You want to start a farm, that’s a great decision! But, now you have an important choice to make. What type of farm will you start? Before you just jump in, learn the different types of farms that you can start so that you make the choice that makes the most sense for you.
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Determine Your Goals
First, consider your
goals for farming. Do you want to make a living at it or is it just to feed your family? Some people even farm as a hobby. Knowing your goals will help you determine the type of farm to start. If you want to start a business, you’ll have to craft a business plan and figure out where you will get the capital to get started. If you are doing it for a hobby or to feed your family, you will still need to plan, but the formality of the plan won’t be as crucial because you won’t have to worry about impressing banks or investors.
What Will You Sell?
If you are starting a farm as a business, you’ll have to figure out what you will sell. Are you interested in one type of crop or several? Are you not interested in selling crops, but would rather sell meat, poultry, or dairy? These farms obviously have different needs that will require planning.
Sit down and figure out which items you want to sell once you determine you are going into farming as a business. This way you will have an idea of the resources you will need and the capital necessary to secure those resources. As a general guide, here’s what the standard farms sell:
- Crop only farm – Sells fruits, vegetables, and grains
- Dairy farm – Sells milk, yogurt, and cheese
- Poultry farm – Sells eggs, turkey, and chicken
- Meat farm – Sells pig or cattle meat
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Check Out the Competition
There is a great need for any type of farming in the US, so you don’t have to ‘do something different.’ This doesn’t mean copy the other farmers in your area, but do see what they are doing that works. If they are successful and you craft a successful business model, you may be successful too.
Steer clear of the ‘out of the ordinary’ type farms. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you are filling a void. Again, sell what works. People will always need crops, dairy, poultry, and meat. If you want to be a little ‘different’ consider going organic, as there is a growing need for this type of farming all throughout the United States.
Make a Plan
The final step, once you have exhausted all of your resources is to make a plan. You can start informal by making a list of what you’ll need and how you will make it happen. Eventually, though, you will need a
formal business plan if you are going into farming for profit. The business plan is not only for the funding banks, but also for your purposes. It gives you a guide and goals to work towards to help you succeed at farming.
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