Do you live in the countryside and want to have your own natural crops? Fresh fruits and vegetables are encouraging for everyone. With the growing usage of additives and preservatives, people are no longer willing to search for these products in supermarkets. They prefer either buying them in a friendly greengrocer’s or planting by themselves to be sure of their good quality and nutrients.
These days, more and more often, conventional farming is being displaced by organic farms. What’s the difference between these two? While in conventional agriculture, farmers can use such things as chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, organic planters aren’t allowed to do that. They rely only on natural processes and biodiversity. Their crops are completely free of any chemical substances, being simultaneously much healthier.
Passing organic farms, you can usually notice greenhouses where people plant tomatoes or other vegetables. Not only do they adorn your garden, but they also serve as major vegetable storage. This essential element of every organic farm can be either built on your own or bought on the Internet. If you’re interested, you can find many attractive greenhouses, for example, in Greenhouse Stores.
1. Choose a proper location
However, before starting an organic farm, you should know some basic facts. First of all, take into account your location. It determines the success of the whole enterprise. So, choose a place close to a water source that will help to irrigate your crops. The farm should also be located in the vicinity of a local marketplace so that you could easily transport materials to the farm, and then your products for sale. It’ll significantly save your time and costs.
2. Prepare your soil
Then, you should prepare your soil. To make it fertile, it needs many nutrients. The best idea is to create your own compost, consisting of leaves, grass, and manure. This simple thing will help your soil to conserve water and cut down on weeds.
Moreover, before planting anything on it, you should consider what’s the type and condition of the soil, and what kinds of plants can grow there. Because not all plants you’re planning to have, you’ll be able to harvest.
3. Know your market
Another essential thing to know before starting your organic farm is to research your potential market on which you’d like to sell your natural products in the foreseeable future. Some crops aren’t desirable in certain regions, whereas others are more needed. That will help you to determine what types of plants you should focus on the most.
4. Take care of your plants
Once you choose what to plant, you are ready to do that. But remember that growing crops is a long and complicated process. Regarding organic farming, it requires even more attention since one farming technique may be effective, but not for all plants on the farm. Two most important tasks, about which every farmer can’t forget, are watering and weeding. Doing these things regularly, you can be sure that your plants will grow healthy.
5. Create a network with people
Finally, if you aim at selling your ecological crops, you should create a social network with other organic farmers. Thanks to that, all of you will share your experiences and knowledge. It’s crucial especially for beginners who have never planted anything before. Of course, you can rely on books and some online tutorials, but a piece of advice from an experienced colleague is always more valuable. It’s also good to keep in touch with people who have some connections with local markets, and they can help you to stand out from the crowd.
To sum up, starting an organic farm unrolls a sea of possibilities in front of farmers. However, before deciding on such a farm, keep in mind that it’s connected with hard work and persistence. Only by being systematic and consistent, your farm will bear fruit, figuratively and literally.
