GFP009: Making a Sound Investment for the Future

Show summary:

Farming is as much about business as it is growing things. Time spent outside should be balanced by time spent inside. Both places require you to make smart investments for your future. Those investments might be to buy equipment, spend time connecting with customers, or growing your agricultural business in any number of ways.

The weather is warming up a bit and I get to spend some more time making investments outside of the office. That is not only good for the business, but good for the soul too. Honestly, I don't like talking about money. I would rather be out farming. This week I started building chicken tractors, I ordered baby chicks, and my seeds came in the mail. Big things happening!

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In this farm podcast you will learn: What to think about when making investments in your farm. Some commonalities between me and other farmers. Creative ways to find funding. Money management "outside the box". Long term farm investing. Interview with Rebecca Thistlethwaite Author of Farms With A Future:

Rebecca grew up in suburban Oregon, near small berry farms that eventually were populated by homes and not crops. She then went to Colorado State University to study skiing, climbing, and a little bit of everything else about natural resources. There she received her B.Sc. in Natural Resources Management/Conservation Biology.

Since then she has worked on various organic farms around the Northwest and California, before ending  up back in school at UC Davis to study agroecology and International Agricultural Development for her Masters. She went on to study crop biodiversity and traditional Mayan agriculture in Guatemala and Honduras.

Since then, Rebecca has been working in natural resources management, developing and directing programs, sustainability consulting and farming part time with her husband at TLC Ranch on the Central Coast of California and now on a little farm in Washington overlooking the mighty Columbia River.  "Farms with a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business", was published in November 2012 by Chelsea Green, Rebecca's first book!

Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:

 

Farms with a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business(Amazon Affiliate Link) Take aways:

How do you plan when making investments in your farm?

What questions do you ask yourself?

Do you differentiate between capital investments and operating budget?

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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a rating in iTunes if you liked the show.

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