Q&A

DEAR NEW FARM:

I have a small six-acre piece of property. Would it be possible to start a sustainable organic farm? Also I have no farming experience.

Thanks,
Ken Swanson
Florida

DEAR KEN:

Sure, you can do a lot with six acres. Take Somerton Tanks Farm in Philadelphia, which serves a 40-member CSA, several restaurant accounts and two farmer’s markets, all off of half an acre: www.somertontanksfarm.org.

Also, read our recent reply to a similar question advising another newbie to get active with their regional sustainable agriculture group. (In your case, you would want to check out the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group www.ssawg.org and Florida Organic Growers www.foginfo.org.)

Keep reading New Farm, and jump into one or several of our forum discussions: www.newfarm.org/forums. Talk to your neighboring organic farmers, visit farmers' markets, and start experimenting with crops and markets this season (you don't have to plant the whole six acres at once; choose something you know grows well in your area that has a bit of a shelf-life in order to help you line up customers and test the waters).

Best of luck,
NF

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