To old to farm?
I’m a sailor by trade. I am a licensed merchant marine captain and have worked on boats for 25 years. That ended last year.
I’ve had four surgeries in the last 12 months. Mostly due to injuries from my career. So, after a cervical fusion, two kidney surgeries, and a repaired ankle tendon.
I am ready to take on a new line of work: Farming.
It sounds strange for a sailor to become a farmer. I have a background that is tied to ranching and farming from my childhood in South East Kansas.
I’m no stranger to the pitfalls of traditional agriculture, but I’m not going to farm traditionally.
I am starting an organic market garden without a tractor. I will be using sustainable no till/low till methods. Goals? Gross of $50,000 first year on 1/4 acre under cultivation in the Missouri Ozarks.
Please follow my transition from sailor to farmer this year. What makes it difficult is that I have little money. I’m overweight. Recovering from injuries and although not old(47), I’m no spring chicken.
Learn from my mistakes. Laugh when I cry. Laugh when I laugh and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own food at home. If I can do it so can you.
Captain Ron
Great post, Captain Ron. I look forward to reading about your adventures!
P.S. My goal is to grow and raise almost all the food that my husband and I eat, as well as the animals we have now and in the future.
It’s a great goal. If you find yourself with surplus, sell yourself at market, sell to a farmer that sells at market or donate it to a local food charity.
We live about 45 minutes away from a city, and their farmer's market isn't of interest to me. I would rather give my surplus to my neighbors, if they wanted it. Most already have gardens, so I freeze, dehydrate, and find other ways of storing what we have extra.