Everyone eats! Do you want to be the one who grows their food?
Living and working on the land might sound romantic, but is it a good career for you?
Learn About The Different Types Of Farms
There are as many different types of farms as there are types of food!
Do you want to work with livestock?
On a conventional farm?
On an organic farm?
Small scale?
Big scale?
Start by researching farms in your area to learn about how they work!
Life On A Farm
So what is daily life like on a farm? It will depend on the type of farm, but you can probably expect the following tasks, depending on the season...
On livestock farm or ranch:
Feeding and watering
Cleaning up waste
Repairing fences or barns
Milking or birthing animals
Caring for sick animals
Operating machines like tractors
On a farm that grows plants:
Planting, watering, and fertilizing
Applying pesticides, and weeding
Cleaning tools, barns, and machines
Harvesting by hand or machine
Researching causes of disease
Operating machines like tractors
Quiz
Jerry works on a small organic vegetable farm. He's probably responsible for...
You'll Love It if...
You love being outside. The idea of spending all day outside no matter the weather sounds amazing to you.
You love fixing things.The more things you can fix yourself, the less money you need to pay for repairs. If you work on someone else's farm, your repair skills will add value to their business!
You love working independently. Farmers are known for being their own bosses — even as an apprentice on a farm, you probably won't be supervised all the time.
Quiz
Jenny is choosing some courses to take that will help her learn to be a farmer. What should she choose?
Look For Another Career Path if...
You have a low tolerance for risk. Weather and crop prices are uncertain for farmers every year. A single event can wipe out an entire year's work (and income!), so farming can be a risky business.
You like vacation days. Plants and animals need food, water, and care every day. Most farmers rarely leave their farms for more than one or two days a year.
You don't like dirt, bugs, or early mornings. Most farmers work from sunrise until evening.
But Will It Pay The Bills?
A farm worker in the US or Canada averages between $37,000 and $50,000US/CAD per year.
A farm owner can make substantially more, up to $100,000, but they can have much more debt when they start out!
Quiz
Alex thinks they're ready to be a farmer. What's the best next step for them?
Take Action
So you think you want to be a farmer? Start by...
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