The Beginning Farmer Quiz: Do You Have What it Takes?
As part of our Beginning Farmers Booth at Farm Aid I constructed a quiz that attempted to challenge people to think about ‘do you have what it takes to be a farmer‘.
The exercise was meant to be fun, and was based solely on my own (admittedly limited) observations of ‘successful’ farmers I have known. The questions couldn’t possibly be a completely accurate judge of a person’s actual ability to succeed in farming. And the recommendations based on individual scores, similarly, are meant to be anecdotal, and to make people think.
Farming is fraught with uncertainty and risk, and all participants who took the quiz at Farm Aid agreed not hold beginningfarmers.org liable for any decisions made based on the results. Anyone who takes the quiz here is expected to do the same.
There were a couple of practicing farmers who did poorly, just as there were surely non-farmers that don’t ‘have what it takes’ who did well. Still, most participants seemed to agree that their scores were probably pretty good indicators of where they stood. The evaluations are directed towards people who are not yet farming, or at least not doing so as a career, but many existing farmers found the quiz fun and interesting as well.
Here is a fillable form you can use to record and tally your answers thanks to ADK Farmer Dan!
Answer each question on a scale of 1-5 where:
1 = No, definitely not, this does not describe me at all
2 = This is not really, or at least not usually true about me
3 = I’m okay with this, but not totally, not all of the time, and/or not with everything.
4 = Yes, this is basically true of me in general
5 = Absolutely, this describes me perfectly
1) I prefer to work outside no matter what the weather is like.
Answer_____
2) I’m not scared of bugs, fungus, slime, or other things that a lot of people think are gross.
Answer_____
3) I am good at identifying what needs to be done and prioritizing tasks in order of importance.
Answer_____
4) I like financial planning, and am good at taking notes, crunching numbers and evaluating expenditures.
Answer_____
5) I am a good observer, and generally see details that a lot of other people miss.
Answer_____
6) I like tinkering, building things, and am mechanically inclined.
Answer_____
7) I am financially savvy, thrifty, and tend make due with what I have rather than buying new things.
Answer_____
8) When I do buy things, I seldom regret the purchases I’ve made, and tend to use the things I buy.
Answer_____
9) I’m not easily frustrated, and don’t get too upset when stuff doesn’t go my way.
Answer_____
10) Making money is less important to me than accomplishment, and I don’t mind not being ‘rich’ as long as I am happy with the work I do.
Answer_____
11) I don’t tend to wallow in failure. Instead I simply consider it as a lesson and try to do it better the next time around.
Answer_____
12) I like hard, physical work, and don’t mind being tired at the end of the day.
Answer_____
13) I am not easily bored, restless, or frustrated by mundane tasks.
Answer_____
14) I am good at giving direction, and explaining to others how I expect things to be done in a precise and tactful way.
Answer_____
15) I’m better at doing a lot of different things pretty well than at doing only one or two things extremely well.
Answer_____
16) I don’t mind being alone, and am happy working by myself for long periods of time.
Answer_____
17) When something breaks I usually try to fix it myself before taking it to a shop.
Answer_____
18) I tend to ‘roll with the punches’ and can accept when things don’t go ‘according to plan’.
Answer_____
19) I like to get up early, get going with my day, and don’t tend to stop until I feel like I’ve accomplished all the things I needed to get done.
Answer_____
20) I’m comfortable taking risks, and accepting that not everything is within my control.
Answer_____
21) I am constantly looking for new information, and trying to understand how to do the things I do more effectively and efficiently.
Answer_____
22) I don’t need people to tell me I’m doing a good job to be satisfied with the things I accomplish.
Answer_____
23) I am a big picture person, and can see how lots of different small things are related to one another.
Answer_____
24) I’m a good long-term planner, but am comfortable changing my vision when necessary.
Answer_____
25) I love growing plants and/or taking care of animals, and am generally good at keeping them alive and healthy.
Answer_____
TOTAL SCORE _______
EVALUATING YOUR SCORE:
25-50:
Farming probably isn’t right for you. But this means you should appreciate the people who do it, and try to support them by buying food from your local farmers at markets, roadside stands, or through community supported agriculture programs. The Farm and Market Directories Page on beginningfarmers.org (under Information Pages on the side bar to the left) can help you locate some near you.
51-70:
Farming might not be the best career choice for you, but maybe you should learn more about it by visiting some local farms and talking to farmers at your local markets. You also might really enjoy growing some of your own food in your backyard, or better yet, your front yard. And Please support your local farmers.
71-100:
Maybe you are ready to try growing food on a modest scale. You could probably handle a big garden, a few chickens, and maybe even a couple of goats or sheep for milk or meat to provide as much of your own food as possible. You might even try selling a little on the side, to see if you like it. Beginningfarmers.org has lots of resources to help with that. So start exploring the site to see what you are interested in and what steps you might take to get going.
100-115:
You seem to have what it takes, so maybe you should think about exploring farming as a career option. If you are interested in that, start slow by taking beginning farmer classes, signing up for an internship, or starting to produce crops or livestock on your own land or land owned by a relative or neighbor. You should definitely check out the resources available at beginningfarmers.org to find out more about what you’ll need to get started.
116-125:
You are an exceptional candidate, and you definitely have what it takes to farm. If you choose to consider farming as a career, you should begin exploring the steps you will need to get going using the resource links on beginningfarmers.org, by talking with your local extension agent, through a training programs, an internship, or a farm job. Your choices about where and how to start of will depend on your current knowledge and resource level. Be careful to move slowly and deliberately in order to minimize your risk. Recognize that it won’t be easy, and that success is not guaranteed. But if you are interested in going for it, it is likely that you will find farming rewarding and well suited to you.
Your Privacy Choices
T-
I scored a 78. Maybe I should start a garden. I always knew that farmers work way harder than I want to…
kjw
I got about the same. Now I just need space for the garden and the chickens.
How do you comment the numbers for your answer because it will not let me type my answer….
Amy,
You will either have to print it off, or just keep the total on a different sheet of paper. If you look far enough back in the comments, someone also put up an excel spreadsheet that does the calculation for you at one point.
i hav the same problem, How do u take the quiz
You just need to get out a pencil and paper and write down your answers, then total them up.
I have got 99☺ i guess i can start with keeping goats and cow for meat.
Thanks for the quiz and the interpretation at the end. I will take it into consideration and I hope get benefit.
Thanks Sen. Glad you liked it.
I got about 65, which seems about right. It’s interesting to spot this as just last night I was talking with my husband about really being farmers. Thanks!
I got a 117… seems right cuz I am a country-girl/tomboy till I die and I live on a dairy farm and am hoping to branch out on my own soon!!
Cheers 🙂
Wow! Great score! Good luck with your future farming endeavors.
i got 92 seems right i’ve all ways whanted to farm but i can’t handle a really really big amount work
That’s great John. Let me know when you get your chickens :).
Taylor
I got a 111 guess thats good, Now I need more acreage!
Yeah you do. Best I can give you is the resources at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/finding-land-to-farm/.
Good luck. Please keep in touch and let me know how it goes.
I got a 116! Which is interesting, cause we’re looking at leasing 10 acres from a local sustainable cattle ranch for permaculture veggie, fruit, and chicken farm!
Sarah,
116 is excellent. As I’ve told others here, there’s really no way of measuring this kind of thing scientifically. The quiz is just based on my observations of successful beginning farmers. But great to hear you are starting a farm. Please keep in touch and let me know how it goes. If there’s ever anything I can do to help, let me know.
T
I got a 120!! 😀
Wow,
That’s about the best I’ve ever seen, and I did hundreds of these at Farm Aid a couple of years ago. Good luck with your venture.
