> > Seriously! Darien and I have been talking about this, and we both think it is something we're really interested in. Once we have the money to buy a farm. :-P
> >
> > I would love to be a dairy farmer; he would prefer to deal just with crops. No problem- he can do the planting and I'll do the milking.
> >
> > I know I have a rather idealistic view of this right now, but that's simply because I don't really know what is involved. So, is anyone here a farmer? Grew up on a farm? Tell me about it!
> >
> > (You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find information on actually *being* a farmer online! Gah!)
> >
> > ~Mina "Baby Moo's!" moon
>
> There are upsides and downsides to being either a diary or crop farmer, or both. It's also a considerable amount of hard work (and not a job for people with allergies. :-) I suppose I could tell you a bit... or a lot, perhaps... because I have worked alongside so many farmers and was very, very curious about farming. However, since my actual personal experience with the profession has been limited to two summers at different dairy farms, you might be better off getting info from someone with more experience. Like Rivikah, for example. :-)
>
> One thing you might want to consider is whether you want to be real farmers (full-time, living from the proceeds of your land), or be what's called "hobby farmers" instead. Hobby farmers can have the same kind of farm as real farmers, and they even live on their own land in the same way, except they hire out most of the upkeep of the fields and animals to outside help. They are only "hobby farmers" in the sense that their *real* income comes from doing a profession which can be done while living on the farm -- i.e. accounting, or contract drafting, or offering a Country Bed 'n Breakfast service. The fact that I know so many farmers who are also machinists, engineers, welders, secretaries, accountants, and whole-sale retailers, etc., suggests that going into full-time farming may not be as romantic nor profitable a profession as it appears at first glance. At least not in Quebec.
>
> Wolf "Hope someone with experience answers your question" spirit

My father was only a farmer in the sense that he grew fields of vegetables(he never sold anything), but I live in a decently rural area and I know some things. From what I've heard about farming for profit it is not easy. A friend of mine said that trying to make money on a farm was almost impossible, because what you make selling crops or produce in the fall is usually ate up paying for loans on farm equipment, food for the rest of the year and payments on land.

Now as to living on the farm, I've heard that it's very difficult work. I know that growing up with vegetable fields was a lot of fun, but since my father never had to worry about the commercial aspect(he had a job working for the state, as did my mom), it was never that stressful. Again, I'm not an expert, but that's about my two cents.

Mel"Growing up in the country is about the best way I can think of though...."anie