Need some advice on starting farming

[freewookie]

Have you heard of Joel Salatin? Polyface, Inc. You could even do an internship there to see if his farming philosophy works for you. It can get you out of trying to produce a commodity against the agribusinesses and making money with hard work and planning without much capital. There are a few farms around me that produce heritage free range pork that are doing well on not alot of land. I know I would like keep renting out as much land as I could at 200/acre so going into specialty livestock helps with that. Also I would start now, once you get older and have things like a mortgage or kids, the amount of risk you can take and free time you have gets pretty small.

+1. Joel has done quite well.

 

[farmer2009]

If you want to start farming and I am guessing you are fairly young go for it. Just keep a day job. Niche markets are nice but don't flood the market. Say you have a market for half of what you can produce that is all you can sell. The other half would have to be sold for a large discount or trucked to the next market can get expensive.
I did something similar I raised cattle with dad while working in town for a farm supplier. Then an opportunity came along for me to move to the farm full time. I took it. And love it I was 25 when I made my move.
Now understand its a business and in farming you will carry lots of debt starting out had a guy tell me once "if you don't have stomach problems when you start farming you will in a few years". This is do to the stress. Mostly self imposed and different from the in town job stress. Be ready to work a lot and sleep little or at least I do. Don't want to discourage you but also not going to sugar coat it either.
Good luck.