. You already have a good start and plan. That a huge advantage over everyone else in your class. Good luck.

I sell my goats as soon as they are weaned to people wanting them as pets or to add to there herd. I make more that way then selling them to the meat market. I had my first litter of great Pyrenees this fall and sold the pups real easy.

Where you are located, or where you are willing to be located makes a huge difference. I moved to ND over 10 years ago. Should've moved 20 years ago. If I had started younger, I would be farming today. Came to the conclusion that at middle age, if I could afford to farm, I could afford to retire.

That said, I do work in the ag industry and make a really good living at it. There are jobs available in many different ag businesses. Agronomy, farm help/managers, livestock services, elevator management? Guidance councilor never said anything about elevator managers... Believe it or not there is a shortage. Not an entry level job, but can pay really well.

One note of caution on diesel mechanics, if you want to farm, stay away from ag dealers. The seasonal work load doesn't jive with having your own farm. Many ag mechanics work 50-70+ hours a week. Around here, the Peterbuilt dealer pays almost twice what the JD dealer pays and less crazy hours.

At the farm I work for we milk 120 goats actually and somedays I think to my self yeah I could raise goats, and other days not so much but it is something I'm considering

A huge thank you to all of you for the advice you have shared. I really appreciate it, have a great day!

Hi Cowboy. There is a lot of good advice here. Work hard and more importantly work smart. Keep your mistakes small. Try a few different things, and they expand on the ones that are profitable and that you like to do. Marketing can be the hardest part of any business. Get yourself a good mentor. Have fun! Bill

Pick where you want to live, then pick a career that you enjoy and let that pay for your lifestyle and for your hobbies.

Part time jobs like flipping burgers or stocking at Walmart offer limited hours and limited employee benefits compared to full time jobs. The cost of providing your own benefits gets expensive fast, especially for a family.

Running a business takes a wider range of knowledge and skills than working as an employee: accounting; management; budgeting; working with suppliers and employees, etc. Working two part time jobs or running two businesses can have diminishing returns compared to concentrating on doing one well until you are very well established in one business or career.

Get a good education, find a career you can be successful in and enjoy. Agronomists seem to be in pretty good demand in our area and crop insurance is an area where I?ve seen some people be very successful as examples. Then if you so desire have some cattle as a sideline. I personally wouldn?t suggest tying yourself down to a cowherd until you?ve finished school. I?m 32 and raised cattle, made hay and farmed since I was 15. I wish I?d focused on getting a better education when I had the chance, I started a cowherd when I was your age and didn?t want to give them up to leave for college. I?d seriously stress finding a good job and sticking with it and hobby farming. Agriculture is very unstable and you?ll always appreciate a steady income.

hi Garret,you said you are going to be a diesel mechanic,maybe you could look into an apprenticeship,which if you are a hands on type of leaner,would be a better experience,plus you won't have to pay for tech school,they will pay you a reasonable salary,which right off the bat will help you start out a farm.do you plan on growing your own hay and or crops?.....Rock

Garrett
You seem like a young man that any of us here would be proud to call there son
my grandfather use to tell me to never stop wanting to learn even if its like you said
flipping burgers .

When I was your age, in the sixties, I wanted to be a full time farmer. But I did like the idea of having money in my pocket more. So I did what I had to do to get a good job and then I could afford to play farmer on the side. Now I have a good retirement from 35 years at my real job and I can afford to still play farmer until I am unable to do so. Something you might want to think about. Although it sounds like you have a good work ethic already so I'm sure you'll do alright whatever you decide.

Any other types of agriculture around? Livestock can be a very rough business to be in and has been historically. A good off farm job will be very important regardless of what you do. Be open to moving to take advantage of opportunity. I kept my options open in terms of where I might wind up while at college. As it turned out there was no farmer's daughter whose father was looking for a son in law but who knows for you. Your gonna have to do something off of the beaten path as it will be tough to go up against the entrenched grain farmers for example. Be patient as profits most likely will be lean so as to have the enterprise be self supporting. If and when you get married be straight to the wife as to how you expect the business to proceed.

The two most valuable assets you will ever have you will never own. An understanding wife and an understanding banker. Keep that in mind while you are looking for them.

If you watch your pennies the dollars will take care of themselves.

Anybody in the OP?s area that would run brood cows on shares while he is in school?

Keep learning. Keep trying new things.

