Seeds of Sustainability: Cultivating the Future - A Comprehensive Journey into the First Year Farming, from Business Planning to Challenging Stereotyp

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Commodities

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health
• Education and Training: demonstration, mentoring
• Energy: solar energy
• Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life, new business opportunities

There is a narrow view of what
it takes to be a farmer, who can be a farmer, and how farming
should be done to be profitable. As a novice farmer, you often
aren’t able to understand the true realities and trials that come
with farming but don’t get to experience the joys of living the
lifestyle that farming truly is. There is also a massive gap between the
research in the university agricultural system. However, I seldom
see this information being transformed so the average farmer can
understand and implement these changes into their own
systems.

Solution 

This project employs a
multifaceted approach to educate and engage our audience
effectively:

• Multimedia Content: We will
  create high-quality videos documenting each aspect of the
  farming journey, from business planning to overcoming
  challenges. These videos will be detailed and show the
  month-to-month running cost of my operation and its challenges.
  For this project facet, I will be using cameras, lenses,
  microphones, editing software, computers, lighting, and storage
  devices to create this content. 

• Interviews with Experts:
  Collaborating with seasoned farmers will bring a wealth of
  practical knowledge. These interviews will be presented as
  insightful videos, offering diverse perspectives and
  time-tested practices. I will also use the same materials from
  the multimedia content portion of this section for this
  facet.

• Interactive Workshops: Live
  and virtual workshops will provide hands-on experiences for
  participants. These sessions will cover topics like solar
  setup, automation integration, and sustainable leasing
  practices. I will show how to source, buy, size, and execute
  the integration of new technologies and levels of automation in
  order to reduce farmer labor costs and increase quality of
  life. 

• Educational Guides:
  Comprehensive guides and specific resource data will complement
  the video content, offering in-depth information and
  step-by-step instructions for aspiring
  farmers. 

There is a massive gap between
the research being done in the university agricultural system.
However, I seldom see this information being transformed so the
average farmer can understand and implement these changes into
their own systems. I plan to use the knowledge from my
educational studies coursework and my experience being exposed to
college-level research to repackage for the rest of our farming
community.

Objectives

1. Put on a workshop at a local
   pasture walk that explains how to properly size and set up a
   fence energizer using a solar panel and a battery. Also,
   explore and explain the use cases using such a setup over just
   one large fence energizer and the long-term economic value of
   the upfront cost
2. Explore and showcase
   alternatives of what makes a good “farm truck” by examining how
   I used my 2000 Outback, VW Passat, and vehicle share apps in
   order to overcome and break down the barriers in front of
   me. 
3. Explore the use cases for
   incorporating technology with integrated grazing
   operation 
4. Interview at least 3 innovative
   farmers and explore how their systems lead them to the success
   or the failures they have faced.