Taylor
Well, I scored a 95. Raised on a dairy farm, have spent almost 40 years doing other things, now partnered with a good friend who owns 50 acres with the intention of slowly bringing it back into cultivation. After two years of dealing with various obstacles, this spring we start with 5 acres to plow and plant. We already have the chickens:-)
Jim,
That’s great to hear. The test is not scientific at all, though most people have told me they think it’s pretty accurate. But someone like you who’s in the process of starting a farm should get an automatic bonus of 25 points of something. Good luck with your farming venture. And let me know if there’s ever anything I can do to help.
Taylor
113….i got 2 acres now where is that tractor? here I come hiyaaaa
I scored 101. That’s pretty close to right on the money. I have a big garden and 3 chickens on pasture that my wife and I do alright with. But this only highlights those areas I probably need to work on before venturing out to leave my “real” job that I’m not really enjoying.
I scored 101. That’s pretty close to right on the money. I have a big garden and 3 chickens on pasture that my wife and I do alright with. But this only highlights those areas I probably need to work on before venturing out to leave my “real” job that I’m not really enjoying.
I scored 100 on this test. I have really been tossing around the idea of farming, at least on the gentlemen’s scale. I grew up in, on, around farms and in the country and there is just something about it that the urban, suburban lifestyle can’t, doesn’t offer. Hopefully I can get this rolling … I’m still under 30 and have plenty of time and energy and drive to do this! This is a good little test that puts things in perspective.
Dan,
Glad you found this useful. I hope you can get things rolling too. Please keep me posted on your progress. Being under 30 helps. I’m almost 42 myself, and though I try to keep in good shape, the body doesn’t always cooperate. Would love to hear about your experiences learning to farm at some point. Feel free to email me at beginningfarmers at gmail dot com.
My score is 106. This is totally accurate! I was born and raised in the city and always hatted it haha. I have been thinking about this on and off for a couple of years but just recently started to really go forward with it. I am going to be going the university of hawaii maui in the next couple of months for agriculture. I am also planning on living there and starting a self sustainable farm and also visiting other farms there and getting into programs there o i can get as much info as i possibly can! 🙂
Driana,
Fantastic! I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. Please keep me posted on how it goes.
I scored 95 and my hubby scored 100! This totally nails where we are, we seem to offset each other’s weaknesses. I am also a country girl/tomboy and I really want to raise chickens. We’re older but I figure that as long as we’re able it’s never too late to start!
Yeah Audrey, those are really good scores. And I’m pleased that you, among many others, find the test to be fairly accurate. No, never too late to start. Good luck! And keep in touch on your progress.
94! About what I would expect. Grew up on a farm back in the 60s and 70s, then left, now trying to turn my city lot into an urban homestead with the garden and chickens, but would love to move out where I could expand with goats, sheep, rabbits, an orchard, and bigger garden space.
You scored higher than I did Mary.
I scored lower than I thought I would, and appreciate the test. Already have chickens and gardening beds. But, it’s sunny out, and I’m in, typing this. Maybe I’ll eat those chickens?
Ha! Thank you Mark, you made my day. I choked on my own chicken wings laughing while reading this.
I always wanted to be a farmer. After a degree in Agriculture engineering technology is time for me to start organic farm production. I actually score 116 on the test. That tells me that I got what it takes to be a farmer.
Femi-
Another fantastic score. I make no guarantees about the accuracy of the test, though most people who have taken it feel it sums up their level pretty accurately. Remember farming isn’t just growing plants, it’s also keeping books and notes, and marketing, and managing people. But most of that stuff was in the test to some extent. I’d really encourage you to work on a business plan or at least an enterprise budget before you dive right in. You can find info at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-business-planning/
Good Luck, and keep in touch.
I scored 114. I always knew that I was a farming girl stuck in the city. I actually have recently started on small scale with chickens, rabbits, and diary goats (dairy because I am lactose intolerant to cows milk) but I am really wanting to take it further with maybe a green house.
Fantastic score Andi. Would love to hear more about your venture and your plans for scaling up. Would you maybe consider writing a guest post. Doesn’t have to be long, and could include pictures. Would love it if you’d beginning to share your experiences and knowledge with others. If you’re interested get in touch with mw at beginningfarmers@gmail.com.
Fun test and responses! TY! I scored 92, however my partners- brother and husband -would have scored in the range of high exceptional candidate level. We are entrepreneurial, since 70’s, with ancestors that were commercial farmers dairy-produce- early 1900’s. We love to garden. I am a Natural Doc and have higher skills in Internet marketing, research, education and food preparation. So all in all we compliment each other nicely. They would have flunked if the test were in any of these other areas. My brother can’t open an email to save his life and my husband kills computers -3 so far. When it’s their turn to food prep its Micky D’s or pizza and beer and they don’t talk much. lol 😉 We all believe in working hard, having fun, helping others, developing strong relationships and eating and sharing good healthy food. We appreciate the resources and support as we move forward to commercial sustainable /organic food production. All the best~DR Deb ND
Deb, This is great. please keep in touch and let me know if the farm materializes. Also if you ever feel like writing a guest post about your experiences it sounds like you have an interesting life and a great “writing voice” so keep it in mind. My email address is beginningfarmers@gmail.com.
I found it interesting that I scored precisely in the category in which I belong! My husband grew up in the city, but because of him, my inlaws are the only people in the city with a “Farm animal permit”! He works too many hours at his job (and has no desire to be a full-time farmer) so the kind of farm we want is small-scale with a garden, chickens, a few cows, etc… just about what the kids and I can handle along with my husband in his spare time. One of my kids can fix just about anything. Another loves animals so much she will probably become a veterinarian. I have found a tiny farm in a good location and am trying to look into grants for purchasing this type of property. What do you know about this?
Unfortunately grants are hard to come by these days Latisha. A farm is considered a business – like a restaurant and clothing store. And though it can provide great benefits to individual health, aesthetics, and economic development in local communities, the purse strings are just really tight at the moment. ATTRA has some grant info, and depending where you end up and how you manage your farm you can get government subsides.
If you have farm experience (I think two or 3 years in the minimum) you may be eligible for a beginning farmer loan through FSA. When meeting with USDA or private lenders, it’s really important to have a business plan or at least an enterprise budget so they know you’re serious, and so they can evaluate risk.
There’s info and templates for helping you develop these things at: https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-business-planning/
Good Luck!
Taylor
I forgot to mention that I grew up on a farm, so I do have a bit of a background – at least enough to know some of the challenges.
I scored a 105. Not bad. I was raised on a dairy farm too in WI and have lived in Iowa for years. My kids and I are thinking about a 10 acre property where we can do hoop house production and have some chickens and do some composting. We want to sell produce to low income families for low prices to help increase nutrition and well being in IA. This is a project for my Master’s Degree and hopefully it will lead to production in 27 counties to help end the need for food stamps and create jobs again! The test was great fun.
That sounds great! I would love to hear more about the project and the thesis. Keep in touch!
I scored 101 , I am a tomboy & have lived on a couple small farms before (unfortunitly not for long) & my Family & I are thinking about a farm now.. althopugh It would be mostly myself & boyfriend who will be living on it… kids are grown & almost out so we are late bloomers but fairly good health & love the outdoors… LOL
LOL, that’s great. Never to late to start, keep in touch and let me know how it goes.
can you tell me who to contact to get funding to start farming i had tried everywhere to get funding with out getting a loan to start
Bill, you can e-mail me at beginningfarmers@gmail.com. But I’m not sure what you mean when you say you want funding to start without a loan. A farm is a business. And like a restaurant or any other business, no one just gives people money to start unless it’s a family member or a wealthy friend.
I scored a 91, and the funny thing is my husband and I have had a “backyard” farm for 8 years now. We have been raising Boer goats, Southdown sheep and chickens. We use the meat& eggs for our own personal use and were looking into expanding to provide for a few people looking for farm raised meats. I know there is always room for improvement and education! Running out little “farm” has taught us so much.
Kelly,
That’s great! Have you seen my goat farming page? It’s https://www.beginningfarmers.org/goat-farming/.
Good luck with expanding the farm!
