So you want to become a farmer?

How do you change professions? How do you do it in a way that you can support yourself?

You don't necessarily have to quit your current occupation right now.

So in what ways can you get involved?

1.  Assess your current skills
-- Where are you currently working? What are you good at?

• Business?  That is awesome, maybe you could use your skills to help farmers in some way.  Advertising their product, or redesigning daily operations to be more financially viable- only you know your skillset, and you can definitely use it to enter the 'field' through a slightly different way, but it will work.  
• Construction?  Farmers, especially on small operations and especially permaculturists are usually always building something.  Learn about common buildings that are needed, it's a great avenue to become more involved.
• Media?  Obviously these kind of degrees are quite far away from what I've been specializing in.  But this is just meant to give general ideas or direction.  Perhaps it's possible to make green commercials or ones for specific farms.  Create a series of interviews with farmers and post them online.  Use your skill to enhance local farms.  
• Photography, Music, Art?  The creative eyes, how can we bring more culture to our farms?  campfires, music, potlucks?  Creative photography of farms or other sustainable operations, same with art.  You can use your skills in designing visually pleasing farm plans.  Ecotourism is becoming more of thing, research it, they will surely be interested in adding culture to their establishment.  
• Philosophy?  In what ways can you gain inspiration from the natural areas?  Perhaps writing a paper or a book on what it means to live close to nature.  What are your ideas? How can the ecology and social perspectives of farms be looked at in new ways? 
• Writer?  Specialize on natural systems.  Tell the stories of our farmers, what are their struggles, their doubts, their worries?  How does mainstream life support or not support farmers?
• Doctor, healthcare worker?  How does the treatment of our soils affect our food?  How does food affect our health?  In what way can treat the soil differently in order to get a different result in our bodies?  How do wild foods compare to processed or storebought foods or even fresh foods?  Do the types of proteins we consume make a difference?  Are vitamins enough, is there a better way to think about this whole system?  
• Anthropology? How do different countries view food and food systems? What are the differences between cultures and foods eaten and grown?  How does GMOs affect society at large?  
• Language? How do local languages affect the treatment of the land? What words do they use to describe features of the land, and what deeper meanings are also prescribed to these words?  Translation is be a valuable tool, and as languages dwindle, so does the ancient knowledge on natural systems that was intertwined in that language.  In what ways can farmers obtain greater access to the rest of the world, or to what way can the knowledge of that farmer get to the rest of the world.  Explore the relationship.  Travel, interview, find out.  
• Finance?  This skill can be used anywhere, most farms do most of their own financial work, but maybe you could bulk the work of several farms in a way that is affordable to them, yet is beneficial for you too.  Basically creating some kind of an easy system for for you to easily keep track of their finances.. while maybe for them gives them one less thing to worry about.  
• Teacher?  Permaculture teacher training, there are so many people out there who are interested in sustainable systems.  Also perhaps a training series in master gardening, it's really a growing field and people are gaining a lot of interest in growing their own food these days.
• Technician/Engineer?  There are so many people interested in green energy and ways to set up their farms using different ways.  How do you create oil from Hemp or Algae?  Are biodigesters the best way to go always and how?  What's the best way to use solar energy?  So many questions.  Get out there and talk to farmers about some of the technological issues, most likely they will be so happy to work with you! 

Did I miss anything? These are pretty shortlisted, but it's meant to just give ideas.  How can you get involved with your skillset?

If it's still not enough, if you really want to dive in and get your hands dirty, there are options.

Check out your farms which are local.  Sometimes they can be decent paying, just because sometimes not a lot of people are interested in doing that kind of work-- namely farming.

Don't just visit one, explore your options, visit them all!  Where do you feel most comfortable?

Look at volunteer opportunities as well as paid positions.

 Many volunteer opportunities have much more learning opportunities than paid positions.  And sometimes much cooler.

They are volunteer for a reason, because it has value apart from the money.

Skillsets, room and board often, community, fun...

Some allow families even to come and stay.

Explore the internet find organic farms, permaculture sites, revegetation/reforestation projects.


My favorite community remains Sadhana Forest -- with sites located in Haiti, Kenya and India.
For long term volunteers you don't pay, it's a gift economy.

So many ways to get involved

Follow your heart.

Don't give up.

Meet challenges with a smile


:):):)