LIVING ON A FARM

Nowadays there are less and less people working on farms. Decades  ago most farms were much smaller, and most farming was done with simple machines and horses.

In the early 20th century farms were more  diverse  than today. Most farmers  raised lots of different  crops  and  cared for  many varied animals. Farmers  planted  corn, oats, wheat and barley, and raised  cattle  and  hogs. Women planted large gardens of potatoes, carrots, lettuce, beans and  radishes. They also cared for chickens and sold eggs.  Throughout  the 20th century, as  machinery developed, farms began  to grow bigger. As they got bigger, they also  tended to  become less diverse. Many farmers raised just corn and wheat. Others raised hogs or cattle with some field crops.

As farms grew larger, many farmers  moved off  the farms their grandparents once occupied. More and more farm families are  selling out to  the large corporate farmers and are moving to town.

Being a successful farmer today  requires knowledge  of  advanced technology, educational preparation and business skills. Many farmers learn about the business and practice of agriculture through a training program at a college or university.

There’s nothing prettier than a couple of chickens standing on the  lawn  in front of a farm house. But they are  beneficial  too as they eat all kinds of  nasty insects  and keep things  neat  and  trim around the buildings and under trees.  Plus, they  provideyou with eggs! 

On a farm, you have to get used to  dust  from the dirt roads,  gravel roads, fields oranimal lots. When it rains, the dust turns to  mud, and it  gets  tracked into  the house from boots and shoes.

If you are  fortunate  enough to buy a farm with fruit trees already planted on it, you are in luck.  Fruit trees take several years after planting before they begin to produce fruit. Fruit trees require a lot of  maintenance  too.  They have  to be pruned  and sprayed regularly. They are, however, a good  investment,  especially  if you plan on freezing or canning the fruit.

Most farms are several kilometres from town and it wouldn’t be  economical  to drive to town daily. When grocery shopping, or shopping from other  supplies, farmer have  to plan ahead  and buy for a week or two worth of supplies.   In the long run  it is a surprisingly  good way  to  save money as a lot of  spontaneous  buying  is eliminated  this way.