Any other hobby farmers out there???

[Kubota_Girl]

I'm preparing my BX1830 for Springtime, which is just around the corner here in Langley, BC. We don't get a lot of snow here, but the ground still freezes pretty good until March/April. I have 5 acres and primarily use my tractor for clearing the garden beds where we grow some veggies and a variety of wild flowers. Just wondering if anyone else has a hobby farm and what kind of Kubota equipment and attachments they are using?

This will be my second season hobby farming, and any tips of the trade will help! :)

[Mr. K]

Hobby farming? Where's RevDoc when you need him? I think I remember him mentioning something about that. Me? I barely know my carrots from my onions.

[RevDoc]

I don't believe there is such a thing as a "hobby farmer". The term is pejorative, flung about by large land owners, urban navel gazers, and commission salesmen wanting to sell you a "real" machine.

There are Farmers, which raise a diverse number of crops and animals to feed themselves and their families, and sell the surplus to defray expenses...

and then there is Agribusiness, where a near-worthless agricultural commodity is produced in ever increasing amounts in an effort to pay the interest on ever increasing debt by corporations that used to be family farmers.

Farming is a happy, healthy, rewarding lifestyle.

Agribusiness is about money, power, credit, chemicals, and checks from government, monsanto, con-agra, and a handful of other international criminal organizations out to control our food from farm gate to dinner plate.

I wish there were MORE beginning Farmers, and the Agra-cultists can take a bath in the chemical soup they spray on the world...after they've been genetically modified with a rusty probe, of course.

I have farmed all my life. I have a team, and 8 tractors, not counting the backhoe and trencher.. My 'bota is by far the smallest on the place, but critical for my garden and orchard. I would be delighted to share what little I know about the subject with anyone interested.

/the above nearly qualifies as a rant, eh

[Mr. K]

Indeed! An excellent rant I think. :D

I've heard that quite a bit actually - regarding the Kubota being the smallest piece of equipment on site. They are well suited for tasks that require a bit more... nimble piece of equipment. Here in BC in the Okanagan where all the vineyards and orchards are, it is very common to see Kubota equipment pulling a trailer full of freshly harvested fruit down the rows and rows and rows of peach trees.

[Mr. K]

RevDoc, with that kind of equipment and crew sounds like you've got quite an operation on your hands... would looooove to see some pictures of that. :D Share some more details?

[Kubota_Girl]

I don't believe there is such a thing as a "hobby farmer". The term is pejorative, flung about by large land owners, urban navel gazers, and commission salesmen wanting to sell you a "real" machine.

There are Farmers, which raise a diverse number of crops and animals to feed themselves and their families, and sell the surplus to defray expenses...

and then there is Agribusiness, where a near-worthless agricultural commodity is produced in ever increasing amounts in an effort to pay the interest on ever increasing debt by corporations that used to be family farmers.

Farming is a happy, healthy, rewarding lifestyle.

Agribusiness is about money, power, credit, chemicals, and checks from government, monsanto, con-agra, and a handful of other international criminal organizations out to control our food from farm gate to dinner plate.

I wish there were MORE beginning Farmers, and the Agra-cultists can take a bath in the chemical soup they spray on the world...after they've been genetically modified with a rusty probe, of course.

I have farmed all my life. I have a team, and 8 tractors, not counting the backhoe and trencher.. My 'bota is by far the smallest on the place, but critical for my garden and orchard. I would be delighted to share what little I know about the subject with anyone interested.

/the above nearly qualifies as a rant, eh


Thanks for the enlightenment RevDoc... I guess I've felt typecast into that dumbed-down "hobby" category since I'm not a multi conglomerate feeding the masses. It is nice to know those of us with a small operation are recognized.

What kind of orchard do you have? What size? I've been toying with the idea of planting some hazelnut trees, since there are some big operations in the area, but need to do some more research on them first.

[Mr. K]

HHF - hawk hills farm has 75+ acres of vegetable farm that he maintains as well - he'd be a handy guy to show up in this thread....

[Barnboy]

Kubota Girl i hobby farm on 10 acres. I raise blackberries for my self and plenty for my 2 boys to sell for summer cash. I end up doing all the work. I use the Kubota B3030 for garden prep and hauling mulch. They boys and i raise pumpkins for fall cash. They love harvest time. Its a big game to see who finds the biggest pumpkin.

[MXZXGADE]

Just took off my wood chipper yesterday and picked up my new Log Grapple today. Now I have to wait for the rear valve kit to come in. I've been told I've got to many toys. Can't wait for it to dry up a little so I can start discing my food plots. Theres lots of great attachments for these little tractors.

[clucks]

I don't believe there is such a thing as a "hobby farmer". The term is pejorative, flung about by large land owners, urban navel gazers, and commission salesmen wanting to sell you a "real" machine.

There are Farmers, which raise a diverse number of crops and animals to feed themselves and their families, and sell the surplus to defray expenses...

and then there is Agribusiness, where a near-worthless agricultural commodity is produced in ever increasing amounts in an effort to pay the interest on ever increasing debt by corporations that used to be family farmers.

Farming is a happy, healthy, rewarding lifestyle.

Agribusiness is about money, power, credit, chemicals, and checks from government, monsanto, con-agra, and a handful of other international criminal organizations out to control our food from farm gate to dinner plate.

I wish there were MORE beginning Farmers, and the Agra-cultists can take a bath in the chemical soup they spray on the world...after they've been genetically modified with a rusty probe, of course.

I have farmed all my life. I have a team, and 8 tractors, not counting the backhoe and trencher.. My 'bota is by far the smallest on the place, but critical for my garden and orchard. I would be delighted to share what little I know about the subject with anyone interested.

/the above nearly qualifies as a rant, eh

Revdoc and Kubota girl,

I couldn't help but want to respond to your thoughts. As a producer of a niche market/ specialty product (my name says it all)....I just wanted to say AMEN. My family has been involved in agriculture in BC since immigrating in the early 50's (I am 3rd gen), I lived the transition of the family farm into an agribusiness and saw it's consiquences first hand. I am making the choice to revert what's left of the original farm back to a more diversified, slow growth based operation.

I may not produce as much volume or make as much on the top line as the big commodity producers , but I won't borrow as much and be enslaved to everyone else either. I feel good about the products I produce and my customers are happy to compensate me fairly for them.

So...Kubota girl, you go farm that place of yours and produce something good and be sure to tell everyone why it's better to buy wholesome products from local folks such as ourselves and if we're lucky enough people will hear the message that Revdoc speaks, enough that we will be able to feed ourselves.

Clucks