Farm Living (Subsidized by a Job Elsewhere)

Our experience aligns with this pretty well.  At least one member of most of the local farms we know work off farm with the exception of a few very large “corporate” farms.  We obviously both work “off farm” as well, but our goal isn’t profit, it’s to provide for our own family.  If at some point our farm products could pay for themselves and the food we have to get “off farm” for our family, I would be absolutely thrilled.  Right now our chickens pay for their own day to day costs which is a very small step (chickens don’t need much) but our first mini-milestone.

“EVER thought of chucking it all and moving to the country? According to the Agriculture Department, an increasing number of Americans are doing just that, by embracing a “Green Acres” lifestyle. But few of them are making a living at it: more often than not, their work in the fields is subsidized by an off-the-farm job.”

NY Times: Farm Living (Subsidized by a Job Elsewhere)