Farming and Country Life: Simple Joys of Rural Living
What is Farming & Country Life?
Farming and country life combine agricultural production with rural living practices, including crop and livestock management, land stewardship, and community traditions.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Agriculture and related activities provide livelihoods for roughly 26% of the global workforce (FAO, 2020). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, U.S. farms generated $136.7 billion in cash receipts for crops and $255.5 billion for livestock and products in 2021, illustrating the sector’s economic scale (USDA Economic Research Service, 2022). According to the World Bank, agricultural productivity gains directly support poverty reduction in rural areas by increasing household incomes and food security (World Bank Agriculture Global Practice, 2019).
Why choose farming and country life?
Farming and country life deliver food security, economic opportunity, and access to outdoor living.
According to the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, exposure to green space reduces stress markers and improves mental health metrics in adults (NIEHS, 2018). According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, local farming increases food availability and reduces supply-chain vulnerability during disruptions (FAO, 2020). According to the U.S. Census Bureau and USDA analysis, rural entrepreneurship and on-farm diversification raised median household income for many farm families between 2010 and 2020, driven by direct-to-consumer markets and value-added products (USDA Economic Research Service, 2021).
How do you start a small-scale farm?
Starting a small-scale farm requires a land plan, soil tests, market analysis, and a simple business plan.
What land and soil assessments should you perform?
Perform a soil test and site assessment before planting.
According to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil Survey and Testing, a basic soil test identifies pH, organic matter, and nutrient levels required for crop selection and fertilizer planning (USDA NRCS Soil Science Division, 2020). According to the University of California Cooperative Extension, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, annual soil testing reduces fertilizer costs by 10–30% by matching inputs to measured needs (UC ANR, 2019). According to a 2018 study from Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, mapping microclimates on a property improves crop survival and yield selection by identifying frost pockets and wind-exposed slopes (Cornell CALS, 2018).
What business steps ensure early survival?
Build a lean budget, choose scalable enterprises, and validate demand before scaling.
According to the USDA Small Farms Research Center, a basic farm business plan that forecasts cash flow for 12 months reduces failure risk by defining break-even volumes and capital needs (USDA Small Farms Research Center, 2019). According to the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Department of Sustainable Agriculture, testing sales through farmers markets or CSA subscriptions before investing in infrastructure yields actionable market feedback and reduces inventory risk (UMaine Cooperative Extension, 2020). See our small farm planning checklist for a downloadable template here.
What sustainable practices increase productivity?
Sustainable practices such as crop rotation, cover cropping, integrated pest management, reduced tillage, and agroforestry increase soil health and long-term yields.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, crop rotation reduces pest and disease cycles and improves nutrient availability (FAO Sustainable Agriculture Department, 2017). According to a meta-analysis by the University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Sciences, cover cropping increased subsequent main-crop yields by an average of 5–15% while improving soil organic matter (UC Davis Plant Sciences, 2019). According to the Rodale Institute, long-term regenerative practices can increase soil organic carbon by 0.3–1.0 metric tons per hectare per year depending on climate and management (Rodale Institute Research, 2020). These practices build resilience to drought and pests as reported in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Working Group II, on agriculture adaptation strategies (IPCC WGII, 2022).
What is integrated pest management (IPM)?
IPM combines monitoring, biological controls, and targeted chemical use to reduce pest damage with minimal environmental impact.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs, IPM reduces pesticide costs and non-target impacts by prioritizing monitoring and threshold-based treatment (EPA, 2017). According to Clemson University, Department of Entomology, IPM programs on vegetable farms cut insecticide applications by 30–60% while maintaining yields through targeted interventions and beneficial insect habitat (Clemson Entomology Extension, 2018).
How do you manage livestock on a country property?
Livestock management on a country property requires nutrition plans, shelter, biosecurity, and humane handling.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, Animal Health and Welfare Guidelines, routine vaccinations and parasite control schedules reduce mortality and improve weight gain (AVMA, 2020). According to the National Animal Health Monitoring System, coordinated biosecurity practices on small farms reduce disease outbreak probability by measurable margins when movement controls and sanitation protocols are applied (USDA: NAHMS, 2019). According to the University of Minnesota Extension, Department of Animal Science, rotational grazing improves forage utilization and can raise stocking rate efficiency by 10–25% compared to continuous grazing (UMN Extension, 2018).
What shelter and handling practices protect animals?
Design shelters for ventilation, dry bedding, and easy cleaning to reduce respiratory illness and foot problems.
According to the Royal Veterinary College, Department of Production Animals, proper ventilation and bedding reduce respiratory disease incidence by up to 40% in dairy and small ruminant operations (Royal Veterinary College, 2019).
How can farming be profitable?
Profitability comes from matching production systems to markets, reducing input costs, and adding value through processing or direct sales.
According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, direct-to-consumer farm sales in the U.S. reached $1.2 billion in 2017, and value-added products consistently show higher margins than commodity sales (USDA AMS, 2018). According to a 2020 analysis by the University of Kentucky, Department of Agricultural Economics, diversification—combining crops, livestock, on-farm processing, and agritourism—reduced income volatility for small farms by 20–40% (University of Kentucky AgEcon, 2020). According to the Small Business Administration, basic financial controls such as monthly cash-flow statements, break-even analysis, and inventory tracking increase small-farm survival rates by improving decision timing (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2019).
