I got this note from Hoosier Outsider. It’s been circulating among the sustainable farming enthusiasts.
I can totally relate to all of this and I think it essentially applies to life in general…except I don’t have an extension agent to help me with issues in my neighborhood.
The note to new farmers is from Tracy Mumma, a National Center for Appropriate Technology program specialist.
Here’s Tracy’s advice:
1. Make friends with your neighbors, and admit you know nothing. Neighbors can teach you everything from how to run your irrigation equipment to how to load a reluctant cow in a trailer. If you have friendly Amish neighbors, they may be willing to teach you a lot more.
2. Take all the advice you get from your friendly neighbors, and refine it with the advice offered by books, Extension, and experts.
3. Keep all that advice in the back of your mind as you do the best you can on a daily basis, which often means doing things late, not according to plan, and in totally unorthodox fashion.
Tracy, husband David Sturman and their two kids farm in Montana with the help of their Amish neighbors.
The attached photo is a hoop greenhouse at Victory Acres. We haven’t built one of these yet on The Farm. But I have no doubt that our neighbors down the road could help us figure it out.
Photo by Hoosier Outsider.
Virtual Farmgirl 