Don?t get too disappointed when you feel you aren?t getting any where early on. Farming is about accumulating things, not dollars, and turning them into assets that start paying you back many years later. It is a slow process and that can be -very- difficult to endure when you are young.

Slow and steady and keep progressing and someday you can look back and have something.

Won?t feel like it tho for the time being!

Paul

I was going to mention getting a good side trade and keeping a foot in that pool.
I don't think too many guys that are in that boat end up hanging themselves.
gm

I will definitely look in apprenticeship. I do plan to grow my own hay and crops. I'm in northern wisconsin and land here is not too expensive to rent, last feild I looked at was 40 acres for 2,000 a year. I'm looking at maybe doing a hay share with my employer this next summer, Id pay rent and seed etc. And use his equipment and we'd split the hay, or something so it would be fair to the both of us. But yes I do want to grow my own hay and hopefully corn down the road.

Thank you.

Don't quit your day job, or marry a girl with a father that has 4000 acres and no sons.

My mommie taught me that back when I was fresh out of diapers. Never forgot it. But on the pennies....in today's market......why is the govt wasting the taxpayer's money printing (cladding) the things.....useless.

My daddy was a private businessman and taught me that the customer is always right and without him/her you have no business!!!!!!

I read some of your later posts, in all honesty, you are better to work full time and farm part time, you will make much more which will capitalize your farming.

The last 2 years are what farming is all about most of the time. If we could price our raw product it would be very different. Then we might get close to parity. Get a white collar job, as they get 10 times or more the salary as blue collar. Get your savings laid back before 50 because no one wants you after that.

You summed it up right.I farmed part time as a partner with my dad,then at 48 quit the day job and went back to full time farming as dad's health was going down hill.Because of my job I had for 25 years I was way ahead and dad was too when I quit than if I'd of farmed full time those 25 years.Had money saved rather than debt and retirement account I draw on now.Bought land,equipment,etc could have never afforded just farming.Even worse today starting out farming.Plus we were able to do almost everything debt free,debt will drag a person and any business down.Always wanted two or three sources of income anyway so one thing can't put me in a financial hole.

I am across the pond in mid wales uk and I don't know if
Farming in the states is the same but over here farming
is more trouble than it's worth
I have a cousin who is married to a farmer on a rented
holding and she says it is a labour of love working with animals but very little profit and long hours with day job
But you are keen to have a go and I wish you well with
Whatever you decide to do

-If you are starting with one bred cow do you have access to a bull to rebreed her?

-Kind of sucks the way that it works but the best money you will make on cattle will come at someone else's expense.
Save up you money and feed and wait for a dry year, it will come.

When others are reducing their numbers to cope with the feed shortage the prices will be low, that's when you want to be ready to buy.

Lots of quality breeding stock can be had for slaughter price or less when times are tough.

-Your choice, you can buy one now for top dollar or buy 2 or 3 or more for the same money if you are patient and wait.

-Spread the risk out.
If you have 3 head and loose 1 it doesn't hurt you as bad when it happens and it will happen.
If you have a single cow and it decides to drop dead you are back to square one.

-Went to a sale one spring and ended up with a dozen older bred cows.
The plan at the time was to send them to slaughter after the calves were weaned.
4 of them calved within the first week and the rest were not far behind.
On average each of the calf's brought double of what we had paid for the cows.
Rolled the dice on them and ended up with another 5-7 calf's off each of them before they either died or were sent to slaughter.

Hay is a commodity where prices can vary a lot, in the winter in a poor hay growing year hay prices can spike to where people need to sell off part of their herds to stay afloat, in many summers you can buy baled hay off the field for less than you can can grow it yourself. Learn the hay market in your area and how to buy your inputs at low cost.

Hay is a very time sensitive crop, burning vacation time or turning down good paying work to put up hay can be a money loosing battle.

Easy answer in today's economy. Since farming appeals to you, one or an other construction trade, most likely excavation should as well. Go to work for a contractor doing what you like, grab and bank OT pay wherever you can, and once you are confident in your skill set you can pick up some small equipment and some jobs and start making some money. Often a small business owner will take pride in helping a good employee get started. Some friends started out in landscaping then slowly moved more and more into excavation. Over the last 15 years they have gone from one dump truck and one excavator to three dump trucks and five excavators. Once you have a comfortable income from something you enjoy doing you can make the plunge into farming as a means of getting rid of money