Do you dream of starting your own farm but wonder where to begin? Or do you already have a farm but wish to become more sustainable to compete in today's market? Start Your Farm, the first comprehensive business guide of its kind, covers these essential questions and more:
- Why be a farmer in the 21st century? Do you have what it takes?
- What does sustainable really mean, and how can a small (as little as one acre) to midsize farm survive alongside commodity-scale agriculture?
- How do you access education, land, and other needs with limited capital?
- How can you reap an actual profit, including a return on land investment?
- How do you build connections with employees, colleagues, and customers?
- At the end of the day, how do you measure success? (Hint: Cash your lifestyle paycheck.)
More than a practical guide, Start Your Farm is a hopeful call to action for anyone who aspires to grow wholesome, environmentally sustainable food for a living. Take it from Forrest Pritchard and Ellen Polishuk: Making this dream a reality is not for the faint of heart, but it's well within reach-and there's no greater satisfaction under the sun!