So I keep having this crazy idea....

[rebecca100]

I want to start a heritage farm! The only problem is that I can't convince dh. It would require moving back to our old place which we are supposed to do anyway. I would probably get rid of the chickens I have now and get some heritage breeds, maybe a few heritage breed geese(do sebastapools count as heritage?), and some mulefoot hogs. We already plan on stting up at least 2 greenhouses where I can plant some heirloom seeds...... Nothing big. Mostly just for us and a little extra to sell to help with costs. I mean after all I am already planning on getting hogs and goats again..... I already have a heritage breed sheep and am growing heirloom plants so surely it wouldn't take much to go all the way right? I want to keep it as sustainable as I can. I would need to get new fencing.
Does anyone know about how to legally start a farm though? I mean like if I was to possibly sell produce? Anyway this is just an idea and I don't know how far it would go... I am really excited about the idea though. I still have so much to learn, but I think we can do it if I can get dh on board. Plus it would help make heritage breeeds that are hard to find a little more available if I sell the extra offspring.

 

[Wannabefree]

I think that is a great idea! It is what I initially wanted to do...start out with all heritage breed animals originating from very good stock. Well, then I realized it takes more money than other stock especially with the chickens, because the heritage breeds are larger and require more feed to grow out. I do have heritage birds, chickens, turkeys, and ducks, but man is it hard to maintain sometimes! I have made a decent ammount from the chickens and turkeys so far now, but it takes a while to see any profit because growing them takes time. Now I have some non heritage to offset the expense of my heritage, and to sell more eggs which is picking up. I want heritage cattle I just need to get the money for some more land It is my dream too, and I hope you can do it!!!!! I am going to build my first greenhouse here very soon. I have the frame now, just have to get the covering....one day....but for now..I'll just live vicariously through you LOL!

 

[lwheelr]

There are some sticky tax laws (at least in the US) where farms are concerned.

Some states have special options for farm/ranch, on things like property taxes, vehicle licensing, etc.

Otherwise, it is no different than starting any kind of business.

Go Heritage! I love it when people decide on Preservation farming.

 

[hwillm1977]

Here's the website of a local (to me) heritage farm... they also run a bed and breakfast there...

I think it's a wonderful idea.

http://www.steppingstoneheritagefarm.ca/

 

[lorihadams]

I think that is a great idea!

You may want to see if you can get with an attorney in your area that knows the laws and see if you can set up a LLC. My husband did that with his guide service and it wasn't too expensive.

You may want to look into other ways of profiting off of the farm than just selling animals and produce. My goat breeder raises cows, donkeys, horses, goats, ducks, geese, guineas, turkeys, chickens, sheep, and a llama here or there. She also has great pyrenees LGD. She runs a bed and breakfast out of her home, all her children are grown and gone so the entire upstairs of their home is guest space. That is where the majority of her income comes from. Her husband still works a "regular" job for insurance benefits.

Good luck!

 

[patandchickens]

If you want to do it for your own use, sure no problem, as long as your needs suit what heritage crops/breeds are best suited for.

If you want to do it to sell for profit, then a) you need to find out what your particular state laws are (they vary quite a lot -- are generally less-complicated for if you just want to have a produce stand at the front of the driveway than if you want to sell livestock) and b) you will pretty much need to have a market for "value added" type products, because you are almost certainly going to have higher production costs (esp. for livestock) and therefore have to price higher than 'conventional' products just to break even let alone make a buck or two.

I'm using value-added in the broadest sense -- basically I just mean, you need to have a sufficient audience of people willing to pay significantly more than they would at a supermarket, because they especially want heritage type products or because you offer some sort of 'buying experience' that they can't get otherwise.

So, it would work better in some geographic locations than others -- out of your control.

But certainly for your OWN use, grow/raise whatever you like And if you have a low-enough predation environment that you can turn poultry loose to forage for itself to a large degree, the economics can be not so different, either.

(Although, while Sebastopol geese may count as a heritage breed, they do not really count as a *practical livestock* breed IMO, not to say you can't still keep them as a hobby ornamental )

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[rebecca100]

Dh said yes!! Okay, so now I am REALLY making plans. on only 10 acres I will have to be careful about how many critters I bring in to keep it from stressing the land to much. There is only about 4 rocky acres cleared for pasture. So I am thinking in the way of chickens Salmon Faverolles free ranged I think. Maybe in tractors, but I can't figure out how to make tractors with rabbit pens on top or before the chicken tractors without the rabbits getting too hot in the summer! with the chickens free ranged that won't be a problem. Pigs-mulefoots, pastured maybe with the mini horsed and sheep I am thinking perhaps 3 mulefoot hogs 1 boar and 2 sows and maybe 15 chickens, 3 goats, 3 sheep, some rabbits, my sebbie geese and maybe a couple of pilgrim or pomeranian geese. I think that is all our land would be able to sustain. I also am considering a small catfish pond and at least 2 big gardens. I already have earthworms started and am trying to get bsf larvae going for catfish and chicken feed supplement. Dh is planning on moving the mobile home next month and we will move the camper out there while redoing it. If we are lucky in a couple of years when everything is paid off we will build a house there.
Any ideas and suggestions will be appreciated!