Farming As The Life Purpose

[egoless]

I know - the strange start but... During my shroom trip I had several big insights. One of the most precious of them was coming straight from the nature. I felt this unshakable harmony with the nature.  Trees outside were "whispering": Solution to the humanity problems lies between the synergy of people and the nature. Concentrating only on the technological development will bring no good... So then I was contemplating about my life purpose and I got really interested in the farming. Currently I am doing Business studies and I think farming aligns perfectly well with this. As an INTP (Myers Briggs) I always struggled to find my passionate career in the business field. I tried finance but was too repetitious for me. It seemed like I needed more freedom and creativity. As an INTP I am not sure whether farming will be the suitable life purpose for me but at least in theory it sounds very appealing to me. In addition I think that it is very beneficial work to do for the surroundings and society in general. Combining farming with Enlightenment work seems also a good possibility to me. Any actual farmers here who may give me recommendation on this? 

Edited November 3, 2017 by egoless

[jjer94]

Coming from someone who's currently working on a farm, and who's done farming internships in the past: farming is hard work. Depending on the size of the farm, work hours will be long. The physical labor is meditative and relaxing at times, strenuous and frustrating other times. It's very grounding work.

However, if you think finance is too repetitious, you may not like most farm work. Would you be willing to pull weeds for a couple hours straight in a squatting position? Or shovel chicken poop all day into a wheelbarrow while flies are assaulting your back? When it comes to freedom, you're tied to the schedule of the animals and plants. Days off are scarce. It's a chop wood, carry water kind of job. Fortunately for you, it can be a solitary activity, and you could probably listen to podcasts or whatever while you're working.

That being said, there is a sort of beauty to it. Like you said, farming does connect you with nature. Most of us don't have that connection nowadays, and that's a shame because it's so precious. There is also a sense of fulfillment when the dinner on the table is coming directly from the garden. If you're a health nut like me, it's even more gratifying. Not to mention you're bringing nutrients back into the soil. As for creativity, there is some, but not as much compared to the physical labor. 

If you're interested, you could take a "test drive" of sorts. I used https://wwoofusa.org/ and stayed on a farm for a couple months to get a feel for it. There's also https://www.helpx.net/ and https://www.workaway.info/. 

I hope you find what you're looking for!

Edited November 3, 2017 by jjer94

[ajasatya]

yes. practice the principles of syntropic farming as taught by ernst gotsch. the result is ABUNDANT and GREEN and HEALTHY and PROSPEROUS. the speed is the speed of Nature.

here you go for more detailed info.

be fearless. embrace Nature and it will embrace you.

[egoless]

@jjer94 Thank you very much for that realistic assessment of pros and cons. I love solitude very much and as you mentioned listening to podcasts and audibooks during my work is like the heaven for me. Repetitious is ok for me if I feel passionate about the stuff I am doing so I hope this part will be ok for me as well. One thing that worries me right now the most is the fact that many people say that farming is way too risky and unpredictable business. They say that it is very hard to make it profitable in long term. Many farmers report online that they struggle to even make ends meet. Also I want to ask you which crops do you recommend me to study and what kind of life stock. I was thinking about rabbit farm. Also I don't life in USA so I doubt these websites could help me out.

@ajasatya Does this website have English version? Which crops do you recommend me to study? 

 

Which one is more profitable crops, livestock, mushrooms or maybe even bees or fish?

Edited November 3, 2017 by egoless

[jjer94]

@egoless Yes, it can be hard to make profits. You wouldn't want to do it for the money. 

As for the crops/livestock, it all depends on where you want to farm. Different crops/livestock thrive in different climates. For example, in my climate, chickens, bees, mushrooms, and cruciferous vegetables like kale do particularly well. 

The last two websites are international, and WWOOF also has extensions for other countries such as https://wwoof.nz/

Edited November 3, 2017 by jjer94

[egoless]

2 minutes ago, jjer94 said:

@egoless Yes, it can be hard to make profits. You wouldn't want to do it for the money. 

As for the crops/livestock, it all depends on where you want to farm. Different crops/livestock thrive in different climates. 

The last two websites are international, and WWOOF also has extensions for other countries such as https://wwoof.nz/

yeah maybe not to do lots of money but at least decent money to live without any struggle and so you provide your family? What about mushroom farm I've heard it is actually the most profitable

[jjer94]

@egoless I've never tried it, so I don't know. Same thing with the mushrooms. I know chaga's a big deal where I'm currently living. I bought some local chaga tea recently that was extremely expensive. So, maybe? You'll have to do your own research on that one.

[egoless]

@jjer94 what kind of farm did you have what were you growing?

[jjer94]

@egoless I didn't have one, but have worked on a few. The first one was growing an assortment of vegetables and berries, and had a chicken coup and a few goats. The second one had a menagerie: yak, ducks, a hundred or so chickens, turkins (the weirdest-looking things you'll ever see), alpaca, llamas, goats, and a sheep. The one I'm currently working on is primarily vegetables with some berries and bees, though we're in clean-up phase for the winter.

