2 answers
Frank
Student
Atlantic, Iowa
3
Questions
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What are your greatest tips when starting farming?
What are your greatest tips when starting farming?
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2 answers
Kirthi KN
Computers
35
Answers
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Updated
Kirthi’s Answer
Namaste ji,
You are asking a very good question. Farming is not just a job, it is a way of life. It is in our blood. But starting a new can be very tough. My father and his father were farmers, and I have learned a few things from the soil itself. Here is my advice, from my heart.
1. Start Small, Learn Big.
Don't go and buy 50 acres of land. No, no. Start with one acre, or even half an acre or how much ever small it could be. Learn on that small piece of land. Understand the seasons, the pests, the happiness of a good crop, and the sadness of a failed one. This small land will be your school. If you make a mistake, it will be a small mistake.
2. Become a Friend of Your Soil (Your Mitti).
Before you plant a single seed, you must understand your soil. Is it sandy? Is it clay? Get it tested. The testing people will tell you what it needs. Is your water from a borewell or a canal? Is it salty? The soil is your mother, you must know what she needs to feed the crops.
3. Think of the Market First, Crop Second. [if you are into making money from Agri]
This is a very big mistake many new people make. They grow what they like. But you must grow what the market likes! Go to your nearest mandi (market). Talk to the traders. Ask them, "What sells for a good price? What is the demand for?" Grow that. It is better to grow a simple vegetable that sells fast than a fancy fruit that nobody wants to buy.
4. Water is More Precious Than Gold.
In India, we know the value of every single drop. Don't just flood your fields. Learn about drip irrigation. It costs money one time, but it saves so much water and gives it directly to the roots. Make a plan for rainwater harvesting. Every drop from the sky is a blessing.
5. Keep a Good Hisab-Kitab (Accounts-Book).
Farming is a business. Write everything down. How much for seeds? How much for fertilizer? How much for labour? And when you sell, how much did you get? How much time you are spending? Are you really into it? What's lacking from your side (mentally, psychologically). This will help you understand if you are making a profit or a loss. Don't keep it all in your head. A small notebook is your best friend.
6. Your Best Teacher is Your Neighbour Farmer.
The man farming next to you has been doing it for 20 years. He knows more than any book. Be humble. Go and talk to him. Ask for his advice. Share a cup of chai (Tea). He will tell you secrets about the weather and the pests that you cannot find on the internet. We farmers are a community.
7. If You Are Thinking Organic... Be Patient.
Organic farming is very good, I am also doing it on some of my land. But it is slow. The first 2-3 years, your yield might be less. You are not using chemical fertilizers, so you must build the soil with cow dung (gobar), compost, and jeevamrutham. It takes time, but after a few years, your soil will be so healthy and your crops will taste better and get a better price. It is a long-term investment in your land.
8. Prepare for a Fight.
You will have to fight every day. You will fight with the pests, with the diseases, with the weeds. Sometimes you will fight with the weather – too much rain or no rain at all. You must be strong. You must be ready to lose sometimes, but you must never give up.
Farming is hard work, there is no doubt. But when you see your first crop growing from the earth you have worked on... that feeling, my friend, is better than anything else in this world.
All the best to you. Jai Kisan!
You are asking a very good question. Farming is not just a job, it is a way of life. It is in our blood. But starting a new can be very tough. My father and his father were farmers, and I have learned a few things from the soil itself. Here is my advice, from my heart.
1. Start Small, Learn Big.
Don't go and buy 50 acres of land. No, no. Start with one acre, or even half an acre or how much ever small it could be. Learn on that small piece of land. Understand the seasons, the pests, the happiness of a good crop, and the sadness of a failed one. This small land will be your school. If you make a mistake, it will be a small mistake.
2. Become a Friend of Your Soil (Your Mitti).
Before you plant a single seed, you must understand your soil. Is it sandy? Is it clay? Get it tested. The testing people will tell you what it needs. Is your water from a borewell or a canal? Is it salty? The soil is your mother, you must know what she needs to feed the crops.
3. Think of the Market First, Crop Second. [if you are into making money from Agri]
This is a very big mistake many new people make. They grow what they like. But you must grow what the market likes! Go to your nearest mandi (market). Talk to the traders. Ask them, "What sells for a good price? What is the demand for?" Grow that. It is better to grow a simple vegetable that sells fast than a fancy fruit that nobody wants to buy.
