Whole Farm Management

Whole Farm Management
Author: Garry Stephenson
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2019-11-12
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1635860741

Farming is a business, as well as a way of life. Whole Farm Management is a comprehensive guide developed by the Small Farms Program at Oregon State University to help aspiring and beginner farmers make smart business decisions to ensure lasting success. In clear, accessible language, this book covers every essential step, from developing a strategic plan to acquiring equipment, establishing infrastructure, finding markets, budgeting, managing day-to-day operations, and selecting a business structure for long-term viability. The emphasis throughout is on using sustainable agricultural systems and managing the whole farm, whether raising grass-based livestock, perennial food crops, or annual crops such as flowers. Case studies of successful farms, along with guidance and solutions to common problems from long-time farmers, round out this essential handbook.

Making Your Small Farm Profitable

Making Your Small Farm Profitable
Author: Ron Macher
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2010-11-18
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1603425357

Turn your farm into a cash cow! Ron Macher offers a host of simple strategies for increasing your farm earnings, from purchasing durable equipment to growing economically viable crops. A seasoned expert in farm efficiency, Macher shows you how to locate a lucrative niche market for your products, optimize sales, and minimize costs. Whether you’re buying a new farm or jump-starting an old one, Macher’s savvy tips will help you turn your enterprise into a profitable business.

Five Acres and Independence

Five Acres and Independence
Author: M. G. Kains
Publisher: Lulu.com
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2016-06-04
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1365165612

This classic bestseller became that way because of it's very practical and honest appraisal of how a person can get from crowded, noisy, dangerous city life to a peaceful, calm, satisfaction-filled lifestyle in a rural or even suburban setting. This is the streamlined edition, which is designed to be more affordable and take up less space in your pocket or backpack. Everyone who has ever dreamed of getting back to the soil will enjoy Maurice G. Kains' practical and easy-to-understand descriptions of what small-scale farming means. A perpetual classic, readers of Five Acres and Independence have moved closer to the fulfillment of their dreams of independence on a small farm. Whether it all starts with some flowerboxes outside your apartment window, a small back yard in a subdivision, or your few acres (even a vacant lot next door or down the street) you can start today with getting healthier food for you and your family, plus the satisfaction of being self-sufficient.

Small Farms are Real Farms

Small Farms are Real Farms
Author: John Ikerd
Publisher:
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2008
Genre: Social Science
ISBN:

"Since the middle of the last century, American farm policy has taken the nation into the dead end of industrial farm production and food distribution. Farming, at its core a biological process, has been transformed into an industrial process, thus demolishing the economic and cultural values upon which the nation was founded. Along the way, small farms have been ridiculed and dismissed as inconsequential -- but now the seeds of a rural renaissance are being planted, not by these industrial behemoths, but by family-scale farms. In this collection of essays by one of America's most eloquent and influential proponents of sustainable agriculture, the multifaceted case for small farms is built using logic and facts."--Publisher's website.

Compact Farms

Compact Farms
Author: Josh Volk
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2017-02-07
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1612125948

Small is beautiful, and these 15 real farm plans show that small-scale farmers can have big-time success. Compact Farms is an illustrated guide for anyone dreaming of starting, expanding, or perfecting a profitable farming enterprise on five acres or less. The farm plans explain how to harness an area’s water supply, orientation, and geography in order to maximize efficiency and productivity while minimizing effort. Profiles of well-known farmers such as Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier show that farming on a small scale in any region, in both urban and rural settings, can provide enough income to turn the endeavor from hobby to career. These real-life plans and down-and-dirty advice will equip you with everything you need to actually realize your farm dreams.

Farms with a Future

Farms with a Future
Author: Rebecca Thistlethwaite
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 307
Release: 2013-01-10
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1603584390

What makes a farm sustainable and successful? And what special qualities and skills are needed for someone to become a successful farmer? Rebecca Thistlethwaite addresses these and other crucial questions in this uniquely important book, which is a must-read for anyone who aspires to get into farming, or who wants to make their farm business more dynamic, profitable, and, above all, sustainable. Over an entire year, the author and her husband-experienced farmers themselves-took a sabbatical and traveled the length and breadth of the United States to live and work alongside some of the nation's most innovative farmers. Along the way they learned about best practices, and a whole lot about what doesn't work. Farms with a Future shares this collective wisdom in an inspirational yet practical manner; it will help beginners avoid many of the common mistakes that first-time farmers make. Just as importantly, it discusses positive ideas that can help make any farm enterprise vibrant and financially profitable. Profiles of more than a dozen representative farms help round out the invaluable information and encourage farmers to embrace their inner entrepreneur. Younger growers, in particular, will benefit by learning about "the right stuff" from both their peers and longtime experts.This book provides a useful reference for beginning and experienced farmers alike. While many other books address agricultural production, there are very few that talk about business management for long-term sustainability. Farms with a Future offers an approachable, colorful take on building a triple-bottom-line farming business.

Small Farm Handbook

Small Farm Handbook
Author: Shirley Humphrey
Publisher: UCANR Publications
Total Pages: 184
Release: 1994
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9781879906235

A guide to starting and operating a successful small farm.