In my experience as a Farm Consultant, I've observed a troubling trend: individuals with minimal training in Permaculture or Syntropic Agriculture starting to offer consulting services or attempting to establish Market Farms without the necessary commercial farming expertise. While these practices have their merits, they lack the comprehensive business and farming skills essential for running a successful Market Farm.

Farming is fundamentally a business that requires profitability for sustainability. A significant part of being a Market Farmer involves managing the business, marketing, and sales aspects—skills not covered in brief agricultural courses.

Entering farming, especially with a focus on organic and regenerative methods, demands thorough preparation similar to any other business venture. This includes market research, a solid business plan, a marketing strategy, and selecting experienced consultants, especially if one lacks farming experience.

The path to becoming a proficient farmer typically spans at least five years, given the learning curve and environmental challenges faced. With 95% of small farms failing in the first five years, the importance of commercial experience cannot be overstated.

For those looking to hire consultants or start a farm, prioritizing individuals with a proven track record of profitable farming is crucial. While Permaculture and Syntropic Agroforestry offer valuable insights, commercial farming knowledge is essential for success. It's important to choose a farming system that matches your goals and situation for the best chance of long-term success.

Find out what the difference is between the skills of a Permaculture Consultant and a Farm Consultant?

Learn why growers can’t rely on technology to manage their farms for them…

Why is it so critical that small farms must be profitable, this article explores some of the reasons….

In my work as a Farm Consultant & Urban Farmer, there is one fatal mistake that I see repeated on Market Farms, Urban Farms, Flower Farms….farm after farm…

This mistake is unfortunately fatal, and probably accounts for much of the heart breaking statistic that 95% of farms that are started will close within 5 years.

New directions…looking for a new farm partnership, and launching lifeforce connect - Farming online

Strategies to keep your seedlings alive in the Sub-Tropics. Gardening and farming in the heat, means that we need to have some ways to grow through the heat (which for us in the Nth Rivers can be September through to March…

Having a successful home garden requires a set of skills which our grandparents and ancestors knew well. Many of us haven’t learned to grow from our families, so we need to learn these basic survival skills again. Here you will find 7 Tips for Home Gardening

Tips for growing through the sub-tropical summer…

Tips for growing through the sub-tropical summer…

Co-Creating A Thriving Local Food and Flowers Ecoconomy

“The earth provides enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for a few people’s greed” Ghandi.

Inclusion, biodiversity, and connectedness is the way that the Earth works, she is a living being. The mechanistic thinking of these times, has had a devastating effect on our environment.