Iowa is Growing a New Type of Farmer (Blog)

What do you think of when you think of an Iowa farmer?

Well, I'm a beginning one and odds are, I don't look, act or talk like anything you're thinking of.  And although I do drive a truck -- it's not a Dodge.

Hi, my name is Lindsay and I am a young (20-something), beginning farmer starting this year in Waverly, Iowa with my sweetie, Travis.  Our vegetable, egg and poultry farm is called Good Food Community Farm -- we hope our name sort of speaks for itself.

"In the next five years an estimated 42 percent of Iowa farmers will retire, according to the 2009 Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll. What happens to that land could change forever the future of Iowa's landscape, environment, and food production." -Practical Farmers of Iowa website

Yes it's true -- Iowa is raising a new type of young farmer.  Many of us have lost touch with our family's farming heritage, or perhaps had little to none to start with, and many of us are in college or have college degrees -- though not necessarily in the fields of Ag or Horticulture.  But now, the new entry-level career position may look a lot more like an urban farm or FoodCorps position.

Young farming networks and local food movements are common place, and gaining additional popularity even moreso as we are becoming more aware of our food, the agricultural practices that are used to grow it, and the processes that it undergoes before we eat it -- and generally the less processing, the better.

Farming has generally been something that is taught from one generation to the next, but with the rise in Corporate farming (businesses vs. families), and the "brain drain" in our rural society where the youth has been lured to cities in Iowa or other states -- the future of Iowan agriculture is in question.  

In spite of this "gap" in farming heritage, there are now many organisations that have developed especially to arm and aid new, beginning and upcoming farmers for their chosen careers as food growers and supplies to their local communities.

Is your interest peaked yet?  If so, here is a beginning farmer toolkit for those of you who are interested, passionate, hungry for more, or simply just curious!

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF): Links wanna-be farming volunteers with interested and interesting farms by state and country, throughout the world.  A great resource if you'd like to travel to farm, or farm to travel!  Does require an annual membership fee to cover operation costs.

ATTRA's Sustainable Farming Internships and Apprenticeships: Another database (this one is free) that connects interested workers with hiring farms.  Details about specific farms, housing, stipends, etc. available on each farms profile.

the greenhorns: A group from NY promoting, recruiting and supporting new, young farmers including a blog, radio podcast, film, art and so much more!

Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI): Overflowing with generosity, experience and knowledge -- especially for the beginning farmer.  NOT just for Iowans, either!  They host live "farminars" (farmy webinars), fantastic field days where you can go visit and hear farmers talk about their experiences, experiments and lessons-learned.  Annual membership is optional, but great benefits and discounts to their annual conference if you opt-in.

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My advice to almost every other young person I meet who is at this "crossroads of uncertainty" or "period of transition" is to work at least one season on a farm; with soil-stained hands, learning the difference between hay and straw, and eating watermelon right from the field in which it was grown.  

Thank you so much for reading, and please contact me through our website, or through our farm Facebook or Twitter!  -Lindsay