Exploring Farming

Penn State Extension has a wealth of useful resources covering farming basics, land and financing options for your farm, organic, sustainable, and no-till farming, and much more.

Farming in Pennsylvania

If you want to start farming in Pennsylvania, you’ll be part of one of the commonwealth’s major industries. The US Census of Agriculture conducted in 2017 found there were more than 53,000 farms in Pennsylvania. In total, these farms covered an area of more than 7,200,000 acres, and the average farm size was 137 acres.

Pennsylvania is a significant producer of crops such as mushrooms, apples, and peppers. It is also a big producer of dairy products and eggs. Aging farmers is a big challenge for the industry, with twice as many farmers over 65 than under 35. The industry is crying out for people who want to farm.

Another challenge is facing is the loss of farmland. Finding land is particularly hard for young farmers who don’t come from a farming family. Land is costly, and they need to determine whether their planned operation meets local ordinances.

If it’s your dream to own a small farm, there’s no time like the present to start a new agricultural business.

Land and Financing Options for Your Farm

The main challenges that new farmers face are access to capital and land. Capital is fundamental to cover the cost of buying the farm and financing the business. Without land, a farm simply couldn’t exist.

Financing is available in the form of grants and loans, but the key to a successful application is a good business plan and knowledge of budgeting for agricultural decision making.

Grant opportunities include:

• The Small Business Innovation Research grants
• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program
• USDA Value-Added Producer Grants

There are many options when considering who to approach for a loan. You could use your savings, but there is a considerable risk. Borrowing from friends or family is another option. Credit cards could cost a lot in interest, lower your credit score, and impact future loan potential. The last option is to approach a commercial lender.

Organic, Sustainable, and No-Till Farming

Organic farming has been practiced in the United States for more than a century. Almost two decades ago, the USDA created the National Organic Program (NOP) to develop, implement, and administer standard production, handling, and labeling practices for organic agricultural products. The NOP also oversees organic certification. Support and education are available in the form of organic study circles, where farmers and agronomic crop growers come together to discuss their experiences and ideas.

In organic vegetable production, certification and labor costs are high, but returns can be high in well-developed markets.

Organic agriculture is considered very sustainable in many aspects. Organic methods aim to protect soil biodiversity and maintain the various nutrient cycles. The lack of pesticides and a wider variety of plants results in better soil quality and reduced pollution. Crop rotation is a useful tool in preventing soil diseases, insect pests, and weed problems.

No-till farming is an agricultural technique for growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil through tillage. There are organic and non-organic options, but both are great ways to preserve natural resources, improve soil quality, and increase production. Residue cover is an important contributor to soil and water conservation. You can plant cover crops after you’ve harvested the main crop to protect the soil from erosion over the winter.

Hobby and Backyard Farming

Growing healthy food and maintaining a sustainable hobby or backyard farm has become a priority for an increasing number of people. There’s lots of help available for anyone who wants to learn proper gardening techniques or looking for garden inspiration.

There are many opportunities for those who want to farm or grow vegetables as a hobby. The honey bee’s plight has struck a chord for many people, and increasing numbers are looking at keeping honey bees in their garden.

You can also help increase honey bee numbers by growing backyard fruit such as small fruits, pear, and apples. Grapes are another popular fruit for home gardeners.

You can grow tasty and nutritious vegetables in your backyard or containers. Poultry is well-suited to the backyard farmer. They make great pets and can provide you with eggs or meat. Learn more about raising poultry, cattle, hogs, sheep, and goats in the Introduction to Livestock section of the website.