4. Water is More Precious Than Gold.
In India, we know the value of every single drop. Don't just flood your fields. Learn about drip irrigation. It costs money one time, but it saves so much water and gives it directly to the roots. Make a plan for rainwater harvesting. Every drop from the sky is a blessing.
5. Keep a Good Hisab-Kitab (Accounts-Book).
Farming is a business. Write everything down. How much for seeds? How much for fertilizer? How much for labour? And when you sell, how much did you get? How much time you are spending? Are you really into it? What's lacking from your side (mentally, psychologically). This will help you understand if you are making a profit or a loss. Don't keep it all in your head. A small notebook is your best friend.
6. Your Best Teacher is Your Neighbour Farmer.
The man farming next to you has been doing it for 20 years. He knows more than any book. Be humble. Go and talk to him. Ask for his advice. Share a cup of chai (Tea). He will tell you secrets about the weather and the pests that you cannot find on the internet. We farmers are a community.
7. If You Are Thinking Organic... Be Patient.
Organic farming is very good, I am also doing it on some of my land. But it is slow. The first 2-3 years, your yield might be less. You are not using chemical fertilizers, so you must build the soil with cow dung (gobar), compost, and jeevamrutham. It takes time, but after a few years, your soil will be so healthy and your crops will taste better and get a better price. It is a long-term investment in your land.
8. Prepare for a Fight.
You will have to fight every day. You will fight with the pests, with the diseases, with the weeds. Sometimes you will fight with the weather – too much rain or no rain at all. You must be strong. You must be ready to lose sometimes, but you must never give up.
Farming is hard work, there is no doubt. But when you see your first crop growing from the earth you have worked on... that feeling, my friend, is better than anything else in this world.
All the best to you. Jai Kisan!
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1093
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Frank,
I don't know what your situation is, e.g. if you come from a farming family where land and skills are passed down or if you are just starting out on your own. Either way, you need to develop a solid business plan for your farm, everything from finances, to crop decisions to marketing and sales and taxes. It's a lot!
If you are just starting out, you need to get experience in the practical aspects of running and working a farm before you dive in. See if you can find a job on an established farm. Iowa Learning Farms has the Emerging Farmers Project. And Practical Farmers of Iowa has a lot of information and resources for new farmers as well.
The State of Iowa has several programs that support new farmers, e.g. the Beginning Farmer Loan Program, the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program. The USDA is another source of support e.g. through the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Loans.
Organizations you should know:
Iowa Economic Development Authority - https://opportunityiowa.gov
US Department of Agriculture - https://www.fsa.usda.gov
Iowa Department of Natural Resources - https://www.iowadnr.gov
Practical Farmers of Iowa - https://practicalfarmers.org
Iowa State University, Beginning Farmer Center - https://beginningfarmer.iastate.edu
Iowa Learning Farms - https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/emerging-farmers
Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Program - https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Farmer-Resources/Farm-Bureau-Leaders/Young-Farmer-Program
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://opportunityiowa.gov/business/small-business-entrepreneurs/beginning-farmers/beginning-farmer-loan-program
https://opportunityiowa.gov/business/small-business-entrepreneurs/beginning-farmers/beginning-farmer-tax-credit-program
https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/beginning-farmers-and-ranchers-loans
https://www.iowadnr.gov/programs-services/beginning-farming-habitat-leases
https://practicalfarmers.org/programs/beginning-farmers/beginning-farmer-resources/
I don't know what your situation is, e.g. if you come from a farming family where land and skills are passed down or if you are just starting out on your own. Either way, you need to develop a solid business plan for your farm, everything from finances, to crop decisions to marketing and sales and taxes. It's a lot!
If you are just starting out, you need to get experience in the practical aspects of running and working a farm before you dive in. See if you can find a job on an established farm. Iowa Learning Farms has the Emerging Farmers Project. And Practical Farmers of Iowa has a lot of information and resources for new farmers as well.
The State of Iowa has several programs that support new farmers, e.g. the Beginning Farmer Loan Program, the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program. The USDA is another source of support e.g. through the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Loans.
Organizations you should know:
Iowa Economic Development Authority - https://opportunityiowa.gov
US Department of Agriculture - https://www.fsa.usda.gov
Iowa Department of Natural Resources - https://www.iowadnr.gov
Practical Farmers of Iowa - https://practicalfarmers.org
Iowa State University, Beginning Farmer Center - https://beginningfarmer.iastate.edu
Iowa Learning Farms - https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/emerging-farmers
Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Program - https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Farmer-Resources/Farm-Bureau-Leaders/Young-Farmer-Program
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps: