How to Become a Farmer Without Much Experience

Two Parts:Learning About FarmingGetting First-Hand Experience

"Farmers farm for the love of farming. They love to watch and nurture the growth of plants. They love to live in the presence of animals. They love to work outdoors. They love the weather, maybe even when it is making them miserable." - Wendell Berry.

So, you want to become a farmer, but you've never grown a crop or raised livestock? Not to worry—this article will set you on the path to realizing your dream of being a farmer.

Part 1 of 2: Learning About Farming

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   Decide why you're interested in farming. It's hard work, takes a lot of responsibility, and is certainly not an easy money-making venture either. The industry is, for the most part, steeped in tradition. If you've never farmed in your life or had any agricultural experience to bring to the table and yet want to become a farmer, you will have to expect a lot of raised eyebrows from farmers and non-farmers alike. Be ready to answer the question "Why do you want to farm?" with confidence.

   • Expect criticism and blunt remarks to come your way. However, most people in the farming community are willing to give advice and encouragement to those interested in farming without the prior experience.
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   Choose what kind of farming you'd like to do. In most cases there are two types of farming to choose from: crops, which include grains (oil seeds, cereals and pulse crops), fruit orchards, berry farms and vineyards, vegetable production, hay production and silage production; and livestock, including the raising of beef or dairy cattle, hogs, poultry, horses, sheep, goats, beekeeping or exotic animals. Organic farming is another sector of agriculture which covers all crop and livestock production, but pertains to the non-conventional means of producing such products.

   • Commercial/industrial farms rely on more than one enterprise to have an operable farm. For instance, a dairy farm cannot be a profitable dairy farm without having silage, hay and grain enterprises. A crop-only farm will often harvest via rotational cropping at least two crops per season, rotating cereal, oilseed and/or pulse crops every year, in order to meet the market for those crops. It is generally considered that the larger the farm, the less sectors or enterprises is in its operations. However, this is not always fact, and not something to worry about when choosing what and how you are going to farm. You have every right to choose what enterprises and sectors you want for your farm.
   • Many family farms or farms that rely on a single operator--be they large or small--have at least five, if not more, enterprises in their operations. It's not uncommon for a family farm to be a mixed farm, in other words having a farm with both crops and livestock as a part of its operations.
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   Speak with some experienced farmers. Consider finding farms that are more towards the type of farm you want to run. Ask around and see if there are any in your area that you could visit. Run a web search to find out about upcoming local county or agricultural fairs and visit them. There you will find serious and active producers that you can talk to about farming.^[1]

   • Ask them various things like what they do (i.e., what kind of operation they run), how their farms have changed over time, where they believe their sector is going, and if you could stop by their farm and visit some time. Farmers are generally friendly, humble, and welcoming people, though some are more guarded than others.
   • Farmers markets are also a great place to meet farmers, especially farmers that specialize in a specific form of farming (such as goat cheese, berries, etc.)
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   Do your homework. Read books that discuss the kind of farming you want to get involved in. Search the internet for articles and online forums that cover farming. Online forums are great places to talk about farming with farmers and agricultural experts. The Center of Rural Affairs also offers online PDF documents that contain advice for new farmers. You can find the PDF here.

   • In your research, find out what skills are required to be successful in the type of farming you are interested in. What is the market like for your product? Is your type of farming compatible with where you live?
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   Attend informational classes. There are several ways to learn about farming in a classroom setting. One of the most common ways is to attend a university and study agriculture, agricultural economics, management, or environmental studies. Of course, attending university is not required to become a farmer. Run an internet search to see if any agricultural classes are being put on in your area.

   • Farmers of today are businessmen and -women and even entrepreneurs in their own right. They have to be able to survive. Understand agriculture economics, farm politics and consider classes at a college or university that teaches agribusiness. If you want to make it past the farm-labor stage you must be informed in all aspects of farming.
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   Consider the fact that you may need to move. Some regions of the country are more conducive to farming than others, and some areas are more conducive to different sectors of farming than others. Find out which areas are best for the sector of farming you are interested in and what farms are found there. Or, find out what farms are found in a particular area before you decide to move to that area and choose whether what you want to farm is good for that particular area or not.
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Part 2 of 2: Getting First-Hand Experience

