What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a living

Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by a2tech on Friday January 01, 2016 @06:00PM (#10823921)

My grandfather ran a farm. Small farming isn't profitable. Full stop. Farming scales up really well but not down.

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Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by mitchty on Friday January 01, 2016 @06:53PM (#10824194)

I grew up on a farm/ranch. We had about 5000 acres of land, split 3/2 pasture/fields.

Even that was barely break even with 14 hour days in the summers. Equipment upkeep and maintenance is the worst.

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Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by greggarious on Friday January 01, 2016 @06:30PM (#10824082)

And if you can make back the costs of the equipment, own the land, and create enough food for your family, what value does money have?

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Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by rdancer on Friday January 01, 2016 @06:51PM (#10824181)

It's good while it lasts, but being a subsistence farmer has its downsides. Once you get a few bad years in a row, or the government decides that farmers don't really matter so eff them, you will appreciate the profits you've put away during the fat years.

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Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by TeMPOraL on Friday January 01, 2016 @06:45PM (#10824143)

Participating in the rest of human civilization?

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Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by Fomite on Friday January 01, 2016 @10:21PM (#10824808)

The ability to occasionally do something besides farming? Send your kids to college?

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Re:What nobody told me about small farming: I can’t make a l... by CountSessine on Friday January 01, 2016 @06:39PM (#10824116)

Was that something that the article author managed to do?

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