Farmwork Doesn’t Only Happen On The Farm

Farmwork Doesn’t Only Happen On The Farm

Contrary to what most people think, not everything about farming happens on the farm. In fact, a huge part of the farm work happens offsite. Many farm goods and services come from the outside. People often only see farm produce and not the work put into it, much of which come from other places than the dirt.

If you plan to invest into farming, you need to be aware of the many things that happen far away. For example, you will need to source the market for your produce. This often means leaving “home” to meet with potential buyers. Here are a few other crucial things that don’t happen on the farm:

farmer in the farm

Bookkeeping and Office Work

Farming is just like any other business. If you want to succeed and make good money out of any business, you must keep your books in check. Often an accountant or bookkeeper is required to monitor the business spending and ensure the business is not running at a loss. If you need professionals to do the work, we recommend Infinit Accounting outsourcing. They offer a vast range of accounting services to all forms of businesses, including farming, and can help your business no matter where in the world you are located.

Buying Seedlings and Seeds

One of the most important parts of farming is buying seeds and seedling. To get the maximum yield out of the land, it is crucial to buy the right seeds or seedlings and plant them at the right time. There are so many varieties of seeds, but most farmers go for popular hybrids because of their higher yield. Generally speaking, however, most of these products are not found on the farm but in the larger townships nearby. Unless the farmers order online, they need to visit the store and arrange to purchase the stock externally to the farm.

Selecting and Purchasing Agrochemicals

Today, farming chemicals have become part of common farming practices. It often isn’t easy to maximize profits from farming without using chemicals. There are kinds of chemicals for almost every problem on the farm. From weed control to pest control, there are a range of agrochemicals available to buy depending on the crops being grown. To purchase these a visit to an agrochemical warehouse in towns is often necessary.

spraying of pesticide in the farm

Organic Mulch/Worms/Compost

If a farmer wants to get maximum output from their crops, they must keep the soil in the healthiest condition possible. This is why every agrochemical store sells fertilisers to enrich the soil. Soil enriching products that are difficult to generate on the farm – although it is possible with composting and mulching. Most stores that sell soil, compost, mulch or earth worms will not be local. Organic fertiliser such as organic mulch, worms, and compost can often be more beneficial to the soil and crops than chemical fertilisers but harder to access.

Buying Fuel

Modern farming relies heavily on machines. Almost every farming activity from land preparation, planting to weed control is mechanised. Fuel is needed to run these machines. A tilling tractor cannot run without diesel – same as any mulching machine. Whereas most farmers may have fuel storage on their farm, they still need to get it refilled from the outside. Unless this is pre-arranged with regular delivery, it will be necessary to plan for logistics to acquire a supply from the nearest gas station to buy fuel for the machines.

Farming Tools

Farming tools are key for any farm to run smoothly. Most of these tools are only found in stores closer to population centers. They will mostly be located in nearby towns, where they can serve more customers. Farm workers will often find themselves having to trek into town to replace old farming tools as they wear out.

farmers holding their farm tools

Machines and Their Parts

Whether someone want to purchase a brand-new machine or simply replace an older one, these will likely only be available some distance away. Machine yards are usually located in towns near farms, but for larger machinery this may be much further away. Similarly, if a specific replacement for a machine parts is required, e.g. mulcher or trencher teeth, either an online order and wait or a trip to the original point of purchase may be necessary.

Sourcing Market for Farm Produce

When crops are ready for harvesting, one would hope a seller has already been procured. Most organic farm produce will need to be shipped to markets or warehouses in towns and cities. Working with the buyer will require the farmer to meet with them in person, often away from their land.

Much more farm work takes place away from the farm than most people realize. In addition to the above points, there are also many other things necessary to run a farm that happen offsite. If you are planning to get into the farming business, you need to be prepared for these tasks as well as working the land.