What are high-return niche enterprises?
Specialty vegetables, herbs, cut flowers, microgreens, and artisan cheeses often yield high per-square-foot returns when marketed directly.
According to Oregon State University Extension, Department of Horticulture, specialty greens and microgreen enterprises can generate $20–$200 per square foot per year under intensive greenhouse production and direct sales (OSU Extension, 2019). According to Cornell Cooperative Extension, a small artisan cheese business that secures farmer’s market and retail accounts can realize margins of 25–40% after processing costs (Cornell Cooperative Extension, 2018).
How does community and country life support quality of life?
Rural community life supports social cohesion, lower crime rates, and access to nature-based recreation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, rural residents report higher participation in outdoor recreation and physical activity correlated with certain health benefits, though access to care varies (CDC NCHS, 2019). According to the University of Exeter, Environment and Public Health Department, participation in community agriculture projects improves social capital and lowers self-reported loneliness scores in rural populations (University of Exeter, 2018). According to the Rural Health Information Hub, many rural communities report stronger neighbor networks and volunteerism that support emergency response capacity (Rural Health Information Hub, 2020). Learn how to connect with local rural networks and farmer cooperatives on our community page here.
What challenges do farmers face and how can they be mitigated?
Major challenges include climate variability, labor shortages, regulatory compliance, and access to capital; mitigation requires planning and diversification.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, agriculture faces increasing extreme weather risks that reduce yields if adaptation is absent (IPCC, 2021). According to the U.S. Department of Labor and USDA joint reports, labor shortages in seasonal agriculture increased during the 2010s and require mechanization, contract labor strategies, or local workforce development to mitigate (USDA and DOL, 2019). According to the World Bank, access to smallholder finance remains a limiting factor for farm investment in many regions; blended finance and microcredit programs improved investment rates in pilot programs by 10–30% (World Bank Agriculture Finance Group, 2018).
What practical risk-management tools exist?
Use crop insurance, emergency funds, diversified income, and conservation practices to reduce downside risk.
According to the USDA Risk Management Agency, federal crop insurance programs reduce income volatility for participating farmers by stabilizing revenue after adverse weather events (USDA RMA, 2020). According to the FAO, on-farm diversification and community seed banks increase resilience by providing local options during seed or input shortages (FAO Resilience Unit, 2019).
Where can you find resources and training?
Resources exist through land-grant university extension services, federal agencies, NGOs, and online learning platforms.
According to the Cooperative Extension System, state extension services provide free or low-cost training on soil testing, pest management, and business planning tailored to local conditions (National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA Cooperative Extension, 2020). According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, digital extension platforms and open-access manuals expand technical knowledge to remote farmers when combined with local support (FAO e-Agriculture, 2019). For step-by-step courses on soil health and business planning, explore our resources here.
Who wrote this article and how can you contact them?
This article was written by Anna Mercer, M.S. in Sustainable Agriculture, with 15 years of on-farm experience and extension teaching.
Anna Mercer serves as Senior Advisor at Greenfields Farm Consulting. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University, Department of Agronomy (Iowa State University, 2010). She has peer-reviewed publications on cover cropping and soil health with the University of Minnesota Extension and has served on regional advisory boards for rural development (University of Minnesota Extension, 2016).
What are the contact details and office location?
Contact Greenfields Farm Consulting at the address and phone below.
Greenfields Farm Consulting, 123 Country Lane, Springfield, IA 54321, USA. Phone: +1 (555) 123-4567. Email: info@greenfieldsfarmconsulting.com.
Office hours: Monday–Friday 9:00–17:00 CST. For consulting inquiries and site visits, request a quote via our contact form here.
What final steps should new farmers take today?
Start with a site assessment, small pilot enterprise, market testing, and a 12-month cash-flow plan.
According to multiple extension programs—USDA NRCS, state Cooperative Extension, and university farm incubators—piloting production at a small scale and validating sales channels reduces risk and produces rapid learning cycles (USDA NRCS, 2020; State Cooperative Extension Network, 2019; University Farm Incubators, 2018). Begin by testing soil, selecting a resilient crop or enterprise, and selling a small harvest at a farmers market. Iterate using customer feedback and recorded costs to improve the next season’s plan.
What quick checklist should you use now?
- Soil test and map microclimates (USDA NRCS Soil Science Division, 2020).
- Draft a 12-month cash-flow forecast (USDA Small Farms Research Center, 2019).
- Test-market one crop or product at a local venue (UMaine Cooperative Extension, 2020).
- Implement one regenerative practice: cover crop or reduced tillage (UC Davis Plant Sciences, 2019).
- Set basic biosecurity and animal welfare routines if keeping livestock (AVMA, 2020).
Farming and country life reward careful planning, community connection, and steady learning. Use the resources above, adapt practices to your climate, and seek local extension support to refine methods for your land.