[egoless]

@jjer94 The good thing is in my country agriculture ground is very cheap and it is actually very good soil. But after listening to so many people saying farming is not really a profitable business I am thinking more about mushroom farm. 

[ajasatya]

12 hours ago, egoless said:

@ajasatya Does this website have English version? Which crops do you recommend me to study? 

oh sorry. i thought you would be redirected to an english version of the site.

syntropic farming is a different thing. we don't aim for particular crops. we aim for a rich forest that produces fruits and vegetables.

in the process of growth, some plants are more resistant to the sunlight and they grow faster like corn and banana. they grow up first and protect the ones they grow up slower.

why syntropic? it's the opposite of entropic. a syntropic system renovates its own energy levels. in a regular farming system we harvest less and less as time passes by. you need to spend money to nourish the soil over and over. in a syntropic system, it regulates itself. earthworms start to appear out of nowhere! it's beautiful.

it requires a lot ot initial labor and manpower, but then nature takes over.

how do we manage the system in order not to waste energy? pruning! it's the great revelation here. we chop entire banana trees (after they give us their fruits) and put them back on the ground. they decompose and fertilize the soil again. we do the same with eucalyptus, but we don't need to wait for fruits. we just practice pruning when the tree is strong enough. then the eucalyptus grows stronger and we do it over and over. the soil becomes a rich pool of organic matter.

we do it in linear plots. there are the corridors where we can step and the corridors where we plant.

watch this video for detailed visual instructions.

interesting links: http://syntropicfarmsco.com/

Edited November 3, 2017 by ajasatya

[egoless]

@ajasatya Yes but I see farming as my life purpose not as a laborer working for someone else. I want to establish my own farm and produce my own organic products so that people who are buying my product receive quality and healthy organic food. I am also interested in a business, creative side of it. How to export it, how to target markets, strategically which crops or livestock to interchange.

P.S. I am watching videos and this is amazing but I doubt this technique will work in my country. Bananas and some of these tropical trees don't grow here. Different climate.

Edited November 3, 2017 by egoless

[ajasatya]

32 minutes ago, egoless said:

I see farming as my life purpose not as a laborer working for someone else. 

the healing that farming provides comes from becoming part of Nature and actually working with your hands. even if you want to have your own business, i highly recommend that you work with people that you hire. it's good for you and good for them. it's empowering and encouraging. Nature is very receptive when men behave and feel like brothers. because we are.

33 minutes ago, egoless said:

I doubt this technique will work in my country. Bananas and some of these tropical trees don't grow here. Different climate.

i am sure there are substitutes. study study study. observe how forests grow where you live. that's what ernst gotsch did. and now he's the richest cocoa exporter in the world.

[egoless]

38 minutes ago, ajasatya said:

the healing that farming provides comes from becoming part of Nature and actually working with your hands. even if you want to have your own business, i highly recommend that you work with people that you hire. it's good for you and good for them. it's empowering and encouraging. Nature is very receptive when men behave and feel like brothers. because we are.

i am sure there are substitutes. study study study. observe how forests grow where you live. that's what ernst gotsch did. and now he's the richest cocoa exporter in the world.

Exactly I want to work in it myself. But I want to own my farm myself as well. I don't want to have mass production. Maybe at max 2 acres of farm. But lack of knowledge is the major entry barrier for me. Even for very experienced farmers it is a very risky business.

Edited November 3, 2017 by egoless

[electroBeam]

@egoless you need to work for someone else first before you go and create your own farm. how else do you expect to get experience. 

[egoless]

Just now, electroBeam said:

@egoless you need to work for someone else first before you go and create your own farm. how else do you expect to get experience. 

by trial and error. I hate working for someone else. 

[TimStr]

@egoless

Get into permaculture!

Here's some inspiration. Watch the whole movie:

 

Edited November 6, 2017 by TimStr

[egoless]

13 hours ago, TimStr said:

@egoless

Get into permaculture!

Here's some inspiration. Watch the whole movie:

 

I love this idea so much. But how economically practical is it? If I become farmer and I invest everything I have in it this will be my main source of income. Also what is the minimum size of land where permaculture could be profitable? 10 acres, 20 acres?...

[Ranz Kafka]

@egoless if you do perma culture you create value (quality+ good conscience). and if you create value, you don't have to worry about profits, they will come. just think about how much people are wiling to pay extra for the label "organic". if you can create a solid public association of quality (and good feeling) with for example the label "perma", you will reap profits. if you locally start to really brand your RARE niche quality produce, demand from longer distances will add up to it soon. (similar to the high demand for local, high quality, antibiotic free, grass fed beef)

[Leo Gura]

@egoless Careful not to get distracted here.

What is the impact you want to have on humanity/world?

Will farming serve this impact?

If not, it's not part of your LP.