So You Want To Be A Farmer?
Farmers are a unique breed of person who can't seem to find work in any other fields. They're the people in the country with all the cows and corn, shepherding ewes, planting crops and harvesting tomatoes from their trellises. Farmers are a part of our rural heritage — but how did you get into farming?
While there may not be a clear answer for most farmers out there, we thought it might be helpful to break down some typical farmer's stories.
J. Larry Brown
Larry Brown, who grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, wanted to be a farmer when he was a child. "My father was a city kid," said the 61-year-old Brown. "I wanted to be raised on a farm." He graduated with a degree in agriculture and started working as a crop adviser for the United States Department of Agriculture. He started farming with his family's cows and sheep business in 1978. Many years later, Brown "looked around me and said I want to keep going." He now owns and operates his family's sheep-shearing business and raises corn and soybeans on 1,000 acres of land surrounded by mountains.
David Johnson
The youngest of 10 children, Johnson was born and raised on a farm in New Macedonia, Saskatchewan. When he was young, his family owned about 15 acres of land to live off of during the summer months. However, when harvest season came around, they had to make money. "I bought my first combine (he moves heavy equipment around) when I was 16," said Johnson. "We were getting ready to go into canola." He eventually started working with his brother as a partner in the business. The two realized that they needed some help on their farm and began hiring help. Today, their farming operation is worth about $7 million in revenue but still employs about 200 people during peak harvest days.
John Reaves
Reaves was born and raised on a small farm in Hillsboro, Mo. He then went onto college before taking over his family's operation. "My dad had trouble hiring people because they were always leaving," said the 50-year-old Reaves. "They would last six months and leave. We needed someone to be able to do the job." So, in 1994, John came home and started doing the work himself with his father and brother. Today, their business continues to grow with a lot of help from their children who now help on the farm. The Reaves family farms rice, soybeans and raises cattle in Texas County Missouri.
John French
"I wanted to be a farmer when I started kindergarten," said the 52-year-old French. He grew up in the country where his family had a dairy and beef operation. As a young boy, he would help his father with chores such as moving the cows from one field to another. Today, he works alongside his wife on their farm in West Virginia where they raise cattle and plant corn and soybeans. "It's very rewarding," said French about farming. "It's something you do for yourself." And, it's also something that he plans to pass down to his four children once they're old enough to help out on the farm.
John Bolious
Bolious grew up on his family's farm in Zavalla, Texas. "I wanted to own a farm when I was a little boy," said the 64-year-old Bolious. "I wanted to be independent." He graduated from Brazosport's University of Technology and started working as an agriculture technician for the Texas Department of Agriculture. After spending some time with his family, he decided that he didn't want to teach his children "about being dominated by someone else." So, after graduating with a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1977, he applied to the Mississippi State University Agricultural Experiment Station as an agronomist. His first job was growing potatoes in Louisiana. He now owns a farm in Mississippi that he took over from his deceased father. "No one keeps a farm anymore, it's just too hard to make it on your own," said Bolious. "Everyone wants to hire someone else."
James T. Randel II
Randel's family grew corn and cotton before they moved down to Bexar County, Texas around the turn of the century, which is where he was raised. After graduating from high school, Randel went on to get his bachelor's degree in agriculture at Texas A&M University and then again later went on to graduate form the University of Southern Mississippi with his master's degree. He began working for the USDA in 1978, when he was a special agent with the Farm Service Agency. He worked with grain farmers, livestock producers and even worked with soil surveyors to help them analyze their land. "I got out of the survey business because it was too dangerous," said Randel. "There were so many people just dying from over exposure." He's been doing more work lately as a consultant helping farmers get their land ready for crops by planting trees, fixing erosion problems and helping farmers plan for farm businesses the future.
John Holland
Holland was born and raised on his family's farm in St. Louis County, Mo., which is now worth millions.
Conclusion
Farmers come from all sorts of backgrounds and may hold a variety of jobs when they're not working on the farm. They may not know how they got into farming or even see themselves as farmers. But, like it or not, they're part of the American agricultural system — whether they choose to acknowledge it or not.
More on Farmer's Life: USDA Program Helps 21-Year-Old Male Farmer Develop a Business Plan for Success (VIDEO) How to Prepare for Farm Life Read More: How Did You Get Into Farming?
Sources: Mother Earth News, Mother Earth News, PBS, ABC News and npr.