Building a Sustainable Farm Business Operation

Reader Contribution by Dr. Jamison Ozbun
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You can start a productive small farm business rather quickly if you use a business operations approach from the beginning. You may have what it takes if you own some property and are willing to work hard for successful results.  Farming is also a practice in which traits like patience and persistence come in handy when everything goes wrong at the same time. These are all parts of the farming business and should be considered valuable lessons learned because they are only attained by experience.

One of the most productive things you can do is seek an education in small farming before starting.

Successful businesses are run by CEOs who have the knowledge and experience to back up their decisions. Spend the winters reading literature on the subject and network with local businesses and markets to find out what type of produce and/or livestock they will purchase from you each season. Get to know those people and gain their trust by shaking their hands and having small conversations with them.

Next, design your farm on paper and take notes on everything. Imagine how much time and money you can save by spending the winter at a desk fine-tuning your operation with a pencil and eraser. Winter and early spring are great times to set up the foundation for your operation. You can raise baby livestock, make a compost bin, or start collecting the seeds you will need to plant in the spring. My farm operation is designed around a pond so that it always has water. I spent a warm and rainy winter digging a pond, raising ducklings, collecting cedar posts, and placing a circular fence around the perimeter. This type of hard work will save you time in the summer and will give you a fine sense of accomplishment.

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