This month brings a combo post like you've never seen before. The Farm Finance Challenge and the Growing Farms Podcast have landed on the same day. In honor of such an event one of the participating farmers in the FFC is the interview on the podcast this week.

Some of the farmers in the FFC are farming full time, others are homesteading or farming part time. Dan Berube of Berube Farm came on the show today to talk about the balance he has struck between farming vegetables part time and continuing a career off-farm.

In this farm podcast you will learn:

• That life is about balance...
• How to find a balance that includes agriculture
• How I am planning Camps Road Farm's vegetable production
• Tips for keeping your work-flow efficient
• Notes on feedback

Items mentioned in this farm podcast:

• Berube Farm
• Berube Farm on Facebook
• Camps Road Farm
• New Entry Sustainable Farming Project
• --

Spring has Sprung

Amanda McKelvey Hall - Rockin' H Farm's March Report

Everywhere poultry are laying more eggs, grass is starting to grow, buds are emerging on trees, and the season is warming up heading into the summer months. Q1, the first quarter of the year can be hard on some farms, especially in the NorthEast.

It is a tough time of year where farms don't produce much and therefore do not profit that much. You have to plan ahead with your finances to cover the lean months before nature provides the warm summer bounty. The beautiful thing is that summer always comes.

It is also not an ideal time to start publicly sharing your financials. There's not too much to be proud of income-wise when it comes to the past three months. Regardless, the farms involved in the FFC too a leap, accepted the challenge, and have been transparent about their finances hopefully to the benefit of the community as well as themselves.

It is great to see the farm coming alive again hearalding the promises of a wonderful year.

Share the Knowledge

Spencer Curry - Fresh Farm Aquaponics March Report

Whether you are farming conventional, organic, or aquapoinc, we need more farmers. That's a fact. Some people are called to teach as well as grow. Spencer over at Fresh Farm Aquapoincs helps non-profits and other farmers set up their aquaponics systems through consulting and workshops.

It doesn't matter as much how you are farming, just that you are farming. The rest of the details and motivations will fall into place. WhatSpencer is doing is getting a new(er) was of producing food into schools and other institutions.

The Farm Finance Challenge seeks to educate as well. We are publicly working on making our farms better so that our mistakes are not repeated. With aphids destroying crops, egg sales tanking, and hard-drives crashing this has certainly been a month of mistakes. We're not perfect and that is important to note. The beautiful thing is neither are you.

Learn Your Land When Starting a Farm

Scott Stegerwald - Bird Creek Farms March Report

Scott brought up a great point about the Spring thaw on his land. Observation. When you are starting a farm it takes time and observation to learn the land.

• What is the path of the sun?
• What are the water cycles like?
• What areas are full of life on your farm?
• What areas seem like they will never dry out?
• What areas seem like they never get rain?

All of these things are super important to running your farm, and they're questions a real estate agent will not be able to answer for you. It takes time to learn a piece of land. You will grow with that land the way your farm business will, and the way your crops will.

Links to Farm Reports: Berube Farm

• Vegetables including squash, tomatoes, and beans
• Gross Income: $1,295.00
• Expenses: $1,439.20
• March Report

Bird Creek Farms

• Organic vegetables, 200 chickens, and alfalfa
• Gross Income: $0
• Expenses: $2,175.11
• March Report

Camps Road Farm

• Hops, apples, pasture-raised poultry, and events
• Gross Income:$1,931.00
• Expenses: $7,103.00
• March Report

Fresh Farm Aquaponics

• Aquaponics and consulting
• Gross Income: $2,498.12
• Expenses: $545.00
• March Report

Little River Eco Farm

• Grass-fed beef, fowl, and free-range eggs
• Gross Income: $3,605.00
• Expenses: $3,929.00
• March Report

Rockin' H Farm

• Vegetables, fruit, livestock, eggs, and honey
• Gross Income: $1804.50
• Expenses: $1601.75
• March Report

Sandia Pastured Meats

• Dairy, eggs, and livestock
• Gross Income: $1,438.84
• Expenses: $2,794.30
• March Report

Squash Hollow Farm

• Pastured pork and chicken
• Gross Income: $1,272.00
• Expenses: $581.00
• March Report

SugarWood Acres

• Maple syrup, wood, and hay
• Gross Income: $1,884.00
• Expenses: $4,032.59
• March Report

Take Aways:

As you can see, this was a tough month for everyone. Hopefully April will be a little nicer.

How will you prepare for the lean months?

What are some creative ways to extend your season?

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Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook , or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

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