Harvest Heritage

Buying a farm can be a thrilling prospect, but where do you start looking? First, what kind of farm do you want? Certain crops only grow in certain parts of the country, so that decision should be made first. Look at the types of crops that you would like to grow and then look at the area that that particular crop grows well. Some crops will grow in other areas, but the process might be so expensive that it would not even be worth the effort to try.

Buying a farm might be as simple as driving past one during a routine drive and making an offer, but it could be a more lengthy, involved process. If you want to do it as independently as possible, then you could search the newspaper, a farm related magazine or the Internet. Typing real estate/farms in a good search engine might net you so many results you will be overwhelmed, so it might be more wise to narrow and refine your search parameters. If you want to grow corn in Iowa for instance, then type in Iowa/corn/farm and see it that clears up your search.

If the Internet is not your thing, or you cannot narrow your search down far enough to make it convenient for your, then call a real estate agent in the area that you are looking at and tell them exactly what you would like to find. Be specific and do not worry that you sound too picky- in this economy you cannot afford to make a bad real estate decision. Owning a farm is more than just buying some ground- it is a life style choice that not many can do successfully. It is hard, back breaking work for little, (if any) financial reward.

A real estate agent may help you figure out not only the area that you should be looking at, but how much of a farm that you could realistically expect to afford. Look carefully at any farms that you are shown, ask for appraisals. Look at the surrounding farmlands as well. Are they all for sale as well? If so, then you have to wonder why that is. Has the market gone bad for the crop that is sold in that area, or is there something else going on? We all know the story about he man who bought his farm only to find that the highway or some other major project was about to be put into that area- there goes your initial money you used to buy the place, and the cost of moving and starting crops. Tread slowly and make sure that you are dealing with a real estate agent that you feel you can trust.

The most important aspect here is knowing that buying a farm can be as easy as clicking a mouse or a long, arduous process. Knowing where to buy a farm can be the first step to a brand new dream.

Everyone has their idea of what living on a farm is like- the stereotypes, the misconceptions and the outright stupid ideas abound. So, what is it really like to live on a farm then?

Farm-life starts early, in most cases before the dawn hours. Depending on the size of the farm and the work that it does, the farmer might be getting up by four a.m. to get started on a day that lasts well past dusk. There are crops to tend to, livestock to feed and water and other chores that need to be done, often in a race against the heat of the day. Machinery helps speed the process up, or can throw off a whole day when it breaks and then must be repaired before anything else can be accomplished. The farmer must keep one step ahead of his animals, his crops and his machinery- letting anything slide for even one day can lead to a complete disaster.

Living on a farm means dealing with odors, some of them more pleasant than others. Even a farm that does not have any livestock on it at all will have odors- from fertilizers, insecticides and other materials, organic or not, there will be odors. If the farm does raise livestock the smells will be even more ferocious.

But living on a farm is not all work and no fun. Many farms have ponds to swim and fish in- or trees to climb. Farms with livestock can be very educational as young ones are born. There is nothing sweeter than a newly born lamb, horse, cow or even pig. Of course, if the farm is in the business of raising animals for meat for personal use or for profit, then the children should be made aware of that from the very start.

Asking what it is like to live on a farm might actually be the same as asking what it is like to live in a mansion, or a shack or a teepee for that matter. You live your life, eating, sleeping and trying to make a living just like anybody else. Your office is just out in the barn and your commute may be from the seat of a big tractor. You are the boss, the animals or the crops are your employees as you all pull together to accomplish your end goals. Meetings are held at dawn, and vacation is during the off season. Living on a farm is simply that: living.

No matter when you come to the conclusion that you want to be a farmer, you have to make sure that you find the right farm for you. You do not want to be a beef farmer if you are a vegan, and you do not want to try to grow a southern climate crop in Michigan. You have to know what you want to grow or raise, and what will work in the area that you live in. The right farm for you is the one that will allow you to raise your crops or your animals and still keep your sanity- well, most of it.

It helps if you have grown up on or around farms. If you are a city boy, born and bred, then no farm might actually be right for you, no matter what, but that is a lesson that some people will have to learn for themselves. Farming is a backbreaking, sometimes heartbreaking venture, but it can do more than exhaust and frustrate you, it can financially destroy you, leaving you bankrupt and emotionally broken.

