Is small farming profitable?

[Hotzcatz]

Do you think farming a very small farm of one to two acres can be profitable? What would you grow, how would you process it and where would you sell it?

I may be able to get the use of several acres to plant/grow something on, but what? If this happens, it could be a long term thing so trees and fruit would be okay. It is at about 400 foot elevation, has deep soil, and rainfall somewhere between 70 and 120 inches a year. There is irrigation water available and a vehicle can drive up to the area. I may be able to get the use of a tractor, perhaps. Not much labor available, though, so a crop which needed a lot of hand labor (such as strawberries) wouldn't be a good choice.

There is a new farmer's market in our neighborhood, but are there other ways of selling produce? Selling wholesale cuts the profit in half or less, but we will have very limited processing facilities.

Any ideas anyone? How would you make money farming two acres?

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"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson

[james weatherford]

What do you need for you to think it is "profitable"?
Pay your taxes and insurance? Maintain any lifestyle you choose to become accustomed to?
btw: I recently got ripped off by someone and reckon I will just 'profit' from the experience and move on.

Is your farm about your "eating what you don't sell"? or
"selling what you don't eat"?

Seriously, your question is good, and there is no answer.
If you have soil, though, you are definitely one notch up.
Good luck!


James Weatherford, Ph.D.
15-1888 Hialoa
Hawaiian Paradise Park

[Hotzcatz]

This is a property separate from our house and all we would do with it is farming. The costs aren't all that much since I wouldn't own the land but what crops can be grown to pay for themselves? There are the costs of seeds/plants/trees, the growing costs of mulch/fertilizer, weed control, harvesting, processing and then marketing and selling. The start up costs would be out of pocket expenses, so we don't have a big chunk of money to start this endeavor. I think I can get the use of a tractor to mow things flat to begin with.

I can have two acres of it to do "farming" with if I can come up with a reasonable farm plan. I'm thinking tree crops might be suitable since that wouldn't require a lot of labor or processing before it can be sold. Avocados, lemons, limes, bananas? However, all these are backyard fruits and a lot of folks already get them from their backyard or neighbors. Is there a market for them? Somewhere local since I don't want to pack and process for shipping.

Maybe artichokes or bamboo shoots? Those aren't usual neighborhood/backyard crops. I can't really have animals there, although I would like some chickens to eat the waste vegetables and for fertilizer production.

I don't know if a Community Supported Agriculture would work unless the produce was delivered to each family since I don't know if the landowner would want folks going there to pick up vegetables.

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"I like yard sales," he said. "All true survivalists like yard sales."
Kurt Wilson

[Daniel]

Well land growing useful stuff makes more than land growing nothing...unless some kind of crooked tax rebate is going on....

Daniel R Diamond

[Buzz]

Twelve Fruits With Potential Value-Added and Culinary Uses

Ken Love, Richard Bowen, and Kent Fleming
University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa • College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/...fruits.pdf

[asly]

I agree about "value added" product. I've farmed on 2-3 acres for a while now, in WA and now in MT. I never made any money until I started making value added products from my crops. My main crop is Lavender and I've just opened a small retail shop selling my products exclusively. And... the best part is... finally making some money from farming. Not alot of money granted, but I'm happy. We are also planning a small specialty nursery to open next year. Niche markets seem to be best.

I think the ginger/garlic paste idea is great!!

I'd like to explore drying fruits grown in Hawaii and mixing in a hardy trail mix and granola. Course, I'd sell it here in MT where people are starving for anything remotely tasty.

Ann

And then, I dreamt about Hawaii... http://crazypineappledream.blogspot.com/

[Kelena]

Cacao.

[JWFITZ]

Glen's idea is a good one, and one I've tried, but it's just a no go in my climate.

There's still a shortage of table taros out there and a lot of commercial farms in the state in the 5 acres and under size. Really, once you leave mechanized techniques behind and move to biointensive sustainable practice, 2 acres is about the maximum size you'll be able to deal with effectively. 5 tonnes an acre in the amalgam is certainly doable, and if you assume a 1-2 dollar a pound average farmgate value--well, it looks plausible to me, and where I'm headed personally.

[Rob Tucker]

I've tried cacao too and it has done poorly on my land near Pahoa.... about 800 foot elevation and wet.

[JWFITZ]

Kava is worth looking at too, and is probably a market as valuable as coffee, if production levels can be raised to the level that there's a market created. I've 4 types up here in Glenwood and they've all flourished.