Should I be a farmer?

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?

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

So you think you want to be a farmer? Start by...