Scored 108, have a few acres I’m planning on starting to farm in about a year. Think I might need a tractor…thanks for this little quiz! It is good to not be too romantic about farming, or living in the woods (which is where my land is), it takes endurance, strength, and a certain toughness of character. Not to mention the dirt, slime, manure, and being wed to the weather.
Lisa,
I totally agree with your comments. I just made up the quiz based on the practices successful farmers I know, but most people seem to find the results pretty accurate (though I did once have a 40 year veteran farmer score poorly). Please keep in touch about your farming experience. I always love to hear people’s personal stories!
I scored 111. I have trouble with the weather question. I don’t mind the heat, but I don’t know if I can handle the cold, anywhere other than northern CA region.
Great Score Michelle! Please keep us updated on your farming activities.
I scored 105. I really want to start one. Am a gradute of agricultural economics and extension from federal university of technology, akure, ondo state, nigeria. Pls I need all it takes and ready to abide with all advice, support and involvements.
Great score! I love hearing these stories. Unfortunately I cannot offer resources beyond those already available on the site. Good luck.
I scored a 99. My wife and I are thinking of starting a small goat farm for producing our own milk and meat supplies. Also getting a couple of chickens for our eggs.
Fantastic! Please keep us updated on how your project is coming along!
I got a 105. Not too shabby. I am looking at getting in involved in an Organic Farm this spring.
Yeah, great score. Good luck with your endeavors, please let us know how it goes.
I tried to err on the side of negative (my worst days) and got a 96. Hubby, a totally reluctant city boy, did the same and scored a 71. He has come to it slowly as I was urban farming on our mostly shady half-acre property plus kept 8 laying hens. Three years later, he’s genuinely feeling the enthusiasm and we are considering stepping up to property with an established blueberry planting and room to grow (although with very sandy soil–which just shifts our potential crops). THRILLED to have found your site! Until now, I’ve just poured over books for years.
Ha, well glad to hear he’s getting on board, and glad you like the site. Good luck with your farming adventures.
I scored 123, I guess I’m ready to rock and roll. Although I have a passion for farming I was thinking of getting into it when I’m retired from teaching.
I hope age will be kind enough.
117! now, if only I could magically materialize start-up funds and a 750 credit score…
Glad you seem to have a sense of humor about it. My only suggestions are: get farming experience and then apply for a USDA beginning farmer loan, or start small – find someone who is willing to let you lease, build up your experience and your reputation and/or look for a lease to own or land contract opportunity…
Hi, My score is 107, I was nicely surprised by this set of questions… how well they are collected! I’ve been already farming as a hobby for last years what started with a garden (mainly flowers) around a house 10 years ago – now the land is extended and vegetables and chicken have more and more space and equipment – small and old yanmar tractor appeared last year (with quite much crops for us only, so we already share with family and friends). I’ve been thinking about doing that for leaving for last 2 years, but the earliest time, I consider it, is in 4-5 years. And since over a year, there is also a point in my planning to take a farming course or studies as I often feel I need more knowledge. Maybe I will start here.
103 scored. perfect, because the description was exactly what I am doing now. thanks!
Thats great Steven. Happy farming!
Thank you!!! I got 114. I was thinking of doing organic farming with the help of my chickens(bug eaters), goats(grass/weed eater), pigs(fertilizer), bees(pollination), etc… Good luck everyone. 🙂
Great score. Good luck with your farming ventures Allen!
I scored a 120. I have 14 acres with 3 apples trees, 2 fig trees and 3 peach trees I planted two years ago. 8 Rhode Island Red hens that i started raising last spring that give us about 5 to 6 eggs a day this winter. I have had a quarter acre garden the last several years where i have grown collards, lettuce, turnips, mustard greens, tomatoes, okra, carrots, onion and several types of peppers.
I want to take it to the next level and raise vegetables to sell maybe start a CSA and raise cows for beef for myself. i am just trying to get started. my only issue is my homestead is in SC and i lost my job there and had to move to VA. My wife and kids are taking care of the basics. i will find a job at home but i just need help getting my business plan developed.
Timothy,
Great score. My consulting fees are fairly steep. My suggestion would be to really dig deeply into the resources on the business planning page of the site: https://www.beginningfarmers.org/farm-business-planning/
I got 97 points, the questions are really good … and i dont have single penny to purchase a farm… 🙂 but that is my dream.. i will try to make it true …
Taylor and team,
Great resource you’re providing here, thanks much. The website and resources youve knitted together here provides fertile soil for existing as well as the next crop of farmers. Keep the “farm for farmers” youve created here crankin for years to come.
Its all about giving back to the land and your fellow man. Taylor youre doing both, thanks Brother. Oh yeah my score…. higher than some, lower than others….it was a fun set of questions.
Jack,
Thanks man, I really appreciate the compliment. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s something I believe in.
That test has been one of the most popular posts I’ve done. I originally developed it as a game for people to play at a booth I had at Farm Aid a couple of years ago. I had a couple hundred people come by and take a random 10 question portion of it, and I do remember one guy there who’d been farming for 30 years and got like a 55. We had a good laugh about it at least. It’s not particularly scientific, but I’ve spent a whole bunch of time on a lot of different kinds of farms, and a lot of the questions are based on my observation of things that people don’t think about when they think of the what I might call the “American pastoral agrarian myth”. Most people who have taken it find it pretty accurate, but I’ll never forget that one guy in Milwaukee…
Thanks again, and good luck with your own agrarian adventure, whatever it may be.
I got an 87 now if I just had some land.
A common problem James. See https://www.beginningfarmers.org/finding-land-to-farm/ for tips on finding farmland.
I scored a 109. That was a useful quiz, it reinforced my resolve and points out some areas I need to work on. I have about 30 acres, have grown a garden whenever possible throughout my life and have started raising chickens in the last few years.
Dave, Glad it was useful. Good luck with your future farming operations, and please keep in touch.
I scored 103, bump to your website when I was contemplating on changing careers to farming but don’t know when & where to start. Had this in my mind for several years now…my parents have some land, where I can start with, but location wise it’s too far…I can see myself that I will be the one who will tend it in the near future. Started attending seminars & symposiums, doing also some reasearch. Have idea on what farm products to concentrate on, but I’m afraid taking risk to let go of my office job and jump into farming. Maybe this gives me inspiration to keep moving on…and getting me ready.
Lerma,
I tell everyone in your position basically the same thing: start small (don’t quit your day job). It’s also important to take really good notes on whatever you do, however small, because we always think we’ll remember things that we don’t, and if you ever need a loan to get going you need to be able to show the lender that you can make a profit.
I know people who have a distant location, and usually they grow one crop where their work (maintenance, harvesting, and sales) are bunched at a couple of certain parts of the year.
With one crop, you have to grow enough of it that it’s going to offset your travel time, labor, etc., and you need to have a market. You are also taking a bigger risk, because if you have a problem on that crop, that’s it. Diversity is the enemy of risk.
I love this quote from a farmer I once interviewed: “I think most people are surprised about how, you know how many things can and will fail even in a successful venture. I think they’re surprised that we can get away with screwing as much stuff up as we do even now. It’s not for their benefit, we’d rather not screw it up, but I think they’re surprised how robust the system is that it can accept that kind of failure, even sloth at times, whatever it is that leads us down that road to a crop failure…”
With one crop, make sure you grow enough of it that you can sell it in bulk to one or two buyers. If you don’t have equipment and have some time to develop your operation, perennials might work well. You have to keep on top of them in terms of weeding, pruning, etc., but harvest is concentrated, not spread out over the year. You don’t have to be there every day all year long. You might have a few weeks where you’re working really hard, but most of the time, you can schedule times where you go out and do the work of scouting, weeding, and applying any necessary fertilizers, amendments, or pest controls.
It’s not ideal, but farming never is. Sounds like maybe it would be worthwhile for you to start something small, and see how it goes… learn from it. Few people have land that they can just use for that kind of thing, no matter how “out of the way” it is.
Anyway, good luck, keep in touch, and let me know if I can help in any way.
