Tomorrow is the first day of 2011 which means that I’ve had this blog floating around for the past four plus years. In those years I have transitioned from book reading to farm buying and finally to kinda farming. But, one thing that has been consistent over all of those years is the fact that I have made mistakes. I made mistakes in my planning, I made mistakes in my early decisions, I made mistakes in my initial farm ventures, and I’ve made plenty of mistakes after moving to the farm and trying to ramp things up.
They say you are supposed to learn from your mistakes and I guess that is what I’ve been trying today. I’m beginning to feel like I should write a book about my mistakes and the lessons I’ve learned because it seems like the mistakes/lessons grow by multiples of ten! And, I’m beginning to think that sometimes it takes a few repeat mistakes before I figure the lesson out … Here are some lessons that I’ve learned that were in my mind tonight as I was working outside ::
- When you’ve never farmed before there are lots of little things that you would never think about. After a couple years in I’m still finding those little things and I count on finding them as long as I farm … it’s an unpredictable game.
- You have to have shoulders like a rain coat so that things will just roll off of you. There are ups and there are downs … and when you start from scratch there will be plenty of downs.
- Slow down. I don’t like slow, but you need to slow down regardless … unless you have enough capital to just force things along.
- Cold weather just plain stinks … period … end of story.
- Don’t paint yourself in a corner … that means a lot of things at different times, but I think it’s an important lesson!
So, there are just a few of the lessons that I was thinking about tonight as I was outside in the wind (those 60º temps are long gone by the way). One of these days I should write down all of those lessons … all of those little things that never even crossed my mind as I was reading all my farming books and dreaming. Maybe … maybe I’ll just write a book … I always wanted to be a writer when I was a kid, just like I always wanted to be a farmer …
There is a great book there. Just start writing it one page at a time. It will be a valuable resource for the rest of us just embarking. If only I could learn from a single mistake. But it does seem to be take one, take two…
Thanks for this post Ethan,
I hope you realize that your mistakes, and your successes have all ready affected people in a good way. I have learned a lot from your blog as I am sure many of your readers have. I would read that book if you wrote it. I actually come to your blog to get a real-life perspective, and am glad you give us a glimpse of the good, bad and ugly not just some idealist dream.
As we begin to ramp up on our little farmstead in the city and look forward to some day farming for a living, I always keep what you (and some other authors) are doing in the back of my mind, and it helps me to remember to slow down, not be impatient and think about all of the little things that I can (although I always miss most of them 🙂 ).
For example, we are working towards getting dairy goats, rabbits, and continue with our pastured poultry this new year. Your blog has really helped me to realize that my perimeter fencing on my property is completely insufficient for what I want to do, and that I really need to plan ahead for watering, and even feeding and making sure I have enough feedstuffs to weather storms and such (Memphis in spring is nasty).
And as far as the weather is concerned.. It was 64 degrees in Memphis yesterday, I was so excited I let the animals out of their winter homes, and it was great, then at about 5pm right when we were sitting down for dinner with guests, a massive storm hit and I had to run out side and button everything up in the poring rain, lighting and a tornado watch. 🙂
Thanks again for this post.
It may be little comfort, but you are definitely not alone in this realm. Since starting our farm we have come to realize that mistakes are simply proof that we can learn…though often it is the hard way.
Ethan,
maybe you could start your ‘book’ by posting a ‘If you’re planning to start a farm then you might want to do/consider this…’
maybe hit one idea a day as a PS on your regular blog entry… maybe lay out what you origianally did or thought and then what you would have done once your learned from a mistake or just not knowing…
example…
If i were starting a farm today would i buy or lease a farm? You might be able to get there faster by leasing a farm and conserving your funds…. (just an idea)
cheers,
I especially like the “Slow Down” suggestion. I’ve been working on that one a lot lately. It really helps you stay focused when you do that, and think about farming LONG TERM.