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That's a lot of investment for someone getting their feet wet. I've been growing food for my family at home for the last four years and while I don't have two

That's a lot of investment for someone getting their feet wet. I've been growing food for my family at home for the last four years and while I don't have two acres to farm, I can tell you that equipment has been the least of my problems. Learning to grow food has been a gradual process for me, learning what works for my soil and my climate. I can't imagine trying to start with a Conex full of equipment and two acres to farm, unless you have a local farmer there to help you along. It's so much easier to start small, a few hundred square feet, and to get the advice of a local gardening club or garden store when it comes to choosing what to plant.

pavel_lishin 10y ago
This seems like it's aimed at rural farmers in Africa and other developing nations who may have the know-how, but not the equipment or the means to get it. Presumably, the goal is for these things to be subsidized and then shipped out to establish self-sustaining farming. In other words, it's probably not for when I get pissed off at my job and decide to move into my parents' house and work their two acres in Texas with no idea of what I'm doing.
- dghughes 10y ago
  I agree, it a good idea if a struggling farmer in a third world country need the help and the kit is available. I didn't mean to sound dismissive but I pictured some random person ordering a farm kit off Amazon. We all need to eat but I think farming is seen as a nothing job by many people in urban areas.
jonlucc 10y ago
There was some internet co-op type company whose name escapes me right now, but they basically did this kind of work for farmers (and would be very helpful for newcomers). The idea was that every farmer who is a member will put in their crop yields along with location, soil quality, exact seed and source, how much fertilizer, etc. All of that data is then available to the other members. So I could sign up, go on there and decide what to plant and how to do it from that kind of site. Maybe I heard of this on a This Week In Startups podcast? Edit: I've found it. It's called Farmer's Business Network [1] and I did indeed hear about it on a This Week in Startups podcast [2]. [1] https://www.farmersbusinessnetwork.com/ https://www.farmersbusinessnetwork.com/ [2] http://thisweekinstartups.com/amol-deshpande-fbn/ http://thisweekinstartups.com/amol-deshpande-fbn/
- Thrymr 10y ago
  Every state has a university extension system that provides free information for farmers and the general public. For example, here's Oregon State University's page for small farms: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/farms http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/farms
  - HeyLaughingBoy 10y ago
    ... and will usually host free instructional talks, visits by researchers, etc. And in some cases will come out to your property at no charge to offer advice.
ctdonath 10y ago
Not everyone has the luxury or desire for a "gradual process", but may have at least a sensible starting fund and the motivation to make it work. Sometimes the window of opportunity is small, and diving in fast is important (say, realize you have to grow your own food and spring is progressing - if you don't plant ASAP you're not getting to harvest). I've long considered a similar "in a [shipping container] box" for fast-start retail establishments. Have access to retail space? have just days/hours to put up a fast-food shop? won't be perfect, but the box contains what you need to get a functioning restaurant delivered & running in hours. Likewise I can appreciate an "in a box" for a farm; get some cheap land and get what you need to reach harvest before snowfall.
- maxerickson 10y ago
  I think if you have $50,000 you probably aren't really worried about what you will be eating in 5 months.
  - ctdonath 10y ago
    Supply chain and employment aren't guaranteed. Dependents need be fed. For some of us, self-sufficiency is axiomatic and dropping $50k for a starter box might seem sensible.
    - wiredfool 10y ago
      A 50K box isn't going to make you self sufficient, especially without a supply chain for the farming supplies. If you want to be self sufficient, you're going to end up being a farmer first, and whatever else you are later.
    - maxerickson 10y ago
      So the trucks will reliably deliver the $50,000 of valuable agricultural equipment but not $5000 of pasta? I understand the idea of becoming self sufficient. It's the idea of spending $50,000 to make it happen because it suddenly became urgent that I think is not very realistic. (of course 10 man-years of pasta is not an exciting nutritional adventure. I'd argue it's far more pragmatic than hoping you figure out how to farm in 8 weeks...)

pavel_lishin 10y ago

This seems like it's aimed at rural farmers in Africa and other developing nations who may have the know-how, but not the equipment or the means to get it. Presumably, the goal is for these things to be subsidized and then shipped out to establish self-sustaining farming. In other words, it's probably not for when I get pissed off at my job and decide to move into my parents' house and work their two acres in Texas with no idea of what I'm doing.

dghughes 10y ago
I agree, it a good idea if a struggling farmer in a third world country need the help and the kit is available. I didn't mean to sound dismissive but I pictured some random person ordering a farm kit off Amazon. We all need to eat but I think farming is seen as a nothing job by many people in urban areas.

jonlucc 10y ago

There was some internet co-op type company whose name escapes me right now, but they basically did this kind of work for farmers (and would be very helpful for newcomers). The idea was that every farmer who is a member will put in their crop yields along with location, soil quality, exact seed and source, how much fertilizer, etc. All of that data is then available to the other members. So I could sign up, go on there and decide what to plant and how to do it from that kind of site. Maybe I heard of this on a This Week In Startups podcast? Edit: I've found it. It's called Farmer's Business Network [1] and I did indeed hear about it on a This Week in Startups podcast [2]. [1] https://www.farmersbusinessnetwork.com/ https://www.farmersbusinessnetwork.com/ [2] http://thisweekinstartups.com/amol-deshpande-fbn/ http://thisweekinstartups.com/amol-deshpande-fbn/

Thrymr 10y ago
Every state has a university extension system that provides free information for farmers and the general public. For example, here's Oregon State University's page for small farms: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/farms http://extension.oregonstate.edu/sorec/farms
- HeyLaughingBoy 10y ago
  ... and will usually host free instructional talks, visits by researchers, etc. And in some cases will come out to your property at no charge to offer advice.

ctdonath 10y ago

Not everyone has the luxury or desire for a "gradual process", but may have at least a sensible starting fund and the motivation to make it work. Sometimes the window of opportunity is small, and diving in fast is important (say, realize you have to grow your own food and spring is progressing - if you don't plant ASAP you're not getting to harvest). I've long considered a similar "in a [shipping container] box" for fast-start retail establishments. Have access to retail space? have just days/hours to put up a fast-food shop? won't be perfect, but the box contains what you need to get a functioning restaurant delivered & running in hours. Likewise I can appreciate an "in a box" for a farm; get some cheap land and get what you need to reach harvest before snowfall.

maxerickson 10y ago
I think if you have $50,000 you probably aren't really worried about what you will be eating in 5 months.
- ctdonath 10y ago
  Supply chain and employment aren't guaranteed. Dependents need be fed. For some of us, self-sufficiency is axiomatic and dropping $50k for a starter box might seem sensible.
  - wiredfool 10y ago
    A 50K box isn't going to make you self sufficient, especially without a supply chain for the farming supplies. If you want to be self sufficient, you're going to end up being a farmer first, and whatever else you are later.
  - maxerickson 10y ago
    So the trucks will reliably deliver the $50,000 of valuable agricultural equipment but not $5000 of pasta? I understand the idea of becoming self sufficient. It's the idea of spending $50,000 to make it happen because it suddenly became urgent that I think is not very realistic. (of course 10 man-years of pasta is not an exciting nutritional adventure. I'd argue it's far more pragmatic than hoping you figure out how to farm in 8 weeks...)