Farming Business
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

How do I Start My Own Farming Business?

Do you have spare land that you don’t want to go to waste? Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of living and working on the land. Homesteading has picked up in popularity again in the 21st century and many people are choosing to break into the world of farming, whether it be a small-scale, part-time venture, or a full-time job. Read on to find out a few essential tips for anyone wishing to cultivate their land to its best potential!

Choosing Your Method of Farming

The UK has about 212,000 different farms ranging across various types and methods of agriculture. Arable farming is the production of crops and is practiced largely in the southeast due to the warmer summers and large areas of flat, low land. Market gardening is similar but tends to produce higher-value crops, which are fresh and local.

Pastoral farming involves the keeping of livestock largely for products such as meat, milk, eggs, and wool. The distribution of pastoral farming depends largely on the type of livestock, with cattle being kept largely in the southwest and pigs in areas of Yorkshire and East Anglia. Of course, mixed farming is an option, combining crops and livestock, but this often works better in larger spaces and farmland.

Cultivating Your Land

Cultivating and preparing your land is one of the first places to start when building a farming business. Factors such as soil quality, pH, and water retention are important things to know before starting your venture.

Paddock maintenance services are essential to maximise land productivity. Consider using an established company to aid you such as Hill View Farm; such companies are ideal for both first-time and experienced farmers. You can rest assured of being provided with quality land care and advice and need not worry about providing equipment.

Get Some Training

The internet is a great provider of knowledge for new ventures such as this. But when it comes to starting a business, knowing as much as possible isn’t just sensible, it’s vital. In the UK, there are thousands of agricultural courses, many providing online education at the moment.

Agricultural courses vary greatly in their focus, some being much broader allowing you to become familiar with an overview of farming techniques. Some, however – for the student who knows what they wish to do – are much more focused on a particular sector of agriculture and will give you the detailed education that is required.

These are just a few of the many ways to break into farming and don’t be fooled, it’s not an impossible task! Farming is a constantly thriving sector of UK trade and economy, which is only growing, so never fear, the tools and help that you need are out there. Starting your own farm may take time, however large, but it is a business that will connect you to the outdoors, allow you to control your own career, and may even be passed down through the generations of your family! Don’t let your land go to waste, start looking into your farming future today!