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   Become an apprentice by offering your services as a laborer or a farm hand. This is the most critical step in becoming a farmer because you are working in exchange for an opportunity to learn, or gaining more and necessary experience as you work as a hired farm hand. Since you're just starting out, you'll be entering at the bottom of the totem pole (as is the case in most careers). There are several ways to start working for a farm^[2]:

   • Look for government run programs that cover agriculture and farming. The Center of Rural Affairs offers many different programs that new farmers can enroll in.These classes are fantastic because they link new farmers up with more experienced farmers or retiring landowners. Programs can range from getting advice from farmers, to linking up with landowners to take over their farm once they retire.^[3]
   • Join a beginning farmer training program. There are quite a few of these that can be found through a basic internet search (just type ‘farming programs [your location]’ into your search engine.)
   • Join a program such as WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.) Select your country and then explore all of the options available in your area. WWOO Farming can be a great way to get involved in organic agriculture and allows you to explore many different options because you can travel from farm to farm during your time at a WWOO Fer.^[4]
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   Be aware that you will most likely not be making very much money. The pay for farm laborers or hired hands is often extremely low, or nothing at all. Many positions include housing, but usually only on a seasonal basis (i.e., during growing and harvest seasons but not during the winter).
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   Express your desire to learn. Watch people do what they do and ask them to teach you how; often you may also find that you have to ask why they are doing what they're doing. You will go through a steep learning curve the first year you are a part of the farm's operations, and will go through various learning processes including how to change oil in the tractor, fix the combine, get the cows prepared for milking, how to manage pastures and the livestock that graze them, make feed for the livestock, and even how to tell the difference between wheat and barley.

   • You cannot expect to become a farmer unless you know the art, science and technicalities behind the enterprises and operations that go on in a farm. The best learning anybody can have from farming is the experiences they gain. Books and wikiHow articles can only tell you so much; the real-life experiences of farming (or ranching) is all up to you to experience.
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   Be flexible and open to new activities. You must be willing to do and learn to do anything and everything that needs to get done on a working farm. Many of these activities will take a bit of time to learn (and a good deal of manual labor.) If there's something you're not willing to do or not comfortable doing, state it up-front, and understand that your options may be limited as such. However, if, for instance, you're uncomfortable with euthanizing a sick and dying animal, you may be missing the point to understand that you're actually doing the kindest thing for that animal and not doing it further harm. This may include (but are certainly not limited to):

   • Mucking out barns and stalls.
   • Climbing ladders or climbing up on top of grain bins.
   • Operating machinery like a skid steer, tractor or combine.
   • Killing pests like rats and rabbits.
   • Handling unruly animals that may harm you in some way.
   • Keeping on top of feeding and milking schedules.
   • Weeding or harvesting for 12 straight hours or more often with few to no breaks.
   • Applying pesticides to fields.
   • Slaughtering and butchering.
   • Euthanizing livestock.
   • Fixing and/or maintaining machinery, treating sick livestock etc.
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   Be physically fit. A whole lot of farming is made up of crouching, bending, lifting, and pulling. Only farm managers who've paid their dues can skip some physical labor, but even they often must push their bodies close to the limit for the job.

   • Don't shy away from mechanical tasks. Become as familiar as you can with farm machinery, how to use them safely, and how to maintain and fix them. Even the smallest farms usually depend on a rototiller and a small acreage tractor.
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   Dress the part. This may sound superficial, but if you walked into a law firm interview dressed in a pair of jeans and boots, it's the same as walking onto a farm wearing a suit and some classy shoes. If you're just starting out in farming, you're probably going to be doing a lot of physical labor. Wear a t-shirt, jeans, and work boots, particularly those that are safety-standard approved and have steel toes.

   • Invest in a good pair of work gloves because you will have to handle materials and tools that could give you some nasty slivers, injured fingers, or blisters in a short period time. They're also ideal if you don't wish to get your hands very dirty.
   • If you have long hair, tie it back in a braid or ponytail so it doesn't get caught in anything. A hat or cap is ideal as well, to keep your eyes and head shaded from the bright sun.
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   Have a good sense of humor. Laughter makes the day go by faster, especially when your muscles are aching and you feel like your fingers are going to fall off and the weather has ruined your plans once again. A positive attitude is an asset to any farm!
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   Know when you are ready to begin your own farm. For most it will take at least a year or two of being a part of a farming operation before they can be considered "good enough" to graduate from being a mere farm hand to an actual farm-owner and operator. For information on how to start a farm, please see the article How to Start a Farm for more information.