What a great site you have here………..so informative! LOVE IT.
I retired from commercial farming 3 years ago and I MISS IT! I took your quiz for fun and found it pretty much hit the mark of where I am these days. Miss it but too hard, I know what it takes and it is NOT gardening on a bigger scale.
I am currently traveling the country in search of traditional family-chemical-free farms. Are you open for a visit this summer?
Thanks for the quiz, it confirms exactly where I am at: teaching, working some but NOT full scale again.
Thanks Allcia. I made the quiz up for a booth I had at farm aid one year, and most people have found it places them more or less where they expected. I’ve spent a lot of time on a lot of farms, and have worked with beginning farmers for years.
Though at Farm I did I did have one experienced farmer get one of the lowest scores I’ve ever seen. Don’t know if he was messing with me or just an outlier.
I scored 101, and I feel that I can do it. My friend told me to take on day per week off my busy schedule to start planting cash crops and fruit crops, and I intend to do that asap. Thanks for the encouragement
Well done, and best of luck to you Nichol
I’m just a teen but I scored 119 so I think I’ll be a farmer. God bless
Lone Ranger: Great to hear, and best of luck to you
78, there’s Hope! LOL!
I think its pretty accurate hope to start some veggies and animals on the side
Scored 112. Considering farming. However, I scored negative infinity on frustration question 9 (according to my wife), still I think I can be a good farmer.
What is a little high blood pressure anyway? Just a number.
Scored a 115 using conservative answers. Grew up on a small farm, left for 10 years or so, but moved back when my dad’s health went south, and have been doing making due with the small parcel, but am actively looking for the right property. Figure take a step at a time and make due with what I’ve got to work with now and keep my eyes open for future opportunities.
Vicki,
Great score. Yeah, I usually advise people starting out to go slow, figure out their markets, what they can grow well, make a business plan, etc. Getting some experience on a small parcel is about the best thing anyone can do in my opinion. Good luck with your land search. Keep in touch.
Here’s a fillable form you can use next time: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Atf7E-qcqp6wdF9DakE0MlBVNWJKLVlZVWdrdlkyd1E&usp=sharing
Farmer Dan,
Thanks for doing that, makes it easier for folks to figure out their score. Cheers,
Taylor
That is awesome Dan, thanks so much! I have added this to the post.
Hi Taylor. I scored a 66 and am not too surprised by it at all. My husband has long had the idea of living on a farm and has just retired and actively seeking his next steps to making his dream come true. I sent him the link to this website and the quiz. I can’t wait to see his score. I am sure it will be well above mine.
Melanie, I think sometimes potential farm partners should take the quiz together. Everyone has different strengths, and you may be good at a couple of things your husband isn’t particularly good at. Just a thought anyway.
-T
I also saw one of the lowest scores ever from someone who had been successfully farming for 30 years when I was giving the quiz at Farm Aid. Doesn’t happen often, but just goes to show, the quiz isn’t definitive.
I just discovered this website and love it. I rent an apartment with my family in a suburb of Philadelphia, and we do our best to be self-sufficient for much of the summer months. The website above is mine, and upon finding this quiz, I took it and scored 103. I am itching to expand production in ways that are not feasible for renters– larger growing areas, maybe a greenhouse or two, or to build products useable and useful for garden/farm structures. For instance, I would love to grow avocados and citrous trees in my own greenhouse, but money and space are serious issues. I also happen to love my day job (I teach German as an adjunct at two universities), but my happiness is found daily among green plants. I am currently designing a university course for undergraduates that opens them to the world of DIY/green culture in Germany, and I would love to add a “practical component” to the course as a group project. Has anyone been in my position? What is the next step? I have become adept at low-to-no-budget urban gardening, and I also enjoy doing some custom work on the side (website has plenty of examples of projects). Please feel free to contact me– I feel that I am truly alone amidst neighbors who are certain that I am crazy. I suppose that may even be true.
Just found this website, too. Neat quiz… scored 100. The descriptions have me pegged. I am slowly learning how to be a farmer. I’ve started with beekeeping and hope to some day have an orchard and a vineyard.
Glad you found it accurate Mimi. Bood luck with your future farming ventures…
Strange I got a 93 but maybe if I try harder I’ll be able to be a farmer because I already have 10 acres to farm, I’ve built it all myself. I have so far 125 raised garden beds 8-12 feet long 2 foot wide an 14″-24″ tall. A 20′ by 20′ herb garden with over 35 herbs to cook with, I have 3 greenhouses 32′, 65′, and 24′ and a 44′ one still to be put up that I’m thinking about turning into a aquaponics house and raise white perch and veggies in there. Everything is automatic watering on timers and valves, and the entire system is micro irrigation delivering water to each plant in those raised beds. I have around 35 chickens in a 24’X32′ hen house/coop/sun area. Japanese decks all around the garden, a Koi Pond in production, a field I’m clearing for another 125 beds to be built in behind the chicken house. I’ve planted to date over thirty fruit trees from peaches, plums, apples, pears, cherries, to pecans, and walnuts. Bushes include Mulberry trees, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and then there’s strawberries, ground cherries, and other stuff I’m forgetting. I’ve acquired a tractor, built an out building, and will be adding a cabin in back and a fruit/veggie stand in front. My entire fence and all the decks are built from recycled materials such as pallets used for shipping and reclaimed old barns that were falling apart. I grow over 60 varieties of tomato’s, over 40 of squash, planted several kinds of grapes, I grow 45 varieties of melons and 35 of watermelon, all my seed is collected from all over the world so I’m growing things no one in this country has ever seen or eaten before and try to remain on the cutting edge in finding new foods to grow. I’ve busted my ass for the past 3 years trying to bring something entirely new into where I live, trying to educate on foods from around the world, and support with seed exchanges others who are trying to do something different too. I combine old tried and true methods with new ones and try to do this all chemically free, pesticide free, and as natural as it can be. The entire vegetable garden is surrounded by sculpted wild flower gardens, walk ways through the grass, flowers and shrubs that flower everywhere. I have a dream of something amazing, it’s stuck in my head and I can’t get it out, I know without a shadow of doubt this is something different, something special and unlike anything that has been done and hopefully one day I’ll even make a living at this but it’s a ten years plan and I’m only into year 3 so there’s a ways to go but you can finally see how it’s beginning to take shape from the blank slate I started with. So with these in mind do I have what it takes to be a farmer? OH and I work another full time job on top of all of this so I can pay the bills as I’m building this insanely crazy for one person to do dream. But if worst comes to worse I’ll end up writing about the whole venture and maybe generate some sales from the book (when I ever get time) to finance the rest of this dream so I can do this full time everyday 🙂
Ray,
So many great projects! Thanks for sharing all of this with us. Hopefully someday you’ll be able to leave your job and farm full time. Please keep us posted on your innovative farm activities!
Wow! I also got a 93, but I do nothing like Ray is doing! Kudos to you Ray….I’ll have to step up my game. My dream is to plant lavender for soaps and lotions and possibly Hops. Start small but work up to more eventually..I’m also just one person and work full time. Good luck to all! 🙂
I scored 120 wow I wasn’t amazed though farming is in my heart! now where to start???
I got a 111 and while raised on a dairy it has been a very long time for me. I am hoping soon to be able to return to my love of my preferred life and growing my own food, milking my cows and goats, free range eggs and better air. Have been doing my research for some time now and am looking into purchasing the right piece of property. While there is much work on a farm of any type there is also much contentment.
I scored a 101! I’m a city girl thats been gardening for close to 42 years. For the past 8 years i’ve been expanding my backyard gardening with strawberry, watermelon, tomatoe, carrot, pepper, cabbage, greens, okra and spinach crops. Plus my herbs: chammomile, peppermint, oregano, basil & lavender. Hope soon to sell my house and acquire more acres for more crops. Would like more information on any government assistance and or private grants for beginning farmers!
