19 pieces of advice for young farmers

As the focus has always been on young people to engage in farming for a livelihood, we can’t discount the need for guidance from the older and experienced farmers. They have been through it as a life and their advice not only gets one through farming but life as a whole.

These pieces were gathered from a successful and fulfilled farmer with 25 years of experience. A good set for young farmers.

1. Set a clear and simple business plan and stick to it. Discuss and talk about it with family, colleagues and anyone who would listen.
2. Control weeds when they are small and this rule applies to any problem you encounter in life.
3. Trust everyone, but learn from it if they let you down.
4. Always do what you tell people you are going to do.
5. Understand there is a difference between profit and turnover and a big difference between having cash and being wealthy.
6. Always be helpful to your neighbours.
7. When you make a mistake, say sorry and mean it.
8. Low costs come from high yields not large scale and high sales prices come from high-quality products and service, not branding.
9. Borrow as much as anyone will lend you to purchase appreciating capital assets. Try to avoid buying anything that depreciates with time.
10. Employ good people to do the jobs you don’t like and then show them your appreciation.
11. Always build sheds 100% bigger than you think you can afford and they might be half big enough to do the job.
12. Write everything down, you might lose track of good ideas.
13. As you maintain your machines, maintain your body and exercise your brain.
14. Predictions that you make will almost always be wrong. Don’t be worried so much about that. Keep going.
15. Always listen to older people and treat them with respect, they will help you to get on in life.
16. Share your knowledge and success with others. There is nothing sadder than a rich, lonely workaholic.
17. Be playful, be kind to people and always smile.
18. Be careful not to pollute your environment as you farm.
19. Conserve nature, practice conservation agriculture.

Inspiration from: 25 pieces of advice for 25-year old farmers