The right farm might come at the end of a very long search, or it can be right under your nose- you may have even grown up on the right farm for you. Knowing how much work it is to own a farm before you buy one will help, but if you have never done it for yourself, you would do best to do some research before stepping off the ledge. Volunteer for a community farming project or sign up for a stay at a dude ranch to get your feet wet. If you cannot make it through that first week, then having a farm is not a good idea for you, no matter how right the farm might seem to be.

I love pigs, but I could never be a pig farmer. The work is backbreaking and the stench is unimaginable. Plus, the basic fate of most little piggies is to become food- I could not do that, nor could I be any part of the process. If I was going to have the right farm for me, it would be one that did most of the work for itself, and the main crop would be chocolate candy bars. White chocolate candy bars to be exact. But, that is not going to happen, so no farm for me.

We all need to take the time to thank a farmer at least once in our lives. Most of us will never know the hard work that they do, the long hours that they put in to raise and sell their crops. Some of them never break even – some of them don’t even make it through the first year. The best farm for you? Hopefully it is the farm that is actually the best thing for you, and not an experiment in tragedy.

Where is the best place to have a farm? The simplest answer to that question is probably: where your crops will grow. But nothing in life is ever easy, so you should consider a few basic facts.

What will you be growing on your farm? Some crops will only grow with specialized climates. Some crops like it hot and dry, some do not mind a bit of cold weather now and then. Knowing where your chosen crops grow best is the first step to knowing where the best place to have a farm in.

Will you be having animals on your farm as well? Some locations have regulations against certain animals, so you must know what are and what are not allowed. The best place to have a pig farm for instance is near other animal farms, not where the neighbors will complain about the stench.

What size will your proposed farm be? Will you have a huge farm or will it be a smaller plot? Some areas are nothing but vast farms from one end to another, some are nothing but small places and some places are a blend of both. If your farm will be small, will it be swallowed up by the larger ones that surround it?

What about the other aspects of life? How are the schools or the shopping? Sure, a farm is a lot of work, but you have to get out every now and then- for supplies, for education or for just a night out to recharge your own batteries. If there is nothing in the immediate area, is there something within driving distance at least?

But, the best place to have a farm is the place that makes your heart swell with pride. The place where your crops sink their roots and your children grow up, dirty and happy. The best place to have a farm is the place that makes you weak with joy and strong with determination. The best place to have a farm is where you will fall in love with the land and call it home.

We have all seen it in our local grocery store- produce and even meats that are labeled as organic. The prices are slightly higher for these items, but why is that, and are organics really worth the extra price?

To label their produce as organic, a farmer must comply with a rather lengthy list of rules and regulations which govern what can and cannot be used on the farm. In some cases, this even includes what kind of materials can be used in the surrounding fences- (organic wood versus non organic wood ). The type of soil that can be brought in, the fertilizers, pesticides, all are strictly regulated- and inspected.

The certification process can be a very lengthy one, not to mention very expensive as well. Every aspect of the farm must be checked out and tested from the soil to the seed to the irrigation system, everything is tested to be sure that it is free from harmful contaminants and chemicals. If the farm is one that raises animals, the feed and water supply must be examined as well as the shelter and pasture areas.

The process begins with an application to become certified- in some states the application is more expensive than others, so check with your local agriculture board for the exact cost and the proper forms. After the application is turned in, the next step is usually the inspection, although there have been delays and other issues before the application is processed.

Once the inspection is completed, if there are any issues which would make the farm not qualified for certification, the corrections would have to be made which is another investment of money. Once the steps have been taken to change the things that were ruled as inorganic, then the application can be resubmitted and a follow up investigation completed. The fees that were paid with the initial application must be repaid, and it can take a while for the inspectors to come back to your farm. Meanwhile, you cannot sell your produce as “organic” making you less competitive in the safety oriented marketplace. The longer that it takes to get your certification, the more less profitable your farm will be in the long run. Most people shop for organics nowadays, to stay in the running for your share of the profit, you need that certification.

Organic farming can cost more because of the materials themselves. Fertilizers, seeds and other items that are deemed acceptable on an organic farm cost more than their less stringently made counterparts. Once the certification is received, the profits can make it all worth it, but until that day comes it might seem tempting to say forget it and keep selling non organic produce when you can. Many of the small, local growers that sell their goods at farmer’s markets and roadside stands are technically organic farmers, they simply do have the certificate saying so because of the time and money it takes to get one.

Selling any real estate in the current economy can be really tough, but selling a farm might be even harder. Depending on the size, the location and the type of farm that you are trying to sell, yours has to stand out and be special to even get the first look. Selling a farm may be even harder than owning a farm in the long run, but there might be ways to assure success.