I got 117, which thrills me. I am an 85 year old woman who has dreamed for 50 years of being a farmer. I met a man in his 70s who runs a CSA farm so I know it can be done. He is the brains of the outfit. He has 2 interns from the state ag college every year and they and the CSA members do the hard, physical labor. Now if i could only find 10 acres and a house that I can afford.
Fantastic Jean,
Please keep in touch and let me know how us know how it goes!
Scored 118. I grew up as a crop farmer. I went into the military right after high school and am retiring with 20 years in the military next year. I am considering moving back to Minnesota to help my father and younger brother farm the 2,000 acres that they have and eventually buying land of my own.
I scored 113. I knew I would score high.
I grew up on one acre in a semi-rural area of a city in southeast Texas. We had lots of chickens, ducks, turkeys, guineas and rabbits. We also had fruit trees and a large garden. I raised and bred two main breeds of chickens that I showed in poultry competitions at county fairs. As a young lad, instead of a lemonade stand, I would sell eggs, veggies, fruit and other things in our front yard. We also leased 120 acres outside the city limits where we had cows, horses, goats and bees. I have always missed the life I lived growing up.
I now live inside the city of Houston and I am employed as an agricultural appraiser for our county tax appraisal district. I am now eligible for retirement and I have a burning desire to return to the rural way of living. At this time the only agricultural endeavor I have is bees.
I have been reading a lot of books and doing a lot of research online regarding sustainable farming. To be successful in farming you have to know how to work smart as much as you work hard. I have so many ideas of what all I can do to stay busy and make a small farm profitable. I have been researching loans and grant funding resources on the “Beginning Farmers” website. Hopefully my dream will come true within the next year.
Thank you for the quiz, I found it very inspiring.
I am from Mumbai India. Have bought 2.3 acres in a hilly tract where earlier rice was grown on about 65% of the area. I scored a 107. I am the accounting manager at Procter & Gamble. I have 4 years to go before I retire (at 60).I always wanted to have a farm. I need blessings from everyone to be able to make it.I need proper farm hands to begin with. Then I’ll require to dig a borewll – water is available here only during the monsoon (nor’wester) and the entire water flows down the hill. Fencing the entire area is next on the agenda – but it costs money. I’ll read as much as possible and plan to start it shortly.If nothing happens, atleast I’ll have the satisfaction that I had maintained the family of the farmhand.
I feel lucky that I have so much of material available on your web-site. I want to make good use of it.
I got 124 which is great! I am planning to start a 3 acre farm…. with some local kids and city kids! We are very excited on getting this project going, well wish us luck! I know some things will be done out of trial & error. But, we will just roll with the flow!
I got 96 which is exactly what I was planning. My husband and I were thinking of something small; just over 2 acres; chickens, goats and vegietables, for home and maybe sell excess and also something the kids could get involved with.
Thanks for the quiz- hit the nail on the head!
I got a 94 and my Wife a 99. We have both lived our careers in an office cubicles, although a family member has a farm and we really enjoy spending time there. It has been our dream to have a few acres. Now that retirement has released us from our careers, we are looking at a 30 acre gentleman’s farm. It has a road side barn, a great place for vegetable stand and home made bake good business. Both home gardening and baking has been our hobbies for years. Thanks ever so much for the quiz, it is what we needed to fortify our dreams.
I scored 118. I have always dreamed of having a large working farm and I am willing to do whatever it takes . I just need some help getting it started. Any suggestions
Jeff,
Start with this page: https://www.beginningfarmers.org/planning-a-new-farm/
Lots of great links to information about the steps you need to take to get started here.
I scored a 114. I’m honorably separating from the USMC soon and am looking to move home to rural GA. I had put some thought into this but nothing concrete. I’m willing to work my tail off and I also understand that it wouldn’t be easy. I have experience in masonry, auto repair, computers, welding, electrical, and now I can shoot. Tips/advice where to start at my age and experience?
score of 124 I was a maintenance mechanic with skills in mechanical repair hydraulics pneumatics plumbing and carpentry , electric systems and welding . i love outdoor work and no problems with whatever weather throws at me . Had experience on my grandfathers farm from age 10 til 18 couldnt afford to start up when I was discharged from USMC so went into maintenance work really great job lots of variety but not as good as farming ;only problem I have is now age 68 and most people specially younger ones dont think an “old man ” should consider starting any business much less farm . ( side note .. I can still squat and deadlift over 650 lbs and bench press 395 any 20 year olde wanna compete ?
Robb,
That’s a fantastic score. Do you have farm experience? Do you have a farm you want to rent or buy? What are you looking for, startup money? More info please. You can email me directly at beginningfarmers@gmail.com.
I can get frustrated easily when something doesn’t work quite right. That’s a bit of a problem with me. I got 107 though. I’ve always wanted to be a farmer!
When I was Junior in High School, an aptitude test recommended I should be a farmer. I thought I would never make any money doing that and have been working in a an office for 35+ years. I am now nearing retirement and am looking for a farm. I will have a nice pension, so if the farm makes money its icing on the cake. I have my eye on a 300 acre cattle ranch in WVA. I am thinking of starting with a small number of cattle, planting a couple of acres of Christmas trees each year for about 8 years, and maybe have another crop such as pumpkins. I scored 105 with my family picking my scores. Thanks for the test. Can’t wait to be outside.
I got a 43. Haha. I am 15 years old and my dad wants me to get into agriculture because he thinks the economy is going to collapse. I don’t know what I am interested in, but I do agree with him; I should do what will make me able to be self sufficient. And.. what is better than farming to be self sufficient? But just thinking about farming stresses me out. No joke. I wish I was interested in it.
Hannah,
When I was 15 I was only interested in playing video games, skateboarding, and girls. Doesn’t seem like a decision you need to make right away. There are also ways to be more self sufficient without farming. Good Luck!
Taylor
I scored a 120. Been wanting to small scale farm my whole life. my family lost their farm land when I was 11/12, in Wisconsin, and Ive never been the same since. So now Ive been looking into how can I still accomplish this before I get any older. Its all I really want even doubly now that Im a single mom, for my son to grow up more with it. Haha. I have perused all the USDA stuff, and young farmers etc etc, have a catalog in my favorites bar, with much more to read and do. Im 47 with an 8 yr old, and do I go back to school yet again when I just paid off my loans 7 years ago, or just push into the ag thing.
Andrea,
I have seen people do both, but school certainly isn’t necessary for being successful in farming. An internship can be useful. Also, many people start small and scale up gradually to get experience and going into major debt. Good Luck!
Taylor
I scored 138, maybe I better re-evaluate my answer to #4.
Scored 111…Ive had a hankering for farming for the last 5 years. Difficulties are that I know nothing about it! I am ready to give up working in the entertainment industry. Ive learned to work with all kinds of peoples for 16hrs a day for numerous days at a time! Got that under my belt…Now i just need to learn everything else! Im really interested in Organic farming and Livestock. Secret wish is to be driving cattle ahhhh…
I have driven a tractor and hayed a field…. what a wondrous summer that was. Unfortunately my friend farmer Dave passed on, and sadly his family sold the farm. Back to square one for me…
Scored 115- I have been growing and tinkering for years.
BTW question 15 should read doing a lot of things pretty (“well”-was missing).
Must have been written by a farmer (questions were done pretty well)
Dick,
That’s funny. Thanks for the edit!
I happy, i scored 120 yayyyyyyyyyyyy
116 for me! Seems pretty accurate. My dad was really instrumental in teaching us how to grow things and appreciate farming, the outdoors, fixing things. I’ve been silently planning in my head my move from urban condo to farm for a couple years now and it’s looking really good in my brain! I’m just starting to do research and educate myself on what I need to do to get from here to there. Love your site. It has so much great information!
Great Score Cynthia. That’s something I hear a lot – learning to love those things when you are young. I think it kind of becomes embedded in you. Glad you like the site, and good luck with your future farming adventures!
