Plan & Manage The WHOLE Farm

Farming is both a lifestyle and a business - which means that we have to think about our resources really carefully.  For example, have you ever wondered how much money you actually made on those 17 calves you sent to the stockyard last year?  After figuring out how much it cost to feed, vaccinate, maintain pasture conditions, repair the baler, buy a new fence charger, and fill up the tank on the haul to the stockyard, how much of the check is left? 

In today's economy, your farm must be managed like a well-oiled machine in order for it to survive and prosper for future generations.   It would be great if someone would hand us a map that says, "Hey, you want to do well farming in WNC?  Then here are the three things you need to do..."  Unfortunately, there is no magic, one-size-fits-all miracle crop.  However, there are ways to consider the assets that you already have and match them with new, diversified, sometimes unheard-of enterprises that fit your operation.  Click here for a helpful, easy-to-use "Agriculture Diversification Compass - A Guide to Choosing New Directions for Your Farm" to get you started!

The following are resources to help you plan for the future of your farm and manage the resources that you have:  

• AgVenture Feasibility - Exploring New/Other Income-Producing Activities
• Risky Business - Assessing Tools to Protect My Crops, My Farm, My Income, and ME!
• Business Planning 101 - Mapping a Practical Plan for Finances, Capital, Human Resources, Marketing, and the Future of My Farm