Grown with Love: The Secrets to Starting an Organic Farm at Home

Did you know that if every farm in the United States was organic, it would eliminate 500 million pounds of pesticides every year?

Organic farming is a profitable and ethical choice. It’s also an excellent selling point for your business. Consumers are looking for healthy and ethical options when it comes to their food.

Are you thinking about starting an organic farm? 

Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to start an organic farm.

1. Decide What You Want on Your Farm

The first step in starting an organic farm is to define your goals. What kind of fruits and vegetables are you going to grow? What type of livestock do you want to have?

After you have determined this information, you can start thinking about logistics.

2. Test Your Soil

Before start growing fruits and vegetables, you need to get your soil tested by a professional. The best time of year to get your soil tested is in the fall.

The easiest way to do this is to contact your local agricultural extension office. They can test your soil, provide you with a report, and give you suggestions on how you can treat your soil if there are any issues they discover.

Once your soil is ready to go, you’re ready to grow your fruits and vegetables.

3. Get Ready for Livestock

If you’re planning on having livestock on your organic farm, there are a few things you should consider.

• Do you have enough property for your animals to have access to a pasture?
• Do you have space where your livestock can access shade and indoor shelter?
• Do you have an area where your animals can exercise?

The USDA mandates certain living conditions for organic livestock. If you don’t have the space to provide a pasture, shade, indoor, shelter, and exercise space for larger animals, you may want to consider starting small.

Raising chickens is an excellent starting point for beginner organic farmers. Chickens are inexpensive, and the construction of chicken coops is relatively simple. There are lots of inexpensive chicken coop plans to diy.

4. Do You Need an Organic Certification if You’re Starting an Organic Farm?

You aren’t required to get an organic certification if you’re starting an organic farm. There are a couple of factors you want to consider when you’re making this decision.

• Do you want to use the term “certified organic” in your marketing for your farm?
• Do you plan to have a small farm with very little profit, or do you plan to have a larger business?

If your sales are over $5,000 a year, and you use the term “certified organic,” your farm has to be USDA-certified.

No matter what decision you make, it’s something you want to decide on early in the process because the certification can take a long time.

It’s time to reconsider organic food hawkesbury if you believe that locally produced food is too difficult. Not only do most city outskirts have their own farmers’ markets to explore, but you’ll also avoid all of that over-sprayed, over-waxed, over- pimped, and overpriced “fresh” produce from the supermarkets.

Start Your Organic Farm Today

If you’re thinking about starting an organic farm, there’s no time like the present. During the COVID-19 crisis, having your own access to healthy, organic food is also a huge plus.

Do you have your own organic farm? Leave us a message and let us know why you choose to be an organic farmer.