I scored 84 which is great news for me as I am interested in a smallhold but not a large commercial venture. A more self sustanable lifestyle and to escape the tedium of a 9 – 5 office work to life in a rural community appeals to me and I have been doing a lot of reading and study using online resources over the last 4 years. Thanks for this quiz, it’s great to know I’m on the right track.
That’s great Peter. Good luck!
I scored 116, I have always wanted a Farm.
I scored 103. Lately I’ve really been tossing around the idea of farming and I think this test helped to bring some perspective. I grew up in a rural area, around farms and my family has some history in growing vegetables and animal raising on a small scale. Currently I stay in an urban area; however, I’ve missed the country environment greatly and have future plans to return to the area that I grew up in soon. Hopefully I can start something in the near future… I’m still under 30, so I have plenty of time and energy to do it! I love the site as it provides good direction in pursuing a strong interest of mine.
I scored an 80, I think mostly because of the financial questions. I have been thinking about small scale farming for a few years now, along with the research for it. Pure gardening is not for me. I want a third to be vegetation and the rest of the property for bison to roam and eat naturally. Maybe if I have room I even thought of adding some deer later on. Everything is going to start up in 3 years. I currently am in the military and wish to start farming/ ranching as soon as my contract ends. I have been building my plans and finances needed for sometime now. But this quiz was fun. I have found lots of great opportunities to help me along the way. Good luck to those who pursue their dreams.
I got 101. Which makes sense, since I’ve got a solid business plan but my farm will run on human power so I don’t have to fix things. 🙂
Facing failure with a good attitude is something I deal with in every job, so hopefully I’ve learned to cope and it won’t affect my farm business.
I did this quiz about two years ago. I have since performed a veggie garden in 2013 and am already prepped to set up the 2014 garden. I also own six chickens now. I just did the quiz again and I got 113.
I got a 92. Im happy with that. My daughter and I have been wanting to start a small farm. Im sure her score would compliment mine fantastically. Together, we can do it!!!
I got 107, I can handle all the work side of farming, it the financial and planning that will slow me down.
Taylor,
I shared a Google spreadsheet with the beginning farmer quiz with you. The only advantage it offers is that it tallies the individual scores into a total score automatically — I didn’t want to do it by hand. 🙂 With a little know-how you could make a downloadable copy for people to use.
It’s great what you’re doing with the site. I’ve only begun to explore it, but am thankful for its existence. I’m currently a data warehouse architect — about as far from farming as you can get — but I’ve always longed for a country life. My grandparents ran a dairy farm in New York which I used to visit often as a teenager when it was still running. To this day I still remember being on the farm as the place I felt most at peace in the world. The running joke between my wife and I now is that we’re going to run away from our jobs and start a goat farm. Both of us would be much happier away from the rat race if we could make it work.
Thanks again for the site.
Jonathan,
Thanks for doing the spreadsheet and pointing out the google form. I’ll try to get a link up when I get a minute.
I spent a lot of time on a dairy farm as a kid too and that’s a big part of my interest for sure. Hope you guys get to your own farm soon. Keep in touch!
Oh, I see someone already made a Google form with the quiz! That one works well for anyone with a Google account.
My score is 110, I really like farming, I have a small garden and unfortunately sold all my chickens and ducks. But in the meantime I really want to start my own farm. I study agribusiness at an Institute cause I see an career opportunity. So I’m coming.
I scored 119. I didn’t expect that. My husband and I have a little over 4 1/2 acres and are currently raising chickens and rabbits on a small scale but with a profit. We both had worked on farms in our teenage years so we know how much work is involved but we never did the book keeping. We’ve done a huge garden every year except this year because our equipment broke down. We are seriously considering going bigger but slowly. We want to start by getting goats and sheep plus 1 milking cow(I love fresh milk). Our home/property is completely paid off and we are both in our 30’s with 3 kids. I’m a stay at home mom while he is a truck driver. Now I’m trying to cram as much information in my head as I can to see if we should take on the risk of buying more land, farm equipment and livestock. Your quiz gave me a little more confidence to go ahead with a business plan and look at financing options and this site is so informative. Thank you!!
I scored 101. about right, love hard work and the outdoors, grew up on a horse farm helped raise and care for various animals and gardens and live in a rural area, served in the Army…now how to get out of corporate america where i’m slowly dying inside…
I scored 93 and that is right on! I have been wanting to get a few chickens and a cow or goat. I hear you ryan, I grew up on a farm and have been in small towns no big cities, but working the corporate work and pushing paper. I was and did slowly die inside, I have a host of health issues and I know that a lot of it was from being out of touch with nature. We are made to live from and on the land and that is what’s wrong with a lot of peoples, their sickness comes from not being in touch with the Earth. My husband and I would both love to live on a small farm, we have land near Mena, Ar, but no funds available to get it going. Maybe some day!
Thanks Sherry. Good luck with your small farm dream!
122 lol. I’m in the process of getting back the 4.4 acres I grew up on, have plans for rabbits, chickens, hogs, a couple protection dogs, and a horse. Just like when I lived there as a kid 😉
(mom currently raises goats, and we can barter, so I feel no need to raise them even though I have some experience with them too.)
Great Melissa,
Good luck with everything. Please keep us posted about how it’s going.
116. I’m in CT & have no land, but VERY interested in starting out with gardening, breeding rabbits, small steps first 🙂
Yes, move slowly and deliberately Cam. That’s been a successful strategy for a lot of people I know.
I’m in Mi scored a 103
I think the one thing that could make this quiz better is possibly weighting a few of the answers. For example, the last question is a pretty important one, since growing plants and caring for animals is a core part of farming. I really don’t know too much about caring for living things – I guess I’d like to think I could pick it up though. Every other question describes me almost perfectly. I Just can’t say I’ve really cared for many plants.
Thanks for your feedback Austin. In my experience learning how to grow things isn’t the part of the process that most beginning farmers struggle with. But maybe we could put a little bit more weight on this question.
I got a 116 worked on local farms, love it and always wanted to start my own since I was a kid.
Great score Daryan. I’ve always wondered if scores improved after people worked on farms for a while. Is that the case for you?
I got 120! but that makes sense I used to be on the cattle ranch with grandpa til he got too old for it.
Steven, You need to contact the folks who are offering this job. At beginning Farmers we just post these things, we don’t hire anyone. There is contact info in the post. Good luck.
Pretty great score Carina. Where was the ranch? What happened to it?
I scored a 103. I have worked in the corporate world my whole life, but dream of tossing my Johnson&Murphy shoes in the closet to wear my work boots every day.
Ha! Good luck getting into a pair of work boots Matthew. We are rooting for you!
I scored 131. I was thinking that would be in the “maybe” area until I scrolled down. I’ve always felt like I was out of place and out of time in the era and culture I grew up in. There’s something so attractive about growing your own food and living off the land. Definitely a lost skill that I believe will be necessary for more people one day. I love hearing stories from my husband’s great aunt and grandma of how they grew up and what they ate and how it was prepared (before they had cold storage…and in Texas.) I yearn for this and hope and pray that financially and physically I’ll be able to pull it off for my family one day. Thanks for the quiz and the unexpected boost of confidence!!
Wow, that’s impressive Kim. I don’t see scores like that very often. Good luck with your farm future. Keep in touch!
I scored an 85 and the discription is spot on to the reason why I am looking for farming information. I would like to do just a little side farming to supplement my food resource and if successful make a little bit of money.
Great Daryl, glad to know it seemed accurate to you. Good luck with your farming adventures!
107 for me. Seems right on. I’ve been dreaming of farming for years. Still trying to figure out how to get started.
I scored a 115! I was happy to see that it looks like I have an aptitude for farming. I have really been wanting to get into farming and back to my family’s roots of raising cattle.
Great Score Lee. Good luck!
My husband and I scored a 114 collectively :). We have the aptitude and drive as well as the land and capitol to make our dream come true. We just don’t know where to start as we want to grow gradually as to accommodate our learning curve. Glad to have found this site and will be doing our homework. Just looking to be self sufficient and not rely on the fragile system to fill our plates. We will probably start with a garden, chickens, rabbits and a dairy cow.
