Many times in the past I've mentioned that one of my dreams is to own a small farm. In many ways this is one of my most complex dreams, farthest from reality, and simply said I don't have all the details to flesh it out.

Maybe this caused by my evolving world and my changing perceptions on agriculture. Up here at Plattsburgh State I'm constantly surrounded by farms small and large (by eastern New York standards), and I see what all kinds of people are doing work with their own land.

I've seen many cows laying in the grass, farmers shelving manure, kids playing in the barn yards, and people driving around in their big pickup trucks. I'm also taking a class in environmental ethics, where about a quarter of the class is dedicated to the topic of contemporary food production and it's alternatives, and what it is doing to our environment.

All this taken together has forced me to think more about what it means to farm and what it means to be a farmer. I forces me to take a step back and ask whether or not I really want to farm when I grow up. Somehow I want repudiate what so much our society stands for, but I can be most productive farming? Or would it be better to focus on political activism?

Is It Practical?

I've never milked a cow or driven a tractor. I know absolutely nothing about growing plants or taking care of animals. I don't own any land or have any money to buy land. That said, I have a little Ford Ranger pickup truck and a cowboy hat, and I like spending time outdoors. I like to dream, and I don't exclude or look down on any kind of farmer. I might not have the technical skills or the knowledge but I can dream. I'm young and I can save money up.

The reality is so much of the world is still open to me. I can learn the technical aspects of farming by reading books, observing, studying, and learning from others. It's not easy to change who you are, but you really believe in your cause it might just be possible. Farming might be an exclusive club, limited largely to those who have passed down through generations on the farm but I believe it's also possible for one break in if they really try hard.

Likewise, I still haven't really started my first real job of my life nor have I yet had a significant income. Yet, those days are coming. I am graduating from Plattsburgh State this spring with my bachelors degree in Political Science and I have no real debt to pay-off. I have a decent pickup truck that will get me through a few more years, and while I might go to graduate/law school later on and pay a lot for that, it's also just a choice that may or may interfere with eventually my farm dream.

Raising and Growing What?

My parents currently raise chickens and ducks, and they used to have dairy goats on our six acres of land out in Westerlo. We also have or had rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, and dogs as pets. We have a small vegetable garden. Yet, despite what some city people think, we aren't really a farm as we don't produce food for off-site consumption.

I want to do something different, something bigger. I actually want to farm and make a few dollars on the side doing it or at least recover some of my losses. And I'm not talking about a few bucks my parents make selling eggs at work.

I want to raise grass-fed beef cattle. I do not believe in being as strict as some people are with the whole organic phenomenon, but I also want to have a fair amount of land not just for animals but also for recreational purposes. Beef cows are relatively low mainentance animals that can make decent out of pasture land. The same land can be used for recreation not to mention other animals like chickens, horses, goats or whatever else is profitable.

It's not so much that I disagree with my parent's way of life, it's just that I want to do better, I want to do bigger. I also want land that is bigger and offers more recreational opportunity. Farm fields are not just places for cows to graze, but also green spaces and spaces where one can ride their quad, sled, and other toys.

Can It Be Done?

At some scale, yes. You see people with relatively little land raising all kinds of animals big and small. There are probably thousands of people in our country who have little more then a trailer and a few acres, but are able to raise beef cattle on the grassy fields they have around. Some of my neighbors do that, and you see that all over. It's takes a lot of grass to feed a cow, but if you plan it proptional to the resources you have then it's possible.

And that doesn't mean I can't actually afford enough land to have a real farm. Land is expensive, but with saving and smart investments it is possible. I won't be able to lay down the money for hundred or so acres of land tomorrow or even in a half decade from now, but I can work to build to that point. By choosing to build everything from the ground up like Keith Hammond did twenty years ago, so it is possible to do it.

Do I Really Want To Do It?

That's a tougher question. Without a question it would mean giving up a serious part of my life to devote to farming. And simply said, I really don't like working around my parents "farm". I've never particularly liked helping growing things in the greenhouse or garden, feeding animals, working out in the barn, or anything else.

Yet, there animals weren't mine either. I actually kind of enjoyed working around the house alone when they weren't around to boss me around or tell me how to do things correct. I didn't have a sense of ownership, a sense of pride. I didn't have the feeling that I built something myself, that my hard-work actually turned into something that really meant something to me.

I really don't think it would be boring or routine driven if I was in control and it was mine or I should say, shared with my wife. It could be a passion, something I really care about. Things I craft myself and fully own myself are my pride, and I can see my farm as being the expression of my greatness into the future.