Times are tough, and trying to sell real estate, especially a farm on your own can be very difficult if not impossible. A better idea would be to list your farm with a real estate agent, especially one that deals mainly with farms and other properties in rural areas. They will understand the market, and might even have prospective buyers lined up. An agent will also be an invaluable asset in getting an appraisal, and setting a realistic asking price, one that the current market will bear. The agent will also guide you through the selling process including helping you to make your farm look at its most appealing for buyers .

If you are selling the farm to move to a bigger operation, you must decide what if any equipment you will take with you and what will be left behind. If you are wrapping up your farming career, ask your real estate agent for advice. Sometimes it is better to sell the equipment separately than it would be to include it with the farmland, but again, the agent should be able to help you with that decision.

When you have your appraisal done, understand that it only reflects what the farm is worth, not what you could get out of it. If all of the other farms in the area are also for sale, then what does that say for the economy of the local area? If yours is the only one on the block, you should fare better.

It does not take a genius to know that the economy is rough, but an agent should know exactly how to list your farm and where to list it. If they do not have an interested party in mind, they will find one. A real estate agent will be your relentless ally in the quest to sell your farm. From listing to closing, the agent will give you advice and teach you how to sell your farm.

The answer to the question “how to rent a farm” depends on which side of the equation that you intend to be on. If you are the person with the farm to rent, you have questions about how much to charge, how much the farm is worth to you and how to find the best, most reliable tenant for your property. On the other hand, if you are the one looking to rent, you need to make sure that the amount being asked for is affordable for your budget as well as fair for the actual property.

Placing your farm property for rent is almost like leaving your children with a sitter for the first time. You have to trust that the tenant will not destroy your buildings and poison your soil, especially if you might decide to return to farm that land yourself some day. Making sure that you thoroughly check potential renters out is important, but so is making sure that everything is agreed upon in writing. I repeat, in writing. A legally binding contract can make sure that you avoid any type of court proceedings should a problem arise.

To get a basic idea of how much rent to charge, evaluate the value of the property, as well as the value of properties all around you. Are there other farms in the area that are rented also? Unless there are extra special amenities on your land, then you cannot expect to ask more than the what is being paid in the area. If you have not had a recent appraisal for tax purposes, it might be a good idea to do so, or at the very least speak to a local extension agent and get a feel for what the local market will bear.

Once you have an idea of how much a basic rent might be, you can evaluate the value of buildings and other fixtures on the land. Will you also be renting farm equipment in this deal? Insure the items that you rent, and again, make sure that every detail is included in the rental contract. You don’t want a nasty surprise with expensive machinery at the end of the rental period.

If you are the one renting the farm, make sure that you get the best deal that you can. Getting your heart set on one particular farm in an area should not tie you to rental costs that are beyond your budget and far more than the properties actual value. Do not agree to a rent without trying to haggle and without doing a thorough search of the area’s real estate market. Learning how to rent a farm from either side of the table can seem daunting, but it simply takes some common sense and some legwork before the actual signing of papers takes place.

For some people the dream of buying a farm is a lifelong one: they play with toy animals and talk crops as soon as they can speak. They join FFA or other clubs and dream of nothing but soil and fertilizers. The moment they can do it, they buy a farm and live all their lives happy as well, a pig in the mud.

Other people do not have the farming urge until after the retire from the button down, urban world. They dedicate their lives to mergers and buyouts and making money. Then they retire and suddenly they long for something more, something a little closer to the earth. They want to get their hands dirty, they want to sweat from real, honest, hard work. Buying a farm might seem strange to their high class friends, but that is what they want to do.

The first step to buying a farm is deciding on the type of farm you would like to have. Farming means different things to different people- do you want a gentleman’s garden type farm or a real dyed in the wool farm? Will you plan to earn money from this farming venture, or will this be merely a hobby? What crops will you plant, or will you raise animals, possibly both? Once these questions have been answered, then you will have an idea of the area that you will need to look for your potential farm.

After these decisions have been made, then go to the area that would best suit the size and type of your farm and have an honest look around. You do not have to drive there- look at the area online to get a basic feel for the type of area. If you have children, what are the schools like? What is the shopping or other amenities like in the area? Will you relish the quiet or will you need to be within driving distance to more exciting climes every now and again?