I like the idea of a “collective score” Kathryn! The reality is that this is how many farm businesses actually work, with multiple owners balancing their strengths. Good luck going forward. Keep in touch!
I got a 76 which is not bad….
I scored 95 which is better than I expected. I’m getting older and better at mundane tasks and accepting disappointment. This lines up with what an elder said to me: start with a kitchen garden. She’s from farm family who went through the ’30s so she definitely knows the challenges for me who was raised in the city all my life. Thing is – now I live on my own 3 acres in Hawaii so it’s like : Bloom where you’re planted! : ) Love this site. Thank you for the help. Gonna need it. ; P
My fiance and I each scored 97 and my 11 yr old son a 93! That is exactly where I see us. The great part is we balance one another’s strengths and well, limitations! We are planning to lease a small parcel of land this year (if it ever stops snowing in Mass)! We have been researching, reading and experimenting at home. I hope to work on our first draft business plan this spring. Very appreciative of this website and to so many of you who share your knowledge and lessons learned for the rest of us! What a great community! You should all be proud!
I got a 124 score I love challenges and since I havent done farm work since I was 18 this sounds good to me . I was raised working on my grandfathers farm row crops with a apple orchard and chickens 2 cows . grandpa died when I was overseas on my second tour in Viet tour Nam (yea i am “old”) by”you people” standards meaning young uns , doesnt matter much cause the family sold the farm before I came back to the real and my city gal wife sees no sense in doing hard work and having to be self reliant , so I am still working full time at 70 years and taking some ones pay instead of doing what I want and love to do . For you young men , DO NOT marry a city woman unless you already have a farm or are willing to divorce her to get a farm going .
That’s really impressive Rob. And thanks for the advice!
Got a 112…. Pretty good for me!
I am 16, and got my Eagle Scout at 13. Have the dream of being a farmer, and plan on doing so one day.
Mom is pushing me to find a way to further my education starting this next year (I ma a year ahead in high school). Anyone have any good ideas?
Will not do a 4 year, might do a 2 year. Really would just like to find a “basics” class.
I collect and restore antique tractors, and I can fix just about anything. Right now I am a Pro Faller for a local logging outfit, and am endorsed by Husqvarna, but I would rather grow crops than kill trees! 🙂
Anyway, this spring I have been offered the opportunity to farm the neighbors 5 acres, and I plan on doing so. This year it will be oats for hay, next year it will probably be oats/peas/barley for a better mix hay…
Anyone have any tips or tricks?! Thanks so much! Good test… Kind of helped put things into perspective….. Bryce
Thank you Taylor for a “spot on” test/assessment..I scored 94, which keeps me humble and realistic as my mind has visions of grandeur HaHa..I will start modestly as advised. Thank you!
Thanks Susan. And good luck, I’m rooting for you.
104\125
Scored a 117. Not bad. grow up around horses and southern raised city born.
Great score Tim!
I had to lose some points, b/c I just bought 2 new pair of pants from Goodwill and I’m keeping one of them for ‘nice’ occasions.
That’s awesome Scott. Thanks for taking the quiz.
I scored 95! I am into a different field/profession (healthcare) and is seriously considering going into farming. Getting into this website is the first step of my plan. I hope to achieve a succesful career shift.
Great to hear Raul! Good luck with your farming career. Not a bad thing to have a profession while you are starting out.
Wow, 117, kind of crazy, seein it started last year proving someone wrong i could grow a fall garden when starting from seed September last year in zone 5b. And ended up with several vegetables by the end of the season. And now here i am with 16 pullets on a friends farm, just got my first egg sunday, only paying rent in the form of eggs. Already tracking my expenses, as i go along in a very handy excel spreadsheet i put together. Already planning to expand to twice as many pullets, and raising rabbits for meat for my family.
As an Iraq War vet diagnosed with severe PTSD i find raising livestock very zen experiance. It also helps my half brother has been working a farm since he was 5. I have been looking into several grants and USDA backed loans and the way I see it i will only be an IT professional for 2.5 more years until I can prove my ability to succeed to the USDA.
Fantastic Jay, great score, and great to hear you are working toward a farm career. Good luck with everything, and please keep in touch!
I got a 97 which I am okay with but I don’t really want to grow food. I plan on raising cattle and many other livestock and try to provide them for local FFA members looking for an animal to show and auction off at the local fair. Even though I am still in high school I am already planning exactly what breeds I am going to raise and how I am going to go about it. Hopefully all goes well. Good luck to all of you are are also wanting to become farmers.
That’s great Rosalee. Yes, that test was aimed more at potential vegetable farmers, but many of the same things apply on a livestock farm – like needing to balance the books, work hard, get dirty, and fix wuuipment. Good luck to you!
I love farming
I got 97…. Want to start a small scale farming
104. Seems fitting as I grew up on a farm, and am looking into starting some small farming on my 30 acres this spring and plan to take to some classes as well.
I scored 107, my husband 106…Well thought out questions! We are in the transitioning stages of going full time farming on our 20 acres, and I am in the research mode…sometimes I find myself just needing to hear the words, “You got this, you can do it!”…
i scored a 105, something i have always wanted to do. i have been in construction industry as a mechanic/ operator my whole life. i am 38 now wondering if it is too late for me?
Rick,
Nice score. I am 45 and am getting to the point where intensive manual annual veg production is getting more difficult, but there are lots of other kinds of farming that are not so hard on your body. My suggestion would be to explore a little bit while you are still making money doing something else so you can know what you are really into and suited for before you make the leap.
Good luck!
I scored 75, I have alway been the hard worker and I am 18 years old i was from Tennessee. I have some family down there right now i had to move to Illinois, i plan on going back to get own my own farm. I Have been wanting to do this since I was 6 years old.
I scored a 78, but it could be higher. On some of the questions my answers depend on my mood and how I am feeling both physically and mentally. I have been seriously thinking about getting into farming for the past several years, but health problems and lack of money have prevented me from really getting started! But since then I have had Weight Loss surgery in September 2013 and I have lost 100lbs working on losing more and I just had Back surgery in late April 2016 to fix most of my back problems! So once I fully heal up and I am able to start doing “normal” things again; like lift heavier objects and do bending, etc then I am going to look into maybe taking a couple of seminars or classes, and then maybe try a mentoring program.
I have several ideas for a farm/ranch, but they go from starting small and then expanding on up to a larger size. So I think I will gather all the information I can and learn all I can and see where it goes from there!
Matthew,
Glad to hear you are on the mend. Starting small and scaling up slowly is always a good idea in my opinion.
I got 104 but i still need to understand things I am only 12
Wow Finn! Great that you are thinking about farming already!
i scored 110.am not actually a farmer but am quite enthuatisc about farming and rearing animals..i also dont like the cities alot..from kenya..kelvin kaburu
Great score Kelvin,
Good Luck!
Great Kelvin. Good luck!
I got 120 . I can’t wait .. I hope I can get a farm
Great score Vail Tribe. Good luck!
I got 96 was a bit had on my self my wife did it about me she got 107.I am sailing produce and doing backyard garden but about to start a farm.thanks for the quiz and the site.
Best of luck Clayton. We all tend to be hard on ourselves. 96 is still a great score.
I scored 98 So I think I should go with my dreams and look into what I need to start living the dream
Do it Rob. Do it.
I scored 117! My passion towards farming stems from my experience and background as a student of agriculture at both bachelor and postgraduate levels and forming my definite purpose to establish and develop a farm operating system. I believe I will accomplish this with immense help from the information from this awesome webpage. Thanks a lot
Awesome Tobe. Glad you appreciate the site. Good luck with everything.
I scored 116 on the dot. My family has farmed livestock for 10 generations.
I scored 106-seems pretty accurate. I loved growing plants as a kid, so maybe growing plants for food will come a bit easier for me, or just give me one heck of a challenge! Either way, I’m in!!
