SMALL FARMER

I'm not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to Agriculture, although i grew up on a cotton farm in small town Alabama. My dad, now there's an Ag man. he knows it all. from cotton to vegetables and a good bit about livestock and how to work on his own equipment. A few of today's farmers didn't grow up on farms but have learned a bit about what it takes to make a living in farming and let today's high tech equipment do the figuring. They spent thousands and even millions of dollars a year on the Agricultural machines that make a large scale farm work, like 200 hp tractors and 40 row sprayers. it doesn't take a college degree to work, own or run a farm, although as much or more learned knowledge is required. But farming is not a profession to jump straight into. the price of equipment is high and the profits are many times a deep negative. when my father was growing up a farmer that is seldom seen today could be found anywhere. That would be the small farmer. The small farmer was the man that could do it all on his own or with minimal help. he would have to mix all chemicals for each specific crop(if he could afford them) or organically prevent weeds and pests. He had to do the mechanic work on his own equipment. He usually had enough food for his family to eat but then had to sell the rest for a minimal profit that sometimes barley paid for the years expenses. These men were truly Americas all around businessman. Dealing with changing food prices of the day with out a blackberry while today's farmer can have all of the above mentioned problems answered in real time by some guy 2000 miles away that has never even seen a farm. The small farmer is a dying breed but, a new kind of farmer is taking his place. The Hobby Farmer. this is a man that works his regular time at the office but comes home to the back yard farm. normally a hobby farm is a tax write off for some people or just an enjoyable type of work for others who may feel a tie to the land or specific area of their hobby farm. The majority of these farmers are successful in their 9-5 jobs and can support a farming operation that just would cut if it were a life line or lively hood for someone. As an Ag teacher at the high school level i will probably have a small plot of land in which i can farm to some extent, but i don't think it will be for an income that will sufficiently support a family.
I feel humbled to have grown up on a small 100 acre cotton farm and i do understand that farming will never be the same as when i grew up those few years ago. but i do see great things in store for the future of agriculture. Just remember the humble beginnings of the industry we know as Agriculture and it's father, The SMALL FARMER.