Farming part-time for homestead
Updated Jul 14, 2025
Desired locations
I am an aspiring farmer that disavows city life and am eagerly looking for salient farm experience.
Plan
The world needs people to start growing healthy food or else we're all doomed. I aim to become one of those people, but I need to gain experience and learn the business of farming first. I am interested in learning all skills pertaining to the below:
The farm I see in my mind's eye integrates forestry, silvopasture, livestock, poultry, vegetables, apiaries, and mushrooms harmoniously the land while conducting future-looking extension to safeguard the future of our food. No synthetic inputs. The farm is fiscally thriving and creates endlessly fulfilling work for my family and a community of like-minded families we have cultivated. We feed our community and are happy.
Preferred type of opportunity
Opportunity details
I have dreams of not only building a farm enterprise for my family and for a community of families but also using our way of life to show others how to remake our country into something better.
In this phase I want to learn, both production and business. I also want to make connections in the alternative ag community with a goal of establishing my own farm in the next 5 years.
Desired farming practices
Practices details
see above for desired future state.
At present I want to learn from existing biodynamic (all-natural) farmers within 50 miles of the Raleigh-Durham area (so I can commute). I can potentially contribute 20-30 hours to farm work and would/could bring my wife and two kids as extra hands.
This is a serious aspiration for me and my family and I want to develop my skills starting now.
Production goals
Goals details
see above
Farm experience
Years of experience
0 total years of experience
0 years employed as a worker (non-manager)
0 years as a manager
Education, training, and employment experience
Experience details
I have no formal agricultural experience, but I have a strong passion for clean food production and I want to gain real farm experience.
I've worked in backyard gardens, grown some of my own tomatoes and peppers. I've planted flowers and trees. I've inoculated logs with shiitake fungus and eaten the mushrooms. I've dug drainage ditches and fought with virginia creeper.
I've never worked with animals save for dogs, and am happy to work with livestock.
I have a basic grasp of growing vegetables, cultivating mushrooms, raising poultry and bees but I have much to learn.