I got 100! Which is right on the money! We have 11 chickens, a big garden, and are currently looking to buy acreage. This is a very accurate quiz.
I scored a 120! I was raised a city girl, but my family is all farmers! I have been searching for farm land with an old house on the property for about two years. Hope to find one soon!!!!
I just took test and got scored 110. I service in USA Navy over 20 years and seeking peaceful and quiet place. I just want to start small farm for myself.
Woohoo! 94. Now to buy me some land!!!!! I alao want to make some dough on the side.
Bread dough and money dough!
Thank you for this fun but insightful quiz. I scored a 121. I have always dreamed about becoming a farmer since I was a young teenager and spent a summer on my Aunts cattle farm in Kentucky. Of course after the summer was over it was back to the city of Baltimore where I eventually got out by enlisting in the US Army for 8 years. After returning home from a 22 month deployment and getting out of the Army I have always felt like I wasn’t serving my country like before. But after taking this like quiz I feel like I now know how to serve my great nation once more. No just trying to figure out how to get started is the question.
Thank you so much for this quiz, it really helps because sometimes i felt like i wanted to do farming because i am unemployed and we have a farm at home so i can use it to make money, however when i took the quiz i realize a lot about me and why i truly want farming as a career, likely i scored 113 🙂 couldn’t believe it that this is actually my path,its what i have to do…thank you so much for opening my eyes…however, what i have realize is that i need guidance and a start up fee..that would be truly appreciated
wow!!!! I made a 110. I have always wanted to have a farm and I did have a small one with my family when I was younger and I also worked on an egg farm when I was 11. I have found a farm I would love to buy but I do not have to 20% down that the banks would want. The land is a working chicken farm with 3 40/400 Tyson premium chicken contact. This farm also has a 7 stall horse barn with 20 fenced in acres. I would love to get some feedback on how I would be able to fine an investor to help me get started.
117! That me always wanted a small farm. Told my family that I was going to have it one day. Now just gotta find out how to go about getting started.
Great score Marvin! Good luck, and stay in touch.
108. I’m really close to going for it. I’m a farmers market manager, crazy garden lady, I’m just right on the cusp of going all in.
Fantastic Juliet. Please let us know how it goes!
i got 123 for my score i am already a farmer but i want to be a rancher with my bestie/ sister we want to be ranchers with horses
Wow, Sarah, what a great score. You are made for this.
Wow, thanks for the quiz, I scored 96.
Farming has been my childhood dreams and I also plan on acquiring 10acres this spring. Though I’ve been practicing on a piece of land for close to 3 years now, raised me 50 chickens only 1 died, I raised snails too and they are so yummy. My next move is cattle, apart and orchard, can’t wait to start.
Wow, thanks for the quiz, I scored 96.
Farming has been my childhood dreams and I also plan on acquiring 10acres this spring. Though I’ve been practicing on a piece of land for close to 3 years now, raised me 50 chickens only 1 died, I raised snails too and they are so yummy. My next move is cattle, APIARY and orchard, can’t wait to start
WOW! This test was spot on. I scored 99 and actually I have just started a pumpkin patch on a 1/4 acre in my backyard. My kids want to help with it and then help me sell them in the Fall. I wanted to start small and finance it out of pocket. Next year I will find someone that will let me rent an acre (again financing it myself) and just keep going from there.
LaRoux,
Good luck to you. I always tell people to start small and scale up. Avoid debt and find out what works before taking too much risk on it.
Hi,
thank you for this wonderful quiz. It gives a good idea what it takes for farming. I am 68 and my wife is 66. Our son is not yet 30 and seems to have found himself in farming. We are encouraging him and supporting him as much as we can, and will participate to the max. I personally scored a 98 (scored low on mechanical/fixit type questions and also experience with growing plants/animals) – tells me what I need pay attention to !! My wife and son will score better in my weak spots. Hopefully, we will make up for each other as a team. All the best, and thank you again.
111, I Have always been around agriculture my whole life and I’m only 14 but I have always drempt of owning and running my own farm. The machinery fascinates me, especially anything from the 60’s to 2000. I am always the kid at school that gets slightly judged because I “get up too early” but we are a pretty small school in a town of only 3,250. So with this test, I am still going to try to accomplish this goal of a successful farm to pass on to the next generation.
That’s a really high score Brady. Congratulations. Keep us posted on your plans and let us know how your farming journey goes!
i got a 119. only 2 answers i put as a 3. the first one is the weather one. i live in ohio and did tree work for 10 years when we workednin -10 that wasnt fun. pretty much anything that is 15 degrees or colder takes thenfun out of working outside. but anythign 15 degrees or higher im all for it. and i put a 3 for me getting frustrated. it takes a while for me to get frustrated. i just have aleays put my all into everything i do. so when something keeps going wrong i get frustrated because i take so many steps to make sure things are done right. so if then it does not work out i get frustrated.
I want to farm so bad here in Ohio. i grew up on a farm up until i was around 10 years old then they sold it. and my grandpa regrets ever selling it and moving to the city. im not made for the city. me and the people in the city think different. its just im a country boy at heart i would rather be out working in the field all day then sitting in an office like i do now. i used to do tree work for most of my life workingnon transmission lines which go throu a lot of farm fields. and i would jsut sit there and day dream as the farmers ride by on a big ole combine just wishing it was me. in my opinion the best relaxing youbwill ever do is after a hard days work. when you sit down in your favorite chair after a grueling 16-20 hr day theres nothing like it. god bless all you farmers for the worknyou guys put in,and godbless everyone on here and have a safe and warm winter.
Thanks for your story Andrew, and that’s a great score. I hope you can get back to the farm some day. Good luck!
I didn’t read the comments until after the quiz. It was a great thought provoking tool. I have been toying with the idea of farming for a bout 2 years now. My score of 107 gets met thinking I can do it, but I need more information to get going. Looking forward most to the research and what comes of it. Also, glad to see that the replies to the comments are consistent and current. That let’s me know I can run a farm and still be social if I wanted, lol. Thanks so much for the fun quiz and comments.
Chetkelia,
Great score, and great to learn you are interested in farming. Thanks too, for the feedback on the quiz. Please keep in touch and let us know how your farming journey goes!
Thank you so much for the quiz! I got a 111, I’ve always loved farming but where I am its not easy to start farming it requires a lot of capital. However,I am not going to let that stand in my way, I will start with a small garden maybe someday I will afford a farm of my own.
That is the problem most people have Beauty. Love your determination. Keep in touch and let us know how it goes.
Taylor
Scored 86. I Am considering a career change, but coming from a desk job I realize very well this isn’t gonna work out overnight, but I find the result of this test very affirming of the first step idea’s I had in mind: move out of the city and put some serious time in a garden besides a parttime job. Thanks!
I think that’s a great plan Sjogert. Start small and scale up. Learn what you like to grow and what grows well for you before you try to do it on a commercial scale.
Great quiz. Scored a 120. Would like to do organic farm and cattle…small scale And do some education activities on the land I find.
Fantastic Ron, and great score. Keep in touch and let us know how it goes. If you want to post education opportunities on the site just e-mail me at beginningfarmers@gmail.com
Scored 115 right where I thought I’d be. Having a career and a family makes a transition to farming seem impossible though. Oh and the whole needing a boatload of money part.
Thomas,
My advice is always: start small and scale up. Start with a backyard, or someone else’s backyard. Learn what you grow well and what makes money. Then start thinking about scaling up the successful enterprises.
Good luck!
Taylor
Scored 120. Makes sense since i grew up on a ranch until i was 13 yld. I’ve been trying to get back to ranching for years, I just haven’t been able to find the level of happiness I had when living on my family’s ranch. Unfortunately starting up a ranch isn’t cheap. Any help on available funding for starting a ranch would be greatly appreciated.
Great score Noel. You can find our funding resources at https://www.beginningfarmers.org/funding-resources/