City living is becoming too stressful, and your daily commute is killing you. Finally, you decide, you’ve had enough. You’re going to start your own farm like you’ve always wanted to. You’ll live off the land and grow your own food. It’ll be beautiful.
If this is your thinking, here’s the good news: you’re not entirely wrong. We’ve assembled a list of farming pros and cons which every budding farmer should check out before they hit the hay.
Pro: Your industry is essential
If you think of your office job as pointless and unrewarding, then farming could absolutely be for you. One of the most outstanding benefits of farming is getting out what you put in; planting crops and caring for them will absolutely yield results (with the right weather conditions, of course). Farming is one of the most consistently rewarding careers you could possibly embark on.
Con: Not everyone thinks or knows how essential your industry is
If you do decide to enter the world of farming, be prepared for a lot of condescension and misunderstanding. “Oh, farming,” someone might say dismissively. “That’s not really an academic career, is it?” No matter how many times you try to set them straight, explaining that farming actually requires a lot of quick thinking and intelligence, other people just might not understand your new career.
Pro / Con: You’ll need a strong head for business
Depending on your disposition, this could be a blessing or a curse for you. You’ll need to keep abreast of up-to-the-minute agricultural prices and the state of your industry so that you’ll always know how to make as much profit from your endeavor as possible. Cash flow problems can be a common occurrence within this industry. Thus, you might need to reach out to the help assist in times of need. Agricultural businesses are susceptible to unforeseen risks and losses, which is why area risk protection insurance is a must. You’ll probably need to hobnob with a lot of like-minded industry people, too, so be sure you know how to haggle. Speaking of which…
Pro: Your colleagues are (usually) just as passionate as you
Starting and maintaining your own farm isn’t easy. Everyone you meet who’s in the same business as you will have been through the same ringer that you have. Farmers are extremely hard-working, diligent people who need to have a serious passion for what they do. When you meet other farmers, you’ll be amazed at how like-minded they are, especially if you’re coming from a City business background.
Con: There’s a lot of misinformation about farming
Expect a lot of people to quote inaccurate science and false, misleading food industry claims at you if you become a farmer. Terms like “GMO”, “antibiotic-free” and “organic” will haunt you because many consumers don’t know exactly what they mean. Common farming industry practices are the subject of intense scrutiny by many people who just don’t know what they’re talking about, so you’ll need to defend your farm from the ignorant, unfortunately.
Pro: There’s just nothing else like it
Want to be part of a global industry? Want to get your hands dirty and make a real difference in people’s lives by keeping them fed? Want to do something you can really feel good about waking up in the morning for? If you answered yes to any of these, you’ll be glad you became a farmer because farming gives you all of these feelings and more.