If everything seems to be okay, make initial contact with a real estate agent that specializes in finding farms. Make the agent your best friend. If you are looking at several locations, try to have one agent for each area and keep all notes and information separate. When you get some prospective places, have the agent send you pictures, diagrams or whatever else might be helpful before making a trip to see the place. Make sure that you have jotted down every question that pops into your head and do not make an offer until all questions have been answered to your satisfaction. If the farm is currently in use, check out the conditions of the crops or animals that are there- do they seem healthy and thriving or are there problems? If the crops do not look good, then ask questions of the current owner. If you are truly a novice, do not assume that you can rehab a poorly producing farm- even a pro could fail at that. Soil goes bad, or climates change, and if you do not know your farming well enough you could spend countless hours and untold money at a losing proposition.

Buying a farm can be a daunting, thankless task, but it can also be for some people, a dream come true.

Owning and living on a farm can be a dream come true, or it could be a nightmare. If you buy the wrong farm or a farm that you do not know enough about, then you will be miserable, sad and possibly financially destroyed. Finding the right farm can make sure that you are happy and able to stay financially solvent, possibly even make a profit, but that is not what you start a farm for is it?

Finding the right farm begins with figuring out exactly what you want from your farm. If you are simply looking to get back to nature, and grow healthy food for your family, then a small plot will be sufficient. But, if you want owning and operating a farm to be your main source of income, you will obviously need a larger amount of acreage. Figuring out the size of the farm you want is the first step to finding the right farm.

After you know how big an enterprise your farm will be, then you can decide what you will grow or raise on the farm and how these will be used. If you are raising animals for instance, will it be for meat or for breeding purposes. Will you have beef cows or dairy cows? Will you raise just enough to provide meat for your own freezer or will you supply steaks and burgers for the general population? Knowing what you want to accomplish with your farm is the second step to finding the right farm.

Certain crops will only flourish in certain climates, so that will be another consideration when you are looking for the right farm for you. If you hate the Midwestern states for instance, then do not plan on being a corn farmer. Knowing the crop you plan to grow can be the third step in the process of finding the right farm.

Talking to people who farm in the area that you are looking at can be helpful as well. Also speak to a real estate agent to discuss how the market looks, and an extension agent that can tell you more about the farming aspect of this search. They can tell you about soil conditions, what grows well and what the recent trends and future forecasts are for crops and livestock. Doing intensive research will keep you from making a bad decision and sticking you with a farm that is not right for you.

Finally, make sure that the concept of farming is not getting in the way of the reality of farming. Are you glamorizing what is in fact, a very hard, back breaking and financially risky proposition? Make sure you know what real farming is about, and then you can start your search to find the right farm for you.

Renting anything can be risky for both the landlord and the tenant. There has to be a legally binding contract that covers every detail no matter how small they may seem. The rent has to be fair, the landlord needs to be able to make a profit and the tenant needs to be able to afford the rent and expenses of daily living. Would you agree to an amount that would leave you nothing for food, for instance? The landlord needs to be aware of the expenses that he will incur during this rental period; the tenant needs to be aware of his own expenses. Both will need to be aware of what the real estate market in the area is at the time. If the market fluctuates often, or in the case of farming, seasonally, then only rent for shorter terms, say six months rather than a year.

As a landlord, you will be the one to make repairs to the property, but which ones? If you trust the tenant and his abilities to do so, you could agree to allowing him to keep up with as needed repairs with some compensation in the form of reduced rent. On the other hand, if the property is a farm, will this tenant be too busy working the land to keep up with minor repairs to other portions of the property? If you are renting the house as well as the farm for instance, will he really have time to fix a hole in the plaster when he has crops to tend?

A renter has to be confident in how fast and efficient his landlord will be if repairs need to be made. Many a renter has gotten frustrated and tried to make a repair himself only to make things worse. If that happens, will it count as a violation of the rental contract thus making it possible for a quick eviction in the middle of a growing season? Make sure you know up front how repairs will be handled and which ones you would be allowed to tackle on your own. If you do make repairs on your own, will you be reimbursed for any materials that you have to purchase?

Renting a farm can be frustrating, but it can be rewarding as well. The crops that come in will be able to be sold and the profits will not all be going out on mortgage payments and taxes like they would if you were the owner. On the other hand, the money that you pay out on rent every month is just gone- with nothing to show for it. Renting can be a good idea if this is your first experience with farming- before you make the decision to buy your own farm, rent first to get the feel of farming and what it takes to make one profitable.